TransDEM Forum

Good evening evrybody.

I have recently bought this superb program and i'm now starting to get the gist of it, but i still have some issues that i do not know how to solve.

For reference, i'm using the lastest version (at the time of writing): TransDEM 2.6.4.3 (64bit version) working with Trainz 2019 build 110497.

Currently, my most pressing issue is with the ground textures once the route has been imported into trainz simulator, as they come out like this:



And this applies to the whole route:



For this specific route (wich models the Joban Line section between Soma and Haranomachi stations in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan) i have used Google Earth Pro as raster images base (following HiBaller's nice tutorial on the matter https://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?132272-Tutorial-for-Using-Google-Earth-amp-TransDEM-for-route-creation), but the same issue with the ground textures persist also when using other raster map providers (such as the Orthophoto from ESRI or even the plain Google Maps "Map").

I did install the DEM texture .cdp files beforehand as specified by the instruction manual. I suspect it might be a compatibility issue with Trainz 2019, as i'm exporting all TransDEM routes with the "T:ANE" setting, but i'd like to hear the opinion of an expert.

Another issue i'm having with TransDEM is with the simple route editor, as the spilines placed with the simple route editor do not appear at all, only as a light blue line (visible in the first picture of the post), again, i suspect it might be a compatibility issue.

Many Thanks

-Socimi

It looks like the ground textures have not been installed. You only see a few of them and that will be those that are shipped with Trainz for years now, a mistake by some route builder who did not clean his route of those textures before publishing it.

I would also advise against ortho-images for ground textures. Even with all the ground textures present, the result would not be sharp enough and you would have too few colors. Use a map for ground textures, e.g. Open Topo Map via the Map Tile Client. Put your ortho-images on UTM tiles. The "Muengsten" tutorial in the Quick Start Guide has an example, albeit not with aerial photography but with a large scale topo map.

To see your vector lines you placed with the Simple Route Editor, you have to export as Track Splines.

So, basically, use all three export functions, before you import with Trainz Content Manager:

1. Export topo map as ground textures.
2. Export ortho images as UTM tiles
3. Export vectors as track splines

Again, the "Muengsten" tutorial will show you all three export steps.

That's exactly what is puzzling me, as i did install the DEM ground textures fro Trainz 2019 (the "TransDEM Ground Textures (PBR) V7" and "TransDEM Ground Textures Orthoimagery 128 (PBR) V4" .cdps as specified in the "readme" file included in the .cdps' folder) as the first thing i did when i got the program.

I also tried to delete and re-install them and then export the route again and by installing all .cdps and then exporting the route for a third time, but with no success in both cases.

Have you checked with Trainz Content Manager? Are they listed there? A set of 20 and another set of 128 assets, with KUID versions 7 and 4? Do they come up in the preview, with colour shown?

And, most importatnt: Did you do the "Muengsten" tutorial from beginning to end?

Yes, all 20+128 TransDEM textures are correctly installed with none of them showing up as faulty or otherwise. They do come up in the prewiew as well, with the respective colours correctly shown.



I did indeed do the Muengsten tutorial well before my first attempt at route-making with TransDEM.

Excellent. This shows us that all the textures are there. And the track splines on top of the light blue texture line. Are you using 10 or 5 m grid baseboards? I suggest to go for 5 m. My screenshot in the manual looks a bit sharper.

Now, the big question is, what did you differently in your own route? Having had a closer look at your original screenshot now, I no longer think it's a texture issue. If some texture assets wouldn't be there, the 10m grid would become a 10 + 5 m grid with the Trainz default ground texture. And I don't see that.

So, the reason for the poor outcome is your data source. It looks like you are trying to apply ortho-images. That never works well with ground textures. The standard set only has 20 colors, optimized for cartographic maps which have very few but distinct colors. You can enhance the result somewhat by selecting the 128 custom texture set when exporting in TransDEM. It has many more colors which also are optimized for aerial imagery. But you will lose the 10m grid, because that texture set is meant for background baseboards which are going to be left untouched. And it still won't be sharp enough as a navigation and building aid. Max resolution is 1px per 5m (with 5 meter baseboards). And that is, where UTM tiles come in. Their resolution can go up 1px per 12cm.

Again, as said in a previous post, use a topo map for ground textures. Open Topo Map should be fine. Zoom level 13 or 14 should work with the 5 m baseboard grid. And put your aerial images on UTM tiles.