Several problems with the Amtrak Southeast Pack

[Kazareh]

Alright, well. 3 problems. Ones that make this pack I must unfortunately say, not worth the price.

#1: Engine sounds
The engine sounds work fine for awhile, then it seems the sim loses track of what files are what, in the idle position, it's in 'notch 1' sound, when I move it to notch one (5%), the engine RPM sound goes down. Sometimes it goes to a full throttle sound at notch 0.

#2: Dining Car Passenger View

I mainly run passenger view in the sim so this is a big issue. The dining car passenger view is set in the 'kitchen' area.... which is completely empty, and the wall is sorta, not done right and you can sorta see into the passenger section. See attached picture

#3: 'Sun lounge' shape error

This is sorta a minor one I guess, but it is a bit annoying. Circled in the 2nd attached picture is a section where the .s file was made wrong, and there's a gap between the carbody and roof windows.


Will there be fixes for this? And also, will there ever be a interior view for the sleeping cars? Thanks.

http://s71.photobucket.com/albums/i154/CaliforniaZephyr/?action=view&current=Diningcarerror.jpg

http://s71.photobucket.com/albums/i154/CaliforniaZephyr/?action=view&current=Sunloungeerror.jpg

[GaryG]

Hi Kazareh

After three or four years, the first actual engine sound complaint.

When I developed this sound set, I saw that 'getting lost' problem but found that if I avoided rapid throttle changes in opposite directions, the problem was averted.

I could go from Idle to Run8 rapidly or from Run8 to Idle rapidly with no problem but not if previous sound changes had no caught up. Example, Idle to Run4 and before the sounds are at Run4, down to Idle again can create the problem.

Because this sound set uses so many different triggers and sounds, I assume that it is a MSTS buffering problem and can not be fixed. Since I've used MSTSbin and newer computer hardware I haven't seen the problem here although I do run with smooth throttle changes.

GaryG

[Kazareh]

Alright, I'll try that then, avoiding quick throttle changes.

However, what of the passenger errors?

[Gaetan]

Rick will check that, stay tune

Thanks Gary for explanation

[Kazareh]

Alright. I'll keep an eye peeled here then!

(Off Topic, but I am BLOWN AWAY by the SP Daylight pack! LOVE IT! So original, the articulated diner and the dome lounge is the BEST... Would have liked higher sunshades on the obs car but oh well xD Still AWESOME!)

[rfranzosa]

Dear Kazareh,

I guess that explains why I always get wet when I ride in the Sunview on a rainy day...

Diner - Will require simple change to the wag file. The 'head' position is set at the wrong end of the car. I will put this in a patch.

Sunview - Actually not a shape issue. I need to adjust the alpha channel on the roof. This will also be in the patch.

Sleeper views - As I am now a bit more proficient in TSM, I feel more comfortable about creating interiors and passenger views. For example, the Monon set that I am completing has custom interiors in all of the cars that match the floor plans provided to me by Rick Berg. I'm actually considering three different wag files for the parlor/lounge/observation car so that you can sit in the parlor area, the observation lounge or the stateroom.

While there are no sleepers in the Monon set, I plan on improving the quality of sleeper interiors AND adding passenger views to future sets. As time permits, I will also redo some of the current sets to new standards.

Thank you so much for identifying these issues. I'll fix them before the week is out.

Rick

[Kazareh]

[rfranzosa]

BTW, I figured out what happened with the diner.

Just before I released the set, I learned that the diner should be set up 'kitchen to the rear'. I rotated the shape but not the passenger position!!

[Kazareh]

[rfranzosa]

Kazareh,

No, not really a 'shape error'.

The major definition of a wagon in MSTS is held in four types of files, the shape file (which defines the 3D shape), texure 'ACE' files, which provide the color and texture on the shape, the 'sd' file, which defines the boundary (bounding box) for coupling, etc., and the 'wag' file, which defines. among other things, the physical behavior (rolling characteristics, braking, weight), the lighting, sound and also the 'passenger view'.

The mistake I made was that I reversed the shape (in the shape file), but I did not reposition the passenger view (in the wag file).

Rick

[Kazareh]