Railworks America

Posted this here because this probably gets more activity.

Seeing as my boss decided I didn't need a holiday this year, I thought I would twiddle and do some new road names for the Brit-Kits locos for the new VNHRR

Created the new name ok, but I am lost as to where to place the file. I placed it in the Source folder under road names - didn't work. I have placed it in the textures folder in the USRA Tenders folder in the BritKits folder tree - didn't work. I placed it in the 282H engine texture folder - did nothing. Obviously I am doing something wrong; just don't know what

Can somebody that has successfully created new road names provide some pointers on getting new names into the sim.

, just don't want to let this spare time go to waste...

This is the procedure I use to edit the Britkit roadnames. It works well.

Edit PRR Passenger Roadnames
by GreatNortherner » Fri May 13, 2011 6:04 am

Hi,

If you have DXT2BMP and RW_Tools installed you already got all you need to edit a texture and its alpha.

First, follow the standard procedure to convert the TgPcDx to dds with RW_Tools. Then open the exported dds (see RW_Tools's temp folder) in DXT2BMP.

In the case of the name (or any autonumber) textures, first, go to the IMAGE menu and "send to editor" the main image. To make you life easier, you should choose your preferred paint tool first in the PREFS menu of DXT2BMP (it defaults to MSPaint). When your image has loaded in the paint program, flood-fill all of it with the desired color of your name/number font. Use a light grey if you want it to appear white in the sim. Then save the image file (overwrite yes). Return to DXT2BMP and click on "Refresh after Edit" in the IMAGE menu.

Now repeat the same for the alpha channel (ALPHA menu --> "send to editor"). Only this time, flood fill the whole image with 100% black (0,0,0 color) and then type on it in 100% white (255,255,255). Save the file when you're done, return to DXT2BMP and run "refresh alpha" in the ALPHA menu.

Now save the DDS file in DXT2BMP, return to RW_Tools, and convert the whole thing back to its original TgPcDx. If you didn't exit RW_Tools while you were editing the image, it will find the correct files automatically after you click on convert to tgpcdx.

Hope this helps,
cheers,
Michael

What I do is use an existing road name file that is in the say 2-8-2-H texture folder. Pic an existing name that you know that you may never use. All the name textures are of a letter. A a B b C c D c so on...(sample, "number_n.TgPcDx").
I used number_n.TgPcDx and made mine the ERIE logo.


alpha


Place the engine ingame and then I select "n" as my letter for the tender and the ERIE logo is on the tender.
I know he has them updated and now have to place the new TgPcDx file in the "Britkits\Steam\RailVehicles\USRA_Tenders\Textures" folder.
I have mine in both folders after the update just in case. "Britkits\Steam\RailVehicles\USRA_Tenders\Textures" and the "Britkits\Steam\RailVehicles\USRA_2-8-2-H\Default\Engine\Textures".

Thanks guys... I will have another bash.

If I can get it together, screenies will follow

well, I am getting closer. Now I have this dirty black decal which is the name image file.

[img][/img]

It possibly makes a difference using PS Elements instead of PS. Any ideas?

Many thanks...

Make sure the alpha channel is pitch black except where the lettering is. Black is invisible, keep that in mind.

I think the issue could be that Elements does not do alpha channel. You can use a layer mask to get the text to show through the background, but I am not sure that is transparent.

OK. I use DXTBmp for doing almost all my work and that makes it easy to edit the alpha's.

XDriver wrote:OK. I use DXTBmp for doing almost all my work and that makes it easy to edit the alpha's.

Me too. It's a awesome tool as soon as you figure out how to use it. If you take your paint editor and just brighten or dim your alpha and then save it back with another name you can experiment until you get the look you want.

XDriver, did you use a white Erie on a transparent background for your herald? How can I add a colored logo (Central of Georgia) to show through?

The first image above is the color you would see. Notice that it is an off light grey? I didn't want bright white on the ERIE logo so it is off white/grey. You can paint that file any color. That's the color you see in the game. The alpha (second image) needs to be pure white where the letters are. White is visible and black is invisible on the alpha.

So, did you paste a white logo on the black background?

After spending nearly 8 hours on this yesterday, I don't want to let it beat me, as I think I am getting closer (to success or a break down )

After exporting the file via RWTools and opening with DXTBmp and then exporting the image to Photoshop Elements 10, I decided to try something a little different. Instead of repainting the image texture black, I cloned the colour and removed the graphic. I then added my New Haven text in an approximation to the NH Gold. Saving this image, PSE10 saves it to a Temp folder within PSE calling in norm.bmp. Transferring the alpha and repeating the process, only the text is now white. saving this also saves it to the temp folder, calling it trans.bmp. Reopening norm.bmp and saving as number_s.dds back into the RWTools tempdds folder. Reconvert the file via RW Tools and copy that to the Britkits 2-8-2 Engine texture folder where it appears the tenders are getting the number textures from and VOILA!! I am back to where I was with the black texture on the tender side. Obviously I am missing something, I am just not smart enough to know what !

To top it off, I now have fragments of a Burlington Route logo showing on the tenderside, even when the tender is texture naked.



I only have one more day before I have to go back to work, I hope I can achieve something.

Thanks for the patience...

After converting to dds file. Main file you want this


Alpha has to look like this


End result looks like this


If you have to have it now, download this:
Goes in........Britkits\Steam\RailVehicles\USRA_2-8-2-H\Default\Engine\Textures
Use "s" in the editor in place of x
Merry Christmas!

Many thanks Joe, that was very generous.

My texture does look like that, as does my alpha, which is what I cant understand but placing on the tender gives me the black texture decal on the tender side.

What program are you using - CS, Paintshop or Photoshop full or lite? I am still wondering of it is something to do with Elements.