Randomized "skins" for freight cars?

[JohnS]

Not sure if this was ever touched on but I was thinking.....Is there a way to take a generic modeled freight car and make the "skins" (schemes) randomized like the numbers? Instead of having 700 50ft boxcars just have one model with a "randomize" Texture folder. We can then just keep adding textures and weathering to this file. Then every time the sim loads it will change the "skin" of the freight car. Just a thought after looking at the Generics in the Miami add-on. Any ideas of yay or nay?

[Ericmopar]

That doesn't sound practical to me.
The reason is, that a mixed freight usually contains many different types of cars as well as liveries.

[artimrj]

Michael Stephan has done this with some of his rolling stock. He used the numbering to change the skins. Instead of number 1, it pulls up the #1 texture and randomly for however many you have. So it can be done.

[ErikGorbiHamilton]

Its like this on the PT Boxcars. Same with the grain cars, and gondolas aswell.

[JohnS]

Ah cool ok so it has been done.

[JohnS]

That doesn't sound practical to me.
The reason is, that a mixed freight usually contains many different types of cars as well as liveries.

I see what your saying but I was aiming to have it on any car in the consist not just one. I was using the boxcar as an example.

[OldProf]

Michael Stephan has done this with some of his rolling stock. He used the numbering to change the skins. Instead of number 1, it pulls up the #1 texture and randomly for however many you have. So it can be done.

Yes, and those cars are very useful for populating sidings, but I think Michael has only done this with low-poly units so far.

[JohnS]

I wonder how it's done? Like said above it uses the number system. I guess there is some coding I need to know and how to position the texture to show correctly.

[ColoradoRailfan]

This has been done to some of the cars on the Portland Terminal route.

[JohnS]

This has been done to some of the cars on the Portland Terminal route.

ok great thank you for the reference point

[Juxen]

I believe it has been done on the original Challenger pack, back when it was from IHH.

[jalsina]

This subject was discussed a couple months ago in Steam.
The idea is to use different liveries applied at random to the very same car, like a boxcar or a gondola. You make a consist and you can get different looks every time you play that scenario.
It was proposed to be included by DTG in the core game. But this is just fantasy like Star Wars.

[GreatNortherner]

I wonder how it's done? Like said above it uses the number system. I guess there is some coding I need to know and how to position the texture to show correctly.

Hi,

It is actually a very simple process but you need to have access to the 3D source files. The texture randomizing method used on the Portland Terminal cars and from what I recall also the old IHH Challenger boxcars is indeed the autonumbering system. All that was done on the models was to include the main body parts in the numbering group and assign a primarydigit to it in the numbering csv file.

There are a few downsides however:
- it is very difficult to select a specific livery in the scenario editor (you have to fiddle with the custom number entry and know which number/letter represents which livery)
- setting up efficient LODs is more difficult that way because a lot of parts have to be put into the single primarynumbers group

I think this method works well for "yard filler" low poly cars, where it really doesn't matter which precise livery they have. But when making up AI or player consists I think that saving several short pre-made consists and mixing and matching them in the editor is a more comfortable and precise way to build colorful consists.

Cheers
Michael

[JohnS]

It sounds to be a bit out of my league so I guess I will leave it be.

[MaineLines]

It seems like it would be most useful for generating random weathered versions of one livery like a unit coal train for instance.