How To Make Scenery
Trainz, the game, consists of two basic components: a railroad and scenery. Trainz aficionados are a diverse group and individual users interests and talents are likely to emphasize one or the other of the two. Developing the scenery that surrounds the railroad is an aspect of the game that only a few users have really mastered. This integrated series of How-To pages will introduce those interested in improving the look of their route—improving the scenery—to techniques they can easily learn and apply. Although scenery objects (assets) are important and will be discussed, the focus here is on the landscape itself: especially the use of the Topology (sic) and Paint tools in Surveyor Mode. Although applicable to any version of Trainz, the text is based on the tools and renderings available in TRS2019.
How important is realistic scenery? It is fair to say that Premium Routes, free to Trainz Plus members and for a small fee to others, are selected by N3V Games largely on the basis of the scenery. Location is a substantial part of the interest in mastering a Trainz Session set, say, in the Rocky Mountains or set in Northern Italy; and the same can be said for conducting operations in a realistic looking industrial area. It is conceivable that some users may have little or no interest (oh the horror!) in actually running a railroad. From T:ANE version forward a gamer may create a world in which the railroad is just part of the scenery. Travel about such a world ("Route") would be by car, truck, bus, boat, or airplane—or just walking. This approach is now possible in Trainz, appealing to a user with a strong artistic nature.
Table of Contents
The folowing subject areas are part of this Trainz Wiki How To Guide (click on a chapter title):
| LAYOUT | Starting a route; Linear vs. Area models; hiding the "Edge of the World". | ||
| HILLS and VALLEYS | Ups and downs: creating terrain. | ||
| OBJECT and SPLINE ASSETS | Adding objects and spline objects; spline shadows; backdrops. | ||
| COLORING (PAINTING) | Selecting and applying ground textures. | ||
| WATER FEATURES | Creating surface waters: creeks, streams, lakes, waterfalls, and the ocean. |
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