It is currently 29 Mar 2024, 09:31

WELCOME TO SIMUSCAPE!


Please Sign in or Register to enable all features, remove restrictions and gain additional access!
For information on how to bypass the CAPTCHA or to contact Team Simuscape, Continue Here!


Post a new topicPost a reply Page 1 of 1   [ 4 posts ]
Author Message
PostPosted: 13 Apr 2012, 04:13 
Player
Player

Joined: 12 Mar 2012, 02:39
Posts: 469
Welcome to my studio in the quaint little village of Simuscape ... please take a seat ...

First, I would like to fill you in about why I am here now and clear up some of the rumours that have been floating around recently.

Nowadays I am a 'one-man band' ... my work on the Canadian Theme Pack is continuing, albeit a little bit slower and away from the big smoke of the tt-forum. A while back I received an offer to establish a presence at Simuscape. Well, then I didn't really saw a need for it ... as a 'one-man band'. But, events in recent days changed my mind and last weekend I packed up all my belongings over at the big smoke and left for greener pastures. It is also an honour and privilege to me for having a place to continue my work here and make my wares available to the wider TTDLX community, be they TTDPatch or OpenTTD players.

Briefly, I would like to mention some of the events that happened last year and why I withdrew my visual presence at the big smoke, which was interpreted as - I quit all things TTDLX ...

It was early in January 2011 ... I expected, that the new Canadian Trains (CanRail v2.0) could be released by XMas 2011, the artists involved were informed and assured me that there would be absolutely no problem for them; unfortunately DanMacK (and ISA), having had 12 months notice of the event, decided from about July 2011 onwards to put the brakes on the project by stopping releasing the all important sprites to me. As a result the release of the Canadian Trains (CanRail) did not happen and I decided to continue the project of Canadian Trains and its related modules on my own. I did not just run-away without saying good-bye; I'm still around, but without participation on the tt-forum any more.

Well, in the meantime, I have finished CanRail by drawing and updating the missing art myself. Andythenorth was heard saying : “OzTrans has a master piece all to himself and DanMacK is left with a pile sprites”. Very true ! Further, work on the Canadian Stations (CanStn v2.0) is progressing very well and will be finished soon, together with the Canadian Infrastructure set (CanBase v2.0). After that, I will occupy myself with Canadian Industries (a clone of FIRS), Canadian Cities, Road, Air and Sea Services.

But first ... I will update all those early graphic files that are known today as the Canadian/North American Archive. This archive was closed last weekend over at the big smoke. These GRFs are currently not available for download, but will be re-released once updated. More on that in a little while ...

A few other things I'd like to mention. There seems to be the impression, that I am against OpenTTD. This isn't the case at all. I'm all for it, but I do dislike the behaviour of some if not all of the OpenTTD developers. I've said it before - One day, I would like to see an OpenTTD developer knocking on my door and asking : “Is there anything we can do to help to make your hard work even better ?” On St. Nimmerleinstag may be. As coders, we stand between the game and the playing community at large; but the constant and sometimes unwelcome features that get put up makes it very difficult to maintain graphics sets at a properly functioning level. Being against OTTD would hurt the players more than the developers and I'd like to avoid that.

The Canadian Trains (CanRail) and its related modules would be quite a diamond in the OTTD crown, but due to circumstances, that has to wait just a little bit longer. There is still a long road ahead of me ...

Maybe recognising, that us artists and coders bring something very worthy to the game, would be very helpful for starters ... maybe I find it here ...

Thank you for your attendance, but do stick around more news and announcements will come your way soon ...


Last edited by OzTrans on 13 Apr 2012, 08:18, edited 1 time in total.

Top
 Offline Profile  
 
PostPosted: 13 Apr 2012, 04:17 
Player
Player

Joined: 12 Mar 2012, 02:39
Posts: 469
GRFCrawler Information Centre

GRFCrawler has been updated; all GRFs being developed and maintained by OzTrans and hosted at Simuscape now direct the public to come and see us here.

The following Graphics Files are affected :

» Canadian Trains (CanSet)
» Canadian Stations (CanStn)
» Canadian Town Names (CANames)
» North American Cities (NACity)
» North American Roads (NARoads)

as well as

» BK Enhanced Tunnels (BKTun)


Top
 Offline Profile  
 
PostPosted: 25 Mar 2013, 10:48 
Player
Player

Joined: 12 Mar 2012, 02:39
Posts: 469
There hasn't been much news lately, but I'd like to provide some information about future happenings. It is not that there will be anything happening real soon, as there is still a lot of work ahead of us …

The next release of any Canadian graphics file will involve all of them at the same time; i.e. there will be updates to all 5 GRFs, plus a new one too.

What are the changes ?

All graphics files will receive a new GRFID. Unfortunately, we have some GRF authors among us, that believe it is quite alright to infringe on my range of GRFIDs, which have been in use by OzTransLtd/OzTrans for a very long time. In fact, since 2006 GRFIDs in the range of “CA” (or 43 41 xx xx), i.e. all 65,000+ of them have been in use exclusively by myself.

Anyway, because we do have a particular nasty, obnoxious and uncooperative member, who believes any GRFID can be used by anybody. Now, we are moving. All graphic files will receive a new GRFID in the range of “97 83 xx xx”. That range, all 65,000+ of them, will be for the exclusive use by OzTrans, that is me, forever and a day. All GRF authors are asked to steer clear of this range.

Should you, as a GRF author, check for the existence of a Canadian graphics file in a game within your own GRF(s), then you will need to update your GRF(s). Get in touch with me (PM) giving me some details. I will let you know, what you have to change and when the change will take effect.

Once all Canadian graphic files have been re-released, any GRF that has a GRFID starting with “CA” or “43 41” will be become legacy and declared outdated, null and void. This will also include any GRF that has infringed my space.

Currently we have one GRF, i.e. the OpenGfx Airports, that has set foot on my turf. What are the implications ? If any Canadian GRF detects an outdated GRF in your list of active GRFs within a game, the Canadian GRF will deactivate the offending GRF(s) or if it cannot, deactivate itself. Should OpenGfx Airport not move out of my range, players will not be able to use OpenGfx Airports together with any newly released Canadian GRF. I will not apologize for any inconvenience that may cause.

What other changes are being implemented ?

A version check will be implemented for both OpenTTD and TTDPatch; i.e. there will be a minimum version Canadian graphic files will be compatible with. In OpenTTD it will be v1.2.3 and in TTDPatch v2.6 alpha (r2324 or r2366 if containing New Objects).

There may be a maximum version of the game a GRF is compatible with too. This will be the case should a Canadian graphics file ever find its way onto the In Game Content Downloader. The maximum version would be set to the most recent stable release of OpenTTD, currently v1.2.3. In the event of a new stable release, we update the maximum version check and release an update.

Further, Canadian graphic files will be made available as .TAR package for OpenTTD players and include ReadMe, License and Changelog files for in game viewing. The GRF itself will be exactly the same as the one released for TTDPatch.

Then there will be a number of other features and changes implemented across the entire range of Canadian graphic files. More about these later …

Note: for comments and discussion go to Canadian/North American Graphics [Discussion]


Top
 Offline Profile  
 
PostPosted: 26 Mar 2013, 10:24 
Player
Player

Joined: 12 Mar 2012, 02:39
Posts: 469
What else is being implemented, changed or added across Canadian graphic files ?


North American [Canadian] Roads (NA[Can]Roads)

This GRF will see a major upgrade and double in size. This upgrade will come to you courtesy of BauerME, who very kindly works graphics wise on NA[Can]Roads.

What will be new ?

We will move to a three era road system. Currently we have a two era system; i.e. 'dirt/brick' and 'bitumen'. We will add a 'dirt/cobblestone' road surface, which will become era one, with the others shifting one up to become era two and era three respectively. They will be available by default as follows : 'dirt/cobblestone' - start of game until 1920, 'dirt/brick' – 1921 until 1945, 'bitumen' – 1946 onwards. However, players will be able to select the changeover years of 1921 and 1946 via parameter. Further, it will still be possible to choose any of the 3 surfaces for an entire game, or even change from one surface to another any time throughout a game (OpenTTD game permitting, i.e. all parameters are fully save game compatible, but OpenTTD may prevent players from changing them).

It will, too, be possible to skip an era altogether; i.e. if a parameter is set to before the start of the game, then the relevant road system will be skipped. An example : Start of game set to 1900, parameter 1 set to 1899 and parameter 2 to 1946 = 'dirt/brick' from 1900 until 1945, then switch to 'bitumen' in 1946 (this would be the old behaviour). If both parameters are set to the same year, then era two 'dirt/brick' would be skipped. Further, if that year is set to before start of game, then era three 'bitumen' would be available from start of game.

NA[Can]Roads will move international too; i.e. the 'bitumen' road surface with yellow road markings (for North America/Canada) will receive newly painted white road markings for Europe (UK/EU). By default, 'bitumen' road surface will be with yellow road markings, but players will be able to choose the white road markings via parameter. With the white road markings, a few features will be updated to give players a more European feel.

The street cars, currently available in NARoads, will be moved to Canadian Road Vehicles (CanRV) [see below]. However, the tram tracks will remain as part of the road systems.

Finally, the name of the graphics file will be changed to reflect all the changes and new additions. This GRF will remain part of the 'All Things Canadian' suite of graphic files, including the forthcoming Canadian Theme Pack; thus it will simply be known as 'Canadian Roads (CanRoads)'; although it has gone international.

We hope, you'll appreciate the hard work done by BauerME and continue to enjoy Canadian Roads (CanRoads) in its new set up. As soon as we have something to showcase, we will present the new and updated road systems for comments ...


Canadian Road Vehicles (CanRV)

Canadian Road Vehicles will be a brand new graphics file, containing for starters the entire fleet of street cars from NA[Can]Roads. In addition, it is planned to add articulated light rail in 2-, 4- and 6-car sets in order to move larger number of passengers from inner city locations, where it has become impracticable to construct and provide normal rail services.

Otherwise, this vehicle GRF will be a full road vehicle set with buses, mail vans, trucks and lorries.

Buses : We will implement 12 buses (by DanMacK) across 4 vehicle IDs, livery refittable within a vehicle ID. There will be 3 categories of buses, i.e. 3 Early Buses (1890-1950), 3 City Transit Buses (1935+) and 6 Intercity Buses (1938+).

Mail Vans : wallyweb has kindly recoloured the 3 TTD 'original' mail vans to Canadian Postal Livery.

Trucks and Lorries : The entire fleet of TTD 'original' trucks and lorries will be re-coded without graphics. These will be made fully compatible with ECS and FIRS industry GRFs, as well as made available as early as 1890.

There are also plans (permission permitting) to include, for TTDPatch players, a few non-articulated Heavy Equipment trucks and machinery from HEQS by andythenorth.

The Canadian Road Vehicles will complement Canadian Trains and Railways (CanRail) in particular suitable for low volume services.

More to come later …

Note: for comments and discussion go to Canadian/North American Graphics [Discussion]


Top
 Offline Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post a new topicPost a reply Page 1 of 1   [ 4 posts ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
cron


Status SimuscapeTerms of UseAbout Simuscape

Design by SAC © 2012-2015, Sweden • Powered by phpBB • Based on twilightBB by Daniel St. Jules