The International Simutrans Forum

Well guys, I've decided to get my hands dirty...at least try to do something.


I want to make more houses.  At first I'm not going to try for great stuff, just more variety for the time being.  From what I learned from the sign addon, I think I can do this.


First thing I need or at least would like to have is a .png file of a basic house.  Is there somewhere I can download one?


Also VS, if you read this, do you have any kind of tutorial or notes on using your shades app?

pak64, pak128, pak128Britain, many other paksets and some addons and creations are openSource. The SVN at SourceForge (http://simutrans.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/simutrans/) have some of those paksets.

@Roads
I remembered my first working test and how I began to create buildings.

So, you must read this part of wiki wich summarizes the principle of cutting of the images
http://simutrans-germany.com/wiki/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=en_GraphicsCutting
and after you can read this translated doc :
http://www.simutrans-france.fr.nf/doku.php?id=en:creation_daddons

I also encourage you to use templates to respect the size of tiles

One question : what graphic editor do you want to use creating houses and what technology : 2D or 3D ?

Don't forget : use tilecutter to prepare your png file before compiling, it's great and simple to cut your drawing.

@mEGa

Thank you very much for the detailed info!  I know it took some time to reply with those links.

One of the reasons I wanted one of the old .png files was because of the size of the tiles.  Since there are templates...great!

I have a copy of Paint Shop Pro9 that I have not installed on this computer yet.  To be honest I only used it casually.  Also at one point, I downloaded Blender and ran one of the tutorials for it.  I assume the game uses 2D graphics for the houses now but will eventually go to 3D?

My thinking and I haven't read the links yet, is that I will do 2D unless you strongly advise otherwise.  I haven't read the links yet, I'm going to do that now and will get back to you.

I use blender all the time for my stuff - it makes the shading and scaling very easy. I just render the model to get the isometric images you see in game. It's not necessary, but for people with limited artistic ability like myself it makes all the difference.

I've downloaded PhotoFiltre and am going through the tutorial now.  So far I really like the software and the tutorial.  Blender was difficult for me (yeah I'm joining the "ewww that's too hard people" on this one).  I do have some background in artsy stuff and it raises a question:

From which side (left or right) does the sun shine?  When I did some canvas painting I always had the sun shining in (facing the canvas) from the left so the right facing side was shaded.  I believe Simutrans is the same way but want to make sure.

Depends on the pakset - most are sun from the left.

I moved this thread...

And welcome to the Artists' club, Roads ;)

Thanks Fabio!  I'm already having a some difficulty with PhotoFiltre.  I'm used to just grasping a selection (left click, drag) and moving it where I want.  Apparently you can't do this with PhotoFiltre?

Please don't laugh.  My first 64x64x32 box. :)


@The Hood
Thank you.


You are right, the sun does indeed rise in the West in Simutrans as you can clearly see below:
On second thought, maybe the sun does rise in the East, just everyone paints and takes photos in the afternoon. :)
(http://simutrans-germany.com/files/upload/roads001.PNG)

Note that the roofs tend to get more light than the "dark" (east) side of buildings in most paksets.

Thanks Carl, I'll keep that in mind.

BTW, would know if an addon for houses actually adds to the number of available choices for the engine or does it just replace some of the ones in the original pak?

It adds to the number of available choices, provided you give it a unique name...

I recommend using sketchup is a 3D modeler very easy to use and after you export it in 2D image and give the detail in any other editor I use the gimp.

@derajjared

Thank you!  I've never heard of sketchup.  I have heard of gimp but never looked at it.  I'll look at both as I generally like PhotoFiltre but do not like the fact you can't select, click and drag.  Of course I need to learn a 3d modeler as well.

@Combuijs

Thanks!  Actually I would probably have guessed that but likely wouldn't have thought to check the names had you not mentioned it.


EDIT:  I didn't say all I meant to here.  Combuijs, I very much appreciate you telling me the engine does use all the available houses.  I had gotten concerned after I began doing this that it might have a fixed number and my original intention of adding variety would be futile in that case.

Hey, there's a possible new participant for the SRGC competition after the next one. :-)

Thanks for the vote of confidence sdog but I'm not exactly the brightest star in the sky as I'm sure y'all have already gathered.  Uh, meaning I'm not a fast learner but we'll see.   :)

Just to correct a couple things I said earlier in this thread.  From the tutorial I've learned that the sun shines from the south in Simutrans and is stationary.  Very handy. :)

PhotoFiltre does have a drag and drop.  It just doesn't work the way it does in most paint packages I've seen.  The more I use it, the more I like it.  Thanks again mEGa.