Patch 1.EA.015
The new patch arrived! It contains the first feature that the LOTUS community was able to vote for - the configuration files of passenger information. We hope you like what you see and are willing to provide some additional information in the following.
The PIS groups contain all information that are used for passenger information now or later: Destinations, stops and routes. The passenger information systems have been reworked completely. The system is now divided into standard information and special information.
The standard information should ensure that every display system that is technically eligible can display those basic information. The creator of a map provides those information after his own mind - and hence those information are available for every map in a normalised form, so that anybody that creates a display or bord computer (like the IBIS) is able to rely on that information without need to step in or to be mentioned by the map creator. The standard information are system-independent.
Special information refine and expand the standard information. Special information are currently not available in LOTUS! They would define local specialities like changing destinations or inverted fonts, which can then be interpreted by the display- or bord computer creators.
This concept provides that a map creator does not have to worry about special strings for special display systems, that any display even works if the special information is missing or not available for other reasons and that people who create a display are not limited with its feature scope concerning special solutions.
Currently the PIS groups contain:
- Destination codes and destination displays
- Stop lists
- Special character codes
In LOTUS it is now possible to freely exchange devices between vehicles. On the one hand it is possible to use such devices in multiple different vehicles, on the other hand it is possible to equip a single vehicle with different modules. Most suitable devices are inside and outside displays, ticket printers and bord computers, but LOTUS does not limit the number or choice of module slots.
Requirement for the exchange of modules is that the vehicle creator supports modules and considers them in his vehicle configuration.
Our GT6N already provides module slots for the bord computer and the displays. To exchange them, you would need the metrics of the installation bays, the used module classes (since you can not attach a display to a bord computer slot) and the procedures that the vehicle listens for at the slots.
During the implementation of vehicle modules and the introduction of PIS groups we obviously gave our GT6N those features as well. Currently our IBIS is able to interpret special characters, lines and destinations of a random PIS group and to send them to the displays. Routes and stops are not yet functioning, since both do not exist at the moment. :)
IBIS and displays are of course implemented as modules and can be exchanged! The neccessary developer information can be found here.
The stop and destination code list for the Berlin tram has been added including the most of the special character codes. A instruction for the IBIS can be found here.
The GT6N has been equipped with working front-, side and rear displays, including the original 8 different font that are used script-controlled automatically.
- All: If container exceed the 1 GB mark, for every GB a .lct.1, .lct.2, ... file is created. Those were not uploaded to the workshop, which has been corrected now.
- All: Information concerning the graphics card have been added to the logfiles - hopefully this spares you the questions in the support :)
- Simulation: Option added to switch 3D trees to 2D trees
- Simulation: Bugfix with freezing traffic lights after a pause
- Simulation: Vehicle module and module presets added to GUI in vehicle configuration
- Simulation: Selection of the PIS group added to map configuration
- Simulation: List of destination codes ingame added
- MapEditor: Setting for scenery objects added to switch between "always LOD" or "LOD at distance". Attention: Trees by default always show the LOD mesh.
- MapEditor: Further logfile entries: Error message "map calcmt part b"
- MapEditor: Maps can now be configured with a default PIS group
- ContentTool: Module system added for vehicles
- ContentTool: PIS group file added
- ContentTool: LOD generator for trees and similar objects - created crossed billbords from the 3D object itself
- ContentTool: Material parameter added to provide secondary texture coordinates for normal maps
- ContentTool: New material flag "Detail texture overwrites alpha channel"
- ContentTool: Script variable "a_ground" added (acceleration lengthways)
- Content: Multiple traffic light modules added
- Content: "Digged up" grooved rails added
- Content: Lawn-fill-piece added (rubber mat besides rails)
- Content: 30cm high curbstone added
- Content: 22cm platform added
- Content: GT6N: IBIS added
- Content: GT6N: Dynamic flip-dot full-matrix added that is controlled by the IBIS and feeded by the new PIS group
- Content: Complete Berlin destination list for Tram, including special characters
- Language: Quite a few new entries! :)
- Change in Language entry: "Ctrl"-Key added in entry Editor.Msg.Newelement.NoRailTracksSel
- Additional info: New standard events for bord computers added to the Lexicon! :)
1. PIS groups (ex "Hof (depot) files")
The PIS groups contain all information that are used for passenger information now or later: Destinations, stops and routes. The passenger information systems have been reworked completely. The system is now divided into standard information and special information.
The standard information should ensure that every display system that is technically eligible can display those basic information. The creator of a map provides those information after his own mind - and hence those information are available for every map in a normalised form, so that anybody that creates a display or bord computer (like the IBIS) is able to rely on that information without need to step in or to be mentioned by the map creator. The standard information are system-independent.
Special information refine and expand the standard information. Special information are currently not available in LOTUS! They would define local specialities like changing destinations or inverted fonts, which can then be interpreted by the display- or bord computer creators.
This concept provides that a map creator does not have to worry about special strings for special display systems, that any display even works if the special information is missing or not available for other reasons and that people who create a display are not limited with its feature scope concerning special solutions.
Currently the PIS groups contain:
- Destination codes and destination displays
- Stop lists
- Special character codes
2. Vehicle modules
In LOTUS it is now possible to freely exchange devices between vehicles. On the one hand it is possible to use such devices in multiple different vehicles, on the other hand it is possible to equip a single vehicle with different modules. Most suitable devices are inside and outside displays, ticket printers and bord computers, but LOTUS does not limit the number or choice of module slots.
Requirement for the exchange of modules is that the vehicle creator supports modules and considers them in his vehicle configuration.
Our GT6N already provides module slots for the bord computer and the displays. To exchange them, you would need the metrics of the installation bays, the used module classes (since you can not attach a display to a bord computer slot) and the procedures that the vehicle listens for at the slots.
3. GT6N with IBIS and displays
During the implementation of vehicle modules and the introduction of PIS groups we obviously gave our GT6N those features as well. Currently our IBIS is able to interpret special characters, lines and destinations of a random PIS group and to send them to the displays. Routes and stops are not yet functioning, since both do not exist at the moment. :)
IBIS and displays are of course implemented as modules and can be exchanged! The neccessary developer information can be found here.
The stop and destination code list for the Berlin tram has been added including the most of the special character codes. A instruction for the IBIS can be found here.
The GT6N has been equipped with working front-, side and rear displays, including the original 8 different font that are used script-controlled automatically.
4. Patch features in an overview
- All: If container exceed the 1 GB mark, for every GB a .lct.1, .lct.2, ... file is created. Those were not uploaded to the workshop, which has been corrected now.
- All: Information concerning the graphics card have been added to the logfiles - hopefully this spares you the questions in the support :)
- Simulation: Option added to switch 3D trees to 2D trees
- Simulation: Bugfix with freezing traffic lights after a pause
- Simulation: Vehicle module and module presets added to GUI in vehicle configuration
- Simulation: Selection of the PIS group added to map configuration
- Simulation: List of destination codes ingame added
- MapEditor: Setting for scenery objects added to switch between "always LOD" or "LOD at distance". Attention: Trees by default always show the LOD mesh.
- MapEditor: Further logfile entries: Error message "map calcmt part b"
- MapEditor: Maps can now be configured with a default PIS group
- ContentTool: Module system added for vehicles
- ContentTool: PIS group file added
- ContentTool: LOD generator for trees and similar objects - created crossed billbords from the 3D object itself
- ContentTool: Material parameter added to provide secondary texture coordinates for normal maps
- ContentTool: New material flag "Detail texture overwrites alpha channel"
- ContentTool: Script variable "a_ground" added (acceleration lengthways)
- Content: Multiple traffic light modules added
- Content: "Digged up" grooved rails added
- Content: Lawn-fill-piece added (rubber mat besides rails)
- Content: 30cm high curbstone added
- Content: 22cm platform added
- Content: GT6N: IBIS added
- Content: GT6N: Dynamic flip-dot full-matrix added that is controlled by the IBIS and feeded by the new PIS group
- Content: Complete Berlin destination list for Tram, including special characters
- Language: Quite a few new entries! :)
- Change in Language entry: "Ctrl"-Key added in entry Editor.Msg.Newelement.NoRailTracksSel
- Additional info: New standard events for bord computers added to the Lexicon! :)