Halloween! + Text for mods & more v5.20
Happy Halloween! (in advance)
This update brings back the classic Halloween theming to the game, but most of all adds dynamic text support (roadnumbers and roadnames) for train mods. It also adds some more features like AI tags for trains and more switchboard options!
[h2]Dynamic roadnumbers for train mods[/h2]
Firstly, you can now add 3D text to your train mods! The previous update added roadnumber and roadname options to official trains & liveries, and this update completes the job by adding these features to the modding system.
You can find the new text options in the modding menu "edit mod -> effects -> text objects":
Mods that use this new feature will also automatically get tagged on the workshop with "Dynamic Roadnumbers":
[h2]AI tags for trains[/h2]
This update also adds an "AI tags" feature for trains. You can set tags on trains for things like "Passenger" or "Freight" and then make AI trigger signs & circuitry train sensors only detect trains with matching tags!
For example, you could make an AI "sound horn" sign that only makes passenger trains use their horn (and ignore freight trains).
Or make some circuitry that makes different lights glow depending on whether a freight wagon is tagged with "Coal", "Wood", "Steel", etc.
You can edit a trains tags using the popup options menu and choosing "AI Tags":
[h2]New switchboard features[/h2]
This update adds a couple of new options for switchboards, you can now hide sidewalks and road edges to clean up road switchboards. You can also opt to hide "invisible" track (track which has no visual mesh, usually used for moving train mods around which are designed to look like planes/boats).
[h2]Halloween menus[/h2]
You'll notice that the game now launches with a selection of Halloween themed menus!
This is just a temporary event, but if you want to then you can disable this feature in the "Pause menu -> gameplay -> main menu options" menu.
If you disable this then the game will use your own custom selection of menus instead.
[h2]Other Halloween stuff[/h2]
Of course you can also access all of the classic Halloween items added in other updates!
You can find all of the Halloween themed props in the "Misc -> Halloween" drawers:
These props include gothic-style fences & gates, various decorations, light-up pumpkins, gravestones, colored lights, hanging lights and even a bubbling cauldron:
There's even a loot pumpkin which you can open to get special train variations (and tons of candy):
And of course the ghost trains!
You can get them as rare rewards from opening the loot pumpkins, and there are a bunch of different wagons and locos:
You can turn on the special Halloween skybox by going into the "weather & time menu -> advanced" and turning on "Halloween mode":
[h2]Other features[/h2]
This update adds a new setting to automatically disable dynamic text for either just mods, freight wagons, or all trains.
(e.g. if you prefer the way the wagons looked without numbers on the side)
You can find this setting in the "Pause menu -> graphics" menu:
You can also now set a custom list of random roadnumber options instead of just a random range.
E.g. if you only wanted the random roadnumber choices to reflect actual real-world locomotive numbers for a set list.
And various other smaller fixes:
- If a QuickMod or train mod does not have a custom roadname set, the controller will instead display its name (instead of the roadnumber/name combo)
- Fixed shading issues with some fonts
- Fixed custom livery numberboards for the AC4400CW
- Fixed incorrect text position on the ATSF boxcar
- Cloning the example preview wagon when making a livery is now blocked (since this is a temporary model and should not be used in save files and results in multiple bugs)
- Fixed incorrect info on the context help for track gradient controls.
- Fixed the options menu popup still being visible when other hover options are hidden
And that's everything for now!
Now's a great time to make some Halloween themed maps (even though there isn't an official competition going on).
If you want some inspiration, have a look at the entries from the "Hallowed cove" comp event from a few years back!
You can find them under the workshop tag:
