Rolling Line News

[h2]New error log file system[/h2]

There is now an "Error_logs" folder in the route Rolling Line folder.
It stores log data for multiple sessions! So you no longer need to use the AppData folder to report a bug (and it doesn't get erased every time the game is launched).
These log files are also cleaner and easier to read:



[h2]Disable auto-horns for AI trains[/h2]

There's now a setting to toggle the horn being played when AI trains start from a red to green light.
It's a neat feature when there's just a couple of trains, but rapidly gets annoying when a layout has tons of AI trains all stopping and starting, so you can choose to disable/enable it.
Cars also no longer honk on a green traffic light (this was a mistake, not a feature).



[h2]Toggle gravity/collision shortcut key[/h2]

You can now set a custom keyboard binding to enable/disable player collision/gravity in miniature mode. This is very useful if you want to fly the camera around (like when driving trains) without needing to go into the pause menu and disable collision completely. This binding is F8 by default and can be changed in the controls menu.



[h2]Fixed major packaged mods issues[/h2]

Turns out there was a very old bug relating to packaged mods! If a train mod livery is packaged inside a map, and the base mod that it requires is downloaded separately (off the workshop) then the game would fail to link up the livery to its base mod correctly. This has now been fixed.
There was also an additional bug relating to linked save files (where a save would look for packaged mods in a different folder directory). Sometimes this file path would become invalid, and this has been fixed and should no longer be an issue.

[h2]Other minor fixes[/h2]

• Fixed the cloth physics on flags being broken when using transform edit mode
  
• Track held by the player will no longer be included in a track mesh export
  
• Both the bulk move tool and track export now select track segments more accurately
  
• Removed debug overlays for photo mode that were not suppose to be accessible
  

[h2]In other news[/h2]

I just attended RailEx (a model train expo here in Wellington, New Zealand), next year I'm hoping to actually get organized beforehand and set up a booth running Rolling Line and have a go at selling some physical game disk copies just for fun.



I also recently dropped off a copy of Model Railroader at a very remote backcountry hut (Maungahuka Hut in the Tararua range). I hope someone gets a laugh one day out of the "Great mountain scenery" title, it's probably the only model railway magazine to ever make its way into the Tararuas ːsteamhappyː

Today's update finally replaces the old and terrible "QuickTerrain" modding system with a proper modern system with heaps of new features!

This has been on my to-do list for around 5 years, since QuickTerrain was always suppose to be a temporary feature. This new system uses the modding manager (just like train mods and prop mods) and makes the whole process infinitely easier and actually useful!

You can find a full step-by-step guide on how to make a terrain mod for a map from scratch here:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3360803467&tscn=1730918534

To summaries though, this terrain modding feature lets you import 3D models from external software (like Blender) to use as terrain, and you can export the track & props in your map into raw 3D models to use as a guide to create your terrain.
This means you can easily line up the track in your map with the terrain mesh!



This 3D modelling method is exactly how I make most of the official maps, and it's how I create the neat "clipped wall" effect on maps, where the scenery is aligned with the table edge of the layout. This is commonly seen in real model railways:



[h2]Full features of the terrain modding system:[/h2]

• Import 3D models and textures in-game using the modding manager menu (just like train mods and prop mods).
  
• Export in-game maps (both props and track) as raw 3D models. You can export the entire map or choose smaller sections using bounds boxes.
  
• Set the view distance and low-detail view distance, and swap out to low-detail versions of the terrain when viewed from far away.
  
• Set different parts of the terrain model to only be visible in large scale, or miniature only, and on different skybox regions.
  
• Set a custom collision mesh.
  
• Package terrain inside a save file when uploading to the Steam Workshop (just like other mods).
  

The map exporting feature is especially interesting, since it basically means you can take anything made inside Rolling Line and turn it into a raw 3D model!





There's also now a "Terrain Mod" category tag on the Steam Workshop:



[h2]This update also includes a few minor fixes[/h2]

• Fixed rare freezing bug when editing roadnumbers on mods
  
• Added copy-paste options to all other transform edit inputs in the modding system
  
• The modding menu no longer hides when far away while open
  
• Fixed shading on the popup message box
  
• Fixed text alignment on the Brazil tanker freight wagon
  
• Improved the collision on various road marking props
  
• Disabled temporary Halloween menus (it's back to normal now)
  

And that's everything for now!
If you want to have a go at using the new terrain modding system, please read the full detailed guide, since there's a ton more information than I can squeeze into this news post:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3360803467&tscn=1730918534

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:

After about 6 years of every single train being number "5270" you can now finally customize individual locomotive & wagon roadnumbers! (as well as lots more).

Currently, this only applies to official trains and liveries, mods do not support dynamic roadnumbers yet, this will need its own separate update. You can still give them a custom road name & number, but it won't be visible on the model.

But for official trains, you can now see the number dynamically displayed on the model!



And on freight wagons as well:



[h2]You can also enable this for liveries too![/h2]
By default, all liveries have dynamic number displays disabled for backwards compatibility (since most liveries already have numbers drawn on). But if you leave the number locations blank on the livery texture, you can re-enable the dynamic numbers:



You can also customize things like the font, color and size of the text (which is perfect for liveries!).





There is a full guide here which explains how road names & numbers work, and how to customize them:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3341507001

Roadnumbers are randomized, but you can set a custom random range if you want.
You can also set the Roadname, which is an identifier for the railway that owns the locomotive/wagon (e.g. BNSF, NZR, CSX).

All of these options can be customized by opening the new train options menu by pressing "o" when hovering over a train (or the down-context-action in VR):





Changing the name & number of a train will also change its display name on the hand-held controller and in the cab:



This update also includes some other minor fixes & features:

• Fixed bug where a combined save file would not correctly combine (everything works fine now).
  
• Fixed bug where the pause menu could accidentally be included in a split save file.
  
• Text on the hand-held controller will no longer scroll if the length of the text is small enough.
  
• The tutorial has been updated to include new steps for reversing trains in VR.
  

This update includes a lot of new code under-the-hood which is working towards a much bigger update:
[h2]Freight loading and unloading! [/h2]
So keep an eye out for even bigger things to come!

Regardless, I'm sure the operations fans will be very happy about these new custom roadnumber features in the meantime anyway ːsteamhappyː

This update adds a feature which is a complete game-changer for map collaboration projects, and also has a lot of other uses for solo map making!
And there's also an absolute ton of quality-of-life features packed in as well.

[h2]Split save files[/h2]

Firstly, the big focus of this update, save file splitting!
With this new system you can split a map into multiple different segments and edit them individually. This means you can make changes to one part of a save file without affecting the other parts. You can use this to easily collaborate with multiple people on a single map, where each person can edit one segment on their own without overwriting the other people's progress!
You can also use this feature to split up larger maps to make editing them easier and less performance intensive, as well as reduce loading times. If you are working on a massive map you can split it into smaller parts, and just work on each part on its own without needing to load the entire map.

For example, you could split the "Top of the south" map into individual segments and edit each one as if it was its own save file:



You can add new track, props and make any changes you want to a separated segment, Then you can combine the map together again afterwards!



You can find a full guide with step-by-step examples on how to use the new split-save features here:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3322846819



This update is quite a big one, with a ton of smaller features, as well as lots of quality-of-life improvements.

[h2]Automatic packaged mods[/h2]
When upload to the Steam Workshop you can now simply click a button to auto-select all packaged mods used by a save file. Please remember that save files can get VERY large (multiple gigabytes) if you package 100's of train mods, so don't abuse this feature!



[h2]New popup "message box" design[/h2]

The floating popup message box that you see all over the game now has a new visual look. It also now scales its size to fit larger messages. This means you can make longer messages display when using tools like the "show popup message" circuitry prop:



[h2]Quicksave reminder message[/h2]
The game now has an automatic reminder message that pops up when it's been a long time since you've last saved. You can of course disable this missage if you prefer, or change how long the time gap between messages is (this is in the "pause menu -> manage saves -> quicksave reminders" menu)





[h2]Tunnels hide smoke effects[/h2]
Custom tunnel regions will now also disable smoke, in addition to the usual effect of darkening the players view while inside them. This stops steam particle effects from going through the terrain when trains are underground



[h2]Workshop upload message[/h2]
A warning message is now shown when you try and upload a map download off the workshop, or any of the official built-in maps. This is to help prevent people uploading copies of other people's maps, or simple re-uploads of the official maps (which happens amazingly often).
You can easily ignore this message, but hopefully it helps a bit for people who are unaware of what they are doing.



[h2]And tons of other features & fixes:[/h2]

• When you update a workshop item, tags are automatically remembered. You can also chose new tags when updating if you want, but if you leave the tags alone they will copy the previous tags automatically
  
• The "generic failure" error message when uploading workshop items now shows additional messages to help diagnose the problem
  
• There is now an "open save folder" button when in the "manage saves" menu. This is great for easily accessing save files manually
  
• Cleaned up the collision data for all trains, so now you can click on things through the windows (like clicking to switch turnout levers from inside the cab)
  
• Added collision data to the trestle bridge styles
  
• Fixed bug where pressing Esc when editing a text box inside the modding manager would cause the textbox to get stuck on screen
  
• Fixed bug where it was possible to place other props inside some of the non-custom drawers (e.g. the vehicle drawer) It is also no longer possible to delete props inside these drawers
  
• Cloning a color off a prop (by pressing Enter) will no longer remove the item in your hand, unless that item is already a color painter
  
• Fixed bug where level crossings would not detect any nearby crossings to copy if the were being edited using a 2D menu
  
• Fixed bug where electrical wire connections were not set correctly when using the bulk move tool
  
• Fixed bug where objects in custom drawers would sometimes load very small
  
• Added lots more "view online guide" buttons throughout the game, linking to the official guides on Steam
  
• Fixed bug where a SteamVR warning message would show up on startup in VR if bindings were missing
  
• Fixed modding bug where the game would fail to load a mod if it has an empty wheel preset used
  
• The custom music folder now supports WAV files
  
• Fixed the "flicker" light setting for prop mods, it sometimes would not fully turn off when disabled
  
• Props inside custom drawers are now disabled at a distance, and are hidden when the drawer is closed
  
• The "Custom track" menu is now called "Editing"
  
• The Steam store page now correctly shows controller support for the game
  
• Removed the "Use advanced controls" setting, since the controls it affected are easily re-bindable in the controls menu now, so the setting is no longer needed
  
• There is now a warning message on the "Save game" menu which will warn you if the name you have chosen is the same as a file already saved, and will overwrite it
  
• Table props now have an alternative "center point" for selection which is higher off the floor. This makes using things like the bulk move tool easier for selecting tables
  
• Flags now support the same material types as posters (e.g. transparent, unlit, etc)