Rolling Line News

A very highly requested feature: proper 2D menus for the PC version!
This means instead of using 3D popup menus that are in the game world, you can now interact with menus with your mouse on the screen:



There is always still the option to switch back to 3D menus, which is very useful for editing things like particles and light sources, where you want to be able to see the changes you are making in 3D:



You can also use the pause menu in 2D!



If you are using a gamepad controller or are in VR then these options are disabled.

You can also go into the "pause menu -> PC options -> interface options" menu to change some options for the new 2D interface:

• Enable 2D menus - Disable this option to completely remove 2D menus. The "switch to 2D" button on prop menus will be hidden and menus will always open in 3D, basically the same as things were before this update.
  
• Use 2D on prop edit menus - Change whether prop popup menus open in 3D or 2D by default.
  
• Use 2D on pause menu - The same effect, but for the pause menu.
  

[h2]New control bindings for pausing[/h2]

Since "opening the 2D menu" and "teleporting to the location of the menu" are now two different things, there are new control bindings for each. You can edit these bindings in the "pause menu -> controls -> interaction" menu:



By default, pressing Escape will open the 2D menu (and keep the player in place) but if you have 2D menus disabled then it will teleport you to the corner of the room as normal.
Meanwhile, pressing middle-mouse will always teleport you to the location of the menu, regardless of whether 2D menus are enabled or not.

[h2]Signal menu improvements[/h2]

This update also makes some changes to the signal edit menu. The red/orange range display line is now much more accurate and clearly shows exactly where signals will display red/orange.
You can also now use buttons for both +1 and +10 when adjusting the range, which makes increasing the range to large amounts SO much easier.
The way signal range is detected was also slightly adjusted, any newly placed or edited signals will include the source track piece in the red range (they didn't before). Setting either the red or orange range to zero will also now work correctly, meaning a signal can be set up to only show orange and never show red.



[h2]VR binding overlap options[/h2]

There are some new settings for VR which allow you to specify whether you're using a custom control scheme that overlaps certain controls.
By default, only the Vive controller has the limitation of both the "teleport current scale" and "teleport change scale" overlapping with the up/down context options (which means that you can't press both at the same time). Meanwhile all other VR controllers only have the "teleport current scale" overlap, while the "teleport change scale" button is separate.

If you are using custom SteamVR bindings though then this may change! So the game now has options for you to manually specify whether these bindings overlap.

The benefit of this new system is that the default control scheme for most VR controllers now lets you use "change scale teleport" while an item is in your hand, which is HUGELY better for VR players!

[h2]Other fixes & features[/h2]
This update also includes:

• There is now a "clear text" button when using a text input window.
  
• Collision for the particle emitter and light source props is now disabled while the menu is open, this solves the issue where trying to open the edit menu in miniature mode would be blocked by the props collision box.
  
• Fixed bug where in VR the player could click on train/player triggers when within their detection range, this was caused by a collision layering issue.
  
• Added collision for bridge railings track style.
  
• The floating text popup box now glows in the dark.
  
• There is now a note about using copy-paste when editing large amounts of text.
  
• Fixed issue with the golden trains easter egg.
  
• Fixed bug where skybox custom colors were not updating correctly when loading a save file.
  

[h2]The Adventure Map Jam continues! [/h2]

There are still 10 more days left before the Adventure Map Jam ends (on the 16th) and there are already a bunch of entries you can play on the Steam Workshop!
To view entries so far, simply find the "competitions" drop down list on the workshop front page and choose the event from the list:



Remember you can make as many entires as you like, it doesn't need to be one-per-person. You can even work together with other people.
I'll be announcing a list of my personal favourites at the end of the event, and I can't wait to see all the final entries. Have fun!

It's time for a map jam!
With all of the recent updates, there's now a whole new world of map ideas that are possible to make.

With player physics (gravity/jumping/collision) you can now make platforming maps and exploration themed maps... With new prop modding features you can make things like hand-held torches, maps & notes for the player to read, and all kinds of cool effects with particles, audio, animation and lights... With the new automation tools you can make things like locked doors, keys, and interactive gameplay... And of course with electronics and circuitry you can make pretty much anything imaginable!

This map jam is themed around making maps that have "gameplay" to them in some way, and that topic is very, very broad. This is a very casual event and there are no rules, and submissions can be either big or small, simple or complex, don't worry about it!
Just like previous events, I highly recommend you give it a try even if you just want to make something simple and quick. These layout jams are a ton of fun to take part in, and the main goal is creativity!

There are no prizes, but as usual I'll make a list of highlights and my personal favourite entires at the end of the event. The jam runs from now (September 21st) till October 16th, so it's longer than the usual jam events.

To enter your map into the event, simply tick the "Adventure map jam entry" option when uploading to the workshop:



Want some map ideas? How about:

• A maze, either 2D or full of 3D elements like layers and bridges.
  
• A platforming challenge, like rooftop parkour or a 3D-platoformer style level.
  
• A horror-themed map, where it's pitch black and you need a torch to look around.
  
• Tell a story, use text and images to describe the historical events of a railway.
  
• Use trains to make a puzzle, like directing trains through a yard, or finding your way through a complex maze of track junctions.
  
• Make a world designed for exploration, where the player walks around in miniature mode and has things to find in the map.
  
• Use locked doors to make a room-escape style puzzle.
  
• Use train AI to make something interesting out of train movement.
  
• Create some mods to make a parody of another video game.
  
• Use automation tools to create a light show.
  
• Change the skybox and sun colours to make a surrealist world to explore.
  
• Use harsh weather and low-visibility to make a survival-exploration map.
  
• Give some basic electronics a try, and make some simple circuits.
  
• Or get more advanced and use the circuitry to make something crazy!
  

This theme of "gameplay" is very broad, so feel free to make anything you like. Even just a normal map that is fun to run around in miniature mode still counts!

It's been ages since the last Rolling Line map event, so i'm really excited to see the kind of maps people will make. Have fun!

[h2]New map: Cuba Street[/h2]

To kick off this map jam, I've made my own entry.
This map uses modding to create a bunch of props that use a pixel-graphics art style. It's set in Wellington's Cuba Street, a famous little street here in Wellington with lots of colourful buildings and art.



I originally made these 3D art assets as part of a weekend game-jam recently, so I decided to import them into Rolling Line as mods and make a full map out of them!

This map features some platforming, but the main gameplay is a mini-game to catch rats. I've used circuitry and automation tools to create some basic logic for "catching" rats, as well as a scoreboard.



If you look under the table, you can see the circuitry that makes this gameplay work:



You can find this new map in "New game -> mini maps -> Cuba Street"



Here are some photos of the real-world Cuba Street, you can probably spot the resemblance!





[h2]Other features in this update[/h2]

[h3]Torch props[/h3]
In the "Room -> tools" drawer you can now find a couple of hand-held torches (a flashlight and a flame torch). These are great for adventure maps!







[h3]NOT gates[/h3]

There is now a NOT logic gate, which always outputs the opposite of its input:



[h3]Wire condenser[/h3]

This is the opposite of a wire splitter, it takes multiple wire inputs and if any of them are true then the output is true (it's just like using OR gates):



[h3]New LED types[/h3]

There's also now a bunch of different LED types, like one with just the light and no circuit board, and a square panel version:



[h3]Change height with tools in hand[/h3]

I've added a new key binding which you can hold to use the scroll wheel for player height instead of tool menu up-down. You can change this in the controls menu. By default shift + scroll wheel will now change the player height even when a tool is in your hand:



And a whole bunch of other fixes and minor features:

• Fixed issues with the train sensor prop, it no longer flicks on/off if trains are moving slowly.
  
• Fixed train sensors not working on very low frame rates.
  
• Fixed issues with signals and turnouts now being updated correctly by the remote state activator.
  
• Train AI now properly responds to signals which are set by remote state activators.
  
• Train cab buttons can no longer be clicked by remote trigger activators.
  
• Changed the backlight screen material for all tools (edit tool, group tool, etc).
  
• Logic gates now store their current state in the save file, which helps keep complex circuits accurate when loading from saves.
  
• Fixed issues with logic gates not receiving inputs or giving outputs from passwords correctly.
  
• Logic gates now send out a password trigger when they become true, if no wire is connected.
  
• Wire connections are now removed when a circuit piece is moved with the transform edit tool.
  
• Fixed minor bug with player sensor popup UI display.
  
• Fixed minor bug where the box collision display for prop mods would not disappear when exiting the menu if a mesh collision is chosen.
  

And that's everything!
I'm really excited for this map jam, and I can't wait to see the kind of maps people will make!

Continuing on from the theme of the last update, this update adds heaps more features to the new automation system. You can now create full circuits with wires and create advanced designs with logic gates.

You can find a new drawer full of circuitry props in "Room -> Electronics":



All the information I'm briefly mentioning here is explained in more detail in the official guide:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3020861020

The previous update added things like levers, remote trigger activators, controllable doors, sensors, etc, and this update extends that by brining in a better way to make use of these!
you can now connect up components with wires, which can be used instead of the "password" system.

Meaning two props sharing the same password are linked in the same way as two props with a wire between them.



This means you can now have true/false (on/off) states transmitted through wires, which opens up a whole world of circuitry! The password system works like a "pulse" where a single trigger is sent from one prop to another, but a true/false state can be used for much more control.

E.g. using an on/off switch to directly turn a light on/off (instead of toggling it):



[h2]Electrical wire tool[/h2]

In the "Room -> Electronics" drawer you can now find an electronic wire tool. It works just like the normal wire tool, but it creates special wires that can transmit electrical signals (as mentioned above).



Just like the normal wire tool, simply click on electrical end points to connect them. You can also paint the tool itself to change the color of wires!



[h2]Coloured LED's[/h2]

If you're familiar with real-world circuitry, or just model railroading, then LED's are a must-have!
LED stands for "light emitting diode" and they are just simple coloured lights.

You can control these with wires/passwords, and you can paint them any color you want:



[h2]Logic gates[/h2]

Rolling Line now has logic gates!
In real-world electronics, logic gates are a way to create actual logic out of circuits, and is quite a deep topic that can be learnt about online, outside of Rolling Line.

The logic gate prop inside Rolling Line works in exactly the same way, it takes two inputs and creates an output, depending on the kind of logic gate you have chosen.

These logic gate types are:

• AND - triggers if both inputs are true
  
• OR - triggers if both or just one of the inputs are true
  
• XOR - Triggers if either one of the inputs is true, but not both
  
• NAND - The opposite of AND, triggers if none or one input is true
  
• NOR - The opposite of OR, triggers only if both inputs are false
  
• XNOR - The opposite of XOR, triggers when none or both inputs are true
  

For example, here is an AND gate, which will only output a signal if both of its inputs are true:



I won't go into too much detail here, but logic gates can be used for all kind of amazing stuff, from simple things like adding a "lock" to a door...



...all the way to full on giant electronic circuits, like this adder calculator! (made by methylcyclo on the Discord server)



[h2]New options for other automation tools[/h2]

You can now choose how "remote trigger activators" interact with the surrounding objects. You can choose between:

• Click on objects - 'Click' on all nearby objects, the same as if the player is clicking on them
  
• Train AI enable - Enable AI on all nearby trains and wagons
  
• Train AI disable - Disable AI on all nearby trains and wagons
  
• Destroy objects - Destroy all objects nearby. Only editable props, trains and track
  
• Click on menu items - The same as 'click on objects' but this also includes menu buttons and UI
  

Remote trigger activators no longer click on menu items unless you specifically choose the "Click on menu items" choice. They also cannot click on their own popup menu.



Sensors (like the player and train sensors) can now be set to send out a true/false state instead of a pulse. This means you can make the train sensor output true while a train is overhead, and false when there is none, likewise with the player.
This option only works with a wire connection:





[h2]Prop mods can create password triggers[/h2]

When making prop mods you can now set it so that it triggers a chosen password when either clicked on the ground, or clicked when in your hand.



This is great for making your own custom button models (instead of the default one), or maybe something even more creative:



[h2]Text paragraph reader prop[/h2]

There is a new prop in the "Room -> Tools" drawer which can be used to store large amounts of text.
You can click the button to view a popup window.
This is really useful for adding extra readable text to your maps, like logs:



[h2]Other fixes & features[/h2]

This update also includes:

• Fixed lots of issues with the train trigger sensor prop
  
• Fixed the inventory icon when picking up wire segments (the icon is much smaller)
  
• When "full dark" weather is chosen, the moon and sun objects are also hidden
  
• Moved the old weka pass shed doors prop to the same drawer as the actual sheds they are for
  
• Fixed issue with the collision on couplers, the player can now stand on them properly
  

Remember all the new features I've mentioned in this news post are explained in more detail in the official guide, so give that a look if you are finding these tools quite complicated:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3020861020


I personally have a real fascination with the way circuit boards and electronics look, i've always LOVED the visual aesthetic of components, wires and LED's on bright green circuit boards.
So this update has been an absolute joy to make!



I've always wanted to see little miniature circuit boards inside this game, and I'm so glad to finally make that a reality. I can't wait to see the kinds of wild creations people will be able to make with these tools, nd if what we have already is anything to go by...
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3028458211&searchtext=

....things could get pretty crazy!

have fun!

This update adds a couple of new features, these are:

[h2]A "popup message" trigger[/h2]
This works just like the player teleport/remote trigger/etc where it will "activate" when a message is sent out with the same password as the receiver.

When activated, it will make a custom text message popup for the player:



[h2]Customize the color of text label props[/h2]
You can now use color painters to change the color of text on label props:



This patch also fixes a few bugs and makes some changes since the last update, these are:

• The open/closed state of doors is now saved when re-loading a map
  
• Adjusted the popup menu position for particles, lights and text signs. You can also now open and edit these menus in miniature mode too.
  
• Fixed bug where prop lights would scale smaller in miniature mode (this is only meant to affect props in the player's hand, not placed on the ground).
  
• Fixed bug where the key prop could not be dropped out of your hand, and cloned copies when it shouldn't have.
  
• Adjusted the UI for prop modding so that it is clearer on how to customize the control options (like being able to click to toggle a light source). Added additional help info too.
  
• Fixed bug where the transform edit UI would not show up when editing a button on a prop mod for the first time only.
  

This update is quite an unusual one, it's all about bringing interactivity to maps!
It adds things like keys, locked doors, train triggers, player teleporters, something called a "remote trigger activator" and more.

With these new tools you can make things like puzzle maps, exploration challenges, more advanced train automation and even complex circuits.
From simple actions like making a bunch of lights turn on when you flick a switch, or opening doors with the correct keys, all the way to fully automated train dispatching in a complex yard.

These tools are quite simple at their core, but can get quite confusing and complicated once you get ambitious with them. I've made a full guide on how to use everything added in this update:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3020861020

You can find all of these new tools in the "Room -> Automation" drawer:



[h2]Keys & doors[/h2]

Firstly, there are now props for keys and a bunch of different kinds of doors.
Both the keys and doors have a "password" which you can set, and if the passwords match then that key will be able to open the corresponding door.



You can use these to make all kinds of exploration puzzles (like maps where sections are locked off until you can find a key to progress).
I've made a maze puzzle example already to show these tools in action:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3021839949

[h2]Levers & triggers[/h2]

The next part of this automation system is "triggers", these are props which send out a trigger signal when activated. This can be either a lever that you click, a sensor for when the player is near, or a sensor for when a train is passing overhead.

The "password" you set for a trigger will mean that any other objects that share the same password will be "activated" when the trigger is set off.
This can be used to make a lever open a door, or a train passing by switching a turnout, etc.





[h2]Remote trigger activators[/h2]

These are a bit more complex. Basically a "remote trigger activator" is a prop which can "click" on other objects around it when it receives a signal.
This "click" effect is exactly the same as the player clicking a button, so it can be used for all kinds of interesting things like turning on lights, toggling turnouts, decoupling wagons, pressing menu buttons, etc.

Please read the guide mentioned earlier for more info on these, and even a step-by-step example of how to use them.





[h2]Range extenders[/h2]

This is another complicated one. These "range extenders" are used to repeat a remote trigger activators "click" effect range further. Meaning that if a remote trigger activator clicks on a range extender, then the range extender will repeat the same "click" effect within its range.

Like in this example, the remote trigger activator on the left tries to "click" the range extender, and the range extender repeats the "click" so that the lever on the right is clicked:



As you can imagine, you can do all kinds of complex stuff with these. Please read the guide mentioned earlier for more info on these as it is quite a lot of information which doesn't need to be repeated in this news post.



Combining all these tools together you can make some pretty interesting stuff!
For example, I've made a quick map which uses these logic tools to create a puzzle where you need to activate the 3 different power sources in order to start a generator engine, which is required to open a door and progress. I would love to see this kind of idea expanded into a proper adventure map!



https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3021340468

I'm planning to run an "adventure map jam" quite soon which will involve making maps that make use of all the interactive features, like being able to walk around in miniature and the new automation tools in this update!

[h2]New modding features [/h2]

Another big part of this update is new features for prop modding! Continuing with the "adventure map" theme, you can now create some interesting kinds of items as prop mods, like hand-held torches:





And even using a combination of particles, sounds and lights for some fun effects:



This is now possible due to these new additions to prop modding:

• Particles - you can now add particle systems to prop mods, just like the steam effects for train mods
  
• Lights - you can add light sources to prop mods
  
• Light flicker effect - just like how you can make lights flash on/off, you can now also make them flicker for a nice fire/spark effect. You can also change the fade speed for when they are turned on/off
  
• Infinite render distance - prop mods can now be set to always render no matter how far away they are. This is great for making terrain or backdrop scenery using prop mods
  
• "on click" control - you can make it so that effects like lights, particles, animations and audio can be triggered when the player clicks while holding the object in their hand.
  
• toggle on click - control can also be changed so that effects are toggled on/off on click, which is perfect for making a hand-held torch.
  

In addition to these, you can also now set exactly what visual angle a prop mod appears when it is held by the player, which is great for doing things like this:



As shown in the above example, you can also make props "spawn copy on click" when they are placed on the ground. This is prefect for making items pickupable on an adventure map, like notes for the player to read, or items for them to grab and hold.

[h2]Texture filtering options for mods[/h2]

You can now set texture filtering options for individual textures on any mod. Next to any texture asset is an "options" icon which you can click to open this menu:



"Hard pixel filtering" will make pixelated textures appear sharp-edged instead of smooth. This is perfect for if you want to make retro style pixel art.

"Tiled repeating texture" means that the texture will use the standard UV mapping technique where the texture is infinitely repeated in all directions.



[h2]Custom sky colors[/h2]
You can now fully customize the skybox color, sun color, fog color and the shadow strength. You can find these options in the "time and weather -> advanced -> custom values -> custom sky colors":



This is amazing for creating unique atmospheres for your maps!





There are also now a couple of new weather presets:

"full dark" - which disables all skybox features and leaves your map completely pitch black, aside from any light sources you have made. This is great for if you want to fully control lighting youself using prop lights, or for any map idea where you want pitch-black darkness.



"no skybox" - this option disables the skybox but instead shows the rest of the room just as if you were in large scale.



[h2]Guide links in-game[/h2]
You can now find links to the official guides (on the Steam Community page) in-game. These are in the "tutorials" menu, and in some drawers (e.g. the roads drawer has a link to the roads guide).
Simply click these and the guide will open in your web browser.



[h2]Better decoupling controls [/h2]
This is a really simple change that makes things so much easier, couplers are now linked so that clicking on one will highlight both of them, and decouple in both directions:



[h2]Corrugated iron sheet props[/h2]
A bunch of new snappable corrugated iron props have been added:



[h2]Other fixes & features[/h2]

This update also includes an absolute ton of other minor features, these are:

• You can now access train mods from within the "trains" category of drawers, instead of needing to go to the "mods" category. You can find the train mods drawer in both locations now
  
• There is now a message popup when toggling snapping with the function shortcut keys, as well as an on-screen message to show when it is disabled. You can choose to disable these visual effects in the settings if you prefer
  
• Fixed a bug where you could still equip items while in the main menu
  
• Blocked using the "." character in save file names
  
• Typing an empty name for a mod will exit out the menu without creating a new mod, effectively acting like clicking cancel
  
• fixed collision on boats
  
• fixed collision on fence prop
  
• fixed collision on all legacy tunnel props, and tunnel portals
  
• fixed the lid on the pumpkin prop
  
• fixed the "use inventory in miniature" setting so that it also blocks the ability to pickup editable objects
  
• adjusted the range for the vignette setting so that it is no longer possible to make your whole screen black
  
• fixed a bug where trains would lurch a bit when entering the cab
  
• fixed bug where wagons would not derail if the track was removed from underneath them
  
• fixed bug where the item highlight effect would break briefly after uploading a workshop item
  

And that's everything!
This update really ballooned out of control, I wasn't planning to spend this long on these "adeventure map" features but they just ended up being so fun and interetsing that I had to keep digging deeper. I still have some more ideas which will be added before the next update, but the goal is to run a map jam themed around creating these cool kinds of interactive maps.
With a combination of prop modding, automated systems, interaction and player physics the potential is very exciting! There will be more news aboud this adventure map jam event coming soon!