Rolling Line News

Lots of new track styles coming in this update!
After the Trackwork comp, the winners all got to choose a track style to be added into the game officially.

These track styles include:
- wooden trestle bridge
- stone arch bridge
- rubbish-covered track
- two new turnout lever types

[h2]Wooden trestle bridge[/h2]

The wooden trestles are split into a few different sections:
- base (the main supports)
- top (the section under the rails)
- leg extensions (optional extra for longer supports)
- railings





You can access all of these with the track style menu (press Q when hovering over a piece of track) or simply use the style painters in the "track tools" drawers!



[h2]Stone arch bridge[/h2]

The stone arch bridge also has a few different styles:
- wide arches
- narrow arches
- detailed arches with bricks
- "solid" ends, with no arch



These bridges can be found in the "track tools" drawers too:



[h2]Rubbish rails[/h2]

A rather unique track style!
This one is based on rubbish-strewn tracks, specifically this famous scene from Los Angeles:



The cardboard boxes used in this track style can also be placed as a prop, which you can find in the "Scenery -> Plants" drawer:



[h2]New turnout levers[/h2]

Lastly, this update adds two new kinds of turnout levers!



These new turnout levers can be found in the "track tools" drawers next to all the others:



[h2]Track segment length in modding[/h2]

This update also adds a very useful feature for track modding.
You can now set the "Segment length" of your track style, which basically means that you can make longer meshes that cover multiple segments.
So instead of being limited to 0.1 units (1 segment) you can now make something like 0.5 units long (5 segments). This is useful for making larger models like bridges that don't fit inside just one segment.



This update also includes:

• Fixed snapping for the small tables and backdrops
  
• Fixed broken track gradient when a piece of track is picked up and re-placed
  
• There is now a "refresh mods" button in the mods drawer, which will update the mod list to include any new downloads
  
• If a modding manager is opened, it will automatically close any other open ones, to stop conflicts caused by having multiple open
  
• Fixed unusual bug where it was possible to lose the track/wagon in your hand while clone-placing if you do it very quickly at low frame-rates
  
• Fixed end-cap track pieces for modded track styles
  
• Track style painters (like bridges) now auto-remove the ballast layer when used
  

And that's all for now!
Huge congratulations to all the winners of the Trackwork Comp, I'm sure everyone is going to love these new track styles you've chosen!

You can find more info about the Trackwork Comp here:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/754150/view/3355761233473138410

I'm still working on roads and making progress, though it is certainly proving to be a complex and large update, so it's going to take a bit longer. But it will be well worth it!

Congratulations to everyone who took part in the Trackwork Comp!
There were so many amazing maps it took me days just to go through them all and rank them!
So much amazing use of modding, and beautiful maps and ideas.

Events like these are such a great opportunity to try out some creative ideas and make a map alongside others in the community, and they are always so much fun to take part in (and to play through everyone else's maps!).

[h2]Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to make an entry! [/h2]
As with every competition, I personally played through every single entry, and choosing the winners was incredibly difficult! I absolutely loved seeing them all, so without further ado, let's get started with the winners!

The first award of complexity (and overall most impressive layout!) goes to:

[h2]P&LCE: Oro to Sur - by KingNathantheIII![/h2]
This layout is amazing, and absolutely beautiful. The natural scenery is spot on, and riding the little ride-on miniature railway in VR was a magical experience. Well deserving of the top spot!!

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2830304540&searchtext=


The second award, for modding, goes to:

[h2]Roller Coaster Park - by Tricarbonyl![/h2]
With fully functional rollercoaster track, ride-on carts and even a maglev system, this map made full use the modding tools and looks awesome!
It was really hard choosing a modding winner, since so many maps made crazy good use of mods!

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2825558476&searchtext=


And thirdly, the creativity award goes to:

[h2]Aquarium - by Globin347![/h2]
This map just made me so happy, the animated fish, the little underwater train emitting bubbles, the big eels swimming around, everything about it is just adorable and really blows my mind of what can be made inside Rolling Line these days!

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2829918544&searchtext=


I'll be getting into contact with all these winners to talk to them about their prizes!

But that's not all, here's a whole bunch of my other top favourites.
Choosing winners was incredibly difficult, so consider these other maps on-par with the main winners. I highly recommend going and having a look at them yourself!

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2827890906&searchtext=


https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2830145821&searchtext=


https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2829879014&searchtext=


https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2829843529&searchtext=


https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2830249227&searchtext=


https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2830198825&searchtext=


https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2829718295&searchtext=


https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2829442738&searchtext=


And lastly, here is a big list of honourable mentions!



Huge congratulations to everyone who took part!
There were even MORE maps i wanted to mention in this post, but best not to go too overboard.

I highly recommend having a play through some of the maps mentioned above, and I hope you all had fun during this event!

Hey it's been a while since the last layout building event, and the track system just got a lot more interesting after the last couple of updates, so what better time to put some focus towards...
TRACKWORK!

This competition will be running from June 22nd until July 4th.

The goal is simple: make any map you like, with a focus on track design.
You could try using track in a creative way, or have a go at making something really ambitious and complex. Or maybe have a go at modding in your own track style!
These events are a great way to get inspiration for a new layout idea, so give it a try and see what you can build, and simply upload it to the Steam Workshop to take part.

When uploading a layout/mod to the Steam Workshop make sure to check the "Trackwork Comp 2022 Entry" option so it gets included!



You can also view entires by clicking on the "Competitions" tags on the Workshop page:



There aren't really any rules, you can make a layout with whatever theme you like!
But the focus should be on track in some way, like creative use of track or interesting and complex track design.

You can make as many submissions as you like, and don't worry about trying to make something perfect, just have fun with it!

Here's some inspiration:













And who says it needs to be a real-world railway?





Or even a conventional railway? ːsteamhappyː





You can make anything you like!
The more creative the better. In fact one of the categories is entirely based around creativity!

I've split the winning criteria into three categories so there will be more to consider than just making the most advanced and impressive map.
I'm especially hoping that some people (who are confident with modding) make use of the new modding tools to create some really unique track styles and designs.

A ton of new track customization has been added into the game after the last two updates, so I'm excited to see people make the most of it!

This is also the first layout event in a while that actually has prizes.
For each of the 3 categories there will be one winner who gets to choose a new "track style" painter to be added into the game officially.
This could be a kind of bridge, tunnel, overhead wire, extra-rail, side-of-track detail (like a platform), etc.
That means there are 3 winners total, one for "most complex layout", one for "best use of modding" and one for "most creative".

But remember, the goal is just to have fun and take the opportunity of making layouts alongside other people in the community all at once. It's a great time to get inspired and give some new ideas a go.

But in other news...

[h2]Progress on roads[/h2]

Part of the reason I'm hosting this competition now is because I'm busy working on roads in the background! This is going to be a HUGE update so it's also going to take a lot of time.
But progress is going great!





And yes, you will be able to drive cars on your roads, just like trains on tracks! ːsteamhappyː



Roads are going to be amazing!
So you've certainly got something special to look forward to in the near(-ish) future.

But in the meantime, I hope everyone has some fun with the layout competition, I can't wait to see all the ideas that everyone comes up with!

As with every layout competition in the past, i will of course be playing EVERY SINGLE ENTRY at the end and going through and choosing my favourites.

Have fun!

Today's update marks a huge step forward in the customizability and flexibility of the game, because you can now create your own custom track models!

The previous update laid down the groundwork to upgrade and optimize the track system, so now this update adds modding tools for you to add your own 3D models into the mix and finally fully customize the track!

You can use this modding system to create basic styles like:

• Rails
  
• Sleepers
  
• Ballast
  
• Tunnels
  
• Bridges
  

But when you get really creative with track modding you can actually use this system to create anything that follows a custom curve! It doesn't have to be track at all.
Things like:

• ROADS
  
• Tubes
  
• Fences
  
• Monorails
  
• Canals
  
• Literally any 3D mesh that can follow a curved path!
  

(above track mods made by Fedora Man, coconut_pie & Missy)



You can find a full official guide here which explains how to make your own track style mods:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2819072304

This modding system works just like the other modding tools (for props and trains) meaning you can access it from the Modding Manager in the pause menu. Simply choose "Track style mods" from the category list:



Any track style mods you have created or downloaded will automatically show up in the list of styles alongside all the built-in official ones!

So to apply a new style to a piece of track, simply open the track edit menu (Press Q when hovering over track) the click "Add new" in the top right:



[h2]A note about roads [/h2]

Since these new modding tools make it possible to use any 3D mesh as track, this means you can finally make working curved roads!
In fact one of the main reasons I've dedicated the last few updates to the track system was to make roads possible, which has been a long term goal for Rolling Line.

Please note that the NEXT update is going to be fully dedicated to an official road system, so even though you can make modded roads now, an official in-game system is on the way!

Though i would still absolutely love to see what kinds of roads people can make already with the modding tools. In fact the official road system is likely going to use the exact same methods as modded roads, so you may even be able to convert your "track mods" into "road mods" in the next update.

To get you started, I've uploaded a whole set of road styles (like road markings, barriers, etc) using the assets from the old roads used in the "top of the south" layout:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2819957720

[h2]Example mods[/h2]

You can also find a whole bunch of example mods for things like rails and sleepers which you can use to match the scale of the in-game track.

You can find them in the folder:
...(Program Files)\Steam\steamapps\common\Rolling Line\Modding\templates\track style mod examples\



[h2]New table style[/h2]

Just for fun, this update also adds a new "thin" table style for double-deck layouts!
Tables are now also fully multi-paintable, so you can paint the colours on the sides as well as the top.

The "tables" drawer now has buttons to switch between each available style:





[h2]Other fixes[/h2]

Lastly, this update also changes a bunch of stuff in the background:

• The code behind the track system has been thoroughly cleaned up and refactored. Most of this code was over 4 years old so it was in dire need of upgrading! This won't have any noticeable effect on gameplay but just know that things are running much more smoothly in the background.
  
• Fixed a bug where the blue box preview for invisible track would not be hidden for turntables.
  
• Fixed multiple issues with track placement caused by the previous updates changes to the system.
  
• Fixed a very old issue where props that have had their colour data updated (like adding more material slots) would not keep their colours when cloned.
  

I hope you all have fun with the new modding tools!
It's really satisfying to see the track system finally become so customizable with the last two updates, and with roads just around the corner, maps are going to be looking better than ever!

Believe it or not, the whole "track detailing" system in Rolling Line is still based on code I built almost 4 years ago! This system has been a big limitation in the past, so for this update I finally took the time to redesign and fully upgrade the track detailing system.

The new system is far, far more flexible and customizable. You can now use a popup window to freely add and remove "properties" for each piece of track, and customize things like styles and colors (all track is now multi-paintable!).


(Screenshot by Missy)

You can even use different styles on each track of a turnout, or make certain details (like 3rd rails) only apply to one side of the track.
In fact you can even make "invisible" track now, which trains can still run on, which is perfect for making crash scenes and flying trains!

But best of all, this new track detail system is designed from the ground up to be ready for modding!
Track modding is not included in this update, but it's my next major priority. This new track system makes adding new features and options far, far easier.

[h2]The new track style editing UI[/h2]

The main thing you'll notice with this new track detailing system is that you can now press Q (left-context hover option) when pointing at track to open a new popup window:





For a default piece of track like this, you will just see options for ballast, rails and sleepers.
From here you can click the drop down menus to change the style (e.g. wonky track, or wide sleepers)



Or you can paint the color options to customize the colors:



But if you want to add other properties (like tunnels, extra rails, bridges, etc) then click the "Add New" button in the top right corner of the popup window.

From here you can choose from a list of different properties you can add to the track:



For example, if you click on "Inner Rails" then that property will be added to the track, and you will see some inner rails show up:



Some styles (like extra rails and tunnels) also let you choose whether you want them to appear on both sides, or if you just want them on one side.

You can use the "Sides" option to change this:



[h2]Tunnels [/h2]

This feature is especially useful for tunnels, since it means you can now make tunnels only visible on the outside of a turnout, like this:



You can also use the new "Double Track" tunnel option, which adds an extra-wide half tunnel to the track. If you add one of these half-tunnels to both tracks, you will get a full tunnel covering both tracks!



[h2]Multiple styles on turnouts[/h2]

A great new feature of this system is that you can set a different style for each branch of a turnout.
For example, you can make one track normal, while the other track is derelict and broken.

To do this, simply click the "++" icon for the property which you want to split into two different styles, then set each one to only use one track (one should use "Curve" and the other should use "Straight")





You can even make the rails only visible on one track instead of both, to create an effect like this:



[h2]Style painters [/h2]

Even though the new system adds the popup window for editing properties, you can still use the hand-held style painters just like before!

You can find them all in the track tool drawers:



You can also use the three painters in the top-right corner to remove sleepers, rails and ballast.

Remember you can paint multiple times with the same painter on track to add/remove properties (like turnout levers) or to switch tracks/sides for other properties like tunnels and bridges.

[h2]Creating custom painters[/h2]

This update also adds a new feature where you can create your own track style painters.
Simply press Enter (the copy track data button) when pointing at track, or use the "Copy" button inside the track edit popup window, and you will be given a custom painter which will style track in the same way when used:





You can store these painters in custom drawers too!

[h2]Invisible track[/h2]

If you remove all properties (e.g. no sleepers, ballast or track) then you will instead see a blue box in place of the track.

This means the track is invisible, and when you use "Apply changes" on the edit tool, you will no longer be able to see it. If you use "Edit track" again then it will show up:



This means you can create invisible track which trains can still follow, which is great for setting up creative scenes like flying trains or train crashes which follow a pre-set path!


(screenshot by C&BL Fan)

[h2]Other features and Fixes[/h2]

• Bridges and railings are now split into two different detail layers, so you can create different combinations of railings and base-bridge models. All of which are paintable of course!
  
• All "legacy track" in the game is now automatically converted to the new system, which includes the really really old track from years ago which didn't even support features like overhead wires. This is all done automatically so nothing should appear different on the surface. But this means that super-old maps can now make full use of the new detail customization!
  
• A bunch of old props which required the track color painters to change colors now use the standard multi-paint system instead (like the piles of rails).
  
• "cap" pieces of track now no longer have slightly different shading to them compared to normal track.
  
• The text used by the new track edit UI is stored in a .txt language file. This is not a real language support system yet, but in the future all text in the game will need to be stored this way for translations to be a possibility.
  
• You can now duplicate particle effects and light data entries in the modding system. This means you can easily make a duplicate with the same properties without needing to set it up from scratch. Simply click on the particle/light in the list and choose "Duplicate".
  
• Fixed bug where renaming particle and light data entries would not work.
  
• The "minimal" cab preset now no longer shows the message box.
  
• Fixed the lights mesh on the DX custom livery template.
  

And that's everything!
This update took a ton of work, but I'm so happy to finally clean up and upgrade the track detailing system. This really opens up the ability for future updates to easily expand the system with new styles and especially modding!
In fact, this may even make roads possible... Keep an eye out for that in a future update!