Rolling Line News

Things certainly have been busy over the last few weeks!
New Zealand (where I live) has begun to leave lock-down and things are starting to go back to normal.

During this time I've been making a bunch of additional media for the Paranapiacaba layout, mainly a new video trailer and a 2D track plan image! There is also a bunch of new features added to the in-game photo mode (based around video capture).

[h2]New trailer video[/h2]
Firstly, I've made a new video showing off the Paranapiacaba map!
This is actually the first video I've made for Rolling Line since it's release (aside from the soundtrack videos) so it was great to get my "trailer making" workflow back in to action. You can find the new trailer right on the Rolling Line Steam store page:



Or you can view it on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBQbl56Ng2g

Though since the YouTube version is quite compressed, you can also download a full HD version of the video here:
https://mega.nz/file/C5swGYKJ#P94bCwrsdYa69vF9seFjlCt4cBJkREl2S0BJN91ajQ0

The music used in the video is from the Rolling Line in-game soundtrack, which was actually generated using artificial intelligence! The exact song used is called "Diamond Skies".
I uploaded the full RL soundtrack to YouTube last year:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-PxFRlEwvc

[h2]Top-down track plan of Paranapiacaba [/h2]
Just like with the other official maps I've made a proper track plan image for the Paranapiacaba layout:


You can download a full HD copy of the map here:
https://i.imgur.com/mmvY80w.jpg

This map can also be found in-game in the Paranapiacaba layout on the wall:



[h2]New photo-mode features[/h2]
The actual in-game part of this update is all about the photo mode added in the previous update.
In order to film the Paranapiacaba trailer video i added a bunch of camera panning controls, train quickSave/load, and various other small features.



[h3]Panning controls:[/h3]
You can now set an X, Y, Z offset for camera panning. enabling panning will move the camera using the position values you choose. you can also press "V" to enable-disable (start/stop) panning.

You can also set the "reset point" of the camera by pressing "Shift+R". this reset point can be returned to by pressing "R". This means you can set the start of a panning shot to be your "reset point" then continuously repeating the shot by enabling panning and re-setting the camera position back to the beginning.

[h3]Train quickSave/load:[/h3]
A very useful feature for recording shots of moving trains, you can now "quickSave" the position and movement of trains, then "quickLoad" back to that point.
This quickSave/load feature only effects trains and does not require reloading the whole map!
For example, you could set up a moving train, quickSave at the beginning of the shot, then continuously re-load the same position in order to get the shot perfect.

This feature was incredibly useful for setting up shots in the Paranapiacaba trailer that involved multiple moving trains in one shot.

[h2]Steam trading cards[/h2]
Something else to note, Rolling Line now has Steam trading cards, badges, wallpapers and emotes! This is something I've been meaning to add for ages, and it's great to finally have some custom profile backgrounds and such for Rolling Line!



You should start getting these card drops automatically now that they are released.



[h2]Other features:[/h2]
As well as the features mentioned above, this update also includes a few fixes and smaller features.

• Fixed the depth of field "focal length" setting not working correctly.
  
• Added a "press F12 to take screenshot in Steam" help message to photo mode.
  
• Pausing time in photo mode now also freezes pantograph spark effects!
  
• Fixed small white dots showing up in the transform edit mode view
  

I'm also hoping to run a competition soon! Much like the Color Comp and Compact Comp of last year.
More news on that later on!

In the meantime, I hope you like the new trailer video! There's lots of exiting stuff still to come, and now that Brazil is all finished I can move my focus on to new ideas!

Enjoy!

Here's something nice, Rolling Line now has a proper photo mode!
In this photo mode you can pause time, move the camera around, change things like time of day, customize post-processing effects and even save HD screenshots.

There use to be a very bare-bones camera mode in the game (more like a developer tool) but this new photo mode is much more user friendly and has tons of new options.

You can press 'C' at any time to open photo mode, and press 'Shift+C" to re-center the camera on your player view.

[h2]Screenshot capture[/h2]
Firstly, you can now save screenshots directly in-game!
Pressing "take screenshot" will save a screenshot to your PC, which you can find by using the "open screenshot folder" button.
You can even take an HD screenshot (2x your screens resolution) with the "take HD screenshot" option!



You can also do things like switch between miniature and large scale, pause time, set the field of view, and hide the photo mode UI (this is for when you want to take a steam screenshot with no UI on screen).

All of these options also have keyboard shortcuts which are listed in the photo mode UI.



[h2]Post Processing[/h2]
From within photo mode you can also adjust all sorts of post processing effects!
These include:

• Color correction (contrast, saturation)
  
• Ambient occlusion
  
• Depth of field
  
• Bloom
  

All of these effects carry across into normal gameplay too, so you can choose to add effects like DoF and bloom to your normal gameplay:



With all these new settings you can make your screenshots more beautiful than ever!
Since these effects apply to normal gameplay, this means you can use post-processing in your workshop thumbnails too.

Bloom is especially useful for night-time scenes, to emphasize headlights:



All of these options can also be set in the standard pause menu (outside of photo mode).
You can find them in the "pause menu -> graphics -> post processing options" menu.



Photo mode can also be opened in VR, but it must be controlled using a keyboard and mouse on the computer (there are no in-VR controls).

Effects like Depth of field also work in VR too!
[h2]
Store page cleanup & new icons [/h2]
As you might have spotted, Rolling Line now has a whole new set of Icons and branding based on the new Brazil layout!
There are a bunch of new screenshots on the store page too.



I'm working on updating the store page to reflect all the new features rolling line has gained over the years, since all the information was quite old.

I'm going to be recording a new trailer showing off the Paranapiacaba map as part of this, so keep an eye out for that!

[h2]Other things[/h2]
Though the photo mode is the main feature, this update also includes a range of fixes and other things:

• New random variations of starting trains on the Paranapiacaba map. Now when you start a new game of the Brazil map there are multiple types of trains and locations you might start from.
  
  
  
  
• Added new single rows of vineyards as props.
  
  
  
  
• Adjusted wind and thunder values for some weather presets.
  
• There is now no setting for "allow photo mode", it is always accessible without any need for a setting.
  
• Fixed issue with menu buttons being spaced out on the quickMod spawning drawer.
  
• Fixed the same issue on the signal menu.
  
• The standalone player icon has been updated.
  

Anyway, this update should have quite a big effect on the quantity and quality of screenshots! taking screenshots just got a whole lot more enjoyable, easier and customizable.

Also, remember that I post screenshots all the time on my Twitter:
https://twitter.com/gaugepunk



So keep an eye on that and i might post something of yours!
I post screenshots from Steam, Discord and I take my own screenshots of all sorts of workshop maps.

Twitter is also the most up-to-date place for you to get news on what im working on (and what the next update is going to be)

Share your screenshots on the Steam community, or even share the link in the comments of this news post and your screenshot might show up on Twitter!

Enjoy!

After many, many months in the making, It's time to finally release the Brazil layout!

[h3]Welcome to Paranapiacaba, Sao Paulo, Brazil! [/h3]
An abandoned company town deep in the Brazilian jungle.
It is kept open to the public as a preserved historic site, and stands at the top of a large funicular incline down to the sea.

I visited Paranapiacaba in person last year on a trip to Brazil, and all the Rolling Line updates since have been working towards making this map a reality!
Dynamic track made the many curves and complex track designs possible, Overhead wires brought electrification to the layout, modular buildings and jungle props created the deep jungle scenery and unique buildings, weather values added Paranapiacaba's famous fog, the V8 and Side-rod locomotives and all the new freight wagons populated the track, and so much more!

This layout now stands as a showcase of everything Rolling Line is capable of in 2020,
2 years after I initially released the game back in April 2018!

This update marks the 79th update for Rolling Line, and the 15th update of 2020.
So far I've managed to release an update every single week of 2020, and Rolling Line is growing faster than ever!



It's been a mighty busy year so far, but it's been worth it.
I'm so proud to finally be releasing this layout, and I still have huge plans for what's still to come!
Rolling Line has a big future ahead of it, and I can't wait to keep growing this game to reach it's full potential.

But most of all, the community is what keeps this game alive!
1000's of liveries and layouts on the Steam Workshop, countless incredibly talented content creators and so many passionate members of the community who spread the word about this game and bring new players along to take part!

On the grand scheme of train simulators, Rolling Line is still quite a lesser-known game, and there are still so many people out there who have never heard of it. But at the rate things are going, Rolling Line could one day be up there with the big boys.

I can't wait to see what Rolling Line's future has in store, but i can tell you one thing for certain:
I have zero intentions on stopping development of the game, I have more update ideas in mind than i could ever add, and i intend on continuing to update the game for as long as i possibly can!

So think of the release of this map as a celebration of 2 years worth of progress, and excitement for many more years worth of potential still to come!

But anyway, lets go into more detail on the actual map:

High resolution map

Full resolution

Full resolution

Full resolution

Full resolution

Full resolution

Paranapiacaba is an abandoned company town built by the Sao Paulo Railway Company and is in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil. It stands at the top of a large funicular incline that transports freight down to the sea port of Santos.
The town has a rich history and serves as an important historical site in Brazil's railway history.

In the current day, the town is preserved as a historic landmark and contains many museums and sights to see. It is open for the public to explore and is even a popular tourist destination in Sao Paulo.
Modern day freight trains still operate here, and the railway down the incline to Santos is still very much in use.

If you would like to have a look for yourself, try exploring a bit in Google Maps!



As well as the town of Paranapiacaba, the layout also features the funicular incline, the MRS Logistics complex at the base of the incline, Campo Grande station outside of Paranapiacaba, and parts of the Brazilian jungle.

The layout also features lots of info about the real-world locations history, along with photos. You can find these kinds of info blurbs all around the layout!



This layout is completely free, and you can find it in the list of maps when you choose "New Game" on the main menu.



I'm hoping to make some more media surrounding this new map (like a video trailer and official top-down map) in the coming weeks.
There is also going to be some updated screenshots and information added to the Rolling Line store page soon, to keep information up-to-date with the current features the game has.

Aside from the new map, this update also includes a bunch of new props:

• Engine workshop props
  
  
  
  
• Props of wheel blocks and various wagon pieces (great for scrap and engine workshops)
  
  
  
  
• Various new buildings, roof shelter and revolving door
  
  
  
  
• A bunch of wooden wagons, wagon wheels ladders, metal boxes, carts, some petrol cans and a water bottle
  
  
  
  
• A under-track inspection area, which can be placed underneath rails
  
  
  
  
• Two of Paranapiacaba's unique buildings, the clock tower and station building
  
  

As well as new props, this update also includes various fixes and features:

• Made big optimizations to how dynamic track is generated, which means that maps that use large amounts of tracks can have up to 1.5x faster loading times! Track must be enabled for editing then re-saved for these new optimizations to take effect.
  
• Fixed odd collision on the new U20c locomotive's front.
  
• Fixed the clock prop's placing rotation (it was previously reversed, so the clock would need to be flipped to be correct).
  
• Fixed a random floating menu button off in the distance.
  
• Added a setting for "Show map info & images" which you can use to hide the info blurbs and image posters included in the new map.
  
• Fixed the menu height offset on the quickMod drawer when the drawer is scaled up/down.
  
• Fixed the wheels still being visible in the distance for the newly added freight wagons.
  
• fixed a broken mesh on one of the canyon props.
  

And that's all for now!
This map is the largest sum of content I've ever worked on for Rolling Line, and it's the first ever official layout since the Santa Fe!

Also a huge thank you to the members of the Rolling Line community who helped in various parts of making these updates possible:

• Thank you to Long, who made the models for the two freight wagon gondolas, and Joa who made the model for the curved-roof boxcar
  
• Thank you to Joa and Raul who made the model for the V8 locomotive
  
• And thank you to Ze Trackmeister, William Tremblay and Joa for testing the map before it's final release!
  

I hope you have as much fun exploring and operating trains on it as i did making it.
Enjoy!

There's a whole bunch of stuff in this update, like advanced weather customization, new livery templates, new locomotive sound features and a bunch of new settings & options.

[h2]New weather types[/h2]
To start with, the weather system has undergone a few changes and new additions!
The previous "weather presets" are now displayed in a list with preview pictures, and there are some new weather types added.



You can now use a "no clouds" weather option which has perfectly clear skies, which is perfect for desert layouts:



And fog has also been added!
Heavy fog even has 3D clouds that blow along the ground:



[h2]Weather customization[/h2]
Instead of using the weather presets, you can now fully adjust each weather value individually!
This means you can change things like rain/snow/fog intensity, thunder storm intensity, wind strength etc. You can even create strange combinations like rain and snow at the same time if you choose.

To make use of the custom weather values, simply change the weather type to "custom" and go in to the "custom values" menu to change each value:





[h2]Freight wagon liveries[/h2]
All of the 4 freight wagons added in the previous update now have custom livery templates!



You can already find player-made liveries of these new freight wagons on the Steam Workshop, but here are my own examples for each of the new templates:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2045606006&searchtext=
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2045606887&searchtext=
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2045606539&searchtext=
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2045607157&searchtext=

As with all the other liveries, you can find the templates in the "Rolling Line -> Modding -> templates" folder.
You can also find a guide on how to make liveries here:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1405658466

[h2]New locomotive sound features[/h2]
A minor feature added in this update is that locomotives are now silent (engine off) when you place them on track. Once you enter the cab (or take control with a hand-held controller) The engine will start up.
Diesel engines even have a new sound effect for starting up the engine!
The engine sound will be disabled again if you re-place the locomotive on track.

Wagons and locomotives also now have a derail sound effect. They will make a crash sound when derailing off the tracks.

[h2]New settings[/h2]
This update also adds a bunch of new settings, these are:

• Shift-click prop painting is now disabled by default, you can re-enable this in the "PC options" menu. Shift-click painting will paint all editable props within a radius, which many people disliked since it was easy to do this by accident. You can still shift-click paint track without needing to enable the setting though!
  
  
  
  
• There is now a setting to exclude missing quickMods when loading workshop maps. Seeing the "missing quickMod" placeholder all over the place can be annoying, so you can now choose to load maps with them removed. This option is found in the "workshop -> downloaded layouts" menu.
  
  
  
  
• You can disable planes in the sky. There is now a setting to toggle whether planes flying around in the sky are visible.
  
  
  
  
• You can now adjust the distance at which items are selectable in VR (the radius around your hand). This option can be found in the "VR options -> interaction" menu.
  
  

[h2]Other features and fixes[/h2]
Lastly, this update includes a bunch of bug fixes and small changes:

• The text shown on the hand-held controller has had a few unnecessary messages removed e.g. "new train selected", "driving: ..." the text shown on the controller is now much more direct and to-the-point.
  
• The issue with the transform mode edit tool not moving to the newly selected prop has been fixed.
  
• Fixed issue where moving an object into the rubbish bin using the transform edit tool would lock you in the transform edit mode.
  
• Fixed the "none" sound preset for quickMods. all engine sounds are now properly muted.
  
• Added the new U20c horn sound to quickMods "diesel_u20c".
  
• Fixed the wagon hover text saying "push left" on both sides, instead of "push left" and "push right".
  
• All Easter egg scenes were broken thanks to the recent SteamVR update (the player was not set up properly with the new system) this has been fixed.
  
• Fixed mesh bug on the U20c horn.
  
• Fixed mesh bug on the concrete wall prop.
  
• Fixed hover effect on the new freight wagons not highlighting the rust model.
  
• Fixed issue in VR where you could teleport onto the coupler of a held train (which would cause the game to freeze).
  

And that's everything!
Heaps of stuff in this update for sure.
I'm getting everything organized for the Brazil layouts release, and there is still a bit more left to do before then. Next up im going to be adding some new post-processing options to the game! as well as finally making improvements to the photo-mode (which has been a messy developer-style feature for a while).

Progress on the Brazil layout is going great, and It's going to be officially released within the next couple of weeks!!



In the meantime, enjoy these new livery templates and weather features!

Time for a bunch of new wagons, but these wagons come with something special, rusty variants!

This update adds 4 new types of freight wagons, all of which have a "half rust" and "full rust" variation.
As well as these wagons, this update also includes a version of the classic DX locomotive with a Brazilian livery (for the Paranapiacaba layout) which has a few changes to make it more like a U20c locomotive. This new locomotive also comes with rusty variants!

Here are all the new wagons:

• Curved roof boxcar:
  
  
  
  
• Tanker car:
  
  
  
  
• Ore gondola:
  
  
  
  
• Long gondola:
  
  
  
  
• And of course, the U20c:
  
  

Thank you to Long, who made the base models for the two gondolas, and Joa who made the base model for the curved-roof boxcar!

You can find all these new wagons & loco in the "freight 2" drawer:



Custom liveries will be coming for these freight wagons at a later stage.
The U20c though will not be getting a custom livery template, since I am planning to make an improved version of the model later on (as part of the Weka Pass, which will include several historic New Zealand Rail locos!)

Along with these additions, this update also includes various fixes:

• Added "add left/right" ability on custom track! this feature was usually limited to the main layout, but you can now build trains using this system everywhere! Hold shift while hovering over a wagon to use the Q and E add left/right options.
  
  
• I've made a bunch of changes to decoupling, so issues like not being able to decouple from a moving locomotive, incorrect "decouple/push" button prompts, random situations where decoupling wouldn't work, etc, have all been fixed!
  
  
• Fixed issue where trains couldn't be pushed after loading a save.
  keep in mind you still cannot push a moving train, but any uncontrolled stationary train can be pushed now.
  
  
• Fixed bug where wagons could have incorrect wheel positions when placed on track (usually occurred with small wagons, like the flyer tender).
  
  
• Fixed plow positioning on the Side-rod loco.
  
  
• Fixed issue where very small props would have their position data rounded down in saves, resulting in small changes in position.
  

And that's all for now!

As you may have heard, most of the world is going into lock-down thanks to the covid-19 virus, and as of a couple of days ago New Zealand also went into a full lock-down.

Considering i work from home, this hopefully wont effect my work on Rolling Line much, but we are living in crazy times, so who knows whats going to happen.
Regardless, I'm continuing work on the Brazil layout and i plan to be releasing it in a matter of weeks! unless I catch the coronavirus of course.

Anyway, in the meantime, enjoy these new freight wagons!

If you're in lock-down then this is the perfect time to work on your dream layout project!