rmclumps.zip, by Ron Mays

Tree Clumps, Treelines, and Forestlines for MSTS
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What's included:
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Tree Clumps - A set of tree clumps in various sizes and densities.  The narrow clumps are properly oriented for use as gantry.dat shapes for automatic placement, and one offset shape is provided to allow using a pylon type gantry to place the trees on one side of the track.

Treelines - A set of narrow treelines made up of individual trees for use close to trackside.  These are particularly useful when the track is cut into a wooded hillside as they are narrow enough to sit properly on the terrain. The treelines are properly oriented for use as gantry.dat shapes for automatic placement, and several offset shapes are provided to allow using a pylon type gantry to place the trees on one side of the track.

Forestlines - A set of billboard and X forestlines for use at a distance from the track. Three slightly different shades of green are provided for each forestline shape. 


Installation:
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Extract the .ace, .s, .sd, and files to your route folder . Assuming you have WinZip set to use subfolders the files will automatically go to the proper folders in your route. The document files and reference file will go to a new folder, rmclumps, in your route

Open the rmclumps.ref file, copy the text, then paste it at the bottom of the .ref file in your route.

You can delete the rmclumps folder when you are finished.  It serves no function after the installation is completed.

Note - If you would rather not rely on WinZip to automatically put the files in the right place, then you can manually put the .s & .sd files in the SHAPES folder in your route, the main .ace files in the TEXTURES folder, and the .ace files for snow in your TEXTURES/SNOW folder.  Then follow the instruction for the reference file and you are good to go.

When you open your route in Route Editor after installation, the objects will show up in three Classes; TreeClumps, Treelines, and Forestlines.

I equipped all of the objects with shadows, because when you place thin or scattered clumps and lines without a shadow they are very hard to see in the wire frame view.  After you have the trees placed to your satisfaction, I suggest deleting the shadow as it will not look right in the sim.  To do this, select the object, right click and in the properties tab select "none" under shadows.


USDecidClump Replacement:
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Three of the clumps are suitable replacements for the default USDecidClump1.s and USDecidClump1.s.  They are 
cgUSDecidClump1.s, cgUSDecidClump2.s, and RLM-Cz-DecidClump1.s.  The instructions are tedious but if you are interested drop me a note and I will explain how to go about it.  Don't consider this unless you are comfortable with modifying files within train Simulator.


Automatic Placement:
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This refers to using the automatic placement function in the MSTS Route Editor to place multiple objects quickly.  The entries to make this work must be made in the route's gantry.dat file.  There are instructions for entries in the gantry.dat file in the MSTS Technical Documents included on the MSTS CD, and there are several excellent tutorials at the Steam4Me website.  This is entirely optional, and no gantry.dat entries are required to use the shapes one at a time in Route Editor


Credits:
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Tree textures are by Phil Voxland (file pvtrees.zip in the File Library), and by Trunda (multiple files available from the Czech Greenery site at www.virtuallandscaping.net or http//sweb.cz/greenery).  I highly recommend that you also install the original trees from the sources for use individually or in forests.  They are excellent.  The Czech site also offers a variety of terrtex sets for free download.

Grass texture is by Trunda as modified by Otto Wipfel

The forestline textures and x shapes were derived from forest73.zip by Michael Sinclair.  I darkened the textures and adjusted them to suit my route, but followed Mike's approach of making three shades of green. This is very useful because in the real world, the farther a line of trees is from you, the darker and more blue-ish it looks.  Mike has uploaded numerous trees, brushlines and forestlines that are excellent.  I encourage you to use them too.

I would also like to acknowledge all of the help and inspiration I have received from Mike Sinclair, Jim Ward, Phil Voxland, Otto Wipfel, Ron Picardi and many others, both by looking at their work and by their helpful ideas and input in the Route Building forum at Train-Sim.com.  

All shape files were created by me using Train Sim Modeler by Abacus.  Texture manipulations were done using TGATool and Paint Shop Pro 7.

For your information, textures from the following trees were used:

Trunda:

Oak25
Beech24
Lime19
Walnuttree17 & 20
Willow16
Woody_species_06
Woody_species_10
Woody_species_17
grass-green.ace
Hornbeam13
birch15
horse-chestnut19

Voxland:

Poplars
fira
bircha
birchb

Sinclair:

MSForestline73.ace from Forest73.zip.  I also replicated the X shapes from this file.

Wipfel:

grass-green.ace via the original files by Trunda.  Otto included this texture in a set of shapes available at his site that are well worth having


Disclaimer:
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These files are freeware and may be used by anyone for any non-commercial purposes only.  Use of the textures is subject to the limitations, if any, by the original authors identified above.


If you have any comments or questions please email to rmays@bechtel.com, or send me a PM in the Train-Sim.com Route Building forum.


Ron Mays, Maryland, USA, March 2006
