how can you create your own destination blinds in msts

Hi guys, i was just wondering how you go about creating your own destination blinds for trains that would have them in real life. some already have one so can it be edited? and the ones that don't already have one within the train file can this be added so a destination will show? i have a feeling i need something installed to be able to do this but have no clue what, and have been unable to find any YT videos on the subject

Thanks in advance

Hi Ian,
Welcome to the Forum

As far as I am aware, destination blinds cannot be changed 'on the fly' but if one of the textures used by a vehicle contaoins a destination, it can be edited to whatever is required.
If you wish to retain the original vehicle with its original destination blinds, the new one would need to be a clone of the original vehicle, contained in its own TRAINSET sub-folder,  but containing the edited texture in place in place of the original.

If you just want to replace the original vehicle's destination boards, the original texture file can be edited.

Sorry if it sounds a bit complicated - it's not really!!

I did a similar procedure for the Metropolitan Railway's  "Sarah Siddons" locomotive a few years ago.  As there was only ever one locomotive, I used a batch file to change its destination boards.  It's available from the TSSH library under my user name or from trainsim.com as file : UKTS_33560_SS_2013_1v1.zip

As a metter of interest, which vehicle are you referring to?

Wishing you a Happy Christmas and a Good New Year

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Ged

So I'm referring to the making tracks class 507/508 stock pack available on here. however when i was looking at the manual for the class 313 stock pack also from here it says something like "why not try changing the destination boards ago" hence why i asked if it was possible.

In regards to editing it how do i go about doing it please? as if i open the destination file within the train set using say note pad i get a lot of symbols and numbers. do i need something installing to be able read this correctly?

Thanks for your reply

Hi Ian,
Thanks for the information - I'll have a look at them.

You need a graphics program to process .ace files - something like Paint.Net, the Gimp or Paintshop Pro (before somebody pulls me up, there are several others!!)

You can use a program called TGATool2 to open .ace files; it can then pass the texture, as a .bmp file, to your selcted graphics program.
TGATool2a is included in either file aceit.zip or UKTS_10152_AceIt.zip (both are the same) which can be downloaded from trainsim.com.
Sorry, but I'm not sure if TGATool is available from this site's library.

Cheers,
Ged

Hi Ian,
Yes, it should be possible to change the destination board in both the Class 313 and 507/508 multiple units.
The simplest way is to create a new destinationboard.ace file to replace the original but it means that if the same file (eg MT_DB_SE_508211_DMSO_A.eng) is used in different consists, they will all show the same destination.
If that is not what is required, things get a whole lot more complicated!  Separately identifiable .eng  and shape files will be required for each destination.

Cheers,
Ged

Thanks Ged for your prompt reply. i will give it a try in the next few days. i hope i can get it to work, fingers crossed.

Thanks for your help on this issue and a merry Christmas

iansugden wrote:Hi Ged

So I'm referring to the making tracks class 507/508 stock pack available on here. however when i was looking at the manual for the class 313 stock pack also from here it says something like "why not try changing the destination boards ago" hence why i asked if it was possible.

In regards to editing it how do i go about doing it please? as if i open the destination file within the train set using say note pad i get a lot of symbols and numbers. do i need something installing to be able read this correctly?

Thanks for your reply

Hi Ian. That was my doing. I created destination blinds for the 313 expansion pack that weren't in the original pack by doctoring other available destination blinds. Examples being 'Hertford North', 'Stevenage', and 'Letchworth'. It wasn't as easy as I'd like to admit as the letters are often different sizes. However if you know the font that is on the blinds, you can just use the 'text' form in MSPaint to type in whatever destination you'd like. I wish I could have created a 'Welwyn G.C' blind, but that one was just too awkward to get right.
As a hint, the destination blind included for 313046 and/or 313059 is blank (which I also created myself). These are the units labelled as 'SCL' (for Silverlink County Loan).

In my case I just use TGATool2 (with AceIt) and MS Paint.

Hope this clears things up!