Happy New Year everyone!
I've got big plans for Rolling Line in 2022, and it's starting off with a highly requested modding feature:
Custom particle effects!

You can now add your own steam/smoke/fumes particles to train mods, as well as place a new "particle emitter" prop in your maps to create your own moving particle effects.




The first part of this update makes it possible to create your own custom particle effects for the new train modding system.

You can access these new particle options in the new "Mod edit window -> Effects -> particles" menu:



You can add as many particle emitters as you like:



And you can customize all sorts of things like particle size, colour, speed, rate, etc.



You can also easily mirror particle effects, which is perfect for making steam engines!



You can use these particles for all sorts of things, like steam engine smoke, whistle effects, and even startup fumes on diesel engines.
The rusty U20C now has a cold-start fumes effect to demonstrate this:



You can find a whole new section of the official train modding guide which explains how to use these new particle effects in detail:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2664192139


This update also adds a placeable particle emitter prop!
Which means you can now easily add your own particle effects to your maps.



Of course you can customize these particle emitters with all the same options!



You can be really creative with these, and I've already seen a bunch of great ideas made by the community, like this one which uses particles for a ship's smoke stacks as well as waves!



You can find this new particle emitter prop in the "Room -> tools 2" drawer:




Some of you might know of this map I uploaded to the Steam Workshop a while back:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2142272917

Well it suits these new particle emitter props perfectly!
So I decided to give it a bit of an update and include it in the game officially.



You can find this map on the main menu by choosing "new game -> mini maps -> open hearth point"




Another modding related feature which this update adds is a new "Lock to wagon body" option for wheel blocks.
Enabling this option will make this set of wheels "lock" onto the body of the mod, which will stop it from rotating to match the track and it will instead always line up with the wagon's body mesh.

This is useful for animated steam engine wheels which you want to be visually connected to the main steam engine body, instead of pivoting independently.



You can also now access all the animated wheel sets from the official trains as mod presets!
So you can use models like the Berkshire wheels, side-rod animated wheels, big-boy, etc, in your own mods.



The control valves in the steam engine cab for mods also now control the steam effects (if your mod makes use of them) just like official trains.



You can also now use the transform edit tool (PC only) to move points used in train modding, like the cab position, player spawn position, particle positions, etc.
Simply press F when pointing at the preview point object and you will be able to move it around just like any other prop:



And a couple of small other things:

• The "Show interaction UI" and "Show button names/icons" settings have been moved to the "misc" menu (instead of being deep inside the "VR options -> interaction" menu).
  
• The page is now set correctly when selecting a mod preset from the list. This applies to all item lists (like selecting a custom livery texture, or wagon type).

And that's all for this update!
These smoke particles are really fun to use in maps and I can't wait to see what kind of creative ways people will be using them. And I'm sure the train modders are really happy with the new features.

2022 is going to be an exciting time, and Rolling Line is going to be growing a ton during this year!
Happy new year!

Merry Christmas everyone!
This year Rolling Line's Christmas update adds a very famous (and very pretty) train known as the Holiday Train!

It's actually a real-world train which Canadian Pacific runs down its main line to celebrate the holiday season. The real one even has live music performances from stages built into boxcars!



You can find the new Holiday Train (as well as a bunch of boxcar and passenger wagons with lights too!) in the "miscellaneous -> Christmas 21" drawer:



When you spawn a copy of one of the wagons, it will use a random lights design (from a few different options):



The lights on all the wagons also change colour!
And thank you to Stationmaster who made the original version of the AC4400CW with the little Christmas tree on top and the wreath!




This update also includes:

• Lots of the branding images for the game have been changed to a temporary special version for Christmas:
  
  
  
  
• Just like with other holiday events, there is now a special main menu too:
  
  
  
  
• And you can access the little scene used for the main menu from the "new game -> Mini Maps -> Christmas" option:
  
  
  
  
• There is now a warning shown when setting the "model offset" value for the wheels & couplers on train mods. This is because the model offset value is only meant to be used for small visual adjustments (like moving the model a small distance so it lines up properly). This value should not be used to extend the length of the whole wagon, for this you should use the "Length" value found in "general options".
  
• Loud weather no longer causes the music to fade out (e.g. storms and heavy wind).
  
• You can now have multiple animated meshes on a single "wheel block" for train mods. There used to be a bug where only one animated mesh would be recognized, this has been fixed.
  
• The image thumbnails for maps (and various other lists) now glow-in-the-dark, so you can still see them easily on dark maps.

You may have noticed that there's actually still a while to go till Christmas (10 days!).
I'm releasing this update a little early since I'm going to be spending the holidays with family, and enjoying some time off work. Update will resume after new years, and I have tons of exciting stuff planned for 2022!

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the new beautiful holiday train, and have a Merry Christmas!

Time for part-2 of the new train modding system!
This update includes a bunch of options for making locomotives, including:

• The option to make train mods controllable (and drivable inside the cab).
  
• Preset cab options, like a basic diesel cab and steam cab.
  
• Preset audio for the engine sound effects (e.g. steam engine, electric, diesel, etc)
  
• Preset audio horn sound effects. Use any of the horns/whistles from the official game in your mods.
  
• Options for adjusting the player spawn position when driving the train.
  
• And various other additions to the new modding system.

This update also includes a ton of fixes, as well as a couple of new liveries in preparation for Christmas!

The official guide for the new modding system has also been updated to include information about these new features:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2664192139

And there is also a new guide which goes into more detail about making animated wheels using Blender:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2671456640


To start with, this update now lets you turn your mod into a "locomotive".
By default, your mod just behaves like a "wagon" (so you can't drive it or add features like cab controls or a horn).

If you want to make a locomotive, simply go into the modding UI, then into the "general options" menu and enable the "Locomotive" option.
Once you do this, some new options will appear (like cab and audio options).



You can now choose from the diesel and stream cab presets, which will add in the speed controls & switchboard that the official trains use.



This update just adds basic cabs, there will be an update in the future which focuses entirely on customizing cabs and more advanced things like custom models and moving the individual controls around.

In the meantime, you can change the position of a few basic things:

• Whole cab offset pos - move the position of the whole cab object. This will also move the player spawn, buttons, horn effect position, etc.
  
• Player spawn offset pos - choose where the player spawns when you teleport into the cab of this train (aka the driver position).
  
• Horn offset pos - the location where the horn sound effect comes from (line this up with the physical location of the horn/whistle on your mod).

While you are editing these "position" values there will be a visual preview which shows up on the preview train model:




This update also adds the option to customize the engine sound effects as well as the horn/whistle.
Another future update will add the ability to import your own audio files to use! (but for now there are only the built-in options).



You can also enable track clicks. This will cause this wagon to make "click-clack" sound effects when passing over connections between tracks.


There are also a few other new options & fixes:

• You can set the "pivot mode" of the wagon body mesh (whether the model averages it's position based on all the wheels or just the front/back wheels).
  
• The "locomotive" tag is automatically added if you save a mod without first customizing the tags.
  
• Fixed a bunch of problems with wheels being inverted when wagons are reversed.
  
• After saving a mod, the modding UI list returns to the correct page.

I've uploaded a couple of example to the Steam Workshop which make use of these new aspects of the modding system:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2680945462&searchtext=
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2680948451&searchtext=

You can also find some example mods included in the game files here:
...Rolling Line\Modding\templates\train mod examples\


In preparation for the Christmas update, this update includes a couple of new colour variants for official trains.

Firstly, there's a Canadian Pacific version of the AC44:



And some new red versions of the Pullman carriages:



The reason these are being added is because the 2021 Christmas update is going to include the famous Holiday Train! (as well as a bunch of wagons to go with it)



Keep an eye out for that!

And that's everything for now,
Enjoy!

This is likely the most highly-requested update that the Rolling Line community has been asking for!
The (almost 3 years old) QuickMod system is finally getting the overhaul it deserves.

Just like how the prop modding system is all handled in-game using menus (and a live preview model), this new modding system gives the same treatment to train modding.

PLEASE NOTE:
This is only part-1 of the new modding system, and currently only includes the basic features for making wagons. Locomotive controls and cab customization (and much more) will be coming in future updates!

This means you can now create your own train mods in-game!
You still need to create your 3D models & texture assets in external software, but once your assets are ready you can do everything else using in-game menus.



Making train mods no longer requires messing around with text files and having to re-load your mods over and over again to see changes.

The new modding system has an in-game preview model, which updates in real-time to show what your mod looks like! (and the positioning of wheels, couplers, etc.)



Since all these new tools are in-game, making train mods is now far easier to understand.
I've written a full step-by-step guide on how to create a basic mod using the new system, and how to make use of all the various new features this system uses:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2664192139

I've also made a guide which focuses on how to make animated wheels to use in the new modding system:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2671456640

Some new features included in this new modding system are:

You can now make full use of animations (using .FBX model files) in your mods!
If you use an animated mesh as a wheel block it will match the speed of the train, which is prefect for animated wheels:



Plus you can also use an animated mesh for the train's body, which can be used for all kinds of things (more options, like being able to toggle animations, will be coming in future updates):




Something which will make modding far easier is the new feature of "presets".
You can now choose to use any of the wheel blocks and couplers from the official in-game trains and include them in your mod.
This means you don't even need to supply wheel or coupler models if you instead just want to use a default wheel block.




Something QuickMod modders will be very familiar with is the annoying limitations of the old "wagon length" system (which was very frustrating).

Well good news! this new system allows for complete freedom with length values, wheel positions, and even simple model offsets.

This means you can set the wheel positions to any decimal value easily, without any extra tweaking.
Mods can now handle incredibly small sizes too! (no more buggy tiny mods)

For example, the tiny mod shown below works perfectly fine in the new modding system:



You can also use options like "model offset" and "flip model" to move/rotate models easily without needing to edit the actual 3D asset.


Another thing that QuickMod modders will love to hear is that setting up couplers is now incredibly easy!

If you are using a preset, then coupler lengths are 100% handled for you, so you don't even need to think about it.
But if you are supplying your own 3D models then there is now an in-game visual guide to help setup couplers correctly:

(the green circle shows you where the "couple point" is)



Couplers can also be any length you like, either super-long or super-small will still work just fine!


A nice quality-of-life feature for this new mod system is these "help" buttons you can find when looking through the various options.

Simply click on these to get a short description of what the setting does and how to use it.




Just like with the prop modding system, there are now some example mods (made using the new modding system) which you can find in the folder:
"Rolling Line/Modding/Templates/Train mod examples"

These files include model and texture files for a range of different uses, including examples of animations and advanced features of the modding system.




This update changes a ton of stuff behind the scenes, and also includes a few new features:

• Hovering over an item in a thumbnail grid (like workshop maps, mod list, etc) will create a popup tool-tip showing its full name.
  
  
  
  
• The custom livery texture list now shows filenames, so you can use the search function to filter by filename.
  
• Deleting a livery now has an "are you sure? yes/no" popup.
  
• Fixed bug where wagons couplers would not detach when the wagon it was coupled with has derailed.
  
• Interaction with the preview model (for wagons and props) is disabled when capturing a thumbnail. This means you can hover over the preview and click without cloning it.
  
• The livery templates folder has been moved into its own sub-folder, alongside prop templates and wagon templates.

You can find a whole new bunch of "Train Mod" categories on the Steam Workshop now, and these will include both QuickMods as well as mods made using the new system.



If you want to browse a list of only mods made using the new system, click on the new "Train Mods" tag:



Regardless of whether a train mod is made using the old QuickMod system, or the new system, it will still show up in the same mod spawner drawer in-game.

So when you are downloading mods off the workshop you don't need to worry about which system it was made from! You can use them in the exact same way regardless.


Even though this new modding system is being made, old QuickMods will still work perfectly fine.
You can even continue to make QuickMods the old way if you choose to, and any QuickMods you've already made will continue to be supported.


Remember, this is just part-1 of the new train modding system!
There is still much more to come, including custom cab controls, custom audio, lights, steam smoke effects, etc...

This is a massive job, so I'll be releasing these features in stages.
The next part of the modding system on the way will allow you to make drivable locomotives with basic features like preset cabs and controls.
Keep an eye out for that!


But in the meantime, I hope you all enjoy the new modding system!
This is something both I and the community have been excited about for years, so it's great to finally bring this plan into action.

Modding is a key part of what makes Rolling Line what it is today, and it's this amazing community of skilled and creative people that makes this possible!

Today's update adds custom livery support for the new JGR 150 steam loco from the last update!
It also includes some menu UI improvements for loading official maps.

The livery template for the JGR is an "advanced template" which means that it has much more options for detailing than the other steam engines.
Though that does mean it's a little more complicated to work with!



Just as with all the other liveries, you can find the templates in the "Rolling Line -> Modding -> templates" folder.



Plus there's a guide here on Steam that explains how to make your own liveries!
All you need to make liveries is basic image editing software (even MS Paint is fine):

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1405658466

You can find player-made liveries for the JGR simply by going to the Steam Workshop and using the “livery type” drop-down list and choosing "Steam JGR":



As with all other liveries on the Steam Workshop, once you have subscribed to them they will show up in the "trains -> liveries" drawer. Choose the category "Steam JGR" to view only liveries of that type:



To get you started, here's the livery featured in this updates thumbnail called the "Metropolitan Ry. No. 72" made by Dark Derby!

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2644655372


This update also adds some new menus to make loading official maps easier!
"Official maps" are layouts that are included in the game by default.

Firstly, these maps have been divided into a few categories:

• "Main maps" - the large major maps like "Top of the south", "Paranapiacaba", "Santa Fe", etc
  
• "Mini maps" - the smaller maps like "Hanmer Springs", "Puzzling World", etc
  
• "Custom maps" - the template maps which are used as examples to help you start making a map

And you can now access all of these maps from the pause menu! (instead of needing to go back to the main menu):





The main maps also now have a new fancy UI which shows a few extra screenshots!
You can click on these to view them larger:





This update also includes a few fixes:

• Fixed material bug on the pullman passenger wagons
  
• Fixed various small mesh bugs on the JGR 150
  
• The Halloween menu is now back to normal (the Hanmer Springs menu)
  
• Lots of the menu thumbnails for things like "new game", "load game" etc have been changed

And that's all for now!

I hope you all enjoy the new liveries!

Time for the 2021's Halloween update!

This time I've gone with a bit of a Victorian gothic theme and added a classic British-style small steam engine alongside a gothic cathedral map!

There's a whole bunch of new cathedral architecture props and of course all of the classic Halloween props and features from previous years.


Wohoo! finally a new steam engine officially added into the game!
This one is a lovely little British-style loco built in the UK but operated in Japan in the 1870s. It's officially known as the "JGR Class 150".

Liveries for this loco will be coming in a later future update.

Thank you so much to Corporal Crunch who made the amazing original QuickMod of this loco!






The second main part of this update is a new Victorian gothic themed map. Some of you might recognize this architecture from an Easter Egg, well i decided to expand these models and re-work them into usable props that you can now use in your own maps!

The tower in this map is inspired by the Dom Tower of Utrecht



There is even a full interior to the cathedral building!



You can access this map from "main menu -> new game" like all the other built-in maps:



Along with this map, all of the props used can now be found in a new drawer (Buildings -> cathedral):




Of course you can also access all of the classic Halloween items added in other updates!
This includes all sorts of things from new decoration props to ghost trains.
The best part though is a loot pumpkin which you can open to get special train variations (and tons of candy)



As well as these 'loot pumpkins' you can find the whole drawers of Halloween themed props in the
"Misc -> Halloween 18/19" drawers:



These props include gothic-style fences & gates, various decorations, light-up pumpkins, gravestones, colored lights, hanging lights and even a bubbling cauldron:



And of course the ghost trains!
You can get them as rare rewards from opening the loot pumpkins, and there are a bunch of different wagons and locos (Including a ghost version of the new JRG steam engine)



You can turn on the special Halloween skybox (seen on the main menu) by going into the "weather & time menu -> advanced" and turning on "Halloween mode"

You can find the main menu map on the Steam Workshop here:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1901286392

• You can now make use of a "steam_2_4" and "steam_4" wheel presets in QuickMods (from the new steam engine wheels)
  
• You can also use the new whistle "steam_jgr" in QuickMods
  
• Fixed issue with select lists (like the quickMod livery list) resetting to page 1 when an item is selected, and resetting the search term
  
• Fixed issue where including a ' character in save names would cause problems. this character is now automatically removed for saves and mods

Remember you can find all the wheel presets and horn/whistle values listed in the official QuickMod guide here:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1789707835

I hope you enjoy the new steam train and map, and of course, Happy Halloween!

Today's update adds a whole bunch of quality-of-life improvements!

Things like:

• A search function for searching through mods/maps/liveries/etc
  
• Thumbnail grid lists are now used in more menus, like the workshop update list.
  
• The livery spawning drawer has been re-designed
  
• The pause menu now has new options for "your maps" and "downloaded maps" to make finding layouts easier
  
• The QuickSave function has been cleaned up a bunch
  
• The backups menu is far easier to use
  
• Grid lists for the legacy QuickMods and QuickTerrain drawers
  
• Full list of screen resolutions for PC
  
• Lots of bug fixes

Since Rolling Line has been getting updates for over 3 years now, it's got lots of "old" and "new" parts, and this update finally cleans up a few of the features that needed upgrading.

Things like finding mods, workshop maps, liveries etc is now made much easier with thumbnail grids and a search function!
So you can type in parts of a maps name (and tags for mods!) to narrow down the list.



Typing in tags like "animal" "japan" "roadside" "prop" etc will work with mods!
(these tags are the same tags on the workshop)

Searches are not case-sensitive (so capital letters don't matter) and the text you type just has to be contained in the name/tags to show up.

You can find the new search option all over the place, simply click the search icon at the top of a list and type in your search text!




This update also re-designs how you find and load maps from the pause menu.

There is now a dedicated set of buttons up the top for:
- "your maps" (local save files)
- "downloaded maps" (saves you've downloaded off the Steam workshop)

There is also a shortcut to the "new save" option up top too!
So all of the map loading & saving options are now in one place.



From these menus you can easily access your local & downloaded saves with an easy-to-use thumbnail grid! (and of course you can use the search feature)




For some menus (like livery options, weather presets, etc) there is now an option to "expand" the options list and view all the options as a thumbnail grid.

From here you can click an option to highlight it:




The livery drawer now works just like the mod spawner drawer, so it has a thumbnail grid + the livery type can be switched using the category drop-down-menu at the top.

You can also set the category to "all" to view all liveries at once.



The livery names have also been cleaned up a bit to be more consistent, e.g. all steam trains start with "steam", passenger wagons with "coach", freight with "freight" etc
This makes searching through them easier!

The legacy QuickMod and QuickTerrain drawers also use the new thumbnail grid UI too.


The saves backup list (Pause menu -> Manage saves -> backups) is now much easier to navigate thanks to the search option and a much larger list view.

You can also now hover over each backup to see the type (session quit, save over, exit, etc) and the date + time the backup was made:




An annoying limitation that you may have noticed before is that the PC resolution list only showed the first 10 options. Well it now lists all possible resolutions for your screen:




As well as all the UI features, this update also includes:

• Fixed collision on one of the "path" terrain pieces
  
• Fixed the "refresh" button for layouts (which stopped working a few updates ago)
  
• QuickSave now works much better, and will never save over the wrong map. QuickSave will be blocked unless there is definitely a valid save to copy over (this applies to pressing F5 too)
  
• Prop mods are no longer re-loaded when spawning from the drawer UI
  
• Fixed an issue where the old legacy room menus would get stuck on menus like "capture thumbnail" and "quickSave"
  
• Might have fixed an issue with the sun and moon defaulting to directly upwards
  
• Fixed issues with custom posters & flags not being packaged properly sometimes

That's quite a lot of stuff to cover!
Every now-and-then I need to do these updates which package together a ton of quality-of-life improvements and fixes that have been stacking up.
But it's always worth it to get these things done!

Enjoy!

I hope everyone enjoyed the International Layout Jam!
There were over 100+ layouts submitted and I'm blown away by the level of variety and creativity that has gone into these maps.
People really made the most of the "international" theme and made locations like: Iceland, Viet Nam, Italy, Jamaica, Switzerland, Japan, France, Cuba, Brazil, Ecuador, India, China, Belarus and even Antarctica! (plus many many more)

I love seeing maps based on countries that you don't often see in media, and this event was full of those!

Just like with all the previous jams and competitions Rolling Line has had, I've put together a collection of my personal highlights from the event.
And here they are!



You also view the poster here:
(click to enlarge)



Please don't worry if your entry wasn't included on the list!
With over 100+ entries, there were still so many more maps that I would love to acknowledge that didn't make it into the favorites compilation.

Here are all the Steam Workshop links for the maps mentioned above:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2603887980&searchtext=
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2609973329&searchtext=
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2601229629&searchtext=

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2604361854&searchtext=
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2618751444&searchtext=
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2608900335&searchtext=

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2604491537&searchtext=
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2607130484&searchtext=
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2619326832&searchtext=

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2617288232&searchtext=
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2600639910&searchtext=
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2619598609&searchtext=

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2616590983&searchtext=
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2598761717&searchtext=
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2616880443&searchtext=

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2610462414&searchtext=
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2606404810&searchtext=
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2598821474&searchtext=
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2602859986&searchtext=

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2612956186&searchtext=
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2607835332&searchtext=
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2609158721&searchtext=
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2603955637&searchtext=

And that's just the ones I included in my favorites!
I highly recommend you go on the Steam Workshop and look under the "international railway jam" tag to have a look for yourself at all of the entries:



Thank you all so much to everyone who took part in the event!

These jams are always so great for inspiring people to make some really unique maps, and I love seeing what people come up with.

So far there has been:
- Color Comp
- Compact Comp
- Fantasy Livery Jam
- Hallowed Cove Comp
- Snow Globe Jam
- Railroad History Jam
- International Layout Jam

Which one was your favorite?



I wonder what the next one will be...
We shall see!

In the meantime, go and have a look at all the new awesome maps on the workshop, and keep an eye out for the next update! (its going to be a whole bunch of quality-of-life features, leading towards some big updates on the horizon).

Enjoy!

Hello everybody!
There's already been a ton of amazing entries for the International Layout Jam and I highly recommend going and having a look on the Steam Workshop at the entries to try them out yourself.

Here's a few incredible ones to get you started:

By Microcosmologist

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2609973329

By Detroit

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2603887980

By Ze Trackmeister

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2601229629

Anyway, the purpose of this news post is to announce that:

So this means you have an extra weekend to work on an entry.
Or if you've already made one, why not have a go at a quick bonus entry!

The reason I'm extending the jam is because I'm going to be away on a tramping (hiking) trip this week, so I wont be here to close off the jam until the weekend, so why not extend the closing date!

I'll be spending 4-5 days solo in the Tararua Ranges, likely in rather wild weather, so it's going to be a hell of a trip!




But in the meantime, I hope you're all enjoying the International Layout Jam so far!
Thank you to everyone who has made submissions already, and best of luck to everyone who's still working on theirs!

I hope everyone is enjoying the International Layout Jam! There's tons of maps already submitted to the workshop (130+) and there's still just over a week till the Jam ends!




In the meantime, here's a mid-jam update ːsteamthumbsupː


Back in the "Railroad History Jam" I created a map called the "GeTA Sulfur Railway"
well that map has been touched-up and added into the game officially!
You can access it from the main menu, just like any other official map, and it even has all its unique liveries and mods.



It even has an official map poster now too:




As you might remember, the GeTA Sulfur Railway had two versions, one set in the 1900s (Steam era) and the other was set in the current day.

Both of these versions are included in this update, and you can switch between them in-game by clicking this button on the wall!



Clicking the button will load the historic version of the map.
When playing the old version, you can also switch back to the modern version the same way.




The map has also been updated to include all the new features like custom audio, tunnel regions and even dynamic wires:



You can also now find some text and images around the map which explain the history:



But now for part 2 of this update:


You can now easily use your own .Mp3 files as custom background music in the game.
Simply put your custom music files in the new folder "Rolling Line -> Modding -> Custom Music" and you will hear them in-game!



By default your custom music will be mixed in with the normal default music already in the game.
You can change this in the "Audio" menu:



You can choose between mixing custom and default tracks together, or either default only or custom only.

You can also press the "Refresh music" button to skip to a new song.
Pressing this button will also check for any new files you've added to the "Custom music" folder.

There are more options in the "Music options" menu too:



From here you can set the gap between music tracks, shuffle, fade in,
and whether music should fade out when you are near loud audio sources (this includes moving trains and heavy weather).
This little feature is what makes the music fade away when you start driving trains, and come back again when you away from trains looking at the scenery.


Something else this update does is move a few more of Rolling Line's data files & assets into the "Core" folder. This means that you can access and edit these files easily, since they are not packaged inside the game itself.

These files are found in:
"Steam -> SteamApps -> Common -> Rolling Line -> Core"

Please don't edit these files unless you have backups, and are willing to potentially mess up your game. But if you want to have some fun modifying the core files the game uses then you certainly can!

For example, you can easily edit:
- the .txt save files used for the menu, official maps and tutorials
- the .Mp3 files of the default music
- the .jpg files used for the pages in the magazines






This update also includes a bunch of other little things:

• There is now an "open livery folder" button in the menu when creating a livery. This simply opens the folder in file explorer to make adding liveries easier:
  
  
  
  
• Fixed major bug with custom drawers, where they would fail to save when left in "edit" mode when exiting the map.
  
• Custom drawers now have a few other visual queues to help show when they are editable vs when they are not:
  
  
  
  
• Fixed bug with copy-pasting dynamic track data sometimes causing issues with the dynamic track UI.
  
• the "refresh" button for posters and flags is now hidden when the flag choice popup is open.
  
• The camera now automatically snaps away from the button when using any of the "open X folder" buttons in the menus. This is so that when you tab back into the game you don't accidentally click the "open folder" button again.
  
• The default icon which maps use when no thumbnail is set has been fixed.
  
• The switchboard in the "Ghetto Sulfur" quickMod now has a better position in the cab.
  
• Thanks to some file optimizations, this update actually reduces the file size of Rolling Line by about 100mb!

And that's everything for this update,
Have fun with the remaining week of the International Layout jam!