Making development quicker

I thought I'd setup this thread whereby we can post suggestions for speeding up the development of new routes.

I'd like to start with the suggestion that if you're building platforms in your route, it's probably a better idea to design a generic platform complete with passengers, lamps, and a back-fence - or any other appropriate platform furniture - this way you aren't going to be faffing around with too many tiny details.

You're virtually suggesting the developers McDonald-ise their routes. I don't think the masterly likes of Graymacs, Dexters etc. will take this "advice" ;-)

In fact I did use this approach in the "early days" when I began routebuilding. Using the excellent little "Platform Generator" devised by Guillyman, it allowed me to knock out stations to a decent standard quickly. With experience I later customised the architecture more elaborately - which is easy when you get to that level of competence but more difficult for the beginner.

So, if it helps more people to get involved in creating material for the sim then I don't see it as a bad thing at all.

Hi all,

Glad to hear that others weren't born as gifted BVE Developers and learnt the way I did. I too learnt and subsequently relearnt making objects by altering others work.

I recently sent some trackwork objects off to a new and I presume a younger Developer as he had requested some help. He then took what I created freely for him and improved them. I am now updating all my pointwork on the St Ives Branch to match his standard.

I am all for sets of freely available objects or for the cleverer amongst making utilities that automate boring repeatitive tasks. Hey standardisation (branding) is what all the TOCs do, so I would be very happy to have a ready supply / library of objects to draw from.

Bye for now,

Stephen.

Object libraies etc. are sensible of course, otherwise I wouldn't be doing things like the BuildingBricks or the tree collection. Might be I did misunderstand the thread opener, I thought he aimed his post towards existing, older devs, and also maybe took the idea of a "complete generic platform with people and all" more literally than it was intended. A certain amount of standardisation undoubtedly is very sensible and often necessary.

Texture Library also. Good for both real routes and virtual routes developers.