- NoLimits Dev Center -
Automatic Heartline Generator v1.2
Automatic Heartline Generator v1.2
This information is out of date due to lack of contact from the author.
You should seek more accurate information in the coaster simulation forum community of your choice.
Created By Kay GroßweischedeYou should seek more accurate information in the coaster simulation forum community of your choice.
Last Update: 1-JUL-2005
What Is It? The Automatic Heartline Generator is a tool for Windows which will take a NoLimits track file and heartline it based on the heartline height and train speed you specify.
Usage
The program has close to no error checking right now, so the following points are important to keep in mind:
Segments: This will be the number of segments in the resulting track. Every segment has (close to) the same length.
Heartline: This is the position of the virtual heart above the track. The higher it is the more the track will "swing" around the original path, based on the forces. In the box on the right the default values in NL are shown.
V In (Start Speed): Speed the train has at the beginning of the track. This is measured in meters per second. 1 m/s equals 3.6kmh. So if the train is going 20 kmph it would be 20/3.6=5.55m/s.
V Out (End Speed): Same as Start speed, just this time at the end of the track (before it hit any brakes of course).
Precision: This determines how many points are being calculated for each new segment. 6 is usually fine.
Filter: The built in force-filter will run as many times as you specify here. If you set this to 1, bumpy track will cause a horrible heartline because every mistake in the original track will be magnified with this tool. The higher the stronger everything gets filtered and the smoother it might look. However, the filter also causes the values to change and therefor the banking might be a bit off in the end. Just make sure that the origianl Track is as smooth as possible and you won't have problems with low filter settings. ;)
As of version 1.2 the filter is dynamic. The spot of the track with the highest calculated speed will get full filtering. The spot with the lowest speed will get 1/4th of the filter amount.
Color Codes
As the track will always be rotated to give positive vertical forces and minimal lateral forces, it would logically be inverted on hills with ejector air (negative vertical forces). If you see track wrapping around like that and/or you want to force no correct heartlining at those spots, you can use an alternate color on the specific segment(s).
The spine color (main Track color in the segment settings) will be read and do the following:
Pure Black (0/0/0): The track will bank to the original bank specified on the input-track.
Pure Green (0/255/0): The Track will go from forced bank (black) to correct bank in a smooth manner along the length of the segment.
Pure Red (255/0/0): The Track will go from correct bank to forced bank (black) in a smooth manner along the length of the segment.
Note: You don't HAVE to place red or green spines in front/behind black-marked segments. It might however be better in some cases.
The Rail Color will be read and do the following:
As of version 1.2 the Rail color can be used to set a specific filter amount for every single segment of the input track. To do that the green and blue part of the railcolor need to be 0 while the red part sets the amount of filtering. For example dark red (50/0/0) would force a filter of 50 for the segment. Bright red (255/0/0) would force a filter of 255. Any color of the form (x/0/0) where x can be anything from 0 to 255 can be used, "x" will specify the amount of filtering on the specific segment where this railcolor is set.
The "Data" Panel
For convenience The program tells you the slope tilt and radius at both ends of the input track (and after heartlining the output track). This is useful when you need to add fitting segments.
Other Issues To Consider
Take note that the track will move. So, make sure there's enough room under/over the original track. Also, because of the way this program works loops on regular coasters will be higher (plus two times the heartline) and those on inverted track will be lower. So, you have to build keeping this in mind. The input track will be the heartline of the output track! Never overwrite your original track. If something didn't work like you expected you will have to do it all over.
Also note (as mentioned earlier) that the input track needs to be as "perfect" as possible. Every tiny bump or pump will be magnified. Since the tool is calculating all the forces around the track, a bump would result in a quick change of forces and therefor a quick rotation around the heartline. You usually don't want that. ;)
Support:
This stuff isn't for newcomers. It is provided for free with no guarantee of any sort. If you need help with it, your best bet is to make a post in the coaster sim related web site forum of your choice and hope that the author is around and willing to answer your question. If you have not read the information on this page, your question will probably be ignore anyway.
Download: NL-AHG-1.2.zip (84.3K) - Simple Instructions Included
Version History
Usage
The program has close to no error checking right now, so the following points are important to keep in mind:
- The Input Track has to be open (opposed to a closed full circuit). Best thing to do is to mark the part from the Lift or Lim to the first brake, save that as an element and make a new track just containing that element.
- You need to provide the start speed and end speed. Just ride the original Track and note the speeds it has at both ends of the section you want to heartline. You can convert these values easily from mph or Kmph (in the simulator) to meters per second (m/s - the value you must enter in the AHG) with The Coaster Calculator.
- The track should be the only thing in the track file. I'm not sure what would happen if it had objects, trees, supports,etc... I just don't want to know right now. ;p But the way you should use it, the original track won't have any of these anyway.
Segments: This will be the number of segments in the resulting track. Every segment has (close to) the same length.
Heartline: This is the position of the virtual heart above the track. The higher it is the more the track will "swing" around the original path, based on the forces. In the box on the right the default values in NL are shown.
V In (Start Speed): Speed the train has at the beginning of the track. This is measured in meters per second. 1 m/s equals 3.6kmh. So if the train is going 20 kmph it would be 20/3.6=5.55m/s.
V Out (End Speed): Same as Start speed, just this time at the end of the track (before it hit any brakes of course).
Precision: This determines how many points are being calculated for each new segment. 6 is usually fine.
Filter: The built in force-filter will run as many times as you specify here. If you set this to 1, bumpy track will cause a horrible heartline because every mistake in the original track will be magnified with this tool. The higher the stronger everything gets filtered and the smoother it might look. However, the filter also causes the values to change and therefor the banking might be a bit off in the end. Just make sure that the origianl Track is as smooth as possible and you won't have problems with low filter settings. ;)
As of version 1.2 the filter is dynamic. The spot of the track with the highest calculated speed will get full filtering. The spot with the lowest speed will get 1/4th of the filter amount.
Color Codes
As the track will always be rotated to give positive vertical forces and minimal lateral forces, it would logically be inverted on hills with ejector air (negative vertical forces). If you see track wrapping around like that and/or you want to force no correct heartlining at those spots, you can use an alternate color on the specific segment(s).
The spine color (main Track color in the segment settings) will be read and do the following:
Pure Black (0/0/0): The track will bank to the original bank specified on the input-track.
Pure Green (0/255/0): The Track will go from forced bank (black) to correct bank in a smooth manner along the length of the segment.
Pure Red (255/0/0): The Track will go from correct bank to forced bank (black) in a smooth manner along the length of the segment.
Note: You don't HAVE to place red or green spines in front/behind black-marked segments. It might however be better in some cases.
The Rail Color will be read and do the following:
As of version 1.2 the Rail color can be used to set a specific filter amount for every single segment of the input track. To do that the green and blue part of the railcolor need to be 0 while the red part sets the amount of filtering. For example dark red (50/0/0) would force a filter of 50 for the segment. Bright red (255/0/0) would force a filter of 255. Any color of the form (x/0/0) where x can be anything from 0 to 255 can be used, "x" will specify the amount of filtering on the specific segment where this railcolor is set.
The "Data" Panel
For convenience The program tells you the slope tilt and radius at both ends of the input track (and after heartlining the output track). This is useful when you need to add fitting segments.
Other Issues To Consider
Take note that the track will move. So, make sure there's enough room under/over the original track. Also, because of the way this program works loops on regular coasters will be higher (plus two times the heartline) and those on inverted track will be lower. So, you have to build keeping this in mind. The input track will be the heartline of the output track! Never overwrite your original track. If something didn't work like you expected you will have to do it all over.
Also note (as mentioned earlier) that the input track needs to be as "perfect" as possible. Every tiny bump or pump will be magnified. Since the tool is calculating all the forces around the track, a bump would result in a quick change of forces and therefor a quick rotation around the heartline. You usually don't want that. ;)
Support:
This stuff isn't for newcomers. It is provided for free with no guarantee of any sort. If you need help with it, your best bet is to make a post in the coaster sim related web site forum of your choice and hope that the author is around and willing to answer your question. If you have not read the information on this page, your question will probably be ignore anyway.
Download: NL-AHG-1.2.zip (84.3K) - Simple Instructions Included
Version History
- 1.2 -
New Feature: Specify filter per segment with rail color
New Feature: Dynamic filtering based on speed
Improvement: Repeated heartlining will always use the original input track
Bug Fix: Last vertex will now get correct banking - 1.1.001 -
Improvement: Data panel value truncation
- 1.1 -
Bug Fix: No more vertical track wobbles
- 1.0 -
Initial Release