External camera

[Burning Bridges]

I have seen several screens with the external camera and would like how to activate it.

for example here

https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/588030/ss_243ef9ce6b60344b24ac60ddac2a60cc561e2314.1920x1080.jpg?t=1590019964

or here

https://cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/steam/apps/588030/ss_8f13faa1448200055a4410a04a1ce860223bba51.1920x1080.jpg?t=1590019964

[Little_Richie]

Open the console with [~], then type player.freecamtoggle

[Burning Bridges]

The screenshots are from debug mode?

[Burning Bridges]

This is extremely confusing. There are screenshots on the main page, the majority of which are from an external view. But all information I find indicates that it can only be activated from a debug console.

What else in this game is only availabe via command line option?

[Burning Bridges]

Thanks, the issue is solved for me by a Steam refund.

[boris.glevrk]

...... Refunding a game because it lacks a function that isn't supposed to be there at all? Wow...
Well, it's your choice then. Too bad you couldn't have stayed with us...

Screenshots you saw are for promotional purposes, so at least to me it's not incomprehensible that they were taken in a way that normal gameplay will never involve.

You do have experience seeing RTS trailers with the camera orbiting around and around, right? Does that make you think that's how a player should be doing when they play? This is a similar case.

Alternatively those screenshots could also be taken by simply having the player walking on the ground when the train drives on.

[Burning Bridges]

Well, that is entirely up to you. But I find it a little bit weird if I look at the screenshots on the store page and only 1 is from the actual perspective in the game, inside the locomotive.

I had looked at the screens and other material and simply presumed that there was an external view. That's why I was so flabberghasted to learn that the player needs to use the console for something that you would take for granted in a simulation.

And no, the screens are not from the players position. At least I do not see how they could be made. Most of them are from 10 meter up in the air, I do not know how you can get up so high. If you can show me how to make them I will correct my claim.

[boris.glevrk]

Originally posted by Burning Bridges:

Well, that is entirely up to you. But I find it a little bit weird if I look at the screenshots on the store page and only 1 is from the actual perspective in the game, inside the locomotive.

I had looked at the screens and other material and simply presumed that there was an external view. That's why I was so flabberghasted to learn that the player needs to use the console for something that you would take for granted in a simulation.

And no, the screens are not from the players position. At least I do not see how they could be made. Most of them are from 10 meter up in the air, I do not know how you can get up so high. If you can show me how to make them I will correct my claim.

Welcome to the era of immersive sim, mate. In immersive vehicle sims you don't play as a vehicle, you play as the operator. That's why there's no external view.

with a little bit of elevation plus zooming, you can stand at an elevated position 100m away and take a picture that looks like you're 10m away and 10m above the ground

Also, there is at least 3 loading screen screenshots that are entirely possible without using the console. One is the one in the cab, the other is the explosion at Oil Well, and then we have the seasonal ones like the empty scenery shot of Steel Mill and the SH282 derailing at eastern mountain path.

I don't know what reason you used to made the refund, but it better not be anything related to scam allegation or "store picture not the same as in-game".

Making promotional pictures in the store with genuine in-game screenshots *during actual gameplay* is usually a bad idea because that would involve unnecessary UI, making it looks fake (as in, game-like and not real-life-like).
Therefore it is entirely normal for immersive sims with no external vehicle view whatsoever to use screenshots generated outside of normal gameplay as promotional material, and that will NOT constitute a "screenshot scam".

In fact, for the in-store screenshots, screenshot numbers 4, 5 ,7 ,8 and 9 are all entirely possible to capture without using the console (#1 and #3 being the ones you mentioned, and they are also marginally possible, #2 is in the cab).
Those can either be captured on a hill (the harbor one is shot on a cliff), on another car (the one facing a cargo yard with a crane) or on a low building (the one with a shunter pulling excavators). Some are even shot on the ground (one of the two oil well explosions).

[Altfuture]

The game is in Early Access, so some things are still work in progress. In the future the external camera will be accessible by a key. Currently it's via console command. It's not a big difference, but I see how it could be inconvenient. Either way, I hope you'll reconsider the purchase in the future. The game is discounted while in Early Access.

[boris.glevrk]

Originally posted by Altfuture:

The game is in Early Access, so some things are still work in progress. In the future the external camera will be accessible by a key. Currently it's via console command. It's not a big difference, but I see how it could be inconvenient. Either way, I hope you'll reconsider the purchase in the future. The game is discounted while in Early Access.

Is it going to come in a "photo mode" where you can pause the game without having a pause menu in the way?
I mean... personally the only time I'd want an external view would be when I want to take some beautiful screenshots, and I'd prefer being able to pause the simulation (IIRC there is such a command in console) so that the train doesn't derail while I'm busy taking the photo.

[Altfuture]

Originally posted by boris.glevrk:

Is it going to come in a "photo mode" where you can pause the game without having a pause menu in the way?

You can already do that by pressing Esc while using the freecam. That's how I took/take all screenshots. The menu does appear, but in front of the player and not the camera, which can be somewhere offscreen.

Of course, when external camera is added to the game for players, it will be done a lot better. It's very rugged now because it was made for internal use only. We left it as a console command only so that someone who knows the state it's in can play around with it in the meantime.

I would also remind everyone using it about my notes from the changelog:

-- Console command - Player.FreeCamToggle
-- WASD, ctrl, space - move
-- Mouse scroll - change speed
-- LMB/RMB - change FOV
-- Alt - orbit around aimed target
-- Num Enter - attach to a moving vehicle player is on
-- Step on a moving vehicle to load terrain as it goes
-- It is possible to stop time by pressing pause (Esc)
-- Pressing Q also stops time but it stops the moving trains too (I don't recommend this)

[Burning Bridges]

@Altfuture Thanks and yes I will definitely keep an eye on the development and might buy your game again when it goes out of Early Access.

[GAD]

Originally posted by Burning Bridges:

Thanks, the issue is solved for me by a Steam refund.

Stick to Roblox and Minecraft buddy. Leave the grown ups to enjoy our stuff.

[GenX-Gamore]

Originally posted by Altfuture:

Originally posted by boris.glevrk:

Is it going to come in a "photo mode" where you can pause the game without having a pause menu in the way?

You can already do that by pressing Esc while using the freecam. That's how I took/take all screenshots. The menu does appear, but in front of the player and not the camera, which can be somewhere offscreen.

Of course, when external camera is added to the game for players, it will be done a lot better. It's very rugged now because it was made for internal use only. We left it as a console command only so that someone who knows the state it's in can play around with it in the meantime.

I would also remind everyone using it about my notes from the changelog:

-- Console command - Player.FreeCamToggle
-- WASD, ctrl, space - move
-- Mouse scroll - change speed
-- LMB/RMB - change FOV
-- Alt - orbit around aimed target
-- Num Enter - attach to a moving vehicle player is on
-- Step on a moving vehicle to load terrain as it goes
-- It is possible to stop time by pressing pause (Esc)
-- Pressing Q also stops time but it stops the moving trains too (I don't recommend this)

I do all that with the press of F2 or F3 non-VR game mode. or press alt to get into photo mode.

[Schlappspaten]

Originally posted by GenX-Gamore:

(...)

It didn't exist when this thread was active. Watch out for posting dates before answering.

[GenX-Gamore]

Originally posted by Schlappspaten:

Originally posted by GenX-Gamore:

(...)

It didn't exist when this thread was active. Watch out for posting dates before answering.

Yes, I did see that, and I replied after "GAD Oct 23 @ 12:19pm" had posted a reply, guess I should have quoted his post also in my reply.