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I've been working on some new track shapes, and I've run into this phenomenon:The default track does this: The cursor appears on top of the track. My track does this: The cursor goes under the track. Why would this be? I'm using Gmax to make the shapes. I know there are some options in the LOD Manager export window that I'm not using, perhaps these have something to do with it? It doesn't seem like a big deal, but it is nice to be able to see the cursor when placing interactive things like signals and speed limits.I'm at a loss. Any help would be greatly appreciated.Mark
Moffat Road Tabernash to Phippsburg All track complete Currently working on Mtracks
Mark, I've found that the placement cursor (cross) generally follows the terrain and not the track. An exception is on a bridge or structure that has been designated as a terrain object in RE properties. Is it possible that the terrain dips below track level at that spot. If the track sits directly (or as close as RE will let it!) on the ground, the cursor generally appears on top of the track. If the ground level is below the track, the cursor will be on the ground. In this case, you have to position the RE camera directly over the track joing, looking straight down, to get the next section to join.Another posibility is the location of the object center in Gmax. Having never made track, I don't know if the center needs to be at the base (bottom) of the track shape, centered or at the top. Okrasa Ghia can probably help you with that.Cal Rasmussen Beaverton, OR (My email is in my profile)Columbia Gorge Route (Phase 2-- Started)
Cal, thanks for the response. I don't think it's a terrain issue, since the terrain is completely flat (un-DEMed: this is a test route) and all the track is completely level. The collision properties (the menus when you right-click on a shape) are all the same for each piece as well, and the object center (pivot point in Gmax-ese) is in the right place, otherwise the pieces wouldn't be connecting correctly to the other pieces (and they are). I'm still stumped!MarkP.S. This is my 200th post, only took me two years to get there!
Moffat Road Tabernash to Phippsburg All track complete Currently working on Mtracks
Could it be something to do with it not being a terrain object or something. I have found that for some track sections it does disappear and for others it doesn't. I don't really mind if it does disappear or not. http://groups.msn.com/MSTSNarrowGauge (Now being updated more oftern) Jonathan Lewis jonathanmlewis@msn.com
In some other testing of the track pieces where the cursor dissapears under the track, I found that roads also dissapear under the track, so if I have a road crossing two tracks, one mine and one default, it looks like the road goes over the default track (just rails showing through - good), and the road goes completely under my track (bad).I think I've figured out the solution, but I'm not sure if what I did is right. I changed the "Z buffering" which is an option when applying the roadbed material in Gmax. In the Gmax documentation, it says this about Z-buffering:"A z buffer stores information used by DirectX to determine the correct draw order of shapes on screen with respect to their distance from the viewer""None: Shapes are drawn over each other without respect to depth order""Normal: Tests if the shape should be drawn and draws it, updating the Z buffer for that shape. The Default mode. Use for almost everything""Test Only: Tests to see if the shape should be drawn, but doesn't update the Z buffer; subsequent shapes will draw over it"Before I was using "normal" which seemed like a good way to go, but then I tried "none". It seemed to work, with the cursor showing through, but then I tried laying track over each other, and each piece completely covered the previous one. Normally, you know, the roadbeds will cover each other, but the rails will show through. So I tried "Test Only" and that seems to be the ticket. The cursor shows through, the roadbeds cover each other, and the rails still show through, and merely cross each other.Does anyone see a problem using "Test Only" and does anyone have a more clear description of what Z buffering is?Mark
Moffat Road Tabernash to Phippsburg All track complete Currently working on Mtracks
My track does this: The cursor goes under the track. 
Why would this be? I'm using Gmax to make the shapes. I know there are some options in the LOD Manager export window that I'm not using, perhaps these have something to do with it? It doesn't seem like a big deal, but it is nice to be able to see the cursor when placing interactive things like signals and speed limits.I'm at a loss. Any help would be greatly appreciated.Mark
