List of changes in version 9

This changelog lists new and changed features as well as bug fixes for 3D Train Studio v9 from November 2024.

Credit: community.3d-modellbahn.de (German language)

Last updated on 19/11/24

The following article contains a list of all new and changed functions as well as bug fixes in 3D-Train Studio V9 ( Download ). A short summary of the new features can be found under Overview of the new functions .

Lighting

  • Realistic lighting effects through freely positionable light bulbs, spotlights and fluorescent tubes.
  • Replacing the implied headlights of vehicles with real lights that illuminate the surroundings
  • Custom times for sunrise and sunset.
  • Actions, such as switching on lights, can be controlled automatically through the daily routine, individually separated for each model.
  • New online category “Illuminated” (keywords) lists all 3D models that are already equipped with the new lighting options.

Tracks and roads

  • 3D splines can be bent in all directions, e.g. for smooth ramps
  • Flex tracks automatically adapt to the terrain if desired (configurable)
  • More natural forms of flex tracks, especially when connecting parallel paths
  • When twisting and adjusting tracks, the terrain height/orientation is now also taken into account
  • A new menu when editing a track makes it easier to enter changes manually, e.g. explicit gradients.
  • Optional height adjustment in the “Follow Path” tool.
  • Virtual depots and portals are automatically linked to the track end and move with them.
  • Signals can compensate for track cant using a new slider.
  • Models now also snap to normal splines that do not have a lane (e.g. guard rails, flexible fences, etc.)

Vehicles

  • Each vehicle has a user-defined maximum speed which cannot be exceeded.
  • When automatic acceleration is activated, vehicles maintain the speed they have been set, even if they have had to brake briefly due to an obstacle. This means that cars accelerate automatically, for example, after a previous driver has turned or a traffic light has turned green and the car has already started to brake.
  • Braking delay for wagons to better individualize behavior on humps.
  • Parking brake for wagons to prevent rolling away on slopes.
  • In planning mode, a gizmo for (stationary) vehicles visualizes the current direction of travel

Event management

  • New condition, repetition and Lua function for determining vehicles between two track contacts. This makes it easier to implement priority rules, for example.
  • Access to the position of rotary controls.
  • Access to the variables of a locomotive in a virtual depot via Lua.
  • Controlling the viewing angle of custom cameras
  • The iteration “For elements in a table” iterates over all entries of tables.
  • Instruction blocks can be collapsed to improve the overview.
  • Descriptions (if set) now replace the title of instructions.
  • Script statements/conditions/repetitions show the first script line as preview text.
  • Improved display of comments.
  • Access to Lua’s UTF8 library to make it easier to work with special characters/umlauts in strings.

Detail improvements

  • Terrain brushes can be aligned to paths, e.g. to lay ballast along tracks
  • In the layer management, the grid representation of the terrain known from the technical drawing view can also be activated for the 3D view
  • Improved group editing
    • Open/close groups in the structure view to change grouped objects without having to ungroup the group first
    • Support for drag and drop in the structure view to add objects to groups or remove them individually
  • The structure view supports filtering by Content ID
  • “Insert from file” supports the direct insertion of attachment files (*.mbp) without having to import them into the catalog first
  • When inserting attachments, individual elements can be ignored, e.g. to import only events
  • Optimizations of the 3D engine for higher performance and better utilization of multi-core processors
  • Support for a dark color scheme (Dark Mode)

Model making

  • Integration of new lighting options for all design programs
  • Simplified configuration of glowing/luminous surfaces in 3D models without duplicating/animating polygons
  • Animations, sounds, particle effects and lights are no longer controlled individually, but are combined into actions:
    • Combination of several animations, sounds, lights, etc. via a switching state
    • Support of multiple switching states via selection lists
    • Pre-selection of the automatic mode to activate certain actions, e.g. at night
  • Configuring the default maximum speed of vehicles
  • Interpolation of animations can optionally be deactivated, e.g. to hide objects without visible transitions
  • CSV files (variation lists, animation lists…) support comments

Bug fixes

  • Fixed duplicate display of track geometries in the track editor.
  • Fixed an error in the display of angles in the “Duplicate (multiple)” tool.
  • Correct support of tables as return values ​​for custom events.
  • Fixed a memory problem on very large systems.

Incompatibilities/behavioral changes to previous versions