KSMaster's mini layout

Among Japanese VRM users, there are a lot of young people.
Today I introduce one of them whose name is KSMaster (his screen name).
Click here, and you can see his weblog, written in Japanese. He is a junior-high school student.

He released a package limited layout titled "Eine Stadt und ein Berg."


It is very simple. So I'm sure that it will be a good sample for begginers. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Click here, and you can get LHZ archive including a layout file and the instructions.

I.MAGiC EURO EXPRESS series

We Japanese VRM users had only domestic cars before Bahnsim PRO was released. I.MAGiC announces that they keep releasing several European trains for VRM3 & 4. They call the series "EURO EXPRESS."

Bahnsim PRO includes Germany cars; BR145, modus, and some DB freight cars, you know. Aside from this, I.MAGiC has already released three packages into Japanese market as follows.

• DBAG ICE-T(class 411)
• DBAG BR101
• DBAG IC/EC coach(ICE color)
  

Click these item names, and you can jump into I.MAGiC's on-line catalog with screenshots of the cars, written in Japanese. Besides, they annouces they will release the following cars.

• DBAG ICE-V(class 410)
• DBAG IC/EC coach(Vehrkehrsrot)
• DBAG class 644
• Thalys PBKA
• SBB Re460
• SBB IC2000

ICE-V, IC/EC coach, and class 644 seems to be completed. You can see screenshots of them. Thalys also does, as you see at the top of this entry. They says that they will release one package every month in Japanese market.

I do not know that these packages will be released in European market. There are several bullets in the magazine. I wonder whether the trigger will be depressed by bhv software, the distributor in Germany. You can encourage bhv's initiative by your posting here, can't you?

Mystery of the package photo

Have you already got Bahnsim PRO?
If yes, I'm sure you know the following package.




We VRM users in Japan see it a bit mysterious, especially a locomotive at the center of the package. Its name is EF66, one of the most famous DC electric locomotives in Japan. I wonder whether you have ever seen it in Europe. It was exported to Spain as RENFE 251.

By the way, see the following photo I took near my house.



This is the same type locomotive with different painting.
Compare these photos. Take notice at the center of each face. Bahnsim PRO package's one has a large circular headlight there but the other does not. In fact, it does not exist that EF66 with such a headlight. The photo of the package must be collaged.

But... why?
Is there any need to do such a thing?

I draw a deduction as follows.
See the next photo.



You can see a similar structure to Bahnsim PRO's one at the center of the face.
It is called "head-mark" or "train-mark." In Japan, any express and above (corresponding IR, IC, and ICE in Germany) has its own unique nickname.


In this case, the train names are "Suisei" (means "commet") and Akatsuki (means "dawn"). The reason why it has two names is that the locomotive pulls two trains with the different destinations.

But I digress.
According to I.MAGiC staff, one of Japanese VRM users took the photos and gave away to bhv software for designing the Bahnsim PRO package. The original one must have a head-mark just like Suisei & Akatsuki. I guess that a package designer did the collage for concealing the presence of head-mark.

But... why?
That is still mystery.

45-50s' Hokkaido layout

Among Japanese VRM users, there are some people who write a lot about VRM tips & technique on their own web/weblog. Today I introduce the most active person.

His name is 45-50s (his screen name).
Click here, and you can jump into his weblog named "such a cool."

He released his latest work for Bahnsim PRO users in Europe. VRM3-0 package limited layout titled "The Sekisho Pass" is on Hokkaido scene.

Hokkaido is one of the islands in Japan. Speaking of Japan, you have a lot of buildings standing side by side in your eyes, I wonder. That is just a part of my country, such as Tokyo, Osaka, and so on. Hokkaido still has a lot of nature and country view.

Click here, and you can get the ZIP archive.
It includes the layout file and the instructions written in both Japanese and English. Enjoy it with your Bahnsim PRO.

Junichi's VRM movies

Today I introduce the greatest VRM movie maker in Japan.
His name is Junichi. Click here, and you will get to his movie page. There you can see several screenshots, and they are triggers to watch the movies.

What is the nuts and bolts of VRM3/Bahnsim Pro?
Everyone says that the answer is "drag & drop parts into layout window."
However, Junichi's movies show us that there's more tricks. I mean "Boden-Werkzeug" or soil-tool.

A little appropriate amount of landform undulation and creative with surface pattern (called "Struktur") would work miracles with your layout. I'm sure Junichi's movies will be good demonstration and flower for your enjoying Bahnsim PRO.

I will contribute some tips if you hope to know how to make your Bahnsim PRO layout up just like Junichi's work.

fox's VRM3 screenshot gallery

Today, I introduce one of the greatest VRM3 screenshot artisan in Japan.
His name is fox(his screen name). Click here, you can see a lot of screenshot generated from VRM3. A part of messages are written in Japanese, but maybe you have no problem with enjoying them.

Most of his screenshot are not raw from VRM3 but retouched. He is well known for his arrangement work, especially adding illuminunt effect and rendering a sense of speed. A lot of VRM users follow him and have such retouched screenshots on their website.

You should enjoy them as a kind of art. They do not show VRM3 as it is.
However I never write them off. Because their activity makes a great impact on VRM evolution. I MAGiC implemented lighting effects and head/tail/room light controling gimmicks into VRM4; the current version of VRM. I wonder whether I.MAGiC did that if they did not leave their dream and ideal in charge of their retouched screenshots.

By the way, you can see a lot of Japanese cars and structures not included in your Bahnsim PRO package while enjoying fox's screenshots gallery. I don't know whether I.MAGiC and bhv will release the add-on packages. Anyway, I.MAGiC already announced they have more additional cars and structures for Germany. Unfortunately, we are dogs begging for a treat.

ghost's VRM->N layout

It is not the only way to enjoy that you operate locomotives in virtual layout on your PC.

Bahnsim PRO/VRM also can be used as a planning tool for real model-train layout. It shows us the rendering before we start to construct the layouts. That helps us with our drafting the track plan, working up the image, and reducing the risk of misstep.

I show you some pictures of my own N gauge layout designed with VRM as follows.

I call this approach "VRM->N". Click here, and you can see much more pictures and my report, written in Japanese. I will make an English summary if some people hope.

By the way, I give you a layout file which you can enjoy on your Bahnsim PRO. It shows the following scene.


It was also designed for constructing my real N gauge layout as follows.

Click here, and you can get it(ZIP archive).

There are several differ in detail between the VRM screenshot and photo of the N gauge layout. Because it was exactly designed with VRM3-4 named "Powered by TOMIX 2". As you know, Bahnsim PRO users can enjoy layout files with the parts included in VRM3-0. So I rebuild a new VRM layout file which is based on the same concept. Therefore, it should be called not VRM->N but N->VRM. :-P

moko's Bonsai layout

A VRM user immediately took up my appeal; why don't we release a VRM3-0 package limited layout for Bahnsim PRO users in Europe? His name is moko (his handle name). You can see several screenshots of VRM on his weblog, but written in Japanese.

He built a Bonsai layout. It looks just like pizza style. You can see some screenshots here.
Follow the procedure below if you would like to enjoy it on your PC.

1. Click here, and you can get an LZH archive.
2. Uncompress it, and you can see three files.
3. "moko_Bonsai1.VRM" is VRM3 layout file. Open with your Bahnsim PRO.
4. "Read me English.txt" is the instruction.

Please contribute a comment about it here. I will translate your massage to Japanese and tell him soon.

Would you please let me know when you release your Bahnsim PRO layout file on the Internet. I will introduce your work to Japanese VRM users. Of course, I can relay any messages to you from them.

One package limited layout

There are 8 packages of VRM3 in Japan.
If you already have Bahnsim PRO, you can see the detail at "Informationen zum elektronischen Handbuch" in the HTML based online-help. Each of packages includes different kinds of parts and cars. Bahnsim PRO is comparable to VRM3 "0: I.MAGiC -Set."

When you enjoy the VRM layout file constructed by the other user, it is necessary for your PC to be installed the same packages as the constructor used. That is not to say that all of Japanese users have all packages of VRM3. Therefore, they have contrive ways to show their own VRM works on the web. "VRMovies" is one of the ways, you know?

Today I introduce you a user who tried the other way.
His name is Shioji (his screen name). He propounded "one package limited layout"; the VRM layout files constructed from the parts included in a limited package, and showed examples by leadership. You can enjoy one of them with Bahnsim PRO because it was construced from the parts included in VRM3-0.

1. Click here, and you can jump into the page introducing his work on his web.
2. Click the icon "VRM3 DATA", and you can get his VRM3 layout files compressed with LHA.
3. Click the icon "movie", and you can see a VRMovie of the layout.

• Note: You will see the dialog "Das Teil ist nicht geladen" when you open the layout file. But you do not have to mind. There is no problem on your enjoying it.

Now, I'm making an appeal to Japanese VRM3 users "why don't we construct VRM3-0 limited layout files for Bahnsim PRO users in Europe?" Here I will let you know as soon as somebody releases such a layout file.

VRMovies

The best way to know about VRM is to see its result; virtual modellbahn layout on PC.

It is not so difficult to make the movies from VRM. While pushing [Shift] + [F10] key, VRM generates 30 screenshots per a second. Concatenate them with an appropriate tool, and you can get a movie which shows VRM performance. I call it "VRMovie" and keep releasing 3 or 4 movies per a month since July, 2003. Today, I show you some of them. Click the following links to play WMV files.

• Sample 1; Series 500 Shinkansen with Fujiyama
• Sample 2; Night train in the twilight
• Sample 3; The most famous loop in the Switzerland

You can see much more VRM movies at my website named "VRMovies." It is written in Japanese but you do not have to worry about that. Click "Gallery" at the top page, and you can see several screenshots. The trigger to start the movie is the letter [VRMovie].

Caution: Some movies are produced from VRM4, the current version of VRM. They are much more high-quality than VRM3. Please do not confuse them.

What is Bahnsim PRO?

Bahnsim PRO is German version of VRM3.

VRM3; Virtual Railroad Models version 3 is a model-train simulator for Windows with DirectX. It is produced by I.MAGiC, a Japanese software developer which is famous for their pioneering work in 3D simulation games. In Germany, bhv is the distributor.

Here, "Bahnsim PRO / VRM news from Japan", I introduce several VRM topics for European Bahnsim PRO users and people who are interested in it. Most of them will be about trends of Japanese VRM users. Not a few VRM users make websites/weblogs to show his or her VRM works but they write in only Japanese. As you know, Japanese is one of the most disqualified languages for automatic translation. Well, I would like to be a bridge between Japanese and European VRM/Bahnsim PRO users with my poor English. Of course, I will also report I.MAGiC's activity.

Please call me "ghost", my handle name.
I'm just one of VRM users in Japan, not an employee of I.MAGiC. The contents here are not quite guaranteed. Do not forget that they are just a report from my point of view. But I'm sure it will be a little help for you.