A thread about what actually works?

Have there ever been threads here about user experiences with layouts, locos and so on, that actually work (to a satisfactory degree) in whatever particular Trainz versions they are using? I have searched for threads like this, with no luck.

I am always wasting my time downloading locomotives and routes that need unfindable parts.Which make them unusable. Or recently, I was going to start a thread in Classics about a few 2006 layouts and locos I found, that actually work fairly well in my Classics 1&2. (without being missing some important - minus number part). Some will, and others won't!!

If we could tell each other that such-and-such a loco or route (or whatever else) will download (and be useful) right into 2004, 2006, or TC1&2, or TC3, 2009, 2010. It could save a lot of disappointment and headaches. Couldn't it? or could it not?

Thanks, Robert P.

I hear your frustration Robert, but in all honesty about 95% of what i download comes with everything -OR- has 'missing' bits which turn up very quickly with

(1) a manual DLS search (don't rely on CMP)

(2) a forum search (it is incredibly unlikely that I am the first person couldn't find a 'missing' bit)

(3) a Google search...

I am not an individual over-endowed with patience, but I can manage the ninety seconds or so it takes to exercise all three of the above options. If the 'missing' bit is still missing, I bin the asset...

Andy

edit the above applies to non-route assets. If i download a route where the creator could not be bothered to include a comprehensive list of missing bits I don't even try. Life is too short. There is however a thread in Content Releases (I think) which lists routes which are guaranteed to have everything either built-in or on the DLS. /edit

Hello Andy,

I read your statement about how easy it is for you to find these things, and it doesn't match my own experiences! When I search the forums for a KUID number, what I get is a large number of posts with all kinds of KUID numbers mentioned except the one I am looking for. And also, I invariably get screenshot links.(this happens so often, that it is a joke to me)!

Google has hardly ever given me anything positive, and that is the truth.

I do manual downloads of all the individual dependencies, and there is still some mystery dependency missing! Lately, it has been - (minus) number dependencies that are seldom, if ever warned about!

If there had been a "What Works" sticky in each version's Forum, I would have been visiting there probably daily often over the years, to see what actually is working for people...

For instance, I have had TC1&2 for about three years and really, the pickings for them is gruesomely awful! But through steadily searching, I have found three very nice, useful routes and various trams and Polish diesel locos that downloaded and work .. I could put those facts into the "What Works" thread in TC1&2.

To me, "What Works" could be a very helpful, positive part of the Forums. But actually, I predict that this kind idea will die a well-deserved, horrible death!!!

At least I got it out of my system! Thanks to the handful of people who bothered to read this!! Over and out! Robert P.:wave:

Well, I'm a "Digital Old Guy", I learned all the binary coded hexidecimal boolean truth table AND OR NAND NOR stuff in US Navy Avionics School back in 1978. Couple years later the 8088 processor was invented, bought my first computer, a TRS-80 which you had to type in and debug the BASIC code yourself to play a game on it.

So the learning process of fixing some of this nonsense wasn't actually difficult for me, but I find it a tedious and aggravating waste of time that would be better spent doing what I came here for, playing with trains. My opinion Auran should have designed an automatic fixer BEFORE the pedantic idiotic error checker, "Error: The Tag 'epbrakes' is not permitted within a container of type 'steam-engine'." well then replace it with whatever IS permitted for this version, HAL. :n:

Biggest problem currently is too many different versions, the download station goes by the build number to determine what version it's "for" - and if the build number says it will work in TRS2004 it might or might not, whether it will work in TS2010 is a complete crapshoot, cross your fingers and roll the dice.

To me "google the KUID" is an idiotic game which I refuse to play at all, if all the dependencies are not on the download station I delete it and move onto something else. Coming from MSTS and later railsim/railworks, I had read about the KUID hunt problems with Trainz, I had no idea how pervasive it was, and I'm surprised people have put up with it for so many years.

AnalogOldguy said:

Hello Andy,

Lately, it has been - (minus) number dependencies that are seldom, if ever warned about!

Robert P.:wave:

Click to expand...

AHA..... All the 'Minus' assets are built in - all of them - they are on the installation disks, so they definitely won't appear on the DLS or in forum posts. I see you are using TC which was packed by Auran without a lot of the traditional built-ins included. Seems odd, but TC was intended as a sort of stream-lined stand-alone, something a bit different from previous (or later) Trainz releases. If you are downloading third party routes built in versions other than TC the only fix is to import the missing built-ins (any 'minus' kuid) from one of the main-line versions. I see you also have 06, you will find all the missing built-ins in CMP......

Andy

sniper297 said:

Well, I'm a "Digital Old Guy", I learned all the binary coded hexidecimal boolean truth table AND OR NAND NOR stuff in US Navy Avionics School back in 1978. Couple years later the 8088 processor was invented, bought my first computer, a TRS-80 which you had to type in and debug the BASIC code yourself to play a game on it.

...

To me "google the KUID" is an idiotic game which I refuse to play at all, if all the dependencies are not on the download station I delete it and move onto something else. Coming from MSTS and later railsim/railworks, I had read about the KUID hunt problems with Trainz, I had no idea how pervasive it was, and I'm surprised people have put up with it for so many years.

Click to expand...

Having been with computers since the Apple ][ (and teaching myself programming and hardware) I don't find it to be a big issue. I'd say I've found 90% of the kuids I've looked for; the few I haven't I think could be substituted, as they were a hornsound or such.

That said, I do wish all the Trainz content played well and right off the bat (since, obviously, not everyone is computer-savvy and it is reasonable for a customer to expect stuff to work!) but it isn't that bad. And I do wish there were a central repository of some form in which content could be found and/or fixes could be applied.

Like the rest of you guys, I too come from the "old school" of computing. My first computer was an Atari 800, and my first real computer was a Visual V-1050 where I had to write my own programs. Well it came with WordStar, DR Graph, Multiplan, C-BASIC, and the Z-80 Assembler. It ran CP/M 3.0.

Editing config files and such isn't a problem for me, but I too ditch things I can't always find the missing parts for because I got tired of editing config files to point to replacement assets.

Part of the problem is the upload process not collecting the parts, and the part is the developer reusing old config files, and not checking them for errors.

John

Hmmm, a Thread about what actually works, this is a brilliant idea.

In my very limited experience I have learned that it is best to stick with Routes, Locos and Rolling Stock found on the DLS if you want them to work.

There are exceptions to this, stuff found on American (North) sites usually works.

Stuff on European (Med and Eastern) sites often don't, especially Routes, with a large number of them sharing Top Secret Tracks just about impossible to find.

A lot of Free European Rolling Stock also requires you to Buy some Rolling Stock to obtain the Dependancies, usually Bogeys (these Bogeys can mostly be substatuted with comperable ones found on the DLS).

To end on a positive note here is something that do work, although without Industry Interactivity (and old), SR&RL, the Route, Locomotives and Rolling Stock from Sirgibby's TrainZone and DLS.