Am I a Traitor

[meatloaf747]

Hi Mac, And like Trainz, our European friends create some fabulous content. Sorry, I should have already asked you, but, I'm unsure if you are personally more into steam than diesel, and do North American layouts appeal to you mostly, what is your preference ?? Cheerz. Steve.

Hi Steve,
I enjoy both steam & diesel. If I had to choose between the two it would be steam. (1920's to 1960's era). I'm more into European routes, especially anything from Eastern Europe - Poland - Russia - China, etc.
That's not to say that there's anything wrong with North American & British layouts. There are some really great British & American layouts. It just that if I had to choose between the different area's, I prefer European loco's, rolling stock & layouts a little better...

It's a shame that there isn't any "down under" layouts for Railworks 2. I've had a chance to look at a few more layouts/routes in RW2 and now that I had a chance to set all the settings to "max", then some of the layouts look far better than I originally thought they might. I might have been a bit harsh in pre-judging RW2 before I had had a chance to have a good look at it. (I now think both sims have there good & bad points).

If you have any links to any good Eastern European content/routes, could you please either post them here, or PM me.
Thanks again for all you help.
Cheers, Mac...

 

[ex-railwayman]

Hi Bill,

As I have already mentioned, there is a severe lack of creators from a few countries, especially from Eastern Europe. I love the Trainz creators from Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Hungary, Ukraine and Russia, they have built some wonderful routes, excellent scenery items and superb locomotives and wagons over the years, it would be fantastic to have the likes of Vendel creating content for Railworks, but, you just can't force people to join our club to help out, unfortunately. I agree that it would be brilliant to have some Polish steam locos running about, but, at present it seems a distant dream for a lot of UK rail enthusiasts using RW2.
I know that there is a Payware Swiss layout currently under construction with electric locos and wagons to match, but, that won't be finished until the new year. At present, we only have routes from Western Europe and Scandinavia available, mostly electric, of course, but, we can use steam and diesels on them. I'll have a look round all the websites, I think that the Russians have just released scenery items and animated characters, no layouts as such, the Chinese are still working on their route apparently, so maybe nothing released at the moment, but, I'll give you some information when I find anything useful.

Cheerz. Steve.

 

[lewisner]

I was so interested by this discussion that I dug out my copy of Rail Simulator and installed it.After two crashes and about 1.5 hours I figured out how to make a train move and my reactions were -
1) Graphics very nice. Extremely smooth running and level of detail (all sliders set to max).S&DJR loco looked fantastic.
2) Nevertheless the builders of the routes seem to have an affliction common to some trainzers i.e the fences have to be about 3 feet from the rails and there have to be weeds everywhere - they don't realise that pre Railtrack lineside veggie was ruthlessly curbed by weedkilling trains.So, Darlington DMU depot was like a virtual jungle.
3) Signals - not much variety but those there were had great realism and looked dirty.
4) Gameplay - horrific. It really makes you realise how easy to use Trainz is. I eventually crashed into the buffers at Templecombe because I couldn't figure out how to alter the points.
5) I never tried the World Builder but may do so for my own amusement.

 

[wholbr]

Hi lewisner and Everybody.
Having seen that the thread is still running and I have had Railworks for nearly a fortnight now I thought I would post some "medium experience" comments.

Well after all is said I have become quite attached to Railworks (which seems a big improvement on rail simulator as I remember it) and especially the Bristol to Exeter addon route. I have even made my first scenario for it and having encountered one or two problems in its creation I went on to the uktrainsim forum to get some advice (I really do feel like a traitor now).

With Railworks virtually everything you download is payware, but if you don't mind putting your hand in your pocket without doubt they are really good quality assets which install without problem or without getting the dreaded "faulty" that goes with the other sea of red assets on the CMP in my Trainz.

The scenarios are easy and quick to create once you get your head around the basic philosophy behind it. Moving about the map became my biggest problem as there is no "find object" command as there is in Trainz. However after obtaining advice on the beginners forum at UKtrainsin that was soon overcome when I learned how to use the 2-D map "click to go to" instruction.

On the downside I still miss not being able to ride in the carriages of my AI consists with my evening glass of wine but I am learning to live with it or when I am really pining I revert back to my North Devon route in Trainz and settle back for the ride.

I have not tried any route creation as yet but had the quick go at laying some track across a baseboard and a set of turnouts. That went okay but reading through the basic route laying guide I think I will be remaining with Trainz for that activity.

Having said all that and to sum up, I find Railworks very realistic and professional as a driving simulator. It is far more expensive than Trainz in that the only way to expand the basic simulator is through payware. However, it does grow on you as I am finding though I think that is mainly through the Bristol to Exeter route which I love and the scenarios I am planning for it based on the real-time tables for the route.

With the workload dropping off that I am doing for my former employer and the weather forecast being very bad for Britain over at least the next week I think I shall be spending a lot more time with Railworks and Trainz. That's when you think to yourself its great to have a hobby and for me that is rail simulation

All the best
Bill

 

[ex-railwayman]

Hello Bill,

If you go onto the UKTS website here - http://uktrainsim.com//index2.php
you can download for free all manner of scenic items, routes and what not for both Rail Simulator (these items will work in the new Railworks version) and Railworks, go into the 2 sections in the download library separately, and have a look to see if anything appeals to you. A lot of the reskins/repaints for the locos and rolling stock, you will probably need the alias Payware version to run them, and you would obviously need to have the individually named routes installed for all the scenarios that have become available, BUT, everything is completely free of charge. There are tons of routes from all over Britain, including Ireland, and I would heartily recommend you having a good look at everything, each layout has a description and many list all the content that you need to obtain from this site to accompany it. I can also give you another site to go and have a look at a German themed route that has gone down a storm with Railworks fans of European trains, and again it is totally free.
There does seem as though everything is Payware in the game, but, I can categorically state to you that is not the case at all, so, don't believe the many people who scaremonger with ill-informed information, there's THOUSANDS of assets around freely available, if you know where to look, which will give you just as much enjoyment as purchasing Payware content, and much of it is of a very exceptional standard.
Also in the UKTS library are some American locomotives ( GP15, GP7 and an Amtrak F40PH ) and routes that you might be interested in, if you're keen on North American Railroads, of course, it's all worth viewing and they won't cost you a penny.

Cheerz. Transport Steve.

 

[TGV_3]

I think these OpenRails is better between Train Simulator, but Never better these Trainz 2009 and 2010, and Railworks

 

[wholbr]

Hi Steve and Everybody.
Thanks for the advice Steve on where to find freeware content for Railworks and to go along with your advice about Uktrainsim I found what I think is a fairly new site @ rw-trainsim which looks as though they have some very good freeware content especially the 158 which I am debating whether to download from there or buy one from just trains.

The installation instructions that I read on the freeware 158 look fairly complicated or it may be they were not well written otherwise I would have downloaded it last night. I do agree with you that there is a considerable amount of freeware assets available for Railworks although it seems to me that the majority of rolling stock and engines are payware but there are large amounts of re-skins available especially on the uktrainsim site.

Not wishing to get off topic, but with me when it comes to payware I do not mind paying for an asset provided that it comes as good-quality along with good service from whoever is supplying it. I always think that in buying assets you are helping to create paid employment for people and that is something that all over the Western world we are going to badly need over next few years.

I know not every Trainz or Railworks enthusiast is in a position to purchase assets but for those who are, why not support those who are trying to make a living through the hobby that gives so many of us the many hours of enjoyment that we love. There will always be the rail simulator enthusiast who creates freeware content in his spare time and puts it on the download station for everyone to appreciate and enjoy.

However, I would think that there could be at least some of those enthusiasts who become unemployed over the next few years (especially here in Britain) and maybe those enthusiasts will turn to making their assets payware as they may have little choice. In that if I can help them to start their own businesses or find employment in someone else's business by purchasing their products then I will do that, hopefully others will feel the same.

All the best
Bill

 

[beaky]

Trainz v Railworks

Hi Bill, Many thanks for your original thread. I had never heard of railworks and have been facinated with the discussions.I started on Tr2004 and loved it,especially after SP2 with portals etc. I also built a N devon route from Taunton to Barnstaple. I then bought Tr2009and what a dissapointment,similar routes or the same,CM,favourites don't transfer to surveyor and ghastly trees. So I am thinking about railworks2 as feel trainz might have reached the end of the line,pun intended! All the comments have been very helpful but I am concerned about changing trains in AI,is this so,as i hop all over the place on my routes as I like to see what is going on. Please keep your comments coming.

 

[JCitron]

Bill,

You're not a traitor. You're just exploring other venues. I was intersted in RW at one point too, but seeing what I have regarding the AI, and I can see that it really is no better than the original MSTS is, I'm going to stick with Trainz for now. I started with MSTS and moved over to TRS2004 in December 2004 and I haven't gone back.

MSTS did have some great routes and I did purchase a few payware ones. The authors did a commendable job with the resources they have to work with. I attempted a brief stint at route building and gave up after the errors and crashing. The activities were a bit amusing and I figured out how to edit them, although that crashed too.

So when Trainz came along for me, that put the end to my MSTS install.

I wish you lots of enjoyment with your rail sim no matter which one it is. Remember this is a program to have fun with and escape the world we live in. I too have kicked back and enjoyed a ride on my own route, which is now about 250 miles long with about 189 miles scenicked. Like you I have ripped out older sections and rebuilt them after I developed better track laying and landscaping skills. This is what makes this hobby so great. We can build what we want and take it apart without an additional expense or mess, which was the thing with a regular model railroad.

So tuck into that nice cozy seat with your glass of wine as your train rolls through the countryside, and enjoy the ride.

John

 

[narrowgauge]

Beaky

You mentioned 'ghastly trees' and you have TS2009, you will find that TS2010 treats the old style trees much better and is in very many respects a better program.

As TS2010 is the latest version it should be the one against which TS is judged.

Peter

 

[ex-railwayman]

G'day young man,

Nice to see you're still around assisting the young'uns, Pete, and as I have just re-installed my copy of TS2010 I couldn't agree more with you that it gives better graphical performances on the older trees and bushes, I have to admit that many of the Speedtrees have gone by the wayside, as I realised that I get better effects from my huge collection of trees from our creators in Russia, Poland, Czech Republic and of course, Jankvis, Dave Drake and falcon500, I'm really glad I kept these on a number of CD's now, they give so much more variety to my routes.
I would recommend that folks have a good look at the amount of content on the DLS that was originally created for TRS2006, etc, as it is better, in my opinion, than some of the newer stuff.

Of course, getting onto the DLS is a bit haphazard at the moment.....:hehe:

Have a great Christmas Peter.

Cheerz. ex-railwayman. :wave:

 

[beaky]

Hi Peter, Thanks for reply. You are quite right and have set me a dilemma. Could you help with one more question. I have the settle & carlisle as an addon in 2009 would I be able to transfer it to Tr2010. I was able to transfer my routes from Tr2004 to Tr2009 so assume they would transfer to Tr2010. Thanks for helping the young'uns I am only 80! Cheers

 

[NICKEL]

Hi Peter, Thanks for reply. You are quite right and have set me a dilemma. Could you help with one more question. I have the settle & carlisle as an addon in 2009 would I be able to transfer it to Tr2010. I was able to transfer my routes from Tr2004 to Tr2009 so assume they would transfer to Tr2010. Thanks for helping the young'uns I am only 80! Cheers

Just go into your Builtin area on 2009. Copy the snc.ja file and paste it in the builtin file area for 2010. Open your launcher and got to options and enter your CD key there. It will do a database rebuild and you will be good to go.

 

[narrowgauge]

Beaky

Provided you still have the original files I see no reason why you can't install TS2010 and then install S&C to it. If you put the original files in the new TS2010 folder and run from there I expect it will find its way without help from you. Just make sure you have the serial key, if you have lost this, visit your profile which will have a list of all the serial numbers you have registered.

Peter

 

[narrowgauge]

Ex-railwayman.

Trainz has been a constant in my life for 9 years now, it has kept me sane, exercised my brain and generally kept me young at heart. I will admit that I find the constant carping about Aurans actions upsetting, very reminiscent of the atmosphere just before the forum went down several years back.

Any way, that is of topic.

Cheers young'un

Peter

 

[trainzamtrakfan]

Hi Bill,

No, no one should brand you as a traitor.

You purchased RW with you own money, for a reason you indicated.

You are mature enough to make your own decision about what you buy or use.

There are those in the Trainz Intelligentsia who will call what you did foolish, but, it's your money and your call.

Enjoy what you like.

Have fun,

I fully agree with this ; anyone can have whatever they strive for if they just PAY for it and not cheat their way to a game that costs very little in the USA

 

[wholbr]

Hi Everybody.
With all the shouting and balling going on throughout many threads on the forum and this one still being on the front page I thought would give all the posters an update on my experiences with Railworks especially as a couple of members have requested I do so.


At the end of my full first fortnight as an owner of Railworks 2 my experiences are very mixed and at times tragically comical. First my expenditure on Railworks has been quite high with thirty pounds spent on the base game and 20 pounds spent on the Bristol to Exeter addon. To go along with that I have spent 35 pounds on three consists those being a class 101, a class 170, and a class 158. That makes a grand total of 85 pounds (British Stirling).


To be fair to the simulator not all new users would require the Bristol to Exeter addon, and there was a free download of a 158 on a third-party website but the installation instructions were somewhat complex so I decided on the payware version instead. Having said that I am very pleased with the quality of the assets and the simulator has not crashed on me at all either in general running or scenario creation.


The Routes that come with Railworks are good and varied but outside of that there is very little in the way of engines and rolling stock. It has been said on this thread that there are plenty of freeware assets available and that is true. However, as far as rolling stock and engines go I am of the firm opinion that payware is the only way to really expand your stock and to make running realistic.


I have not tried any route building as I have been concentrating on scenario creation trying to build real-time schedules on the Bristol to Exeter route as it runs today (you can actually do that in Railworks). It has gone very well with the exception of portals which I have found very difficult to master having tried over the last two evenings. There seemed to be a lack of tutorials for this “art” so I posted on the UKTS Railworks forum “beginner section” where I was directed to a written tutorial which seemed reasonably comprehensive.


Following the instructions I setup my brand-new class 170 has an AI consists nonstop Taunton to Bristol Temple Mead's. Following it on a test run in my class 166 player train my 170 ran out of Taunton to the portal just past the junction for Castle Cary and Wincanton and duly stopped at the portal and disappeared “ oh joy” now I am really up and running.


I then tightened up the schedule on my player train and set my scenario running for the first time as the completed creation at least as far as Weston-super-Mare. My 170 left Taunton station on the scheduled one and a half minutes before my player train on which I have to open the throttle fairly wide as I am supposed to be running a few minutes late. Then disaster, as I rounded the curve at the Castle Cary junction there was my class 170 just stopped on the mainline at the portal. As I was going 80 mph there was absolutely no chance of stopping and I careered into my brand-new 170 totally writing it off (mind you the crashes in Railworks are very good)


I mean, I would not have minded but with all the animated people they have in Railworks you would have thought at least there would have been a man out there running up the line and waving a red flag as I approached.


Well that's my experiences up to now. Still got mixed feelings, but as you can see I am thoroughly enjoying all the new learning.


Bill

 

[Vern]

Bill - I'll call the breakdown crane and the RAIB...

 

[wholbr]

Hi Vern And Everybody.

Bill - I'll call the breakdown crane and the RAIB...

the way I careered into that class 170 you would need a lot more than a breakdown Crane to deal with that. More like a dozen heavy lifting cranes and a fleet of ambulances queuing right back to Taunton.

After a weekend of trying I am still having problems with the portals built into the route and there do not seem to be many of them so they are difficult to locate.

I am now thinking of creating my own portals on the Exeter to Bristol route as i would then know where they are located and I could program them into my own scenarios.

Seeing as you have far more experience in Railworks I will be interested in your views.

Bill

Nb:-I know I should go on the Railworks forum but you do not seem to get many replies on that too problems of beginners.

 

[Soret]

RW is cool, not like what auran doing, they are researching and upgrading their only product, making it more handy for every user, if I would know TRS2010 would #@&[ soo much I would just buy that instead.

If you didn't notice, those who are buying the new auran products, are buying nothing more then what they bought before.

=

Nothing new, just the name and look.

and at RW : They aren't takeing any profit from giving out new version and suspending download station for old time users, ruining their fun.