Considering Buying - Content and Misc.

[TheGrimReaper]

Hello,

Strongly considering purchasing Trainz12, but had a few questions.

1) Is there a list somewhere that identifies how many and which trains actually come with the game package?

2) Is there a list somewhere that identifies how many and which routes actually come with the game package?

3) Is there a list somewhere that identifies how many and which scenarios/campaigns actually come with the game package?

4) Are the trains available from the download service really free?

Thanks!

 

[fran1]

4- yes they are free but if you've not got a first class ticket you'll be lucky to download anything.

 

[TheGrimReaper]

4- yes they are free but if you've not got a first class ticket you'll be lucky to download anything.

Thanks, I read about that and first time I have heard of paying for "faster" download service from a game company. I guess I don't mind slow, but if I can never download anything without purchasing the ticket, that would be a problem

 

[sniper297]

Main thing is look at the minimum system specs, make sure you have at least that. If you intend to run on a laptop double the minimum specs. Full list of TS12 built in routes is easy because there aren't that many;

Balezino - Mosti,<kuid:354694:1009>
Debrecen - Nyiregyhaza,<kuid:9999:20010>
ECML Kings Cross - Newcastle,<kuid:154322:100362>
Mojave Sub Division,<kuid:487560:69000>
Municipal Transit Railroad,<kuid:82412:1152>
NEC Wilmington - Philadelphia,<kuid:56511:100018>
Norfolk & Western - Appalachian Coal,<kuid:453099:100086>
Southern China,<kuid:521433:1079>
Springfield Industrial District,<kuid:447264:1035>

Category locomotives built in I get 213, rolling stock 443, either way too many to list. Sessions I can do since there are only 28 built in;

Acela,<kuid:61119:65008>
Army operations,<kuid:9999:20016>
ATSF #991 East,<kuid:487560:100004>
Balezino - Mosti, Day Passenger,<kuid:354694:1028>
Balezino - Mosti, Night Passenger,<kuid:354694:1024>
Coal to Gong Tang Power Station,<kuid:447264:1201>
Commuter train,<kuid:9999:20013>
Eastbound Coal Train,<kuid:447264:1209>
ECML Christmas Mail Train,<kuid:61119:65007>
ECML Hull Executive,<kuid:61119:65005>
ECML Lincoln Relief,<kuid:61119:65006>
Elevated Railroad,<kuid:82412:1155>
Helicopter,<kuid:82412:1156>
Learning the Line,<kuid:9999:20015>
Logging yard,<kuid:9999:20012>
Mojave To Bakersfield,<kuid:487560:100002>
Mosti - Balezino, Day Passenger,<kuid:354694:1010>
Mosti - Balezino, Evening Passenger,<kuid:354694:1005>
MT TUZEP,<kuid:9999:20014>
Multiplayer Session,<kuid:447264:1213>
Passenger Service,<kuid:447264:1202>
The DPU Push,<kuid:487560:100001>
The Walong Stall,<kuid:487560:100003>
Tutorial 1 - Introduction,<kuid:447264:1021>
Tutorial 2 - Driving in DCC mode,<kuid:447264:1037>
Tutorial 3 - Cab mode driving with Electric Train,<kuid:447264:1022>
Tutorial 4 - Cab mode driving with Diesel Locomotive,<kuid:447264:1040>
Westbound Merchandise Train,<kuid:447264:1210>

Looking for a larger selection of built in routes, TS2010 might be better;

Avery - Drexel,<kuid:82412:1338>
Bad Schandau - Decín,<kuid:46162:1455>
Banks Heath,<kuid:-18:1846763756>
British Midlands,<kuid:-1:100000>
British Midlands 2,<kuid:-3:10172>
City and Country USA,<kuid:-1:100927>
City and Country USA 2,<kuid:-3:10174>
CN Holly Subdivision,<kuid:107727:1019>
Conrail Lincoln Secondary,<kuid:107727:1144>
CSX Saginaw Subdivision,<kuid:107727:1062>
Demo Modula City 2004,<kuid:60349:100002>
Detroit Connecting Railroad,<kuid:107727:1008>
Downtown Traction Company,<kuid2:69871:100723:1>
ECML Kings Cross - York,<kuid:447264:1019>
Electric Commuter,<kuid:-18:1004>
Glasgow to Falkirk,<kuid:523:1011>
Harbor Master,<kuid2:69871:100709:1>
Harlem Line,<kuid:-12:1002>
Hawes Junction,<kuid:69379:100411>
Highland Valley,<kuid:523:1013>
Highland Valley Industries,<kuid:-3:10173>
Iberia Interior 4,<kuid:86311:697992>
Industrial Wasteland,<kuid:63015:100019>
MagLev Project 2006,<kuid:45707:100030>
Marias Pass Approach,<kuid:46162:25103378>
Metropolis - Modula City,<kuid:60349:100001>
Modula City Custom Map,<kuid:60349:100007>
Niddertalbahn,<kuid2:208598:100050:6>
Northbay County,<kuid2:44700:800045:1>
Outback Australia,<kuid:-1:100835>
Outback Australia 2,<kuid:-3:10176>
Port Ogden & Northern,<kuid2:69871:100334:1>
PT Dresden-Nuernberg Demo,<kuid:151900:500530>
Queensland,<kuid:-18:1006>
Razorback Classic,<kuid:46435:600060>
Roanne 07,<kuid:523:100009>
Robe River Iron,<kuid:-18:1001>
Robe River Iron,<kuid:3801:20000>
Rosworth Vale SP2,<kuid2:5562:20011:2>
Springfield Industrial District,<kuid:447264:1035>
The Black Forest,<kuid:-1:101233>
Thueringen romance route,<kuid:121616:1001>
Tidewater North,<kuid:47119:1015>
Tidewater Point Rail,<kuid:9000:100341>
Tidewater South,<kuid:47119:1013>
Tire Bouchon 07,<kuid:523:100007>
Toronto Rail Lands 1954,<kuid:70337:678419719>
Wadalbavale Line,<kuid:61119:9092751>
Wadalbavale to Karrah Bay,<kuid:523:1023>
Winter in Germany,<kuid2:143919:27565:1>
Winter in the Alps,<kuid:-1:100858>
Wirtschaftswunder DE,<kuid2:300062:1082:1>

With 137 sessions, 463 locos, 724 rolling stock.

Lots more free stuff on the download station, no guarantees on quality or completeness since that's a matter of individual taste.

 

[TheGrimReaper]

Thank you so much...so seems like you get a ton of trains and such, but maybe a little limited on actual routes. This might be a dumb question, but why does the older versions of the game have more routes? Can those routes be imported into the '12 game? I am guessing since '10 is older, wouldn't make sense to purchase an older version because it would become outdated faster, unless I am not understanding all the different versions.

 

[sniper297]

I have both, and it's possible to import TS2010 stuff into TS12, altho some of it is already there. Main selling point of TS12 is multiplayer, when I'm running "solo" sessions I use TS2010 more often. Built in routes don't interest me one way or the other since I made my own route, and being a first generation road switcher kinda guy I'm not really interested in HST or Dash 9 ES44 stuff either. Whether any of them has what you want depends on what it is you want.

 

[oknotsen]

You are correct: The older version will get outdated faster.
You are correct: Since the older version is around a bit longer, it has more content made for it.

Eventually TS12 will catch up, eventually support will be dropped for 2010.
And eventually the whole thing will repeat itself for the next new version of Trainz .

 

[johnwhelan]

Thank you so much...so seems like you get a ton of trains and such, but maybe a little limited on actual routes. This might be a dumb question, but why does the older versions of the game have more routes? Can those routes be imported into the '12 game? I am guessing since '10 is older, wouldn't make sense to purchase an older version because it would become outdated faster, unless I am not understanding all the different versions.

N3V produce the game engine which is packaged with assets most of which are created by the community. TS2010 came with Speedtree on the game engine, otherwise the code is much the same between TS2009 and TS2010.

Many TRS2004 assets that are error free will run in TS12. It is technically possible to download the entire contents of the DLS without a First Class Ticket. The only restriction is you can't download a route where the missing dependencies are more than 100 MB, if you download the dependencies first then it will download.

TS12 is a bit picker than TS2010 about what it will run but you can run the earlier stuff if you fix any errors first.

Basically the advice would be to buy a FCT (First Class Ticket) they aren't that expensive or you can download from third party sites.

Cheerio John

 

[captainkman]

Also, if oyu want steam locos, TS12 has 3. A UP 0-6-0 switcher, the N&W Y6B, and the Big Boy.

TS2010 has the Big Boy, Flying Scotsman (LNER and BR) Mallard, and many, many more steam locos from all over the world.

 

[seeseeme]

Some content on the Download Station was made some years ago for previous versions and according to the "rules" at the time. However, over the years trainz has evolved along the same path that computer hardware and OS have. That has meant that some of the older content may not always look as good or work as it was once intended to.

Recently much of this older content with faults/warnings has been upgraded (by members here) so that it will work in the last Trainz versions.

Auran/NV3 has slowly introduced what it calls a "native" mode and "compatibility" mode of Trainz that work in the 2009/2010 versions. In Native mode only items that are not faulty will work. So if you have an older route with some content that is faulty in 2010, you can choose to run in Compatibility mode and everything works fine.

In TS12 there is only Native Mode for fault free content and this basically explains the difference in the number of routes.

As Sniper stated TS12 has Multiplayer as well and for those wishing that it is a good point.

If I was starting out in Trainz now and I was not that interest YET in Multiplayer, I would purchase 2010 first and learn about Trainz (its a long learning curve :hehe.

TS12 will always be there or the next version will be out at some stage in the future.

Craig

 

[TheGrimReaper]

Thanks again for all the good information...I see the game is at Amazon and Steam for $24 right now so might be a good time to jump in....I do have to admit it is kind of odd you need the "ticket" to get better download experience, but I guess that is up to the company

 

[seeseeme]

Thanks again for all the good information...I see the game is at Amazon and Steam for $24 right now so might be a good time to jump in....I do have to admit it is kind of odd you need the "ticket" to get better download experience, but I guess that is up to the company

As John mentioned, without the First Class Ticket you are limited to 100MB per day and a slow speed. With a FCT you have unlimited downloads per day and the speed is increased to your internet speed from your ISP. So if your on Broadband it is much faster.

Craig

 

[sniper297]

Pretty much similar wherever you go, bandwidth costs money. At www.trainsim.com you're limited to 2 simultaneous downloads and a slower speed unless you buy the premium membership, at www.UKtrainsim.com you usually have to wait between 10 minutes to a couple hours in a "queue" before a download will start if you don't have the premium membership. The download station free server has a slower download speed and "all nodes busy" more often than the US trainsim library, but less often than UKtrainsim. A one year first class ticket for the Auran download station is actually cheaper than either of those, so for a Trainz user it's a good investment.

 

[TheGrimReaper]

Ok, sounds good and I understand. That won't be the thing to stop me from buying. To be honest, I didn't want to bring it up since on this forum, but I do own Railworks 3: Simulator 2012 as well. Really trying to decide if this game is that much better. On first blush, seems like it might be, plus this community seems to be very active and answering questions fast. Not to turn this into this game versus that game, but does anyone have experience with both that would point out why this game is much better than the other? Thanks!

 

[johnwhelan]

Ok, sounds good and I understand. That won't be the thing to stop me from buying. To be honest, I didn't want to bring it up since on this forum, but I do own Railworks 3: Simulator 2012 as well. Really trying to decide if this game is that much better. On first blush, seems like it might be, plus this community seems to be very active and answering questions fast. Not to turn this into this game versus that game, but does anyone have experience with both that would point out why this game is much better than the other? Thanks!

The richness of free content for a start plus if you buy from N3V you don't get the Steam complications.

Cheerio John

 

[sparky15]

Hey! We need more stuff!

Honestly, it depends on what you want to use the program for.

If all you want to do is download and run routes, a FCT is mandatory. Me, I don't download other's routes anymore, preferring to build my own. If the TS2010 content set included as built in is similar to the Mac release, I have all the content needed to build convincing routes without downloading a thing. Very few exceptions like Maddy's Yarn system which is on the DLS and Profig's trees, which are not.

As for locomotives and rolling stock for North America, JointedRail and RRMods has provided everything I need in that department for my use. Both freeware and some payware.

I never understood a route that needs 300MB of DLS content. Being on a dial-up connection, I learned five years ago to just download a map through the black pages and if I liked it, get the minimum to make it work and change content with what I had. I have had three FCTs and two expired without use. One was used to get EK3 up and running, my only installed route not built in or my own.

In the meantime, I don't think I've used the 100MB DAILY download limit in over a year total. Mostly it's just for missing dependencies in third party rolling stock. Even then, on the freeloader plan, I've never not gotten what I need. Even if I chose to download a DLS route, it may take a few days without a FCT, but is doable.

My needs are different. I like building and running my own routes and prefer to leave the error games to others. At this time, my only DLS content installed is Maddy's. The rest is JR and RRMods rolling stock along with Profigs trees. The easiest way to get me to pass on a route is to need to download 1000 assets from the DLS, no matter how great it is. That's a 1000 assets that probably need assets and needs to be repaired.

I would say go TS2010 for the content (provided it's like the Mac content) and compatibility mode to allow the use of older content like Trunda's trees. The Mac version has all the older routes but look horrible because of the changes in how Trainz displays content, no compatibility mode to display the trees properly. DLS and FCT access is on what you want and use. Don't discount the third party sites mentioned for rolling stock.

Dave.......

 

[TheGrimReaper]

The richness of free content for a start plus if you buy from N3V you don't get the Steam complications.

Cheerio John

Is it safe to assume that if I buy from Amazon it would be similar to N3V version since I believe the download version represents what comes on a CD/DVD? Amazon seems to be a download once and forget system, versus Steam that requires special stuff.

 

[TheGrimReaper]

Wow...have to admit with all those third party sites, looks like support and content are endless. My fingers are getting very close to pull the trigger

 

[TheGrimReaper]

Ok, I caved and bought '12 edition.....should be done downloading by the time I wake up tomorrow Thanks again for all the kind help everyone provided.

 

[sniper297]

Myself, I'd steer away from amazon or ebay and buy directly from the Auran store, simply because that guarantees some slime won't slip me a used copy that I'm supposed to use some kind of pirate crack on. "Brand new factory sealed" yeah right, anyone can go to staples and buy a home shrink wrapper these days.

" Railworks 3: Simulator 2012 as well. Really trying to decide if this game is that much better."

Again, depends on what you want it a train simulator - I had railsim and railworks, they already had the best looking train simulator on the market. With the worst physics, AI traffic, signals and operations, so instead of improving the physics, AI traffic, signals and operations that so badly need improvement they focus on making the eye candy better at the expense of performance. Got a time machine so you can go 20 years into the future and buy a computer from 2031 you might be able to run it at 15FPS, looks realistic, takes awesome screenshots, but has nowhere near the versatility of Trainz. Trainz looks ugly to me, but it works better, despite the "toy train" reputation Trainz does realistic operations better than any of the others.