I am thinking of giving up on Trainz...

funnygrandad55

New member
It has no support from the makers there is no in depth manual for Surveyor 2.0 there is a guide which is very general I have read through lots of questions from other users on this forum and at lot of them don't even get a reply, the download station doesn't work I have a first class ticket so I should be able to download but it says I am not logged into Trainz when I am...

VERY DISPOINTED SO FAR!
 
Welcome to Trainz and to the forums, funnygrandad55. Trainz, as you are finding out, is both easy and complex at the same time. Even for us seasoned Trainz users, S2.0 is somewhat daunting and we will switch between the two as needed for different things. For many of us, we used Classic Surveyor for 20-plus years and jumping to the new version is a bit tough like buying new shoes and needing to get used to them. Some people have caught on right away and love it, while some of us find it overpowering. I'm in the middle and switch between the two.

Having said that, as a beginner, I highly recommend using Classic Surveyor instead of Surveyor 2.0. This will allow you to do everything you need to do without the new advanced features you can learn and use after you gain experience using Classic Surveyor since the principles are still the same and S2.0 is an updated version and is based on the old one.

To switch to Classic Surveyor on an existing route, click on the Tools icon located on the top bar in Surveyor and choose Classic Surveyor.

Once you do this, any subsequent edit will be in Classic.

Hope this helps.
 
Many thanks I appreciate your encouragement I will certainly give the classic version a go my only concern is that it will be discontinued at some point in the future. would it be okay to message you if I have any challenges no pressure though. Many thanks and best wishes to you and yours.
 
Many thanks I appreciate your encouragement I will certainly give the classic version a go my only concern is that it will be discontinued at some point in the future. would it be okay to message you if I have any challenges no pressure though. Many thanks and best wishes to you and yours.
There are still many of us using the older interface, even one or two who run TS19 rather than TS22 since it seems more stable.

Cheerio John
 
While getting used to Surveyor Classic, be sure to get your feet wet (so to speak) with S2.0. Not today nor tomorrow but some time in the future 2.0 or its updated version might become the standard and if you never got used to it, it will be a shock. I guess I'm lucky that I got used to it pretty quickly. I find the interface more intuitive and easier to navigate and use.
As for the DLS not working, you say you're logged in but the DLS doesn't agree. A quick note the the Support page should have that cleared up. Might be a case of the DLS not being told of your new membership.
 
Just like with physical models, you come in wanting to do one thing and quickly it becomes learning about numerous disciplines - that's how I look at it.

Asset repairs and connection issues replace painting and electrical wiring and carpentry.
 
Just like with physical models, you come in wanting to do one thing and quickly it becomes learning about numerous disciplines - that's how I look at it.

Asset repairs and connection issues replace painting and electrical wiring and carpentry.
Agreed. I've been spending ALOT of time building, modifying and running 1/10 scale RC Rock Crawlers. Bought a Redcat Everest Ascent for 279 USD, batteries and charger for another 150. Now months later, I'm 3D printing parts, hand brazing roll cages, skid plates, bull bars, light racks and a little light machining. Painting, detailing and constant tweaking has me learning new skill sets and re-learning old ones that haven't seen use in decades ! From my initial outlay to around 1500USD in tools and equipment.

Consequently, Trainz is way back on the furthest back burner, having lost any interest in further route/scenery/rolling stock building.
Might get the urge again. Never know !
 
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I imagine you'll be back. I always come back. And what started as just drive trains became building routes and modeling and texturing and fixing assets and customizing rolling stock and and and and ... LOL

But that's how it goes. A century ago you started with a loop under the xmas tree and next thing you knew you had a basement wall to wall with an entire world in miniature.

Yes some things should work better out of the box, be it real or virtual, but that's how it goes.

(FWIW I will agree that documentation has been fragmentary and abysmal and continues to be from Auran thru N3V)
 
(FWIW I will agree that documentation has been fragmentary and abysmal and continues to be from Auran thru N3V)
TRS2006 came with a very nice printed manual that included color images. In today's market that manual would cost more than the game. Printing costs have skyrocketed to unbelievable levels. Not to mention that a full comprehensive manual of every aspect of using the program would be a 1000 pages and double the price of the game. Add to that the fact that only us old timers would ever read it. Peter Ware has worked tirelessly to make the wiki better and up to date. Don't forget N3V Games has a YouTube channel with many videos showing how to use the new features.
 
Add to that the fact that only us old timers would ever read it.
And that is one of the roots of the issue with printed manuals. Many complain and lament their passing but how many ever read them? And since Trainz is many things to many people, I think most would only read the parts that they are interested in leaving the rest, unread, unloved and a waste of printing.
At least the comprehensive WIKI can stay up to date and if you really want a paper version, you could print it too.
 
how many ever read them?
I was just cleaning out my garage and threw away a TON of documentation for old programs, many of which I never even installed and played with. I decided anything I needed to know at this point was probably online, if by chance I wanted to try one of those old programs in a throwback virtual machine. I have found most everything I ever needed to know about Trainz online, if not here at the forums or on the wiki, then somewhere else.
 
I have found in the realm of electronics, if it predates the internet and isn't popular in some sector the data is NOT there. Or if it is there it may be a bad scan (low resolution or cockeyed pages) So I continue to hold on to older documents but I try to curate it.

Futile I suppose, the day I go in the dirt it will too I suspect.
 
While getting used to Surveyor Classic, be sure to get your feet wet (so to speak) with S2.0. Not today nor tomorrow but some time in the future 2.0 or its updated version might become the standard and if you never got used to it, it will be a shock. I guess I'm lucky that I got used to it pretty quickly. I find the interface more intuitive and easier to navigate and use.
As for the DLS not working, you say you're logged in but the DLS doesn't agree. A quick note the the Support page should have that cleared up. Might be a case of the DLS not being told of your new membership.
Thank you, I have managed to use DLS successfully at the moment I am jumping between the two versions I will persevere with S2.0
 
I was just cleaning out my garage and threw away a TON of documentation for old programs, many of which I never even installed and played with. I decided anything I needed to know at this point was probably online, if by chance I wanted to try one of those old programs in a throwback virtual machine. I have found most everything I ever needed to know about Trainz online, if not here at the forums or on the wiki, then somewhere else.
Thank you.
 
Welcome to Trainz and to the forums, funnygrandad55. Trainz, as you are finding out, is both easy and complex at the same time. Even for us seasoned Trainz users, S2.0 is somewhat daunting and we will switch between the two as needed for different things. For many of us, we used Classic Surveyor for 20-plus years and jumping to the new version is a bit tough like buying new shoes and needing to get used to them. Some people have caught on right away and love it, while some of us find it overpowering. I'm in the middle and switch between the two.

Having said that, as a beginner, I highly recommend using Classic Surveyor instead of Surveyor 2.0. This will allow you to do everything you need to do without the new advanced features you can learn and use after you gain experience using Classic Surveyor since the principles are still the same and S2.0 is an updated version and is based on the old one.

To switch to Classic Surveyor on an existing route, click on the Tools icon located on the top bar in Surveyor and choose Classic Surveyor.

Once you do this, any subsequent edit will be in Classic.

Hope this helps.
Many thanks.
 
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