Need Advice with "Complete Collection"

[meatloaf747]

Geo,
In my humble opinion you are going about things the hard way. UTC is 7-8 years old now and the contents made for it, while great at the time, are pretty out dated now. eg; things like no moving bogeys in rolling stock, etc, etc.

I have nothing against UTC or 04, but if you want to start to catch up with the times, then I would recommend you install 06 (already has SP1) & the Routes disk - Routes 1 - 4. (sure there is the odd problem in 06, but give me 06 over 04 any-day).
Try it and if you have some problems, or you don't like it, just uninstall it. 06 has six great built in drive tutorials that will help you really get into the sim. (Has a great manual as well. Definitely worth reading if you have the time). I'm 99% sure you won't regret installing 06...

The 04 versus 06 debate has been going on for years. You have die-hards that swear by either one or the other. Hope we don't see the 04 die-hards start debating that 04 is better than 2010. (the 04-06 debate is about all I could handle)... :hehe:
Cheers, Mac...

 

[Steampower4884]

Steampower4884,

The 2004 version in the "Complete Collection" is a fully updated version. You won't have to apply any service packs.

Oh, Ok

I would say that the large percentage of 2004 routes, scenery etc. will work in 2006 (I'm not totally sure about locos) (and the 2006 version you have there, is also completely updated) the CMP (for downloading and committing) works very well , and does not have the problems of earlier versions.

So the downloading problems I have been reading about on-line about the 2006 version have been fixed by now?

Yes, you can have all the versions on the same computer without interference ... except that the last used version's downloader will open up often. For instance, you last downloaded with the 2006 CMP and then you want to download something into 2004, the darn 2006 CMP will open up.

You can correct this by going to your desktop and "opening" the 2004 Trainz Helper about three times, hit Save each time, and close it. Then it will usually be the one that opens up next for downloading.

Gotcha, I will keep that in mind.

The Trainz 2006 problem of disappearing loco and horn sounds has never cleared up on my computer, no matter which build I had (I had the 5 CD original version also), nor with two sound cards I tried. If it works Ok for you, please drop me a message saying what kind of computer/sound card/speakers you have so I can finally fix the darn problem! Over and out for now!! Bob P.:udrool:
Also, lots of UTC stuff will work with 2004 (and possibly 2006, but don't quote me on that) !!!

Ewww, so the sounds just disappear on you. Is that instance in the minority or does it happen quite frequently?

Geo,
I have nothing against UTC or 04, but if you want to start to catch up with the times, then I would recommend you install 06 (already has SP1) & the Routes disk - Routes 1 - 4. (sure there is the odd problem in 06, but give me 06 over 04 any-day).

I probably will once I am through with the routes and playing around with 2004.

Try it and if you have some problems, or you don't like it, just uninstall it. 06 has six great built in drive tutorials that will help you really get into the sim. (Has a great manual as well. Definitely worth reading if you have the time). I'm 99% sure you won't regret installing 06...

Ok, I might give it a shot this weekend. My wife is taking the kids out with her brother so I will have quite a bit of time for myself (for a change).

The 04 versus 06 debate has been going on for years. You have die-hards that swear by either one or the other. Hope we don't see the 04 die-hards start debating that 04 is better than 2010. (the 04-06 debate is about all I could handle)... :hehe:
Cheers, Mac...

Yeah, I have seen those debates and they even run in this thread. Some said go all the way to 2006 and others say don't. As I said above, I am going to go through 2004 first, then add 2006. If I don't like 06 I can revert back to 2004. As for the later versions such as 2009 and 2010, well I don't know if there are debates between them (there probably are), but my machine is probably too old for those. I bought this machine in 2004 AND I have updated it quite a bit since then, but it is now maxed out. So I should be able to run 2006 without too much problem, but I doubt I could do much newer than that.

Thanx,

Geo

 

[Steampower4884]

Hello all,

Ok, I been through most of the sessions and scenarios with TRS2004 (I still have some more to go).

I am now turning my attention to the Surveyor which is pretty much the reason why I got Trainz in the first place.

Last night I downloaded a simple oval (with sidings and spurs) from DLS. The oval didn't have a consist so, I had to use the Surveyor to make one up. In UTC, you could add consists via Driver mode, but apparently they decided not to do that with the later versions. Anyway, the good thing though is that you can go directly into Driver mode from the Surveyor, so I was able to make up a consist and go directly to Driver mode and play around with the oval.

One thing I have found out right off the bat that was very useful is that you DON'T need a spaghetti laden layout loaded with track to have a good time with a model railroad. This is good since my model railroad project will be pretty much a standard 2' by 4' N-scale coffee table layout. (Well, that is at least one layout I have planned, the other is a 15" by 10' shelf layout). So I will not have much room anyway.

Anyway, what I wanted to ask is how does the Surveyor from TRS2006 compare to that of TRS2004. If 2006 is significantly better, then perhaps I would use 2006. This probably would be the deciding factor in regards to 2004 v.s. 2006.

Thanx,

Geo

 

[AnalogOldguy]

Geo,
As far as the Trainz programs fighting for the downloads... There is a Trainz website called Tafweb run by a fellow named Terry Franks. He has made a program which supposedly controls which version of Trainz will get the downloads. I have never tried it, but it looks good... here should be a link..

http://www.tafweb-trainz.co.uk/cdpset.html

Also, Trainz 2004 lacks the great "database-style" CMP which is featured in 2006. (which lets you see the entire database which the Download Station has, and all the stuff on your computer). This same fellow, Terry Franks has made a handler for 2004 routes, locos, scenery etc. It is called Trainz Objectz, or TO. Most 2004 users use this. It is much more time-consuming and harder to use than the 2006 CMP, but it's the best we have. It should be on that same web site.

He asks for a little contribution, I did it long ago. It's worth it for what you are getting from him. Naturally, it's not mandatory.. See you later! Robert.

Geo... Please check your Private Messages link at the top of this forum screen . Bob P.

 

[meatloaf747]

Hello all,
Anyway, what I wanted to ask is how does the Surveyor from TRS2006 compare to that of TRS2004. If 2006 is significantly better, then perhaps I would use 2006. This probably would be the deciding factor in regards to 2004 v.s. 2006. Thanx,
Geo

Personally I prefer Surveyor in 2006 than 2004. I'm sure there will be some that disagree with that. Put simply, (in my view) each new version of Trainz (since version 1.3 - UTC - 2004 - 2006 - 2009 - 2010) has been an improvement over the previous version.
Sure there has needed to be patches/service packs to fix bugs, etc, (in each version) but if you know anything about the software/PC gaming industry in general, that's just par for the course... "The nature of the beast, as I call it" - Even XP after 8 years still needs monthly patching. Happy Trainzing...
Cheers, Mac...

 

[Steampower4884]

Geo,
As far as the Trainz programs fighting for the downloads... There is a Trainz website called Tafweb run by a fellow named Terry Franks. He has made a program which supposedly controls which version of Trainz will get the downloads. I have never tried it, but it looks good... here should be a link..

http://www.tafweb-trainz.co.uk/cdpset.html

Also, Trainz 2004 lacks the great "database-style" CMP which is featured in 2006. (which lets you see the entire database which the Download Station has, and all the stuff on your computer). This same fellow, Terry Franks has made a handler for 2004 routes, locos, scenery etc. It is called Trainz Objectz, or TO. Most 2004 users use this. It is much more time-consuming and harder to use than the 2006 CMP, but it's the best we have. It should be on that same web site.

He asks for a little contribution, I did it long ago. It's worth it for what you are getting from him. Naturally, it's not mandatory.. See you later! Robert.

Geo... Please check your Private Messages link at the top of this forum screen . Bob P.

Personally I prefer Surveyor in 2006 than 2004. I'm sure there will be some that disagree with that. Put simply, (in my view) each new version of Trainz (since version 1.3 - UTC - 2004 - 2006 - 2009 - 2010) has been an improvement over the previous version.
Sure there has needed to be patches/service packs to fix bugs, etc, (in each version) but if you know anything about the software/PC gaming industry in general, that's just par for the course... "The nature of the beast, as I call it" - Even XP after 8 years still needs monthly patching. Happy Trainzing...
Cheers, Mac...

Well, I guess it seems like layout creation in 2006 is better. So when it comes to the Surveyor I am going to hold off on my layout design until I load up 2006. There are just a couple more routes and scenarios I still like to try out in 2004. BTW, can you transfer all those routes and scenarios from 2004 to 2006?

Thanx,
Geo

 

[Steampower4884]

Update: Trainz 2006

Hello all!

Yesterday I set up a separate install of TRS2006 (I didn't write over TRS2004) and I started to try that out. I started with the scenarios...much to my amazement many of the routes for the tutorials and scenarios are the same.

I right away started with a steam engine tutorial that I was familiar with to see if there was a drop out in sound (I have been reading about). Apparently not...I DO have steam sounds. However, I don' know if there is a certain condition that has to be in place for the sound to drop out? What I DID notice is that in comparison to TRS 2004 the timing of the steam train chuffing does go off primarily on starting and stopping. I have noticed too that the volume has a tendency to fade out a bit if you are looking at the train from and end to end view rather than from sideways on. I didn't have that with TRS2004.

Another thing I noticed is that the frame rate went down a ways, but on the same token the detailing seems to be up a bit. I had a pretty far draw distance set for 2004, not so with 2006. I had to back off on this setting.

I only was playing with 2006 for about 2 hours last night, so it is too early to judge. The tutorials do seem to be set up a bit nicer though. But what is with the large yellow starburst flower thing that sometimes pops up towards the top right (near the engine stats)? (I also noticed this flower thing in the cab of a train).

I have not tried the Surveyor out in TRS2006 as of yet but I will try to get into it tonight. I also have to see how downloading objects are handled with 2006 as well.

Well, thusfar with 2006, I DO like the nicer clarity and I do like the tutorials, but so far I don't care for the sound handling and that I have to cut back my distance drawing to get decent frame rates. I have to play around with the settings some more to see what I can juggle around. But I do need to put some more time in with 2006 before I can fully judge.

Thanx,

Geo

 

[taters12]

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