New to surveyor. Classic or 2.0?

[skybluerob]

Hi all,

Quick question, which has probably been asked before. I'm new to the surveyor part of Trainz, and was wondering if it would be best to learn Classic first, then switch to 2.0 when familiar with Classic. Classic seems easier to use, but then if 2.0 is the future, would it be best to spend the time just learning that. There also seem to be better tutorials for Classic.

Thanks.

Rob.

 

[Forester1]

I hate to say it, but maybe both? Classic still does a few things better than 2.0, like bulk replacements, and it is often easier to understand how it works. But I am biased because I have not ventured past the "deer in the headlights" look at 2.0, so I also need to roll up my sleeves and start learning it.

 

[skybluerob]

I hate to say it, but maybe both? Classic still does a few things better than 2.0, like bulk replacements, and it is often easier to understand how it works. But I am biased because I have not ventured past the "deer in the headlights" look at 2.0, so I also need to roll up my sleeves and start learning it.

Thanks. Yes, I think I was more inclined to do as you suggest. Some of the tutorials for 2.0 that I've seen, seem to assume that you already know the basics of track building in classic, whereas there seems to be more tutorials for classic aimed at complete beginners.

At this stage, classic will likely keep me entertained for a good while and have the functionality I need for my initial layouts.

 

[pware]

After about 20 years of using Classic I also had the "deer in the headlights" reaction to Surveyor 2.0. I decided that I had to make the change so I threw myself in, initially "toes only" but gradually wading out into its "deeper waters" (to overuse the metaphores).

It took me about 12 months to make the full transition to the point where I rarely ventured "backwards" into Classic any more.

I find S2.0 to be far more powerful - for example you can select multiple objects of different types and perform a sequence of operations simultaneously on them all. The Scrapbook feature alone is a standout - I can use the brush tool to paint an entire forest of different trees, bushes and grasses with full control over size, density, direction, rotation and contents.

Yes, Classic still offers more features in the asset Bulk Update & Replace area but the current Trainz Plus beta version is making inroads into that.

My opinions

 

[Nij]

I moved on to Surveyor 2.0 when I upgraded to TS22 at the beginning of this year.
I had been on the old version since TS04.
I can honestly say I have never looked back!
Personally, I find it a much more manageable tool with easier move functions for all things including track.
Yes, it took a bit of getting used to but, with the help of this forum and some highly rated YouTube videos I was soon flying.
Having multiple direction “handles” to manipulate assets really helps with placement, and especially alignment …whereby you can move the item in a single linear direction if you want, rather than floating freely.
There are also many variables in the control panel to help with selection of brush size, angles, sensitivity etc.
My recommendation is to watch a few of those videos as they really help to explain the features you would never find on your own!

 

[razor]

i use both when the situation calls for it

 

[ajrf]

Both. Classic might be useful to align buildings to the streets, but for electrification and laying tracks, you must use Surveyor 2.0.

 

[JCitron]

I use both, but more and more S2.0 and I've been trainzing since December 2003.

Try Classic first then try S2.0. You'll find some things are easier done in S2.0 and there are some things that can only be done in S2.0 such as the Scrapbook. Being able to jump between splathering down trees to adjusting terrain with the same tool is the biggest thing that made me switch.

I still find working with catenary easier with Classic because I can see the spline points easier when aligning wires and track. I tried S2.0 for that and had wire bits sticking out all over the place instead of attached to where they were supposed to be.

 

[H222]

Both. Classic might be useful to align buildings to the streets, but for electrification and laying tracks, you must use Surveyor 2.0.

I’d disagree with this specific example because surveyor 2 literally lets you grab a hundred buildings and rotate them all at once by typing in the degree of rotation.

Or selecting them individually and pasting the rotation degree in the side bar. Far more precise and quicker than S1’s practice.

Surveyor 2.0 is more complicated but does everything better at this point, except for Bulk asset replacement (coming in the next update) and I still prefer putting trains down in S1. But S2 does it just fine once you’re used to it.

It took me a long while to get used to S2 after 22 years of S1 (from the age of about 5 to 26) but it is so much better now - if I was starting from scratch I’d learn the better tool.

S2 will also be the one of them that won’t get dropped first, if they choose to remove one it will be classic, eventually

Jamie