Question about used Trainz on a CD

[JimDep]

I've been using the digital download version of TANE for a few years, straight from NV3. At some point, if worse comes to worse, I might not have the internet for a few months. If I found a pre-owned version of TANE on the original CD that's being sold as "used"......would I have any problem loading it on my PC and using it if it's been originally registered to someone else ?
Thanks

 

[johnwhelan]

It needs to be the early version that does not have DRM and you need to stop it updating.

Cheerio John

 

[RetroRails12]

I've been using the digital download version of TANE for a few years, straight from NV3. At some point, if worse comes to worse, I might not have the internet for a few months. If I found a pre-owned version of TANE on the original CD that's being sold as "used"......would I have any problem loading it on my PC and using it if it's been originally registered to someone else ?
Thanks

Yes you would have a problem because the game was already Registered to another user that you bought it from.. you can only register the game to one account and one account only. so you will be out of luck unless you can find a cheaper source for internet like a mobile hotspot..

 

[Forester1]

I am not sure that the CD version would run any better without connection to the internet. I thought I read somewhere that Trainz will run maybe 30 days without access to the internet? Otherwise it wants to login. I could be mistaken.

 

[PhilChorusch01]

If you have a Steam version of TANE, you can run Steam in offline mode!
*Note: If you have the Trainz Store edition of TANE and cannot go into offline mode, you would have to uninstall the digital version and reinstall using the CD-rom version. I really haven't got any idea if you could or not go into offline mode from a Trainz Store version, but I can say that Steam does have an offline mode option

To answer your question, would TANE digital work with a CD-rom version. In short, the answer is NO. The reason for this it's because your digital licence key would be different to a CD-rom key and you just can't throw in 2 different oils into your cars engine.

If you wish to use the CD-rom version of TANE, back up your Trainz local data first. Uninstall TANE digital then reinstall TANE using the CD-rom and activating TANE, restore your Trainz local data followed by rebuilding the Trainz database.

Trainz local data can be found at: Default installation!
C:\Users\%Username%\AppData\Local\N3V Games

Backup the following folders listed below only: Ideal to backup your Trainz local data using WinRar. And using either WinRar or WinZip to extract to the TANE folder inside the build xxxxxxx folder.. Do not just copy and paste it or backup in a normal .zip file.

Local
Original
Packages

If you create routes, sessions backup the following folders 'IF you have anything inside these folders'.

Backups
Editing

Note: If you experience any issues with your routes changing from TANE digital version to CD-rom version. This is expected, you will need to download pretty much all updates for TANE.

 

[hiawathamr]

@JimDep - if you can find a box copy of TANE then you can use it on your computer as it'll read the serial number. Keep in mind that any DLCs purchased will still require the 30 day check before they become deactivated. This part I don't know how it'll work but if you own the digital version, then you shouldn't need to enter that serial number into the My Trainz account but your login details (after checking the enable internet features). This I won't be able to answer since I've upgraded my digital version to box back in the day.

@Forester1 - all digital versions of TANE uses the online DRM which is 30 days. The box copies of TANE for Windows are the only exception where they don't require internet at all.

Cheers

 

[wreeder]

I've been using the digital download version of TANE for a few years, straight from NV3. At some point, if worse comes to worse, I might not have the internet for a few months. If I found a pre-owned version of TANE on the original CD that's being sold as "used"......would I have any problem loading it on my PC and using it if it's been originally registered to someone else ?
Thanks

This is really a question for the helpdesk. Only they can tell you if it will work or not.

 

[MasterTracklayer]

Way back when, I had first Trainz2004, then Trainz2009/2010, all purchased on CD. I do not recall if they ran at all without registering them, but I do know that they ran just fine without internet access, unless I was trying to access the Download Station. Likewise, my Trainz22 and Trainz22PE run just fine without an internet connection, but to the best of my recollection, they required that I register them first. The old CD games had serial numbers. Now that I have registered my serial numbers, no-one else can register any copy of Trainz with those serial numbers. While I cannot guarantee this, your CD version of Trains may well turn out to be unusable due to requiring a registration first, a registration that you cannot perform unless the previous owner(s) of the disc never registered. Even if the game works, you will likely be unable to download content for it from the DLS, because that also requires that you have your copy registered if you do it from within the game, and FTP may not be available to you either. I suppose that you could download content with your current game, export it, and import it into the old CD version, but I cannot guarantee that that would work either.

Your current T:ANE should work fine without access to the internet (unless a month-long timer that I don`t know about runs out), but from what I understand, Trains Plus will eventually stop working (and possibly revert to Trainz non-Plus; I`ve had conflicting reports) without the internet.

My recommendation? Back everything up, just in case, and give it a try. I think that you`d have better luck keeping your current install and using it off-line than wiping it for the CD version. You might even be able to have both installed at once, but again, no guarantees. When I installed the second disk of the 2009/2010 twin-pack, it noticed the existing install of the other disc and offered me the choice of installing over or alongside the existing install. Current versions also allow multiple parallel installations, but I haven`t tried T:ANE yet, so I don`t actually know that it will too, but I`d be surprised if it didn`t.

 

[JCitron]

Way back when, I had first Trainz2004, then Trainz2009/2010, all purchased on CD. I do not recall if they ran at all without registering them, but I do know that they ran just fine without internet access, unless I was trying to access the Download Station. Likewise, my Trainz22 and Trainz22PE run just fine without an internet connection, but to the best of my recollection, they required that I register them first. The old CD games had serial numbers. Now that I have registered my serial numbers, no-one else can register any copy of Trainz with those serial numbers. While I cannot guarantee this, your CD version of Trains may well turn out to be unusable due to requiring a registration first, a registration that you cannot perform unless the previous owner(s) of the disc never registered. Even if the game works, you will likely be unable to download content for it from the DLS, because that also requires that you have your copy registered if you do it from within the game, and FTP may not be available to you either. I suppose that you could download content with your current game, export it, and import it into the old CD version, but I cannot guarantee that that would work either.

Your current T:ANE should work fine without access to the internet (unless a month-long timer that I don`t know about runs out), but from what I understand, Trains Plus will eventually stop working (and possibly revert to Trainz non-Plus; I`ve had conflicting reports) without the internet.

My recommendation? Back everything up, just in case, and give it a try. I think that you`d have better luck keeping your current install and using it off-line than wiping it for the CD version. You might even be able to have both installed at once, but again, no guarantees. When I installed the second disk of the 2009/2010 twin-pack, it noticed the existing install of the other disc and offered me the choice of installing over or alongside the existing install. Current versions also allow multiple parallel installations, but I haven`t tried T:ANE yet, so I don`t actually know that it will too, but I`d be surprised if it didn`t.

Starting with T:ANE, N3V imposed the 30-day offline requirement even for CD-based versions. For some of us that supported the Kickstarter program, we received a special version that could operate offline, but the DLC still required that we connected every 30-days. For those that install the online version, there is no program serial number to enter just as there isn't today with TRS19 and up since that information is kept on their servers.

In the olden days, things were a lot simpler but you know how that goes.

 

[MasterTracklayer]

Indeed. Totally unsurprising. Not good for the original poster. Sad. I tried.

So, my modern Trainz installs, which work perfectly well off-line, still need to call home once every thirty days to stay happy. Not likely to be an issue for me, but it certainly could be for some people.

Perhaps a call to the Help Desk might result in a download that would allow, say, a year before the next call home, but somehow I doubt it.

Again, I find myself unable to "Like" a post of yours that I agree with. Bummer.

 

[JCitron]

Indeed. Totally unsurprising. Not good for the original poster. Sad. I tried.

So, my modern Trainz installs, which work perfectly well off-line, still need to call home once every thirty days to stay happy. Not likely to be an issue for me, but it certainly could be for some people.

Perhaps a call to the Help Desk might result in a download that would allow, say, a year before the next call home, but somehow I doubt it.

Again, I find myself unable to "Like" a post of yours that I agree with. Bummer.

Yup. It's now the "modern" way of doing things like everyone else and most likely due to piracy since this program series is pretty popular.

 

[MasterTracklayer]

Yeah.

 

[Forester1]

@Forester1 - all digital versions of TANE uses the online DRM which is 30 days. The box copies of TANE for Windows are the only exception where they don't require internet at all.

You may be correct. I started Trainz in 2013 with the 2 DVD version of T:ANE standard. I do know I had to register the number to make it work, and I think my first posting was asking how, as I was confused where to enter it. Since then I have not tried to use it away from the network.

 

[pcas1986]

Starting with T:ANE, N3V imposed the 30-day offline requirement even for CD-based versions. For some of us that supported the Kickstarter program, we received a special version that could operate offline, but the DLC still required that we connected every 30-days. For those that install the online version, there is no program serial number to enter just as there isn't today with TRS19 and up since that information is kept on their servers.

In the olden days, things were a lot simpler but you know how that goes.

That was my understanding as well. I was a Kickstarter supporter as well and got a boxed copy of all the variants of TANE. They are still out in the garage and I'm sure none of them has serial numbers since N3V knew what I owned.
I don't recall ever installing any of them because I was using the digital copy.

 

[hiawathamr]

Starting with T:ANE, N3V imposed the 30-day offline requirement even for CD-based versions

I'm sorry but I have to disagree with this as I have the CD version of TANE and its 100% offline. I've asked Zec about this in their discord and he said its 100% offline usable as it doesn't make any attempt to connect to the DRM servers to check (game and builtin content only). DLCs are the only things that require the 30 day check.


CD versions of TRS19 (which I also own) used the web version of the game so that requires the 30 day checks.

Cheers

 

[JCitron]

Thanks, it's been a while since I used T: ANE for anything except for testing assets or converting old routes.

 

[wreeder]

I'm sorry but I have to disagree with this as I have the CD version of TANE and its 100% offline. I've asked Zec about this in their discord and he said its 100% offline usable as it doesn't make any attempt to connect to the DRM servers to check (game and builtin content only). DLCs are the only things that require the 30 day check.


CD versions of TRS19 (which I also own) used the web version of the game so that requires the 30 day checks.

Cheers

While this may be true for the version of TANE you have and I assume that Zec was answering on that basis, I find it impossible to believe that N3V had a public release of a boxed version of TANE that had no way of protecting itself from software piracy. Maybe it didn't phone home every thirty days but at the least it would have had an unique serial number as all earlier versions of Trainz required to connect to online services. Those serial numbers have never been transferable after they have been registered to a username. This is why checking with the helpdesk is the only way to tell if this DVD version the OP is asking about is legit and will work for the OP.

My recollection of these discussions agrees with John's memory. N3V released a "DRM free" version of TANE via direct shipment from them as part of the Kickstarter rewards. Here is my question for anyone with such a version, do you have a serial number for TANE registered under your account in MyTrainz?

 

[oknotsen]

N3V released a "DRM free" version of TANE via direct shipment from them as part of the Kickstarter rewards.

Wait... they did?
That means... I should have that somewhere in this pile of unopened cargo boxes that I haven't touched since we switched homes.
Can that be patched / updated to the latest version, still without turning into a DRM / "have to call home" version?

 

[JimDep]

I'm sorry but I have to disagree with this as I have the CD version of TANE and its 100% offline. I've asked Zec about this in their discord and he said its 100% offline usable as it doesn't make any attempt to connect to the DRM servers to check (game and builtin content only). DLCs are the only things that require the 30 day check.


CD versions of TRS19 (which I also own) used the web version of the game so that requires the 30 day checks.

Cheers

GREAT ! This is good news. I don't have to worry about this right away and I'll take my time looking for a boxed version of T:ANE. I rarely download anything TRAINZ related these days and just have one on-going project I've been working on and just make my own scenery items using the old Pr-historic GMAX. If I have to lose the internet for a while down the road, I just don't want to be stuck not being able to use the T:ANE software for my on going project.

I think the only question now is whether or not the used CD ( if it's used) would work if it's registered to someone else on an off-line PC. If that can be worked out, I could always register it right after buying it and just hang on to it , if I should happen to lose the internet within the next year or so.

and Thanks to all you have contributed to this thread. Much appreciated !

 

[JimDep]

Yes you would have a problem because the game was already Registered to another user that you bought it from.. you can only register the game to one account and one account only. so you will be out of luck unless you can find a cheaper source for internet like a mobile hotspot..

Right......that's probably the big issue.