route builder poll

[greywolfretired]

Some would believe that there are "the few route builders out there"
I disagree. I build routes only usuallyand I know of others that build routes, a lot of the members from the old forum build routes, they just don't post on this forum for reasons most of us that have been around for a while know of.
So I'm curious as to how many actually build routes and how many just run trainz,or build content. Without route builders and content makers trainz probably would not be what it is now.
The beta of Tainz 2009 is the route builder version and there were quite a few beta testers,who ,if not familiar with building and running trainz would not be able to test 09 to the extent that it was tested. I'm thinking that there are a lot of trainzers using trs 06 or later and do not realize how many of us have been around for a lot longer. it just does not show up on your profile since the old forum went down.
So maybe a new poll showing how many route builders are out there and the date they started with trs would be interesting.

So Ill start
greywolfretired routebuilder 2003

 

[railroy19]

Been On here since the first edition of trainz and building and testing routes.
Sooo long that I forgot what year

I still enjoy this program and like all the people on this forum.
Bob

 

[roymac]

an old timer.......

Hi Greywolfretired,

I am an old timer as well. Been around for what seems like ages now. I have watched Trainz develop over the years, contributed a little, commented once or twice but most of all, just observed. Some of the other old farts still around will know who I am but most won't and in the end, it doesn't really matter. To all you new followers of Trainz, take a moment and thank everyone in this community who has helped you both directly and indirectly because, I believe, it is a rare thing to see in the gaming industry such as we have in Trainz.

I have never migrated past TRS2004 up until know, as other versions have not offered a significant improvement to warrant the change....or cost! TRS2009 looks promising.....I was offered a Beta of which I took advantage of and found it for the most part, much the same as what I currently have. Since very little content has been developed (as of this writing) to actually take advantage of its many new features, I will wait a little longer to get it.....most likely after the 1st Service Pak. It runs very well on my machine, but I have a high end unit which runs 04 without hitches so, other than the visual depth allowed and smooth operations it seems on the surface, to be as I said, much the same.

Over the years I have built routes and even uploaded a couple of them. They have been received with little fanfare by the community however, one of them, Cajon Pass, was selected to go into TC4 if it ever gets released. My latest one Edge County, will not be uploaded mainly because of the content. It has a lot of custom content and I know that it would take hours of searching out the DLS or other websites to get it all. In the end, it would be too frustrating to have to deal with as I know I don't like having to do that when download routes. I enjoy the product and hopefully will continue to do so as the years move on. In the end, I have to take my hat off to all the content creators out there who without them, Trainz would not be the product most of us enjoy today. As well, we should thank Auran for sticking with the Franchise knowing that it is probably a niche market us trains folks, which, can be a risky business path to go down.

Thanks grewolfretired to you and the other members or this community for making it a good place to play!

roymac

 

[gfisher]

I bought the original version of Trainz when it came out, but didn't really get into it until 2003 when I purchased UTC. Route building is my primary pleasure with the game, and I seem to spend less and less time driving trains around. When I begin to feel burned-out from too much route building, I slow down and make content instead for a while.

 

[Apogee10]

I have been a Trainzer since 2002. I started with UTC and graduated to TRS2004. I bought TRS2006 but preferred to use TRS2004. I build routes and am a content creator.

Earl

 

[Iced8383]

Route building is my primary pleasure with the game, and I seem to spend less and less time driving trains around.

Same here.

 

[PerRock]

I'll pop in. I have been happily building routes since UTC...mind you most of them never get release :S

peter

 

[Dermmy]

I got Trains1.3 way back when, but completely missed its potential

I was given TRS04 as a gift when it came out and the light came on. I have been building routes ever since. Apart from setting up screenshots I hardly ever use 'driver'....

Andy

 

[Vern]

I have been building routes since TRS2004, though of course for various reasons not all make it to the public domain. Prior to 2005 my primary focus was on MSTS but I've now switched to TRS apart from one foray into KRS.

I'm currently working on pre-planning for my next route (Quote from wife, "That's two more blooming railway books on the shelf.") but still undecided whether to push on and start in TRS2006 or wait for TS2009.

 

[philskene]

My main interest in MSTS was train operations.

I bought TRS2004 when it first came out and was so disappointed by the poor quality of the built-in routes and the tremendous difficulty in getting all the dependencies for many of the routes on the Download Station that I decided that I just had to build my own routes.

I didn't think that TRS2006 was any improvement.

I'm mighty impressed by the S&C in TC3 and the high quality of the locomotives and rolling stock, though the frame rates on my PC detract from my enjoyment of the route itself.

After trying the beta I've pre-ordered TRS2009 and will port my routes across into it.

Phil

 

[SuperFudd]

I started with 1.3, probaly in 2002. I was not going to get UTC since 1,3 seemed good enough but I was given UTC for helping at the Auran booth at a local model train show. I soon became very fond od UTC. Then I bought trs2004, then trs2006. Both very worth while. TC 1&2 was not so much but the price was right. I ordered 2009 last night.
I have created a few layouts (not routes) for the DLS. I reworked and updated some by others and placed them on the DLS. I will upload another "soon".

 

[mkerd261]

I was an HO Modeler for thirty plus years. Got into trainz with 04. Have all of the trainz releases including 09 Beta. I design and build routes mainly for my own gratification. At present I have 52 completed routes with an average of 150 baseboards each. The only time I run in Driver mode is to test the route and prove out all the interactive assets. Then I start on a new one. This is a luxury you can afford when you are retired. I don't release any of my work to the public domain.
Thats my input on this subject.

 

[stouthm]

I've been with Trainz since UTC and have purchased both 2004 and 2006. I mainly use 06. I recognize many of the names in this thread: greywolfretired, roymac, gfisher, Dermmy, Vern, philskene and SuperFudd. Many of you have helped me throughout the years and I thank you for that. I know that I have many of your items on my routes.
I too enjoy route building and then running my routes. I try to play Trainz along with my route building. I tried uploading one of my routes but didn't have much luck. Maybe I'll try again later.
I will be getting 09 but later on down the tracks after I see what everyone thinks of it. It appears to be promising.

 

[NormP]

Not being able to manage the Route editor in MSTS without umpteen Program crashes and loss of routes made,I was dispairing of ever completing a route,until my son noticed mention of the upcomming Trainz.
When a new trains program was in the pipeline I waited patiently until I was able to pre-order the "Trainz01" ( think that's what it was called ) Version of Trainz and even arranged to go to the "old" New farm office and pick up the Disc myself, 4th Dec 2001,yes I was that keen.
Since then I guess I've spent about 80% of my "Trainz"time with route building,a lot never made it too the DLS, but a few have, and appart from suffering burnout from time to time I still prefer building routes to driving trains.

Now don't ask me about building objects with GMAX as I had as much success with that as with MSTS.

NormP.

PS yes Iv'e had all the Trainz versions too date, and now await the arrival of TRS 2009.

 

[greywolfretired]

Its good to see all those names that I recognize. A short question on how routes are made. I never copy and paste, every bit done piece by peice. How do you others make your routes.

 

[PerRock]

Its good to see all those names that I recognize. A short question on how routes are made. I never copy and paste, every bit done piece by peice. How do you others make your routes.

I forgot there even was Copy & Paste untill you just mentioned it

peter

 

[JCitron]

Hi Larry, it's nice to see you're still around here. I'm a route builder myself since I got TRS2004 back in late 2003. I'll go driving once awhile to test the route I've been working since day one and I have upgraded from TRS2004 to TRS2006. Although I have to admit that it's nice to take a break once in awhile from the route bulding part and enjoy the fruits of one's labor by sitting back and enjoying the scenery as the landscape rolls by.

I also have Classics 1&2 but I never did much with it and ended up going back to TRS2006. I came in late to BETA 1 for TRS2009 and didn't get much time to do much testing. Even with the bugs, the new version was fabulous. I loaded my route in without problems and even setup a small session with a couple of drivers. Now I'm waiting for the real product to come out so I can really work on my route, and really go over and rework areas where I could have used a finer mesh when I was first building.

John

 

[Tokkyu40]

I also remember Roymac, and a few other names I haven't seen in a while.
I started out as a route builder, then learned to make textured boxes and started making scenery items. Now I'm getting back into route building more, and making some special content for it at the same time.
I occasionally use copy and paste for textures on long routes, and sometimes for foliage, but the rest is pure hunt and place.

Claude

 

[StorkNest]

I actually started doing reskins in 2003/2004 around when TRS2004 came out and used routes made by others. After coming back in 2005, I dropped off reskinning and decided to try other areas of creation including routes. I have learned how to make DEMs finally but every time I start a route, I find myself messing something up and wind up trashing it to start over. Route building apparently is harder for me but until I finish my current idea I've slowed down doing anything else since I have ideas I want to actually implement.

I do think route builders reflect a positive community attitude more than other areas of content creation (no offense). You can make any item with help and using content provided by others but route builders tend to use more items made by other content creators than any other area of creation. In one short layout you can add several member's trees, buildings done by several, roads, crossings, etc. and have a long list of other creators work used show up on DLS. The route builder more than anyone else brings everyone here together by how the work is done.

OK, now I'm sounding sappy so I'll finsh posting.

 

[Vern]

For me, route building gives the chance to recreate or recapture a piece of railway that isn't there any more or has (perhaps) radically changed in the last 25 or 30 years. It does look impressive when the route goes up and you see the list of contributors.

The latest project I'm contemplating is a long closed route in Western Ireland and the train sim is really the only way this can be brought back to life. Not many people have the space to model a 40 mile branch line, even in N gauge.

Of course the other advantage of modelling long closed, obscure routes is that very few people are likely to challenge the detail , though reasonable accurary is still the aspiration.