Trainz Mini-Routes, an end to stuttering.

[hminky]

If you have ever played around with Microsoft Train Simulator, you know that is terrible
with file allocation. Putting routes in separate folders makes MSTS run so much better. The
old senile program looks through all the data constantly and chokes without Mini-Routes.

I always wondered if Trainz would benefit from this principle. I asked and no one came up with
an answer. Built-in was built-in.

I discovered that Mini-routes works by accident when I bought "Settle and Carlisle" on Steam.
There were remnants in my Steam TS2010 folder from where I deleted it earlier.
The S&C was loaded there but it was the only route. I checked the folder and none of the
built-in's were in the folder. It sure ran great without all that unrelated "crap". No stutter
and quick loading.

Here is how I build a Trainz Mini-Route

1-Make a copy of a virgin copy of Trainz. Rename that "virgin trainz". Make a copy of the "virgin".

2-Rename that for the route

3-Delete all the "ja"s in the built-in folder

That gives a "naked" copy of Trainz

4-Download Route into a FULL Trainz folder and get it running in there.
This is necessary to obtain the built-ins used in the route.

5-Download Route into the "naked" Trainz

6-Go back to the FULL Trainz folder and open the route dependencies

7-Filter for Built-in, True

8-Open the Built-in's for edit

9-Open up the "naked" Trainz content manager.

10-Import the content in the UserData, Editing folder into the "naked" Trainz.

Startup the "naked" Trainz and there will be less if any stuttering.
I used this for the "Freeport & Waterford Mills Rwy" and the route runs
better than a route on an SSD.

The bare "naked" Trainz is less than 1gb.

Or maybe I'm just crazy
Harold

 

[hminky]

This topic probably should be in General Trainz or somewhere else and not Trainz Community.
Sorry! Got interrupted and thought I was in General Trainz when I came back. Oh, well!

Converted my Hard-Drive install of Cattaraugus Creek and Lake Erie CMTM3 to a Mini-Route.
I also have this on SSD so I can compare the performance. I just removed the "ja's" and the fun
began. I brought the built-in's over from the SSD.

Had problems with built-in assets erroring out when installed into the Mini-Route.

The "default_wagon,<kuid:-1:42004201>" could be fixed in Content Creater Plus.

The locomotive interiors presented the biggest problems:

f7interior mph rhd,<kuid:-1:101202>

Gen1960 op1,<kuid:-10:172>

sw,<kuid:-18:1101>

The all had "progressive mesh" and "texture.txt" problems.

I substituted an RS3 interior for the faulty interiors from the "Interstate RS3 #34" on DLS.
Quick fix instead of fixing the problem with PEV tools.

The "CCLE RS3 012 Cab-TRS2010,<kuid:439337:100168>" wouldn't work right without
Gen1960 op1,<kuid:-10:172> which was faulty in TS12. The wheels would just spin.


I edited "Alco RS3 Interstate Rwy #34.,<kuid:568725:100292>" to use the CCLE RS3 KUID by opening
for edit. Transferring the files to another folder and editing the config.txt with the CCLE RS3 KUID and assigning a
new name. Then I brought the asset back in with Content Manager". Probably should eventually repaint.

The hardest was the "built-in" Barley commodity it was not editable or moveable. I solved it like the RS3
using another Barley from DLS and re-KUIDing that asset.

Now the route runs like the one on my SSD. I could bring the saved session over from the SSD.

I am amazed that this worked so well. I have no frame limit set and the route runs smoothly with
hardly noticeable stutter even when loading the next scene. Just a short blip. Panning in and out causes the frame rates to quickly recover.

Harold