Trainz Plus Beta TLR Phase 3 - Windows & Mac (134634 & 134645)

[legocreeper2001]

Probably gonna sound like a right wally but how do I get this to actually work? I have Trainz+ standard (through the Auran website) and the launcher says Trainz22PE. However I have the game installed by Steam. How do I get to the Beta, as the launcher says I'm only on Build 132316.

 

[pware]

Probably gonna sound like a right wally but how do I get this to actually work?

No you are not a right wally. It can be a bit confusing.

Trainz Plus will always show itself, on the top menu bar and in a few other places, to be the current latest retail (non subscription) release of Trainz. In this case Trainz Railroad Simulator 2022 (aka TRS22).

When TRS19 was the latest retail release my copy of Trainz Plus was showing itself to be Trainz Railroad Simulator 2019 (aka TRS19). When TRS22 was released the label in Trainz Plus miraculously changed to TRS22. Also the executable program will be listed as trs22.exe (it was previously trs19.exe).

Not sure why they do this.

The true guide is to look at the Launcher Window and the Main Menu window. Both will show the Trainz+ logo.

 

[pware]

How do I get to the Beta, as the launcher says I'm only on Build 132316.

I think that the beta (build 134634 in my case) is only available from the Trainz Store, not through Steam (but I could be wrong there).

The beta versions are not for the faint hearted. Full of bugs and, for some people, annoying assertion diagnostic messages. You must be prepared to spend some time filling out and submitting bug reports. Betas are not intended for users who want to do serious route building. I use my beta for testing routes and session created in the non-beta version.

 

[JCitron]

Probably gonna sound like a right wally but how do I get this to actually work? I have Trainz+ standard (through the Auran website) and the launcher says Trainz22PE. However I have the game installed by Steam. How do I get to the Beta, as the launcher says I'm only on Build 132316.

I also have Plus and TRS22 PE and when I launched PE to test something, Trainz Plus launched instead. It's not as if I clicked on the wrong thing or am I sharing the same database. I even verified that too because I was completely confused. What's interesting is I saw the Plus launcher once then when I launched the program again I had the Plus launcher instead.

Going out on a limb here, I have a feeling that the registry settings that track the program install is confused because of the same TRS22.exe.

 

[legocreeper2001]

Cheers for the quick help lads.

 

[pware]

Going out on a limb here, I have a feeling that the registry settings that track the program install is confused because of the same TRS22.exe.

A possibility.

I have three installs of Trainz on the same PC. Trainz Plus (the standard non-beta), Trainz Plus (beta) and TRS22PE. All were installed using their default settings, all have trs22.exe as their executable but in different folders. The only confusion they cause when launching is in distinguishing between the beta and non-beta versions of Trainz Plus - both have identical launch windows (differing only in their build numbers) and opening menu windows. I had to doctor the background graphic of the launch window for the beta version by adding the words "Beta Stream" in big bold white lettering on the lower right corner.

 

[legocreeper2001]

Gonna make myself sound a little silly again. How do I install the beta?

 

[pware]

How do I install the beta?

My best advice - install a second copy of Trainz Plus in a different folder. You definitely do not want the beta to replace your non-beta working copy.

1. Startup your new copy of Trainz Plus.
2. In the Launcher select Trainz Settings then the Install tab.
3. Click the button labelled Change Trainz Update Stream.
4. The next window should show you the location of your new (soon to be beta) install of Trainz Plus. If it does not, then click the button Change Targets and browse to the correct location (but be 100% certain it is the correct one). Once the correct location has been identified click the button labelled Next.
5. Enter your forum username and password then click Next.
6. Proceed from there following the prompts.

The beta patch will replace the install present at the stated location. It will be a minimal install with built-in and base assets only. You can add additional assets from the DLS, DLC and other sources but my beta copy only has the assets that I need for testing purposes. Expect assertion messages popping up in all sorts of places - these tell the programmers and beta testers where something *may* have gone wrong or where the program has handled an "uncertainty" - most of these can be ignored by selecting one of the option buttons it will provide. Sometimes you will get a seemingly endless sequence of these messages in a row - one of the joys of beta testing. Expect the occasional CTD.

The golden rule with betas is never start any serious route development that you are not prepared to "throw away". The betas will also save routes and sessions with a build number that will NOT load into non-beta copies of Trainz Plus and TRS22 and cannot be uploaded to the DLS.

If you enjoy frustration and fear, you will love beta testing. If you are only into the beta to "play with the new features" then the pain will probably not be worth it. My opinions.