johnwhelan
Well-known member
But what the earlier versions did have was a lower barrier of entry for people making content. The impression I have is we have fewer content creators these days.
Cheerio John
Cheerio John
Were older versions of Trainz better than the modern versions?
- Thread starter AV3
- Start date
If I need to hand build a yard, I prefer to use TS12 as it handles fixed track pieces better than any later version of Trainz. (The fixed track pieces get replaced with regular track when finished.)
I also frequently get nostalgic about old routes and old content. If I want to run Canadian GP9's on Highland Valley, the '09 version of Trainz lets me do it.
Having said that, most of my larger routes won't work in old versions of Trainz. Most of my stuff is migrating to 19.
I also frequently get nostalgic about old routes and old content. If I want to run Canadian GP9's on Highland Valley, the '09 version of Trainz lets me do it.
Having said that, most of my larger routes won't work in old versions of Trainz. Most of my stuff is migrating to 19.
SanJuanPacific
Member
Everything besides the fact that you payed less was worse. But then again, the expectations were a lot lower than now.
TANE was appalling when first released . I have had issues with every release, but much of that was on a Mac. but since moving to windows I've also had issues with routes having issues. the worst has been TRS2022, Old jvc assets ive used with no problems in Tane and 2019 for years have all given problems, and hundreds of the blueprint items I made using jvcs templates are now game killing in 2022. Also, every time one updates ,the built in items are different, and that can screw up older routes for new users. Yesterday I updated Norm Harts version of Rollins pass , firstly in sp1 2019, then in sp5 2019 and then into 2022PE , almost everything was ok in 2019, but moving to 2022, base items were different. For some reason it would not allow me to download settle and carlyle route , server hung repeatedly. I needed them in order to install the missing items, so I had another hour getting the same items i was using on one game version onto another, one reason why would never delete my old versions,as they have saved my bacon on more than one occasion.
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I do not doubt that some users have had bad experiences as a result of updates - Windows and MacOS updates have caused problems for non-Trainz users as well.
The only times that I have ever experienced the server hanging or abandoning downloads have been due to my AV program or a running VPN "interfering" with the process. These were easily fixed.
Like @JCitron I am very careful about which assets I install in Trainz. I do not, for example, install anything from third party sites no matter how reputable they may be. Bad experiences in the past have permanently warned me off them. I have never had any issues with updated built-in assets.
My only "issue" that I currently have is with 23 "Packaged" assets that are listed in CM as having "Newer version available" but those newer versions cannot be found. In most cases they are simply listed as "Unknown location" or as "Payware, not installed". This number has varied periodically, somewhat randomly, between about 3 and 30. As I am not using any of these assets in my routes/sessions, the issue is not a significant one.
The only times that I have ever experienced the server hanging or abandoning downloads have been due to my AV program or a running VPN "interfering" with the process. These were easily fixed.
Like @JCitron I am very careful about which assets I install in Trainz. I do not, for example, install anything from third party sites no matter how reputable they may be. Bad experiences in the past have permanently warned me off them. I have never had any issues with updated built-in assets.
My only "issue" that I currently have is with 23 "Packaged" assets that are listed in CM as having "Newer version available" but those newer versions cannot be found. In most cases they are simply listed as "Unknown location" or as "Payware, not installed". This number has varied periodically, somewhat randomly, between about 3 and 30. As I am not using any of these assets in my routes/sessions, the issue is not a significant one.
I think it depends what one is working with, given the complexity of the routes I've tackled, I've been forced to make thousands of items and to adapt and update hundreds more,such as those pesky sages which have been the bane of my life. Ive now stopped using them completely in 2022 as even the new versions slow things to a crawl. I've had to take items that used to be hosted on trainz Italia , get permission to adapt them under my kuid and upload to the DLS to use in my routes due to a lack of suitable items.
Since the NG timber ridge I've always used stuff that's on the DLS as that route drove me crazy trying to provide the NG rolling stock items that were hosted on other sites . However , if you are bringing in large complex routes from one trainz version to another , one has to run into differences in the built in items . Amost all my issues have been due to large routes missing assets that others have complained about when they try to use them in a new version of trainz, its a simple fact that every version of trainz has a differnt built in set and some of them are seen as unknown when one moves versions , or , because of assets having been updated .
FootplatePhil
Trainz Tragic since 2002
I've had every version, and really liked 2006 when it came out. TANE was OK, but TRS2019 was better. However I think TRS22 SP5 is the best version to date. It is visually the smoothest running version I have used.
You dont get any extreme frame rate slowdowns ? I find it ok APART from the problems with certain content items slowing things to an absolute crawl. Yesterday when attempting to use bulk replace it was so slow I could not actually chose any of the actions in the bulk replace window, I had to close the program, reboot, rebuild the database before I could continue, this was BEFORE I'd actually chosen items to replace.
When this happens, bring up the Launcher and view the Client Logs. There's a 99% chance that TRS22 was busy fapping around and tying up the hard disk to 100% utilization so nothing else can work.
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I will second that. TRS22PE (b132285) runs more smoothly than Trainz Plus on the same hardware (at least that is the impression I get). I use TRS22 to test the sessions and routes that I create in Trainz Plus.
My TRS22 has no third party or DLC assets installed so if a route I create in Plus loads into TRS22 without any "Missing dependencies" then I know it will be safe to upload to the DLS.
FootplatePhil
Trainz Tragic since 2002
I have not experienced this, however I have been doing most of my recent route development in TRS2019 (so that the results are available to a wider audience). I prefer to run driver sessions in TRS2022.
My experiences are much like John's and Hiawathamr. But I was still working until 2009 when I finally had time to look into Trainz.
I started with TS04 and the box with all the goodies for making assets. TS06 came soon after.
I wish I had been around in the early days when I gather N3V/Auran were providing lots of help to asset creators and I further understand the original forums were full of useful information that got lost in the "great server crash of '09". At least I think it was 09. The old Content Creation Guide (CCG) was truely a very useful book until N3V stopped supporting and moved to the WiKi. The information is mostly there but finding guides like there were in the CCG is difficult.
TS06 was ok, but I preferred TS09 and TS10. I never liked CCP as it was very slow and used to take ages to populate a list. Small wonder a newer version never eventuated although the TrainzDev group got to play with a prototype. Basically that version was just a bunch of menus with no data.
TS12 I remember mostly for the TADDemon monster lurking in the cupboard or under the bed. No warning as to when it would strike and send you off to mow the grass, repaint the house, or any non Trainz activity. And you could't do anything else on your PC either.
I put a lot of time testing the early alpha and beta versions of TANE and it was disppointing the release was buggy. Sometimes the beta versions seem very different to the actual release.
The introduction of FBX and Trainzmesh really got my attention and I spent a lot of time trawling through Blender export code trying to work out what it was doing with materials and textures. Not much as I found out which is why we have that weird kluge to make it work. I wish the Blender devs would come up with a packed channel input to the output material shader. But I digress from the original topic...
I'm sure animation wasn't working on FBX release so I think N3V went a bit early with that. Likewise animated attachments weren't working as well. Being a Trainz diehard requires patience.
I also install the new releases when they come out but always keep the old versions as well. Currently, I have back to the original TS12 installed but they are there mostly for CRG purposes.
My favourite Trainz version will always be the latest. If you have a half decent, and very expensive, graphics card why would you want to play some game with the graphics of Space Invaders, or even worse, Pong. I'm sure some of you still remember those games.
I started with TS04 and the box with all the goodies for making assets. TS06 came soon after.
I wish I had been around in the early days when I gather N3V/Auran were providing lots of help to asset creators and I further understand the original forums were full of useful information that got lost in the "great server crash of '09". At least I think it was 09. The old Content Creation Guide (CCG) was truely a very useful book until N3V stopped supporting and moved to the WiKi. The information is mostly there but finding guides like there were in the CCG is difficult.
TS06 was ok, but I preferred TS09 and TS10. I never liked CCP as it was very slow and used to take ages to populate a list. Small wonder a newer version never eventuated although the TrainzDev group got to play with a prototype. Basically that version was just a bunch of menus with no data.
TS12 I remember mostly for the TADDemon monster lurking in the cupboard or under the bed. No warning as to when it would strike and send you off to mow the grass, repaint the house, or any non Trainz activity. And you could't do anything else on your PC either.
I put a lot of time testing the early alpha and beta versions of TANE and it was disppointing the release was buggy. Sometimes the beta versions seem very different to the actual release.
The introduction of FBX and Trainzmesh really got my attention and I spent a lot of time trawling through Blender export code trying to work out what it was doing with materials and textures. Not much as I found out which is why we have that weird kluge to make it work. I wish the Blender devs would come up with a packed channel input to the output material shader. But I digress from the original topic...
I'm sure animation wasn't working on FBX release so I think N3V went a bit early with that. Likewise animated attachments weren't working as well. Being a Trainz diehard requires patience.
I also install the new releases when they come out but always keep the old versions as well. Currently, I have back to the original TS12 installed but they are there mostly for CRG purposes.
My favourite Trainz version will always be the latest. If you have a half decent, and very expensive, graphics card why would you want to play some game with the graphics of Space Invaders, or even worse, Pong. I'm sure some of you still remember those games.
One of the only things I fondly remember about the early versions was the low bar to entry for content creation. Once I got the hang of things, except for rolling stock, every time I needed a new object or saw some real world object that I thought would be cool to have in Trainz, it was quickly created. True the visual standards were low and realism was more of a suggestion. It was in-game and could be used. Just had to apply some imagination to fill-in the gaps.
Driver_Col
Well-known member
I have been on this "ride" since I saw TRS2004 in a local video store and purchased it. Having gone through various versions since then, I do have an attraction to Trainz Classic 3 and TANE. TANE was a disaster when it was initially issued but, as expected, the issues were addressed and I still enjoy it. TRS19 and TRS22 are "sleepers" for me in that as much as I like the improvements, there seems to always be problems so, to answer the original question of this thread, TANE is still my working version and I still load up TC3 occasionally for pure nostalgia.
As a Route/Session creator, it is important to acknowledge that a TANE Route/Session will load to TRS19 and TRS22 without major issues however, creating a Route/Session in TRS19 or TRS22 cannot be rolled back to work in TANE. It therefore becomes very practical for me to stay with TANE for the immediate future. As an aside, both my TC3 and TANE versions were bought in "hard copy" format (with CDs) so do not need to "call home" for authorization every time I start them up. If N3V Games ever decides to drop the Trainz division, then I can still "play trainz"!
As a Route/Session creator, it is important to acknowledge that a TANE Route/Session will load to TRS19 and TRS22 without major issues however, creating a Route/Session in TRS19 or TRS22 cannot be rolled back to work in TANE. It therefore becomes very practical for me to stay with TANE for the immediate future. As an aside, both my TC3 and TANE versions were bought in "hard copy" format (with CDs) so do not need to "call home" for authorization every time I start them up. If N3V Games ever decides to drop the Trainz division, then I can still "play trainz"!
Absolutely loveDon't get me started on TRS22...
TRS22PE. I use it to test all my work created in Trainz Plus.Driver_Col
Well-known member
I am going to guess that the "high end" TRS22 is getting all the attention from the Trainz crew because I just re-downloaded my TRS22 (basic version) and .......... not a single update (yet this version has to be at least 3 years old now!). This is in strong contrast to a recent re-download of TRS19 which was immediately followed by two updates. However (and undeterred), I thought that I would (yet again) see if TRS22 will work for me. First thing I had to do was delete a number of missing/unknown assets from a Route, which I tried to do using the Delete Missing Assets option in Surveyor. TRS22 crashed and, upon restarting, the unknown assets were still an issue. Repeating the exercise produced the same result. Then I decided to simply follow a push/pull train in Driver (my Sessions are all AI). Everything seemed fine until the train reached its turnaround point in a station bay platform. At that point, the train's schedule completely disappeared! Repeating (again) produced an identical result. While TRS22 is very disappointing from my perspective, I have to acknowledge that it is at least consistent in its failings. That's good ............ right?????
@Driver_Col The latest build of TRS22 is 132285 (Windows, retail from N3V), and has been released in August 2025 or later (see this thread).
Peter
Peter
IsambardKingdomBrunel
Joined June 2001
Well i am the older version of me and i am definitely not as good as the newer version used to be 
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Mike.
.Mike.