What IS Trainz?

[Baureihe41]

SNIP!

Dave.....

The errors are also present in TRS2004. It is just that the utility used for error checking doesn't report them as errors. This is one of the greatest benefits of TS2009 and TS2010 ... a content manager that actually spots the flaws. After repairing the items you have a solid functioning simulator. Sigh.

 

[Winglessbird]

Its all about personal choice

In all the years I have been in these forums,it never ceases to amaze me how grown people can behave like little children and bicker,and be insulting to each other.

This has been happening since the Trainz forums first opened,BUT,it seems to be getting worse of late,and I believe that everyone is entitled to form their own opinions,but because you may not agree with he or she's opinion,there is no need to be rude or insulting.

A lot of the blame for this can be laid at Aurans feet.The moderators,who ever they might be,are not doing there jobs,but it is we as members,who need to stop and think,before suffering from Foot in Mouth disease.

Rusti

 

[meridious]

After repairing the items you have a solid functioning simulator. Sigh.

I agree with this to a point.
But.....
Just how many beginners do you think will make an attempt at correcting content before they get frustrated and throw in the towel. Myself, if I came into Trainz with 09 or 10, I would have probably gave up real quick and ditched it. That's just how I am with games. If I don't get the grasp of them real quick like, they go on the shelf and never get touched again.

 

[SuperFudd]

Or you can do like me and only use built in stuff.
Well.. except for rolling stock. Just getting all rolling stock to work is madening enough for me. By the way, there is FAR more built in stuff in TS2009 than earlier versions. Still, if you plan to use Trainz as a tool to create a model railroad, TRS2004 should work fine and, fully patched, be a bit less agrivating, in my not so humble opinion.

 

[Baureihe41]

I agree with this to a point.
But.....
Just how many beginners do you think will make an attempt at correcting content before they get frustrated and throw in the towel. Myself, if I came into Trainz with 09 or 10, I would have probably gave up real quick and ditched it. That's just how I am with games. If I don't get the grasp of them real quick like, they go on the shelf and never get touched again.

Uhm. There are a gazillion items in the game already without the need to download anything else. If you want to use custom content, like in any game I know, there is a learning curve. If you don't have any patience, like yourself, its better to stick to TRS2004 and dream on about how wonderful your tiny world of trainz is :wave: ... I almost forget ... aren't you also part of the razorback trade? Not any additional reason like John to promote the outdated version of course?

 

[meridious]

... aren't you also part of the razorback trade? Not any additional reason like John to promote the outdated version of course?

Nope, sorry. You must have me mistaken for someone else. I'm part of TPR. Where we create in 04 as well as 09.

I'm purely looking at 04 from a beginners look. I want to run trains on a layout. I don't want to spend my time fixing things that are broken. Which like in the points already made, you don't have to in 04. This at least gets my feet wet with Trainz. Once I'm hooked, I look at newer versions. Then I can take on the challenge of trying to fix faulty content.

True, 09 does come with a vast assortment of built in content but it gets very boring looking at all the same things over and over again. Especially when the content doesn't suit layout builders needs.

 

[EdrickV]

If there is content you want to use but it shows up as faulty in TS2010 or TS2009 all you have to do is turn on compatibility mode. That's what it's for. You don't have to go through and try to fix the things that the authors messed up. You may have to deal with a somewhat less stable program though if some of those assets have errors that can actually cause problems.

Most of the errors I've seen are trivial things that don't take a rocket scientist to fix. And some of them make me wonder if the creator actually bothered to look through the config.txt file before submitting their object for upload. (Seriously, some of the stuff I've seen should be obvious in even a casual scan of the config.txt file.)

It's also become clear to me that at least some creators re-use some of these files (including the config.txt file) over and over for different objects so the same error can show up in a dozen different objects. (And one that I'm thinking of wasn't just a junk tag, but a legit tag that got messed up and might impact the functionality of the item, though likely in a very minor way.)

 

[Baureihe41]

Nope, sorry. You must have me mistaken for someone else. I'm part of TPR. Where we create in 04 as well as 09.

The mistake is all mine. My apologies.

 

[angelah]

Looking ahead

Well, none of you can say I don't rty. I have 2006 and TC3 and have just ordered 2010... Life will get interesting!

Have to change my Sig again too.

Angela

 

[leeferr]

The age old debate about which version is best. Does anybody here think that this thread is going to resolve the issue any better than all of the previous threads did? We all have different expectations out of Trainz, so just use the version that you like and move on. Are all of the personal attacks really necessary?

Mike

 

[crohakon]

Just because I like getting involved in heated debates!

Dear thepeartree,

While I agree that 2010 contains some errors and some of the built-in content does not function as intended which causes some frustration, there are fixes in the works. Soon service packs will be released and 2010 will be the best version of Trainz. If you purchase 2004 or 2006 you will pay less up front. However, by purchasing these older versions you will be wasting time learning the "old system" and as time passes less and less content released will work for these version.

If you purchase the latest version you are sure to have a headache or two at first. The pay off, however, is that you will begin your Trainz education with the "current system." If you purchase 2004 you will get settled in... start creating routes... really enjoy it... but as 2004 support and usage drops you will face nightmares getting your 2004 content into a new version when you decide, or if you decide, to buy a new version. In the long run the purchase of 2010 will SAVE you time and frustration.

Also, if you are looking for detail 2010 is where you want to be. The new content created for 2010 will have to contain higher standards thus as time goes on the product and the content selection will only get BETTER. Where as with older version your choice of content is going to dwindle.

Now, since I have said all that I suggest you visit all of my 2010 bashing posts to learn about some of my headaches with 2010. But in the long run, frustrations aside, I have come to adore 2010 from a route building stand point.

 

[crohakon]

I'm probably not a typical user, since my main aim is to create model railroad layouts by creating 'the real thing' in Trainz' world. How hard or how easy is it to create special trackwork- crossovers, turnouts, double-slips, curved turnouts, etc.?

As said above, if you are looking to create content or routes 2010 is where you want to be...

 

[Sourdough]

In all the years I have been in these forums,it never ceases to amaze me how grown people can behave like little children and bicker,and be insulting to each other.



Rusti

Really?....this still amazes you? This round you've been here only a few months...you imply you've been here forever and yet you don't know who the mods are. Perhaps you weren't "on" that much since disagreements in this forum shouldn't spawn amazement to anyone who has been here any length of time.....

 

[mezzoprezzo]

Well, none of you can say I don't rty. I have 2006 and TC3 and have just ordered 2010... Life will get interesting!

Have to change my Sig again too.

Angela

Angela,
I admire your work and will be very interested in your views of 2010 when you've had a chance to use it. I've teetered on the brink but have resisted a new purchase because of all the hassle there seems to be with any upgrade.

It could be argued that TS2010 may be better for those who have reached their maximum level of creativity. Earlier versions, in the hands of the truly imaginative and talented Surveyors, I believe, continue to offer limitless potential.

I also believe that the most significant benefit to any version of Trainz is the stunning DLS content from incredible creators. OK there's around 30% more available for 2010 users, but most of that I don't want, and there's still more than 12,000 items available for TRS2004, and more are being added. I guess those items look the same in any version.

The advantages to me for TS2010 would be the potential for a higher level of detail and a 5m grid (I know 09 also has 5m).

Against, is the hassle of transferring routes & possibly losing months of work.

And are SpeedTreez any good. (Sorry Auran, but what I've seen so far looks like a cross between bonsai and Christmas cake decoration). I guess you have to run 2010 to know for sure, but my TRS2004 has moving items such as grass and bamboo from the DLS.

I only paid £5 for '04. TS2010 is eight times the price. I wonder if its 8 time better?

Angela, I can't wait for your appraisal. I very much respect your TRS2004 work and feel sure you will provide a balanced view.

Cheers
Casper

 

[thepeartree]

Sounds to me like some bright light out there needs to code a resource checker/corrector for DLS assets! This is the first time I've come across something as major as Trainz that doesn't freely allow files created by earlier versions to be used without further pains...

 

[TorenHynes]

I have Trainz Railroad Simulator 2006 and Trainz Classics 1 & 2. TRS2006 is great because there is lots of built-in content and lots more content that you can download for it for free, even without a First Class Ticket. TC 1 & 2 does not have that much built in content, and it has poor backwards compatibility, so I do not use it as much.
Most of the stuff I have for TRS2006 was originally made for TRS2004 or UTC, and it works fine in TRS2006. Please note that UTC content, such as buildings, structures or locomotives, is not industry interactive, but TRS2004 content is.

 

[sparky15]

Toren,
There are ways to copy all the 06 content into TC if you were interested in doing that. That is how Trainz Railwayz was intended. I've done it and it works very well. A search here should bring up several threads on how to do it.

Dave......

 

[EdrickV]

Sounds to me like some bright light out there needs to code a resource checker/corrector for DLS assets! This is the first time I've come across something as major as Trainz that doesn't freely allow files created by earlier versions to be used without further pains...

Most moddable games I know of don't have much if any backwards compatibility. You try using a mod from Morrowind in Oblivion and it's not likely to work. I highly doubt any mods created for UT2004 will work with UT3 as is. Only thing I've used that's similar is the Microsoft Flight Simulator series. And that's got more limited backwards compatibility, especially with the most recent version. (Never tried the Microsoft Trains programs.)

While the idea of a program to check DLS content for errors is interesting, it would take a lot of work to use it even if it already existed. For instance the "tag not allowed" could be created both by legit tags that are messed up (typos) or by things that weren't really meant to be tags. An automated program wouldn't likely be able to tell the difference so you'd need a human mind overseeing the whole thing. And that could take more manpower then Auran's got to spare.

 

[crohakon]

I don't think we need an automated program to fix assets... Auran just needs an automated asset checker. If the asset does not meet 3.0 standards, reject it from the DLS upload and provide the end user with a brief explanation of what caused the rejection and possible fixes. This is not impossible.

 

[narrowgauge]

Perhaps the best method would be for Auran to supply a simplified stand-alone version of CM3.2 and require that all creators run their work through that before submitting to the DLS. The stand-alone could add a hidden key to the upload file and without that key the upload would not be accepted.

What is being ignored at the present is that it is the responsibility of the creator to get the asset error free, and anyone making in versions before TS2010 can still build in unchecked errors.

Peter