Which edition has the most support

[Henrryparth]

I remember after trainz 2004 came out there was HUGE support from 3rd party modelers. http://movieseriesworld.com/ Many huge routes, LOTS of narrow gauge steam and logging, tons of stuff. Is TRZ 2004 still the go-to or has everyone moved onto a newer edition? Ive been out of the loop and without a quality computer for about 5 years now.

 

[FootplatePhil]

Just like back in 2004 the latest release has a lot of support. Many are saying TRS2019 is the absolute best version ever. A lot (but not all) of the old content still works and looks reasonable in TRS2019 (and better than 2004), as the developers try quite hard to maintain backward compatibility. There has been a lot of new, better 3rd party stuff released since 2004. TRS2004 is most certainly not 'still the go'. If you are coming back into the loop, with a half decent quality computer (just about any desktop with a latest generation medium level graphics card will suffice), TRS2019 is probably the way to go. If money is tight look at TANE, which is still supported, and is now discounted.

 

[cascaderailroad]

04, 06, 09, 10 are unsupported, but will run on low end 32bit PCs

12 might be supported ... IDK

T:ANE takes a 64bit PC, as does TMR, and TS19

The average $500 laptop might not run Trainz well at all, as they have on motherboard integrated graphics chip, and have no actual video card

Most $1000 to $2000 non-video card laptops can overheat, especially when clogged with dust

Buying a 64bit Desktop PC, with a high wattage power supply, and at least 4GB RAM, a 1TB Hard Drive, and a 1050 to 1080 video card, is the best way to run Trainz, although it may run on lower systems, by reducing the performance sliders

Some people have a $1000 (or less) desktop PC that runs Trainz very well

With 04 and 06 (as well as 09, 10, and 12) you may have to open assets config files and edit the trainz-build numeral, as well as editing, each, and every, of the dependencies config files, in order to get them to show up and run ... this is called backdating

Higher version routes will not even open in lower versions, ie: a 06 route will not open in 04 ... a 10 route will not open in 09 ... a 12 route will not open in 10 ... a T:ANE route will not open in 12 ... a TS19 route will not open in T:ANE ... and a really low trainz-build version route needs to be imported and converted into TS12 first, in order to run it in T:ANE and TS19

You need at least TS12, on a 32bit PC

And T:ANE, TMR, or TS19, on a 64bit PC

You can still run 09 and 10 with some difficulty

I run 04 and 06 all the time ... With great difficulty backdating assets, and all of their dependencies, config files ... and you will need a lot of 1 on 1 help from me @ Skype UN: cascaderailroad

Some people still run UTC, and lower, Trainz, with great difficulty

A First Class Ticket, FCT, is best, in order to download form the Down Load Station, DLS

You can still download from the DLS using FTP, File Transfer Protocol

If you buy a second hand disk, previously registered by someone else, on EBay (or the likes), it might not be usable, as you will need their original UN, PW, and EMail Address, and Trainz is non-transferable

If you happen to run into some money, you can buy a BigBoy 64bit Gaming Desktop PC (and please buy me one too)

 

[RRSignal]

Probably TS12 at this point. Most older content has been fixed to work with it, and much of the newer content will work with it by simply changing the trainz-build number to one that TS12 recognizes e.g. 3.5 or 3.6.

If you don't like changing build numbers, T:ANE will work with most content out-of-the-box, but requires a 64-bit-capable OS and fairly high-end hardware.

TRS19 probably not. Unlike previous versions, the actual format of content was changed for TRS19 as well as the material types used. While a lot of the older-format content will still work, a lot will not, especially many scripted items.

 

[JCitron]

Probably TS12 at this point. Most older content has been fixed to work with it, and much of the newer content will work with it by simply changing the trainz-build number to one that TS12 recognizes e.g. 3.5 or 3.6.

If you don't like changing build numbers, T:ANE will work with most content out-of-the-box, but requires a 64-bit-capable OS and fairly high-end hardware.

TRS19 probably not. Unlike previous versions, the actual format of content was changed for TRS19 as well as the material types used. While a lot of the older-format content will still work, a lot will not, especially many scripted items.

Actually this is incorrect.

TRS19 supports anything imported directly from T:ANE without issue and I would say a good 95% or more of the stuff from previous versions.

The content can be loaded up and it works. Does it all look super terrific? Well, in some cases it looks better while other stuff definitely can use a spruce up as it's quite dated.

Scripted items do have problems with some being better than others, but that's always been the case. With TRS19 there is a compatibility mode to support scripts and driver commands created for previous versions. At the present time, it's recommend to leave the settings at maximum compatibility to ensure such assets as scripted signals, industries, and other things that rely heavily on scripts, operate as they should.

In the picture on the left:

Tracks created for T:ANE, YARN Roads from TS2009, Trees are RMM Trees from T:ANE, Locomotive and train cars JR TS12 model.

Picture on right: Amusement park assets from TRS2004 and TRS2007, tracks from T:ANE, trains from TS12 and TS2010.



All operating fine in TRS19 and all came in without an error.

 

[Christopher824]

From my experience, TS12 was miserable, database corruptions you could not recover from... just terrible. TANE SP3, TMR17, and TRS19 are the bomb. I would say if your puter is not up to date, start with TANE. Otherwise, if you have the computing power, go right into TRS19.

 

[dangavel]

yes, 2012 is the worst ever , on both PC and Mac, i pretty much hated it, Tane SP3 is generally good , database rebuilds in a matter of a few seconds, whereas in 2012 it can take hours ......and it often need to be rebuilt.

2019 looks like its going to be very good, it looks amazing , perhaps try a months subscription . . ...?

 

[ktain.ny]

2012 was a wild freaking ride.

"Trainz 12 has stopped responding" was common, FPS was sub 30 no matter what you were doing, almost everyday there would be a database repair. The game looked awful, even for the time it came out. It was poorly designed and made, and just terrible. It was an absolute ****-show. Tane is better but Content Manager is basically broken in the Service Pack. I haven't bought '19 yet because its a whopping 70 dollars, and in order for me to have a nice experience I'll need to get a whole new hard drive dedicated to the game.

Right now, I'd say go buy TANE. It's something like 10 dollars on steam and so you don't really have anything to loose. However, I'd advise getting a solid PC for it, I'd spend upwards of 700 on a desktop, and a grand on a laptop to run this game at 60 fps with acceptable visuals. Or just turn shadows off, lol.

 

[JCitron]

From my experience, TS12 was miserable, database corruptions you could not recover from... just terrible. TANE SP3, TMR17, and TRS19 are the bomb. I would say if your puter is not up to date, start with TANE. Otherwise, if you have the computing power, go right into TRS19.

Yes that and those blasted validations which would take 14 hours or longer! I wrote up something on that which I think sent Tony Hilliam in a tizzy because things changed drastically after that. I got to a point where I dreaded starting up TS12 because of it. It would work fine one day, but the next it would do that validation thing.

Then the database crashes. Geeze. I would do DBR overnight and then validate the next day. When I was working, I would let it run all day, but after I retired it was frustrating.

T:ANE isn't bad at all and it's a good transition between TS12 and the new world. It has a similar interface as TS12 yet it has all the good stuff as well. TRS19 is showing up to be a nice product. I have pretty much retired T:ANE since I first started beta testing TRS19. I feel guilty in some ways like abandoning an old friend for a new one, but that's progress with software. Let's hope this trend continues for a long time.

 

[SailorDan]

I remember after trainz 2004 came out there was HUGE support from 3rd party modelers. Many huge routes, LOTS of narrow gauge steam and logging, tons of stuff. Is TRZ 2004 still the go-to or has everyone moved onto a newer edition? Ive been out of the loop and without a quality computer for about 5 years now.

There was some data posted some time ago which IIRC showed that most routes being uploaded to the DLS were T:aNE. You can check for yourself using CM and filtering by category and sorting by date to get the most recent route uploads. Then scan the list to see the build number. If you look at other assets you will likely see TS12, but that's because it's the lowest supported build number for the DLS, and any assets that need updating for any newer version will likely be updated to 3.5.

 

[ldowns]

You might also want to keep in mind that TS2019 requires you to connect your Trainz PC to the Internet at least once a month or so to keep running. In the past (I don't know if it's still possible) you could buy a DRM-free version of T:ANE which could be installed on a standalong (non-Internet-connected) PC and do your downloading of assets from whatever PC you used to access the Internet. Having put a good decade's worth of work into various Trainz routes I personally won't buy TS2019 unless a similar version becomes available, as contrary to what some will tell you the Internet is if anything more hazardous than ever.

Not to mention that if something happens to N3V (look up DIVX (Digital Video Express)--the pay-per-play system, not the codec--on Wikipedia some time) your copy of Trainz will go bye bye. But that could never happen, could it?

--Lamont (proud member of the Tin Hat Brigade)

 

[EpicMat20082]

2012 was a wild freaking ride.

"Trainz 12 has stopped responding" was common, FPS was sub 30 no matter what you were doing, almost everyday there would be a database repair.

I can confirm. Nowadays, even with an Intel i5, nearly 1 TB of space, 3 or 4 GHz, and a Nvidia Geforce GTX 1050 TI Trainz 12 still runs at like 28 FPS, and drops to like 2 FPS when loading a route. Trainz 12 was the worst in terms of everything, basically. You'd be much better off with like, 2009 or 2006. Hell, maybe even 2010.

 

[JCitron]

I can confirm. Nowadays, even with an Intel i5, nearly 1 TB of space, 3 or 4 GHz, and a Nvidia Geforce GTX 1050 TI Trainz 12 still runs at like 28 FPS, and drops to like 2 FPS when loading a route. Trainz 12 was the worst in terms of everything, basically. You'd be much better off with like, 2009 or 2006. Hell, maybe even 2010.

2009 or 2010 will work okay. 2006 has issues with Windows 10 due to network access. Heck, even TRS2004 works better than '06. If all you do is drive and use built-in or existing installed content you're okay, but if you need stuff outside that it's a bit iffy. '09 and '10 work fine using the same admin permissions for TS12.

 

[cascaderailroad]

Don't know why allot of people knock TRS2006 Trainz Railwayz - Full Version by Merscom - build 3337 - SP2 ... it, and the CM, has worked flawlessly for me for years on end (but I wouldn't recommend even buying UTC, 04, 06, 09, 10 as you have to backdate allot of the assets, and all of the dependencies trainz-build numeral tag line in all the config files)

 

[EpicMat20082]

build 3337 - SP2 ... it, and the CM, has worked flawlessly for me for years on end

What kind of TRS 2006 do you even have?!!
BLACK MAGIC!
BLACK MAGIC!

...Or it's just a FCT.
My 2006 content manager is totally broken, as none of the downloaded engines even show up in-game. And no, they're not faulty. Nor do they have missing dependencies

 

[cascaderailroad]

What kind of TRS 2006 do you even have?!!
BLACK MAGIC!
BLACK MAGIC!

...Or it's just a FCT.
My 2006 content manager is totally broken, as none of the downloaded engines even show up in-game. And no, they're not faulty. Nor do they have missing dependencies

If you don't backdate all most all of the assets, and all of the dependencies trainz-build numeral tag line in all the config files, almost nothing will show up, as most assets have been updated to higher trainz-build tag line numeral in the config files ... and a FCT is almost manditory