Which is your preferred version

Hi anyone,
Started with Trainz Driver, used TS09 for long time, still do, Tried TS10 but went back to 09. Was about to up(?)grade to TS12 when T:ANE announced.
Have now tried T:ANE for few months and doubt if this version will ever be attractive to me plus I have no desire to upgrade my laptop to the super machine T:ANE seems to need.
In meantime I want to continue with Trainz and ask what are your suggestions regarding which version, today, provides the best experience.
For background, I am mainly into railways logistics but enjoy making improvements to my TS09 routes on continuing basis and would want to move these routes into whatever version I finally decide to stick with.

Geoff
 
Advising somebody else of the best version is not easy as there are so many factors involved.

What I would suggest is to watch out for a special cut-price offer of TS12 to complete your collection. Then give it a try in its basic form by patching to build 49922 (version 3.6).

If you like it then use it. Routes can be imported from TS10 with only a few issues to fix. Beware that moving your routes and sessions to a lesser version usually results in chaos. Rather create a route in the lowest version that is usable and progress it upwards while improving it and taking advantage of advanced features, but never try going back down again with the route.

Make a duplicate copy of TS12 in another folder and then patch it to the latest level (61388, version 3.7), keeping the original somewhere safe. You can then evaluate it again and decide on the version that you like best. New content is being designed for TS12+SP1+HF4 which is the last level, and some of it will not work in lower versions.

New versions bring new features and you either keep up with the trends or remain at the level that feels most comfortable. According to Tony Hilliam, "there is no going back", so it doesn't look as if any attempt will ever be made to fix the jarring bugs in the interface of the last version of TS12, but in my opinion it is the best version so far. TANE will have to mature for a long while yet it equal it, and many users will balk at the real cost of TANE once they become aware of it.

Hope this helps

Trevor
 
Thanks Trevor for your thoughts. My major concern, if I was to move to TS12 is the amount of work needed to move my TS09 keepers, mainly routes, to TS12.
How difficult is that for someone who has a basic knowlege of problems eg. config.sys, texture.txt and IM's? And do I go from 09 to 10 then to 12?

Appreciate any comments.
Geoff
 
Advising somebody else of the best version is not easy as there are so many factors involved.

... ...

TANE will have to mature for a long while yet it equal it, and many users will balk at the real cost of TANE once they become aware of it.

Hope this helps

Trevor

Wow! What a sagacious observation!

:eek:
 
If you have 09 & 10, why would you try TS10 ... then revert back to 09, which was an inept, "rushed out", beta TS10 ?

I use TRS2006 as it runs on a low end integrated graphics laptop

I bought TS10 as I wanted to check out the higher end graphics, then just months later I saw the NKP Berkshire, so I also bought TS12

None of these versions run on my low end laptop, so I continue to lay track in TRS2006, as it has no complicated layers, and runs flawlessly

If I loaded TS12 on my now mothballed HP desktop, 1GB HD, GForce GT 430, it would be my preferred version, as I could run allot of DLC that will not run on 09, 10. And I could import my TRS2006 routes into TS12

If you really want to get involved in the WIP semi finished T:ANE, go for it ... but it still has many bugz ... enjoy
 
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You really know what you're doing cascade. I'm being honest, you could go a long way in this world.

Why is your desktop computer mothballed can I ask? It is so much better for trainz no?

Thanks
 
I use TS12, 61388, and am happy with it. I won't upgrade to T:ANE for several reasons. First my Graphics Card won't handle DirectX-11, but mainly because I think it's ridiculous that they released a product that wasn't complete.
 
You really know what you're doing cascade. I'm being honest, you could go a long way in this world.

Why is your desktop computer mothballed can I ask? It is so much better for trainz no?

Thanks
If you had a Porsche, would you use it to deliver pizza's in the inner city, during rush hour traffic ... or would you use good ol' standby "Old Beater" 1987 Toyota Corolla rustbucket ?

I spend 99.9% of my time in Surveyor (which does not need an expensive video card just to lay track), so I use the "Beater" integrated Graphics laptop to lay tracks with. Also the low end "Beater" laptop lets me know when I have placed a high poly asset, as framerates plummet in TRS2006, from 16 FPS to 2 FPS
 
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Tane. The graphic are a lot better and the draw distance is great. The Beta version is really improving by fixing most problems and I am loving it.
 
I must agree with Trevor and Dave, TZ12 is by far the best version out there. I have real issues with T:ANE. There is indeed no way to revert a route or session to an older version of Trainz but it is not an issue to upgrade to a newer version unless it is T:ANE. I have tried to update sessions I have built to T:ANE and the only reliable way to do that is import the session to T:ANE check for errors and then fix them in TZ12 and import the new session to T:ANE to check it. The performance of Surveyor in T:ANE is so unstable and unreliable in respect of saving changes that it is unusable for creating any original work.

Cheers
 
If TS2009 works for you, stick with it. No need to fix what isn't broken.

Personally, I use TS2010 for route-building. It's the version I would recommend to someone just getting into Trainz, or to somebody who just wants a good program with a lot of content built-in and who doesn't want to mess with downloading a lot more. There are 30+ routes installed, and a tremendous amount of content. TS12 offers slightly better performance and marginally-improved audio - specifically, the Doppler effect - and the electrified routes that came with it were pretty nice, but that's my cup of tea. The problem now would be finding a copy of TS12 without the SP1 patch pre-installed these days, which locks down DLC and other content. Your best bet would be a physical copy, but you'd want to read the fine print and ask questions to be sure. Also, it has less built-in content, and if you're having performance issues with TS2010, you probably will have them with TS12, too, since they are both built to take advantage of dedicated graphics, which your old laptop may not have.

I like T:ANE, although the routes that came with it really aren't all that enthralling, and I have to run it without shadows to get decent performance, but I also know that my video card is well below the minimum it really needs.

I'd say it all comes down to performance versus what you want to do with it. As Trevor noted, however, you can have multiple versions on your machine. Shane Turner has a tool that even lets you select which one is your target installation when you download new content, which is the only real conflict you'll run in to. I build routes in TS2010, drive in TS12 and T:ANE, and test content in TS2009 as well as the later versions, all with no issues or conflicts.
 
I can agree with much of what is said here. It all boils down to what makes you happy. Trainz versions are cool this way, unlike many other applications which will lock you out once you change versions where it's all or nothing once a new version of something comes out.

Keep in mind that once you create a route in a newer version, you cannot bring it back to a lower one due to file structures being changed. The newer versions of TS2010 and up have layers which were non-existent in previous versions, and then again layers have changed again in TS12 SP1 and up. This issue, not just the layers, is not uncommon with many applications where they can read in and use older files but not the other way around.

Since T:ANE HF2 has come out, I've gained more confidence with the product and I've since migrated most of the routes over I wish to keep from TS12. Initially I migrated about 165,000 assets from TS12 with 7,500 needing repairs. Out of this large number, 2,500 were useless due to being faulty due to mesh problems, and other things that I could not repair. The remaining 5,000 errors were simple texture, typos, and the other usual stuff. My content is now error free, according to T:ANE, however, I do have a few missing assets in each of all of the routes, except for the most recent ones, due to using older built-ins I didn't import, or payware items that have not been updated yet. These assets are not show stoppers as they are buildings and such which can be replaced as needed. With the improvements I have seen in the SP1 beta versions, I am even more confident that the program will truly be a replacement for TS12 when the time comes since the program's stability has increased tremendously since the beginnings.

I'm not saying that I don't still use TS12, which is now the old stalwart of Trainz and is fairly stable, however, when I do use it I can see all the shortcomings of it such as the shorter draw distances, though I don't set my draw distance out to 15km in T:ANE either. In T:ANE the biggest difference is are the shadows, lighting, and no pop-up assets, which really did ruin any routes, especially those with far off vistas or open areas with distant scenery as that would be lopped off.

Here's some screen shots of a recent import - my Cape Ann Transit route, which is based on a DEM of the Cape Ann region in Massachusetts. In the left two pics, the distant shores are non-existent in TS12 or keep popping in and out and redrawing slowly. Both of these scenes are far from complete and need various details added. The textures too need replacing as they are too bright, or just aren't right. These are little things which are more apparent due to the lighting differences, but are easily replaceable and doable repairs, so to speak. The scene on the right shows some of the shadowing, though not the best scene on the route. Overall I am quite pleased with the import results.

2015-11-19 022737.jpg2015-11-19 022811.jpg2015-11-19 022848.jpg
 
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I'm still running Trainz 12 Build 61388 and expect to for awhile. My TANE discs have yet to be opened and installed. I used a digital version to give TANE a run through and uninstalled it until it gets patched up and shaken out. I'm in no rush. I plan on having a new machine built next year so just like I am doing with Windows 10, I will wait to start using TANE for real. I plan on using only things made for or upgraded for TANE. I am with done fixing things.
 
For me, it's a hard decision! I've used Trainz 2012 and 2010 (don't ask) for 2 years now, and if I had to pick, it'd be Trainz 2010. Although I love Trainz 2012's dopplor system, and all that fun stuff, I've grown accustom to using Trainz 2010, and it's the perfect Trainz for me, and for really anyone who wants to get into Trainz. It was stable from day 1, and I was able to run anything I desired, and it has the backwards compatibility mode. This is why I finally just 1 weeks ago finally bought a legit copy of Trainz 2010, and I recommend 2010 to anyone!
 
I have read that 10 plays with better framerates than 09 ... and that 12 plays with better framerates than 10 ... is this true ?

If this is so, and 12 doppler effect, and graphics are better than 09, 10 ... and 12 supports DLC like the NKP Berkshire ... I would think that 12 would be the best choice ?

I don't have 10, 12, nor T:ANE installed, as my PC will not run them
 
If you have 09 & 10, why would you try TS10 ... then revert back to 09, which was an inept, "rushed out", beta TS10 ?

I use TRS2006 as it runs on a low end integrated graphics laptop

I bought TS10 as I wanted to check out the higher end graphics, then just months later I saw the NKP Berkshire, so I also bought TS12

None of these versions run on my low end laptop, so I continue to lay track in TRS2006, as it has no complicated layers, and runs flawlessly

If I loaded TS12 on my now mothballed HP desktop, 1GB HD, GForce GT 430, it would be my preferred version, as I could run allot of DLC that will not run on 09, 10. And I could import my TRS2006 routes into TS12

If you really want to get involved in the WIP semi finished T:ANE, go for it ... but it still has many bugz ... enjoy
Amazing that you don't like layers. I couldn't do without them. But if you look at the Widened Lines part of ECML (which is my creation) you will understand why!
TANE is my favourite version, despite its initial hiccups.
Mick
 
I personally like TS12 the best.

But hey, maybe that's just because i've been using it for two years. Then again, i used TS06 for about 5 years without knowing about this place or the Download Station...shows how much mileage one can get out of a good game.

In the end, it's all up to personal preference. Yes, i think layers are annoying, but they can be useful in some situations. Yes, TS12 SP1HF4 has DRM, but it doesn't completely ruin the entire game for me. It's my favorite of the series and i can see myself using it for a long time to come.

Regards,
 
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