Why I'm getting disallusioned with Trainz.

[stationmistress]

• I got my first 2004 for £5. I was looking for a train game. I found one or two but haven't touched them since.My next trainz wss 2009 for £10. By these prices you might guess that they were already out of date. I didn't mind. Then RubyTMix appeared. I know a lot of decrie it for being memory hungry.In working with it, I found the best way to cut sizes down. At last, I could make my own assets and share them with others if they wanted or not.

• Then the dreaded day arrived. With the stroke of a pen (sic) builds 2.9 to 3.6 were made obsolete. That did it for me. I have made some assets for 3.7 but that's it. Most assets I've made but never had a chance to upload to the DLS I'v put them on my website with a build of 2.9 maximum. And now, every day, even origimal Auran built-in assets get 'repaired' to match the latest versions of T:ANE or leave it up to the original creators to repair a broken or not-fully working asset that wasn't their fault. Would you believe it. I have to flush the from the trainz versions I have on my systen evey time they accidentally downloaded with routes or sessions 2.9 to 3.6, maybe 3.7. An EDR ensues to put everything back to normal. Even updated Auran assets have a hit-miss way of working. In one of my routes they work perfecty as built-in in T:ANE with no changes. In other routes, no way!

• With my health the way it is today, I don't have the time to download 2.9 routes only to find that assets maybe broken or even missing even though they are on the the DLS. I'm not having a go at other Creators for trying to keep up with events.

• I can see that one day, a simple 3ft square with just 2 colours on it will be 'broken'.

• That's it now. This missive has taken a lot out of, what with my dislexic fingers and all. I've had to a lot of corrections even though I think them correctly. I hope I haven't upset anyone. Just putting forth my views.

My favourite build 2009 and versions 40040 and 41844.

 

[clam1952]

Minimum build that is supported is 3.5, you can upload lower but they may have to be checked by the content repair group if faulty in a higher build. Plenty of old stuff that is not broken in TANE on the DLS

N3V reversed the decision to block uploads under 3.7 ages ago and also allowed older uploads than 3.5

 

[stationmistress]

Minimum build that is supported is 3.5, you can upload lower but they may have to be checked by the content repair group if faulty in a higher build. Plenty of old stuff that is not broken in TANE on the DLS

N3V reversed the decision to block uploads under 3.7 ages ago and also allowed older uploads than 3.5

Oh, I never knew that. So now is min 3.5.
The older uploads are probably repairs, not new unless I'm wrong.

 

[davesnow]

I'm not disillusioned with Trainz.... I'm disillusioned with people who will not answer PM's.

 

[SailorDan]

Oh, I never knew that. So now is min 3.5.
The older uploads are probably repairs, not new unless I'm wrong.

Minimum upload version for the DLS is 3.5. This has not changed since TS12 was released. All uploaded content should be at build 3.5, unless it requires features only available in newer builds, and even then it should not use a build number higher than required for those features.

Repairs must also be at build 3.5 at minimum to be accepted. Any uploads at lower build numbers get put aside and you will get a chance to reconsider. They might be picked up by others, but that's unlikely. If you have items at lower builds that you would like others to upgrade to 3.5 for you, then announce them in the forums. They will be upgraded and provided to you for testing and uploading under your user ID with the incremented version.

 

[RRSignal]

Uploads can be as low as 2.9, but those will be validated by the Content Repair Group. You can upload content as low as 3.5 for immediate publication on the DLS.

 

[PWeiser]

Uploads can be as low as 2.9, but those will be validated by the Content Repair Group. You can upload content as low as 3.5 for immediate publication on the DLS.

Well, that sounds hopeful - tried it once but it had not yet been implemented then. Is this, in fact, the case now?

 

[SailorDan]

Well, that sounds hopeful - tried it once but it had not yet been implemented then. Is this, in fact, the case now?

It's a myth. If you attempt to upload an asset with a build number less than 3.5 it will be shunted off to a preview area where you can cancel the upload and do it again when you do a new version with the correct build number.

There have been some cases where assets in this area were claimed and updated for the content creator, but that's only possible by special arrangement - for instance if they don't have access to TS 12 to test and the asset is needed for an important route.

 

[stationmistress]

Oh, well. 2.9 is my bag. 3.3 and above (yeah, I know 3.5 is minimum from above replies) are just too much bother for me and I don't want to bother others, they have their own worries.

 

[PWeiser]

It's a myth. If you attempt to upload an asset with a build number less than 3.5 it will be shunted off to a preview area where you can cancel the upload and do it again when you do a new version with the correct build number.

There have been some cases where assets in this area were claimed and updated for the content creator, but that's only possible by special arrangement - for instance if they don't have access to TS 12 to test and the asset is needed for an important route.

That was my impression, too: legacy versions are unwelcome. Thanks for confirmation.

 

[SailorDan]

Oh, well. 2.9 is my bag. 3.3 and above (yeah, I know 3.5 is minimum from above replies) are just too much bother for me and I don't want to bother others, they have their own worries.

You won't know if you don't make the offer. I am sure there are plenty of people quite happy to work with you to bring your older material up to build 3.5, especially if they have used it and enjoyed it in old favourite routes. It just requires a little supervision to ensure they do a good job, but most of the testing work is done by the stricter validation rules of TS12 and T:ANE.

 

[pw3r]

Just to clarify the information here.

Trainz build 3.5 is still the minimum supported version for updating content. If an asset already exists on the Download Station then any updates to it must be at least trainz-build 3.5, and must pass the latest validation (which can occasionally differ to the local validation rules in the latest version of Trainz).

Content which is not yet on the Download Station can be uploaded in a faulty state (including below the minimum supported version of 3.5). Such content will never be automatically approved, in case the creator was not aware of the errors. This means it will always go to the Preview Area and require the creator to login to MyTrainz (Planet Auran) and manually approve it (or decline it, if they so wish). If the asset is approved by the creator then it will become available for download, but it will not be listed on the Download Station website or in the content tools. This feature is intended for legacy content which is missing from routes on the Download Station. It allows the content to be used, reducing the problem of missing dependencies, but is not intended for releasing new content.

Any faulty content which is approved under these rules is automatically added to the faulty list where it may be repaired by the Content Repair Group. This will include updating to an appropriate supported trainz-build, but the exact build is at the discretion of the group and may vary per asset. The Content Repair Group is currently restricted, only a small set of content creators have the ability to view the content on the list, and create updates to the that content.

Terry Palmer
N3V Games

 

[Saieditor]

I'm not disillusioned with Trainz.... I'm disillusioned with people who will not answer PM's.

You got a decent point there, Dave.

 

[RW912]

Dave, did you check if your messages are in the 'sent' list? I was annoyed too because my PM's never got answered but when I checked the 'sent' list there was nothing in there so now I am seriously doubting if my PM's were forwarded at all or just eaten by the forum's system.

 

[stationmistress]

My point is that there are many still using 2009 like me, maybe not so many 2004, 2006 now. I don't want to exclude the 9'ers from choosing their own year. This way if people want to choose this year and have a go at updating themselves for their own use then let them do so by all means.

 

[H222]

So Trainz should've just stopped at the 2009 mark? or?

 

[KenGreen]

My point is that there are many still using 2009 like me, maybe not so many 2004, 2006 now. I don't want to exclude the 9'ers from choosing their own year. This way if people want to choose this year and have a go at updating themselves for their own use then let them do so by all means.

i'm surprised you don't stick with TS12 49922 I use this version quite a lot and find it better than TS2010 which I also still use for a couple of layouts.

Ken

 

[PWeiser]

i'm surprised you don't stick with TS12 49922 I use this version quite a lot and find it better than TS2010 which I also still use for a couple of layouts.

Ken

Each successive version has its added problems as well as capabilities. I happened to stop just before the Daimon was added, and have not missed it. Same with required additional hardware: sure, hardware is cheap and OSs are "free" - but they all come with problems. If I'm finally forced to upgrade my hardware, I'll continue running TS2009 - but blazing fast and with all its options turned up to the max (g) .

On the other hand, there's also something to be said for building each new asset a little better than the previous - but also like it's my last.

 

[stationmistress]

So Trainz should've just stopped at the 2009 mark? or?

THat's not what I'm saying at all. It's a favourite that many are still using as a base for making routes for higher builds or so I've seen. SP3 is the highest before the new look of SP4 with layers etc. started the movement towards T:ANE. I must admit I don't like layers even they are useful for T:ANE route creators and the fact I have to change build nos so that T:ANE won't recognise the kuid as being on the DLS. So every time I actually venture that high I can do so freely.

The point is I'm old school nearly officially retiring in 2021. (I should have retired last year because I was too young when HMG listened to feminist activists and raised the official age.)

 

[Vern]

Once you have spent some time in TANE it is very hard now to revisit the older versions.

TS12 49922 is nice and stable but you still have the problem of track disconnecting from interactive objects randomly, making use of the HOTT/Russian etc. switches (in the pre procedural track era) a no no. TS2010 has major issues with textures unless you tweak settings they will display black if at all. Both versions and up to and including the last version of TS12 leave splines proud of the terrain after adjusting the ground level, requiring manual adjustment of every road and rail spline point.

And thinking about it, TANE itself isn't actually young anymore getting on for two (or is it three) years old and likely to be superceded by "Next" aka TRS2018 (maybe) "coming soon" (tm). If only N3V had stabilised it at SP1 HF4 instead of the losing battle that now seems to be playing out to remedy the sins of SP2.