Unlocking T:ANE Routes

MODS, please do not move this to the 'Trainz: A New Era' section of the Forums. I want it to stay here because more people look at this section of the Forums than the 'Trainz: A New Era' section.

I'd like to modify the built-in C&O Hinton Division, specifically the signals, but I can't modify it because it's what I call 'locked'. Not long T:ANE was released, there was a post on the Forums showing how to get around it, but I can't remember exactly how it is done. The problem with the signals is that the name of the signals extend beyond the black metal plate under the signals, plus CNR's dwarf signals are used and I'd like to replace those with some new Jointed Rail dwarf signals that were temporary available as part of JR's Twelve Days of Christmas promotion. Note that these signals are currently unavailable until JR's next freeware release. So, can someone help me figure out how to get the route 'unlocked'?

You could try cloning but it's normally only possible to edit sessions for built-in content and it's not likely that you will get much advice on other methods on here to avoid any potential CoC issues.

Shane

shaneturner12 said:

You could try cloning but it's normally only possible to edit sessions for built-in content and it's not likely that you will get much advice on other methods on here to avoid any potential CoC issues.

Shane

Click to expand...

I've already tried that, and I wasn't allowed to do that. However, I used the following process:
1. Right-click on the route in Content Manager
2. Select 'Edit in Explorer'
3. Copy everything in the folder
4. Click 'File' in Content Manager and select 'New Asset'
5. Right-click on the new asset in Content Manager
6. Select 'Edit in Explorer'
7. Paste everything from the folder for the Hinton Division into the 'New Asset' folder
8. In the config file, replace the '0' in the 'edit-payware' tag with '1'
9. Save the edit to the config file
10. Right-click on 'Submit Edits'

This worked, but when I went to edit the route, all I got was a white screen. I checked the copy's config file and compared it to a route I made in TS12 SP1HF4, and all the names of the files on the Hinton Division matched the names of the files of the route I built in TS12 SP1HF4, so I'm not certain if I did it correctly or I made a mistake somewhere during the process. I'm not certain, but maybe I should rename the files 'mapfile'. I know that I ran into a similar problem with the 'ProtoClinch (Elkhorn Ext)' from TrainzProRoutes and by rename the files 'mapfile' solved the problem.

Hi Jordan

The work around would only work in early versions of T:ANE but N3V "fixed" it in SP1.

Regards

Brian

You can't do anything with the routes in TANE or the DLC.

Only make sessions but not change anything on the route:



They are all locked. Way to go!

Even if you "hacked" the route in an earlier edition, it won't work in the latest:



Too bad, any route can be improved. Just all white now!

Harold

Most likely I am in the minority here, but I like the locking of the routes --- Blame those of yesteryears that never respected dedicated prototypical routes --- they took it, modified it, and then passed it as their own! --- Just look at the CC these days! Folks passing CC's as their own, and our hands are tight until N3V, or someone out here comes with reasonable solution!

Ish

But what if you wanted to add on to the route for your own use? Is that not possible? Like if I wanted to extend the Hinton route to the full length of the New River Train route from Huntington to Hinton? Is it not possible to save a copy of the route in surveyor with a modified name? How does that work when you save a locked route? Like you add your trains, then you save the route before entering driver on normal routes.

My feeling is that you should be allowed to edit anything, even DLC, for your own use, on your own PC ... but you should not send edited assets to anyone else

cascaderailroad said:

My feeling is that you should be allowed to edit anything, even DLC, for your own use, on your own PC ... but you should not send edited assets to anyone else

Click to expand...

A few always ruins it for all --- it's why we have laws in society -- I agree with you, Cas, only in a perfect world!

Ish

rwk said:

But what if you wanted to add on to the route for your own use? Is that not possible? Like if I wanted to extend the Hinton route to the full length of the New River Train route from Huntington to Hinton? Is it not possible to save a copy of the route in surveyor with a modified name? How does that work when you save a locked route? Like you add your trains, then you save the route before entering driver on normal routes.

Click to expand...

If you have an early copy of TANE, it can actually be done, leastwise I did it with ECML, KS County and Hinton, not that I wanted to change anything, too busy with my own stuff but to prove it could then actually be done. Build 78660 or older will do it. Think edit relevant bits and import assets folder from the editing folder, committing will give an invalid kuid error, Import folder installs it.

I have always felt that we should be allowed to edit what is installed, but not allowed to upload. There could be controls put in place to do this and it requires some effort on N3V's part to look into that.

The more irksome things that come out of their DRM packaging is it's an all inclusive including the content, which in many cases was once freely available for download from the DLS, but because it's now installed as part of a DRM'd route can't be updated or changed locally. The other problem with this is if there's something wrong with the servers and the user hits their monthly anniversary at the same time, the content is now missing due to not being able to be validated as installed.

I agree with you JCitron, there should be a sort of offline mode that we can stay using the content we bought in case the servers go down or worse n3V closes.
And yes i a way Auran is now using freeware content in route packages, and asking money for it. It would have been better that we got the route and sessions and payware content in a pack, and the rest of freeware content should be on the dls corrected for tane.

Auran is now asking to pay for a lot of content that is freeware.

Also i find that you should be allowed to make a copy of the build in routes as there are routes where auran sees a flying door as normal.

That was reported but the flying door is still there in the final package. Or make a copy because you want to change stuff like rail crossings; that have red blinking lights and a sounding bell all the time (even if Barrier's are open and no train to see.)

I think there should be a rule in place that if you take somans content and change it, you should give the original creator credit for it in the config file, so everyone knows who made the content of route in the first place.

nicolaas1 said:

I agree with you JCitron...

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Yes! This is a growing frustration of mine as well. I agree with cascaderailroad and JCitron completely. This is especially aggravating when the quality of the payware is actually worse than many freeware routes!

Then, there is the slap-in-the-face of TMR17 that won't even import philskene's routes from T:ANE without significant errors...

Suddenly, Trainz isn't much fun anymore.

My 2 cents guys: :wave:

This discussion remains me of one that I read about Microsoft windows license agreement a while back -- a long time ago, when windows 95 was release to the public we could install the software on countless of PC'S, but as more windows OS came out this number was limited, and the public questioned Microsoft about it --- Microsoft said that in their license agreement always started that license applies to one install version only, but never enforced it until later --- however, to give the public a break they would allow, at least 3x to re-install the OS before you must attained a new product key ---

In other words. N3V does have the right to lock their routes .... I can't blame them ... Why? Because People will always take advantage of this, and upload such routes as their own if they get a chance ---- that's the issue we CC are dealing with now ---

Now, John has a point --- he posted a valid argument. --- I mean, it's a difficult corner that N3V is in, because they don't want to alienate their loyal customers, but also N3V don't want to alienate those customers who have worked alongside N3V to allow their routes into their products ...

Only time will tell if this will go anywhere ....

Ish

jordon412 said:

I'd like to modify the built-in C&O Hinton Division, specifically the signals, but I can't modify it because it's what I call 'locked'.

Click to expand...

You should keep an original release version of T:ANE on your system for doing this. Otherwise, you may be ale to edit the assets themselves instead of the routes. For the signals, replace the plate mesh with a wider one. For the dwarfs, clone the JR ones and give them a KUID that obsoletes the existing dwarfs.

jordon412 said:

I'd like to modify the built-in C&O Hinton Division ...

Click to expand...

Have you tried contacting the original content creator (the person(s) who made the route)?

PS: The drawf signals are mine. The reason the name extends beyond the baseplate is because they are named non-prototypically for Canadian National (on which they are based). Names would be something like 239N (mile 23.9 north track) or 131T1 (mile 13.1 track 1), nice and short.