Lack of British Content

Hi

The OP has form for this before. A few years ago he said he was leaving because some Mars assets appeared on the DLS, but he's still here. He appears to be one of those people who are only happy when they're unhappy.

There's tens of thousands of assets on the DLS that are of no interest to me but the solution is simple. I don't download them.

Regards

Brian

OP, please feel free to contact any British content creators you can find and berate them for their lack of output.

Our position as a company precludes us from using a big stick to force people into making content and releasing it for free, but you, as an individual may have more success.

I would suggest asking them very nicely to begin with as that may have good results.

But as other's have said, there are many thousands of UK items available. Perhaps your search terms are too specific and not producing any results? Try typing in 'BR Class' in Content Manager and it shows 2250 items. That's a good place to start.

Having just uploaded a slightly freelanced Tasmania route, I'm looking at another British project but it will only be an upscaled version of a miniature railway as I quite like doing those. Gives intensive operation in a small area. Whether a route is fit for the DLS is quite subjective. I would hope mine are and would take on any constructive feedback and also now am quite happy for anyone who feels they can change or improve my original work for the better, to go ahead and do it.

Creating routes or indeed any other assets for Trainz or any of the sims is not a five minute process. Can take weeks or even months and sometimes simply falls by the wayside due to distraction or dis-satisfaction with the state of one's own work.

The OP would do well to remember that contributors to the DLS are doing this for no financial return, entirely as freeware because they want to share a particularly interesting or personal favourite prototype with the wider community. If you don't like the look of it, that's what the delete command in the game menu or CMP is for.

Tony_Hilliam said:

OP, please feel free to contact any British content creators you can find and berate them for their lack of output.

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Talking of which is the Potteries Loop Line coming to TANE before we move onto Next?

Kennilworth said:

Hi
The OP has form for this before. A few years ago he said he was leaving because some Mars assets appeared on the DLS, but he's still here. He appears to be one of those people who are only happy when they're unhappy.

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Given he's only unhappy every couple of years I think he's doing quite well compared to some.

I see from his profile he is a Mail Nurse, which sounds an interesting occupation.

I must thank the 'Mail Nurse' for a thoroughly interesting thread, the weather is awful and have had to slave away at Trainz all day, I needed some relief!

teddytoot said:

I see from his profile he is a Mail Nurse, which sounds an interesting occupation.

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A mail nurse is a postman.

Ken

Well I can go a bit along with you on that theme alantaylor61. It is not my first reason for building Northern Ireland Railways but my secondary thought (www.northernirelandrailwaysim.moonfruit.com)!

What does annoy me though is folk who don't provide a proper thumbnail picture and don't give any description of what their model/route/session/etc actually is.​

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I strongly agree. This is especially annoying when the name of the asset is also vague, maybe just a string of letters etc.

Ray

Ken Green you made me smile.........

I have a feeling the OP is either winding us all up, or was on the beer or wacky baccy when he posted that.............

Currently building a London/Brighton route and have researched DLS for UK content finding it acceptable but not prolific. Suitable rolling stock appears sparse for a modern route using third rail but have managed to find one or two consists, still hunting. Buildings/Textures/Scenery is not a problem at all. Rail crossings via TRC system most suitable for UK routes. So all in all pretty happy at how it is turning out. Perhaps Gandalf needs a magic ring to help him see the wood as well as the trees!

Cheers,
Val.

Years ago I recall a message on the forums where he talked about doing the whole of Gt Britain's railway network (!). I did laugh to be honest!

rjhowie said:

Years ago I recall a message on the forums where he talked about doing the whole of Gt Britain's railway network (!). I did laugh to be honest!

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Well those were the days when ambition often outran reality. I once attempted to model all of the Dutch mainlines. That was in TRS2004 and got as far as putting in the tracks and most stations. Wasn't bad but performance was pretty blah and loading was an issue. Auran even helped in optimizing the loading sequence but in the end I had to put it away as a track too far. I imagine if I had attempted to add scenery, performance would have been pushed down to negative numbers. Totally unrealistic but it was a fun experience.

I've been thinking about the topic of this thread and there's a little but of truth in this thread. Yes there is a lot of content for the railroads that become the big four, the big four themselves, and British Rail, but there's not a lot of content available for smaller railroads, or the earliest railroads, such as the Stockton & Darlington Railway.

jordon412 said:

I've been thinking about the topic of this thread and there's a little but of truth in this thread. Yes there is a lot of content for the railroads that become the big four, the big four themselves, and British Rail, but there's not a lot of content available for smaller railroads, or the earliest railroads, such as the Stockton & Darlington Railway.

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There are both locomotives and rolling stock suitable for the Stockton & Darlington Railway. There is a fair bit of early broad gauge around. You do need to dig a bit and you can always reskin a few items. At that time period horses were used on railways which gives you another source of locomotive power.

Cheerio John

One thing that needs to be kept in mind is that except for what is built-in to Trainz, the content we love and use is mainly supplied by volunteer enthusiasts for free, whether on the DLS or on third party sites. The exception being the payware creators. So before bemoaning any perceived lack of content, remember where it comes from.

Pre-1923, I have content for:
NER - Paulz Trainz has pretty much all the NER engines you could ever need
NBR - v. high quality, edh6
HR - ditto
LNWR - ditto
GWR - skipper1945
LSWR - ditto
LBSCR - jayholland has done loads of LBSCR stuff
Great Central - camscott has done a few types

I think for pre-grouping fans, the only ones missing are the GER (only the J69 and the Claud), the Midland (only the Compound, a 0-4-4 tank and a flatiron), the Furness, the Glasgow & South Western (a truly unique little line actually), the Cambrian, and the Hull & Barnsley.

There's nothing significant missing for the grouping period (apart from very esoteric things which are usually my favourites!) with the LNER, GWR, LMS, and the Southern represented well. I can't think of one type that these companies introduced in significant numbers that doesn't have a decent model in Trainz apart from the Saint, Star and County classes of the GWR.

BR period, again there's plenty. I think the Standard 4MT tank deserves a new model but all of the classes are available from Paulz Trainz and the DLS. All the diesels apart from the prototypes and the Class 15s can be found on the DLS, even the D600 warships and the Baby Deltics which were famously unsuccessful. Warships, Westerns and Hymeks could all do with new models at some point, I don't doubt we'll see them though.

The only gap is AC electrics, DMUs and EMUs. For a phenomenally successful unit, the 101 on the DLS is ancient and 105s aside that's it. EMUs are doing a bit better but suburban routes around London, Glasgow etc. can't be done as with one or two exceptions the stock isn't available. The first generation of AC electrics has not yet been done (at least not in original condition) nor have the EM2s/77s.

The only period you'd struggle with is ironically the one we're living in. Modern stock is available but especially in the area of passenger MUs we're lacking Electrostars, 170s, numerous 158 liveries, 91/MK4s (yes there is one but it doesn't work in TANE or TS12), 70, IEP etc. So I can only conclude the OP wants modern era stock as that's the only area where Trainz has content gaps, UK wise (not that I'm complaining as the modern scene isn't that interesting to me).

It is significant that he hasn.t responded to the comments.