Is it possible to download routes made in Trainz Mobile, to Trainz PC, and vice versa

For the longest time, all of the routes I've made were for Trainz Driver 2, and it's only a few months ago when I've started to play Trainz on PC in a form of Trainz 2009. And I have tried to download my mobile routes to Trainz 2009 via the Content Manager in the program itself under the Download Station tab.

It doesn't work, but I figured that it may be due to version issues as in, that the Download Station categorizes my Trainz Driver 2 routes as TS12 routes, and therefore a generation/s ahead of my current Trainz 2009 which as far as I know causes confusion and delay in the Download Station when forced to download. So I've been eyeing TS12 and consider buying.

The question is now though, do Trainz Driver 2 routes work in TS12, and vice versa given that the assets used are shared between the two versions ie. the default assets? Or are PC, and Mobile counterparts of Trainz aren't compatible with each other?

Thanks- Baka.

One of my old TS2006 DLS routes is currently one of the built-in routes in the latest Android Trainz 3 release. When I was approached by N3V for permission to use the route I pointed out to them that I had just updated it for the latest version of Trainz which was then T:ANE (that is how long ago they started development work on Trainz 3). They informed me that any version above TS12 would be "too advanced" to work on Trainz 3 and that, even then, a TS2006 standard route would still require a great deal of optimisation to work in Trainz 3. I seem to recall that one of the main issues is the assets.

I do not know about the Android/iOS Trainz Driver 2 but I would suspect that the compatibility and optimisation issues could be even more serious obstacles to be overcome.

My thoughts.

pware said:

One of my old TS2006 DLS routes is currently one of the built-in routes in the latest Android Trainz 3 release. When I was approached by N3V for permission to use the route I pointed out to them that I had just updated it for the latest version of Trainz which was then T:ANE (that is how long ago they started development work on Trainz 3). They informed me that any version above TS12 would be "too advanced" to work on Trainz 3 and that, even then, a TS2006 standard route would still require a great deal of optimisation to work in Trainz 3. I seem to recall that one of the main issues is the assets.

I do not know about the Android/iOS Trainz Driver 2 but I would suspect that the compatibility and optimisation issues could be even more serious obstacles to be overcome.

My thoughts.

Click to expand...

I see. Though, would routes made in Trainz Driver 2 work in Trainz 2012? I mean if assets had to be optimised for Trainz Mobile, surely Trainz Driver 2 routes will work just fine in Trainz PC, I imagine. It'd be nice though if there is a timed demo version of Trainz 2012 just to test it out right now, couldn't care less if certain assets are missing, just the possibility of redownloading Trainz Driver 2 routes to PC is what I'm after.

Jelly_baka said:

I mean if assets had to be optimised for Trainz Mobile, surely Trainz Driver 2 routes will work just fine in Trainz PC

Click to expand...

I don't know the answer to that. I suspect that it would depend on the degree of optimization required. It would not surprise me if the changes needed to make assets work in Trainz Driver 2 also made them incompatible for Trainz PC versions, but again I do not know.

Trainz Driver 2 routes (or what is frequently blamed as being Trainz Driver 2 routes) do appear on the DLS allegedly because that is the only way they can be saved. I have never attempted to install any of them. All you seem to see in the thumbnails for those routes is the baseboard and track.

As an experiment I would suggest (but would never recommend) finding one of these routes and installing it. They are usually identified by having a thumbnail rotated by 90 degrees. But good luck with that.

My thoughts.

pware said:

As an experiment I would suggest (but would never recommend) finding one of these routes and installing it. They are usually identified by having a thumbnail rotated by 90 degrees. But good luck with that.

Click to expand...

It was a solid plan; I have attempted to download my TD2 routes to Trainz 2009: my only version of Trainz on PC. Failed of course, but the thing is though, the reason why it cannot be downloaded is very much unclear.

At first I thought that it might be a Build Version issue; as in Trainz 2009 is 3.3, and TD2 is 3.8— same as TS2 Mac (I initially thought TD2 corresponds to TS12, since whenever I check on my routes via the My Content tab on the website, the website categorises my routes as 'Game Version: TS12' despite being made in TD2, and later on when I first attempted to download my routes via Trainz 2009 DLS, the Build Version of my routes were labelled as 3.8.). New Trainz can support old assets, but Old Trainz cannot support new assets; which causes errors whenever I attempt to download routes with higher Build Versions unto Trainz 2009, as according from what I have read from the distant past: Trainz 2009 may not support newer assets. So I'm thinking of shelling out for either TS12 SP1 or T:ANE as the Build Version of either version are close to, or above TD2's Build Version.


But then again, it could also be Version issue; as in Trainz 2009 is PC, and TD2 is Mobile. Therefore concluding any further hoping. But it shouldn't be an issue, because its visible in the DLS— Now the Baseboard and Track thumbnails can be easily explained as I make TD2 routes myself: In TD2 surveyor, we can't change the Thumbnails, we can set the thumbnails, but only BEFORE our first save (including autosave from experience). So that means we have to set up a decent layout in at least 15 minutes, enough for a good shot to make a good thumbnail. If we took too long, the autosave will take a thumbnail for us; If we Save And Exit (TD2 has no 'Save' in the Main Menu, only 'Exit Surveyor' which may as well be 'Save And Exit'. There is a 'Save' in a sense, but its in the System Tab, a tab that is very clunky to navigate to, so I often just Save via 'Exit Surveyor'.), it will take a thumbnail for us, and its often the unflattering sorts with the baseboard and track. Why they're 90°, it just became a fact of life for us. It's awkward to see for sure, but we don't have much choice in the matter, we just make do with what is available.

—Sorry for the rambling, moving back; It shouldn't be an issue, because it's visible in the DLS. Yes N3V may just be using the DLS as a way for mobile users to safely save our routes (Trust me: locally saving, as in depending on the game itself to save routes, is very hardcore; I've had crashes that corrupted routes, corrupted routes can't be uploaded to the DLS and therefore doomed to obscurity. And that's in an iPad series, a popular device to play TD2 in.), but if that're be the case, and Trainz Mobile routes are exclusive only to other Trainz Mobile games and users, then it shouldn't ever appear to fellow PC users, the same way PC routes are hidden from Mobile users, and yet it is visible for PC users, and unless its an oversight and/or coding limitations (which may very well be the case as far as I know.), it implies that Trainz Mobile routes are compatible and can be downloaded for Trainz PC, given that certain assets may be missing due to Mobile Exclusive Routes & Assets if such exists. Or, all of this positive reasoning may just be optimism talking, and TD2 routes are in fact incompatible for PC use. Honestly I don't know anymore.


In short; Experiment gave inconclusive, unusable, useless, unworkable, moot, fruitless, and vain results. The test download error can't be determined if its a Build Version issue, or a Version issue.


If I came as a pestering sort, I'm really sorry. The ability alone to play Trainz on PC excites me: being able to do cinematography, and BIG screen, still had to get used to Trainz 2009 surveyor, but to also have the hope to play the routes I've made from Mobile to PC with improved graphics, and do cinematography while at it, well its basically a dream realised to life. Maybe later on I'll find a definitive answer but for now, my Mobile Routes are basically Schrödinger's. Again, I'm really sorry for pestering.

Jelly_baka said:

It was a solid plan; I have attempted to download my TD2 routes to Trainz 2009: my only version of Trainz on PC. Failed of course, but the thing is though, the reason why it cannot be downloaded is very much unclear.

If I came as a pestering sort, I'm really sorry. The ability alone to play Trainz on PC excites me: being able to do cinematography, and BIG screen, still had to get used to Trainz 2009 surveyor, but to also have the hope to play the routes I've made from Mobile to PC with improved graphics, and do cinematography while at it, well its basically a dream realised to life. Maybe later on I'll find a definitive answer but for now, my Mobile Routes are basically Schrödinger's. Again, I'm really sorry for pestering.

Click to expand...

Not pestering but the result is what I suspected it would be but at least you tried, and as far as I know you are the first to try. Although it is possible that TRS12 is the minimum PC version needed to load the TD2 routes (but no guarantees on that theory).

I did purchase Trainz 3 for my Android mobile mainly to support N3V. I very rarely play it and usually only to show others that it is possible to "play trains" on a mobile phone.

Regardless of the DLS web site labeling your routes as TS12, they are trainz build 3.8 and TS12 refuses to download them. TANE does allow me to download one of your routes but with missing dependencies from Auran which I assume are assets unique to the mobile version. I can open the route in Surveyor but TANE requires it to be saved before it will open in Driver as it is in "a legacy file format". Once the route is saved in TANE format I was able to drive trains in Driver.

So with TANE, you will be able to import your routes but expect to have to replace missing dependencies.

William