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Post by chrisd on Feb 22, 2009 9:28:17 GMT -5
Thanks Col7777. I have installed the MS update & the latest stable BIN file. I have downloaded RoutRiter but not installed it yet. I have looked at the other programs you mention but decided to leave them until I was more familiar with the program. QXtoolman - I will be looking at the routes you suggest in the near future. One thing I have noticed is the enormous size of some of these route files - saw one around 145,000,000! A few of those & you'll be wanting a new hard drive! Thanks again. ChrisD
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Post by Col7777 on Feb 22, 2009 12:25:10 GMT -5
Hi Chris,
Glad you are getting in to it, I just had a bad experience, I downloaded TrainStore and not knowing what i was doing properly it hid all my rolling stock so I thought something was wrong. apparently that is what it does, but uninstalling it also caused lots of faults with my MSTS, to cut the story short I ended up re-installing and starting from scratch.
One of the programs I mentioned ConBuilder, that is a must, if you download a new engine and you want to add wagons/carriages to it, then it is a lot easier using that program, it builds a new consist for that engine or trainset. A tip when using it, when you do a new consist, name it so it is easy to find later, something like: 'Chris_EngineName_Whatever' then if you need to delete it you can easily find the consist to also delete.
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Post by qxtoolman on Feb 23, 2009 2:10:36 GMT -5
Me Bad........ I am sorry I forgot to warn of the dangers of Train Store, Also those Route removal programs are an accident looking for a place to happen. Route Riter is indeed a powerful tool, but I think it's not that important unless you plan on making your own routes. I have a couple stand alone programs that do the most of the important things needed and are not as big or complicated. i.e. TGA to Ace, Ace it, S file breakdown. In fact if you are going to paint cars etc for MSTS, DXTbmp that we use for FS A/C, works on .ace files and I think works better. BTW:They were both written by the same person.
Also you are right Routes are big, but with all those routes installed I am still have about 1/16th of my HD taken by MSTS as I do with FS9 so I don't worry about it. Since HD space is a problem for you, go with Whitefish 9 and don't bother with GN Highline as they are pretty much the same place.
Stefan
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Post by Col7777 on Feb 23, 2009 3:11:52 GMT -5
Stefan, since I started over again I decided to do a UK only train sim, so I didn't install the routes for the other countries, I have installed a few other UK routes and run only the trains for those routes.
But... I have not deserted the other countries, I was wondering if it is possible to do 2 installs like we can with FS, I think it should work but before I try and possibly muck things up again I would ask first?
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Post by Col7777 on Feb 23, 2009 8:22:44 GMT -5
As to my above post.
I went ahead and did it, I did get 2 versions and they both work but... I realised after looking at some routes, they need the other routes installed for them to work, the reason is they take certain files from those routes and the new route uses them.
So it looks like trainstore is the answer, but I'm a bit scared after what hppened to my other install, I'll see if there is another way first.
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Post by philmoberg on Feb 27, 2009 19:39:52 GMT -5
... I realised after looking at some routes, they need the other routes installed for them to work, the reason is they take certain files from those routes and the new route uses them. ... I would heartily recommend RouteRiter. This has a utility that checks new routes (or existing routes, for that matter) to find and copy missing files used from default routes, so that the route can operate as a stand alone entity, if necessary. It also has a utility to set up any given route as a stand-alone "mini-route," separate from the main (or default) installation. I used TrainStore for a long time, but my installation grew to the point that a single copy of MSTS was just unwieldy, TrainStore notwithstanding. I have (or will be restoring, since the two system crashes last year ...) seven separate installations of MSTS for much the same reasons that I have three separate installations of FS9 (default, SW and GW3). I'll be happy to share how I did this, if there is any interest. -Phil
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Post by Col7777 on Feb 28, 2009 5:00:04 GMT -5
Hello Phil,
I have FS installed twice and I managed to get MSTS installed twice but I tried to install the second MSTS installation for just UK only but realiased I needed the other routes/trains for further addons to work.
What I wanted was when MSTS opened I only saw UK only routes and trains, I was then leaving the original for other counties routes and trains.
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Post by philmoberg on Feb 28, 2009 13:32:58 GMT -5
... What I wanted was when MSTS opened I only saw UK only routes and trains, I was then leaving the original for other counties routes and trains. Coincidentally, this is what prompted me to set up my first parallel installation. There is a wealth of very well done SR stock available, and it was this that first overwhelmed my trainset folder. I'm confident we can get you set up that way as well. Please check you PM for my e-mail address. -Phil
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Post by JasonK..AKA "Pal Joey." on Feb 28, 2009 22:32:28 GMT -5
Okay...now that you guys have opened this can of worms...you will have to be prepared to help us with it..I have bought it and installed it..like it so far, but when I tried to add a new route i get "train world initialization failed"..and it goes back to the home screen...help me fellas!!
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Post by Col7777 on Mar 1, 2009 4:27:13 GMT -5
Hello Jason,
I'm fairly new to MSTS but I'll try to help, most routes usually want a few things installed before they will work, ie Xtracks, NewRoads, the latest Bin file, and sometimes FineScale. All these can be found through google search and are free to download. Then as I have mentioned in other posts, a lot of routes don't work, I have downloaded quite a few only to send them to the recycle bin. The error you are getting could be because the route is looking for some file/s that you haven't got but the guy who created the route may have them on his PC or it is not installed properly, sometimes not your fault by the way.
If you go on the train sim sites there is plenty of help there plus you will also see lots of posts where guys can't get such and such route to work, mainly because files are missing from it. I have on the other hand downloaded some that have worked first time, plus I have bought a few as well.
When you installed the route did you click on the bat file 'Installme' inside the route folder?
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Post by capflyer on Mar 1, 2009 9:51:57 GMT -5
Also, don't forget that the makers of the RailDriver (P.I. Engineering) is hoping to release a new public version of TrainMaster in the coming year or two. They have a new version available as a commercial platform, but they have stated several times that they want to take what they learn building it into a new consumer version by the end of 2010. Maybe now that MSTS-2 is cancelled, they'll refocus on putting theirs out sooner.
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Post by philmoberg on Mar 1, 2009 20:06:00 GMT -5
... When you installed the route did you click on the bat file 'Installme' inside the route folder? The bulk of the route builders, especially in the past five or six years, use X-tracks, and the latest version of New Roads (the version without shadows is probably a better bet for a variety of reasons). Some of them may also call for various foliage packs as well. All of these can be had as free downloads from the file library here: www.train-sim.com/msts/home.htmA growing number of number of route builders are turning to ScaleRail and ScaleRoads, which can be had as a free download from the forums here: www.3dtrains.com/Each route should have a readme file that specifies whether these (and other) add-ons are necessary. One of the tricky things with installing the newer routes is getting all of these in the right place, for example: when using the add-on road packages, the shapes go into the global shapes file, while the textures go into the individual route's texture file. Getting any of these things out of place will cause a route on to load. In order to better deal with this, I would heartily recommend using RouteRiter for any newly-installed route, because this simple, powerful (and free) utility will diagnose what is missing, copy it over form the default routes, if that is where it has come (and it typically is), and fix a variety of other problems. It will also allow you to set up any given route (and with a bit of manual trickery, and group of routes) separately, taking only the default files needed. It's definitely worth the evening or two it takes to learn how to use it. Finally, if you're looking for help solving solving these or other MSTS problems, please drop by www.elvastower.com/forums/index.php? which is a community of modelers and historians very similar to this one here, and interested in generally the same era. They are generous to a fault with their advice, and happy to help anybody who wants to learn. -Phil
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Post by chrisd on Mar 2, 2009 5:34:01 GMT -5
Good to see a lot of interest in the MSTS-Trainz chat. I do see that Trainz does not get a mention anywhere - must say something. However, I have now loaded ADFRR as suggested - no trouble loading or running it. One thing caused me a chuckle - a lot of the wagons on the roads are from a UK set as I see well known names on the lorries. I do have 2 questions if someone can help - 1) What do the symbols mean on the track monitor - blue lines, red arrows, 180deg arrow, etc. 2) How the hell can you navigate round Whitefish yard? There are no signs & no map (yes I have downloaded a schematic) but that does not tell me where I am in the yard. I would have thought something like the map in FS9 would be an enormous help. Any ideas? Thanks again for your help. ChrisD
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Post by Col7777 on Mar 3, 2009 3:07:07 GMT -5
Hi Chris,
I'll try and help you a little, I do have the Whitefish route but I haven't installed it on the set up I have at the moment, but to navigate is a bit tricky. I'm not sure if there is a facility to print off the route in detail, but what I do if I'm on explore mode is keep going on external view and raise the camera so I can see the tracks ahead and behind, and obviously if shunting keep the speed down.
The track monitor:
The green dot means the track ahead is clear. The yellow dot means slow down because the track is either ending or a stop signal after that dot. The red dot is stop & possible track ending. The dark blue line indicates either a station or a siding. The light blue indicates your destination or track ending. The figures on the left indicate the speed limit. The figures on the right indicate the miles. The 180 degree symbol indicates a train you have to join on to, this is normally in an activity.
I've started to create my own activities now, at first I was baffled but after a bit of help from a few guys on the train sim forum I manged to do it. With an activity you can create a few scenarios but at the moment I am just doing a few set routes, it saves going in explore mode trying to find your way.
Col.
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Post by qxtoolman on Mar 3, 2009 5:05:35 GMT -5
First Thanks Guys for helping my Bud Jason... It's the first of the month and I was super busy @ work doing Tool Calibration stuff. Now since I am not at work, and not near my comp/sim, but there is a track & car marker (Heads-up Display) that you can see. I think it's F8 or maybe F9. That's what I use when switching /consist building. I noticed that scenery stuff does indeed have Continental feel to it, but when you remember that is was developed by KUJU in the UK, it makes sense. In todays world, that is not such a big deal, as there are cars & trucks from all over, here in the States. Actually we need to see more Civics, Accords, Camrys, Corollas, Rios, Sentras etc....
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