I now have MSTS installed and I have completed the tutorials, and a couple of EASY scenarios. I was just 'looking' around in the files and I see some things that I don't understand. One is the ROUTE GEOGRAPHY CREATOR Is that so you can make NEW areas of operation? Say for example, a train run from Atlanta to Orlando? (I am not familier with any of this...) Also, when I first put in the DISC 1 I had pulled the game manual out from a folder called LOCFILES. While I was in there, I found TECHDOCS.EXE which has a 27 "HOW TOs" in there. However, I cannot find how to access this on the computer. How/where can I do that? OR is that one of those... put it on your desktop and read it from there?
One other thing, I had downloaded a Scenario from one site or another, and it is called: activity_glacierpark.zip OK, so after I unzip it, and lay it on the tsunpack.exe, I get a message saying about overwriting files in the (I forget which area of the US it is in now)... IS That normal? IS it going to affect some of the original scenarios?
Jim
It seems I found the answer to my FIRST question in the post above about the "TECHDOCS" here is what I found in the READ ME:
TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION
For players who wish to use the unsupported editors and tools that shipped with Train Simulator, there are a number of related technical documents written by Kuju Entertainment Ltd. available as a self-extracting zip file in the techdocs folder on Train Simulator Disc 1. Like the Train Simulator Editors and Tools, these documents are not supported by Microsoft Product Support Services.
What ya might wanna do is ask in this board right here:
http://forums.flightsim.com/ts/dcboard.php
Thanks, I did go over there and managed to "sign up". It is just like the MS Flightsim forums... yes, I have asked questions over there too.... HAHA
On the overwrite files thing, a lot of the downloaded activities have copies of the same consists in the files. When it is asking to overwrite files it is most likely asking to write the same thing again, unless you have altered the original consist with better stuff. Some activity sets come as a group which you install one at a time. After you install the first, it will ask for each subsequent one if you want to overwrite it. Your option. It shouldn't affect the sim either way.
The route editor is more and less than you expect. When it says it "generates" the geography, no matter where you pick, will be a flat plain. Nothing on it. There is an excellent pdf book people refer to as the route builder's bible. It is $10 and takes you step by step through building a route.
There is a lot of help on train-sim.com. Recently there was a compilation of all the help in a single file. It should still be rather close to the front of the "New Files" section of the download library. It updated and compiled most of the help documents people had posted.
StillGrande wrote: On the overwrite files thing, a lot of the downloaded activities have copies of the same consists in the files. When it is asking to overwrite files it is most likely asking to write the same thing again, unless you have altered the original consist with better stuff. Some activity sets come as a group which you install one at a time. After you install the first, it will ask for each subsequent one if you want to overwrite it. Your option. It shouldn't affect the sim either way.The route editor is more and less than you expect. When it says it "generates" the geography, no matter where you pick, will be a flat plain. Nothing on it. There is an excellent pdf book people refer to as the route builder's bible. It is $10 and takes you step by step through building a route. There is a lot of help on train-sim.com. Recently there was a compilation of all the help in a single file. It should still be rather close to the front of the "New Files" section of the download library. It updated and compiled most of the help documents people had posted.
Thanks for that info! I did get a file called guide.zip and that has some info about what things that this guy feels are 'neccessary'. However, at this point that stuff kind of confused me a bit, as it was a little overwhelming. Pretty much at this point of my "MSTS Capability" I only want to be able to download Activities, (which include everything) and maybe some new routes for different activities. This is a list from the "guide":
1. TS Interface Fix2. TS Unpack Fix3. MSTS Fix4. NewRoads (latest version)5. XTracks (latest version)6. TSection.dat (latest version)7. Route-Riter (latest version)8. SView (latest version)From http://mstsbin.uktrainsim.com/:
The only thing I did get downloaded is MSTSPatch1.7.021120.zip AND tsintrfc.zip Like I said, right now at this point, it seems like a bunch of gobbledygook. I am sure as time goes on, I will be able to figure it out... but until then, I would just like to DL activities.
I would get conbuilder-lite (the free version) if all you want is to get activities. That way you can change out the missing stuff for what you have in the activities that have more of a requirement. It is fast and easy.
Route Riter does it too, but it is not as easy.
Also get the TSunUnpack fixes. Otherwise some of the activities will not install.
Thanks, I just DL cblite.zip, and I will see what that is about. Like I said, I don't want to get overwhelmed at first, I just want to play the game. I have read so much about needing this, or that, and I just want to play. I had downloaded a route (strtscom.zip) that comes with a couple of activities (not yet installed on my computer yet) and then, I DL a activity (boat64.zip) especially for that route, ONLY to find out there are about 25 (or more) extra downloads of cars and engines I need to get.... well, with dial up connection, I don't really feel like all that.... if you know what I mean.
PLUS, the cars they tell you to get DO NOT give file names or the such... so how do I know what ones to DL?
FOR example:
BR Presflo Bulk Cement Wagon UKTS ID:14534
BR Mk1 Coaches - Maroon Livery - v4.0 UKTS ID: 3510
BR 21T Mineral Wagon (Loaded and Empty) UKTS ID:207
45T TTA Tanker - BP Chemicals UKTS ID:307
BR ex LMS 3F Tank 47459 UKTS ID:5035
BR ex LMS 2-4-2T 50850 UKTS ID:4893
BR exLMS Period III Pull and Push Coach UKTS ID: 15213
You can use con-builder or route riter to change out what you don't have for what you have. Route Riter will list out and highlight what is missing and it is just click and sub on the list.
Conbuilder will give you a graphic represenation of the train with "missing" where the missing car goes. You can delete that tile and select from what you have. Pick what you have.
There are a few activity builders who think it is funny to have a giant list and then don't give you the name of the files. If you really want to find them, you can search Train-sim by the names. Cars are usually quick, even on dial-up. I have literally thousands of cars and locomotives to play with which I have gradually build up over the years. Print the list and go get them. The same author with do more than one activity with the same stuff, so your list will get shorter.
I installed the Conbuilder LITE Today, and I found it VERY easy to work with. Especially after I had seen a short video on "HOW" to use it. Called: video-1_conbuilder.zip I found it and MORE good tutorials over at http://www.uktrainsim.com/index2.php?form_reader=beginner&CUTHERE=7480f7f33e0a00019b86161a928c79de
I tried my first consist today, and found that I couldn't see what cars I am really using...... like, I made a train up using two Dash-9 engines, and then, I added some cars... OR what I thought would be 2 engines and 11 cars. I used (what I thougt was ONE each) us2fulloggercar, us2freight6, us2freightcaryel1, us2carrf2, us2graincar, us2woodchipper, us2hoppercar, us2emploggercar, us2caboose, BUT, all the cars look alike except for colors, and also I did not see a caboose at the end. I am not positive on how/what they are... Ideas on that? How do I know what the cars are or look like? the PREVIEW button does not show them. I do understand what you mean by changing the car to what I have, rather than trying to DL all of them.
Although, I don't recall which files I searched for over at http://www.train-sim.com/ I know that I couldn't find it with a zip file or in the description box. I did read further in that example that I have above that the numbers are a "description" ID number that can be DL at XXX site (I forget now)
Thanks for your help and advice!!