New To Ts, How Does It Work?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by wolvestrains, Dec 4, 2018.

  1. wolvestrains

    wolvestrains Member

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    Hi, I just popped town the shop and picked up TS2018 (as I like Uk/Virgin Trains). I am very new to this and trying to work it out.. So far I have gathered no mater what game you have (from around 2014 onwards) the game is automatically updated to the latest version (so 2019) and you get the trains and routes of the particular year you purchased.

    Looks like it was a good choice to buy 2018 because it was only $15 and it seems to cost $40 to buy the North Wales Virgin route as an add on if I had purchased 2019 instead. So is the most economical way of expansion to go back to the game shop and purchase TS2017 which they also had for $9. I would then get all the trains and routes of 2017 and 2018 running on the latest 2019 engine... is that how it works??

    And I found a link to some after market free trains... but even though they are new (I know this as its a new UK Liverly), they are still marked up as TS2014 files, why is that?
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2018
  2. DeclanGamer75

    DeclanGamer75 New Member

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    Hey wolvestrains,

    Welcome to the awesome Dovetail Games Community Forum!

    When you buy a certain year, for example 2018, you will only get the 2018 featured routes for free and not the 2019 ones as well.

    These will be able to be purchased from the in-game store though!

    Welcome aboard!
     
  3. wolvestrains

    wolvestrains Member

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    Hi, yes so if I go and buy the 2017 game as well for $9, is that good value because i get all the trains and routes contained in that version of the game?
     
  4. Gordon7000

    Gordon7000 Active Member

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    Yes, that usually is good value. As you've noted, the core engine for TS will update to the latest version (TS2019), but it will not include the new routes for that version - although these can be purchased separately and downloaded via Steam.

    Another way of getting good value is to wait for one of the frequent Steam sales, when lots of DLC is reduced - occasionally by as much as 90%
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2018
  5. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    You COULD buy the bundles, and those are almost always good value.
    You COULD go to the steam store, go through the DLC and mark up your wishlist and wait for the next sale. These happen at least once a month, and I generally get anything on my wishlist that's 65% are greater off the base price.
    Don't forget that there are also third party developers who produce route and stock, but almost all of these will require a good stock of older DLC as they reuse the textures or assets of those routes.
     
  6. Gordon7000

    Gordon7000 Active Member

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    Make sure that you have the appropriate routes already installed for any locos, trains, etc that you want to purchase and download. Check the route requirements on the relevant DLC purchase page before buying anything.
     
  7. Medellinexpat

    Medellinexpat Well-Known Member

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    Gordon7000 i think I must be misunderstanding your post. Why do you have to have the appropriate routes installed when buying locos & rolling stock? Other electric locos need electric lines what restrictions are there? I’d always believed that TSxxxx allowed you to be as horribly inaccurate as you wanted (GWR stock on the West Highland route anyone?).

    ARuscoe same with your comment on third party developers at least for the pay-ware ones generally aren’t most routes and loco/rolling stock self contained, that is they don’t need anything beyond the base game? There are exceptions. APs enhancement and sound packs need the original DLC and some of Just Trains route extensions need the original base line. But is there much beyond that?

    For freeware, loco reskins and routes yes you are likely to need existing aNd old DLC. Without people needing them for freeware providors like BackdatedSim and DPSimulations I’m not sure there would be huge demand for the IOW, China Clay for Export and the London Transport Heritage routes on Steam!
     
  8. Gordon7000

    Gordon7000 Active Member

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    Yes, you certainly CAN use locos and stock on other routes. However, I was thinking of someone new to TS who would most likely just want to download and run add-on locos, etc. on their intended routes.
     
  9. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    I have never seen a third party route that DIDN'T need some form of DLC either from DTG or JT/AP/etc
    Even the JT routes I have (western mainlines and Kyle Line) have scenarios which need other DLC for them to run properly (usually the JT 220 advanced which seems to be their most popular DLC add in)

    Then you have things like Birmingham Cross City, XCRoute, WCML South etc which have up to FIFTY additional requirements...
    I have a spreadsheet with them all on and am slowly building them up (my biggest missing link so far is the JT Newcastle Edinburgh route, so I don't have the correct 43 XC)

    So whilst I am sure that DTG's routes are standalone (noting that extensions obviously require the base routes, such as sheerness requiring Faversham), I disagree that many of the decent 3rd party routes come complete including all assets required to run all the scenarios supplied.

    Yes, you CAN create your own scenarios dropping in whatever consists you wish, but I don't expect newbies to do this successfully. As someone who has tried to create my own (seamingly quite simple) scenarios I have come across the limitations of the scenario creator enough to grind teeth...
     
  10. Medellinexpat

    Medellinexpat Well-Known Member

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    ARuscoe i think you’re mixing your messages. Pretty much everything, whether loco or route needs additional stuff for the SCENARIOS but the base routes for PAYWARE they’re complete. APs Wherry Lines is the one example I can think of that breaks the rule as it needs one of four other listed lines to work. For a lot of new entrants they’re going to use Quick Drive and Free Roam. Neither will have any requirements beyond the route itself and any included DLC. I will agree that the need for additional DLC for scenarios is a big issue for any new player and that third party providors can have some long lists of other needed DLCs, often much of it their own expensive locomotives and rolling stock. JT in particular plays this unfortunate game a little too hard.

    On the freeware stuff that’s exactly what I said, for those you’ll need other payware. I listed some of the packs that are often used that (in my opinion) you probably wouldn’t buy other than to be able to use for the freeware.
     
  11. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    This goes against almost everyone I've seen on this, the TSW forum etc. From what I've seen (and done) most people jump into scenarios and then complain about the scoring... I don't think I've played a QD!

    Yes, I agree payware routes usually come complete with scenery and static assets
     
  12. 749006

    749006 Well-Known Member

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    If you were to just run the default scenarios that came with the routes it will get boring very quickly.
    There is a small number of UK routes where you will only see one type of train but for most routes you will see a much wider range of trains.
    One of the routes is the Trent Vally line
    https://store.steampowered.com/app/325954/Train_Simulator_WCML_Trent_Valley_Route_AddOn/
    This only comes with a Class 350 Emu and a Class 66 freight loco in One livery.

    Stand on Stafford, Tamworth or Nuneaton stations and you will see a much larger range of stock
    Locos - Class 66,, 67, 68, 70, 86, 88, 90, 92 in a multitude of liveries
    HST on Cross Country services
    DMU's Class 153, 158, 170,
    EMU's Class 325, 350, 390
    And that is a normal day without railtours and special workings

    There are hundreds of Scenarios for these routes where you get to run different bu prototypical trains over different routes.

    Peter
     
  13. wolvestrains

    wolvestrains Member

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    can I get the west coast mainline from anywhere, West Midlands area, Wolves/Stafford to Birmingham international? I have seen there seems to be two versions of the east coast mainline available
     
  14. Gordon7000

    Gordon7000 Active Member

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    Three WCML routes available from Steam - but most run further North than your locations:
    WCML Trent Valley -- as mentioned above by Peter. This line includes Stafford and is closest to your locations.
    The others are WCML over Shap (Preston to Carlisle) and WCML North (Carlisle to Glasgow).
     
  15. wolvestrains

    wolvestrains Member

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  16. wolvestrains

    wolvestrains Member

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    And if I go to the shop today and buy TS2017, do I just install it and it wont actually install the game it will just install the extra trains and the routes?
     
  17. wolvestrains

    wolvestrains Member

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  18. wolvestrains

    wolvestrains Member

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  19. Cat

    Cat Well-Known Member

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    Not that route, it is for the old Micro$oft Train sim, it won't work in TS. When you use UKTS you'll see a box over to the right marked Simulator. Click on that and scroll down to either Railworks or TS2013, then click Apply Settings, in the centre of screen and that will list what is available for TS2019. For the Midlands livery you'll need to buy the 170.
    It's all a bit confusing to start but you'll soon get the hang of it. :)
     
  20. wolvestrains

    wolvestrains Member

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    Ah yes thanks, I have filtered it to TS2013 now
     
  21. wolvestrains

    wolvestrains Member

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    So maybe this is what I want...

    http://www.uktrainsim.com/filelib-info.php?form_fileid=36021

    Seems to be the West Coast Mainline London to the midlands... not sure if it goes far as Birmingham. Seems to be a very large list of things you also need to download..

    With all those requirements, I might do what I used to do in real life, take the chiltern trains route instead (justtrains), might be cheaper
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2018
  22. Gordon7000

    Gordon7000 Active Member

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    Just Trains Chiltern Main Line: London to Birmingham would probably be the best choice for the routes you want. However, it needs some add-ons for the scenarios to work correctly.

    These are:

    From Just Trains:

    • BR 7MT Advanced
    • Class 67 Advanced & Car Carriers
    • Class 3700 with ‘City of Truro’
    • Voyager Advanced
    • Class 20 Advanced Collection

    From STEAM:


    • Class 170 ‘Turbostar’ DMU Add-On
    • Class 150 DMU Add-On
    • ScotRail Class 68 Loco Add-On
    • EWS Class 66 v2.0 Loco Add-On

    This could become quite expensive, so you may want to wait for the sales or built up your collection more slowly.

    NOTE: The Advanced trains, etc listed by Just Trains are more difficult to operate than the normal standard DLC. There's more of a learning curve to use them, although you could use their 'Switcher' App to change some of them to Simple mode.
     
    Last edited: Dec 5, 2018
  23. wolvestrains

    wolvestrains Member

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    Do I definitely need the Class 170, its in the game in the academy/learning range.. does that count?
     
  24. Gordon7000

    Gordon7000 Active Member

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  25. wolvestrains

    wolvestrains Member

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    Do you have to buy these kind of trains individually or can they be more economically purchased by buying an old version of the game?
     
  26. Gordon7000

    Gordon7000 Active Member

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    I think you would be better buying them individually; or as part of a bundled package on Steam, etc. Installing more and more older Train Simulator releases just to add more stock may eventually cause conflicts with the TS2019 installation.
     
  27. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    The class 170 included in the academy is a standalone very basically programmed unit. The class 170 DLC is different to this and is one of the only units that does NOT come with pre-packaged scenarios, but is used in loads of other DLC
     
  28. Medellinexpat

    Medellinexpat Well-Known Member

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    The just Trains content is going to be an issue. The Steam items listed come on sale pretty regularly (at least 4-5 times a year) and with good discounts, in some case 70% or more. Much of Just Trains content is just on their own site and although they do have sales it’s specific content and the discounts are more like 30%. You’ll probably if you make use of the sales get ALL of those steam items for less than the Voyager on Just Trains.

    I don’t disagree with Gordon7000 suggesting the route but if you’re looking for cheap JT isn’t Ideal.

    The next likely date for a Steam Sale is around the ‘Xmas/New Year period. There might be a JT sale at around the same date but what items would be included is a guess, although unlike Steam it’s often for the newer items. In their last sale a couple of weeks ago I picked up the Chiltern Main line and the Aylesbury extension. They aren’t bad but there are equally good and better value UK lines in Steam.
     
  29. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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  30. wolvestrains

    wolvestrains Member

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    Yeah you really can spend a lot of money... Do they never have like a "deluxe" version that includes all the Downloadable content. Or days when its free like on xbox live...

    I purchased Train Sim 2013 last night for $5 and that appears to have worked ok, I now have Great Western Mainline, Cajon Pass, Sherman Hill, Isle of Wright and a few other things including the European Loco Pack which I have noticed was a pre req for some of the free content.. Seems like it is a good approach for me to build up some content without paying a fortune..
     
  31. wolvestrains

    wolvestrains Member

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  32. Railfan722

    Railfan722 Well-Known Member

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    You should have everything you need for that reskin to work. Be warned - if you don't have a premium UKTS account, then the queues will be very long waiting for the download.
     
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  33. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    No, but then that would only give you the DTG and affiliated content (which runs to thousands of pounds), and there's a lot of content outside of that too. The Xbox version of content doesn't work for simulation simply because of the value of the work going into the level of detail.
     
  34. wolvestrains

    wolvestrains Member

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    Thanks, just downloaded did take a while
     
  35. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    For people who don't know, a UKTS subscription is less than £20 a YEAR. Totally worth it
     
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  36. wolvestrains

    wolvestrains Member

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    is there an alternative to using package manager to get content from UKTrainsim into the game. I cant seem to run utilities.exe says I need elevated privileges, wonder if work has some restriction on it
     
  37. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    Right click utilities.exe and select run as administrator
     
  38. wolvestrains

    wolvestrains Member

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    Tried that still does same
     
  39. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    Can you take a screenshot and post it so we can see what the error is saying?
     
  40. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    This is all presuming you are working on a machine of which you have admin rights to, otherwise it may not work
     
  41. wolvestrains

    wolvestrains Member

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    I think work could have put some kind of restriction on running certain types of .exe files.
     
  42. wolvestrains

    wolvestrains Member

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  43. Gordon7000

    Gordon7000 Active Member

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  44. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    http://kb.winzip.com/kb/entry/243/

    That seems to offer a solution similar to what I would suggest... Whoever is admin on that PC could change the properties of the utilities.exe program to always run as admin, thus bypassing the issue
     
  45. wolvestrains

    wolvestrains Member

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    I will check it out, I had a look, my account is the owner of the folder, however its my work account so I am wondering maybe it will only work when I am actually at work connected to the work network
     
  46. Gordon7000

    Gordon7000 Active Member

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    It may not be advisable to make any system changes to a computer that is linked to a works network. Perhaps you should confine such changes - if needed - to your own personal home computer alone.
     
  47. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    I would advise against using any equipment that connects to a domain network for TS purposes, mainly because of security issues, but if it is YOUR machine (ie not owned by work but owned by you in a BYOD fashion) then use a non-domain network account to access TS which has admin rights (or at least to access the utilities app to do the installation) and you'll be fine
     
  48. 749006

    749006 Well-Known Member

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    An alternative way
    Go to the *.rwp file that you are trying to Import
    Use 7zip to extract the file - it will create an Assets and/or a Content folder(s)
    Copy these folders directly to your Steam\steamapps\common\railworks folder.
    it will ask to combine the folder with those already in place. - say Yes.
    Job done.

    Peter
     
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  49. wolvestrains

    wolvestrains Member

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    I am running red signals quite a lot, how to I know one is approaching, I see them way too late to stop the train..
     
  50. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    In what situations?
     

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