I'm interested in picking up an AP enhancement pack or two, especially the HST, but I also enjoy using my raildriver which I understand will not work with any AP units. (If you know away around this, I'm all ears.) So my question is, do the train enhancement packs from AP completely replace the default DTG train they enhance, or does it simply create a new selectable AP train using a number of the original DTG assets? Essentially, I'd like to retain the ability to still get into the old DTG trains to use my raildriver sometimes, and keyboard with AP other times.
Your original asset is still there after installing the enhancement pack... or at least that's the case with the AP enhancement packs I have installed (which includes HST packs). If you think about it, it would have to leave the original unmolested, or any scenario that used the original assets would be broken by installing the AP pack.
Ok cool. That's what I suspected, that it just creates a "new" asset in game rather than actually replacing the DTG one. I just couldn't find documentation on that anywhere on the AP site and they way they frame it as an "enhancement" to the DTG trains doesn't make it clear.
Some of APs products are Enhancements and others are a complete loco or unit They also do Sound Packs for different locos and units Peter
If it's an enhancement pack then it "upgrades" the existing unit with new textures, sounds and maybe features. This overwrites the original so in one way you could say it "replaces it". These are also rewritten in several ways if there's an update to that loco, you perform a verify and repair in steam etc etc If the loco on AP is NOT an enhancement pack then it's a standalone product which isn't touched by any of the above. The usual reason for the disclaimer of "the raildriver is not supported" is because they have added features which the RD doesn't have such as an OFF position for the forwarder. The main functions (power, brake, horn, lights, wipers and AWS alert cancel) still work on every AP unit I've tried them with on my RD because the RD integrates with the core game inputs rather than the loco ones
Sorry, I have to disagree as I don't think that is what happens - many of the Assets the AP mods enhance are in the .ap format and the AP enhancement does not overwrite any file within the .ap structure - it adds an enhancement only. When you carry out a game file verification it should not overwrite any file outside of the .ap file structure. Many of the AP enhancements create their own folder within the Assets structure and file verification will not change any file within that structure!
I agree it may not be the case for assets in .ap packs... but as a test I just tried the 66 in two career scenarios (PH66 freightliner to stratford on the GEML and 66v2 Cadder misty morning on Edinburgh Glasgow) and both have usable main keys, and the EM2000 is usable, something definitely not in the original units, clag factor is also on both...
Sound packs apply to the "essential requirements" of that particular loco Enhancement packs like the Class 66 or the Class 175 apply to the DTG locos, BUT not all of them do. If you read the description they say that this enhancement pack is for the included liveries only, like the Class 56 or the Class 68. Lastly the rolling stock is APs models that they made from scratch
The newer enhancement packs (I think all of the ones that came after the 150/1) don't even touch the original (I don't think they even change the sounds). They claim it's because "This is due to it being set up in a completely different way to our bespoke arrangement and as a result, making it compatible would break existing scenarios that use it." Even though they could previously do it perfectly fine with trains, old or new. There's a note on every EP that doesn't effect the original.
Enhancements packs do just that - provide sound and other changes to the loco/unit and provide new liveries. But they don't work unless you own the original loco/unit. Can you tell me where on the Class 86 Enhancement packs it has "a note ... that doesn't effect the original"? Yes, on the 150/1 it mentions the sounds have not been changed because of the way it has been set-up But does that make a difference - it comes with 9 different liveries including the same GWR that the DTG version has. What have you lost out on? Peter
Well I would think you've lost out on the ability to play any of the default and likely most of the workshop scenarios that train enhanced. You'd have to either create your own scenarios with the AP enhanced version or download scenarios that use it (often requiring you own a whole bunch of other AP content). So to folks that like to play scenarios, not having the enhancements apply to the default liveries is a bummer. Also, from the Class 68 AP enhancement page, "Please note, this pack only applies to the liveries included in this pack, NOT the default livery included in the DTG ScotRail Class 68." So, if you downloaded and installed it, and fired up one of the default Fife Circle scenarios with the class 68, the enhancements won't apply.
I have the loco and the E-pack It takes two mins to swap the standard 68 for the EP version and that is in the scenario - no third party program Peter
And how many people do you think know how to do that without getting overwhelmed by the editor the first time the load it up? The 86 appears to be the exception.
How many people will buy an AP Expansion Pack and then expect only to use the Default DTG versions? Take the AP 68 EP it comes with 4 Scenarios for one route Most people who buy AP products know you have to do something to get them in to a Scenario. And those people know how to use the Editor - even if it is just swapping two locos in the game. I think a lot of people were unsure when they first load the editor - but they either give up and just play the included scenarios or they learn how to use the editor - there are enough videos on YouTube.
All good points. I don't think there are many folks that will buy an AP enhancement that don't already know at least how to swap a train in a scenario.
