Hello All & Wcml South Question

Discussion in 'Introduce Yourself!' started by NRailer, Dec 28, 2020.

  1. NRailer

    NRailer New Member

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    Hi there,

    Longtime admirer, but only recent purchaser. I've been desperately wanting to play RW/TS for absolutely years, but waited, and waited and waited longer still for the game to come out on Mac, as Apple machines are my weapon of choice. Of course, that never happened, so this year (and having had the need to buy an ultra wide screen and set up an office in my house b/c of lockdown), I took the plunge on Black Friday getting myself a Dell G3 gaming laptop (full rig spec below). Until then, I'd been surviving (and not very happily) on the original Trainz and Trainz 2. I tried a TANE recently, but it didn't work as my machine wasn't up to it. OpenBVE worked for a time too, but could stopped working properly several years ago. Macs are just the cinderella when it comes to train sims I discovered.

    Anyway as the handle implies, I work for NR (in the filming dept. of all things), but have always had the hankering to drive trains. Not wanting the hassle of the training, uncivilised hours, etc. though, this is the ideal compromise and what a delightfully detailed one it is.

    I've probably spent way too much on routes and should've waited til the sales started to get my feet under the table, but at least made a few savvy purchases this week in the winter sale.

    Just saying hi really, but one thing that is bothering me though is the FPS on the infamous WCML South route. OK, I know this route has been riddled with problems form the very beginning, but I only got it a month ago so it came with update 2 as part of the install. I can't get my head round how to get above 22 FPS from the cab when leaving Euston. I can get 30 or even a touch more in the rear end cab, but I've got the idea of between 25-30 in my mind since seeing Train Sim Tv's review suggesting he could get nearer 30.

    .

    I've tried playing with all the settings both within the game and through the Nvidia control setting, but the difference is marginal if at all. Even with everything, and I mean all the high-end graphics settings turned up to max, I hardly notice a drop, so have concluded the issue is more related to the CPU. The graphics being similar to proverbial sh*t off a shovel. Any further ideas welcome, as it would be good to know.

    It would also good to know who else I ought to consider following other the below who seem to have caught my attention thus far. I am specifically interested in UK routes as want to build up on scenarios and hopefully long-haul intercity routes (full WCMLs and ECMLs on my hit list). :
    Alan Thomson
    Armstrong Powerhouse
    DP Simulation
    Just Trains
    UKTS

    Anyway, thanks for having me on here. All the best to you and look forward to chatting to you all. All the best for Christmas!

    Rig :
    10th Gen Intel i7-10750H (12MB Cache, up to 5.0 GHz, 6 cores)
    NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1660 Ti 6GB GDDR6
    16gb RAM
    512gb SSD
    electriQ 35" WQHD 100Hz monitor
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2021
  2. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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    It's frightening how quickly your drive fills up with routes! My Steam folder is about 80GB already!

    How can you see the frame rate? Is it an F key?
     
  3. westcastlerail

    westcastlerail Active Member

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    Hi Nrailer

    Enjoyed reading Your post ... your story of arriving at train simulator is pretty similar to mine, although I came from console playing TSW2, and got fed up with all the bugs and long drawn out DTG fixes!
    (Which actually made the game worse!)

    On Black Friday, a decent spec gaming PC turned up on the Aldi website of all places so me and my wallet took the plunge!

    With regards to frame rates, my knowledge is extremely limited, but all I can add is that so far my Aldi PC is handling everything train wise fine. (Even Microsoft flight sim in VR!)

    So spent the last month picking up DLC in the sales to attempt to get the WCML in its entirety.

    Took out an Alan Thompson subscription to get phase 3 missing link, but like you can’t get any of the scenarios to work due to the missing virgin class 390 pack , which is no longer available.

    I have to say the Alan Thompson subscription was well worth , as it gives you access to some great support.(might be worth asking there support about frame rates)

    I’m afraid it looks like I’m going to have to learn how the scenario editors work in order to update rolling stock in scenarios. Been using this as my mentor

    AT support also pointed me in the direction of an add on called Railworks Tools, where you can ‘easily’ load and edit scenarios , especially with regards to missing rolling stock and consists.

    Going to try using that, and edit some existing scenarios so they work with stock I have, and try and get 4 scenarios together to make up the whole WCML line.

    1) Lon-birm (DTG)
    2) Birm -Preston (AT missing link)
    3) Preston -Carlisle (over shap)
    4) Carlisle -Glasgow (wcml north)

    Good luck with your Train Sim adventure, if you come across any short cuts or good advice I would be most interested
    Railwork tool download link: !http://www.agenetools.com/downloads.html
     
    Last edited: Dec 31, 2020
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  4. NRailer

    NRailer New Member

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    Goodness! Yep, doesn't take long. I'm going to try and make the most out of the sales that are already on while I can. Shift+Z gives you the FPS.
     
  5. NRailer

    NRailer New Member

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    Thanks for your great post Westcastlerail. Your points were an interesting read and I'm glad to hear your machine you identified in the Aldi sale lived up to expectations - what a coup!

    I appreciated your tips too; we must have shared some form of trainsim telepathy as I took the decision to upgrade to a year's subscription of AT. I've found his videos (and him!) entertaining and informative. I didn't expect there to be so many trainsim geeks out there such as myself. I haven't yet go around to looking at his website in full (think there would be scope to improve the navigation on there), although I downloaded his installer as I'd had trouble with a third-party scenario I got from UKTS not loading up properly. It's the 1P07 GEML Norwich to Liverpool Street which doesn't recognise the Class 90 loco and coaches which I have installed. I actually tried TS Tools (the most recent update/successor to RW Tools) using AT's instructional video on how to swap assets out, but it hasn't worked wither. Maybe the answer is to create my own scenario which I haven't got as far as doing yet, but your video will help with that no doubt.

    I'd love to do the entirety WCML too. Presumably it's possible to have a scenario where trains run fast from Warrington Bank Quay (i.e. avoiding the via Birmingham route?). If memory serves, the junction is just south of Stafford, so as long as you have the WCLM Trent Valley route (DTG) which I do, then you can do the whole 4h20m in a single run?

    Anyways, Happy New Year to you and see you on the rails...
     
  6. westcastlerail

    westcastlerail Active Member

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    Hi Nrailer - Happy New Year - and to everyone else in train simulator world!

    Spent a bit of time over the weekend trying to work how best to achieve my goal of getting the entire WCML line to work.

    My hope of downloading the routes, taking out the AT subscription and being "oven ready" to get driving with different scenarios perhaps was a bit to ambitious.

    Main issue I have, is that unless you have all the rolling stock that is included in a downloaded scenario, then your into editing the scenario yourself.

    From my few days of experimenting, I have come to the conclusion that its better to scratch build scenarios myself. (in order to match the rolling stock I have installed - which I guess will always be different for everyone - especially with the VT Class 390 pack no longer available which is required for most WCML scenarios out there on steam workshop).

    It is though incredibly time consuming building scenarios, but hopefully I will get quicker. Have started scenario 1 (Glasgow to Carlisle using WCML North) and so far have only got at far as Carstairs with placing traffic and consists.

    With regards to run fast from Warrington Quay, my own view is that the scenario without stopping for a couple of hours would be a bit to long and tedious in a simulator.
    (Have done the journey a couple of times in real life on the 9:30 from Euston when VT tickets were on offer)

    So for now, my Euston- Glasgow via Birmingham (in 4 linked up scenarios will do), with plenty stops along the way.

    Once I have the Euston - Glasgow scenarios built, then perhaps will look at creating some Manchester or Liverpool Scenarios that go the Trent Valley route.

    If your aware of any WCML scenarios then don't need class 390 pack then I would love to download them.
    (or if anyone has a quicker suggestions/scernarios of how to create the WCML route and services)
     
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