Struggling To Find Downloadable Scenarios To Drive

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by westcastlerail, Jan 26, 2021.

  1. westcastlerail

    westcastlerail Active Member

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    Hi there

    I am two months in to my Train Sim 2021 adventure, and thanks to a couple of Steam sales I have picked up DLC and locos.

    My main interest is UK mainline running. (1980 to Present day)
    1) WCML: Eus -Glas
    2) ECML: KX - Edin
    3) West Coast: Pad - Penz

    (HST's, Class 31/45/50/86/87/90/DMU's, APT up to Pendlinos are all my thing!)

    I have most of the routes now to drive the above complete lines, but as all the different routes are set up in different eras its very difficult to find any scenarios that link up to sensibly do the whole route in the same train and time period.

    For example, I drove a 1990s IC Swallow HST Edin to KX at the weekend using lots of various Quick Drive stages.
    (ie Ed-Berwick, Berwick - Newcastle, Newcastle - Durham etc etc)

    Lots of nice AI HST and Deltics etc as I originally departed Edinburgh, , then as I approached Berwick, Avanti Pendilino came the other way!

    The other problem is most scenarios require masses of rolling stock, enhancement packs, or stock that is no longer available (VT Class 390 for example!)

    I came to the conclusion that I am going to have to build my own scenarios based on the stock I have, which I have started, but to be honest a find them very time consuming and pretty repetitive to create (I just want to drive trains!)

    I have seen a few split scenarios, ie Class 350 Crewe Rugby PT1, Rugby to Euston PT2, which only use the DTG stock which gets close to what I am after.

    So my question is, is there anywhere that has longer (linked up?) mainline service scenarios available, with currently available rolling stock from Steam/DTG?)

    Alternatively, does anyone offer a bespoke custom building scenario service?
     
    Last edited: Jan 26, 2021
  2. 749006

    749006 Well-Known Member

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  3. westcastlerail

    westcastlerail Active Member

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    Hi 749006 - thank you for reading my post and replying.

    I have looked on Steam workshop, and taking the WCML today as an example, starting from Euston heading North:
    DTG WCML - quite a few DTG Pendilino North bound scenarios I can use.
    Trent Valley - most scenarios require the obsolete VT class 390 pack.
    Over Shap - nothing with a Pendilino on.
    WCML North- again nothing with a Pendilino on.

    Coming back the other way, if I wanted a class 86 or 87 from Glasgow - Euston in the 1990's,
    WCML North - quite a few scenarios
    Over Shap - quite a few scenarios
    Trent Valley - nothing with a 86/87
    DTG WCML - nothing with a 86/87

    The Steam Workshop search facility (and in the game) doesn't work for me (searching by route or loco just brings up blanks!)

    Lee Brompton has some scenarios that use only DTG stuff, I wonder if there is any other creators that use a similar rolling stock constraints but along the whole line?

    I have an Alan Thompson subscription, but most scenarios involved the discontinued VT class 390, or assume you have a massive selection of downloaded rolling stock and enhancement packs. (I guess its there way to make you buy them!)

    With regards to the other sites, I have downloaded a couple of bits, but come up with similar problems, or trying to get them install.

    I see some scenarios say "built at the request" of someone, so I would be interested how you would go about requesting a scenario to be custom built?
     
  4. 749006

    749006 Well-Known Member

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    I have never had to resort to somebody else building a Scenario just for me so I'm unsure about the process
    If you are on Facebook you could check out ROSGAR (Rose and Gareth) who make a number of scenarios
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/rosgar/

    Apart from the Steam workshop there are other places like DPS https://www.dpsimulation.org.uk/scenarios.html
    But again most scenarios use other stock to make them more realistic.
    Take WCML South - you have a selection of passenger trains but only a 66 for freight and in real life you would also see Class 37, 47, 67, 70, 86, 90 and 92 on freight services and the Class 90/92 on the overnight Sleepers - all those are available in the game and get used in scenarios for greater realism.

    Peter
     
  5. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead Well-Known Member

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    As for whole routes: ATS do the entire ECML as one route, although the assets required may be steep if you're only 2 months in... unless you're loaded of course. They also are very close now to releasing the entire WCML. The only issue is that it will be modern, and not really THAT suitable for BR Blue for obvious reasons.

    Alan Thomson Sim have a LOT of scenarios to download for free, as do DPS. There are also other great routes for free too from Wottawallysbits, Golden Goldsmith, On Track Simulation. ....but obviously, they are AP dependency heavy... but then again, due to the popularity of AP stuff, many are AP heavy. Wottawally and OTS routes come with a LOT of scenarios though.

    Then just replace the Virgin Class 390 with the WCML South version of the 390 which you may have assuming you have WCML South, and then use Major Wales Design's free 390 Revamp Pack which includes not only a range of Avanti liveries (White, half, and full, Pride and Mask) but also every Virgin livery and combination). https://www.major.wales/revamp-packs/390 It Does require the AP class 390 sound pack though, but to be honest... I'd recommend that any way. The standard Pendolino sounds from DTG are rubbish.

    I know it's frustrating when you first start and you keep finding scenarios, only to be disappointed that it uses about 50 quids worth of AP stock you do not have, but if you get used to using TS Tools (http://agenetools.com/downloads.html ), you can become quite adept at swapping out stuff for scenarios. So if a scenario needs, for example, the AP class 66 enhancement pack, AP class 37, and AP class 350 EP.... just swap them out for the vanilla DTG versions. You can always swap them back, or re-install the scenarios as and when you get the stuff it originally needed.


    [edit] The full white/half white Pendolino livery is not in the 390 Revamp Pack, sorry... it is a separate pack, but also from Major Wales.
     
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2021
  6. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead Well-Known Member

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    While the scenario editor looks daunting at first.. and it IS a bit of a pig to use, you quickly get used to it, and making scenarios, while it can be time consuming, can be enjoyable. There are tons of tutorials on YouTube. Give it a try.
     
  7. Cyclone

    Cyclone Well-Known Member

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    By the way, you can use Ts-Tools to swap out stock. Links:

    I also plan to publish my own tutorial when I first drive a scenario modified using that utility. Already got a couple of ideas in mind. Hoping to launch my channel this week if I stop being lazy and actually record the last thing I need for my launch, but that tutorial may be a little ways down the road unless I decide to push the tutorial out sooner.
     
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2021
  8. westcastlerail

    westcastlerail Active Member

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    Good morning everyone - and thank you all for your tips and advice - its greatly appreciated.

    Rolling stock wise:
    Modern Day, I have enough variety trains and liveries for the WCML(Scotrail/Northern/London Midland / 66s, 86s etc)
    1980's also I have a variety of liveries for the WCML (Swallow, IC Blue for 86/87/90 and APT, DMU in Regional railways etc in)

    Editing Scenarios:
    Thanks for the tips on TS Tools, I definitely will give it a go for replacing the 390 and hopefully replacing other stock in existing Workshop scenarios.
    Also, I will start to pick up a few of the AP packs - sounds like they will add to the experience.

    Tutorials:
    I have watched most of Matts Play scenario creation streams, but any other tutorials would be most welcome to this newby - especially on editing existing scenarios!
    (Having watched a DCS World tutorial recently, changing rolling stock in TS seems a lot more achievable than ever flying an F-15!)

    Steam Workshop scenarios:
    Had a good look again on Steam last night, if the RT Tools works then hopefully that will save quite a bit of time.
    Its just a question I guess of sitting there and putting my rolling stock in into the existing scenario traffic patterns.
    Least once it is done, its done!

    I think maybe I got unlucky, and started with the longest route first (WCML North) which needs a significant amount of modern day traffic to fill the route up.
    As I get further South, it looks like a lot more modern days scenarios I can use without creating new ones every time.
     
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2021
  9. Cyclone

    Cyclone Well-Known Member

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    It doesn't take too long to do. I for instance cloned a set of scenarios and tried replacing a single train in each and was done in time to get my lunch out of the microwave. If there are a lot of trains to replace, and you have to search for the models, it can take longer, but if you for instance know you have and want to use the Arriva 175 instead of the 143 on a SWC scenario (the 143 is no longer sold BTW, that's the Arriva Wales DMU pack), you can just find your SWC route and quickly select and replace every 143 with the 175, and now you have 175s all over the route instead. Same idea if you replace the Arriva model with the one from Exeter-Paignton. Or the 158 from the same pack with the one from Suburban Glasgow. Same idea if you swap out the now missing CrossCountry 220, which I'd have to do (I luckily have the Voyager Advanced, and the NWC 221, so I have options). You select the consist in the editor, select the train from the other pane, swap (changing the number for a different model entirely is also realistic, but you can keep the original number too), and go make a coffee to enjoy on the drive. Can be done in a matter of minutes (the coffee included). I might intensify my tutorial to accommodate for changing several trains if I find a scenario for play that I can do that with.

    One more note on editing a scenario: you are advised to clone it before doing anything else. Change the name slightly to make it obvious which one is yours (the default name includes "Copy").. That way, if something goes wrong, the original is retained. This applies to Workshop scenarios too, as Steam could for some reason try to replace your subscribed items with the right version (plus you should not really edit and remove official scenarios, though I can't blame someone removing scenarios that don't work *cough Woodhead in Blue cough*). Cloning is an important step as you might be removing BNSF stuff you can't buy and trying to use UP or CN or others instead, and all the BNSF returns like a cockroach to a wooden post.
     
  10. westcastlerail

    westcastlerail Active Member

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    Hi Cyclone

    Thanks for following this up ... my plan was to get into TS Tools this weekend to start my second south bound scenario on Over Shap (by editing someone else's scenario) but did not happen unfortunately.

    I am still finishing my first WCML North modern day scenario, before tackling the rest of the WCML mainline.
    (spent hours yesterday in scenario creation... at least microwave breakfast and lunch with plenty of coffees)

    What takes the time in scenario creation, for me, is the finding a final destination for the AI traffic.

    I do not seem to be able to get AI traffic to run without a final destination (despite matts tutorial saying they dont need one), so am always trying to find a place as far up the line for them to finish, but without blocking other services (including the player service).

    With WCML North, there is a whole host of junctions and routing options that make the whole thing quite complicated!

    Thanks for the tip on saving when creating scenarios - I always add V1/V2 etc at the end.
    (I remember that from the original Microsoft Train Sim in the 2000s!)

    Hope the tutorial are coming on well - really looking forward to seeing them once they are done!

    Time to warm up with for some microwave porridge for breakfast!
     
  11. 749006

    749006 Well-Known Member

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    Get rid of the AI via Portals - it saves having to look for a siding, loop, platform etc to send you AI too.
    Have a look in another scenario on the route you have
    You will see the AI only runs a relatively short distance compared with the player train.
     
  12. westcastlerail

    westcastlerail Active Member

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    Hi Peter - thanks for the tips on Portals.

    I discovered them yesterday, when routing AI traffic out of Carlisle (northbound)

    I have split the WCML North Line into 4 sections for AI start and final destinations positions.

    For the length of route, there are not many different spawn positions listed to easily "teleport to".

    Yesterday, I wanted to get the last 10 services away from Carlisle, to the junction before Carstairs. (which was the previous ((3rd)) AI departure block)

    I always start AI from a signal, so by the time 10 signals northbound from Carlisle, I was already well pass Kingsmuir depot which is one of the other spawn points listed points. ( I did enjoy filling the depot up with parked up consists of Hopper waggons, 66's, + 37s, 86's).

    Also, as the WCML North is a long route, checking what I have done is correct, involves a whole hour re-driving the route every time.

    Fingers crossed, the tips I have had from this thread will speed up the making on the next southbound (Over Shap) scenario of my journey down the entire WCML. (other wise it could be the Summer and end of lockdown (hopefully!) by the time I reach Euston!)
     
  13. 749006

    749006 Well-Known Member

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    Don't try Spawning your AI as it does not always work.
    Pick a scenario and look at it in the Timetable Editor. You will see the AI trains waiting for their turn to move.
    The driver train starts in a station/siding etc but the AI can start anywhere you want

    Peter
     
  14. roysto25

    roysto25 Well-Known Member

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    One note about rolling stock numbering. I recently discovered (thanks to AP support!) that, if you do not renumber when swapping stock, you may have missing textures - one would not intuitively link renumbering and textures!
     
  15. 749006

    749006 Well-Known Member

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    The AP Comment is correct as they used other characters to make different items appear
    But it does not apply to most other non AP stock
    If you are not using their stock you can do most swaps without a problem

    Peter
     
  16. Cyclone

    Cyclone Well-Known Member

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    London to Brighton is a good route to do this with. Due to my own issues with an AI collision on the running of one scenario, I actually show off what Peter mentions in its upcoming video by showing where train 16 is at the start of the scenario. It doesn't move until you're around the East Croydon area, if you stick to the timetable.

    Fun fact: the AI collision was caused by a train that for some reason stayed at the Norwood Junction section where train 16 attempts to exit the scenario (which I also show later to show the use of portals). When I succeeded later, that very train was next to my parking spot. So something held it up at a red signal. Not sure why.
     

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