Patch/Upgrade

[adam3544]

The Track Monitor F3 as look after the upgrade is much better, but now I find I'd strongly prefere it to be more graphical, as in MSTS, semi-transparent and movable.
I think it should be redesigned, without the first view.
Totally, KRS in my opinion is very good product and I really like it.

Adam

[Shadders]

Hi OZINOZ,

Hi guys...
Probably going to get lost in the length of this thread, but I have to say that I have gone from loving it to just liking it

While I had some issues, particularly the hesitation and stuttering, after this MK1 upgrade I now have sound issues and my frame rates in some views have almost halved and I have had my first complete lock up and dump to desktop. I have gone from mid to high 30's to high teens. I am running a brand new 2.8ghz quad core with 4g ram and 8600 card, so I certainly wouldn't have expected to go backwards. Haven't got to loading the Dev Tools ~ too afraid to in case performance gets halved again. Only bought this (or would contemplate the MSTS X or what ever it is going to be called) for the steam, but just feel let down The F3 guide is a lot better now I feel, but the map is really useless because the FOV is just nowhere near large enough. I ran an activity on the Cajon route and even at under 5 miles an hour, it was touch and go whether I would be over the switch before it was in the map window so the path could be set. I really thing this needs tweaking still.

This sim has so much potential, it is just disappointing to be where we are, nearly 10 years on from the development of MSTS yet it contains all of the basic issues that it had - appropriate power & sound from multiple power units (head & tail power), AI lights etc not to mention the inability to "operate"at night because lights emit no light, bizarre weather phenomenons and issues with road traffic and rail crossings.

It is still the best in town, but it shouldn't have to rely on the users to that extent to make it so...

Cheers

Sound like you have quite a beefy system there, I've no idea why you should be getting such a low frame rate. However two things spring to mind (I'm a XP user, no idea if this will help if you use Vista):

One: Graphics drivers. Make sure that you have the latest drivers for your card. With nVidia cards, I strongly suggest unstalling your current drivers and rebooting before installing the new ones. With me, this normaly means loosing the positions of any icons on the desktop and having a 800x600 display followed by XP 'finding' the drivers I just uninstalled and asking me if I want to install them. I cancel any setup that starts, navigate to the place I downloaded the new drivers to and run the new setup.

Two: Are you using onboard sound? You should get much better performance with a dedicated sound card. If you are, and you buy a seperate sound card, remember to unstall the drivers and disable the onboard sound before installing the new card.

Also, I don't know if RS is capable of using all of your CPU cores, software has to be written to take advantage of more than one core, it does not magically increase in performance as you add more cores.

Finally, yep, the track view from the Drivers Guide is not much use for changing points. I suggest you use the Map View (9 key) to make changes to points while your train is stationary. You hold down shift and click on the blue circles to change them in this view. A blue line should go from your train to the track you need to go to. The blue line will stop at any point that is not set to allow you to continue. You can set more than one point while in this view. You need to press 9 again to get back to the train view.

Hope this helps you,

Shadders.

[23lovattdaniel]

Eeep! need help! i have downloaded the upgrade but it wont install! it comes up with things like "error opening file for writing: D\Games\RailSimulator\LocalisedStrings" then if i click ignore it will do the same with every file! PLEASE HELP! :bad-words:

[wookey]

hello, um, could anyone confirm or dispell whether or not the patch reduces the minimum radius for curves? i was of the impression that it did but have found that when using the editor its still the same old 500, any clue?
ta

[NeutronIC]

You need a track rule which enables it, but yes, i've seen some extremely tight corners using the new narrow gauge track that Kevin Martin has built (which comes with its own track rule). Don't ask me how you make one though, not got that far

Matt.

[longbow]

Does anyone know how to adjust the existing track rules to reduce the minimum radius? The current minimum appears to be too large to permit the missing crossover on that sharp curve into Templecombe Upper.

The developer documentation refers to selecting track rules "from the Network Toolbox Options Menu, part of the Linear Object Placement Toolset", but I don't know where to find this.

[AndiS]

I would assume that a document on track rules is also "near the top of the list" of RSDL, because only with that many people will enjoy one of the clear advantages that the recent patch brought along. Also, there could be some hope in these track rules for those who are not satisfied with the guide rails, and the radii for which switches are generated.

[longbow]

There is already a Track Rules Setup Developer Document, which lists Min Radius as one of the Track Rules properties, so it can be user defined.

If I open the relevant Track Rules blueprint in the Assets folder I can see a Passenger Track MinRadius value defined of 115 (m?).

But I can't access this folder with the Blueprint editor, so how do I alter this setting without risky manual hacking?

[kevmt]

There is already a Track Rules Setup Developer Document, which lists Min Radius as one of the Track Rules properties, so it can be user defined.

If I open the relevant Track Rules blueprint in the Assets folder I can see a Passenger Track MinRadius value defined of 115 (m?).

But I can't access this folder with the Blueprint editor, so how do I alter this setting without risky manual hacking?

To be honest, without the kuju source files for the trackrules, then I think manual hacking would probably be the only way. The problem with this method is that you end up with different rules with the same name which, I presume, would cause all sorts of compatability problems in the future.

Out of interest, I did have a quick go at writing a track rule. I just copied and modified the devoloper\track rule example and modified it to allow min curves of 30 m.



Cheers,
Kevin

[wookey]

How difficult is it to 'hack' the values? as i'd really like to be able to reduce the min radius.

[Klaabu]

First time I uninstalled RS just 3 days after trying out and testing period. This program seemed to be in totally unfinished state and non-existing editors made it useless. Because I'm very experiensed activity maker for MSTS my biggest interest was how scenario creation systems are working on that new sim. It was very disappointing that RS don't allow us to make timetabled passenger train activities. The hope was still that first patch will fix it because without timetables there is no any passanger traffic. Now after release of Patch Mk 1 we are still left without this important feature - timetabled activities are not possible to create. This makes RS useless for me and many other railsimming fans. Resume lead me to uninstallation of the RS again - this time giving last chance for the RSDT to fix that problem in Patch Mk 2. If not - that "simulator without functionality" will be dead for me - to forever.

RSDerek's comment from another thread: "James, who said we were going to address the red issues for Upgrade 1?
Just becuase you colour them and name them critical does not mean we are going to put those to the top of our list.
I'm not knocking the list, there has been some great work put into it.
But please understand that we need to work in our own way, that is planned out taking a large number of different factors into account."

Very bad You're not showing up will to fix most important problems first and add important missing features to the sim. I totally agree with jamesspec here. Few of those red colored problems:
1. Timetable scenarios are still not possible to create. Then ... what is the purpose of the rail simulator? To show some 3D train models well done? No. IMHO simulators pupose is to simulate railroad traffic. Missing traffic is equal to missing simulation.
2. Scenario creation is built up on totally wrong basis. Simulator can't be just one computer game for children (3+). MSTS's activity editing possibilities are brilliant compared to RS. Missing ability to construct timetable scenarios turnes RS to dead program for many trainsimmers.
3. Sad but signalling system don't work at all. Even after installing patch Mk 1. Too many pointless restrictions and incompatible signalisation features. Left hand car traffic in Germany? Oh my god. Where did You take it? Spawning and hiding cars on crossings!!! Even visually I can't accept the overall behavior of that simulator although modellers job is well done.
4. InCab view 1 and out-cab views 2 and 3 last positions will not be saved after moving to new view. Only 1 key command for the head-out view - to left side. On German locos driver is sitting on right side.
5. Roundtables can't be used in scenarios because scenario engine don't recognize them. They'll break the path.
6. Visually RS's game engine behaves too similarly to MSTS - in some views there is too much stuttering even while data loading from hard drives is not taking place and where framerate value is constantly around 60. This is just an example of poor game engine. My computer is good enough for latest games. Many of them are running smoothly on that one. Even latest simulators - FSX and ShipSimulator 2008. All faders on maximal position.
7. Editors look like they are made mostly for children. Filled with big-big colored details like toys. And thereby You're wasting lots of time to find right destination places in real world editor instead of using clear and comfortable zoomable 2D-map (like in MSTS). Many users also report about they graphic adapters are getting very hot while editing.

This is sad to say that poor programming killed exellent modelling. For modellers (train models, cabs and buildings) I'm taking hat off.

And for last ...
Adam and Derek You can delete that post of cause if You want but this don't affect reality that things are getting bad after that first light-weight patch - people are loosing enthusiasm and hope that children game (3+) named Rail Simulator will grow up to be real simulation program we waited for so long time. But everything is still in Your hands. Just don't ignore redcolored comments and recommendations of experienced railsimmers.

With best regards
Mr. Klaabu from Estonia.

[RSderek]

Thank you for your view, and may I add that I have no wish nor have the power to delete it. Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
A few people focus on what RS can not do, because that is the way of things, however I know that this is not a bad thing as we always aim to do more, better, and criticism is a great tool.

However there are many things RS does very well, and over time with RSDL support as well as some very talented people from these and other forums this will only improve.

I'm not here to play tennis about the pros and cons of RS, Adam and I have been open and honest on these forums and take everything on board. We help, advise, interact and support more (as far as I know) than has gone before on other Train sim products.
As for my comment you quoted, I stand by it and that is my opinion and sorry you disagree with it.

regards

Derek

[stewart]

Mr. Klaabu, You may also like to know that the head out view is actually available for both right and left sides. Just use your cursor keys.

[Retro]

7. Editors look like they are made mostly for children. Filled with big-big colored details like toys. And thereby You're wasting lots of time to find right destination places in real world editor instead of using clear and comfortable zoomable 2D-map (like in MSTS). Many users also report about they graphic adapters are getting very hot while editing.
With best regards
Mr. Klaabu from Estonia.

The Route Editor menu enables you to remove from view the big coloured toys which I am assuming are the Sound Regions. The Editors are in fact very powerful tools hardly made for children but involve a steep learning curve. But they are very user friendly compared to MSTS IMHO. This means that the younger generation can learn to use them and have success. As far as GPU's overheating mine is only a fairly meager model but it has not overheated after 8 Hours of continuous Route Editing. You can use the Route Markers to get to destinations quickly and the 2D map allows selection of destinations for Scenarios.
The Upgrade has arrived very quickly and the support from RSDL is excellent. Rome wasn't built in a day nor Totley Tunnel to keep in context. Reading the Dev Docs carefully will also help with a greater understanding of the program and it's many and varied functions.
I personally get great enjoyment from this program and look forward to continued improvements.
Regards James.

[peterdore]

I have to agree with James.
This Sim is far far superior to MTS, that is not to say that MTS was not brilliant in its time
things have moved on and the support from people like Derek and Adam have been first rate!
If only Microsoft had been as helpful with MTS......

Yes there are still some issues like signaling etc, but given time all these issues will be addressed.
As I am writing this many new locos built for Rail sim are now becoming available, very nice jobs they are too!
and with Digital traction about to release 2P 4F West country well............it speaks for it self.

Remember just keep the faith

Pete Doré