Atomic Systems

Hi all. Is there away to download the routes instead of sending off for them i don't think there on this site. i am wanted Tim's mid east and that langgolon route can can one tell me where ot get these as i have broadband and would be quicker and easyer for me to download them as they are freeware. Can anyone help

regards jagger

I asked Tim if he was posting his route anywhere, but he replied that because the route includes so many custom models, its sheer size precluded it being uploaded to the file library. His CD also includes a number of rolling-stock items not available elsewhere, and these are needed for the Activities.

Obviously it's down to the individual route author, but it's far easier to package up all the files as a nice easy install from CD than mess about trying to split it into downloadable sections. Certainly my existing routes and any new projects for the forseeable future will be CD only, I don't have any plans to make them downloadable.

bigvern- that sounded incredibly harsh! seriously harsh.

If we all do that its gonna be one hell of a community "joke".

Could you explain that instead of making us ponder what intentions you meant by that?

All I said is that my routes will continue to go out on CD, not that I'm not releasing them anymore! The West Highland will have loads of custom structures and is likely to come in at well over 300Mb even zipped up, plus all the consists and rolling stock which have kindly been donated will all be in one place. If that doesn't please some people then I'm sorry, but in excess of 600 people have obtained my Far North route by this system and not one complaint.

If you think I'm doing it to make money then that's quite wrong - for starters I have always offered (and will continue to offer) the facility to send a CD with an SAE if you don't want to send a cheque or PO/use Paypal for the premium service. I can assure you at £3 a CD, by the time ink cartridges at £25 a time and everything else are taken into account there isn't any great surplus left over - I'm also investing considerable of my own money in obtaining maps, research material etc. for each route.

Just for information, I put a minimum of 200 hours of my own time into Far North and a similar time thus far into the West Highland Stage One. I'm quite happy to give that time freely to the community in return for the satisfaction of sharing my work with others. So I don't think you have any right to make such comments, frankly.

In conclusion I am rather hurt by the suggestion my comments were harsh and frankly puzzled at what you mean. Plenty of respected route authors have elected to put their routes out in this way. Frankly makes me wonder why I bother - well I know why, for the 99.9% of the community who don't have a problem with CD distribution.

So sorry-Im good at insults. You were not under scrutiny bout profits i know for one that is untrue. I actually didnt read into it and thought u meant all you were to publish!!

Pleas except my appoligies i am very sorry at any hurt i may of bought on to you.

Nick

Thank god for train-sim.com and the US msts community.Which is far less obsessed with putting everything on cd.I much prefer to download a route,whatever size it is (and there are some big files on ts.com) even though im only on a 56k connect.

I thought that was the whole point of having net access and paying subscriptions.

IKB.

think i better join you mike up that mountain for some mushrooms


pete

Seem to have been all through this before, same guys for, same guys against, I think it is up to the route author to decide how he wishes to distribute his work and which method he prefers for installing the route onto the PC.
If you do not like it, leave it and go for another route, or do your own, my first effort was on CD and my next one is also going to be on CD.

With you on this Bigvern.

Pat.

I really dint mean to cause a riot!

Ansaw the topic purpose now not the . i displayed above please

Unfortunaltely Mideast won't be available as a download, my reasons are purely selfish- as follows.

I carefully thought about this, ok some people have broadband connections but I am sure 256Mb worth of loco's, stock and routes (some of which is exclusive content as a "perk") is not the best thing to tie up your phone line with all day, I know there are download managers but I felt I would adopt the "same for all" policy this time.

I have also had the headache of spending all my time answering questions and helping people get the route into their sims and has resulted in sevral bad emails to me from people saying that I should know better and If i were to dist a route I should make the install easier (9 files last time all with their own installers)

Instead the Mideast CD has 2 installers, 1 for the route and the 2nd for the activities and stock, this was done so you cant run the activities without the stock for them.

Mideast has been distributed on CD for the following reasons.

1. Everybody who uses mideast has the same loco's stock and route version, therefore I can issue upgrades for the route (Branch packs etc)
and there will be no conflicts

2. you get a package to make it worthwhile getting the CD, which includes a bigger route, more loco's and stock than you would get on a commercial package costing 25-30 pounds.

3. Matt offered to distribute the CD's, being a UK route with UK stock for the UK trainsimmer then it seems logical to distribute the CD from a UK site - I make the CD's over here in the US for the British over here and any US people interested- it also is being distributed in the australia's too!

4. Knowing the route is installed from the CD makes it easy to identify peoples problems and keeps the problems to a minimum being able to simplify things.

Finally I would dearly love to put the route up as a download but at the end of the day its far easier to make a CD for continuitys sake and even if the route gets extended etc the CD will not be obsolete since a high quantity of the loco's and stock on the CD will never be released elsewhere.

Adding the stock etc seems to be popular with the CD and has also proved to be a hit with the contributors too since also if any updates are issued to the models, again everyone has the same model so it can easily be upgraded if required.

I hope this makes sense.

Tim

Most welcome Peter,bring your own woman though.

regards,
Mike.

Tim, can you give me the Australian supplier's contact details?

Mike

Bob Latimers is yer man latimers@ihug.co.nz

He should be up and running by now I would say.

tim

I can confirm that he is. First CD went out today!