Atomic Systems

Hi

I've got an error message;

'Players path failed to load. Path may be missing or may require repair. Path name "" '

This has started turning up when I try to run the Wharf to Nant Gwernol activities - though I have used them previously without a problem. Only change ( that I'm aware of) is recent addition of extra RAM....


Also, for a couple of activities ( 'Prepare for Departure' and 'Track Maintenance') I can get part way through but the engines can't pull the coaches/wagons after a while. During these, the sim appears to lock-up completely. This could be my settings - if so, I'd appreciate any advice!

Thanks

I cant help with the first problem, but I think that I can help with the second.

The chances are that you are using too much steam, one feature of the Vacuum brakes on Talyllyn locos is that if you havn't enough steam in the boiler, they will apply them selves automaticly.

The best way too avoid this is too set your brakes too running after you have released your brakes, because it uses less steam, and close your small injector.

Try turring your graphic fetures down as well, especilly the shadows and distant mountains.

As for the diesels, I'm stumped, as I don't get any problems, I would suggest that your re-install the route as a last alternative.

Try turring your graphic fetures down as well, especilly the shadows and distant mountains.

RobertM[/b]

Do you have automated fireman on? If not you could be losing steam, although the locking up sounds a bit more serious. Try lowering the graphics.

Out of interest, what graphics settings are you running on? (roughly) and what graphics card/ how much RAM do you have on your PC?

Chris

john13 wrote:Hi

I've got an error message;

'Players path failed to load. Path may be missing or may require repair. Path name "" '

This has started turning up when I try to run the Wharf to Nant Gwernol activities - though I have used them previously without a problem. Only change ( that I'm aware of) is recent addition of extra RAM....


Also, for a couple of activities ( 'Prepare for Departure' and 'Track Maintenance') I can get part way through but the engines can't pull the coaches/wagons after a while. During these, the sim appears to lock-up completely. This could be my settings - if so, I'd appreciate any advice!

Thanks

I'm not sure what the problem with the Path is caused by but I think the simplest solution would be to re-install the Talyllyn route which will then replace all the files with the originals. (Assuming that you have not modified any and wish to keep the changes) The paths have somehow become corrupted and the re-install sounds to me like the simplest option.

The system lockups are definately related to your system's resources. Like the other suggestions, try turning down the graphics options in MSTS and also make sure that you do not have any other unncessary programs running on the PC when you run MSTS. I believe MSTS has a problem with "memory leakage" and does not handle PC memory very efficiently.

Regards
Steve

Thanks for comments/advice. Sounds like a re-install of the route is first bet. I'll let you know.......


For settings etc, I don't think I've changed these from default or original set-up, so I'll have a rummage amongst these and see what happens too. Not being well practised with the shovel, I have the automatic fireman on at present whilst I'm trying to come to terms with all of the controls. I've got 1gb ram/2.66Mhz P4 and 128mb Nvdia graphics. Other activities/routes have been OK, though I've not tried them recently - another thing to check I guess.

It's a great route/engines etc - well done Steve. I have fond memories of the railway from first seeing it as a kid in the early 1950's. My wife bought me a 'footplate experience' last year - great fun!

OK, I've re-installed the route from the CD and the path error has gone - thanks
( on the winter activity at least - and that poor guy is still out by the engine shed, hammering away, in the snow......).

I've looked at the graphics settings. I had turned these down a notch from the various defaults ( and distant mountains were off). I've turned some of them down a bit more and set the video display to the same resolution as my desktop ( 1024x768 - was 800x600), in case there was some problem with this - though it didn't show up elsewhere. I'll try these settings for a while and see if the lock-ups stop.

I've just started on the 'track maintenance' activity and seem to only be able to pull one wagon at a time - brakes off, sander on, takes full power for quite a few seconds before starting moving forward. Engine on its own nips along quite swiftly though.

Hmm.........from your post of your PC specs you should be fine as regards RAM, and processor ( at least its the same as the one I used to develop the route). The Nvidia 128 should be OK but I'm not 100% sure of this - is there a more definitive name for the card ???

Try the Distant mountains switch ON as this makes the route really realistic and I don't think has as much impact on FPS as the other options relating to textures, detail etc.
Check what frames rates you get with the various options on/off (Wharf or Pendre is a good place as there are lots of objects around) (Shift +Z)
For comparison, with all detail on, I was getting around 12 -15 FPS at Wharf and up the wharf cuttiing to Pendre.
As mentioned before, try running MSTS immediately after starting the PC so there no other applications left using memory and see any difference.

BTW - Merseysider does need lost of power when pulling stock (this may be prototypical, but I found it better than it running away up the line as soon as you open the regulator )

Steve

Hi Steve

Back home again......

Thanks for the suggestions,

The card's an NVIDIA Geforce4 MX440 with AGP8X, and it seems to handle other apps OK. I've tried adjusting the settings for the display and this doesn't seem to affect anything ( at least, since re-installing) apart from making some of the scenery objects disappear if I turn it down too far.

The other routes/activities all seem to be OK, haven't checked frame rates yet, but the display runs pretty smoothly most of the time, with the occasional pause.

On the plus side, I haven't had any lock-ups since reinstalling ( and adding an extra 512mb RAM). Following another post ( not sure where now) I've also tried one of the applications which shut down unneeded programs etc. - FSAutostart. Although it does clear off some running processes, it doesn't seem to make an obvious difference to performance.

I think there may be a conflict with a background process - I have Spybot and ZoneAlarm for example. I'll try unplugging the modem and running without these for a while. I'm also contemplating reinstalling the MSTS package from scratch too, possibly on a separate disk. I appear to have a couple of fragmented files which I can't shift,so it might be related to that.

By the way, I tried the 'rescue' activity, and that was OK, so the problem seems to be the way my system handles the particular activity.
Still, it keeps me off the street corners.....

Thanks again

Curiouser and curiouser....

I've looked at the frame rates in various places. Running through Pendre with an 'up' train the 'average' was 14 - 18fps with occasional peaks higher ( 30's or so) and the occasional 12. lowest was briefly 10.

On the 'track maintenance' activity, it was typically around 20 with a few dips lower.

With 'Midlander' coupled to the trucks ( the first 4 or 5) the speed display in the driving aid window jumps around between 0 and some unlikely figures - 259mph for example - all with virtually no forward motion at all. There's an occasional hint of a slight lurch forward but nothing more unless I uncouple all but one waggon.

I'll reinstall the MSTS at the weekend I think!

just very quickly, I, too, had roblems with preparing for departure and gave it up. The problem was as related; the only way to get the train moving was fully notched up, max regulator and sanding on to make sure. Altering graphics etc,. did not seem to have any effect, but I will now go back and have another go.

I've just re-tried the Maintenance activity and manged to pull ALL the trucks out of the Wharf siding on just 50% regulator so I really can't undertsand why you are getting such variations.

I am on Simple Controls & AI Fireman when I tested all the activities.
If you are driving with other settings, can you reset to the ones I have mentioned as see if there's any difference?

Regards
Steve

Aaah. That makes a difference. I previously had 'automatic fireman' on and simple controls off. I can now move the waggons around OK.

Probably just me, but the simple controls seem slow to respond and the uncoupling is tricky.

Thanks again for the advice