Core features as "addons"?

[Acorncomputer]

Perhaps you could create a .rwp package before an update to include only those files that you want to preserve and then load it into RW after the update. Would the older files overwrite the newer ones as you would want or will the newer files remain unaltered

[phat2003uk]

That's definitely one way of doing it Geoff.

[AndyM77]

Has anyone investigated how Steam decides that a file has been modified and therefore gets overwritten? If that were known then I'm sure that someone could come up with a utility to make the user edited files look 'kosher' to Steam and therefore protect them from one of the more irritating, but at the same time sometimes useful, features of Steam.

Andy L

To the best of my knowledge, Steam uses a "Hash" system similar to .md5 summing. This number or "Hash" value is unique to each and every file created, modified, etc, and as such there is no way to trick the system into doing the above. This is partly why the VAC (Valve Anti Cheat) system is effective as it's virtually impossible to play 'online' multiplayers with cheating files included. Those that do cheat do get caught pretty quickly too!

Anyhow, back to the MD5 summer, there is a program that I use for checking that backups on my external drive matches exactly what is contained on my internal drive, which is called MD5Summer (surprisingly! ). Download it and you can play around with it to understand MD5 sums much better. (Linux distros usually have a MD5 checker built in).

[CaptScarlet]

What would happen if you just write protected the file via Windows Explorer?....

Just tested and Steam ignores it and overwrites the 'read only' file. Thought that would have been too easy!

Andy L

Or as I posted here - http://forums.uktrainsim.com/viewtopic. ... 6#p1304836 run a version outside steam. Yes it is not perfect but it does work and steam doesn't touch it, if that's what you want.

John

[AndyUK]

Has anyone investigated how Steam decides that a file has been modified and therefore gets overwritten? If that were known then I'm sure that someone could come up with a utility to make the user edited files look 'kosher' to Steam and therefore protect them from one of the more irritating, but at the same time sometimes useful, features of Steam.

Andy L

To the best of my knowledge, Steam uses a "Hash" system similar to .md5 summing. This number or "Hash" value is unique to each and every file created, modified, etc, and as such there is no way to trick the system into doing the above. This is partly why the VAC (Valve Anti Cheat) system is effective as it's virtually impossible to play 'online' multiplayers with cheating files included. Those that do cheat do get caught pretty quickly too!

Anyhow, back to the MD5 summer, there is a program that I use for checking that backups on my external drive matches exactly what is contained on my internal drive, which is called MD5Summer (surprisingly! ). Download it and you can play around with it to understand MD5 sums much better. (Linux distros usually have a MD5 checker built in).

Thanks for that explanation Andy. Looks like I'll have to give up on my quest for an easy solution to the issue and stick with the backup work around.

Andy L

[transadelaide]

I would be surprised if an MD5 checksum is used since it is kind of equivalent to using a rocket launcher for shooting rabbits. A simpler form of checksum might be more likely. MD5 is probably a lot more practical for games that download a single .gcf file instead of many thousands of files.

It would be nice to either tell Steam which files not to verify but this will not be happening any time soon as the only files Steam does not verify are saved games and content that is added. To remove this facility would compromise the whole purpose of having Steam verify and repair a broken installation for the majority of RW users.

One possible way around the verification function of Steam is to skip the create .rwp bit and just copy a folder. I have a folder called Assets and one called Content which live in steamapps\common\RWover along with a shortcut to steamapps\common\railworks which is where I drag the overwriting content. All you need for this is a knowledge of how to manipulate files in Windows and a .rpk/.rwp friendly extractor like 7-zip. The shortcut is only temporary as I intend on some day creating a batch file that copies the Assets and Content folders, clears out all blueprint.pak files and then runs RW using the Steam.exe -applaunch 24010 command as you get on the RW icon in the start menu. It's not often that I actually need to copy overwritten files back in, and I find this to be the perfect way to work around the slightly annoying bit of the verification process without impeding it's purpose of repairing a borked installation.

[FoggyMorning]

Aren't there 2 mutually contradictory things going on here?
On the one hand, people want the core programme to be updated, on the other people are trying to find ways to prevent Steam from updating the files

[transadelaide]

Aren't there 2 mutually contradictory things going on here?
On the one hand, people want the core programme to be updated, on the other people are trying to find ways to prevent Steam from updating the files

Most of this is people wanting to prevent Steam from verifying files which they have replaced with improved content. Upgraded sound packs, upgraded default locomotive skins, branded liveries for Oovee products which were released without licensing, improved tracks and packs of improved ISO containers in EU and US container packs are the examples that come to mind right now. These are overwritten with the originals whenever you verify files in Steam and have to be reinstalled by the user. This is easily worked around by extracting the packages and replacing every time you verify file integrity.

On the other hand, most people do want new updates except for those who have had problems incompatible hardware or software conflicting with parts of RW. The vast majority of users do want the updates and it is generally only a handful that complain of problems on here when an update does come. This is where the more extreme solutions like permanently running offline, running multiple folders and so on come into play.

But on the surface you are right, it does sound a little like wanting to have your cake and eat it too

[RSderek]

From RS.com's point of view knowing everyone has what they expect them to have in the right place is a good thing.
Users changing core files leads to users getting errors.

Quote from a user in support: 'I changed a bunch of files and now Railworks has stopped working'

My advice is to leave core files alone.

regards

Derek

[lemberg]

That's funny as despite 3 verifications of programme files I still do not have any description when I hover the cursor over the icons in the editor.

Keith

[RSderek]

Email support with your problem and pc set up.

regards

Derek

[styckx]

I've broken the game countless times with my constant digging around the file system. I learned early on, if I plan to edit a file, make a copy first and rename it *.BAK. If you break it, a backup of said file is 2 seconds away to restore things back. RW_Tools does this on the fly. Force of habit for me though to manually make a backup first. I have never trusted "automatic" backups in any software.

[lemberg]

Email support with your problem and pc set up.

regards

Derek

Email sent. Keith

[miglietto]

core development has been quite limited... we are going to see very conservative development in core program.

Hiya,

Just today we have announced this: RailWorks Career Mode

Regards

This new great feature should finally cool down all thousand users asking for it
Good to let behind these few annoying ones that asked for year better DM handling and T key crash fixing.

Many thanks RS.com !