Activity Substitutes

[Richard604]

Hi all and how is everyone?

I think I remember reading somewhere that it was possible to substitute an activities user consist with one of your choosing, is this right and how is it done?


Later, OK it' on the Steam4me website but uses the payware tool conbuilder, is there another way??

Regards

Richard

[douglee]

Hi Richard,
My prefrence.
Still costs 10Euros (last time I looked) but you get a registration code (keep it safe) and you can install it as many times a you need.

Activity Analysis 2.11 [2291807 bytes] - actanaen.zip File ID: 1256 Date: 16 Mar 2002 - 1424 Downloads

You get the latest ver. when you register

http://www.eto-software.de/msts_english.htm (you can get here from the downloaded utility)

With any replacement of ANY consists in activities, be aware of the overall consists length as any act is written to work with the intended stock. Anything longer may not clear reversing points etc.

Having said that keeping to type with locos and equivalent with stock should not cause many problems.

Good luck
Doug

[casperdog]

Hi,
Activity analysis is good.
Convoi is free and pretty much does the same job (+ a lot of others things, that doesn't need reading a manual nearly as long as 'War and Peace' to use ) . The original is in French but an English option is available.
Route Riter can also be used to swop stock, though i've never used it for that.
Clive

[michaelhendle]

Hi,
Being a cheapscape I use convoi, it costs nothing and is very easy to use,conbuider costs $32.00 Route riter is also free,but I'm not sure how to use it,you can also use activity editor which comes with MSTS.

Mike

[Richard604]

OK thanks guys.

I do not yet fully understand either Routeriter or convoi so maybe I will hold off for a while.

By the by I tried to install the London Tilbury and Southend route but as usual ended up with a load of "missing" stock and errors.

So abondoned that.

Would really like to know what it is I am doing wrong.

Stick to CD's I think.

Think I shall get Black Country \ NWC v2 \ Burton Derby and Cannock Chase.


Tell me about the S&DJR disc V3 can I install this OVER my existing downloaded V6 or what??

Regards

Richard

[scampispeedway]

Hi Richard, I think you are mistaking Dorset Coast which is now upgradable to Version 6
and the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway which is available via download or as a Mini-Route
CD.
Therefore installing the Mini-Route CD will not affect your MSTS setup but remember if you
go that way you load the Route through the SDJR icon on your Desktop and not use the normal
MSTS or Trainstore method.
I would read the Mini-Loader Tutorial on the front screen under the News Tab before committing
to buying the disc so that you know how they are run and how you load an Activity from the list.

Bob

[michaelhendle]

Hi Richard,

You are not doing any thing wrong,but using routes in the library you have to down load stock,the older the route the more likely you will run into missing stock items.

The newer routes in the library will be ok for stock items,if your not sure for the time being get CD\DVD from the CD ordering page.

Mike

[casperdog]

Burton -Derby wait until the update coming some time soon

I dont mean to be rude but SDJR is 1 route. I think you probably mean Dorset Coast 3 which is a totally different route and, well worth buying, unless you want to wait for version 6.
Clive

[cambrian06]

Hi Richard,

You can of course change consists in the MSTS Activity Editor without the need for additional software.
A note of caution, if you are thinking about substituting stock or consists in downloaded activities it is rarely as simple as changing just the player consist. There are also the AI services and static consists which may also need changing to replace missing stock items.

If you haven't used the activity editor before I would suggest perhaps making a copy of one of the simpler default activities and experimenting with that to get a feel for the editor.

Regards,

Andy.

[stephenjrhodes]

Hi
Routeriter is good once i got in to it, still got conbuilder but which i use now and then and sometimes i open up the activity with context and change it manually.

[SDtrains]

Hi Richard,

I think I remember reading somewhere that it was possible to substitute an activities user consist with one of your choosing, is this right and how is it done?

If you open the Editor and Tools screen for MSTS, you will see a small area at the top Right of the window where the 'Help' button is located. If you click on this, the Editor and Tools menu appears, and under the
Activity Editor, you will find 'Creating Services'. Under this, you will find 'Using the Service Editor' which leads to a topic called 'Consist', where you will see 'Using the Consist Editor', which will give a basic overview of consist creation. It's easy to use, with a short learning curve. However, if you want thumbnail pictures of all of your stock to appear on the consist toolbar, you will need to create them using Route Riter. RouteRiter also has a consist editor, as mentioned before in this thread. Consists can be edited in the Activity Editor, and it's quite easy, well, I find it convenient, if that's any recommendation! The MSTS tool does have it's quirks, but when learned, is just as fast as any tool.

All of this is a little work if you have not used these facilities before, so do consider carefully before buying Conbuilder, as you will also have to learn the principles before you can handle that.
Personally, I have found that I have everything I need within MSTS, and I tend to make my own consists manually, although I do have a demo copy of Conbuilder to remind me that creating consists for new activities could be much more expensive.

Regards

[Richard604]

Well many thanks for all that help and info, good stuff.

Yes I was indeed getting cross threaded over Dorset Coast and S&DJR.

I have the S&DJR installed and it is working just fine.

Also have the download V6 of Dorset Coast together with the DC tours activities (working fine) and it was this that I was referring to and in particular having available the activities which come with the cd.

But I'm sure Clive, I can wait for the V6 CD, will this include all the activities?.

As regards changing the consists, what I had in mind was to substitute some of the DC tours consists with some steam hauled, but maybe not such a good idea in view of a V6 CD being on the horizon.

I have made a couple of activities using the editor but of course there is no AI activity and having AI or not makes a BIG difference to your journey.

I don't really and truly want to go down the DIY route ( is that a joke? ) of making my own stuff, I much prefer to leave it to those that have the skill and knowledge.

Still there can perhaps be no harm in making up a couple of consists just to have an understanding.

Best

Richard

[michaelhendle]

Hi Richard,

The best way of doing that is activity editor,or as I use convoi that,convoi is simple you just click the activity you want to change,it will show up the stock used in that activity,just move the old item\items and replace it with the one you want.

If just click on a item it will show a picture of what it is,double click it and it show up in a box,as you add to it again each item shows up.

Mike

[Richard604]

Thanks Mike,

I have Convoi installed.

I have just run a wagon check ( Have not done Locos or consists) and it tells me there are 611 errors and a shedful of syntax errors which have to be altered manually.

Surely MSTS would not be running if there were this many errors or is the root of my problems.

Am touching nothing with Convoi until I know more.

Best

[michaelhendle]

Hi Richard,
Don't worry about the syntax errors just click ok when you get one,it does it on some items,it is quite safe to use

Mike