What's Been Going On?

[DescendingSadly]

Hi folks,

Could someone please update me as to what has gone on.

I sort of put Rail Sim on the back burner after a few plays merely with boredom.

Some things I would like to know:

Is the signalling issue fixed? (IE: Do you now get red and yellow signals?)
How do I work the new editor pack? Do I need it for downloading stock?


I would go through the forums but there are simply so many threads I could be here for days.


Thanks for any help I recieve.

[phat2003uk]

You could always get red and yellow signals. It's amazing how many myths have developed about RS.

[bigvern]

I think you probably do need to take time to read the forums as there are a few things starting to happen including routes and rolling stock under construction. Unfortunately these do not happen overnight - there is a considerable learning curve involved with the new programme, more than might have been thought at first. Some new issues are only starting to emerge as experienced third party developers from the other sims start to look in more depth at the software.

MSTS did not expand overnight (and who can forget the frightful Abacus Roundhouse offering) and it will be the same for RS. RS is no different to Trainz or MSTS in that it will take many weeks or even months to produce a route of even modest dimensions. Many people have lives, family and work outside train sims and of course busy with the Christmas holidays. In my case a family bereavement to deal with which, frankly, meant the last on my mind for the last two weeks has been train sims (though I am working in earnest on the Alston branch as you may have seen if you read some of my other posts).

You will have to be patient a little longer - don't forget some users may also be waiting to see what the first patch delivers both in terms of improving the sim and whether or not (hopefully not) it could invalidate any work - especially routes - done so far.

[ianm42]

As a brief overview:

1) You do not need the Dev Tools to install downloads, however, you should download and install one the the new liveried locos from the Rail Simulator website first, as it will include the unpackager that will be used by downloads from uktrainsim, etc.

2) A lot of the reported 'signalling problems' were due to incorrectly built routes and activities (signal placement, portal placement and naming, etc) rather than faults of the underlying game engine. Hopefully new routes will undergo more intensive testing in future,

The first patch/upgrade/whatever is probably being released by the end of January which should fix some of the real bugs. One of the most important bugs means that 3rd party scenic objects cannot be included in other people's routes and distributed. This bug is the reason not much has been uploaded yet.

Ian

[johny]

You could always get red and yellow signals. It's amazing how many myths have developed about RS.

Not with the semaphores!

John

[Retro]

Hi,
Advice given so far is Sound. If you take even a brief look at the Route, Stock and Scenario sections in the forum you will see that a lot has been going on since the program was released. Since I got the Dev Tools I have been unable to leave the Sim alone for longer than a day because they are so powerful and interesting to use. As Bigvern says the learning curve is considerable and IMHO very steep. But with determination and all the help you can get from the people on this forum it is well worth giving the Dev Tools a try. There are loads of downloads now available from our hard working freeware developers and some already out and in the pipeline from commercial developers
My only worry is the patch or upgrade might mean some of my work may have to be redone but RSDL I am sure will provide solutions to any problems that arise as their input via Derek and Adam has been quite exceptional so far.
Regards James.

[Acorncomputer]

What's been going on?

A great deal thats what.

What's going to happen?

Perhaps more than you can imagine.
This simulation is waiting to explode with activity once the MSTS ties are loosened and developers, both amateur and professional, appreciate the hidden potential of this simulation.

I feel privileged to have been in at the beginning.

GP