Question about OR friendly routes

[cp5006]

Hey folks,

Meaning this in a nice way, but could anyone who checks this out let me know what routes they play with in OR, both freeware and payware?

I'm curious because the one route I played with the most has a few minor things that don't work well in OR, so I'm kinda routeless for the time being.

No big deal, I know the crew at OR is working hard on other things to make the game more enjoyable for all, but would like to find a new "home" for
the time being. Maybe you could include why you like the route as well?

Thanks in advance,

Alex

[cougar]

i am playing freeware cajon pass route (cp.zip available in download area). This route is densely populated with variety of scenery objects by the creator. It runs fine in ORTS, except for the signalling which will hopefully be addressed in the next release or so.

[cp5006]

Thanks Cougar, I will check that out.

Alex

[elgato]

Hi Alex,
The following are routes which seem to run very well in OR (in my experience: meaning no missing scenery or ground textures):
1-Payware:
-Kicking Horse Pass v.2 (by MLT)
-Niagara Corridor (by MLT)
-Delaware & Hudson (Bridge Line) (by MLT)
-Sandpatch (by MLT)
-Bodidly (Ohio Rails) (by Allaboard)
-Feather River (by 3DT)
-BNSF Scenic Sub v.2 (by Streamlines)
-Seligman Sub (by Streamlines)
-Donner Pass (by 3DTS)
-Tehachapi Pass (by 3DTS)

2-Freeware:
-CPR MacTier
-Birmingham
-Cajon Pass
-Conrail Indy v.2
-Lehigh & Hudson
-NS Atlanta & Macon
-Northeast Corridor v4
-Whitefish 4 (Kootenai Sub)
-CSX A&WP
-CSX M&M2

The other routes by MLT have missing scenery objects, DRGW Green River by Streamlines has no distant mountains, Cajon Pass-High Desert by 3DTS has no distant mountains.
Hope this helps getting you starting enjoying Open Rails,
Gilles

[cp5006]

Gilles,

Thanks for that list. Gives me some options. I really enjoy Open Rails already, to the point that I would rather not have to go back to MSTS to play my favorite routes that I have, namely the Blackfoot Sub.

But I see a couple on the list that I own, and will reinstall, and a few ones that I don't, that I will check out.
Thanks again!

Alex

[PORU333]

1960's Springfield Terminal is another good one to have. I haven't expierenced any missing scenery or anything with it.

[eric]

It should be safe for a no-MSTS installation already, but I've been de-Kujuing the CNW-Harvard bit by byte with the last two releases. What few default objects I'm still using are currently distributed with the beta.

Eventually, objects from the default routes will be entirely gone...

[Stuz]

Hi,
I was recently running the "Rescue Me" activity in the Scenic Sub Route and I did notice some missing fence lines. Great frame rates and clear crisp scenery though.
Is there a possibility that the reason for the missing scenery items will be rectified. I understand that something called "gantry items" are the cause and uncompessing World Files in the offending route is the answer. Route Riter is required to do this and although I have Route Riter I do not seem to be able to accomplish this.
Regards Stu

[longiron]

Hi,
Is there a possibility that the reason for the missing scenery items will be rectified. I understand that something called "gantry items" are the cause and uncompessing World Files in the offending route is the answer. Route Riter is required to do this and although I have Route Riter I do not seem to be able to accomplish this.
Regards Stu

Stu,
This will not be "rectified" in the next release. This is an extremely difficult problem to solve - matching the binary compressed representation of a gantry item by figuring out what string of "ones & zeros" out of thousands are the gantry item. It's on our TO DO list, but with no timetable for solving.

[elgato]

Hi Stu,
Uncompressing world files does not seem to cure the problem of missing scenery items. I have used Route Riter on the following MLT routes and it did not cure the problem at all ( in fact, I noticed from my main backup that the size of the world folders did not change at all, so I have to assume that the original world files were not compressed):
-CN Bala
-Rogers Pass
-Shuswap
-Soldier Summit
-Willamette Pass (Cascade)
And yes I have uncompressed using the "Same view" button.
I hope that the OR team will be able to solve this problem eventually as I sure would like to run Soldier Summit, CN Bala and Willamette Pass in this program.
Regards,
Gilles

[csantucci]

To check if the world files are uncompressed or not simply open it with any word editor, like wordpad. If you see things like that
TrackObj (
UiD ( 150 )
SectionIdx ( 39985 )
Elevation ( -0.018 )
CollideFlags ( 535 )
FileName ( track72r10d_rm.s )
StaticFlags ( 00200180 )
Position ( 704.68 717.462 164.041 )
QDirection ( 0.002257 -0.999199 -0.03516 0.018972 )
VDbId ( 4294967294 )
)
the file is uncompressed. If you see meaningless things the file is compressed.

[Stuz]

Thanks for the help Gilles and csantucci. Nice to know what to look for. Will check some out. I have been looking again at Richard Garbers Canton, Suddenly, Thompson, Grove City Route and the main problem here is misplaced trees. I mean sitting in the middle of the track or over the rails. Apart from that it looks really good. Lots of great activities as well. When activity features and signalling are working it will add the next dimension to MSTS.
Regards Stu

[twpol]

I have been looking again at Richard Garbers Canton, Suddenly, Thompson, Grove City Route and the main problem here is misplaced trees. I mean sitting in the middle of the track or over the rails.

This is due to forests in MSTS being a somewhat unknown quantity; they specify and area and a density, but replicating the exact position of each tree is just too much work. What's happened here is that the forest area overlaps the track, but MSTS's random tree placement chose no locations that happened to overlap the track. OR's random tree placement, being different, does. There's very little we can do here, unless someone wants to solve exactly how MSTS places its forest trees.

[twpol]

Stu,
This will not be "rectified" in the next release. This is an extremely difficult problem to solve - matching the binary compressed representation of a gantry item by figuring out what string of "ones & zeros" out of thousands are the gantry item. It's on our TO DO list, but with no timetable for solving.

I actually managed to get this one the other day; it should work (for gantries) in the next release.

In general, though, compressed world files are harder to fully comprehend, with the current reading code, than their uncompressed kin.

[Stuz]

You guys never cease to amaze me with the work you are doing on ORTS and the time you all spend keeping us all informed. I am well pleased I took the time to check out ORTS a couple of weeks ago. Keep on keeping on!
Regards Stu