Getting back into trains, is OR the way to go?

[vyrago]

I still have my original MSTS disk and all my addons saved on flash drives. Don't know much about Open Rails though. Is it really MSTS, but better?

[OTTODAD]

I still have my original MSTS disk and all my addons saved on flash drives. Don't know much about Open Rails though. Is it really MSTS, but better?

ORTS has to use some of what MSTS supplies, has improved display quality but has still some problems of its own, it still being W.I.P and further developments are being worked on.

Read previous posts in this and in the Open Rails Screen Shots forum.

[smiljacc18]

Just my personal opinion,Go with OR even in it's still evolving state it is hugely better than MSTS.Try both and see for yourself( you can have both and run each for a time and see which you like best) --It won't cost you anything it's free but get the latest developer version(formerly called experimental version).

[conductorchris]

I agree. Go with Open Rails. In most respects it's better than MSTS, although Otto is correct there are still some areas that being developed. And yes, it's easy to see for yourself, for free.
Christopher

[OTTODAD]

Get the latest developer version(formerly called experimental version).

You can get its latest Supporters Download here:

http://openrails.org/download/program/

[R. Steele]

I still have my original MSTS disk and all my addons saved on flash drives. Don't know much about Open Rails though. Is it really MSTS, but better?

I was at the same point March, 2013 (I had recently found the unused MSTS CD's in some storage boxes), I went through relearning the MSTS setup and used MSTS for a few months. Saw some thread about Open Rails and investigated. Took the plunge somewhere around version X1870's. Now I'm a regular friday downloader of the experimental versions and use it daily. It is definitely a WIP, but it is robust, stable, not prone to crashing (have not had a black screen, grey screen, or any type of crash in months). Here and at other forums you are a member of a community that will help with problems.

I now have about 25 different installs of msts - each install running multiple routes (mostly according to regions in USA) and all run fine in OR and also in MSTS.

OR will give you the opportunity to use all the fine, quite excellent legacy MSTS models and routes in a contemporary piece of software. If you have an older machine you may need to update components to take advantage of OR's software improvements.

I use all the programs developed for MSTS, (only my preferences here - not to imply anything else) ConBuilder & MSTS Manager, Route-Riter, AceIt, TGATool2, TrainStore (not so much because OR is functionally capable of handling many installations) and many others.
You can run both MSTS and OR together. While OR does not use MSTS Bin or the MSTS executables it does use the file heirarchy of MSTS so a good understanding of MSTS is good to have.

If you like the fun of exploring new software and being in on the development of something, willing to experience some learning, and keeping up with the pace of development then you should have no problem with OR.
It's really like having a foot in both worlds MSTS and OR - you'll have access to the incredible range of MSTS routes (globally in a real sense) and models coupled with the contemporary software and graphic presentation of Open Rails (also with a global development team). Your choice.

[motormaster532]

I completely agree.Open Rails is the way to go despite its' ongoing building phase.In fact,that is what makes it more enjoyable.Everyone who runs Open Rails and comments and reports problems and such is in fact a Beta-tester,which kind of makes you feel part of the team.The graphics,stability and other features such as being able to change the weather at will makes it a very enjoyable experience.I have not,nor do I intend to run MSTS again as a players platform.I still use it ONLY to create Activities and such is how I feel the superiority of Open Rails.An Activity Editor is currently being developed and once that is operational it is Bye Bye MSTS!!!Brian

[eric]

Even as a work in progress, I still find ORTS far more stable than MSTS...

[tf51d]

Couldn't agree more, and the developers do listen to users suggestions. I recently suggested that there be an option to prevent forced red signals at the end of stations. This was a problem, because the previous signal would be set to caution, and in some routes they could be a distance away which would reduce the speed limit for an unrealistic distance before the station, slowing up AI to the point trains get artificially backed up . The change was implemented in the experimental options the very next development cycle, and it works great!!. ORTS is definitely the way to go, especially over MSTS itself.