Do I need MSTS to run OR ??

[crstagg]

Conbuilder only needs the Consists and Trainset folder. Route Riter only needs Shapes, Textures, Route, Consist and Trainset. Neither needs Train.exe to be present.

Semi correct. Yes, it does not need the Train.exe file. ConBuilder like ORTS need that Root folder that is normally named "Train Simulator" to be specified so it can find not only the Consist and Trainset folders but also the "Global" Sound folder and the Route(s)/Activities folders.

[crstagg]

One other piece of information to add to what Eric (eric) described. I was a beta tester for the 3dTrains Feather River Route. One of my tasks in beta testing was to test the route in a Mini-MSTS install. I wondered if it would run ok on OR with just what was distributed with the route. So early on in my experimenting with ORTS I created a file structure starting with a root folder named WP3-Raw. Without adding anything else, I installed the Feather River Route. That created an install with the following four sub-folders: Global, Sound, Routes, and Trains. There are no files in the root folder. The global folder contained 4 files (a camfig.wp3, a tsection.dat build 38 file, and 2 BAT files one for swapping the original for the WP3 camfig and another to swap back to the original.) and a Shapes folder containing the 3dTrains Scalerail and Scaleroad shapes. The Sound folder contained 15 Wave files named 3DT_XXXXXX that are unique to the rolling stock that came with the Route. The Routes folder had just the WP3 folder and its subfolders. The Trains folder contained just the 2 sub-folders Consists and Trainset, which contained just the consists and 3 folders containing the rolling stock that came with the route.

Yes, that configuration runs in ORTS just fine. Except the locomotive exhaust comes out in solid black squares. Did some research and found a file in my regular MSTS installation's Global/Textures folder named dieselsmoke.ace. Created a textures folder at X:\WP3-Raw\GLOBAL\Textures and copied dieselsmoke.ace to it. Ran ORTS on my WP3-Raw install again. Now the loco exhaust looks GREAT! When I found that file I also found another named smokemain.ace which after testing I have found is for Steam engines. What I also noticed when I found these files that their creation dates are not back in 2001 when MSTS was originally released but mine were dated 2005. I ran a new fresh MSTS install from my CD and found files of the same names with 2001 dates. Searching the file library here at T-S I found some replacements which I must have downloaded/installed years ago.

So, unless you can live with dark black squares of exhaust, in addition to the folder structure of MSTS you need these two files in the Global/Textures folder. Search the file library for Exhaust then start from the last page and look forward for the files and use the one you like best. Some were included in add-on locos.

[baldwin]

That is not correct. ConBuilder only needs to be pointed to the Root folder of the installation, the one where MSTS installer places Train.exe. However the program MSTS Manager that comes with ConBuilder needs Train.exe to be present for its auto-search function to find all MSTS/ORTS data installs. But it also can be manually pointed to each of those root folders of the mini-installs.

Yes indeed, but if using the manual search method with MSTS Manager then it does not need train.exe to be present.

[muskokaandtahoe]

18 posts and there still isn't a correct answer.

Q: Do you need to have MSTS installed to run Open Rails?
A: No. A 100% Open Rails route does not need any files from MSTS. You do need to replicate the MSTS directory tree, which can be done by hand, and download and install a current copy of the Tsection.dat file.

Q: Do you need to have MSTS installed to run routes using original MSTS content?
A: Yes. Many MSTS routes make use of KUJU/MS content: Shapes, textures, sounds. Because those files are not freeware you must purchase and install MSTS to legally obtain those files.

Q: Are there actually any routes that have no original MSTS content?
A: Yes, but not very many. 3dtrains WP 3rd sub is one example.

[crstagg]

Yes indeed, but if using the manual search method with MSTS Manager then it does not need train.exe to be present.

That is what I said in the last sentence of my post.

That is not correct. ConBuilder only needs to be pointed to the Root folder of the installation, the one where MSTS installer places Train.exe. However the program MSTS Manager that comes with ConBuilder needs Train.exe to be present for its auto-search function to find all MSTS/ORTS data installs. But it also can be manually pointed to each of those root folders of the mini-installs.

Actually I never use MSTS Manager's auto search except when beta testing as most of my current installs are just for running on ORTS and with 5 HD/SSDs of 7+ TB it takes too long.

[crstagg]

18 posts and there still isn't a correct answer.

.........

Q: Are there actually any routes that have no original MSTS content?
A: Yes, but not very many. 3dtrains WP 3rd sub is one example.

And even with 3dTrains WP3 you still need a dieselsmoke.ace in the Global/Textures folder from either the MSTS disks or a replacement add-on.

[eric]

Before anyone asks why Otto's standalone thread was deleted: official sounding posts about ORTS which aren't vetted by the ORTS management team are going to be whacked. Period.

We'd do the same if someone decided to be a spokesperson for 3DTrains, Conbuilder, Demex, Mosaic or Route Riter who isn't actually currently associated with those products or acting with the consent of the owners of those products....