New version of the TS scenic starter route?

[Unoriginal]

So I get news from a friend that their starter route was different than mine (I have the 2020 version). I go to check the download from trainsimulations and sure enough its a new version. This "new" version just uses everything from the original TS starter route (which was the V1 version of the scenic sub while the 2020 version is the V2), minus the ES44s which have been replaced with H1 and H2 C44-9Ws. Everything minus the locomotives uses ace textures and not DDS anymore.

I just want to know, what was the reason for changing it when it was already perfectly fine before?

[eric]

It's definitely changed a couple times in the past three years...

The 2020 download files had date stamps ranging between March and September 2020.

Earlier this year, the timestamps for the ENG and ACE files were all around September 2012 except for one ENG file from 2018.

Now everything dated is July 2023.


September 2020:

capture_400630.jpg


March 2023:


Since July 2023:


2020 had all DDS, early 2023 had alll ACE, and current has DDS for the engines only and ACE for the wagons..

What hasn't changed --- it's just the two locomotives with three consists consisting mostly of hoppers and stacks or TOFC.

[geepster775]

Whoever did these 2023 updates really screwed the pooch.

Here is the current list of rolling stock. Back to the 2019/Gevo/ACE version, no more spine cars, no more articulated wells, and only one grain car instead of five

Also, all the route scenery assets are back to calling up ACE files instead of DDS like the 2020 version had been set up for. All the track shapes in the global folder still call on DDS though.

Gotta ask were they hacked? Or is someone really this purposeful to introduce such muddying setbacks?

The 2020 version was not perfect, as only 3/5ths of the scenery shapes had been updated to call DDS. But these imperfections were largely hidden when Open Rails had the checkbox to "use dds in preference of ace". As for me, I went through my 2020 copy and modified the remaining 2/5ths to eliminate any calls for ACE files

Screenshot (381) copy.jpg

[geepster775]

2020 load screen, layout looks similar to their other routes available for sale




2023 load screen, flashback to the 2010s

[eric]

It almost seems like someone did a server rebuild using an old backup.

[pschlik]

I do have both versions of the starter route backed up, lost a few too many things over the years to the point that I back up freeware, but I'm not comfortable unofficially sharing those installers without the blessing of the TS crew. I hope they too have a backup of both routes.

[Lonewolf2777]

Screenshot (16513).pngnew file for it seen here

[adreid]

I have submitted a high priority ticket to Train Simulations Support, to advise them that their download links seem to point to an old version of this route.