TS pulling Mactier route + trainsets from sale?

[Unoriginal]

I noticed a bit ago that TrainSimulations seemed to have hidden the Mactier page (it could still be accessed if you had a link to it), recently however the page seems to be entirely gone, just why was this done in the first place?
Just sadly makes more useless reskins and activities in the file library now…

[CSRX]

The route was just an upgrade to a freeware route, and the rolling stock and locomotives have become outdated compared to their latest offerings, so this makes sense what they are doing. Most of the repaints in the library can be converted to newer shape files that Trainsimulations has, so as long as one has the patience to rework just a few details on the texture files themselves as needed.

[ftldave]

Like the man said:

Just sadly makes more useless reskins and activities in the file library now…

A damaging hit for trainsim's file library regardless of the "that's OK, it wasn't new" spin.

[Unoriginal]

If there were reskins of the included GEVOs and AC44s those can no longer be used (maybe the CSX AC44s with radical trucks can work for some of the CP reskins?) Stuff like the GP9us and the normal GP9 are just gone completely now. 3 of the SD40s included in the set just come with the CP volume 1 set.

The only reason I preferred this version of Mactier was for the use of DDS textures, that way it could work with other TrainSimulations routes. But I guess that’s all dead now.

[geepster775]

They probably are interested in shedding as much of the MSTS repaint scene as possible as they now sell 50,000 poly 1-piece model shapes instead of 2 piece 20,000 poly main shape + separate handrail detail F/A thingamabobs. I guess when you are the first to pivot your product line and adopt new physics, you get to set the new rules.

I used to be a member of the DieselsWest website, but when prompted to provide financial support during a critical money pinch a couple years back, I decided to surrender my keys to that kingdom instead, as 2-part shapes and MSTS compatible file formats were still very much the rule there. Pivoting didn't seem very likely. Especially when any Open Rails activities were designed around testing versions of the code (X2603?) from a good 5 years ago.

In the meantime, we will always have NAVS. Despite pleas from users on Facebook for them to start selling higher grade new models with 3-D details, at least Erick still seems to be interested in replacing Kuju disk content models and trying to resurrect really old file library textures produced by the masses for Jeff Auberpine, Larry Goss, and Ted Curphey models. Seems strange to me as so many of those textures mass-produced during the height of community crowdsourcing were just as lacking as the models from that era. So I find it difficult to understand whats the value of replacing the model while re-using the crummy, oddly-mapped, highly-recompressed textures ? ? ? I guess that whenever this kick for NAVS to resurrect the old is done and complete, then new models with 3-D details will be all that remains to manufacture going forward.

[mword77]

They probably are interested in shedding as much of the MSTS repaint scene as possible as they now sell 50,000 poly 1-piece model shapes instead of 2 piece 20,000 poly main shape + separate handrail detail F/A thingamabobs. I guess when you are the first to pivot your product line and adopt new physics, you get to set the new rules.

Well I guess when you're the only, technically you're the first.

I can't help but find the irony in that the new rules have heavy poly 1 piece shapes, but now the 'eng' files are split into 100 'include' files across multiple folders. Like 50K poly is OK, but 30 kb for an 'eng' file, nope.

[eric]

Somewhat serious question, how many people are actually still using reskins on the old MacTier sets vs. newer locomotives or freight car models available for purchase?

When we didn't have anything else, it was great, but now there are decent current-state-of-the-game models available.

Also... weren't the Mactier locomotives available in Danny's CP.zip gift?

[Unoriginal]

They weren’t, those models included in that file are much older and it only has 3 CP ES44ACs and a GP38AC.

[SD40-2]

Somewhat serious question, how many people are actually still using reskins on the old MacTier sets vs. newer locomotives or freight car models available for purchase?

When we didn't have anything else, it was great, but now there are decent current-state-of-the-game models available.

A lot of those were the best models out there (CP Angus Snowplow, GP9u, Late CP ES44AC), and the same quality-wise from the other stuff Train Simulations sells.

[eric]

When did those get pulled? I was looking in the way back and couldn't find them after 2017. If the back door way to get these was to go straight to swreg, that hasn't been an option for a while now.

Normally when something gets pulled by TSN, there's a replacement coming out. Maybe Jason or someone else can comment.

[slipperman]

HI,
According to the Wayback Machine, the Mactier route and trainset were available in March 2023 but had been withdrawn by the capture at the end of May.

Cheers,
Ged

[eric]

Ok, I must have been looking at the wrong page...

If it was pulled this recently, hopefully there is a replacement coming.

[CSXT Q-317]

I have that route and it's trainsets. But there is still a MacTier 1.5 and the update involving various things for it is in the F/L here from 2010ish.

I am not exactly sure how that one differs from the one that was on TS.

If they make a MacTier, that would be a definite buy.

[fleegle411]

Somewhat serious question, how many people are actually still using reskins on the old MacTier sets vs. newer locomotives or freight car models available for purchase?

I purchased the MacTier pack maybe a year or two ago and still use it, also repurposed the blue leaser AC44s on the LS&I route. Tally me as one more person still using the pack.

[Erick_Cantu]

In the meantime, we will always have NAVS. Despite pleas from users on Facebook for them to start selling higher grade new models with 3-D details

I'm not sure what you mean. To date I've had one request like this, which was for a PS2CD with 3D detailing. That model was uploaded to the library about a month ago.

Insofar as super high poly models go, I'm not terribly interested in them. Managing them is a chore, especially creating LODs, and then 99% of the time the extra detail simply went unseen at typical viewing distances, so it felt like I was chasing diminishing returns for a whole lot of extra effort. It made more sense all around to just give the Z-Series models a slight detail bump.

Bear in mind that I build 3D models primarily as an escape from the day to day realities of being an ED social worker, where I spend my time helping people process the worst days of their lives and doing psychiatry consults. It's honestly kind of exhausting, so it doesn't really make any sense for me to add too much stress into my hobbies. Since I've moved on from college, I've largely shifted from building payware assets to community assets as I really don't need the income boost as much as I did when I was in school.

Your mileage may vary, and, of course, if all else fails, I've uploaded lots of sources for my common parts including both the low-detail and high-detail versions of my trucks.