How to simplify Open Rails

[OSRFan]

From the manual...

Because, of course, I've never read the manual which I have bookmarked. Nor have I ever been to Coals to Newcastle, where, quite frankly, OR physics are explained in a manner far superior to the somewhat lacking OR manual (which reads like a Ph.D dissertation).

Not only does the Cylinders11FX, etc. code not seem to work in T1.5.1-****, it also does not seem to work in 1.6. With the Cylinders2FX code deprecated, it no longer seems to work either.

[muskokaandtahoe]

IMO the core issue of how "hard" it is to use OR is the complete lack of of any aid to take stock MSTS or early OR .wag and .eng files from the past to the present. Last time I checked there wasn't anything useful in the manual. There isn't any published software. There isn't anybody posting up to date files they've made.

Which means everybody is on their own and when you at the past and present the present has so much that is different it hits you like water from a fire hose.

IMO no new user of OR can possibly figure out what to do and that's a real shame because OR is pretty good software.

[crstagg]

...............
There isn't anybody posting up to date files they've made.
..........

There was, BUT Gerry (R. Steele) passed away.

[DuctTapeGuru]

There was, BUT Gerry (R. Steele) passed away.

I miss Gerry very much. He was always so helpful when one asked him a question or for some help.

[pschlik]

Not only does the Cylinders11FX, etc. code not seem to work in T1.5.1-****, it also does not seem to work in 1.6. With the Cylinders2FX code deprecated, it no longer seems to work either.

No clue what you've managed to do here as right now I'm looking at a locomotive that uses all CylindersFX, Cylinders11FX through Cylinders2_22FX, and each particle effect works when it should.

More specifics are needed, like log files and the engine file itself.

[l.k.]

right now I'm looking at a locomotive that uses all CylindersFX, Cylinders11FX through Cylinders2_22FX, and each particle effect works when it should.

More specifics are needed, like log files and the engine file itself.

Yes, they work for me with no problems as well (and ORTSSteamLocomotiveType works too). Sounds to me like there is a problem with the eng file somewhere...

[OSRFan]

As I now have CylindersFX and Cylinders2FX working, and have no desire to edit hundreds of steam locomotive .eng files, I'm not going to fix what ain't broken.

As to log files, as soon as I turn on logging, I get CTD. And I don't find them helpful at all because: 1. I don't understand them at all, and interpreting them is not in the manual, and 2. they constantly send me to file folders that are not on my computer to find and/or fix the problem.

And, while we're on the subject of steam effects, could one of the development team make it so that, when steam effects appear, it does not look like I'm railroading in a Category 5 hurricane. Also applies to diesel effects.

[l.k.]

As to log files, as soon as I turn on logging, I get CTD. And I don't find them helpful at all because: 1. I don't understand them at all, and interpreting them is not in the manual, and 2. they constantly send me to file folders that are not on my computer to find and/or fix the problem.

Log files may not be helpful to you, but seeing them is useful for others trying to help you out here... It even may help the developers out, if there really is an issue with the program.

As this problem appears to only exist for you but not for me and others, it suggests there are some issues on your end, not with the program itself.

And, while we're on the subject of steam effects, could one of the development team make it so that, when steam effects appear, it does not look like I'm railroading in a Category 5 hurricane. Also applies to diesel effects.

This too may well be a problem on your end, because it does work for me without looking like that. Again: It would be really useful to post one of the affected eng files, so we can see if there are some obvious problems in there. There are some old MSTS files with very strange values for steam and smoke effects. OR cannot work properly, when provided with wrong parameters. (And there are a lot of very obviously wrong parameters in many old MSTS files, that where made to account for the idiosyncrasies of that platform.)

For the effects to work properly there need to be suitable "dieselsmoke.ace" and "smokemain.ace" textures in the Global/Textures folder of your installation (.dds textures should work as well). Just mentioning that, because it has caught people out before...

I'm aware that Open Rails isn't always a "turn key" solution, but the benefit of it's "openness" is, that you can adjust and modify a lot of things to suit your needs and to enhance the realism. Yes, it takes some effort sometimes and can be frustrating, but the reward is well worth it in my opinion. It even can be fun, when you get old models to do new things...

We now have a simulator that greatly surpasses anything MSTS ever had to offer in terms of physics and realism (and runs a lot more smoothly). And with some tweaks here and there it is possible to elevate old MSTS content to a whole new level.

If you do not want any of the hassle, there are "turn key" routes and models for Open Rails out there, that should run flawlessly without much user input required (Trainsimulations has you covered)...

[OSRFan]

What happens when running in logging mode

[l.k.]

Looks like OR is trying to write the log file in a OneDrive cloud directory? That's not going to work as far as I know.

I would try saving the log file locally on your hard drive. You can change the location where the log file will be saved somewhere in the OR options (I don't have access to my OR machine at the moment, so can't look up where exactly).

[OSRFan]

I would try saving the log file locally on your hard drive

I do. Why it's trying to go to one drive is beyond me.

Attached is the .eng file (unedited) for the HDWC tee boiler shay available at Elvas Tower. As it is, the cylinder effects behave as the old MSTS CylindersFX code. Sometimes the steam cylinder exhaust effects work, some times they don't.

If the code is changed to CylindersFX and Cylinders2FX, the visuals show as I would expect the Cylinders11 etc. code to display.

[OSRFan]

I'm aware that Open Rails isn't always a "turn key" solution, but the benefit of it's "openness" is, that you can adjust and modify a lot of things to suit your needs and to enhance the realism. Yes, it takes some effort sometimes and can be frustrating

To be honest, I'm a "turn the key, hit the gas and go" person. I'm beginning to think OR is not for me, but all the other train simulators are crap IMHO.

[dcarleton]

Just remember how much tweaking we had to do to get MSTS to run okay, and even then it was still crashy.

[baldwin]

OneDrive is something that Microsoft "gives" to users of later versions of its operating system. I have had it here for several years now, and find it can be quite useful at times. All that error message is stating is that the file is being used by another program and OR cannot access it. It may be that OneDrive had hold of it while saving a copy to the cloud, or possibly Microsofts own error checking software had a hold on it. Either way, OneDrive is a red herring. That is merely the location on the computer where the file is stored.

Open rails can be run as a "turnkey" operation, but you have to put the work in first to ensure it is properly installed and that the assets are in the correct locations. Old MSTS style stock will run without modification, but may not perform as well as stock modified to use the Open Rails physics and visuals.

Far as the "tornado" style smoke effects are concerned with exhaust seeming to change direction willy-nilly, that is an artefact of the very basic weather system within the game. The latest particle emissions physics in version 1.6 and up do much to offset this visual effect although it is still present.

[geepster775]

Can anyone really complain about the workload of any physics upgrade when the majority of folks around here are always busy finding new ways to import (clearly, by now,) obsolete content that only makes their workload worse?

At some point, it should dawn on us all that these two concepts are pulling users in opposite directions.

Either load up the Trainset folder with crap and never attempt a physics upgrade, or thin out the crap and lower the amount of physics-related work needed by 50-75%.

Turn-key experiences are possible in Open Rails, but that requires 1) a credit card to buy current era routes only and 2) ignoring crowdsourced file libraries.