A guide to transitioning from MSTS to OR, by Brian Bere-Streeter

Hi all,

Brian has been in contact with me regarding the hosting of a guide to transitioning from MSTS to OR on TSSH.
I am happy to announce that this guide is available in PDF format from the TSSH file hosting site: http://tsshonline.weebly.com/

It is easy enough to find as it is (at the moment) the first file listed on the home page.

Justin

Hi Brian,

Thanks for this very informative document. I have been using OR for some time now and have seen how it relies heavily on MSTS for virtually everything. This guide shows how to streamline what OR needs and to improve performance at the same time - this is just what I have seen from a quick read through. Looking ahead I will probably leave implementing your ideas for the time being as I am starting to get short of hard drive space and I think that I will also need a more powerful processor - sometimes I drop well below 20fps in very busy areas.

Regards,

Stephen

Do you need to use Dropbox to download this?......I tried to use the Download button but it didn't work.

I've just downloaded and skimmed the contents, and you've done an excellent job. I would point out that you refer to MSTS being typically located in
C:\program files\microsoft games\train simulator
but many of us have located MSTS in the recommended location suggested by the Steam4me guide. In relation to the overall excellent content this is merely nit-picking, and I hope that I haven't missed a reference to alternative locations within the document.

Hi Guys,

I have just checked on the file and I can confirm that it downloads properly without needing a Dropbox account.

Justin

Thanks Justin, I'll try again....

Brian, I have downloaded and read your article, having used Openrails for some time cant wait until someone brings out a Route Editor for it. The prospect of having just one route with only the files needed appeals to me. I have one question, I have always been led to believe some routes require all six default routes installed to work, am I correct or have you just blown that out of the water?
Dennis

Hello Dennis,

Good comment - there are two situations here - those who own a copy of MSTS, and those who are starting out in OR without having a previous MSTS.

For those who DO own MSTS - many route authors made extensive use of Default objects from the six original routes - you do have to have those 6 routes available to INSTALL the route, but once the objects have been batch copied over, you do not need the 6 default routes in the routes folder to RUN the route. One of the things with the latest versions of Windows (and future versions) is that the old method of using batch files to copy over default objects is getting problematical, as batch files are being phased out.

What I do is, setup a 'default' MSTS folder installation with the original 6 default routes, load the new 'compacted' route into that folder structure, then copy over the required objects from the 6 default routes - once the route has been fully expanded and checked, only then do I copy it over into the separate working Open Rails system.  Most of the more recent routes have eradicated use of most of the default objects, replacing them with custom objects, and so don't present quite a major problem.

As far as I know, authors working on routes intended to be used in OR now avoid using any MSTS default objects, so the route will work OK in OR without previously having MSTS. At present we still need MSTS for a Route Editor (until such time OR gains its own editor).

For those who DON'T own MSTS - the route should still work OK - OR is tolerant enough to not 'spit the dummy' when it encounters a missing default object, it just carries on without that object being visible in the route and reports its error in the OR log file. Unfortunately, if you don't own MSTS, you will not be able to copy over the default objects to make a complete route. For some of the earlier routes, many objects will be missing, and so the route experience won't be as enhanced. In my opinion, most of the older routes using extensive default objects are not realistic enough to be used with OR. At present we may be restricted to the 'better' current ex-MSTS routes, but as OR develops, the future routes will be way better than what was possible in MSTS.

Regards, Brian

In the short term MSTS is still relevant to OR as described above. In addition it is still available either in the UK format as S/H copies and occasionally new - albeit the new copies are at a somewhat high price - and in US format as new - see HERE - and I assume that the content is the same. Presumably including default items directly in any uploaded route would be an infringement of copyright?