ORTS?

[Noel]

What is Open Rails Train Simulator? Is it like an overhaul of MSTS?
http://www.openrails.org/

[BNSF650]

Trying to be like RW.. But nothing close.

[Noel]

Doesn't seem to be copying RW, but seem s to give a majorly needed overhaul on MSTS. Hmm.... Maybe I need to re-install MSTS and give this Open Rails thing a try.

[hminky]

I commend these guys effort to resurrect MSTS.

But, I have never had a version that ever really worked.

Something is always malfunctioning, last version the saves grew exponentially and it crashed.

This version the switches don't work and the cars won't move in switching activities.

Great for running MSTS routes in a to b activities. OpenRails probably will be never viable saddled with the MSTS Route Editor.

Lotta MSTS guys claim it will be the second coming.

Harold

[Hawk]

Trying to be like RW.

Man, you are way off on that.

[Bananarama]

OR only has a few bugs to iron out before it can be considered a real contender to what's now available - even with its warts, it's a big step forward from plain vanilla MSTS. It's truly amazing what the OR camp has been able to accomplish, especially considering that everyone involved is a volunteer.

[glenn68]

OR only has a few bugs to iron out before it can be considered a real contender to what's now available - even with its warts, it's a big step forward from plain vanilla MSTS. It's truly amazing what the OR camp has been able to accomplish, especially considering that everyone involved is a volunteer.

Yes and no. Open rails is like putting a digital readout on a old vacuum tube radio.

[donoldskay]

Not sure we should be discussing ORTS on this forum, so I will keep brief. There is a forum on the Train-Sim site for ORTS.

The switches do work and you can pick up a string of cars and then move them if done properly.

1. Couple to cars on siding
2. Connect Brake Hose
3. Release brakes and let air bleed off (takes a while)
4. Release hand brakes
5. Give engine enough power to start train moving
Don

[PapaXpress]

I am not against talking about other simulators (as long as there is no bashing). I am interested in ORTS. Keep on talking.

[hminky]

Not sure we should be discussing ORTS on this forum, so I will keep brief. There is a forum on the Train-Sim site for ORTS.

The switches do work and you can pick up a string of cars and then move them if done properly.

1. Couple to cars on siding
2. Connect Brake Hose
3. Release brakes and let air bleed off (takes a while)
4. Release hand brakes
5. Give engine enough power to start train moving
Don

I have found that most switching activities OpenRails will work to a point and then a bug will develop. If you post the error about a switching activity there is silence.

Been using OpenRails since v.360 and I think it has taken a back step with the obsession with multiplayer.

Try it you might like it. I am tired of spending time moving cars about then failure.

Harold

EDIT: OpenRails is only a .8 Beta so you get what a Beta has

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

I enjoy Open Rails quite a lot actually, being relatively new to train simming. I even bought the complete German Rails collection on DVD and a few other routes and consider it mony well spent. I wish there was an open source alternative to Railworks, like Open Railworks, along the lines of Open Rails. In essence it is only a rendering and simulation engine, the routes, scenery and rolling stock are all definied in xml and therefor sort of portable.
Open Rails it more advanced than TS2013 as it makes proper use of the latest graphics drivers and supports modern hardware.

I am amazed how good some routes look under Open Rails and how much more realistic its physics can be.
Even though it can't boast of TS2013's features and supposed realism, I find it quite immersive.
And with Railworks apparently moving in the direction of becoming a console game, I think the good old MSTS and Open Rails still have a decent chance. The new Run 8 is also an MSTS derivative and it too is making inroads.

Yes, there are still quite some bugs in OR v0.8, most notably to me in the object hierarchy of signals and other animated objects. Few routes I have explored so far have no errors in the log window.

There is a much larger choice in routes and rolling stock in MTSTS and it is still actively supported by a crew of dedicated volunteers instead of the closed group of RSC and consorts.

I will follow its development with interest and am thinking of buying some US routes as well. Any recommendations?

[buzz456]

The grass always seems to be greener................. for some.
Personally I think Rail Works is a hell of a sim and it would take a lot to convince me to spend much time looking for something else. Nothing is ever going to be perfect however there is a ton of material to work with on here. I have thousands of hours and still feel like any day I can get on and find something interesting to play with.

Pretty darn satisfied. Just sayin,

Buzz

[jpetersjr]

I would be interested in Open Rails if I could figure out how to get my old MSTS to install on this new Windows 7, but a while back I tried to get Railroad Tycoon 2 to install on this junk and once installed it wouldn't play right, kept crashing. I really wish I could afford to get my old laptop computer fixed, but at the moment can't even do that.

[Hawk]

I would be interested in Open Rails if I could figure out how to get my old MSTS to install on this new Windows 7,

See this link. http://msts.steam4me.net/tutorials/inst ... ts_w7.html

but a while back I tried to get Railroad Tycoon 2 to install on this junk and once installed it wouldn't play right, kept crashing.

See if this link helps. http://hawkdawg.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=2901

[GreatNortherner]

I will follow its development with interest and am thinking of buying some US routes as well. Any recommendations?

Same here, I've been excited about ORTS since it has been rumored, debated, and then announced. I find it remarkable how well it has progressed from the older betas to the current one. Just think of it -- multi player! Actual multi player too, with a dispatcher and a variable number of players (engineers).

Recommendations for routes... download some from the trainsim.com file library. There must be tens of thousands of miles worth of routes for MSTS, some quite spectacular! The trainsim.com forums have a "Route Specification" board, which should come in handy too.

Also, if you're interested in reading more about the "behind the scenes" talk from ORTS, you should visit Elvas Tower, most of the game's developers seem to hang out there.

Cheers,
Michael