Choosing which assets to use

[tg626]

I think I'm about to abandon a preconceived notion.

In the unlikely event I complete this route I'm starting to a level where I feel comfortable releasing it (here), I was attempting to NOT use payware assets. However this was based on what I now believe is a faulty assumption. I am now realizing that with the exception of the "kuju" folder, everyone out there has different routes/assets (even if ALL they every bought was the basic game) based on what years they bought the game.

So there is very little content (well USA content anyway) that everyone has from "Kuju/RailworksUS", which helps explain why almost every route out there has some payware route it depends on...

So, which "Object Sets" are safe to assume everyone has?

Just "Kuju"? Or are there others? Is it true (as is claimed on wikipedia) that if you buy TS2016 and have NEVER bought any previous versions the only route you get is Sherman Hill?

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

Sherman Hill is the default USA route for now. TS2016 most likely being the last instalment before the switch to the UE4 game engine.

Sherman Hill comes with Wyoming assets, and is otherwise quite sparse,
US Loco and Assets pack will give you Cajon Pass route, its trains and objects, but they are mostly western USA high desert assets, sparse also,
Donner Pass has California High Sierras assets,
Horseshoe Curve has a fifties theme and comes with Appalachian assets,
Norfolk Southern Coal District is a more modern version with Appalachian assets,
Maria's Pass and Stevens Pass comes with lots of Pacific Northwest assets,
Pacific Surflines comes with Southern California assets,
Miami - West Palm Beack comes with Florida assets,
Racetrack comes with suburban Chicago assets,
NEC South and North, plus New Jersey Coast Line come with East Coast assets,
Soldier Summit comes with Colorado High Rockies assets.

So far there isn't a "USA coverall" asset collection. RCAP was initiated to fill the gap, but progress on that project is slow.
IMO missing the most are typical "Middletown, USA" assets that fit any mid-western scene from the 40's till now. You'll have to scour the many freeware asset providers from all over the world.

But when you look into the individual RSC/DTG asset packs, you'll find a lot of common assets shared between all of the packs, including many UK and Euro assets being used still. You'll probably find over half a dozen pieces of the same asset in your .ap packs, a consequence of the DTG philosophy that every route should be self-contained and not rely on a exterior common asset base. (Those of you familiar with Trainz/T:ANE will know what it means to have an asset hierarchy from different providers).

Unfortunately for all of us, there is no easy way to catalog a route's assets. DTG has made no provisions apart from the route editor, and so far there have been no third party initiatives to provide us even with a simple tool like 'MSTS Shepe Viewer'.

What are you after in the first place?
Nature, rock and terrain textures?
Stations, signals, bridges?
Trees, bushes and shrubs?
Houses, factories and other buildings?
People, cars, clutter?
Many asset packs have a certain emphasis, perhaps other route builders can advice you better in this.

It is not advised to use each and every asset pack just for one or two assets for your route.

[ex-railwayman]

Folks tend to forget of the European influence in the United States, you have small pockets of French and Germanic communities and also Hispanic areas, so, you can utilise Spanish, Italian, French and German buildings, for example, structures developed by the many European Rail Simming communities are ideal for any routes that go through these locations on your layouts where appropriate.
There are lots of freeware North American scenery items available, in the library here, road vehicles, houses, warehouses and other commercial blocks, etc, etc, of course, we have been blessed over the years with many freeware routes that have assorted asset packs included with the route, there are a plethora of goodies that can be used on any North American route after collecting all of these layouts, some of them are from 3rd party websites, such as Otto's, but once you have them there is no need for route authors to re-package assets used on their routes, all that is needed is a list in the 'Read Me' of what has been used and who built it, the community can help each other with locating the various assets on routes where everything can be found.
3rd party websites are a hive of useful assets as well, unfortunately, many folks get scared off from these because they are in a foreign language, who would have thought that..... However, if they went and searched they would find a massive amount of useful content all waiting to be downloaded and installed, and it's all FREE, who could ask for anything better.

For example, this is from a Czech Republic website, you don't need to speak the language, just look at the pictures and click on them to download, there are superb Deciduous and Evergreen 2D and 3D trees and other vegetation that are excellent for many American routes, just give them a try.

http://modely-msts.cz/objektyrw.html

You just need Greenery and Smreky 3D, anyone can download them, you just cannot use them in Payware routes, that's all, and they easily install into your game, just like other rwp files.

Cheerz. ex-railwayman.

[BoostedFridge]

TG626: I took a poll a while back to try to determine what the most common north American DLC were amongst users for the same purpose as you. Surprisingly, it was fairly even to which DLC assets users on this forum have.

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=12617

[buzz456]

I think I'm about to abandon a preconceived notion.

In the unlikely event I complete this route I'm starting to a level where I feel comfortable releasing it (here), I was attempting to NOT use payware assets. However this was based on what I now believe is a faulty assumption. I am now realizing that with the exception of the "kuju" folder, everyone out there has different routes/assets (even if ALL they every bought was the basic game) based on what years they bought the game.

So there is very little content (well USA content anyway) that everyone has from "Kuju/RailworksUS", which helps explain why almost every route out there has some payware route it depends on...

So, which "Object Sets" are safe to assume everyone has?

Just "Kuju"? Or are there others? Is it true (as is claimed on wikipedia) that if you buy TS2016 and have NEVER bought any previous versions the only route you get is Sherman Hill?

The Lafayette Route which is just about ready for release is made with 100% freeware assets. Don't forget about RCAP as it has tons of items in it. Go look at the pages of pictures Bob and I and a few others have posted in Freeware WIP. viewtopic.php?f=31&t=11953

That will give you an idea of what you can do without using any payware.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

The Lafayette Route which is just about ready for release is made with 100% freeware assets. Don't forget about RCAP as it has tons of items in it. Go look at the pages of pictures Bob and I and a few others have posted in Freeware WIP. viewtopic.php?f=31&t=11953

That will give you an idea of what you can do without using any payware.

Exact, payware doesn't have to be a requirement if freeware (or RWA donation ware) is available.
From what I have seen of those photos, the RWA route has that general Middletown, USA feel of a rural area where time supposedly stood still.

[tg626]

While the various routes are fairly obvious (RSC/Donner Pass, etc.) what comes in the US Loco & asset Pack and the European asset Pack?

Not the items, which elements in the object filter?

Here's what I know so far...

Code: Select all

Game Only, no Routes:
-----------------------
Kuju
   \---RailSimulatorCore

US Loco & Asset Pack
-----------------------
Castlerock
   \---Scenery (CastlerockAssets.ap)
Kuju
   \---RailSimulatorUS

European Loco & Asset Pack
---------------------------
EisenbahnwerkRW
   \---Rollmaterial
GermanRailRoadsRW
   +---Hagen-Siegen
   \---Rollmaterial
Kuju
   \---RailSimulator (Should have beed named RailSimulatorUK--ed.)
   
Railworks AssetPack01
---------------------
RSC
   \---APStation
   
Academy - UK, US and German Training Zones
------------------------------------------
DTG
   \---Academy
   
Railworks 3 LegacyAssetsFoliage
-------------------------------
RSDL
   \---Foliage01

That's it for the not-a-DLCroute / not-a-DLClocomotive content that I can add/subtract from Steam.

So does everyone get Railworks 3 LegacyAssetsFoliage or is that because I first bought RW3?