How do scenario authors track rolling stock required.

[wacampbell]

I am looking for ideas and best practices. When we release a scenario, users like to see a list of the rolling stock files that are required to run the scenario. Even better to provide a link to where they can be downloaded. We have so much great content available now that I am having trouble keeping things organized. When I create a scenario its easy to pick a box car and drop it onto a siding. But how do I know what package it came from and where I downloaded it from. I am thinking I may have to do a fresh install of all my content and carefully keep track of each addon.

Or is there an easier way?

[Chacal]

There's probably a way to extract the information from distributed DLC and other packages.

The problem lies with the name of assets or packages: there is no naming convention, and no registry, for the name.
Official DLC assets have a name in the Steam store (e.g. "Train Simulator: D&RGW SW1200 Loco Add-On") but this can be changed at any time by DTG.
Assets downloaded from RWA have the same problem: the name depends on what Bob or I decide to enter when we create the library entry, based on what information we have at the moment, what seems logical, the time of day, how many coffees we had, phase of the moon, mood of wife, number of cats on Bob's keyboard, etc.

[wacampbell]

Yes, a naming convention would be nice.

I looked at the .pi files in the PackageInfo folder. The Package Manager creates these files when we install a .rwp addon package. These .pi files list every file in the package. So if I am trying to find where a file comes from, I could search the .pi files to find the name of the .rwp.

The limitations of the .pi files idea are that :

1. Its not easy to learn the filename of a rolling stock .bin file. The scenario editor doesn't give us this information.

2. Not all our content is installed from .rwp files. Often we copy files directly from zips and bypass the package manager.

3. Knowing the name of the .rwp file doesn't usually help us know the download site and link to it.

[GreatNortherner]

Hi Wayne,

This is what I usually do. No idea if this "best practice", but it works for me to make things a bit more manageable:

1) I have created a "master list" of all rolling stock downloads that I can potentially use. This is a document in which I've listed all engines, passenger and freight cars. It is grouped by pay- and freeware, and then each section is sorted by RR company (to make it easier to find stuff for each scenario). This document includes download links and file library names (for those who want/have to google it). The whole list is formatted so that I can use it to directly create the readme download instructions from it by simply deleting any unused items from the list.

2) When I download a new piece of equipment and know I might use it in a scenario, I add it to the master list.

I don't think there is any good solution to the problem of not knowing where a particular piece of equipment came from. When I'm in doubt, I usually don't use equipment where I'm not certain about its origin -- even if that usually means having substantially less choice in the editor. But deleting one's Assets and rebuilding them from scratch it is a very drastic step that I don't want to do -- and it would only last until you (inevitably?) start to loose track again over what you've installed.

Cheers
Michael

[Chacal]

What we need is an on-line database and someone with free time to manage it
:)

@GreatNortherner A few years ago I made a list like that. It started with an export from RW-Tools, and I added a column for "Wagon Type" (tank, flat, gondola, box, etc.), weight and length, engine HP, etc.
This was for choosing suitable rolling stock for swapping in scenarios. It worked well, but of course I quickly lost track and forgot to maintain the list.

[awaken1977]

I use in scenarios only stock from Steam DLC, so they are verified during publishing.

If you forgot what added to the scenario, you can verify with RWTools.
Sometimes it's tricky to differ what piece of rolling stock used, because they are recycled through different publishers, and look identically in the game.
for example the same TOFC trailers are in Marias Pass, SD70v2 and SD75 packages, and probably in Hi-Line.
in that case, I try to use only rolling stock from the base route package, to minimize dependencies

[artimrj]

When I post files I use what the author called them. A small window opens up for uploaders to name the upload and give a small description of it. They normally also write a readme stating where the file came from. Some even post links to where on the site the file is or where to buy it from.