DAR Beta 2 Feedback

[stem]

Wow Paul. I'm having a great time with this. Too bad you can't get MSTS to work full screen mode in 16:9 though. Of course it will but it stretches a 4:3 to do it. I mean REALLY work on a 16:9. Was so looking forward to MSTS 2.0 <sigh>.

Moving on.. have tried a number of things so far. I have to resurrect the activities though. For some reason they're not working. Mind you, this is just a copy install on my current game machine and not a full install from the CDs. As well it doesn't go into edit mode either so I've got some problems here to clear up first.

Never the less, it runs beautifully and look stunning!

Here I am showing off my Warpaint 9059. I am still however in the paint shop on this one to get the stripe size up to where it should be. Some day soon I'll release it and seriously, it will be soon.

Then a little what if with my favourite diesels from back then, the C-Liner complete with a mountain complement of cars in front of the Kentville station.

Here's the Banff Park with the Cornwallis Hotel that look a little Banff Springs itself.

I always love sitting in the dome on the observation car so here we are upstairs getting a good gander at the Kentville station.

What if a Selkirk ever made it's way to the North Mountain?

Closer to possibility might have been Hudsons with a few bridge improvements and 100 lb rail on the entire mainline.

And last of all a wayward gypsum train is finding it's way back from Kentville to Falmouth led by those elusive S3s. Thanks Paul for building these. They look simply marvellous!

[Dan Conlin]

What fun! Neat to see that exotic equipment on the DAR and I enjoy the viewpoints on Paul's virtual Kentville.

Dan

[stem]

OK Paul. I'm trying to play with the activities but I think you have to give us the consists for the activities to work properly.

[Paul Charland]

Hi Steve,

I found a broken path for the RDC test run that starts in Coldbrook and heads north, strange that the south bound "Tide" RDC run uses the same path but it was not broken. You should have been able to run an RDC in explore mode using that paths that were still working.

Sent out a replacement ACTIVITIES folder with the corrected paths along with a revised required rolling stock list if you want run the S-3 or SW activities.

The other day you said you had changed the names of rolling stock, you might want to download and reinstall these and leave the name alone or you will have endless problems with any activities created in the future that use the names given to them by the authors.

Paul

[stem]

I've got everything working now by recreating the missing consists and installing the reefer and tank car in the correct folders however, there's a missing sms file x_refrige.sms from the reefer that wasn't included in the mech pack.

I'm starting to round up everything I need to get rolling on creating a DAR set of rolling stock and to finish some of the Dayliner paint schemes.

This is too cool Paul. The only other road I have this much fun with are my MLT mountain subs because I know that country very well too being out here in Alberta.

Somehow though the DAR is even more real!

Did you think that perhaps ULing the Beta to T-S would be a good idea?

[Paul Charland]

Hi Steve,

x_refrige.sms is a default sound supplied by MS in the main SOUND folder.

Uploading the beta to T-S would not be a good idea. People like to limit betas to smaller groups for a bit of control. For me I've limited the beta to ten people, one guy who's beta tested just about everything I've drawn in the last five or six years, Gerry Baldwin, Paul P who tested the FJ&G route and would have tested the STRy except his computer lost it's hard drive and he's still trying to get everything he lost back, Rich how I've beta tested his routes and he's tested my routes, one other who's expressed interest in the line, and about six people including yourself who asked to be included from the post I made here and on the Atlantic group. The last batch of people are "locals" or were at some time in the past so I was really looking for a lot of input from them.

Gerry has had a quick look but is rebuilding most of his system, so it's going to be a few days, Paul is still working on his system but has much bigger fish to fry right now. You are the only one from the Maritimes (I know you're in the Badlands now) who I have received any feedback from.

Paul

[stem]

That's funny. If you remember I said that my MSTS was a copy installation and so the editor wasn't working for example.

To cure that and make sure I was having no further problems I Installed the whole thing from disk again and then copied back only those things that had been changed over the years.

No x_refrige was installed from a clean install and I don't have the file anywhere on my game. Could you open that file and see if it indicates who wrote it?

Too bad so many regular route builder friends haven't had the chance to sample your latest wares!

As for the locals who wanted to test it, perhaps they need help getting their copy up and running or installing the route? Speak up if you do because we would love to help!

[Paul Charland]

Hi Steve,

As far as I can tell it came off my disc when I installed MSTS. Try installing the update from about half way down this page:

http://www.microsoft.com/games/pc/trainsim.aspx

The date on a few of my default sms filse is a year later then most, including the one for the reefer sound.

If anyone needs help, feel free to ask.

Paul

[stem]

I've been playing with the beta and so far I haven't found a hitch anywhere.

I've driven up and down all the streets you've built, looked at things from tons of angles, compared the town and yards to 70's era photos, built my own activities and all I have to say is MORE!

This line is perfect so far Paul.

Here's some shots:

[hecrowell]

Hi Paul

FInally got my tired old PC to manage the DL for the DAR b2 and had only a couple of finger trouble problems getting it running...Sometimes its a good thing to have a peek at the readme files. This seems to require some extra rolling stock and a couple of other files. From what I have seen so far, the add-on works fine, the static scenery is supberb from what I can remember seeing in the real world when making trips to the Annapolis Valley on the "Dayliner" with my mom years ago. The only thing I have noticed (and I don't think it was my eyes playing tricks on me) was a couple of hydro poles that were in the road - just south of Kentville and on a turn heading approximately South. A small thing but thought I would mention it. Making scenery is a long laborious and often frustrating process, but rewarding when you can actually look at it and see recognizable places - A great job and keep up the good work.

[stem]

Did you get the latest greatest Dayliner repaints I left on another thread? Don't forget to go to the end of the thread as well and get the corrrected ENG file. Everyting should be here:
http://www.dardpi.ca/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=137

As soon as I'm done with my church's sports camp which starts next week I'm going to get back at my repaints and finish 9058 & 9059 in the warpaint scheme too. I think you could get away with running the early paint scheme apart from trying to justify why a paint job that was changed in 1966 is sitting beside a '73 Duster. heh heh. I love the warpaint myself and need no excuse what so ever to run it whenever I can.

Then I'll do the full CP scheme after that. I'll only be able to do 9059 with the existing model because 9058 left the system in 1966. I actually have never seen a photo of 9058 in the hockey mask scheme on the DAR system. It would be interesting to see one day a photo of 9058 crunched after the accident to see if it was warpaint or hockey mask when it left the DAR system, never to return again.

So I'm trying out another model to paint 9057 that was sent in to replace 9058 because 9057 was the earlier RDC-1 style. The interior dones't much compare with Gaetan's RDC though but the exterior is a lot more dimesionally stable though and has higher res bitmaps as well as super high res bitmapped insert areas. I always thought that it was interesting that not only were 9058 & 9059 the first and only RDCs to be factory lettered "Dominion Atlantic" but that it appears that they were also the first two units of the new RDC-1 style as well.

That what I have planned anyway. After all the RDCs I'm moving on to diesels and other rolling stock and trying my hand at TS modeller again.