Mod Instructions

[steamfan1211]

I have been using Train Simulator for several years and in that time have installed a number of mods from this site that have enhanced the pleasure of the Sim. I am grateful to the people who are good enough to spend time and effort making these mods. However, I am often frustrated in the install process by very general read me text. These are often very general and seem to jump from step1 to the end with nothing in between. This can often lead to giving up with the installation of the mod. I think the people who develop these mods are very talented in writing them but not so in explaining the installation for us not so talented who need detailed instructions. For example. "Just drag and drop it and it should update the .ap file." No explanation of what "it" is as there were several files. Also do we need to extract the .ap file first? Who knows. Another frustration is when you do install a mod and it doesn't work there doesn't seem to be a way to contact the developer to ask questions or point out an issue. Am I missing something here?

Would be interested to hear others thoughts.

[mindenjohn]

I think that everyone in life has thought at some stage that "this is so simple it needs no explanation" and once it has been done it does need no explanation but the first time.... We are all to some extent guilty of this (not wanting to be accused of teaching Grandma....) but here in this forum there is nearly always a solution - just ask. No one will think you are a fool for asking we all have to or had to learn sometime/onetime.
When asking please don't say "IT WON'T WORK" try to explain what exactly you are wanting an answer for with as much information as possible, screenshots where appropriate and if the ReadMe is not clear which part you are unsure of.
The vast majority of folks on this site are wanting your experience to be good - the community is a very important part of this Simulator. The first post is the most daunting and you have gone past that mark so just ask and an answer is usually forthcoming but be patient there isn't an army sitting waiting like at a call centre, we like to get on with the game as well.

[TheKman]

The readme text is important and should be worded as if the person who downloaded/bought a item is a total newbie with no clue. Detailed is good but don't over do it. One of worst readme's I ever saw was for a pair of MSTS crossbucks. It stated: "If you don't know how to install this then you shouldn't have downloaded it." It was a rather nice looking set of crossbucks but I passed up the download after I read that. WAY too much ego there.