Feather River Canyon Route Extension

[BoostedFridge]

I'm fairly new to the finer details of this, but couldn't Dleeboy upload or send only the new tiles for the Mixmap, Networks, Scenery, and Terrain, along with his updated Routeproperties file? That way if the recipient doesn't actually have the FRC route, the files are useless to them, and don't contain any actual DTG intellectual property?

[Ericmopar]

I'm fairly new to the finer details of this, but couldn't Dleeboy upload or send only the new tiles for the Mixmap, Networks, Scenery, and Terrain, along with his updated Routeproperties file? That way if the recipient doesn't actually have the FRC route, the files are useless to them, and don't contain any actual DTG intellectual property?

That's what I've been saying. Although I did it in a more complicated way... I tend to do that.

That's all the cloned version of a route is. It's nothing but files that reference the original route's assets etc.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

There are other merged, extended or rebuilt routes in the Steam Workshop. These must contain a new tracks.bin file and the necessary network, scenery and loft tiles.
These altered routes do however use a new route UUID, i.e. the large number that is the folder name.

Have you made a clone of the stock FRC first? Then your copy has a different UUID from the original.

It will be no trifle task to take out all the default FRC tiles from your copy so that only your new and the few tiles altered by you remain in the Networks folder. Same goes with the MixMap, Scenery and Terrain folders. Only the tiles you altered or created should remain, as those tiles actually ' belong to you '.

You could then pack those into a .rwp by running Utilities.exe and making the right selections as to what to include in the .rwp.

The player wanting to use run your extended FRC has to copy the default files into your route UUID folder himself to make your route complete and workable.
Writing a .bat file or using the RW_Tools method is also an option, but will require much testing to make it idiot proof.
That is the manual way, which is tedious and error prone.

I've checked out how the other creators on the Workshop have packed their altered routes.

The Workshop North Jersey Coast & New Haven merged route does seem to come with all the necessary tiles, it is a 616 MB folder! It is the NJC and NYNH assets that are stipulated by DTG that the player obviously would've need to purchase in order to run the route. So it seems that as far as the Workshop is concerned, only the Asset folders count.
That leads me to think that you don't even have to take out anything from your route UUID folder. Because by this reasoning you could have created a fantasy route based on FRC and release it through the Workshop without problems, only stipulating the possession of FRC.

[Ericmopar]

All this talk about packaging just gave me an idea.
I've been thinking of adding third party goodies to my Donner Redo, but then it wouldn't be good for uploading to the Workshop.
I can keep using the DTG assets for a basic scenery upgrade, then in the future I can do a super detail job with Railworks Community Assets and do an entirely separate scenery upgrade for those that have RCAP installed.
I could even include some scale road etc that way. (With Marc's permission)
It would give people a choice in how complicated they want things...

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

All this talk about packaging just gave me an idea.
I've been thinking of adding third party goodies to my Donner Redo, but then it wouldn't be good for uploading to the Workshop.
I can keep using the DTG assets for a basic scenery upgrade, then in the future I can do a super detail job with Railworks Community Assets and do an entirely separate scenery upgrade for those that have RCAP installed.
I could even include some scale road etc that way. (With Marc's permission)
It would give people a choice in how complicated they want things...

You'd better take this discussion to your own DP thread, so as not to confuse the FRC thread.

Many Workshop routes and scenarios make use of 3rd party assets and repaints. The author usually states so in the description. I don't think it would be a problem if you do the same, even if it isn't entirely by the rules.
Just don't make players search for stuff all over the net.

[Ericmopar]

All this talk about packaging just gave me an idea.
I've been thinking of adding third party goodies to my Donner Redo, but then it wouldn't be good for uploading to the Workshop.
I can keep using the DTG assets for a basic scenery upgrade, then in the future I can do a super detail job with Railworks Community Assets and do an entirely separate scenery upgrade for those that have RCAP installed.
I could even include some scale road etc that way. (With Marc's permission)
It would give people a choice in how complicated they want things...

You'd better take this discussion to your own DP thread, so as not to confuse the FRC thread.

Many Workshop routes and scenarios make use of 3rd party assets and repaints. The author usually states so in the description. I don't think it would be a problem if you do the same, even if it isn't entirely by the rules.
Just don't make players search for stuff all over the net.

This isn't really derailing the thread, since dleeboy, BoostedFridge and I are always swapping info and input with each other, since we all are interested in West Coast and CA railroad related things.
For that matter it's also why Hack and PapaExpress are welcome with feedback and ideas.

[BNSFdude]

What's wrong with this going on workshop, it's just a cloned, modified version of FRC, no?

[Ericmopar]

What's wrong with this going on workshop, it's just a cloned, modified version of FRC, no?

It started out that way, but dleeboy has very high detail standards and so he's now using some third party free ware, for places like the Portola engine house.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

All this talk about packaging just gave me an idea.
I've been thinking of adding third party goodies to my Donner Redo, but then it wouldn't be good for uploading to the Workshop.
I can keep using the DTG assets for a basic scenery upgrade, then in the future I can do a super detail job with Railworks Community Assets and do an entirely separate scenery upgrade for those that have RCAP installed.
I could even include some scale road etc that way. (With Marc's permission)
It would give people a choice in how complicated they want things...

You'd better take this discussion to your own DP thread, so as not to confuse the FRC thread.

Many Workshop routes and scenarios make use of 3rd party assets and repaints. The author usually states so in the description. I don't think it would be a problem if you do the same, even if it isn't entirely by the rules.
Just don't make players search for stuff all over the net.

This isn't really derailing the thread, since dleeboy, BoostedFridge and I are always swapping info and input with each other, since we all are interested in West Coast and CA railroad related things.
For that matter it's also why Hack and PapaExpress are welcome with feedback and ideas.

OK with me.
There are so many threads on WIP routes and extensions, it is hard to keep track. Good to hear all of you are sharing ideas and techniques. That's what this community is all about, isn't it?

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

What's wrong with this going on workshop, it's just a cloned, modified version of FRC, no?

It started out that way, but dleeboy has very high detail standards and so he's now using some third party free ware, for places like the Portola engine house.

It sure seems that way, and he builds fast too.

Actually, I think he is good enough to do commercial contracting work in route creation. This FRC extension could be an excellent proof of craftsmanship.
When it is finished, it is an incentive for me to buy FRC, as this -completed- route is what should have been brought out in the first place.

[Ericmopar]

All this talk about packaging just gave me an idea.
I've been thinking of adding third party goodies to my Donner Redo, but then it wouldn't be good for uploading to the Workshop.
I can keep using the DTG assets for a basic scenery upgrade, then in the future I can do a super detail job with Railworks Community Assets and do an entirely separate scenery upgrade for those that have RCAP installed.
I could even include some scale road etc that way. (With Marc's permission)
It would give people a choice in how complicated they want things...

You'd better take this discussion to your own DP thread, so as not to confuse the FRC thread.

Many Workshop routes and scenarios make use of 3rd party assets and repaints. The author usually states so in the description. I don't think it would be a problem if you do the same, even if it isn't entirely by the rules.
Just don't make players search for stuff all over the net.

This isn't really derailing the thread, since dleeboy, BoostedFridge and I are always swapping info and input with each other, since we all are interested in West Coast and CA railroad related things.
For that matter it's also why Hack and PapaExpress are welcome with feedback and ideas.

OK with me.
There are so many threads on WIP routes and extensions, it is hard to keep track. Good to hear all of you are sharing ideas and techniques. That's what this community is all about, isn't it?

Yes, plus we have similar asset requirements.

[dleeboy]

I love all of this discussion. This gives me an idea, if i go into my extension and remove all of the freeware. Then will i be able to put this extension route in the workshop. Lets say i have only one freeware requirement. Like the bridge loft that i am using. And tell everyone that my extension route requires this asset to work. Or keep it down to just a few freeware assets like five for people to get. I believe i could go into my route and do this without changing the route that much. I will do this today and come back on here and tell everyone what the freeware items are. And when i package up the route in workshop tell everyone what they need.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

I love all of this discussion. This gives me an idea, if i go into my extension and remove all of the freeware. Then will i be able to put this extension route in the workshop. Lets say i have only one freeware requirement. Like the bridge loft that i am using. And tell everyone that my extension route requires this asset to work. Or keep it down to just a few freeware assets like five for people to get. I believe i could go into my route and do this without changing the route that much. I will do this today and come back on here and tell everyone what the freeware items are. And when i package up the route in workshop tell everyone what they need.

Just look over the Steam Workshop to get a general idea how people advertise and package their modified routes.
A few assets from external sources should be OK. Just state clearly where to get them and check that the links still work before posting them.
Otherwise, you can try to get permission from their authors to package them all into one .zip file that you can host at a free file server of your choice. Traffic is often limited and free file hosting services come and go so those links need to be kept up to date.

[Ericmopar]

There's only one problem with removing the freeware.
It leaves "milk bottles" in the asset's place and missing textures on the ground. I learned this when I decided early on, to not use Marias Pass assets on Donner. I was finding little milk bottles along the track for weeks. LOL.

If someone knows how to easily remove the milk bottles after unloading assets, please say something.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

There's only one problem with removing the freeware.
It leaves "milk bottles" in the asset's place and missing textures on the ground. I learned this when I decided early on, to not use Marias Pass assets on Donner. I was finding little milk bottles along the track for weeks. LOL.

If someone knows how to easily remove the milk bottles after unloading assets, please say something.

But that was only a temporary problem, right? Until you either put the asset files back in or removed the asset from your route?

When it is only minor stuff, it doesn't matter that much if a milk bottle remains. When it is something critical, like track or certain items bound to the track database, the route will not load.

Dleeboy talked about only a few freeware assets. AFAIK, he makes excellent use of the available material from FRC because he is extending it. Clio Trestle could be built from Keddie parts I suppose, It is the yard and industries at the eastern end that probably need some freeware models from external sources. Unless some of our model creators step in and provide him with some custom made buildings and the permission to include them in the enhancement's extra .zip package.