Making a route "Quickdrive ready"

[Toripony]

I've reached the point with the Alleghany build to start building scenarios, so I finally had to take a look at Quickdrive. I think it's cool to use for certain moods but knew nothing about how it works, so I've been reading and watching videos and studying Mike's tools and help docs in RWTools. I've learned how to place some Player Spawn Points (they work! yay) and am using destination markers as end points along the Alleghany. Now I am studying AI and Consist Spawn Points which involve consists. I've learned that these QD consists don't use the same list of consists that get created in the Scenario Editor, but I'm not quite clear on where any consist info is stored. So, that's my first question... where are the different consist definitions stored/saved?

If I understand it right, everyone's system has their own list of consists. If that is correct, should I conclude that there's no need to create consists that go with the Alleghany route because there's no way to convey/transfer that to another player's computer? The reason I question my understanding is that a new route from DTG comes with pre-configured consists that somehow get added to the player's system. And in the RWTools help, Mike talks about using the QD consist maker to create consists that get stored in the route's Preload folder, which is something I, the routebuilder, creates (and the stuff in it).

What I really hope to accomplish is providing some prototypical trains to include with the route and the only way I see to do that is using Standard scenarios. I'm ok with that but before I move on from setting up Quickdrive I need to know... am I wrong? Is placing the markers the limit of what I can do/provide?

I'm stuck in a loop here and can't find my way out... can anyone get me back on track?

Thanks

[alanch]

Don't know if this link on UKTRainsim is any help, but I hope so http://forums.uktrainsim.com/viewtopic. ... 7&t=135358 .

[mikesimpson]

Hi Tori,

There are two places where 'consists' live in TS2014 -

1. Normal consists (those you see in the route's Scenario Editor when you click on the button to use consists) are all stored in the file
Railworks\Content\ConsistTemplates.bin - this can be a very long file.

2. Consists and Consist Fragments can be placed in any 'PreLoad' file - I don't think any details on the use of PreLoad files have been issued by RSC (no surprise there?). However from testing it appears that when TS2014 runs, EVERY 'PreLoad' file is read and the contents noted, so the contents can be used in any route in QD scenarios. This is why when you run a QD route, you are able to select any loco/consist you want to use from those shown.

RSC set up a separate PreLoad folder for each route, but for my own private use, I have just set up a single folder Assets\MikeSimpson\Borders\PreLoad and am able to use its contents as I wish.

TS2014 allows you to produce full consists from within the game, but TS2013 introduced Consist Fragments which can't be constructed in TS2014, but can be built in RW_Tools. Fragments consist of parts of a train, e.g. a rake of passenger cars including brake van and then you can make up consists of the same rake with different locos. Saving a lot of work in assembling consists as the final consist then just needs 2 entries, one for the loco and one for the fragment.

I hope that helps you - pages 67 onwards of the RW_Tools help .pdf file should help further.

Mike

[OwainGlyndwr]

You can also restrict which era and which routes QD consists are made available for.

So in effect you don't have something that looks out of place or is out of place on a certain route, or in a certain era.

OG.