Is Trent ever going to get loader love?

You are here: Home > Forum > Simulations > Released > Trent > Is Trent ever going to get loader love?

Page 2 of 2

Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 04/03/2018 at 14:00 #106410
broodje
Avatar
180 posts
Peter Bennet in post 106405 said:
[Not completely off topic]
I do happen to have all the Bristol and Gloucester files from 2009 and I did try and make contact to volunteer to convert but got no response.

Peter
And I still have the source for Trent from a version around august 2008. It would take an huge amount of work to convert though. Both the scenario's (eras) and level crossings are still done in code. Sadly I haven't heard from Kurt either in years.

Last edited: 04/03/2018 at 14:07 by broodje
Reason: None given

Log in to reply
Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 04/03/2018 at 14:24 #106413
Ray
Avatar
211 posts
I never liked Trent for one reason only : it took such a long time for each train to get permission to enter the yard. It became really annoying.
Log in to reply
Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 04/03/2018 at 15:27 #106421
Banners88
Avatar
107 posts
"[Not completely off topic]
I do happen to have all the Bristol and Gloucester files from 2009 and I did try and make contact to volunteer to convert but got no response.

Peter"

With no response, this seems to be a familiar tail with old exe sims both released and unreleased.

Surely if there is no contact with the former developer, would the rights to the sim move to SimSig inc. to allow those who can help, to help such as broodje?

I'm sure most if not all would love to see these sims developed, even if there is a price to pay.

Last edited: 04/03/2018 at 15:31 by Banners88
Reason: Missing quote.

Log in to reply
Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 04/03/2018 at 15:31 #106422
headshot119
Avatar
4869 posts
Banners88 in post 106421 said:
With no response, this seems to be a familiar tail with old exe sims both released and unreleased.

Surely if there is no contact with the former developer, would the rights to the sim move to SimSig inc. to allow those who can help, to help such as broodje?

I'm sure most if not all would love to see these sims developed, even if there is a price to pay.
Unfortunately it's not as simple as that. We do the best we can with the older simulations, but there is a limit on what we can do. If there's some news about a rerelease in the future I'm sure information will make it's way onto the forum.

"Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer
Log in to reply
The following user said thank you: JamesN
Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 04/03/2018 at 16:24 #106425
Danny252
Avatar
1461 posts
Banners88 in post 106421 said:
Surely if there is no contact with the former developer, would the rights to the sim move to SimSig inc. to allow those who can help, to help such as broodje?
Assuming we're discussing copyright in the general sense, and that the developer does hold the rights, I'm not aware of any clause in UK law that allows you to claim something simply because you can't contact the copyright holder. It would be your duty to determine that it's out of copyright - i.e. that the developer has been dead for 70 years!

Of course, the situation with Simsig will almost certainly be much more nuanced, depending on whatever agreement or contract might exist between developers and Simsig.

Last edited: 04/03/2018 at 16:25 by Danny252
Reason: None given

Log in to reply
Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 04/03/2018 at 19:54 #106448
Peter Bennet
Avatar
5354 posts
Online
Danny252 in post 106425 said:
Banners88 in post 106421 said:
Surely if there is no contact with the former developer, would the rights to the sim move to SimSig inc. to allow those who can help, to help such as broodje?
Assuming we're discussing copyright in the general sense, and that the developer does hold the rights, I'm not aware of any clause in UK law that allows you to claim something simply because you can't contact the copyright holder. It would be your duty to determine that it's out of copyright - i.e. that the developer has been dead for 70 years!

Of course, the situation with Simsig will almost certainly be much more nuanced, depending on whatever agreement or contract might exist between developers and Simsig.
Prior to 2012 there were no contracts, so it's a grey area. I'll ask Geoff, a straight conversion should not be too difficult provided I can understand what the code does.

Peter

I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs!
Log in to reply
The following user said thank you: ajax103
Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 17/03/2018 at 19:35 #106847
Red For Danger
Avatar
169 posts
I appreciate the difficulty of updating the older Sims if the original creator is no longer able to give their time to the task, but is it possible for a developer to update the F3 Options function to be able to provide the ability to slow the sim down to half speed or even further.....?

I'm just getting my teeth into Trent at the moment and with the slowest speed being 1:1 I am finding it almost impossible to learn without having to spend long periods with it on pause while locating where everything needs to go next on the vast and complicated track layout - I have only got to 7:20 but with 42 trains (most of which are at red signals) it is all getting a bit impossible to keep up.

It would be a lot easier if it had a half speed function - I'm beginning to wear out the 'P' button on the keyboard....!

Thanks.

Log in to reply
Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 17/03/2018 at 19:52 #106850
headshot119
Avatar
4869 posts
Red For Danger in post 106847 said:
I appreciate the difficulty of updating the older Sims if the original creator is no longer able to give their time to the task, but is it possible for a developer to update the F3 Options function to be able to provide the ability to slow the sim down to half speed or even further.....?

I'm just getting my teeth into Trent at the moment and with the slowest speed being 1:1 I am finding it almost impossible to learn without having to spend long periods with it on pause while locating where everything needs to go next on the vast and complicated track layout - I have only got to 7:20 but with 42 trains (most of which are at red signals) it is all getting a bit impossible to keep up.

It would be a lot easier if it had a half speed function - I'm beginning to wear out the 'P' button on the keyboard....!

Thanks.
Unfortunately it amounts to the same thing. Simulations are built on a number of data files, these are fed into the compiler which then spits out a .sim file.

In the days of old, the compiler used to throw out a standalone.exe file, however this wasn't signed or verified in anyway. We used to send the data files to GeoffM who would build it into an installer file.

So to update Trent to have the extra features, we need the data files. Then there's a hitch, if the sim uses custom code (which Trent did) or it has bits in the data files which need updating to the latest compiler standards, you can't just feed it to the compiler, there's all the work to do before hand.

"Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer
Last edited: 17/03/2018 at 19:55 by headshot119
Reason: None given

Log in to reply
The following user said thank you: JamesN
Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 17/03/2018 at 20:31 #106857
Steamer
Avatar
3913 posts
Red For Danger in post 106847 said:
I appreciate the difficulty of updating the older Sims if the original creator is no longer able to give their time to the task, but is it possible for a developer to update the F3 Options function to be able to provide the ability to slow the sim down to half speed or even further.....?
I think I've found a dodge that works:

Open a Loader simulation, and set the speed to 50%. Close the Loader. Then, start Trent. The simulation will run at 50%. Note, however, that you cannot use F3 in Trent without setting the speed back to 1:1- if that happens, or if it reverts to 1:1 speed for any other reason, you'll need to close Trent and repeat the set-up procedure.

I've not tried playing it this way, just a quick test, so I don't know if anything else in the simulation will cause the speed to revert, so it might not be practical.

"Don't stress/ relax/ let life roll off your backs./ Except for death and paying taxes/ everything in life.../ is only for now." (Avenue Q)
Last edited: 17/03/2018 at 20:33 by Steamer
Reason: None given

Log in to reply
Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 18/03/2018 at 11:35 #106867
Red For Danger
Avatar
169 posts
Steamer in post 106857 said:
Red For Danger in post 106847 said:
I appreciate the difficulty of updating the older Sims if the original creator is no longer able to give their time to the task, but is it possible for a developer to update the F3 Options function to be able to provide the ability to slow the sim down to half speed or even further.....?
I think I've found a dodge that works:

Open a Loader simulation, and set the speed to 50%. Close the Loader. Then, start Trent. The simulation will run at 50%. Note, however, that you cannot use F3 in Trent without setting the speed back to 1:1- if that happens, or if it reverts to 1:1 speed for any other reason, you'll need to close Trent and repeat the set-up procedure.

I've not tried playing it this way, just a quick test, so I don't know if anything else in the simulation will cause the speed to revert, so it might not be practical.
Thanks Steamer - Tried it and it works a treat. I'll report back if there are any compatibility issues that arise.

Log in to reply