To bring this back to the issue of running routes without MSTS.Īs I read it you have to create various folders (as per the OR Manual) and copy the content from the respective MSTS folders of the same name into them?
![open rails without msts open rails without msts](https://i3.ytimg.com/vi/EQ8yH3U4XDg/hqdefault.jpg)
So the main casualty of not installing MSTS is probably even more problems with RR. Also, it's unlikely that the MSTS editors & tools will work right without the registry being set up - but if you can do what you need with the newer tools that doesn't matter. Without actually installing it, you're mainly giving up the registry stuff (which makes it easier for OR to find things and RR for me complains if the registry stuff isn't there).
![open rails without msts open rails without msts](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/fc/9d/43/fc9d43ad794d17e5031eb0858c44870f.jpg)
It will probably still run (as long as you don't have AMD graphics) even without all the registry entries.
#Open rails without msts install
You could copy your entire MSTS installation (including Train.exe) from a backup, but not actually install it. Keep the content elsewhere and tell OR where it's at in the Options and you're safe.ĭo the latest Intel graphics work well with OR? My recollection is that they tend to run a bit slowly (limited frame rate) compared to even low-end nVidia.
#Open rails without msts update
When (not if, though not as common as it was for a while) an OR update fails, it tends to take everything within the OR top directory with it to some bit bucket). Reminder: be sure to keep your content outside of the Open Rails directory tree. What you might miss are Route-Riter (at least for me, simply refuses to work, even within the known limits of its use under current Win10, unless it finds the MSTS registry stuff) and the MSTS editors (free/open stuff still doesn't do everything, though it's getting close). In general, if you own MSTS - even if it won't run on your hardware - it's worth installing or copying in its contents from backup just so you have its resources. wag files plus cabviews that many freeware stock make use of, so you'll have to be a little more creative with substituting the underlying configuration files and cabviews. Trains are the easiest to substitute with a 3rd-party consist editor, but remember that you'll also have to deal with the lack of default. You'll just have to check that the routes you want to run don't require any of the default assets.
![open rails without msts open rails without msts](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EQ8yH3U4XDg/maxresdefault.jpg)
More recent freeware routes that intentionally don't use the low-resolution default assets will be fine. Payware routes and trains, for instance, will run just fine. That means you'll need to run routes that use XTracks or Scalerail, and no default scenery. With no MSTS install, you'll lack the default scenery objects, default rolling stock + default. If you have MSTS at least installed (whether or not it runs in your hardware) you at least have all the default Microsoft/Kuju assets that many routes rely on.