Scalerail

[mgb2003]

Is there anyway I can get the latest versions of scalerail and scaleroad since 3dtrains.com is down I cannot get them

[rt35ge]

Is there anyway I can get the latest versions of scalerail and scaleroad since 3dtrains.com is down I cannot get them

No not a chance. I've read there are people that made deals with Mark, but distribution through those users is rather complicated.

[rgarber]

If you mean the free versions then ask somebody who has those to give you a copy. There was no charge for the free add-ons Marc made. Nor was there any restrictions to them either except the usual you couldn't resell them or use the files included in any way to make a profit. As long as I can remember there is no restriction on free. Free is free. Marc did have that weird quirky idea to make people register at his forum to get them but that wasn't a payment nor constituted any kind of agreement that there was a contract between the user and Marc.

Not same for the paid version though. Those could only be distributed by Marc.

[R. Steele]

....Not same for the paid version though. Those could only be distributed by Marc.

For my clarification...the paid version included both textures and track shapes, while the free only had textures...correct.?

The Readme for the unpaid version ( that I downloaded from the forum back when ) states:

DISTRIBUTION

ScaleRail is available as a free public download, and as such, licensing is not required for
those who wish to distribute freeware routes using ScaleRail or ScaleRoad.

For commercial licensing inquiries, please contact us at: scalerail@3dtrains.com.

- Additional Guidelines:
Do not distribute ScaleRail track or ScaleRoad models. You may, however, distribute the
ScaleRail textures and bridge-end models files with your route. You may either distribute
default ScaleRail and/or ScaleRoad textures found at 3dtrains.com, or custom textures of
your own making.

Free Public Download says it all...the free version is public domain ( "free public download" )...after that you cannot put restrictions on it. That's my reading.

[slipperman]

Hi Gerry,
I was able to download the shapes and textures without charge from the 3dtrains site, the only restriction was that I had to be a member of the Forum to do so.

The 'Distribution' quote states : "Do not distribute ScaleRail track or ScaleRoad models."

The problem is that this, and the other clauses, refer to the distribution of ScaleRail within routes. To me, this means that the 3DTrains shapes cannot be shared.

I disagree that "free public download" means "public domain" It certainly doesn't in this case - see this from the License Agreement :

3DTrains retains all ownership rights to this software. 3DTrains grants the user ("you") anon-exclusive license to use this software for personal use on a single computer. It may not
be installed on a single workstation used nonsimultaneously by multiple people. This is not
a concurrent use license. This software may not be copied or distributed, in whole or in
part, to any format, including digital media, without the express written permission of
3DTrains.

I believe the phrase "free public download" only means from the 3DTrains website.

Unless/until Marc comes back to us, I think we're stuck with ScaleRail and ScaleRoad being unobtainable.

Cheers,
Ged

[R. Steele]

Hi Gerry,
I was able to download the shapes and textures without charge from the 3dtrains site, the only restriction was that I had to be a member of the Forum to do so.

The 'Distribution' quote states : "Do not distribute ScaleRail track or ScaleRoad models."

The problem is that this, and the other clauses, refer to the distribution of ScaleRail within routes. To me, this means that the 3DTrains shapes cannot be shared.

I disagree that "free public download" means "public domain" - see this from the License Agreement :



I believe the phrase "free public download" only means from the 3DTrains website.

Unless/until Marc comes back to us, I think we're stuck with ScaleRail and ScaleRoad being unobtainable.

Cheers,
Ged

Nope, Cannot agree with you, perhaps that makes sense in the UK, but not US, sorry. The currently existing routes needing scale rail will have been built by a holder of a license to use the paid version, so I see no problem with sharing the textures required.

...and if ALL of US ( and the both of us ) are actually conscientious about strictly complying with the either of the aforementioned docs, then we ALL must remove any trace of the public domain scale rail from any second computers, we are only authorized to use it "on a single computer"!

The "3DTRAINS END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT" and the Readme.txt if read carefully are in direct disagreement with each other.

[slipperman]

Hi Gerry,
I respect your opinion and these are my last words on the subject

One thing I do agree on is "We are only authorised to use it on a single computer".
The important word is 'use'! One can (usually) only use one computer at a time. It doesn't specify that it may only be installed once on that computer (ie different MSTS/ORTS installations). We all (should have!) backups, but those are not in 'use'.

Cheers,
Ged

[R. Steele]

Hi Gerry,
I respect your opinion and these are my last words on the subject

One thing I do agree on is "We are only authorised to use it on a single computer".
The important word is 'use'! One can (usually) only use one computer at a time. It doesn't specify that it may only be installed once on that computer (ie different MSTS/ORTS installations). We all (should have!) backups, but those are not in 'use'.

Cheers,
Ged

My-OH-My how we humans can parse words when we want something to be interpreted in our favor. My honorable colleague, you know I respect your talent and admire your abilities...but this time you are brim full with the bull effluent.

Throwing the Bull.jpg or if you prefer Throwing the Bull2.jpg

[crstagg]

Our Moderator posted at https://www.trainsim.com/vbts/showth...35#post2002935

Settle down, folks. If it turns out that the site is gone, some of us already have an agreement with Marc for redistributing Scalerail.

It has been 5 months since Marc was last heard from. How much longer before we will see what this agreement entails?

[geepster775]

Marc's EULA states you do not need permission from him to release a freeware route built with Scalerail (i.e. don't clog his email). You are free to distribute the SR textures in your routes TEXTURES folder, but you cannot distribute the shapes that go in your GLOBAL folder. For those files, you needed to go to his website and get those free downloads.

Out of all the payware routes built with Scalerail, only one was ever hosted on a website other than (the now gone) 3DTrains and are still available for purchase today. However, these Scalerail files bundled in the Mullan installer (and the upcoming Shasta route, too) have all been modified to call upon DDS textures, for most there are no ACE file companion texture, so that will exclude their easy harvesting and re-purposing over to the MSTS environment as MSTS use would error as MSTS does not know what a DDS texture is. I believe the Trainsimulations texture changeover stance is intended to curtail the scavenging of their scenery assets for re-use on freeware MSTS route beautification projects, and keep the freeware MSTS route legacy just that - legacy. And they have basically extended the same OR-only use protections towards their licensed distributions of Scalerail and roads, too.

I think the days of free Scalerail packs for the MSTS environment (the shapes that go into GLOBAL) is over and the only way to get them is via payware products. I saw nothing special in the Version 2.x files that came embedded with later builds of Sherman, as many of the 'improvements' broke backwards compatibility with version 1.x. Not that we are all flush with new freeware routes built with ScaleRail products to begin with. Most of this was hype and hope for vaporware, mixed with a little nostalgia for legacy MSTS material. Don't hold your breath, people. Time to move on, and ye who moves on first gets to set new precedent.

[huha435]

Would anyone know what version that Scale Rail Scale Road was in "after-msts-install-extras" that was released by Otto Wipfel awhile back?

[geepster775]

A few more data points -

The Mullan installer deposits 3,156 ScaleRail and ScaleRoads shape files in the global folder for that OR installation.

The Sherman installer (latest version, with V 2 content) deposits 3,178 ScaleRail and ScaleRoads shape files in the global folder.

That should tell you the Mullan route installer, still available today, does provide a buyer with a complete set of ScaleRail and ScaleRoads shape files, albeit most have been modded for DDS redirect. The difference of just 22 files could constitute files built uniquely to Sherman or were new files related to the stillborn V2 material.

[R. Steele]

A few more data points -

The Mullan installer deposits 3,156 ScaleRail and ScaleRoads shape files in the global folder for that OR installation.

The Sherman installer (latest version, with V 2 content) deposits 3,178 ScaleRail and ScaleRoads shape files in the global folder.

That should tell you the Mullan route installer, still available today, does provide a buyer with a complete set of ScaleRail and ScaleRoads shape files, albeit most have been modded for DDS redirect. The difference of just 22 files could constitute files built uniquely to Sherman or were new files related to the stillborn V2 material.

That's helpful information.

[eric]

Sherman should be done as a miniroute/standalone install. If I recall, the new ACE textures don't play well with older shapes.

[eric]

It has been 5 months since Marc was last heard from. How much longer before we will see what this agreement entails?

Not discussing it further than I already have. I've got all the textures and installers for when the time comes.

Until then, the Montana Rail Link / Mullan Pass route at TrainSimulations has it for those who can't wait.