File Library cleanup after March 1

[eric]

...it may use some rolling stock that nobody has downloaded in five years but will suddenly want. Just sayin'.

Yup. If we get to a point where older material needs to go overboard, it's going to be determined by a couple factors: age, number of downloads, and last download.

Examples:

• 20 years old with 2583 downloads including some as recently as 5 years ago = firmly in the lifeboat
• 15 years old with 1558 downloads but none in the last 10 years = might not be safe, but has a life preserver for now
• 5 years old with only two downloads = hope it can swim...

[CSRX]

geepster775 writes today:

"There is another library thing that can be pruned - all these repaints based on no longer available models."


I completely agree
Mateus

Shouldn't be an issue to those that have all the payware thats available or has been available.

I made the mention to Eric that a lot of my older work pre 2014 can be removed, as most I have purged from my own computer, as well as others that eventually will be updated to newer models available with fresher paint work. Eventually the same will be said about anything of mine pre 2018, but we will start with pre 2014 first. Haha

[tie]

Nels you can delete all the Northwest Line routes off the server. They are grossly outdated.

[westerngy]

Cleaning up the File Library will also hopefully cut down on Bandwidth cost also. No need for old files to be hanging around. Yes MSTS has been around but like you said Erik if minimal D/L's then let the wind take it away.

[EricF]

I would urge some due caution with deleting old rolling stock and locomotives -- some may be dependencies in older routes and activities. While some might prefer to replace them in consists with new, graphically better ones, there may be some who'd prefer be "completionists" and keep original consists.

Likewise, there are some routes with various versions like the default Marias Pass upgrades that are snapshots in time of MSTS route development -- and have their own particular activities as well -- which might be worth keeping to go with the "museum" concept.

[NorthernWarrior]

I've only got a handful of TSC routes in the library but personally I think this is a bit of a slippery slope. I would hope before any file is considered for withdrawal, the original author - if contactable - should be notified and given the opportunity to preserve it, as is happening with the UKTS closure.

This also seems to me the beginning of the end for TS.com, possibly - we have the insidious advertising I've mentioned elsewhere (just had a row of ads pop up within the text of a forum post!) and now the pruning of the file library. Seems a great way to kill off a once useful resource. I'm assuming this stems from FS.com and presumably by extension TS.com as well, being handed over by Nels to someone else for day to day running?

[NorthernWarrior]

Just had a quick look at my stuff and the following can go:
whatmighthavebeen.zip - low download count and anyone interested would have it by now.
sulitjelma2014.zip - superceded by newer version(s) on the N3V DLS.
sulitkrs.zip - updated version now on Steam Workshop.
sulitts6.zip - again updated version on N3V DLS.
trs06wh2.zip - now on N3V DLS.

The remaining Trainz route (Mount Hood) going to grab that and see if I can get it over to the DLS.
That leaves Whiteman Park and Blackpool Tramway for TSC, I would certainly like to preserve the latter as it's not something that can easily be remade for Steam Workshop (no custom assets allowed). Whiteman Park I will drop in my ongoing campaign to rejig TSC routes for the Workshop so would appreciate that leaving in place until I give the nod.

My MSTS content - Stranraer plus associated files and the Inlandsbanan stuff can be binned. Anyone who wants them already has them, they are not up to current freeware "standards" especially for OR so time they were retired.

[NorthernWarrior]

Has there been any form of additional restriction on free downloads, apart from the usual 30 kb/s speed limit? Three attempts now to download my Mount Hood Trainz route and each time it has dropped with a "Network Issue" error. File is around 105Mb, having just previously downloaded Whiteman Park.

[lumberman]

Good Morning All,
Centval1.zip Centval2.zip Centvalg.zip
No password, no reply from author.
thanks!!

[eric]

I'm going to repeat what's in scope for March 1:

Only uploads which have a clear newer version available from the same author(s) will be removed.

There are no plans to move beyond that definition right now.

To EricF's point... if there's a MSTS model with ACE textures and an ORTS model with DDS, that's out of scope for cleanup.