[ Video Tutorials ]

Below are a number of Streaming Videos, in Windows Media Player 9 format.  We will continue to add these as time permits.  We have demos, tutorials, and combinations of both available.  Just click on the links below to view the videos.

Program Basics

Downloading and Installing our Programs.

Activity Master

• Basic overview and Demo: Avoiding Downloads
• Customizing an Activity to use Rolling Stock YOU choose
• Setting up Activity Master for Best Results (Advanced Tutorial)

Activity Generator

Activity Generator Demo and Tutorial

Click here to see how to generate/create activities using Activity Generator.  This demo shows how to generate an activity for the Bob Wirth's freeware Clovis Sub using Activity Generator and the template posted on our Templates page.  The workorder shown on the video is a little hard to read, you can view or download a clear PDF of the workorder here.

Activity Generator Template Creation Step by Step Tutorials

Because of disk space issues, we have had to temporarily remove some of these tutorials.  We are in the process of creating new tutorials that are shorter, take up less disk space, and address the easier method of creating templates that Activity Generator Version 4 provides.

These tutorials take you step by step through the creation of a new Activity Generator template for Bob Wirth's ATSF Clovis Subdivision route.  This is an extensive route with over 500 spurs and sidings, and is representative of one of the more difficult templates you might ever create for Activity Generator.  The completed template is available for download on our Templates page.

Step 1:  Placing railcars on tracks (Placing railcars in the simulation for players to pick up or set out)

1. Starting the MSTS Activity Editor (and creating a shortcut to it)
2. Placing railcars on spurs 1

Step 2: Creating the Player Paths.  (Determine where on the route the player can run.  You can create multiple paths for the player to choose from when generating an activity with your template).

1. Creating Player Paths 1

Step 3: Creating/Placing AI Traffic Services  (Adding other trains the people running your template will see and meet).

Final Steps

1. Assigning Pickup Events to Cars on Spurs (Tells MSTS and Activity Generator which spur each car is actually on).
2. Create and Edit the Rolling Stock CSV File (identifies the types of rolling stock in the simulation)
3. Create and Edit the Track Database (TDB) CSV file (tells AG what type of car goes on which siding) -- NOTE: this tutorial uses a screen from an earlier version, some screens will be slightly different in the latest version)

These steps call for using Microsoft Excel, Works, or some other spreadsheet program.  If you don't have these programs, you can edit the .csv files using a freeware program available at http://csved.sjfrancke.nl/index.html  My thanks to Rich Evart for sharing this information!