How to get Simutrans-Experimental

[jamespetts]

Latest version

The latest version of Simutrans-Experimental is Simutrans 102.3 Experimental 8.2. The release date is: 27th of June 2010. The latest set of the configuration files for Simutrans-Experimental was released on the 6th of June 2010. The latest version of Makeobj-Experimental was released on the 24th of May 2010. Please note that .pak files compiled with Makeobj-Experimental 8.0 or later are not compatible with Simutrans-Experimental 7.3 or earlier.

Complete packages

A .zip file containing all the files needed to run Simutrans-Experimental (containing Simutrans-Experimental version 6.6 and Pak128.Britain-Ex version 0.2) is now available for Windows, and can be downloaded here. This is the easiest way of installing Simutrans-Experimental for beginners. To install it, just download the .zip file, extract it into a convenient folder, and run Simutrans-Experimental.exe. To make accessing it easier, create a shortcut to Simutrans-Experimental.exe on the desktop and/or start menu.

Please note that this version is now somewhat out of date. A complete package based on Simutrans-Experimental 8.x is planned, and will hopefully be available shortly.

For the Macintosh platform (Intel MacOS X), a package containing Simutrans-Experimental 8.0, Pak64 and Pak128.Britain is available here, thanks to JToomim.

Complete packages for other platforms are not yet available - you will need to download Simutrans-Standard and one or more paksets in the usual way (see here for a tutorial), then get the Simutrans-Experimental program file (executable), and add it into your Simutrans directory.

In future, I plan for there there to be automated installer packages for each platform.

Program files (main)
(Executable binaries)

Windows

To download the Windows executable for Simutrans-Experimental, click here. Then, unzip that file into your \Simutrans folder. It will not over-write your existing Simutrans executable, as it has a different name. You can then choose whether to run Simutrans.exe (the normal program: Simutrans-Standard) or Simutrans-Experimental.exe (this version). Be sure also to install the included bzip.dll in the same directory as Simutrans.exe.

Depending on your configuration, you may also need to download and install the MSVC++ redistributable package, available from Microsoft here. If you get the error message, "The application has failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect" in Windows XP, or "Application failed to start because side-by-side configuration is incorrect" (Vista) when you try to run Simutrans-Experimental, then you will need to download and install these files. You may also need to extract the bzlib.dll file included with the binaries .zip package to make Simutrans-Experimental work if you do not already have this file installed.

Linux

To download the Linux executable for Simutrans-Experimental, click here for the i386 (32-bit) version, or here for the amd64 (64-bit) version (note: the 32-bit version will work on 64-bit operating systems, but the 64-bit version will not work on 32-bit operating systems). Once the file has downloaded, transfer it to your /simutrans directory. Run it by typing the executable name (for example, "simutrans-exp-latest") at the command line, or set up your window manager to execute that command from a menu or icon (how to do this will depend on which window manager (e.g., Gnome or KDE) that you use). Your existing installation of Simutrans-Standard will be unaffected. You will need to make the file executable by using the following command: chmod 0700 simutrans-exp-latest.

Very big thanks to Ansgar for providing automatic Linux builds for Simutrans-Experimental. Please note that, because these are compiled automatically, there may be a slight delay between the release of a new version of Simutrans-Experimental and the availability of the latest version of Linux binaries.

Mac OS X

Mac OS X versions of Simutrans-Experimental are not regularly compiled, however, Jtoomim has kindly provided a one off build of version 8.0, which can be found [http://jtoomim.org/code/simexp-8.0-pak64-pak128.Britain.zip]here[/url]. This package includes Pak64 and Pak128.Britain, but can be used with any of the paksets. Anyone who would like to volunteer to make regular release builds of a Mac OS X executable, please PM me. Anyone who would like to use the versions Simutrans-Experimental higher than 6.7 on the Mac OS X platform will need to compile it from the source code for the time being.

Amiga

To download a version of Simutrans-Experimental for Amiga OS 4.1, click here. It appears that this version is not automatically compiled, so may not be fully up to date: the latest version available is 7.3. I cannot assist with installation instructions for Amiga, as I am unfamiliar with the platform. If anyone can assist in producing installation instructions for the Amiga platform, that would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks to Thematic for the Amiga compile.

Program files (Makeobj)
(Executable binaries)

Makeobj is the command-line application used to make assets (vehicles, buildings, roads, etc.) for the game. It takes a set of .png images and some specially formatted text files (with the extension ".dat") and turns them into .pak files, which can be read by the game. Simutrans-Experimental has a number of new features which use new parameters in those .dat files. To make assets that take full advantage of the new features of Simutrans-Experimental, the accompanying version of Makeobj (Makeobj-Experimental) must be used.

Windows

To download the Windows executable for Simutrans-Experimental, click here. Then, unzip that file into your \Simutrans directory. It will not over-write your existing Makeobj executable, as it has a different name. You can then choose whether to run Makeobj.exe (the normal version of Makeobj for Simutrans-Standard) or Makeobj-Experimental.exe (this version).

Linux

To download the Linux executable for Makeobj-Experimental, click here for the i386 (32-bit) version, or here for the amd64 (64-bit) version (note: the 32-bit version will work on 64-bit operating systems, but the 64-bit version will not work on 32-bit operating systems). Many thanks to Ansgar for his Linux versions of Makeobj. As with the Windows versions, these versions have a different name to the standard versions, so should not over-write anything if installed in the same directory.

Mac OS X

An older version of makeobj (6.7) is available for MacOS X here. Because it is an older version, however, it will not compile objects with features introduced since that version. Anyone who would like to volunteer to make regular release builds of a Mac OS X executable, please PM me. Anyone who would like to use a later version of Makeobj-Experimental on the Mac OS X platform will need to compile it from the source code for the time being.

Amiga

There is no currently available Makeobj version for the Amiga platform. Anyone who would like to volunteer to make regular release builds of an Amiga executable, please PM me. Anyone who would like to use Makeobj-Experimental on the Amiga platform will need to compile it from the source code for the time being.

Data files (Paksets)

Simutrans-Experimental can use all of the normal Simutrans-Standard paksets (such as Pak64 and Pak128) without any modification. However, to take advantage of some of some of Simutrans-Experimental's unique features, a pakset made for Simutrans-Experimental is required. See here for more information on Simutrans-Experimental compatible paksets. Note that paksets are not platform specific: i.e., the same pakset can be used on Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, etc., without any modification.

Source code

Both Simutrans-Standard and Simutrans-Experimental are open source software. They are distributed under the Artistic Licence. Furthermore, it is cross-platform code, so should compile on Windows, Linux, Mac OS X or even BeOs of either 32 or 64 bits.

The source code for Simutrans-Experimental is hosted and managed by a version control system called "Git". The source code can be found on this Github page: simutrans-experimental. Simutrans-Standard is mirrored on Git here: simutrans. See here or here for a tutorial on using Git for Windows, here for a tutorial on using Git on Linux, and here for some information on using Git with Mac OS X.

Configuration files

Simutrans-Experimental uses the same format of configuration files as Simutrans-Standard, but there are additional options and features in Simutrans-Experimental that can be configured, and there are also one or two additional configuration files required. Here is a set of configuration files for Simutrans-Experimental.

Extract the two folders (/config and /text) into the folder that you use for Simutrans-Experimental (e.g. ../simutrans-experimental). Do not put these files into individual pakset folders (e.g. ../simutrans-experimental/pak/config), as these configuration files are the base files, not the pakset specific files. The files in /config set configuration options for Simutrans-Experimental. The files are documented with comments.

The files in /text provide additional texts for the game: Simutrans-Standard requires certain additional texts to Simutrans-Standard. As of version 5.1 (18th of July 2009), all language translation texts are included. However, only certain languages have full translations for Simutrans-Experimental. They are:

• English
• German (Bernd Gabriel)
• Swedish (Sanna)
• Japanese (Z9999)
• Croatian (Phantom25)

If anyone would like to produce translation texts for any other language, the texts are available on Simutranslator.

As of the 20th of June 2009, the configuration and text files are also available on Github here and here respectively.

[Nathan Samson]

* Nathan Samson wonders what the purpose of the config git repository is

It is not updated since the initial commit on the 20'th of june but new config files were released with the latest simutrans-experimental

[jamespetts]

Oops - I forgot that this was separate from the text one. I will update it when I get home this evening. Thank you for reminding me!

Edit: Updated.

[Maragil]

For Linux, at least on OpenSuse- remember to chmod the simutrans executable to let it run.

chmod 0700 simutrans-exp-latest

[jamespetts]

Maragil,

thank you very much for that - I have added your instruction to the main post :-)

[Colin]

It would appear that the link to the latest version are not working?

[jamespetts]

Fixed now.

[Colin]

Fixed now.

Sorry James but as of this moment in time the link is still returning "This Webpage Cannot Be Found". Even the new link for v6.5.

[jamespetts]

Colin,

thank you for the report: sorry that you are having trouble. I have now updated the links to the new Simutrans-Experimental FTP service very kindly provided by Isaac - tell me if those work for you :-)

[Colin]

Colin,

thank you for the report: sorry that you are having trouble. I have now updated the links to the new Simutrans-Experimental FTP service very kindly provided by Isaac - tell me if those work for you :-)

Just tried the new link to the binaries same result. I'll try again later just in case there is something wrong my end.

 Ok I've been trying for the last hour or so and I'm getting the same results. I'm running IE8, but I use compatability mode when going to web sites that may not have caught up with the latest technology.

[mwoodburn81]

The first link is http://ftp//experimental.simutrans.us/public_ftp/Simutrans-Experimental%20Complete.zip it should be ftp://experimental.simutrans.us/public_ftp/Simutrans-Experimental%20Complete.zip.  Also, even with the corrected link, I still get an empty file.    The 2nd link works, but the download is semi-slow.

[Colin]

The first link is http://ftp//experimental.simutrans.us/public_ftp/Simutrans-Experimental%20Complete.zip it should be ftp://experimental.simutrans.us/public_ftp/Simutrans-Experimental%20Complete.zip.  Also, even with the corrected link, I still get an empty file.    The 2nd link works, but the download is semi-slow.

When I add :// after ftp to make it ftp://as soon as I click the link it converts it back to just ftp//

I'm not sure what you mean by '2nd link'? I can only find a link to v 6.4 and one to v6.5 they are both labeled Binaries and both go nowhere.

Also! If I click either of the Linux Binarie Links I get pages of machine language/windings/hieroglyphics

[mwoodburn81]

I am referring to the two links in the "Complete packages" section.

[VS]

I fixed the broken FTP links in James' first post. Or rather hope that I found all of these links.

Forum is being stubborn and thinks it knows better than humans. For ftp links, use [.ftp.] instead of [.url.] and it will give in (sans the dots of course).

[Colin]

I fixed the broken FTP links in James' first post. Or rather hope that I found all of these links.

Forum is being stubborn and thinks it knows better than humans. For ftp links, use [.ftp.] instead of [.url.] and it will give in (sans the dots of course).

 This is the link as of this moment in time.  http://ftp//experimental.simutrans.us/public_ftp/simutrans-experimental.zip It doesn't work.
What are you suggesting be changed?

[VS]

I meant to say that I fixed the first post, nothing beyond that. The correct link from what you posted (last) is this:

ftp://experimental.simutrans.us/public_ftp/simutrans-experimental.zip

[Colin]

I meant to say that I fixed the first post, nothing beyond that. The correct link from what you posted (last) is this:

ftp://experimental.simutrans.us/public_ftp/simutrans-experimental.zip

Sorry this one doesn't work either.

[Knightly]

ftp://experimental.simutrans.us/public_ftp/simutrans-experimental.zip

The above link doesn't work for me either. And the link for the usual zipped file (with both GDI and SDL binaries) also doesn't work for me.

I can access the website forum.simutrans.us, though.

[VS]

Oh. You are right. It's just the corrected link so I assumed it would be all right. Apparently the file is not there as well... :-\

[Colin]

Strange, the silence of James on this subject??

[Isaac.Eiland-Hall]

For the record, it would be better to upload into public_html. Most people find http links easier to deal with.

[mwoodburn81]

For the record, it would be better to upload into public_html. Most people find http links easier to deal with.

Nobody uses FTP anymore :(.   For anonymous transfers HTTP won out.  For user transfers we have SCP/SFTP.  May FTP rest in peace.  :-)

PS.  I don't think I would really miss it.

[Isaac.Eiland-Hall]

Well, FTP is fine for transferring public files, like this. It supports resuming interrupted downloads. And it is faster than HTTP; but these days, I think more people have problems with FTP vs. folks on lower speeds like dial-up where FTP might make a bit of difference. So I don't think I'd call FTP dead, just... surpassed.

[Colin]

BUT!! Is anyone going to attempt to reply as to when, if ever, we can download the latest Simutrans-Experimental?? It's all well and good pontificating about ftp and http and uncle Tom Cobley but it doesn't get us any closer to solving the problem.

[sojo]

Nobody uses FTP anymore :(.

That's not correct. For example many people load the files for the homepage with ftp in the net.

Do you use Firefox? Than you can load a very nice addon "FireFTP". Very fast, stable and easy.

[jamespetts]

I am very sorry that people have been experiencing problems downloading some of the Simutrans-Experimental packages this week; apologies also for not having replied in relation to this sooner: I have been rather busy this week.

After having some problems with files.simutrans-germany.com, and also needing to upload larger packages (Pak128.Britain-Ex and the complete package) than Simutrans-Germany could comfortably support, Isaac very kindly gave me an FTP account at simutrans.us, to which I uploaded the files.

However, for some reason, the complete package file does not work, and, when downloaded, produces an empty file. I do not understand how this problem has occurred, or whether it is related to using the FTP rather than HTTP. I have not yet had time to look into the problem: I hope to have some time on Saturday or Sunday evening.

In the meantime, the complete package can be downloaded from the secondary link (a public file sharing service), and I think that the base binaries for 6.5 work on the primary link.

Isaac, if you have any idea how the problem occurred, I should be most grateful for any suggestions. To everyone else - apologies for the difficulties.

Incidentally, I endorse Sojo's recommendation of FireFTP. FTP is certainly not dead, and, if it is faster than HTTP, it is a superior technology that should be used for transferring large binary files where possible.

[Isaac.Eiland-Hall]

The account I set up is a full-blown webhosting account, for example, with email and sql databases if you wanted.

FTP or SFTP can be used to upload files. Either way, the home directory you start in will contain public_ftp and public_http - those folders being the relevant public roots.

The way uploads work: a temporary file is created. Once the file is fully uploaded, it is renamed to the final filename. Perhaps something went wrong at this point, although I'm guessing, because this is not a problem I've noted before.

If you FTP client supports "SFTP", it might be worth it to use that protocol instead. (This technically connects via SSH - advantage being that the transfer is secure; but more importantly in this case - using a different protocol).

I personally recommend Filezilla as a trouble-free and completely-free FTP client, but of course any client should work fine.

If it were me, I'd upload under public_html, since most folks nowadays are more comfortable downloading via http - and will download links via their browser anyway.

Failing all else, you could even SSH into the server after uploading the file, and for example, from the initial directory:
cp public_ftp/yourfilename.zip public_html/yourfilename.zip

That would make it available in both locations.

(If you don't have SSH software, I recommend PuTTY (google for it - location can change) or http://www.bitvise.com/tunnelier which is a very very powerful package that allows you to remember login details so you log in with the click of a button, and gives one-click access to SFTP transfer as well as SSH terminal windows - it's awesome stuff)

many people load the files for the homepage with ftp in the net.

I assume the scope of discussion was "to download files via Internet" -- but I would highly recommend against using FTP to upload files to hosting -- use SFTP instead, where possible, and consider ditching hosts that don't support it. FTP is inherently open to sniffing; SFTP is encrypted.

[jamespetts]

Thanks to Isaac's assistance, I have now resolved the problem with the downloads - hopefully all of the downloads should now be working properly again. Apologies to everyone for the inconvenience when they were not working last week.  Happy downloading!

[Colin]

Thanks to Isaac's assistance, I have now resolved the problem with the downloads - hopefully all of the downloads should now be working properly again. Apologies to everyone for the inconvenience when they were not working last week.  Happy downloading!

Thank you James and of course Isaac, I've finally downloaded for the first time in ages, a Simutrans-Experimental, no hassles, no problems. Good onya guys.

[Colin]

Hey James, here's high praise for Experimental. I've just reinstalled Experimental and I'm running my latest game which was running under Standard. I couldn't believe the difference in the speed, Experimental is running really smooth but standard runs like everything is being pulled by a string. (Jerky and slow)

I presume thanks must go to Knightly for that?

Terrific work A1 credit rating.

PS: Map is 1024x1024 and I have a massive Passenger system running.

[jamespetts]

Colin,

very glad that you like it :-) Performance may well be down to Knightly, who has improved things greatly. I'm not sure why Standard runs more slowly, since that version is generally lighter computationally, but I'm just glad that Experimental works well for you :-)

I'd be interested to see your saved game if you don't mind uploading it.

[Colin]

Colin,

I'd be interested to see your saved game if you don't mind uploading it.

Will do, I'll need your email address again though. I tried Windows 7 over the weekend and and laid waste to my computer.

[Arek]

I had a problem, i can't see the description of each truck (i had tried only with road transport) i can see only the amount of resources it can transport, but i don't see the mainteinance cost or the max speed.
Another thing, the category of the resources is shown like CATEGORY_02, all but live headstok.

I have windows vista and simutrans stop works several times and i have to lauch it again (it happens with the simutrans 102 too)

[jamespetts]

Arek,

make sure that you have installed the latest configuration files, including en.tab in the correct places.

[Arek]

Hello again, i think all is well installed, because if i play in english all work well, but if i play in spanish, i have the problem with some of the vehicles...
how can i fix it?