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Frequently asked questions

Q: What simulator or game are the products listed on the store compatible with?

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A: All products listed on our store are compatible with Dovetail Games' Train Simulator Classic. "Dovetail Games" is a registered trademark of Dovetail Games Limited.

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Q: Can I use the products listed on the store on older versions of Dovetail Games' Train Simulator?

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A: While downwards compatibility is generally given, we can't provide support for our products used on outdated versions of Dovetail Games' Train Simulator. Products that require a license key and online activation are only compatible with Dovetail Games' Train Simulator Classic and future versions.

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Q: Do you provide products for other simulation games outside of Dovetail Games' Train Simulator?

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A: No, we currently only provide products for use in Dovetail Games' Train Simulator Classic.

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Q: Are your products available on Steam?

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A: Certain products may become available on the Steam Store https://store.steampowered.com/ over time however most of our products won't be available on alternate sites or providers. To find out whether a product is also available on the Steam Store, we suggest you check the respective product description.

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Q: Why are prices on the store only in US dollars?

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A: As Searchlight Simulations is a US company, pricing is based in US dollars. 

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Q: Are conversion rates available on checkout?

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A: No, proper conversion rates based on your region/location are currently not available on our store. We will implement this feature as soon as it becomes available to us.

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Q: Are discount codes available?

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A: Yes. We may run sales that will enable discount codes for specific products or you may be entitled to otherwise receive a discount code from us that you can redeem on checkout.

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Q: How far in advance are sales announced and where?

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A: We will announce any upcoming sales one week in advance on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/SearchlightSimulations/ .

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Q: How long do sales run for?

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A: Every sale is different, therefore we can't provide a definite answer. We will provide full details of every upcoming sale whenever we announce one.

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Q: I have missed a sale, is there any way for me to still receive a discount?

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A: No, unfortunately we can't provide discounts for those who missed a sale.

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Q: What are your payment options?

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A: Credit/Debit Cards, PayPal.

 

Q: I have sent a payment but not received an order confirmation/invoice or download link?

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A: Certain payments may be put on hold or further delayed by your bank. Pending payments usually arrive within 2-3 bank working days. Our store will not register an order and therefore not issue an order confirmation/invoice or download link unless the amount due has been paid. If you're uncertain about your payment status, reach out to your local bank before contacting us.

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Q: Do download links expire?

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A: Yes, download links are only valid for 30 days after initial purchase. You may however request a new download link for your order at any given time without additional charges or fees. To do so, simply send us an email using our customer support form. Make sure to provide a valid order number of your purchase, otherwise we won't be able to process your request.

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Q: I have not received a new download link. What should I do?

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A: Check your promotions or spam folder. Certain providers may flag our emails as spam.

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Q: Can I create an account on the store?

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A: Yes, you can create an account on our store to help organize and check on all your orders in one place. This also helps us whenever you request new download links.

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Q: Can you link my previous orders to my new account?

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A: No, orders will only be associated to the respective account if you're signed in. Orders placed outside your account will be associated to the email address provided by the customer on checkout.

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Q: If I re-download a product from my account, will I receive the latest version of the respective product?

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A: No, you will not receive the latest version of a product when you re-download it from your account or an external download link. We will implement this feature as soon as it becomes available to us. For the time being we'll provide external download links for separate product updates, available on the respective product page.

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Q: Do I have to pay for product updates?

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A: No, product updates are always free.

 

Q: I have lost my order confirmation/invoice email. Do I have to pay again for a product?

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A: No, simply send us an email using our customer support form. State your problem and provide the email address you used on the original purchase. In case you don't remember the email address either, provide your full name and general time frame of your original purchase. We'll do our best to track down your original order.

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Q: I have made an accidental purchase. Do you offer refunds?

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A: Yes, please see our terms and conditions for details.

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Q: How long does it take for my order to be processed?

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A: Orders are processed instantly as soon as the payment goes through. This also applies to order confirmation, invoice and product activation emails.

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Q: I have not received a product activation email. What should I do?

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A: Check your promotions or spam folder. Certain providers may flag our emails as spam. If you still can't seem to find it, simply send us an email using our customer support form. Make sure to provide a valid order number of your purchase, otherwise we won't be able to process your request.

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Q: I have lost my product serial. Can you send me another one?

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A: No, product serials are unique and attached to your product activation email. You can always re-download your product serial from the respective product activation email you received from us.

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Q: I have lost my product activation email. Can you send me another one?

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A: Yes, we can send you a copy of your product activation email one time free of charge. We suggest you back up your product activation emails as soon as you receive them.

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Q: I have activated my product but it is not working in-game. What should I do?

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A: If you're in good faith believe that you have activated the product as outlined in the product activation email, take a screenshot of your in-game screen during the failed initialization period of the product and simply send us an email using our customer support form. State your problem and provide a valid order number of your purchase. We will check on your product license and let you know exactly of the problem as soon as possible.

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Q: Can I run your products on the 32-bit edition of Dovetail Games' Train Simulator?

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A: Depending on the product, you may be able to use the 32-bit edition of Dovetail Games' Train Simulator however certain products require online activation which is only supported in the 64-bit edition. Check the respective product page for requirements/warnings before placing an order if you're unable to use the 64-bit edition.

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Q: Where can I find the operating/product manual?

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A: All manuals prior to 08/19 can be found under the "Manuals" sub folder within in your root Railworks directory. Manuals for products released after 08/19 can be found under the "Manuals\EN\SearchlightSimulations" sub folder within in your root Railworks directory. Certain operating/product manuals can also be downloaded from the "Downloads" section on the respective product page on our store.

 

Q: I can't seem to get my train started. What should I do?

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A: Always have a thorough read through the accompanying operating/product manual before attempting to use any of our products. This is especially important on more advanced products.

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Q: I have read the operating/product manual but I'm still having trouble with my product. What should I do?

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A: Send us an email using our customer support form. Make sure to provide a valid order number of your purchase, otherwise we won't be able to process your request. State your specific problem, the circumstances around it, what exact type of rolling stock you're using, whether it's modded or default rolling stock, what type of scenario and if possible, attach a video or screenshots of your issue with the F4 Head-up-Display (HUD) enabled. We'll do our best to help you as soon as we can.

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Q: My headlights don't cast any light or I don't hear any engine noise. What should I do?

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A: Make sure to have headlight flares enabled in your in-game settings tab and the respective product/provider folders enabled in your route or scenario in-game. For further information please see the respective operating/product manual.

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Q: My product appears buggy and is lagging out my entire game during and after initialization. What should I do?

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A: Make sure your product has been properly activated and that you're running the 64-bit edition of Dovetail Games' Train Simulator.

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Q: I have purchased a product but there's no branding on it. Is that a bug?

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A: No, certain branding may be region restricted. We therefore may not be able to provide full branding with the product itself. Instead we will provide an external link to a full branding patch that will enable realistic branding on your product.

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Q: Can your products be used in conjunction with other third party content?

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A: Although we do not directly support 3rd party content apart from our partners, it should generally not cause any compatibility issues. You may however experience odd behavior or sudden lack of features. Support inquires related to unsupported content will not be processed.

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Q: I'm experienced with Dovetail Games' Train Simulator. Can I join your team?

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A: A list of currently open positions can be accessed on this site.

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Q: What is DRM and how does it affect my product?

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A: Digital Rights Management (DRM) is a way for us to protect our products from piracy. DRM protected products are activated through unique license keys that you receive after initial purchase. Each license key can be activated on two unique systems. Once activated, all product features will be enabled.

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Last update - Nov 10th, 2024

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