A question to the mods

[Tony_Hilliam]

Hi Campbell - TRS2004 was pretty awesome wasn't it, so it's really hard to top

Seriously though, we'll be posting more details about the cool new stuff over the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, I am interested to hear what types of things you think would make a new version worth buying. Are you looking for something that is just "different" or something that is "better" (or perhaps both?).

Tony

 

[campbell5149]

I'm sure you've heard many different suggestions over time. What I wanted to know were things like, have you made it a little more realistic? what I mean is, the sim is nice, but it has more of a game feel than a sim. The way the graphics drivers are, it seems to deliver are more, for lack of a better term, cartoonish feel. where as msts delivers a sim feel. Or how about the weather? have you fixed the rain coming into the cab of the loco? or snow for that matter. Such as in other sims the rain beads up on the window, TRS it doesn't do much of anything. These are the types of improvements I'm trying to find out if you've made.

 

[Dep]

Just my opinion (and probably worthless), but it appears that the "Big 2" will continue the way they were originally created. Trainz will continue to be a toy train simulator on a comp (and I am NOT complaining, I LOVE toy trains!!), and MSTS2 will be much closer to a real railroad simulator on a comp. I have both (not MSTS 2, the original one) and both have their advantages. Different strokes for different folks is what it boils down to. :Y:

 

[Winterpaw]

Meanwhile, I am interested to hear what types of things you think would make a new version worth buying. Are you looking for something that is just "different" or something that is "better" (or perhaps both?).

marquee select, fill percentage of selected object. instant forest. my finger gets tired of clicking

im sure youre not asking me this question, but hey!

-erin

 

[StorkNest]

I always saw Trainz as appealing to 2 worlds while MSTS appealed to 1.
MSTS was primarily about prototype operations.
Trainz tries to do that plus serve as a means for model railroad simulation.
Trainz did get a Model Railroad article where the author used it to help desgin his model layout, I never saw a MSTS one.
Trainz also never gets compared against other products it competes with. There is other software available for model railroad simulation, I've tried a few but I forgot their names because after trying this program, the others don't compare. I never understand why these comparisons are never made.
I think lately the protoypers are forgeting what made Trainz successful and are making judgements based on alienating a protion of the users. The only way prototype operators would ever be satisfied would be if Trainz were split in 2. Trainz Prototype Simulator and Trainz Model Simulator. Until that happens, I don't see prototypers ever being happy.

 

[ish6]

Meanwhile, I am interested to hear what types of things you think would make a new version worth buying. Are you looking for something that is just "different" or something that is "better" (or perhaps both?).

Tony

Different and better ... 50/50

Ish

 

[tads1]

Meanwhile, I am interested to hear what types of things you think would make a new version worth buying. Are you looking for something that is just "different" or something that is "better" (or perhaps both?).

Tony

For me,the goal has to be better.There will always be 2 camps,model railways,and prototypical railways where Trainz is concerned,question is where does Auran feel it can benefit from bigger market sales,after all they are in it to make money off the back of a successful product.

Sometimes it annoys me when people refer to Trainz as a model railway sim,yet it still attracts more and more,so some kind of strategy is working.

A shift towards better/realistic physics,lighting and AI and most important better sounds maybe EAX if possible,things like definable track sounds,tunnel sounds/pointwork would make all the difference.

With new sims just around the corner,competion is growing,which isn't a bad thing.At the end of the day I'm going with the simulation thats the most user freindly,while still utilising all of the features we find on modern PC setups,dual core support/SLI,pixel shader 3.0/4.0 ect.

If Auran want to be taken more seriously then proper track/pointwork complete with frogs ect has to be near top of the list.Spline track just won't wash with me anymore for a product for 2009/2010.It aint gonna be easy,I feel it can be done,graphics cards CPU's have come along way in the last few years so should be able to cope with the more complex meshes ect.

It's Auran who has the final say,it's there product,if we get just another remake of 06,then more than likely allot of people will head for the MSTS 2 camp,this is just my personal opinion and not meant to cause any ill feeling.

Auran give us something to shout about,I dont want to go down the RS road again.

Daz

 

[Vern]

There's been a few requests for wish lists and some carefully constructed polls by Auran themselves on the forum which I suspect may be used in developing 009 and X.

Good point about the frogs on points and crossings, though these need to be implemented correctly not as in RS where more often than not they don't draw correctly.

Timetables and a proper AI despatcher are also high on the list for a train as opposed to model railway sim. Think someone has already commented re TC3 and the complex layout at Carlisle (and Skipton) which is really not suited to manually throwing all the points yourself.

Other item that would sell a new version is a career/progress mode or some form of scoring system. TC3, the route and the new rolling stock is excellent but it's still the same old complete the session and that's it. No evaluation, no reward, no secrets or "new" activities unlocked etc.

Not saying everyone wants that but even with a long route like the S&C and the variety of motive power, there's probably only going to be so many times you can drive it before needing a bit more incentive.

And with MSTS2 now apparently not likely to be released much before late 2009, Auran are in pole position to captivate and hold the market if they get the product and balance right.

 

[Smileyman]

Meanwhile, I am interested to hear what types of things you think would make a new version worth buying. Are you looking for something that is just "different" or something that is "better" (or perhaps both?).

Although I'm sure that any ideas that people come up with will be ignored if they're not already in your plans for the next version, I'll humour you anyway.

:: Scenarios not Sessions (do you not see how poor sessions really are if they're not designed well. and how rarely people bother to put the time in and design them well?)

:: Improved filtering system for assets in Surveyor

:: A sound system that resembles real life, without sounds dropping out, and horns of trains not audible 2 feet away from the loco.

:: Complete routes and scenarios only!

If these things were implemented, then TRS would be both different and better.

I'm sure all that was a waste of virtual ink though.

Smiley.