Are N3V selling steam versions of TS12

[colourlight]

I try to be direct to the point of bluntless. So in response to Colonel Blink.s post this is the heart of the problem with the Steam version. One of the biggest selling points of TS12 is that you can go online and play in a session with other people. This is commonly known as "multiplayer". In fact Steam market multiplayer in their version which is misleading to the point of dishonesty. In order to actually play multiplayer you must satisfy a number of requirements. One of these is that you must have installed all the availailable patches for TS12 either as an automatic download which you are invited to do or from these forums. This will bring your build up to 49922. You can only obtain Steam version patches from Steam and the latest patch is not available for whatever reason therefore you can never legally player multiplayer. There is a way round it but I don,t know if it is legal or not. The good news is that as a result of N3V deciding to promote Trainz products from Steam they have announced they are going to resolve all the issues with Steam products, probably in a couple of weeks. What those issues are that are going to be fixed remains to be seen so we will have to wait and see.

 

[martinvk]

It doesn't really matter how well they patch there are still two "features" that are a total turn-off. As a quick look around these fora will show, many people have decided for a variety of reason to stay at different versions of Trainz. That's their decision. Steam will decide what version you will play. Steam will also decide IF you will play. Even turning off the phone-home feature is only a short term solution as eventually it will insist on checking in with big brother. Since I wont allow Steam, this is all based on information gleaned from RW fora where plenty of people have commented on these issues.

As for the supposed ease of re-installing, if you have to do that so often that this becomes a selling point ... LOL. I've got various versions spread over three different machines, some at different patch levels for testing purposes. Pretty easy to pop in a disc. Can't remember the last time I had to re-install unlike other sims where the standard response seems to be; clear the cache or delete and re-install, which means always having to be on-line. At least rebuildnig the database, which i've only had to do if I accidentally shutdown before it is closed, can be done without an Internet connection.

Hopefully, N3V have negotiated a better deal with Steam where the DRM is all in Trainz so once you register your copy, no more nonsense of continually having to prove ownership. If that's the case and if automatic upgrading can be disabled, it might be tolerable.

 

[NickieFoenshauge]

[...] Steam will also decide IF you will play. Even turning off the phone-home feature is only a short term solution as eventually it will insist on checking in with big brother [...]

You don't have to run the Steam client in order to run TS12 - ergo no 'checking in with big brother'.

 

[RRSignal]

According to Steam's website, you have to run the Steam client in order to activate your copy at least once after installation. Which means, if you have to reinstall, and when Steam decides to stop supporting your version, too bad for you.

 

[amigacooke]

Trainz is pretty unusual in having an official DRM free version available, which for flexible use is hard to beat.

Most developers use some form of DRM of which Steam is a popular option. I use it to run Skyrim, Total War from Medieval 2 to Shogun 2, TS2012, Fable III and Civilization V and it does the job admirably.

 

[derkew19]

Some of you are lucky and are actually able to play your Steam version. When mine loads, I get a script execution error, and I can't even get the game to work at all.
I'll just wait patiently in hopes that the patched version will run. Thank you all for the information on the different versions, I will be on the lookout.