Simulators - Low Retention Rate

[NikkiA]

I agree with this. Career may harm simulation.
I think that we need a little more contents, some more purpose, in the driving mode. Conection between waybill and scores would be interesting. We now hauling cargo, munually or AI, but we don't know what is going on the route, where the needs are, how much products industry still need. Informations when stock become cricital would be useful too.

I think the best solution would be to continue to pressure them for an external API, it was discussed around the time of trainz 2010 I believe, and they did kind of concede to making one, but it seems to have gotten forgotten/abandoned.

An external API would allow people with visions such as how the many Flight Simulator career mode simulators and failure simulators work. It would also allow people to work on dispatcher views, virtual railroads and other things that many of us have been asking for for years.

Since these 'add-ons' would be community/market built it would allow those not interested to just ignore them, and those of us that see value in career simulation after coming from MS FSX and X-plane, to adopt them/buy them. Also I believe the 'community addon' approach would best suite the trainz ethos that has existed over the years. Overall, I think such an API system would be win-win-win for everyone involved, without compromising the trainz core.

 

[boleyd]

The API/SDK has merit. It worked for Microsoft for several years once they unlocked the Kingdom. Unfortunately simple minded greed reversed that with their new Flight game.

 

[NikkiA]

The API/SDK has merit. It worked for Microsoft for several years once they unlocked the Kingdom. Unfortunately simple minded greed reversed that with their new Flight game.

Which also brings up an interesting point that N3V might heed - FSX's financial success has been extended a few years more by the fact that a) MS dropped the ball on Flight (which was guarenteed really when they dropped the dev teams for their 'niche products'), and b) the API has allowed the simulator to grow beyond what MS envisioned. Modern payware aircraft pretty much require fsuipc access and external DLLs these days to simulate their advanced systems. Majestic's dash-8 being the extreme example where a FSX-external program simulates the entire aircraft's electrical and hydraulic system to the degree that allows it to be a valid training device for dash-8 maintenance crews.

Such software means that people will be buying FSX for another 5+ years, or licensing Lockheed-Martin's Prepare3D (an updated version of FSX, which still means MS get a licensing fee for each copy sold/rented)

 

[JCitron]

This guy is funny, he comes into a Trainz forum and spews off on something that he knows nothing about. I can run anyone of my routes and sessions and it's the same as the real railroad does. AI trains come to the yard, I take the power off them and send it to the pit. I couple the hump power to it and shove it over the hump. I can then jump on the puller power and pull tracks from the bowl and set them into the departure tracks to build outbound trains. I can then send them out using AI or I can jump on a local and go out and spot and pull the industries, while having to deal with road trains being run by AI. I'm not sure what world you live in, but that is pretty close to the real railroading, that I do for a living. You can't get anywhere near that in MSTS. With the Trainz multiplayer, you don't even need to use AI, the other trains are run by real people. Wow, that's as close to REAL railroading as you can get. Can you do that with your game?

I agree 100% with you, Mouse84.

On my Enfield and Eastern, I have commuter, long haul freight, and local freight operations all going on at the same time. All of the commuter trains are driven by AI drivers and so are a few of the longhaul freights, which all intermix at some point and get things interesting. I will control the local, doing some yard switching and then I'm off to deliver my goods to the local industries. The reason a few of the longhauls are driven by AI is because they have a good distance to go, and I don't want to drive them. This is a great thing with Trainz. You can dive in when you want and take over whenever you need to. Unlike the old MSTS where you're stuck with what you've got when you start the scenario.

One of the scenarios I've played out a few times quite successfully involves a longhaul freight, two commuter trains, and me trying to switch cars between all the traffic. It gets a bit hairy at times trying to stay out of the way, knowing that one of these trains is coming along at some point. My scenario takes place in my town called Lynnwood. Lynnwood consists of two junctions, a small yard, and a wye down the lines apiece. My day starts at 10:00 (default start) as I get my two GP9s out of the enginehouse, and over to the yard lead which comes off the main about 1/4 of a mile away. In the mean time, the commuter train from Greenwood, is coming through Lynnwood on track 3, and heads towards Bradford. I have to ensure that I don't foul the eastbound track here at this split, so I stay within my yard limits.

Once the commuter trains have cleared the station and the junction closest to my yard, I make a beeline out on to the main, clear the crossovers quickly, and then do a back up move through the junction on to the quarry branch. At the quarry, I have to pick up some sand-filled hoppers then return quickly to the Lynnwood yard before the big freight comes in because I need to also add in some Cargill tanks, some D&H and B&M boxcars, and some covered hoppers for pick-up by the long freight. This involves a few switching manuevers in a flat stub-ended yard. I need to drill these tracks to get the cars out on the interchange track, and push them up passed the station so that the big freight can pick up the cars. I also cannot foul the main for too long because there will be another commuter train heading through Lynwood in a few minutes. So I get my cars and push them up to the interchange near the station.

It's now 10:30 and the commuter train from Bradford is arriving after stopping at Haverhill, Cottage Hill, and Bowman. This passenger train will be arriving at the junction the same time as the long freight I'll hold freight at the signal because the commuter trains have rights over freights. On my operation all freights run as extras in commuter territory, so roadhogs have to wait out the parade during rush hour. After the commuter train pulls through the station, I'll then let the freight drive up to the station, I'll cut the motivepower off the cars, and pull him through the station, then back him down the yard lead just shy of the road crossing near the station. I've setup my yard lead with invisible tracks which allow the gates to remain open. When I'm ready to push the cars up to the road engines, I set my switches and the gates go down. I can relax at this point because I'm out of the way of the commuter trains. Once I've hooked the cars up on the road freight, I then have him (I drive) pull back on to the main, back up through station, and pickup the rest of his consist. Once I'm done hooking him up, I let the AI driver take over for the rest of his trip up to Northern Junction.

This little scenario, which plays out in about an hour, can get a little tense. I've actually felt my heart race and my palms get sweaty while trying to get the cars switched out without fouling the main for too long. So I don't know, Harold what you mean about the other aspects of railroading? This is pretty much what I've seen my local railroad do when I was out railfanning.

At some point, I plan on making a little video or two of this operation. I still have some scenery I want to finish up first so everything looks right.

John

 

[martinvk]

From the many interesting messages, I read that Trainz is a very versatile program. Driving trains, building routes, creating content, etc. it is able to provide a platform for all of these different types of activities. And it's not even limited to rail related activities. With the right content, many other activities can be simulated, perhaps not as precisely as a dedicated program but good enough and with the possibility of integrating different aspects into one route. Another that I find to be a strength of the Trainz world is that different versions can co-exist on the same computer. No need to upgrade if you don't want to or if your computer can't handle it. No forced upgrades.

 

[JCitron]

Which also brings up an interesting point that N3V might heed - FSX's financial success has been extended a few years more by the fact that a) MS dropped the ball on Flight (which was guarenteed really when they dropped the dev teams for their 'niche products'), and b) the API has allowed the simulator to grow beyond what MS envisioned. Modern payware aircraft pretty much require fsuipc access and external DLLs these days to simulate their advanced systems. Majestic's dash-8 being the extreme example where a FSX-external program simulates the entire aircraft's electrical and hydraulic system to the degree that allows it to be a valid training device for dash-8 maintenance crews.

Such software means that people will be buying FSX for another 5+ years, or licensing Lockheed-Martin's Prepare3D (an updated version of FSX, which still means MS get a licensing fee for each copy sold/rented)

And for the Brewcrew that would mean an extra stream of revenue coming in addition to their payware and Trainz versions. Great thinking, Nikki and Dick. This could mean the development of a "gamer's version of Trainz with the little red and blue flags to chase down and make specific completed goals a requirement for people that like that stuff. Personally I always hated games that had method of unlocking everything. To me it was more frustrating doing things that way than just giving me all the goodies at once, which is what I paid for in the first place. If you've ever noticed, the game box and adverts will show the enticing graphics from one the locked levels which then take forever to reach. The other thing too is this is too much like work where I have to set meet other peoples expectations, deadlines, and puncuality. At least in the sandbox-Trainz, I do my own thing and be late to my own party if I want.

I do agree that we do need to keep up with the times on the graphics front. So much has gotten better and faster with the latest GPU chipsets and corresponding video cards to go with them. If N3V were to lock into the dated, phongy-looking, old graphics that don't make use of the more recent hardware, this could really leave them behind because even a newcomer modeler would complain about how old-fashioned and dated the sim looks. I think right now at TS12 (flame suit adorned), has some of the best graphics we've had compared to the earlier versions. With the ability to use bump mapping and other techniques, the models are looking better and better. Now if we had object shadows, decent skies with slower moving clouds, weather, and water, we'd have a nice little package to be really proud of.

John

 

[SuperFudd]

Trainz: Need For Speed!

Coming soon!!

 

[Euphod]

So, if you want to unlock that tunnel you have to first collect all of the gold stars hidden in that level. Some are hard to find, inside industries, certain boxcars, etc... The nightmare level is a switching puzzle where all of the junctions change direction without warning periodically. Don't let the runaway train catch you on the main!

 

[oknotsen]

So, if you want to unlock that tunnel you have to first collect all of the gold stars hidden in that level. Some are hard to find, inside industries, certain boxcars, etc... The nightmare level is a switching puzzle where all of the junctions change direction without warning periodically. Don't let the runaway train catch you on the main!

Thanks for the scenario idea Now to find some hidious neon looking over powered train to go with that.