The Future Of Trainz

[srude]

Greetings,

I have been with Trainz for several years now and have had several versions of the product--2010 being the latest.

I have also been a forum participant for a while, visiting frequently enough to see how the whole thing is evolving.

It seems to me that with each version, Trainz is depending more and more on the users to provide content and scenarios. That approach has its risk.

Anyone who uses DLS is probably aware that some content is of really good quality and some is not so good--its in the eye of the beholder. Some scenarios are too simple, some, so complex that only the most determined player would want to go through with it.

We all know that the cost of product creation is constantly increasing and that in regard to train simulators, new competitors keep on arising. How will Trainz deal with the situation? The product has changed hands at least twice, I think, with each new owner making different demands.

What is the future of train simulators, anyway? What will innovators come up with to make that game more compelling?

I know that nobody knows the what future holds--we can only guess.

I'm looking forward to the next issue of Trainz, hoping that if nothing else, they at least turn the rain and snow off when a train enters a tunnel.

After all the Trainz version, starting with Trainz, now at 2010, they still haven't addressed the problem of weather in tunnels.

Can't anyone come up with a simple rule and trigger to turn off the water when entering the tube?

Hey, software engineers, is really that hard to do that?

Cheers,

srude

 

[llebrez]

At least I came with a solution on the sound inside of tunnels. Take a look in Tips and tricks by me..

 

[johnwhelan]

> It seems to me that with each version, Trainz is depending more and more on the users to provide content and scenarios. That approach has its risk.

I think the idea of user provided content has been around for quite a while. My perception is what appears to be new is an expectation that the content creators will turn out assets that meet new higher standards in shorter time frames in support of N3V's commercial interests.

Cheerio John

 

[itareus]

....I'm looking forward to the next issue of Trainz, hoping that if nothing else, they at least turn the rain and snow off when a train enters a tunnel.

After all the Trainz version, starting with Trainz, now at 2010, they still haven't addressed the problem of weather in tunnels.

Can't anyone come up with a simple rule and trigger to turn off the water when entering the tube?....

I seem to recalll this has been done - can't check at the moment (?check out assets by "Andi06"?)

 

[backyard]

A league of freeware...sorta...

The idea of Trainz originated with a handful of people. They advertised in various markets of gaming & attracted an interested party....

Then they trashed the whole she-bang & started all over!

There was at the point of TRS2004, a chat room for these dedicated chaps to communicate & share ideas, plans were made, projects were assigned, deadlines set.

The Brew Crew consisted of a group of coders paid to do their work...it is listed in CMP & CMv3 as creator "auran."

A huge number of copies were sold, then the sales began to slow...they found a market large enough to entertain a future for the game, now we have TS2010 with a future release pending.

The Jet engine has been tweaked out & yet have we to fully realise it's total potential IMO.

But Trainz is an 'open-sourced' game that allows tons of improvement into areas we have not even begun to explore, such as contributed traincar physics configs.

I'd say "let's get into the game!"

Just expecting people to contribute 40+hours of work for free is not seeing the total picture....you can develop content for sale....?