Trainz Roadmap

[UP5521]

I have voted for, skybox,driver interface, direct x12 to hopefully kill the lagging game performance issues, traffic because my problem stems from cars not stopping for trains sometimes, dynamic fog, but I have yet to do the passenger features and ray tracing voting, the terrain and others sound interesting, might have a second go around look, hopefully some of these things are in trainz 2022, I entertain the idea of animated passengers at train stations and the schedules for the trains themselves, it's more realistic in my book of course better lighting, nothing infuriates more than not so realistic lighting, especially on steam locomotives.

 

[ricomon35]

@JAGG - This page, Trainz Roadmap - Planned features, has 25 separate ideas to be voted on for future Trainz PC and Console releases.

I reviewed and voted for most of them. Some of the new features/ideas don't appeal to me very much, but I voted, regardless.

Worth having a look.

 

[JAGG]

I know, I got the info from some Hungarian FB group, not from vendor... Unsurprisingly.

 

[mapsgame]

I also recommend voting. There's a lot of good stuff to read and if even a small fraction of these features whenever if they are implemented, this will definitely be a game changer no pun intended.

I did recognize some of them from T:ANE. Among the more intriguing ones are the random terrain generator and random object scenery creator. The latter will build cities and towns across a map or an area and that's a good feature especially for those of us who work on fictional routes. Filling in large swaths of forests, farms, and whatnot manually gets pretty tiring even with the Scrapbook. In addition to these two, is an implementation of a product similar to TransDEM, or maybe it is, using N3V's TNI.

Welcome back John! How did your music interlude go? I voted and also suggested incorporating TransDem for those who model prototypical routes.

 

[JCitron]

Welcome back John! How did your music interlude go? I voted and also suggested incorporating TransDem for those who model prototypical routes.

The interlude went pretty well. The project involves (it's still evolving and growing) creating scores using Sibelius for inclusion into a book on music. We took images and then either hand entered the notes into Sibelius or used music OCR to convert the images to music.xml that we could import into Sibelius. Unfortunately, the accuracy of music OCR is pretty low. I had one score that looked like Morse Code when I imported it into Sibelius!

Sibelius itself is a clumsy and frustrating program to use. I spent more time arguing with the program than I did creating the music clips. At this time, I still have a small chapter and a handful images of another to import and I may hand the remains back to my partner in crime to finish up. He's so much more experienced with this process than I am, besides there's a lot going on right now that's keeping my mind off the project.

 

[amigacooke]

Sadly the pricing structure for Trainz means that all upcoming features are, probably for several years, placed behind a subscription.

 

[2995Valliant]

Sadly the pricing structure for Trainz means that all upcoming features are, probably for several years, placed behind a subscription.

But, playing devil's advocate for a moment, is that not better than a business model which never raises sufficient funds for the new features to be developed at all?

 

[amigacooke]

But, playing devil's advocate for a moment, is that not better than a business model which never raises sufficient funds for the new features to be developed at all?

It depends doesn't it? Are you paying for the product you already have, or are you paying for what might be developed?

Personally, I'm not going to be paying anyone in advance for product that may or may not be developed.

 

[PortLineParker]

Personally, I'm not going to be paying anyone in advance for product that may or may not be developed.

But isn't that what you're doing already? Buying, say, TRS22 will mean money goes to N3V which can then be used to develop the game further. The difference is a subscription is a small, monthly payment and in return you also get the latest and greatest content. Development costs won't come from Trainz+ alone.

Cheers,

PLP

 

[amigacooke]

But isn't that what you're doing already? Buying, say, TRS22 will mean money goes to N3V which can then be used to develop the game further. The difference is a subscription is a small, monthly payment and in return you also get the latest and greatest content. Development costs won't come from Trainz+ alone.

Cheers,

PLP

Because there's no way to stay on the cutting edge with retail versions of Trainzs anymore, I certainly won't buy at full retail price, I'll wait for a significant discount.

A subscription goes past what I've ever paid for a retail version and N3V apparently expect me to pay that every year. I paid silly money to support the KickStarter and as a reward, N3V decided I should also pay a subscription to keep at the cutting edge. I can see that if Trainz is mostly what you do as entertainment software, it could be a good deal, but not at my level of engagement.

 

[2995Valliant]

It depends doesn't it? Are you paying for the product you already have, or are you paying for what might be developed?

Personally, I'm not going to be paying anyone in advance for product that may or may not be developed.

I'd far rather pay for it, and own it with no need for it to "phone home" etc. (in the same way I don't like buying things on finance) but I see it as paying a monthly sum (a chunk of which I'd already be paying for an FCT) in return for which I've received a number of updates, probably equivalent to more than one new release under the old system of bi-annual releases plus I've had access to quite a lot of money's worth of DLC, some of which is of no interest, and some of which I have to admit I would not have purchased outright but merely downloaded because it cost me no more to do so - and then discovered I quite enjoy using some them!

If at some point I realise I've paid a subscription for a period of time and had nothing for my money I'd think again.

I was about to type "It depends on how much you use it as to whether it's worth it" but I can see you've typed that in your latest post. If you only ever buy when it's on sale, then I think there's always been a lag before the latest and greatest was offered at a discount?

For me as someone who probably isn't really a typical PC gamer but more of a railway modeller gone virtual I felt the subscription was worth trying, so I took one out last January and renewed again a few weeks ago. In terms of pence per hour I use the game I've just done a quick caculation and it's not that much more per hour than the cost of the electricity to run the PC. In terms of enjoyment and the relaxation it gives me by switching me off from the day job it is, as the advert says, priceless.

 

[WestSideRailways]

For me as someone who probably isn't really a typical PC gamer but more of a railway modeller gone virtual I felt the subscription was worth trying, so I took one out last January and renewed again a few weeks ago. In terms of pence per hour I use the game I've just done a quick caculation and it's not that much more per hour than the cost of the electricity to run the PC. In terms of enjoyment and the relaxation it gives me by switching me off from the day job it is, as the advert says, priceless.

Exactly...

Some people today expect everything for free...thinking that they are entitled to it.....
The only thing that you are entitled to is breathing...

 

[amigacooke]

Exactly...

Some people today expect everything for free...thinking that they are entitled to it.....
The only thing that you are entitled to is breathing...

Don't think there's ever been a free version of Trainz.

 

[grazlash]

One thing that wasn't mentioned in the roadmap, was an ability to upload large files to the DLS with a new data compression system for routes produced with HD terrain. File sizes of moderate sized routes using HD terrain have outgrown the ability to upload to the DLS

 

[rwk]

It needs a complete overhaul to have moving people that drive to a station, get out of their cars, and walk to the station, buy tickets and board the train. There are other sims by a company that begins with D that have moving people that actually walk into trains and to their seats I believe. Trainz is improving but that other sim has real world routes with actual stations modeled and very wide landscapes with cities modeled. Like this

 

[UP5521]

There was Something else I just thought of but I doubt it will make it in trainz as far as features go but, when any train whether steam/diesel or electric passes by the camera, the ground shakes.

 

[JCitron]

There was Something else I just thought of but I doubt it will make it in trainz as far as features go but, when any train whether steam/diesel or electric passes by the camera, the ground shakes.

That would be cool! I suppose that could be done with a custom camera asset though and not necessarily something that needs to be built-in.

 

[UP5521]

That would be cool! I suppose that could be done with a custom camera asset though and not necessarily something that needs to be built-in.

It would but I wonder about the coding and would having that would cause problems with the computer and/or game.

 

[JCitron]

It would but I wonder about the coding and would having that would cause problems with the computer and/or game.

I don't think there would be any problem if it's yet another asset. There are "people" cameras and switch tower cameras. This vibrating camera is another one that could work with triggers.

Place triggers within a set area so that when the train passes by, it activates the script on the asset to make the camera vibrate or shake. How the vibrating and shaking is done is out of my comfort zone along with writing the script to do it, but that's the top-down view and concept of what needs to be done.

 

[bolivar]

Those of us from the earlier years have been asking for some basic improvements for Trainz for over twenty years. A proper skybox, prototypical precipitation and emissive lighting in night mode for scenery items (e.g. Streetlights) Any talk of improvements? Nope. None. Meanwhile that company that starts with D, is all over the show on these issues. Over twenty years. (nodding my head)