TRS19 - Early Access Is Coming!

[amigacooke]

Tony, - I can certainly see from the pictures and video that TS2019 looks a lot better, but once again as a UK railways enthusiast there isn't really anything bundled with TS2019 that is of any interest to me. As someone who survives on an Invalid's pension I have to watch my budgeting carefully though with care I'm able to maintain my interest in Trainz which is certainly my main source of entertainment since I'm largely bed-bound these days. If TS2019 did have decent UK content I might have purchased it in two weeks time, but since it doesn't I'll wait to pick it up cheap in a sale.
And on the subscription issue there is really nothing there that's of any interest to me and besides I can't afford it. Some folk who just want to whizz trainz around and don't care what they are might go for a subscription, but there's nothing there at all for the UK railways enthusiast and I'm not alone in feeling that way.

While I accept there is nothing in the TRS19 content that interests you, there are clearly 3 UK based routes which surely must be of interest to at least some UK railway enthusiasts?

 

[Vern]

So with a level headed hat on, if we discard the subscription model (which is kind of like what Sony do on the PS store for those wanting to play old PS1 and PS2 games on a PS4) as a non starter for most users and wait for TRS2019 to launch on Steam*, then come down to a more reasonable £30 ($40) in either the Christmas sale, or Easter 2019 - what default content actually ships with the game? Or is it basically just the toolset and any routes have to be purchased or subscribed to.

I can certainly wait until it hits the bargain basement, the philanthropists are welcome to their over-priced experience and who knows by Easter next year the first few patches will have put right any game stopping bugs.

*Assuming it goes on Steam. Until then I'll be plodding around in TANE, MSTS or DTG or enjoying my new Farming Sim.

 

[Tony_Hilliam]

Definitely coming to Steam (timing not yet announced).
Built-in content is outlined at: http://trs2019.trainzportal.com/
(But if you haven't seen that, I am wondering which links you clicked on or what info we're missing there?)
And as I have said elsewhere, many more people are choosing the Gold Class option over pre-orders.
(And you may or may not yet have seen the latest announcement regarding pre-orders? https://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?147862-Open-Letter-to-the-Trainz-Community

 

[KotangaGirl]

While I accept there is nothing in the TRS19 content that interests you, there are clearly 3 UK based routes which surely must be of interest to at least some UK railway enthusiasts?

The Cornish Mainline I already have and any other steam era UK enthusiast you care to name will have it too, - and Edinburgh-Dundee is the dreaded blue diesel era which is of no interest me and many other Uk enthusiasts as well. The route itself is most probably beautifully crafted, but the 1970's is definitely not an era I want to be reminded about. I didn't see a third UK option listed so perhaps you know something I don't.

 

[Tony_Hilliam]

The Cornish Mainline I already have

You don't have the TRS19 version, nor the 5 (I think - please don't hold me to that) brand new sessions.
Nor do you get to see it in full "PBR" lighting glory in TANE. I'm sure you'll see some comparison screenshots soon enough once we ready the newly updated TRS19 version for release to our Early Acces users.

 

[Vern]

Definitely coming to Steam (timing not yet announced).
Built-in content is outlined at: http://trs2019.trainzportal.com/
(But if you haven't seen that, I am wondering which links you clicked on or what info we're missing there?)
And as I have said elsewhere, many more people are choosing the Gold Class option over pre-orders.
(And you may or may not yet have seen the latest announcement regarding pre-orders? https://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?147862-Open-Letter-to-the-Trainz-Community

I have found it now Tony, right down the bottom of the page.

For the benefit of others struggling to see the information, the routes are:

Kickstarter County 2
Canadian Rockies
Sebino Lake (Italian)
Niddertalbahn
Cornish Main Line
Edinburgh to Dundee

A nice selection but sorry, still not worth nearly £60/$70 for the basic game when it comes on general release without subscription. I know our current crap exchange rate £ to US$ doesn't help and isn't N3V's fault but pitched around £40/$50 I might have been tempted. As I'm sure would many others. At the risk of repeating myself I can wait patiently for the inevitable Steam sale and in the meantime work on routes in TANE in readiness.

 

[NICKEL]

A nice selection but sorry, still not worth nearly £60/$70 for the basic game when it comes on general release without subscription. I know our current crap exchange rate £ to US$ doesn't help and isn't N3V's fault but pitched around £40/$50 I might have been tempted. As I'm sure would many others. At the risk of repeating myself I can wait patiently for the inevitable Steam sale and in the meantime work on routes in TANE in readiness.

You think your exchange rate sucks. Try the Canadian exchange rate. $69.99 in Canadian dollars is $91.23 plus the 2.5% currency conversion cost on your credit card makes it around $93.50 for this game. This is over double I have ever paid for any new versions of this game. Steep increase.

 

[Davie_UCF]

I partly understand the options...but

It feels odd that I would spend all this money then if I cancel the subscription I lose it all and have to buy it all again if I want it outright/forever.

That's where I worry about the subscription.
For example my car, I pay monthly but have the option of buying it at the end of 3 years... I don't have to pay the entire value of it as I've already paid for most of it.. I only have to pay a certain amount.
Why can't the subscription be like that? You get a discount after a year incase you cancel and want to keep some things.
Especially considering by then you'd have paid for the basic product and a few of the dlc anyway.


Also, where is the list of new features and screenshots of them?

 

[pware]

A subscription based Trainz; that is a nasty surprise. I am out!

Show me where it says that you have to buy a subscription to get TS19, or access to the DLS or the DLC?

The program is available as a stand-alone without the subscriptions or the membership options and you still get access to the DLS and any DLC you want. Users can pick the options that suit them.

 

[Tony_Hilliam]

For an overview check out: http://trs2019.trainzportal.com/


For the intricate details, check out this page: http://www.trainzportal.com/pages/gold-class-membership-early-access


For answers to all your questions check this page: http://www.trainzportal.com/pages/trs19-faqs

 

[amigacooke]

I didn't see a third UK option listed so perhaps you know something I don't.

Oops, I've been using the ECML in TRS19, my mistake.

 

[Davie_UCF]

For an overview check out: http://trs2019.trainzportal.com/


For the intricate details, check out this page: http://www.trainzportal.com/pages/gold-class-membership-early-access


For answers to all your questions check this page: http://www.trainzportal.com/pages/trs19-faqs

I can't see anything about improvements to procedural track, for example does it support crossovers and more complex points than just the standard one diverging track?

It's one of my bugbears with TANE, the awesome points with check rail and moving parts but nothing is generated for a crossover or double/single slip.

 

[JCitron]

I partly understand the options...but

It feels odd that I would spend all this money then if I cancel the subscription I lose it all and have to buy it all again if I want it outright/forever.

That's where I worry about the subscription.
For example my car, I pay monthly but have the option of buying it at the end of 3 years... I don't have to pay the entire value of it as I've already paid for most of it.. I only have to pay a certain amount.
Why can't the subscription be like that? You get a discount after a year incase you cancel and want to keep some things.
Especially considering by then you'd have paid for the basic product and a few of the dlc anyway.


Also, where is the list of new features and screenshots of them?

Davie,

The subscription will continue again if you stop then start up again, according to the FAQ and the Trainz Portal. The subscription runs month-to-month so if you were to purchase a TRS2019 subscription 23/08/2018, and go with the monthly subscription, then your next invoice is due on the 23rd of each month and is setup automatically unless you stop it. If you do stop the payment, then the subscription runs until the next invoice then suspends.

If you decide to start up again a few months later, then you just pay and go. You haven't lost anything you've already bought or downloaded, and everything will still be there and available for access again.

On the screenshots good question...

Someone should setup a TRS2019 Screenshots thread so that pics can be uploaded. Why there haven't been any official pictures, I don't know. Those of us that did the beta do have pictures we can share.

 

[martinvk]

I partly understand the options...but

It feels odd that I would spend all this money then if I cancel the subscription I lose it all and have to buy it all again if I want it outright/forever.

...

What did you think that that means? On the FAQ page it says

You can cancel your membership at any time and access to items in your Content Vault (and other benefits) will end at the expiration of that billing period.

If you meant TRS19, I don't see any mention of losing TRS19 itself nor anything that has been downloaded.

 

[Vern]

I can't see anything about improvements to procedural track, for example does it support crossovers and more complex points than just the standard one diverging track?

It's one of my bugbears with TANE, the awesome points with check rail and moving parts but nothing is generated for a crossover or double/single slip.

Probably not though one of those who bought it can confirm. When I posted a list of questions a few weeks ago regarding core improvements I'm sure this was one of them. It was swiftly disavowed as a wish list with the regular "see no evil" characters wading in to add their weight to this!

 

[ColPrice2002]

Probably not though one of those who bought it can confirm. When I posted a list of questions a few weeks ago regarding core improvements I'm sure this was one of them. It was swiftly disavowed as a wish list with the regular "see no evil" characters wading in to add their weight to this!

I've just attempted a 3 way junction and crossovers in TS19. Version 96000 allows me to create the crossovers, junctions and slips, but these are "flat" - i.e. not procedural, no check rails etc.
Perhaps a later version?

Regards,

Colin

 

[Davie_UCF]

What did you think that that means? On the FAQ page it says If you meant TRS19, I don't see any mention of losing TRS19 itself nor anything that has been downloaded.

Davie,

The subscription will continue again if you stop then start up again, according to the FAQ and the Trainz Portal. The subscription runs month-to-month so if you were to purchase a TRS2019 subscription 23/08/2018, and go with the monthly subscription, then your next invoice is due on the 23rd of each month and is setup automatically unless you stop it. If you do stop the payment, then the subscription runs until the next invoice then suspends.

If you decide to start up again a few months later, then you just pay and go. You haven't lost anything you've already bought or downloaded, and everything will still be there and available for access again.

On the screenshots good question...

Someone should setup a TRS2019 Screenshots thread so that pics can be uploaded. Why there haven't been any official pictures, I don't know. Those of us that did the beta do have pictures we can share.

I mean, should I stop the subscription and then want to buy the product outright, not subscribe.. or do I keep TS19 if I stop subbing?

For example, I am a gold subscriber and have got lots of DLC through it... One day, I decide I don't want to spend money every month because I go weeks without even touching the game sometimes so I cancel the subscription.
But I still want to be able to play Trainz without being committed and feeling bad if I spend a month or two without having time to play... So I buy Trainz 2019 outright, I've now lost all the DLC I got through the subscription and if I want it or require it as some of it is used in my routes/layouts I have to buy the DLC the old fashioned way to get it back, with no discount considering I already paid for it in one way.

I feel like the subscription almost traps you, especially if you use any content from DLC in a route or layout, once you end the sub the DLC is 'inactive'.

Or am I wrong?

I've just attempted a 3 way junction and crossovers in TS19. Version 96000 allows me to create the crossovers, junctions and slips, but these are "flat" - i.e. not procedural, no check rails etc.
Perhaps a later version?

Regards,

Colin

Probably not though one of those who bought it can confirm. When I posted a list of questions a few weeks ago regarding core improvements I'm sure this was one of them. It was swiftly disavowed as a wish list with the regular "see no evil" characters wading in to add their weight to this!

This really really really disappoints me. One of the big features of TANE was the procedural junctions, something we've wanted for near forever. Yet it seems they've abandoned it and left it unfinished... unless it is guaranteed to be coming in a future update to Trainz 2019 I don't have much reason to purchase it.

 

[JCitron]

I've just attempted a 3 way junction and crossovers in TS19. Version 96000 allows me to create the crossovers, junctions and slips, but these are "flat" - i.e. not procedural, no check rails etc.
Perhaps a later version?

Regards,

Colin

That's a possibility because there were some issues regarding the points check rails, and other components that cause some really weird looking track. I know that it's too bad that the components aren't there right now, but it's better until the devs can work out what's wrong.

You might want to send in a bug report in case it's been missed. They'll let you know if it's been reported or not.

 

[martinvk]

...

I feel like the subscription almost traps you, especially if you use any content from DLC in a route or layout, once you end the sub the DLC is 'inactive'.

Or am I wrong?

Good point. Communications, the clear and unambiguous kind, has never been their strong suit. Too much left for interpretation. Is that DLC forever tied to the subscription method of acquiring it or once part of your installation, as long as you're a member, it will continue to work?

This really really really disappoints me. One of the big features of TANE was the procedural junctions, something we've wanted for near forever. Yet it seems they've abandoned it and left it unfinished... unless it is guaranteed to be coming in a future update to Trainz 2019 I don't have much reason to purchase it.

Don't know how difficult it is to program different types of crossings but from their lack, it would appear to not be easy. Else we would have seen them already. Not something that would be held back if it was possible seeing as how it would be a huge feather in their cap.

 

[KotangaGirl]

Oops, I've been using the ECML in TRS19, my mistake.

I wondered if it was the ECML. Good enough in its day, but now very dated unfortunately.