TS2010 is the best release so far!!

[baz66]

Sirggibby. You'll be happy to know that we are sending you the high winds we,ve had lately on the mid north coast. You should be getting them about now and see some improvement in ALL trees(z). Also, we have lots of ten year old cars we can send you to put on your roads. If thats not enough, just apply to the government for a grant and they,ll give you money to buy them. They seem to give it away quite readily, just not to us!!!
baz
PS oops Is this off topic. Jeez. what have I done.

 

[Alco_P-A]

It's nice to read that 2010 is getting some more positive feedback. I'm going on 2 months with 2010 and I like it more and more and the content in it is great. Like 06' the sound is in need of a fix and I hope it is,but overall it's a vast improvement as train sim go. So :Y: :Y: :Y: :Y: :Y: for 2010. Alco_P-A

 

[alazose]

the old 2D trees no longer had the alpha problem.

Please enlighten us: What is the "alpha problem" that the old 2D trees no longer have? They certainly look the same to me.

 

[sirgibby]

In TS2009 assets that used the alpha textures such as the 2D trees, telephone wire and fences had real problems not showing correctly and causing items behind them to dissappear. This problem has all but gone in TS2010
This problem meant that pre-2009 layouts where pretty well useless in TS2009 Native mode. Now they have new life!!

Here are some comparison shots ... BOTH TAKEN IN NATIVE MODE


TS2009 native mode

TS2010 native mode

TS2009 native mode

TS2010 native mode

TS2009 native mode

TS2010 native mode

TS2009 native mode

TS2010 native mode

 

[WindWalkr]

In TS2009 assets that used the alpha textures such as the 2D trees, telephone wire and fences had real problems not showing correctly and causing items behind them to dissappear. This problem has all but gone in TS2010
This problem meant that pre-2009 layouts where pretty well useless in TS2009 Native mode. Now they have new life!!

It's worth noting that this improvement requires that you have Anti-aliasing enabled in your TS2010 settings.

chris

 

[sparky15]

Chris,
I noticed on the DLS there is a reference to 2009SP4/2010 in the option to search for content. Do you know off hand if there will be an attempt to address the Alpha problems in 2009 in the next service pack? I just bought 2009 because of the ATI bug in 2010 with ATI cards and it sure would be nice to be able to use some of the older trees in native mode. An upgrade to 2010 is out at the moment for me.

Thanks,
Dave.......

 

[WindWalkr]

SP4 for TS2009 is a while away (we haven't released SP3 yet) so I can't say for sure what will and won't be addressed in that version. I can say that the alpha behavior in TS2009 is not a bug - it is intended that users should upgrade to newer content for native mode.

chris

 

[meatloaf747]

Boy is TS2010 a breath of fresh air. After TS2009's continual patching business I was a bit skeptical as to whether I should purchase TS2010, or wait a while. (to Auran's credit, they have spent a lot of time & money patching 09).

I'm really glad that I took the plunge and purchase TS2010, as the more and more I use it, the more & more I like it... I think it's a vast improvement over previous versions of Trainz and that "SPEEDTREES" really makes it rock. (Anything animated in the Sim adds to the realism). Speedtrees helps bring the routes alive... (I live in a very windy part of the world so the swaying of the trees has really grown on me).

I've come across the odd "speed bump" which I'm confident Auran will sort out in the next patch/service pack. So sure, a little work needs to be done to get it 100% right. (things like more variety of speed-trees, some resizing and a slider to adjust the swaying of the trees would help, vehicles on roads, etc). But hey, as the saying goes, Rome wasn't built in a day...

I think a lot of lessons where learnt by Auran (in TS2009) and it's great to see that they have carried forward (those lessons learnt) into this version. In my opinion, it's a big improvement over 09.

To me, the large, detailed EMCL route in TS2010 is worth the purchase price alone. All the rest is just a great big bonus, (gravy as I call it) especially Phil's & the other layouts... Overall, I give it the big thumbs up. 9.5 out of 10.
To the Auran team, please keep pushing the boundaries as I think this is your best work so far, so keep up the great work guys...
Cheers, Mac...

 

[sparky15]

Hi Chris,
Thanks for getting back.

Sorry if this sounds snide or if I'm taking pot shots at you, you probably get to much of that already. If I understand correctly, 2010 was originally supposed to be 2009 EE, an upgrade pack for 2009WBE for the intended new content. While I applaud Auran for going over and above 2009 EE with 2010, what about us who missed out on the voucher program or new purchasers of 2009. The Alpha problem with older content is sorted out in 2010, the expansion, why not 2009, or is 2009 being forgotten completely at the expense of purchasing a new game?

Buying what was supposed to be an add on for what I own just to get full functionality seems a little underhanded at best. I bought 2009 with the understanding I wasn't getting the new content and that some of the bugs would be ironed out, the Alpha problem being one of them. Expecting a new purchaser to buy another full version of Trainz, which was advertised as an add on for content, at full price just to get what was already paid for to work properly borders on a con.

Again, not teeing of on you personally. I hope I'm wrong, if not I feel contacting the proper agencies to warn future purchasers of 2009 may be in order.

Thanks,
Dave....

 

[Baureihe41]

Hi Chris,
Thanks for getting back.

Sorry if this sounds snide or if I'm taking pot shots at you, you probably get to much of that already. If I understand correctly, 2010 was originally supposed to be 2009 EE, an upgrade pack for 2009WBE for the intended new content. While I applaud Auran for going over and above 2009 EE with 2010, what about us who missed out on the voucher program or new purchasers of 2009. The Alpha problem with older content is sorted out in 2010, the expansion, why not 2009, or is 2009 being forgotten completely at the expense of purchasing a new game?

Buying what was supposed to be an add on for what I own just to get full functionality seems a little underhanded at best. I bought 2009 with the understanding I wasn't getting the new content and that some of the bugs would be ironed out, the Alpha problem being one of them. Expecting a new purchaser to buy another full version of Trainz, which was advertised as an add on for content, at full price just to get what was already paid for to work properly borders on a con.

Again, not teeing of on you personally. I hope I'm wrong, if not I feel contacting the proper agencies to warn future purchasers of 2009 may be in order.

Thanks,
Dave....

You are completely right about this Dave.

 

[amigacooke]

I bought 2009 with the understanding I wasn't getting the new content and that some of the bugs would be ironed out, the Alpha problem being one of them.

I can't help feeling that Chris has previously said that the alpha 'problem' is not a bug, it is a design choice that has been made by Auran.

I can say that the alpha behavior in TS2009 is not a bug - it is intended that users should upgrade to newer content for native mode.

 

[ocala]

"Being able to run MURCHISON in native mode in TS2010 "
What does this mean? My weak brain this morning not working! Thanks, ocala.
PS: Have 2010 on order.

 

[JCitron]

"Being able to run MURCHISON in native mode in TS2010 "
What does this mean? My weak brain this morning not working! Thanks, ocala.
PS: Have 2010 on order.

This means not having to use compatibility mode where there is a performance hit. The older trees, powerlines, and other objects show up fine in native mode in 2010.

John

 

[sparky15]

Amigacooke,
And that is where this whole business is starting to rub me raw. If that is true 2009 was deliberately designed and sold as faulty, new content aside. A new purchaser goes out and gets 2009 only to find most of what's INSTALLED can only be used in compatibility mode which performs WORSE than older versions of the game.

How do you explain the only way to fix a $50 game is to purchase another $50 game? If it was a design flaw than O.K., but if it was designed that way that smacks of a bait and switch scam and 2009 should be pulled from the shelves. 2010 IS 2009 EE, that has been stated before and marketed as 2009EE before the name change. Now that its its own entity should the buyers of 2009, who bought on faith by Auran's marketing scheme, now be forced to shell out another $50?

I didn't buy 2009 for the content, I don't care for the new trees. I bought it for the performance increases in native mode, except I can't use it because of the Alpha problem with the BUILT IN content. To get that performance increase I need 2010, the supposed content add on, which does what 2009 was supposed to eventually do.

2010 is just a service pack for 2009, same game, better content. What does that have to do with actual performance of the game itself. SirGibby posted almost a full page of the performance differences of the same game and Chris pretty much stated this was intentional.

Dave.....

 

[johnwhelan]

Amigacooke,
And that is where this whole business is starting to rub me raw. If that is true 2009 was deliberately designed and sold as faulty, new content aside. A new purchaser goes out and gets 2009 only to find most of what's INSTALLED can only be used in compatibility mode which performs WORSE than older versions of the game.

How do you explain the only way to fix a $50 game is to purchase another $50 game? If it was a design flaw than O.K., but if it was designed that way that smacks of a bait and switch scam and 2009 should be pulled from the shelves. 2010 IS 2009 EE, that has been stated before and marketed as 2009EE before the name change. Now that its its own entity should the buyers of 2009, who bought on faith by Auran's marketing scheme, now be forced to shell out another $50?

I didn't buy 2009 for the content, I don't care for the new trees. I bought it for the performance increases in native mode, except I can't use it because of the Alpha problem with the BUILT IN content. To get that performance increase I need 2010, the supposed content add on, which does what 2009 was supposed to eventually do.

2010 is just a service pack for 2009, same game, better content. What does that have to do with actual performance of the game itself. SirGibby posted almost a full page of the performance differences of the same game and Chris pretty much stated this was intentional.

Dave.....

There are trees available for TS2009 native mode that don't work too badly. TS2009 does allow you to switch content.

Performance does depend on your computer, even compatibility mode will produce an acceptable frame rate if the assets are reasonably well chosen and you are running on a quad core system.

There are definite improvements in things such as steam locos engine specs etc.

I don't think you can reasonably say that TS2009 is switch and bait it is a reasonable version in its own right with an number of improvements over earlier versions. Content comes from content creators and even in earlier versions there was errors in the content. Comment from one of the people working on correcting errors, content created in TS2009 or TS2010 is for the most part error free.

Cheerio John

 

[sirgibby]

I feel contacting the proper agencies to warn future purchasers of 2009 may be in order

I honestly can't believe some of the posters.
If I where Auran I think I would be close to changing career paths with all the continual negative barage.

Repeating what I started the thead with "...TS2010 is the best release of TRAINZ since TRAINZ itself ..... overall, I give TS2010 a full thumbs up.


These guys (auran) are a small outfit competing in a volitile software market.
TRAINZ may not be perfect, and everything may not be exactly as we would like it, but they are doing a darn good job in providing a small market of Train enthusiasts with the means to continue enjoying their hobby right into the retirement home ... and are doing on-going updates!! ... a heck of a lot better than Microsoft ever did with their train sim.

The program costs about the price of 1 or 2 wagons for my "real" model layout.

There are programs out there that cost 1000's of dollars and give me nowhere near the pleasure that TRAINZ provides.
With the enjoyment that TRAINZ gives me its worth a lot more than what they charge. I have never found another "game" program that I have put possibly 5000 hrs into.

Whether your complaints are real or imagined I don't knowbut you need to get over it and stop discouraging the guys who are trying darn hard to improve their program and keep paying their bills .... Maybe you wont be happy until you have killed the bird that lays the goldern 'train' .. oops 'egg'!!



cheers
Michael

 

[sparky15]

Get over what?
I agree, 09/10 are finally real updates/upgrades to what I still consider a very fine game. I have every version from UTC to 2009 sans TC3. I had no intention of derailing your thread until a member of the Auran team admitted a flawed version was released intentionally to force a new game purchase.

As far as business practice it stinks. Another $50 to fix built in "flaws", that should help them compete in that volatile market quite well. If that is their business model maybe they shouldn't be in business.

Quote me if you like and make all your remarks. You do realize that business practices like this can be considered illegal. We'll soon find out.

I had every intention of upgrading eventually to 2010. Now that I find one was intentionally released with flaws to force that upgrade, Auran won't see another dime from me.

Dave....

 

[sirgibby]

Sorry if I came over heavy there Dave.

I just think that we need to do more appreciating and encouraging of what we've been given and less criticising of what we haven't quite got.
Maybe Auran decided that TS2010 was too major an upgrade to release as a mere service pack for TS2009 and they have said the service packs are planed for it.

SP4 for TS2009 is a while away (we haven't released SP3 yet) so I can't say for sure what will and won't be addressed in that version.

-----

Another $50 to fix built in "flaws",

I have a real problem believing that this was a puposely built-in flaw ... maybe an upgrade released too early before the bugs where fully sorted ... but as they are going to release TS2009 service packs to fix it I can't see how its a revenue earner for them.
The alpha fix was not the reason I like TS2010 .. I didn't know about it until after I installed it.

cheers
Michael

 

[sparky15]

Michael,
No problem at all and no need to apologize to me.

I do appreciate a lot of what Trainz has to offer. I'm merely stating that the Alpha fix is in place with 2010, the supposed 2009EE. I'm not asking for the 2010 content, if they have the derivative of 2009 working well, the service pack for 2009 is in place. Not releasing it and expecting us to purchase the new game is a bit much.

Would I purchase 2010 at a later date? Sure, just for the content. I will not purchase it for the performance gains promised in 2009. That was not how this whole mess was marketed.

Big fan your stuff by the way.

Dave....

 

[narrowgauge]

I was involved with TS2009 right from the first Beta release. As I remember it, TS2009WBE was released as the version for content creators and route builders, and was not envisaged as a Driver version. We were told that TS2009 EE would follow with new content but lacking Surveyor. We were never told that TS2009EE would be free.

TS2009EE is replaced by TS2010 with Surveyor added. In terms of cost there is no difference

TS2009WBE - $40 Little new content with Surveyor
TS2009EE - $40 More new content without Surveyor

as opposed to

TS2009WBE - $40
TS2010 _$40


The difference being that TS2010 is a complete version and completely replaces the TS2009 versions for the same cost as the original pair if you have TS2009WBE. The fact that TS2010 includes features missing in TS2009 makes the upgrade even more of a bargain.

I do not see what the problem is, we have ended up with nothing less than was promised and more than we expected a year ago.

Peter