TS2010 Thoughts So Far

G

Glenethson

Some Might Say
Time for a rant?
Here goes...

As a keen Trainzer I always bought the most recent games ever since I saw TRS2006 advertised in a railway magazine I was reading. I got on with the bugs, glitches and crashes etc. and thanks to many forum users the game playing experience improved. Then one day I saw TS2009 logo on the forum background me like many others thought we were in for a brand new game full of new routes, features, and most importantly content. But no. instead we were given an almost identical game to TRS2006 with a few German routes, a couple of useful new features and a bit more rolling stock on top of the usual content, a new name and blue backgroud and of course a new price tag. I'm not gaming expert but I think a service pack could of upgraded TRS2006 up to TS2009.

And as I came on the forums today I saw the logo for EE, looked into it and realised it just a modified TS2009 with some nice new features (sound familiar?). I looked at the 'features' page on the EE website and I saw the new routes. The American ones aren't of much interest to me but I was happy to see some UK routes, the ECML, but sadly no WCML. I hope Auran haven't just modified the ECML route as one is already available on the DLS. I wasn't bowled over by EE but maybe in the future Auran will tell us more. Auran have done well with what little resources they have to create a game as popular as Trainz series and perhaps we are being ungrateful or maybe Auran are under pressure to keep releasing games and so spend less time on fixing bugs, glitches, problems etc? I don't know But Maybe one day the forums won't be full of threads with people needing help with having problems.

I would love to know what you think.
Regards
Glen
 
Glen,

The title of the new version should have been what was advertised all along. TRS2009 Engineering Edition. Then you along with many others have felt bowled over by the product announcement.

This is a problem whith sales and marketing regarding product names and announcements.

John
 
osq7 said:
If it's 'Engineer's Edition', why does it include surveyor?
Click to expand...

If I recall the information about TRS2009 EE, without look for it on Auran's website, the EE update was to be an add-on to TRS2009 with improved features and more AI control.

We really don't know what's fully in the product with the "and more...". The "and more..." could mean a lot of things. This is typical S&M speak at the moment.

Speed Tree is an expensive program. It's too bad we couldn't have used something like Digital Element's Plant Mechanic, which does a similar job.

http://www.digi-element.com/site/verdantgeneral.htm

Their program costs less and integrates with MAX and Maya just the same.

John
 
JCitron said:
Glen,

The title of the new version should have been what was advertised all along. TRS2009 Engineering Edition. Then you along with many others have felt bowled over by the product announcement.

This is a problem whith sales and marketing regarding product names and announcements.

John
Click to expand...


Calling it 2010 will make do away with the embarrassing fact that that this release is almost a year late.

Late it may be, but it seems Auran has gotten their asses off the couch and got to work; which started with doing away with all the same routes since TRS2004. I'm genuinely interested in the Speedtree and Layer features which look really cool by the way. They haven't explained how "adding user items to the menu" works but then they've decided that since this release is going to be awesome Surveyor will still get thrown in anyway, effectively disregarding all original specifications of 2009EE.

Which, after reading that, I can't help but feel a little bit cheated with TS2009. I thought WBE was perfect for me. It was hyped as the "next big thing" and though granted, it was an improvement in framerates and ground resolution, that was about it. TS2010 could have been an SP for 09. Or it could have been a new release with Cabon or Murchison. Or they could offer a discount for people upgrading from 09.

Hmm, hardly likely.

Maybe they'll come up with SpeedGrass in 2011 as the "next big thing". And we'll all have to buy it again.

aardvark1 said:
Perhaps to save you money.

If you did not purchase TS2009, you could have these things in 2010.

Just a guess on my part.

Have fun,
Click to expand...

JCitron said:
If I recall the information about TRS2009 EE, without look for it on Auran's website, the EE update was to be an add-on to TRS2009 with improved features and more AI control.

We really don't know what's fully in the product with the "and more...". The "and more..." could mean a lot of things. This is typical S&M speak at the moment.

John
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
aardvark1 said:
To keep the momentum of rants alive?

Have fun,
Click to expand...


LOL... and we posted at the same time...

No ranting from me. The only time that happens is when the product doesn't work, and so far every version of Trainz I have purchased has lived up to my expectations and then some.

John
 
"They" have it, but Auran doesn't. Knowing their advertising nature of explaining to you every blade of grass, if it isn't in their sales pitch, it isn't there.

Nicholas.
 
amigacooke said:
You mean like the 20% off voucher I have waiting to use because I bought TS2009:WBE?
Click to expand...

It would be more reasonable if they offered 50% off, as you have already purchased 50% of TS2010 EE, when you purchased TS2009 WBE.

I didn't buy 2006 because of all the bad revue's & the dodgy CMP, I held off buying 2009, because I was waiting for the finished product (i.e WBE & EE in one package). I quite liked the idea of the smaller divisions in Surveyor with 2009.

I now find the above won't happen,cos it's now TS2010 EE, which includes everything that 2009 SHOULD have had if released as a pack, but is half of 2009 with some new gismos lumped on the top.

I will now stick with the last "COMPLETE" edition of Trainz that was released ( and in my mind, still the most stable) TRS2004.
 
nicky9499 said:
Calling it 2010 will make do away with the embarrassing fact that that this release is almost a year late.

Late it may be, but it seems Auran has gotten their asses off the couch and got to work; which started with doing away with all the same routes since TRS2004. I'm genuinely interested in the Speedtree and Layer features which look really cool by the way. They haven't explained how "adding user items to the menu" works but then they've decided that since this release is going to be awesome Surveyor will still get thrown in anyway, effectively disregarding all original specifications of 2009EE.

Which, after reading that, I can't help but feel a little bit cheated with TS2009. I thought WBE was perfect for me. It was hyped as the "next big thing" and though granted, it was an improvement in framerates and ground resolution, that was about it. TS2010 could have been an SP for 09. Or it could have been a new release with Cabon or Murchison. Or they could offer a discount for people upgrading from 09.

Hmm, hardly likely.

Maybe they'll come up with SpeedGrass in 2011 as the "next big thing". And we'll all have to buy it again.
Click to expand...

Nick,

Sadly this is the way with software and hardware. You think you have, or are told this is the latest and greatest version of whatever, only to find out there's a new one coming out a few months later!

There are many developers who say nothing to their userbase about the new version coming out, and let their current users find out about it with the big product announcement, then charge a substantial amount to upgrade because the "old" version is no longer valid. I've been through this with very expensive server software that cost tens of thousands of dollars, and the upgrade process was pure hell.

Anyway I feel that Auran's development team is rare. They tell us of upcoming releases, which will confuse many people unfortunately, but at least we have something to look forward to. TRS20010 is either a standalone program or will patch over TRS2009. What more can we ask for?

So in summary, I am very happy to see the changes here. Software take time to develop. The SDLC is long thus the delayed release. The S&M team managed to change the name, so what? It's still the same program as announced by Tony when he was talking about TRS2009 WBE and the soon(tm) to be released TRS2009 EE, which as we've concluded to be TRS2010EE because they've made the upgrade to be more than just an upgrade.

John
 
John, that's exactly what makes me so cross.

We go out and buy 09 knowing that 09's EE will make it complete. Now that 10 is announced, it makes the people who bought 09 look stupid.

"Haha, we've tricked you. Now we're going to sell you 10 which was originally intended to complete 09 but is now a brand new title, has everything that 09 has and revolutionary features! And you're going to buy it."

And by revolutionary I'm not joking. SpeedTree and Layers are about the most exciting things in Trainz since the DLS. It's just Auran's sales/marketing that ticks me off. As someone questioned on another thread, "why sell us 4 different small products instead of 1 good one?"

Nicholas.
 
I've always wondered about Auran's marketing. Maybe its time for a new strategy. Maybe a pack of stock, cars, building, signals, etc. based on a time period, train company, etc? to go along with base releases of Trainz, so it at least feels like something is new about Auran's products? Something fishy there about the marketing strategy. This is exactly what Windows did with Vista/7

EDIT: what I mean is something like an Expansion pack(like what the Sims 2/3 Franchises do), it makes things seem less original, and more exhubrant and extravagent.
 
Last edited:
Isaac.

It is nothing new the fact that Auran's marketing department is somewhat retarded and completely profit-oriented. Also, they do not seem to realize after so many years that they do have DLS chockfull of content and content creators that are more than happy to allow theirs to be included in a release.

Yes, they did the "themed" thing recently with the S&C and Murchison. But for all its worth it's still too little to justify a purchase. In fact, Murchison and Cabon are already available for sale by Sirgibby and Trainzland respectively. The only reason I can think of for them doing this is to help themselves to at piece of the pie. I wouldn't be too surprised if Sirgibby was slightly cross with lower revenue for all his hard work.

Take Simcity's unofficial file exchange for example. What they've done, is compile the entire library into some DVDs, added exclusive content, then sold it for a rather reasonable price. I'm not saying that Auran should sell the entire DLS on DVDs as well, but something similar. They are after all, taking content creators' work for no charge.

To make one or two new feature and tweaks, throw in even more crappy content and slapping on a new name and boxart is certainly going to hurt them in the long run.


Nicholas.
 
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