What exactly IS Trainz Simulator?
- Thread starter HereticUK
- Start date
Thank you all for your points of view (and there are a lot of them!) and thank you for the welcome as well!
I am still considering purchasing. However, I would like to know more about the AI; what is it capable of? How does it compare to Railworks/Rail Simulator? If I were to set up a "model railway", for example, with AI controlling the trains for me to watch, can I give the AI complex orders, such as "Loco 1: take consist 'A' from 'X' to 'Y' and drop off at industry. Uncouple and refuel. Loco 2: shunt consist 'A' to a siding once it is full, ready for Loco 1 to take back to 'X'"? I hope that makes sense...
I am still considering purchasing. However, I would like to know more about the AI; what is it capable of? How does it compare to Railworks/Rail Simulator? If I were to set up a "model railway", for example, with AI controlling the trains for me to watch, can I give the AI complex orders, such as "Loco 1: take consist 'A' from 'X' to 'Y' and drop off at industry. Uncouple and refuel. Loco 2: shunt consist 'A' to a siding once it is full, ready for Loco 1 to take back to 'X'"? I hope that makes sense...
CaptEngland
Trainz Engineer
Yes you can!
It can get very complex but as they say, part of the fun (or not) is in trying out new things. Yes, this program is not perfect, but nether is Railworks (and yes, I also flip between to two when one P's me off). Perhaps if someone has the time, they could show you a screen shot of setting up an AI instruction?
Regards,
CaptEngland.
It can get very complex but as they say, part of the fun (or not) is in trying out new things. Yes, this program is not perfect, but nether is Railworks (and yes, I also flip between to two when one P's me off). Perhaps if someone has the time, they could show you a screen shot of setting up an AI instruction?
Regards,
CaptEngland.
Yes the AI can do that but you can have plenty of trains running at once I usually use about 15 on the ECML, Kings Cross to Newcastle stretch.
Just buy it and see for yourself but only of you are using a decent PC with a separate graphics card at least to the standard of nVidia GT550 otherwise you might be disappointed.
Ken
Thanks for answering my questions! It sounds very promising indeed and I shall look into buying it. Would you recommend a solid state DVD version over the Steam version? There have been some comments on here that Steam doesn't like it too much.... Also I won't be buying it at the Steam price of £24.99 
As for my laptop, I reckon it can handle it: Intel Core i7 Q720, 8GB RAM and ATi Radeon Mobility HD5870. Should be okay
As for my laptop, I reckon it can handle it: Intel Core i7 Q720, 8GB RAM and ATi Radeon Mobility HD5870. Should be okay
CaptEngland
Trainz Engineer
As a big steam user, Listen to me!!!
DON'T BUY IT OFF STEAM!!!!!
Sorry for shouting, but the best bet is to get it from the N3V site, or as you are UK based, the just trains version should be ok (that's where I got mine from, but that was an early build version of TS2012 that could be patched okay the same as an N3V version).
Be prepared though for a couple of upsets when downloading things. Also, you need to add to the cost of trainz, an years first class ticket as this is most important!
Any problems, PM (private message) me or ask on these forums. I should be online a bit over this weekend just to check how this new patch business works out!
Regards.
CaptEngland
P.S. Your laptop should be ok as the graphics card is up to the job. If you said that it had Intell onboard, then I would tell you not to bother.
DON'T BUY IT OFF STEAM!!!!!
Sorry for shouting, but the best bet is to get it from the N3V site, or as you are UK based, the just trains version should be ok (that's where I got mine from, but that was an early build version of TS2012 that could be patched okay the same as an N3V version).
Be prepared though for a couple of upsets when downloading things. Also, you need to add to the cost of trainz, an years first class ticket as this is most important!
Any problems, PM (private message) me or ask on these forums. I should be online a bit over this weekend just to check how this new patch business works out!
Regards.
CaptEngland
P.S. Your laptop should be ok as the graphics card is up to the job. If you said that it had Intell onboard, then I would tell you not to bother.
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Thanks for answering my questions! It sounds very promising indeed and I shall look into buying it. Would you recommend a solid state DVD version over the Steam version? There have been some comments on here that Steam doesn't like it too much.... Also I won't be buying it at the Steam price of £24.99
As for my laptop, I reckon it can handle it: Intel Core i7 Q720, 8GB RAM and ATi Radeon Mobility HD5870. Should be okay
Only gaming laptops are with a discrete graphics card are recommended. Isn't the HD5870 a graphics chip?
Many people on this Forum have had problems with the Steam version of Trainz.
Ken
Well I have no problems running Train Simulator 2013 and that's pretty graphics intensive. Borderlands 2 runs pretty smooth too, Shogun 2 no problem.... Suffice it to say, I haven't had many games I cannot run pretty smoothly.
In that case I shall stay away from the Steam version (it's bloody expensive on there anyway! £24.99?? Not paying that!).
In that case I shall stay away from the Steam version (it's bloody expensive on there anyway! £24.99?? Not paying that!).
Firstly, welcome!
Secondly that command string for driver activity is not 'complex', it's bread and butter! To get 'complex' you would need to try to do much much more than that.
Thirdly the expression 'model railway simulator' has recurred over and over again in this thread. Trainz isn't. True, the original concept of Trainz way back at v1 was pretty much that, but Trainz has evolved into very much a real world railway/railroad simulator with a very good physics engine and very very good re-creations of real world routes from all round the globe.
Fourthly Trainz kills the competitors in every area except real world lighting. Trainz is OK, but the other guys do it way better. The true saving grace of Trainz though is the ease with which routes and activities can be edited.
Fifthly, the way Trainz utilises computer resources is different, the fact your laptop runs other 'graphically demanding' stuff is almost irrelevant to how well (or otherwise) it will cope with Trainz.
And lastly, just to make sure the horse is truly beaten to death, don't get the Steam version! Get it on disk direct or hunt around bargain bins in retail outlets, I've seen even the current version substantially discounted...
Andy
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Welcome to the forums! I've had both Trainz Railroad simulator 2012 and 2010. By all means, add a year's first class ticket in to the cost, or if you can spare enough cash, the lifetime first class ticket (also called FCT for short). DO NOT but from Steam. JustTrains is ok or you can buy direct from Auran. Trainz is one of the best simulators I've ever seen, and it won't take long to understand the user interface--it's exceptionally easy to use. And as a few other members have mentioned, the possibilities are endless in Trainz. Just let your creativity and imagination run free!
Just in case that didn't satisfy you, the Trainz Wikipedia and Trainz Wikibook are also out there to peruse. Speaking as a long time contributor to both Wikipedia and Wikibooks, the Trainz wiki linked in the tabs above needs volunteers (and generally should be considered in intensive care, seems to be a good idea that never got off the ground).
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Trainz
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Trainz/Things_You_Can_Do_In_Trainz
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trainz
If bottom line budgeting is an issue, buy a cheap used (probably non-registrable) copy of TRS2004 or TRS2006 and give it a spin, but given the sales pricing to download newer ones, it's a no-brainer bargain to get the last version your computer will run satisfactorily... they demand more processor/graphics the younger the release. See my bio page for how TRS2006 has happily filled up four years of my time! Bargain prices for entertainment considered against say a half-dozen DVDs or paperbacks you'd go through in a few days steady use... Trainz won't let you get bored, if you've an imagination.
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Trainz
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Trainz/Things_You_Can_Do_In_Trainz
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trainz
If bottom line budgeting is an issue, buy a cheap used (probably non-registrable) copy of TRS2004 or TRS2006 and give it a spin, but given the sales pricing to download newer ones, it's a no-brainer bargain to get the last version your computer will run satisfactorily... they demand more processor/graphics the younger the release. See my bio page for how TRS2006 has happily filled up four years of my time! Bargain prices for entertainment considered against say a half-dozen DVDs or paperbacks you'd go through in a few days steady use... Trainz won't let you get bored, if you've an imagination.
Good point there, although Trainz 2010 is the best bet. It has compatability mode for the older content, but supports the newer content like Jointed Rails' recent C44-9W payware engine. All in all trainz 2010 is a good buy and a reasonable price for the best of both eras in Trainz Railway simulator.
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