Content of Trainz newsletter 10 February 2017

Interesting read. It seems as if great plans are being put into action.

I found the survey most instructive though. Questions on VR and AR and possible subscription for the whole Trainz package gives an indication of N3V's future plans.

If I recall correctly the subject of subscription has been muted previously and it didn't go down to well. As for VR, other than the current cost, I'm more into Surveyer than driving so will that mean I'll be able to hit my fingers, or worse, while laying track. Peter

My thoughts too. The SAAS direction to me spells doom to many people due to many factors including poor network, cost, and inability to grasp the nature of SAAS - well for consumers it's called "Cloud".

VR well for someone like me, it's a no-go with vertigo. I tried an Oculus once at a trade show and found myself crawling on my hands and knees afterwards due to severe dizziness and nausea! Microsoft's HoloLens, however, seems more promising. Imagine building or working on a route in Surveyor. The route would be projected on a table or on the floor. We could walk around across the landscape and place trees and buildings, and for those capable, get down on our hands and knees as we place assets to ensure they're not floating in space. Another approach would be to project the baseboard on to a tabletop. Imagine working on a route in the parlor or dining room as the route is projected on to the coffee table, or dining room table. There's a whole lot capabilities here and a whole new world, literally to explore. Program versions such as TM2017, or whatever it'll be called, would take on a whole new look - imagine what a Trainz model railroad would look like complete with the fascia on the front of the route.

The other things, such as increasing the team size, and the company growth is good news, though I wonder why the previous team members were let go unless these will be contract workers like many software companies do today. Instead of having a large in-house staff with lots of full-timers, they bring in as needed contractors to work on projects then cut them once the project is done. This is both good and bad, but it is what it is today in the IT industry.

I saw the questions about VR and SaaS to be trial balloons. If enough people throw darts and poke enough holes in them, that would be an indication on how popular they might be and whether it is worth the effort to develop in those directions.

Is that Game Developers Conference in San Francisco open to the public? Is anyone in that area going?

The monthly payment was the main reason I stopped playing my previous game addiction.
Since I already have a lifetime FCT, it feels as partly paying double too.

I can see VR to be a nice feature in the future for people that drive trains. I think I do that only 1% of the time. If someone would get me a VR device, I could probably see that percentage go to 5%.

Good. Perhaps with an increase in staff they'll get around to providing the proper code to the Rail Driver people so that those of us who have one aren't left in the lurch. Whatcha think?

harpman said:

Good. Perhaps with an increase in staff they'll get around to providing the proper code to the Rail Driver people so that those of us who have one aren't left in the lurch. Whatcha think?

Click to expand...

Perhaps this and a lot of other stuff.

With the new TNI and native controller support, the interface for controllers such as Rail Driver may no longer require proprietary drivers. This was the problem with every new Trainz version that has come out. Every time a code change or update has been made, the binary files had to be rewritten by the device manufacturer.

Once the TNI is fully made available and the native controller support is implemented in future versions, then it's only a matter of the device manufacturer creating a generic plug-in rather than a total rewrite for each and every Trainz version.

I had an opportunity to test the device support in the Trainz Dev group. It was rather interesting nosing around the cab with an Xbox controller. Granted keep in mind this only a test at this point and being the Trainz Dev environment, these changes may or may not ever see the light of day in its current form, or in full. However, with this in mind, the additional team members may help push these kinds of things forward.

Oh god. Not subscriptions raising their ugly head again. That will kill off Trainz for good. When people talk about subscriptions, I don't think they realise how damaging it will be. I'm sure most of the people on this forum would do it but the more casual customer base would just fall away, or you'd get a situation where everybody would just stick with TANE/TS12 and not subscribe to new versions. VR sounds gimmicky to me and I suspect it'll be a short term fad like 3D TV. It's fine as it is, stick to the model we've got now and focus on improving the game.

Nathan, it said subscription would be optional and that's if it even happens and that depends on how many people want it. Optional meaning you do not have to have it, not that it's replacing Trainz. I read it as you could subscribe to get all the latest DLC and probably the Online Surveyor, not that it was replacing the normal method of buying Trainz. Couldn't be optional if it wasn't an option could it ;o)

Not obsessed enough with Gadgets to even contemplate VR.

nathanmallard said:

Oh god. Not subscriptions raising their ugly head again. That will kill off Trainz for good. When people talk about subscriptions, I don't think they realise how damaging it will be. I'm sure most of the people on this forum would do it but the more casual customer base would just fall away, or you'd get a situation where everybody would just stick with TANE/TS12 and not subscribe to new versions. VR sounds gimmicky to me and I suspect it'll be a short term fad like 3D TV. It's fine as it is, stick to the model we've got now and focus on improving the game.

Click to expand...

I agree, except that I'm not so sure that people on this forum would feel any differently. I think I "subscribe" enough even now, having to pay for a FCT, and having a version of T:ANE installed that is not DRM-free. I prefer to keep the "clouds" as part of the landscape.

Oh, and the VR stuff...same thing about the sickness! I can ride a Navy boat in the roughest seas and not get sick, but not so with the 3-D stuff I've tried!