Trainz Open - Still Confused?

I have been waiting to get the new functions in the Trainz Plus product/membership. From the latest release of the "news letter" it seems clear that my Platinum edition will not be upgraded to any Plus features. Therefore if I want Plus features I have to switch from a Platinum product to a Plus Product. Doing so will immediately remove any items I have installed as a result of the Platinum membership.

I am not clear on the assets installed under Platinum. I had "access" to all the DLC. Assumption - assets that I used in other projects, but were part of a DLC route, will be marked as Payware and the use of them will cease. This may cause some harm to existing projects.

If I purchase the Plus product I assume that a new installation will be needed. Is the Platinum database usable in Plus? Is any conversion process needed?

My Platinum product/membership/? expires in August so a move to Plus would make sense now.

I don't know the answers to most of your questions, but your last statement is not correct. Trainz Platinum is a product, not a subscription, so it should never expire. But it does not grant full access to DLC content, you have to purchase additional DLC content that you want.

I neglected to note that I also have a Silver membership with allegedly allows access to "all" DLC.

There are multiple moving parts, each explained, but within its own context. Thus the relationship to specific other products remains vague. As an example, if I buy Open, and allow Platinum to expire, does my Silver continue under Open with all of its services?


This ad-hoc marketing began years ago when Auran began regional products and the inter-relationships were poorly addressed. This multiple product approach continues with the added feature of "memberships". Customers should not have to ask questions about product relationships. That should always be crystal clear, supported by a smooth and reliable purchasing procedure. Or, maybe I am just stupid and have over-reached my ability to handle a sophisticated sales structure and its modern support. Time to start over with Pong.:'(

Plus is not a product but a feature set. Look at this chart. http://www.trainzportal.com/pages/trs19-faqs

I believe I'm correct in this: If you have platinum the only thing Plus will get you is "a quarterly update" of features (see chart and compare Plus to Platinum). Theses "quarterly" features come from the Plus beta stream and have been slow coming. In fact, I thinking about dropping my Gold/Plus subscription. The new plus release this year has centered on Multi Player Surveyor of which I have no interest. Here we are in the 7th month of the year and the new feature in the new plus updates is ONLY turned on for Multi Player Surveyor beta testers of which I'm not one. So I'm paying for plus and MPS but because I'm not signed up for that program (and not been asked) I don't have the benefit.

If I'm wrong on any of this I'll apologize to N3V. But I've gotten very limited PLUS benefit in the first 7 months of this year. If you want MPS then the benefit would be greater.

Multiplayer Surveyor isn't turned on yet for any plus members until the bugs are ironed out in the current beta. Personally not interested in Multiplayer anything however there may be something of use in the supposed new tools? Plus its a build version update to 4.7 which as a route builder / content creator, I need to know what they have changed / messed up. Don't want people moaning that it doesn't work or is broken in 4.7!

I took a Plus+ subscription so that my Tinware Classic version of TS2019 could make use of the Unified Surveyor tools; - which I will admit have been useful when I've been testing things. I largely look on my Plus+ subscription as a charitable donation to keep N3V from the poorhouse and I don't expect anything else from it. As for Multiplayer I'd rather walk barefoot across a sea of Lego bricks than have anything to do with the new Multiplayer 'update'.

KotangaGirl said:

I took a Plus+ subscription so that my Tinware Classic version of TS2019 could make use of the Unified Surveyor tools; - which I will admit have been useful when I've been testing things. I largely look on my Plus+ subscription as a charitable donation to keep N3V from the poorhouse and I don't expect anything else from it. As for Multiplayer I'd rather walk barefoot across a sea of Lego bricks than have anything to do with the new Multiplayer 'update'.

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I've had the same outlook (charitable donation) but lately I've been getting frustrated with what is returned for my Gold subscription.

You wont get the new features until they are released to everyone because you are only on silver membership.
Platinum Is the only version required to run trainz and the free DLC that comes with it.
Platinum is all you need with Plus Beta stream active and PLUS membership for free features, no extra DLC content.
Platinum is all you need with Plus Beta stream active and Silver membership for all DLC free, no new features.
Platinum is all you need with Plus Beta stream active and Gold membership for all DLC free and all new features.

Plus, Silver and Gold are memberships, not a product. The membership allows access to the extras that they provide.
Platinum is like a holiday, book the flight and accommodation. Plus adds a free trip and your meals, silver two free trips only and gold two free trips and your meals.

Platinum does not expire if you bought the product.

Thanks to all for their input. The primary item for my interest in Open is the ability to lay ballast withou it spraying all ovr the track area. However. if it is a typical computer rendered neatly cropped ballast that is just as bad as the spray. Multiplayer has no interest from me. Since there is no accounting process for bugs, the rationale to purchase solely rests on a neater application of ballast and possibly PBR not messing up the track bed with disappearing fracks..

boleyd said:

Thanks to all for their input. The primary item for my interest in Open is the ability to lay ballast withou it spraying all ovr the track area..

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What you are referring to by "Open"??

Open? I presume he is referring to when we had open Beta testing, however plus beta testing is not referred to as Open as the testing elements are only for Plus members, so hardly open. ;o)

RE: "Open" - thanks. Guess that was before my time.

boleyd said:

This ad-hoc marketing began years ago when Auran began regional products and the inter-relationships were poorly addressed. This multiple product approach continues with the added feature of "memberships". Customers should not have to ask questions about product relationships. That should always be crystal clear, supported by a smooth and reliable purchasing procedure.

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I fully agree with you.