Welcome to TRS22 from the CEO

Tony_Hilliam

Trainz Plus - enjoy Trainz from just 20 cents a da
Trainz Railroad Simulator 2022 is here! The Trainz journey continues.

Well, technically speaking, TRS22 pre-orders and beta access begins today. Then “Early Access” arrives in January (including releases on the Steam and Mac App Store) and the "TRS22 Official Release" version will arrive in all stores March 2022.

This staged release process will help us ensure we cast the widest testing net possible, and allow us sufficient time to iron out any bugs and deliver a nice smooth, stable product at launch. We tossed up whether we'd call this release "Community Edition" but we figured more people would remember the TANE CE than the original Trainz CE, so we've opted for "Beta" although I think you'll find it's one of our more stable beta releases.

What has also arrived today is a brand new 20th Anniversary special offer where our Trainz Plus and Gold Class annual members will be able to keep their TRS22 version forever. This new option should remove one of the big barriers for those people who have been sitting on the fence when it comes to joining one of our membership options.

For the period of this special offer, for the same price as the store purchase for TRS22, you get a First Class Ticket, and all the Trainz Plus features (which, right now, means access to the brand new Surveyor 2.0 tools, then more Trainz Plus features throughout 2022), then you get to keep TRS22 forever (even if you cancel your membership).

All Trainz Plus and Gold Class Members can currently access the latest S20 beta version by changing their patch stream to Trainz Plus Beta. (This is done in Trainz Settings > Install > Change patch stream).

We expect to have S20 Phase 1 completed early in 2022. Throughout 2022 we’ll be adding more features to S20, as well as a range of new Trainz features as part of our ongoing Trainz Plus updates. Note that only annual members get to keep TRS22. Monthly members, of course, will retain access for as long as they are a member.

If you’re not ready to make a purchase just yet and you’d like to see S20 in operation, we’ll be running a number of live streams in our Discord channel over the coming days.

For those who haven’t heard of Discord, or joined us yet, it’s a platform a little bit like Skype or Zoom where you can chat live (either text or video) and even stream your own Trainz screen with others in the community.

Discord is also a bit like the forums here, but with a slightly different pace. It’s more like having conversations with the community rather than writing emails in a forum. We’d love to see more of you coming on over to Discord and sharing your experiences with the team and with the community.

Speaking of community, it's now 20 years since the original Trainz Community Edition was released. We've come a long, long way since then. In fact, that's a lifetime for some of our fans!

One constant in those 20 years is that every new release is met with great rejoicing and, depending on features, content, pricing, or something else, quite often great frustration by some fans.

We fully understand the passion of our community and, after 20 years sharing the highs and lows, we recognize the standards expected of each new release. We’ve learned a lot over the years and our goal with TRS22 is not to repeat past mistakes of releasing a product before it’s ready.

Part of that change in approach is that we’ve been releasing the new TRS22 content throughout the year to our members. Three of the new routes have been released to our members and thanks to their feedback, we’ve made a number of improvements and updates throughout the year. The fourth route goes out live today, and the final route will be completed early in 2022.

Each of these routes has taken many man years to develop, and the quality bar has been raised significantly. We know there's always more that can be done, and we're sure with thousands of new eyes on the content, additional areas that need updating will be identified.

We encourage you to submit your feedback through our online form.

TRS22 also raises the bar with the quality of new locos and rolling stock, and we've also included over 1,000 new scenery assets to help in your route building, and upgrade the overall standard of content that’s available.

In terms of features, all the officially released Trainz Plus features from the past three years are included in TRS22, with Unified Driver Surveyor, the new Bulk Tools, and of course Multiplayer Surveyor being introduced.

A special MPS server will come online for TRS22 users early in 2022. We’ll be posting more details about how this will work in the New Year.

With Surveyor 2.0 still being developed, this feature will remain a Trainz Plus feature until it has been fully fleshed out and then included in a future Trainz update.

I can already hear the disappointment that this feature is not included in TRS22 (or even TRS19 or TANE). As with all new features, our members have first access for a period of time while we fine tune systems, and make improvements. Once a feature is complete, it’s released to everyone via a new Trainz product.

Membership has its privileges, and we hope that our new membership special offer will see a lot more people join and enjoy the extra benefits. Ultimately, for anyone who wants to see Trainz continue to develop and get better and better, membership is the best way to support us.

I would like to close this rather long post by offering thanks to all our beta testers, both members and non-members. Trainz is an enormous project with a gargantuan amount of content created by thousands of people over the course of the last 20 years. Ensuring everything is working as expected is a team effort and reporting bugs is the best way to get any problems you discover fixed. So thanks once again to everyone who has submitted a bug report!

Here's to the next 20 years of Trainz!

Tony Hilliam
CEO, N3V Games

TRS22 Store link
Trainz Plus link
Surveyor 2.0 Online Guide
Discord Channel link
 
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Hello everybody!
Please accept my congratulations on the 20th anniversary of Treins!
Be healthy, happy and successful in everything! May good luck not leave you, may all dreams come true! Thank you for everything you do for us!
 
So just to clarify, Surveyor 2.0 is going to come to regular TRS22 users at some point? I’m on the fence about getting TRS22 if Surveyor 2.0 remains only available to Trainz+ users, or if it gets passed onto the next release of Trainz beyond TRS22.
 
Surveyor 2.0 will be included in a "future Trainz product". As to which one that is, it depends on many factors. It will be Trainz+ for Phase 1, and beyond.
 
Well I’m probably going to get flamed for expressing my opinion but here goes anyway…

Good news is the non subscription version, bad news is it seems to be inferior in just about every way to what the subscription customers are going to receive. Not including Surveyor 2.0 is a very poor decision for a product that is yet again going to sell at the “deluxe” end of the software pricing range - something like £55 at current exchange rates. Really this should be going for no more than US$50 or GBP£35, unless something else gets added to the bundle.

Really have to say I will be sitting this one out or at least waiting for the Steam version to hit the sales at 40 to 50% off this time next year. If it truly was a brand new product with some of the other features the other sims already offer - timetable/scenario planner, not having to route the train yourself, decent tunnelling system etc. etc., then it might have been worth a punt.

Sorry to be negative but I have a suspicion this time I might not be such a lone voice. Please reconsider your marketing strategy and at least put Surveyor 2.0 in the outright purchase option build.
 
Congratulations on 20 years! There's no complaints about the offers available from me. With a year's Trainz Plus being the same price as pre-ordering TRS22, seeing as you get to keep it at the end of the year even if you cancel it's a bit of a no-brainer.
 
going to sell at the “deluxe” end of the software pricing range - something like £55 at current exchange rates. Really this should be going for no more than US$50 or GBP£35, unless something else gets added to the bundle..

I don't know how you can work this out when a re-hashed FPS comes out every year for more than that, and has about 1/10th the repeatability and playability of a Sim.
 
I've got some questions remaining about the announcement:

- For me it reads like MPS does not require a subscription - am i right?

- What happens if I create a route in S20, cancel the membership later and fall back to classic surveyor - will I still be able to use and editor my route completely?

- Will there be more content or features added or is the list final?

It's no secret that i'm massively disappointed that S20 will be a subscription feature. I am Plus member but I still dislike that decision.
Most of the other features I already have in TRS 2019 platinum, so they are not new. Remains the content. For me, the only interesting route is Schwäninger Land which is already available (in an older version i guess) and maybe few german rolling stock coming.
So in fact: What's really new? Effect layers and Paint under Spline tools, maybe MPS depending of requiring a subscription or not. What about the lots of open stretch goals from T:ANE Kickstarter times like finally a catenary tool?
I know the (human) ressources are limited. But keeping a (if not the) major feature for subscribers...?

Regarding the changes in T:ANE or also TRS 2019 compared to previous versions, this is (imho) not even a TRS 2019 Platinum2.
 
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Tony and crew, Congratulations on your Trainz 20th Anniversary.:clap:

I have no complaints about your launch offers, I agree that a year's Trainz Plus sub being the same price as pre-ordering TRS22 AND keeping it if you end your sub is a great option to have.
I think I will be an early adopter to help your funds grow.

All the best to the crew at n3V,

Graham
A vintage Trainzer
 
In my opinion the non-subscription version is very expensive for include only the last 3 trainz + updates.
This is not an important change from TRS19 to TRS22. Are there any relevant update for content creators? Which is the new updates on built 5.0?
 
Hmm. Just noticed now the caveat that surveyor 2 may not be included in TRS22. That makes quite a difference to the overall attractiveness of the offer.

I wouldn't want to get used to using it for a year only to lose it at the end.
 
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Hmm. Just noticed now the caveat that surveyor 2 may not be included in TRS22. That makes quite a difference to the overall attractiveness of the offer.

I wouldn't want to get used to using it for a year only to lose it at the end.


I'm not worried about that as development of surveyor 2 is still early and the release of TRS22 is spring time from the sound of it. So maybe it is added in a future SP. Anyway, it is a no brainer for me. My last FTC runs out in a week so that is half the cost of a Trainz Plus sub for a year and I get TRS22 for half price.
 
Short answer for now, 20 cents a day isn’t much to pay.

I’ll post more detailed responses a little later.
 
Well I’m probably going to get flamed for expressing my opinion but here goes anyway…

Good news is the non subscription version, bad news is it seems to be inferior in just about every way to what the subscription customers are going to receive. Not including Surveyor 2.0 is a very poor decision for a product that is yet again going to sell at the “deluxe” end of the software pricing range - something like £55 at current exchange rates. Really this should be going for no more than US$50 or GBP£35, unless something else gets added to the bundle.

Really have to say I will be sitting this one out or at least waiting for the Steam version to hit the sales at 40 to 50% off this time next year. If it truly was a brand new product with some of the other features the other sims already offer - timetable/scenario planner, not having to route the train yourself, decent tunnelling system etc. etc., then it might have been worth a punt.

Sorry to be negative but I have a suspicion this time I might not be such a lone voice. Please reconsider your marketing strategy and at least put Surveyor 2.0 in the outright purchase option build.
If surveyor 2 was included in the standalone game at this point in its development, it would only give you something else to whinge about. By all means sit this one out, nobody is forcing you to buy it. Trainz is Trainz, the other sims can do as they please and while you are entitled to your opinion I think it's outrageous that you come here to spruik the competition, just because Trainz doesn't offer exactly what you want. Might not be such a lone voice? Are you "dog whistling"?
 
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Tony_Hilliam:
Speaking of community, it's now 20 years since the original Trainz Community Edition was released. We've come a long, long way since then. In fact, that's a lifetime for some of our fans!

Congratulations on this remarkable achievement! What a ride those years have been - and what fantastic evolution of this Sim we have witnessed. :)
Currently loving TRS19_Platinum, but will look forward to purchasing and testing TRS22 soon.
 
Hello everyone,

20 years of Trainz has been wonderful to me (since 2005, actually). Thank you very much, people at N3V.
It is not clear to me what situation applies to me, however. I am on Plus with half a year to go. Is there anything that I should do or change before January 15 to get into the position that I will have my "own" copy of TRS22 after some time?
Do I have to renew in advance?
Thanks for clarification.

Regards,
Paul
 
Hi Tony,

I have a question or two. First question is, If I am currently paying for monthly Gold membership, with no plans to switch to Yearly, will I keep my access to TRS22? Second, what TRS22 exclusive rolling stock is included? I noticed several new engines on the loading screen and was wondering if you could tell me more about them.
 
Well done you guys "down there"! Having been on this journey since TRS2004, I have seen so many improvements and spent a huge number of hours both playing and creating. I do have two questions though:

I have never totally accepted TRS19 as my choice of a Route builder and are still therefore working in T-ANE however, I am prepared to jump into TRS22 in the faith that it will be a better version for me to work with. Also, I am not concerned about the financial aspects of the various offers, nor am I concerned about using a Beta version with the inherent issues that will need reporting so ...........

Question 1: If I go "all out" (whatever membership that entails) and start adapting my Routes to the proposed Beta TRS22, is there a chance that the Routes will no longer be available to general train users later next year due to their purchasing status? i.e. A Route building feature I could have with the "top" membership will not be available for "regular" TRS22 purchases?

Question 2: Assuming there are no anticipated issues (ref Question 1) in that area once TRS22 is officially released, and given that I find the "editions" and "memberships" a little confusing (Platinum sounds good, but then Gold is stressed .... and then there is "Plus"?????) .... what option should I take to get the best out of TRS22?

Again ....... well done for sticking with this Train sim journey. It has provided me with so much fun while allowing me to express my creativity in different ways. Given my age, there is a very good chance that TRS22 could be my last version of Trainz so it will get 110% attention from me! All the best. Colin.
 
Well then, as I expected, it was announced while I was sleeping! :p

No, seriously though, thank you N3V games for all of your hard work these past 20 years. Although I started mine past the 15 year mark, that was simply when I bought my first copy of Trainz… a mobile one.

Anyways, you guys have been doing an incredible job with working on Trainz. Really, thank you so much for putting out TRS22. I’m sure that Trainz will be here for far more than another 20 years.
 
For me it reads like MPS does not require a subscription - am i right?

Correct. There are some minor differences in access, but in practical terms, we don't expect that will affect things unless everyone sudddenly hits the MPS servers at the same time (unlikely).

What happens if I create a route in S20, cancel the membership later and fall back to classic surveyor - will I still be able to use and editor my route completely?

It is the tools that are new, not the underlying routes, sessions or content, so the route you build has no idea which tools you used to build it.

Will there be more content or features added or is the list final?

There are a few more details to be added to the lists (like for example there are 1,000 new scenery items included), and we yet haven't listed all the new train vehicles included, but roughly speaking, there are 5 x $40 value routes included for your $70.

What about the lots of open stretch goals from T:ANE Kickstarter times like finally a catenary tool?

Those stretch goals were presented if additional funding was added to the Kickstarter campaign. That didn't happen. In the end, the campaign raised a small fraction of the total development cost, but what it did do was give us the impetus (and cash injection) when we most needed it. To get all the features that everyone wants included, we simply need lots of people to jump onboard the latest offer, then we have the confidence and funding required to expand the team and add more features more quickly. Otherwise, it will be more of the same of taking our time, doing as much as we can with our limited resources.

I am on Plus with half a year to go. Is there anything that I should do or change before January 15 to get into the position that I will have my "own" copy of TRS22 after some time?

Existing annual members only need to renew prior to Dec 1, 2022 to qualify (so in theory you could have a break after your current renewal and before Dec 1 if you desired. Existing monthly members need to upgrade to annual before Jan 15.

is there a chance that the Routes will no longer be available to general train users later next year due to their purchasing status

No. As above, the tools used are irrelevant. The relevant part is the trainzbuild version - currently 5.0 for TRS19 SP5 and TRS22. It is likely that at some point (perhaps a year or two down the line) we will need to update the format for TRS22. Otherwise, routes will be compatible.

something like £55 at current exchange rates
We’re asking for less than 20cents a day to enjoy your hobby. If that price is too steep, then find a cheaper hobby.

what option should I take to get the best out of TRS22?

Rather than me try and summarize, I would check the links in my opening post. The store link, the Trainz Plus link, then maybe even the original membership FAQs here:
https://www.trainzportal.com/pages/trs19-faqs

And thanks to everyone for your kind wishes and support.
 
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