Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Interest In Trainz?

Collapse
X
Collapse
First Prev Next Last
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Interest In Trainz?

    The flawed process of creating, promoting and releasing T:ANE seems to have reduced the enthusiasm for the products. T:ANE looks like it is working for more people BUT after a very divisive year what have we been sold? Is the product sufficiently different to warrant the cost? Does it offer enough added functions to justify the hassle of being forced to debug a product you paid for? and so on....

    What did we get - moving switches, specular lighting and shadows. Interlocking Towers has yet to appear in a form I can understand. Could that have been done in TS2012?

    Yes, we all complained about the lack of shadows and the visual appearance of the product. But once you see it you wonder if it all was worthwhile??

    Then we have to consider 2016. Will it bring the beginning of the transition from a simulator to a train game. Will the functional side be dressed in a more user friendly interface such as was done with RailWorks. Is 2016 going to see a significantly reduced development by talented and dedicated customers who have literally kept the products alive. N3V is planning to reward people who develop items for T:ANE. But, does that include a new rule or a boxcar with a mono-colored -paint job?
    Regards - Dick
    i5 2500K$ 4.2ghz, GTX 750 2gb, 8gb of SkillFULL memory, A 700 watt power thingy, lots of cables
    Program to take screenie weenys from da puter. Bro, Dude, Man operator Murysville,Pa.



    #2
    Hi Dick --

    "Yes, we all complained about the lack of shadows and the visual appearance of the product. But once you see it you wonder if it all was worthwhile??"

    For me, yes, it has all been worthwhile. But the proviso is that you really do need a PC with a lot of grunt to get the best from T:ANE. Anything less than an i7 with a high end video card and you are just waiting your time.

    Occasionally I revert back to TS12 but it just seems so flat and lifeless compared to T:ANE.

    It's also taken me a long while to realise that I'm actually a person who enjoys simulating model railroads, abit with prototypical operating practices. Hence my fascination with Model Trainz; and the videos that I've posted from time to time in this Forum. Like this one (full screen / 1080p), my most ambitious project yet:



    Phil

    Comment


      #3
      Probably better to ask that question after release of SP1, Dick.

      However as I pointed out on the N3V board yesterday (at great risk of getting immolated) SP1 is not going to change any of the fundamental issues which has caused TANE to be such a disappointment. If it addresses reliability, performance and stability (especially in Surveyor) all well and good. However it does not alter the fact that other than a bit of window dressing, TANE looks pretty much the same as the previous versions going back to 2001. Interlocking Towers (assuming the average user can understand them) would appear from what's been described as going round 3 sides of a square to accomplish what the other sims did in 1 many years past, but TANE's a far more complex and user unfriendly implementation.

      So the short answer is, if you're a 100% fanbois of previous Trainz editions and the soft focus water colour graphics, and SP1 fixes up the game to make it more playable then you're in hog(ger) heaven. If like me, Trainz has always been a bit ho-hum, then you will probably continue to drift aimlessly around all three of the main sims while waiting forlornly for the one sim to rule them all...
      Last edited by NorthernWarrior; 11-25-2015, 06:12.
      Vern.

      Comment


        #4
        If N3V wants to attract "game driving" customers then they need a manageable process to create a timetable to allow real world, or historic past, activities to be modeled. Interlocking does not seem to be the answer. I see it as a subset tool for a more comprehensive timetable process. How do railroads manage their systems? There seems to be no reason why an overlay, using T:ANE components could not be developed that would emulate real world scheduling.

        Also missing are real world events such as work stoppages, weather, track and equipment issues and changes to customer orders. There is another product ($$$) needed to take real world activities and interface them to T:ANE. Right now we have half of the railroad.
        Regards - Dick
        i5 2500K$ 4.2ghz, GTX 750 2gb, 8gb of SkillFULL memory, A 700 watt power thingy, lots of cables
        Program to take screenie weenys from da puter. Bro, Dude, Man operator Murysville,Pa.


        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by boleyd View Post
          Also missing are real world events such as work stoppages, weather, track and equipment issues and changes to customer orders. There is another product ($$$) needed to take real world activities and interface them to T:ANE. Right now we have half of the railroad.
          Until I started playing around with Run8, I didn't "get" the appeal of multiplayer capability. That one feature, if done right, makes up for a whole lot of sins by allowing humans to fill in the blanks. In particular there are several clubs that run Run8 servers where they host prototypical sessions that feature all the things you listed, and more. Does every feature have to be in the sim software when there are lots of guys out there who want to schedule, dispatch, route freight, etc.? Having real people do these things avoids the "gets boring quickly" aspect of canned algorithms producing rote scenarios.

          Comment


            #6
            Perhaps I'm just an anti-social misfit, but multiplayer has little or no appeal to me. I can understand it in a competitive environment such as Clash Of Clans, Boom Beach etc. on the tablets but it is no substitute for an efficient programme providing the dispatching of the player train and intelligently supervising non-player train movement. Zusi 2 is the primary example of how this should work and neither MS, Kuju/DTG or N3V have come anywhere near what one guy coding in his bedroom could produce.

            The concept of add-on modules for Trainz was something mooted back in the mid 2000's, I think Boss module was intended to offer a strategy/management element to your route collection. Sadly it never evolved further as that coincided with the original Auran overstretching themselves, departure of Greg Lane and John Banks and near bankruptcy of the company after the fury debacle. Consensus at the time was, if you want strategy go and fire up Transport Tycoon or Railroad Tycoon.
            Vern.

            Comment


              #7
              My brief and simple answer to this thread, as posted ("Interest in Trainz?"):

              I was an enthusiastic Kickstarter supporter/contributor when Trainz: A New Era was first announced. I waited a year for the best train sim ever and then, like many others, was disappointed with the delayed release - and got sick of the True Believers saying, "Wait until it's finished; it's going to be GREAT." And then it was finally delivered as a crippled beta version, and the Believers all cried, "Stop whining and let them finish it; it's going to be GREAT." Rewind and repeat. Again. And, again.

              Eventually I stopped wasting my time with it. It is gone, removed, un-installed, deleted. I still check the forums periodically; sometimes to see if anything's really changed, status-wise, but mostly for the entertainment value.

              If the question is: "Interest In Trainz?", then for me, the answer is, "No."

              Peace,

              cs

              Comment


                #8
                For all of the reasons - and more - given here I no longer have any Trainz version on my PC.
                The boxes sit in a cupboard, gathering cobwebs.
                Based on the performance of N3V over the past 24 months I do not expect to be buying any future version of Trainz.

                To quote Mr. Hahn "Does every feature have to be in the sim software?" - it's been done, Bob. Vern alluded to it with his mention of "Zusi 2".
                That sim has it all....except an English-language version.
                IBM XT i386; 512Kb RAM; 5.25" FDD; 1.4Mb FDD; 5Mb HDD; VGA 256-colour graphics card; AdLib soundcard; DR DOS 6.0; Windows 3.0

                Comment


                  #9
                  I must admit i did re-install TANE SP1 beta 3 yesterday morning.

                  But it was gone by 21:30, together with the downloaded install files.

                  Never has so much been promised, by so few to so many and so little delivered.

                  This might not be the begining of the end, but it is the end of the begining.
                  Yma O Hyd

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Well I've just tried all three of the updated/included routes with TS2016 and (IMHO) if what we now see in TANE is as good as it's going to get, Tony Hilliam simply doesn't conceive of the huge gulf between his product and the other main competitor on the market.

                    The Castle may not be 100% accurate but at least DTG are attempting to simulate vacuum brakes and I had a great big grin on my face wheel slipping out of Goodrington and Paignton. The Sherman and Rhine routes also look stunning particularly in the damp and dark conditions, sorry but TANE can't hold a candle to it.
                    Vern.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by CurlSnout View Post
                      My brief and simple answer to this thread, as posted ("Interest in Trainz?"):

                      I was an enthusiastic Kickstarter supporter/contributor when Trainz: A New Era was first announced. I waited a year for the best train sim ever and then, like many others, was disappointed with the delayed release - and got sick of the True Believers saying, "Wait until it's finished; it's going to be GREAT." And then it was finally delivered as a crippled beta version, and the Believers all cried, "Stop whining and let them finish it; it's going to be GREAT." Rewind and repeat. Again. And, again.

                      Eventually I stopped wasting my time with it. It is gone, removed, un-installed, deleted. I still check the forums periodically; sometimes to see if anything's really changed, status-wise, but mostly for the entertainment value.

                      If the question is: "Interest In Trainz?", then for me, the answer is, "No."

                      Peace,

                      cs

                      Ditto for me

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by NorthernWarrior View Post
                        Well I've just tried all three of the updated/included routes with TS2016 and (IMHO) if what we now see in TANE is as good as it's going to get, Tony Hilliam simply doesn't conceive of the huge gulf between his product and the other main competitor on the market.

                        The Castle may not be 100% accurate but at least DTG are attempting to simulate vacuum brakes and I had a great big grin on my face wheel slipping out of Goodrington and Paignton. The Sherman and Rhine routes also look stunning particularly in the damp and dark conditions, sorry but TANE can't hold a candle to it.
                        Yup no point in adding anything else Vern, spot on.
                        Yma O Hyd

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Vern:

                          Am I understanding you correctly that DTG is sorting out the physics aspect of their version of "TrainSim"?
                          Andre Ming
                          V Scale Creations.com R.I.P

                          Comment


                            #14
                            It's getting better Andre. The lack of an independent brake bail-off still dampens my spirit but I did have a blast a few days ago getting 96 loads moving with 2 U30Cs & a GP40-2 in the snow. Wheelslip occurred after Notch 1.5 (16 notch throttle!) but I was pleased to find that applying some independent brake with all sanders blowing got the thing moving. Took about 20 min to get up to track speed. Not "as real as it gets" just yet but it sure looks good. I still think a 6psi reduction slows the trains too quickly.

                            I too was a Trainz Kickstarter contributer. I'm completely disappointed in TANE to the point that I let $30 of reward points at Jointed Rail expire because I literally didn't want to download any more for Trainz (JR makes some outstanding content, not their fault). I'm not necessarily angry or sad, though, because MSTS/OR and TS2016 happily fill all the time I have for train sims. Trainz may become something again someday but for now it seems like a waste of disk space compared to the other two.
                            Tyler

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Hi everybody.
                              I believe that the big problem facing N3V and T:ane into the future will be attracting enough customers to make this version profitable and therefore cease being a “ financial drag” on other sections of the company.

                              May 15th ( retail release day) should have seen all the kickstarter and pre-order supporters posting positive and successful reviews in regards to the simulator they had waited so long for. However, that certainly did not happen and a disappointed “furore” took place on N3Vs own forum and others that completely sank the credibility of t:ane possibly for good.

                              Therefore, even if all the problems of this version are fixed in SP1, attracting enough new customers so as to make T:ane financially viable will without doubt be a very big uphill struggle. if the foregoing cannot be achieved T:ane may have a very short supported life cycle indeed.

                              The above fact is the "elephant in the room" over at the N3V forum that no one wishes to speak of or acknowledge even when prompted. They should Remember the old adage, “ give a dog a bad name and it lasts forever”

                              Bill
                              Last edited by Bill1943; 11-28-2015, 08:26.

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X