Open Rails?

[Dai.]

Hey guys,

thought someone would have seen this somewhere and can be able to tell me what it is!


I saw it on UKTS, wondering if anyone has tried it and whether it is any good?

 

[LucaZone]

Open Rails is a bunch of guys who do not want to see the demise of MSTS. For many MSTS users, the size of their collections of rolling stock and routes is the only thing holding them back from upgrading to newer simulators.

As MSTS has been around for almost 10 years now, no other simulator is going to have the same level of content available for it, for years to come. However, because no newer simulators can/want to provide backwards compatibility for the ex-microsoft title, the content for it is doomed. Therefore a bunch of enthusiasts decided to try and create a newer graphics engine of their own based on Microsoft XNA I think, that would be able to read in MSTS content, but not require MSTS itself. Therefore prolonging the life of MSTS content. Open Rails is also intended to feature new functions and techniques that MSTS never had.

Open Rails was stopped from being available for download, because in its early development stage, too many users were complaining that it wasn't as good as MSTS. Clearly true, because those behind it have only just started out. Once its at an end user applicable stage I am sure they will make it available for download again.

Ultimately though, it will never take on the roll of an MSTS replacement, as it is being run by (for lack of a better term) 'bedroom developers'. The only people who will know about it are forum goers and hardcore fans who desperately want to hold onto MSTS. It will serve a clear purpose and be enjoyed by many though, I am sure.

 

[thefab444]

To be fair, there's plenty of bugs in RS/RW that need to be sorted out. Fix these, and provide even half the stock (and a couple of decent real UK routes) available for MSTS and I'm sure people will soon switch across.

 

[LucaZone]

To be fair, there's plenty of bugs in RS/RW that need to be sorted out. Fix these, and provide even half the stock (and a couple of decent real UK routes) available for MSTS and I'm sure people will soon switch across.

Most people have already, hence why I said only the hardcore are left. Forums are no indicator of popularity/usage as historically they are only 10% of a titles market. Most users of RWs are new to TrainSimming and not part of historical communities.

 

[thefab444]

If you provided a SWT Desiro pack at least on the level of detail provided by Making Tracks (and at a similiar cost - £12.99), then you've got me sold to RW. Until I can run at least some local stock on RW (aside from locos and the Voyager), I'm sticking with MSTS and Trainz, which has a rather excellent model of a Class 442.

Alas, I'm sure many users have their own "if you provided...", but modern units always get neglected in favour of locomotives, presumably because of their more wide appeal (although now there are two Class 20 packs for RW!).

 

[LucaZone]

many users have their own "if you provided..."

That is exactly why RSC have a release every week.

What tends to have governed releases to some extent are the routes available to run the stock on. You wont believe the grief RSC got over the Class 390 because no scenarios were supplied.

Sadly right now, the deal is that the UK has a nicely bubbling production level and so official focus is moving to the US.

As for multiple units, trust me I feel 100% the same as you, but instead of sticking with 10 years ago, im taking the bull by the horns:

Next up will be a 450/444 hopefully. I finally got some plans of the units.

Ive spoken alot with Dave Corfield, and he simply feels he no longer has the time to devote to another Dorset coast project for a new sim. To that end he was kind enough to give me all his material so I could have a go myself. So I have:
SouthWest Lines -RailWorks Map
Brookwood in RailWorks

Sadly I don't care much for Making Tracks. They have had ample opportunity to join the future (including offers direct from the RailSim dev team), but flat out refuse. RailWorks is practically a forbidden word on their support forum. I had great respect for them many years ago, but they got to full of themselves and it almost became an exclusive club arrangement. Maybe they are happy with the level of MSTS, who knows, but I wouldn't bother waiting for them to come forward. Far more likely that new talent will step up to take their place.

 

[GB]

Sadly I don't care much for Making Tracks. They have had ample opportunity to join the future (including offers direct from the RailSim dev team), but flat out refuse.

Who says RW is the future? With the advent of OR msts may go alot further

RailWorks is practically a forbidden word on their support forum.

Why would you be posting about RW on their support forum in the first place?

 

[LucaZone]

If you check my post, I never said RailWorks was the future.

I also never said I was trying to post about RailWorks on their support forum.

Regards