What are they thinking of...?

[smarty2]

Yes i agree with Eric, i am disappointed with the out of box experience and the problems, but lets give the RS team a chance and give them our support and some encouragement , just look at the coming soon sections on their website it looks like things will come alright in the end patience my friends patience.

Cheers
Mart

[jamespetts]

I would also question the repeated assertion that this thing is full of bugs. Not working in the way that the community hoped is not the same as it being full of bugs. In the software industry a bug is generally taken to mean a deviation from the intended design. There are bugs and there are deliberate design decisions both of which are responsible for deviations from what was hoped for.

It is irrelevant whether the flaws are bugs or not: that any given flaw is a design flaw rather than an implementation flaw does not by itself make it any less serious, or less urgently in need of remedy.

[pmorgancym]

Indeed desing flaws are evidence of poor research and poor consualtantion, and probably another indication of lack of beta testing.

[Mike10]

But if things are fixed by then and MS are not making insane announcements about an early release, KRS might well slowly but steadily grow to a serious number two behind the new MSTS.

A bit early to say that the new MSTS2 is going to be the number one isn't it? Rather presumptious I think.

Mike.

[jpantera]

But if things are fixed by then and MS are not making insane announcements about an early release, KRS might well slowly but steadily grow to a serious number two behind the new MSTS.

A bit early to say that the new MSTS2 is going to be the number one isn't it? Rather presumptious I think.

Mike.

Not according to some people. MSTS2 will save the whole community. I presume that most people think that MSTS2 will arrive bug free and will have an unlimited testing budget.

[simonr]

I would also question the repeated assertion that this thing is full of bugs. Not working in the way that the community hoped is not the same as it being full of bugs. In the software industry a bug is generally taken to mean a deviation from the intended design. There are bugs and there are deliberate design decisions both of which are responsible for deviations from what was hoped for.

It is irrelevant whether the flaws are bugs or not: that any given flaw is a design flaw rather than an implementation flaw does not by itself make it any less serious, or less urgently in need of remedy.

It makes it less likely to be remedied though

[simonr]

Indeed desing flaws are evidence of poor research and poor consualtantion, and probably another indication of lack of beta testing.

Design decisions are reached for a variety of reasons. I don't have any evidence as to the reasoning behind decisions taken in the design. Those who want to criticise say its incompetence, poor research etc etc. I would be surprised if complexity, timescales and restricted access to the prototype didn't have something to do with some of the decisions.

[AndiS]

But if things are fixed by then and MS are not making insane announcements about an early release, KRS might well slowly but steadily grow to a serious number two behind the new MSTS.

A bit early to say that the new MSTS2 is going to be the number one isn't it? Rather presumptious I think.

I am the last one to hype MSTS2, in fact I am trying what I can to help make KRS a usable alternative -- I simply hate Vista.

Still, if you assume that MS will not do such a secret release thing as EA & Kuju did, MSTS like any product promoted by MS will get a lot of attention around the world and thus quickly gain significant sales. Of course, the public reception could be as bad as the one KRS got, but if MS look at KRS, they need not hurry. Just the opposite, they will be motivated to really complete the beta phase before release. Then the public echo will be more favourable that for KRS. That, combined with the advertisement machine of MS must give their sim a better start than KRS had. This does not mean that I find it better or worse, like everyone I have no idea how it really will be.

[PrinceGaz]

The rapidly growing problem with EARS is the time period before a first patch is released. The developers must have known of most of the issues even when the game went gold which is quite some time ago now, but we still do not have even an interim patch.

Admitedly, the things which need to be fixed, or would like to be made better are probably not easy to fix, they're not like a single ine of code which can be amended to correct them. They are however all things which would have been brought to Kuju's attention much earlier if they'd employed beta-testers. As it is, it must be assumed that no external testers were used whatosever, or they totally ignored what they said.

atm, the most viable railsim product has to be MSTS, though the upcoming Trainz Collection seems tempting as it basically includes everything worthwhile in it for what seems a quite cheap price (AUS$50, roughly UK£22 at curent exchange rates). After that, BVE4 would have to be worth a look, and only then EARS. EARS needs a patch yesterday, and the development tools today to stop it sinking deeper in the mire.