Core features as "addons"?

[gnash]

I think it is clear that any 'improvements' to the simulation will be decided by the future development plans for the game rather than the wishes of the users.

That's a little harsh Geoff - I think RSC has catered for both. But I do wonder whether game improvements are being held back by the current business model, which funds them from DLC sales. I'd be prepared to buy RW 2 if that delivered major improvements.

Actually I find his post to be a fairly accurate assessment of where we are and where we're headed , I certainly share his views . 12 months since RSC took controll of the code and we have what ?? , the list of improvments most sought after , and posted in this thread , are still the same as this time last year .

[styckx]

I think it is clear that any 'improvements' to the simulation will be decided by the future development plans for the game rather than the wishes of the users. If the career mode, for example, requires certain aspects of the core to be improved in order to achieve a particular result, then it will be done. If that happens to fix something else that people have been asking for then that will probably be just an incidental bonus.

RS.com are on a plan to sell as much as they can and by now it is clear that there is little or no direct support for the community creators (apart from Derek with his dual hats on). Anything we create is just a bonus to RS.com as it helps to sell more copies of RailWorks.

I have come to the stage where I do not expect RS.com to support 'us', although I do expect them to support their products.

Having said that, I accept the situation and it does not bother me. As long as the future developments of the simulation do not prevent me from doing my own thing, then I am happy and I will continue to buy the DLC that takes my fancy and continue exploring all of the wonderful hidden treasures that the program has to offer. I do know that we have only seen a fraction of its capabilities so far.

This is pretty much my assessment and how I feel. The career mode announcement made me need to vent a little. Disappointment and frustration is all it is. At the end of the day I came home, shopped around for what I want to buy next, opened Photoshop and started repainting.

This game has made me lose 1189hrs and hundreds of dollars of my life I'm never getting back, so any venting just means I'd like to double that number quicker this year!

[gnash]

The career mode announcement made me need to vent a little. Disappointment and frustration is all it is.

Yup + 1 ... meh , not worth the effort of posting any more anyhow , they can go play with their points game :2gunfire: .

I got a cab to finish

[exshunter]

Lets not forget the driver in the rear cab has still to be officially fixed as well as the sounds from trailing units/ locos

[stephenholmes]

Good morning everyone
I agree with Geoffs sentiments entirely
Now playing devils advocate I do wonder if at some point there may be a "big announcement" Railworks 2
Obviously at this juncture I'm only speculating although it is at the back of my mind
I have reached a stage where I have the locos I will actually use
In addition I have derived pleasure from route building rather than running the simulation
Kind regards Stephen

[Acorncomputer]

Hi Stephen

I think RailWorks 2 is a distinct possibility at some time in the future. There is only so far that the current program can be developed without losing compatibility with the content already created, so starting from scratch with a new program entirely or a much altered version of the existing program would be the most logical progression and I would not be surprised to see something like this within a few years.

[partyspiritz]

I think Railworks 2 is an extremely big possibility. And like Stephen there is not much more stock I would be interested in. I still like the simulation side but I now enjoy route building.



Regards



John

[AndiS]

A good theory has at least some logic in it. But here, we find an inconsistency.

Paul Jackson said that career mode is great. We said no. We get career mode before much else (don't forget the scenario editor though).
Paul Jackson said that there are no plans for Railworks 2. Some people believe we get it. There is a flaw here.

Of course, it is clear that one day there will be a successor of the Railworks product. But only if their attempts to make money with the career mode fail.

Myself, I always favoured taking money from someone else -- engine collectors, careerists -- and using part of that to fix the things that annoy me. The last two months were a bit disappointing after the nice "German" update, so let's hope the work on career mode is done soon and that it funds a lot of programmer months to tie up all the loose ends.

[SaMa1]

First of all last time(few months ago) when someone started similar thread on possibility on having "Railworks 2" it was immediately flamed with current version bugs and flaws and admins had to close it down. I really hope this thread is kept clear of that.

Current financial model of RS development is pretty interesting as those who buy addons are providing money for the team to develop updates for us "freeriders" as well. If people cease to buy these new addons(I think the saturation level is closing since almost all major UK locomotives are in scope) the situation will turn against development of RailSimulator. There are two options, either every addon buyer is considered as hero and continue to buy locomotives and stuff from some uninterested areas or then RW2 is released forcing everyone to buy new version making yet again huge boundary between RW and RW2 communities. I would really like to see some third option in this in which us the buyers would have greater control on what is being developed.

[growler37]

Hi
I posted a few months back saying that i think, regarding the core program,that this is as good as its going to be,given the time its been around, if the will or know-how to fix it was there,it would have happened a long time ago,its obvious that most of RS.COMS effort goes into addons,it is sad that errors in the program that have been with us since RS, have not been addressed,i also fail to see how implementing a carreer mode will boost sales,perhaps we will get an arcade mode next
Now this trend seems to be quite familiar,if you have bought Trainz in the past you will see they repackage the same product over and over again,just rebranding it as this edition or that edition RS/RW is almost identical.
I completely agree with Geoff,community support in RW is very poor,my biggest gripe is we can spend hours tweaking sounds and adjusting things only for an update to wipe it all out,this is the worst and most antisocial part of RW it certainly does not encourage the community,heres an example i replaced those awfull default false flange squeal sounds with the BVE type,which makes a world of diffrence,yes it takes a bit of time but its worth it,thats until an update is downloaded then yep! theyve all gone and you start all over again,now i know there are ways to save this to this file and then post update put them all back,but come on should you have to,surely, if you can adapt the program to have gear changes for the 101,something could be done to address this arcaic and destructive practice.
To the casual observer there is very little evidence for major core improvements,more just sort of nibbling at the edges,my pc has RW and RS installed and i spend a fair time running RS, and i see very little difference between it, and RW,except RS is much more reliable.
So to answer the posters question,No i would not pay for core fixes,you would not buy a brand new car that wasnt working, then have to pay, to have it put right.

[AndyUK]

....my biggest gripe is we can spend hours tweaking sounds and adjusting things only for an update to wipe it all out,this is the worst and most antisocial part of RW it certainly does not encourage the community,heres an example i replaced those awfull default false flange squeal sounds with the BVE type,which makes a world of diffrence,yes it takes a bit of time but its worth it,thats until an update is downloaded then yep! theyve all gone and you start all over again....

Has anyone investigated how Steam decides that a file has been modified and therefore gets overwritten? If that were known then I'm sure that someone could come up with a utility to make the user edited files look 'kosher' to Steam and therefore protect them from one of the more irritating, but at the same time sometimes useful, features of Steam.

Andy L

[bigvern]

What would happen if you just write protected the file via Windows Explorer? Or does Steam "steam" roller over that as well with its PC invasion?

A more user friendly approach would be an interface in RW or possibly Steam where the "advanced" user could define which files they do not wish to be over-written.

[phat2003uk]

That would be perfect Vern but unfortunately I can't see it happening . Like Andy says, could be worth trying to fool Steam into thinking the file hasn't been modified if that's at all possible.

[gnash]

First of all last time(few months ago) when someone started similar thread on possibility on having "Railworks 2" it was immediately flamed with current version bugs and flaws and admins had to close it down. I really hope this thread is kept clear of that.

Current financial model of RS development is pretty interesting as those who buy addons are providing money for the team to develop updates for us "freeriders" as well. If people cease to buy these new addons(I think the saturation level is closing since almost all major UK locomotives are in scope) the situation will turn against development of RailSimulator. There are two options, either every addon buyer is considered as hero and continue to buy locomotives and stuff from some uninterested areas or then RW2 is released forcing everyone to buy new version making yet again huge boundary between RW and RW2 communities. I would really like to see some third option in this in which us the buyers would have greater control on what is being developed.

I've never needed to buy DLC , I'm more than capable of building anything I might need , from a tree to a Y6b ... fat lot of good that's done , not a single cent from now on , I'm join you freeriders and leave others the hero status .

[AndyUK]

What would happen if you just write protected the file via Windows Explorer?....

Just tested and Steam ignores it and overwrites the 'read only' file. Thought that would have been too easy!

Andy L