-
Cheers!
Melanie - 3DTrains -
If you're looking to help with the coding side of things, just a reasonable understanding of C# and .NET is all that's need needed - and you can probably pick up most of that, if you've coded in other languages, anyway. Anything more is a bonus.
I knew nothing about XNA when I started, for example; I still know nothing about MSTSBin, and certainly don't understand the data and equations using for the engines and wagon physics.James Ross
Open Rails Management Team
sigpicComment
-
Getting closer to explaining what is required but still don't understand how a XNA / VC# /.NET programmer can replicate what MSTS / MSTSBin does, using it's terrain, scenery, textures, shapes, rolling stock with all their inbuilt functions, as well as tracks and roads databases, etc, using what graphics engine ?
Just curious to find out what it takes !
O t t oComment
-
[QUOTE=OTTODAD;1628066]Getting closer to explaining what is required but still don't understand how a XNA / VC# /.NET programmer can replicate what MSTS / MSTSBin does, using it's terrain, scenery, textures, shapes, rolling stock with all their inbuilt functions, as well as tracks and roads databases, etc, using what graphics engine ?
Just curious to find out what it takes ![QUOTE]
I think the problem is that I don't know what you're actually asking. Are you asking what it takes to be a member of the OR team?
Or are you asking what it takes to make OR in its entirety? Something else?James Ross
Open Rails Management Team
sigpicComment
-
I wanted to find out how using XNA / VC#-2008 he / she can program what ORTS is supposed to do, not knowing what the source code of MSTS / MSTSBin does, having to create new functions to do the same or better.I think the problem is that I don't know what you're actually asking. Are you asking what it takes to be a member of the OR team or are you asking what it takes to make OR in its entirety?
O t t oComment
-
That's just what programmers do, isn't it? Solve problems. We have some input, like the parsed data from an activity file, and we figure out how to, say, detect when the train has stopped at a platform. There's a lot more to things than figuring out what each number in an MSTS file means, a lot of which has been done but not all of it hooked up to the simulation.
For example, just this evening, I wrote code for an F1 "Help" window that lists all the shortcuts the game understands in a nice list - that didn't go anywhere near MSTS files, or even any 3D engine stuff (the windows are abstracted away from that), and only needed an understanding of how OR itself handles input and how to create a window - all of which can be learnt from OR by looking at the code and/or asking others.James Ross
Open Rails Management Team
sigpicComment
-
Open Rails has an unusual definition of "open source", in that the code will be available in the future, but isn't currently. I don't know if there's any big reason for this, maybe another team member can fill in the blanks there.James Ross
Open Rails Management Team
sigpicComment
-
Hello,
The Open Rails code is unavailable currently for modification by train simulator community. The Open Rails team has been discussing how to best go about sharing the code with the community.
To complement what James said, it is our intent to provide a code platform that users and content creators can rely on into the future. There will be no mystery files or undocumented behavior since the source code will be available for analysis. We will invite the community to participate in improving and extending the code. But we differ from many open source projects regarding copyright. The Open Rails project retains all copyright for the source code. You may not redistribute the source code and you may not use the source code in other projects without our permission. We are taking this approach to discourage splinter projects and to prevent profit making from our volunteer efforts. We will generally approve requests for use of the source code on projects that benefit the community so long as they don't conflict with the previous point. Also, we fully support the commercial enterprises that provide tools, routes, and other content for the virtual rail hobby. This platform is for you as well and we welcome your participation in making the hobby better for us all. Please contact admin@openrails.org for more information.Last edited by Guest; 09-24-2010, 10:50.Comment
-
Hi Otto
About the physics aspects of the ORTS use of MSTS routes and equipment, other than learning the names of the variables used by MSTS, there is no need in any way to know how MSTS does its thing; in fact, that could actually be quite misleading.
What is needed is a knowledge of the physics involved with the current task and finding a way to have ORTS emulate that physics function accurately based on the contents of the variables in the MSTS files.
GaryGComment
-
Walter, thanks for quoting the relevant parts of the OR homepage. The problem I see with this approach is that it might discourage potential developers from becoming part of the project. I for one would first want to evaluate the existing code base before deciding wether I'd be able or interested to contribute. Moreover, contribution in the classical sense, i.e. submitting the odd patch or three, is quite impossible.
Anyway, I wouldn't consider OR open source at the moment. I'd call it a closed-source project that intends to become kind of open source (or 'shared source') at some later point in development. Nothing wrong with that, but I think that calling it open source from the start is quite confusing.
JudithComment
-
Judith,
You raise excellent points. Your right that Open Rails is not purely 100% open source. I am going to make that a point in addressing questions in further correspondence with the train sim community.
Is "shared source" an accepted defination with programmers by the way?
Thanks for the clarification.Comment
Comment