XNA 4.0 vs 3.1?

[paulytechnic]

I understand that Open Rails requires MS XNA redistributable ver 3.1, but I am curious to know if the newer version (4.0) would also work?

The reason I ask is that I'm running Windows 7 (64-bit), and Microsoft's page for XNA redistributable 4.0 lists Win 7 as supported (whereas 3.1's page does not).

It's not important to me to have the latest version; if 3.1 works fine with Win 7, then that's all I really care about. I just didn't know if the newer version would be "friendlier" with Win 7.

[twpol]

XNA 3.1 works great with Windows 7 (inc. 64bit versions); I don't think, however, that OR would run with only XNA 4.0 installed (I don't think 3.1 and 4.0 are compatible).

[paulytechnic]

Awesome! Thanks, James! I was assuming that the newer version was backward compatible, but I guess what really matters is the specific XNA version the game was originally developed in. It's good to know that XNA 3.1 works well in Win 7, so I'll definitely be downloading it soon!

[conrail1]

I don't think, however, that OR would run with only XNA 4.0 installed (I don't think 3.1 and 4.0 are compatible).

It doesn't, I tried using the XNA Framework 4.0 instead of 3.1 when the new version was released back in September and it did not work with OR v360.

[OTTODAD]

I understand that Open Rails requires MS XNA redistributable ver 3.1, but I am curious to know if the newer version (4.0) would also work?

The reason I ask is that I'm running Windows 7 (64-bit), and Microsoft's page for XNA redistributable 4.0 lists Win 7 as supported (whereas 3.1's page does not).

It's not important to me to have the latest version; if 3.1 works fine with Win 7, then that's all I really care about. I just didn't know if the newer version would be "friendlier" with Win 7.

I don't know why everybody jumps on the latest of everything being released regardless.

My attitude is "If it works then don't change it and if it ain't broke then don't fix it" !

I lost count of the number of times that I had to revert to the earlier version of a graphics driver, the latest one screwing up MSTS and in some cases RS and RW too !

I would imagine that being even worse in WIN-7 which has to run certain legacy software in it's X86 section.

O t t o

[conrail1]

I don't know why everybody jumps on the latest of everything being released regardless.

Well that's pretty obvious if XNA Framework 4.0 is an improvement over 3.1. If OpenRails continues to use XNA framework wouldn't future development builds use 4.0?

I lost count of the number of times that I had to revert to the earlier version of a graphics driver, the latest one screwing up MSTS and in some cases RS and RW too !

I've never had any problems with using any of the latest drivers for RS or MSTS, all goes back to how you install it and the health of the system.

I would imagine that being even worse in WIN-7 which has to run certain legacy software in it's X86 section.

That would be news to a lot of us, do you have actual experience to back this up?

[paulytechnic]

I don't know why everybody jumps on the latest of everything being released regardless.

My attitude is "If it works then don't change it and if it ain't broke then don't fix it" !

I wasn't "jumping" on the newer version solely because it's newer. I agree that newer isn't necessarily better all of the time. I only asked because I hadn't tried either version of XNA yet, and wanted to know which would work best with Windows 7 (especially since Microsoft's website for 3.1 didn't specifically list Windows 7 as supported). Unfortunately, there have been many times in the past that I have been forced into updating perfectly good hardware and software due to newer Windows requirements (the price of keeping a current OS, I guess!)

That said, I'm perfectly fine using with 3.1 because, well, it works!

In any case, a big thanks to everyone for their assistance!

Paul