Open Rails Version 0.6.2 is now available!

[jeff9595]

The Open Rails Development Team is pleased to announce the interim release of Version 0.6.2 of its train simulation program. Open Rails is a completely new computer simulation designed from the ground up by a dedicated team of volunteer programmers, supported by rail enthusiasts and professionals throughout North America and Europe. It is designed to take advantage of today's technological advancements in computer hardware over the past decade since the release of MSTS.

Please note that Open Rails is a WORK IN PROGRESS. Pre-release such as this are being released to allow the train-sim community to see firsthand the improvements and enhancements of Open Rails over MSTS, and also to allow the community to try out the simulator and provide meaningful feedback. The OR Development Team welcomes your comments and thoughts through our website http://www.openrails.org/feedback.html or through one of the three forums at TrainSim.com, UKTrainSim.com or Elvas Tower.

Download the new Open Rails at http://openrails.org/release.html. You'll find there the OR "Ready to Run" version, the OR source code for those interested, and the OR "Installation and Startup Guide" and "Operations Manual".

New Features:

In addition to numerous bug fixes and corrections, the following new features have been implemented in Open Rails Version 0.6.2. In addition to these, many more background improvements have been made to the code to enhance the performance and operation of the simulator.

- Implementation of an OpenAL sound system to replace the current IrrKlang sound system. Doppler effects added
- Improved F6 and F7 displays with sequential display of stations, sidings, and then both sidings and stations
- Improved camera views
- Additions and improvements to both Steam and Diesel physics
- Dynamic track improvements
- Addition of Work Orders
- More realistic wheel/rail adhesion characteristics
- Improved readability of in-game keyboard map
- Animate doors (Q/shift-Q) and mirrors (shift V)
- Camera #4 now stays with train until it has passed, regardless of length
- Improved text font with Clear-Type enabled
- Particle emissions fixed for ATI graphics card users
- Free roam camera view now accelerates when going to higher altitudes
- Improves display of car numbers and siding names. Text no longer overlaps.


Currently In Process or Under Consideration:

In addition to the above new features in Open Rails Version 0.6.2, here are a few of the many items we are currently planning or are actively working on:

Editors:
Yes, route and activity editors will be included in Open Rails in the future. A team has been chosen to explore the subject of editors and to put together a plan that will ultimately result in a route and activity editor that will put the existing MSTS offering to shame.

Signaling:
A world class signaling system is being implemented. This includes not only just signaling, but all new interlocking and AI train control as well.

Physics:
Major effort is being spent on train physics in order to increase the degree of realism. A two-stage Eng and Wag file is under consideration where the standard, current parameters will be used by MSTS and an "extended set" of parameters (ignored by MSTS) will be used by Open Rails to achieve maximum realism in train operation.

Environment:
Currently Open Rails does not support different environments. This will change, however, as our "Environmental Team" studies ideas and establishes a plan to incorporate different environment modules. Even ideas such as being able to start an activity on a sunny day and run into a rainstorm aren't out of the question.

Sound:
OR's Sound Development team has made significant inroads into improving on the current MSTS sound system, but hasn't stopped there. They are continuing to explore the many options open to them by migrating to the OpenAL sound system.

Model Building:
New formats for model building are being explored in order to free content creators from the limitations currently imposed by MSTS.

[OTTODAD]

Thanks a lot, guys !

I was just about to run out of something to do !

Take care, O t t o.

[Airdale]

A Litmus test - .... Will Open Rails run without MSTS installed on the host computer, or have dependance on MSTS files?

[longiron]

A Litmus test - .... Will Open Rails run without MSTS installed on the host computer, or have dependance on MSTS files?

It's not a litmus test of anything. The mission of Open Rails is to provide backward compatibility while offering a path forward to a world class train simulation program. At the present time, OR requires the MSTS content (routes, trainsets, activities, consists). Once an independent OR World Editor is available, then the OR software will not have any dependencies on MSTS.

[OTTODAD]

This is a tremendous step forward, well done team !

Below is my first feedback of what is not working as it should.

The new F1 Keys window is excellent, but could it be coded to allow the mouse wheel to be used for scrolling in it ?

Also the first F5 window is displaying too much. Could it be reduced to just show what the MSTS one does, moving some of it to the second window ?

More feedback to come, in between working on an OPENBVE route.

Take care, O t t o.

[Train-a-Mania]

First, I want to thank the OR team for all of the hard work that they continue to put into this program.

I'm glad to see the Dynamic Braking is in, and the doppler sounds are great. Here are my observations so far:

1. The dynamic brakes should take a few seconds to kick in. Right now, it is possible to go from throttle to dynamic braking with no wait time.

2. Zooming in/out in the #2 and #3 views is tricky. Is there a keyboard combination for this?

3. Is there a way that the #4 view can be repositioned using the arrow keys like in MSTS?

4. What is the current status of adding in the microtex to routes?

Again, thanks to the team for their work.

[longiron]

First, I want to thank the OR team for all of the hard work that they continue to put into this program.

I'm glad to see the Dynamic Braking is in, and the doppler sounds are great. Here are my observations so far:

1. The dynamic brakes should take a few seconds to kick in. Right now, it is possible to go from throttle to dynamic braking with no wait time.

That will be part of the Fwd - N - Rev reverser update we're working on right now

2. Zooming in/out in the #2 and #3 views is tricky. Is there a keyboard combination for this?
3. Is there a way that the #4 view can be repositioned using the arrow keys like in MSTS?

If you check the F1 HUD display, it shows all the camera controls and your individual keyboard mappings

4. What is the current status of adding in the microtex to routes?

that's something on the roadmap. No timeframe for delivery.

[Train-a-Mania]

Thanks for the response, Chris. Here's what I've found with further testing:

1. It is impossible to reposition the #4 camera. It's locked in one position until the #4 key is pressed.

2. I noticed a weird physics issue with one of the 3DTrainstuff Donner Pass Cab Forward locomotives. When starting up the train, the rear set of drivers would begin to experience wheelslip. The wheels would spin faster and faster (the train and front drivers were only moving at 10 MPH, the rear wheels were moving at about 70 MPH). Turning on the sand made no difference. The front drivers were fine until the train came to a steep hill. Then, they too were spinning uncontrollably. The wheelslip abruptly ended when the train was traveling at 0 MPH (completely stopped). I hope this description makes sense.

[OTTODAD]

More.

O t t o

P.S.: Did some more tests after changing to another BR101 and this time the panto stayed up and could be lowered, but did not show lowered in the control panel.

[cn bala]

I had all the same problem with OTTODAD and I did tried with six different routes with some payware and freeware. All are the same with the player train can't leave and all they do is to rock back and forth plus the locomotive speedometer goes from 0 to 160 and back to 0 again in a fast moving direction. Guess that this have to go back to the team of OpenRails again to get these fixed.

John

[Rick-MONON]

Running good on MONON-2 version 10, only thing I noticed is on the south end I still have alot of tree.dat forests, sometimes Open Rails draws a tree on the tracks where in MSTS the tree is not on the tracks at the same location.

[twpol]

Running good on MONON-2 version 10, only thing I noticed is on the south end I still have alot of tree.dat forests, sometimes Open Rails draws a tree on the tracks where in MSTS the tree is not on the tracks at the same location.

This issue will basically never be fixed (unfortunately) because it is a difference of the random tree placement in each program; content creators should ensure the bounding box for the forests do not overlap the track whenever possible. We've also been thinking about what new shapes we could use for forests to make placement along the trackside better for OR's planned route editor.

[muskokaandtahoe]

A Litmus test - .... Will Open Rails run without MSTS installed on the host computer, or have dependance on MSTS files?

The big issue here is so many routes use MSTS/Kuju shapes and textures that until such time a complete replacement set is built as freeware the answer to your question must be no. But if you have a route that has no MS/Kuju shapes (e.g., the 3dtrains WP 3rd sub might be one), I think it would work w/o a MSTS installation.

[longiron]

More.
O t t o
P.S.: Did some more tests after changing to another BR101 and this time the panto stayed up and could be lowered, but did not show lowered in the control panel.

Otto,
Thanks for all the testing. Let me try to address your questions

1. Train brake sounds: They should play until fully charged + 1 trigger. Would you let us know what ENG this is not happening?
2. We have not implemented distant mountains, yet. When they are added we will announce that fact.
3. Many of the cab controls have not been hooked up yet. Some have only the keyboard control, like Pantos. So there's no "in cab" indication. This is the same with multiple position throttle controls. This is a top priority for the next release - implementing the scores of different cab controls.

Please provide the model information so we can download and test to see what's happening if these do not work properly. It saves a lot of guessing on our part.

[eric]

A Litmus test - .... Will Open Rails run without MSTS installed on the host computer, or have dependance on MSTS files?

Entirely up to route developers...

I am un-default-shaping my CNW-Harvard route, and Packerland (started) should have no default objects whatsoever from the start.