End of TSRE is near------

[landnrailroader]

Guys,

Check the latest comments about TSRE on the ElvasTower site. Looks like we are in the
process of seeing the last of TSRE.

Sad, I don't use it for very much but if I were younger and had not already done the tracks
for all the routes I expect to do (and then some) I would have stopped and tried creating a
small route with it.

J. H. Sullivan, P.E. retired
Docent, C&TS RR

[eric]

It's not the end, since some of us are still using the Microsoft route editor 21 years after support ended.

Goku has provided all of the source code, and a few within the community have been able to load and make changes to it, so I wouldn't say that there will never be changes ever again if Goku were to stop supporting it himself.

Sent from my SM-G981U using Tapatalk

[R. Steele]

Guys,

Check the latest comments about TSRE on the ElvasTower site. Looks like we are in the
process of seeing the last of TSRE.

Sad, I don't use it for very much but if I were younger and had not already done the tracks
for all the routes I expect to do (and then some) I would have stopped and tried creating a
small route with it.

J. H. Sullivan, P.E. retired
Docent, C&TS RR

Misreading of the reality, doubt very much that will come to pass, slow down in development - probably - but as Eric posted, the source code is available, and there are folks interested in TSRE...we will see.

With all your valuable experience, you should definitely give TSRE a trial run, use Pete Willard's manual, and Vince has a lot of time with TSRE. Thanks for all the routes, Mr. Sullivan...much appreciated.

[NorthernWarrior]

Well I did dabble in TSRE once in a while but the sad fact is, I think Goku is pretty much correct in his assessment of the current situation.
Those joining the hobby anew are quite content to buy DTG TS or TSW and have a ready to go simulator. If you wait for a sale you can pick up routes for half price, as I did with SF Corridor and Cane Creek. Sorry to say but both look 1000% better than you could ever expect to see in MSTS or OR. In truth I haven't touched OR in months myself, last time I loaded up one of my old routes and just thought it looked like trash.

If you go to sites like the Alan Thomson Facebook page, MSTS and OR simply don't exist.

For route building, well Trainz has its flaws but you can't really beat Surveyor combined with Trandsem to do your terrain and overlay mapping.

So it's a shame to see things winding up at least so far as future development is concerned but as one who also has a few health issues that have started to inhibit my PC usage a bit, I would rather spend my time driving high fidelity routes and trains in a modern sim than build for something that might see a handful of users, with little appreciation of the effort (down to the point of getting criticised for using old assets, for which one regular on here is well known for doing).

[eric]

Honestly, I'd say the calculation of how many people are in each camp is questionable. The busiest forum here in terms of newbie questions is still ORTS. We barely get any traffic in the DTG aside from spam and a half dozen long-timers (you know who you are).

Considering that and looking at the last 21 years, I don't think it matters if ORTS or TSRE are successes on the same order as the other available commercial games. ORTS/TSRE are open source, so they *will* live on as long as there are people willing to continue coding for them. Can't say that if DTG ever pulls the plug on Steam...

There are still a couple thousand people MSTS after 21 years of no platform updates. That's a success in my book, and every year more people discover ORTS as a plug and play replacement for that 21 year old junk.

The commercial routes available on various platforms have zero draw for me. I personally want to run trains that look how I want them to look in places that I'm connected with. ORTS/TSRE facilitate that without any of the DRM concerns the commercial guys impose.

So... to say things are winding down might be a stretch. There are individuals winding down, yes. But that doesn't mean the work stops.

If I could ever figure out the QT widgets Goku used, I'd have already done a fork that suited my needs. I simply haven't had the time to dive into the setup again. But I'm also glad to work with whoever is willing to pick up where it's left off, just as we've seen with a half dozen developers who've jumped into ORTS development after others burned out or moved onto other interests.

[HookitandBookit]

last time I loaded up one of my old routes and just thought it looked like trash.

I don't agree with you about OR looking trash, some of the latest routes will make your jaw drop(atleast it makes mine do so).

[rdayt]

I've got 20+ years invested in MSTS/OR (OR/TSRE now, no MSTS).
I ain't goin' anywhere. No reason to as far as I can see.

Randy

[NorthernWarrior]

I don't agree with you about OR looking trash, some of the latest routes will make your jaw drop(atleast it makes mine do so).

I meant the route did, not OR per se.

he busiest forum here in terms of newbie questions is still ORTS. We barely get any traffic in the DTG aside from spam and a half dozen long-timers (you know who you are).

That's because the best place to discuss TSW in particular these days is Dovetail's own forum.

[CSRX]

I meant the route did, not OR per se.


That's because the best place to discuss TSW in particular these days is Dovetail's own forum.

As someone who ventures in both TSW2, TS2022, ORTS. I will say, ORTS still has the most realistic looking environment, and feel. Unreal Technology does just that, makes it look unrealistic, super dark, and not at all that interesting with the environments. I say that, because Unreal engine has been used for games such as, Gears of War, that are also, unrealistic and very dark, of course, it works for that game, as it's meant to be a horror/shooter type game.

Regardless, that's besides the point...

[landnrailroader]

Looks & Feels

As someone who ventures in both TSW2, TS2022, ORTS. I will say, ORTS still has the most realistic looking environment, and feel. Unreal Technology does just that, makes it look unrealistic, super dark, and not at all that interesting with the environments. I say that, because Unreal engine has been used for games such as, Gears of War, that are also, unrealistic and very dark, of course, it works for that game, as it's meant to be a horror/shooter type game.

Regardless, that's besides the point...

Colleagues,

I did a route in an early, real early version of DTG stuff and while I liked the relative ease of laying track, roads, etc. and especially the fact that if I needed a special turnout it was easy to do it. Terrain & static objects were great too, --BUT--- while I have little interest in running trains I did find that the physics of the trains was just not correct. Then I tried a small route in TRAINZ and same situation. So with all it's odd quirks when laying track, roads, etc. MSTS/ORTS just feels right. During Southern Rwy. wildcat strikes in the late 60s, I had occasion to run a few trains and so the feel and the look are important. Now I am not good at scenery & shall we say, "completing a route". So I am trying to create routes along the lines of those AT&SF routes by Bob Wirth. Just enough doo-dads to be reasonable & then if somebody with more detail skill wants to improve one of my routes, have at it, you have my permission, just footnote me as origian creator. Some of my original Milwaukee Road routes were combined by Lucas Lussar, and you can see the real difference that
someone with artistic skill can make.

I'll be 83 in 3 weeks, (1-24-2022) so I'll keep plugging away until God pulls my plug.

J. H. Sullivan, P.E. retired from CSX & SR
Docent: C&TS RR

[haverfordwest]

As someone who ventures in both TSW2, TS2022, ORTS. I will say, ORTS still has the most realistic looking environment, and feel.

So in your opinion buddy, which routes have this realistic looking feel to them, in OR ?

Mike.

[geepster775]

Those joining the hobby anew are quite content to buy DTG TS or TSW and have a ready to go simulator.

I can't speak for other areas around the globe, but ORTS does have a North American plug and play option right now. Download the app from the open rails website and add 4 payware routes from a vendor that is linkable from the Open Rails website that are designed intentionally to be segregated FAR FAR FAR away from any MSTS or Trainsim file library legacy material. Road and track systems are auto-installed via the route installers into a shadow ORTS installation that no new user coming from the Steam side who is seeking the simple life ever needs to be aware of. The route vendor collaborated with Goku to host a simple one click install version of the TSRE consist editor, so NO Trainsim forum account (or any other freeware sharing website account) is ever required. Only 4 routes now, but 4 more on the way.

[CSRX]

So in your opinion buddy, which routes have this realistic looking feel to them, in OR ?

Mike.

Anything from Trainsimulations, as their recent Mullan Pass and Ruel Sub routes have raised the bar.

CP MacTeir Sub, with updated textures by Ted K.
CN Blackfoot Sub, also updated by Ted K.
Paul Charlands Dominion Atlantic, Conn River Line, and Springfield Terminal routes.
L&HR 1970's and 1940's versions.

All of which, have a much better overall realistic environment than anything I have touched in TSW2, TS2022. Sorry if that offends you.


I'll even toss in my own route I am building.

ORTS:
MEC Mountain Division


MRL Mullan Pass


CN Ruel Sub



And now some TSW2, TS2022, that in my opinion, looks very cartoonish, and very dark, making it unrealistic. I even made adjustments to the ambient brightness, contrast, and sun light, and it still look, cartoonish.
Marias Pass


Alaska Railroad


B&O Mountain Sub



End result, I treat ORTS like an actual simulator and game mixture. TSW/TS2022, I treat as simply a game, with no realism, just plug and play.

[R. Steele]

For the most part -- the usual >>> TeapotTempestLarge.jpg -- but Shawn's comparison screenshots do show some truth about the visuals ( this from a commercial photo lab owner/operator and Dye Transfer {look it up} print maker, MA in art & photography -- if anyone is looking for credentials or cares about such stuff ) -- Unreal Game engine is visually skewed towards hyper-realism...excellent for modern gaming environments as stated, RUN8 is also skewed in that direction.

IF one chooses, you can run Monogame OR and use ReShade to get that same color & gamma set of curves that UnReal achieves.

[CSRX]

For the most part -- the usual >>> [ATTACH=CONFIG]82698[/ATTACH] -- but Shawn's comparison screenshots do show some truth about the visuals ( this from a commercial photo lab owner/operator and Dye Transfer {look it up} print maker, MA in art & photography -- if anyone is looking for credentials or cares about such stuff ) -- Unreal Game engine is visually skewed towards hyper-realism...excellent for modern gaming environments as stated, RUN8 is also skewed in that direction.

IF one chooses, you can run Monogame OR and use ReShade to get that same color & gamma set of curves that UnReal achieves.

Unreal Engine was mainly used for Unreal Tournament, and eventually Gears of War. It's still used for the Gears series, and if you pause on 0:12 on this video of mine, you can see the dark elements they were going for. Unreal, in my opinion, doesn't work well at all with TSW/TS2022, and even the latest Nascar game. Just looks far too dark, cartoony, and unrealistic overall.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLoMiU-wz6c

The 2006 version.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbFNiwBHzlg

Interesting enough though, how Rod Ferguson, the original developer of Microsoft Train Simulator, moved onto creating the Gears of War series..

Anyways, my apologizes for taking a different course. Just that, not all of us are going to abandon ship even is TSRE no longer gets updates.