How long will people still play MSTS1? Is going on wor

Hi there! I am having a very troubling thought.
If everything goes perfectly, I might be done with my route in 2 or 3 years.My main question is:
Since MSTS2 will never be released, will people get tired of MSTS1 before my route is finished?Every day MSTS1 gets a little older. My big question is, when will people think it is too old and stop playing it? And if that is pretty soon, is it worth continuing a route that nobody will be around to download?Thanks!
METRAUP

Chicago-Geneva Metra Line

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RE: How long will people still play MSTS1? Is going on, markhyams, May-08-04, 11:22 AM, (1) RE: How long will people still play MSTS1? Is going on, metraup, May-08-04, 11:24 AM, (2) RE: How long will people still play MSTS1? Is going on, OTTODAD, May-08-04, 12:26 PM, (5) RE: How long will people still play MSTS1? Is going on, CGW409, May-08-04, 12:26 PM, (7) RE: How long will people still play MSTS1? Is going on, aquarius94, May-08-04, 11:25 AM, (3) RE: How long will people still play MSTS1? Is going on, Coonskin, May-08-04, 11:37 AM, (4) RE: How long will people still play MSTS1? Is going on, BLW_1946, May-09-04, 09:44 PM, (11) RE: How long will people still play MSTS1? Is going on, LoneWolf, May-08-04, 12:26 PM, (6) RE: How long will people still play MSTS1? Is going on, Richard, May-08-04, 11:05 PM, (8) RE: How long will people still play MSTS1? Is going on, landnrailroader, May-09-04, 01:24 PM, (9) RE: How long will people still play MSTS1? Is going on, metraup, May-09-04, 05:38 PM, (10)

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While it's great that you want to share your route with others, maybe you should examine your motivation for building it. Do YOU want to keep building it? I find route-building and model-making to be an extrememly satisfying process. What I mean is that the building itself is what is fun and fulfilling to me not the finished product (that would be cool too if I ever finished). Also to put it a little differently, for me it is all about the journey, not the destination. So to answer your last question:is it worth continuing a route that nobody will be around to download?Only you can answer that question. If your reason for building the route is that so others can download it, then no, it's not worth it if no one will download it. However, I hope that you are getting at least some enjoyment out of creating your route right now, so that you may keep on building for yourself; that's your justifaction for building in my opinion. Do you like doing it? If not, you are wasting your time.To answer your first question, I personally will be playing MSTS for a long time. I'm especially looking forward to the time when my computing power catches up with the very long trains that I like to run.Cheers,
Mark

Moffat Road Tabernash to Phippsburg
All track complete
Currently working on Mtracks

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My main question I guess is:Will there be people to download it when I am done?Thanks!
METRAUP

Chicago-Geneva Metra Line

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David,the real answer to your question is, if there is a Train Sim on the market, existing or new, which is better than the MSTS we have now then nobody will want to run Routes made for MSTS-1 anymore, unless they still have it on their machines that is and their Graphics Card and DirectX is still compatible with it and possibly 64bit CPU code as well ?On the other hand, there will always be a hard core of MSTS users, enjoying running the Routes they already have until the next Train Sim catches up with a similar variety of Routes for it and for as long as they have computers with a 32bit code compatible processor on the Mobos to run MSTS on and that includes me ! O t t o

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David
Don't sweat it, all you need do is take a look at the various MSFS sites that still cover avalible downloads from (IIRC) FS98 through 2K4.
I'm sticking with MSTS even once I get TRS04 up and running due to the fact that (1)I know I'm can still create content for MSTS,(2)I'm still unsure how TRS04 is going to live up to my standards(3) I'm not too keen on Auran's apparent need to keep a strangle hold on aftermarket freeware.
I think a lot of the "MSTS is dead" sentiments come from the "MSTS sux,Trainz rulz" crowd feeling their oats now that they think they're the only game in town.
MSTS still has life in it particularly now that some of the brightest MSTSer's that might have been holding back for MSTS2 will now redevote effort to MSTS.Gary S

42 year old future curmudgen(Hey you kids get offa my lawn!!)

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Hi,I have the same bad thought these last days. I'm afraid that route and stock creators will progressively let down TS to try other simulators like Trainz. I was astonished to see on french, english and german forums such an increasing level of interest for this simulator since Microsoft's announcement.Emmanuel

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"I'm afraid that route and stock creators will progressively let down TS to try other simulators like Trainz."I can assure you the circle of developers I'm associated with are working long and hard to continue bringing interesting, and ever improving, products to be enjoyed by ourselves and other interested end users."I was astonished to see on french, english and german forums such an increasing level of interest for this simulator since Microsoft's announcement."Once again, be assured there is still much activity with, and interest in, MSTS. Do not judge the health of MSTS by these forums. Judging from the daily views my website receives, as well as the forum activity at the predominate forums I frequent, MSTS, and good end user products, will be available for quite some time. Simply put: Most developers, as well as many of the more mature MSTS enthusiasts have begun migrating to other, more hospitable, venues.
Andre MingVisit VSC's temporary web page at: http://www.vscalecreations.comVisit VSC's Forum at: http://www.3DTrains.com

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if you look at msts as a game, perhaps the novelty will wear off, but well-designed routes with interesting activities, combined with the great add-ons coming from an increasing number of quality payware vendors should keep the simulator alive for years. newer is not always better. i was totally unimpressed wiith railroad tycoon 3, but i still enjoy RT2 when i'm in the mood...if you compare what we have today with a default installation of msts, the kuju original is quite laughable.but it was a start...Tim Baldwin
Buffalo NYMilepost 5 on the Buffalo Belt Line

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While I was recently able to purchase a copy of TRS2004 locally because I was curious to see it, I'll be sticking with MSTS. There is much about it that is attractive but the lack of some major features will preclude it's use for the development of my route.The most critical of those shortcomings being:1. No Distant Mountain terrain. An absolute MUST for my route. Static backdrops just won't cut it.
2. Terrain manipulation limited to 10m x 10m grid. That's just too chunky. You've got to be able to finesse the terrain closest to the track at least.
3. No real world coordinate system implemented by default. Oh, you could set it up and use it all right but it's a real PITA. Which leaves you having to rely on TIGER data for object placement. Pass the fudge please.Not a big deal to most perhaps but for recreating the look and feel of a real world route on a grand scale only MSTS can do the job for me.How long will I continue to use it? As long as it takes to finish my route at least, I suppose. Which might take years. Unless something better comes along in the meantime. If you were creating a route primarily for your own enjoyment why would you care who else still used MSTS years from now?

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Hello METRAUP,
For what is worth, I'll continue to finish building my current route. I've not looked at Trainz, having learned how to use the MSTS route editor, I'm currently satisfied with MSTS and have no real plans on switching to Trainz. Sticking with MSTS is a personal decision, based on what I've read about route building with the Trainz product. Now if 12 to 18 months from now RailDriver releases a product that is truly superior to the current version of MSTS, I'll probably make the switch, as I do enjoy building routes. For me virtual route building takes over where model railroad layout building leaves off. I've probably not answered any of your questions, but in the long run, it's truly up to you. Remember, Train simming like model railroading is a pastime, enjoy the journey and have fun.Take care,
Rich S.

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Colleagues,I also purchased a copy of TRAINZ-2004 when I found it on sale at my local CompUSA store. There were Three problems mentioned in an earlier post on this thread, which to me are quite troublesome. I am playing with it, I have generated successful terrain for a route I have already started in MSTS, with the thought of doing it both ways as a test - no not the RMD-4, much shorter than that.One thing I find interesting about AURAN is, unlike MS, they communicate with their users. I have had several communications with their developers, and I believe that the professional version they are working on will probably bury MSTS if they act on the advice I and others have given them. I also suggested that, difficult or impossible it might be, a translator at least one way, MSTS to TRAINZ would be nice. You can look at the Auran website and read their thoughts on the new product, probably targeted at late 2005. I don't know how many total users there are on MSTS forums, but Auran reports something in the order of 90,000 on theirs.The present TRAINZ editor is, well ridiculous, although it is as stable as a rock. The graphic engine is lightyears better and faster than the MSTS item - BUT -I'm sticking to MSTS for at least another year or two, largely because of the ability to import real world scenery, and digitized waypoints. The latter is impossible in TRAINZ, and would be meaningless anyway without a real world coordinate system. Besides, we have a lot of helpful folks that do a lot of neat things and are willing to share their knowledge (thanks guys for all the help sorting out orphan blue poles & such) with the rest of us.J. H. Sullivan

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I will be continuing!Thanks!
METRAUP

Chicago-Geneva Metra Line

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