Damn, what a difference...I downloaded the new Trainz Demo. It was on a whim, just to see what all the fuss was still about.Surprise!!!
It's a quantum leap from the software I purchased and sold in January.It loaded without any issues, even with my "not supported" ATI card. The motion was a little clunky. I used the default settings and a bit of tweaking might be in order. Other than that In ran right out of the zip file.So my major objection (at least with my present hardware) has been dealt with. This time I actually got to use the software. My first impression? Different...different feel (if you know what I mean) different look. Surveyor may be a bit to simple to use. It takes some adaptation. While MSTS feels too "tight", the Auran product may be too "loose" Sorry for the terminology, I can't express it any other way. Maybe the flight simmers will understand what I mean. I could create terrain VERY fast, but not with any degree of control. I also have gotten very used to DEM'g half the state of Pennsylvania, so while I might use an interface like Surveyor for detailing a DEM'd landscape I don't think I would like it for large areas.I don't know if I would be in a hurry to leave the familiar landscape of MSTS. Not yet. I will definitely explore a bit. There are a great many modeling projects I have planned and I'm not looking forward to using GMAX in either sim. I actually prefer TSM.At this point it really is a matter of preference. The Surveyor isn't really as easy as it looks, likewise Route Builder isn't really as hard as it seems. They both take some getting used to. I would think, however that the learning curve is shorter with Trainz.The graphics are definitely different. While I like the terrain texturing in Surveyor (realistic rock faces right out of the box) the overall effect is...This is gonna sound silly....dark and brooding...Kind of like Marvel versus DC comics when I was a kid. The lighting in MSTS lends a brighter feel to the visuals as a whole. Maybe it's just the fact that the terrain was British. It would be a good sim to model the Washington/British Columbia area with. Sort of an X-Files atmosphere. Not a condemnation, mind you...just an impression.I have to "muck about" a bit more, but I would like to say the latest version of the program is not at all what I made it out to be.Frank Musick
Lehigh & Atlantic Railway, Canal Navigation Company
<www.KelticSylk.com>
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RE: I stand corrected about Trainz!, georgi55, Aug-13-02, 00:33 AM, (1) RE: I stand corrected about Trainz!, MRRextreme, Aug-13-02, 01:40 AM, (2) RE: I stand corrected about Trainz!, georgi55, Aug-13-02, 02:12 AM, (3) RE: I stand corrected about Trainz!, AlphaMaster, Aug-13-02, 08:54 AM, (4) RE: I stand corrected about Trainz!, georgi55, Aug-13-02, 01:01 PM, (5) RE: I stand corrected about Trainz!, vince31874, Aug-13-02, 01:03 PM, (6)
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