Trainz

Trainz is one of the Australian company N3V Games ( Auran originally ) developed railway simulation for Microsoft Windows, similar to the Microsoft Train Simulator. While the original version simply called Trainz and the Ultimate Trainz Collection later published ( UTC) were designed as a virtual model railway, can simulate the entire railway operation with the newer Trainz Railroad Simulator (TRS ) or Trainz Simulator (TS).

Version history

• Trainz (2001)
• Ultimate Trainz Collection ( UTC ) (2002 )
• Trainz Railroad Simulator 2004 ( TRS/TRS2004 )
• Trainz Railroad Simulator 2006 (TRS2006) - international
• Protrain Perfect ( PTP) - German version of TRS2006 with German routes
• Trainz 2007 ( New German version of TRS2006 )
• Trainz Simulator 2009: World Builder Edition ( TS2009 )
• Trainz Simulator 2010: Engineers Edition ( TS2010 )
• ProTrain Perfect 2 ( PTP2 ) - reduced version of TS2010 with German routes
• Trainz Simulator 12 ( TS12 )

Trainz UTC and

In Trainz UTC and simple signals control the operation, the player can similar to control the train with a rotary switch on the transformer model railroad or with the controls located in the cab. In addition, the trains in the autopilot mode can enable, in which the computer takes control. It is possible the cab view, a persecutor, this view of predefined camera positions along the route or even a freely controllable in the terrain to choose.

The editor ( Surveyor ) as an important element of the program in all versions is already present since the original version. With it, new plants can be ( also referred to as Maps) to create or modify existing.

With the first UTC scenarios were introduced, in which the player is given a specific task.

Trainz Railroad Simulator 2004

TRS meant a jump from the model railroad simulation for railway simulation. Even complex operations can be simulated with TRS.

Service Packs

The service pack (SP ) augment the original TRS new functions, eliminate bugs and improve performance. Partial - depending on the computer - but it comes with new service packs also to deterioration of performance. All Service Packs are made available by N3V games for free.

There are four service packs released for TRS 2004:

• Service Pack 1 This service pack added to the program a new driving physics for steam locomotives added.
• Service Pack 2 Since SP2 transportation of passengers is possible. Some script functions were added.
• Service Pack 3 With SP3, some bugs should be removed and the performance can be improved. In particular, in the German version of SP2 were some serious mistakes.
• Service Pack 4 The last SP in turn, should fix bugs of not entirely successful SP3.

Construction

TRS is divided into the following sections: Driver games, scenarios, editor and depot.

In Section rider games, so-called sessions execute it. These consist of a map, along with the objects placed there, on the map drawn up trains and session rules (see TrainzScript ) that control the game. It should be noted that the trains do not belong to the map, but there are at session level, that is, they are not saved with the map.

Scenarios are a relic from the days of UTC and after planning to Auran soon no longer be supported. Instead, developers should they realize Sessions. The menu item "scenarios" is still present in Trainz 2010, but no more new scenarios can now be created.

With the editor ( Surveyor ) allows you to create and edit both maps and sessions. He is kept quite user friendly (WYSIWYG ), so that can be created quickly first maps. However, one or the other tools and some experience are required for realistic looking track courses and landscapes.

The depot is used to view the installed locomotives, railcars and trucks. These can be classified as favorites so that you can quickly find their preferred rolling stock in the editor.

TrainzScript

One of the most important innovations in TRS - if not the most important - is the introduction of the script language TrainzScript, with the result only the possibilities for simulation of complex operations.

The language is object-oriented and its syntax is similar to Java or C . A large number of classes is already available, these provide appropriate functions to influence the game play.

Most of the objects of the game can be obtained and controlled by a script or affect other objects. Signals, for example, are automatically - even if they no script has been assigned by the creator - of the signal class. Has the developer assigned them a script and thus also a class, so the latter must inherit signal from the class.

Scripts are also used to develop scenarios. However, there are users who can come up with the script language does not deal or want, also developed by Trainz users tool ( Scenario Creation System), which allows to create scenarios without any programming knowledge. However, as already mentioned plans to abolish Auran scenarios and replaced by sessions with the same functionality.

TRS for sessions since there is therefore the possibility to create the so-called rules ( Rules session ). These scripts are capable of controlling the entire session or individual areas, such as the weather. The Rules of the session in the editor can be added. Within the session results in a tree structure of rules, that is, a rule can be subordinated to that run only under certain conditions further. So you can re- interpret elementary rules themselves as part of a programming language.

Another way to integrate scripts are the Driver Commands. These are commands that you can issue the computer train drivers. This lead them out after the start of the session. So there is commands to drive to a marked point on the track to load goods, etc.

Industries

Industries are an important innovation in TRS. These are placeable on a map and generate or consume goods that are shipped or picked up from the trains. Goods generated by an industry can be used by another turn. For example, an thermal coal, which is funded by a mine. This in turn requires diesel for their vehicles. Diesel can be supplied from the port to the mine.

A special form of industries since TRS SP2 stations where passengers may embark and disembark.

Download Station

Since SP3 for the old Trainz exists a run of N3V Games Download Station as a central collection point for users created by Trainz objects. Each registered Trainz user receives a user ID and can be downloaded for free from the Download Station objects or publish its own objects using his user name and his user ID there.

The Download Station offers convenient search functions. Thus objects by name, search for and display their ID, the user name of the creator or a term in the object description. Since the TRS Trainz 2006 contains a so-called Content Manager, with which the user can manage its local content. This also provides the opportunity to look at the download station and download objects without having it open an Internet browser.

A major shortcoming of the Download Station is the download speed. This is limited to a few kilobytes per second. By purchasing a first-class tickets a user can download for a limited time at higher speed. Some users do not publish their objects due to this limitation on the download station, but only on its own server. Although this leads to faster downloads, but also that the object is more difficult to find, especially if it is needed for a map, and limits under certain circumstances the availability of the subject.

By the spring of 2005 on the Computer Bild Spiele (CBS ) published a full version of TRS 2004 can not be accessed on the Download Station, as purchaser of the magazine will not get any serial number. If you have however acquired TRS already on the market and thereby receive a serial number, they can also be used with the full version of the CBS.

Creating new objects

Already in the original version of Trainz to own objects could include. With Trainz Download Station SP3 and this has been greatly simplified.

Each user can with the programs GMax, Blender or 3D Studio Max as well as the corresponding plugin create your own 3D objects for Trainz and export. After you create a configuration file that Trainz the type of object and some properties telling you these are available in Trainz.

Objects created by Trainz users are an integral part of the Trainz world. Without it, the program would probably not nearly as appealing. This is especially true for German -speaking users, since objects from German speaking countries are almost exclusively developed by Trainz users.

Also scripts Trainz users (eg, the Rules) control significantly to the game.

Trainz Railroad Simulator 2006/ProTrain Perfect / TRS 2007

Since the end of August 2005 Trainz Railroad Simulator 2006 is ready and will be sold in different countries. In Germany it is sold by Blue Sky Interactive ( BSI), which is known for MSTS in the scene especially with their published under the label ProTrain add- ons, along with NBA under the name ProTrain Perfect. Despite the different names and designs are in principle the same program, only in German language.

With the release of the first service packs for TRS2006 but this is not generally the case. Add- ons and objects that have been developed for TRS2006 with service pack may have in its configuration file an entry as that requires a higher version number of PTP. Blue Sky Interactive sees PTP as a standalone product that exists independently of Trainz:

"We have never said the PTP and Trainz are absolutely the same. This was determined by others in another forum without our wish. [ ... ] PTP was actually planned times in a meeting with Auran as runtime since the production of ADD ONs to the TRS in 2004 would not have been worthwhile because of the quite poor sales figures. [ ... ] What Auran now does with his TRS 2006 is their thing and contains no obligations for us. If you no incompatibilities are noticed the better. If there what would we would not counteract the. You 're absolutely right, we actually build not in line of construction guidelines Auran, but we go our own way. "

Due to these circumstances Blue Sky Interactive also not working on an implementation of the service packs Auran for PTP. Additional features will be introduced only by its add- ons using the built in scripting language TRS2006/PTP BSI. This planning is ensured in many parts of the user community of TRS2006 and PTP for surprise and criticism.

All add-ons BSI can only run with PTP or TRS2006 no service pack. Who owns TRS2006 with Service Pack or TRS2007, PTP add-ons can not use because BSI has built each object a script that queries the Trainz version. Is this not the same as the PTP version, the objects can not be used because they show script errors that are caused only due to different version numbers. With this version query includes BSI specifically from normal Trainz users, who prefer to use TRS2006 with Service Pack or TRS2007, rather than PTP. A program called Trainz Switcher cheats scripts query the BSI Add- ons before a PTP platform, enabling its use with TRS. However, this only works if the PTP Switcher add-ons 1, 2, 3, & 6 More recent add-ons include a new version query so that the switcher, this query can not be outwitted. What is queried exactly, is currently unclear.

End of June 2007 she released an official German version of Trainz Railroad Simulator 2006 with Service Pack 1 The name of the version Trainz Railroad Simulator 2007, it is distributed by Halycon and was created in collaboration with Auran.

Trainz Simulator 2009

Christmas 2008 came a new version of Trainz in the trade. Target group of the World Builder Edition that version are users who create objects or maps for Trainz. The demands on the graphics card are increased if you want to use the new possibilities of realistic surfaces. In spring 2009, was originally intended to follow the Engineers Edition, which is aimed at people who are interested in the control of trains. However, the release date was delayed until fall 2009, when the Engineers Edition Trainz Simulator 2010 under the name appeared.

In addition, there is playful improvements through changes to the jet engine in the new version, inter alia, the ground grid of squares with five instead of ten meters edge length, which allows detailed landscaping.

Trainz Simulator 2010

The Trainz Simulator 2010: Engineers Edition appeared in the English version in November 2009 Among the new features include the use of the development environment for realistic SpeedTree vegetation.. Other new features include, inter alia, customizable menus, support of different appearance of objects depending on the season and a layer model for the editor, which allows the assignment of objects to layers as well as the showing and hiding of these layers. Thus, for example for a session in a specific layer of the landscape to be visible and invisible to others in order to present the same card different states (eg, decades) can. The German version was published on 10 June 2010.

ProTrain Perfect 2

ProTrain Perfect 2 was released on November 25, 2010 in cooperation between N3V Games, Blue Sky Interactive and Halycon Media. Originally PTP2 should be based on TRS2007. Volker Rieck, Managing Director of Halycon Media was in N3V forum known that you use a different version, and that therefore shifts the appearance of PTP2 by a month. In the forum of BlueSky Interactive states that PTP2 is based on Trainz 2010. So far, seven add- ons with German routes, five task packs for PTP2 and five themed addons ( TEA, BR110, BR151, BR182, BR120 ) have already been published.

Trainz Simulator 12

In April 2011, the international version of Trainz Simulator 12 The largest and most important innovation appeared here is the multiplayer mode included. In addition, many changes took place in the program interface, so you can now almost infinitely zoom out from the 3D view in the map view or use features that were previously only accessible via configuration parameters. The German version is published in cooperation with N3V Games and Halycon on December 6, 2011.

Trainz for iPad and Macintosh

After N3V Games has published 2010 Trainz iPad on 4 December, the company announced on 11 February 2011 a Macintosh version of their simulator to ..