Installed my old hard-copy of 'Rail Simulator' !!!!!

[MugHug]

Installed my old hard-copy of 'Rail Simulator' and compared it to TSW 4.

Does TSW 4 looks better then RS?

Oh yes, I honest forgot how crude RS was. It was released in 2007. Still love it, but it has not aged well. :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZulzYz0Djck&ab_channel=Bernie2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwpHBZkEQcg&ab_channel=Bernie2018

For the young ones here. Rail Simulator is kind of like the spiritual grand-daddy of TSW.

[dave46563]

Ahhh sweet memories of Kuju....the days before Dovetail Games came along,

[CAMOGUY54321]

Ah, distant memories.

[Spikee1975]

MSTS is the grandfather. Kuju's RS was done by the same team that did MSTS, and is still being developed as "Train Simulator Classic" after DTG bought the source code from Kuju.

[CAMOGUY54321]

Originally posted by Spikee1975:

MSTS is the grandfather. Kuju's RS was done by the same team that did MSTS, and is still being developed as "Train Simulator Classic" after DTG bought the source code from Kuju.

I still have and frequently play msts. It took a bit to get the original game to work on windows 10 but man those were some good memories too.

[MugHug]

Microsoft Train Simulator 2 - CANCELLED.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruEYcheJpzI&t=20s&ab_channel=flash178

game sequel; 2003-2009)
Microsoft Train Simulator 2 was a planned sequel to the original Microsoft Train Simulator for Windows PCs as part of the "Games for Windows" brand. It was meant to run on a modified version of the Flight Simulator X engine. Two attempts to develop the game were made, one in early 2000 and another in the later part of the decade. Eventually, the game was postponed indefinitely after the closing of Aces Studio in 2009.

First Attempt
The first attempt to make the game was in 2003 when a sequel was announced to be developed by Kuju Entertainment, the developers of the original Microsoft Train Simulator. It was to feature new routes and trains, animated people, and functioning turntables among other additions. A preview of the game was shown at the May 2003 E3. However, just 3 months later Kuju would hand the development over to Microsoft Game Studios, who would eventually cancel the title in Spring 2004.

Second Attempt
The second attempt to develop Microsoft Train Simulator 2 began in 2007 but was now being made by the Microsoft subsidiary Aces Studio, known for the Microsoft Flight Simulator series. They planned to use parts of the Flight Simulator X engine in order to develop the game. In August 2007, Microsoft showed a preview of the game at the Games Convention in Germany. They also released a press kit that included several prototype images, in-game renders, and two videos demonstrating a global track corridor system and global network data.

However, in January 2009, Microsoft announced that they were closing down Aces Studio, postponing all development on MSTS2 indefinitely.

[Spikee1975]

Yes, before MSTS2 was cancelled, Kuju (formerly known as SIMIS) were the original MSTS 2 developers. MSTS was a success so they were hired again in 2002. They had internal struggles and management issues with Eidos at that time, leaving the project. MS continued until 2004 and finally stopped it.

Kuju then released what they started as Kuju RailSimulator with EA as publisher and Fund4Games as financial supporter. Paul Jackson's RSDL (now DTG), ironically the ex-EA Vice President, bought the game and named it RailWorks, later Train Simulator. Kuju probably needed the cash as they had just bought themselves out of the contract with EA.

You can see the same keyboard layout (only A and D swapped), and cameras lived on from MSTS to TSC. F5 HUD survived, you can clearly see it was made by the same team.

DTG then added and enhanced Kuju's game until now. 2014/15 development on TSW started.

[Cöunt Eastwood]

Yeah, I recently re-installed MSTS since it's necessary for Open Rails. Open Rails is arguably the best way to play MSTS today, and it's still good, especially since you can get a Chiltern Line add on! https://www.openrails.org

[Spikee1975]

Absolutely, and the free BNSF Scenic route (Stevens Pass) is awesome, the ES44DC model looks fantastic considering how the old MSTS models looked.

I also run OpenRails to play my old ProTrain addon routes (Karlsruhe-Basel, Schwarzwald Romantik: Murgtalbahn)

[Cöunt Eastwood]

Oh yes, shunting the Black 5 in the snow at Christmas and learning the signals ;)

[MugHug]

Originally posted by Spikee1975:

MSTS is the grandfather. Kuju's RS was done by the same team that did MSTS, and is still being developed as "Train Simulator Classic" after DTG bought the source code from Kuju.

It seems the history of the companies behind Train Simulator Classic has been convoluting to say the least. Certain core members from the original Kuji have remained throughout and were involved in the morphing of Kuji into the following companies, in order.

Kuji Entertainment, Rail Simulator Development Ltd, RailSimulator.com Ltd and then renamed to Dovetail Games. Sounds like there was a lot more to it but those are the main changes.

The ownership of the IP after the Kuji/Microsoft relationship was for some reason held by some organization called Fund4Games, that seemed to exist to raise funds for investment in game developers. Rail Simulator Developments Ltd purchased the rights to the IP from them. Exactly who owned the IP prior to that, be it Microsoft or Kuji is a bit murky.

Anyone know how much of Rail Simulator was based on any of the code from the two failed attempts at Microsoft Train Simulator 2?

[MugHug]

Originally posted by C L A I V Y❥:

Yeah, I recently re-installed MSTS since it's necessary for Open Rails. Open Rails is arguably the best way to play MSTS today, and it's still good, especially since you can get a Chiltern Line add on! https://www.openrails.org

Confirm that OpenRails is the way to go.

One major point is that they have enhanced the core engine to add graphical improvements and functionality to most most MSTS routes when run on OpenRail.

[shanie]

Hi, I'm finding it quite difficult to find a copy of this 2007 version of the game. Would you be so kind as to upload an ISO image of the disc's contents to archive.org? This would ensure its preserved for future generations.

Even just a readme upload would be much appreciated, so I can atleast see what DLC content came with the game for example, so I know what to look for!

Many thanks!