Trainz a new era or this?

[MrMessick]

I'm pretty sure the answer i am going to get by most here but i still can't decide which Train simulator i want to get, either this or Trainz A New Era. I'm leaning to Trainz because of the new engine and i know it will grow and get better overtime, the con currently for me with train simulator 2015 is i know there is a new one in the works using unreal engine 4. This is most likely going to cause any addons for ts2015/16 content to not work with the new engine.

So my thought is this get in on new ground with Trainz and wait for unreal engine 4 train simulator and jump in then fresh too. any logic to this or should just say screw it and go with ts2015/16 now

[Cat]

Go for TS20xx for now and wait and see with the others.

[Growler]

Basically like may players here, my own personal experience of both Trainz and TANE has been far from good. Poor graphics & driving physics, complicated content managment & associated downloads, & very extremely limited controls of the locos. Basically no fun whatsover to play. TS2015 whilst in itself far from pefect, has given me thousands of hours of great entertainment. The game might now be based on an old graphics engine but DTG have done wonders in eeking out an incredible amount of peformance from it in recent years. It has come a very long way since its early days. And the quality of some of the more recent DLC add-ons both routes and locos has been outstanding.

The one potential disadvantage (depending on your own PC setup) is that TS2015 is very demanding on PC hardware. So a machine with a good cpu (ideally a strong i5 or i7) and a good independent graphics card really is a must. Ideally a gaming desktop. If you have this, then you're good to go for the game.

I personally enjoy TS2015 so much, and am very much looking forward to the very soon forthcoming TS2016 upgrade; that I currently have no intention of upgrading to the new UE4 train simulator when it first arrives. I probably in all honesty, have enough content in the curent game to last me a life-time. And as I said, some of it, particulary 3rd party add-ons, is truely excellent in quality.

TS2016 (relase in just a week) looks like it is going to be very strong game package for players new to the existing TS20xx series. Plenty of interesting content, and some of the problems with the existing game ironed out. Having said that TS2015 (the full Steam Edition) was very generous with its game content (both routes and locos included). And you can pick this up very cheaply from various gaming stores. Buy this now, and not only will you get that content, but additionally the free basic upgrade to TS2016. It looks like the full new TS2016 game will be a very reasonable price as well.

I certainly can't recommend TANE, it's game-play is IMHO bad despite the supposed pretty graphics it offers (and I've seen no real sign of fantastic graphics either, it looks nothing like the preview videos!). So, yes I'm biased as a TS player, but I have tried the opposition both old and new versions.

If you were to opt for TS, I can't see any advantage in waiting for the next generation of the game (which is likely to be launched sometime late 2016 or perhaps early 2017; but no-one is entirely sure; nor what the game will be called!). Just be aware that the existing content of the current game won't be compatible with the new train simulator game whenever it comes. However, if you just stick to the basic TS2015 and/or TS2016 content this should still keep you entertained for many many hours (at least a couple of hundred), without the need to buy extra DLC content. You might though enjoy the current game very much, just like so many of us do right now. Good luck with your decision, whatever it may be! All the best.

[Tim van der Leeuw]

I can only agree with what Growler says above.

I have both sims, and I feel that I have given T:ANE a fair chance.

However, it just falls short of my expectations.

The Graphics *can* be really great, when the right content is used.

However, most content is old, and doesn't make T:ANE shine. Not even most of the content included in the base game package.

All locos basically are the same to drive. No differentation in controls for different diesels. Many trains are old models with very primitive looking cabs.
Very simple controls for steamers.

In TS2015, overall I get much more out of the sim. On average the graphics are far better, controls and physics more realistic, and more like what the prototypical engine is actually like.

[jalsina]

And if you talk with the Trainz guys will say there is no better game than Trainz 12.

[MrMessick]

Thanks for the replies guys, very helpful even though i'm still on the fence. I'll probably end up getting both and just seeing for myself in the end.

[customhitcher1]

I agree with what Growler says above
TrainZ -TANE will not run on a lower-older computer or laptop. I know, I own TrainZ 2012 and the so called new TANE. TS 2015 is best way to go. I still love my Trainz 2012,but I prefer and play TS 2015 so much more and it is so much more enjoyable.

[mvsmith]

I also agree with Growler's assessment of Trainz. As for TS2015, while I have some quarrel with the way it fails to simulate some vital aspects of North American freight operation, and a certain sloppiness in other areas, it provides an opportunity to drive through some great scenery in many countries in a large variety of locomotives with different driving methods. You get a close look at various train control and safety systems, signaling systems, etc. It is, potentially, a much more educational game than Trainz.
As you are a Yank, I will also mention Run8. It is strictly limited, at this time, to US freight operation on just three routes, one very long one is in the Mojave Desert.
Its fidelity in simulation sometimes rises to the pain-in-the-butt level; be prepared to do some walking. The buy-in for the simulator and the Mojave sub (Bakersfield to Mojave, Barstow, Yermo) is forty bucks, but it gets you the only fully-operational hump yards in any train simulator. I run both Run8 & TS15, each for its particular strengths.

[LucaZoneX]

One thing not stated in the OP is what experience you're after. There is a clear distinction I believe between Trainz and TS20xx.

Trainz was originally a model railway simulator and so the overriding gameplay involves the player controlling all the trains operating as well as the junctions. The default focus is flying around the world observing it.

TS20xx is a driving sim. The player is only in control of their train and the sim handles everything else. Other trains go about their business and the signalman controls the junctions (in mission modes). The default focus is in the cab operating the 3D controls. Missions are story based and performance is graded at the end.

Both sims have developer tools to make your own stuff, and both have a huge online community sharing creations.

What experience are you after?

[Growler]

The OP bought Trainz/TANE. Just seems he wanted a new s/w graphics engine and the new content that came with it. Shame because as we all know there's much more to fun good train-simming. Rather than just pretty exterior World graphics (if that's the actual reality in-game for TANE). However, I sincerely wish him the best of luck; and hope he's found what he was after.

[Kizna Fuchs]

I would have waited for Zusi 3...

[Growler]

Originally posted by Kizna DeAllura:

I would have waited for Zusi 3...

Thanks Kizna, I had heard of Zusi but had no idea there were plans to open it up to the private market. Rather than just commercial use! Yes I will certainly have a close look at the new Version 3 of this software. :)

[Mavadelo]

Originally posted by Growler:

Originally posted by Kizna DeAllura:

I would have waited for Zusi 3...

Thanks Kizna, I had heard of Zusi but had no idea there were plans to open it up to the private market. Rather than just commercial use! Yes I will certainly have a close look at the new Version 3 of this software. :)

there is a demo on the site :)

[Growler]

Originally posted by Mavadelo:

there is a demo on the site :)

Yeah, I really look forward to trying it. And also a full version of the existing established edition available for purchase through their website.

[HD SIMULATIONS]

I liked Trainz 2012, and 2010, but compared to Railworks The overall quality is amazing. I tested Tane, and after all the Hype sorrounding it's release, I was more then dissapointed. I have content on Trainz DLS, that I made. The Moffat Tunnel Route, and a ton of assorted locomtives and rolling stock. TANE, isnt backwards compatable with the older content, that was and is still high quality, and I dont have the time or patients to update every little piece of equipment to the new content manager versions everytime, so I gave all of my content to the Trainz community and came here. Best decision I ever made. I still use some of my old content for repaints on RW, but for the most part, I don't ever have to update RW content. It makes the experience that much better.

[Mavadelo]

Originally posted by Growler:

Originally posted by Mavadelo:

there is a demo on the site :)

Yeah, I really look forward to trying it. And also a full version of the existing established edition available for purchase through their website.

played a few minutes with it (tutorial) and that looks nice I must say. scenery wise not really impressive as where the inside of the cab is photorealistic almost. there seems to be a learning curve but I had my engine rolling on no tme.......and got a sifa emergency brake off course straight away....what else is new lmao