Rail Simulator

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Rail Simulator
Pre-Alpha code demo in-game screenshot of the German DB BR101.
Developer(s)	Kuju Entertainment
Publisher(s)	Electronic Arts
Distributor(s)	Electronic Arts
Designer(s)	various persons
Release date(s)	(TBC)02/05/2007
Genre(s)	Simulation
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	n/a
Platform(s)	Windows
Media	n/a
System requirements	n/a
Input	keyboard, mouse

Rail Simulator (Kuju Rail Simulator) is a train simulator currently in production for the PC, scheduled for release in Q2 2007. It is being made by UK based Kuju Entertainment, the company which developed Microsoft Train Simulator for Microsoft.

Contents 1 Features 1.1 Routes 1.2 Locomotives 1.3 Track system 1.4 Editors 2 Caveats 3 Screenshots 4 Developer team 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Features

• Train Jumping – you will be able to jump to any passing train and gain knowledge of the various trains on the route as well. Once you have jumped trains you are now in full control of your new engine.^[1]
• Passengers – "They will be able to avoid obstacles such as benches and lampposts on the platforms. When the train arrives the doors can be opened and passengers will walk off the train while those on the platform walk towards the doors."^[2]
• Fully functioning turntables and traverser^[3]
• Cargo loading^[4]
• Dynamic Weather – "As you are driving along the weather can change from a nice sunny afternoon to a torrential downpour!"^[5]

• KRS uses the PhysX SDK (software development kit). The SDK is capable of handling all the train physics, particle effects, collsion detection etc. The SDK has been chosen by Kuju over other similar products such as HAVOC, NEWTON, etc. The actual physics processing is done by the CPU, using the SDK's runtime library routines.

The AGEIA Physics Hardware accelerator card can optionally be fitted and used to reduce the load on the CPU. This can theoretically increase frame rates, or alternatively increase eye candy such as the number of particles on screen (eg smoke), or free the CPU for other tasks.

The PhysX SDK by itself has a reasonable reputation & has been adopted by engines such as UnrealEngine3 (Unreal Tournament 2007) and Reality Engine (Cell Factor). The PS3 ships with the SDK and some XBox 360 games use it as well.

The specific features of KRS that are enhanced by the AGEIA card are not yet known. The card is definitely NOT required in order to run KRS.

See http://www.railsimulator.com/en/press_release_E3.htm and http://www.ageia.com/physx/titles.html.

[edit] Routes

Currently six routes have been officially announced. These will include:

• The Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway (UK), circa early 1950s^[6]
• Oxford to London Paddington (UK), circa 2000^[7] – approximately 65 mi in length
• York to Newcastle, circa 1970, approximately 70 miles long
• Hagen to Siegen (Germany)^[8] – approximately 100 km in length

Kuju announced Rail Simulator will also feature two routes in the United States.^[9] The content of these routes is unknown.

[edit] Locomotives

Rail Simulator will feature 8 locomotives, 2 for each route,^[10] six of which have been announced:

• LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 (black five)
• BR High Speed Train, in FGW liveries and BR Blue/Grey.
• DBAG Class 101 (Deutsche Bahn BR101).
• Deutsche Bahn BR294.^[11]
• British Rail Class 55 deltic.^[12]
• British Rail Class 47 Duff ^[13]

[edit] Track system

• The system is in prototype and uses predominantly procedural curves and straights and is non spline based. Includes transition curves (spirals). There are more details and a progress video of the (in work) system at http://www.railsimulator.com/en/Track%20Tool%20Video.htm (14.5mb).
• The system uses 'track rules' which allows for the creation of pre-defined data on a per-route basis. Track rule parameters include:
• Track property defaults e.g. speeds, electrification
• Track cross section definitions e.g. the visual look of the track
• Track gauge
• Parallel track distance
• Easement K values
• Different track rules can be set up within a single route. Tracks of different gauges and parallel distances etc within a single route are supported, ie mixed gauges within a route will be possible.
• Superelevation is supported (track banking).
• Automatic lineside object placement, eg end of track section buffers or lamposts or fences is available by defining individual track sections.
• Gantry placement is enhanced over MSTS, with automatic placement and manual editing available.
• Gradients are specified by a variety of input methods eg 1 in X, angles (mils) and %. The track can be adjusted after placement so that gradients can be smoothed out. Terrain can be snapped up to the track using a terrain brush tool that gives control over the cutting/embankment angle.

[edit] Editors

• World (Route) Editor

The World Editor will allow the user to create and edit the following using advanced manipulation tools:

• Track laying
• Infrastructure e.g. signals, mileposts, speed signs
• Lofted objects e.g. roads, fences, walls
• Terrain sculpting
• Terrain texturing

An official screen shot of the editor is at http://www.railsimulator.com/images/Editor01.jpg

• Scenario Editor.^[14]

The Scenario Tool is part of the World Editor Suite and will be available in the box. The user will be able to create and share their own missions of prototypical operations for both the player and AI trains.

The main principle is that each train has a driver who is then given a set of instructions. This applies to both the player and AI trains so you will be able to set up for example an AI train to deliver a set of rail vehicles to a depot for you to then come along and break down.

You will be able to give the driver instructions for stopping at destinations, picking up passengers, picking up freight and fuel and coupling/uncoupling to other rail vehicles. You can also mix and match the instructions. So you can instruct a driver to pick up passengers at a variety of stations then go to the depot, uncouple from the carriages, pick up fuel and then go to the shed for the night.

The scenario system carries out the instructions in order for each driver allowing you to create a whole network of interleaved prototypical operations.

Authoring these complex scenarios is as simple as adding the driver and instruction to the train in the 3D world. For ease there is a 2D map that can be flipped to, so selecting the stations you want a driver to stop at is just a few clicks.

Scenarios rely on signalling and dispatching. Those systems have been designed to deal with a whole network automatically based on a set of parameters entered when creating track. So creating a scenario only requires setting combinations of instructions like destinations and pick up freight and the rest is done automatically utilising the signals and dispatcher correctly.

The Scenario Tool includes preview tools to enable the scenario to be viewed and played through at different speeds in the 3D world and on the 2D map. A slider is provided to get to a specific time in the scenario to see how the signaling and dispatcher systems are handling the set of trains and instructions authored.

Driver properties can be set, driver class for example. Driver instructions are combined with signals and dispatching systems to enable Rail Simulator to create a fully working network with realistic priorities and prototypical operations.

• ‘The Depot’ utility for rolling stock and object management.

[edit] Caveats

At the current stage, it is likely Kuju will include In-game advertising ("...users will be able to opt out from the service...with no impact on Rail Simulator...")^[15], i.e. dynamically loaded billboards and a reporting mechanism that tells contracted marketing companies to which extent the ads are viewed by the players. The latter can be considered as a privacy intrusion (spyware).

Further, in a press release^[16], a company named Softwrap announced that they would cooperate with Kuju for the inclusion of DRM technologies in the context of digital delivery of add-ons and expansions.

Kuju clarified that "DRM will apply to digital downloads only so won’t have any effect on purchases of boxed copies of Rail Simulator...Freeware will not be affected by the DRM at all"^[17]

[edit] Screenshots

Kuju attended the Leipzig Games Convention with a purpose built, pre-Alpha code demo, and produced a press pack containing a number of in-game screenshots.^[18]

[edit] Developer team

• Managing Director - Jonathan Newth
• Project Manager - Claire Boissiere
• Executive Producer - Richard Rogerson
• Senior Artist - Ronnie Olsthoorn ^[19]
• Senior Artist - Anatole
• Senior Programmer - Keith
• Programmer - Dave Bliss
• Programmer - Stephen Boissiere
• Product Manager - Sabrina Gasson
• Lead Content Designer - Andy Johnston
• Subject Matter Expert - Chris Baily

Using: 3D Studio MAX (all 3D) & Photoshop. In house tools. Code in C/C++ and DirectX 9. Seapine TestTrack Pro (issue management and bug tracking).

[edit] See also

• BVE Trainsim
• Microsoft Train Simulator
• RailDriver – hardware desktop cab controller compatible with Rail Simulator
• Train simulator – contains reference to other train simulators
• Trainz

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official website of the game
• Official production newsletters
• Kuju Entertainment's website
• RailWorld website
• Officially supported KRS forum at Train-Sim.com (North American)
• Officially supported KRS forum at UKTrainSim.com (UK/European)
• Unofficial FAQ thread - UKTrainSim - regularly updated as new information is announced.