Rail Simulator

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Rail Simulator
European Rail Simulator box cover
Developer(s)	Kuju Entertainment
Publisher(s)	Electronic Arts
Distributor(s)	Electronic Arts
Engine	Proprietary game engine, PhysX (physics)
Version	Upgrade Mk1 (February 1, 2008)[1]
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows
Release date	EU October 12, 2007 NA January 16, 2008
Genre(s)	Simulation
Mode(s)	Single-player
Rating(s)	ESRB: E PEGI: 3+
Media	DVD
System requirements	Processor: Intel P4 2.0 GHz or AMD Athlon XP 2400+ RAM: Windows XP SP2 (512 MB), Windows Vista (512 MB) Video Card: 128 MB 3D Graphics card (Nvidia 7xxx or above) with Vertex and Pixel Shader (VS/PS) Capability Drive: DVD-ROM drive
Input methods	Keyboard, mouse. Support for RailDriver planned by P.I. Engineering.[2]

Rail Simulator (Kuju Rail Simulator) is a train simulation video game published by Electronic Arts (EA).^[3] It was produced by UK based Kuju Entertainment, the company which developed Microsoft Train Simulator (MSTS) for Microsoft.

Contents 1 Features of Rail Simulator 1.1 Routes 1.2 Locomotives 1.3 Track system 1.4 Editors 2 North American Release 3 Updates/patches 4 Add-ons 5 Caveats 6 Screenshots 7 Developer team 8 See also 9 References 10 External links

[edit] Features of Rail Simulator

• Train Jumping – the user of the game 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.^[4]
• Passengers – Passengers will now 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 will enter.^[5]
• Fully functioning turntables and traverser^[6]
• Cargo loading – A cargo loading feature for freight rolling stock
• Dynamic Weather – Weather can change from a nice sunny afternoon to a torrential downpour while in game, similar to that of Auran's simulator.
• The KRS PhysX SDK (software development kit) – The SDK is capable of handling train physics, particle effects, collision detection, etc. The actual physics processing is done by the CPU, using the SDK's runtime library routines.
• Automatic Dispatcher - all AI trains take game-generated paths. Unchangeable by user.

[edit] Routes

Four routes are included in the game:

• The Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway (UK), set in the 1950s^[7]
• Oxford to London Paddington (UK),– The Oxford to Paddington Route: – approximately 65 mi in length and set in the present day
• York to Newcastle, Set in the 1970s, approximately 70 miles long. This route is included in the European version instead of the Cajon Pass route.
• Hagen to Siegen (Germany)^[8] – approximately 100 km in length and set in the present day
• Cajon Pass between San Bernardino and Barstow: Set in Southern California, USA in the Present Day. This route is included in the North American version instead of the York to Newcastle route.

[edit] Locomotives

The Locomotives in Rail Simulator are:

• LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0 (black five) in BR and LMS colors.
• BR High Speed Train, in First Great Western colours.
• DBAG Class 101 (Deutsche Bahn BR101).
• Deutsche Bahn BR294.^[9]
• British Rail Class 55 Deltic.^[10]
• British Rail Class 47 ^[11]
• S&DJR 7F 2-8-0 ^[12]
• British Rail Class 166 in First Great Western colours.
• HST in the original livery British Rail applied in the 70s, blue/grey
• GE ES44AC
• EMD SD40-2
• BR Class 08

[edit] Track system

• Routes are built to the prototype and uses predominantly procedural curves and straights. Rails are not spline based. It also includes transition curves (spirals). There are more details and a progress video of the (in work) system at http://www.moviespring.net/railsim/Rail%20Simulator%20world%20editor%20V2.wmv.
• 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 (track banking) is NOT supported but may be added in a later service pack.
• 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.^[13]

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 using 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.

Scripted activities will be created using the Lua programming language.^[14]

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

[edit] North American Release

Kuju released a Rail Simulator for North American gamers on January 16, 2008. This new release includes a new route and consists. The new route runs between Barstow and San Bernardino over the Cajon Pass in southern California, USA and will feature Union Pacific trains. The American version doesn't have the 1970s York to Newcastle line (one of the routes from the European version) and it only has the MK1's from that route.

[edit] Updates/patches

On Friday 8 February 2008, the Upgrade Mk1 patch became available for users to download from the Rail Simulator website.

The upgrade brings the European versions of the simulator in-line with the North American release, and includes work which was carried out on the core software between the release of the European and North American versions, with better functionality on the 2D Map, a reduction in the minimum curve radius to allow for Narrow Gauge railways, ability to force open manual junctions rather than derailing, ability for signalling to recognise when a train is split/joined within a block, and numerous other improvements based upon community feedback^[15].

[edit] Add-ons

Numerous commercial and non-commercial add-ons for Rail Simulator are in development. These include route, scenario, scenery, and rolling stock addons to the game. Some of these are listed below:

• Bristol to Exeter – British route and rolling stock by Just Trains
• Metropolitan Suburban Transit System Route – Free add-on based based on Chicago commuter, interurban, elevated, subway, and streetcar routes, by Jim Ward
• Official Expansion Pack – Cajon Pass route as featured in North American version of the simulator and Class 08 Shunter, published by Just Trains
• Port Ogden & Northern Route – Free add-on based loosely on the Port Ogden and Northern from Kalmbach Publishing's 101 Track Plans for Model Railroaders, by Jim Ward
• Series 143 DB Regional-Express – German rolling stock by German Trains

[edit] Caveats

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]

Third-party content creators have not found a workaround for minimizing or eliminating the latitude and longitude HUD during gameplay.

[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]

New screenshots released in August 2007 by Kuju @ UKTrainsim Forum [2] and [3]

Some previously unseen screenshots have appeared on the recently re-launched RailSimulator.com website. October 2007 [4]

[edit] Developer team

• Managing Director – Jonathan Newth
• Project Manager – Craig Hunter
• Lead Artist – Derek Siddle^[19]
• Senior Artist – Gray Poyda^[20]
• Senior Artist – Ronnie Olsthoorn ^[21]
• Senior Artist – Chris Luck^[22]
• Senior Programmer – Keith Marsh
• Senior Programmer – Andrew Cakebread
• GFX Programmer – Dave Bliss
• Lead Content Designer – Andrew Jamison
• Subject Matter Experts – Adam Lucas, Simon Close

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
• List of Games for Windows titles
• UKTrainSim – Many downloads and unofficial patches available here.

[edit] References

• Games For Windows information page

[edit] External links

• Official website
• Kuju Entertainment's website