| Trainz | |
|---|---|
Box art for Trainz Simulator 12. |
|
| Genres | Train simulation |
| Developers | N3V Games (formerly Auran) |
| Publishers | Various |
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows, Macintosh, iPad, Android |
| Platform of origin | Microsoft Windows |
| First release | Trainz 2001 |
| Latest release | Trainz Simulator Mac 2011 |
| Official website | www.trainzportal.com |
Trainz is a series of 3D train simulator computer games developed by Australian game developer N3V Games (formerly Auran). First released in 2001, the series has a large online community that creates and shares user-created content. The game has been released in several versions, including localized versions. Trainz Simulator 12 is the latest Windows installment in the franchise, which was released in April 2011.[1]
The game is divided into modules: Surveyor, Driver, and Railyard, and in some versions, Scenarios.
Trainz: Beta version 0.9 was released in November 2001 for testing purposes. The cover art contained a quote from Antoine de Saint Exupery.[2]
Trainz Community Edition was released in December 2001.
Trainz Retail Edition was released in June 2002.
The Ultimate Trainz Collection, or UTC, was released on 26 November 2002 in North America. This was the first edition to include the PaintShed program and support RailDriver.[3]
Trainz Railroad Simulator 2004 (also known as Trainz Railway Simulator 2004 in the United Kingdom), or TRS2004, was released in September 2003. Trainz Railroad Simulator 2004 had four service packs released through 2004 and 2005. Trainz Railroad Simulator 2004 was the first version of Trainz to include interactive industries and loadable rolling stock capabilities, which allowed the player to deliver various resources (such as coal, wood, and steel) and passengers to various industries and stations across the playable area. There were many industries included and much of the bundled rollingstock was updated to include this new capability.
Trainz Railroad Simulator 2006 (also known as Trainz Railway Simulator 2006 in the United Kingdom), or TRS2006, was released in September 2005. In Germany, it was published by Bluesky-Interactive as ProTrain Perfect.
Trainz Railroad Simulator 2007 (sometimes abbreviated to TRS2007) was first distributed by Anuman Interactive for sale in France, Belgium and Switzerland.[4] There were initially two versions: the standard version which consisted of Trainz Railroad Simulator 2006 with Service Pack 1 applied, and the Gold edition, which included French regional add-on items.[5] Halycon Media later distributed Trainz Railroad Simulator 2007 with German region-specific content for the British, Austrian, and Swiss market.[6] This is the only version of Trainz not released in the US market.
Trainz Driver (also known as Trainz Driver Edition in the USA) is a version of Trainz Railroad Simulator 2006 lacking the Surveyor module, having only the Driver module, and considered a demo for TRS2006. It did, however, have different rolling stock, such as Amtrak engines and cars, and a user-created route that was previously incomplete, Marias Pass, was included complete.[7][8] The UK release date was 24 February 2006.
Trainz Classics, also abbreviated as TC, is a series of 3 standalone programs based on Trainz Railroad Simulator 2006, but with some improvements to the coding. Each release has only one or two routes, with some rolling stock and locomotives made for that route,[9] The series attempts to focus on a particular region and point in time of the region's railway infrastructure history, for example the current release is focused on the line of Settle-Carlisle in Great Britain in the 1960s. Trainz Classics 3 was released on July 23, 2008.[10] instead of having a lot of built-in content like other versions of Trainz.
Volume 1, released on July 9, 2007, featured a 40-mile section of the MTA-owned Metro North Harlem Line,[11] Volume 2 featured Metropolis, using the Modula City system by the developer Trainzland, and Volume 3 featured the Settle-Carlisle railway line between Leeds & Settle.[12] A demonstration of the route between Dent & Wharton with Garsdale & Hawes, titled Hawes Junction, was also included in Trainz Railroad Simulator 2006. The routes from Volumes 1 & 2 were included in Trainz Simulator 2010, while Volume 3 was released as an expansion pack for Trainz Simulator 2009 and Trainz Simulator 2010.
Trainz Classics was released as Trainz Railwayz in the United States, and was sold bundled with Trainz Railroad Simulator 2007 as De Trainz Railways in France.
Released 13 June 2008. This is a big box kind of compilation, and has 3 DVD's comprising of Ultimate Trainz Collection, TRS2004, TRS2006, Trainz Routes (volumes 1-4), and Trainz PaintShed.
Trainz Simulator 2009: World Builder Edition, or TS2009, was released for digital download on 27 November 2008, and the first boxed copy orders were shipped in mid December 2008. The World Builder Edition is the full version and provides all the tools to create new and improved assets for the TS2009 engine with the inclusion of Surveyor. TS2009 contains all content from all previous versions of trains, including regional ones like Trainz Simulator 2007 and 2008. The in-game names of this regional content, however, were not presented in English.
The second edition, Trainz Simulator 2009: Engineers Edition, was due for release by the end of April 2009, but was cancelled for unknown reasons.[13] The Engineers Edition would have focused on driving and operating, as well as further new content. The name was later applied to Trainz Simulator 2010: Engineers Edition.
Trainz Simulator 2010: Engineers Edition, or TS2010, was released on 23 November 2009 as a digital download and a retail boxed version solely via the Auran online store. Regular retail releases became available for the various regions throughout 2010. The primary additions to this version are the use of the SpeedTree system, graphical improvements for built-in content, and performance improvements for both custom and built-in content.[14]
Despite being called the "Engineers Edition" and focusing on the train-driving experience, the Surveyor module is still included. Specifications were announced 13 November 2009.[1]
The game was released in the United States as Trainz Railroader 2010: Engineers Edition, published by Microsoft.
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Trainz, N3V Games released a Trainz app for the iPad on 4 December 2010. Users can take advantage of the iPad's functions and lay tracks, drive trains and complete tasks with the touch of their fingers. Users have access to Driver and Surveyor and can create routes and drive trains with the help of tutorials. An Android version of the game was released on 22 July 2011 and has the same features as the iPad version. The app is a port of Trainz Simulator 2010.
Trainz Simulator 12, or TS12, was released on 12 April 2011. Among other upgrades, this product offers a variety of new routes, doppler effect support, satellite view, and a multiplayer feature for the first time (multiplayer was publicly tested in TS2010). A Trainz 10th Anniversary Boxset was announced which includes the game and other extras. The game was initially released for pre-order on 18 March 2011 as part of the limited-edition Trainz 10th Anniversary Collector's Edition.
My First Trainz Set was designed for the younger generation who do not want to worry about realism or management when playing the Trainz game. The game features 4 locations to lay track in that are based on rooms throughout a house, such as a bedroom or kitchen. The user has the ability to place down small toy-like objects in the replacement of buildings and scenery. However, its graphical quality of the trains, track, and objects is still very much like that of the standard Trainz simulator games. Controls are also far more simplified. The game was also ported to Android devices.
Trainz Simulator: Mac was a port of Trainz Simulator: 2010 for Macintosh.
The desktop cab controller RailDriver was first supported for use in Service Pack 1 for the Ultimate Trainz Collection, and is also supported by all subsequent Trainz releases.[15]