Donner Pass Enhancement Package coming soon!

[RudolfJan]

Yes they do. You are confusing two types of support. RSC uses the same support ticket procedure as most software producers:

1- Problems specific to you
You have a problem with the game, an error message or something, that needs specific help from RSC. Not every player has this problem. Could be faulty installation, conflict with hardware, etc. Obviously they won't help you if you don't e-mail you, and normally they will answer with some specific help, then they will say "try this and tell us if it fixes the problem. If we don't hear from you within x days, we'll consider the problem fixed and close the ticket". The ticket remains in the database and, if many players have the same problem, RSC may suspect a bug and investigate.

2- Bugs, requests for improvements
The problem is with the game itself and is common to every player. For example, RW2 foliage on RW3. They will answer with some generic thank-you note, and close the ticket. But it will remain in the database, and if enough people submit the same problem they will fix it in a future bugfix. This is what happened with Donner Pass. Again, if nobody e-mails them they will never fix the problem. But they won't fix the problem just for you, they would be foolish to do that.

This is the correct way of providing support for a game. No other process makes sense. In your case, it looks like there was a glitch in the e-mail answer, but what matters most is that your ticket was logged in the database so the process still works.

I think they might save themselves lots of mails if they would publish the known bug database. Would be nice to have a voting system on it, so we can vote for priorities in fixing thins. Curiously I received several responses that bugs I reported are already known and my be addressed. Altogether, the support system doesn't make me very happy. It's always a surprise to see if you hear anything and I think it's not very effective.

[UPSD70ACe]

When is this Donner Pass Update suppose to be Updated?

[Toonces]

Cool. I had sort of set DP aside in the hope/expectation that they would eventually release an update to correct some of the bugs, and I have spent more time with NEC and HSC instead.

I have to say though that 2-3 hour scenarios is something that I am still not used to yet. Especially when I get to the end and it says that I didn't complete it successfully even though I did everything that it said I needed to do .

[PapaXpress]

Great news Samwolf,

Could you take care of vegetation fogliage also? it is not in the list to be enhanced. When TS2012 came out with the lighting feature, few vegetations assets were udpated to the new TS2012 feature, I mean to be reflective (to cast shadows even during the day time and/or react to the headlights at night), to be sensitive to loco's headlights. So far is being very disappointing to play at night in all routes, in some it looks like there is no scenery object out there, or I feel like driving inside a tunnel (NEC for example). I didn't check DP yet, I bought it yesterday, but even Woodhead (the most recent route) has not enough reflective fogliage yet.

Cheers,
Doc.

Not to get anyone's hopes up. But it looks like Derek is working on new trees:
http://dereksiddle.blogspot.com/2012/03 ... prung.html

[Machinist]

Not to get anyone's hopes up. But it looks like Derek is working on new trees:
http://dereksiddle.blogspot.com/2012/03 ... prung.html

Hehehe... hopes going up and down, no problem... I'm used to the rollercoaster style of waiting enhancements to the assets...

I've already post on 3DTrains about their ultimate fogliage (Rural Landscapes) but unfortunately Marc's hard drive has gone in a crash (carrying all the basic source models together)... he can't promise get back to the project, and I can understand (it's not easy nor worth sometimes).

[USRailFan]

Hopefully they'll replace the Dash 9 model as well...

[MontanaRails]

Has RSC posted anything more recent about this update? I cant find anything on facebook since the page redesign...

[Samwolf]

I've heard nothing further.

[Toonces]

I've heard nothing further.

They said that they weren't announcing a specific date, which suggested to me that the date was far off enough in the future that they didn't want to be specific. I would give it at least a month or two and possibly more.

[PapaXpress]

... and possibly more.

Lets settle with this last option, it might make it more palatable.

[nigel]

There's a photo album on Facebook with some WIP shots: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150657592328091.394089.258680273090&type=3

[MontanaRails]

Nice, I see some promise in those shots that are obviously demonstrating the smoothed out trackwork. But since these were posted a few minutes ago...that makes me think that Toonces is correct. RSC's "Coming soon" means 'within the decade'. Oh well, I'm glad its being worked on.

[Cardinal51]

I guess they are monitoring this thread, because those images where posted half an hr ago :-)

For the peple who do not have facebook I uploaded the text and images below:

Donner Pass Enhancement Pack update: work has begun on the Donner Pass Enhancement which will address a number of issues which have been raised regarding this popular route. These screenshots show work in progress to smooth a gradient, and realignment of track curves to remove abrupt and sharp bends. These changes will make the track geometry more realistic and provide a better driving experience with fewer performance issues. As you can see, changing the track alignment is a major task and will involve changes to the positioning of nearby roads, buildings and terrain

459188_10150657593593091_258680273090_9340499_1945108016_o.jpg

473832_10150657593288091_258680273090_9340496_1621215824_o.jpg

473946_10150657592733091_258680273090_9340494_1131780536_o.jpg

. . . . RSC's "Coming soon" means 'within the decade'. Oh well, I'm glad its being worked on.

But didn't they make the announcement only 3 weeks ago ?

[MontanaRails]

But didn't they make the announcement only 3 weeks ago ?

Yeah, something like that. I just interpreted it to mean release was imminent based on how the post was worded. And considering how long they've been working on it (or have had time to work on it).

That new gradient transition in the above photo looks so much better!

[Cardinal51]

Imminent ? Guess you missed this paragraph. It clearly defines the word soon

When can I get it?
Our aim is to make the Donner Pass as driveable and enjoyable as possible for everybody, and so to achieve this we are not setting a fixed release date for the DPEP. We will continue to work on the pack and when we have successfully implemented the improvements, we will make it available to all Donner Pass owners.