Train Simulator 2020 Scenery

[cnbalasub]

I understand that there is a new simulator with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 use the scenery files from Bing to load into the simulator. Is that true? If yes, why can't DoveTail Games do the same with train simulator or is too difficult to do this.

John

[gtrtroger]

Well, Bing IS a Microsoft product, so that makes sense.....i mean, why wouldn’t they prefer you use their product after all. Google Maps gives us essentially the same thing right now, so why change. IF you really want a change, then let’s go with OpenMaps since that is the option for use in TSW2020s’ new editor (if we ever get it.....)

[cnbalasub]

Well one of my son is an avid gamer and told me that this simulator save a lot of files that we really don't need to like Train Simulator 2020 have to load all of the files for scenery. That make sense to me for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020. With Google Maps I thought that we have to purchase a API key for the maps. It's not free anymore. Is that correct?

John

[mjlevy1118]

The problem is that the closer you get to ground level, like if you're driving a train, the less convincing the map-generated scenery would be. If you're flying at 35,000 feet you probably wouldn't notice a lack of detail on the ground, but if you're at ground level, the technology just isn't there yet to replicate an immersive 3D world.

That said, I'm optimistic in the future, when map technology is more advanced, we will have a train simulator that can "read" a satellite map and auto-generate a complete 3D world. I actually don't think we're very far off. But for the time being, we have to make do with custom-building virtual worlds and matching them up against their real-life counterparts.

[dr1980]

Perhaps it could provide a base to make route development easier?

I think the MSTS2 that announced then cancelled was going to have something like that (just in terms of a worldwide rail atlas to build on).

[gtrtroger]

As an ex-flight sim guy, I was intrigued, so I went to youtube is get some “perspective”.
This one: https://youtu.be/Fj8h6yibHHc

There appear to be three modes for the scenery:

1 - standalone/offline content (low res - similar to what is in the previous version)
2 - cached content offline - flying over scenery offline you just flew over online and still cached locally
3 - full procedural generated scenery requiring a high speed internet connection and at least 16GB ram and the scenery is generated from bing data via Azure and streamed to you.

There’s more...watch the video. Probably not something usable for TS - meaning a lack of resolution enough on even a high end PC to generate the detail needed for rails, ties, ballast, weeds, etc, etc....

Not something I’d be into....

[cnbalasub]

Thank you Roger for the link and now you know what I am talking about because my son told me about this. At this time of writing my message and I am still watching this on YouTube.

John