"New Technologies" to be announced by RSC in the next weeks

[eyein12]

I agree.

[harryadkins]

Thanks to Hawk and th other moderators for keeping this Forum civil. I hardly ever browse the other forums because of all the mud-slinging. I get enough of that on TV.

Harry

[johnmckenzie]

Thanks to Hawk and th other moderators for keeping this Forum civil. I hardly ever browse the other forums because of all the mud-slinging. I get enough of that on TV.

Harry

Hear, hear!

[Shortliner]

Some screenshots of the upgraded HUD


Short of fuel? Call up the task overlay using your joypad and your refuellingpoint is displayed.


Joypad driving allows you to view the task overlay to identify way points - ideal for shunting.


Call up the task map while driving usingthe joypad game controller: scroll through the task list to skip across the mapfrom point to point, re-centre on your locomotive, set points, zoom in and out- all using the joypad controller.


Use joypad control to drive from the cab. All cab controls are correctlyanimated. Use the task overlay to see the distance to your destination.

So, I have to admit, the new HUD and the Interface on the task map makes RW look more like an XBox game than a simulator, and I honestly think that's the wrong way to go with this program.

Also, they really seem to be pushing hard for this gampad system.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

I have been thinking: since we are going to get a gamepad driver.dll and the gamepad hardware is cheap and readily available, would we able to build custom cabs or control stands by taking a gamepad apart and building its switches and levers into a contraption of our own making?

We don't know yet how many axis this gamepad.dll will support, nor how many switches, but perhaps we would be able to build a US Diesel control stand to substitute for a RailDriver.

[Samwolf]

I don't mind being able to use a joypad controller. (Whatever controller you feel comfortable with is fine). I just hope that you are able to use the controller functions without having to use the playschool interface. The new functions look good.

[Shortliner]

I don't mind being able to use a joypad controller. (Whatever controller you feel comfortable with is fine). I just hope that you are able to use the controller functions without having to use the playschool interface. The new functions good.

Yea, I'd have to agree with you on the preschool interface. It's very off putting & not really something I want see in-game. However, if the gamepad system will finally allow me to use RailDriver, then that is a good thing.

[SpeedbumpJoey]

I don't mind being able to use a joypad controller. (Whatever controller you feel comfortable with is fine). I just hope that you are able to use the controller functions without having to use the playschool interface. The new functions good.

Yea, I'd have to agree with you on the preschool interface. It's very off putting & not really something I want see in-game. However, if the gamepad system will finally allow me to use RailDriver, then that is a good thing.

I take it that RailDriver is non-compatible at this moment with RW?

[Shortliner]

I take it that RailDriver is non-compatible at this moment with RW?

You can't exactly use notched throttles with RW and RD, that's been my biggest problem.

[Chacal]

Putting joypad considerations aside, I see three interesting improvements:
1- Task list is much easier to read
2- Track markers on the 2D map are aligned with the track, not horizontal and overlapping anymore, which was a major annoyance for me.
3- Clicking on a task jumps to the track marker on the 2D map. Last night I spent 15 minutes desperately looking for an obscure marker in a yard so I appreciate this improvement.

Also this:

I have been thinking: since we are going to get a gamepad driver.dll and the gamepad hardware is cheap and readily available, would we able to build custom cabs or control stands by taking a gamepad apart and building its switches and levers into a contraption of our own making?

We don't know yet how many axis this gamepad.dll will support, nor how many switches, but perhaps we would be able to build a US Diesel control stand to substitute for a RailDriver.

This was my initial reaction. Actually I've been thinking about a miniature US control stand for several months.

[SMMDigital]

Well, since we are "re-examining" the subject, i'll try to put a different spin on this.

The gamepad reeks of Console play - Xbox, Wii, etc. It has not been said that this the way this is going to end up, but it would be logical at some point in the future in order to attract more customers. Now the Wii will take a standard USB keyboard, so i'm assuming the other consoles will as well? Perhaps with such, the game could be played as we play it now, on a Console, with keyboard and pad controls, minus the content creation side of things. Just a thought.

[Chessie8638]

They are using a Xbox 360 controller (don't even want to use the term "joypad" at this point) because it works with Windows. It's a simple USB plug and play device. You go onto Microsoft's website, download a driver for it, run the config and you're done. Any PC game that has the option for a 'gamepad' will work. To use a PS3 controller, you need a third party driver and risk not being able to use it on your PS3 again. Now for the Wii, since I don't care about it. I have no clue.

As for using a mouse and keyboard with a console there's this: http://xim3.com/


Anyway, this is the way we are heading. Rumors put the next gen of the 360 using Windows 8, full Blu Ray, and 3D capabilities. Six to eight 2GHz ARM/x86 cores, with two additional ARM/x86 cores that would power the console’s operating system.

The terms "Gaming PC" and "Consoles" are becoming less and less clear. And will merge at some point.

I won't use a 360 controller with Railworks. But I really like the re-designed HUD and hope it's a standard feature and not enabled when you plug in your controller.

[micaelcorleone]

A word for those who think RW will eventually be ported for consoles:
It's not going to happen.

Reasons:
- The game's base is simply too old and uses DirectX 9.
- The program is very unoptimized. Even now, on the best PCs, the game can only be played with average to low frames per second (compared to other games).
Compared to state of the art PCs, consoles only have a very limited hardware . They only perform that good because games can be specially programmed for the one and only hardware configuration.

I dare to say that it is impossible to port the current RW to a console. (Even if it is possible, it would be way too expensive.)

Just my

[Haystack]

I'm not a fan of this update. It looks childish to me.

[harryadkins]

I don't plan to operate with a joystick, but some of the other features look promising.