Zusi 3 demo

[JasonM]

I have just noticed an updated Zusi 3 demo, not tried it yet.
http://www.zusi.de/pages/dehaupt/zusi-3/download/demo.php

[BigVern]

Another demo!? Seriously, I will get round to trying it at some point but all getting a bit jaded now considering the project was first announced in, what, 2005!

[JasonM]

Yes I agree Vern its getting a bit boring waiting for the finished product though I am sure it will be worth the wait(I hope).

[BigVern]

Had a quick look and I can't see much different. Certainly the same stretch of track from Bad Driburg to Altenbeken with a short spur off the junction the other end of the tunnel Maybe one or two more trains to drive.

Still a few issues to work out though, as I noticed on returning to Bad Driburg, an AI train on the other line had no visible underframe or bogies.

[AndiS]

There is a new video by Alwin where you don't see much when he explains features in the background while the train is at a stand. Things like air brake pressure equaliser and electric overload protection switches and PZB self test runs. The only thing the general public will notice is double traction now working, on Zusi level of detail.

The LOD issue may well become interesting. Everyone is free to tune the bias for LODs and MIPs, the fog distance and the (initial?) loading radius. While this sounds cool, it delegates the responsibility for the balance between performance and presentation back to the user. Quite like other games actually, but maybe a bit more sophisticated, which may or may not overtax people. I for one selected quite sharp textures only to find myself wondering about stark Moire effects.

Also, getting all the developers to follow some common standard concerning LODs can be taxing on the organisers. As far as I know nearly all the stock and other items are donated freeware, in something like that, certainly no game artist shop working on orders and guidelines. It really just a hobby version of a professional simulator, not more, not less.

[BigVern]

What I do like is the appearance of the graphics, they have a realistic edge to them.

The problem Carsten now has, as he (hopefully) moves towards a public release, is that back in 2006 this sim was hailed as the next best thing. However since then we have had RS/RW et seq which (for all its failings) pretty much serves most needs, MSTS didn't fade away and die, plus later this year we are getting a "new" Trainz which at least promises to be a far more realistic train sim. (Not to mention Run 8). Remains to be seen how that might affect commercial viability. I for one will definitely be purchasing Zusi 3 and would like to think able to develop some route based content, but the longer he leaves it the more danger it has of being overlooked in the grand scheme of things.

[AndiS]

I guess he does not mind a slow start. Don't expect the 500pp manual to appear in English at initial release. And there will be only German content until someone builds some other.

And Zusi is positioned so far out on the spectrum of train sims that it will not be influenced by other titles. E.g., with the effort it takes to lay track in Trainz, you barely told Zusi where you plan to have track after you mastered the next three steps.

Zusi really is a complement to the other offerings. Every week someone says that they don't plan to compete with the others in terms of graphics and sound (and ease of use to some degree).

It certainly will be overlooked by the masses, and it is designed to be.

[AndiS]

New fun news from the Zusi family. Alwin Meschede took a serious look at air drag, using simulation software from Autodesk.

http://www.echoray.de/Archive/726 (in German)

In short, he was fed up with the hear-say figures for air drag coefficient, so he rented Autodesk Flow Design for 40€ per month, converted lots of Zusi models and fed them this programme which simulates an wind tunnel with a granularity of some 20 to 30 cm voxel size. (I.e., the world is built from 20x20x20 cubes in this simulation.)

Just before someone brings it up: No such things do not delay the release, they are independent, parallel developments.

I always maintained that getting Zusi 3 will be worth it for the manual alone. Now if you get a database of meticulously computed physics data for free with the book, what else can you ask? A driving simulator that actually uses these values is said to be enclosed with the book.

[BigVern]

Still vapourware until it appears though, Andi...

[AndiS]

Update: They do final installation tests, then it takes 1 month for mass production of the distribution medium which will be an USB stick in a little case. Images of that are available here:

http://forum.zusi.de/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=12351