Thread: Would you pay for an Activity Editor for OR/MSTS and support TSRE development?
Great thanks to everyone. You're amazing! I wasn't expected it will end so fast.
Now I can continue to work on TSRE without worries.
We reached the goal for AE, so no need for more founds at the moment, but if anyone feels the need to support future TSRE development, it's still possible.
Yo can donate any amount you want. If you send at least $30, you can be in the TSRE supporters list. Other ideas are welcome.
Everyone will get the TSRE AE and User Guide.
How many people are really intrested in new AE? I don't like payware software so selling the software isn't an option. But some financial backing could speed up TSRE development. So, I was thinking about different solutions and maybe a kickstarter project is a good idea?
The funding goal would be something around 900 usd. Why?
1. I see that average price for MSTS tools is 30 usd and it is not worth working on software that is desired by less than 30 people. And 30x30 = 900.
2. It's amount I need for the winter, and because I moved to Belgium recently and have to spend half a day at school learning dutch, I won't have much time for working on TSRE this year if I go find another way to get the money.
TSRE wil still remain free and open source and I will do the AE anyway. Just if I get the founds, the AE can be done within this year, not next summer for example. Activities are integrated within the Route Editor which creates new opportunities for future amazing activity related Open Rails features.
The TSRE Activity Editor is able to edit .act files. It will not convert them to .asv (Open Rails doesn't use them) and it will not provide activity simulation (it has to be done using OR).
Editing the activity will be possible only in 3D view now. In the future 2D view may be available in TSRE.
Last edited by GokuMK; 11-15-2017 at 05:14 PM.
Count me in. I think that $30 is a fair price, and easily worth the amount of work you've done so far, much less this new addition. To me, the activities are the reason I'm in train simming; even with the most spectacular routes I get bored quickly just driving trains hither and yon.
Although I'm not into route-building (yet!), I have created activities. I can see the time coming when we won't be able to use the MSTS AE due to Operating System changes. So long as your version will be usable without needing to know how the Route Editor works, I'll be pleased to donate the equivalent of $30US to support further development of your AE and RE.
My only concern would be how integrated into the RE? There are pros and cons to both integration and free standing separation.
The only easy alternative to any AE feature that I miss today is the placement of loose consists. I can do paths using the Track Viewer and can add additional AI traffic and adjust simulation timings via a simple text editor. Thus, so far, my efforts have been about upgrading and improving existing activities that already have a full compliment of loose consists present.
Yes, there are some cons. But new opportunities are really great.
Example: if we introduce Activity World Objects in OR.
In first activity you drive ordinary passenger train.
Then, you run "rescue train" activity and you see real crashed train in this place.
Or, in other activity you have to change the track, because main track is under reconstruction.
I'm in... this would have to be an improvement to original.
I am happy to put money on the table.
OH YEAH - 1 second flat - no hagglin' on $$ - count me in.
Hey Goku, absolutely. I'm in, too!