Railroad Forums 

  • Microsoft announces all-new Train Simulator

  • General discussion of computer gaming and railroad simulations. Topics include MS Train Simulator (MSTS), Auran Trainz, Railroad Tycoon, Railroad Dispatcher and more...
General discussion of computer gaming and railroad simulations. Topics include MS Train Simulator (MSTS), Auran Trainz, Railroad Tycoon, Railroad Dispatcher and more...

Moderators: LIRRMEDFORD, 8th Notch

 #753698  by Plokky
 
kamrienlorrry wrote:I have recently join this site and this is nice idea for providing us information about this new Microsoft simulator. Would you mind to let us know more about this? Thanks!
Very unfortunately Microsoft decided to close the ACES Studios on January 23rd and 150 great people producing MSTS2 and Flight Simulator got laid off. Same to Microsoft ESP.

Officially www.tsinsider.com tells "postponed indefinetely".

Though www.cascadegamefoundry.com seems to start up something new?
 #759147  by hazmatmess
 
I recently found this:

http://www.cascadegamefoundry.com/about/

Looks like the former ACES studios staff started their own gaming company (under The Team area).....
We might get our MSTS 2 afterall. If you look under Projects, the title of the article maybe a clue as to their first release.....

Well I wish them the best of luck.
 #766666  by keeper1616
 
Plokky wrote:Nah.. it's not a two person start up... certainly not...
Actually, it is.
The two founders, Creative Director Rick Selby and Managing Director Kathie Flood, are no strangers to simulations – both are former Microsoft Aces Studio leaders and industry veterans. Not only will Cascade Game Foundry address the significant hole in the simulation market left by Microsoft's recent departure, it will push new boundaries with the latest in cutting-edge graphics, simulation and web technology.
http://www.flightsimhangar.com/fsblog/?p=1029

I'm not saying that they are the only employees at this point, but it certainly was a two person startup.
 #766692  by Plokky
 
Those are the two FOUNDERS.... but it's NOT a two person start up as such. There's a whole team behind it! (That's what the press release states too)

My company www.signalsimulation.com has two FOUNDERS as well, but we employ more people than we show the outside world.

The persons you refer to, are the public face of the company. But that doesn't make it a two person start-up.
 #766867  by keeper1616
 
15 Employees at this time according to LinkedIn. Not sure how accurate that is, but is dead on for a few other companies that I looked up.

So, bottom line is the staffing isn't nearly as big at is was at ACES, but enough that in a little while they may start producing titles. I would be surprised if the first one wasn't a flight sim title though.
 #766894  by Plokky
 
15 staff to make a good sim IS possible. It all depends on experience and domain knowledge. And they had ampel time to get both of that for any kind of simulation.
 #796376  by L'mont
 
Is there any more recent chatter about a completed Train Sim 2? It seems like it was very far along in the development process and shouldn't have needed too much longer. I'm really hoping for them to role this out!
 #796768  by LIRRMEDFORD
 
Still nothing yet as microsoft released all the people in their gaming department... but former ACES staff have formed their own simulator development company. I'll be sure to let you know if something comes up.
 #1091954  by toolmaker
 
LIRRMEDFORD wrote:Still nothing yet as microsoft released all the people in their gaming department... but former ACES staff have formed their own simulator development company. I'll be sure to let you know if something comes up.

Are these the same people now advertising Train Simulator 2102?
 #1098330  by LIRRMEDFORD
 
Sorry for the long time until the reply i've been having net issues but these are not the same people. The guys that developed rail simulator aka railworks is called kuju entertainment and they left earlier in the development of MSTS 2 when they couldn't have their input implemented in the the game. These guys from aces were the game developers for all games period including the favored flight simulation.
 #1311479  by RGlueck
 
Raising the dead here. Is there a modern edition of MSTS out which works well with Win7? Also, is there a completed Long Island Rail Road route which takes me to Oyster Bay or Port Jeff? Lastly, can I run FM's and ALCO's on this program?
 #1311545  by Fan Railer
 
RGlueck wrote:Raising the dead here. Is there a modern edition of MSTS out which works well with Win7? Also, is there a completed Long Island Rail Road route which takes me to Oyster Bay or Port Jeff? Lastly, can I run FM's and ALCO's on this program?
http://openrails.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;