RailDriver, MSTS, and Windows Vista
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While our decision not to develop new software for Microsoft Train Simulator (MSTS) on the Windows Vista platform is bound to disappoint many of our loyal users, we hope you will understand and support us after we explain the reasons for this decision. It was not made in haste or taken lightly.
MSTS was released in July of 2001 and had absolutely no provisions for control hardware. Release of the RailDriver in December of 2002 was preceded by over nine months of software development including inventing ways to trick MSTS into sharing information (ever wonder why you have to have the HUD visible to use the RailDriver?). Our software allowed us to control MSTS on Windows 98SE, Windows Me, and Windows 2000. When Windows XP was released, we were fortunate in that Microsoft did not make any fundamental changes which would have prevented the RailDriver from working. With the release of Windows Vista we were not so fortunate.
While a skilled community continues to support MSTS — even to the point of writing a patch to allow the program to run on Vista, MSTS has no support from Microsoft, or from Atari (the current distributor of MSTS). So we were faced with a difficult choice. Should we devote 6-9 months developing new software for Vista, or put those resources to use working with Kuju, Microsoft, and Auran to support current and future versions of their software? We chose the future, and we hope you will bear with us until that decision pays off.
With the release of Rail Simulator just around the bend and Microsoft Train Sim X following in (dare we speculate?) 2008, the future has never been brighter for train sim enthusiasts. The RailDriver team will be there with you, making every effort to give you an immersive experience at the controls of you favorite locomotive.
The RailDriver Team
