I have some sources that are not public, and I collect all the documents that I can find. But the old German systems, so LZB for example, is not public. “Some of the systems are documented very well – for example, with ETCS, everything is public. “You have to try to get information wherever you can get it,” Hölscher says with a chuckle. Nevertheless, finding data sources to accurately recreate complex rail systems is still tricky, and depends somewhat on the public availability of industry documentation.
#ONLINE TRAIN SIMULATOR DEMO DRIVERS#
Many of my users, at least those who are writing in my programme, have a professional background, so maybe train drivers and engineers in the railway business.”
#ONLINE TRAIN SIMULATOR DEMO SOFTWARE#
So while I was developing the software components, they developed the routes and the trains, so at the beginning we already had a lot of locos and many kilometres of track. Some of them, about 15 or 20 people, helped during the development of the software. “Most of these trains and routes are created by the community.
“I’m the developer of the software, and we have a strong community,” Hölscher says. The game incorporates driving physics that account for the train’s tilt, air and curve resistance, detailed simulations of in-cab Sifa safety systems, as well as accurate recreations of European and German signalling and train protection systems, including the European Train Control System (ETCS) and the older PZB/LZB systems that are used in Germany, Austria and other countries.Ĭreating this level of verisimilitude is a tall task for a single developer, but Hölscher is supported by an online community of rail enthusiasts who have made massive contributions.
What sets it apart is the incredible detail that has been put into the game’s simulation of German railway systems. The point of differentiation for Zusi 3 among the competition is not its visuals, which Hölscher acknowledges are “not that good”. “Due to the fact that the product that Carsten developed is very strong in terms of professional background, we decided to contact him and do Zusi with him.” “A lot of people were asking us to do some more specialised train simulation, which is not that casual, and more accurate in terms of professionals using it,” says Aerosoft head of product management Dirk Ohler.
Zusi 3 – Aerosoft Edition was released in June, repackaging Hölscher’s software along with the newly-added Cologne-Düsseldorf route. While Hölscher has primarily marketed the Zusi series to the German market himself, for Zusi 3 he teamed up with German sim developer and publisher Aerosoft, which has logged more than 25 years in the world of simulation.