[btrs]

OK, there is a development branch available using MonoGame now:
http://www.elvastowe...055#entry227055

Unfortunately some things need to be fixed in MonoGame itself before a stable build can be made which offers the same functionality as the current XNA-based build.

[SP 0-6-0]

Could you please go into more details on what needs fixing in MonoGame?

Robert

[edwardk]

SP 0-6-0, on 26 October 2017 - 11:15 AM, said:

Could you please go into more details on what needs fixing in MonoGame?

Robert

One important detail is the use of the backbuffer. XNA uses this, but monogame does not. This means a workaround must be utilized. Between Peter and Carlo, a lot of work was done to get to this point using V3.5. Even then, it would take an individual with a bit more in depth knowledge of graphics and monogame to iron out the details so that it can officially replace or for the time being run along side what we currently have.

Edward K.

[James Ross]

btrs, on 02 October 2017 - 01:12 PM, said:

I think it is time to decide:

• Either the OR-team keeps supporting the old XNA 3.1-based OR with remaining compatibility for XP. This also means a risk for the future "feature updates" of Windows 10. Microsoft already proved this in the hardware department, providing NO official hardware support for AMD Ryzen or Intel Kaby Lake-based systems before Windows 10 version 1607. I'm guessing they might do something similar with XNA in the future, citing "removal of deprecated features (in this case DirectX 9 and 10) from the OS" as a reason.
  
  
• Or the OR-team starts the switch to MonoGame, paving the way for a more future-proof simulator with performance improvements but also sacrificing compatibility with a 16-year old OS, itself unsupported by Microsoft since three and a half years now.

I have laid out my plan in which we release the next stable version of Open Rails, 1.3, with the existing XNA toolkit, and then make the switch to MonoGame, thus dropping Windows XP and gaining DirectX 10/11/etc. for Open Rails 1.4. This provides time for us to get the word out that after 1.3 there will be no more direct/official Windows XP support and also plenty of time for MonoGame to sink in so we can ensure a good switch come 1.4.