Our Honest Opinion on the "Train Homes" Plugin

There are several plugins with similar functionality to "Train Homes".
The developer is part of the #MadMappers group, known for innovative ideas and high-quality products. The trailer initially convinced us to purchase the plugin, but if we had known about the existing issues beforehand, we would have decided against it.

What do we like about the plugin?
The core idea is brilliant. "Train Homes" adds a whole new dimension to the train system in Rust, allowing players to unleash their creativity. A major plus: The plugin works with both Oxide and Carbon. The support is generally available. The trailer is impressive, and trains can be teleported from point A to point B, with several maps already supporting the plugin. Additionally, the configuration file is clear and self-explanatory. Despite these positives, we ultimately decided against the plugin – but why?

Why did we decide against the plugin?
The plugin only saves the trains if it is properly unloaded. If the server crashes or the plugins are not correctly unloaded during a restart, all built trains are lost because the data is wiped.

The developer claims this issue is unfixable, but other developers with similar plugins have already managed to solve it. In Rust, almost any technical challenge can be overcome, as projects like Carbon Client and other developers have shown. While the issue could be avoided by manually unloading the plugin before a restart using Rcon commands, the problem still persists in the event of a server crash.

For long-term use, this plugin is therefore not suitable unless players are willing to accept that their trains might disappear.
On PvP or event servers, where trains are only used temporarily, the plugin may work well, but for PvE servers, we consider it completely unsuitable.

How does our rating break down?
• 1 star: Great idea and well-made trailer
• 1 star: Compatibility with Oxide & Carbon
• 1 star: Generally available support
• Star deduction: Misleading plugin description, as the storage issue is not mentioned; unfixable storage issue during server restarts or crashes
• Star deduction: Price-performance ratio, as the plugin has flaws and the support comes across as quite unfriendly at times

If the developer decides to improve the plugin, it has the potential to earn 5 stars, and in that case, we would also find the price fair.

Ps: jtedal This is our personal opinion about your plugin. You don’t need to respond – there are already enough discussions and issue reports that support our assessment.

the plugin concept is brilliant and at first glance works well especially with the monument for this plugin.

but this plugin has major issues.. 

this plugin will loose track of its own data and wipe its own data file along with the wagons you have created if you restart your server by any means (methods used: pterodactyl panel restart, command restart "global.restart", and plugin prompted restarts) this isn't consistent though and seems base upon unload order related to world save on shutdown. I've run this plugin on oxide and carbon with the same results idk how this plugin is verified by moderators when this plugin is barely experimental at best and charging $28.99 for this in which only lasts one boot session is kind of ridiculous, I've seen more stable free plugins.

in case your wondering if I've spoke about this with the developer no i have not it seems pointless me repeating the same stuff several other people have mentioned to them in the discussions (SIDE NOTE DEV: if your save method doesn't save it isn't a save method and you should rethink the method over from scratch nothing is impossible)
 

so if you never restart your server or update for patches during the whole wipe (literal 24/7 uptime) this plugin works great but if you need to restart for any reason i would probably avoid. 

Excellent. I loaded it up, and it works straight away. Players needed a bit of a guide, but once a few of them got it, they started to make some really impressive trains. Great work jtedal! All hail the mad mappers (and thier plugin devs). I haven't tried the prefab for building trains, but it looks cool too.

This plugin is truly remarkable! I was utterly captivated. I saw one similar to this, but was on a video and was very private. The concept of a mobile base or a rolling fortress is simply ingenious, offering players an entirely new dimension of gameplay.

What truly sets this plugin apart is its versatility. The ability to seamlessly transition your vehicle off the tracks, thereby preventing unnecessary clutter on the server, while still allowing others to partake in the experience, is nothing short of brilliant. I find myself thoroughly impressed with the innovation and creativity behind this plugin, and I eagerly anticipate the endless possibilities it will unlock within the Rust community. Thank you Jtedal!