Train Simulators.

[Admiral Halsey]

Ok so the last Train Sim I ever played/still play was/is Microsoft's from way back when and just got around to getting Train Simulator 2014 and i've got to say i'm quite disappointed. Sure the Graphics are better but not that much better and over all it's still the same game otherwise. I'm still waiting for a Train Sim that comes out where when you forget to water the boiler of a steamer and it explodes you actually see it explode and don't just get a text box stating it did.

[Oberon]

If you want a realistic challenge then I might recommend Just Trains 4MT, and any steam locomotive by Meshtools or Karma99/Victory Works.
If you manage to get a Meshtools Jinty from Bath Green Park to Midford on advanced mode without the Automatic fireman, then you can worry about exploding boilers. :03:

[Mud]

Open Rail for anyone who is interested for MS Train Simulator.

http://www.openrails.org/

[Skybird]

Open rails...? Allows to use addon content for MSTS...? Sounds interesting, I still have some of the iconic German Railroad and Pro Train-CDs.

Bookmarked.

[World_Devastator]

Train Simulator 2014 is a disappointment for me also, it has the potential but they just dropped the ball on scenery items, ground textures, ect. and no multiplayer is a bad thing. I think as of now OpenRails is the only people really working on stuff but bad thing about them is its on a old old game engine in desperate need of a graphics overhaul

[Oberon]

I understand what you mean, but my hope lies with the 3rd party people, RSC themselves have gone a bit down the Microsoft route with the extreme stinginess in regards to different skins available per locomotive in sale. Whereas people like Armstrong Powerhouse will sell a locomotive with a whole multitude of skins included rather than making you buy each one in turn.
That being said, I cannot fault RSC or Dovetail games as they now call themselves in consistently upgrading the base engine each year for free, something which Auran Trainz never did, and indeed for that matter Microsoft never did with Flight Simulator. The downside, admittedly, is that the base engine has not changed a great deal since Kuju Rail Simulator, but there has been reports of DTG/RSC looking for people who have experience with Unreals graphic technology, so they could be planning a new version behind the scenes.
If they're not, however, there is the kickstarter project for the next generation of Trainz which seems to have succeeded in its goal, so that might prove to be interesting, and in regards to multiplayer there is the quite excellent looking Run8 which seems quite in-depth but rather limited in the fact that it's US rail operations only at the moment.

I do wonder if RSC/DTG do have multiplayer on the back-burner though, because I do recall a video released by them a long time ago that had a functioning MP in it, but there are a lot of problems to iron out with Train Simulation MP, problems such as how one player sees anothers content if he or she doesn't own it (ie, if I pass you while I am driving a Black Five and you are driving a Castle class and I don't own the Castle class DLC, what do I see?), how detailed the MP should be (should there be playable signalmen/dispatchers, should a player be able to be the fireman to another players driver? [personally I would love to see both]) and that's before you go into the net-code and such.

[Admiral Halsey]

(ie, if I pass you while I am driving a Black Five and you are driving a Castle class and I don't own the Castle class DLC, what do I see?)

That's easy to solve. Have DLC specific servers that are the only ones where you can run the DLC engines on them. Or better yet make every engine available when you purchase the game and focus all effort into fixing bugs.

[Oberon]

That's easy to solve. Have DLC specific servers that are the only ones where you can run the DLC engines on them.

Which will completely fracture the community and make MP a very difficult (and expensive) thing.

Or better yet make every engine available when you purchase the game and focus all effort into fixing bugs.

Which will bankrupt the company, plus DTG aren't the only ones providing DLC.

[HunterICX]

Easier would be a ''lite'' version of the DLC
-Only exterior model which they can't use themselves ofcourse
-Low Resolution textures

So that would work in case of MP with people that have and use DLC content with the ones that don't.

[Admiral Halsey]

Which will bankrupt the company, plus DTG aren't the only ones providing DLC.

Then put all the DLC into an expansion pack that come with it's own multiplayer servers.

[Oberon]

Then put all the DLC into an expansion pack that come with it's own multiplayer servers.

Here's a game for you, go on to Steam, go onto Train Simulator 2014, go to the DLC and hit the button marked 'Add all DLC to cart', if the Steam store doesn't crash like it just did for me, then you'll find that the total cost of all the DLC is over a thousand dollars, and probably nudging towards two thousand by now. :doh:

I'm not sure the average joe can afford a $2000 game...

[HunterICX]

2,757.31€ which is about 3,759.02$ :03:

[World_Devastator]

Yeh payware for TS2014 is crazy now, because of all the stuff out now. Buying it all at one time is incredibly expensive!

[Oberon]

2,757.31€ which is about 3,759.02$ :03:

And that's not including separate DLC available off Steam from places like Just Trains, ChrisTrains, Armstrong Powerhouse, and the like. :doh:

[World_Devastator]

And that's not including separate DLC available off Steam from places like Just Trains, ChrisTrains, Armstrong Powerhouse, and the like. :doh:

Very true, TS2014 is getting as bad as FSX payware lol, But in FSX its worth it all day

[Oberon]

Very true, TS2014 is getting as bad as FSX payware lol, But in FSX its worth it all day

Some TS2014 payware is worth it, generally the 3rd party stuff is the best, DTG themselves have been a bit hit and miss of recent years.

[World_Devastator]

I really enjoyed Durango & Silverton by GTrax, great 3rd party!

[Oberon]

I really enjoyed Durango & Silverton by GTrax, great 3rd party!

If you like US steam locomotives you might want to keep an eye on Smokebox, they're producing what looks like it'll be the most advanced steam locomotive for Train Simulator yet.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Smokebox/132794016882582

[World_Devastator]

I have his AT&N Consolidation, it is awesome to say the least. I wish I could learn how to use the editor and create my own scenerio's using the GPS land data

[Admiral Halsey]

Here's a game for you, go on to Steam, go onto Train Simulator 2014, go to the DLC and hit the button marked 'Add all DLC to cart', if the Steam store doesn't crash like it just did for me, then you'll find that the total cost of all the DLC is over a thousand dollars, and probably nudging towards two thousand by now. :doh:

I'm not sure the average joe can afford a $2000 game...

Then don't add DLC at that point. I'd rather have a game with a fewer engines but has multiplayer then one that has tons of DLC and has no multiplayer. Plus as you said yourself the only decent DLC stuff is generally 3rd party ones. Honestly i've never liked the fact that the 3rd party DLC is payware. IMO that's like if modders started charging for mods.

[Oberon]

Then don't add DLC at that point. I'd rather have a game with a fewer engines but has multiplayer then one that has tons of DLC and has no multiplayer. Plus as you said yourself the only decent DLC stuff is generally 3rd party ones. Honestly i've never liked the fact that the 3rd party DLC is payware. IMO that's like if modders started charging for mods.

God help you if you ever went to FSX payware, I dread to think how much you'd need to pay to get all their payware. :har:

Anyway, sounds like what you're after is Run8, it has MP and fewer engines. In the meantime, I think Hunter has the right idea in that if MP in TS is to work then it'd need to be through server-side models, or using a different model in place. I think the original Combat Flight Simulator did that, I remember a friend of mine shooting out one of my engines while I was flying a Ju-88, it caught fire and on my screen it was just one engine on fire, on his screen I was flying a smaller fighter aircraft which was a moving fireball. Quite amusing. :haha:

[Admiral Halsey]

God help you if you ever went to FSX payware, I dread to think how much you'd need to pay to get all their payware. :har:

Anyway, sounds like what you're after is Run8, it has MP and fewer engines.God FSX was horrible with the payware. As for Run8 I took a quick look at the site and i'm quite impressed actually. However I think i'll hold off on buying it until they get the GS4's done. In the meantime i'll keep playing my trusty copy of MSTS which has served me all these years.

[ajrimmer42]

Gotta say I've always thought TS2014 was decent enough. Then again I bought it back when it was like 90% off at some point lol. However the DLC is another matter, £7+ for a single loco or short route is pretty steep imo. The only DLC of theirs I bought at full price was the Woodhead route, purely because I live at one end of it and I thought it was pretty cool that they made it in the first place. I only have a few other bits and all of it I got on sale.

Still not got round to getting any third party stuff though, however I do have my eye on a Class 40 in development :D

[Downunderjock]

G'day all.

Here's my Two Cents.

TS2014 even Trainz (and I also like away from Trains, Ship Sim Ex.)
Sadly, all these groups among others, Ubisoft, ring a bell. SH fame.

I love them dearly, (among other games, not of this type.) but since they all won't fix bugs, etc.

But like pumping out DLC's, not cheap and all buggy.

I have been backing off, buying their DLC's, etc.
Partly because of that, and lack of other World rail lines.

You should see how they don't like it, on Steam, as per their Forums, or TS website, modify etc, any comments you might like to make. Of this nature.

At least on Ship Sims proper website forum (not the Steam one.) they are a little nicer to you.
(I am a member of that too. And Hidden and Dangerous.)

Mind you on, the Steam forum as per write a review for TS and SSE, not so moderated, by the minders.

Also, the above groups Facebook pages comments, tell a similar story, of how all, are getting sick of the @@@@.


I beg pardon, for how I put this, no offence meant, in all honesty. To anyone.

I just wanted to point out, an aspect of their game, etc.

Sadly, TS (and SSE steam forum) (also, even some the forum members) only want British and USA, European Trains and lines.

Now, I don't have a problem with that to a point.
(and they keep saying it would be too much work to, do.)

However, it would be nice, if they would consider other parts, of the World. (Same in SSE.)

We, of our countries, do have something to offer of our Rail lines, Rolling stock, scenery, etc.

If you are willing, to look on the internet.

It would be nice, to see.

But they are happy to make tons of UK stock, etc, when their are those of use from other Countries, who have faithfully, brought their game.
When, they could be making those from other parts of the World, too.

And I know that some of you, too (like those from the other game sites, and Forums), from the US, UK and Europe, etc.

Would like to see, Trains, etc, from other Countries.
(or in the case of SSE, different ships, or Ports scenerios, etc.)


I know you love yours, but the aim is to be challenged, by different gameplays, is it not.



Like other navies in SH series.
(Hey, I'd hear an Aussie or Kiwi, Pommie, Dutch etc, voice in an Allied Sub. Or missions about the SBS, SAS or Australia's Z Force or Coastwatchers, added in a SH game. Via say the Hidden and Dangerous or BIA group.)

Or the Ranger's.


Same, for SSE.

Who remembers, "Ports of Call" game, the Floppy disk version. That groups site, you can now, download the original plus others within it.
At least, you could sail and take your ship into (or leave) port, of most Countries. That was the fun, of it. (O.K, I know it's not a Sim.)

Anyway, that was my Two cent's and hope you will not mind, how I put it.

Pardon, this isn't short n sweet, my letter writing, is not the best.

See Ya.

[Mud]

Might be worth checking out.

Railroad X http://store.steampowered.com/app/251020/

[World_Devastator]

Might be worth checking out.

Railroad X http://store.steampowered.com/app/251020/

Wow didnt see this on steam today yet, great find will have to check it out for sure! :salute:

[johnpera]

This game used to be pretty cool. Then they updated it to 2014 and added a bunch of achievements that you can't get unless you fork out money. So yeah, its okay if you like to go really fast and wreck trains, cause thats what I do.

[scott613]

Hi Folks,

A bit new around here - my money is on Open Rails -- an Open Source solution -- created by the very user community that loves the genre - for free... What an opportunity...

Yeah - I've spent a little time messing with trains - a couple things I whipped up...

1082

1083

1084

1085

Regards,
Scott