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Post by kbr on Sept 23, 2008 21:43:47 GMT -5
Lately I've been feeling the urge for some train driving. I spent this evening doing a fresh install of MSTS. While I do enjoy TRS (both '04 & '06), I feel that of any of the train sims currently available, MSTS still provides the best all around train experience. Currently I've only installed Feather River and MLT's KHP, Rogers Pass and Shuswap routes. Just finished giving it a little test run and the sim's running very nice after the fresh install. I'm looking forward to doing a few runs on the mentioned routes as I have time. I'm also considering checking out that new Canadian route from MLT after my next payday.  By the way, anyone else hear about that new subway sim released (or soon to be released) by Aerosoft? If I remember what I read right, it covers a New York subway route. Sounds interesting and the pictures look nice. Before making any decisions, though, I'd like to see a review or two on it. |
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Post by bhk on Sept 24, 2008 2:23:11 GMT -5
That new Canadian route is pretty enjoyable, Kevin.
You might find some comment on that subway route on the Train-sim.com forum.
Bruce
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Post by sgtmajor on Sept 24, 2008 9:30:10 GMT -5
Kevin..... like you, I keep going back to MSTS, especially since picking up a couple of the routes you and Bruce have shown.
Hmmmm.... a subway route. That could be interesting.
Cheers!!
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Post by AirCoaster on Sept 24, 2008 9:43:20 GMT -5
Kevin, I downloaded the NY subway sim the other day. I will give you evaluation of it as soon as I get a couple free moments to install it. My education keeps me from doing a lot of gaming as of late. I might have a post on it by this weekend.
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Post by kbr on Sept 24, 2008 14:45:39 GMT -5
Thanks, I'll be interested in hearing what you have to say about it, John. SimMarket posted a bunch of pictures of it at; secure.simmarket.com/product_info.php?products_id=3185It looks pretty good. I have a fascination with subways, especially US ones, so I'm very tempted to pick this one up. I'm surprised that the file size is under 600 megs, I was expecting something in the gigabytes. If I do get it, it will be easy to download and back up to a CD. |
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Post by bhk on Sept 24, 2008 23:54:32 GMT -5
Kevin,
I wandered onto the TMS forum, found the English section, and read several of the feedback posts.
The comments generally favoured the sim.
One, from a train-driver in the Netherlands, reported that the physics were very good indeed.
The only negatives that I read all concerned the lifeless and "cartoon" (their quote), people who occupy the platforms.
That aside, from a driver's point of view it appears to be above average.
Bruce
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pasterke
Flightsimmer
patrick / EBBR
Posts: 22
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Post by pasterke on Sept 25, 2008 2:18:47 GMT -5
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Post by kbr on Sept 25, 2008 14:56:48 GMT -5
Thanks guys for the info. I had a look at the video and it looks like a lot of fun. I'm much more interested in the driving experience than how the people look and it sounds very promising. I've been planning on getting a new route soon and since World Subways V1 costs about the same as a new route, I'm seriously thinking of getting it for my next route. Got about a week yet to payday. In the meantime I've started a new run on the Feather River route. This route impresses me every time I see it. It's so detail I always see something new each time I ride it. Heres a few shots of it on a west bound run.      |
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Post by bhk on Sept 25, 2008 16:02:59 GMT -5
Feather River is quite superb. Certainly the most finely detailed of any route I've seen. Funny that you have started a run on that particular route, as I did the same thing last night.  If you get the subway package I'd be interested in your observations, Kevin. Regards, Bruce |
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Post by AirCoaster on Sept 30, 2008 9:28:44 GMT -5
Wow Kevin,
Feather River looks awesome. I still haven't had time to install the subway application. We are at the term finals in my courses, so it is taking up all of my spare time. We get a week break between terms, and I am certain I will have a report on the subway application next week, if not sooner. I am certain you are like me, you would rather hear a review of an application from a comrad than from some web site that caters to the application. I am getting itchy to see what it can do.
From what I have seen, the people on the platforms are just unanimated imposter objects(flat planes with low-res texures to cut down on lag). Other than that it looks very intriguing. I once had a subway route for MSTS, but it was full of glitches which made it a bit hard to enjoy, at least it was free, so I didn't loose anything on it.
I'll also let ya know how the term went. I thought I'd never say this when I was younger, but now that I am older, school is a blast, even if it is on-line.
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Post by AirCoaster on Oct 1, 2008 10:40:40 GMT -5
Kevin,
Geez, this is like the third attempt at writing this review. Don't ask. I am trying to write this at work.
I finally installed TML Subway Route Sim. The install went well,except for updating DirectX. You need at least June 2008 installed on your computer.
Before you operate this sim I suggest reading the manual. The controls are nothing like I have seen before. Your FOV panning is controlled by your mouse, and you are stuck with it, as far as I can see. Remember, I only spent about an hour and a half in the sim.
Generally, I am happy with this sim. It is worth the money, operations are pretty smooth except for view changes. There is a bit of a glitch when changing from inside cab view to any other view. The 3D human models on the platforms are a bit out of place for the rest of the graphics, semi crude at best, and the textures are rough. The distant objects kinda suck too. I think they could have made them not so low res. They are blocky at best, and I am certain they did this to improve performance. With todays machines distant objects shouldn't be a problem at medium resolution. Again, I am certain they did this to accomodate more machine configs.
The tunnel views are extremely well done. The lighting is also handled well. The electric arch flashes, and the vertical and horizontal movements of the train as it changes terrain and inertial forces is done quite well. It can get actually a bit nerve racking sometimes, because you don't know if you screwed up on speed or braking when entering some curves. And, Some of those are very tight 15 MPH curves. The lighting changes as you pass each lighting object in the tunnels, and above ground is very well done too.
The controls handle quite good compared to other train sims I have ran. Stopping at platforms isn't a major task like in some sims. Braking and acceleration are much as you would expect in real life. You can actually run the sim without the information gauges supplied with the sim, except for the speed indicator. There are controls for operating the doors left and right separately. As you probably know, platforms aren't created equal.
Going outside the driver's cab is very limited in tunnel platforms, but on the above ground platforms it is move to the limits of the scenery. As I said before, your FOV panning is controlled by the mouse, so to turn in any direction you need to move the mouse. The sim uses the standard WASD movement keys for mobile manuevering the camera, the only standard key arrangement in the sim.
Now the fun part. The sim comes loaded with I think ten different TOD, and situation controlled scenarios. It even has a shift mode, I haven't figured that out yet, but looks interesting. I didn't count them, and I haven't tried them all. I only spent an hour and a half before I went to bed last night running the sim. There is a scenario evalution mechanism that initializes when you start the scenario. The best I did was 41%, but I haven't honed my skills yet. I kinda wish the time involved in each scenario was a bit longer, but it is good for a couple of good hours of trying to satisfy your passengers and the boss.
All in All, I find it well worth the money, especially if they keep the addons to a minimum in price. It would be nice to see a route editor for third party creation, too.
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Post by kbr on Oct 2, 2008 21:53:27 GMT -5
Thanks for the mini review, John. It sounds very interesting and it's certainly on my to get list. I would be getting it now if my computer hadn't broke down again. The damage this time was very costly (for me) so I'll have to go over my budget to see if I can still get it at this time or have to wait until the next paycheck. (Good luck on your finals.) Feather River is a great route, but it was in the middle of doing a run last week that my computer broke down, so I'm looking forward to getting back tot it. ;D Feather River is quite superb. Certainly the most finely detailed of any route I've seen. Funny that you have started a run on that particular route, as I did the same thing last night. If you get the subway package I'd be interested in your observations, Kevin. Regards, Bruce That is a coincidence. ;D When I do get the subway package, I'll be sure to post my views on it. I'm looking forward to it, but my getting it my be a little delayed. |
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