Max Red & Blue Lines In Portland Oregon For Tsw (a New And Unique Addition To Train Simulation)

Discussion in 'Suggestions' started by PlaneNerd, Nov 14, 2017.

  1. PlaneNerd

    PlaneNerd New Member

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    Over the years we have gotten freight or passengers one rout after another . Most freight routs look cool but are lacking in game play, while most passenger routs offer a short amount of focused game play arriving at stations followed by long swaths of boredom between stations. In both cases each rout can at most offer several hours of varied game play, but this can improve dramatically.

    Introducing the MAX train system based in the Portland Oregon (USA) area and operated by TriMet. [​IMG]
    Train Simulation's first ever light rail line!!!

    Why is MAX unique and exciting?
    MAX (the Metropolitan Area Express operated by TriMet) is a light rail system famous for its varied rout, comfort, and scenery. Its fast 25 second stops keep the driver and passengers engaged making this rout perfect for TSW's service, passenger, and scenario modes.
    One moment you are being whisked along at speed through the countryside, and the next your are going block to block downtown, watching out for each signal at the intersections (this would be an amazing new feature in TSW). MAX does not ever share a lane with cars (so all of you developers can breath a sigh of relief) but it does share roadways which means that while in the city, the driver/player must be on their toes, watching out for the traffic lights to change, nervously approaching each signal sometimes just placed 40 meters apart in the city, faced with the fear of gliding through an intersection on a red signal, and going into oncoming traffic. This high intensity and exhilarating game play is a new and much anticipated area for train simulation.
    This is not to say that the entire rout is full of high intensity stop and go driving. As well as sticking with the tight time tables (which run services on each line on just 5-15 minutes apart) MAX offers long stretches of fast track in the suburbs, where the train follows the freeway and reaches speeds of 65 miles per hour (105 kilometers per hour). Here the stations are farther a part. This rapid variation along the rout offers an immersive experience for the driver.

    The Route (note, just red and blue lines):
    The proposal is for the MAX Red and or Blue lines which can be seen on the rout map below.[​IMG]
    These two lines are unique because of the rout variation which would contribute to the player's experience.

    Blue Line: Starts in Hillsboro Oregon in a suburban setting. Trees and residential building line the fast intermittent stopping stretch of the line. In Beverton, the line hooks up with the Red line where the trains enter the tunnel under Washington Park and The Oregon Zoo, offering a brief subway driving experience. After this the train emerges from the hill in downtown Portland where the train begins its street level travel from the Football (soccer) stadium, to the square, past the old court house and down to the water front where it crosses the steel bridge and begins its travels to Gresham at high speed along the freeway.

    Red Line: Starts in Beverton sharing the right of way with the Blue Line through the tunnel and through downtown where it branches off after the stretch along the freeway. The Blue Line continues on the Gresham while the red line turns towards the airport and North Portland. The Red Line terminates at the airport after another fast stretch along the freeway stopping every so often at shopping centers and residential areas.

    Conclusion, (Why MAX)
    Max offers a new playing experience for train simulation and would be a perfect addition to Train Sim World. With TSW the game mechanics required for the downtown portion of the route have finally been developed making this type of route obtainable for the very first time on any train simulation platform. No other route ever developed offers any form of down town experience and this would add a challenging component from the player's point of view which has been lacking until now. The fast transitions from speed to stop and go along with the rapid changes in scenery would make this route unique in difficulty and beauty. Over the years I have seen many requests for subway systems, however I have always thought that they would lack in scenery. This route is the best of both worlds; the stopping frequency of an underground service, with the breath taking scenery of an above ground rail service.
    MAX would also bring several new capabilities to TSW which would give players reasons to upgrade and purchase the DLC as many people are always hesitant to do so given that most updates are simple additions of new routes. MAX would bring a whole new playing experience, while at the same time not forcing developers to come up with new software. Everything in this route has been implemented in some form to TSW or TS2017 meaning that although, to the user this would feel like an entire new experience, to the developer, there would not be many new challenges.
    From the first time I played TS2014 I have been dreaming of a route like this, now with TSW, my dream could come true.

    MAX truly is the perfect route to bring with it the future of train simulation.

    Here are a few images which highlight the rout's majestic variation:
    [​IMG]
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    [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
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  2. PlaneNerd

    PlaneNerd New Member

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    Does anybody agree or have any comments, suggestions to improve this proposal or feedback? I love this rout and I would love to hear some input from the rest of the community.
     
  3. Nox

    Nox Member

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    This looks awesome, I'd definitely purchase it. Having lots to do on a route is perfect
     
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  4. NEC_Male_TC

    NEC_Male_TC Active Member

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    Unfortunately, Dovetail Games usually doesn't make trolley/subway/tram/light rail routes so I doubt this will happen. But if Dovetail Games did do one of those kinds of routes, I feel that there are much better and more famous options available than the Portland, OR light rail system. For example, the New York City Subway system, the Chicago L-Train system or the San Francisco cable car and trolley system are much more famous and I believe they could be more exciting than the Portland, OR light rail system.
     
  5. PlaneNerd

    PlaneNerd New Member

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    I can give several reasons why Portland is a better option than any of the routs which you just listed.

    1) Portland's MAX line has a mix of underground, overground, and downtown stop and go for varied game play which will keep the player engaged. Most other LRT routes mentioned just have one or the other.

    2) The scenery in Portland is breathtaking because of its variation as well. The hills, buildings, suburbs, parks are all highlighted by the amount of greenery and parks all around the city, giving it a cultured livable feel.

    3) There has never been a route made in the Pacific North West before and this is a shame because of the avid train culture in the city.

    4) Just having routes in the same cities over and over again gets boring. How many times has Train Simulator gone to the northeast corridor? TOO MANY. We need a new route in a new city and Portland offer that.

    5) The cable car in San Francisco is short and slow. there are no sidings or switches, plus the game mechanics to create the rout would be a nightmare.

    6) Lets not pretend that a rout needs to be famous for it to be created in TSW or TS2017. I have never heard of 3/4 of the routs which are in the game, and either way, Portland is well known in its own right, maybe not in the UK but in the U.S.

    7) Portland's light rail system has an interesting history so just because you have never heard of it does not diminish its importance.

    8) Portland's light rail is unique from other major cities in that is shares the road way (but not lanes) with other cars.

    9) If you want something completely different in your collection, Portland's route and trains are farther from the status quo than any of the other routes which you mentioned.

    10) In no other route do you get the driving experience of both a streetcar and an intercity commuter and a subway.
     
  6. Benjwri

    Benjwri Member

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    Train Sim World's main feature is it's graphics,are these not wasted in tunnels, also part of the draw is to look it the scenery, look a a black screen for hours is a bit boring
     
  7. NEC_Male_TC

    NEC_Male_TC Active Member

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    1) Ummm... So does the New York subway system and the Chicago L-Train system.

    2) Pure opinion.

    3) So Stevens Pass in Train Simulator 2018 doesn't count as a "Pacific Northwest" route?

    4) Face it, some cities like New York, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles sell better than others in all kinds of video games because they are more well-known to the average person when they think of American cities.

    5) Not true. There are sidings on the San Francisco cable car system. I even rode a San Francisco cable car before and saw a siding or two connect to the San Francisco Cable Car Museum from the Powell and Hyde Line.

    6) Depends on your prior knowledge.

    7) I never said I never heard of it, I did hear of it before.

    8) Many tram/trolley lines do run on the streets with automobile traffic too. Unless you mean on an interstate highway, then maybe you have a point there.

    9) Oh I'd rather have the New York subway system, Chicago L-Train system or San Francisco cable car, trolley and tram system over the Portland, OR system in my collection any day.

    10) Not true. Portland, OR is not the only city that offers multiple types of light rail/heavy rail transportation. San Francisco has trolleys, cable cars, trams and subways (if you count the BART trains as subways, although they are driverless).

    I can tell that since you live in Oregon, you want to see this route very much, which may be a natural feeling or reaction. But the "my hometown/homestate is on the route" philosophy doesn't mean it will be a good idea for the company to make. Now, to be fair, I must say, I believe the Portland, OR to Seattle mainline route would be a great route to have since Seattle is a famous American city and you get two states with it, plus multiple railroads like Amtrak and Union Pacific. I'm in favor of Seattle to Portland for Train Sim World, so Portland can be represented to you see, but in a different (and maybe more exciting) way.
     
  8. pschlik

    pschlik Well-Known Member

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    Calm down people. Just because someone suggests a route does not mean they think it is the one and only true route to do. A suggestion for route X is not a suggestion against route Y as these are suggestions, not future plans for DTG. And nobody needs to suggest the '100% best route for DTG to ever do,' the criteria for a suggestion are relative, not absolute (it's a little thing called having an opinion, if you didn't know). If you want to see San Fran or New York, make a suggestion of your own for it, don't try to shoot down someone else's suggestion.
     
    Last edited: Nov 15, 2017
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  9. PlaneNerd

    PlaneNerd New Member

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    Your right. Portland would be my preference but any light rail line would be appreciated.
     

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