General North American 3rd Party News (non Dramatic Version)

The nice thing about having an oligopoly (or monopoly) is that development becomes much more efficient.
Shared assets, scripts.
Practically how and why every route comes with an F7, a GP9, an SD40 and an ES44. Because it's an easy reskin.

Having ran Tehachapi recently I was dismayed by the graphics quality, absolutely trumped by old routes like Soldier Summit.

I vote for a middle ground. I notice but won't foam about small mistakes, or the lack of features I won't use anyway, but I want to be pleased by the basics - make it look fine, sound good, behave well. People with older configs (me included) can stick to old content for the time being. (There might be the option to have a lo-fi and hi-fi asset pack, but like with the US branded stuff, it can be troublesome.)

When purchasing I always look for the best value. Like Score / Price. If new content is great, I won't mind paying a bit more for it. (Except my next purchase being due in 50 years.)

(Remember it's important to give feedback politely. Otherwise the dev might wall up, bark back, or decide to do something else. Neither of those are beneficial.)

 

I was referring to the routes, we don't need to discuss how bad DTM rolling stock is. I'm just fixing the ATSF pack (headlight flares, cab audio occlusion not working because a tunnel occlusion blueprint is used (who knows if design violations like that will crash in future versions...), wrong headlight radius and cones, too dirty glass etc...)

 

The only problem with this is that there already is a massive gap in quality between providers, and, yet, prices don't increase between them. The best example of this is probably Taurus Mountains, easily one of(if not the) best routes in the game. The route was a passion project by a dev, who spent years making stock, assets, and the gorgeous route. Based on what you're saying, if a HIS route is $40, this route would logically cost $100 or more based on the effort and time that went into it, and yet, it is on steam for $30.00.

For a more american comparison, TBT's SD70ACU is LOVE, and didn't have all that much time put into it, and is on sale for $20 on steam. Meanwhile, Searchlight Simulations released theirs yesterday, which has clear effort put into it and has all of the features while TBTs has none, and yet, that too is cheaper, at $15 on SS' website.

Additionally, Milepost's recent routes have knocked it out of the park in terms of the route, and yet, same price as HIS, whose routes in comparison have been mediocre(besides Hanover, that route rocks).

And yes, personally I would rather wait longer for higher quality DLCs, rather than the constant drone of poor shovelware over the last few years.

 

All the development for the SS NS SD70ACU had been done on the previous packs. This essentially was a reskin with differences indicative of the Norfolk Southern. Taurus Mountains, you have to admit is an outlier. It was a passion project as you stated and certainly worth more, by your estimate, than $30.00. Would you have purchased it for $100.00, that was your estimate as well?
Also of note, location, number of employees, overhead or sub contractor participation also needs to be considered. It is hard to compare apples to oranges you can't equate fixed or variable expenses across developers. My question again, would you be willing to pay extra for a "quality" route? But quality is subjective anyhow.

 

I already do. When something of quality comes out, I buy it immediately. When it's mediocre, I wait for deep discounts. Personally, I think the costs for this game are way over inflated compared to the DLC to other games(notably ATS), so no, I wouldn't spend more than $40 for any singular DLC. For that to happen the quality would need to be SS quality and it would need to be a long route. (For example, if Tomcat ever fully finished PRB, that would absolutely be worth $100, as would a fully sceniced Cajon_Alpha)

Sidenote on the ACu, TBT's was also a reskin of their ACu, and it's just a simple reskin, while SS took the time to update the specs and make everything tip-top for NS.

 

I am referring to projects on Steam. They are the ones that are promoted because they go by the licensing requirements. I am well aware that Searchlight has a new locomotive and I know that will be or most likely has been well-received by customers, but it has much less reach with the general player base than Steam, which is advertising inferior products instead. That's beyond our control, sadly. AP is an exception, but their prices have shot up recently as well, with some products going missing, so it becomes harder to recommend even that now.

Whoops. Yes, that counts.

 

Significant model variation, physics differences, new functionality (cab signaling.) Clearly just a reskin, oh and the TBT one actually is also 'just a reskin.'

 

You also currently can't get TBTs CP SD70ACus right now anyway cause of "store maintenance"

 

It was noted on the Dovetail Direct tonight that Machine Rail's 1893 Empire State Express will be published on steam at a later date, with scenarios "supposedly" made for the out of era Boston and Albany Route.

 

Also more photos of Tennessee Pass

 

I have been trying to find out what happened to the Larias route out west, but they have not posted further updates nor replies to e-mails from me.

 

Some more updates from Machine Rail - Their Frisco T-54 is coming along nicely





No official word as to when it will be released, but by the looks of it I'd say it'll be out within the next few weeks, give or take.

 

If only we had a Frisco route to run it on.

 

Yes, that's a bit of a problem with commissioned locomotives instead of trying to fill gaps in rosters for routes already in the game.

Nevertheless, MR's 4-8-2 looks fantastic, I see a water canteen tender and some coaches I haven't seen before, so it seems we might get a train for the price of a locomotive.

 

They just updated today.


The route files were lost so it will no longer come, but they will work on a new BNSF route in Texas in the future.

 

Thanks for posting the update, could be very interesting.

 

I really want whatever they do to be good, but they've gotta massively improve on what they've previously shown off with the lost route if they want to be up to par.

 

Yeah, I'm not gonna be having high hopes with this one now. Disappeared for a long while, and now making a new route due to the last one got lost & canceled. This new route better indeed improve than the last one, even from what was seen from the previous W.I.P shots on the last route.

 

The Frisco T-54s from Machine Rail are now officially out. The announcement video can be found here:

 

Bought!


the 'Extra' flags are waving in the wind.
comes with some Frisco freight cars and a rake of 'entourage' passenger cars.
no caboose unfortunately, and a stock car would have been nice too since Frisco ran through cattle territory.
nevertheless, a beautiful looking engine, sound that whistle and look at all the little animations ...
Running it for an hour, I think the firing needs some tweaking, as the safety valves pop continuously even with no fuel applied and the pressure still rises to 250 PsI and above, the characteristics of oil firing (Dutch oven or atomizer) perhaps not properly implemented?

 

Martin Ashwill, AKA Marty is retiring from TSC content creation.


He was responsible for work on some decent mods released overtime in TSC.
https://www.trainsimcommunity.com/user/marty/uploads

 

HIS has released another of their payware scenario packs, I'm sure everyone's super excited
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2662440/Train_Simulator_Saluda_Grade_Scenario_Pack_02/

 

Oh wow. They are super focused on this route like none other. They already got to scenario pack TWO. Marias Pass didn't get past ONE.

Just as a note, if anyone wants to see what their scenario content is like, try any of their 365 scenarios on the Workshop instead of buying these things. https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197986957431/myworkshopfiles/?appid=24010

Or find people like Not.Silent, greendragon32, Highball Simulations, and RBJets who have even more for free...Not.Silent alone, if you have all the stuff in them, you can play one unique scenario every day for three years...Highball Simulations, I believe, actually developed the old Railworks 2 scenario pack that covers all eight of the default routes plus Cajon...RBJets does the Yard Work series across (mostly) US routes...

That said, I have some that I picked up for cheap, and I'll play them someday. I would never pay this price for scenarios. Also, some people do like the packs, and if you do, all the power to you. You can just get a lot of content for free (including these packs, by the way, but I won't explain). You are not limited to opening your wallet.

(I would say play other scenarios on this route, but there is only this one.)

 

I agree, there is a limit to the usefulness of these packs.
That said, it's the DLC for a DLC concept further. And a way to increase prices without apparently doing so
Ohio Steel 2 came with 30 scenarios, this one comes with fewer but you can extend it. Optionally.
Could say the same about trains. RS/RW routes came with a bunch of trains, and then we had the NEC or NJCL with just one.
So the routes are a bit more of just routes, and their extensions are a bit more about just trains.
Also, ideally, these packs use more versatile stock. I'd prefer to mix in some foreign power but people tend to be sassy about it.

One thing I'm happy about - they added a bundle. Hopefully fewer complaints about missing stock.

 

There is another route of theirs with a bundle. The bundle discount is 0%. What the fudge kind of incentive is that to buy?

 

Tennessee Pass soon:
https://live.dovetailgames.com/live...article/rio-grande-rocky-mountain-railroading

 

Milepost also teased their "supposed" final TSC route. Era is 60's and 70's.

 

Anybody know if DTM's Amtrak P40 DC pack ever got the scripting errors fixed? Like, for example, reversing the A and D keys so that, MSTS-style, A decelerates and D accelerates. I can put up with the dimensional errors (I'm actually interested in the pack because of 1, the cars, and 2, the discounted price in the Steam Spring sale) but not scripting errors.

 

Spoiler alert: It's not in Tennessee!

 

For anyone not in the TSC Community Discord, the image shown is of the Milwaukee Road's Pacific Extension, specifically the Blacktail Bridge located East of Butte, MT.



You can see the mountains in the background are clearly the same, as well as the track and road. (I am now realizing I choose too similar colors for the distant mountains--should still get the point across)

What I'm not sure of, however, is the route length. Assuming Butte is the western end of the route, the next best place to end on the east is Harlowton, MT, where the electric division ended--however, that is about 175 miles, and I find it unlikely for this route to be longer then Milepost's two previous routes combined. Then comes the question: where does it end? The only guess I have is that the route is the mainlines for approximately 55 miles from Butte to Three Forks, and then the 35 mile Bozeman Branch, which from what I've read was in decline during the 60's and 70's, which is when the route is set.

However, it promises to be an interesting route, and a unique one at that, since the only electric line in TSC located outside of NEC is Sacramento Northern, which has an entirely different flavor of railroading then Milwaukee Road.

 

Does that mean they're gonna do the boxcabs, little joes, and bipolars? All of them have a preserved example, so modelling should be a lot easier.

 

Depends if they get references right when they were still operational at the time. But as a guess, might just say only one of them electric locos will be modeled for sure (hoping Little Joe just because), while the others, if so, will be diesel powered. And from that time range, be not too surprising if another EMD loco shows up in orange.

 

For diesel power I could see a modified Clinchfield U36C and classic SD40-2, with maybe a geep as branchline power or a switcher. The crown jewel of motive power for the route would be an electric locomotive, I really want the boxcabs but little joes are more likely.

 

More likely on the 4-axle range of diesel if the time period is right. But not gonna know that till later on when W.I.P screenshots are shown

 

Larias has started on their new route

 

Mileposts next teaser is updated.


This clearly shows some kind of Milwaukee Road Boxcab Electric.

 

Little disappointing, but might depend on which boxcab is gonna be modeled then, or what other units are gonna be later on.

 

Appears to be an EF1, you can see that both center units have cabs making them A-A sets. However, they could be classified as EF-5, since those used either cabs or converted no-cab models as intermediate units making for a 4 car set.

Actually quite happy these are included, I find these much cooler than the Little Joes.

 

Plus Reppo could always make a Little Joe later in a Pro Range setting.

 

Progress on Machine Rails N-1 Class

 

So glad the boxcabs made it in, I was afraid they'd be overshadowed by the Little Joes. Maybe we can get bipolars too, hopefully.

 

This looks really cool; I’ve always wanted more of the unique American locomotives in the game as they are criminally underrepresented in game. So I’m quite happy to see the unique boxcab designs coming to the game; however I feel the red colour on the boxcab from the screenshot is the wrong shade to my eyes compared to what I see in photos. But I do also hope the Class EF-4 will be included with the route.

Also Machine Rails steam locomotives are looking great as well; would love to see them tackle a streamliner locomotive that would be amazing; I’m a massive fan of American streamlined steam locomotives and there are barely any available at a good quality for TSC. Which sort of does make sense as most of the best streamliners unfortunately got scrapped with not many streamliner types preserved which really sucks.

 

Isn't this the same one they've teased before, like over a year ago or something? Then there was a long radio silence, but good to see it's back on track.

 

Is it just me or do the assets look generic? Granted, not much you can do with trees on a hill, but we are discussing trees...

 

No, what happened to that route was expained here.

 

Unbelievable. Have to say, that comes across as pretty damn "amateurish" to just lose all that work. Good thing he wasn't working for a publisher, at least! Hope it's not a sign of things to come. But thanks for the info.

 

You would think after DTM had his issues years back, everyone would be backing up their work.

 

Yeah, hopefully it's still at a fairly early stage, but it's not really standing out for me from what we've seen so far.

 

entirely new models or MSTS, Trainz conversions?
another up-the-mountain=down-the-mountain route, but now under catenary?
Milwaukee Road had two electrified sections IIRC, both are available in MSTS/OR, and one in Trainz.