I think you have to play it to understand. There’s something really satisfying about giving something dirty a good cleaning. The upgrade system for your washer also gives you some gamified incentive to push on and the choices between nozzles, extensions and soaps sort of let you pick your own approach. I wouldn’t spend a lot of money on it (personally got it for free via PS Plus) but for a few quid it’s certainly worth it. Very satisfying and relaxing.
Run8 just got a second batch of MP15: notice the small detail variations Perhaps another pack with the AC version will follow, for that would be interesting because of the different traction characteristics. Also another update to the simulation, which is now at v14, Otto the auto dispatcher is getting smarter every new iteration to route trains according to their prototype symbols
transport fever is a game I would like to try out, but I think it would be way better value on pc aswell, as console is without the train model mods
I bought it on console a week or two ago, just to try it, and refunded it shortly after. It was fine, but I'm so used to having an abundance of mods that allow me to make what I want to make that I opted against it. When it gets mods, I'll probably go for it again. Even if my PC is a stuttering mess playing TPF2, at least I'm playing TPF2 in style.
The SCS truck games are going from strength to strength. Both ATS and ETS2 just got a substantial free update to V1.50 which looks absolutely fabulous. DTG really need to start paying attention to how SCS do their lighting and shading - day and night look so much better than TSW either over dark or blown out saturation. The next US state Nebraska releases today and will be half the price of what DTG now charge for a new route DLC. Introduces the concept of loading and unloading your truck, starting with grain. The only thing the truck sims lack is being able to detach your avatar and walk around in the world, as we can in TSW. I am also reinvigorated with Run 8. Massive routes with endless emergent gameplay. Currently slogging towards Trona from Mojave with a loaded coal train and have set up industry locations so later on I can run the famous Oil Cans from Bakersfield down to LA and return, while in between doing industry trips. Don’t know but for some reason LIRR pushed me over the edge as regards TSW which has been shelved for the time being.
Only just got into Kerbal Space Program (the first one, bought last week) and it's been brilliant. Got my first Mun and Minmus landing and return completed, plus a few relay satellites launched. Only just scratched the surface with this, but it's a fun way to get into basic astrophysics I guess. There's so much to learn with this, luckily there's some superb YT vids to help. The only problem is, you can easily sink hours into this, much like route building in TS...
Well there we are - eat your heart out DTG as regards your pricing policy for TSW DLC. just picked up Nebraska for ATS, in a bundle with stuff I already own - £7.64. And I bet I get more gameplay out of that then LIRR2 for £26.99. Way to go SCS.
Only snag at present on my current playthrough only at Level 7 so can't buy a grain trailer which you need to own to do the loading and unloadng part. Time to get trucking and level up!
I’m one of those console players hoping ATS and ETS2 come to console one day quite a lot of good pc games around, some making it to console others not.
I hadn't fired up ETS2 for years so I just had a play with the base game plus a couple of mods (Jazzycat, traffic density etc) - agreed, really impressed with ETS2, the scenery/lighting/foliage is superb, plus the sim feels incredibly smooth - no tile stutters etc. A rail sim with their engine (I presume they use their own engine) would be interesting.
I looked at ETS2 and like above was impressed with te scenery etc, it seemed to run very smooth. I went on YouTube and looked at more about it, one bit kind of bothered me in one video it said you have to make sure you run on time plus a few other things to get it to open other things in the sim. As a newbie I would struggle at first and probably be a long time before I could get the added benifits that are locked away till I passed the test so to speak. Also saw they have a controller too you can purchase, again it said they are a limited edition and once they are gone they are gone, no more to to had, unless its a stunt to get you to buy one.
There are deadlines in the truck games as you would expect but for normal deliveries, unless you take the long way round it is fairly lenient. At the start, before you open up the bank to borrow money for your own truck you are doing random jobs which supply the truck, so you don’t even need to drive to the pickup point. As regards controls, I just use a generic game pad along with the keyboard. The beauty of ATS and ETS is that you can play it your way. Can either be a one person outfit with your own truck (and trailers if you want) or eventually build up an empire with garages and multiple trucks and drivers in every major town or city.
RailRoader is getting closer to first release! Another large batch of real and meaningful updates to the Early Access: https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1683150/view/4190114399263760597 Schnauz takes a look: the steam chuff sounds are well done but like Schnauz', I expected more variation between engines, since it seems the same loop is used for all engines with some different effects all sounds (including the whistles) have a reverb, probably a game engine characteristic the quillable whistles already where a main feature, and you can give each locomotive its own individual whistle from the almost 100 sounds available perhaps with mods, the steam sound base loops can be changed a little too? the optional wear and tear model will make the economics and managerial part of the simulation more challenging and your shop crews busy plus, many mods have been created to add more industries. when everything at Tier 5, you are quite kept busy, even in real time. Many present mods probably need to be redone because of the core changes, but the developers still encourage modding while the sim is in early access RailRoader has come such a great way already!
Run8 also got an important addition: Amtrak ViewLiner II cars. Schnauz checks them out (and mentions some other, less noticeable, updates this simulation has got recently.
The Viewliner cars look nice and unlike DTG at least Run 8 are expanding the Amtrak fleet. Though they do show up the age of the Superliner stock and we could really do with an older F40PH or P32. I am definitely on a wave with R8 at present, seem to have set up a bit of a stress test for Otto over Tehachapi, launching all the trains out of Bakersfield in one of the default sessions while waiting for the oil cans to load at Saco so I can work them away around 1500 as used to happen. I’ve also set up the industry at Trona and have several rakes of potash and borax loading with a coal train inbound from Mojave. Busy, busy railroad.
Yes, the original v1 stock is showing its age now. A rework, update in textures and functionality will be very welcome. Valley Sub will be a very useful 'gap' filler in the SoCal network. I wouldn't mind SP SD45's and a set of original TankTrain cars, to re-create BKDUO, the legendary "Oil Cans" going over Tehachapi and down the Valley Sub.
I’ve done my best with the oil tanks that are in the game. Set up a long single industry location at Saco for loading and created a fictional unloading location at Weeds in LA, as we don't have Dolores. From what I can see there were two sets of tanks circulating, the loaded left Saco around 1500 with the empties leaving LA around 2100. Of course as we don't have the AVL yet, need to be routed via West Colton so will be watching Otto closely to make sure he doesn't try and route towards Yuma, which is where he sent my LA to Mojave spawn the other evening!
I keep hearing on the SCS forums that there is plans to bring them to console, but I don't have concrete evidence of that.
I downloaded the JR East train sim, the concept is amazing, only tried it last night for a short while, this morning wrote down the keyboard commands to get to know it better. When I first saw it I was fooled thinking the garaphics were supperb and the ppl were amazing then I realised they were real. I liked the idea of actually driving a train in a real enviroment, a few things I missed though was no external view of the train, not able to see the passengers boarding, but perhaps that will come, I hope. At the moment it is new so will be a novelty but I can see in time if it doesn't improve I may get board with the routine but we will see. Col.
It has a certain appeal but ultimately very limited in scope. You are basically driving the video clip so that there are no changes as regards time of day or weather conditions and seasons. Any other trains will appear at the same location and can look odd, as do the people and road vehicles, speeding up, slowing down or even stopping in synch with your train. Each route also has a fairly large HD footprint. I bought a couple and there’s one or two more I might get, mainly the rural runs, but IMHO it’s no substitute for a properly integrated graphics engine powered sim. They are also quite pricey and to the best of my knowledge not yet had any discount in a Steam sale.
I had to sell my motorbike a few years ago, as I can no longer ride in real-life due to medical reasons (2010 Bimota DB8), so these days can only play simulators. MotoGP, RIDE 4 and RIDE 5 Not as good as the real thing, but close enough.
