New Railroad Game...Overdue

[MrScott1964]

Anybody hear if there are any new railroad games coming out? We are surly overdue for a new one!
I haven't heard of any...I've even started playing Farm Simulator 2013 to fill the void.

[ytr191]

Farm Simulator?

Just replay Railroad Tycoon 3.

I just reinstalled it yesterday, and installed coast to coast.

I finished the Campaign, and earned 300mil on American Empire.

RT3 is a timeless classic.


Or, if you just can't stand another minute of RT3, try Openttd.

[thietavu]

Cascade Game Foundry, the team responsible for the cancelled Microsoft Train Simulator 2, is up to something related to trains and simulation. We should hear more pretty soon, they say.

[Hawk]

Cascade Game Foundry just released a new game about scuba diving.

http://www.infinitescuba.com/

That link came from this link.

http://www.cascadegamefoundry.com/projects/

[MrScott1964]

Cascade Game Foundry just released a new game about scuba diving.

Well all I can say is...that's different...boring, but different.

I was hoping for a new railroad game. I think the last one to come out was like 5 years ago.

If I get bored with farming I might just pop in RRT3...it's been a while!

[Hawk]

Well, there is Run8, which was released less than a year ago, but there's not a lot of good being said about it by the majority.
However, the minority love it.

It's a multi-player simulator for the most part, with no editor and only one route, and a developer with a greatly over-inflated ego and extremely thin-skinned.

[MrScott1964]

Well, there is Run8, which was released less than a year ago, but there's not a lot of good being said about it by the majority.
However, the minority love it.

It's a multi-player simulator for the most part, with no editor and only one route, and a developer with a greatly over-inflated ego and extremely thin-skinned.

It looks like MSTS...I looked around thier site, it doesn't look that interesting.

[thietavu]

Run8 seems to me like a simulation for really hardcore simulation fans. Ones who want absolute realism to the point where things can become quite complicated. Rewarding, too, I suppose, once you go through the learning curve + have the time.

[acorn_farmer_84]

Run8 seems to me like a simulation for really hardcore simulation fans. Ones who want absolute realism to the point where things can become quite complicated. Rewarding, too, I suppose, once you go through the learning curve + have the time.

I would totally agree, I've been pondering maybe purchasing it myself, however from what I have seen of it,
you basically have to play it in multiplayer to get to get the most out of it, the single player looks like its essentially just a tutorial/sandpit for you to experiment in with the controls etc before moving on to multiplayer games.
(For example the single player mode does not feature ANY AI what so ever).
Add to this, that it is graphically dated, especially compared to the most recent versions of either Railworks, or Trainz.

I guess it looks pretty good at what it does, that is simulating long haul US freight haulage on the Mojave Sub, with the most realistic physics/handling/controls in a multiplayer environment. Given that it seems to take several hours to get from one end of the route to the other (and the lack of ability to allow the AI to take control of your train whilst you take a break, or leave the game as is available in Trainz multiplayer), you really need to be able to devote a lot of time to just playing this game without any possibility of distractions.

As Hawk mentioned, the inflated ego's of the developers, and their incredibly poor abilities at customer service are just the final nail in the coffin for me. I might pick it up at a later date if things improve, but for now I'm staying clear.

If you are going to make a sim thats all about multilayer, in my view you should focus on (or at least make available) a nice short route, such as perhaps an urban commuter system, where players have lots of positions to meet each other, and interact, and dont have to devote such long amounts of time to playing a single session. Instead Run 8 seems to have went in the total opposite direction.

Anyway... just my Cheers

[thietavu]

Is it just (hopeful) me, or do the others see something that looks very much like what Railroad Tycoon 4 might look like on one of the Cascade Game Foundry's web pages..? :) I'm pretty certain they are cooking something interesting there now in any case. In one e-mail they sent me, trains were clearly on the agenda. So, let's hope for some nice surprise!

I, btw, recently contacted the former head developer of RRT3. He says he's not in simulation business any longer but he's happy to hear that RRT3 is so loved even today, and wishes us well!

[MrScott1964]

I think that RRT3 is a hard game to replace but I believe it can be done. It would be nice that the people who attempt this are into trains and not just into make a new game.

[Hawk]

I contacted Phil once myself a while back and pretty much got the same response.
We even had a couple of the developers as members here for a while. Well, they're still members but haven't stopped by for quite some time.

[thietavu]

I contacted Phil once myself a while back and pretty much got the same response.
We even had a couple of the developers as members here for a while. Well, they're still members but haven't stopped by for quite some time.

It would be interesting to hear from Phil or the other devs whether certain problems of RRT3 with new operating systems could be patched. The low rez graphics mystery is obvious, as is the starting problem for some. Editor has issues, too, although it works. The slowdown when ca. 500+ trains are running only touches giant maps like my Great China 4, but if it is a simple memory allocation thing etc, a smoother endgame would be nice. Well, we probably won't get help, but anyway...

The biggest "danger" for future RRT4 may be the continuing trend towards simpler, faster games. Insant gratification like Angry Birds from my homeland... Sid Meier's Railroads! was exactly that. Despite some improvements it took out the very depth, scale and complexity I love in RRT3. In that sense, I understand those who love Run8. It is their RRT3 - not an easy "toy simulator with eye candy and action".

The more hours I can spend with RRT3, the more choices I can make, the more its AI can surprise me, the more small details in its world simulation... The better! Sadly, RRT4 would more likely be a streamlined game for the Angry Birds railroad and economy game generation with short attention span. Hope I'm wrong.

[Lone Cat]

Railroad games are exactly hard to design properly. one of a few best ones are
1. RRT3: The only RR business sim that train consists can be either adjusted automatically or manually.
2. RRT2
3. Transport Giant. This is one of the best RR business sim game. This one is very ancient but it is the only game that features multiple unit traction and the use of self propelled passenger cars. also this game deals with other modes of transportations.
4. Railroad Pioneer: Another RR business sim game with a good deal of Micro. you have to construct both locomotive and cars before you can set up a train
Also it is the only game that has SP Cab forward steamers.

Sid Meier's RR fails miserably. it is actually 'Model Train sim' rather than a proper ones. I don't think 2K will give a ........ to RRT fans. finding a RR business sim is very hard nowadays, finding the near perfect one is even harder mew!

[MrScott1964]

I had Transport & Industry Giant, both good detailed games but lacked in the graphics department.

Railroad Pioneer I never got because I heard it was buggy.

SMRR was just a ship passing in the night...had enough interest in it to make a custom map, then pushed it aside.

RRT2 is what got me interested in trains as well as computer games in general. Before that I can remember playing A-Train soooo long ago!

[Hawk]

I got Railroad Pioneer too, but dumped it pretty quick because of the bugs.

[thietavu]

I got Railroad Pioneer too, but dumped it pretty quick because of the bugs.

Pretty repetitive, too, in the end. Nice idea, though.

[Lone Cat]

Railroad Pioneer is indeed full of bugs. The last "Railroad Pioneer" (player must cross Donner pass and reach San Francisco) mission is impossible to beat because of it.

Also the history details of locomotive development is anachronism and the transcontinental railroad construction is purely fictional. in Railroad Pioneer. the 'Pacific Line' is built westbound all the way from Newyork City - Ohio - Midwest - Vegas - Reno - San Francisco. (by a single company competing with another! this is hardly possible even now!) In RRT3 the construction is much more historical accurate. the project was segmented into 2 sections and operated by two contractors. Union Pacific built the line from the Midwest westwards (Mission 2), and Central Pacific (which later became Southern Pacific) built from Sacramento (or San Francisco) eastwards (and through Donner pass, Poptop didn't even give a description where Donner pass is) in the Mission 3, the route is likely to pass two or three cities north of Sacramento, the line is likely to ascend the Sierra Nevada at Redding (Real life Pacific line doesn't even ascend the grade northwoards! but go through Newcastle and Truckee directly east). the most accurate detail was that the Central Pacific portion of the Transcontinental RR met the UP at Salt Lake City.

The only good thing about Railroad Pioneer is that Railroads have construction time instead of popping out of nowhere with the mousedragging. this merit is. however limited by the fact that you must build rail lines from YOUR existing ones (or in case of the scenario start.... from the first train station, same holds true with SMRR). you can link your tracks to the opponents however. (unlike SMRR)

Firaxis never does any game that involves with the 'in dept' business sim which involves financial aspects. in SMRR there's no banks to borrow or issuing bonds, you can only raise your capital by selling stocks and as ever. the opponents is likely to buy yours ('nameless' investors as in RRT3 doesn't exist in that game ono!). that's sorely unrealistic. also Railroads must bid for a 'technology' (some also anachronism). failing to bid ones means player must wait for 10 game years! in reality Railroad can 'buy' the technology directly after the bid is done. of course with increased price.
much of our disappointment. Sid Meier is the first to introduce 'tech advancing' features. he miserably faieled to add this 'Civilization' features into his RR business sim game. there are occasions that Railroad companies did its own R&D. introducing different classes of locomotives. for example. Southern Pacific introduced Cab Forwards after they've found out that normal Mallets aren't suitable for much of their RR system due to numerous snowsheds and tunnels (which funnels noxious smokes and fumes back to the cab, choking engine crews). SP can make it possible because they've perfected Oil-firing 'technology' long before they bought their first Mallets. in the same token, the 'R&D' feature can be done this way too!

[MrScott1964]

Ok, I waited about a year in a half between posts....is there any new railroad games now?
I've been spending time in Civilization 5, Tropico 4, the Latest SimCity, TS2014 and Trainz but I sure could use a RR Tycoon game fix. I've even dabbled in Farming Simulator 2013! You know your very board with yourself when you find a farming simulator interesting!

[RulerofRails]

I don't know of any good new railroad games. Personally, there are enough maps for RTII, RT3 and TM that I doubt I will ever play all of even the best quality ones. While you have been playing those other games, have you checked out the new maps here? I don't know what style of player you are, but Oilcan's maps have pretty universal appeal. There may be a couple you haven't checked out. I have been busy playing TM, the North vs South scenario by Blackhawk. This map needs two tiny edits in the current state, but it is really a great map. With my slower computer it takes me a full day or even a day and a half to play! I say this cause I don't want you to be bored.