Feather River Canyon Route Add-On

[buzz456]

The route is released.

[TDHenderson]

http://store.steampowered.com/app/376932/

[jwtheiv]

Okay, breaking a bit of a longstanding tradition - taking the plunge and jumping on the hype train for picking up a Day 0 release.


Seems to have downloaded without issue - was able to successfully start the first career scenario.

[dr1980]

I'm guessing this thread might be a bit quiet until the screenshot contest winners are announced!

[NStrains]

I'm guessing this thread might be a bit quiet until the screenshot contest winners are announced!

I know I'm waiting until atleast Wednesday. Or until I see a sale on the route.

[OldProf]

The users' manual is available at this link: http://train-simulator.com/wp-content/u ... ual-EN.pdf
The map contained in that manual does not show any yard areas, although I imagine that yards exist at each end.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

What does QA stand for? Quality Assurance?
With more than 20 people involved in QA, the route should be good.

From perusing the manual and looking at the pictures:
plusses
nice weathering on the boxcars
friction bearing trucks under the boxcars
slightly shorter TOFC flatcar typical of the era, but what road name is it
caboose on spring leaf caboose trucks, and dynamo modeled
minuses
no advanced braking on the F7,
no brake hoses on the couplers, though the caboose seems to have one, bent inwards?

8 rail fan scenarios included?

[buzz456]

Haven't even bought it and complaining already Edwin?

[Alpenfreight]

Done the first two scenarios on the line. Quick review:

Pros:
Looks amazing
Gives a strong sense of Journey
Locos feel generally realistic (only driven U30B)

Cons:
Career scenarios suffer from strict time limits (Perhaps I'm just slow? )
Gauge lights seem dim
Sounds not great


Looking forward to running this one more! Seems like we have a keeper

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

Haven't even bought it and complaining already Edwin?

No, just pointing out. There is more plusses than minuses, and that is only about the rolling stock.

I am indecisive at this point. It looks nice, but what would be its play value? Slow single track through beautiful scenery? Few online switching and with a major yard truncated?

I don't want another orphan route in my game. Will wait awhile to see what other WP trains are being released, esp. the Zephyr and some more Diesels and freight cars, like those silver boxcars with the big feather I had from Maerklin model as a kid.
And how the Workshop scenarios writes think up interesting game play.

[awaken1977]

Note on rolling stock.
+
U30B developed upon more sofisticated standards than usual DTG DLC: functional windows and cab door (but only front door), separate headlight switches with 3 position (off - mid - high) and functional gyrolight
Freight car sounds are good from outside.
Caboose has very nicely detailed inner view.
Lovely weathering and smoke effects on U30C

-
U30B sounds are mediocre.The same sound set used for outside and inside.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

Note on rolling stock.
+
U30B developed upon more sofisticated standards than usual DTG DLC: functional windows and cab door (but only front door), separate headlight switches with 3 position (off - mid - high) and functional gyrolight
Freight car sounds are good from outside.
Caboose has very nicely detailed inner view.
Lovely weathering and smoke effects on U30C

-
U30B sounds are mediocre.The same sound set used for outside and inside.

Was wondering about that cab door in the Twitch preview, is it a bug or a feature? You can open the bin and see if the animation is there, perhaps it is broken?

There are no U30 in operating condition left AFAIK, or preserved with prime mover in working order. VRC also had great trouble getting real Cooper Bessemer sounds in HiFi. There are some MSTS sound packs you could try for good samples to substitute in the proxyxml files.

[OldProf]

. . .
Cons:
Career scenarios suffer from strict time limits (Perhaps I'm just slow? )

I keep career mode turned off to avoid having to deal with DTG's absurd ideas of proper timing. I still have to put up with the speeding nag in some scenarios (oddly, not all), but don't get bothered about arrival times, etc. If you're not a points fanatic, try this.

[awaken1977]

for "low speed" I could disagree: Speed limit on grassland part (from Oroville to James) is 45 mph, but it is constant 1% gradient. Train in standard scenario cannot go more than 25 mph due to power limitation

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

What does QA stand for? Quality Assurance?

Questions and Answers?

Does anyone have any opinions on the scenery?

Nah, Q&A usually stands for that department.

In MSTS the tunnels are numbered and there were numerous finely detailed rockslide fences in the Canyon, clearly visible from the locomotive cab.
There were No Trespassing signs at every bridge, have these distinctive details been modelled?
The telltales would have been eliminated as the boxcar roof walks had just been abolished.