Railworks America

really tempted to buy some of the new routes - like scottish ECML and the new Settle-carlisle. But I've been bitten twice by NEC and WCML which are too intensive to run on my PC despite the stupidly low required system spec on their steam pages, so maybe I should just dream...

I'll wait aweek or two before buying Scottich ECML as there is a patch due for it anyday now. Settle-Carlisle is nowhere near as demanding as the WCML as it is mostly countryside and it runs alot smoother on my old PC than both WCML or NEC.

Merlin75 wrote:I'll wait aweek or two before buying Scottich ECML as there is a patch due for it anyday now. Settle-Carlisle is nowhere near as demanding as the WCML as it is mostly countryside and it runs alot smoother on my old PC than both WCML or NEC.

In terms of demanding computer resources, how does Woodhead fit into the mix of the above listed routes? Is as demanding as WCML or closer to the new Settle-Carlisle?

Woodhead in my experience is nearly as demanding as WCML. Scottish ECML is not quite as demanding as Woodhead EXCEPT at the Firth bridge. Note I have a pretty low-power system.

I generally can't use TSX on WCML or Woodhead, but it's ok on SECML. I would say those are the three most demanding routes currently, though I haven't tried the Dusseldorf-Cologne which I hear is pretty hard on the system too.

I can run WCMl fine if I stay south of carstairs. But even with TSX off my game crashes north of carstairs. I heard somebody was combating their problems by using route editor to remove some scenery around Glasgow - motherwell, which I thought sounded like an excellent idea for a week or so when I'm bored.

Thanks for the Info guys :) I might give SECML a try - well when the patch comes out :)
I'm not actually sure about Settle route now as I have the freeware UKtrainsim version and quite happy with it :)

Happy railroading :)

Dont forget this....................
http://milepostsimulations.com/

YES! :)

cropping scenery in route editor is so easy. Now I feel I can buy routes without having to worry about their initial performance. If they misbehave they just go get a haircut :)

WCML first, then NEC, then I'll go buy some more.

This is Cool

Well I bought SECML and I'm pleasantly surprised at getting about 15fps at dundee, then just after leaving the station and over the bridge the countryside is quite well populated but I was getting well over 30fps for most of the route, although I didn't make it as far as edinburgh.

Trying a scenario originating at edinburgh I was surprised again. 15fps in and around the capitol, but on approaching Haymarket the frames collapsed down to about 9. It didn't improve much as I pulled out of the station, so i quit it. A little surprising that the fps were so low out in the suburbs - but it's nothing Route Editor cant handle :)

A little observation here that's not aimed at any particular route or developer, just an observation after browsing a few routes in the editor. So many routes seem to cram so many assets into areas you cant possibly see unless in freeview mode. Like very very dense forests with a housing development in the middle that's also cram packed with houses. Things like this make me wonder why they go to the effort and time of including such things. Are they part of some hidden easter-egg hunt? Or is there some award for the route with the highest density of assets in a single tile? Whatever it is I wish they'd let us in on it, and maybe keep us informed (with a ratings diagram?) of who's currently winning...

I did read on UKTS that the problem with the SEML is it has so many sound dromes and they are the main reason it suffers low frames.

Merlin75 wrote:I did read on UKTS that the problem with the SEML is it has so many sound dromes and they are the main reason it suffers low frames.

Thanks for that info :)
Are those the things in RE that look like large speaker icons on towers?

Not that I'm going to be doing any editing in secml for a good while yet, still busy on wcml and nec.

The Flier wrote:A little observation here that's not aimed at any particular route or developer, just an observation after browsing a few routes in the editor. So many routes seem to cram so many assets into areas you cant possibly see unless in freeview mode. Like very very dense forests with a housing development in the middle that's also cram packed with houses. Things like this make me wonder why they go to the effort and time of including such things. Are they part of some hidden easter-egg hunt? Or is there some award for the route with the highest density of assets in a single tile? Whatever it is I wish they'd let us in on it, and maybe keep us informed (with a ratings diagram?) of who's currently winning...

Bingo!

You can try to strike a balance with the number of assets, but there will always be someone to complain. If you put to few with emphasis on the trains, then someone complains its to sparce. There are some that believe the entire horizon should be filled with assets so that if you switch to "airplane mode", it should look like Flight Simulator. If you put more with emphasis on the countryside, then some are saying "this is a Train Simulator, not neighborhood watch."

Sound domes ehh? Thats something I hadnt thought of lowering FPS. Will have to look into that.

If you want both high FPS and realism in a route you're building, you have to choose whether it's going to be driver's perspective route or a foamer's perspective route. You can't have both... not yet. Atleast as technology and the game engine improves, routes of both types can be upgraded to enjoy include both perspectives. I'm developing my route around it being primarily for in-cab playing, but there are still a few areas along the way that are closed in enough by surrounding terrain that I can dense up the scenery for photo ops without losing performance.

Mine is definitely a Foamer Route. The AND is just not interesting enough from the cab point of view. I would imagine that Shops has to replace the Alerter button in every locomotive assigned to that line at least three times a year.

SMMDigital wrote:I would imagine that Shops has to replace the Alerter button in every locomotive assigned to that line at least three times a year.