Derail Valley

[SMRY]

Sorry to hear of sad state at your end Vern.
Just got done trying my hand at DV-Overhauled.
This time able to max all the graphics, both looking great, &, operating super in non-VR mode.
Sadly looks like we start from day one again rather than pickup where we left off rank/pay wise before Overhauled..
Also, appears larger rd-unit comes with experience later in the game, rather than from day one, I've yet to bump into it along the way. Really liking, having to attach chains, tighten turnbuckles, hang trainlines, open anglecocks. Also, nice having the independent brake handle, which for me was missing in earlier version. Overall, this update nicely done, I'll admit never be used to non-North American equipment, them damned shock absorbers have always bugged me. The wimpy coupling system represented reminds me of horse & buggy days. The game really is nicely done, a nice change of pace. That's why I enjoy all the various RR games/sims, Each brings something new to the table. "variety is the spice of life".

[NorthernWarrior]

Surprised to hear you only have 8GB of sys ram Vern.

16GB is the norm for gaming these days, i have 32GB.

Yes it was probably okay when the rig was built with Windows 7 but the overheads of Win 10 and modern software mean 16Gb much better.

Anyhow RAM type identified (I hope) and an 8Gb stick ordered from Amazon should be here Monday. Also one eye on my GTX 1050 graphics card which wasn't exactly state of the art when I fitted it 18 months ago. Think that will be next to go especially with FS2020 later in the year.

[haverfordwest]

Nothing much wrong with your 1050 Vern. I have a 1070 gaming edition i fitted 3 years back.

Anyway you will be good to go on Monday, with double your sys mem.

[ex-railwayman]

It's a Bank Holiday on Monday, so, no Postman don't forget, sorry Vern.......

Cheerz. Steve.

[NorthernWarrior]

It's a Bank Holiday on Monday, so, no Postman don't forget, sorry Vern.......

Cheerz. Steve.

Coming from Amazon Steve, so just as likely to turn up Sunday (or Tuesday!).

I'm looking at possibly buying a GTX 1650 Super graphics card but that will need a better PSU as I think the one fitted is only 300 - 350 watts. Been down this road before and before you know it a simple upgrade turns into a chain of new components! As a couple of folk at Overclockers UK pointed out when I asked for advice, my system spec and age doesn't leave much room for manoeuvre in terms of upgrades. This would be about as far as it could go.

[haverfordwest]

Best way to do it Vern, spread the cost. My pc was originally from Mesh in 2007. But nothing in the box now is as supplied.

I put a Zalman 850-HP psu in this one about 9 yrs ago (850W). As i have 3 physical HDD, one of which is an SSD, 2 M-Disc multi DVD writers, the GTX1070 graphics card, i7 4790K cpu @ 4ghz all drawing juice.

[seagoon]

Vern, just get what I've got - specs in my sig.

[NorthernWarrior]

Vern, just get what I've got - specs in my sig.

It was more fun in those days Bruce. Developers actually had to make their software work with the hardware. Then who can forget spending hours making up boot discs (later multiple boot options) to try and get some of the games to run. Some wanted expanded memory, others conventional memory, then you needed to load in the CD drive and sound drivers. It reminded me of that section in Apollo 13 where Ken Mattingley (Gary Sinise) is trying to configure the power so they can restart the command module without blowing up the batteries!

[alvinkathage]

Sorry to hear of sad state at your end Vern.
Just got done trying my hand at DV-Overhauled.
This time able to max all the graphics, both looking great, &, operating super in non-VR mode.
Sadly looks like we start from day one again rather than pickup where we left off rank/pay wise before Overhauled..
Also, appears larger rd-unit comes with experience later in the game, rather than from day one, I've yet to bump into it along the way. Really liking, having to attach chains, tighten turnbuckles, hang trainlines, open anglecocks. Also, nice having the independent brake handle, which for me was missing in earlier version. Overall, this update nicely done, I'll admit never be used to non-North American equipment, them damned shock absorbers have always bugged me. The wimpy coupling system represented reminds me of horse & buggy days. The game really is nicely done, a nice change of pace. That's why I enjoy all the various RR games/sims, Each brings something new to the table. "variety is the spice of life".

I quite like the new Derail Valley apart from the name, but that is no worse than some of the names modelers gave their model railroads back in the old issues of Model Railroader magazine and I can live with it if it attracts more sales for the sim.

I for one am glad they abandoned all the old saved games and mods and such to start afresh, look at all the other train sims (I won't name them) that haven't advanced all that much since the early 2000's because they don't want to offend all the fanboys by breaking their old scenarios and DLC that were mostly free anyway.

I love the new couplings too though I'm more used to them than you, I remember 40 years ago being taught to lean over the buffers and throw a coupling over the drawhook with one hand.

Having to earn money to pay for licenses increase your qualifications to do more profitable jobs is not very realistic but I suppose they have to include something like that to keep the non railfan gamers amused. I'm currently doing as higher paying jobs as I can (which is another not very realistic thing, believe me, real train drivers certainly do not get to pick and choose which jobs they do) to make enough money to get that big diesel. I've seen them sitting in the roundhouse and they look like a typical EMD export model so I'm looking forward to having a go on one.

They have put up a list of things they are planning to do with the sim in the future which look rather intersting.

http://www.derailvalley.com/unlocks/index.html

[NorthernWarrior]

Yes I do like the coupling mechanic. Never did it myself but probably one of the most dangerous jobs on the railway (as a couple of the UK heritage railways have sadly found out in recent years). When you get down between those vehicles you can never be 100% certain something isn't going to move.

[ex-railwayman]

Well, it all looks very interesting, I suppose it depends on how many employees this company has and the speed to which they turn over all the improvements and modifications they wish to achieve in the timeframes allowed, it's certainly come on leaps and bounds since it first started, I also like the coupling mechanism, and the fact that the buffers actually retract when they kiss the wagon coupling up, brilliant stuff.

Cheerz. Steve.

[NorthernWarrior]

I actually posted on Alan Thomson (which I think DTG passively monitor) that we could do with that to replace the vanilla coupling and uncoupling in TSW (other than where autocoupler fitted stock is used, of course).

[seagoon]

It was more fun in those days Bruce. .......

Good heavens - I hadn't thought about those multiple boot discs for eons, Vern! That brings back lots of computer-game memories, that's for sure.

After reading the comments from the others, I may just reinstall DV and let it update and try it.

[alvinkathage]

Yes I do like the coupling mechanic. Never did it myself but probably one of the most dangerous jobs on the railway (as a couple of the UK heritage railways have sadly found out in recent years). When you get down between those vehicles you can never be 100% certain something isn't going to move.

One advantage of our 3'6" gauge was you didn't need to get between the vehicles. Watching experienced guards or shunters coupling up on the move was always 'interesting' though, leaning over the buffer of the moving vehicle and throwing the coupling over the hook of the stationary one before it rolled away. I never mastered that and always got the driver to buffer up first.

Fun days, I'm glad I now drive electric trains with Scharfenburg couplers.

[NorthernWarrior]

Fun days, I'm glad I now drive electric trains with Scharfenburg couplers.

Plug and play!

However I know from my time in the Provincial/Wales and West etc. control that the BSI couplers on the Sprinter DMU's are very prone to damage. Quite often had several running round with "non-multi" restrictions on one or even both ends. If they ended up swapped into a diagram booked to couple, cue frantic phone calls to find out which way the dud end was facing. Autocouplers also make assistance in the event of failure more challenging, as generally can only assist with stock that has the same coupler type. Nightmare scenario then a failed Sprinter with non-multi on the front and a loco hauled freight stood behind...

Good heavens - I hadn't thought about those multiple boot discs for eons, Vern! That brings back lots of computer-game memories, that's for sure.

The worst were the military flight sims, TFX, EF2000 and Tornado. I must have spent several hours trying to get those working, especially Tornado as I think you needed the CD in the drive to verify.