It is worth watching how it grows. I no longer have Windows-capable computers, the developers state it will run on a Mac. With sufficient routes and equipment, might be worth a try.
Well, my curiosity got the better of me and this morning I subscribed to RoR and undertook a 45-minute run from Fairless Junction yard to Port Reading yard.
For those such as myself who have a preference for "point A to point B" runs the experience was pretty enjoyable.
Graphics are good - not at the same level as, say, TSW but they are certainly better than some other train sims.
Sounds are also quite acceptable - engine, horn, bell and track sounds all heard from an in-cab location plus passing-by sounds when in the exterior viewpoints.
Views are limited to in-cab (the primary location, obviously) and two external views, with repositioning of camera and zoom capability on all three.
All controls are mouse operated.
Information is brought up via F1 and F2 keys, the latter giving info on speed limits at specific mileposts and an overview of the timetable.
Signals, mileposts and speed signs are well represented and can be zoomed into for clarity.
Physics/dynamics also good.
The train I had was 2200 feet in length and felt like it when accelerating and braking.
The sim ran very smoothly....no lag, no stuttering, no dropouts and I'd say that the FPS was up in the 40 to 50 region.
Yeah....not too bad at all. For US$16 p/a it's a cheap buy and will be interesting to see where they go from here.
One point of concern is that there is no information on their page as to how they can be contacted. No Facebook, no Twitter, no Instagram, no email address. Nothing.
Maybe they don't want feedback.
IBM XT i386; 512Kb RAM; 5.25" FDD; 1.4Mb FDD; 5Mb HDD; VGA 256-colour graphics card; AdLib soundcard; DR DOS 6.0; Windows 3.0
I ran a second session today - a haul which had a timetable of approx. 90 minutes.
I chose one which was set at night, just to see what the lighting effects are like.
Pretty decent, from the engineer's viewpoint; the line and line-side are properly illuminated. In-cab instrument lighting is also good and the digital display for the train-length and radio are well done.
Bearing in mind that this is in beta, I make allowance for the fact that, in external views, the loco lights do not illuminate. I imagine the devs will get around to that.
I would also hope that they apply more than one shade of colour to every building that can be seen. At the moment they are white, as are any road-bridges which cross the line.
Signal lights could be brighter, too. Not that they are hard to see, just dull rather than a "glow".
There are a couple of UI things which I think could be tidied up when they have the chance.
One is to make the mouse cursor disappear when idle, rather than having to tuck it away at the edge of the screen.
Another is to give key-strokes for such things as horn, bell, sand, throttle, brake etcetera....those functions which, in other sims, we have become accustomed to.
All-in-all......not bad. Certainly better than many beta releases I've seen over the years and even better than some final versions.
IBM XT i386; 512Kb RAM; 5.25" FDD; 1.4Mb FDD; 5Mb HDD; VGA 256-colour graphics card; AdLib soundcard; DR DOS 6.0; Windows 3.0
Good stuff Bruce! How does the multiplayer work? Did you pass any other players driving? Is the dispatching done by humans, do you have any interaction with them?
Good stuff Bruce! How does the multiplayer work? Did you pass any other players driving? Is the dispatching done by humans, do you have any interaction with them?
Multiplayer is automatic - you log in, choose a session, all of which are listed by start-time and location. If someone else has chosen the same session then you may see them, depending on how long before you they started. You will also see approaching trains if the players have started in the opposite direction.
Despatching and CTC is handled by AI. There is no communication with other players - which to me is a positive!
If there are no other trains ahead of you then you will have a clean run to your destination, so the only interaction occurs when you get yellow or red signals.
To my way of thinking, it's a credible idea and if it takes hold and the devs expand on it then I think it will increase in appeal.
As they say in the blurb....you are the engineer, and that's it.
Interesting. I had wondered if it was going to be like a Virtual Airline (just log your time in single player) or like OMSI2's Bus Company Simulator, where all BCS players pick from the available jobs posted for each route. You don't actually see them in the game world, but you do see them moving on the minimap.
I like the idea that you can just pick a train and get going. It'll be worth keeping an eye on it to see if they expand it to other functions beyond A to B driving. Not having to talk to other players is a huge bonus in my book, to say nothing of the fact that the subscription fee should keep "griefers" and other troublemakers away.
Interesting. I had wondered if it was going to be like a Virtual Airline (just log your time in single player) or like OMSI2's Bus Company Simulator, where all BCS players pick from the available jobs posted for each route. You don't actually see them in the game world, but you do see them moving on the minimap.......
At the end of each job you receive an assessment which is based on whether you kept to the time-table, did you exceed the speed limit at any point, did you accelerate/decelerate within the "comfort" bounds, etc. Your performance is logged and recorded in your "career" portfolio.
As the sim is designed as a driver/engineer sim, with the view from the cab predominating, it reminds me very much of both BVE and TrainMaster 4.
The cost to subscribe is a pittance, really. Less than the price of a Big Mac meal.
But you are right, I feel - it's enough to deter the rabble.
IBM XT i386; 512Kb RAM; 5.25" FDD; 1.4Mb FDD; 5Mb HDD; VGA 256-colour graphics card; AdLib soundcard; DR DOS 6.0; Windows 3.0
I too took the plunge, last night, and basically I haven't played anything else since subscribed. Sixteen bucks is indeed a pittance, and the sim turned out to be so much more than I had initially expected. I mean, it was a browser thing ... how good could it be?
Well, I get a steady 60 fps in-game, which of course plunges a bit when you meet opposing trains (which you do even if there aren't other players logged in). How do I know I got 60 fps? I installed an FPS extension in my Firefox browser. And there's a tale behind that ...
The company's literature - all online, btw - mentions that the sim works with all browsers, but was programmed with Firefox and hence they recommended that. My default browser is the Chromium-based Edge, which I like quite a bit. But as it turned out Edge did *not* like RunOnRails: stuttering and static. So I downloaded Firefox, installed same + the extension, and off I went.
Everything that Bruce points out I second, but of course with my own points:
1. It's like a rogue-like in that there are no aids to help you. No track monitor, no siding names, nothing to indicate whether you are on an up hill or down dale grade, zip. You have to figure that out yourself. Just like the real railroaders.
2. Because there's no track monitor, signals become much more important; you spend a lot to time squinting into the digital distance trying to make out the indication. And there's no signal light glow option, either. "Hey Fred, do you think that signal ahead is restricting?"
3. Again because there's no track monitor, you have to suss out the current and following track speeds by a) knowledge of the CSX/NORAC railroad rules and signal indications, and b) looking for those tiny milepost markers and speed signs, the former of which are the very devil to make out when you are doing 50 or more. Why is that important? Because you are given a sort of timetable that outlines where you start, where you should end up, the starting and ending times, and all the major mileposts in between with their relevant speed limits. So to avoid a speeding penalty you want to know at least a mile, preferably a couple of miles, where that speed marker is gonna be. I found it difficult enough that my solution is just to run the routes enough that you have them memorized.
4. The physics, so far, and for a piece of beta software, are IMHO fantastic. As Bruce pointed out, the train feels heavy when you pull it. There is coupler slack btw, as well as cab sway. All without having to figure out the math to do it in ORTS ...
5. As for the lack of communication points with the author (and I'm fairly sure it is just one guy, like with ZUSI), he states that he's kept a low-profile because he prefers to work on updates - and continual updates at that, rather than sparsely-scheduled bi-annual updates. That said, he does provide a feedback email address on his FAQ: feedback@runonrails.com
6. If you read the FAQ you'll see where he's going with this.
7. Finally, I was blown away at looking at a route just as good as Run8, maybe better, on a blankety-blank browser. Yowsers! You can play this thing on almost any recent computer. Mine's 6 years old, aa core i5 with a GTW1060. Not even a Porsche Boxter anymore ...
David,
Thanks for the kind references and I think as you do: this is going somewhere.
Also thank you for the H/U on the dev's email address, which I obviously overlooked.
I've done another two sessions today and my enthusiasm has grown.
IBM XT i386; 512Kb RAM; 5.25" FDD; 1.4Mb FDD; 5Mb HDD; VGA 256-colour graphics card; AdLib soundcard; DR DOS 6.0; Windows 3.0
This web browser based train simulator kinda puts ORTS to shame. ORTS needs to update it's environmental aspect pretty badly. The weather effects, water effects, lighting, etc.
This web browser based train simulator kinda puts ORTS to shame. ORTS needs to update it's environmental aspect pretty badly. The weather effects, water effects, lighting, etc.
Robert
LOL, I'm sure this one would suck, too, if sissies were running around saying it couldn't ever leave MSTS compatibility behind.
We process personal data about users of our site, through the use of cookies and other technologies, to deliver our services, personalize advertising, and to analyze site activity. We do not share information about our users with anyone. For additional details, refer to our Privacy Policy.
By clicking "I UNDERSTAND" below, you consent to our Privacy Policy and our personal data processing and cookie practices as described therein. You also acknowledge that this forum may be hosted outside your country and you consent to the collection, storage, and processing of your data in the country where this forum is hosted.
Comment