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UP SD40-2 · 08-15-2009, 02:46 PM

DISCLAIMER

The views and my thoughts expressed in this thread may or may not be the same as yours, some may strongly disagree with my views.

Should you decide to buy this game your experiances may/may not be different then mine. Because of other Graphics programs i run my computer is geared specifically for high quality graphics, i have read in the Trainz forums that computers that DO NOT have good graphics cards, and only video chips may severely struggle in the game when adding to many high polly textures, engines, cars, buildings, etc.
I am running Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit, AMD Extreme Quad-Core processor, 6 Gigs RAM , NIVDA Gforce 9800 series Graphics card, Soundblaster 5.0 surround sound card(5 speakers, 1 subwoofer), and have a 24'' HD Monitor, THUS, the whole Trainz experiance for me is really...PHENOMENAL! :mrgreen:

PREFACE

Years back when Microsoft came out with "Train Simulator" i bought it, being a computer geek of sorts i thought it was neat :mrgreen: , the problem was it wasnt well supported at all, and not much UP content was ever made for it so after a year of running it i gave it up.
When attending Model RRer shows i always noticed the Trainz booth and would stop by often to check that game out, it was well supported and had a wide variety of content offered, the problem was at that time it wasnt Windows Vista 64 bit compatable, so i never was able to buy it.
When Dad and i met doctorwayne at the IRM just over a month ago, i happened to notice in the gift shop they had the NEW "Trainz 2009" out(TS2009) , I seen it was Vista 64 bit compatable and immediately bought it and have been hooked on it ever since :mrgreen: .

Trainz is not for everyone, lets face it, those of us that are here are Modelers, we do things with our hands, we like to feel/touch/build what we do and find great enjoyment in it. For me Trainz kinda is helping me through a frustrating time, my job is literally surviving month by month, so i dare not move like i would really like to so i can build a LARGE layout, sure switching layouts are Great, but i have been doing them for quite some time and after running on dads big layout, i am finding it hard for 8'x30'' of space to really satisfy me anymore.
NO, i have NOT gave up on modeling, i still do stuff for myself, and work on Dads layout often, but since i have taken the small switching layout down here at my house, Trainz has really helped keep me "On Track" with RRing Wink

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TRAINZ 2009 (TS2009)

OK, lets get to it, right out of the box Trainz is pretty Awesome, it comes with Tons of engines, freight, passenger cars and ready made routes and sessions from all over the world. Want to run US routes, you got it, logging and narrow gauge, its there, British stuff, tons of it, you start out right off the bat with just about anything your into.

A real plus with this game is its probably as real as you could possibly get without really being an engineer Thumbsup

. You can run in DCC mode or Cab mode, OR, i hop between both modes all the time to get the whole experience in. You have to switch switches, read signals, pick up loads, wow, is that ever totally cool!, and drop loads off. You drive engines, couple/uncouple cars, can do freight runs, passenger runs, switching scenarios, CRIPES, its really limitless, and thats right out of the box!

I cant possibly mention EVERYTHING about this game here, it would take much to long, but i will hit on some neat stuff, and even some things i really dont like about it.

Three Parts of Trainz

Surveyor- this is where you can make up consists, add to exsiting routes, buid your very own routes, make up scenarios and much more. surveyor is VERY hard at first, but so isnt everything were not used to, till you get used to it.

Railyard- this to me is pretty useless, it seems to be for checking if anything you have downloaded has made it into the game, personally i just do that in surveyor.

Driver- this is where you run trains, weather its ready made scenarios, or routes you have made.

Things i Like about Trainz

You can build your dream layout, you are almost limitless.

You can do ANY type of weather enviroment, RAIN, SNOW, OVERCAST, SUNNY, you name it! the clouds really move across the sky, so cool!

There is TONS of things you can download to make your game better suit your own likes, most of it is FREE, or perhaps you want some of the real stupendous stuff, you can buy good stuff pretty cheap $5.00-20.00, Many of the engines i have are bought because its hard to find Great quality UP items FOR FREE.
AGAIN, dont get me wrong though, MANY GREAT items are totally FREE!

If you have ANY PROBLEMS, the Trainz forums are the BEST PLACE to get answers, great group of folks there. (HUGE THANKS!, to Rusty over at Trainz, without Rusty i would still be completely lost :oops: )

Trainz is as close as you can get to really being an engineer.

THINGS i dislike about Trainz...

The manual that comes with the game is totally worthless, thank goodness for the Trainz forums.

To know and understand ALL ASPECTS surveyor has to offer you is really quite frustrating at times, you better have the patience of a saint.

Not much is currently available for TS2009 at this time, its so new, thank goodness SOME TS2004 items work with TS2009, and MOST TS2006 items work well with TS2009.

There is literally TONS of foreign country items that are in my Trainz library that i wish i could take out, not to offend anyone but i couldnt give two hoots about foreign stuff, to me its just a total waste of hard drive space, and a huge waste of time scrolling through it to find my UP stuff. sadly you cant take them out because they are all CDP files(kuids) , and you cant identify them out of the game.

When you have switches right on top of each other is almost impossible to throw them the way you need them to go.

Scripting a session seems way to complex, should be an easier way to do it.

The in game camera you use to take screen shots produces way to low quality jpg's, and you cant adjust it. i know they do this to save you hard drive space, but i hate it. On my computer the game looks literally 1000X better then the screen shots i am posting in this thread, PLEASE, DONT go by the pics i put in here to judge the quality of the looks of the game, playing it looks 1000x better.

For just as much good stuff thats available for the game, there is double that in crappy stuff.

Deano's TIPS

Have the patience of a saint.

Be choosy on what you download, go for the better stuff, you'll thank yourself later for it.

Buy the "First class ticket" at the download station at Auran, you'll thank yourself for it, better download speeds and the ability to download more then 100 megs of stuff a day is what you'll get.

Questions on ANYTHING?, for cripes sakes DONT ask me, head over to the Trainz forums! Thumbsup

If you download something and it doesnt work, dont worry about it, it happens, just move on. Wink

Looking for that certain engine, or what ever that you cant find in the road name you want, once you get to know people you"ll find some creators will be happy to make what you want for a small price. (HUGE THANKS TO JOE RAMOS! he has created some SLAP STUPENDOUSLY AWESOME UP stuff for me, and is currently making a UP SD40T-2 snoot nose for me! :mrgreen: ) .

WHERE TO GET THE "GOOD STUFF"

Trainz Download station- anything

West coast Trains- modern engines

RRMods, models for Trainz- modern engines/ freight cars

OBO'S Trainz locomotive catalog- you just HAVE TO go here!

**for Steam engine fans, i cant remember the name of his place but the guy's name is "cowboy" , he hangs out at the Trainz forums in the "Payware section" , anyways, he does the MOST SPECTACULAR REAL LIFE LOOKING steam engines you could EVER imagine Eek

, Sadly he ONLY uses Paypal, so i am unable to buy(dont ask) his SLAP STUPENDOUS WORK :cry: , if your into SERIOUSLY REAL looking steam though and have a Paypal account, Cowboy is the man to see. Thumbsup

(NO. i dont know the guy, but i have seen TONS of his work)

AND NOW...SCREENSHOTS!

Please keep in mind the in game camera takes low quality shots :cry: .

These are just a tiny amount of the engines i have collected, if you folks wish i can add more pics to this thread over time. Thumbsup

ALL these shots were taken from a low polly route, i did this to highlight the engines, not the scenery, i can post tons of high polly scenery AND engine shots if anyone so wishes.

In the game you can toggle the tool bars on and off, lets start out with the tool bars ON, then i'll post shots without them. when running the game you will ALWAYS want the tool bars on, it would be impossible to do some things without them, for screen shots WITHOUT the tool bars on just hit the F5 button, take your screen shots and hit the Esc button to put tool bars back on.

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