Trains in Games

I've played Mafia 2 and railroad wise I'm disappointed. 10 chapter in and the EL hasn't appeared once. The last moving train I saw was around chapter 2. I still have 4 chapters and I'm hoping for a free roam mode at the end but...

As a review on Kotaku said, Empire Bay looks, and sometimes feels, very much like a model railroad. It's sad not to see moving trains on the tracks in this game other than the brief bits in cutscenes and in the first and second missions.

Edit: Okay so I have to update this. Finished the game and there is no free roam. It is said they took it out before release because they wanted the initial product to be all about the story. They will supposably be patching it back in in the future. From my perspective after doing maybe three of four hours wandering the city is implementing the things that weren't done. There is a train but it's on the far right of the map and it was only available briefly as it passed along some tracks the player can not see the whole route for. Along with that I found a steam locomotive all steamed up but no track to run down.

I feel after they release the Free Roam addon a lot of things will be added. There are many places on the map that you can get too but are behind gates that are strong as titanium. There are also some areas that seem to be there for "downloadable content." There seems to be a whole country side waiting to be explored but it is behind locks and down roads that can never be drove down. I'm hoping they also add the train seen on the back of the box along the EL system, looked at some of the tunnels for it and it seems like it was a complete system but they ran into bugs before release.

Mafia 2 is a very detailed world, now if only everyone else could explore it without having to be stuck in a mission.
 
Last edited:
*Facepalm*

I can't believe I didn't remember this one, in Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition Remix, there is a tram network in San Diego, an elevated train in Detroit, and an elevated train in Tokyo.
 
Last edited:
http://vg-metro.ru/ Here I dug this up recently. A completely enthusiast Subway simulation with gate jumping and train riding. You can walk in the tunnels as well. I think the newest version is under development.
 
Probably the absolute WORST train in another game is this one:
BHDTrain.jpg


From Delta Force BlackHawk Down. Pretty bad, eh? And the track is horrible, too...
 
I took some time during Mafia 2 to do some exploring. I was shocked with what I found.


There are no moving trains on the game, save maybe one or two you see, but the detail level is scary!

First, there is a very nicely detailed turntable, which a short distance away has a beautiful streamlined locomotive. This engine, a 4-4-4 has great lines and would look nice in trainz.

The other thing, is if you get to the train station, (one of them there are two best I can tell) you can find a whole host of detailed cars and a number of BEAUTIFUL F units and streamlined trains waiting. The track is well built, and the trains ride ON them, not in them as you see with so many other games.

The streamliner looks to be this engine, but in a different wheel arrangement.



up2906-b.jpg


Oddly it has a short freight train behind it.

Edit: It could also be a copy of the Reading Crusader. Colors are similar...
 
Last edited:
As mentioned, Half Life 2's Razor Train is a fear inspiring sight. Not to mention in some levels, its horn is a long, creepy bellowing sound, like some giant animal.
 
Can I see said Trains.
I don't want to buy the game just to see these trains.

I have the PC version. I'll edit this post and put them in after I take some photos. I'm curious if the winter, and 1951 spring versions are the same or different.

Edit: Arg sorry I thought I had images but it seems I was just hitting the wrong button on Fraps. I guess this is a good place for a reminder, Remember which button it is to take screenshots. That helps a lot. Hunting and pecking doesn't help you get that awesome action packed shot.
 
Last edited:
I took some time during Mafia 2 to do some exploring. I was shocked with what I found.

There are no moving trains on the game, save maybe one or two you see, but the detail level is scary!

First, there is a very nicely detailed turntable, which a short distance away has a beautiful streamlined locomotive. This engine, a 4-4-4 has great lines and would look nice in trainz.

The other thing, is if you get to the train station, (one of them there are two best I can tell) you can find a whole host of detailed cars and a number of BEAUTIFUL F units and streamlined trains waiting. The track is well built, and the trains ride ON them, not in them as you see with so many other games.

The trains are absolutely amazing in that game! If they do indeed add freeroam to Mafia II, they need to add moving locos doing switching maneuvers in the yard near the station. Have you noticed the noises near that yard? It sounds like cars coupling. I love that game. :udrool:
 
Yeah, that's one of the ways they "Cheat." Instead of having actual trains moving that you see, you hear the sounds of them working. It sounds odd at first, but oddly you get used to it. The same goes for traffic. You'll hear all kinds of traffic, but rarely do you see it. It's like it's oh, two or three blocks over from where you are.
 
Left 4 Dead 1 & 2 Plenty of Crashed trains.
In Left for dead 1 you have the crashed up Red Line Subway in No Mercy Campaign and in the other except for Crash Course and Dear Air. there are a few trains that have crashed in Death Toll and alot of trains in Blood Harvest which the engines look like BNSF engines without the "BNSF" logo on it
Left 4 dead 2
Lots of crashed Box cars
 
I would also really like to see the pictures of these trains in Mafia 2.

For the fraps button, try opening up fraps and going to options. It should be listed there.
 
Got in game, checked of the areas in winter, and then took the main shots in spring. Only one of the trains did I feel looked better in winter.

Also the only moving train in the game, well other than two scripted ones in the beginning of the game, doesn't run in the winter but it sits as if waiting for a light to turn green, or in design terms, waiting for the script to be activated.

izoqq0.jpg

You can see the idling train through the woods.

2mfabu8.jpg

The one above is way off on a section of the map that indicated it has no track.

wa13ra.jpg

The only steam in the station. Oddly enough it has a load of freight instead of passenger cars.

21kxjjo.jpg

One view of the main passenger trains, much like the main character arrives in the city on.

2cscch5.jpg

The same train mainly, only it's facing the opposite direction on the outbound track.

dptnc6.jpg

A view of the yard that was mentioned numerous times.

240zotw.jpg

The steam train heading toward the turntable. Doesn't move but it does sit there and look pretty.

246qv6h.jpg

A nice view of the logo on the side of the tender along with the name of the railroad.

w9cjdl.jpg

Here's a nice view of the turntable. Behind it is actually the railroad bridge leading into the city. The tracks lead to the harbor. The only trains that have been seen on those tracks were scripted for the second chapter.

So that is the wonderful view of the Empire Bay Railway.

I also took images of the station, and a few spots which prove the subway was unfinished thus the reason why it wasn't included in game when oddly enough it was in every single preview and in the first teaser trailer.
 
Rollercoaster Tycoon 2 & 3 (Not sure bout 1, dont own it): You can lay a theme park line in that game. And I know that in an expansion to #2, you can have american style locomotives intstead of the European style.
Yes, I have played RollerCoaster Tycoon 1 before, it does feature Railroads.
 
2mfabu8.jpg

The one above is way off on a section of the map that indicated it has no track.
.


I know I know, quoted a pic, shoot me. But I have a question. It seems that Mafia did a good job with the trains, but there is one thing I am shure they forgot, that I dont see above.
Dynamo.

Ya'll you have the game, does the steamer above have a dynamo? If yes, wow, they got good details.
 
Although this is not the Screenshot section, these Treads actually is much better with the screenshots.

If the moderators don't mind to much whe should maybe make the screenshots compulsury and try and update the Threads that is without them.

What is your favourite Program for capturing screens and where did you get it from ?

Which is your favourite picture hosting site ?
 
On the topic of Razor Trains, its easy to get the Razor Train models from Garrys mod or Half Life 2.

They could be put into Trainz, but the legality of it would be questionable.
 
Back
Top