nathanmallard
Well-known member
Hi
Everyday I keep seeing more and more references to this sim, and specifically people "going over to it". Given I really have no idea of what it's like, I decided to check it out.
Their website is rather confusing, but it does give a fairly good overview - although no way of buying or downloading the product that I can see! One thing it does show is that it is clearly somehow based on the ancient MSTS/OpenBVE platform given how bad the graphics look in some of the screenshots! Definitely, both Trainz and RW trump it graphically.
Secondly, the amount of content available for it does not impress me. Every train sim (IMO) should come with a selection of varied and different routes, not a massive amount but at the very least 6 or 7 built in. Run8, as far as I can see, only has one, you have to buy the rest. And the locos to run on them. And it's not like you have much of a choice here, either. It's just modern day US freight operations. In deserts.
Ok, there's the A-Line in Florida, but that's it for none-deserty routes. No narrow gauge, no steam, nothing from outside the US, nothing from pre-1985. There is a P42 with Superliners available, but the model looks like it's been taken straight out of MSTS. And you have to pay for it! I don't mind modern US freight operations in deserts, but I'd probably get bored of it pretty quickly, no matter how good the physics are. It's kind of a shame that the Needles Sub they've made is post BNSF merger, as that would have made a great steam-era route. Oh, and the trees. I haven't actually played it, but from the screenshots the trees look absolutely awful and terribly unconvincing. Again, probably just lifted straight from MSTS.
Oh, and then there's the small matter of the default game only coming with one route, you have to pay $40 each for the others. When Steam charges a lot less for its, lets face it, much better looking routes this does look like a bit of a swindle.
On the other hand, the sim is very much operations based and I doubt the average player would care much about the graphics. And from what I've read, it does operations very, very well. It also has a highly realistic physics engine, apparently, but then that wouldn't surprise me as I always thought MSTS had surprisingly good physics compared to Trainz! The multiplayer also looks far superior to ours as well, but a tad more complicated. But then again, I'm not that bothered about multiplayer anyway.
In conclusion, personally, I don't think it's worth it for a game that is basically MSTS with a new haircut. I can see where they're coming from, and I respect the work that has been put in to it but it's not for me. (If they ever do the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway though, I might change my mind.)
The multiplayer and physics are impressive, but the negatives vastly outweigh the positives for me. But by all means make a judgement for yourself. You can visit their website here http://www.run8studios.com/index.shtml.
Everyday I keep seeing more and more references to this sim, and specifically people "going over to it". Given I really have no idea of what it's like, I decided to check it out.
Their website is rather confusing, but it does give a fairly good overview - although no way of buying or downloading the product that I can see! One thing it does show is that it is clearly somehow based on the ancient MSTS/OpenBVE platform given how bad the graphics look in some of the screenshots! Definitely, both Trainz and RW trump it graphically.
Secondly, the amount of content available for it does not impress me. Every train sim (IMO) should come with a selection of varied and different routes, not a massive amount but at the very least 6 or 7 built in. Run8, as far as I can see, only has one, you have to buy the rest. And the locos to run on them. And it's not like you have much of a choice here, either. It's just modern day US freight operations. In deserts.
Ok, there's the A-Line in Florida, but that's it for none-deserty routes. No narrow gauge, no steam, nothing from outside the US, nothing from pre-1985. There is a P42 with Superliners available, but the model looks like it's been taken straight out of MSTS. And you have to pay for it! I don't mind modern US freight operations in deserts, but I'd probably get bored of it pretty quickly, no matter how good the physics are. It's kind of a shame that the Needles Sub they've made is post BNSF merger, as that would have made a great steam-era route. Oh, and the trees. I haven't actually played it, but from the screenshots the trees look absolutely awful and terribly unconvincing. Again, probably just lifted straight from MSTS.
Oh, and then there's the small matter of the default game only coming with one route, you have to pay $40 each for the others. When Steam charges a lot less for its, lets face it, much better looking routes this does look like a bit of a swindle.
On the other hand, the sim is very much operations based and I doubt the average player would care much about the graphics. And from what I've read, it does operations very, very well. It also has a highly realistic physics engine, apparently, but then that wouldn't surprise me as I always thought MSTS had surprisingly good physics compared to Trainz! The multiplayer also looks far superior to ours as well, but a tad more complicated. But then again, I'm not that bothered about multiplayer anyway.
In conclusion, personally, I don't think it's worth it for a game that is basically MSTS with a new haircut. I can see where they're coming from, and I respect the work that has been put in to it but it's not for me. (If they ever do the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway though, I might change my mind.)
