Run 8 - What's all the fuss about?

[nathanmallard]

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.

 

[Matt3985]

I don't know if JR knows this but after looking thru the Train set page some of the stuff there their selling looks completely the same reefers that JR is selling. I I mean all of the Ones I saw in that picture are the same ones off of JR.

 

[pdkoester]

Only fuss about it from me, it is garbage. Yeah it has multi player, big deal, it still sucks. That's all folks.

 

[train20]

I hate these people there rude and don't take paypal what kind of company dosent take paypal. I whould get bored with multi player.

 

[martinvk]

What happened to different strokes for different folks?

From what I've gathered, reading various forums, Run8 is for the those that want to participate in ultra realistic train operations in a multi-player environment. Doesn't the prototyical engine driver go up and down the same route all the time and probably doesn't care too much about the quality of the trees either.

Now it's definitely not my cup of tea either but let's not be rude about it.

 

[cascaderailroad]

Looks nice ... But everything is payware

 

[chris2001trainz2010]

Looks nice ... But everything is payware

Sounds like another sim we all know...

 

[JIb228]

Run8 has its flaws, and its perks.

The physics and operations are spot on. And getting on to a server with any where form 5 to 40 people is a blast.

Yes the graphics look dated in screen shots, but they are good. No speed trees or supper hi res textures. But the locomotives and rolling stock look very good. Much better than old MSTS stuff. And no, its not built on MSTS at all. Granted these are the same guys who built plenty of content for MSTS.

Here is a shot I took form the cab of a locomotive and you can see three other players.

The first player is bringing in the train on the left. The second is in the cab of the train on the right. And the third is riding the last tank car helping guide the train in. Yes, players in game have a avatar that you see and play from in a first person view. This way I see where you are at, and you see what a crew member on the ground would see. (There is a flying mode too)

Yes it is lacking in content, and this really sucks. But it is all original content, nothing copied over from any one else. If it look's like JR content, its probably because they aim for the same level of detail that JR has. But they are limited right now on what the game engine can do, so some details are left out.

Run8 is fun, if you have some good crews to play with. Yes every thing is payware, but you dont need payware to join a server. They have a nice work around to replacing the content you dont have. Don't have the GP40's it spawns in a default locomotive of the same size. Don't have the auto racks, it spawns in a box car the length of a auto rack. Don't have a merged route to the session, you cant go down those tracks when you get there.

There are dedicated servers as well, none of the hassle in hosting a session like in Trainz. I even host one my self. Its worth it, if you really want the real deal. Trainz is a fun toy box I think, and Run8 is good for getting feel of the real thing.

 

[martinvk]

Can we put that "toy" epitaph to rest for a change. So it doesn't have SpeedTrees and other hi res objects but if that screen shot is anything to go by, those tracks are nothing to brag about either. Or are the physics so good you don't see the tracks? As for getting the feel of the real thing, unless you're sitting in a fully gimbaled seat with three axis acceleration, how do you feel anything.

 

[KickingRocks]

...how do you feel anything.

The word 'feel' is being used with a certain degree of poetic license. However, Run 8 offers an advanced physics model which allows for a high-fidelity simulation of North American freight railroading.

It must be understood that Run 8 is based upon operational realism as opposed to graphical perfection and content creation, and that this will not likely change. While it is not necessary to like it, trashing Run 8 because the "graphics suck" or that multiplayer is boring demonstrates a fundamental lack of understanding of what it's all about.

 

[JIb228]

Martinvk, I wont argue... (Apparently there was some sort of insult here?) [There was, indeed -and reported by insultee- edit by ZVW]


Play Run8 is all I can say. Trying to dis it based on one own preconceived notions about what qualifies as good or not with out ever experiencing said thing is ridicules.

I insult and bash on Railworks left and right, because I have played it.

I talk from experience about Run8, because I have played it.

I think highly of Trainz, because I have played it.

I will never go back to OpenRails, because I have played it.

MSTS has it place in my history, because I have played it.

 

[martinvk]

Excuse me but I was just asking what Run8 was all about. There was no dissing involved. Or are comments only allowed if you buy into it? You show us a picture from Run8 and I ask about the tracks in that picture. I seem to recall that some people were constantly down on Trainz because it originally didn't have "proper" track junctions.

 

[JIb228]

It must be understood that Run 8 is based upon operational realism as opposed to graphical perfection and content creation, and that this will not likely change. While it is not necessary to like it, trashing Run 8 because the "graphics suck" or that multiplayer is boring demonstrates a fundamental lack of understanding of what it's all about.

I 100% agree with this statement. Run8 is about operations, not looking pretty.


Also, the track in Run8 dose have proper animated junctions. Martinvk, your reply did not infer a question was asked. Rather a snarky remark to a description of Run8.

 

[martinvk]

Sorry if it came across that way, that was not intended.

You say it does have proper animated junctions. Are they optional and not automatically placed? Or not apparent because of the angle of the picture? Same thing for the frogs and wing rails. And what happened to the ties? It looks like they are covered in snow but there is none on the hill in the background nor on the overpass embankment. Sorry for all the track questions but it seems to me that being one of the highly visible components they would naturally attract attention.

 

[JIb228]

They are there no mater what. Guard rails are frogs are, as far as I can tell, still works in progress. Ties are just 2D right now. The texture is ballast with some on top of the ties.

Also the angle of the photo is from max zoom view. I was about 1/4 of a mile away if not father. So LOD has to be taken into account.

 

[davesnow]

Way too complicated for me. All that having to start the engine and crap isn't what I want in a Sim. I want to get in the cab and go.

Lord, I hope JR's new sim isn't complicated, or at least they have an "easy" mode like Trainz.

~

 

[JIb228]

They have made it Dave so you an just jump in and go. They have Auto Start, Auto MU, and even Auto EOT.

 

[rgcx]

I think it's a great sim because it focuses on realistic operations and train handling skills. I believe that there is a solo mode if you're not into the multi-player session.

 

[JIb228]

There is a solo mode. And no pesky AI trains to mess things up. But as I have said, MP is where it really shines. I've spent hours on end not even running a trian but using the full dispatcher capabilities and being a dispatcher for 20+ trains.

 

[RRSignal]

I've been seriously toying with the idea of getting it since last Christmas. I like that it's DRM-free and that you can play single-player. I wouldn't mind "realistic" rail ops, but I have little interest in multiplayer anything. The biggest problem is the closed nature of content creation. I spend about 95% of my Trainz time making stuff and working on routes. I get the feeling that I'd drive a route a few times and be bored with it. That doesn't mean it's not worth getting; just the the money could be better spent on Trainz-related products. Put another way, it's purely a driving sim.