SimRail

[NorthernWarrior]

Their forum is weird. You have to log out then log back in again with your Steam ID to get on the Early Access boards.

Hoping to see a response today from the devs about their plans for SP and Save game and what I do next hinges on that. Part of me wants to support the project but is it genuine early access where they continue to beaver away at the product, or an excuse to put out what is now obviously a very unfinished game and leave it there with the odd bit of cosmetic tinkering, like The Bus.

[haverfordwest]

Spot on Bruce.

[haverfordwest]

Yeah i knew that about logging in and out thanks Vern. But if you do not buy the full game, you cannot post in early access.

They seem even more dodgy than DTG, with holding info about lack of save game function.

In the hope that the gullible will buy it first and ask questions later.

If TSW3 had a reliable save. I would prefer to buy that, than Simrail. At least it has UK addons.

Mike.

[NorthernWarrior]

I pinged one of the devs on the forum earlier but still got no response.

Whole thing starting to look very dodgy, as you say. Giving it until I come back in from a walk then hitting the refund button.

At least DTG generally do rock up on their forum to address the major concerns.

If things improve I can always rebuy or wait till it's going for £15 in the summer sale.

[SurvivorSean]

My feeling is that the save function or even single player is not their focus. As of yesterday I noticed 1 other person complaining about the lack of save in single player. The vast majority are playing MP.

I agree the whole can't post until you buy (especially to those who were already testing) is not right. Devil's advocate I could see trolls who managed to get it for free pestering the board. Remember the Run8 forums trust me I was there on both sides (that was far worse). Ignoring or not replying to post vs some of the things I've witnessed elsewhere.

One thing I try not to concern myself with as much is what other people think. However as long term members of the forum I do want to try and convinc you that it's not as bad (and I understand if you are at that window of refund and it's not for you - then I don't blame you).

MP is not like other MP systems. This not the test system, you now have paid customers dispatching. The issues in AI are going to be there regardless until it gets better. There is little to no radio chatter taking place. So if your simply grabbing a service that might be a different number at a different time of day about the same distance along in your route, what is the difference?

If this was your world and you were timing or if you could make up time I can slightly see your point. But if it's about running a similar service in different areas, I don't understand the difference. At the moment traffic is hourly (something I hope gets better to include rush hours because right now it's not) and all it takes is finding the next train number at the aproximate location and you could theoretically continue your run.

To me this is why you're not going to see too many people having issue with this. At the moment there is enough servers that if there is a tower I want I can likely find it on another less populated server. Another issue I might have is say I want a populated server it's first come first serve on the more challenging boxes because they will be in high demand I'm sure.

Anyways that's all I have to say on this. Eventually they run out of prescripted scenerios no matter what the simulator is. Thus far this is not your typical MP party like experience, and to that I'm happy to see.

Thanks

Sean

[haverfordwest]

I pinged one of the devs on the forum earlier but still got no response.

Whole thing starting to look very dodgy, as you say. Giving it until I come back in from a walk then hitting the refund button.

At least DTG generally do rock up on their forum to address the major concerns.

If things improve I can always rebuy or wait till it's going for £15 in the summer sale.

Not even on my radar anymore Vern. Cracking on with TSC, i have the ATS Kings Cross - Edinburgh merge route. From when i had a years subscription on his site, last year. Trying to find out if i can remove the OHLE, to run HST's and Deltic's, on the route.

393 miles is longer than the SimRail route, so no great loss there.

MP couldn't careless Sean, playing with a load of drongo's i don't know.

Mike.

[SurvivorSean]

Just so you know over on the Polish side someone translated a question regarding your concern, the answer was "it will" regarding a save option. Obviously it's not a high priotity for them right now. Could they use help in PR sure and I think not having a voice as I've mentioned is an issue. But defending them as a developer I will say they need to focus on some more pressing things right now. It may not make everyone happy (others are agreeing with you by the way since yesterday) but they're big boys I'm sure and this isn't their first rodeo.

BTW I don't even notice the other people in MP. There is a server EN4 where I was all alone last night. I think there are plenty of options, but everyone has different tastes.

Thanks

Sean

[NorthernWarrior]

I see on the official forum there is a vague translation from the Polish chat box, along the lines that the "Anglo Saxons" are complaining, with a response from a dev that "some day" there will be a save game. PR really is not their strongpoint. They could have been much more transparent and honest, with an estimated timescale on when the feature will be implemented. Yes they have been busy, but part of that at least has been squashing bugs which really ought not to have been present by the time the game reached open beta.

I will probably rebuy in the future, maybe in a sale and certainly when the save game does get added.

[haverfordwest]

I think we should all buy it, well me buy and Vern re-buy. Sean has it and go on a server together and ignore everyone else.

Mike.

[haverfordwest]

I don't believe in defending developers Sean. i don't want to be best mates with them.

As a customer you do not go in the supermarket and defend them. if they haven't got what you want or their goods are faulty or of less quality than advertised.

Too much of this making excuses for developers of games, goes on. Flaming fan boys on DTG and N3V forums, no wonder the both companies think they can do as they please. I am a customer they are the developer\vendor, that is the only relationship i need or want from them.

Move onto something else, just as i would if one of the local supermarkets closed. Always somewhere else to shop or buy games from.

Mike.

[NorthernWarrior]

I think we should all buy it, well me buy and Vern re-buy. Sean has it and go on a server together and ignore everyone else.

Mike.

I was thinking about that as a crude solution to seeing all the route is to use that interactive map that was produced, find a train on a MP server in roughly the same location as where you left off and take it over for another 45 - 60 minutes. Not perfect but a workaround for now. Once the refund clears I may go back in again, I guess there's always the signalling side to look at too.

[haverfordwest]

If you are going to re-purchase Vern, i think i will get it.

Shame we can't do driver and second man

Mike.

[seagoon]

I don't believe in defending developers........
Too much of this making excuses for developers of games.....I am a customer they are the developer\vendor, that is the only relationship i need or want from them....

Exactly my sentiments, Mike.

[haverfordwest]

Seems like common sense to me Bruce. I buy something because i want it. Not to placate some faceless developer.

Mike.

[SurvivorSean]

If you compare this to a supermarket then you are now talking about supply and demand and I can relate. I can assure you unlike the supermarket, fast food, and anything else out there with hundreds of brands this mirco niche called train simulation does not have a strong supply.

DTG anything I won't touch. Run8 it's on the shelf becuase I demand DLC that works for me. SimRail is not perfect but it meets my needs for now and in the end I felt worth the purchase. Railroader unlike my indecision of SimRail will be a day 1 purchase. The thing is the supply is not like a super market because in fact it's more like a specialty store. You settle for something despite your own criticisim of DTG, and I've done the same for SimRail and Run8 over the years.

When I go to a drive through and order a meal I say thank-you, when they give me my meal despite paying I also say thank-you. Yes they have a face but they are getting paid because of consumers spending. So just because you paid for something doesn't mean you can't show a little appreciation to the people behind it.

I can assure you those that are appreciated will strive to better serve you. Money is not always the only incentive for those to serve. Some companies who only care about the bottom line vs those that have a passion for what they are doing is a big difference. But even those that are small don't always have the best PR skills and I can think of examples of both.

Thanks

Sean