Train Simulator

Rating:
Summary: Train Simulator by Microsoft Plus Add Ons
Review: This simulator is about as close as you can get to driving a real train. I've been thoroughly enjoying it since February 2002. I'm a retired electrical engineer who has always loved trains. With this simulator, it's Activities, and Explorations, and it's Add-Ons, I've been driving passenger and freight trains in the Unites States, England, Austria, Germany and Japan. I've been the engineer on electric, diesel, and steam locomotives. These are thrilling and challenging experiences. The Simulator comes with an Engineer's Manual that is 91 pages long and cram packed full of information. I've printed it out and put it in a three ring binder for study and ready reference. I've created a second book which I call "Train Routes" wherein I place maps of the routes, including stations, mileposts, geographical elevations, with additional helpful details and yard drawings I have researched and created from the programs. These are all intended to help me operate the railroads. This is not a simple, easy to run simulation, but once you've learned it, it is incredibly interesting, challenging, and plain fun ... it's addictive.

Rating:
Summary: Fun for train-lovers, but not the rest of us
Review: Kuju entertainment developed this game for Microsoft, and it lives up to its name. You can explore six different historical railroads, including Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, Burlington Northern's Marias Pass route, and a section of the Orient Express in Austria. Two Japanese lines and the Flying Scottsman are also available. The graphics are beautiful and the sounds are faithfully reproduced. Microphones were mounted on various areas of each engine to capture the sounds of accelerating, braking, etc. The steam trains thunder and wheeze, the diesels hum, and the electrics quietly click along. The scenery includes trees, bridges, roads, moving automobiles, and tall mountains that actually look appropriately scaled -- a rare feat with today's computer games.

However, make sure you have a mid-range system or better if you want to be able to run this game. Slower PCs, such as those of 500Mhz or under, will probably not be able to display high levels of detail without slowing the system to unacceptable levels. Also, be sure you have a capable video card. If you don't have enough system or video horsepower, you should upgrade your system before installing. Also, the full install requires 1.8 gigabytes of hard drive space -- not exactly a small footprint.

Driving a train for the first time is thrilling. The game lets you look at the trains from an almost infinite number of angles, and they certainly look good! Learning to brake was also quite a challenge. Trying to stop a 30-car train on a steep grade in the rain gave me new respect for what engineers do on a daily basis.

However, after playing the game for two weeks, I must relunctantly conclude that this game is only for hardcore train fans. Once I had mastered braking and could get to stations on time, the game quickly ceased to be interesting. I'm just not interested by backing my train into a siding at 5 MPH to pick up some grain cars. I don't think it's fun to have to drive a train at 12 MPH in a reduced-speed zone for 10 minutes of real time. While this game faithfully simulates real-life railroading conditions, I'm afraid that this doesn't translate to gaming excitement.

I'm not knocking railroad fans, and I'm not saying that I didn't enjoy learning how to drive trains. But despite the excellent technological achievements showcased by this game, unless you are a die-hard train fan, I'd advise against buying this product. It simply doesn't provide enough entertainment for your money, especially since the replay value appears limited. There IS an editor included with the game, but at this writing it seems buggy and is not particularly easy to use. Perhaps that will change in the future. Additional user-made maps and scenarios would definitely help to make this game a better value.

Rating:
Summary: five strikes and you are out
Review: I was unable to get to run on either of two computer that I own. One uses Windows XP the other Windows 98

I took and both my computers to a computer repair shop. The technician was unable to get the game to run on either of his own two computers or either of my computers.

A co-worker tried it on his brand new computer. He couldn't get it to run.

This makes 5 computers in all that were tested. All computers have Direct X 9.0b. And, the game still didn't work.

The game's performance on all 5 computers was the same. The "tutorial" functioned normally, but the "introduction" and the "play game" worked very, very slowly. About every 15 seconds the image would "refresh." The sound effects were normal.

Support from Microsoft? Ha! Don't make me laugh.

Bottom line? One very disappointed 9 year old and one frusturated dad.

Rating:
Summary: Incredibly Realistic!!!
Review: I guess I can't give any reccomendations based on computer speed as I have a fully decked out 1.5G, 512MB computer with a 32MB 3D card and 22" monitor. Needless to say, the game runs fine. I can see where some people might find it boring, but try and run the Japanese commuter line and actually arrive and leave the stations on time.....My only wish (as with almost all Microsoft simulations) is that Microsoft would show more realistic crashes / derailings /people / cars on tracks. Maybe it's just the Gomez Addams in me, but when I'm heading down a mountain at 100+ mph in Austria, I want the train to jump the tracks and fly down the hill in a blaze....instead, a little prompt comes up advising me that I have derailed. I really need to see people getting on and off the trains as well. What's the point of running a commuter line with empty cars??? Microsoft, please listen and add these features...

Rating:
Summary: The Ultimate Train Driving Expierience!
Review: As soon as I saw the ad for Microsoft Train Simulator in TRAINS magazine, I knew this was the game for me. Train Simulator gives anyone the power to drive their own train on 6 detailed routes all around the world, including Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, BNSF's Marias Pass, 2 Japan routes, including a busy commuter line and a more quiet route through the moutains of Kushu island, and the last 2 routes, including the Flying Scottsman and the Orient Express in the days when steam trains were still thriving.

The first train I ever drove was Acela on the Northeas Corridor, and I say that this and every route has detail and many of the objects are one-of-a-kind (an object that you can only find there!). Probably the best out of all of the routes is the Marias Pass route. You can run through the Rockies, and speed through the flatlands near Shelby, and you soon find out that Montana isn't just beautiful moutains!

In addition to the wide variety that they have already gave you, there are thousands (maybe even millions) of free ad-ons online, including engines, freight cars, activities, cabviews, sounds, and even routes! Just type in "Microsoft Train Simulator" in your browser and you get thousands of results!

If you don't have enough time to buy a new route online, you can simply make you own! Included with Train Simulator is "Editors & Tools", where you can make your own routes, and even convert default objects into your routes! Editors & Tools also lets you make your own activities for your new routes, and you can even make custom cabviews for more realisim in some engines!

I believe that this is the best train computer game ever made, and you soon will too when you buy Microsoft Train Simulator, and, best of all, if you want more, you can find exatly what you want! Probably there are more add-ons available for Train Simulator than any other game.

But none of this great fun happens if you don't buy Train Simulator, so get it today! And when you do, you can sit at you computer, start up your train, and ride down the tracks for many years to come.

Rating:
Summary: A Winner!
Review: I am an avid fan of Microsoft's Flight Simulator. While playing the game, I often wished that the ground was more detailed and realistic. Train Simulator delivers this wish. Previous reviews at Amazaon indicated that some found it boring.. Not even! Sure, if you want Quake 3, but if your looking to explore a whole new world that is absolutely real.. get this game immediately. I do love trains, but I truly believe that anyone.. white or blue collar will enjoy the majestic beauty of the rockies, drving a commuter train (just like the el or a subway) through the heart of the outskirts of Tokyo at sunset, and powering a classic steam engine through Europe.

This game is outrageous! Cruising though the rockies in the forest along a beautiful river and suddenly your going over a bridge and 300 feet of canyon beneath you.

The tutorials are excellent, and the game let's you drive each train along each route without having to deal with a timeline just so you get used to everything. Once you've done that, the challege is on you to maintain schedules, switch tracks to pick up cargo.. you name it.

It's pretty cool to learn all of those weird train signs and be able to respond to them. 'W' means whistle... it's great to see that, blow that huge whistle and go through a street with cars waiting on both sides. Okay... I'm easily amused, but talk about fun. It's not in your face action.. but kick back, pop open a beer and enter a whole new world.

All aboard!

Rating:
Summary: Chuga Chuga Klunk
Review: Installation problems were not too bad, but it appears that Microsoft's remedy for its created monumental boredom is to arrange periodic system crashes to wake you up. After several of these experiences I uninstalled this fiasco and added it to the other accumulated trash in my waste basket.

Rating:
Summary: Review of Amazon
Review: This is not a review of the product, but a review of
Amazon in response to their incredibly bad customer
service.

I was about to order this from Amazon and then saw a proposed
shipping date of more than 2 weeks later. I decided not to order
and left Amazon. Imagine my suprise when five minutes later
I got an e-mail saying my order was in process.

Even worse, when I went to cancel the order, the product
was "shipping soon" and the order could not be cancelled
even though it has just been registered and still had an
estimated shipping date two weeks in the future.

When I wrote to customer service, I reveived what was clearly a form letter stating that the order could not be cancelled, but that I could return the product. Of course now, I am stuck with
the shipping fees both ways.

This is the last time I do business with Amazon. Since they
would not respond to my request, I am entering this review
to warn future customers of Amzon's questionable practices.

Rating:
Summary: Train sim delivers
Review: Having just recently installed this sim on my pc I was very impressed. I have not had much luck with any of Microsoft's games in the past. Their combat flight simulator 3 in my opion is just plain awful compared to great other great flight sims like IL2 forgotton battles.Even their first combat flight sim (which I have) is better. Microsoft games to me for some reason seem to look unfinished. Imagine my suprise when I installed Train simulator! This game is very well done indeed. I am a big fan of Auran's Trainz so I really did not expect to keep this game installed for to long. I was on xmas holiday from work and I was looking for a cheap game to fool around with. I purchased this because it was cheap And I was curious as well. Trainz is more like model railroading, this is more like real railroading.I have since purchased some third party add-ons and this is where this game really shines. The realistic routes and activities are nothing short of fantastic. I still cannot believe I had not tried this train sim before. Whats more ,unlike Aurans Trainz you dont need a high tech pc to run it properly. Of course the more video memory / processor speed you have the better. This sim also has a massive online community supporting it. Sites like train-sim.com are a good start...........If you like trains you cannot afford to let this one pass by. Get onboard!!!!!!!!!!!

Rating:
Summary: train simulator game play
Review: I have p4 512 ram dont have any problem with the game. got every
thing on full the train going in the snow is cool. dont see any
bugs in the game when i play it. train sim 2 should be out real soon!