Microsoft Train Simulator
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Microsoft Train Simulator is a train simulator for Microsoft Windows.
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Original version
Contents
It was deveoped by Kuju, the original game featured the following:
- Settle to Carlisle Railway line, with the "Flying Scotsman"
- Northeast Corridor in the United States with the Acela Express
- Marias Pass in the United States with the BNSF
- Odakyu Odawara Line in Japan with the Odakyu Electric Railway
- Hisatsu Line in Japan with the Kyushu Railway Company (Or JR Kyushu)
- Innsbrook-St.Anton (this needs more description!)
The original models were criticised for being inaccurate. However, similarly to Flight Simulators, people started building and distributing their own models through websites. The quality of these is very much greater than the originals. New routes, trains, sounds, cabviews, and other MSTS accessories are available now on the internet, many for no charge.
The editor
Included with Train Simulator is the Editors & Tools program, which mainly allows you to build railroads, or "routes", as it is called in the simulation. You can also, however, create activities for any route, make custom cabviews or edit default ones, and the 4th program allows you to create a route of your own.
The bugs
The original version contained many bugs, for example the "front coupling bug" and the "white void bug". There are also issues with the signalling. However, this generally does not detract from the experience.
Version 1.2
Later, some more stock was added, including: Drivable SD40-2 with BNSF Heritage I paint, a Class 40 British Locomotive, New British Passenger Cars, A few new US freight cars, and A US caboose with a special "caboose view".
Version 1.2 also includes a few new activities for the new train equipment.
Additional content
There is a wealth of freeware and commercial addons available for Microsoft Train Simulator, most of which is vastly superior to the original content. See the links below for some sources. Generally to gain access, one has to pay a subscription fee. This is in order to pay for the servers.
MSTS2
Microsoft Train Simulator 2 was proposed, and was even shown to the public. Its main improvement, seemingly, was the addition of people to the game (i.e. passengers waiting at the stations, people operating the new locomotive rotator, etc). However, this game has been cancelled.
- As you know, every business segment within Microsoft is responsible for continually evaluating its strategy and investments in all areas of the business to achieve operational efficiencies. At Microsoft Game Studios (MGS), we must continually evaluate our portfolio strategy and investments to ensure we are achieving our most important objectives of creating successful, platform driving titles for Windows gamers. In addition, Microsoft Games Studio must streamline game development operations to be more efficient and critically examine all projects in development to position the business for long-term success and profitability.
- Microsoft Game Studios has cancelled the Windows-based game "Train Simulator 2.0." The decision to cancel "Train Simulator 2.0" was made some time ago and was based on a long, hard and difficult look at our business objectives and product offerings. We remain focused on the simulations category with successful, platform-driving franchises such as "Microsoft Flight Simulator."
External links
- Official site (http://www.microsoft.com/games/trainsimulator/)
- Train-Sim.com - the main American/International website and community (http://www.train-sim.com)
- UKTrainSim.com - a British/Irish website and community (http://www.uktrainsim.com)
- EuropeanBahn - developers of commercial addons including the most popular addon to date - London-Brighton Express (http://www.europeanbahn.co.uk)
- Microsoft Train Simulator Downloads (http://flyawaysimulation.com/article639.html)de:Microsoft Train Simulator