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Rail Simulator (PC DVD) | 
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| From: Electronic Arts
Category: Video Games
List Price: £25.43
Buy New: £8.80
You Save: £16.63 (65%)
New (10) Used (3) from £8.80
Rating:  46 reviews
Platform: Windows Vista
Genre: transport-simulation-games
Rating: Universal, suitable for all
Media: Video Game
Operating System: Windows Vista
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.4 x 0.6
EAN: 5030930052461
ASIN: B000RO37VI
Release Date: October 12, 2007
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: NEW IN STOCK SEALED GOODS SENT 1ST CLASS FROM UK
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| Customer Reviews:
 Train Simulator It Is NOT!! But it IS enjoyable!! October 13, 2007
A. Wylie (Melksham, Wilts)
39 out of 42 found this review helpful
Having been a avid fan of the Microsoft Train Simulator, I was very pleased to hear that Kuju were designing a new Train Simulation program. After a very long wait and regular checking of the website, my pre-ordered version hit my doorstep today (Saturday).
Having installed it and in keeping with most EA products, you have to keep the DVD installed to play the simulator. I'm not a fan of this process as one scratch on the DVD, and you're stuffed!! Still, I stuck with it and have spent most of the day getting the grips with it.
The first point I would like to make is if you are a regular user of MSTS, Rail Simulator takes a little getting used to. Accelerating/Braking is the biggest issue. In MSTS you use D to accelarate and A to decelerate/brake depending upon the engine. In Rail Simulator they are reversed which takes some remembering. I haven't checked to see if you can change this in the options. However, graphically it is excellent and way beyond anything MSTS is capable of. All the routes are very detailed and, contray to other reviews, I haven't experienced any issues at all regarding the quality of the package and certainly would not consider it a beta version. Admitedly, there are only 3-4 scenario for each route (4 of them) so there isn't alot to keep you occupied. This will no doubt improve when they release the add-on development tools promised and the user community gets to work on it.
Overall, this is a very enjoyable piece of software, which has been developed with the user community in mind. Given the success of MSTS, I hope this simulator gets the support it richly deserves.
 If this gets support It'll be good, out of the box not good October 25, 2007
Mr. R. B. Pearson (York UK)
30 out of 33 found this review helpful
This Game was eagerly awaited by me for 2 years or so since it was first announced and has a lot of plusses in its favour but the bad parts are very bad, For someone who has used MS Train Simulator since 2002 I found it hard to pick up and play, for someone who hasn't used this type of software before I imagine its baffling. I will list its good and bads but my main conclusion is that if (and its a big if) its supported by its developers with patches and such like this will be excellent but the word over on forums is that if nothing is done then it will stagnate and no-one will be interested in developing add-ons for it. I advise waiting to see if these patches and tools are released before buying to avoid total annoyance and frustration.
Good points
+ Excellent (but not world beating) graphics
+ Well realised routes ( The York - Newcastle route looks sublime)
+ Good looking Locomotives and rolling stock
+ Large community available to help with niggles and support
+ Decent frame rates on most machines
+ game engine appears to be quite stable (which I think most of the effort has gone for this game)
+ community has done as much as they possibly can to fix minor niggles
Negatives
- Idiotic signalling which does not seem to work properly at all, it also renders some of the few Scenarios to be un-completable
- The diesel locomotives sound like their sounds were sampled from a knackered transit van
- Deltic cab is set rediculously high meaning nothing much can be seen outside the cab
- The track wavers from side to side which means in outside views the wheels of the trains leave the railhead briefly and looks plain dopey to say the least, indside the cabs the track visibly sways side to side.
- Horns sound like they were recorded from a keyboard in saxophone mode and a really horrificly awful
- Couplings on the front of at least one locomotive dosen't work
- Coupling up causes wagons to fly around in the air for no apparent reason.
- Turntables a hard to get your loco off of safely
- The biggest one is one activity whilst approaching Paddington you go from Green signals straight to red without any warning causing a SPAD which results in a collision remeniscent to the Ladbroke grove disaster a few years back... this is very very poor and needs addressing post haste.
- Scenario briefings are far too vague meaning you have to be a detective to figure out what you should be doing.
- This software seems to be unfinished and this is a beta version???
I was disapointed with this game but am willing to wait for promised patches and tools before making my decision about whether or not to keep this software on my machine. I hope this has helped out in the decision making process, but its really a case of hang tight and see what happens over the next month or two.
Worth the wait October 15, 2007
DC Bickersteth (Staffordshire England)
17 out of 20 found this review helpful
Rail Simulator is a quantum leap forward on Microsoft Train Sim 1. The grahics, frame rate and look of the rolling stock, plus accurate detailing of the routes supplied (only 4 at presnt) are excellent as is the track. Dynamics - rocking trains, points noises and scenic touches like moving water, 'live' smoke and moving people (and door opening) takes train simm to a new high. However their are plenty of bugs. My son is having problems loading on a new high spec lap top and some controls don't seem to work correctly. For driving, the absence of advance information on speed restrictions and time tabling of trains needs improving. The game works differently to MSTS1, so it takes a little getting used to, but reports say the use of the editing tools is very easy (something I don't have time to indulge in).
Once new routes are available, this game will take a lot of beating, however we still need to see what Train Sim2 will be like? It may be like the old Beta v VHS wars, winner takes all.
I do recommend this game, especially at the Amazon price.
David B
 A Huge Disappointment October 16, 2007
Northern Warrior (Swindon, England)
16 out of 20 found this review helpful
Two and a half years in development this game was eagerly awaited by the train sim community as the title which would re-define the genre after a long gap between genuine new releases.
Unfortunately I can only concur with previous reviews regarding the buggy and flawed game we have been given. It appears as if all the money and effort has been expended on the graphics engine, which does not look a whole lot better than improved MSTS/Trainz anyway, rather than the core features such as signalling to make a train sim work properly. The cabs are quite detailed and 3D but not many of the switches or levers work correctly. In external view the train often looks like a sprite floating over the ground and in both cab and exterior view there's a disturbing and nausea inducing side to side "hunting" of the track which, if it's supposed to represent the cab swaying, is totally wrong.
Sound is not much better. The HST is quite good but the Turbo DMU sound like it was sampled from a bin lorry. The Deltic is rather weak and the Class 47 just doesn't sound right. there's no distiction between the level or type of sound heard in exterior or interior view either. Track sound is awful a sort of disembodied tinkle every now and again or when you cross over points. A Gameboy would put it to shame.
One reasonable point (which is why it gets two stars rather than one) is the train physics. The HST actually takes a realistic time and distance to accelerate and brake though the top end of the power curve is questionable on all the traction. They should just about hold top speed one notch below full power but they want to keep on going. steam physics is about on a par with MSTS, that is to say a reasonable stab but wide of the mark. It does not seem possible to induce wheelslip on any of the locomotives.
Where the sim really falls down is on the operations and signalling. The signalling is poorly scripted and implemented - it does not give proper warning of upcoming junctions and can easily cause your train to derail or collide with another even when you get the correct aspects. The German signalling seems to be derived from the UK signalling and is totally wrong for DB practice. There's a lack of proper warnings for upcoming speed limits. The "Track Monitor" is useless as it only shows the state of the line about 800 metres ahead.
Very few activities or scenarios are included in the box, some will have beginners scratching their heads with complex shunting while others are "broken" as a result of the pathetic signalling. It's not possible to run to a timetable and the game shipped without the proper tools to create such an activity. These are promised some time in November... It's also not possible to evaluate the route building potential as again, the full toolset has not been included with the game. (Though I doubt many people will be creating for this, somehow).
In conclusion it's a bit of a mess and a disappointment. There is potential there but it will take a bucket load of patches and/or a major rewrite of some of the code to get there. For the time being, unless you're really desperate for a new train sim, avoid.
 WOW!!!!!!!! October 11, 2007
DIANE Wright (In a town between Perth and pitlochry)
11 out of 26 found this review helpful
There is only one word for this game and that is 'BRILLIANT' Just buy it Now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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