Microsoft Train Simulator

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Train Simulator
Screenshot from Microsoft Train Simulator.
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Screenshot from Microsoft Train Simulator.
Developer(s) Kuju entertainment
Publisher(s) Microsoft Game Studios
Latest version 1.2
Release date(s) 2001
Genre(s) Simulation
Mode(s)
Rating(s) ESRB: E (Everyone)
Platform(s) Windows

Microsoft Train Simulator is a train simulator for Microsoft Windows, released in July 2001.

Contents

[edit] Original version

[edit] Contents

Developed by Kuju entertainment, the original game featured the following lines:

These original models were criticised by many people for being inaccurate. However, as with Microsoft Flight Simulator, people started creating and distributing their own models and other content through websites. The quality of these add-ons is often much better than the originals. New routes, trains, sounds, cabviews, and other MSTS accessories are available either as freeware or payware from various websites and companies.

[edit] Editor

Included with Train Simulator was the Editors & Tools program, which mainly allowed the user to build railroads, or "routes", as they were called in MSTS. Users could also create activities for any route, create custom cabviews, or edit the default ones.

[edit] Bugs

The original version contained many bugs, for example the "front coupling bug", where the locomotive's front coupler would not work, and the "white void bug", where the route scenery disappears, leaving a white void. There were also issues with the signalling and AI dispatching. However, through the work of people in the community, many of these bugs were either removed or avoided.

[edit] Version 1.2

Later, some more stock was added, including: Drivable SD40-2 with BNSF Heritage I paint, a Class 50 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.

[edit] Additional content

There is a wealth of freeware available for Microsoft Train Simulator, most of which are vastly superior to the original content. Some of these, such as the Ohio Rail route designed by Rich Garber, are genuine works of art. See the links section below for some sources. Access is generally under a subscription model in order to pay the running costs.

[edit] Commercial add-ons

Many commercial add-ons for MSTS are available. These add a route, some activities and more locomotives to the game. Some of them are listed below:

  • Severn Valley Railway
  • Swanage Railway
  • Nene Valley Railway
  • West Somerset Railway
  • London-Brighton
  • Brighton-Portsmouth
  • South-East London
  • Berlin Subway
  • Berliner S-Bahn
  • Line 51 (Street Car Simulation
  • Cajon Pass (3D TrainStuff)
  • Tehachapi (3D TrainStuff)
  • The Bridge Line (Maple Leaf Tracks)
  • Cascade Crossing (Maple Leaf Tracks)
  • Kicking Horse Pass (Maple Leaf Tracks)
  • Michigan Iron Ore (Maple Leaf Tracks)
  • Niagara Corridor (Maple Leaf Tracks)
  • Sandpatch (Maple Leaf Tracks)
  • Scenic Subdivision (Streamlines)
  • Seligman Subdivision (Streamlines)
  • Canton (Rich Garber)
  • Cumberland (Rich Garber)

[edit] Non-commercial add-ons

A British Rail Class 89 locomotive has been produced as an add-on to raise money to save the only real class 89 from being scrapped.[1]

[edit] MSTS Today

Microsoft no longer owns the rights to MSTS in the United States. They were sold to Atari in 2005, and the game is now distributed in the US by Atari as value software. In the European Union, the game is now distributed by Empire Interactive and Ubisoft. Ubisoft also distributes MSTS in small quantities in Australia.

Many people have created new locomotives, rolling stock, and routes for this game. There are also a lot of people who make activities. Activities, in Train Simulator, are very realistic runs with traffic and other features. The player might have to setout or pickup cars, or run a hot intermodal train. Routes are another feature of MSTS, and are like real railway lines. Some MSTS addon developers are sufficiently talented to charge for their work, which is generally found to be of a better quality.

[edit] Microsoft Train Simulator 2

Train Simulator 2.

Microsoft Train Simulator 2 was proposed, and was even demoed to the public. Seemingly its main improvement was the addition of people to the game (i.e. passengers waiting at the stations, people operating the new locomotive roster, etc). However, this game was cancelled, as this statement from Microsoft confirms.

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." [2]

[edit] Kuju Rail Simulator

In light of the now-cancelled MSTS2, Kuju Entertainment started work in 2005 on a new product called Rail Simulator, which could be said as a spiritual successor to MSTS but will be a new simulator over all. Scheduled for release some time during 2007, Kuju Rail Simulator, or KRS, is set to draw upon the experiences of few members of the original software team and the thriving train simulation community. Several developers and forum sites have been working with the development team on the new game to try to ensure that some of the comments about MSTS are addressed in this new product. Kuju will be publishing it with Electronic Arts.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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