MS Train Simulator - wtf?

[Summo]

When The Sims came along I thought how weird it was to control a virtual character whose sole purpose it was to wake up, have a p00, breakfast, go to work, come home, wee, shower and go to bed. Hardly escapism.

Now I have the opportunity to drive a train, which by its nature is forced to go wherever the track goes. What freedom. But I can do it in three different types of weather!

I really don't know what to do with this. Even the official Microsoft blurb starts off "There is a magic and mystique about trains that is difficult to explain." You're damn right it is!

My experience of trains is several hundred people being tired or hungover all pretending that everybody else doesn't exist. Does this game give me the opportunity to have a virtual nap? Can I read someone else's beautifully rendered copy of the Sun over his multi-polygon shoulder? Can I listen to loud conversations conducted by other people on their mobile phones? Probably, as MS say that I have "the tools to recreate almost any railroad experience in the world." Cool. Loud conversations in other languages.

Is anybody planning on actually buying this? Maybe I'll hold out for Microprose's upcoming Lawn Mower simulator, or Codemaster's new first-person Living-Room Hoover action-adventure.

 

[Louster]

If memory serves, there once actually was a game called the 'Lawn Mower simulator' or something similar. You had to mow a lawn. Really.

 

[Embattle]

It meant to be quite good.

 

[Ono]

I was actually consdering buying M$ Train Sim.


I have all the Densha Go Go! games (trans: Go Go Train) on the PSX and they are actually very good fun.


Thing is the RRP is £49.99!!!



Looks like I am gonna have to get my bro to do some shooping for me in Hong Kong.


Sad? Well, I think it's more interesting than piloting a plane. At least you get to see scenery and other trains rather than just blue sky and green fields.




Oh, and NO, I am not a train spotter or anything remotely similar.

 

[Moving Target]

Ono---------->

 

[old.eternity]

I've got it............ I'm not afriad to admit......... I like it!

 

[old.Kurt_Angle]

Me too Iv'e had the game since the beta

Microsoft are realy lame though by charging 50 quid retail on it

 

[DAN200]

well, if you consider how expensive it is to get a real train ticket 50 quid aint all dat bad.

 

[Louster]

Yeh but... with a train ticket... you can go places.
What the hell is the point of driving a train? As far as I can see (and I haven't played it) you only have like one axis of movement? You can either accelerate or brake. Where's the fun in that.

 

[Moving Target]

well...

 

[old.Jayminator]

Microsoft sent it to me the other week. In my muted curiosity I booted it up and kept derailing. The lack of explosions and carnage was most disapointing.

Eventually I managed to get "on track" as it were (sorry) and found a small amount of amusement in being able to sit in a passenger seat watching the scenery go by.

I admire the effort put in, but considering I don't have an anorak, a fold-out chair, thick glasses, a tartan flask or greasy hair - I couldn't really get into it.

It didn't make me Hornby baby! (sorry again).

 

[Wij]

I'm waiting for "One man and his Dog"

 

[WPKenny]

I've got that "Lawn mower simulator" on the spectrum. There was a sequel to it too.

 

[Wij]

I thought that was a hoax by 'Your Sinclair' ? :/

 

[WPKenny]

Dunno. Never loaded the thing up. But I still got the cover tape it's on. Oh and the speccy to play it on.

Strangely the idea of simulated lawn mowing really never apealed to me as a kid.

 

[Moving Target]

Originally posted by WPKenny
Strangely the idea of simulated lawn mowing really never apealed to me as a kid.

It shouldnt

 

[Ono]

Anyone remember that Air Traffic Control simulator for the C64?

Had loads of speech.


Now is that was a classic

 

[Wij]

I'm sure it was brill

 

[Summo]

Heh heh, yeah.

Of course, there's ATC Simulator for those of you who like to sit in a nitorine-stained room watching colours move round on a single screen for hours at a time...

... that's all of us.