Theres only
so much you can say about a train simulator. If your eyebrows raise and
toes curl at the mention of such a thing I strongly encourage you to
purchase this game because its about as in depth as you can get. For
those who collect trains and build those massive environments for them
this is probably a dream come true. You can build them then tear em
down and rebuild without any damage to your precious money supply. If
youre still shaking your head mouthing "train simulator?" then this
game is most definitely not for you. Auran has fulfilled the dream of
every train enthusiast, but unfortunately theyre the only ones wholl
enjoy Trainz: Ultimate Collection.
The real draw
for fans will be the amount of detail and depth rather than any great
visual prowess. The maps youll deal with are quite large, dotted with
landscape and buildings of your choosing. The amount of material that
you can see and manipulate is impressive, but none of that material
stands out. Rather, the presentation is a bit drab. The colors appear
washed out and dark and the resolution leaves much to be desired. You
may place people and animals on your map, but they lack any real
animation. There are no real audio points to speak of, so prepare to
bring your stereo or headphones.
Trainz
offers three main modes of play. The first mode is Surveyor. Think of it
as a quick battle option in a strategy title. You may start with one of
several existing train routes or choose to build your own. At this point
youll get to play around with the games robust map editor. This may
prove a bit overwhelming because you have the responsibility of building
a very, very large map to populate with buildings, animals, cars, and
people. Of course this could be tackled in one sitting, but I would
recommend doing a little bit at a time. Trainzs interface doesnt make
this any easier. This is quite possibly one of the most complex games
Ive ever played. The abundance of buttons and gauges will daunt all but
the most determined.
The next mode
is called Driver. Ever wanted to strap yourself into the engineers
seat? This will probably be about as close as youll ever get to the
real thing. You can choose from either an easier set of basic controls
or the real deal, gauges, buttons, and all. The realistic controls
include physics and other factors youll need to pay attention to unless
you want to find yourself jumping the tracks. This mode offers a couple
different viewpoints. The first is a default, behind the loco view,
while the other is the real deal cockpit view.
The final
mode is composed of several scenarios where youll put your driving
skills to the test. Tasks set before you range from carrying passengers
to running timetables. The manual suggests that players use TrainzScript,
a program used to script different scenarios, to create challenges to
share over the net. Trainz also gives you a chance to showcase your
achievements in the My Collection section. Any trains youve created are
displayed along with their stock in all their 3D glory. You can also
tweak different paint jobs for your locomotives. Fans of the game really
will have no limit to the amount of content thanks to the Trainz
Download Station. Their site on the web contains hundreds of different
maps and scenarios for Trainz players.
This game is
really a playground for diehard train enthusiasts. If you always wanted
one of those big train setups with all the trees, buildings, and
mountains but you couldnt afford it, this is your ticket. That, in
effect is Trainz blessing and its curse. Its narrow appeal will
probably keep out the other 95% of gamers out there. If an easier motif
were used like that of the Tycoon series or Simcity, more gamers would
be attracted to the title. As it stands I cant imagine Aurans product
reaching many homes.