Cambrian 2 - 3DTS

[tialho]

Just completed my first run on the main line from Shrewsbury to Machynlleth (thanks for the patch, Martin!); have to say the route is fantastic, with the 'coast' section and branches this has to be the most varied route (in terms of scenery) out there. I was also impressed with the handling of the loco; 43xx with 5 corridors averaged between 30-50mph (keeping boiler pressure in the range 170-200lbs), stopping distances were longer than for most MSTS stock, but felt prototypical. Have to rate this as one of the best routes going (I can't say the best as its not fair to compare this with (say) Great Eastern - both are excellent, but so different that they could almost be different sims).

Out of interest, is this the only all-steam commercial route out there? (I can think of routes that are mostly steam, but all have at least one diesel included - even the Blue Arrow LMS and Southern packs!).

Regards,

Tim

[117305]

Theres some nice little scenes going on, in station areas when you have a look around- also watched a cab ride on the shrewsbury aberystwyth section today(set in 1986) and theyve got the look just right right.
Thanks for an excellent route,heres a little something ive just uploaded ,theres a bonus activity in there as well.

Invalid File ID [17290]

[MartinH]

The original plan was to have diesels on this route too, but we decided to release what we had and follow up with an activity and rolling stock pack later on. The emphasis will be on activities, but there will also be 101 and 108 DMUS, class 25s and 08 shunters (only because we had the model from Swanage). Ideally, it would have been nice to make a much bigger pack of diesels, but after 4 years (minus a break for Swanage), it is time to move on to something else.

There will be many more activities coming soon. The 20 that you have cover the first few years only of a fictional career. I've actually written 56 in total which take you to 1946. The plan is to write a few for 1947 (lots of snow) and then release the pack as a download. Having researched the route so thoroughly and found out so much, I would very much like to tell the story of the line and its operations through the activities. The fictional career seemed a good way of achieving this.

BTW, I know the cab ride video very well (assuming you are referring to the Railscene one). I've watched it so many times that I've almost memorized the conversation between the cameraman and the inspector.

Martin

[117305]

Yep it is the railscene cab ride i was refering if only it could have been in the cab of a 37 , also got "18" machynlleth-pwllheli"as well very good videos,if only we coudl still get real trains over that line all the time , and not just on specials

[MartinH]

I found both videos very useful as research material for the route, both in terms of what you see and what you hear. Graham the inspector gives an excellent commentary as he talks to the others and Mike and I picked up lots of useful information from listening to him. Next time you watch video 18 look out for the party of school kids on a field (or should that be beach) trip between Llandanwg and Harlech, then look at the same location on our route

Martin

[117305]

Im looking at that video at this moment, just gone through llandanwg , oh yes and the patch is now availble- theyve also added some new pics for the line .
Heres a link to the patch, and the pics.

http://www.3dtrainstuff.com/products/uk ... rian2.html

[lateagain]

Hi Guy's

Well not a happy bunny on two counts.

Solutions are better than problems so first a solution to the DVD problem.

Having read some of the posts earlier I was still somewhat horrified when the DVD apparently froze my system whislt the DVDrom and the HDD blinked away in unison for at least half an hour.

Finally a pop-up protested that it was trying to access some part of the operating system and I figured that this was where my problem lay. I rebooted and stopped as much as possible running in the background. Zone alarm seemed to be the major culprit. Once I'd put that to sleep the DVD started from the RUN prompt and the installation was fine.

So my tip is turn of Zone Alarm and stop your AV software and if autorun doesn't kick in start from the RUN prompt.

The Route and scenery are fantastic and it's obvious how much has gone into this over the past few years. There's a great selection of stock but.... well can I refer you to the other thread "Cambrian 2" which I've asked the other poster to rename "Cambrian 2 Physics issues". I won't go further here as the other thread is a specific problem.

Sorry for the downer but it's really fundamental to the success of the route and the enclosed activities.

Geoff

[train]

Hi

i Recieved this fantastic Cambrian 2 last week from America,from3DTS
and i haven't stopped playing it since.The first task was to take Bradley
Manor from Aberystwyth Over Tallerddig with 7 on and with cut off
wound up to 44 and 98 percent regulator and full sanders on just made it
and that was in the dry(sorry folks it was BATS Bradley Manor).
Apart from the Missing textures and no Activitys East from Maccinleth
This is a good one sorry about the Spelling not very good with welsh
names

Oh thanks Martin H i have now got the patch from the 3DTS Website

[ronald parkin]

Hi All. Always one to do daft things,so decided to try CC2 on my old PC,that was state of the ark when MSTS came out and guess what it runs great. Found out that on loading( which looked like taking ages )If I went into My Computer/and click on the CC2 name it loaded stright away,By the way leave the Physics alone as far as I am concerned the engines work perfectly not having any trouble driving them

Regards

Ron P

[MrHillingdon]

Just dragging this topic back to the top because that's where Cambrian 2 deserves to be. I've had it for about a month but only installed it on Thursday (along with the patch) as I needed to get my computer able to accept DVD's. I've had a drive all over the route except for the shorter branch near Oswestry which will be visited this evening. I firstly drove a Manor from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth with 5 on and the loco sounded brilliant. I very much like the typical GWR barking sound from the engine as she pulls away. I had no problem keeping boiler pressure there or thereabouts for the climb of Talerddig which was great fun. I took a Dukedog from Machynlleth to Pwllheli and again this was great fun and she sounded fantastic, I think I need to visit 9017 at the Bluebell Railway again. The branches were driven with the Prairies and again they were similar to the originals but good to drive. The two different types of Moguls were used on a visit to Oswestry. The Kerry branch is a must. I used the Dean Goods available for download from UKTS with a few wagons and used the Dukedog cabview and sounds. The branch is a . of a climb with a speed limit of 10mph. The branch is possibly the most scenic piece of countryside I have ever seen for MSTS and with my engine struggling with it's small train on some fierce gradients it was superb. This route and the locos and stock have, in my opinion, taken MSTS to a new level, it is quite simply a masterpiece. To cap it all, before bed last night I took a Manor on load 8 from Machynlleth to Newtown including the climb of Talerddig. The speakers were notched up a bit and it was fantastic! The boiler pressure was never below 210 and we romped over the top at about 20ishmph.
Thank you very much to Martin and all those involved in Cambrian 2, it is truly fantastic.

Regards,

Paul

[rabid]

If I may I add my own sentiments to this fine route. Scenery-wise there is very little to touch it, a real "virtual" piece of Wales. Stock is excellent too. Only two things to winge about; the geographical spread of the activities, and the poor quality of tracklaying in places (gradient transitions aren't smooth).

All-in-all however, great stuff.

[peterholton]

Tracklaying is mostly prototypical:



photo from original field trip. Not a telephoto lens, either, so not too much foreshortening: it really is like the hind leg of a donkey!!

Peter

[MartinH]

Re activities, there will be some freeware activities coming soon. The reason for the geographical spread (or lack of it) is that you only have the first 20 of about 100 activities. They are all grouped by location and follow a logical sequence. I didn't want to mix them up as this would spoil the story. The freeware ones are mixed up, but all have "Dukedogs over Talerddig" as a common theme.

Martin

[Garthion]

Hi MartinH

Regards methods of paying for Cambrain 2, would my Visa Debit card be useable? Or will I have to find another way?
Thanks

[MrHillingdon]

That's exactly how I paid for mine with no problems whatsoever. Go for it!

Regards,

Paul