Rail Works career mode

[iceman2117]

Fair manner one should first wait the fix, then yes maybe you have a different opinion.
Tolerance is a virtue.

g'ice

[CosmicDebris]

If a career mode and driving points can attract some people's attention to train simulation, then I'm all for it.

More success => more money => more updates and core improvements to come.

[ihavenonamenoreallyidont]

As I've said before, I am looking forward to this mode. It'll really improve the game for me personally.

I am not sure it represents a career mode from what I've seen, though, and a previous poster did well to point out FS Passengers.

One suggestion: it would be a lot less intrusive if the score could be hidden while the scenario is in progress.

[Paul_Boland]

'Career mode' is just another way of playing some scenarios.
For users not interetsed you can simply carry on playing the standard scenarios.
I have to say though, I'm mainly a modeller and like creating rail scenes, but the new system certainly made driving trains more interesting for me.
If you like it play them, if you don't don't.

btw, welcome back Paul.

regards

Derek

Thanks for the update, Derek. Glad to hear it's not going to become a main feature. A sim should be just that, a SIM and not a point scoring game. Best of luck with it but it's not for me.

[FoggyMorning]

I watched the video and honestly I'm not that impressed with it. When I heard Career System, I was expecting something like starting out as a conductor or a fireman and working your way up the ladder. I was hoping for some training scenarios that teaches you about how to drive a train and railroad operations. You'd do the training scenario first, and then you're a conductor, and if you good enough job as a conductor then you get promoted to engineer.

I think it's unfair to call this a Career System when it doesn't really model a career in railroading when it comes to driving a train.

"Career mode" is in this instance I think fairly standard "computer-game" speak to mean an extended series of tasks/activities/scenarios/levels etc. I don't believe it is intended to truly reflect the career of a railwayman... I mean, starting out as a cleaner would be a little on the dull side

[bigvern]

I've already said that I think optional career mode is a good move and will help add some purpose to those long drives. So a cautious welcome, if not quite the implementation some of us wanted to see at least in the first iteration.

I second (or is it third) the view that an FS Passengers type career/company mode should be the eventual aim.

[Acorncomputer]

The career mode for RailWorks as we know it so far will add a further dimension to the game, but as long as this is optional (as it will be) then that is fine.

A proper career mode though is a different matter. Starting as an apprentice and really working your way up through the ranks with many tests of all kinds is a much more interesting concept. If tasks could be created by the community as well as by RS.com, then we are talking about something really interesting.

[MidnightTrain]

The career mode for RailWorks as we know it so far will add a further dimension to the game, but as long as this is optional (as it will be) then that is fine.

A proper career mode though is a different matter. Starting as an apprentice and really working your way up through the ranks with many tests of all kinds is a much more interesting concept. If tasks could be created by the community as well as by RS.com, then we are talking about something really interesting.

Agreed.

[OZINOZ]

I just hope this is not another thing, that even if you are not playing in that mode, it still wants to dial home to Steam, just in case.

I have to have my installation on 2 seperate pc's - one in the office that I update and then copy the required folder and load into the version on the home pc, because there is no net access at home. The very last thing I want is something continually trying to phone home - Steam is twitchy enough as many users have found out. It seems to delight in doing things its own way in its own time. As it is I havent updated my home version with the latest (German) RW update. Just dont like tempting fate...

My 2c

Cheers

[longbow]

RSC canvassed opinion on Career Mode back in September and got a pretty negative response to the idea of a basic scoring system but a lot of ideas as to how to make it better, so I'm a little disappointed that none of that seems to have been taken on board.

If RSC believe game scoring is needed to bring in the casual enthusiast then fair enough, as that benefits all of us in the long run. I just hope RSC get it done quickly, make sure it can be turned off in all scenarios, and then get the programmers back onto features more appealing to us hard core simmers.

[transadelaide]

IMO it's a good move overall. As Derek has stated many times over, scoring only applies to new scenarios that will be created for the express purpose of the scoring system. If you don't like that idea or want to play scenarios or routes you have generated yourself then there is nothing forcing you to click on a scored scenario. Those who like the idea can go for it, those don't can stay away, everyone's a winner.

[karma99]

IMO it's a good move overall. As Derek has stated many times over, scoring only applies to new scenarios that will be created for the express purpose of the scoring system. If you don't like that idea or want to play scenarios or routes you have generated yourself then there is nothing forcing you to click on a scored scenario. Those who like the idea can go for it, those don't can stay away, everyone's a winner.

I think the only downside to this could be the reduction in scenarios. I'm of the opinion that most addons come with too few scenarios already.
If 2 of the 4 that come with new locos might now be these new scored versions (which don't interest me) then we're down to even less.
I've no idea how the technical side works for these, but hopefully it will be a simple automated process for them to create scored and non-scored versions of scenarios to include.
I've no interest in it at all myself. RW is the game I play to get away from high scores and unlocking achievements (on the rare occasions I actually play and am not testing or building!). Nothing would ruin my relaxation more than having some artifical eye judging what I'm doing. But if it doesn't interfere with the way I use RW now, and it keeps RSC in tea and biscuits then I can't really bemoan it, even if I'd have rather seen other sim related developments.

[longbow]

If you don't like that idea or want to play scenarios or routes you have generated yourself then there is nothing forcing you to click on a scored scenario.

Yes, but if most if not all future RSC scenarios are going to be scored that is not much of a choice, so will we be able to turn off scoring in game?

[SaMa1]

Scoring system can indeed help player feel the immersion of being in boots of modern locomotive driver. Gone are the days when trains could spend tens of minutes on line without causing delays for other trains. In modern world every second counts and for example in Japan driver would feel very ashamed on bringing the train late on station. So altough it doesn't bring any direct simulation feature it helps to bring the atmosphere of real driving. Stress of being late is part of the deal when driving train in modern world. Ofcourse the option should be optional for those who enjoy slower life

[transadelaide]

As somebody who is likely to use the scored scenarios I would greatly appreciate them being different to existing scenarios so there are more scenarios provided overall. If you really want to drive a given scenario then you could of course drive it and pay no attention to your score at the end. All that would need is for the desire to play a certain scenario be higher than the desire to not get a score for it.

Having a bunch of scored scenarios available that use various combinations or DLC would be a winner as well, RSC would do well to give even a bit more value for money to those who support continued development. If new DLC each had at least as many scored scenarios as free roam plus standard that would be good. After all, if you want your shiny new DLC to be used in more scenarios you can always make more or take the shortcut method and substitute, while it appears that scored scenarios will be made by RSC only to preserve the integrity of the whole thing.