Atomic Systems

Class 111 Expansion Pack is to be available from this Friday, price £9.99. This pack will include The Granfield Branch, a fictional 7-mile RailWorks 2 freeware branchline based in Oxfordshire, plus 8F Steam loco and Class 02 shunter.

More info here:
http://www.railsimulator.com/newsdetail.php?Ref=244

i think that's very good value for money. strange choice of the Class 111 though

They're almost exactly like 101s, not really *that* surprising. 8F & 02 and a 101 variant for a tenner, I approve.

The Granfield Branch is listed as "a freeware route" as if RS.com are slightly dissociating themselves from it. I am just wondering - is this also because some reports state that it was in part 'unfinished', missing station signs etc. Wondering how the bundled version of the route might compare to other versions.

Would the creator of the route like to comment?

I can understand why the 111 is the second 1st Generation DMU to appear, being essentially a 101 with more powerful engines. However, they are a strange choice for a route set in Oxfordshire. They were initially built for services around Manchester & Leeds and by the start of the 1980's they were all based on Neville Hill in Leeds. A more realistic choice would have been a Cravens 105 or even one of the Bubble Car 121/122 units.

malkymackay wrote:A more realistic choice would have been a Cravens 105 or even one of the Bubble Car 121/122 units.

Completely agree, would be a welcome addition to many branchlines as well.

Any news on different variants of the 02 and 8f yet?

Dark.

scumdog wrote:The Granfield Branch is listed as "a freeware route" as if RS.com are slightly dissociating themselves from it. I am just wondering - is this also because some reports state that it was in part 'unfinished', missing station signs etc. Wondering how the bundled version of the route might compare to other versions.

Would the creator of the route like to comment?

I think the reason is because it is a freeware route being distributed to a wider audience. The bundled version cant be much different to the freeware version otherwise you might lose compatibility.

John

is it me or are railsim team doing something very sneaky?

firstly we had the class 37 released in railworks, and a few months later we had a pack with a few 37 variants. then we had the class 47 NSE pack...again a 47 thats already in the game but slight variations, then the green and gold HST. Now we have the class 111 and 02....both of which could be mistaken for the class 101 that was released last year and a variation of the class 02 also released last year. its money for old rope in my eyes. few tweaks here and there but essentially the model is almost identical to the variant, why don't they put their time to good use and create more models not just variants. more older 2nd gen dmu's like the 142 pacer, the 150 for example.

you've been clocked railsim!

1 brand new loco = £15
3 derivative locos = £10

Yeah those sneaky so and sos, how can they get away with it

ghawk2005 wrote:is it me or are railsim team doing something very sneaky?

firstly we had the class 37 released in railworks, and a few months later we had a pack with a few 37 variants. then we had the class 47 NSE pack...again a 47 thats already in the game but slight variations, then the green and gold HST. Now we have the class 111 and 02....both of which could be mistaken for the class 101 that was released last year and a variation of the class 02 also released last year. its money for old rope in my eyes. few tweaks here and there but essentially the model is almost identical to the variant, why don't they put their time to good use and create more models not just variants. more older 2nd gen dmu's like the 142 pacer, the 150 for example.

you've been clocked railsim!

To be honest the re-paints ARE good value if and only if it's a model that has tricky or bad "mapping" that makes it hard for the excellent guys here who do provide us with a steady stream of goodies. As they have the source files, (something we don't) mapping can be corrected making the previously impossible repaints possible. Some good repaints of the Class 47 have been released based on the payware items and as such the updated sounds also makes them a bit more worthwhile too.

It's a fact that there is too much payware - we have to live with this though if we want the sim to last many a year unless more freeware creators step forward with routes / scenery / rolling stock and sadly I can count the number that we currently have on a single hand whom provide Free creations that are above the current payware level.

Two choices - wait for Steam sales (which is what I tend to do now) OR abandon the sim - simple as that..

ghawk2005 wrote:is it me or are railsim team doing something very sneaky?

firstly we had the class 37 released in railworks, and a few months later we had a pack with a few 37 variants. then we had the class 47 NSE pack...again a 47 thats already in the game but slight variations, then the green and gold HST. Now we have the class 111 and 02....both of which could be mistaken for the class 101 that was released last year and a variation of the class 02 also released last year. its money for old rope in my eyes. few tweaks here and there but essentially the model is almost identical to the variant, why don't they put their time to good use and create more models not just variants. more older 2nd gen dmu's like the 142 pacer, the 150 for example.

you've been clocked railsim!

Being fair to RSC, to the uninitiated like me, one class 37 or 47 looks like another class 37 or 47 but to anyone who's heavily into model numbers, chassis types, engine types etc. I can imagine it's important to them so RSC are just covering the bases as best they can. We don't have to buy the addons if we don't want to.

I think it's worth it when there are significant variations to the model. E.g. the 37 pack represented visibly different types of locomotive. I think just selling a repaint, however, is not as worthwhile given the high number of freeware repaints available.

However, I am not sure that the 111 add-on will represent good value to money for those of us who already have the Granfield Branch, the 8F and the 02.

AN

alexnick wrote:I am not sure that the 111 add-on will represent good value to money for those of us who already have the Granfield Branch, the 8F and the 02.

This is where I'm at with respect to this, however, I also have no burning desire or need for the 111 as I'm very happy indeed with the 101. With a bit of luck, RSC will release the 111 as a standalone expansion for a couple of quid in the future and that's when I'll consider it.

Personally, I'm ever-hopeful that there'll be another 1st-generation DMU (a 117 or similar would be the logical choice) to the same, excellent (IMO) standard as the 101

In the meantime, for anyone who's not got any of the above, I think it's a pretty good value pack.

The 8F is one of my favourite kettles and as one of the earlier releases, I'd hope it gets a bit of a refurb to bring it up to the same standard as the 9F in respect to smoke/steam effects, however, I'd suspect that's not likely to happen any time soon...

Rik.

To be honest the class 111 looks almost identical to the class 101 is it actually a new model or is it just a re-skin?

davejc64 wrote:To be honest the class 111 looks almost identical to the class 101 is it actually a new model or is it just a re-skin?

Everybody together now - all those diesels look the same...