Atomic Systems

I have both this route and the Glorious Devon 1960s, which does have Exeter Riverside included young Geoff, so, I get the best of both worlds. This new route also has the branch down to Brixham and up to Heathfield, the other layout doesn't, so, each route caters for different areas and both are excellently built. I ain't a Steam fan necessarily, but, both of these offerings have their merits and are definately worth obtaining.

Cheerz. Transport Steve.

If you wanted to be really pedantic how about the track itself. Steam routes come unstuck here with no chairs on wooden sleepers look at any photo or film from way back when and the track was something else. There are examples of authentic steam track but sometimes they seem to produce a lot of moire. As long as the atmosphere is right for me I'm not too bothered.
Richard

Hi

Just a thought instead of another 57XX Pannier Tank,how about a 64XX or 74XX Pannier tank instead,by one of the 3rd party loco makers.

Also I thought this was meant to be a simulation,not 100% copy of a route,I just wonder how easy it is to get some photographs of Exeter St Davids,60 -65 years ago.

Mike

michaelhendle wrote:Hi

Just a thought instead of another 57XX Pannier Tank,how about a 64XX or 74XX Pannier tank instead,by one of the 3rd party loco makers.

Also I thought this was meant to be a simulation,not 100% copy of a route,I just wonder how easy it is to get some photographs of Exeter St Davids,60 -65 years ago.

Mike

More than you can shake a stick at...

I don't see this as rivet counting - the down man lines and Exeter Central lines layout / signalling is absolutely critical to getting Exeter right. I've researched and built this (stopped when Riviera was announced). There's a good SRS diagram and loads of photos...

smarty2 wrote:Unless Geoff hadn't counted them thar rivets I would have been blissfully ignorant and would have continued to enjoy! But now I know it's missing bits and bobs I ain't gonna use it anymore.

To be honest I suspect every route isn't 100% accurate. I was informed on another thread about the inaccuracies with the Woodhead route but I still use it.

It doesn't worry me, it captures the atmosphere well enough.

What did Derek say about his Weardale route "it is a painting not a photograph", I think I have quoted correctly there!

Peter

I don't think that the "Down Main" issue is a major one in the grand scheme of things,but it must be said that any route builder worth their salt that claims to be doing this route with all the "passion" that seems apparent in the quotes from DTG,should have read a book or watched a DVD which clearly shows/talks about the Down Expresses tearing through the station on the "middle road". Personally I'm not really bothered that they've got it wrong,I'm more disappointed that someone clearly didn't do enough research,it's not exactly like an obscure piece of pointwork,it was a big feature of Exeter St Davids station in the steam (and for a number of years after) era.

Cheers,
Mark

With such a large and complex project such as this mistakes happen and things get overlooked when under strict time pressures. Just be glad we got a 1950s route full stop
regards
Edward

metrobus wrote:With such a large and complex project such as this mistakes happen and things get overlooked when under strict time pressures. Just be glad we got a 1950s route full stop
regards
Edward

Agreed. From DTG we have received a route which I think captures the area and period very well. We also (possibly a first?) have received enough stock of different designs and uses to be able to produce real scenarios without needing to reach for payware without a feel of compromise. We have (finally) received a new full advanced set of steam era signals. We've got functional water troughs. We've got DTG steam locos with advanced driving controls and proper sounds. All this for the price of one normal piece of DLC, not forgetting that for that price you have also got Koln-Koblenz and Sherman Hill. Plus the annual free upgrade that we've always got.

Yet here the armchair developers sit, tearing the route to shreds over one missing yard (which is partially beyond where the scenery stops) and the lack of a single set of points. Personally I'm going to go and add those points while I add a few other things that are missing but none of it will detract from my enjoyment of the route. Rather than keyboard warrioring over on a forum, maybe email DTG, point out the missing set of points and we might see a patch.

Lots of people attack DTG but sometimes I get the sense a lot of users here don't have much dealings with modern gaming beyond TS and DTG. In the era of Day 1 DLC, pay-to-win, gold economies, paid beta-tests and EA Games as a gaming community we have it really rather good. Every time we've got a free upgrade to TS20xx FIFA users have paid £40 a pop.

Dave4468 wrote:Every time we've got a free upgrade to TS20xx FIFA users have paid £40 a pop.

I think that should be quoted in every response to a moan from now on.

At least with this route we have genuine routes where we can run the 14XX,they were used on the Heathfield Branch,and possibly the Brixham Branch,and small Prairies and the 2-6-0 moguls were used on the in land route from Newton Abbot - Exeter.
A64XX pannier tank would be a ideal loco instead of another 57XX which every one seems to say it's wrong,also the 64XX,were push pull fitted so ideal for use with either B sets or the auto coach made by Victory

Mike

gptech wrote:

Dave4468 wrote:Every time we've got a free upgrade to TS20xx FIFA users have paid £40 a pop.

I think that should be quoted in every response to a moan from now on.

And not just that, our Map packs and weapon upgrades - to draw parallels with Call of Duty also - are still usable in the very latest version.

A lot of people forget how far we have come, if you've been on the long haul, but things like Google Earth integration, rain effects, and the stable software (in terms of longevity, not the lack of SBHH?) has allowed devs like AP, DT etc to flourish with their own businesses and provide us with continued products, not to mention the fast stream of items from RSC/Dovetail through Steam. I personally think the move to Steam was a bold but wholly correct decision to have made, and I'm thankful for that and all the other reasons I've listed above.

Yes there !at be things wrong, but there's also a hell of a lot right, and having to manage a broad appeal for business reasons versus hardened experts demands aren't easy, but RetroRiviera proves it can work.

I'm hoping that the positive response Dovetail are getting on here and other media about Retro Riveira (nice name Matthew, I'm liking that) they may think about more retro routes. I, for one, always felt a bit flat about Steam routes, mainly because of the loco's but with the WLOS Black 5, Meshtools, Victory Works and the reworked loco's on Retro Riviera, you now actually get immersed in the steam era like never before.

Indeed, although one would have to pick carefully to minimise the work involved. I'd suggest a rework of the S&D route to current standards, with a bundle of updated locos from the back catalogue. The S&C route would be another candidate for a retrofit.

Still they clearly show that the focus is on the artwork and not on getting the technical stuff right. Good that they have their external partners.

Call me an armchair developer, but if you ask me to build a route, the first thing I get is period track plans and signalling diagrams. I would not dare starting without them. If it is a railway simulation, then it is ok to make a guess at the buildings along the route, if information is sparse. If it is a scenery simulation, then it is ok to make a guess about the track layout and the signals.

Can someone confirm the 5' stop arms? I was considering getting the route, but 5 and 4 ft instead of 4 and 3 reminds me of 3.14 track spacing.

AndiS wrote:Still they clearly show that the focus is on the artwork and not on getting the technical stuff right. Good that they have their external partners.

Call me an armchair developer, but if you ask me to build a route, the first thing I get is period track plans and signalling diagrams. I would not dare starting without them. If it is a railway simulation, then it is ok to make a guess at the buildings along the route, if information is sparse. If it is a scenery simulation, then it is ok to make a guess about the track layout and the signals.

Can someone confirm the 5' stop arms? I was considering getting the route, but 5 and 4 ft instead of 4 and 3 reminds me of 3.14 track spacing.

Yes, the signal arms are 5ft and 4ft. But the route does come with a good selection of route indicators and fixed distants in 4ft and 5ft; I would say that the route is still worth getting despite the arm lengths for all of the great new assets and locos included.