Ohio Steel 2

[ihavenonamenoreallyidont]

Two ways of purchasing this, I see: 1) direct from the supplier and 2) via Steam.

Direct from the supplier states I require two items to be purchased from 3D Trains (Rural Landscapes and Scale Roads) whereas the Steam version makes no mention of it.

So, anyone know what happens if the Steam version is bought? Would I be missing out? Are these add-ons included?

[styckx]

Two ways of purchasing this, I see: 1) direct from the supplier and 2) via Steam.

Direct from the supplier states I require two items to be purchased from 3D Trains (Rural Landscapes and Scale Roads) whereas the Steam version makes no mention of it.

So, anyone know what happens if the Steam version is bought? Would I be missing out? Are these add-ons included?

3D Trains has free versions of each.. So it wouldn't require you to buy anything else if you bought directly from the vendor.

If you buy from Steam the free versions of the 3DTrains packs are included in the download.

[ihavenonamenoreallyidont]

Thanks.

I assume the Steam version would take advantage of the upgraded versions, though. Worth buying?

[partyspiritz]

http://3dtrains.com/products/rs1/rural_ ... pes1.shtml


Regards


John

[ihavenonamenoreallyidont]

I was soliciting opinion rather than links I've visited but thanks anyway, appreciated

[TransportSteve]

It's peculiar that Rich Garber is charging $33 for his version if you get it direct from allaboard, yet, if you buy if from Steam, it only costs $30 in today's currency exchange rate, unsure of his marketing/financial thinking on that score, it's the same route.

Cheerz. Transport Steve.

[partyspiritz]

It is only low resolution pack that is free i must say it is worth buying


Regards


John

[Kariban]

It's peculiar that Rich Garber is charging $33 for his version if you get it direct from allaboard, yet, if you buy if from Steam, it only costs $30 in today's currency exchange rate, unsure of his marketing/financial thinking on that score, it's the same route.

Cheerz. Transport Steve.

Steam prices always seem to be a little lower in the UK, for some reason - I've bought games for european friends in the past because of that.

[ihavenonamenoreallyidont]

Yes, I did notice it was slightly cheaper on Steam.

Seems like purchasing the full 3D Trains element probably isn't worthwhile.

Thanks folks.

[MisterWho]

I'm surprised that nobody has commented on the fact that you can buy Ohio Steel 2 for only £4.99 from Steam if you have already bought part 1 from Steam ... according to some commentators, this sort of thing isn't supposed to be possible, yet here it is in black and white (or whatever screen colours you use).

[nobkins]

There is a possible problem with the 3DTrains "free" content coming with the route via steam. If you have the payware version of the 3DTrains landscapes and roads (which includes high res textures and 4 season versions rather than just summer winter) then will the steam download that includes the free version overwrite my improved payware version?

Hope they have thought of this as lots of people loosing payware content because of a steam purchase would be less than ideal.

They probable have. Maybe the free version has been set up in a different folder or similar. However moving it to a new folder presents another problem. If I have the payware version of the pack it will not be used because the steam route will be looking in the wrong place.

I do hope they thought this one through. I will email Richard Garber see if he knows.

JHim

[nobkins]

I'm surprised that nobody has commented on the fact that you can buy Ohio Steel 2 for only £4.99 from Steam if you have already bought part 1 from Steam ... according to some commentators, this sort of thing isn't supposed to be possible, yet here it is in black and white (or whatever screen colours you use).

I think what is understood as not possible is buying part 1 from the route authors site and then wanting the discount on steam for part 2. Steam has no idea that you have part 1 (as it was not purchased through steam) and so it is not possible to apply a discount.

Don't believe anyone has ever said that an upgrade to a steam product could NOT be done at a discount and if they have they are definitely wrong.

[transadelaide]

There is a possible problem with the 3DTrains "free" content coming with the route via steam. If you have the payware version of the 3DTrains landscapes and roads (which includes high res textures and 4 season versions rather than just summer winter) then will the steam download that includes the free version overwrite my improved payware version?

Hope they have thought of this as lots of people loosing payware content because of a steam purchase would be less than ideal.

They probable have. Maybe the free version has been set up in a different folder or similar. However moving it to a new folder presents another problem. If I have the payware version of the pack it will not be used because the steam route will be looking in the wrong place.

I do hope they thought this one through. I will email Richard Garber see if he knows.

JHim

The various 3DTrains asset packs are installed in the same path regardless of whether it's the free low-resolution edition or the payware high-resolution edition.

The idea is that you can seamlessly replace the free version with the paid version without needing to edit the route. The problem is that the need to make Steam DLC and Just Trains addons self-contained is at odds with this approach, which is designed to work more with direct purchases of routes where the 3DTrains assets are not included. In addition, the 3DTrains website makes it impossible to acquire the freeware versions (the links to them return error pages) which hardly makes me want to support a company with this kind of pushy sales policy.

I suppose it just has to go in the same category as Armstrong sound packs and David Hossack's branded reskins of Oovee products, where you would just have to install them again or keep a backup. It's the lesser of the three evils in this situation, with the other two options being far worse for consumers.

1. The first alternative is that the payware textures install in a different structure, which would then require the route to be converted to use the high-resolution textures. This is bad for owners of the high-resolution textures because it forces them to make some special effort to get any bang for their buck and would require more effort than simply re-running an installer or batch file to rewrite with the payware textures.
2. The second alternative is that the versions of the All Aboard routes released through Steam or Just Trains are distributed in the same condition as they are released for people buying directly from the AA website - without either version of the 3DTrains assets being included so you have to find them yourself. This is even less acceptable because payware items should never require an asset hunt, and because the 3DTrains website does not have the free versions available.

[MisterWho]

Don't believe anyone has ever said that an upgrade to a steam product could NOT be done at a discount and if they have they are definitely wrong.

Jim,
that begs the question as to whether "Ohio Steel part 1" and "Ohio Steel part 2" are two separate DLCs (products) as far as Steam is concerned, or is part 2 an update / upgrade to part 1 as you have said ... not withstanding the design aspect of part 2 in which it clearly is an update (as in expansion).

There has been discussion here of the ability to charge two different prices for a DLC depending on whether the user has already purchased another DLC. This has come up in relation to the different approaches taken for the 158 and GARL and the 170 and E-G routes, and to whether or not a payware expansion to an existing DLC could be supported by Steam (E-G, PDL and even WCML-N). It would seem that it all comes down to the willingness of the supplier and publisher to offer the option ...

regs,
moi

[nigeltouatievans]

Jim,
that begs the question as to whether "Ohio Steel part 1" and "Ohio Steel part 2" are two separate DLCs (products) as far as Steam is concerned, or is part 2 an update / upgrade to part 1 as you have said ... not withstanding the design aspect of part 2 in which it clearly is an update (as in expansion).

There has been discussion here of the ability to charge two different prices for a DLC depending on whether the user has already purchased another DLC. This has come up in relation to the different approaches taken for the 158 and GARL and the 170 and E-G routes, and to whether or not a payware expansion to an existing DLC could be supported by Steam (E-G, PDL and even WCML-N). It would seem that it all comes down to the willingness of the supplier and publisher to offer the option ...

regs,
moi

Ohio steel 1 & 2 are different DLCs as far as Steam is concerned (and 1 is no longer for sale as far as I know) - otherwise everyone who has 1 would automatically be upgraded.

As you mention, GARL has had a discount for those who already purchased the 380 since it was launched nearly 2 years ago, so it is pretty obvious that it was and is technically possible, and as you suggest is entirely down to what the publisher decides they want to do.