"What is the future of MSTS?"

[dforrest]

There have been recent posts asking this question (although I cannot find them now) and lamenting the lack of steam period downloads.

Well, one only needs to look an the new downloads pages over the past few days to answer this!

David

[kieranhardy]

I think MSTS has a bit of life in it yet, not sure how long myself but it wont die out just yet.

With regards to steam era downloads, there seems to be plenty with the latest additions plus Danny's (dee4141) additions. There are still steam routes yet to be released too, New Forest V2 (with a possible chance of a CD version), S&D, Reg is also making another route, Snowdon all come to mind.

I like others feel there is a lack of interest for steam related threads though, take my most recent shots of 34027 on SVR, just the one comment, yet compare it to other diesel/electric related threads, and they are often on their 2nd and third pages. But this is mainly due to a lot of people being alive in the BR blue/more modern era rather than steam. I was born in the BR/NSE days, yet have little interest for modern traction, i much prefer steam myself.

[peterdore]

Kieran dont you just have to feel sorry for those people that only like Diesel

Pete

[rufuskins]

Kieran dont you just have to feel sorry for those people that only like Diesel

Pete

I acknowledge my lack of comment on steam so far but I would refer you to the following when I peaked out from the woodwork

http://forums.uktrainsim.com/viewtopic. ... 4#p1183885

I have already downloaded the latest steam locos, and will download some of the early ones over time. I'm just not sure I'm ready to tackle ENG files for steam locos yet, but god willing in time I will.

Looking forward to the time when I can once again spend a lot more time on MSTS.

Ruf

[michaelhendle]

I think it's because there are more people who were born say with in the last 20 years, and are interested in the modern era.

Then probably next group would have been born in the late 60's who would be interested in the Blue/Grey and Sector era, lastley are the members and which are probaly the smallest group who were born between 1930-1960,who remember steam,including myself I was born in 1948 the year the railways were nationalised.

So the majority of users would be interested in diesels and electrics,and a smaller amount of us in steam. I like the transition era say 1955-1965 then you can have steam and diesels,although I do like the sector era especialy the Inter City Red Stripe,which I still think was one of the smartest liveries when clean.

I think MSTS still has a fair few years left in it probably another 2 to 3 but some of us older members will probably soldier on with it.

I would like to thank every one who have bought us some realy good Loco's Coaches and Freight Stock Routes and Activities over the last few years.

Michael

[bharrison]

I have you know that I have several steam acts due to be made and there is one on it's way in the next few days next week at the latest I think msts has a lot to give yet.

[slipperman12]

Hi Michael,
I can beat you, being a War Baby born in 1942!! My main interest has always been steam, but, although, for me, they have less 'character', I quite like the diesel and electric locos. I don't have much interest in the modern 'plastic' stock, although I don't mind the HSTs (if you can call them modern!); I used to travel on them quite a lot in the 80s.
I agree with you regarding the future of MSTS, especially with the current crop of routes and stock and the soon-to-be-released add-ons. They seem to be getting better and better.
I would like to echo your support for all the talented people who are keeping our wonderful hobby alive!

Cheers,
Ged

[dee4141]

I think MSTS will carry on until a new similar sim can take it's place. Both Trainz and Railworks have their following, but many of us have tried the alternatives only to return to MSTS. There is so much available for MSTS now that very few of us will have managed to get around to trying or doing everything that we'd like to, so there's always something new waiting. I've had SCE for over a week now and still not opened the case!

[gremlin1812]

Hi All, for me MSTS will be with me for a long time unless something spectacular was to emerge as I have tried trainz and rail sim and apart from slightly better graphics I was totally unimpressed and they sit in their boxes long deleted from the PC.
As for steam I grew up in the early steam transition period here in Australia and can remember at about 5 years of age going on a holiday and the train was steam hauled, I pestered my father to take me up to see the "big engine" he finally relented and up the platform we went I was very eager and ran off ahead to see this magnificent beast and stood in awe as it sat there hissing and grumbling THEN all of a sudden came a great whoosh of steam and that did it I was off like a scalded cat down the platform and into my seat in the carriage leaving my father alone on the platform. To this day I am convinced that the engineer or fireman or both did it and probably had a good laugh at my expense.
Anyway steam has a special place for me although I don't mind running about in a diesel from time to time and have on occasion even driven some of those sparky things.
I have a PC that allows me to play most routes with everything full up so I'm happy with it and it would have to be something really spectacular to attract me away from MSTS.
Regards
Barrie

[NiallGray]

Since I took on this route project, I've got 3 unistalled routes and countless hundreds of stock items that I probably won't get around to for at least another year or so.

So even if MSTS died tomorrow, I've still got a tonne of stuff to keep me going for a while!

[mickrik]

HI There

Like a few of you I still have loads to keep me occupied with MSTS even with current projects, well into next year.

On the steam front, although I was born a bit late (1956). I can quite squarely place the blame of my love for steam at my parents. Aparrently when I was 2 years old, we went on holiday to Rhyl on a motorcycle combo and camped in a field next to the North Wales Coast main line. Every time a train went past I was out of the tent to have a look and of course this line was very busy with summer traffic and it was nearly all steam. Although I grew up mainly with the first generation diesels, I always prefer steam everytime.

long live msts


mickrik

[Lad491]

I'll be with MSTS probably forever, although I might dabble with RW a bit if and when it ever begins to have the appeal of msts. Im a steam man, despite the fact that it had largely gone by the time I began to take an interest in trains. All the was left in the south were the Cornish Expresses out of Waterloo, and Clapham Junction was a favourite haunt of mine, where i could watch them thunder through. I dislike most of the modern stuff which holds no interest for me, but early diesels are ok as AI

Like others I have plenty of projects at various stages which will keep me occupied for as long as I want. Unfortunately though, in recent months, Ive become bored with activity writing My activities take so long to write that it becomes more like a full time job than a hobby and although I do like doing them, I find I prefer to be out more these days than indoors sweating over a hot PC.

Another thread recently bemoaned the lack of any sort of feedback for stuff that is produced, whether it be route, scenery or activity. Im not one who expects congratulations at every turn, but i do like to see the download numbers rise, since that shows me that at least im doing something people want, even if they dont like my final efforts. Recently the numbers downloaded havent seem worth the effort I put into doing them, so again, another reason to just do what i feel like doing and no more .

So Im not going to be doing so much (in fact I havent for a while now). I'll wait until a route appears that inspires me - like North Wales Coast recently, or Thames Mersey or Evesham - and then maybe knock out one or two activities for the route. I'll continue to support route builders by writing a few activities for them if asked, but the days when i would produce a dozen or more have gone im afraid.

However that aside, I hope msts will be with us for a long time and I, for one, certainly believe it will.

[dipper6]

Hi Michael,
I can beat you, being a War Baby born in 1942!!
Ged

I can beat you, I was born in 1941 !!!
I'll never give up MSTS though I'll also "play" with RW.
I dont prefer Steam over diesel or vice versa, I like the Class 37 and 66 diesels and the HSTs especially,
its difficult to pick out a few favourite Steam Locos as most are so good.
However, the Duchess, City, Merchant Navy, Black fives, GWR Panniers with some others are up there
at the top of the list but by a small margin. I have to say I am not a fan of LNER steamers.

[rfletcher72]

MSTS will be with us for a while yet.

I have tried RS and do not like it. When it comes even close to MSTS I'll consider looking at it again. RW seems to be a step in the right direction, but again its' gotta a long way to go,

[rufuskins]

To carry on from my earlier comments in this thread, I have more than enough tasks to keep me involved in MSTS for many years to come - see my post on Missing EMUs. (Not even started on Electric Locomotives, DMUs, Wagons, etc.)

Two things potentially threaten the future of MSTS:

1. As operating systems continue to change apace - Windows 7 about to go live, and no doubt somebody in MS is already working on the next one after that - MSTS will eventually not work! We should all be grateful that it has coped with XP and VISTA. Perhaps MSTS2 may be resurrected, but would all those MSTS1 routes, etc. then become redundant.

2. Assuming that the above scenario arrives and we all hang on to our XP/VISTA PCs will the available knowledge be there to keep them going.

Perhaps I'm being unduly pessimistic, only time will tell. Of course the problem is that the rate of technological advance means time is very short.

Ruf