donner pass

[Anonymous]

Sure the graphics look great, the engines are pristine, the route incomparable, and the setting, practically perfect, but does 3d-trainstuff really expect alot of people to buy their donner pass route with a price tag pushing fifty bucks? I bought MSTS when it first came out for less than that, and it came with a manual, and not to mention the game itself came with SIX routes, 9 player drivable locomotives(and the MSTS website free downloads makes 11, along with non operable models as well), plus all the other software that makes all of these expensive add on's possible. So why do they sell 1 90 mile route with 2 drivable steam engines (with different variations which I don't count as a completley new engine) and 2 diesels, and some era freight for almost fifty dollars? I really want this set, but why should I shell out what I conclude to be a 600% markup on the real cost of the simulator (if you do straight across no frills comparing to MSTS, 6 routes < $50, or 3D trainstuff, 1 route = $50) when I could go somewhere like MLT and get Cascades Crossing with TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY miles of mainline operations, a slew of engine models, over 40 pieces of rolling stock, and more for barely more than $20? While I am more than confident that 3D trainstuff has an outstanding product that is on the leading edge of simulation technology, with countless hours invested by dedicated individuals, I just think that the price is too steep. Bring it down, quantity demanded increaces, and theoretically, they could move alot more product, and increace the happiness of a whole lot more people, while making making no less (and probably more) than they are right now. But hey, if enough people are willing to fork out $30 for 3751 over cajon pass (and thats after footing the bill for the $40 cajon pass route), or 50 bucks for donner, then great, more power too ya. It just leaves us poor youngsters priced right out of the market. But hey, thats what I have MLT for. Extreemly high quality, unbeatable price, and an interesting and wide variety of routes, for anyones taste. Thank you Maple Leaf Tracks, for enhancing my MSTS experience without stuffing moths in my wallet

[StillGrande]

I just wish MLT would put Cascades on a disk(or at least break it up into smaller chunks for us poor souls stuck in dial up hell). I would be more than willing to pay a little more to get a CD than to sit and wait for a mega download. Yeah, I know I can go do other things, but others in my household have expressed some interest in using the computer.

I have shied away from Donner simply because Steam holds little interest for me. Sure, I trot out the Challenger and Big Boy when someone shows some interest, but I hardly spend time running them once the interested party departs.

[Anonymous]

I agree, that's why I don't have cascades crossing. I've been waiting for quite a while now for them to put it on a disk. They did with the Niagra Corridor, which gives me hope, but not with cascades. I want something tangable, in my hands, that cant be lost when I get rid of the computer, or the hard drive crashes from a virus, etc. The same principle applies to music with me. It needs to be on a disk. No disk, no deal.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Hiawatha

I agree, that's why I don't have cascades crossing. I've been waiting for quite a while now for them to put it on a disk. They did with the Niagra Corridor, which gives me hope, but not with cascades. I want something tangable, in my hands, that cant be lost when I get rid of the computer, or the hard drive crashes from a virus, etc. The same principle applies to music with me. It needs to be on a disk. No disk, no deal.

Why not burn your download onto a CD? The cost of CD Burners and software is not much more than a game these days.

I use a second hard drive to store the downloads. That one has survived about 4 C:| Formats over the last 3 years.

[StillGrande]

I burn all the downloads to disk (eventually - like to be close to filling it up). The problem is Cascades is like 500 Mg. On dial-up, that is a dedicated hope the computer can maintain a connection for a day or so.

I just got Sandpatch from them. They are running a special now that if you buy the Sandpatch CD, you get the B&O heritage set free too.

[Anonymous]

Have you tried making a whole new route in train simulator? Also, they made the tracks, the cars, the trains, the buildings, EVERYTHING and it took them two years to do it. Also, it should go down when the demand for it dies down a bit[:)]