RRYard's HSC Scenario-Pack

Greetings Drivers.

As a free Christmas gift to my fellow RailWorkers, I've made a little scenario-pack, "RRYard's HSC Scenario Pack 1", which will add two Standard-Scenarios to the Horseshoe Curve route (a Passenger-Run and a Freight-Run).

I've played-through and tested these scenarios myself, and they work good on my end. But if encountering any problems, please let me know.

For more details on this scenario-pack addon and to download it, visit my site at http://www.rryard.com/ and you will find it listed in the "Routes and Scenarios" section there.

I hope you will enjoy them. Merry Christmas all, and see you on the trains! :)
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Here's a couple of screen-shots taken of the scenarios 

(click on image to view in larger size)

Altoona to Cresson Passenger Run

 

Crates and Coal Run

Taking a "L.A." Breather.

Well, I poured in a lot of time and work on my KAHD project. Oft times working on it 12 to 16 hours per day, 7 days a week, to try and get it ready and released before Christmas (overall, I would estimate I spent around 1200+ hours of my time working on that route project, from original inception to the final completed and released Deluxe version now). So now that project is done, I'm taking a short break from RailWorks...

I got the intriguing "L.A. Noire", a set-in-the 40's Detective-game, via Steam a little whole ago, during the Autumn Sales, and finally got around to installing it and have have playing it a bit for a few days now. The game has a nice mix of action and adventure, and it's been a nice way to take a "breather" from working so hard on some of my projects for RailWorks.

There's a couple of cases in the L.A. game I've done that were focused around a train-yard, and I thought some of the trains I seen there looked kinda neat:

Probably after Christmas I will get back to work on some of my projects for RailWorks (or who knows, I may even have something on the go before then). But once in a while, we all need a little break.

"King's Arm Highway Deluxe" route released!

Some exciting news about my "King's Arm Highway Deluxe" route project... it's completed and now available from my website:

http://www.rryard.com/kings_arm_deluxe.html

See you on the trains! :)

KAHD Update. Dec.04.2011

Well, my "King's Arm Highway Deluxe" route is very close to being ready for release now. It's in the final stages of Beta-Testing.

I've just to add a few more little finishing-touches and see if the Beta-Testers encounter any issues with my newest version. If all goes well, I may be able to have this project fully completed and ready for release within a few days. :)

A few new additions I've made since my last update:

* I've added in a bit more scenery in some places.

* Added in some "steam" effects at the base of the King's Mountain Waterfall.

* Added a new Freeroam night-time scenario that will make good use of the new TSX lighting and weather effects.

* Added in a few more little "bumps" on some appropriate places on the tracks. Some "bumps" throughout the route, mainly at places like level-crossings, overpasses and such, will make good use of the new "cab sway" effects of RailWorks3, and helps to add a bit more immersion I feel.

* A bit more "polishing" of the route in general.

A scene of the King's Mountain Waterfall by the tunnel entrance at King's Mountain

(click on image to enlarge)

KAHD Update. Dec.03.2011

I've been adding in a bit more scenery and some finishing touches on my "King's Arm Highway Deluxe" route project. I just need to add in a few more things, do a bit more polishing, add in a couple of more Freeroams, and then I think this project will be "completed".  :)

So far, feedback from my Beta-Testers have been quite positive, no major problems found yet, and they mention they are quite impressed with the overall quality, visuals, plus are getting good performance & FPS with my route and generally having fun with it. So, everything seems to be working as intended and this route should be ready for release real soon.

Some of the things I've been working on these last few days for this project;

* Added in some more scenery around various parts of the route. Foliage, trees, houses, etc...

* "Tucked-in" the ends of some adjoining roads & driveways to neaten-up things visually a bit more.

* "De-weeded" most of the roads around the route, moreso any of the main roads that would be closer to track-side views. RailWorks can have this quirk of when roads are laid-down, that grass under the roads poke through, and on closer-views it looks as if the roads are growing wild with weeds & grass covering them. It's a bit of a tricky and time-consuming process to "De-weed" roads.

* Tweaked a few of the scenarios. Nothing major, just things like changing some weather on a couple and improve the wording for some of the Dispatcher's Instructions.

Here some more screen-shots (click on an image to view larger-size):

More scenery added around the King's Ridge area

Another view of the King's Ridge area

Improved on some scenery near the King's Village area

  More trees / forest have been added to some of the various distant-hills

KAHD Update. Dec.01.2011

Another update here for my King's Arm Highway Deluxe route project.

Well, it's been a lot of time and work to get to this point, but this route, and the scenarios that go with it, are now in the Beta-Testing stage.

I have a few friends I've made in the RailWorks community over the last 2 to 3 years, and some of them generously volunteered to help me me with some Beta-Testing.

Now that I have most of the scenarios completed and which seem to be working well, over the next week or so, I'll be doing some final extra additions of a bit more scenery along some parts of the route.

Also, if any of my Beta-Testers find anything that needs some fixing, then I'll take care of that too. If all goes well, I should have this route ready for release real soon (I'm hoping a week or two before Christmas).

I've made more Standard Scenarios over these last few days, along with several Freeroam ones as well.

Though my route is built using all default assets, and the scenarios make use of default trains, just for fun and to add a bit more variety, I'm also going to include an optional "Bonus Snowplow Scenario addon" for the KAHD route as well.

The route looks beautiful covered in snow, and the Snowplow addon is a "work of art". The attention to detail is incredible, it really kicks-up quite a nice spray of snow (especially when getting up to speed a bit), and one can even hear the "rumbling" sound of the snow-plow working as it rolls along the tracks.

My "Bonus Snowplow Scenario addon" will include a Standard-Scenario taking place on a Winter's eve during a bad snow-storm, and also a Freeroam, during the daytime with some lighter snow-falling.

Below are a few screen-shots taken from the Snowplow scenarios (click on a screen-shot to view in larger size):

The Snowplow is attached and ready for action

A view from the front of the plow as it clears snow from the tracks

Clearing the tracks of snow

The Snowplow can really kick-up quite a nice spray of snow

In-cab view with the Snowplow doing it's job in front