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Old 08-28-20, 08:52 AM   #1
Skybird
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Join Date: Sep 2001
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Default Derail Valley VR (also 2D)

[Edited Post.]

Early 2019 I mentiioned this game in the VR the world thread in General topics, and then it somehow dropped off my radar again, although I was inh attention mode. The game has much evolved since then, and just got another major update, thats why they call it Derail Valley Overhauled now. The game is still Early Access, but so far I cannot tell why. Feels definitely not like something that still needs plenty of development or is uncomplete. But in fact plenty of more stuff is coming, according to the devs. The game is very well received at Steam. 2D was added afterwards, unplanned, becasue oroiginally they only wanmted to do VR alone.

I now stumbled over it again. And I jumped into it.



My first thought was, after five minutes, how much a decisive difference it makes whether a 2D game gets later implemented a VR interface and option to play in VR, or has been developed in every aspect from scratch on for VR use exclusively. You see this with so many good VR titles that were made for VR in the first. They optimise little details and handling things where 2D games with later VR implementation must accept compromises.

This came to my mind, and an immediate reminder of another dedicated VR game I recently got, VTOL VR. There you again handle an interface and a cockpit design optimised for VR use and managing it via VR controllers, not gamepads or whatever. It made a huge difference there, and I experience it again here. Both games have something in common: they give you "real" hands in the game world and cockpit, you handle every switch with your "real" hands for sure. connecting waggons and disengaging them, levers, buttons, map booklet, manuals, keys, paper stuff and job forms - its all "real", you hold it in your ahnd, can trade it between your hands.

What you get with this game is a 16x16 km open world which is nicely crafted, and that has a surprisingly complex grid of railtracks and many different locations, think of it as something like the rail world in Railroad Tycoon, just more complex and the tracks more naturally laid out. You earn money by shuttling loads around and doing jobs. You are a virtual employee, and you run a virtual career, anbd you need to earn virtual money with it. A pizza boy with a locomotive.

Its very much fun and feels amazing to learn the tutorial, to climb onto a first locomotive, and learn to move it around. Good sound! This small first locomotve already feels and sounds like a monster. Yopu relaise this is not a Fiat Abarth you are moving. Its slightly bigger, and probably slightly heavier as well. It massive. You crawl under the waggons and connect the links and cables, tighten the locks. You grab your walkie-talkie to get that track switch changed. Its 256 km2 of world, with industrial posts, factories, towns, mines, rivers, lakes, mountains, and it will be pleasure to discover it all.

Its also a need, because you need to learn the trackplan quite well, so to anticipate during a ride what is coming after the next bend and treeline, else you cannot go smooth and fast, will miss the time tests or will deriaul by trying to be fast where you better shouldn'T. The title of the game does not indicate it is Wreckfest for trains, but you will derail if you do not manage your speed well and know how to master the balance between gas, brakes, sanding, and weight. The jobs have financial rewards for time boni, but these are hard to get, so you want to go fast and smooth if possible. The speed limits on the signs along the tracks are only recommendations, overstepping these speeds will not be punished by disciplinary measure of loosing vritual money - but you do so by your own risk, and the risk ist that you - well, derail.

You will have a lot to do in this. The swithces are all manual, you need to look ahead, and trigger them to be dswitche,d if needed. For that you need to know ehere you are, and you need to constantly check your map. In Steam locomtioves, you will need to care for water and coal as well. You might be on a train, but you will not be given a free ride! You gotta work for your money.

One and half an hour, and I am already in deep love. If you like train games on PC, this ist the king on the hill now. You cannot get closer to driving on a locomotive, than this. Its flight simulator for trains.

Cannot comment on how it is in 2D, I only know the option is there. The video however shows the 2D version. Let me tell you that the handling of things in VR with controllers works VERY well and natural.
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Last edited by Skybird; 08-28-20 at 02:52 PM.
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