Railroad X by EEP

[FOUR The Dark Side]

I saw this was released on Steam today. I spent about 10 minutes scratching my head as to where I've heard the name EEP before. I think I heard from Matt previously, especially considering it's German product originally.

Well, can anyone comment on this? From the description I take it it's more for the creative type of people rather then those who would like to jump in in a realistic loco and drive on a realistic route, am I right?

The graphics side looks like the trees and plants were of the same family as we see in TS, just moving. Looks, erm, quite horror movie type, I say. Anyway, graphics aren't of the utmost importance to me.

[spoon66]

I will try to help you a little I too do not own it, but I have seen it are in the shops in Germany since I moved here in 2009 . at that time I think it was EEP 6 or 7.

It always comes in to version basic & Pro quite a differance in price to,
Also the older versions seem to get rebranded under a buget name.

As far as I understand it like building a Model railway with out all the costs or room needed.
Though I understand since EEP X you can now drive in-cab.

I have seen some epic real world layouts built with the older version , but the new version as only been out less than 8 months & I have not yet seen many good Video's

The game is made by Trend media their web site link in below, its is in English too but only limited so feel free to use Google Trans or Bing.

https://eepshopping.de/index.php?lang=2#sortiment1,1

It seems to sell very well here in Germany & Holland or other Germany speaking nations.
Lots of guides can be found on youtube.

"Eisenbahn.exe professional" is what EEP stands for.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R2uOeRsDlY

Ok like I said EEP X vids are not common but here is a long one from version 9.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-vR5r_svIY

Ok found this Guide in English for EEP X based on a small model railway.

I hope this helps a little. I keep thinking of buying this but I as so busy with Open Rails & this moment in time , but some thing for winter, I think.

[General Malarky]

looks interesting. If it is as much a "model railroad simulator", I may have to give it a try.

[General Malarky]

Does anyone know what all comes with the core game? I have poked around some rudimentary searches of the net and have found nothing definitive as to what is included. Rolling stock and locomotives, mostly. The DLC in the steam store is listing a good amount of NA diesels, so I assume the core will consist of mainly EU content (which I have no issue with.)

Comparing the Steam store page to their website, I assume that only a portion of the available content has been updated/translated to this new standard? Would it be worth just buying a previous version of the product from their site directly?

Looking at this, I think it may be closer to what I am looking for in a 'train-related game'. TrainSim is nice and pretty... but so rife with issues, blah, blah blah. What I am ultimately looking for is a "Model railroad simulator". Something I could create a small route with and have several trains running on. Trainz was close, but had its own set of issues.

[Mereel [GER]]

Well its looks nice but its nothing for me. I saw the older version´s already in stores here in germany, those big metal boxes with the nice blue bavarian S3/6. Seems also a bit bugy but its pretty new so thats ,sadly, mostly normal today :/

[spoon66]

Yes the packaging is very nice with the big tin , I read it was a bit buggy on the steam lauch a few days back but they have since issued a fix.
I feel this like OMSI 2 will have to run the in the face of negertive feedback for the plug & play generation.

OK I have dug around a little as you know its sold here in two versions Basic & Expert their are few little things but not a lot Expert retail includes the incab views & 3D glasses but little else for the higher price tag.

"Exclusive in the Expert version of Railroad X: Controllable cabs, control board for control stations and real three-dimensional view including 3D glasses
Large selection of over 3500 faithful models
Detailed routes system for rail, road, air and water vehicles
Five prefabricated systems such as hairpin Lauscha, Breitenstein or In Vino Veritas
Including Signal Manual of Deutsche Bahn AG
User-friendly interface and editor in 2D and 3D
Dynamic weather with fog, rain, thunder and lightning as well as day and night cycles
Kinematic animated people and animals"

So these should form the core of the English version to, list of what rolling stock seems to be a little think but I would think most of the current DB stock is included plus all the classic DB stuff. No idea about the newer US based items.


Here is a list of items off a German EEP Forum used Google trans to turn it into English but it will give you a good idea of what is in the core game without DLC.
I hope this helps a little more.

https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=de&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=de&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eepforum.de%2Fboard142-eep-x%2Fboard143-allgemeine-fragen-zu-eep-x%2F&edit-text=

[General Malarky]

Thanks for the infos! I'm currently fairly leery of EEP-X, still. I will keep an eye on the steam forums for it for some good words to influence a purchase.

It looks awesome and has a fair amount in the core game. Certainly far more value than DTG's product.

[spoon66]

Its as a strong following in Germany & solid sales , also over 20 years of development behind it.
seems like a value package .

But looks like hardwork is needed to build a good layout that works.
So more challenging than the basic plug & play DTG stock game.

I may look around for a reduced retail copy here Summer is good time for sale's here.
You can find a demo of version 9 if you dig around on the net though it will be in German only.

At least you can mess around with it a little.
Not sure of the amounts of free modded items but I am sure there will be lots oce you find the right forums to look at.

[Mereel [GER]]

The only thing that make me excited at this one are the DR stuff, BR 130, 18 201 and so.
I think i'm not the only one who cant see anymore this DB AG red...(me and half germany xD)

[spoon66]

I took a detour to Saturn today , but could only find EEP 6 & 9 they were cheap but no sign of EEP X anyhow I picked up Spin Tires instead as a prize to myself . After getting my UK driving licence changed to a German one after almost a year of getting all the correct paper work from the UK & then have to wait another Five week for it to be sorted out here I can drive again at last.

EEP X can wait still very busy with Open rails & that is free like most of the old MSTS mod's

[MaTT]

I have been an EEP user since version 2 well over ten years ago, ... I have ver 2, 5, 8, & 9 ... its a VMR (virtual model railway) not a driving simulator like TS so is not really comparible. (although from v8 trains can be driven in cab) Its all about building routes, and then constantly improving them like you would with a real model railway ... It can take years to build a complex layout, and then run complex AI that work on a trigger contact point based system, (actions like running around are easy to set up) ... later versions of EEP also have a comprehensive camera recording system so you can make movies of the layout ... where EEP really shines is the route builder, despite being entirely in German its tottaly intuative, assets are placed in a CAD editor (you only need to preview in 3D) editing is super accurate and fast, TSs route editor is stoneage comapred to even EEP 2 ...

Its a bit sad EEP X (10) is now on Steam, if its Steam only then thats the end of the franchise for me,that said EEP 9 will keep me going for the next 20 years so its no biggie.

I have not taken a look at whats on offer here at Steam yet but if its been localised it will probably be a fairly basic stripped down version ... as EEP is route building software only the PRO version is worth getting, (get EEP 9 pro mail order from Germany) it comes with more rolling stock and assets than TS has ever had.

[MaTT]

Ok I have had a gander and Railroad X appears to be a dumbed down simple version of EEP for Steam, an EEP for the TS generation! ... EEP did an English language version of EEP2 back in 2002 called Vritual railroad and it sucked donkey balls, thankfully it could be patched to a full version of EEP 2, but it went German when patched. ... I suspect this is the same.
Anyone interested would be much better off getting a copy of EEP 9 pro from Germany ... also dont forget EEP is a routebuilding/AI simulator not a driving simulator, the driving experience you get in EEP is very basic, dont buy it for this you will be dissapointed.
Buy it if you like me like spending three years building a route and watching 200+ AI trains working and interacting on it.

[General Malarky]

...maybe I should get my German language books out and give the language another try :)

[spoon66]

I saw EEP 9 for 9.99 Euros in Saturn last week EEP X I have not seen for a while in retail form & for the most part only the basic version.

German is a hard one to learn I manage to get by but still need to learn loads more , but working and learning is very tiring.

Still I have quite a few games with German based systems If I get stuck is use Leo Trans or Google or Bing or ask the wife.

Another way is to use Youtube or even the forums most have some English Speaking followers.

Yes I must say I was surprized to see it on Steam & feared the worst after OMSI 2 tried that same thing.

Steam players can be a unforgiving butch when it comes to anything that is not simple to play or takes a little time to learn..

So Matt are that changes big enough to make EEP X worth buying over EEP 9 ? when you can find cheaper copys of the older version still in the shops.

[MaTT]

Originally posted by spoon66:

I saw EEP 9 for 9.99 Euros in Saturn last week EEP X I have not seen for a while in retail form & for the most part only the basic version.

German is a hard one to learn I manage to get by but still need to learn loads more , but working and learning is very tiring.

Still I have quite a few games with German based systems If I get stuck is use Leo Trans or Google or Bing or ask the wife.

Another way is to use Youtube or even the forums most have some English Speaking followers.

Yes I must say I was surprized to see it on Steam & feared the worst after OMSI 2 tried that same thing.

Steam players can be a unforgiving butch when it comes to anything that is not simple to play or takes a little time to learn..

So Matt are that changes big enough to make EEP X worth buying over EEP 9 ? when you can find cheaper copys of the older version still in the shops.

Get EEP 9 Spoon (that said I mostly use 8 because im still building a layout in it) ... you need to make sure its the Pro version, never get the basic, the pro version is not harder to use it just has thousands of static assets and trains and some cool tools to make it easier to use its a bit like buying TS with ALL the DLC included.

Dont worry about the language problem so much, its very intuative software, icon based mostly, i had a little trouble when I got EEP 5 because the options in the dialog boxes for contact points and switches gained loads of new options such as timed swiches, reversals and only routing one train one way etc, because its a dialog box i couldnt copy and paste into a translator so it was trail and error and the bit of German I have learned using the software. ... best to build a basic test layout first so you can practice programming run arounds and shunting instructions etc.

[spoon66]

If it Pro then no doubt is will for that price , but I need to get a broken tooth fixed soon & as you will understand these treatment as an hi-price tag.

But I will check around for bargin basment EEP 9 pro at Saturn or Media Markt & even Conrad Electronic, I am sure to find 9 Pro or 10 pro.

Danke fur das Info Matt...........