Merry Christmas

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and New Year, and a huge thank you for your support in 2014

Steam Christmas Sale

The traditional Steam Christmas sale is on now on and running until January 2nd.
All of Victory Works add-ons are included with the 33% discount for the new GWR Small Prairies Add-on continuing, and 50% off of all other add-ons, so grab yourself a Christmas treat, or 2!

GWR 56xx Loco Add-on

GWR Steam Railmotor Loco Add-on

Bulleid Q1 Class Loco Add-on

GWR Class 14XX Loco & Autocoach Add-On

GWR Small Prairies Add-On

GWR Small Prairies Pack is OUT NOW!

Now available on Steam, and at a 33% sale price!
http://store.steampowered.com/app/277753/

You can also download the manual here

Also lots of blog posts on this site about it's construction and in depth detail of everything that comes with it.

Enjoy!

Thanksgiving Sale

For the US Thanksgiving celebration a lot of Train Simulator DLC is on sale and all of Victory Works addons are 50% off.. yup, that is HALF PRICE!

The sale is on until Tuesday (December 2nd) so grab some bargains while you can.

GWR 56xx Loco Add-on

GWR Steam Railmotor Loco Add-on

Bulleid Q1 Class Loco Add-on

GWR Class 14XX Loco & Autocoach Add-On

GWR Small Prairies: Contents and Features

At Victory Works we prefer not to produce locos with single liveries or locos from a single era when they spanned many.
In light of this the plan for the GWR Small Prairies pack is to release all 3 classes (4400, 4500, 4575), with all GWR and BR liveries and numerous fittings and also stock for both eras. Having discussed the option of two packs or splitting everything up for the marketplace we instead decided we would go with a single bumper pack with a price about 50% more than normal, so around £17.99, which is cheaper than 2 packs and a lot cheaper than a single pack with half a dozen extra £2.99's for all the liveries and options.

So what do you get for that price?

• GWR 4400 Class Locomotive
• GWR Green (3 logos, red and white lamps)
• BR Black (pre and post 1956 logos)

• GWR 4500 Class Locomotive
• GWR Green (3 logos, red and white lamps)
• BR Green (2 logos and orange/black lined)
• BR Black (2 logos and red/grey lined)

• GWR 4575 Class Locomotive
• GWR Green (3 logos, red and white lamps)
• BR Green (2 logos and orange/black lined)
• BR Black (2 logos and red/grey lined)
• Red and yellow “Celebration” livery with visual air compressor
• Fully compatible with the GWR Class 14XX Loco Add-On autocoaches

All locos have many optional components such as square/curved frames on the 4500, outer smokebox pipes on the 4400/4500, coal guards and ATC on all three, autotrain equipment on the 4575, as well as painted and polished metal bonnets for running your locos on historic and preserved routes. Using every possible combination there are hundreds of permutations to have each loco set up just how you like - or you can just drop one into a scenario or start a Quick Drive and use the pre-set options which cover every single member of all 3 classes.

Features include everything you expect from a Victory Works loco:

• Custom sound sets inside and out created by Steam Sounds Supreme
• Accurate cabs with multiple views, including fully modelled firebox and coal
• Realistic wheel slip physics and effects
• Simulated steam chest, cylinder cock management, boiler management
• Realistic injector control
• Realistic forward and reverse dampers
• Dynamic steam and smoke colour and quantity
• Realistic boiler water gauges effected by gradient, acceleration and speed and with blow down test
• Opening windows with rain effects, opening doors and hatches
• Dynamic lamp setting Cab light effects including firebox glow and water gauge lamp 
• Guards whistles when leaving a passenger pick up

We had a lot of good feedback from the 14xx/48xx pack and we have improved many of the controls associated with the advanced mode.
And obviously all locos come with standard mode and simple mode (as well as a specific AI mode) so you can drive them any way you choose.

The pack also comes with the following rolling stock:

Great Western:

• 6 ton Fruit ‘A’ Van (Diagram Y2)
• with GW and shirt button logos
• 10 ton Covered Goods van (Diagram V4)
• with large and small GW logos and optional end vent
• 10 ton Banana Van (Diagram Y5) – with large and small GW logos
• Iron Mink (Diagram V6)
• Grey GW livery
• Black Gunpowder livery
• Blue WW2 Salvage livery
• 6 wheel Milk Siphon (Diagram O5) – with GW and shirt button logos
• Optional milk churn load and opening doors
• Dynamic lamps
• 20 ton Toad Brake Van (Diagrams AA13 and AA15)
• User selectable 20 character depot names
• Dynamic lamps

British Railways:

• BR Standard Van with numerous optional parts allowing over 400 variations:
• Solid/planked sides
• Plain, single, double, quadruple vent ends
• 3 types of hinged door and 2 types of sliding door
• GWR and BR axle boxes with optional connecting bar
• 4 lower and 2 upper side vents
• Markings for Banana, Fruit, Ale and Meat
• Plain or black panel wagon information
• Random chalk scribblings
• GWR 6 wheel Milk Siphon in “BR used” condition
• 20 ton Toad Brake Van in Bauxite with BR markings
• User selectable 20 character depot names in BR layout

Also in the pack are 6 scenarios for the Falmouth Branch route and over 60 Quick Drive consists covering all liveries and with appropriate stock for each.

So although it will cost a little more than the average loco add-on we hope you'll agree that it offers great value providing everything in one package rather than spreading it out over multiple packs or offering separate re-skins.
We are hoping it will be available in early December.

GWR Small Prairies: Big Update

Lots of work has been going on with the small prairies pack over the last few weeks and today we have some new images to show including the first in-game picture.
There will also be another big news update about the pack next week, in conjunction with the Engine Driver website, listing liveries, options, features and additional stock.

So without further ado some renders:
4575 cab

Iron Mink

 

 6 wheel milk siphon

20 ton Toad brake van

There will be other stock included as well and everything has been made from scratch using much more detail than has been used in previous GWR wagons we have produced.

And finally...

Keep an eye out for another update early next week with details of everything that will come with this bumper pack.

GWR Small Prairies: 4500 taking shape

Hey Victory Works, what happened to the regular Friday update last week?

I'm pleased to say we were out taking a trip to the very pretty Swanage Railway. Partly for business and partly for pleasure. Truly amazing to see how the dedicated volunteers have spent years re-laying all of the track that BR tore up and they are now reconnected to the main line.
This Friday we're off to our regular haunt, the Mid Hants Railway (Watercress Line) for their Autumn Gala, for much the same reasons.
What can I see, we love steam trains!

So we're doing a mid-week update in case you were wondering how the small prairies pack is coming along. With some re-use of parts, and a lot of additional modelling around the main body we now have the 4500 class to show.

The next step will be to tidy up both models and then to make a start on the cabs.

GWR Small Prairies: 4575 Coming along

First of all a huge thanks to everyone who's purchased the GWR Class 14XX Loco Add-On that was released yesterday and for all the really great feedback we've had about it - we really appreciate it.

Also a thank you to those who replied to the route poll for the Small Prairies scenarios.
The scenarios that accompany the add-on are limited to 1 route only (DTG's rules), otherwise we would have added a couple for each, so it was useful to see if people had a preference. Obviously we'll provide a ton of Quick Drives so you can easily run them on any route you want to and everything will be available for you to use to create your own scenarios.
For anyone interested, the outcome of the poll was a dead heat between Falmouth and WSR which confirms our thoughts as well (although we do love Maerdy too!).

All of the effort required recently in releasing the 14xx pack has been by DTG so we've been able to carry on with modelling the 4575 small prairie class and we're pleased to say to that the outer model is very nearly complete and covered in lots of rivets - and you know how much we love rivets!

Discussions continue about the GWR stock list but I think we've narrowed it down to some selections from the following:
10 ton Covered Goods Van (Diagram V4)
10 ton Fruit 'B' Van (Diagram Y5)
6 ton Fruit 'A' Van (Diagram Y2)
Iron Mink (Diagram V6)
6 wheel Milk Siphon (Diagram O5)
20 ton Toad Brake Van (Diagrams AA13 & AA15)

The Toad is a definite, I'm tired of using reskins of the default Rail Simulator brake van!

GWR 48xx/14xx and Autocoach: Is out now!

We are delighted to announce that the 14xx/48xx and autocoach loco pack is now available on Steam

http://store.steampowered.com/app/277745/

Enjoy!

GWR Small Prairies: Scenarios route poll

Poll now closed! Thank you if you took part.

GWR Small Prairies: 4575 Model update

We've been modelling the 4575 class this week, getting some detail on the basic shell that we showed last week. Various component parts have been duplicated in varying states of completion so they can be reshaped for the 4500 and 4400 classes later on. Also the rods and visible valve gear have all been animated.

Discussions continue on the best way to release everything but we want to provide all 3 classes of locomotive with all options and all liveries from the GWR, BR and preserved eras, as well as appropriate rolling stock.
More WIP images and details to follow.

PS I've been informed that the 14xx is "soon"!

GWR Small Prairies: First look

First of all, apologies for the delay on the 14xx/48xx Autocoach release. It is still "in a queue" and although I was hoping it would be released yesterday it didn't happen.
I really appreciate your patience on this and thank you all for the excitement and encouragement you continue to show. I'll continue to push for it's release as soon as possible.

In the meantime, here is the first picture of Work In Progress for the GWR small prairies pack/s.

This is the 4575 variant of the GWR prairie with the larger side tanks. The packs will also include the 4500 with smaller tanks, and the original 4400 which had smaller driving wheels, all with numerous variations that they had including: curved and square frames, smokebox pipes, coal bunker guard, etc.
Liveries planned are GWR green with all logos, BR black and BR lined green. The BR 4575's and preserved GWR 4575's will be have the option to be autofitted (which will be compatible with the 14xx/48xx autocoaches - when they come out!) and there may be a bonus livery as well.
Accompanying stock will be a brand new selection of GWR freight stock and possibly a BR diagram Autocoach.

All the features you have come to expect from Victory Works will be included - steam chest simulation, accurate wheel slip, realistic controls and operation, 3D firebox, numerous optional parts selected per loco, etc.
I'm also delighted to announce that the sounds for the locos will be provided by Steam Sounds Supreme who have a history of excellent work in this area.

In light of the quantity it is likely to release in 2 packs. I'm not sure how it will be split as yet but I hope that the 2 packs will cover every variant and style that you could ever want.

More details and progress images to follow soon.

And the release date for the 14xx/48xx the very second that I know it!

The next project: (Obvious) Clue 3

So here is the final "clue", although it's so blatant I might as well have told you :-)

So I will. The "thing" that all the clues referred to was the TV series, Little House on the Prairie.

To reveal the clues:
Hugh Laurie (in the picture as Prince George in Blackadder III) also plays the character House in the series of the same name.
Sammy Davis Jr being told he is S M all, small.. or little!
The first pictures were a Union Jack and a Suzuki Bandit, and then some dogs. Jack and Bandit were the names of the family dogs in the TV series.

So with a leaning towards the Great Western Railway that brings us neatly to 1 of these.. or 2.. or 3.

Work In Progress images and more details to follow soon.

Steam DLC Sale - HALF PRICE!

To coincide with the Train Simulator 2015 update a lot of the DLC is on sale and all Victory Works addons are 50% off.. yup, that is HALF PRICE!

The sale is only on until Monday (September 22nd) so grab them while you can.

GWR 56xx Loco Add-on

GWR Steam Railmotor Loco Add-on

Bulleid Q1 Class Loco Add-on

Also, in a new blog post tomorrow the next loco (and the answer to all the clues!) will be revealed.

The next project: Clue 2

There have been some really interesting guesses so far, most of them trying to apply the images directly to a type of locomotive. I can say that is the wrong route to go down.. the images all point to another "thing" and once you know that, the loco will be very obvious indeed.

To help out here is another picture that links with the previous 2 images.

And to finish it off, another image and a video. All of these are clues to the "thing", and that will then very clearly tell you the locomotive.

So, have at it. I look forward to seeing peoples ideas and I'll reveal the answer soon followed by the first WIP images of said loco.

The next project: Clue 1

As it seems the in thing is to offer clues as to the next project from a developer, and because DTG are dragging their feet on releasing the 48xx/14xx and I'd rather not announce the next project until the last one is available...

... it's clue time!

So here is clue 1, a couple of pictures..

I'll probably only do a couple of these - this Friday and next Friday at the most. I'm not going to drag it out for weeks on end and I'll announce it whether the 48xx/14xx is out or not after that.

I look forward to people's guesses  :-)

GWR 56xx: Steam Sounds Supreme Addon Pack

We are pleased to announce that Steam Sounds Supreme have just released a sound pack for our GWR/BR(W) 56xx addon.

They have created a complete new sound set with some really excellent features which is accompanied by an official BR Lined reskin supplied by ourselves, all for £5.50.
Obviously you will need to have the original addon for this pack to work.

Click here to visit Steam Sounds Supreme's page. The video is well worth watching to see just how good it looks and sounds.

It's a nice connection that some of the sounds were recorded by SSS from 5643, the very loco I rode on and studied at the Llangollen Railway 4 years ago which inspired me to build a more realistic Railworks steam locomotive and resulted in the 56xx addon. And it's always a pleasure to work with other developers who are as passionate about steam locomotives as we are.

GWR 48xx/14xx: Autocoach in colour and full feature list

A couple of images of the A31 autocoach in it's GWR and BR liveries.

And it wouldn't be right if we didn't show them along with the locomotive.

Also here is the final feature list taken from the manual:

• Simple, standard and advanced driving modes
• Xbox controller support SIMPLE AND STANDARD MODES ONLY  

• 4 versions of the 4800 locomotive
• 48xx – Great Western Railway, autocoach fitted
• 58xx - Great Western Railway
• 14xx – British Railways, autocoach fitted
• 58xx – British Railways
• All can be given optional water top feeds, whistle deflectors and cab steps, and painted or brass safety bonnets and boiler rings
• Great Western Railway versions have appropriate fittings for each member and 3 available logos (shirt button, GWR, Great Western)
• British Railways versions have appropriate fittings for each member and pre and post 1956 logos.
• Custom sound sets inside and out
• Realistic cab with multiple views, including fully modelled firebox and coal
• Fully modelled and animated valve gear
• Realistic wheel slip physics and effects ADVANCED MODE ONLY
• Simulated steam chest ADVANCED MODE ONLY
• Cylinder cock management  ADVANCED MODE ONLY
• Boiler management with priming possible ADVANCED MODE ONLY
• Realistic injector control ADVANCED MODE ONLY
• Realistic forward and reverse dampers ADVANCED MODE ONLY
• Dynamic steam and smoke colour and quantity
• Realistic boiler water gauges effected by gradient, acceleration and speed and with blow down test
• Opening windows with rain effects, opening doors and roof hatch
• Dynamic lamp setting

• 2 liveries of the GWR Diagram A31 autocoach
• Driveable unpowered cab for any consist
• Period and Modern passengers
• Intelligent display of driver in cab
• Ground platform support with animated steps using special scenario marker
• Additional features when coupled to a Victory Works auto-fitted locomotive, including:
• Realistic simulated remote control, including steam chest of driving locomotive ADVANCED MODE ONLY
• Whistle/gong alert
• “Intelligent” lamp setting
• 6 scenarios for the Falmouth Branch route
• 20 Quick Drives covering all liveries and autocoach combinations

And that's about all we have to say about the GWR/BR 14xx/48xx/58xx and GWR/BR A31 autocoach!
We expect it to be making it's way to Steam soon. There will be a short pause in production while we take a breather and then it's on to the next project, details of which will be posted here as usual.

GWR 48xx/14xx: Autocoach

Here we have the first look at the GWR Diagram A31 Autocoach that will come with the 48xx/14xx.

Anyone who owns the Steam Railmotor by Victory Works will probably be thinking that it looks rather similar. In fact the A31 autocoaches were built from the Q Diagram Steam Railmotors when it was realised that the autotrain (separate locomotives and coaches) was a lot more flexible than having to take the entire railmotor out of service to clean and repair it.
Although having a model of the Steam Railmotor built already gave a small head start, the most complex and visible area - the main body - has had to be completely rebuilt and optimised, there are many extra parts to add and then it has required a full re-texture.

The model is actually a lot closer to completion than in this picture as I did some work on it before I started the locomotive.
We should have some colour pictures of the GWR and BR liveries very soon.

GWR 48xx/14xx: Colour cab and a familiar face?

Still busy colouring things in, mostly the cab now.

Someone asked in the previous posts comments whether a certain famous film star 14xx would be included. I'm making as many options as possible open to you for all the locos, so setting one up in BR black, but with no logo, with a whistle shield but no top feed and giving it the number 1401 is very simple. And of course they all have the two tone whistle as well.

Note that the safety dome, although brass in the picture, will be available in brass and painted versions on the final model.

GWR 48xx/14xx: In Colour

First colour picture of the 48xx in GWR shirt button livery.

More pictures to follow as the colouring in continues.. if only it were as simple as crayons!

GWR 48xx/14xx: In the Cab

The cab for the 48xx/14xx is nearing completion with all the rivets and nuts in glorious 3D.

The keen eyed amongst you may notice the mechanism on the roof which was used to allow a cable running from the rear of an attached autocoach to operate the whistle of the locomotive when coupled back to back. If the locomotive was not fitted in this way, or the front of the locomotive was coupled instead, then the autocoach was fitted with a pedal operated gong for warning of its approach.

All of this will be replicated in the Train Simulator addon (and any future addons from Victory Works that are compatible) with the locomotives and autocoaches talking intelligently to each other.

The next task will be to get the loco and cab unwrapped and apply some textures.

GWR 48xx/14xx: Loco model.. done!

So the loco is now complete.
Yes, that is inner gear you can see and yes it will be animated. No point in having perfect wheel/exhaust synchronisation (rather than the default use of the distance travelled irrelevant of how fast/slow the wheels are actually turning) if the internal gear is going to sit there doing nothing.

Next job, the rather small cab - although the windows are huge in comparison so for once visibility from the in-cab view shouldn't be an issue.