So last night I "Tried" to do a live stream but I must of forgot to start something. I get plenty of what I'd call casual fans as well as long time hard core fans who view my videos. Since I haven't been that active, my numbers are obviously down from where they once stood durring the peak of RTS.
As of right now there are 2 servers that I'm observing, the southwest server, and Smiley's server. The southwest server runs all of California and to my understanding this will not change. Mike is in the process of evaluating a course of action on how to handle the massive workloads in combination with providing session like experiences. It will be interesting to see what he comes up with, and I'll certainly be watching to see what becomes available in September. As for Smiley's server for me it is not populated enough and simply has way too much to do for way too few people. In some ways that is just a notch above single player, but with that comes loss of control and relying on others participation. If more people participate it could get interesting, but honestly I don't hold much hope for that. Hopefully I can be proven wrong. Again my forum is not as poupular as it once was (though never really popular among all of Run8) and my reach is very limited.
Since I'm unlikely to host under the current Run8 environtment my ability to lead by example is limited to impossible. My only alternative at this point is to observe if and when Run8 decides to provide their customers with updates on it's future (all customers and not just the popular forums). They have had a few good updates this year to V2, and obviously provided us with more add on packs (at least 1 decided to purchase but never use). New smaller regions to me would be a step in the right direction. I remember hearing about Alaska one time, but honestly I have no idea if that is scrapped or on the back burner.
So since all I can do right now is observe or partiicpate in something I'm not happy with, I choose to observe and do something else instead. Dispatching is fine, but it's not traffic levels or the crazy random spawn system for AI that turned me off. Part of dispatching is dealing with switchers who work the road. Observing yards that lie dormant is not very appearling, and dispatching and observing meets alone is not enough to keep me interested for long. Besides a true dispatching experience has better dispatching software and you wouldn't get to railfan while you work (unless you were at a station or a tower).
Out of all the programs I have, Stormworks has become the most appealing. Yes I have American Truck SImulator which has lots of cool eye candy but requires your full attention at all times. The other titles I have fall in the same requirement of attention except for the rare few I don't bother with any longer.
Stormworks does have a very basic rail system that is not very prototypical. However the purpose behind it is very much part of the entire economy. There is single player, but also multiplayer (though they are still working out lag issues here). This certainly fits the requirement of entertainment with a purpose combined with a bit of relaxation. My son is interested in building creations but not playing the career world. Where as I am the opposite. However for me to get proper equipment I either have to create creations or download them from the Steam workshop. I think it would be cool tonight to attempt to build a basic boat tonight.
Stormworks is constantly updating, and there are some new compact seats that I'd like to put on a boat. I want to take advantage of the latest updates on fuel efficiency to build better handling engines than the ones I have. I have lots to learn pertaining to engine performance, gear ratios, torque, etc. But we can learn those together and once something is built to our liking, then I can begin using it in my career to continue to make virtual money.
The virtual money in my current seed and save basically allows me to purchase new properties, and components to build (or download) better creations. I mean I can download anything, but to bring it into my world (which has an economy will cost). I can try them out on other creative world seeds but that is not the point.
The point is I eventually want to get a train built with cars (or downloaded to my liking) that will reach the arctic. I've been up there many times and there is an oil facility that has dirt cheap oil for my refineries back south. Fuel is limited so this serves a purpose for that rail line, along with all the equipment that allows me to bring that oil south. The refinery is on an island and I do have a tanker however latest updates have made this less efficient. Ultimately I'll have to fix it, download a new one, or build my own as well. So the key here is there is plenty to do both in single player, as well as potentially with others who are interested.
The game is actually meant to be a search and resuce but has gone well beyond it's original goals. In fact they have rockets now and other crazy stuff. Anything that is in the game with the exception of the seeded islands and basic infistructure can be built by players in the game. This means that I can build rolling stock for my trains (oil south, fuel or empty north). The rescue missions (and other missions) provide more virtual income. However, you can make your own missions as well. I think you can even download missions. This has some interest for me as well, because if you can have your own missions inserted, than a program similar to RTS could create demand for a service to move freight on this railroad.
Now I want to be clear the railroad is not my primary interest. I love shipping, and also enjoy the helicopters and various aircraft in the game. It is island base which means the railroad actually travels between islands on this huge network of bridges reaching the islands in the arctic. Sounds a bit silly but the game is based in the future so perhaps it's possible. Despite all the technology being within current knowledge since we don't know what we will create down the road.
I'd be happy to share my adventures here though not related to trains all the time. But I'll wait and see what others say when I post a small live stream perhaps later this week.
Until then the rest of Run8 I'm observing but my own ideas have come dry and for me at this point it's run it's course.