TIME TO UPGRADE

[AZ Rail Rat]

A repeat of poll at the "other place". Have fun and vote again. :D

OK - Money is on the way (checks in the mail). Time for a poll. First question is brand. Which should I go for based on the three things I'm most concerned about: Value (bang for the buck), Reliability (will survive past "burn-in") and Service (help if it does not).

With limited, semi-serious shopping here are specs on what I'm leaning toward. Vote for this, another listed brand, or name something else. Ordering NEXT WEEK!!!

Dell Dimension 8400

Standards not raising price are:

3.2GHZ P4
XP Home
x300 SE ATI Graphics Card (may get it and upgrade)
80GB Hard Drive
16X DVD-ROM Drive
Ethernet Card

Freebees:
8X DVD +RW Drive (not a DVD burner)
FREE Shipping

Pricy Add-ons are:
1GB RAM $110
17in Flat Panel Monitor $239
Floppy (yeah, not supplied) + 128G Memory Stick $79
Soundblaster 24-BIT Advanced HD $25
Speakers for Flat Panel Display $30
Multi-media Keyboard $20
Optical Mouse $10
Paint Shop Pro $59 (for skinning)
PCI Telphony Modem (for phone voice hookup, not internet) $20

Subtracts are:
1 year warrenty and support (heck, I took a cumpooter repair course)

Total price $1699 - $250 mail-in rebate = $1449

[Gwizz]

Dell has poor cust. support.

All the brands now-a-days seem to be about the same in quality. They all use basicly the same parts. Mac has limited software accessability but is an excellant machine. Micro-Soft seems to be able to cause any machine to have problems, even mac if you use an MS program on it.

I would look for a computer that has future up-gradable features. A large size for adding hardware. Then get the features you want for the best price.

You might search the Kimcommando.com site. I think that is the way she spells her name.

[BigMac]

Dell over here are not bad, I just bought my mother a Dell for Xmas. We've got a load of them in with customers and our sister company uses all Dell kit (30 workstations and 4 servers)

To be honest, I've never used a customer support service for maintaining PCs in YEARS so I can't comment on that. All I can say is that the Dell build quality over here is about the best I've seen.

[Wolverine@MSU]

Check my answer at "the other site".

[hawkdawg]

Wolv said;
Check my answer at "the other site".
Me too.
I didn't vote in the poll 'cause there wasn't an option I would vote for.
Consider building your own, or get someone you know that can do it-if you don't have the time. :wink:

[kriss]

If you can buy Fujitsu-Siemens over there then look them up, they are a class act.
80 gig is not a big hard drive these days & that graphics card will make you cry.
Dawg has the best idea, buy a barebones & add your own components, as long as you ensure compatibilty you really get bang for bucks.

[AZ Rail Rat]

Came REAL close to taking the plunge couple of days ago. Lucky my angels prevailed. Later I found some good advice and deals on a Samsung 712N Flat Panel. $350 or so after rebate at a couple of places. Saves couple of hundred over Dell and has good response times (either 12 or 16ms compared to the ones Dell pushes at 25ms).

If I had the time (still remodelling), I would put that computer building and repair course Boeing paid for a few years ago to use, start with a sexy case and work up. I have no doubt about putting one together from scratch or upgrading from any package. Just no time.

I'm going to check out local prices. Have five stores to hit before jumping on line again. Fine time for the da---errr dern car to need repair. Had to run it in this morning. Waterpump. Also needed a tuneup and oil change. I retired from car reapir LONG AGO :). Lots of work for them on a Friday.

Standing by to STAND BY!

[kriss]

Rest assured whatever you buy, you'll think you see something better a month down the road. Whatever works for you is the right one.
Instead of a floppy drive get a USB pen I have a 64 Mb one & haven't used a floppy in months.
Also if you can get a keyboard with USB outlets it is handy. My mouse plugs into the keyboard & I use the other socket for camera or USB pen

[BigMac]

Also if you can get a keyboard with USB outlets it is handy. My mouse plugs into the keyboard A keyboard and a mouse with a cable.... how quiant! ;) :) I went cordless many years ago with the first Logitech wireless ones and now I'd never use anything else. I've even bought my own when the office wouldn't supply one :)

Some day I'll take a few pics of the gear that's around in the attic and let you see the level of cr@p that surrounds me ;)

[kriss]

I've never found a cordless that didn't have a flat battery when I most needed it to work, even worse in the office as the PC's are all in use 24/7

[BigMac]

Which is why I always have a spare pack of Duracell's handy! :)

[kriss]

I have 5 grandchildren & every toy they have uses a battery, they steal them from the remotes, they nick them from every place I've tried to hide them. A primitive cable is all that separates me from insanity :lol:

[Bonneville455]

Hi Guys,

I just discovered this site and thought I'd pop my head in the door and say hello. I'm contemplating an upgrade myself and this weekend may finally build that new machine I've been thinking about for a long while.

(Still standing on my handcar, preparing to pump the handle with great vigor at the first sound of an angry mob) :)

[AZ Rail Rat]

Well - I'LL B . . . . . :shock:

[Gwizz]

Welcome aboard Bonneville.

[Bonneville455]

Thanks, G. This is kinda like coming back after a few years to a town you used to live in.

[Wolverine@MSU]

Hi Bonne,

Welcome back to "the fold". Have you tried the C2C expansion or Patch 1.05? I assume you're playing the game again. What do you think of the "new improved" version.

BTW, this isn't a bait to get you to lambaste the game, just an honest question to see where you're coming from and what your current thoughts are.

Cheers :)

[kriss]

Hey Bonnie, great to see you back, I figured you'd at least wait till Easter for dramatic effect.

[Bonneville455]

Lambaste the game? Me? Be assured that I didn’t come here to do that – just wanted to say hi to some old friends, as I said.

But to answer your question, I do have patch 1.05 but not the CTC expansion. I still have 56k dial-up access, so I don’t download anything bigger than about 20MB and rarely exceed 5MB. I still play the game occasionally and still have essentially the same mixed feelings about it.

Heh..heh..always did enjoy your creative and dry humor, Kriss. A clever idea, that Easter thing. I never would have thought of it, since I’m neither religious nor particularly patient. :wink:

AZ, if you read this, I downloaded the map that you told me has a town in my name and have an installation question. I see that there is the main map file and six logo files as well. Do I put the logo files in the same game folder along with the map?

[Gwizz]

I think you need CtC to add logos. From what others have said, it has a special folder for logos.

I downloaded CtC with 56K using the Star restartable program.
I used the free program and I restart a large download whenever I'm on on line and stop the download when I shut down. CtC took me 3 evenings to complete the download.

I played AZ's map without using the logos. I have not yet installed the CtC. Just too busy at this time to spend much time with RRT3. I had no problems running his map on my little computer although I have yet to finish it to the end.

[AZ Rail Rat]

First Bonne- You should have a UserExtraContent folder. Put all logo files there. If you don't see it, I think it's a sub of the Data folder. Don't know what will happen if you just add it new. Old versions may not look at it. You only need C2C to skin new logos.

Perhaps you could find a friend with a faster download to get you C2C and burn to CD. I think C2C raw will blow away the 1.05 patch, so you may have to reinstall it. That's why I store away previous revisions and patches, just in case. Saves lots of download time.

Gwizz - I thought I had a crash at the start of a new map when not using the SP logo. That's why I included it with README instructions to have it. Guess not.

Good luck gang.

[Bonneville455]

Thanks, G. I took your advice and copied just the map to the game folder and it works fine.

Now, for you, AZ. I happen to be off work today and loaded your map this morning. WOW!! This is, without a doubt, the best RT3 map I have seen to date and the ONLY one that has ever kept me captivated for hours without a thought about stopping – just like RRTII did when I first began to play it. I have driven across Arizona (mostly northern) a number of times and your map gives an outstanding feel of really being there enjoying the variety of awesome scenery it has to offer. Great job and thank you!!

Oh, and yes, I did see my town in the remote Northwest corner. I guess it was fitting to make it a ghost town. I’ll fix that!!

Now I’ve got to get to the store before our mammoth rainstorm hits and then get back to the game. :D :D :D :D

[AZ Rail Rat]

WOW - To impress such a veteran with a VIRGIN map. I'm VERY flattered.

(Wait 'till he REALLY gets into it and sees all the bugs. :P :P :P :P :P )

Enhance your pleasure by going to my home page and reading a history about each railroad and many stations and towns.

[Bonneville455]

:lol: :lol: Is one of the bugs that you can't make enough profit to stay in business? I'm about to start my third try, although I will say that the stockholders seem very forgiving of years of net losses.

The thing that struck me about the map is the look and feel of real distance - the kind you experience when traveling the state in real life. I have not seen that in other maps, but then again, I've basically only played the default game maps - and not all of them. So although I'm a RRT veteran for sure, some of you have much more RT3 time logged. There are probably other good RT3 maps out there that I'm unaware of.

[AZ Rail Rat]

First Bonne, early economy is VERY sluggish mostly because this is a potential 100-year+ map. Things can get really bogged down, what with seven companies running 40-50 trains each (unless you do like I do and start buying them out in 1916).

It was either Hawk or Gwizz that had lots of trouble, mostly overextending in the early years. I like to build slow. I lay track to the first two cities that have houses (Welltown and Aztec) and ride a Consolidation to Welltown. Then I build to the next town, ride the train, etc.

This gives economy time to build and does not eat up cash in track maintenance and train buying. I know $6M seems like a big start, but you need ALL OF IT.

By the time I get to Maricopaville, it's usually about late summer or fall 1878. I then let the train head back to Yuma non-stop, then start another train in Maricopaville heading to Yuma stopping at each station with an express run back. Train 3 is then a Yuma-Maricopaville express. Yep, only three trains going in the first three years.

Next I follow the same plan building to Tucson. Thing is, all this is with NO LOANS, NO STOCK ISSUE. Why? I HATE giving my money to bankers You wouldn't know it by the number of credit cards I have. One of those things about games, one can do in them what one can't (or have screwed up) in real life.

As for stock, you may not be far enough along yet, but you have to bounce back and forth among companies you start. Therefore, it is VITAL you have stock control so the board votes to let you take over when you need to. Really only a problem for the SP because the "smart" player will start the other six companies in control from the beginning.

Anyway, I always run short just as I reach the river outside Tucson. By then, it's late 1879 and St. Patty's day is just around the corner. Because there is such a BIG bonus for the Tucson connect, I usually breakdown and borrow to get it built, but pay off immediately after the connect.

Economy is no issue for the SP from now on. There's about five years to build things up and get the SP running the way you want. Don't get too wrapped up in train routing, as the AI will screw it up big time when you leave. Thing is, the guy left in charge usually starts rolling in the doe.

That's why I wish they had a selection that prevents the AI from changing ANYTHING while you have control of another railroad. By setting territory costs high, they usually don't go running amuck building out of the history sequence, but AI train buying and routing are far from MY style.

Doing the PST can be a bit tricky. WAIT for territory access to appear and follow instructions CAREFULLY. I like to run Dukes for the PST since there are only three cities to worry about.

Economy becomes a pain again up north. I REALLY cut it down in order to provide more demand for southern goods. Getting down the mountain by 1895 can be costly. I always wondered why they took the western route. Most critical build is getting to Hillside building down the canyon, but OH, WHAT A RIDE!

It's also fun getting to Date. I've tried an eastern route at first, but liked to hug the territory border on the west and swing around that mountain. For all these mountains, I use Shay's all the way. Very cheap, use little water and though they are slow, they take to the hills great. The best sensation you mention of distance comes from a southbound train out of Date, looking down over the desert floor. You sort of see the same thing on my NAV page, but city names tend to get in the way.

Again, the economy in the north sucks. That's why about 1893 or so I turn over PST track to the Prescott & Phoenix. This provides a much needed influx of cash for you to complete the build.

Getting the route built from Tempe to Hayden/Winkleman is fun too. Though it's mostly flat, it's long and you have to build three bridges and climb down one steep hill.

The Arizona California line is about the most stagnant as for the economy. I did not put a lot out there. But this is the place where most checmical plants and bauxite mines are located. They are needed for weapons production and hauling goals later in the game.

C2C has several new locos, but I enjoy the P8 for the AZ-CAL line. It handles hills well and has a ghostly appearance. That and the new Zepher (appearing in 1935) are another reason to get the C2C upgrade, no mater how long your dialup takes.

The two mine companies are pretty much no brainers. The Ray and Ajo mines are two large open-pits here in Arizona. The little holes I made and the paint jobs do not do them justice. If you got logos to work the T-C&GB logo is an ariel photo of the Ajo mine. You can also see it at the very bottom of my home page. Still need to add more links to it's history. I run Camelbacks from Ray and Superior to the steelmills and usually another P8 down in Ajo.

After 1916, I figured people had enough of the history crap, so I cut territory costs to almost nothing and turn it into an open haul-fest.

As you may have seen, I also devised a new scoring system. Gold is not dependent on Silver and it does not require Bronze. Only thing is you won't get the medal videos you are used to seeing, just recognition in the ledger.

Each level also has several "clusters" (specific goals met after reaching that medal level). You do have to get Bronze to get bronze clusters, but can totally blow it in the beginning and middle and still get Gold and clusters during the haul-fest. (At least I hope. This is the most untested part of the map.) I think isii ran it into 2100 and something, but only because I did not have chemical plants set for weapons making.

Hope I did not spoil your fun revealing too many tricks. I ran it for five months KNOWING all the tricks and sometimes had a rough time of it, so I don't think knowing them takes the challenge out of it.

MOST IMPORTANT TRICK is to save under a new name after each phase (just before building a new company). I save AZRR, AZRR-PST, AZRR-PP, AZRR-AZCAL, AZRR-MINES, AZRR-ENDGAME. That way, if I mess up a phase, I can start over at the phase instead of having to build the whole mess again, Also, because things are differenct among phases, it's almost like playing four or five different maps.

Get that C2C downloaded so you can run those new locos. Keep on having fun. That's why I built it. :D :D :D :D

Yeah, you are right man! :( (http://perfume.seo-toolz.com/)