Ohmigod. The gearbox section! You're so right. I love the Solos our company has, but we also have StreetLites with Voith gearboxes. That "Jump" down when you slow always throws me 🤣
Idle sounds are absolutely spot on, main engine sounds are very awkward and unfortunately no 2100 option in terms of the gearbox. Also wished there had been a dual door variant, although again the doors are spot on and the whole model in general is very good. Good review!
According to V3D, when he recorded the sounds again with his usual recording equipment, the sounds were even worse, so as a stopgap, he increased the volume, and tbh, the increased volume has improved them slightly, its my go to bus for Smarden now
I didn't grow up on Solo's they weren't really common here but for what it is I do like it and I think it's very nice to drive (especially on Smarden) and I do think V3D's buses are some of the nicest driving buses in game. I do think £13:55 is a tiny but much for it but it's another bus for OMSI so I'm not complaining. Great video none the less
I think you’ve put this really well, and I agree with pretty much all of your points. The bus does not warrant being 13 quid, maybe 8 at a push as you said. The modelling and the driving system (for the most part) are really quite good, but the sounds, doors (both model and animation), dests (in particular the LED) and the extreme lack of features/customisability all make it a let down. Once the modding community finish and put out their mods to fix all these things (as I believe there’s someone working on every single point so far), then it’d be worth 13 quid, but a DLC really shouldn’t have to rely on 3rd party individuals making freeware mods in order to make it worth its money.
I do agree Joe, this is a lacklustre release. We can see that he made an attempt to make the Solo's traqdemark transmission moan, but it sounds very low quality and lacking a bit of 'positioning' (reverb). What is also seriously missing is all the rattles and clatter sounds. There's nothing other than the engine and transmission sound. I honestly think his freeware buses are higher overall quality than this. As it is, it does feel like "pretty good freeware".
I'll have to agree with you - or even for a fiver in it's current standard. Sort of unfortunate he's not going to fix the sounds though other than that it's a fairly decent bus.
I've noticed on Steam that the negtiave feedback centres around the sound effects. The gearchange sound is very like some of the buses in the free Vanhool bus pack. Aside from that your review is very fair, but I think I'll wait to see if the price comes down in a future Steam sale.
My school bus is normally a mercedes coach and today it was changed to a solo. How weird was that it's like they knew. I think what let's this down is the sounds
I bought this add-on and I like it. I would love to preserve SN53KJE if it hasn't been scrapped but if so then no problem. I know Shoreline Suncruisers had it from when it left London. I really do like the Dennis Trident ALX400.
Ive driven far too many solos during my time driving, the idle sound is fantastic but the other sounds are just awful. I understand whay you say about the Allison box not changing down, 100% agree. Just lazy and wanting a quick buck. Regarding your comments about not being able to hate solos, I certainly do! 😂
The sounds are ok, but as Joe said maybe there will be a patch in future whether its official or not who knows, my only other comment (and this is just me being obsessive) is the indicators, the real optares flash slowly and there was a buzzer in the drivers cab on them, but again maybe a future mod could be made, all in all looks a great bus though
You forgot to mention there are two dash variants, though I am still trying to figure out when the dash was revised. I know Rossendale Transports (now all scrapped) 2004/2005 solos had the later dash but they also had the 5.9L 24 valve Cummins with a later Allison transmission (2000 series?).
Fantastic video joe I like this bus just don’t love it for simple the sounds if I had the choice off this or the sp light or MMC I would take them over this. But over than that it’s fantastic .Hope you had a Nise holiday
Thanks Imran! I’m not quite convinced to be honest with you. Like I say if it was £8 like the Spectra I’d be a lot more willing to accept imperfections… 🤷🏻♂️
Lots of creators have been very kind to the digibus mirage. I dont much like the optare solo, but ive been on enough of them to instantly know that that is not an optare solo. Its the V3D/Optare Solo. Hes made a new engine and gearbox for it.
It would be interesting to have Voith sounds since it is a Voith script and I don't think there has ever been a pairing with the OM904 and a Voith before and the only Voith Solos have 4.5 Cummins that Stagecoach have used to replace the rare MAN/Allison combination.
I had to drive a Solo today. I had forgotten how nasty they were. Fortunately I only had to drive it to another depot so it could be prepped for disposal (hopefully to PVS).
I spent most of my time on the buses driving Solos, the older ones with the Merc engines were slow but we had some with the 5.9 Cummins engines & they went like stink!
Haha yes! We got a few Solo's left, out of about four one is a 5.9 Cummins with the "sporty white gauges" and I always hope for it, the Merc ones are horrendous on hills! Majority of our fleet is SR's that are horrific to drive, over powered brakes and engines that lack power, constantly breaking down too.
I think the comment re: sounds might have just been him being in a bad mood on Discord? What I understand as mentioned on your Discord server is that he was using new sound recording equipment and wasn't happy with the results. I wouldn't compare this bus to SP stuff anyway, what they make is abnormal compared to the rest of the OMSI community. You're better off comparing it to offerings from Germany - there's a much bigger selection of vehicles over there to compare prices/features to. Personally I think it's fine - but I'm only a casual enthusiast so as long as it looks good and drives good, I don't really know any different. I appreciate that this is 'digital bus preservation', hence period ticket machines, but I'd still quite like the option of a modern ticket machine. The problem V3D has is that he's not a coder so can't see that happening unless someone donates him a machine.
I think a direct comparison between the Solo and the Lite/400mmc/Veiling/Gen 3 is absolutely fair, as those packs are all in the region of £13.50 much like this one. I wouldn’t include the Renown as that’s more pricey, but then is more detailed as a result. V3D might not be a coder, but there’s plenty of people out there in the community who can (and do) code, so why not get them to help? I’m sure there’s people who would get on board in that department 🤷🏻♂️
Why would the developer say something like that to customers who are buying this product? If it was free, I might understand, however, it is not, so he should fix the sounds, right? Also why would someone donate the developer a ticket machine? Donate implies "without payment", and this guy is charging £14 for this bus! Giving from the good of your heart doesn't put food on the table, unfortunately :/
@@JoeDobsongaming Missed what I was saying entirely. Also, getting help as a dev is almost impossible as everyone is busy, and there's very few people who can code. Those who can are normally coding buses they're making. Even getting help with simple modelling tasks is tricky.
Personally I think the sound is an improvement from the b10 which lacked for me in sounds and gearbox compared to others maybe they just recorded from a different one to what I've grew up on. Both are good but I think this review is a bit harsh just lacks detail. I like the spectra but the sounds lacks too and the physics, solo physics I personally like.
Having seen you review I won't be getting the solo anytime soon. As you say no engine variants, and compared to studio polygon not option to change the seating to Civic 3s etc like on Western Greyhound. Overall, not very impressed. If V3D wants to stay in business he needs to come off his high horse and up his game.
As someone who has driven Solos for Arriva North East I can say that is nothing like a Solo the gearbox is all wrong also the acceleration seems like it accelerates too fast not buying it.
On the contrary Lorraine, I'm nit-picking at a fully released product. No mention on the Steam page about it being Alpha/Beta/Early Access? The Olympian was released as an "Alpha", and clearly isn't finished, hence why I've not done a video on it :)
![OMSI 2 [60 FPS] - Neuer IKARUS 280 unterwegs in Polen! 🇵🇱 - Let's Play Omsi 2 [#868]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1DglLVXql-Q/mqdefault.jpg)
Ohmigod. The gearbox section! You're so right. I love the Solos our company has, but we also have StreetLites with Voith gearboxes. That "Jump" down when you slow always throws me 🤣
Idle sounds are absolutely spot on, main engine sounds are very awkward and unfortunately no 2100 option in terms of the gearbox. Also wished there had been a dual door variant, although again the doors are spot on and the whole model in general is very good. Good review!
According to V3D, when he recorded the sounds again with his usual recording equipment, the sounds were even worse, so as a stopgap, he increased the volume, and tbh, the increased volume has improved them slightly, its my go to bus for Smarden now
How do you get Smarden working? It doesn’t load for me, only sits on a screen with the sky and the standard menu buttons.
@Devon Vehicle Spotting I did have Westcounty working but my OMSI reset, and now it won’t download
Thanks Joe, this has to be the most honest review of the Mirage - it's still on my Christmas prezzie list though...
I didn't grow up on Solo's they weren't really common here but for what it is I do like it and I think it's very nice to drive (especially on Smarden) and I do think V3D's buses are some of the nicest driving buses in game. I do think £13:55 is a tiny but much for it but it's another bus for OMSI so I'm not complaining. Great video none the less
To the initial question you raised. Yes, that is the naming convention.
All Optare products had it, the numbers define the length of the bus
I think you’ve put this really well, and I agree with pretty much all of your points.
The bus does not warrant being 13 quid, maybe 8 at a push as you said. The modelling and the driving system (for the most part) are really quite good, but the sounds, doors (both model and animation), dests (in particular the LED) and the extreme lack of features/customisability all make it a let down.
Once the modding community finish and put out their mods to fix all these things (as I believe there’s someone working on every single point so far), then it’d be worth 13 quid, but a DLC really shouldn’t have to rely on 3rd party individuals making freeware mods in order to make it worth its money.
I do agree Joe, this is a lacklustre release. We can see that he made an attempt to make the Solo's traqdemark transmission moan, but it sounds very low quality and lacking a bit of 'positioning' (reverb). What is also seriously missing is all the rattles and clatter sounds. There's nothing other than the engine and transmission sound. I honestly think his freeware buses are higher overall quality than this. As it is, it does feel like "pretty good freeware".
I'll have to agree with you - or even for a fiver in it's current standard.
Sort of unfortunate he's not going to fix the sounds though other than that it's a fairly decent bus.
I Would love to see a video Tour of your 2 preserved buses For The Preserved bus adventures That would make a great video 📹
I've noticed on Steam that the negtiave feedback centres around the sound effects. The gearchange sound is very like some of the buses in the free Vanhool bus pack. Aside from that your review is very fair, but I think I'll wait to see if the price comes down in a future Steam sale.
My school bus is normally a mercedes coach and today it was changed to a solo. How weird was that it's like they knew. I think what let's this down is the sounds
I bought this add-on and I like it. I would love to preserve SN53KJE if it hasn't been scrapped but if so then no problem. I know Shoreline Suncruisers had it from when it left London. I really do like the Dennis Trident ALX400.
Ive driven far too many solos during my time driving, the idle sound is fantastic but the other sounds are just awful. I understand whay you say about the Allison box not changing down, 100% agree. Just lazy and wanting a quick buck. Regarding your comments about not being able to hate solos, I certainly do! 😂
Hey Joe, I also learnt at L&T I was given the Volvo coach as the Solo was in for an exam 😄
Ah fantastic! That Volvo coach is a bit big and scary isn’t it 🤣
@@JoeDobsongaming it was at first but lovely to drive👍
It sounds like a combination of a classic and more modern solo with an AT545
I agree 👍
hi Joe there is a mod to turn digits mirage into optare solo branding
Really good video joe u really have some amazing videos m8
This map looks great you lucky you get try out the new stuff for OMSI 2 fair play another great video Joe keep the the good you do
The sounds are ok, but as Joe said maybe there will be a patch in future whether its official or not who knows, my only other comment (and this is just me being obsessive) is the indicators, the real optares flash slowly and there was a buzzer in the drivers cab on them, but again maybe a future mod could be made, all in all looks a great bus though
You forgot to mention there are two dash variants, though I am still trying to figure out when the dash was revised. I know Rossendale Transports (now all scrapped) 2004/2005 solos had the later dash but they also had the 5.9L 24 valve Cummins with a later Allison transmission (2000 series?).
Fantastic video joe I like this bus just don’t love it for simple the sounds if I had the choice off this or the sp light or MMC I would take them over this. But over than that it’s fantastic .Hope you had a Nise holiday
The sounds do my head on trust me 😂😂😂
Thanks Imran! I’m not quite convinced to be honest with you. Like I say if it was £8 like the Spectra I’d be a lot more willing to accept imperfections… 🤷🏻♂️
@@JoeDobsongaming eye 8 pounds a better price for this not 13.55
Lots of creators have been very kind to the digibus mirage. I dont much like the optare solo, but ive been on enough of them to instantly know that that is not an optare solo. Its the V3D/Optare Solo. Hes made a new engine and gearbox for it.
Idle sounds are good though, I do agree with that.
It would be interesting to have Voith sounds since it is a Voith script and I don't think there has ever been a pairing with the OM904 and a Voith before and the only Voith Solos have 4.5 Cummins that Stagecoach have used to replace the rare MAN/Allison combination.
I had to drive a Solo today. I had forgotten how nasty they were. Fortunately I only had to drive it to another depot so it could be prepped for disposal (hopefully to PVS).
For the first part of the video I was wondering who is howling outside, then I've realised it's the gearbox sounds xD
I was so confused as to why it sounded like dogs were fighting outside my window, but it was just the gearbox haha!
I spent most of my time on the buses driving Solos, the older ones with the Merc engines were slow but we had some with the 5.9 Cummins engines & they went like stink!
Haha yes! We got a few Solo's left, out of about four one is a 5.9 Cummins with the "sporty white gauges" and I always hope for it, the Merc ones are horrendous on hills! Majority of our fleet is SR's that are horrific to drive, over powered brakes and engines that lack power, constantly breaking down too.
I think the comment re: sounds might have just been him being in a bad mood on Discord? What I understand as mentioned on your Discord server is that he was using new sound recording equipment and wasn't happy with the results.
I wouldn't compare this bus to SP stuff anyway, what they make is abnormal compared to the rest of the OMSI community. You're better off comparing it to offerings from Germany - there's a much bigger selection of vehicles over there to compare prices/features to.
Personally I think it's fine - but I'm only a casual enthusiast so as long as it looks good and drives good, I don't really know any different. I appreciate that this is 'digital bus preservation', hence period ticket machines, but I'd still quite like the option of a modern ticket machine. The problem V3D has is that he's not a coder so can't see that happening unless someone donates him a machine.
I think a direct comparison between the Solo and the Lite/400mmc/Veiling/Gen 3 is absolutely fair, as those packs are all in the region of £13.50 much like this one.
I wouldn’t include the Renown as that’s more pricey, but then is more detailed as a result.
V3D might not be a coder, but there’s plenty of people out there in the community who can (and do) code, so why not get them to help? I’m sure there’s people who would get on board in that department 🤷🏻♂️
Why would the developer say something like that to customers who are buying this product? If it was free, I might understand, however, it is not, so he should fix the sounds, right? Also why would someone donate the developer a ticket machine? Donate implies "without payment", and this guy is charging £14 for this bus! Giving from the good of your heart doesn't put food on the table, unfortunately :/
@@JoeDobsongaming Missed what I was saying entirely.
Also, getting help as a dev is almost impossible as everyone is busy, and there's very few people who can code. Those who can are normally coding buses they're making. Even getting help with simple modelling tasks is tricky.
when will you be revewing the the new paignton layout and area?
Personally I think the sound is an improvement from the b10 which lacked for me in sounds and gearbox compared to others maybe they just recorded from a different one to what I've grew up on. Both are good but I think this review is a bit harsh just lacks detail. I like the spectra but the sounds lacks too and the physics, solo physics I personally like.
Love this video and how is the B7 and B9 going for omsi 2?
that bus sounds like the yorkshire tiger bus i was on not long back
That gearbox sound was quite comman on trent barton solos
Question do u use mouse and keyboard or a steering wheel
I know this would be impossible, yet I still want an LHD version of this.
I mean long story short V3D is the original UK OMSI OG hes been here since well before MS and SP were even concieved by their mommies...
love the solos nice and easy to drive
Westcountry 3.03? Ooohhh.. when is that due to drop?
I do like the Solo. He has said he’s going to look at the sounds.
When I was a bus driver I hated these vehicles. Uncomfortable cab that brought on claustrophobic senses on.
The branding patch is on the digibus website!
Oh fantastic! Didn't realise it was out so soon!
@@JoeDobsongaming yeah, twas out at the same time the solo released pretty much!
Sensible really when you think about it haha
Just remember peeps this has only just come out it won't be perfect from the start but until its updated more then there you go .
Is there any updates on the release of the westcountry update
Having seen you review I won't be getting the solo anytime soon. As you say no engine variants, and compared to studio polygon not option to change the seating to Civic 3s etc like on Western Greyhound. Overall, not very impressed. If V3D wants to stay in business he needs to come off his high horse and up his game.
Old Allison AT545's did so that up and down the gears
sad cant use that bus because the doors are the opposite side all my maps have bus stops on the right side
Cannot believe you missed the bus at 20:34 onwards lol
Solo's do be rolling like a boat. Yeah, not keen on those sounds though
As someone who has driven Solos for Arriva North East I can say that is nothing like a Solo the gearbox is all wrong also the acceleration seems like it accelerates too fast not buying it.
It feels very rushed with the sounds, Shouldn't of been released yet I feel
Hey Joe, could you do a wright pulser soon?
the gearbox when you downshift sounds like a puppy whimpering. It’s not a particularly nice noise.
Its funny how this mans channel just not long start and is beta testing everything. Inner circle clicky business.
It sounds like Mercedes atego engine sound!!
Ok ❤❤❤❤❤
12345 driver number and 1234 is the pin
similar to 202 bus
Just play the game do a let's play or film it for real
Your knit picking at an UNFINISHED product .
On the contrary Lorraine, I'm nit-picking at a fully released product. No mention on the Steam page about it being Alpha/Beta/Early Access?
The Olympian was released as an "Alpha", and clearly isn't finished, hence why I've not done a video on it :)
Why does this Optare/SWITCH Solo sound like a Dennis Dart SLF