Alan Thompson Simulation Route Discussion/speculation Thread

Off topic, but interested to see what's in Steam Sale tomorrow, been a while since I bought any DLC.

 

Don’t blame people for getting Cardiff on sale when it happens. Route
is a disgrace it is. Just tell it was massively rushed and it’s a disgrace to Wales and TfW as well. Purely got it for the 153.

 

I'll be slightly more optimistic and say 30-35%. Semmeringbahn was reduced by 30% and Salzburg-Rosenheim by 35% in last year's summer sale.

 

The weekend timetable is unfinished though and only really has depot moves in it. They ran out of time/budget to finish it properly.

 

Thats disappointing.

 

This was the calculation that people would spend money on the garbage route, but buy for the sake of CL153 and CL150

 

I think Cardiff would have to be 80% off before I considered it and then really just for the 153. However as it’s still relatively new I can’t see it attracting more than a 25 or 30% discount in the upcoming sale.

 

That's a shame, when did they say that?

 

It was in their own Twitch stream the other day.

 

They should have finished the Sunday timetable or not done it at all. If they knew resources where tight why start something known they could not finish it. This is not a day one purchase now.

 

For their first welsh route I would’ve preferred them to do something from the North West coastal. It’s much more interesting to drive and better scenery.

 

I took it to mean it also included ECS & depot moves which only happen on Sundays, along with the regular Sunday passenger services. Could be wrong though; I was a bit miffed at the bad language he used. Not very professional!

 

Just spoilt it for me now -_-

 

Things such like that shouldn’t be advertised if it isn’t finished

 

Yeah, he said he would have liked to done more with it and not everything was in it so probably not everything that runs on a Sunday is included but more than I may have given the impression of. He did say it was mainly to have interaction in the depot. I’m sure we’ll find out more details in due course. I wouldn’t want to put anyone off from buying it with my interpretation of what he said at the start of that stream. I didn’t watch all of it because it was Twitch.

 

I had no idea that the Sunday timetable was unfinished - they should have made it crystal clear, as there was no mention of its state whatsoever in the roadmaps or pre-release articles. Even then, they shouldn't really be allowed to release an unfinished timetable, unless the players are given assurance that it will be rectified in a patch post-release.

 

They certainly shouldn’t be advertising the route as having two distinct timetables, if the second one is incomplete. In fact, why even bother to include it? Just release as bonus content in a couple of months.

 

Where did you get the idea it was unfinished? I did the sunday timetable and I finished it to their specfication

 

Don't recall them saying it was unfinished, just had more depot moves? May have missed that in the stream though.

 

Sure they didn’t say it was unfinished, have watched the stream and can’t recall anything being said of that nature.

 

The build they were showing wasn’t the finished version, which was commented about.

 

It was what was said on stream apparently Kezz. Don’t take it personally. But thanks for doing 2 timetables honestly that is massive! Shame you left but under understandable circumstances and correct decision.
Still buzzing for your route whatever it is it’s definitely Crewe! Hope it’s going well!

 

It was just that Alan said he would have liked to have done more but they did as much as they could in the time they had. I may have misunderstood what he meant by that. He could have been talking about the whole thing. He never said it was unfinished, that was my word, from my understanding of what was said.

 

Wasn't offended haha was just very confused! It's all good haha

Yeah stuff is going well, won't hijack this thread about it, will be good to see MAC finally out and in players hands though!

 

Wilmslow to Crewe in itself is 19 or so miles. That’s more than 2 thirds of the route just for 5 stations.

 

For those thinking about Cardiff for the TfW 150 and 153 layers, just popped up in the Steam sale at 25% off. Not enough of a discount for me, I'm afraid.

 

Thanks, going to take the plunge - waiting for an extra 10 quid off probably by Christmas isn't worth it for me.

 

Well let me know what you think and I might take the plunge. As you say, the next sales are a big gap after this one. Edit: Well I twisted my own arm and against my better judgement have gone for it over Bernina. Still leaves enough in the Wallet for the 86 pack when it emerges and (maybe) the Manchester route if I relent.

 

LOL Vern, what you like eh! I fully expect another post from you shortly saying you've requested yet another refund from Steam, their team must be waiting for you.....

I'm sticking to my guns and not getting the Cardiff route until at least 50/60% off

 

I hear you but actually the 153 is rather nice and I'm quite enjoying it. And yes it's a bus stop route and far shorter than it ought to have been but at least it's a diesel bus stop.

However driving the 153 does make me wish DTG are working on something where we can drive it further and faster - West or Central Wales would be superb, if highly unlikely.

 

The sound of my childhood

 

Hmm. Looks a bit like a Class 142. Sounds like it too. Does it bounce like a Pacer? Chicken or the Egg?

 

That's because the bodyshell on the Leyland National was used on the 142 and other Pacers, with mods


https://locomotive.fandom.com/wiki/LEV1

Engine is different though, it would have pleased me somewhat to hear a Pacer with the Leyland 510 engine

 

I got to see this up close at the very line shown in the picture. It was there for restoration as part of a contract with the NRM. I first got a glimpse of LEV1 when it was buried down the sidings. It was then moved back into the shed to be repainted and finally moved up to Locomotion Shildon last year.

Must be an older photo as Leeming Bar has had a tarmaced platform since June 2023. The 121 bubble car behind LEV1 is a nice unit though and I rode on it a few times.

 

OT, but overall I like it (Cardiff route). Lots of AI, busy, adverse signals, lots of speed/gradient changes and lots of playability considering the short route mileage. 153 is great, 150 a bit flat compared to the 153. Well worth the purchase in the sale, not only for layers for the ATS route but for the route itself.
OT again, but when did all those new menu features come in (Allow AI substitution, Allow Mods etc)? Missed those completely.

 

I bought Cardiff a little while ago on sale and while I think the stock is fine with the 153 being a nice addition the route is just far too small. Also some stations have those stupid teleport markers on platforms rather than modelling underpasses.