Route Manchester Airport Commuter - Feedback Thread

Could it be that the TSW5 track shadows were forgotten in the release build? I can still very distinctly see the shadows disappearing a few meters in front of my train.

 

i love the timings i think there great

 

I hate collectibles, but I have had long waits in places and going off to find them was the sensible way to pass time.

"No, I do not want to give up this service!"

 

I'm not 100% sure but it's feeling to me as though speed limits are changing when the nose of the train passes the sign, at least in many places.

I'm aware that technically speaking the sign doesn't have to be where the speed limit changes, but in practice it almost always is...

 

While being a terrible person I enjoyed gawping at the ATS drama, I'm not going to hold this against them so long as it's fixed. It needs the right conditions to come about in beta test; I see it's been reported by someone else in the other thread but doesn't mean it's especially common...

The real measure is going to be how quickly (if at all) the problems are fixed and given their reputation in TSC I see no reason to assume they won't be.

Fundamentally, the route is great even if shorter than I'd hope.

 

I’m not too interested in the drama but I am astonished this can happen and get through to release. Nobody needs to actually hit another train for the erroneous track spacing to be spotted, it would stand out just passing it. I spotted it just from a picture that was posted here when someone asked to see the junction. I didn’t know the junction previously. It’s a parallel crossover and it stands out a lot when the tracks aren’t parallel.

Anyway, it did make it to release so the question now is will it be fixed? I don’t know. I think ATS are doing so many things right so let’s hope fixing the bigger issues like this is another thing they aim to get right. I’m guessing it will be a right pain having to realign the tracks after all the scenery has been done but it does need doing, we can’t rely on fortunate timing to not get struck by another train.

 

I'm sure I heard that on a roadmap stream where it is difficult to adjust the track because it's the first thing laid. Will be interesting to see how it's fixed

 

Being in software development (albeit nothing to do with train sims) I can fully understand it being missed or alternatively given a low priority so long as collisions are rare enough that they never occurred during testing. I see in the other thread someone else had one but it needs the conditions of passing train to be right. Stuff like "not looking right" is completely different cause it's never gonna look right.

The reality is whenever you are a launch customer of any consumer game grade software you are effectively a tester. That's just how it is. This is a bit of a nightmare bug for a developer because it's very high impact, no reasonable work around exists, but it's low probability to discover it.

Something so egregious even if low probability absolutely must get fixed though otherwise ATS won't have any credibility. But one imagines it's a pretty easy one to sort and they have a track record of credibility so I'm not going to criticise them yet. If it's still there in a couple of months time then I totally will!

I'm actually more irritated about the single flashing yellow to red stuff. That is a less egregious failure but since it is so much more obvious it really should have been picked up. But again, it may be that there's only one example of this (I haven't fully explored the route but it certainly happens heading from the south up towards the Manchester branch) and there were more, they were all supposed to be fixed but this one wasn't.

 

Derailment when passing another Pendolino on an intersection. Could it be that there is insufficient clearance between the tracks?

 

I'm not. Lots of stuff gets all the way through beta testing then QA and is then immediately spotted by day one purchasers. Just read this thread and other feedback discussions.

Sometimes the bugs are just annoying and you buy anyway and have faith that they will be patched.

But this track laying error is just freaking scary. Driving a 390 or some other fast train and being sideswiped by another express at a combined 200 mph is not something I recall ever happening in TSW before. And you never can tell when it might happen.

I know it's just simulation but I think I'll avoid this route until that, at least, is fixed.

 

We know from the missing track section at Redhill on BML that it is pretty much impossible, without potentially ripping up the whole track, signalling and timetable database, to make substantial track alterations once laid down. So I have a nasty feeling this issue could be a permanent feature of the route. Whether another solution by restricting signal aspects, as you would do say on interlaced track, is possible remains to be seen.

 

Shouldn't that not have been flagged during testing because in my eyes thats quite serious failure. I know its only a game but hitting hst at speed is not good. The question should be did they even test it and if so and this happened why was it not correct ASAP. Along with the other few bugs.

 

We can only speculate and as always quite possible things were pointed out in testing but it was deemed ripping out substantial sections of track to realign it properly belonged in the too difficult basket!

 

If it’s just a slight slew that’s needed, and that’s what it appears to me to need, it might be easily fixable in-place.

Testing isn’t a one-and-done process - elements of the game (or any system) are often being updated all the time during development whilst testing takes place, in response to bugs, and a common problem is that fixing one bug can cause another, creating a moving target. That being said, this one shouldn’t have slipped through as it appears easy to reproduce and is significant, and, being related to track-laying, has more than likely been in there for a long time (but we don’t know for sure).

 

Could you imagine the uproar if Rivet had made this route

 

I suppose people are a bit more understanding seeing as this is there 1st route maybe.

 

Had a go of this yesterday at a mates. It actually looks good on a lot of the route, which I was really surprised about.

However there’s things that need fixing most of which has been mentioned. But two things really jumped out at me.

1. there’s bridges with missing textures. On one route via Stockport there were a few grey bridges which I thought was weird and then as I passed realised there was no texture.

2. where there is texture like at Stockport, the brickwork and general look is just to clean and bright. Same at Piccadilly. This is Manchester it’s a bit grimy!

Otherwise the stations where nicely modelled.

 

The wall still comes inside the cab at NY Penn, on a TSW3 route. My guess is "It won't be".

 

Frankly I am surprised there's no conspiracy theory yet that Rivet have rebranded under a new name.

 

Not meant as sarcasm!
Thanks to all the beta testers of this board for keeping my money in the wallet. I really had an eye on this route. But I'll wait for a serious patch, if that ever happened.

 

It was one I absolutely had at the top of my wishlist as I have a lot of nice memories of taking it to visit my ex, years ago. But everything I have seen has convinced me to hold off until someone takes another crack at it from scratch.

 

What with this being there first route into tsw you would think they would want to correct there mistakes. To give a good impression for the future.

 

This should only apply with speed reductions and not increases, The speed increases only apply once the entire train has passed the board.
If the new speed increases are applying as soon as the nose is passing the board then something is very wrong.

 

The volume of the AWS inside the Class 323 needs turning up on playstation 5.

 

Hello, friends, I'm planning to purchase this route. Which DLCs do I need to activate to get all the layers? I've noticed that this route has a lot of services that overlap with other routes. The necessary DLCs are not yet listed on TSW Tracker.

 

You need as follows
Midland mainline line
Cardiff city network
Edinburgh Glasgow sprinter timetable
West coast main line south
West coast main line north

Hope that helps

 

Yes, of course, this is useful information! Thank you for your quick response.
Can anyone tell me how long it takes to travel on the 390 Pendolino? I prefer routes that are not too long, around 30-50 minutes. Would it be around ~20 minutes here?

 

Pendolino are between 9 - 12 mins

 

This is the same on PC the OHLE pilots are on the floor at the eastern end of the Ardwick roads. Noticed this on 5S30 - Class 350/1 service.

 

Yes, a tad annoying for an otherwise superb effort, really hoping they fix the small number of signalling issues detailed above in this thread. The track spacing is an urgent one really, but it could be a right pain to sort out as alluded above...I don't think it's a 2 minute job like doing similar jobs in TSC. Hopefully we can get a bit of input from ATS on this site from time to time, maybe?

 

Correct. It's not possible to just "move the track" you have to remove a section and relay it, which then potentially breaks a number of track rules and even the signalling. It's a huge job, to correct such a contained bug. I doubt that it will be fixed.

 

Thought so. Without knowing the other UE/TSW processes in detail that just leaves some sort of signal interlocking to try and remove the hazard, i.e. some sort of link that holds the last signal before the affected section at danger, if a train in the opposite direction is signalled through.

I’m always careful not to criticise testers and in the case of ATS unknown whether their QA was all done in house or whether it also had to go through the DTG in houses scrutiny. But I find it hard to believe that during testing no one encountered the side swipe collision or reported that the tracks looked too close together. Maybe they did and the concerns were brushed aside. It’s not just the player train that could be affected by this, a collision between two AI services could effectively end the run, as happened with SoS and the rogue SPAD’s.

 

Its Manchester dude it always rains!

 

I get that it's not right to be in a sim and it ought to be sorted, but part of me quite likes the element of jeopardy it introduces.

 

And the audio?

 

There's the thing, an issue like this should not have made it to the testing phase. It's so fundamental to laying down the basics the route is built upon, that a pass to confirm everything is in compliance with the loading gauge should be completed prior to beginning to work on everything else dependent upon it.

 

The route went to QC with DTG in February. It's taken 4 months for ATS to correct sufficient bugs for it to pass a more recent DTG QC and thus be released.

 

Your missing the point i dont mind doing them kind of jobs I merely trying to point out. Be careful on your stopping distances because I got a spad 10 yards before I even got the red signal

 

Just had a collision between a 323 (I was driving service 2H42) and either a 150 or 153 in the opposite track and I got derailed. This was just outside levenshulme.

 

Looks like we’ve had the first patch already.

Heaton Chapel is sorted!

Well done, DTG/ATS!

 

Having a blast with the route, even if it is shorter than id like it to be!

Great timetables and route overall - no real complaints (other than what people have already mentioned).

I feel however there is a no Approach Control and/or Approach Release implemented on some signals, at some major junctions; where i feel there should be (not a route i know well so probably completely wrong!). This is around Slade Lane Junction and at Heald Green (North & South) Junctions.

The ballast shoulder is a brilliant implementation and adds variety, however i feel it is a bit over-used in some areas.

The dreaded 'Close Doors on Red' was apparent on a few services ive played, hope to see that ironed out!

Signalling bug whilst playing with the Class 87 (1Z90 MAN-EUS); signal MP 390 displaying green whilst signal MP 374 at danger (see attached image)

 

Had a similar signalling bug, I believe on the Styal Line Surfeit scenario, where there was a flashing single yellow followed directly by a red coming up to the junction towards Manchester Airport. Also not sure if there should have even been a flashing yellow at all seeing as you continue down the Styal line without stopping at the airport in that scenario.

 

rergarding the matter of that interjunction with too close tracks. I am afraid too that this will stay as it is forever. The only thing they perhaps will/can do: change a little the time of the KI, so it would be become more less likely it would happen a derail of two trains (when the player is on time). Or add additional signals to secure this area.
That something becomes overseen in production or in tests - okay, I accept. But the paths of the trains are leading over that section. And as I have seen this in the preview stream I instantly have thought: "these tracks are too close, are they?"
But another question: that section is on the Glossop not existing or?

 

We are looking into a fix for this asap
We are very hopeful we can fix it
This issue cropped up after adjusting some track that was close by towards the release date and the error has then become apparent
Knock on effects from fixing other bugs are a pain the proverbial but we are on it dont worry

 

Xbox series X

Just picked up this route now as I have been looking forward to it. First thing I can say is so far the attention to detail is very great, impressed!

however, I am suffering with severe performance issues coming out of Piccadilly. currently doing the 2A93 to the airport I believe and as I was leaving, had severe stutters, frame rate drops, and textures going blurry as I got just passed ardwick.

Is anyone else suffering with performance issues on the series X or just me?

I’m still looking forward to the route, I know it has great potential!

 

Hi mate the patches have been live a little while are you sure your in the latest version please

 

5A02 does not work. After preparing the train, I waited for about 5 minutes, the traffic light did not switch to permissive mode.

 

Hi Alan, Hope you are well! Yeah I’ve just bought the route around 15 minutes ago! The attention to detail is great, very colourful detailed route, so Bravo to you and your team!

yeah I’ve checked for new updates and there is nothing, so I’m assuming it’s the latest version.

I’m currently on 2A93 and the performance issues started as I was leaving Piccadilly when a 87 was coming in, that’s when the stutters started occurring, followed by severe frame rate drops, probably to around 15FPS, followed by blurry textures!

So far, performance has been the worse between Piccadilly and longsight! I’m currently at Gatley station in the 323 and so far, no stutters or FPS drops, however the blurry textures are still stuck on the 323 and the scenery.

not going to badmouth the route or your team because I’ve been watching you for years and it’s your first TSW route, so not everything will be 100%, but I believe in you guys!

 

There are still blurred textures on PS5 after the patch too, especially in runs in the morning around 8am, but other runs recently have been fine. I will try turning off the 87 Railtour layer later to see if that makes a difference. - But overall a fun and interesting route that is very nice on the eye!

 

The more I look at these, speaking as someone who takes the odd graphic design commission, the more I feel obliged to remind people that we're not that expensive, at my hourly rate, I wouldn't get triple digits for delivering decent, convincing versions of these.