Annual Tsw Release Must Stop

annual tsw release must stop for the good of consumers and for the good of dtg itself
the epic games dlcs issue (and adding to that the fact that we have to re-download all the dlcs every year)
has already reached an unacceptable level
although I'm part of the steam player base, if I had purchased dlcs from epic, I would feel deeply cheated and deceived (since dtg makes it clear that I can bring all compatible content to tsw6, which turns out not to be true for the epic tsw players)
dtg needs to stop these useless annual releases, there aren't any major changes to the core game to justify them, despite cosmetic changes and the addition of a few (and some irrelevant) "new" features
in the end, it's all about marketing which also does not justify a "new" game version every year
If the team responsible for tsw marketing thinks that it's only possible to bring in new players by making this mess every year, then this marketing team is terrible
It's time to adopt the tsc model for tsw
also remembered the caltrain dlcs issue, a problem that also only exists because of the useless annual releases policy

 

People when they realise DTG is a business:

 

Tbh i do not mind Annual releases, but redownloading the DLCs is a big pain in the bottom (thank god I have FTTH connection).
Although they can approach it with the solution of a local folder (like saves in C:\Users\"YourUser"\Documents\My Games) but in the Program Data (Or Program Files) folder called "TSW DLC", and just simply make a patch for the affected DLCs when they change the code for TSW compatible content.

 

Behave... It's a business. There is nothing wrong with the yearly model we presently have.

The only valid criticism that needs a change is stream lining the yearly DLC transfer a bit better. That is it, in my opinion.

 

And this is a very clear example why they get away with doing this,

yearly releases are just pointless and waste resources when they could be fixing and putting effort into the core routes

 

I must admit, as a Steam player with over 100 DLC, I've always accepted the yearly download as an annoyance, but not a major problem.

But if I was ever faced with the prospect of not having all my DLC be available for the latest version, I would stop buying TSW completely.

 

Getting away with what exactly can I ask?

Granted TSW5 was an absolute flop in my opinion and the whole situation last year was abysmal, but outside of that, you are getting a free upgrade to a new edition of the game? And by the looks of todays roadmap this could possibly be the best edition of TSW to date, I haven't seen a Roadmap this lively and exciting for a very long time.

But I can't see what 'they get away with' exactly? Releasing a new edition each year? The paywall has been taken down and people can upgrade for free if they don't want to purchase the new routes? I don't think that's particularly a bad business model, and certainly inclusive for all players which is a positive thing.

 

Unfortunately this is kinda their business model. Think of it like Call of duty, Battlefield, Forza then extra DLC for enhance packs after buying the standard or deluxe edition to enhance your gameplay. I'll admit having the base version of the game needs to be free for free upgrades for players so that it is all consumer friendly so we can upgrade. Maybe TSW should do a loyalty card service buy 10 dlcs get one free or something like that but tbh it's their business model and it's the only they'll make money because of the nature of the game a bit like sins but at least DTG aren't like EA games

 

The thing is though, Caltrain got delisted before tsw6 was even announced, but its coming back, albeit unbranded, in tsw6. If we stuck in tsw5, it may very well have been gone forever

 

I go on the side of no longer having annual releases as a new game. The whole thing is getting too big for that with the amount of ever increasing DLC and DTG unable or unwilling to compress the ridiculous amount of file size a typical 60km route and train takes up. On the other side of the coin, the distributors signed up with DTG so should be prepared to pay for the bandwidth. After all, the annual download is no different to a player having swapped out TSW to play something else if short on HD space or a complete reinstall after a rage delete.

That said it is quite ludicrous DTG can't devise a system to move DLC files across on the player local install then patch as necessary. Maybe make a few marketing staff redundant and hire a programmer or two capable of achieving this.

 

I have always been in favour of the yearly updates but now seeing DLC content no longer being transferrable, like the Caltrain dlcs and the shocking Epic situation, then I think enough is enough. Building and maintaining a collection has always been a big buying factor for many people, that's why layering came about so people could take advantage of their collections. Time to stop unless they can future-proof peoples collections.

 

Several other “businesses” with train sims don’t do this, wonder how they’ve not become bankrupt? Not to mention the plethora of other games that just sell frequent dlc to keep their games visible to the masses.
Of course it doesn’t need to be re-released every year, it’s not critical like FIFA is because of transfers and promotion/relegation. It’s just a train sim.

 

If annual re-releases are going to happen, we need at least a better way to manage all the DLC we have.

 

Yes and that's why I don't buy anything from DTG, I'm voting with my wallet rather than "ranty posts", as one forum member called it..

 

N3V were doing it about every three years with Trainz, but thus far haven't popped out a TRS2025 or 2026 to replace TRS2022.

 

Annual releases are for a reason which i think is completely valid. They help in attracting new players. When a new game launches, it usually gets featured on the store pages for a while, which means more people notice it. Plus, marketing is also done by vendors like Epic Games Store on their socials and other big social media channels like IGN. Train sim is already a much more niche market compared to truck or bus sims, so maintaining hype and sustaining the player base is challenging without periodically expanding to new audiences.

Also i don’t get why DTG is getting all this hate for something that’s not even in their hands. This is entirely an EGS issue. No other vendor seems to have this problem other than EGS. And honestly, when you buy a DLC for let's say Train Sim World 5, you’re buying it for TSW5, not for every future game forever. DTG never promised lifetime compatibility, it’s always been more of a bonus that older DLCs carry forward. If your DLC works in TSW5, then it’s doing exactly what you paid for.

 

Yawn same rant every year, just deal with it

First world problems.

 

I'm not going to drop on either side of this debate, but calling for people to lose their jobs, whatever the reason isn't very nice Vern, seems quite unlike you...

 

That’s because it’s route builder game first and foremost and they improve the tools. Not the case here.

 

They literally could do a TSC and it would do the exact thing for them just without LOVE**** with the player base by having to re-download stuff and lose stuff

 

Living in not so first world, with slow unlimited internet at 250 Mbit/s, I don't see a problem in spending several hours re-downloading DLC

 

Same triggered replies without any proper arguments or something that contributes to the discussion for that matter, same thing every single time one has an opinion that doesn't match yours...

 

Read my comments from last year, 2023 2022.

There is nothing new I can add to this argument. And since more than half the people on this thread are basically saying the same thing as I am, just deal with it, I don 't see you snapping at them.

Funny you picked me of the bunch.

And what do you mean, I agree with lots of people on these forums alot of the time.

 

Oh a new troll account telling them to stop and thread locked

 

Absolutely this. Every year it gets longer and longer.

 

If there were one constant TSW version, it would still be hitting Epic's DLC cap around this time, DTG would still have to delete some DLCs to make way for new ones, and said deleted ones would still not be getting future updates.

Where exactly is the cause and effect between annual releases and the Epic boondoggle?

 

Trust me, I unfortunately have... Many that complained about the issues in the past has since then disappeared from the forums, reinforcing my point further.

Huh? Defending the annual release nonsense? At the very least they have an argument to bring to the table, I don't think any of them are valid, but at the very least there is an argument. I indirectly mentioned you in my original comment, so of course I'm gonna "snap" at you.

Of course you do. My point is that you reply with snarky remarks rather than proper arguments, the moment someone has something to say that you don't like, they are "ranting" or "snapping at you" about "first world problems", every single time, get a grip. And that's why I rarely visit the forums nowadays, the quality is just so unbelievably low, at the very least it matches the state of the game, lmao

 

Don’t wanna start anything but where’s my opinion: I think the yearly releases are fine, but Dovetail eventually needs to drop the numbers and change to a 2025, 2026 etc etc. eventually we’ll be on TSW 11 which doesn’t sound right

 

It’s a free update. The routes are optional. It’s essentially a 3 route pack with deluxe locos for a third of the normal price.

 

Honestly TSW could of easily survived without major title changes every year. Maybe every few years for really major core updates, but not new titles every year. The TSC situation would be ideal, but I think that ship has long sailed.

I still like to know how many new players DTG get with these new releases. Most people who like trains or sims and play games already knows about TSW. So selling a new game to throw up on game marketplaces isn't really gonna attract new players, and I bet most of the average gamers will just ignore it on the storefront.

 

I totally agree that the annual releases must be stop at this point, i would say the big change whit TSW6 Is the random events/train faults on timetable and announcements, i was hoped also for the full working ebula but i feel this probably never happens, at some point whit the increasing amount of GB whit dlcs and new versions every year i will have to save one version on external SD Memory to make space on my PS5, and i think there are various option to bring new players to the game whitout annual releases, like add more countries, or keep releasing dlcs that are most asked by community.

 

[QUOTE I still like to know how many new players DTG get with these new releases. Most people who like trains or sims and play games already knows about TSW. So selling a new game to throw up on game marketplaces isn't really gonna attract new players, and I bet most of the average gamers will just ignore it on the storefront.[/QUOTE]

ya i ask my self how many new players are they by now. and how many are done with tsw and left. but like in road map steam they release new tsw game to bring people in to make more tsw dlc content. and file more of same paperwork to xbox and epic and sony steam for the dlc every year.
and maybe they know about tsw but the content they like is not even in the game but go to trainz cause they have content that the person likes.

 

I personally do not mind annual releases, as long as the core itself is free, and the bundles/routes are completely optional to players.

however, I think there needs to be some way around the redownloading of DLCs for every game, it is definitely a painstaking process and I hope that there will be a solution in the future.

 

My prayers go out to all the people with super slow internet. Where their entire collection takes them 3 days to download.

 

No it’s not, but neither is cutting people off from DLC they have purchased, regardless of any small print about supply and continued availability of the content. And it does seem to me DTG is top heavy with management and marketing staff as opposed to “coal face” coders and content creators. I apologise if it seems harsh and as a Steam customer it doesn’t affect me directly, but it might do in a year or two when Valve call time on redownloading by then maybe a terabyte of data to service DTG’s decision to rebrand the game every year and not have a workable solution to the DLC transfer problem.

 

Hmm. Those arguing that the yearly release is required are missing the fact that DTG’s Train Simulator doesn’t require a new game every year and is still rather popular.

Why is it needed for TSW, but not TSC?

Furthermore, it is becoming increasingly evident that a yearly release of TSW is causing more harm than good.

By now, I honestly doubt the advantage to DTG releasing a new game every year is outweighing the disadvantages it brings. Just one example, players on the Epic platform are losing the vast majority of their DLC if they move to TSW 6. So, will they even bother to do so? If I was on Epic, I’d not be in any hurry to get TSW 6 that’s for sure.

 

And I doubt this is anything to do with Focus Entertainment oversight. After all, Snowrunner doesn’t get an annual re-release, they just bring out a new Season Pass which must sell quite well and add any core fixes or improvements on an ongoing basis.

 

No argument on most of these points. However I would disagree that marketing isn't the coalface - there will be little difference in salaries and level of authority from the majority that work in a marketing role as a day job to those that code and script and design models etc. They're as much regular joes as you and I, so ire directed their way is misplaced

 

Yes. I first bought TSW2 via PS sales. I wanted to try but was unwilling to pay full, or not even close to full, price.

I think there needs to be a little re-balancing.
They've got a monopoly on console and, by the rate the game is expanding, they seem to be doing very well. As players we do get occasional rewards like remasters, but this annual DLC pain doesn't favour anyone bar themselves.
And that pain is getting worse every year. Eventually we'll die(as customers).
Maybe that's their strategy. Quick buck. Kinda fits with the bugs, etc.

 

I welcome an annual update if it gives us new features and there is a free upgrade option (as with TSW5 and 6) for those who don’t want the bundles routes.

 

It's frustrating to redownload the content but it's only for 1 days out of the whole year so I can live with that. Etherley helps lol.

For PC though, what prevents us from just copying the DLC from the previous year's game to the current year's game DLC folder? It's not something I've personally tried, but couldn't we do that and DTG have something to verify we own the DLC in our steam account and allow us to play on the new game? Or is that potential loophole for those who may get DLC illegitimately?

 

Well that is how it should work with a small patch being applied to update as necessary. However I suspect Steam probably needs to run some sort of authentication or checksum when placing the content in the new version which ends up having to download the whole shebang. Still it is something DTG should be actively working to facilitate, if we are going through this nonsense again next year with TSW7, probably an additional 50 or 60 Gb of content accrued by then, too.

 

It seems to me that everything is a bit more complicated. One way or another, but most likely, the hash sum of the files will change in the new version. However, you can start downloading, Steam will create the necessary folders and files. Stop downloading, copy the folder with the DLC from the previous version to the new one and run a game check in Steam. It is possible that Steam will download only what is necessary, and not everything completely from scratch.

 

And alienate old and loyal players, heh...

 

Personally I don't understand the argument annual releases attract new players because even without that, TSW will attract those who are attracted by trains and everyone knows TSW closely or from afar ,the rest skip that

 

I don't really like it either, but it must be working really well for them to continue doing it year upon year. Only they have the real numbers I'd assume though (money).

 

There are three guarantees in life;

• Death
• Taxes
• A new TSW every September

 

It obviously works, other big companies do it and earn a lot even though it's the same game and I think DTG played intelligently with the free starter pack because the majority of players will continue to feed the game unlike a game where you have to buy the game again which can make players not want to follow

 

Well I don't like the annual merry go round either, even though I have fast fiber internet. It's rather nerve racking and there are already signs that it's not going to be worry free this year.

But DTG has a lock on train simming, they well know that we have effectively nowhere else to go for a fix.

So they will keep doing whatever they want regardless of what anyone on the forum says.

The only thing that will change their strategy is someone like Valve, Sony or Microsoft holding up a stop sign like Epic apparently did.

Even then they'll simply " curate " ( don't you just love that word ) our hard earned collections away.

Maybe that won't happen this year, but sooner or later.........

 

I am more than happy to get an extended "riesa - dresden", its the route im looking forward to. So if its the only way for DTG to make extensions happen, i really can live with downloading TSW every year.