Gameplay Is Steam Dead?

Discussion in 'Suggestions' started by ehz0689, Sep 29, 2025.

  1. ehz0689

    ehz0689 Well-Known Member

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    Has DTG given up on steam entirely? No Thomas does not count
     
  2. eMAyTeeTee

    eMAyTeeTee Well-Known Member

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    Unfortunately
     
  3. OldVern

    OldVern Well-Known Member

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    It seems so. Not given a mention at all in Direct. The game designers like their shiny modern trains which allegedly bring in the most spondulix. If they can’t find programmer time for simple things like addressing passenger behaviour or adding more save slots, a fundamental revamp of steam physics seems unlikely.
     
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  4. star#5823

    star#5823 Well-Known Member

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    Yep because this company can’t give some extra resources to fix steam and work on the core to make it usable for third parties
     
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  5. jedi247

    jedi247 Well-Known Member

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    It's a pity. Steam locos are historic and really cool to see. The US and UK (and many other countries too) have restored a large number of steam locos on both tourist rail lines and on the mainlines. A few steam locos have even been built brand new or are in the process of being built (Tornado and PRR T1 #5550, for example). Other restorations are ongoing (PRR K4s #1361, for example).
    A lot of the other train simulator games have steam locos. Train Sim World needs more steam locos and routes too.
     
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  6. GWRKingClass

    GWRKingClass Member

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    It's a real shame, as I think with some reworking and the right route it could be quite popular. The best we can hope for it seems for now for historic routes are post dieselisation ones done well that sell in good numbers.

    As was said on the closure of the Lynton & Barnstable, "Perchance it is not dead but sleepeth"
     
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  7. OldVern

    OldVern Well-Known Member

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    They couldn't even do a facsimile of Locomotion and early rolling stock to celebrate Rail 200.
     
  8. star#5823

    star#5823 Well-Known Member

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    Probably because it would annoy the modern “fans”
     
  9. operator#7940

    operator#7940 Well-Known Member

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    Is this really a "suggestion"?
    You could have posted this on the 30 other threads about steam.
     
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  10. Wivenswold

    Wivenswold Well-Known Member

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    While I doubt DTG would ever release sales figures I suspect the lack of development is down to their need to turn a profit on the franchise each year.
    If you look at the eras that DTG is making DLC for, it will give you a very big clue as to what sells.

    If steam engines is your thing, in fact, if anything 20th century is your thing, you'd be well advised to by a cheap PC and get into Train Sim Classic. There are still independent developers making steam engines for TSC and there's a far greater selection of British Rail-era stuff too.
     
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  11. operator#7940

    operator#7940 Well-Known Member

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    I'd agree on that. Most of the steam content out there that's more TSW-ish (you can walk around, etc) is US focused.
    Railroader is US.
    Railroads Online is US.
    Century of Steam will be US.
    Derail Valley is European (Eastern European) so at least some of the signage and couplers and such are more familiar to UK fans potentially. To be fair, I think the steam trains in that are based on US steam engines brought over for World War 2 and given to European railways to use later.

    I suppose if enough people suddenly bought up Spirit of Steam and Peak Valley DLCs there'd be a surge of interest and DTG might make more steam stuff... but it'd be the same simplified steam stuff currently in the game. Just more variety.
    I'd be okay with that, but I know there is a vocal group that would not.
     
  12. ehz0689

    ehz0689 Well-Known Member

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    Are you a real railfan if you can't appreciate the history?
     
  13. ehz0689

    ehz0689 Well-Known Member

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    All I want is a narrow gauge route like Talyllyn. Doesn't have to be that but still. Also I just want drive a pannier tank and paint it light green. Iykyk
     
  14. star#5823

    star#5823 Well-Known Member

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    No, anyways I’m probably one of the biggest supporters of more steam and br trains being added to the game hence multiple threads about it/ fighting these so called fans
     
  15. Ella :3

    Ella :3 Member

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    I don't think it's dead, DTG are still kind of pushing for steam, evidently from their UK routes (after the hiatus of steam) for their railtours and heritage railway services, like The Rivera Line.

    From a business perspective, the demand for steam are rising and is a massive market, so for DTG, they will be making a loss because they haven't met those demands. For console players, they can't drive steam locomotives on any different game because there are barely any railway games and rarely include steam locomotives. This brings me to my next point.

    The introduction of Trainz Simulator: World Tour coming to Xbox (October 24th)

    TSW has a Monopoly over train games on consoles and PC, the introduction of Trainz will bring massive competition into the market, bringing 4 routes across the globe and 3 countries (including Australia) which all come will a steam locomotive and several diesel locomotives with each route and country. Why I mention this is the fact that these are highly requested for TSW (and a lot of people play it on console) like: BR 9Fs, international steam locomotives, and Australia.


    I personally think that DTG should continue the development of steam because:
    It's highly requested
    And
    It's probably the most important era in train history

    People do want steam in TSW but they want them executed correctly with proper physics and firing.

    (I hope this makes sense, and I didn't mean to get business-y)
     
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  16. operator#7940

    operator#7940 Well-Known Member

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    You missed about 4 great games with steam locomotives (better than TSW's) as their primary focus.
    The ONLY advantage TSW has is being console, while other railway games are on PC.
    That's really the only thing TSW has special.
    Otherwise you could just go play those games who implement steam locos better, and you get a whole game for the cost of one small TSW DLC.
     
  17. Killer-Of-Night

    Killer-Of-Night Well-Known Member

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    Based on what I have heard from those that tested th beta for it, it may not compete with TSW, even if it has content that TSW keep asking for, as apparently people didn't like how it was during the beta.
     
  18. Ella :3

    Ella :3 Member

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    I haven't heard anything like that to be honest, all I know is that Pre-orders have started
     
  19. Killer-Of-Night

    Killer-Of-Night Well-Known Member

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    Some comments from another thread.
     
  20. star#5823

    star#5823 Well-Known Member

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    That’s the thing though they are comparing two completely different games with different amounts of money and time, also the beta for tsw wasn’t much better from what I’ve heard

    stuff changes so who knows if it will improve or not but at least it’s opening more options for train sims on console
     
  21. Ella :3

    Ella :3 Member

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    I know I did miss some games like Railroads Online and other stuff, but I know that Trainz is a big competitor for TSC
     
  22. tehangrybird345

    tehangrybird345 Well-Known Member

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    Unfortunately they just don’t turn enough of a profit for them to deeply invest into. Best case scenario we might get more railtour steam DLC’s like The Flying Scotsman, but I doubt we will see any new steam era routes for a while. If they just invested into it more, and refined the physics a little, I can see it being much more successful.
     
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  23. oakleymoss#1362

    oakleymoss#1362 Well-Known Member

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    It's dead until DTG can stick their finger out and fix the physics
     
  24. ehz0689

    ehz0689 Well-Known Member

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    That's bs. The studio was bought out and alot will argue the dlc prices are overpriced
     
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  25. cam#7629

    cam#7629 Well-Known Member

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    If you think people (including me) don't like it when steam is put above modern trains then I suggest you rethink that as its not true..
     
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  26. star#5823

    star#5823 Well-Known Member

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    Multiple threads have proved that modern fans tend to not like mentions of steam
     
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  27. Ella :3

    Ella :3 Member

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    In my personal opinion, modern traction is so monotonous most times, while steam engines take so much attention and care to run effectively.

    If I drove a class 323 up the Lickey Incline, it won't be as fun as if I drove a Jubilee it'll be an amusing challenge and I'll have more focus on what I'm doing, unlike the 323 where all i can say is: "oh look, a sheep".

    Even modern routes are repetitive and boring, even though Spirit of Steam barely captures the spirit of steam, its filled with industries and the transition from suburban Merseyside to the WCML in Cheshire adds to the element, Peak Forest is beautiful, absolutely stunning, and a difficult challenge with a non-linear layout, even though the timetable could be improved with express trains and 4F services like mineral trains and passenger services.

    The main feature of TSW6 is "expect the unexpected", but every steam locomotive is a different adventure each time you drive one, just imagine what could happen if steam locomotives returned in TSW6 with train faults, like water injectors failing or something challenging and interesting.
     
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  28. star#5823

    star#5823 Well-Known Member

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    Finally someone gets how I feel
     
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  29. Ella :3

    Ella :3 Member

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    At least I'm not the only one
     
  30. ehz0689

    ehz0689 Well-Known Member

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    The Tylenol is strong with them
     
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  31. operator#7940

    operator#7940 Well-Known Member

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    Do you fully realize the irony of what you just said?
    I think it's the opposite of the intended meaning.
    =-)
     
  32. operator#7940

    operator#7940 Well-Known Member

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    Steam is kind of annoying in practice.
    Fun to watch but not really to drive for me.
    Diesel is where it's at.
    Not that any of this matters since a handful of vocal people on a forum is as important as real sales numbers.
     
  33. ilovelucky63

    ilovelucky63 Well-Known Member

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    IMO if we were to have another steam loco then a Pannier would be perfect. Would go great with the WSR and the AI movements on the Dartmouth and South Devon railway on the Riveria route.
     
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  34. eldomtom2

    eldomtom2 Well-Known Member

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    Do we have to have these same old "DTG can do no wrong, it's all the customer's fault" posts based on no evidence?
    [Citation needed]
     
  35. star#5823

    star#5823 Well-Known Member

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    We wouldn’t have a debate if they did like steam. Basically just look at some individuals that tend to mention steam didn’t sell well etc, they tend to be modern fans going off what they post in other forums
     
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  36. tehangrybird345

    tehangrybird345 Well-Known Member

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    It is. Even though I tend to prefer diesels and electrics, I really wish they gave steam a better chance.
     
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  37. oakleymoss#1362

    oakleymoss#1362 Well-Known Member

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    It's criminal how we had 2 steam routes and we didn't get a tank engine to shunt with.. IF we ever get steam back, I would kill to see a tank engine like a Jinty or Pannier in TSW.

    I'm actually both surprised and not surprised that we haven't got anything related to Railway200 yet
     
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  38. cam#7629

    cam#7629 Well-Known Member

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    Yea and because a few say that does not suddenly mean everyone shares that opinion.
     
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  39. Ella :3

    Ella :3 Member

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    DTG should've carried on with steam development and the people who didn't like it, they didn't have to buy them if its not their fancy
     
  40. star#5823

    star#5823 Well-Known Member

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    It’s more the fact they attack you for having a different perspective
     
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  41. abzeronow

    abzeronow New Member

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    That would have been cool, but I can see why they wouldn't have done it. Old B&O trains would be cool for 2027 but I doubt they'd do that for the US when they didn't do anything for the UK, their home market.
     
  42. jack#9468

    jack#9468 Well-Known Member

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  43. OldVern

    OldVern Well-Known Member

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    A Jinty would have sold like hot cakes, even with the current state of the physics. If only to relive the excitement of buying the Hornby version with synchrosmoke all those years ago. A larger LMS or BR Standard tank loco would not have gone amiss either, along with a few more goods wagons or some ex LMS coaches. I’d have dropped £18 on that in a heartbeat.
     
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  44. star#5823

    star#5823 Well-Known Member

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    I would drop even more, that’s how much I want steam back
     
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  45. trainfan#6965

    trainfan#6965 Well-Known Member

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    Yes
     
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  46. ilovelucky63

    ilovelucky63 Well-Known Member

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    Well I say to DTG, stop making excuses, find a way to make it work and get on with it!

    [EDIT]

    Money is waiting…
     
    Last edited: Oct 8, 2025 at 9:02 PM
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  47. Double Yellow

    Double Yellow Well-Known Member

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    The problem is there isn’t enough money to be made.

    Besides if you’re a steam fan you’re on TSC, not TSW. TSW’s imagining of steam is weak, Which is why it failed miserably.

    Peak Forest was suppose to get an extension. Has that been cancelled too?
     
  48. star#5823

    star#5823 Well-Known Member

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    Not cancelled yet but dev hell for the class 104
     
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  49. ilovelucky63

    ilovelucky63 Well-Known Member

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    The next attempt could be a winner.
     
  50. cam#7629

    cam#7629 Well-Known Member

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    They may do, but me personally I wouldn't attack some for having a opinion
     

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