River Games have announced there first DLC for TSW 6 for the ECW! For people who don’t read the roadmap Rivet have been working on a new timetable between December 2018 - May 2019, ECW improvements and there will be a new variant of the turbostar in form of the Class 171 and a new variant of the electrostar which will be the Class 377/3. Screenshots of the Class 170 and the Class 377/3 - Class 170 Class 377/3
Announcing the Class 171 & 377/3 Pack from Rivet Games Coming from our friends at Rivet Games is an all new add-on, includes two trains operated by Southern, the Class 171 (in /7 and /8 versions) and Class 377/3. Rivet Games: "These accompany a new timetable for East Coastway, using the December 2017-May 2018 Working Timetable. It adds Gatwick Express and Thameslink AI to Brighton as well as the London-Eastbourne Southern services (playable between Lewes and Eastbourne) which were missing from the original timetable." "The Class 171 is a variant of the Class 170 operated by Southern. The primary difference is the fitting of a Dellner coupler, rather than the usual BSI coupler, for emergency coupling to Southern's EMU fleet. Southern has shuffled around their 171s a bit, but since our timetable is set in 2017-2018, we are including the two-car 171/7 and the four-car 171/8. The train has audio improvements which will be backported to the Cross-City and Fife Circle 170s." "The Class 377/3 units were originally built as Class 375/3s for Connex South Eastern (later Southeastern), but 28 of them were transferred to Southern. Their designation was changed when they were transferred to reflect the fitting of DOO equipment, and their change to Dellner couplers (although the 375s would eventually get Dellners as well). They are formed of three carriages and are third-rail only." "The main difference between the 377/3 and the 377s already in TSW are the older headlight clusters, the interior, which is 2+2 seating throughout with First Class only on one end, and the number of cars is three instead of four. This change in formation also has the knock-on effect of performance feeling a little different, with one less motor coach than before." "In this timetable, these will mostly operate Seaford services (in addition to a few roaming sets working with the existing 377/4s). If the player owns the Class 313, they will substitute randomly for the 377/3." We'll be sharing more details about the pack, including timetable details and more in the coming weeks ahead. Currently, Rivet Games are also investigating any further changes to the East Coastway route alongside this pack, and we'll keep you updated once we can confirm and share more news.
This feels me with joy, but at the same time dread. ECW and LCC are long overdue for an upgrade. Console players don’t have the luxury of mods and visual improvements, so we have the original outdated look of the route. If you’re trying to sell us add-ons for 5 year old route, the least you can do is bring it up to TSW6 standards.
I'm day-one if they bring ECW up to 2025 standards, otherwise not until it's a very steep discount if ever since i assume it wouldn't really even provide AI layers on other routes, right?
While looking forward to the DLC it's this which really peaks my interest. However while I hope for updated lighting, I know it's more likely to be track shadows
Mentions in the article that they’re looking into additional improvements to the route, so hopefully a bit of a visual update. Honestly though for such an old route, it still looks great anyway.
Not upgrading ECW to TOD4 will cut the potential sales of Add-On by a lot. DTG upgraded CCL when they made class 380 Add-On for it, but I guess they don't care since it's different dev team making it.
That’s one opportunity they missed to get a overhauled ECW along with the new gameplay pack would have been amazing.
Agreeing with the above sentiment. Cathcart had the upgrade which it sorely needed due to limited playability elsewhere. As I’ve already said, these units aren’t going to have any other playability on existing routes, the only way I’m buying this pack is if at the very least, ECW gets ToD4.
Was that DTG upgrade for CCL or was that just DTG's Liam doing the upgrade in his own time? Besides. would be surprised if Rivet went through the trouble of updating the route, when any possible route sales will go to DTG The only outside chance I see is that Rivet might try to repair the reputation damage they caused themselves, as they probably know TSW players have little trust in them. If they do an upgrade however, would definitely repair things with me (It's my home route after all with my place of work being visible coming into Eastboutne)
This is a fair point, but updating the route would make more people more likely to buy the train pack, as some people here have already said this is the only scenario to which they'll buy it
No TOD4, no sale. I must admit I wouldn't have bought the 380 for cathcart if it wasn't for the route improvements. As there wont be any for this add-on, I wont be buying it. They do say that Rivet are looking into route improvements, so if this can be done, I'll purchase the add-on.
I'm not really fussed about getting a pack for a route I rarely play. And the reason I hardly play it, is that it looks so dated now. Like so many old routes, it needs a makeover.
I think the 377/3 has the wrong new headlights in the screenshot despite the release article stating that it will have the old style light clusters. Not a good early first sign.
Hopefully, with Rivet being somewhat in DTG’s back pocket and helping them out no end in the last 12 months, some of the DTG route upgrade magic will find its way onto East Coastway too. In Tyler we trust!
Really good idea but I wish it was getting Cathcart treatment. Always hoping with Rivet looking into "Future Improvements"
Just been watching the roadmap stream and Matt has said they are exploring some “options” so could this mean we are getting a TOD 4 and a overhaul but sadly these won’t be at launch so most likely be a Cathcart upgrade again.
TOD4 and I’d be up for this, but if not then I’ll skip. I have enough TOD4 routes and too little time to play TSW to waste it on routes with flat lighting. Still waiting for London Commuter to get the transformation (twice!) that DRA had - until then it stays in the attic.
I'd like to ask - where would the 171 be playable? The 377 I understand run the same services as the 313, but I thought the 171 ran a shuttle service between Eastbourne and Ashford International so where would we drive it?
Quite disappointing tbh. Well, then i'll be waiting to see if it ever gets a TOD4 upgrade before buying the pack. Just don't have a ton of faith they'd ever go back and do another upgrade, especially since if it isn't worth it for them to do with a paid DLC, when will it ever be?
Yes, was it pre-pandemic? I expect the timetable will be set then, especially given all the scenery will be set around about that time as this is just a new timetable on an old route (even a TOD4 upgrade wouldn’t re-date a route). So that means 171s should do the full Brighton-Eastbourne section as part of their off-map journey to Ashford.
Sadly *options* probably goes in the same snake oil pigeon hole as passed to engineering, which then becomes not a priority right now...
Yep, probably will be just the pack and that’s it unless we see on the next roadmap that they are updating ECW, I guess time will tell.
Yeah unless the route gets a Tod4 upgrade and a timetable remaster, it's a no from me regarding purchase.
When the 380 came out, if I recall there was no mention of an upgrade to the CCL and after quite a few comments it was announced it was being updated, although IIRC DTG later said they were doing it anyway. Matt did comment that ECW was using TOD2 lighting which gives me hope that a lighting overhaul is possibly on the cards. It is one of the best older routes so I doubt needs a huge amount doing to it.
I think DTG are playing it safe by curbing any type of expectations to save on disappointment in case things don't go to plan or to a certain time line. ECW will most likely get a 'light refresh' for launch and a better update in a post release update. Atleast that's my belief. I never thought I'd say this, but I have to hand it to Rivet, it seems something has 'changed' behind the scenes and they are heading into the right trajectory. The 170 update for BCC and the Riveria Line have done them credit and I think in the long term we will see further improvements to their content. I'm genuinely happy that the company has had a much needed wake up call and I hope that they continue to improve their image and content quality. The Class 377/3 and 171 will be a day one purchase from me regardless, I have hope that ECW will be a longer term project to bring it up to date, but overall I'll be happy with a overhauled timetable as a stop gap measure to draw me back in.
It's one of the few old routes I use as I like the Seaford branch and enjoy the 313 so I'm more likely to get this than not. If it gets a TOD4 upgrade then it's definite.
Honestly rather unusually for me I'm actually considering this one. Whether ECW gets some extra love or not. It was my first route and it's a local one for me. Will be nice to run it again with some more modern made traction and get a new timetable with some variety. I know I'm usually among the first in line to doubt Rivet and their content. But it's an old route with old stock which would probably otherwise stay unchanged so I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt on this one.
Excited for this, I really enjoy ECW, still play it regularly. Could be a rare full price purchase for me! I do hope the 171 doesn’t decimate the 313 service though, I’m not sure what the balance was like when they were both operating? Any upgrade to the route would just be a bonus for me.
The 171s mainly ran from Brighton to Eastbourne as far as ECW is concerned. The 313s were mainly the staple of the run down to Seaford. It's more the new 377 subbing in on the 313 services I'd imagine? Either way I do agree, love the 313, been on them many times!
Oh yes of course it is, well I guess my point still stands… I hope there are still plenty of 313s to see even with the new 377s. Did the 313s stay on the Lewes shuttle by any chance? I love that I can jump on this for a ~15 min one way or ~30 min round trip on some older stock.
I believe they were still kept on the Lewes shuttle but I could be wrong. I'd love them to do an official 313 201 livery in the BR blue/grey livery!
I'm not expecting any kind of route update, they didn't for Birmingham Cross City and they won't for this.
This route is my local that I commute on to Lovers Walk, so seeing this route being upgraded is much needed in my eyes. Personally, I can’t see how they can add a timetable and add new (ish) stock without modifying the route. Quite a few things could be done to improve it; the scenery is okay but reasonably sparse in some areas especially looking at the downs when driving. Hopefully a couple of extra layers on the new timetable will be nice to see
BCC is already TOD4, though, so less of a need to update it. I'm sure there are things like scenery that aren't quite how people would like them to be, but vs ECW it's still on a much newer base.
