This is a strange omission. Using the keyboard controls, you can only release the brake by opening the throttle and can only close the throttle by applying the brake. This makes e.g. coming to a smooth stop impossible without using the cab controls. Please add the ability to bind keys to "reduce throttle" and "reduce brake".
If I understand you correctly, it works like a modern "single lever" control then for EMUs or locos? Push it forward from neutral and you get throttle, pull it below neutral and you get brake. There is no "reverser" per se? Or is that not the situation? Just curious in what situation you'd want to have throttle and brake on simultaneously?
No, that's not the situation. There's a reverser that's forward/neutral/reverse. No problem there. There are separate throttle and brake controls. In the cab you can set these to whatever position between 0% and 100% you want, as you'd expect. However, you only have two buttons for controlling the throttle and brake - W sets the brake to zero and opens the throttle, while S sets the throttle to zero and applies the brake. If you want to, say, set the throttle to zero without applying the brake, or go from 100% brake to 50% brake, you have to use the cab controls.
If it is designed that way (it is the same on controller so it seems that way) then it’s a really bad design. I had the added problem on PS5 of the in cab controls not being grabbable (DTG are aware of that now) so had to do the strange juggling of brake and throttle to reduce either braking or throttle. It’s worse than the simple controls on Thomas in TSW. I only did one run in Gordon.
Are you both on console? The people who have previewed it seem to be on PC and haven't had that issue. I know there's quite a few games I won't play on console because the port over of controls was really bad. It's odd that it'd be that different if they're building on the TSW framework. Are the controls customizable?
I couldn't recreate the throttle issues. Worked fine for me tonight. The "back to zero then back up" for the throttle is how several locos actually work. The brakes too. It sounds kinda like non-self lapping brakes which I think is how many older engines worked, so kinda feels accurate for the settings. Although for a kids game, I can see it taking some getting used to. On the positive side, there is no dangerous brake pipe delay/recharge so it's not really a problem. As for the manual controls... I couldn't recreate the issue that you can't grab them. They were completely usable from the cab and (unlike the quick keyboard binds) they were self-lapped when being used inside the cab. You could just set them to a certain percentage and leave them. Although I should add that the brake in Diesel has some sort of obstruction when it's in the "off" position so you can't "grab" the brake handle until it's already applied a little bit. Then you can use it fine. But when it's straight up (fully "off") and against the front wall, it's not detected when the cursor passes over it. Once it's at about 20% you can "grab" it since it moved forward enough.
In my job I drive old shunters and old units from time to time and I can tell you that's not how throttle/regulators work. They're more like a tap, you can adjust the flow of power (be it steam or diesel) up or down. I've never driven something that makes you close the throttle to zero to select a new power setting.thats not to say new stuff doesn't behave that way but the heritage locos and units I've touched behave the way I've described. The brake on the other hand oddly feels a bit like using the early DMU vacuum brakes, just without the lap position
Small thing I did forget the early DMUs have a manual gearbox you have to cut throttle to zero to change and then reapply power
I haven't driven any locos irl, but I know I've driven a few in TSW that work somewhat like the ones in Sodor. To be honest, the best way I can describe it as like driving a modern SD 2070 or ES44 with ONLY the dynamic brakes. You have to release the brakes fully to reapply them again or you lose the air and they become ineffective. Not saying it's the best choice, however. Oddly, I think it seems they went out of their way to make it "different" than most actual locomotives and not "easier" which is odd. It's not "difficult" mind you, However, it's also not "easy." Having said that.... it's ONLY in the external view that this is a thing. The brakes and throttle seem to work more traditionally when you are sitting in the cab. I don't really understand the design philosophy behind it. It's not unplayable or even unpleasant to be honest, just.... different. It's still plenty "fun" to drive. Just.... awkward getting used to. Just like the default buttons/keybinds being the opposite of normal in TSW. Just a weird creators choice. I guess my key takeaway is that it's not "broken" if it's designed that way, apart fro not being able to manipulate the brake manually until it's at least the 20-25% position because of some unseen "blockage" in the cab. It's like there's an invisible wall or something between the player and the top of the brake lever (in Diesel anyway) that you can't reach through to grab the brake handle. No issues with Thomas or Gordon. I haven't used the others yet. Maybe I'll give them a go tonight.
I just find it odd that had they just used the TSW diesel driving controls for the "Realism" setting we wouldn't be in this odd little situation. I don't like looking away from the direction of travel to adjust the controls. I've been using the mouse to drive and that feels much better but I prefer using an Xbox controller so that I don't have to look into the cab to drive.
Yeah, I know for some it's more "realistic" to look at controls I guess, but... in reality you don't usually LOOK at controls you're using. You'd have your hand on the brake/throttle and looking around. I mean you don't drive your car by looking at the gas pedal constantly. I just find it odd that they're not the same. I can move the brake in the cab from 80% down to 20% with no problem, but when outside the cab I have to zero it, then move it back up to 20%. Why not just have them the same? It seems like more work to have two similar but different systems. That's how you confuse new players. The realistic setting should be the default in my opinion.
