West Coast Main Line: Trent Valley From All Aboard Studios

Im going to try it out see how it is on my series x

 

Yes, strange really. One thing's for sure, it's not an easy fix unfortunately. We're still waiting for the signals in MAC to be fixed as well, how long is that taking!

 

I play on series x on full timetable some layers disabled and have had no ctd had a little blurriness tho nothing to bad. The only that annoys me is the lack of freight. Even with every class in total only about 35 and more then half are just shunting and short runs.

 

Each to their own obviously, I never said my opinion was fact but I still think I should be allowed to discuss things like performance, especially when it impacts a route which I was thinking about purchasing. Are these discussion threads not made for discussion? I see plenty of people on this thread who are thinking of purchasing the route, why should we lock discussion threads to only people who own the content?

Also I think that if content is going to be sold on console it has to be up to a certain standard. To repeat my previous point why would I spend over £50 just to prove to the you or AABS that blurry textures are prominent on AABS content? It's also not like it's a one off report of blurry textures either, a large number of people report blurry textures on console (especially Xbox) all the time, and a lot of the time it is to do with AABS content.

 

The thing that needs mentioning is the fact blurry textures/performance issues are not just the 3rd party devs fault, the main fault lies within TSW itself regardless of route, so by extension blaming AABS for blurry textures and the like is a bit daft to say the least.

 

Well yes, but also no.

DTG 350 = not blurry.
AAS 350= blurry.

Firefly/JT/even latest DTG route = not blurry.
AAS route = blurry.

Obviously the crux of it is lying with DTG’s core, but AAS are also doing something others aren’t, or vice versa, because so far they’re 3 for 3 on dodgy console experiences.

 

Your spot on ive noticed that tbf

 

The problem is some of you keep repeating yourself, when you already know the issues regarding performance on your chosen platform.
8th gen/Series S owners will continue to be frowned because of the lack the memory for the consoles. The Series X is hit n miss, some players have a slightly better experience than others, PS5 seems to be in the middle and PC seems to be eating the premium slice of the pie. Lower spec rigs will obviously not fair so well. That’s on us though, we invest in a piece of hardware and we get what we pay for.

No matter how much nagging at the devs to improve the performance, the game will continue to function at its current state with minor tweaks to FPS. I noticed B2C has slightly downgraded its fidelity by a touch on PS5, but the fps seems more stable now.
I can’t comment on other platforms because I don’t own those versions, so all my posts would be looking at what other Xbox and pc users were saying and giving my 2 cents on that, which is unfair and I have no business engaging with.

 

For whatever it's worth, I'm really enjoying this route. For 108 miles worth of driving, it seems really decently optimized on the PC (potato 3070), with a good variety of things to do. I just wish the 350 had a wider windscreen or more driver windows to take in the really well done landscapes- I tend not to use helicopter-mode when I'm sim driving lol. Anyway, solid effort. Thank you AAA and DTG.

 

Nope! My TVL’s experience on the PS5 Pro is fantastic. 2 for 3.
Wait, Xbox, PlayStation… Who’s the third?

 

I never blamed AABS for blurry textures though? I simply made an observation that their products always feature blurry textures. I'm well aware that other routes have blurry textures and have mentioned it before. I'm not sure why people think I've got an axe to grind with AABS, I've said multiple times that I would like to buy their content and would do if it didn't constantly have blurry textures and performance issues.

 

Try the 323 instead. It’s fun driving on the up slow watching all the high speed trains passing you

 

Yep, could do with a moveable cab view really. Or you can just position a camera view outside the front window.

 

I used to do that (pop the camera in front of the train). Now I just zoom in, in the cab. I like a bigger picture, rather than having the camera panned back.

 

Hmmmm…

Hmmmm???

Crashes are not a fantastic experience. Now do you see why I won’t spend my money? Or should I ignore your feedback about the route crashing, even on a PS5 Pro?

 

To be fair, I know when crash toward the end of a service, I do exclaim “fantastic!”.

 

Clearly didn’t read my full comment.

Before the update/latest patch today it was fine.

Towards*

 

It is one of the scenarios, and was at 10am

 

The word might begin with "F" but it's certainly not "Fantastic".

"Oh for fantastic's sake, not this again."

 

Failure?

 

Fun and failure start the same way

 

Note to self:

Ignore the haters of AABS who haven’t bought the route/routes, but insist on commenting like they have done and telling others AABS are the worst studio to exist. “They’re not”.

 

But how we define them both is real question.

 

I can safely say this is one of the best routes yet in TSW. The route builders and artists at AABS have done a great job and, while I sympathise if they are a bit burned out, I would like to hope they won't be restricting themselves to shorter projects in future. Just cleared Stafford on my inaugural Class 390 run and blown away by the detail and, well, just the experience of slamming down the WCML in a Pendolino. It is a far more interesting route than ECML, both in the sim and IRL.

I must confess though to stopping at Kilsby Tunnel and using the 8 view to explore the south end around the portal. The road is there, where we used to cycle to from Northampton to do some train watching, though of course the area is more overgrown again both in sim and reality. Then I crawled through the tunnel at 30 MPH to value the structure and air vents. It is everything I hoped it would it would be, thanks Kezz and team.

 

You have no evidence it was the update that caused it. It’s more likely to be the route because other people have been reporting crashes happening (even on PS5 Pro using the reduced timetable) since the route launched, before the update. It’s just you had (presumably) a few runs without a crash before you had one. You can ignore that if you like.

I did read your full comment and I’ve read a lot of other comments too, which is why I haven’t bought the routes. I’ve been doing plenty of research because I would be buying both routes and the 805 together to get the full timetables and it’s a lot of money to shell out. I’ve read a lot and watched a few videos. The Birmingham route still has issues and this route has issues too. That’s why I made my initial post saying I wasn’t buying before you told me I should shut up. You reporting a crash after saying it was all fantastic was quite funny.

 

So the summary, unless I've skipped too many pages is; PC users no serious issues, it's a good route, green signal to buy it.

 

It’s already been confirmed Vern by Dan in his interview with TSS that all the projects they are currently working on are considerably shorter than this and that we will see quite different content from them over the next year or so. This is because shorter and better performing is what the overwhelming majority of the community want.

Personally I am disappointed at this, but I completely understand. To have your name dragged through the mud by lower console users because you are trying to push to the limits of the technology must be very frustrating.

I also think that route length wouldn’t be an issue if DTG sorted out the route hopping system. If they either made some sort of link between services so you can guarantee to load into the same service you came from, or if they implemented some sort of journey like series of services then we wouldn’t need 100 mile long routes across the board.

 

Before the recent patch today the 150 didn’t crash at Crewe, that definitely makes my previous comment look silly. A wise man probably wouldn’t have mentioned the bug in the first place though, in fear of being responded to by a “gotcha moment”.

When it comes to upcoming content, what’s your stance? Are you going to avoid purchasing new content going forward. The situation isn’t going away anytime soon.
I’m not having a dig at you or anything, just curious.

 

Thank you for the information, now the Mastery can be completed
I was sad becuase I was unable to complete a Mastery

 

Well never say never, but as a former route builder in the older sims I know all about burn out to the point where even just doing a model railway scaled up gives nightmares!

Hopefully after a rest and a couple of shorter projects they may once again consider something more extensive.

 

This having to reopen doors at every station drives me absolutely mental. Why? It’s so annoying not being able to have the doors closed and ready to leave at departure time.

 

Xbox Series X
I have to say the reduced timetable is very well optimised. I had 0 blur on a full length run from Crewe to MKC. The route wasn’t particularly quiet either.

 

On PS5 Pro, the reduced timetable is working great so far ...... however, within the full timetable, many more Pendolino trains are implemented, which practically just pass by ... at least that's my personal experience so far .......

 

The only problem that I found, and it is for all the train 802, 805, 807, is that the security sound are barely audible

Otherwise the trainset is very good

PS for all the 802, 805 807, the only way to hear the security sounds, is by looking at 90 degres from the direction of movement of the train

 

The reduced timetable is definitely my preferred method right now, feels very smooth and stable. Would recommend any Xbox players use this ahead of the full timetable until the crashes are sorted.

 

For buying content going forward I’ll be continuing to monitor feedback, both on the individual DLC I’m interested in and for the game overall. I’ve gone from just buying things either at release if it’s something I’m really eager to get, or the first time it’s in a sale, to looking more closely at feedback and that’ll continue now. I haven’t given up on TSW altogether.

I have got fed up with how I’ve experienced the game over the past year or so and how there’s the definite divide for PC and console experience in feedback now but I also see that DTG and third parties have started improving things so I hope they’ll get there. I’ll start buying again once I see better things but I’m staying cautious for now. I might buy JT’s route early doors if the feedback isn’t really bad because that’s BR blue stuff and JT were already doing better with optimising their content although there are a few more train types being added again.

I’ll just have to see how it goes.

 

When was I pretending I had bought the content? I said quite clearly that I don't own it. I also never said that they were the worst studio to exist. I've only criticised their poor optimisation, something that I don't have to own the route to be able clearly see and I did literally say that the quality of their content is amazing, other than the poor optimisation. It really does seem like people are skim reading my comments then replying.

 

Some further feedback from my earlier post.

I've now down 3 runs in total. 1x Run in a 390, 1x Run in a 807, & 1x Run in a 350... Now this is quite interesting.

The 390 & 807 runs were pretty silk smooth without anything of significance to report back. But on my final run on the 350/4, major blurring on and off happened throughout the entire run. I made sure I done the whole run regardless of the blurring to see where and when it occured. It began after departing Stafford and then didn't shift, and most annoyingly the TSW stopped working and crashed as I pulled into Milton Keynes! So there is something to do with the 350/4 that was the issue. And just to note, each run I have done, has been done completely separate to each other (turning the console off and then turning it back on later and starting a new session) and not back to back runs.

The 807 & 390 runs were pretty silk smooth with no issues at all... Hopefully this is something that can be investigated further, as it would appear it's something with the 350, as the route performs absolutely fine on the 807 and 390 for me on PS5.

What I will say from my 350/4 as negative as it was with blurring, the new running sounds in the cab are tremendous! So until a patch is out for the 350 I'll be sticking to the InterCity stock which suits me as the Pendolino just feels at home on this route.

I always aim to be as honest and transparent as I can. As I say, outside of that, the route itself is absolutely superb and the issue with the 350s doesn't take that away for me. Now it can be pin pointed I hope something can be done to iron the 350 issue out.

(standard PS5 here).

 

Has anything been said about adding route hopping from WCML South at MK? I may have missed it, but I just tried to do a full Pendo run from Euston to Manchester and had to exit to main menu at MK. Seems it's added to hop from Trent Valley, but not to it.

Edit: will add to feedback thread

 

Why are you making this about you?
I could be referring to anybody or any comment I’ve read. That’s why I put “mentioning no names” as I didn’t want to single someone out.

That’s good then, I’m glad you’re enjoying AABS content.

 

That’s probably the safest and smartest way to play it. That way you don’t feel like you’ve wasted your money day one.
That’s good, I hope you don’t give up on the game. Some 3PD’s value their customer base more than others. It’s just shuffling through the bad eggs. I’d easily name ATS a bad egg.

The Stamford NY routes falls into the same category for me. After seeing the atrocious fps at NY penn on the Series X preview (10-20fps) it really swayed me from buying it. Even now, seeing it in the PSN sale at £26 roughly, I still can’t force myself to part with my money. I know it’s had a couple of patches, but just how good are they? That’s something I need to investigate.

JT will knock it out of the park, they always do. That’s probably my next day one purchase too.
The Thames Valley Branches I’m on the fence still because of the replay ability and shortness of the lines. Hopefully the preview stream can change my mind

 

The Neo Geo

 

A little off topic, but I watched the TSS video and the 70 looks brilliant!! My only small gripe is that it seems a little too shiny, but I'm not sure if that's just me. Could anyone confirm?

 

Is there any difference in ai traffic between the two timetables.

 

I was looking forward to doing a full Crewe - London run in the 350, but changing over at Milton Keynes the service was under a different variant of the 350 and I suddenly had eight cars not four.

Also when I did a run north my Pendolino was sat in a different platform when I changed at Milton Keynes.

I thought these timetables might have linked up better but sadly not. That’s using the 2025 Evero timetable on WCMLS.

 

Getting dropped into random stations on route rather than in cab starting some services. Tried to run a northbound 390 service around 19:40 yesterday on the timetable (sorry can’t remember headcode). Got dropped in Tamworth. Similar happens on Manchester Airport with the 220 services.

 

I'm pleased they're doing something shorter next time. I much prefer end-to-end passenger services as it feels like a more realistic train driver simulation. It's why I still play Brighton Mainline, Edinburgh to Glasgow, East Coastway and Birmingham Cross City much more than other routes. If AABS can give us a shorter route that allows us to do a proper shift (even if that means doing local trains like on WCML South) with the longest runs being just over an hour I'll be delighted. Especially if it's on the Eastern Region.

 

Disappointing that PC players have to suffer a reduced timetable in Journey Mode, as I use this 90% of the time. I'm sure this isn't the first route where this has been done, but I do not understand why PC does not have its own JM settings? We were told way back when console support was added that this would not degrade the PC experience.

 

Were you not replying to my comments earlier? No matter who you are refering to I think it might be an idea to read people's comments fully before making up things that people have said.

 

From what I've been able to track down on PS5, most Pendolino trains (probably Evero too) are not in the reduced timetable, which are exclusively AI trains.

And not even the 350 that runs between Stafford and Crewe and uses the second line, meaning they leave the map after Stafford and then return to the map via the branch line in Crewe. They are also AI trains only
They are implemented under 350/1 in the full timetable