After first properly merged route for TSW 6 i begin merging anouther routes and of course i continue with that US route too. Here is my review what im working on. So right now BML ECW is done, almost ready to release (working on route widget for timetable menu) and once thats done i can probably release that (if everything will go as planned then it will include my BML timetable with Class700 and it will be extended with ECW part. With BML and ECW the bigger challenge was merging the TOD because ECW got updated and it include TODv4 while BML is still using TODv3 and we already know how the stations (lights) looks like when you change TOD from v3 to v4 (very dark), same goes for PIS boards (they work but they are so light that you cant even see the text). Like i wrote in the beginning, my work continue with that US route which was extended with another 2 routes. Its still in heavy work in progress, not really close to release because what im missing is the last US DLC (map was done before i refund it, i will be able to continue once i will buy it back when its on sale). Here is just the map which is done but there is still a lot of stuff to finish: While im waiting for that US route sale im busy with another UK route. So after MVL release i got that route as a gift, i would like to thanks a lot to creators for that. MVL with SEHS is hell challenging for merging as im using MVL as a main route because its newer. I dont have the actual map from editor yet, its still WIP but once its done it will look like that: I got done part to Faversham and to Ashford, still missing St Pancras International and some small parts. The map which you can see is made in photoshop to show how big the map will be once its done. Actual size which is done now is MVL + Faversham and Ashford. There is still a lot of work, not even close to release. So we will see if that can be actually done because its so many connections which i need to fix and align. And last project right now which i would like to do is the latest route WCML Trent Valles with WCML Euston Milton. Here is again map in photoshop how it can looks like: That project dont even start yet because im missing key part for it and thats the new DLC (WCML Trent Valles) As there is only one connection then this should be much easier then MVL SEHS. So once the new DLC is on at least 75% sale i will get it and the work can begin So this is just projects which im working on right now exept the last one (that will be some future project probably for TSW 7 or 8 because i dont expect that DLC to be on sale that early). Hope i can get BML with ECW and MVL with SEHS done before summer break (that is still 15 days left ) - not promissing anything as both are huge projects (BMLECW with lights and timetable and MVLSEHS with so many connections).
Looking forward to the release! Though, I guess, making timetables for it would still be the problem... A bit of suggestion: if you own Birmingham - Crewe or even the Mildmay Line & the Suffragette Line, maybe add them in as well when you're proceeding with your WCML merging plan.
Can't disagree with that - apparently it just wasn't possible (oh wait a minute - it is !!) - particularly looking forward to the West Coast Main Line merge, imagine flying through Milton Keynes at speed.
so an individual can convert bml to tod4, but dtg can’t? come on now. this is brilliant work by yourself, and as a console it’s hard not to be jealous, but it does beg the question why dtg aren't doing this on a larger scale
There’s a whole list of things DTG can’t seem to do and yet Third parties have proved them false by accomplishing them instead.
I think the answer to your question is by asking another question how DTG will get some sort of profit from these route mergers. Will they make you buy a bundle of routes for a marked up price that a merged, do you have to pay for a merged extension or every time you want to merge a route you owned with another you would need to pay a merge fee.
You mean 300 miles / 481.5km from Euston to Carlisle? https://signal.eu.org/osm/#locs=51.528342,-0.133381;54.890505,-2.932577
DTG never said that this kind of merge is not possible, on the contrary, it was stated several times, by Matt himself, that exactly this is quite easily possible. This is the 'easy' part of route merging. The issues starts with timetable, in that you need a bespoke timetable for the merged route. That's a ton of work for a route of this size and complexity. And it gets more complicated if you want to make it dynamic, so a user that doesn't own everything gets a 'partially' merged route (i.e. for WCML if user doesn't own Birmingham to Crewe, then that part would be ommited from the merged route/timetable). Maintaability is another sore point - the merged route, ATM, is a technically a different route, so every fix done to i.e. London - Milton Keynes needs to be replicated on the merged route... Then this is the distribution side - how big is the package? How to optimize the package?...etc... Can consoles even handle that amount of tracks and trains present in a single moment? Can an average PC handle that? These are the issues that needs to be solved (maybe create a in-game system for dynamic route merging), before this can be turned into a product and sold to customers. And that solving is an investment that need to outweight how much of revenue would a route merging bring. And, considering how many core issues is DTG tackling atm, I realy don't think them investing effort into solving these issues makes sense. That's not to take anything from what trainsimcz has done. It's amazing work (and one of many he's done for the community), but rather than 'look DTG should do route merges' this demonstrates why community support is important, why modding tools are important. Because modders can do things out of pure passion, curiosity, in their free time, not restricted with the economical realities of running a business that employs people.
Yeah all I can say is good luck to the poor soul that decides to even attempt a WCML TT. I tried making a 78 TT for WCMLS and my lord I gave up quite quickly. Even with the omission of AC commuter services it was taking me a blimmin long time to work out the services. I moved onto Birmingham Crewe, and although it is far easier the missing road names at depots and sidings around Crewe just add more time. Even then it still takes quite a long while.
So let me say something Creating timetable is not that hard if DTG use the same year of the TT, in that point its very easy to just merge those timetables, remove portals and connect services from one part of the map with second part of the map. Basically what im doing with BML ECW now For dynamic timetable, its not needed, like i wrote before, if DTG use the same year for both parts or all parts of the route then creating just one merged timetable where they will just need to add variable: RequiredRoute or RequiredPlugin, etc... so if all requirements will meet then it will show only merged timetable for merged route, if not then it will just show standalone TT for each section. About PC and Consoles, i dont notice any difference if i load 50 mile or 150 mile route in game. The game struggle only when is to many trains in one area (but visible, if you are there as a player so the camera is picking it up). The rest trains are going in background and its just point on the map till they got closer, in that point they are loaded. and later again unloaded from memory (once they are out of the camera view and inactive tile). BML got in one time more then 100 active trains running and normal PC can handle that without any problems and thats because you dont see 100 trains in one station, they are all over the track. So in merged route, even if there is 200 active trains then you will se for example 5 in the same time... not a huge impact on performance. Basically Matt said that before that there is no limit for route distance, it can be 1000 miles and PC and consoles will handle that. Most of the time huge problem was a time, building long route takes longer then couple shorter sections. Even merging that is not one day task
If i had some spare cash i would of donated the trent valley for you would really love to see the london to carlise merged it would be a small price to by for your services. Maybe next payday send me a pm with how i can donate something to you for your services. Amazing work your doing
It would be truly incredible to do that with the Pendolino (or with the Caledonian Sleeper !!!), but adding the parts north of Crewe would then require work on the timetables... and it would also be better with some work on the scenery, the EPS limits, etc
Last days i was working finally on MVL SEHS and today i can share with you some news Took a while to finish all connections, still need to remove those invisible walls and out of bounds triggers from merged areas but here we go, finally real map and not photoshop version : And because i decide to make that merged route even better for game menu then my first LirrTrenton then i start working even on map widget for the game menu where you selecting the start points That widget is not done yet, a lot of start points are still missing but that was my first test in game and its working During the weekend i would like to finish that widget and remove those walls and out of bounds triggers from the merged parts. Then i will try to merge those 2 timetables, not whole, just to provide you some services which you can use before somebody else will create full timetable. And of course paths for scenario planner. If everything will go well then maybe i will be able to release that by the end of June or beginning of July.
This looks awesome, one of the things i don't like about TSW is that the routes are generally shorter then TSC
