I would've got this route if there had just been a little more attention to detail on the scenery. Small routes don't bother me but the attention to detail does. And in some areas this route is great and in others it looks like someone's draw a house on a cereal box. Put it this way, £30 on this or £30 on Preston-Crewe
Matt has said officially that the original scope for the CCN route was to include the route down to Barry Island, but timescales meant it was cut back, resulting in the route that was released. Some players (me included) have the view that DTG too often choose cashflow over completion. The run down to Barry would have added around 8 miles more route and a much more natural turnaround or ending point for services. Sadly CCN is another victim of chuck it out unfinished and forget about it.
Indeed, but removing a critical part of the route should not be taken to mean they're going to add it back in later on. It should be taken at face value: the developer has taken the decision not to finish the DLC in favour of bringing in cash more quickly.
If DTG has any sense they'd extend the current route down to Barry for more natural end to end service and release it as a free extension... But I suppose being a free extension wouldn't be enough of an initiative. I certainly would like to see an extension, but I don't think a paid one could justify adding just 8 miles.
Probably should point out I wasn't having a dig at Matt, I'm fully aware he's not the one who makes the decisions that we have to live with.
Seems to be the common line for all DLC for certain additions not included to DLCs even if they are glaring ones!
Are you sure about that? I would say the role of Executive Producer plays a fairly large part in the day to day decision making process. Anyhow, an extension and general remaster of the route would be welcome. Not just to Barry but give us at least one full run up the Valleys, probably Rhymney to maximise the loco hauled peak service. Throw in a new Class 143, or one of the newer Flirt units, £33 for new buyers, £23 for those who bought the original. Sorted.
If the unit added was as good quality as the 153 then yeah I’d go for that option, but an overall £50 route would need to be of much better scope IMO. It’s interesting there were time constraints though, compare this to Cathcart, MML, MAC, Blackpool etc any of the other Networks & it’s really at the bottom of that list. As above the detail is all over the place with some areas looking good but then others look borderline placeholder. For a route centred around the city, the city itself is really bad with massive lack of detail, really poor building layout & generally bad asset texturing.
The worst example still being Cardiff Central. I’ve just come from watching the tail end of the Crewe to Preston stream where a large portion of Wigan linking the two stations fully detailed and walkable. Contrasts the two building styles of the different developers, JT all out with the detail and Rivet under DTG doing the minimal possible. And yes, on reflection, an update wouldn’t be worth another £20. £10 at most for existing owners.
Xbox sale on this route and the pacer. Not sure it makes much sense when Preston Crewe is out now though
It adds a couple of runs for the 153, two 25-ish minute non-stop ECS runs between Crewe and Litchfield (for Barton) and one or two shunt moves from Crewe LNWR. The 150/2 layers in on the north bay platforms for Chester services but that is all. As for the CCN route, it's a waste of time and space, it was cut short to meet a target date instead of delaying it and making it right (not to mention we as the public/customer didn't know the target date anyway so wouldn't have led to disappointment). It's only redeeming feature is the 153 and for some the 150/2 (I prefer the WCL version as it's BR era). Even with the JT Pacer coming in it didn't really do much, there is an end to end run in there but it's far too stop-start to enjoy, especially given the speed restrictions in the centre of Cardiff. I remember one of the JT devs admitting (when pushed) that they had committed themselves to the Pacer being for CCN well before CCN dropped and were not expecting it to be so cut back.
I find CCN is good for when you only have a small amount of time and want a quick drive or do a couple of out wks back runs. It's quite a busy route and both timetables offer different out and back runs. I didn't get it full price and wouldn't have but at a sale price I think it's okay. It offers something different. I definitely feel it would have been a far better route had it been longer. But I wouldn't dismiss it if you like to sort of experience it offers.
Not played this route in ages but since the Pacer pack is on sale on Xbox for the first time, I’ll go back to it soon I reckon.
Wouldn’t go out of your way for the 142 pack. it adds!better AI at Cardiff, but the 142 takes over ALL valleys services. You never ever pass a 150 or 153. At least with the original timetable there’s two different units about…
If you venture in the passenger saloon, there were issues with exhaust smoke coming through the ceiling into the train.
There was talk, when the 142 pack came out about JT revisiting the timetable to ensure a fairer mix of 142, 150 and 153. But that's gone rather silent in recent months.
Played the JT timetable for the first time today and there were plenty of 150/153s about, at Cardiff Central at least.
I'm guessing when the recent round of staff changes took place the "testing team" became "testing person" I wonder if the last round of National Living Wage increases brought about the tightening of belts.
I picked up the route as part of a TSW6 launch bundle. I can’t believe it’s supposed to sell for £30 - it’s very short, and the scenery (buildings in particular) in some areas look unfinished and very rudimentary, although central Cardiff looks OK.
Indeed. Contrast that with the just released Crewe to Preston for the same price or £3 more for the 100+ miles of Trent Valley.
For me the route was fine for blurry textures without it, (before I uninstall it anyway) but got them with it (at least on some longer services), so if they're a turn of for you, then potentially no
I have this route, but never play it because it feels so unfinished. Only got it in a sale so I could use the 150 and 153 on routes I do like.
