A Question For Console Players: How Much Are You Still Playing Tsw 7, If At All?

I've decided to create this poll for console players regarding TSW 7 to see how others currently feel about the state of the game right now - and whether this has, at all, affected how much you play this game currently.

For context, as a long-time TSW player (I recently surpassed Level 2000) who has played since GWE first came to console, this game has always long been my favourite.

But, my patience for TSW has started to wear thin with the continuous issues on console, well Series X for me at least, when it comes to blurry textures, video memory errors and so on.

TSW 7 was the first iteration I was genuinely not excited about anymore compared with previous years, but I still watched Dovetail Direct and the preview streams to see if any improvements and things to tempt me. However, the console preview stream, which was a massive shambles, namely Nurnberg-Wurzburg, was the final straw.

TSW 7 was the first iteration I didn't play right away and only until a couple days ago I finally downloaded the free starter edition. The experience was almost exactly the same unsurprisingly, blurry textures, game freezing, plus now with the added frustrations of the controller controls just being a complete mess, the horribly bright UI and so on.

The gulf between consoles and PC experience right now are completely massive, the biggest it's ever been, for numerous reasons. Obviously, hardware is key, there's no arguing with that. But, with TSW having been designed to be both PC and console from the start (not forgetting a large chunk of the TSW audience coming from console), I just want us console players to have a game which functions properly performance wise and no blurry textures - for example, I don't care for the new lighting, I'd just want to know a route will work and not freeze or stop working after a long service.

So, going back to the poll, I'm barely playing TSW 7, have just wanted to see what the newest iteration is like. There is so much content, both new and older, that really interests me, but I just can't justify getting it while the experience on Gen 9 console continues to be in such dire straights. I'll probably have a little break from playing TSW for a while, thankfully many other games to keep me occupied.

I really hope the situation on console improves one day, it's a fantastic game with so much potential, but right now it needs serious improvement.

Has the experience on console right now affected how much you play TSW 7?

 

I'll start it up eventually to see which of my downloaded routes it's decided I don't have downloaded this time.

 

Only really play for 5 minutes to do my daily screenshots (day 970) but on occasion will do a full run of wmcl 1980s or br era route

I’ve mainly been busy playing transport fever 3 since I got for free, having a ton of mods on consoles is fun

 

I play on PS5 Pro when I just want to say from the Sofa on the big TV. My personal experience is the same as 6. The 2 main complaints I see are blurry textures and the controls in 7.

I do get blurry textures, but they are pretty rare. I usually only have time for 1 timetable run and it's pretty rare for me.

The controller issue, I haven't experienced. I still have fine enough control within the cab and I like the super fast camera.

So for my use case, I use it about the same as before. But as I said, it's not my main platform. I only ever buy Playstation DLC in sales so I only have the free version.

 

I didn't bother with TSW7 because the overwhelming majority of my owned content is from the TSW2020-TSW4 era so there's little point upgrading into something that offers no benefits for doing so. Besides, I'm very happy with TSW4.

The sad thing is, I actually own TSW6 special edition (purchased for a bargain £12 with reward points) but that was bought because I didn't own one single item in the bundle and it made sense to get it ultra-cheap and bank it for a time when it would be worthwhile carrying content forward into a newer version of the game. I did think about installing it but those well documented console issues made me decide not to spoil the moment.

 

To be honest TSW7 is now running better than ever for me on Xbox SX. I do have to de-select less important layers and that gives me decent performance. Unless it’s an illusion older routes seem to look and run better too.

I’m not saying it’s perfect by any stretch, there’s still many bugs and things to fix but generally it’s running well for me.

 

To be honest not as much anymore. The blurry textures ruin the game for me (ps5)

 

I had it on pre-order for the initial discount, but then ended up canceling it. There's not enough value for money there, the features are still too bugged out judging by what I've been reading here, the core routes aren't interesting enough, nor is Tadami (especially with its issues), and I'm just burnt out from the general self-congratulatory attitude that DTG's marketing takes with each flawed release.

I do have TSW7 and some other DLC on my Xbox wish list so I can be notified when they go on sale, but until there is a drastic change in how bugs and customer complaints are handled I will no longer be purchasing DLC at full price, and possibly not even 7 at all unless a route releases that I absolutely must have (unlikely). Console users are kind of getting the short end of the stick on visual improvements (despite paying the same as PC), the AI conductor isn't a must have for me and sounds pretty rough around the edges, I have no interest in the freight hauler gimmick, and if I want continued texture issues I'll just stay put with 6. I have more than enough content on 6 to last me well into the inevitable TSW8, not to mention all I have for TSC and OR.

 

I wouldn’t say I’m not at all interested in it, as I will at some point need to move to TSW7 to continue my hobby, get updates and any DLC released in the future, so I am following it closely but I haven’t tried it yet or download it just because of the feedback about the controller behaviour and of course the awful UI. There isn’t really an option in the poll for my current stance on it.

 

I picked up the deluxe edition when pre-orders where available but didn’t bother with the 5 day early access. (they tend to be a buggy mess) Haven’t played the german route at all but done a fair share of services mostly on the Tri-Rail route. Being honest i haven’t touched the game in maybe 3-4 weeks? Live weather is bugged, blurry textures and out of memory crashes still exist. I’m still upset about them cutting the Florida route short at Boca Raton. I’m not even bothering getting more DLC at this current point and will probably just sit with the collection i have till the games problems are sorted. Not sure when i’ll play the game again as im severely burnt out with the yearly release cycle.

 

I haven’t even bothered downloading it to the PS5 yet - and I haven’t played the version in getting on for two weeks. My interest has completely drained away.

 

Waiting for a big update to fix some optimisation and improve the quality a bit on PS5. I got the free starter back and downloaded some of my content over. But the issues from TSW 6 still persist, like bug in the 805 WCML South timetable that haven't been fixed from previous versions. I also found the London Commuter route to not be in a great state, with all the class 377 units having red seats until you get closer up. Plus the walking mechanics of slowing down every sideways movements was so frustrating. I have reinstalled TSW6 until I see a patch note that addresses these older routes.

But I am also of the opinion that this game has reached it's ceiling in regards to console performance and content. We see this shiny preview on PC showcasing the route only for it to be a buggy/performance mess on console. The only thing in the Dovetail Direct that got me excited was the NTP remaster but after the shocking state that Crewe/Preston released on console, I will approach that release with caution.

 

I got the free TSW 7 upgrade and downloaded my favorite at the moment the Medway Valley..sounds are non existent like they were when it was first released on PS5 so I've refrained from downloading anymore for 7 and just playing 6 when I get the itch.

 

I’ve downloaded the free starter pack, but am currently still using TSW6. Like you I watched the Dovetail Direct and was thoroughly disillusioned, other than the announcement of the NTP remaster.

I was very upset that there was no mention of what they planned to do to tackle the problems on console. I’d better leave it at that, as I don’t normally like to complain.

 

I second this. I probably spend more time on the forums than in TSW searching for a single incentive to even download the Free Edition, but as it stands now TSW6 seems to be the superior product because of the controller issues and the HUD and UI design. What I find particularly disappointing with this years release is that there weren't any significant updates to pre- TSW7 content, something what always could be achieved in the previous iterations, and which leaves major concerns regarding the development and product care capacities of DTG, some might even say to questioning them in general. I fear for the console train sim market as I don't have any confidence in DTGs management to conclude the decline of console sales might be because of the ongoing blurriness and still could easily be restored by targeting this. With TF3 and GTA VI on the horizon there's much potential for more customers to be lost permanently because we're several years behind the point now where pacience for this issue to be solved would be adequate and the point where people choose spending their free time wisely (and not in a blurry TSW) gets closer and closer.
It's a shame, but following statements and discussions there's still the impression the development company of TSW isn't bothered too much by this.

But still, I personally only am some sharpened textures away from getting enjoyment back in it's full extent. The human mind tends to be strange sometimes.

 

I play about an hour a week. But that is just me.

 

Bought it played for a few hours and got bored and also fed up with the lack of fixes to anything meaningful.

What with all the recent chat recently about bus simulators, I've been playing The Bus, Bus Bound (which is far from a sim but really enjoying it) and just bought Bus Sim 21 on steam deck.

 

I'm on Series X and, frustrations with the camera controls aside, I'm honestly not seeing too much wrong with TSW7 so far. Had the odd blurry texture doing the Sprinter Express Timetable on Fife and arriving at Paddington on GWE Remaster. However, enjoyed some flawless runs on Preston to Carlisle and Blackpool Branches. Heck, even Crewe to Preston appears to be behaving itself.

Of course there are lots of wee niggles still (Passengers are a pain in the t*ts, for starters, and the weather is still all over the place) but kind of meekly accepted these things are unlikely to be fixed and this may be as good as it gets. It's still fun to play, albeit just not as much as it should be.

 

I consider myself lucky to be a PC player, but I think DTG should be very concerned that loyal fans of the franchise can't even be convinced to download the free version on console. With that plus the general reluctance from users on all platforms to buy DLC at full price (or at all, in many cases), if I was a shareholder I'd be getting a bit worried about future earnings from TSW and making a bit of a fuss about fixing the game. If I'm not mistaken, all three TSW7 routes were third-party creations so it makes you wonder, if they haven't fixed any bugs and have only implemented a terrible UI which presumably wasn't playtested, a buggy AI conductor and a buggy Freight Hauler mode, what were they doing for the past year? In fact I haven't even figured out how to launch Freight Hauler, they seem to have managed to spend hundreds of development hours on feature that's invisible to the vast majority of customers who haven't watched the showcase.

 

Don't forget they also completely knackered the controller input on console in order to implement fast camera movement on external views.

The only problem is the acceleration curve they've implemented only applies to cardinal directions and isn't just for moving the external camera.

Want to look to your lower left in the cabin to operate something? It's now quicker to look to the left until you think you're roughly where you need to be and then look down because moving in anything but a cardinal direction now takes forever. Missed it by a few pixels? Look to the right and then look up a bit and repeat until you finally hit what you want to look at.

It's exactly the same for walking around. You can move backwards, forwards, left and right at normal speed, God forbid you want to move on anything but forward, backward, left and right though.

Thoroughly tested though.

 

Wow, I didn't realise it was that bad on console. On PC we have a few issues but nowhere near that unusable:

- Map view: cursor flies around at breakneck speed making it a challenge to select a train or a destination
- Outside view ("cam 2"): flies around at breakneck speed, which was sort of the intention except they forgot to make it a gradual increase
- Detached outside view ("cam 8"): flies around at the old speed, except the shift key now makes the camera slower instead of faster, and then stays "stuck" on, so you have to switch views and back again to travel at normal speed once more.

Thoroughly tested though.

 

I always take polls and comments on subjects like these with a pinch of salt.

For a lot of the same users, you have to wonder how much you really dislike a game to have an opinion on everything to do with the game or for someone that doesn’t supposedly play it because of how bad it is!

Let’s face it, people aren’t going to openly admit they are continually buying and then playing a DLC, that they constantly show negativity for are they?

Similarly for a game that people don’t play, they are always very active on the forums for that particular game, if I had no positivity around the game, I wouldn’t continue to contribute to the forums. I always think the “herd mentality” sets in and that you have to hate to be one of the cool ones.

 

I have an Xbox One so can only play on Xbox PC now and quite frankly l prefer TSW6 or even better the TSW5 version. Luckily l can also play TSW7 in steam and prefer TSW6 on my PC. Hopefully TSW7 will be on GeForce Now soon, as l no longer enjoy it.

 

I think for me it's been a very mixed experience on XSX. I've not bought the core routes but went in for the free pack again.

It's been mixed, some routes upon loading blur out and the sounds lag until you quit out and reset the game which is annoying. I feel like the game runs a little worse than the previous version as well? WCMLOS seemed a little more laggy than previously. Riviera is much worse which is frustrating because it's a beautiful route and I want to play it but the blurring winds me right up.

I do like the new safety system feature that works well for me on everything I've played so far. I haven't touched the AI conductor, TSRs or Faults with a barge pole because it just seems like more to go wrong? I will say I think the improvements to dynamic weather seem to be better IMO.

I go through ebbs and flows with the game though and I've picked it up again to play MML which was on sale and I'm enjoying that despite a couple of bugs bears.

Future TSW7 content? That's an interesting one because the steam route, JTs Cumbrian coastline and the 70 all look really interesting to me. But can any of us on console really commit to buying anything in this current state? That I'm not so sure about.

 

Up until a few days ago I’d only got the new core routes installed on TSW 7 and had left everything else on TSW 6. With older routes getting 7 updates now (ie last week’s German updates) however I’ve now redownloaded everything to 7.

Now obviously the blurries are ongoing (I’m on Series X) but the drastically improved load times are a game changer for me as someone who has a lot of content. This for me has been a massive QOL improvement and I can see myself probably playing 7 more than 6, especially now I’ve got used to the faster camera.

 

I have played less than two hours combined since TSW7 released, and via the free edition.

As a contrast to last year where I pre-ordered the Deluxe edition and have/had almost 2k hrs of TSW6 playtime (at the time of TSW7s launch)

Shame, like.

 

PS5 Pro owner. I play different routes per day. I play on an 85-inch 4K TV so I guess that helps with the immersion of being inside the cab. I bought the free pack for TSW6 last year but only started playing earlier this year when locos and routes went on a big sale. So I guess my jadedness is still fresh and new. I'm not at DEFCON 1 levels of jadedness just yet but boy I'm getting close fast. It's easy to get frustrated when console players are treated like the foster children of the train sim community. The Dovetail Direct presentation don't help ease the pain either. Most of the balloons and confetti announcements are directed only upon PC it seems. Sort of paints another image of giddy parents presenting a giant juicy flame-broiled burger loaded with all the fixings in front of their biological child and presenting the foster child with only the buns and telling them they had to remove key ingredients, layers and timetables because we just don't have the time, money and energy to invest in your future. But... but... we still love you just the same. Sadly for now that biological child will always be PC players.

Back when I was a game tester for a video game company, I worked in the mobile games testing team division, but they also had a separate consoles team. We tested on several mobile devices from several manufacturers and we found different bug issues unique to certain devices. But we had to do the work and log every single bug. Dovetail desperately needs a consoles team to focus on the future of BOTH consoles ONLY and how to mitigate issues pertaining to EACH only. Because it seems console issues keep getting lost in PC translation and ultimately dismissed.

 

I’ve downloaded UK routes on the free starter pack, last purchase was Flying Scotsman bundle and next purchase should be King’s Cross to Peterborough. Lost interest in playing, seeing how Forza has developed and looks it’s frustrating that this could be such a stunning game.
I know it’s been mentioned before but I’m just waiting now for GTA.

 

PS5 player…TSW7 is underwhelming and overpriced for the UK route and rolling stock. I still play fairly regularly but have other hobbies and interests, so can’t justify the price of switching to PC. High quality third party addons still enjoyable enough on console.

 

The white menu screen is atrocious. Especially when playing at night, horrific!

 

Total agree there too bright lights up the entire room.

 

downloaded the free version. think i've played 1 service so far mainly to see if the speed set of the evero had been fixed (it hasn't).

my issues with the game are less around performance (but that is still an issue) and more that i just got bored. whenever time of day you play a service it's the same. every light green, every train is on time. it doesn't reflect the real world environment. i thought signal delays might help but they do nothing. i'm not a programmer, but surely it wouldn't be that difficult to do something like have passenger loading taking a lot longer at peak times like rush hour, thus delaying you and doing the same with the AI traffic. just to mix things up a bit and make it less samey.

 

not even that it actually hurts your eyes! and then it takes some time to re-adjust to the night-time gameplay

 

THIS. I was reallt excited for signal delays but honestly haven't noticed any difference. We need some delays, sometimes I'll stop at a stop and intentionally wait while I eat lunch just to cause trouble on whatever route I'm on.

 

You get lucky with BCC and coming into Brimingham in a 170 or 220 with signal aspects which is fun. TSRs are also good at delaying you. not by much however.

 

Maybe it’s time for an Open TSW?! I was playing around with Open OMSI last night and, while it has a long way to go, is a massive improvement over the OG OMSI 2 just on graphics and joypad support alone. The interface is far nicer than the original and miles better than DTG’s clunky TSW menu systems. It even has support for real world weather. And all this coded by a few people in their spare time with, from what I can gather, not using any of the original OMSI source code, all rewritten from scratch. I can see me spending a lot of time with this and really puts to shame the effort put in on TSW by the multi £million DTG corporation.

 

Maybe it's Stockholm syndrome at this point and no one wants to move away from DTG, or everyone know that no matter how bad a product is or how broken it launches people will still line up to not only buy but defend your right to make said products...

Having seen the same arguments made this year for TSW7, last year for TSW6 and the beginnings the year before in TSW5 - think of all the plain outright lies Dovetail have told console customers.. but here we are still debating.

Maybe **we** all have Stockholm syndrome...

 

Yes, but not as much as I played TSW previously, but that's mostly just due to being busy

 

I bought a TSW7 bundle as the new routes were much cheaper as part of a bundle than they would have been otherwise. I'm pleased to report that the new UK and German routes are running OK for me on XBOX Series X with all layers installed, so not everybody is having a terrible experience on console. I've not played the US route yet. No crashes to dashboard, unlike some console players. Minor point: I've always enjoyed the TSW music, but have to say that while the current iteration is pleasant it's a bit too downbeat for my liking.

 

Pretty much same experience as me. I only have UK routes installed though - think a total of 25 so maybe that's why my performance isn't suffering like other Xbox Series X users who maybe have much more contents.

On the music I couldn't agree more. Sad thing is it does get "going" eventually and is actually a really good piece of music but by the time it gets to that stage the game is typically ready to start, or already started !

For me TSW has never been about marathon sessions, just a wee 30 minute or 60+ if on the old west coast mainline, distraction from the ups and downs of life so - niggles aside - I still enjoy playing it and hope to continue to do so for a good while yet.

 

I think the reality is that while TSW in all its iterations is far from perfect, most of us on here presumably still get some enjoyment out of it and thus continue to play regardless. I'm personally not bothered one iota by many of the things which others on here are passionate about, for instance minor (in my opinion) inaccuracies in train modelling, or timetables, or liveries, or changing weather patterns. Performance issues (e.g. stuttering, blurring, occasional crashes) and the price of DLC do irritate me, but they're not currently enough to stop me playing - we all have a threshold for what we'll tolerate before calling it a day, and some of us are more laid back than others. Sitting on my sofa in front of a huge OLED with the lights dimmed, enveloped in surround sound and playing TSW in 4K is still enjoyable and relaxing for me despite the issues, and with XBOX Quick Resume I'm driving a train less than 30 seconds after booting up the console which will do me just fine.

 

PS5. Free starter with my old stuff.
Playing every day, doing masteries and mainly enjoying it.
I'm ok with the stick movement, needs practice.
The UI is atrocious. Had the scenario dialogue box again with pink text on a red background. Had to get off my sofa(!), put my glasses on and stare. Headache ensued.
Load times better.
I'm thankful they're putting this PC game on console.
Buy cheap. Sales are fun.

 

Downloaded and transferred over the various entitlements. But sticking with 6 until more patches drop (UI, text size, barber pole, controls etc. etc.)

 

I don't think it's as much Stockholm Syndrome as TSW is pretty much the only game in town on console for something like this. Yes, there are some shovelware titles like Railway Life or whatever it's called, and I guess we could look at Simrail, but they don't support console either. They know we don't have much choice, or the two hour Steam refund window so it just feels like a "this or nothing" attitude.
I did quickly jump in yesterday before I went out somewhere and my routes were all showing again, so maybe tonight I'll try a run or two, but if it keeps messing around like this I have plenty of games on my XBox I've held back on installing so I can play TSW, and it might be more fulfilling for me to give them a play instead while this whole mess gets fixed.

 

Simrail has a xbox port on the store.

 

I barely play it. Have had a few runs.

 

That's a fair point

 

I have enough DLC that I'll keep picking up the free versions and carrying my current collection forward.

I will admit that letting my YT take priority meant a lot of other DLC got neglected by it's just not being popular with the crowd, and deciding to call it with YT and new TSW DLC has been getting back to what I enjoyed about TSW.

(hot take, The LGV is actually pretty chill mannnn)

 

From what I hear the console version isn't good and their customer service makes DTG look engaging and involved.

 

I'm still on TSW6, but I noticed I'm playing less TSW now. I do not have many interest in TSW7 due to issues and it's actually making my interest in the whole franchise less then it was, as it seems this game doesn't have a bright future. I also deleted a lot of DLC to have disk space for other games, so my focus is shifting away from TSW to other games.