So after watching tonight's stream, one thing that Sam mentioned which I thought was really interesting was that if they reinstate the two cut branch lines from Riesa-Dresden, this would easily take 3 months and they would be faced with a decision to cut other content from this years release cycle. He said the scope of the project was too big and this was the inherent tradeoff. So I thought I'd post a poll that is slightly different and more, realistic, if you will, then just release vs delay. Would you rather have the route WITH the branches but only have one DTG made German route release this forthcoming release cycle rather than the (I assume) usual two, or would you rather have that extra route. Quality vs quantity if you will. Obviously none of us know what these one or two routes would be. I would also assume they would also have to charge more for the Riesa-Dresden route if they were to add the branch lines due to lost income and it would only release in the fall/autumn, rather than summer.
I mean there is only so much content I'll be able to play and buy, so I's go for the branch lines. I also think the branches would take up only 50% of the time it takes to develop a full route, if not less, so we wouldn't loose out on an entire route, though combined with Rush Hour already being delayed it would probably work out to one less route in next years developement cycle (unless they find quicker ways to develop routes).
I would rather have one complete network than two generic German A-B routes, my hard drive is filled with. So for me this is a clear cut decision.
I think DTG is aware that we want the additional extensions, the question is, will they accept our feedback or not, it is no doubt that they will take the easy way out. I'm in no hurry to play this route, so much so that I'm waiting for whatever it takes. We love this game, and that's why we are striving to have a game that is proud to say that we love and play it.
Considering that Rush Hour is all about routes that feel alive (busier stations and more trains), it would be really dumb to reduce Riesa-Dresden to a Point A to Point B route. The branches are what makes a route feel alive, especially since these are S-Bahn branches, which are the busiest kind. Adding different branches truly gives a route a “Rush Hour” feeling. And I’m sure that reasonable consumers wouldn’t worry about the lack of yet another A-B German route, if Riesa-Dresden is great. DTG should focus on making Riesa-Dresden their BEST German route, because Rush Hour is the big summer release that most players will care about.
I haven't bought all the existing German routes, because they're all pretty much the same. No interest in another one, unless it's interesting.
At thr moment, expetially for german dlc there are a lot of routes, that are different, some for freight, some for passengers. I new one that is similar will not do difference and probably will another "ok" route like HHL. Maybe it is time to make a step forward and create a really, working network. The most important feature for the german routes is that you can share the locos, and train formation. Now it's time to make co-exist all this train in one big route. German contenents needs to evolve. So yes, it is better to have the new one with branches than 2 or 1 "new" german route that probably will be one rebuilt from TS20XX Ps. This thing indicate a not good plannig session for DTG. I don't think that they choose to cut off the branches this monday, so probably there will be a delay djring thd development, so...... why choose this one? There are a lot of "standard" german route that you can recreate the "rush hour" ferling (exemple. Koln - koblenz) and take and sell this one, as a complex route near chrismast time, with something more too maybe, at full price, or 35€ too as "a new type of complex network dlc", they will have all the time to make the things good, and i'm sure that everyone here will buy a route that offer: ICE and IC services, standard and express regional service, local regional and s-bahn lines, freight and heavy freight service, light freight serivice, shutting services, depot services, train formation services (like IC) and maybe ~600 service timetable with the possibly to expand it when TSG locos will arrive.
Chose Riesa-Dresden to add extra branches at a cost of an extra route in order to make Riesa-Dresden be a true rush hour route with S2 to Dresden Airport and S1
How a about a compromise? I can understand that the airport branch is especially tricky since the last stop is underground. But as a compromise and step towards the community, the Meissen branch could be kept. It is not that long with pretty simple stations, so the amount of additional work would be somewhat under control. And running the S-Bahn services all the way to the end is certainly nicer than just cutting them off in the middle. And the question "Would I rather have this or a new DLC" doesn't work any longer now, the amount of time is by no means comparable DTG, please think about it, it will be worth your time to include it!
Well if dtg is only offering half a route then maybe it should be half price because it doesn't sound like a 30.00 route.
I’d prefer fewer releases if the releases we get include more content. I would have loved to have had the full BML experience including London Bridge. This could have easily been delivered if another route was cut. I have a feeling a lot of the community would prefer fewer, more detailed/more inclusive routes. Yes, it would take longer to get all of the routes we want in the game, but I’m a firm believer that the whole route should be included - especially when mostly self contained like BML.
No problem for me in future cut content. It's not necessary to have tons of half-baked, bugs-filled, shortened routes.
Yeah, though I'd also still like tge airport branch. The underground station is really interesting to me, and it just seems nice to operate the BR 143 there.
Yeah but stations are a lot of work already and I could definetely see how having to also bake them might take quite some time. Still, it's worth that time in my opinion.
Don't get me wrong, I would also love to have it, but we need to be realistic as well, and from last nights stream, we won't get any of it when it comes to DTGs side. So I figured why not make a compromise to make the best out of a tricky situation
Same here. I've stopped purchasing German routes until something a little more different or varied comes out.
I can second that. I already held off on HLL for a long time, and now I have it I think I don't mind holding off on other routes like it at all (not that it's bad, but I don't need another one). The only reason I might get BRD is because it's cheaper to buy the pack, as I am still interested in NEC and BML as they seem really interesting still. However, I do hope BRD gets it branches back. I wouldn't mind waiting, I wouldn't mind 'losing' another hypothetical future German route because of it, and I also wouldn't mind paying more for it.
I really like playing with branch lines. It adds a lot more variation and game play for me...Possibly why East Coast Way and Cathcart have been so popular.
Over time scope should hopefully increase otherwise we will always be stuck with these A-B routes or smaller self-contained routes like Cathcart. I would hope as they get familiar with the process they can push the boundaries. Also, as they get more content and more customers they should be able to afford to push the boat out a bit, it isn't a start-up anymore. There would be a big pull in periodically being able to say this is the biggest and best thing we've ever done, constantly raising the bar etc.
Well this poll is pretty decisive so far. Thanks to everyone who has been voting. I totally agree that I'd rather have better, more fleshed out content less frequently and at a slightly higher price, starting with this route. Given the trade-off Sam mentioned last night I hope this can be fed back to the 'bean counters' for consideration by one of the community managers.
The german route stick us with a laundry list of recycled trains(shocking i know)but as bad as this is we now get offered way less route to boot.Just how much less effort does dtg think we want to see in there dlc offering? What dtg dlc future. Shorter routes Almost 0 to 1 new loco Almost 0 or less new wagons Almost 0 or less new coaches Almost alway telling us making the correct car for a specific route isn't worth the time neeeded to do it There plenty more of these but like dtg it's not worth my time to list it all.
Yeah, the fact that we're only getting new rolling stock liveries (although sound, PIS, and the braking systems should be improved and interactive) and no new rolling stock we've never seen before makes the decision to cut the branches even more frustrating.
im not losing a route just so one can be a bit longer, they need more routes to make more money, where will the money come to make risea - dresden longer
The route, without the branches, is comparable in length to Hamburg-Lübeck or nearly 50% longer than HRR. I think it is unreasonable to call it "half a route".
Yeah lengthwise it's still okay. The branches aren't about length, but about the gameplay that happens on them (changing speed limits, single track sections, switching ends, descending into an underground station, etc.)
Well with the way dtg has been going it's no wonder why they may have less money to work with,but that's not the consumers fault.
Yeah, I buy that argument for sure. For me, I don't really care about the Meissen branch but I would've really liked the Dresden Flughafen branch because driving down into the underground station would be really cool and it's a good "short" real end-to-end journey. However, I'm really split on whether I want the branch over a full second German route. What if it's something great like Linke Rheinstrecke or another scenic German route with a great mix of services?
I think we would still get that route, just 4-5 months later, in the next developement cycle. It's not like they're going to forget about wanting to do that route, it will stay at the same point in their priority list of planned or possible routes. But yes, we might kind of miss out on another great route (or as Monder pointed out, another bad route), but knowing that that risk exists, I still feel like the branches would be a better destination for developement time.
Agreed. I don’t think we’d miss out on a great route. I see it more as postponing a future route to deliver on Dresden now.
That route isn't that interesting indeed, but with the right rolling stock (ICE 4, RRX) it could be fun if extended to Duisburg and merging SKA with HRR. However, that is a long ways away, no need for that route at this moment. I want my branches
What's saddest about this is that because of the 'season pass' or 'season ticket' or whatever they're calling the bundle, the dismembered Riesa-Dresden will "sell well" (i.e. people will buy the bundle to get NEC and BML), so DTG's beancounters will conclude it was a "successful" route and all polls and other expressions of player dissatisfaction will be ignored.