I am working on a Rush Hour edition of the TSW2 Starters Guide and I try to write down which options you have to buy TSW2. For experienced players, it may not be such a huge issue, but if you intend to start playing it, you need a lot to choose. You can choose for the Rush Hour DeLuxe, but then you may miss some interesting routes, or you can buy it as a separate bundle next to the core game, but in that case you pay to much. It is hard to explan all bundles and there also is an interesting TSW2020 bundle. DTG can you make it a bit simpler? E.g. by consistency in naming, Rush Hour DeLuxe does not contain ECW, confusing, I think.. TSW2 DeLuxes does not contain Rush Hour a second source for confused users, same for the Collectors Edition, which looks like it is the largest bundle, but it is similar to the Rush Hour DeLuxe bundle, but different routes. Things get more complicated if you own TSW2020. I really think people need a wizard to choose the best bundle. Even for TSW2 players there will be confusion about the core update.
Oh dear. They have complicated things haven’t they. Stick this on top of the confusion for the uninitiated of TSW2 and TSW2020 with the DLC and the still confusing TS and TSW thing. Mistakes will happen that are not entirely the fault of the consumer. It’s a head scratcher for DTG.
It would be nice if they could provide a promotional poster/diagram of some sort which shows what you get and for what price. I know many games have done this in the past and it's very helpful, especially to new players. e.g, Bundle 1: Price: Route(s) A,B & C Bundle 2: Price: Route(s) A,B,C & D Bundle 3: Price: Route(s) A,B,C,D & E
If it were not for the continued existence of NEC NY, it would not be necessary to continue to offer TSW2020. That would be an immediate simplification. Nothing wrong, then, with offering various bundles or single editions of TSW2 routes and locos at different prices, with the TSW base bundle presumably being the oldest and therefore the cheapest. The upgraded PC routes would be a bit higher and the strictly TSW2 routes higher still. TS has always had bundles of country specific dlc - that's another avenue to explore. It doesn't have to be any more complicated than a store shelf. But first get rid of the confusing nomenclature of the TSW versions.
DTG aren't alone, Elder Scrolls Online took up most of my time yesterday working out how to get the new areas, some things are just not obvious and are so tailored to existing players that they almost pull up the drawbridge behind them. I said last week, the deluxe RH bundle is badly named, it should be called the starter pack. If they want a deluxe version it should include one good TSW2 commuter route that isn't in the base version.
As I understood it, you can buy each new route individually, or buy all three of them together at a very discounted price. Is there more to it than that? Did I miss something?
I do not see any mention of the existing bundles alongside them, and I believe in the stream they did after the Rush Hour delay they said something about the Rush Hour Deluxe package replacing the current ECW one. So I don't see why people are so concerned about there being two Deluxe packages, there should be just one when Rush Hour comes out. I would assume Premium will be phased out completely for now given it's not mentioned in their blurbs at all.
I have noticed this too. Since the days of original TSW 1 back in 2018 this has been an ever-growing issue. It is very complicated now more than ever. I think DTG should have 5 bundles... e.g, Bundle 1: Price: X Route(s) TSW 2: RH Season Pass, A,B & C Bundle 2: Price: X Route(s) 4 popular TSW 2 routes (2020-2021) A,B,C & D Bundle 3: Price: X Route(s) 5 popular TSW 1 routes (2018-2020) A,B,C,D & E Bundle 4: Price: XX Route(s) Collectors edition, Mixture of random not already used routes A,B,C,D, & E Bundle 5: Price: XX Route(s) deluxe edition featuring 3 brand new routes and 1 exclusive new route, exclusive for 1 month, A,B,C & D This was my idea, although I can see the flaws with this approach. Overall I agree, it is very complicated given the shear amount of routes and bundles that are offered. Any suggestions?
I don't think they should have more than two bundles at anyone time, just have the standard game, then a Deluxe bundle with something extra. If you have a third one make it a premium edition which contains all the content from Deluxe and something extra beyond that. Once you start doing things like the regional editions where the contents of each pack have completely different routes that's when you really start confusing and intimidating people and have them not even bother to try and understand it.
I prefer how SCS does their bundling, as it makes use of Steam's Complete Your Collection feature. An overall discount is applied to each product in the bundle, and if items are already owned, they show as 'in library' and aren't included. Thus, buying a bundle means only paying for the bits you don't already own!
I made such a scheme. It will be published in the next edition of the TSW2 Starters Guide, but new players still need to think carefully. If it would be a simple choice where you select a more expensive bundle if you want more, it would be OK, but depending on what you have, how much want spend, what you really want here are a large number of options and things to know to make a good decision.
Yes, there is much more. For a new player, you must understand you get the core update for Rush Hour anyway. You cannot just buy Rush Hour but you need the core game, there are bundles with the core game but without Rush Hour, there even is a very interesting TSW2020 Digital DeLuxe bundle. This is overly complex and in the end will disappoint new players because they make the wrong choice.
Actually, Rudolf, the decision is simple: don't buy any of it. It's easy for me to offer this solution, since I detest driving passenger runs, which are endlessly repetitive and I just cannot seem to wrap my fingers & mouse around all of that frantic acceleration, braking, and door management. I'll stick to more tranquil activities such as the two s's: shunting and shifting. I wish the rest of you much joy once you've reached a decision and started driving.
It's an option, but a number of people would like to make another decision and into my opinion it would helpful to make it at least simple to choose.
Wait, I thought the only 3 options were: TSW2 + RH Season Pass (6 routes) -??€ RH Season Pass alone (3 routes) - 40€ Buy every route alone - 3 x 30€ Maybe there is another option without the default 3 routes? (RH TSW2 - 3 routes)
From the Rush Hour FAQ: What is the price for the Train Sim World 2 Rush Hour: Deluxe Edition? This will be available priced at £44.99 / €49.99 / $49.99.
It's great to see people contributing to the community with as much passion, intrigue and usefulness as you have displayed here. Quite frankly, when DTG see your post, they'll have no choice but to hire you for their marketing department. I can foresee thousands of potential players rushing the game because of the quality of information you are releasing to us, the uneducated masses, who dared to think that passenger trains were enjoyable to play. Since seeing your post, I have realised the truth in what you have said, and like a follower of Jesus in the Bible, I have uninstalled all passenger DLC for Train Simulator and Train Sim World. You, Sir, have made the Rush Hour situation so much easier to understand, not just for me, but the rest of the Train Simulator community. For that, we thank you. Spoiler Seriously, on the scale of contribution to the community, your post above probably ranks at the bottom... We'll play what we want, thank you.
As Callum B. said, it is 6 routes: the 3 routes from TSW2: Sand Patch Grade, Kohl-Aachen and Bakerloo and the 3 routes from Rush Hour: Boston Sprinter, Riesa-Dresden and BML. It is buying the base game and Rush Hour all together with a discounted price.