Sad that there are so many negative comments here. I like TSW2! They have build a very nice game with outstanding graphics! The epic store version will release and I give it a try! I'm very curious to the new layout and support for TrackIR!
Woooah dial it back there white knight.. "So many negative comments"? 2 replies to the thread prior to yours and one of them (mine) was not even a negative comment it was a factual statement that I still don't want it (free or not) that my friend is called an unbiased opinion. I said nothing negative about the game at all (you'll have to go to my other posts for that). You like it, good for you, many don't, deal with the differences in opinion, you're gonna get them on a forum.
It's a nice game and it as improved a lot recently. It's free, why not just get it? It gives you the chance to try it. It may be helpful to get the TSW2 Starters Guide, which you can download for free at my website: https://www.hollandhiking.nl/trainsimulator It is at the TSW page. It covers all you may want to know that is not in the official game manual, and that is a lot!
In general though on this forum I am inclined to agree - there is a general dislike towards TSW on here I find at times.
I agree, I have noticed that occasionally, however I have found largely in the TSW community (not everyone - but still quite a lot of people) that there is little care for TS, people seem to forget that TS still has a wide and dedicated community. For example, with the recent release of Tehachapi, I saw multiple people asking “why TS gets this, we should have this for TSW” which does annoy me a lot. This is usually the same for most things that are released for TS, and I don’t think I’ve really ever seen this going the other way. As well, I have seen multiple people saying that DTG should stop providing support for TS and focus on TSW. So, I would say (and I’m trying my best to be fair and unbiased here - as someone who rarely plays TSW and doesn’t much like it) that some resentment is justified.
And the Graphics are about the only good thing about TSW2 In TS2021 I ran a scenario on a Dutch Route and then a another one where I changed the default train for something else Try that in TSW2 - but you can't as DTG took that facility away In TSW you could use different traction on different routes - DTG removed that option in TSW2 You can do that now by creating a scenario but you are still restricted as to what you can use. I only got TSW2 as I though I could do the same trains as TSW but no. Peter
But yes - returning to the main point of the thread, if you’re not sure about TSW, now would probably be a good time to pick it up, so if you don’t end up liking it much like me, you haven’t really lost anything. (Although this may be a bit off topic for a TS forum)
I'm not interested in getting it, even for free, but I do have a question though. As it is from Epic, and needs the Epic installer (I'm assuming, because everything from Epic does), does that mean you can't add DLC to it from Steam? It won't be in your Steam library, so I can only imagine that the answer is no.
I thought not. Not that I have any DLC for it, as I don't have it. Oh, actually I do have DLC, as I have TSW1and DLC, but I uninstalled that ages ago, as it's rubbish.
That's not surprising. This forum is for people who play TS2021. We play it for a reason and for most of us that's because we prefer it to TSW. Your comment is similar to posting about Liverpool FC on an Everton forum and then complaining there's a lot of hostility!
The ever reliable internet, the place where people are insistent that you know that the thing you like is actually bad. I expect when the the first ever website went online, someone emailed them within 5 minutes to criticise the layout.
Downloaded it, well it's free after all. Too much emphasis on wandering around and collectibles. Feels more like a game than a true simulator. I'll stick with TS thank you.
You don’t need to wander round or collect things. Just ignore these and go straight for timetable or scenarios and leave the wandering round for those that want them.
I have over 300 hours in TSW 2020 but ditched that when I found TS 2020. I appreciate there's more to it however, none of the 3 included routes were of particular interest to me and I wasn't falling for the whole"new game" thing when it was released so I never bothered with TSW 2. Seeing as it was free and therefore nothing to lose, I downloaded it but it's just got too much of a "gamey" feel than what I personally look for in a simulator. Yes, it can look pretty, but not massively more than TS, if at all. Maybe 15 minutes isn't particularly long to really try it out, but seeing as none of my TSW 2020 DLC'S will be available, I can't see me laying out any money to buy it on Steam or on any DLC's from Epic. If I'd have paid anything for it, I'd have been asking for a refund.
I was never really attracted to the TSW2 gameplay, so I never bought it, despite being tempted many times during sales to buy in on this so called successor of TS. Well a sale of 100% discount finally pulled me over the line.....to give it a try. I have to say, after a hour playing, TSW 2 is not for me. For me personal it is the lack of freedom that I miss. In TS you can do anything you like, QuickDrive, Freeroam, a scenario, create a scenario, build a route, use a route someone build, use any loco on any route in any scenario, download some ancient coaches etcetera, etcetera. Still can't see how TSW is the succesor of TS. Totally different gameplay!
Just downloaded it so I could run the Bakerloo Line. It does look good but can imagine it gets boring very quickly. Happy to get it for free
Wholly agree, among other things the lack of freedom is what makes TSW not enjoyable for me. I often like to spend hours in the scenario editor seeing what I can come up with in TS. In TSW, the scenario creator is very restricting and the process is somewhat mundane.
I'm shocked that people say TSW has a lack of freedom, since there is so much more of a connection to the world than in TS. Being glued to just the cab is a severe limitation, and I find anything freight related to be infinitely more immersive in TSW than I've ever felt in TS. Plus having the infinite timetables and far better career scoring integration is a huge improvement. The biggest issue I have with TSW is the short routes. I love that (realistically or not) I can drive 300-400 mile routes in a single go. Ultimately, they're very different experiences, and I find myself wishing each had something of the other. I just wouldn't go in expecting TSW to be Train Simulator 2.
I still cant place trains where I want, tell them to go where I want, or make them up with any custom consists in TSW2, something that TS1's scenario editor allows me to do with much greater freedom than what TSW2 can offer. That's the freedom that TSW2 lacks over TS2021.
Yeah I feel you, but it's balanced by the moment-to-moments within the designed experiences being much more free. It's definitely a tradeoff, I'm just glad we have both.
I like TSW2, but TS20XX offers more for my taste. What I am enjoying about the offer is that I am noticing a number of streamers who are giving it a try. What I don't like about it being on Epic is that one can't get DLCs from Stream or the reverse for the game, from what I understand.
In what way does Train Simulator NOT have infinite time tables? LOL Who cares about career modes? Real train drivers don't get gold stars. I've just grabbed a copy of Manchester to Liverpool via Chat Moss for TS2021.. complete with custom assets for Manchester city centre, and a fully customisable RA system and complete with a fully reskinned Trans Pennine Azuma. Have you got yours for TSW yet?
The freedom isn't about the ability to wander around the stations putting up posters. It's having the ability to put what trains you want in any scenario you want, on a route you have created. As for the points system, it's pointless! There's nothing to gain from it. No benefits whatsoever. Most games that have some sort of points or level system have rewards and unlocks for achieving higher levels, TSW or TS don't so what is the point?
It's like saying if you buy your car from a particular dealership, you can only get any future parts and accessories from there.
I'm pretty sure in the Horseshoe Curve route, you have to play career scenarios to unlock the rest in the series (according to the steam page at least) but that's literally it. An interesting idea, but abandoned soon after.
Comparing TS to TSW2 is like comparing apples to oranges. Makes a completely different cake. IMO TSW is more arcade and more console oriented. Nothing wrong with that, but less attractive for rail hobbiest who needs the freedom to build and use that special consist.
It's free, so nothing to lose. But if you already have it, I wouldn't pay for it after the offer ends.
It's the same piece of software you get from Steam... you're just getting it from Epic... and therefore once you get it from Epic, you'll need to get literally every piece of DLC from Epic.. so no more Steam sales for you. yes it will run under Windows 8. Why are you still on Windows 8?
Maybe I'm missing something, but if you decide to try it for free from Epic, surely there's no reason why you couldn't later on decide to buy it from Steam if you like it and want to get some DLC?
Sorry, what I mean is why can't you also buy the base game from Steam if you have already got it from Epic?
Well, for one, a lot of TSW content is recreated TS content. The recent TSW US route is an exception, and I was admiring some screenshots. But TSW routes have their limitations and TS users would also love better graphics. Ideally, retroactively. So neutral players could say, adding content to TSW would bring things forward. Alternatively, major updates to TS itself - sure it's nice with a 40GHz CPU and a GTX 6880 in 4K with 2x2 multisampling (8K effectively) on top of full details, double of max view distance (no more treelines popping in) and of course ambient occlusion at max with proper 3D trees, but only a few can time travel. The rest is stuck with this. (And 20fps on new Portsmouth.)
Not strictly true. If you already have TSW2 from Steam and then get it from Epic, your future purchases from Steam will still work in your Steam version. However, there doesn’t seem to be any point in buying the Epic version if you already have it from Steam. The only point of downloading it for free is to try out the new features before the Steam version is updated.
The reskin comes with the chat moss route Peter. There will be an actual azuma enhancement pack released at some point in the future on ATS but for now it's just a reskin with chat moss.
Pookeyhead I have an old Windows 8 PC, I would run it on. I play TSW2 from steam on a Windows 10 laptop.
You can run TS in 4k on a GTX1080ti with a decent i9 or a 6 core 2nd gen Ryzen no problem. I run it at 2560x1600 with everything on full with a 6 core 2nd gen (10 year old) i7 and a GTX980Ti at 30fps minimum (with RW Enhancer and ReShade). Current top line hardware like a 12 core Zen 3 Ryzen and a RTX3080 (if you can get one) will run 4K and super sampling with no issues at all.
You can, if you want it twice.. not sure why you'd want to do that though. If you are going to buy it from Steam, why get it from Epic?
I mean if you want to try it, why wouldn't you get it from Epic while it's free? Then if you decide you like it enough to want to get some DLC you could buy it from Steam and you haven't really lost out.
Of course. You made it sound like you were talking about having both for some reason. In that case, you'd just uninstall the Epic version first, then buy it from Steam. There'd be no conflict, as you'd have uninstalled it first.