If A Modder Can Do It Why Can't .........

The title says it all ......

https://www.trainsimcommunity.com/m...ay-upgrade/f4983-tsw3modspacetodnaupgrade.pak

 

The title just says nothing, and the link neither.

 

Think the pic talks for itself

 

Because modders don't have to worry about upsetting management if they fix things that aren't on the to do list.

 

Sorry people my bad , i messed the link up

 

Yeah absolutely

 

https://www.trainsimcommunity.com/m...all-north-american-routes-time-of-day-upgrade Also here is the link

 

Thanks for putting my mistake right CowBoyWold

 

Although thats not useful anymore as this now exist https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/mod-download-tsw-3-new-skybox-for-older-routes-todv4.60050/

 

That's not entirely true because on the majority of occasions modders aren't rewriting the game, they are only enhancing things that devs have already being tasked to build or improve upon.

 

It is true, though. Modders are unpaid hobbyists who have total freedom to take as much time as they want targeting whatever aspect they want and making whatever change(s) they want, without having to worry about management's bugfix/feature addition priorities, budget limits, deadlines, etc.

 

From what I've noticed with dtg is they build a route and release it with quite a few problems, but the devs are then put to work on new projects, hence why some bugs that would literally take minutes to fix are left untouched for months even years!

The devs do what management tells them to do I.e bring in more money for the company rather than waste time fixing things for routes that are already selling well.

High priority or game braking bugs will receive immediate attention, unfortunately low priority bugs don't.

A modder on the other hand has as much time as they need to sit and mess around with it until its right. There's no management to say to them stop messing around with that and move onto something else.

Look at tsc, I've sat for hours searching thru assets just to find 1 Bridge for example. Or weeks adding the scenery the dtg didn't. Ideally if I was to build a route and get everything perfect with every bit of scenery it would take me years! Which is fine, I've got years. But if I was making routes to sell then obviously I would want a return on my investment in a matter of months. This is where I would be saying to myself I've spent enough time on this part, that's as good as it's gonna get and move onto something else.

 

It's nothing to do with bugs, new projects or indeed any after the fact events - it's about how DTG initially approach the development of a project and how modders have an uncanny knack of turning their efforts into something more appealing.

For example:
Simple assets that improve the overall aesthetics of stations. DTG could have done that during the initial modelling process.
Improved lighting effects. Same situation.

Modders aren't critical fixers, they're just normal folk who pick something up and arguably make a better effort than someone who has already been paid to do said project.

 

Like I said, a modder can sit and mess with something for hours, if it don't look right that can tinker until their hearts content, until they reach perfection. If dtg devs give the routes the same attention, we would probably get one or 2 routes per decade.

 

That bit I (almost) agree with...but DTG have many, many more tools to hand so in order to reach higher levels of acceptability I have to give them the benefit of the doubt and downgrade decades to years

 

Here's an Example of how it can look like

 

While I was making the mod (which in itself was fairly simple once I learned what needed to be updated) I learned why Dovetail probably didn't invest the time into adding it to old routes. You run into the issue of basically needing to overhaul most aspects of a route. For example, I originally had added the upgrade to Sand Patch Grade but probably due to the age of the route, everything looked completely broken. Other routes such as Sherman Hill completely didn't function for one reason or another, and you have the glaring issues for routes I did include in the mod basically having no support for night-time running (due to how dark everything is). In Boston to Providence especially, very few of the objects in dark areas of station platforms actually wanted to work with the new system.

At the end of the day, for 90% of the time the new system works for old routes, the other 10% is completely immersion or game breaking.

 

And this is the difference between a modder and a developer
A modder can say "Hey, it's free and if it doesn't work you can turn it off" and because they're an amateur people say "Well hey, it does 90% of my stuff well, so if I have to turn it off for the other 10% I've lost nothing"
If DTG put out an "update" that broke 10% of people's routes (like a buffer update which turns cushion soft to rock hard) people would throw their toys out of their pram...

 

By the way, DTG has still not fixed the buffer bug and probably never will..

So I don't see your point.

 

Then you're not reading what people type...

 

You said DTG can't just release broken updates or content but modders can.
DTG absolutely can and they also can choose to never address these bugs. See all the bugs in TSC DLC and TSW since day one.

 

No I didn't
I said if a modder does it people "make do" and "get by". If DTG do it they get slated.
So again, try reading what people say

 

Look what RSSLO can do and look what DTG delivers

 

Keep in mind its two different game

 

Well problem is that devs are getting payed for their work and you buy the game and DLCs... you have rights to be mad if they release shitty update which will break the game. The other problem is... you cant just remove shitty update to make the game working for you again... you have to wait for another update which will fix the problem, but most of the time it will add another problems. - lets just go back to the Cement circle scenario which is still not fixed for TSW 2020 (and that fix was promised before TSW 2 release - without mod fix PC users will not be able to finish it The same scenario was still broken when TSW 2 was released... somehow they fix it by accident with one update - even they dont know that which is funny

You are not paying modders for their work... if they release shitty mod which will break the game you can always remove it. And NOBODY is forcing you to use the mods while DTG is forcing you to update the game (even with shitty update which will break some stuff).

Most of the mods are working without any problems and adding more stuff to the game... yeah skybox got some light problems and they are not easy to fix without proper tools... thats another problem... DTG is using their official tools and they can release shitty updates... modders are using unofficial stuff.

 

Yeah but if they dont care for some heat online then we are back to step one.
No difference.

I would would usually trust a well known modder more when it comes to fixing a broken mod then i trust DTG with fixing a bug or broken patch, especially when it comes to speed of patch release.

Remember -> Buffer bug still not fixed and probably will never be fixed.

 

Today update is bringing save game... basically the same situation like with new skybox... They included info that it may not work correctly and its ok (you can turn off the save game feature... same like you can remove skybox mod)

 

Hey just wanted to say i really love this mod(like all your usual releases) Both the new 3d clouds and lighting look fantastic on older routes, and any issues it might have during night can be solved by simply removing the mod. Really game changer for older content, i would rather have have this mod with small issues it might cause than not have it at all, its not even a contents.

 

That looks sick, i suppose its taken on the Rivet's Swiss route with custom liveries for the 182 and BR 101 IC wagons.

I can only dream at the day when we will have a proper Taurus loco and Austrian route in TSW, probably only if RSSLO will jump on board.

 

I've not had a single issue with buffers in TSW3 in over 190hours of play. As far as I am concerned its fixed.

NB That 190 hours includes 20+ runs on Cajon Pass, a handful on HSC, SH & Sand Patch.

 

TSW2?
Remembering?

 

Will this mod also work with older German routes?

 

The king is dead, long live the king and all that

 

Absolutely, so people for some reason hold them to a higher standard (I say for some reason, because if someone comes on here and says "hey, this fixes x problem" then they should have tested that it does or include notes saying where it doesn't)

Unfortunately I don't. Seen loads of old stuff for TSC that hasn't been removed from sale that doesn't get updated. I even bought stuff then lost the download only to find the author was now dead but the website still taking sales.

I tested this the other day. On a class 66 coming up to some wagons in Hoo yard the buffers used to compress and "give". Now you just bounce off "a static wall".

 

If you take money for your product its no longer a mod but payware. Nobody here talked about payware creators. We talked about community freeware mods

 

So a working feature is now broken after an update? Shock. Horror.

 

Same difference to me... Anyone who creates and publishes content should test it and make people aware when and where it doesn't work (which was the point of this conversation in the first place rather than who gets paid and who doesn't, though I realise you basically come here to bash DTG so this whole thing is probably pointless)

 

Yeah, funny how that happens.

 

Yes it should work with all the TSW2 routes (including MSB, Rapid Transit etc.)

 

Could you please post a screenshot or two from german routes so i can see how big the improvement is? (dont have TSW3 yet)

 

Answered already in another topic but here is a bug report thread:
https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/buffer-related-problems.55341/#post-493691

https://forums.dovetailgames.com/th...ilment-bug-still-present-on-all-routes.57482/

Bug is on PC, Xbox and PS

 

Sure, all pictures are with light cloud cover in October

Hagen Finnentrop


Riesa Dresden


The difference is quite noticeable, it also affects the dynamic light and makes everything more brighter close to TSW3 levels

 

tsw2 the mod makes things hard to see during the night on some routes as well. For example if you run hsc during the night, the mfd screens are very washed out so it's really difficult to read the screens so you'll have to memorize what buttons to press to set the brakes unless you've already done that of course. Nights are all extremely dark and pis can become unreadable, etc. So the mod works better in the mornings than the nights at the moment.

 

Thanks guys.
Since i avoid night runs anyway (since at least in TSW2 they were usually terrible because of the bad lighting) i would surely use this mod.
DTG needs to work on bringing the new lighting to older TSW2 routes officially!

 

When moving up to wagons the buffers on the wagons don't move at all. It's like driving into a buffer stop. Short capture below using a class 66 at Hoo junction buffering up to MFA wagons. On the first move the 66 literally bounces off them