How Can People Afford This-an Open Letter

Discussion in 'TSW General Discussion' started by Bradley, Mar 9, 2023.

  1. OldVern

    OldVern Well-Known Member

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    With me, it’s, “I’m off on the bike to Sainsbury’s dear, want anything?” as they are about the only store selling them at the moment. Then it’s a question of sneaking the used card into the garbage to hide the evidence!
     
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  2. Rudolf

    Rudolf Well-Known Member

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    I have a good income, but I stopped buying new content with a few exceptions. Reasons:

    - There is more content now than what you can play or want to play. So you can set priorities.
    - If have enough patience, you can buy most stuff for 50% of the current price at some point.
    - For some routes you get far more value for money that for others. A route with a single commuter train is not very attractive in general, though I really liked LIRR and the Harlem line.but I happened to buy Cathcart circle and I really do not like that one a lot. On the other hand Riesa-Dresden gives you a lot of gameplay, as does Ruhr-Sieg Nord, South Eastern Highspeed

    My all time favourite is West Somerset Railway, which is crying for a few additional timetables, though.

    Having said this all, DTG might consider a loyalty program, giving you a discount if you buy say 5 routes in a year, or make it possible to buy five routes in advance and get a 30% discount on the bundle. Fro a commercial point of view this may be a nice option, but I am afraid the platforms are not ready for the rather extreme DLC model DTG uses.

    So be patient and think before you buy till things change and be patient.
     
    Last edited: Mar 10, 2023
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  3. OldVern

    OldVern Well-Known Member

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    Season Pass, I.e. a proper one like Snowrunner did, not a gimmicky bundle.
     
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  4. andrewandjane66

    andrewandjane66 Well-Known Member

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    My local supermarket sells 247 different types of biscuit. I don't buy one of each....




    (but only because I can't stand Custard Creams...)
     
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  5. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    Sometimes I wonder at the state of humanity... Who doesn't like a decent custard cream?
     
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  6. AtherianKing

    AtherianKing Well-Known Member

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    Are you stating a business (any of them) doesn’t care to the reasons people’s won’t purchase what they offer… ?

    some would probably pay just to find that info…
     
  7. OldVern

    OldVern Well-Known Member

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    I used to like Gypsy Creams but apparently the only place you can buy those these days is South Africa!

    Perhaps DTG should sweeten the Peak Forest deal with a biscuit voucher at Sainsburys with every purchase (sort of keeping this OT).
     
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  8. elric#1386

    elric#1386 Well-Known Member

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    It's annoying when you settle down in front of the tv, open the pack and then find that some are broken. A bit like a DTG route where most of the timetables and scenario's work, but there is always a couple that don't!
     
  9. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    I think there's a difference between caring about what sells a product and what about that product may stop someone from buying it and being beholden to ensure that the product is affordable to absolutely everyone who may wish to purchase it no matter what the financial status of that person may be. You don't see Sony giving PS5s to people on the streets for example.

    If those are anything like Gypsy tarts (as in the condensed cream topped tart cases you get in Kent and Sussex) then I can see why... yuck!
     
  10. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    I'm yet to find a route where most of the timetable or scenarios are unplayable, as in you can complete them. Certainly there are some where the gold medal isn't available to you, and the red light thing has been the bane of people's lives but that wasn't "most of the timetable"

    But still, that's not what this post is about. The post is about someone not able to buy the DLC in the first place to have the pleasure of not completing the timetable
     
  11. AtherianKing

    AtherianKing Well-Known Member

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    the point I was stating was that any company not in denial would/should be interested in these things, I didn’t think anything directly would change based on financial circumstances of an individual but the basis of knowing levels of purchase is important information about customers to a company.

    the previous reply was to a member who stated DTG wouldn’t care about how customers would/wouldn’t purchase their product.

    Yes DTG have always stated buy what you want but, generally and understandably they can’t really tell customers to buy everything. If a move of previous customers ceased purchases more than those who do, the product begins to fall, only a matter of time before the plug is pulled on the game as a whole at that point.
     
  12. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    That's what this whole post is about. I understand other people are bringing in the bugs etc but trying to keep it on track here (and there's more than enough woe is me posts about the other issues)

    I believe DTG have Sam tracking things like sales, game play etc via the metrics supplied by Sony, MS, Epic and Steam so no doubt they have more info than we do as users on what's being bought, played and so on, but again, not what this post is about
     
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  13. OldVern

    OldVern Well-Known Member

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    Totally OT, but what the hey... Enjoy: Gypsy Creams Recipe (grouprecipes.com)
     
  14. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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  15. OldVern

    OldVern Well-Known Member

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    Right DTG Matt late item collectible on Peak Forest... If we can't get to Derby, let's find the packets of Gypsy Cream biscuits!
     
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  16. SHINO BAZ

    SHINO BAZ Well-Known Member

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    When i think about any new route assuming i can put aside whatever issues i know it will have,i now just consider all of them a glorified loco add on with some test track as a bonus.Plus since they added off the rail mode i have found more uses for my pricey train collection assuming i fined the add on with track worthy of a purchase.
     
  17. theorganist

    theorganist Well-Known Member

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    I am surprised you purchase anything considering you are always telling us how awful TSW is!
     
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  18. meridian#2659

    meridian#2659 Well-Known Member

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    I would say if you are in a unemployment status, a trainsim is probably a luxory thing which is not nessecary to survive.

    So either wait for sales (if you postpone your buying and gaming cycle for 6 months, you technically should be able to get cheap dlcs, which have updated the major bugs on top), or find somebody to gift you content.

    My personal advice, if you really have time during day help out in a heritage center and learn something about trains and its systems (bogies, mechanical stuff, electric things, painting, repairing.)
     
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  19. nockwurst

    nockwurst Well-Known Member

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    Just because they’re being released in groups doesn’t mean you need to buy them all at the same time.
     
  20. AtherianKing

    AtherianKing Well-Known Member

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    I don’t doubt Sam gets on with the tasks he handles, but getting information direct from players (like the OP) is still valuable and not something Microsoft or Sony would directly know

    Which is important to DTG and a reason they would/should listen, which seemed very much disputed by another member when I originally replied.

    yes they can see sales up/down but not generally the reasons that are affecting an individual or community from them. Some given reviews are very pointless also from what I’ve seen on store, I’ve seen some as 5 stars with the only comment being along the lines of “how do I drive the train” which seems to suggest they’ve said it’s brilliant but haven’t played it…
     
    Last edited: Mar 10, 2023
  21. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    My usual answer to this is "they have a whole forum for that"... and we know Matt, Sam, Adam and Alex are on here a lot (as well as JD and I'm sure others)
     
  22. Isaak

    Isaak Well-Known Member

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    I personally make a budget at the start of the year for all of my expenses, and I put 15 euros per month in the category 'games'. I keep track of my expenses in an Excel file and try not to go 'below 0' (compared to the budget up until that month of the year) at any given time , but if I do, it helps me to refrain from buying anything else in that category until my budget is again positive (or, for essential items like food, modify my budget and reduce the budget for a non-essential item). It really motivates me to make the choice if I really need something or if I can wait for a big sale to get it. It costs me 1-2 minutes daily to keep track of my expenses, but it saves me a lot of money because I do this for everything. (you 'd be surprised how easy it is to miss out on 1000 euros on things you actually don't need) I can absolutely recommend everyone to do this.
     
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  23. pveezy

    pveezy Well-Known Member

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    At the end of the day you don't need to be buying every DLC that comes out. They are pricey but unless you play the game like its your full time job there isn't even enough hours in the day to use them all regularly. Some people do buy nearly every route but everyone's situation is different.
     
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  24. AtherianKing

    AtherianKing Well-Known Member

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    My dispute was not that DTG aren’t active with the community, it was with another member that it’s still valuable for DTG to hear feedback on why an individual wouldn’t/would purchase their product. And that it wouldn’t as they seemed to suggest be ideal for DTG to dismiss such reasoning.
     
  25. Thelonius16

    Thelonius16 Well-Known Member

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    The solution is not "make less stuff."

    This game has more sales and discounts than anything else I've ever played.

    Have patience and get out of the mindset that you have to own everything right as it comes out.

    If you ONLY buy stuff that you really love and really want to play, then that will send the message to DTG that they need to make more of that kind of stuff and less of the stuff you don't like.
     
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  26. AtherianKing

    AtherianKing Well-Known Member

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    PC probably, Console definitely no, Sims 4 is probably something I see most sales on dlc items for on Xbox
     
  27. SHINO BAZ

    SHINO BAZ Well-Known Member

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    Well there was a time when i wasn't in the this dlc broken and i won't buy it anymore club,I just bought whatever dlc interested me but as this club has expanded and it's become more clear and obvious just what a mess you end up with,it's left me more unwilling to buy dlc i would have purchased right away.There are several US and German dlc i would have purchased for example the NJ Trenton dlc was the 1st route i had gotten in awhile but it was so broken for the frist time ever i returned a route.The complaining is just a replacement for playing a game that continues to roll downhill uncontrolled until it derails crashes and just becomes someone elses mess to deal with.
     
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  28. theorganist

    theorganist Well-Known Member

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    Well I started out that way too and now just purchase what I am likely to enjoy (which is probably most of the DLC) and also on the basis of what state it is in and does it appear accurate. Some I purchase full price but I have a long list of sales only purchases and wait till it is fixed purchases.
     
  29. SHINO BAZ

    SHINO BAZ Well-Known Member

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    If only the Xbox one had gotten sales more then once in a bluemoon it offen took years of begging just to get even a small sale,i got so sick of DTG and MS blaming each other for why sales where so rare.I would have probably purchased a few more dlc dispite the issues.PC was getting sales so offen you would think TSW was almost free for PC players compared to XBO players.I figure it this way DTG going downhill there running there business into the ground and just trying to make what money they can before they fall on there face.The die hard supporter will move on to the next train sim game and leave them in the past.Some will think that can't happen,well bigger companies have failed and at the rate there going there it may only be a matter of time.But in the mean time we who have know where else to go will get whatever fun out of TSW we can.

    Note There is one route coming up that i'm planning on buying that's the DTG made route with the NEW 060 tender steam engine,i fugure might as well take a chance once in awhile.
     
    Last edited: Mar 10, 2023
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  30. Just blame the price hike on Russia. Everyone else is.

    I forgot too add brexit.
     
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  31. theorganist

    theorganist Well-Known Member

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    That is the one route I should be purchasing but won't be!
     
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  32. SHINO BAZ

    SHINO BAZ Well-Known Member

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    I'm not really paying full price for this route i figured if DTG and MS want to point fingers at each other i have to make my own sale.
    How you didn't ask.We have a dollar general in are town that sometimes put MS $25/50 gift cards on sale for 10/15/20% off and i like to buy a few,now it may not seem like much but sometimes you just have to do what you can,when others won't or don't.
     
  33. elric#1386

    elric#1386 Well-Known Member

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    As a PC user, I made a major mistake of purchasing through the MS Store. Because of this error I very rarely get dlc's being in sales, not like Steam that have a sale every time DTG do a live stream. My last purchase was back in December when MS Store had a Christmas sale that lasted coming on three weeks! That was probably the only good thing about the MS Store sales, is how long they seem to go on for. Though MS Store is a part of the Xbox game pass, which has a permanent 10% sale. Only issue with that is that to get 10% off, it costs £7.99 per month.
    For me it is Just not worth it. £7.99 to save just over a pound!
     
    Last edited: Mar 10, 2023
  34. Inkar

    Inkar Well-Known Member

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    The game pass is a subscription service to access a lot of xbox games. The 10% discount is just a little plus added for subscribers. If you are only playing TSW3 of course it does not make sense to stay subscribed to game pass.
     
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  35. elric#1386

    elric#1386 Well-Known Member

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    Agreed!
     
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  36. Crosstie

    Crosstie Well-Known Member

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    Don't forget that DTG has an effective monopoly in the train sim business. It's not as if some other company is offering these routes at a lower price or with a discount. So DTG can set the price at whatever they wish. Demand is pretty inelastic for their products.

    I'm not saying that their prices are unreasonable, by the way. I'm happy to pay my $40 if I get value for money. And Steam, at least, has pretty decent and frequent sales.
     
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  37. Mr JMB

    Mr JMB Well-Known Member

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    It's a great thing that so much new content is being released. How can it not be? When it was slower people complained, now there are many parties making items, DTG themselves have more route building teams than before so yes it will come faster. You just buy what you can afford if you want it. Its pretty simple I'm afraid.
     
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  38. meridian#2659

    meridian#2659 Well-Known Member

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    Yea, JD does a great job too in my opinion.can immagine its not always easy to be in the middle of a loyal community and a running business on the other side. Nomatter what you do, someone is gonna be upset :)
     
  39. Bill Brassky

    Bill Brassky New Member

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    Looking for all DLC to be 50% off starting on 16th with steam spring sale, yes? :) hope you got your ears on Ducktail...
     
  40. mariussoare_84

    mariussoare_84 Well-Known Member

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    I wonder what is the OP's expectation from posting this!?
    I wish him all the best and perhaps to revise his priorities during hard times.
     
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  41. krustynuggets

    krustynuggets Well-Known Member

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    When I see threads like these I always end up thinking that the OP isn't happy that other people can afford to buy DLC and they can't and it's not fair, well the cold hard truth of the matter is that's just life I'm afraid, when I got made redundant in 2020 I had naff all money and couldn't afford any games or DLC for 18 months, I had to do without and deal with it because it's life and when I got another job and could afford stuff again I bought it, again because that's just how life works, trying to get a company to feel pity for you is just completely insane and pointless, but you got to give it to the dude for having the balls to try........
     
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  42. AtherianKing

    AtherianKing Well-Known Member

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    All great except the quality (Bugs not really general scenery or anything their on the up) seems to suffering at a rate that seems to suggest it’s rushed through rather than “naturally” moving quicker because of those circumstances
     
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  43. grumypop51

    grumypop51 Well-Known Member

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    "But infact i do see a problem with incrrased price and lowering quality to the same time. Thats not something i will support longterm if this becomes regular."
    Becomes regular???? It's been an ongoing issue for some time now. The model seems to be: new release... with bugs..oh well we have a patch.....dang! The patch has broken something else......never mind, here's another route, complete with bug...........New announcement!!! New route/loco...complete with bugs! Oh, you are still having problems with a previous route? Never mind here's something else to take your mind off that! Still have bugs? No worries!! Here's a completely new version with shiny things and of course, bugs. And on it goes, ad infintum.
     
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  44. grumypop51

    grumypop51 Well-Known Member

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    Whilst I don't agree with the premise that cost of living etc. should be a matter of concern for this, or any company, I do agree with your sentiments about the increased rate of production and the subsequent decrease of the quality of DLC's. Yes, slow it down a little and ensure things are as near to how they should be, rather than an incessant stream of patches for this, that and every thing.
     
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  45. Omnicitywife

    Omnicitywife Well-Known Member

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    Why should we who can afford suffer because some don't? It makes no sense, at all.
     
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  46. ukpetey

    ukpetey Well-Known Member

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    An ill considered ‘open letter’ by the OP. He may as well moan that prices for flats in east London start at £450,000 and that the developers should lower prices! It’s all optional, cost of living crisis or not. Nobody has a gun to our heads forcing us to buy anything
     
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  47. Bravo2six

    Bravo2six Well-Known Member

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    You mean a 'proper one' or a 'snowrunner one' that doesn't include everything, like the vehicle packs!
     
  48. Bravo2six

    Bravo2six Well-Known Member

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    I don't agree that the quality has decreased at all, almost all of the issues I stumble across is minor at most.

    Designing games is a dark art at best, and even the largest companies struggle to produce bug free content and I don't accept the arguement of "They should take more time to find everything" because that isn't plausible.
     
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  49. AtherianKing

    AtherianKing Well-Known Member

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    how are you suffering at someone who wishes to share their views on inflation regarding TSW ?
     
  50. Turbojugend

    Turbojugend Well-Known Member

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    I won't suggest to others what they should do with their own hard-earned money, but I will tell you DTG's recent price hikes have changed my spending philosophy toward TSW3. It used to be a route I wanted was a no-brainer, now I look at a new one and think I'm $20 short of a full-fledged AAA game, halfway to a quality model kit at the local hobby store. For a single piece of DLC.

    Trust me, it's not a matter of "what I can afford." Even those who have the funds aren't simply going to spend it because they have it. It's matter of value, and the value isn't there for me.
     
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