I already suggested this prior to the reveal of TSW4 but I think it's a good time to have a second crack at it. Simply: If TSW will continue to evolve with new, seperate, editions each year - there needs to be a different approach. To be clear... I am in no way opposed to TSW4 itself. Only a year after TSW3 is a bit frustrating. TSW4 does enough to warrant a new release, TSW3 didn't. Realistically we should now be approaching the release of TSW3 - with TSW4's changes. But we can't change the past, can't we. With the news that TSW2 has been abandoned - unfortunately paywalling fixes for TSW2 content - a solution is needed. Matching the Bar TSW4 has the most to offer of any TSW Game apart from the Original release - in terms of features. The routes aren't the world's greatest selection but it's nothing bad. Antelope is an interesting idea, with a fairly low-key US Passenger Route, ECML is just a Racetrack, and Vorarlberg is a bigger (hopefully better) version of Luzern. Option One is Matching the Bar. Simply: Every new game needs to offer as much as TSW4 is. 2. TSW TC TC = Training Center Option two is probably more in line with modern gaming, but TSW has already got a good enough set up for it. As it stands in TSW: No matter what version of TSW4 you buy, you will receive the Core game, which includes the Training Center. The Training Center / Core are already detached from the routes that come with the release. If made free, it: • Allows new players to have a "test run" with the 66, 323 and 8F. • They can then buy DLCs as they wish • Existing players with no interest in Bundled routes don't need it • Nobody has to "Pay for Fixes" • Core Updates are, essentially, free 3. Stick with TSW4 This is essentially the same thing as the above - except it's not free. It just means adopting the TSC 'Annual Updates' model. Conclusion Just a short suggestion but it could go a long way to ironing out the main complaints around TSW4: "Paying for Fixes" and "It's not really worth buying as a new game, is it?" Personally, option 2 is the best option by far, as it allows everyone access to the game, including new players, who may like it and decide to stay! Dovetail lose nothing - the people who already play the game but don't want to buy the new edition - wouldn't buy it. Giving them it for free just makes everyone a big happier. Thank you.
It's practically a demo version, which folk can buy DLCs for. Seems win-win. Also, would be fun to check out things like UI and such before jumping in headfirst.
i definitely agree with a lot of points made here, I wasn’t a supporter of needing a TSW4 & abandonment of TSW3 especially more so after just 1 year, they’re is definitely a type of justification for doing so with all the stuff but doesn’t completely remove the other points. whilst whatever was announced I was likely to have been interested, meaning if it was a rush hour type thing instead of another iteration I would have probably have gotten it all the same, so I’m not personally affected by the Abandonment because of that. I still do have sympathies for those whose issues on TSW3 & 2 will not be resolved, they definitely should have been handled in a different way than needing to buy TSW4 for bug fixes. I definitely see the point and support the tsc update approach, the problem where DTG would probably be negatively affected by profits with this however is the amount of media and purchases an iteration is more likely to get than another dlc or group of dlc’s if you see what I mean. So not a total no harm done I don’t think.
I think it'd cause a very slight revenue drop but not anything that'd cause mass issues so overall I don't think it'd harm DTG to do that but I doubt it. At the end of the day it is a cheaper route bundle to its not like the purchase feels unjustified to some extent.
Essentially it would make Standard/Deluxe/Special bundles - with the core game being another part of them. The only practical difference is that people with no interest whatsoever in buying that, can just get the core (and their existing collection) for free.
