What Are Your Tsw4 Impressions So Far?

We have seen all the routes now so we finally know what is coming today. What do you think?

My impressions are very positive. A lot of stuff has been added I've been asking for a long time now and have finally come to this game. But the biggest improvement for me this year is adding another country. I guess I would have been a bit less positive if was again the three usual countries. Did I see anything that I did not like? Not much actually. Everything looked rather ok for me as a casual train sim player. Besides performance nothing really bothered me.

Time to eat this cake I guess.

 

I say same it will be interesting to see what works on tms and and isolation switches interestingly the SDO isolation switch moves and there’s a doors thing in tms screen so I’m wondering If some kind of function there or a manual SDO like on 385 Glasgow Edinburgh can’t wait for 3pm lol also will be interesting destination displays as to whether we can set these as this didn’t get mentioned last nights stream also the 66 services sound fun stopping to let 801’s stop

 

DRA upgrade +
OHLE rendering -
Vectron +
Scotsman +
Vorarlberg +
Talent 1 sound -
free roam +
banana +

 

I had my doubts when TSW4 was first announced during the Dovetail Direct stream, but I think Dovetail have improved a lot in being transparent in what to expect and what not, and that really gives me a positive vibe around TSW4, so I've ordered the Deluxe edition. I think TSW4 will give us some gradual improvements in gameplay, but when the editor is launched I think the amount of additional community content will result in a massive transformation of TSW and how we use it. Also the pricing is decent, especially with the added discounts for recurring players, given that we get 3 routes, a route upgrade and 2 loco packs in it (Deluxe edition that is).

 

The routes and trains generally very positive.

The new editors, well let’s see if they come in at or above the average users’ pay grade.

But I am very disappointed at the continuing lack of attention to train audio. Already posted at length in the ECML thread my thoughts on the situation but I really feel they need a long hard look at the sound situation. It is not acceptable to keep putting stuff out at this level which relies on incorrect or poorly mixed train sounds. They need a major rethink on the whole policy.

Anyway I’m still looking forward to this evening but my enthusiasm is rather more muted (sorry for sound metaphor) and rather than watching the Steam D/L countdown I’ll probably be finishing up my very last mission in Taymyr on Snowrunner, hoping I don’t spill the logs in the river.

 

To me it's very simple: it gives me a new route I'm interested in. If Vorarlberg wasn't part of the package, I would've waited. But with that and the Vectron my purchase is justified. Well, that is if it has the least amount of safety-systems-related bugs as possible :') To be honest, I'm not really interested in the new features, I just want to drive trains. I probably won't use the new mini HUD with the curious barber pole, so hopefully I can just replicate the HUD-less look from TSW3 using keyboard options.

 

At the moment it look good ! I was afraid that the improvement were minor but it's not the case. Personnaly I find that there was more improvement between TSW3 and 4 than between 2 and 3. I'm also curious to see what the next german route is going to be. And the Vectron is really a big extra.

 

I’m fine with it so far. Still some cosmetic things to clean up, but so far the game play looks solid. Unless something serious is found during early access, I’m still ordering the deluxe edition as soon as I get back from holidays. I’m mainly wanting the Vectron and that seems pretty good.

 

Audio can be a huge immersion breaker. I'm glad I'm still not at the level where I can recognise train engines and I hope I never will. I had already a lot of grievances in the past with audio issues my ears are trained to pick up. Once you hear something that annoys you you will hear it even more persistent. I hope the audio is fine. I can't really judge audio quality from a stream

 

Another plus I forgot to mention earlier not sure if it’s new in tsw4 but on 801 noticed that pantograph moved up and down with wires also the nice thud of pantograph when in diesel mode

 

I've not tried Scenario Planner or Livery creator but i had a go at Free Roam mode on the ECML timetable the other night due to everything in my life going to poo.
I spawned 1 66 then 3 more 66's opposite Doncaster station. After coupling them all up and performing a shunt move (as I spawned them on the wrong track) I drove them to the bottom end of Doncaster Yard at line speed to the point where we rejoin the ECML. It took me 45 minutes to do all that. In that time there were several freights and Azuma's passing me. Then its the trip to Peterborough Yard to do.

I think Free Roam mode in timetable mode is a game changer.
If you want to run a steam ECS from Southall - London Paddington you can.
If you want to run a loco hauled ECS from Paddington - Reading Depot you can
If you want to run the class 31 from Donny to Peterborough yard you can.

The Skies the limit.

Hentis

 

And the dioramas bring more life to the platforms. I'm waiting for my gameplay on impressions about the updated passengers but the dioramas already get a lot of praise from me

 

I would say mixed feelings about the Routes. Vorarlberg is the only one of the 3 Core Routes that really interests me but I don't think it will be my new Favorite. What interests me more are the creative Tools, especially FreeRoam and of course the Vectron.

 

I'm a UK content guy thats what interests me. But I'm not sure ECML is really my cup of tea, I personally find high speed running a little boring especially on modern one handle stock. I still need to watch the scotsman part of the preview (Steam is my favourite traction so hopefully it'll be good), but currently the only reason I have to get TSW4 is so I'm allowed to get the JT route when that releases which does look like the real deal, it looks like its been really well made so far and I can't wait for the previews.

 

I do have to ask, when will early access become available?

 

today 18:00 BST/19:00 UTC

 

wait no I'm an idiot UTC is wrong lmao that would be 21:00 but it's 18:00 BST and 19:00 in most european countries yeah

 

it's at 17h CET (most European countries) for consoles

 

yeah for consoles

 

Here is the full schedule

 

may I ask why so late though? on thursday most people still have to go to school etc.

 

Is there a reason it's different between the platforms ?

 

Vorarlberg and Antelope streams were very nice to watch. The team really leveled up in terms of modeling and landscaping! The rolling stock is nice as well, although the few instances of wrong audio are regrettable (not a dealbreaker for me personally though). Vectron seems like a cool offering for freight enthusiasts, although I wish they did a bit more with it (some unique services etc.). Same goes for the Scotsman… enthusiasts will likely be chuffed (pun intended), but for the average players, running that thing on the straight and flat ECML will get boring within minutes.
The rest of the features are quite nice as well. Scenario Planner 2.0, free roam, simple HUD and photo mode impressed me in particular.

All in all, the standard edition with the current discount seems like a great deal, although the dull ECML is clearly outshined by the two other routes. Deluxe Edition completely depends on whether you like the locos or not, definitely not a must-have.

Post-launch will be exciting with lots of new DLCs to be announced!

 

Bored senseless with yesterdays ecml stream. More modern plastic rubbish. FS has been done to death on all the train games and the whole class was never that brilliant. Still got the shonky maroon MK1 coaching stock, with out the BR coaching stock crest applied. Might be a small detail to all the gamer types not interested in necessary detail. But this is supposed to be a simulator, so it is a glaring ommision. It is missing from the SoS maroon coaches, so no excuse that they are preservation MK1's with FS.

The previous stream, free roam and scenario planner. That did look interesting and will probably just about save the game for me. As long as i can place what i want where i want. I only pre purchased again after i saw the JT route announcement, so i can get my hands on that, oh and the Peak Line 4F looks reasonable. The rest of all the medals and scoring rubbish just leaves me cold and too me a complete waste of time and resources. I won't be watching the clock to install TSW4 today. I have plenty to be getting on with in TSC and TRS22.

 

Not a loaded question but what do they mean by early access? Seems an odd use of the phrase given that it's not really early access..

 

I guess you could argue the game is fully finished, so it’s more of a “late access” for regular players than “early access” for deluxe/special edition buyers. But to be honest, this is so widely used, it’s just become an integral part of major game releases nowadays. Completely understandable that DTG is doing it as well.

 

Ahh, I thought it referred to the development context.

 

With incorrect sounds. Thought only N3V went in for that sort of thing!

The route set in 1964 or thereabouts could have seen the twilight of steam, with Deltics, 47's and 31's on the main line services.

All that work that went into the Azuma would have been better spent on bringing us the Deltic and rounding out the Mark One collection. From being the first route I'm likely to try, ECML has dropped to the bottom of the pile.

 

Or all that work that went into the Flying Scotsman could have been better spent on even more ultra modern trains like the Azuma and the 700.

 

Ok yes, and the Steam fans are gonna roast me, but FS seems like a ton of dev work for.....a railtour and a few scenarios?

Wouldn't it have been better for it to come with an actual period route for it to run on?

 

Subnautica Below Zero then?

 

Well, 2/3 of the new routes and some of the accompanying trains look interesting. And the peripheral changes to the HUD and Free Roam are very welcome.

The other new features such as photo mode, haptics and fog effect sound pretty gimmicky to me. Am I gonna stop my commuter train to take Brownie snaps? Of course not. And the fog effect combined with the dreadful eye adaptation feature will likely accelerate my cataracts.

The editor might be beyond my skill level, but I'll try my hand at building a scenario.

The main issues that were not addressed, lighting, especially night lighting and low sound of some trains in motion are disappointing. And the Azuma is really just another joystick go- kart. The Flying Scotsman, F125 and Vectron look like fun to drive. But I probably won't be able to drive any of it at night.

The ECML route, frankly, is as dull as dishwater to me. It was easy to do compared to more interesting segments or other UK routes, such as Welsh Marches or Cambrian Coast. Had the route been set in the 1970's with appropriate rolling stock.........well? Let's just say this won't be my first go-to route.

Some worrying issues are the fai!ure to include a freight loco with AVL, the threatened cut- back of the new NYT timetable and the failure to fix the glaring visual errors on that route. This all feeds into my " short straw " sensibility about the treatment of US fans.

Not forgetting the expected, but nevertheless rather pathetic failure to honor the TSW2/3 fixes.

Having said all that, it's a big package for not a lot of money, so I'll enjoy the good things, ignore what's missing and turn off the gimmicks.

 

Just very cheap three new dlc routes from my perspective.

 

Absolutely.

Or on a more prosaic loco for the existing routes such as a 2-6-4T or a BR Standard Class 4 or Class 5.

 

Hi matt will all layers be available on series s on official launch or will there be less than full gen 9 consoles

 

Ostriv- one of the most relaxing and dedicated labour of love city building projects youll likely ever see. I highly recommend it if youre into the genre, although I appreciate time is probably not something you have a huge amount of atm!

 

Then why buy it, and with early access too? If it’s that bad then you wouldn’t want to play.

All the people who said they would never buy another piece of TSW DLC have all come out of the woodwork with the TSW4 announcement

Just bizarre

 

I havent Maybe in a sale if its still being worked on in 6 months. Otherwise I cant see the point. Im not meaning to rub anyone up the wrong way with that, just feeding back that there's not enough in the core improvements for me to buy into a promise of better to come. Been burnt before there.
But I follow the journey with interest..

 

Have they outright stated they won't be updating TSW3? I don't expect them to, but they haven't actually said they won't deliver the promised updates like the NYT timetable yet.

 

This is probably the right time to nip out and buy a massive bag of popcorn.

 

There are some updates to TSW3 routes in the Roadmap, but no timetable and, given what happened to the TSW2 fixes, I'm personally not expecting them this decade.

The NYT timetable update is hanging on a cliff edge by its fingertips as we speak.

 

Holy Cow! with the new Free Roam I will for the first time get to play all the DLC routes I own freely. Yes that makes me excited. I'm a big fan of TSW over all other train games. Which means I want to play TSW just like I play TSC. In complete freedom.

As an American, Antelope seems like a winner but I going to need to experience it before I know for sure. I Hope it doesn't disappoint. For example Horseshoe Curve was a disappointment for me. But now with Free Roam Mode in TSW4 I get the route I was hoping for.

The Scotsman is a disappointment. Oh don't get me wrong. The Scotsman will be fantastic. It's just that I hoped for an American Steam first. I suppose though an American Steam engine will need to have a new route worthy of it.

Way to go DTG overall I'm very happy about the future.

 

I literally can not believe that america has steam locos

 

better and greater experience of the steam era yes.

but the route would have to be done twice, which is rare to happen, and has been discussed for some years on the appeasement/sales of doing the same route twice.

so it was either Scotmans in the modern on rail tours (as that’s what it does) or no Scotsman.

personally I like the way it’s done, I can use it now and if the route was ever re done in steam days then we would likely see a different new loco aswell come with the route, rather than it be the single Scotsman + whatever else could layer

 

So on ecml will i just get the 801s and the flying scotsman