This post completely misses the point. There is no problem if you enjoy the game. Nobody here took a jab at those that enjoy the game, but there is no doubt that quality of the content has been a hit or miss by DTG and Rivet Games. Bugs on certain routes have gone unresolved for ages and quality has always been inconsistent. That is a fair thing for customers to call out when DTG are charging $40 for a product but don't go back and improve older content. Sure bug fixes wouldn't generate much money, but it could get some to buy the same product if it is improved in the long run. Some here have mentioned that they won't buy the German route because of the ongoing issues with the game. I don't blame them. DTG hardly make many improvements to older content but have no problem selling new dlc. Why should someone buy a new dlc if it will just sit abandoned after release. I have Edinburgh-Glasgow and Rivet still have not improved the sounds from the 385 and that route came out several months ago. Yet Rivet have no problem selling the next shiny new thing. That’s a fair critique to have To tell people who may have paid for a product that if they have an issue to go away doesn't solve anything and is not constructive. We all want the game to be better hence why we post feedback on what we think of the game and generally the people more critical are the ones most passionate in seeing a better product
I would highly disagree. Obviously a better route will sell more than a lackluster one. Quite a few people (myself included) expressed their interest in their route even though it is out of their usual interest area. Like I find UK stuff the least interesting, but I would like to get the route at some point because it seems very well done. On the other hand, a route like New York - Trenton would be more to my liking on paper, but it's just so bad that I will not pay money for it. What my biggest concern is is that they somewhat shot themselves in the foot by releasing it for TSW4 only, because now all the people who have not switched over to TSW4 yet can't buy it, therefore they might be losing quite a few sales there. Same for the Arosa aggregates pack - Arosa is already a route with limited buyers because the route is just so bad. And now they release the pack for TSW4 only, therefore narrowing the already slim limited potential buyers to even smaller.
DTG would be getting some of my money (instead of none at all) if they actually took bugfixing and implementing proper features seriously...
What are you banging on about? The game has lots of outstanding issues that need fixing. If your standards are so low good for you, but I can’t stand those that just put up and shut up, it’s one of the reasons society is falling apart. When I pay for goods I expect them to work properly. I don’t expect my dlc to be crashing My game, I don’t expect flickering of the sky in game, I don’t expect graphical issues to hinder my enjoyment in 2023. I EXPECT, no DEMAND, that the downloads I bought and paid for and all the other ads ons to add layers to work as intended. In the case of NYT that has been broken now since tsw4 launched. it’s simply unacceptable, now run along.
You run along I was here first. Again its a game so grow up if you don't like it move along. There are more important stuff to worry about than a game. If you have this much passion perhaps start a charity and make a change in the real world than a virtual one. I personally run and financially support a battered womans shelter so I am making a real difference for something that matters what do you besides play games and whine about it. Evertime someone says they like the game people who hate say boy your standards are low. Or your a DTG fanboy. And that is not fair to people who enjoy the game. You know what the best thing I can do is just stop reading the forums. So continue your useless whining and complaining because the glass is half empty to you all. These forums were less toxic 2 years ago when people didn't become so self centered thinking the game is just for them. Enjoy.
I won’t comment on my own or anyone else’s personal jobs or everyday life things, that’s not relevant to the thread. if people have feedback, then share it if they wish, sure their is the odd one with a bad response to some feedback, that’s the internet, hell of a lot better on the forums than other internet discussions even YouTube comment sections for that matter. I never seen anyone claim the game for themselves, if you enjoy that’s great, I do to but I can also see where improvements should be made, anyone’s entitled to give that feedback in fact DTG frequently ask for such feedback. no need to tell anyone not to buy it, if people don’t want to buy it or want to buy it that’s up to them.
It's almost like the quality has declined in the last two years, with games now being released every 12 months while bugs are being ignored. What a shock the community is not as happy.
I mean judging by your responses, you do seem to have much lower standards. That's not a bad thing at all. Some people have different standards. But again, telling people to leave doesn't solve anything. We just want the game to be better.
If you come in here with condescending posts don’t be surprised when people bite back. The irony is I wouldn’t bother to post about this in the first place if I didn’t care or wasn’t invested in the game. Your post basically said, “I enjoy it and don’t find anything bothersome so therefore stop moaning or stop playing”. I don’t give a fig what dtgs model is, they won’t have a model soon if this keeps up and they lose the trust. Once it’s lost it won’t be coming back. The tide is turning.
A long time ago DTG told us what their most popular routes were and LGV Med came out as second most popular which left a lot of people on this forum scratching their heads. The route quality was poor but it is a modern high speed route and it sold loads. JT’s Blackpool is an enthusiast’s route and will be popular on the forum but won’t have the general appeal of a high speed modern route. That kind of distinction is what matters to a lot of casual players not the finer details. Some players will buy because of the quality but there are plenty of people who will buy something that appeals more to them but maybe isn’t as well made. Arosa has a poor reputation on the forum but we don’t actually know if it has limited players and Rivet selling another pack for it suggests they think the market is big enough. It may be Rivet’s biggest selling route.
Probably because we are frustrated that things have not improved over the last 2 years. And no matter what we say or report, it hasn't changed.
gotta disagree to a degree on that one, sure some types of routes/locos will be popular more than others but nothing to do with quality on that point. People didn’t look at LGV and think it’s not the best so I’ll pick it up. I was having a bit of a discussion on another thread earlier about route packs on “unpopular” routes, like BR. TVL had 2 and NTP had 1 larger style one, According to DTG they don’t sell well. So logic of route packs to which routes is kinda bad analysis of internal sales.
umbrella yes but getting quite bad new features are often limited to one route for the others, they get shown off for one route and never seen again for the rest.
Just because you've been longer than others doesn't mean anything. Some people complain because they know the game can be better. Personal life has nothing to do with this game so no idea why you added that. Stop reading the forums if they bother you that much and no one's 'whining' is useless. Also, maybe try be less condescending to people.
Going by the roadmap it seems to be going opposite I think. I may be wrong but it seems more routes this year than last are planned.
DTG should definitely hold back any new releases for perhaps at least 3-months. During those three months, it should have every member of staff working on existing routes to fix bugs, improve scenery, increase performance and generally improve what has been released. I personally think the game is in a very sorry state. I just don’t think DTG care enough to do any of this. They only seem interested in making the next £€$¥
Considering the amount of dlc and bugs, I don't think 3 months would resolve most of those. They have a finite number of people for a laundry list of bugs to fix and improvements to make. Unless you are just talking about some major bugs or core bugs
Never going to happen. If you need proof go back to " the great pause " of 2022. DTG have evolved a business plan that obviously works well for them. It consists of developing and releasing a steady stream of routes of varying quality, generally A to B with one new or re- used loco and, if we're lucky, some layering and/or subbing from existing routes. This business model creates a consistent income stream which supports ongoing operations and keeps the lights on. There will be no pauses or interruptions to route development. It makes no business or economic sense to do otherwise. Route issues will only be fixed when time and manpower permit. Nothing we say on this forum will change the model.
I don’t think anyone expects them to get everything, but there is features what are simply broken, there are bugs what are a pain. If they got their priorities right they could get a lot done in that timeframe. people have made it very clear many times what some of the most pressing ones are. like I say up to DTG how to proceed, but features left completely broken is completely unacceptable.
has it… Not everything falls straight away, it’s also causing longer term issues they don’t show yet.
Player numbers are decreasing with each Iteration it appears. I'd also say the ammount of bugs are increasing.
Pretty much the long term effects taking hold. Release more and more bugs it will become unbearable. The Fix rate ain’t matching the Bug release rate, one becomes unbearable and the other not fit for purpose. not to mention the problems of keeping long term customers.
Seen some streams of SimRail after their latest big update and it looks great! So much depth and much more of a simulator than TSW. All they need now is to expand to new areas with new routes and they'll be on their way. It's still in Early Access and they're doing fairly well with the program. Part of DTG's business model is to have people financially invested in their game. It's hard to break away and rebuild a collection of routes elsewhere (i.e. in SimRail) when you've already spent so much on TSW. Probably why they figure they can just shovel out mediocre content over and over. Thankfully I was able to break away since they made the decision for me. Else I would have been taken for hundreds of more dollars. Let's go SimRail and their journey towards a proper train simulator!
Indeed SimRail is excellent, feels like a MS Flight Simulator of railways. Compared to SimRail, TSW feels like a previous generation game or more of a casual game. Simrail seems more like it’s striving to be a digital representation of the real world, as opposed to just a video game. Some of the biggest differences are SimRail’s superior lighting, sound and more detailed/realistic scenery. Given TSW’s far larger collection of content, it would be nice if DTG would get their act together and improve TSW. But I have far more confidence in SimRail and hope they continue their good trajectory. Let’s hope Simrail can get established and add content. Quality over quantity please.
Where is your proof to that statement? And don't just throw the typical steam charts stats at me. This game is multi platform where console players make around 2/3rd of the players. While it seem the all-time high of players playing at the same time decreased according to Steam Charts, this doesn't say anything at all about total player numbers. Neither for steam, nor for any other platform. So.. what stats can you provide?
The amount of bugs present and the fact some on here have TSW on console and post about said issues is the closest you'll get.
Oh I definitely don’t expect it to happen. DTG have made it clear by their actions they don’t care about fixing the game. All the feedback we give is looked at and then promptly ignored it seems.
This is exactly it. I work for a global software company and we are just seeing now, in this time of hard economic choices that we are losing customer renewals hand over fist. And the reason why is because the c-suite have come in and made corner cutting decisions which have impacted quality. It won’t happen overnight but it will happen. I work in ux and get to talk to these customers first hand, they are angry and we never utilise their feedback. It’s not the development teams fault, they want to do a good job and they get frustrated - the guys upstairs want to market and ship low quality and then they move on. It’s a systemic problem that eventually leads to redundancy’s and closure.
It was only a matter of time until the first member of the "No matter what defending DTG" brigade turned up and want to vanish our complaints about the game. In fact, I thought that one of you would come here or to one of the other threads way sooner. Didn't had time yesterday to answer, but now I have. Let's get into it. First of all, I wasn't there 4 years ago and I'm thankful that I was. I, for my situation, most likely would be either broke or even more angry now at DTG than I currently am (Consider I own the game just for a few months yet). I also don't get the point why this shall be important to be able to evaluate a game and a developer for its behavior. And just because things worked for years, doesn't mean it will for much more years. Thinking like that is just ignorant facing the facts and the problem a big (if not overweighing) part of the costumer audience have with this software and developer, as much to say they're not going to pay any more for this game in its current state. Well, good for you. But that doesn't mean every other person has to share the same experience and opinion. The Fun we have with the game is fairly limited because of severe problems in the creation but also maintenance of the core game as well it's DLCs. These bugs are not a pack of lies, they all are existent in the forums and people have been reported or asked for improvement for years. I much rathe go the other way and ask you, what makes you get your experience that the game shall have no issues while playing? Do you play a cleared ambassador version? And I can imagine you would like to add "and like every other route which still is yet to come". I cannot speak for anyone else, but money is worth something to me. I'm not someone who purchase all fan articles or stuff connected to a brand/company/sport club, just because I can and want to support it. Purchase decisions have a logical and rational thought process of sometimes even up to years beforehand. If you're that lucky to financially have no problems with paying thousands of dollars to DTG, then happy you. DTG is very proud to have at least you applauding to every breath they make. In the later post of you, youself said: But if that really is true and although it has absolutely no importance to this thread and I don't like to pick on personal stuff of yours + I highly appreciate it if you do, wouldn't it have been better to save your money for that or another social purpose then? Be lucky to be on the sunny side of the society. But please take into account maybe not residing there for the rest of your life completely further. The problem is not that I don't like the game. I love the game. It's one of the best simulators we have. What makes me sad and angry is the fact that the developer really does do anything to ruin his own products and make more people step away from it or avoid it to purchase. It's just silly to not listen to constructive feedback. Because in the end, not only all of us (either fanboys or lords of anger) but also the company itself would profit. But DTG and people like you doesn't seem to understand that concern. And who knows, I maybe will indeed go and find me a game with a better price to quality ratio of the base game as well as the DLCs in the next months. Just like so many others you already think "enough is enough" and are fed up with DTG because of the release of TSW4, which not only forced us to go through a paywell to get new content and updates to the core game but also left or even increased the bug lists, which were already exhausted before. Why do you think I'm still here and with this game if I don't see any potential in it and it wouldn't make me fun to play? That's not the point. The point is to enhance the game and finally bring it to the state it and even DTG deserves to be in to finally create the enviroment to be a groundbraking simulator and be renowed, not only for its graphical but also featureful and immersive quality. But this is what people like you (and the people in charge of DTG and Focus) don't get from threads like this. And you will see where this ignorant behavior will lead to sooner or later.
On SimRail: I tried out the free prologue and I actually wasn't impressed that much. Terrain not the greatest, both example locos had the lapped throttle and brake, constant pressing the alerter acknowledgement. Is there a more varied and option-friendly experience in the full version? Also how is the steam loco? I have interest in SimRail, especially if there is no stutter and they are going to expand into other countries. But have to say the prologue did not make me want to buy it.
Yes it's commonsense to do that but DTG won't because fixing routes, sorting out bugs and adding stock to routes that already exist doesn't make them any money. They are a profit driven organisation and only by selling dlc, regardless of the quality of it, do they make money. It's very sad because this can be a satisfying game to play, providing you don't hit one of the bugs or laugh at some of the scenery LOVE-ups. I'd honestly like to see a minimum 6 month sabbatical taken whereby dlc is shelved and everybody working for them uses their time to repair this game to the standard that is required by their expensive price bracket for it. What's the old saying; good money for old rope. The new Blackpool release from JT shows what can be done with this game and really DTG need to copy their lead because some of the dlc has been well below par, and in addition they need to stop being so mean with these add-on play packs. JT were able to add extra skins etc as part of the release, everyone will buy this dlc at some stage proving that quality will always win through in the end and that is the way to make money.
I’ll just throw in my two cents, with the acknowledgment that I’m only one customer, so I can only speak for myself and not for the larger customer trend. I’ve been invested since CSX: Heavy Haul. So I’ve been playing this game for quite some time, and I own a sizable chunk of the DLC that’s been produced since then. Over the autumn sale this weekend, I kept hovering over the ‘add to cart’ button for multiple times for TSW4 on Steam. But I kept closing out of the store page without buying it. Even at 35% off, I just couldn’t bring myself to purchase it. None of the routes launching with TSW4 interest me. I’m tired of the same ever-present bugs and core issues that aren’t getting fixed. I’m fed up with the excuse that US safety systems are too hard to replicate, so they just won’t—isn’t the point of a simulator/simulation game to try to realistically and somewhat accurately reproduce the thing it’s purporting to portray? The only reason I have to buy TSW4 is for Just Trains Blackpool route. But I can’t and won’t justify spending $32 for the privilege of buying their JT’s DLC. (Sorry, JT! That’s really not fair on you, I’d love to support you and buy BPO.) Maybe the winter sale will bring TSW4 down to a price where I can hold my nose and click the buy button, but today is not that day. In the meantime, I’m enjoying MSFS which, for all of the issues that has, enjoys some highly detailed aircraft and third parties working to increase the realism with things like improved ground services, improved traffic injection, improvements on default aircraft that came with the game, and improved AI-powered air traffic control.
And sadly there is a growing core of their supporters who seem to be opposed to just that. Got into a bit of keyboard sparring on their FB page a day or two ago when I suggested the devs now turn their attention to the SP game and some sort of save or checkpoint. You think some of the views on here can be extreme but I exited the discussion definitely feeling the keyboard bruises on my forehead.
Simrail has virtually zero SP content now and only a handful of locos all set in Poland. At the moment it's not a serious contender sadly. Maybe in the future it will be.
I think any positives that can come from potential franchise competition can be taken as a good thing, better than none anyhows, never know it may help shift some of the comfort zone at least, especially if the competition seeks to develop more.
I cannot see that happening 3 months would not be long enough to start with. Even if the entire team worked together fixing stuff for 3 months that would be amazing, but then it would likely take another 3 or more months to just test everything to make sure that haven't broken anything else if they're lucky.
I'm still waiting for DTG to fix the pantograph of the TGV Réseau at TSC... since 2018... Ts19: Réseau Renaissance | Dovetail Games Forums
+1 The same goes for the german Ebula system. It's just a meaningless screen with data and time in one corner still. Many people in the streams wonder about and even get distracted and confused by its existence (a big white screen with literally no purpose). Zusi (german train simulator with better functionality but worse graphics) has this feature since years (if not more than a decade) and it didn't seem to be a big issue to create it. Another never ending international tragedy: The fault of passenger announcements. I don't get why some legit main aspects of a train simulator are just set on an optional bucket list or even keep ignored after years, but instead things like collectibles, trophies and medals are debated as it's supposed to be the next Candy Crush.
This is one of the reasons why TSW is a simcade. It doesn't go that extra step to be a true simulator. Honestly I don't think tsw will be.
Used to play Pro Train Perfect (the German release of Trainz 2006) way back in the day, that had EBuLa. (also a 400km route from Nürnberg to Dresden). Not long and it'll be 20 years since then
You know every time I come back to this game from TSC or Trainz I start to enjoy it and then hit a bug or something else that I feel isn't right, and I'm not including scenery weirdness in that critique which ruins immersion. It's a real shame as this has the ingredients to be a world beater if only the devs would just slow down the dlc conveyor belt and get things right. Please DTG take your time even if it means dlc is delayed, whether yours or from partners, and get things right. Another thing please refrain from the easy option every time with dlc and stop giving us short linear routes with a solitary EMU/DMU and in the case of UK content endless rehashes of the 66. I don't mind if it's a short route as long as it has branch-lines or is a busy Shortline railroad in the USA where you deliver to businesses along the route with lots of spurs etc. But just a pointless drive from A to B doesn't cut it, even if it does look visually appealing the first couple of times. The Glossop line was bizarre as it didn't even have a new unit. I'm sure we'll pay for the right content in droves if we get it, as I think you will see from JT first production, There is some bad decision making going on somewhere high up in the company, a good example being the ECML which just doesn't capture the feel of a mainline to and from termini/major terminus, but sort of a piggy in the middle which barely hints at the importance of the line. Prime reason for content should be subject matter and quality, not ease of production.
Oh here we go like I said just because people still like the game we are called DTG fan boys. [Removed - Alex: Rude, Behavioural] And stop trying to convince us we are wrong. [Removed - Alex: Rude,Behavioural] Again enjoy!
You try to dismiss valid criticisms by telling people to basically put up or shut up. That doesn't solve anything. You haven’t been constructive at all in this thread and keep trying to dismiss valid criticisms. I don't understand why some people who are pointing out obvious issues in the game is a bad thing. If you don't mind some of the problems, that is fine. But again, nobody here is telling you not to like the game or took a jab at those who like the game. There are those like myself that like the game but want to see the game be better than it already is hence why we will point out shortcomings or issues. That isn't a bad thing. Telling people to go away doesn't solve anything. People can enjoy the game, and they can criticize the product if there may be an issue and provide feedback I really don't get what is your issue here to be honest.
