In a future TSW release, could you provide in game an overview of the entire route in the context of the surrounding area, so that one can zoom in and out like on Google Maps and see for instance the towns and rivers in the area? A global map, also like Google Maps, that shows all installed routes, where you can select the route you want to play, would also be cool!
The issue is that if you would want to incorporate Google Maps officially in-game, DTG would need to have a permission by Google to do so. I don't know if Google is even up to that idea and likes this. There are several sources in the web, where users created custom paths for the current TSW routes in Google Maps. I did so too already. But some maps where you can see all at once are ideal, like the one Rivet created (still misses a lot of the newer 2023 routes). However, I highly agree to your fundamental idea to have better map visualizations of the route in game. This could be implemented to just select routes but also for the actual route maps itself. The [9]-key map really misses a lot of things in it, beside the most common and really needed request, even station names.
Thanks for your answer! I mean, it doesn't have to be the maps from Google, it would be a "self-drawn" zoomable map with all the places, rivers, mountains, etc. You know what I mean! …and OF COURSE with the station names!
But at that point I have to say that (in case you don't know) there is another map with stations maps indeed for each route: https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/stations-with-names-on-map.76015 They probably implemented this passive map with station names because they couldn't find a way yet to add those on the other 9 map. The problem is only that this is not the "active map", we commonly use the most. Would really better to have a hugely overhauled 9key map.
Yes, I know the station map, but it‘s not much better… one map with more functionality would be enough, in my opinion. And in addition I would also like to have a screen where I could see a lot more background information about the locomotives and wagons I drive (wish for TSW 5) PS: …and in game explanations to the signaling and safety systems, so I don't have to google it when I want to refresh something (wish for TSW 6)