Like… has anything that has been suggested ever been made? Specifically thinking about routes here but the question applies to everything I guess.
I would think so. Otherwise how would DTG be able to produce content that people are asking for? With the way things are looking for TSW, there is a lot of new content coming out this year and there seems to be a demand growing for the Class 60.
I remember someone saying somewhere Cajon Pass was suggested here, albeit a while before it actually came.
They do listen sometimes. Players wanted German dmus and dtg brought it. Players wanted older era routes and dtg brought it. Players wanted a true high speed route and an ice1 and dtg brought it. However, not all things suggested are possible whether it's too long, too large of a scope, no license, a country that isn't dtg's expertise, too little gameplay or lack of access to reference material especially if the train doesn't exist anymore. There's a lot of things that goes into picking a route
I don't think it's so much person X requests route Y and DTG picks and chooses exactly that, more like the suggestions people give provide an indication of the sorts of content people want. I.e. if lots of people are requesting modern commuter routes then a majority of produced routes are going to sway towards modern commuter. If lots of people say they want more routes in a particular area then we may get more routes in that particular area etc. Other features like new lighting and the upcoming formation designer were fairly frequently mentioned as requests, and DTG themselves have said such features were chosen based on community feedback. Even if they don't acknowledge suggestions directly they certainly will be looking at them and evaluating the feedback they receive.
So, should we start requesting routes from older periods more then? Might stop DTG going down the modern, one handle train track they seem to be stuck on.
Admittedly I have only ever made two route suggestions, one of which the era I chose we have been told has been abandoned, and the other route's era has had some attention, albeit not from DTG.
All I take from that is that they prefer to make modern routes, despite people wanting the opposite. Why I wonder? Surely, listening to these suggestions regardless of era would be a better way to make quick money.
I'll admit one were rather niche, but the other is a route which has got to come TSW at some point. Modern routes are likely easier less faff and able to be marketed as shiny and new, rather than high quality and detailed.
I imagine there are specifics what have been taken directly. taking a random thing ain’t productive and taken 1 and leaving another is probably as unfair as ignoring it all, so I think they get the balance and common sense use of it right:
Antelope Valley was a suggestion Tees Valley was a suggestion not that part that was done Pacer was a suggestion
The Isle of Wight (Modern) route was requested here a few times before Rivet Games made it, if I remember correctly.
I tend to support worthy suggestions than come up with my own original thoughts! Though generally I caveat they should be set in the halycon days of classic traction. Of course the suggestions should not be limited to just routes and trains. Gameplay and QOL improvements are also important to get across. As to whether DTG read it, probably yes at least skim through but they are never going to respond to individual suggestions as, 1. It will give false hope something might get made, 2. You would have the OP shouting from the rooftops “their” idea got accepted. I also think DTG should have a sticky at the top of the board making it clear what they are unlikely to work on, for example anything steam related and currently North American freight.
Licensing is one of the reasons why suggestions will not always get done. And DTG won't reply or like a posts in the suggestions as OldVern has said
