I just found it odd that you as Executive Producer don't think TSW is the Ultimate Train Simulator yet it is advertised as such because the company thinks that players believe it is. Not what I expected. I don't think this is the Ultimate Train Simulator but TSW4 certainly isn't a bad game.
Well, it's marketing who presumably make that decision, and they're not going to advertise it as a "pretty solid but lacking on certain particulars which will vary according to individual taste Train Simulator", are they?
The " ultimate train simulator " cannot exclude continuing steam traction and freight routes. Otherwise we would need to redefine the term " ultimate ". I agree it's a very good game for the most part but it has significant gaps and omissions.
( my bold ) Except where the signalling work is to correct the original messed up signalling as in the case of BPE and NYT which was free to route owners as it should be.
I think you're confusing "matt peddlesden" with "dovetail games". My views are my own Do I think TSW is ultimate? it can't be, I can think of lots of ways to make it better, so it can't be ultimate. But it's the best of the bunch out there - I do firmly believe that. So, we're both right. TSW is by far my favourite train simulator, has been since the day it launched. Is it perfect? of course not, but that doesn't dent my enjoyment of it. Again... thats your (perfectly good, i hasten to add) definition of ultimate, it's not mine, and not plenty of others. E.g. for a modern UK enthusiast and neither of those points will factor into it at all. They'll be core to some and not others. If we did freight routes and they all had iffy sound, players would be just as fast to say "cant be ultimate until those sounds man, those sounds". But let's not drag that conversation in here and repeat everything said elsewhere. Matt.
lol, I never post. I've been lurking since MSTS.... But Matt, that had to have been the most down to earth realistic thing I think I've ever heard from you. TSW is "ultimate" ... in quotes - because nobody else does what this does, can it be Better? Absolutely! It's kinda crazy how this community can be so needy and picky, but maybe that's because it's a niche market and the players want what they want, simply because there's only One avenue. I don't count Trainz or the others, more "toy" like to me.
However, as we've seen on this forum, there's a certain niche who do consider more toy-like ones to be more in line with their definition of "Ultimate", such is the way of personal preferences.
An aside: I once saw a Bon Jovi tribute act (I was actually there to see the support act, but it was a good night all round) called "The Ultimate Bon Jovi Experience" and I did reflect at the time that perhaps the "Ultimate" Bon Jovi experience should contain, as a minimum, actual Bon Jovi.
it is also my fav train sim, enjoying it far more than TSC for a couple reasons... first off, while I dont mind the outdated graphics of TSC, I really MIND the performance... on a machine that handles TSW just fine, TSC has abysmal framerates in many occasions, being borderline unplayable sometimes second, the UI... while TSC may be superior in terms of advanced functionality and near pro-training level models/routes, TSW is just more accessible, not that much in terms of difficulty, but the UI, let me explain - lets say I am returning to the game after a while, forgot where some switches are, what are keyboard bindings/shortcuts for certain stuffz... in TSC in many cases if you dont know certain keybinds, you are screwed, cos some switches arent clickable and such; also the item labels take forever to appear, making searching for the correct lever/switch a chore... and while some non-clickable+key misshaps appear in TSW as well, they are more an exception than a norm in TSW, if you forget some stuff, you just walk around the cab and find stuff you need fairly quickly (US freight cabs are a mess anyway cos they have tons of switches/breakers etc.)... also, the HUD, ESPECIALLY the new one with minimap/track monitor is the nearest thing we got to the mythical Ebula, and so far it is nice and sufficient also, TSW has timetable and similar features... dont take me wrong, scenarios in TSC can be nice, but the quick drive? meh while I sometimes still do journey mode and scenarios, the core of my gameplay experience comes from timetable mode, doing a service with certain goals and challenges then there is the route/loco selection, which, while still can be a mess at times, is really neat to navigate and while, as I mentioned, the TSC can have more complex add-ons, I think as the TSW opened widely to 3rd parties, once they get a grip on the editor and such, we will see some marvels come out (my wishful brain dreams of some RSSLO Vienna content ) - and some are on the way, like the highly anticipated BR101 expert O cant wait to dig into that and learn its ropes but yea, the ability to walk around the cab and the train is such a huge difference maker
I've spent more time with TSW than TSC for the first time this year. I love the ease of TSW when I just fancy a drive. Plus there have been no TSC releases in a while that excite me, though the updated MML and GEML will make a difference when released. The thing I dislike about TSC is that it's a part-time job just keeping add-ons up-to-date and the amount of new releases that clash with older add-ons meaning that when you select a scenario you never know for certain whether it will work. It's fine if TSC is your hobby but if you're like me and have loads of different hobbies, trying to find out why x route isn't working or encountering a list of missing DLC is just joy-sapping. Hobbies should be fun, escapism, not another admin burden. TSW is more "Plug and play" and less hassle. Therefore it is, in my opinion, the best rail sim out there.
I’ve been enjoying a bit of TSC lately, especially the WCML sections with tap changer AC electrics which I seriously doubt we will ever see in TSW. However I still find myself dropping back into TSW. The interface in TSC to get anywhere, even just finding the last run you left off and saved is frankly appalling, not helped by the slow loading times between screens. I’ve also been spring cleaning it as I had so much LOVE in there which there is no easy way to eliminate, the best option was a complete uninstall, file delete and reinstall just the stuff I want. For some unknown reason it was also sat on the C drive, not the best place to keep it. So as things stand at the moment, TSC great for longer routes and steam traction, just as Run 8 is for American freight. But there’s something compelling about TSW, last night I even found myself doing a couple of runs on Luzern to Sursee after it rolled in Quick Play then I decided to do a follow up Journey run.
in my opinion, dtg could give greater longevity to the games in the tsw franchise, one release per year results in several broken versions and each one with the features promised in the previous one
Overall, I think TSW is the best option for train sim action right now. I haven’t touched TS Classic in a long time. I think the quality of DTG’s output has been improving over time. Goblin wasn’t something on my radar but I was thoroughly impressed with the route and enjoyed it a lot more than I was expecting to, I’m also looking forward to playing Semmeringbahn. Though while these modern trains are alright to drive in context of a game, they certainly wouldn’t grab my attention in the real world. An A4 or a Western thundering along the line with a railtour on the other hand… The decision on steam traction is definitely something I’m not happy about though. I thought bringing in steam routes was the start of an exciting new era for TSW. I didn’t mind that the physics were off at first or that manual firing was missing because I thought it was going to improve over time with each new steam release. All of that has been put in the shelf with no clear indication on if there is actually any future for steam in TSW… the news came as a crushing disappointment and I can’t deny it’s had a knock on effect of my overall enjoyment of TSW. I’ll still enjoy what’s there, but some of the excitement is gone. Back when TSW2 was releasing steam wasn’t in the came but it was always there on the horizon, the thought of it potentially coming was exciting. Right now, it’s just no more steam… On another note, the mention of Clinchfield not selling well truly baffled me too. It’s always been my go-to US freight route because of the several branches you can drive along. I love the F7 too! I’m glad JT provided those who like historical routes with some more content, and a most excellent route at that!
Saying you "thought" it would improve is being too kind to DTG - DTG said manual firing would be implemented.
The problem with TSW is that it seems to be narrowing its focus towards electric traction to the exclusion of anything else. Maybe the plan is to shift any steam and diesel routes and locos to 3rd parties as has apparently happened with TSC. Problem with that is TSW doesn't have enough 3rd parties to handle the job. Maybe that will change but it would seem like a very long-term business plan, and some of us aren't getting any younger. This was definitely not the expectation back when TSW was launched ( with an American freight route I might add ) but DTG have obviously seen the future and where and who the dollars are coming from. As DTG Matt said, my definition of " the ultimate train sim " is out of touch with the player base of today.
maybe some yrs into the future we might even see hydrogen or battery / electric/battery trains ... or whatever else used mainly on non-electrified routes... or whatever the US come up with just so they dont have to electrify their routes lol
The country that straight up considered putting nuclear reactors in trains before electrifying the lines and just building a couple of nuclear plants to power them.
well, if you actually managed to build a loco with a reactor that doesnt give the engineer or passengers cancer, then Nobel Prize to you
Yes they were, and TSW4 were paid for. Should have probably made that a bit clearer that I don't mean we should pay for them to be added now, but we paid for them as part of the TSW4 bundle. Personally I couldn't honestly say TSW is the ultimate train Simulator, especially with the sort of content being chucked at us recently, or in the case of steam chucked in the bin, but it is the best option that is available currently, which is why I still play it.
A classic hack to pull something off in an engine not designed for it. Sometimes you need to think outside the box, sometimes you need to wear the box.
Just saying, the Fallout universe's version of Starlight Express looks hellish for the performers' necks.
At least there is still San Bernardino, somewhat. But the included stock is gonna be the MP36, which isn't inherently "new" (Though redone) Still waiting for the Siemens Charger to make an appearance. (Hopefully Pacific Surfliner is in DTG's future....)
modern american passenger diesel? hell yeah F125 was/is nice, but the PTC implementation is a bit, eh... not expecting PZB level of suffering, but still those you mention, sure... and that shiny Brightline streamlined consist they use in Florida
TSW5 will eventually happen, and it'll most likely be like TSC with big updates every so often. I don't mind paying for the man power it requires going forward. Generally speaking £30 for 3 routes and a new game is a bargain in my own opinion. I was (and still am) incredibly happy with TSW4, and the ECML a really nice long stretch of track to drive the 801 on.
Nuclear reactors are not potential atom bombs. Physically impossible. The worst catastrophe you can have is a total meltdown with massive radiation release (i.e. Chernobyl)
I like variety. One of my favourites in game is the 101, simply because there is nothing else like it. The manual gears add another layer to game play. I like old and new, steam, diesel and electric. I will switch from one to the next and enjoy that variety, so for me, the ultimate sim would provide opportunities to do different things in different locos. Hence why it would be nice to see old and new, steam being fixed, and a little less of the samey EMUs, but that is just my particular preference.
Whilst I can agree the ECML has a decent length, I also find, depending on the stopping pattern, that it is too short.
Well yes, it was meant as a joke. But the idea of having the potential even for stuff along the lines of a smaller scale version of the Windscale fire from a derailment doesn't really bear thinking about, and obviously electrification never stopped making sense for most of the hundred and thirty years of people humming and hawing and going "well, what if we electrify our existing rail routes and then [insert period-appropriate technology which never manifested a practically usable form] becomes the standard and we wasted all that investment?"
I mean, who knows... one day there might be legit almost pocket reactors with very low and safe levels of radiation... or sth like that... in which case US can finally breathe in relief that it wont have to electrify its lines lol... sorry this practically offers itself many times
Just in time for us all to seek the safety offered by Vault-Tec as bombs fall all around us, because war, war never changes...
Not an advocate, but nuclear power is the only option to satisfy our ever rising needs for electricity without CO2 emissions. Smart phones, Smart TVs, Smart Houses, Smart Coffee Machines, Internet of Things, Electric cars- and E-bikes. There is no alternative. And we're far away from using fusion reactors working like the Sun, so fission is the still most efficient way to make use of the energy, and transform mass into energy with the least loss. E=mc² We're having a lot of coal power plants in Germany, while our neighbour France is building new reactors. Makes no sense. We can't store electrical power of the needed dimensions, and wind isn't always there as well as the sun isn't always there. Neutrons are always there. Then collect the nuclear waste and send it into space, Mr Musk
And California keeps shutting theirs down, After San Onofre got shut down, Diablo Canyon is the only one left running in the state.
Political decision, or maybe a safety thing? (Pressure or boiler reactors?) If boilers, they are high risk and always leak radiation through the generators due to using radiated steam for the turbines. The Pressure reactors use two separated circuits, the steam is not radiated there. They're more expensive to build though. Or even worse, graphite-moderated reactors like the Chernobyl RBMK ones? They actually worked very similar to a Steam loco with their tube design (and could be used to make plutonium for weapons).
San Onofre apparently had issues with its replacement steam generators, which were replaced in 2010-2011, and shut down 2 years later. Some others were shut down awhile ago due to ecomic reasons (They were unprofitable to other forms of energy) Diablo Canyon is currently safe, as shutting it down would put an even bigger strain on California's already fragile electric grid in the summer, on top of also going against California's global warming goals (Was planned for shutdown between 2024 and 2025, but currently pushed past 2030.)
I agree, most people against nuclear energy refer to the Chernobyl incident, but they had yet to be born at the time of said events.
I was 11 years old at that time, and very frightened. We were not allowed to play in the sand, eat mushrooms or drink milk at that time. I was long opposed to this type of energy. If anything goes wrong, it'll attack and destroy your DNA. That's a very basic fear. Chernobyl type reactors should be banned worldwide. Whilst not being dangerous for Earth (life always finds a way), the consequences of radiation for the organism should never be downplayed. Marie Curie paid for her discoveries. But - we have to make compromises. Crazy seeing these JustStopOil kids destroying art, annoying people even blocking ambulances and achieving nothing whilst using Smartphones and wearing backpacks and shoes made out of oil. Just a matter of time someone loses it and runs them over. They're literally begging for it to then play the victims. All for a "higher goal". Ideology is the most dangerous thing for humanity - 1000 times more dangerous than CO2 or radiation. Ooops. This thread is about a speculative TSW5. My take: It'll come. Just a matter of time. Nothing more to add.
Indeed. Hence my original point being that it was absurd to consider that mobile nuclear reactors with all the engineering and safety problems those bring, might ever possibly be a viable alternative to just electrifying your rail network and building a handful of stationary, high output plants to provide all the power needs of as many trains as you ended up running.
