Enough Is Enough!!!

An interesting observation. When I worked for the railway I remember hearing a tale about a Controller on another region who got into trouble for allowing a freight to run very early. It was something we quite often agreed to but in this case it backfired as it arrived on the main line outside the destination with no ground staff there to let it in and nowhere else to run to. If memory serves me correctly might have been a hauled ECS ex Works move of LUL tube stock to West Ruislip. Unfortunately said train then blocking the Up Main caused havoc with the morning peak start up. IIRC the customer also complained about the train running early… it’s due at xxyy and we expect it at xxyy,

Moral of the story, if we got a request from signallers or even the driver for an early run - make a few phone calls first! Thus avoiding tea and biscuits or even worse a nice week off with no pay.

 

I get a lot of points deducted cos of being too early... #livingontheedge

 

OMG !
We're on page 98

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_98

 

blowing off some... steam?

 

Must keep this discussion on the rails.

 

The story begins with the narrator calling "Halloa! Below there!" into a railway cutting. The signalman standing on the railway below does not look up, as the narrator expects, but rather turns about and stares into the railway tunnel that is his responsibility to monitor. The narrator calls down again and asks permission to descend. The signalman seems reluctant.

The railway hole is a cold, gloomy, and lonely place. The signalman still seems to be in fear of the narrator, who tries to put him at ease. The signalman feels that he had seen the narrator before, but the narrator assures him that this is impossible. Reassured, the signalman welcomes the newcomer into his little cabin, and the two men speak of the signalman's work. His labour consists of a dull monotonous routine, but the signalman feels he deserves nothing better, as he wasted his academic opportunities when he was young, although he has been spending his time during his shifts teaching himself mathematics and learning a foreign language (albeit with questionable pronunciation). The narrator describes that the signalman seems like a dutiful employee at all times, except when he twice looks at his signal bell when it is not ringing. There seems to be something troubling the signalman, but he will not speak of it. Before the narrator leaves, the signalman asks of him not to call for him when he's back on the top of the hill or when he sees him the following day.

The next day, as directed by the signalman, the narrator returns and does not call. The signalman tells the narrator that he will reveal his troubles. He is haunted by a recurring spirit which he has seen at the entrance to the tunnel on separate occasions, and, with each appearance, there has followed a tragedy. In the first instance, the signalman heard the same words which the narrator said and saw a figure with its left arm across its face, while waving the other in desperate warning; he questioned it, but it vanished. He then ran into the tunnel, but found no-one; a few hours later, there was a terrible train crash with many casualties. During its second appearance, the figure was silent, with both hands before the face in an attitude of mourning; then, a beautiful young woman died in a train passing through. Finally, the signalman admits that he has seen the spectre several times during the past week.

The narrator is sceptical about the supernatural, and suggests that the signalman is suffering from hallucinations. During their conversation, the signalman witnesses a ghost and hears his bell ring eerily, but the narrator sees and hears nothing. The signalman is sure that these supernatural incidents are presaging a third tragic event waiting to happen, and is sick with fear and frustration: he does not understand why he should be burdened with knowledge of an incipient tragedy when he, a minor railway functionary, has neither the authority nor the ability to prevent it. The narrator believes that his new friend's imagination has been overtaxed and suggests taking him to see a doctor.

The next day, the narrator visits the railway cutting again and sees a mysterious figure at the mouth of the tunnel. This figure is not a ghost, however; it is a man, one of a group of officials investigating an incident on the line. The narrator discovers that the signalman is dead, having been struck by an oncoming train. He had been standing on the line, looking intently at something, and failed to get out of the way. The driver of the train explains that he attempted to warn the signalman of his danger: as the train bore down on the signalman the driver called out to him, "Below there! Look out! For God’s sake, clear the way!" Moreover, the driver waved his arm in warning even as he covered his face to avoid seeing the train strike the hapless signalman. The narrator notes the significance of the similarity between the driver's words and actions and those of the spectre as the signalman had earlier described them, but leaves the nature of that significance to the reader.

 

Page 99 will be a competition. Which will come first... GBRF's brand new electric locomotives that are set to begin grinding away at the Class 66's dominance on UK freight trains, or the MS Nord-Pas-de-Calais which helped to deliver the Class 373s?

To keep the thread on topic however, I'd like to say that Skyhook's work to turn the Midland Main Line around is impressive and admirable. I am glad that for the first time they really took the criticism to heart and actually made something out of what they had, turning one of the worst routes in TSW into one of the best... Probably. I don't own it, so I'm just going on what people have been saying about it online. Now, if only they could do that with the BR187, Cane Creek and to a lesser extent the Horseshoe Curve.

 

Very close to page 100 let's keep pushing

 

Seriously though, wasn't Nahverkehr Dresden supposed to get the Scenario Planner 2.0 upgrade? I remember DTG said they would add it after release... but now I cannot find anything related to it anymore... and even if I do not remember correctly - why does it not have the feature that it uses as a selling point for TSW 4? I am one of the few people that use (and I even primarily use it) the Scenario Planner - it was the main reason I bought TSW 4 in the first place - Free Roam aside. I was already extremely disappointed that the main feature of Scenario Planner 2.0 wasn't properly working at launch for months. Really seems like the only purpose of the Scenario Planner "2.0" is to be a selling point, but not an actual feature that adds something to the game.

And that's also besides the other ever existing problems that the Scenario Planner 1.0 had and still has.

I sorta manage to circumvent through some barriers and bugs by ending a route in an area containing a branch or hub, which then allows me to possibly choose a different path.

 

And let's not forget it was supposed to be a Winter update for TSW2

 

Can't wait for Drifting Sim World

 

The automobiles in this game are a story in themselves

 

There's a spot on SKW, where they literally do a flip on the road and continue like nothing happened

 

Absolutely. Options are:

Floating Sim World
Sinking Sim World
Suicide Sim World

apart from the already mentioned Drifting Sim World.

 

So, shamefully, I have bought TSW4 for cheap on Humble Bundle and tried it. Actually, I don't like it. There are not really improvements compared to 3 even after nearly a year. Also had some troubles with the WSR new version. Since Rheinstrecke, there were no routes that caught my interest. So I conclude, it was a cashgrab afterall and I'm glad I just contributed some little Euros to it.
I really hope, they come to theire senses, making a real network or find a way to combine routes together. Until then, I don't see a chance to buy new routes or trains for me.

 

Well thanks for letting us know.

 

Charles Dickens if I recall correctly?

 

JOHNSTON (PEM) CHANGE FOR MILFORD HAVEN

Johnston railway station today is an unstaffed halt, still served by trains to and from
Milford Haven. Yet, despite being located in the middle of it's community, seems to
attract little trade from rail travellers. The station now has only a single line passing
through, and the only passenger comfort provided is a small shelter situated on the Up
platform. The former Down platform remains, but in a derelict condition, having become
unused following track reduction during the mid 1980s. Today's passenger trains slow as
they approach the station, in readiness to pick up any waiting travellers, or to allow
anyone to disembark. If there happens to be no one waiting to board, or wishing to
disembark, the train just glides through the station and accelerates away. This is in
stark contrast with the role Johnston Station played in the community until the Beeching
era of the early 1960s.

My own fond memories of Johnston station extend back to my pre-school years, to
when I was about two years old, half a century ago. Many was the time when, accompanied
by my grandparents, or other relatives, I would stand on the railway bridge in St.
Peter's Road and gaze down in awe at all the activity going on in the station below.
Sometimes I'd stand in the car park of the Railway Inn, looking down upon the signalbox,
which nestled at the foot of the bank. Often, I would be rewarded by the magnificent
sight of a Great Western locomotive, adorned with brass and copper embellishments,
standing opposite the signalbox, on the Down line, bound either for Neyland or Milford
Haven. A whisp of steam would be drifting from the safety valve, and a haze of shimmering
heat and thin smoke would be coming from the engine's chimney, while the engine crew
waited for the guard's signal to proceed. The seeds for my railway enthusiasm were sown
within me then, and remain with me to this day.

By the age of seven my fascination for the railway had advanced considerably, and
though the Milford Haven branch line passed close to my grandparents' home at North
Hayston Farm, I often succeeded in persuading my grandpa to spend some time on Johnston
station, when he did his weekly shopping in the village on Saturdays. Although Grandpa
had given much of his working life to farming, he also possessed a certain amount of
knowledge and understanding about the railway. It was he who initially educated me about
some of the different types of locomotives which passed the farm each day, and drew my
attention to the rich variety of the goods and passenger trains to be seen.

On those occasions when I was able to coax Grandpa to visit Johnston station with
me, he usually enjoyed being there too because he knew all the staff who worked there. If
the weather was dry, we'd often sit on one of the luggage trolleys inside the main
entrance to the Up platform. If there happened to be a bit of a lull between trains, Mr.
Nash the Stationmaster would usually come out of his office for a chat with us. He always
looked smart in his uniform, and had a very kindly nature. Having become aware of my
interest in the railway, he was always delighted to answer any questions I might ask. Of
course, the railway in those days touched the lives of so many, and was very much a vital
part of the community. Many travellers using Johnston station were known to the station
staff, and vice-versa. It was almost as if a family spirit prevailed. Even residents of
the wider community, from such places as Burton, Llangwm, Rosemarket, Tiers Cross, and
Walwyn's Castle, chose to make frequent use of Johnston station during the 1950s and
early 60s.Haverfordwest station was not the automatic choice in those days.

Johnston was a typical example of a rural junction station, with it's sturdy
stone architecture, busy goods yard, and constant passage of trains. The main buildings
were situated on the Up platform and consisted of, Stationmaster's office, parcels/ticket
office, waiting and ladies room. Midway along the station a footbridge straddled the
tracks, enabling passengers to access the Down platform, where a small shelter, complete
with seating and a fireplace was provided. There were numerous flower borders and shrubs
around the station, and these were well tended to the extent that Johnston won the Best
Kept Station Award on a number of occasions. The signalbox was situated on the Up side of
the line, to the Neyland side of the St. Peter's Road Bridge. At the London end of the
platforms was a barrow crossing, which enabled the luggage trolleys to be moved from one
side of the station to the other. Also at this end of the platforms were warning notices
which read, 'PASSENGERS MUST NOT CROSS THE LINE EXCEPT BY MEANS OF THE FOOTBRIDGE'.
Situated in grounds to the rear of the Down platform were three railway owned houses, one
of which was occupied by the stationmaster. These houses have long since been demolished,
and in their place now stands a complex of flats, known as Orchard Court.

The goods yard was kept busy handling various commodities of freight ranging
from, coal, farm livestock feed, fertiliser, seed potatoes, and general ironmongery. It
was fascinating to observe when a goods train arrived from somewhere up-line, the
complexity of shunting involved. If the train happened to be destined for Neyland, but
wagons had to be detached for Johnston and Milford, the guard's van and the wagons bound
for Neyland would be uncoupled and would remain standing on the Down line. The engine
would then draw forward with the rest of the wagons, and begin a series of shunting
operations. Wagons for Milford were usually placed in the refuge siding alongside the
Down line, to await onward transit later in the day. Wagons for Johnston were shunted
across to the goods yard on the Up side, and would likely need further marshalling later.
Meanwhile, the engine which had brought the wagons to Johnston would recouple to the
remainder of it's train, and depart for Neyland.

Situated near the entrance to the goods yard at Johnston was a small red zinc
building which belonged to the Haverfordwest Agricultural Cooperative Society. This
company served the needs of local farmers, and it too received much of it's merchandise
by rail. In fact, when the present building was constructed and opened in 1960, one of
the sidings was extended alongside it so that transhipment of merchandise could be made
easier.

Just off the end of the Up platform was the cattle dock siding, with it's
livestock pens by now, virtually unused. About a quarter of a mile along the line in the
direction of Haverfordwest, on the Down side, was the connection to the MOD sidings, and,
until 1948, the branch line to Hook Colliery.

There was always plenty of bustle in the station when passenger trains called.
The branch passenger train from Milford would arrive at the Up platform, whereupon the
little tank engine would be uncoupled, and run round it's train to recouple at the other
end. Once recoupled, it would then either cross over to the Down line, or be recessed in
the Up branch loop, all depending upon what mainline passenger services would be arriving
soon after. Any passengers who had travelled up from Milford would remain on the Up
platform to wait for the mainline train from Neyland, if they were wanting to travel to
destinations further afield. Those wishing to reach Neyland would use the footbridge to
the Down platform, and wait for their train there. To assist those travellers who might
be strangers to the area, there was a large information sign on each platform which read,
`JOHNSTON (PEM), CHANGE FOR MILFORD HAVEN'.

Passenger trains didn't only convey passengers. Parcels were carried as well,
despite the fact that a number of trains dedicated to the shipment of parcels called at
Johnston each day. Cardboard cartons of various dimensions were a common sight to be seen
being loaded onto, or off passenger trains. Sometimes there would be sacks of seeds
destined foor local farmers. Also, it was not unusual to find wooden crates containing
young turkey chicks, or goslings, and cardboard cartons with ventilation holes containing
baby chicks. Parcels and packages which had arrived at Johnston off a Down train, had
tthen to be taken across to the parcels office on the Up platform by the station porters,
using the sturdy luggage trolleys which clanked heavily along the platform slabs. The
parcels would be unloaded in the office, and their details recorded, while any containers
holding livestock would remain outside the door under the protection of the platform
canopy.

Even the Milford Haven fish trains created work for some of the staff at Johnston
but more about that in the next issue.

 

JOHNSTON ( PEM ) CHANGE FOR MILFORD HAVEN - Part 2

– A continuation of life, as it was, at Johnston Railway Station

Even the Milford Haven fish trains created work for some of the staff at Johnston. The empty fish
wagons were stored overnight at Neyland, and worked over to Milford just after mid-day the next day. When
these wagons arrived at Johnston, with an engine at front and rear, the leading locomotive would detach,
collect the goods wagons which had just been brought up from Milford, then pick up more wagons from the
goods yard, before continuing to Haverfordwest. Meanwhile, the tank engine which had worked the 12.20.pm.
goods from Milford would buffer up to the rear of the empty fish wagons, and work back down the branch.
Some afternoons the 2.10.pm. branch passenger train from Milford would have two or three fish wagons
attached. These would then be attached at Johnston to the rear of the 2.30.pm. Neyland - Paddington
passenger for onward transit to Whitland or Carmarthen.

The Royal Mail trains which plied daily between Neyland and Paddington also called at Johnston. The
Down service arrived in the mornings at around 6.30. Mail for Milford would be transhipped to the connecting
branch train, with the system operating in reverse in the evenings at 7.pm. On Sundays, mail to and from
Milford, was conveyed from or to Johnston by road.

In 1958 the track layout in the cutting between Johnston station and the junction for Milford was
remodelled, and new signalling was installed. The new signalling installed now allowed Down trains to depart
from the Up platform, thereby going some way to simplifying operation at busy times.

Sundays were usually quiet, resulting in only four very brief periods of activity, all involving mail and
passenger trains. There were of course some exceptions. Sometimes the track repair team might be working
in the vicinity, with an engineers train in attendance. In June and July, the early potato lifting season, Johnston
goods yard would come to life on Sundays as well as weekdays. Empty wagons would be brought up from
Neyland to be loaded with Pembrokeshire potatoes, and the railway used to take on extra staff during this
busy time. Railway lorries and local road hauliers used to collect the potatoes from the local farms and take
them to the station. By the 1960s the early potato traffic had deserted the railway, but Johnston remained quite
busy until the end of the steam era in September 1963.

The goods yard continued to handle traffic until closure on 11th January 1965. The sidings were
removed, and the land was later sold to the neighbouring Agricultural Coop. The station became an unstaffed
halt, and the only remaining staff employed were the men who worked the signalbox. Doors to the station
buildings were left unlocked and open, the flowers and shrubs which had once made the station such an
attractive environment became neglected, and the place began to resemble something like a railroad depot in
the Wild West.

In due course the footbridge was dismantled, and the fine looking stone station buildings were
demolished. Passengers wanting to access the Down platform now had to cross the line at rail level, using the
barrow crossing. Concrete block shelters were erected on the platforms in place of what had previously
existed, offering rather spartan comfort to those who might be waiting for a train.
The signalbox was still busy, and became even busier, when new traffic flows began from the Gulf, and
AMOCO oil refineries in 1968 and 1974, respectively. The Esso refinery had, of course, been generating rail
traffic since August 21st, 1960.

During the summer of 1984 further track reduction took place at Johnston. From a point of about two
hundred yards before entering Johnston from Haverfordwest, the line was brought to single track. The Down
platform at Johnston became redundant, with all trains now using the Up platform. This also meant changes in
signalling apparatus, resulting in modern day colour light signals being installed, replacing the familiar lower
quadrant semaphore ones which had served so well for so many years. Even so, the advance of modern
technology was to ensure that the days of Johnston Signalbox were numbered.

Fortunately, before this happened, I came to know one of the signalmen who worked the box at
Johnston, who very kindly invited me there when he was working the overnight shift. I'd usually arrive there at
10.00.pm. and stay until around 2.00.am. I enjoyed a number of such visits, and was fascinated watching my
friend going about his duties as he explained to me, the complexities of working this part of railway hardware.
There would be frequent contact by bell code and telephone with the signalbox at Clarbeston Road, and train
movements and timings were meticulously logged in the train register. There was also the work of pulling on
the levers to operate the points and signals, and when it was necessary to move these levers, the signalman
always held a duster in his hands, so that bodily perspiration would not get onto to the shiny lever handles and
cause them to rust.

Arriving at the signalbox at the time I usually did, meant I was in time to witness the passage of the Inter-
City 125 on it's return to Swansea from Milford. Then, I'd walk along the platform to the box, and settle on the
wooden bench inside the door. My friend would then inform me of what traffic we might expect during my stay.
I knew that there was the last passenger train of the day to look forward to at around 11.00.pm. but traffic to
and from the oil refineries was less predictable. Sometimes there might be a couple of trains of empty tank
wagons going down, and the locomotives might return light. Other times there'd be perhaps a loaded tank train
ready to leave the Gulf Refinery, and yet another at AMOCO.

I remember being at the signalbox one very calm night, when a telephone message came from the AMOCO
Refinery saying that there was a train ready to leave. My friend pulled on the relevant levers to set up the
route, and then asked me to join him on the doorstep to listen for the sound of the train starting from the
refinery. The night was so still, we had no difficulty in hearing the Class 56 diesel locomotive applying it's 3250
hp in getting the 1600 ton train on the move. Returning inside the box, we were able to monitor the progress of
the train by looking at the track circuit illuminations on the track diagram. About fifteen minutes later the
headlamps of the engine appeared down the cutting. Despite the heavy load and adverse gradient, the
locomotive sounded very quiet, it's noise being almost drowned out by traffic on the main road above the box.
The engine came to a stand alongside the box for the driver to surrender the single line staff, and for the
shunter to get off.

The engine was now at the summit of the gradient, and the hard slog from the oil refinery was behind her.
Even so, the heavy 16 wagon tank train still extended back down the gradient, and the driver would have to
ensure getting the train on the move smoothly so as not to snap a coupling. This he achieved without difficulty,
and soon the wagons were trundling past, gaining momentum as the gradient changed from adverse to
favourable.Checking to see that there was a red light showing on the back of the last wagon, my friend then
informed the signalman at Clarbeston Road that the train was on it's way, and then updated his train register.
The shunter meanwhile settled into the battered armchair, and tucked into his tea and sandwiches. No
doubt he was also glad to be able to wait in the warm environment of the box until he departed aboard the next
train to one of the refineries.

The signalbox was heated by a coal fired, cast iron, pot-bellied stove, which threw out a radiant heat.
When the grate was well filled with coal, the heat would be such that the cast iron body would be glowing red
hot. One wonders what the Health & Safety Executive would make of such a thing nowadays.
The end for Johnston Signalbox came in the late summer of 1998, when the route from Clarbeston Road
to Johnston was reduced to single track. Sufficient track remained in Haverfordwest to allow trains travelling in
opposite directions to pass one another, but the signalbox there also succumbed to closure. Clarbeston Road
now has the only surviving signalbox in Pembrokeshire.

So here we are at the present time. The name boards on the station now read simply, Johnston, and no
longer do passengers have to `CHANGE FOR MILFORD HAVEN', because all trains now running through
have been serving Milford since the closure of Neyland in 1964. Gone are the days of the friendly station staff,
the beautiful flowers and shrubs, not forgetting either, the warm fires in the waiting rooms on winter days.
The only freight traffic on the line today consists of the jumbo tank wagon trains, plying to and from the Elf
Oil Refinery. Many of these trains, some of which consist of up thirty two 100 ton bogie tank wagons hauled by
a single locomotive, run during the hours of darkness, and are very impressive to see and hear.
Despite the numerous changes affecting Johnston station over the years, my fond memories of happier
times spent there remain forever in my mind, and I feel privileged to have known some of the friendly staff who
worked there.

 

Has the May 14 update broken anything that anyone has noticed? It was certainly large enough to do so.

 

Some internal sounds don't work from time to time, was a passenger on a 170, sounds worked fine, switched to an external view, then switched back to internal and no sounds.

This morning I spawned a 45 at Nottingham and the AWS and Fire test bell didn't work.

 

2 pages away from 100 keep going!

 

Almost there.

 

I checked to refresh my memory, and page 50 read exactly the same as the previous 49. Milestones aren't all they're cracked up to be.

It would be funny if at page 99 people said....

 

I reckon at Page 100, DTG will say “Enough is Enough” and lock the thread. So let’s make the last few posts count!

 

"This is an ex-thread".
"It has ceased to be".

Instead of parroting any old rubbish.

 

"This thread was created to dispute the creation of TSW4 and TSW taking the sports game model"
"It was shut down by DTG when TSW5 is inevitably announced and the outcry starts up again"

 

We’re chugging towards the station in our people power DMU but the fuel gauge says empty and we’re running on fumes, will we reach the 100 pages station?
Trouble is TSW has improved and there is less to moan about, how dull.

 

While I didn't spend a cent/pence for it myself, I can completely understand this. In the past the free Rush Hour update had more visible "improvements", than the changes introduced between TSW3 & TSW4. After playing on the updated WSR for 2 weeks on both diesel & steam gala timetables, while I haven't encountered many issues, I left TSW4 in limbo, probably waiting until either Class 104 or Tadami release, whichever comes first, and whether it comes for TSW4 - if they come for TSW5/6, they will need to wait for Humble/Fanatical Bundle, where I can obtain the new "base". Maybe the included with the base new routes are the reason why releasing a completely new edition was required, but I haven't even downloaded any of them, as I wasn't interested.

BTW, who thought hiding so well the mastery overlays is a good idea? I needed to search on Internet where to find them, while in the past entering into any route showed a shortcut/button for them.

 

This is the last post on Page 98.
Come on folks... we didn't came this far to run out of steam now !

 

Page 99
Here we go !!!

 

I mean, there really isn't anything major to complain about right now without talking in circles.

 

we can try talking in squares ?

 

I feel like this thread is now just a "shadow of itself"... The majority of people talk about when we will ge to the page 100 and are buffing it every now and then. Of course the issue mentionned at the start are mostly still there but talking about it in circle isn't resolving them.

 

Well, I simply stopped playing, so there's not much to add from me. Nothing revolutionary was added between TSW2 & TSW3 and also between TSW3 & TSW4. Likewise, probably no revolutionary changes will be introduced between TSW4 & TSW5, but there will be surely a price tag to get the update, whether you want the included with it routes or not.

 

Sorry to be that guy but is it really a meaningful achievement to hit 100 pages in this thread when it FEELS like 80% of the content here is general chatter or people going "wow look how many pages this thread has!! wow look how many pages this thread has!! wow look how many—"
You get the point.

What I'm trying to say is, is this thread even meaningfully contributing to the conversation anymore? Sure there's some valid points here but finding those valid points is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

 

Fife Circles

 

Welcome to page 99

 

yea, this is like the go-to, number one, king of joke threads here on the forum and I am glad there is one

 

see? one user mentions talking in circles, I ask about squares, and here comes triangle anyone got a cross? (PS pun intended )

 

Now, Alex following up his post by locking the thread at page 99 would definitely have been funny.

 

that would have been utterly cruel and funny at the same time

 

99 Lokomotiveeeen

 

Is it worth celebrating this page with 99 red balloons

 

or a new route with 99 miles of track?

 

198 red balloons?

 

There still is Mobius' endless loop...

But otherwise this thread serves a purpose to vent our frustration with the game.
I still refuse to call TSW a rail transport simulation, at best it is a locomotive control desk simulation. Since almost all other aspects of rail transport, economics, operations like dispatching, switching and serving customers are mostly missing.
It is s game where collecting collectibles while trespassing on railroad property is a key game element.
It is a game because the target audience seem to be gaming console owners, with the commercial approach of 'a new level every n-months', 'play, finish and discard' seems to be the main attraction for the thumbstick audience.
It is a game because with every new iteration we don't get improved depth, but rather another incarnation of the same shallow and repetitive gameplay.

Still waiting for the different focus Focus Entertainment has given/will give DTG. So far, it seems nothing really changed, it still seems quantity over quality, repetition over expansion.

Perhaps dictated by DTG's market research, budget and time constraints, management decisions or whatever, who knows?

TSW5 is soon to be announced, perhaps with this subscription model, year passes, common on the consoles already?

I for one consider myself disappointed with TSW's progress over 5 years after the initial beta caught my eyes, and in full faith my initial purchase of some DLC which soon was abandoned.