Nothing serious, I'm just curious how people play the game and why. There's so much discussion in individual bits that I'm wondering more generically why you play the game, what keeps you coming back, and how you spend your time? Do you like to run the same commuter run to be very familiar with it? Do you like new routes every time? (edit: I mean not repeating routes, as in not replaying the same route several times in a day. Do you play a bunch of runs on a route or do you hop back and forth between them, not that they have to be "new" as in the latest routes published!) Do you prefer scenarios or timetable? Shunting or freight? Same routes or different ones to keep it varied? Do you game every day or just on occasion? What eras do you prefer? Do you like creating your own stuff or using what's in the game already? I am probably not "normal" on this. While familiar with trains and liking them from a historical perspective (Historian by training), I like to explore. New routes, new trains, look at the scenery... I like to find new things and learn new locos, new routes, even new things about the trains irl. It's about LEARNING to me and discovering new things. I like sightseeing the routes, finding new hidden areas and checking out updates as they come out. Grew up around US Freight, especially branch lines and rural, so freight is fun because there's so much to it. (I suppose if I grew up in a city, I'd be into commuter EMUs too... who knows?) I enjoy relaxing with TSW, put some good music on, just chill and ride the rails. It's often about the "experience" so maybe some bluegrass if it's an Appalachian route like SPG/CRR/HSC. 80s music of in an 80s route. More modern stuff if on a newer route like SEHS. Traditional railroad songs like "Spirit of New Orleans" or "Casey Jones" if on a heritage route like WSR. Get the "feel" for it even if it's not entirely accurate. It's about getting in the groove to relax after work or on a Sunday morning. Often the smaller, slower routes give you more time to appreciate the scenery and details that often flash by when doing a high speed linear run. Just got ahold of Nidderbahn and Maintalbahn, so checking those out lately along with Fife (just picked up this week learning they're extending the Leven part) Might make a scenario using the freight sidings on it for some non-commuter variety, but then I like to make them semi-historical within game limits, so as an historian doing the "leg work" (virtually) figuring out what was historically out there in Scotland that might make a good industrial scenario. If it starts feeling like a "grind" or "work" then I move on because I get enough work irl and it's a game for FUN. Not that I won't put a couple hours into shunting or building a scenario, but it can't FEEL like work if that makes sense. It should be interesting. What about you? What keeps drawing you back into TSW? What do you ENJOY to do in it? What are you looking forward to and why? Or do have all the content you need? Are you a railfan in real life or only on the computer? (Good thing it's on the computer I could never have the space in my house for a model train set!)
1. Different runs 2. Not always but if I try hard there usually something in there I can enjoy 3. Timetable 4. Freight 5. Depends, if I like there route I’ll stick with it for a while otherwise I’ll mix it up a bit 6. Whenever I have free time 7. I prefer modern but options for other time periods is still appealing 8. I stick to what’s in-game by default unless I find something in the CC Depending on what I’m driving a like to find documentaries or videos that help immerse myself in my driving a bit better. Those British rail training films from the 80s & 90s and series like ‘The railway 24/7’ are a good examples
I tend to pick something on the Quick Play randomiser or... Find a route where I need to advance Journey mode or... Very rarely go in and pick a route with good layering and sample some rare traction in timetable mode or... Get thoroughly bored with it and fire up TSC or Run 8 instead.
I gravitated towards train sims as a way to unwind after work, started with Kuju's sim (I missed out on MSTS), then the various iterations of Railworks/TSC, TSW and Run 8. As a youngster I'd been fascinated by trains, heavily influenced by the pictures and paintings in my dad's old Hornby catalogs, then actually bought into N-scale model railroading in the 1970's. Funnily enough, it was the old Hornby catalogs that I thought of as I got into PC rail sims, and I was fascinated by UK rail...from the DMU's/EMU's to the Mallard, Flying Scotsman etc., since it was quite different than Canadian/North American rail. I had to do a lot of research which just added to my enjoyment. So, how do I play? I'll be the first to admit I'm not a grognard of roleplay, so I'll put some music on quietly in the background (eclectic, so anything from classical, opera to metal, dependent on my mood I guess), and 'go to work' on a timetable. I'm also not a rivet counter, so I can easily enjoy some of the more maligned routes and DLC without too much consternation. I particularly enjoy the UK routes (all eras, but in particular the pre-Beecham Axe era where diesel and steam were working), then the German offerings (I enjoyed the German steam in RW/TSXXXX/TSC, and the early electrics). I do have some NA rail but I prefer a different sim for operations there (here...erm if that makes sense). kind regards, Dave
To answer the main question of the thread, how do you play TSW? Well the answer to that is mostly sat down with my feet up and fully clothed, tho on odd occasions have played standing up, plus there was this one occasion I played in just my undercrackers, but I bet many people on this forum has done that at some point.......
This is a pretty cool writing prompt, I’ll add my personal thoughts: I do have runs I really like for various reasons, but I’m generally open to experiencing every kind of (passenger) service pattern there is on any given route. Love stopping at stations I normally speed through etc. Not really sure how to interpret this question. I’m very hesitant with new DLC releases, unless they’re “perfect” (e.g. Niddertalbahn). I often wait for steep discounts, and there has to be genuine excitement for the route from my side. I won’t just buy a 80% discounted route if I don’t see myself playing it often. But when I do make a purchase, I’m usually very excited for a few days and try to explore everything before integrating the new content into my normal TSW routine. I definitely prefer timetables. When I started playing TSW about 3.5 years ago, I used to finish all the scenarios before moving on to the timetables. But since then I’ve realized that the timetables have much more of a “day in the life” feel and allow me to relax more while playing. The scenarios are still nice “jokers” when I feel like doing something completely different for once. I don’t really do lots of freight at all, I’m more of a passenger service with at least a handful of stops kinda guy (so also not a lot of nonstop express passenger runs). But I guess it’s about 50/50, I do enjoy a little bit of shunting from time to time. Lots of different routes! I decide spontaneously when and what I want to play, the eras and continents can change completely from one service to the other. I currently don’t game every day - and if I do, I also have a few other games. I usually play TSW 2-3 times per week I suppose. But it’s nearly always in the back of my mind and I tend to visit the forums daily. Currently modern and back to the 70s/80s. Haven’t touched steam in a while although I do plan on doing so soon! I don’t create my own stuff often (when I do, mainly scenarios). I like to sit in the cab as often as possible . TSW has turned me into a bit of a railfan… I like to explore the regional railways with my best mate and also do a handful of bigger trips per year. Content-wise, there’s always more that can be developed and released, but my collection has certainly reached a point where I’m reasonably satisfied with it and only purchase new content a handful of times per year either if it’s highly discounted or a new release is both interesting to me and gets absolutely amazing reviews from the community. Now time to read all of the other comments! Really enjoyed writing this and reflecting on my TSW journey
I like to drive trains and routes because the driving is about both as one, not like on the roads where a good driver can expertly drive any route on the map. I tend to stick around Scotland without relying on the games HUD. The class 314 is nice on the Cathcart Circle route because the control handles are visible so the HUD can be completely turned off when driving providing one knows where they are going. I have books of real world track plans so I'm trying to get the most realistic driving experience possible, which sadly TSW4 can be a bit lacking. OpenBVE is actually preferable in many ways as a driving simulator because stuff works as it would in real life. I actually use train driving as a mindfulness practice. Because I like driving interesting stuff I will sometimes learn a new route for example the West Cornwall local has interesting stuff available to drive including Pacers and Locomotives with coaches. I actually don't enjoy driving a route that I don't have knowledge of, or following numbers on the HUD so I'm probably not that adventurous a TSW player.
To drive trains in a 1 to 1 replicatd world with good graphics. Yes. A bit of odd question. I didn't even like all of the older routes. But No. Timetable, but depends on the scenarios whether I would (frequently) replay them. Of those two, freight. But I prefer passenger services. Mood based. But usually I have my favorite one(s) to always come back to. Which for me is DRA. TSW base game, Just on occasion. I only really like good quality and variety of scenery and rolling stock. Custom scenarios you mean? No, not possible because of bugs. There I prefer the native scenarios or simply the timetable. Trains, trains, trains. Driving trains, discover the replications of real routes and being able to walk into stations, engine rooms or the wagons. Having an open world feeling (even if the world beyond stations is restricted). I'm looking forward to a big change of TSW with a lot more DLCs and Train Sim World being a better institution for customers and developers. Also finding an economical way to fix old content while creating new content. I have more than I really can play with and discover entirely. I just looked up steam and it says I have 43 DLCs. Where on earth is my money gone so fast?
"Do you like new routes every time? A bit of odd question. I didn't even like all of the older routes. But No." Sorry for the confusion, I'll update the question a bit. I meant "new" as in shifting from one to the other route in the same session, not what ones came out latest. For example.... doing a number of runs on the same route in a row, rather than doing a scenario on this map and then a timetable on that map, varying it up on the same day. I suppose the people wanting more "realism" would want to stay on the same routes and do multiple "runs" like a driver would on a shift in real life to get a feel for it.
Why you play the game? Don't have a GF and I like trains. What keeps you coming back. If I like the game then I'm coming back. Also have a variety of routes and types of trains so it doesn't get me bored. How you spend your time? Lonely Do you like to run the same commuter run to be very familiar with it? No. Do you like new routes every time? No Do you prefer scenarios or timetable? I'll think I'll go for timetable. But I do the training and scenarios first to learn the trains and route. Shunting or freight? Then freight, I don't like shunting scenarios on yards. Same routes or different ones to keep it varied? Varied Do you game every day or just on occasion? Play a couple of plays a week. What eras do you prefer? Bronze age. I picked up Linke Rheinstrecke in the sale this week and really like this era. Do you like creating your own stuff or using what's in the game already? I don't like my own creations so using what's in the game already. Greetz Stefan
Scenarios then timetable. Raildriver, mouse and keyboard. About an hour every couple of days. That's it folks. Sorry to bring this up, but am I alone in thinking that some people are just too long-winded? The verbosity is making me think I have ADD. Too wordy, not reading it.
You are definitely not alone in your thinking my friend, I am pretty sure some people eat dictionaries for breakfast, then spend the rest of the day just vomiting and crapping out words like it's going out of fashion......
I’m definitely guilty here, but once realized how tall my wall of text had become, I was honestly too proud of it to delete anything the thread started with a long post and lots of questions, you’ve got to expect the answers to be of similar length. There are many threads with short and mostly useless replies all over the forums, I like the change of pace here.
I dabbled a bit all the way back to MSTS, put a few hours into TSC, then TSW when it appeared on consoles, but only really took off seriously in 2020 when working from home took off. While before that I would occasionally work from home if I had to completely shut myself away, generally I would drive in to the office daily as most people would, but my journeys where anywhere from 50 miles to 200 miles depending on the company I was working for at that time. Such a long commute meant I would use the drive home to clear my head and do my thinking. Many a problem was solved on my work commute. Come 2020, and all of a sudden, my commute was a 20-yard walk from my office to my lounge. I found it hard to switch off from work, found my problem solving deteriorated, and initially I struggled to adapt to a new way of working. Then I got into the habit of using simulation games as a way to relax my mind, recharge, and think. Either TSW driving a train up and down, or farming simulator driving a tractor up and down farming a field. I like variety so I jump about the routes. I do like to learn, but I don't like to have to think too much about it: So mostly UK routes with safety systems on, but trying to learn a whole new signalling system for, say, German routes, would distract me from the things my mind would normally be mulling over so I tend to avoid them. TLDR: It has replaced my drive home from work as my unwind and think space.
I play route per route. On every route I do 1 timetable service with every one of the available trains for that route. Than I move on to the next route. That way I play through all my routes and then start over. The order in which the routes follow each other is always different as I put them through a randomiser after each rotation. And I always check my weather app on my ipad so I can try to simulate the current weather for my current route as close to reality as possible.
Microsoft Flight Simulator has that sort of thing. Kudos on the realism mate! My only issue with scenarios is that most of them tend to be really crappy weather for "challenge" I guess? There's no way that it's raining 85% of the time in the desert =-)
Most of the time I jump between routes but most of the time I don't do more than 2 services per play. Most of the time I play passenger services Don't have preference regarding scenarios or timetables I mostly play the newer routes (newly purchased) I game everyday but not every day TSW Favourite era? Everything since I was born (a long time ago) Not really a creator. I need very easy tools to create in video games.
Its changed a bit over time. One thing that has always been consistent is I always complete the service in one sitting, I never use save game. Started out I was mainly into the US freight stuff so I'd have long 1-2 hour play sessions doing some of those massive routes. Then later I got into the other stuff like UK, Germany, US passenger. Those would allow for shorter runs. Sometimes on the passenger routes I'd like to do multiple runs in one sitting. I remember one time taking a Javelin on SEHS from its first early morning depot move and stayed with the unit for a few services until I got to one that took me out of the playable area, switched to another train at that station and kept going. I did a similar thing one day on Hamburg where I basically let the timetable run the entire day. Granted I didn't play the entire day, I'd run a few services, then get out of the train at a station and let my player stand there when I went and did real life things like lunch or an errand. Come back and hop in a train and continue. So basically the simulated timetable ran the entire day with me taking part in services here and there. London Commuter, Boston, Dresden Reisa, Glossop and Birmingham are other routes where I've liked going back and forth running multiple services without ending the game. That IMO is one of the coolest features in TSW, allowing you to do that. Now I tend to have less time available for playing it in one go so I tend to stick with passenger stuff and just do one service in a sitting. I've always been mainly on timetable.
Why do I play? If I am honest my choices are play this, or be downstairs with the Mrs watching her soaps, as there are only so many dog walks you can go on before it gets suspicious!
I seem to spend most of my time swearing at the PC screen as yet another scenario fails to test correctly or the Editor crashes. I hardly ever have a simple 'playing' session nowadays and am usually tinkering in some way or other.
I play mostly timetables, on the different routes I have. (Around 20). If I have more time to use the sim, I drive some Scenarios. I like to drive every kind of trains: suburbans, regionals, IC, ICE, freight ones too. Electric, Diesel, and with the launch of the Flying Scotman, I drive it some time too. It is a quite different driving experience. I love it! But since we have "Free Roam" tool, - I really like it! - I am using frequently! Mainly due to it allows me, to make time tables more interesting. How? Well...I first set up for departure another train. Mainly a passenger one! ( I will explain why) Then I leave it, and use this tool I create the train I will drive on another track. So then I allows the other train to start running first, and then I follow it! This makes the ride more interesting, due to... I have several "yellows" and " reds" Some of them due to the passenger train will stop ahead. Recently with the "Formation Designer" tool , I am starting using trains created with it. Most of the times I select "Dynamic weather", to get environment changes. Mostly I drive European trains - mainly electrics, but diesels too -, and when I have more time to drive (week ends), I drives very long USA freight trains. In the past I created some Scenarios, but now does not have enough time to create one. Even when you download some of them, - despite of having all the required trains and routes-, most of the time you have an error message. I like to download repaints of locomotives from Creator's Club. Really thanks to the community for sharing really great ones!
I walked the entire LGV Marseille-Avignon. And I have to tell you that contrary to popular belief, there are also some remarkable landscapes along the route. Of course, at 320km/h you can't notice them but on foot I found a small bridge with a stream underneath and the sound of birds coming from the surrounding trees. All very well detailed. I also spent several hours, initially on the HRR because at the time it was the busiest route, admiring the trains that passed almost as if on a real railway. I travelled as a passenger initially on the Rapid Transit from Leipzig to I think Dessau(?), then a bit on all the other routes. In the early days I spent over 2 hours trying to restore (without success) the very first Class 66 stuck a few minutes from Reading on the GWR. Then with the release of the RSN I fell in love, with the magical and slightly spooky atmosphere, with the PZB (and with it a new world opened up to me from which I have never left) and with German trains. And back in 2020 I also tried to be a painter (with the old nickname): https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/tsw2-ac4400-norfolk-southern-my-first-and-last-opera.27803/ Note: at the time we didn't have NS and BNSF on TSW yet. Lately I play much less, due to more disappointments than joys, the last one just today when I discovered that the Railbow livery for ICE 3 (and the other with green band for ICE 1) you can only use it in the timetables along the Kessel-Wurzburg. And I am still incredulous for yet another own goal committed by DTG. You pay for two liveries that without Scenario Planner you can only use on a single route. But what's the point? Ah, I have always maintained that Timetables are the beating heart of TSW (since the first chapter: TSW 1). I have not changed my mind yet. I play all the routes, random. I prefer and therefore play more frequently the freight services and the fast long-distance trains. I consider the Scenarios as advanced tutorials.
It all depends on what I feel like playing. I normally like my stopping services but occasionally really get into freight and shunting. Most of the time i'll stick to the same routes, I like to try and learn them for HUDless runs, but every now and then i'll branch out to others
I play TSW4 much less these days as TS24 is the real deal as far as I’m concerned. But when I do it’s the random quick play that I generally choose. My main beef with TSW is that though it looks nice the scenarios, with a few exceptions, look too devoid of traffic, especially empty yards. In TS24 this is not the case. DTG need to bring some aspects of the older game into the newer one.
I mostly play timetable services. I try to look for rush hour / peak time runs where I potentially get reds or diverging routes. I have almost every route except for a few, so I try to switch it up every now and then. I have no preference when it comes to freight or passenger. I tend to prefer routes that enable me to get those adverse signals.
