I just wanted to share my views on what seems to be a new forming trend of upgrading existing routes and timetables to elevate them to higher standards. i personally think this is a really positive move from dtg. It's really good to see routes that maybe are starting to look their age, or looking very bare from a timetable perspective, being given a lot of love and attention like cathcart is getting right now. for me it makes such an amazing difference, and for me cathcart with the new class 380, the new class 158 and the brand new timetable it's like having a brand new dlc.. so i just wanted to say thank you to dtg for seemingly going down this route of upgrading existing routes, i'm definitely on board with this and i genuinely think that with the latest dtg offerings (ecml, gospel oak, semmeringbahn) as well as giving such an enhanced new life to routes like cathcart, that overall the game is going in a real positive direction for me, and long may that continue. so from my perspective i'd like to say thank you to dtg for the latest offerings, and please keep up this kind of good work! Katia
They’ve definitely stepped up the quality of their releases, a few missteps here and there but overall massive improvements in route quality between TSW 3 & 4. And shout out to Liam, Joe, James and everyone else who worked on this Cathcart update, you’ve taken an average route and made fantastic much like West Somerset. No doubt the next remaster will be just as good!
There wouldn’t really be much to remaster, the route is in a pretty good state. I’m not so sure what would happen to the timetable though, we don’t wanna completely loose the 323 to the 730 they’ll have to find a sweet spot. I think there are many much older routes that are more deserving of a remaster.
BCC is from the TOD4 era, so is already up to standard in its scenery and lighting. What it could use is more layers when appropriate stock becomes available. The 730 could be introduced either subbing in for the 323 on the existing timetable (if it's the same length - a restriction in the current TSW core code for subbing) or with a new timetable (which is more effort than subbing, but less than a TOD4 remaster + timetable update).
Sure, its the best way to use all the effort went into crrating a route and update it. Tsw had the problem that much stock wasnt available.
They need to start with the oldest and work through. GWE licensing issues possibly to do much with though shouldn’t preclude the odd improved tree or TOD4. NTP and TVL are the obvious candidates for the UK from the early years. Germany, RRO needs a fresh look, see if it’s possible to sort out the gradient transitions without knackering everything else. Rapid Transit definitely needs a buff in particular the Class 1442 in regard to sound. All of the early US routes plus Oakville could do with the treatment, too.
New to TSW. I was watching the livestream for Cathcart and it was mentioned that Cathcart is the 2nd old route to be updated to TOD4. What was the other route?
I'd quite like to see tvl have some kind of timetable upgrade too, i'm not 100% sure if the class 142 was present on the route in the era it's set, but if so i'd love to see the pacer introduced onto tvl in a timetable upgrade myself.
All the routes that have been upgraded are several years old lol. West somerset: from tsw2020 route Ries dresden: tsw2 rush hour route Boston sprinter: tsw2 rush hour Sherman Hill: tsw2 Lirr: resold, originally from tsw2020 Clinchfield: being worked on, from tsw2
Would love to see a major overhaul of NTP, with perhaps an inclusion of an extension and a Class 25, probably asking too much there but deffo a graphic, lighting and timetable improvement.
I think this overhaul trend is great as well! Dovetail Games doesn't have to upgrade old routes to new standards, and yet they do - even though it yields no financial gain!
Add in SPG and that would round out my top 5. I’d never leave my house again though. Anyway, loving these remasters.
Yes I really do think this is a great thing being done and does really enhance these routes. I am also part of the gang who'd be putting NTP, TVL and GWE at the front of the queue.
totally agree with this opening post. I actually would be happy to have no new routes released and the older routes worked on i dont even mind paying a price to have them upgraded and stock added like the 380 etc etc. We have these amazing routes already not pushing to the full potential. Excellent models of Birmingham new street, Manchester piccadilly etc which are lacking more ai. Use these routes and work from them and enhance them.
Not sure if anyone else would agree with me but I'd rather have a couple more of the most popular, existing TSW routes upgraded instead of completely brand-new routes. Obviously, I'd still like to have new routes of course, but the thought of an upgraded BML or RSN for example with a timetable/rolling stock and TOD 4 update would be absolutely amazing. There are so many superb, older routes that already exist in TSW and it goes to show that the likes of a Cathcart revamp would make it feel like an entirely new route anyway; for context, I've never enjoyed Cathcart and thus hardly played it in years, but the upgrade (thanks mostly to the busy timetable) actually makes me excited for it which surprises me. More of this for other routes please DTG!
Deffo +1 on the upgrading, new timetables and even extensions to some routes instead of new routes. Let the third parties do the new routes for 12-18 months, bar the summer bundle / new game version each year. No issue the new timetables and extensions even being tied to a loco DLC as financially DTG need to recoup the time input of course.
I think they should do a remaster on SKA or HRR, these routes would have so much potential for interesting services and the recently released trains. Last weekend, I installed a mod from TSC which ports over the TOD4 skies into older US routes and it felt really insane how much these routes look better now than ever before. Now they make a lot more fun to drive along. I would really like it, if the older routes would be upgraded, but I know - it doesn´t bring much money
Agreed. I'd love to see HRR particularly extended to either Dusseldorf and/or Dortmund and - along with RRO, RSN (AI only at Hagen) etc - finally have ICE services included in a much-needed timetable update.
What about the Bakerloo line? It already received an enhanced timetable, just needs TOD4 lighting (and possibly a Class 710 layer!). They already have remastered 2 out of the 3 rush hour routes, maybe a next step would be the TSW2 base routes? (BKL, SKA, SPG).
Don't think Bakerloo will ever have an upgrade because of the big amount of work that comes with light baking. As Bakerloo is basically all tunnes, all the lights have to be redone. I think rather "rural" routes with not so many stops have better chances than BKL. Personally, as mentioned by FreddieTheShepherd HRR needs an overhaul. It's such a great route and with the stock we have today the timetable could be sooo dense. Though the Desiro DC is still missing.
