Introducing Athena Simulations - Tsw5 Content Releases

Thank you for the response Welcome back aswell, looking forward to what you guys come out with.

 

How about Leeds to Manchester in current Era as the TransPennine Express

 

being Yorkshire born and bred, I would LOVE to do that!

 

Athena Simulations, great to have you onboard creating TSW5 content and beyond, I am pleased we are getting 47484 IKB (hopefully this'll be the last 47 new livery for a while!) and hearing as if you've got more 'iconic' ECML diesels to reveal for this DLC, here are my main predictions:

- The Class 55 'Deltic'
- Intercity125 HST maybe?
- Class 180 'Adelante'

 

Welcome Athena

I do like the idea of a railtour pack, it certainly seems like a good opportunity to bring some well known unique/iconic locos to tsw so I look forward to seeing where this goes

May I suggest 86259 (E3137) Les Ross as a consideration for the future, it would be perfect for Wcml railtours.

 

Oh yes OldVern. Hopefully with Athena joining the fray, we might start to see many more locomotive dlcs. I can think of many applicable types that are currently missing from the line ups of existing routes.

 

A huge thank you to DTG Alex DTG Matt for the livestream last night. I was glued to every second of it. Thank you also for sharing news of our new group joining the DTG family!

Gang, I have been so looking forward to TSW5 being announced. Having had the chance to drive it for some time now I was genuinely blown away by all the new features and content. The new routes are beyond stunning! You are all going to love it, seriously!

 

For our first DLC the only custom content is the new class 47 and Mark 1 coaches, along with other locos making special railtour appearances and a whole new approach to scenarios that TSW5 allows us to do! Our second DLC (which is nearly complete) features an iconic loco type which is making its first appearance in TSW (or classic for that matter), which will have numerous opportunities for you to drive on many routes with scenarios, substitutions, free roam et al as a loco pack rather than a scenario pack as such.

We are though looking to create more loco packs (some of which will support our route announcements) and your list are certainly locos that I would LOVE to do down the road.

Our immediate roadmap is

1) The ECML railtours pack featuring various locos which really focuses on new ways of scenario creation and not just A to B drives, with the Class 47 and Mk1 stock included, that can be used across TSW.

2) A loco DLC which we are working with DTG to make accessible in numerous timetables and scenarios - the loco is done - we are currently embedding it in to routes.

3) A modern route that is now in progress being created by some VERY experienced route builders on our team. Featuring new locos and our new way of creating compelling scenarios.

4) Some locos we would like to create for that route as an additional followup for the route mentioned above.

1 and 2 are in final tidy up and nearly ready to go. The route is now in progress and the team are shortly to start 4.

We are also currently hiring and bringing in more experienced people from the TSW commercial community on a regular basis. Whilst many teams are part-time we are a full-time team working on these projects as our day job. (how lucky are we!)

Jane

 

Awesome!

 

Hello Jane-ATH, do you have plans for making something electric like Class 805, Class 92, Class 90/91?)

 

Just remember, the people behind Athena Simulations have a history of overpromising and underdelivering...

 

Is the Loco Electric or Diesel?

 

Hi, something curious about this, is that if the loco is in final tidy up & ready to go, why we haven’t even seen a basic announcement for it yet? (Other than your post).

It would be interesting to get some info on it since we don’t get spoiled with locos these days.

 

You are, of course, welcome to your view. Although I find that comment a little strange. The people behind the team have come together from various existing TSW development groups and are not from one developer, so I find your broad brush stroke comment there a little weird, regardless of any issue you may have with any developer that some of the team may have joined us from.5

I hope that you will judge the team by its own merits. Incidentally our first 2 pieces of DLC are pretty much shipping ready having been created behind the scenes ahead of the TSW5 release.

Not being confrontational, again you are welcome to your opinion. That is what forums are for

Jane

 

Welcome to the family Athena.

 

heya,

The current plan is to focus on discussing our first release, which as it is for TSW5 we planned this with DTG around the TSW5 release. As we go forward we will most certainly be discussing project 2. Right now though, all the discussion is deliberately around our first project until we get closer to the release date of the second loco. Both packs will not be a simultaneous release and we work closely with the DTG community and marketing teams around a roadmap of when is the best time to discuss each product.

Believe me we are excited to share!

Jane

 

thank you that is really kind of you!

 

Athena Simulations, welcome to Train Sim World. Exciting to read what work you are all currently doing.

 

thank you, your welcome is really appreciated.

 

Didn’t ATS already create a 195 for TSC? Would mean they have the models there plus sounds so I mean it would make their life easier

 

I wanted to share an image of a busy Doncaster Works, with a screenshot just taken by Mike. All the scenarios are populated with statics, utilising appropriate layering along with plenty of moving AI. All optimised depending on the target platform.

 

I’d love for the 90 to come with MK/3 + DVT. Hell, even some sleeper stock would be nice. The versatility of the 90 alone would be a welcome addition with it being able to do freight and passenger runs. Intercity 225 would be a welcome addition too.

 

Welcome back Jane. Looking forward to seeing what you come up with. The rail tour pack isn’t my thing though it’s a nice looking livery, but sounds like there is a lot in the pipeline which I look forward to hearing about.

As for the nastiness above (assuming it hasn’t been deleted by mods). Let’s wait and judge the product instead of the person.

 

Yeah there's not much we can really do at this point either way. Nothing has been released and no one is asking for any money from me, so.... just wait and see what they come up with. I'm giving the benefit of the doubt.

 

A sneak peak of the new loco might distract everyone

 

Fair enough.
What variety of locos are you looking at for rail tours (plural?)

 

After the MML debacle, I won't be going anywhere near this pack on initial release, if it ever does see the light of day that is.

 

That's fair too.
But I'd still like to see what if anything comes of it.
At least the scope is fairly limited. Rail tours and a Class 47 aren't exotic or massively tech intensive, so it'd be a pretty low starting bar to get over to build reputation. If it doesn't produce, then we're not out a ton either. It's a nice entry level product to start.

 

Given that this is a product to be sold, and deliberate shenanigans would waste the developers' and DTG's time and effort while bringing in nothing at all from the customers, I'm not sure what the point would be. A long stealth road to world domination by way of niche sim DLC development?

Then there's one person who uses their real name and keeps stepping up front to engage with the community, and then those whose "strength" comes from internet anonymity and group numbers. People's behavior makes it pretty clear who actually believes in themselves.

 

Hello, Jane. I am pleasantly surprised to see that you've returned despite the hatred we had shown towards you.

I am still quite confused by this new pack though. I understand it is for the East Coast Mainline, but does it come with a timetable or is it just three scenarios. Also, Peterborough to Doncaster is an A to B route, so how can your scenario not be an A to B run? What does TSW5 bring that couldn't have been done before?