Dovetail Games Tsw March 2025 Roadmap Q & A Thread

There's been a lot of discussion about LAMPOIL and how DTG chooses specifically routes - how different is this process for Loco DLC or gameplay packs? What are the different/extra considerations needed?

 

First of all, I draw attention that this article is titled as February roadmap q&a. Should be March.
My question is, when can we expect some new screenshots for the GWE remaster as it has been a while since we had anything to whet the appetite?
Related to this question, can we expect Mildmay Line AI layers on the GWE remaster where the Clapham Junction and Richmond branches cross over the GWML at both ends of Old Oak Common depot?

 

Can we please get a significant update from the Executive Producer where we stand on the various core issues. Specifically but not limited to:
1. Stuttering and sound squelching now endemic across all routes and making electric traction in particular very unpleasant to play.
2. Passenger behaviour.
3. The subliminal popping in of flash screens when actually driving, on PC at least, resulting in loss of keyboard control.
4. What happened to the undertaking the EP gave to look at the Save Game? Specifically more slots and fixing the loss of objective data loading back into a subsequent service you returned to after finishing the first one?

Aside from that...
Can you confirm or deny what involvement if any, Rivet have had with the Cardiff route? In particular there is still unease that the 150 will continue to have the same rancid physics and audio implementation as the WCL version.

No USA route on the roadmap. Is there anything at all on the pipeline, even a shortline railroad or a historic fallen flag to get round licensing?

What is really happening with the Class 104 and Tadami line? Your customers can be forgiven for taking the view these were announced too early and borderline vapourware.

The new German route looks interesting but why do you continue to ignore Berlin, the capital city which is long overdue representation in the game?

 

What was the process of research for the Cardiff route? How involved were TFW.

When was this route suggested?

Will the hst just be AI or playable as a layer?

When did you decide to add more stations?

 

Can the TOD4 lighting be fixed so it remains consistent regardless of viewing position? Also travelling under bridges and underpasses makes the lighting brighter rather than darker.

Is there any update on when we can see the passenger issues sorted?

Can the game be properly optimised for 9th gen consoles? If not can we have a save option for selected layers?

 

What causes AI trains to be stopped off path? This is an issue that mainly comes up in big & busy timetables and can cause traffic jams

 

It's quite noticeable that no one yet has mentioned the dreaded "T" word!

With that in mind, how much development resources has Thomas abstracted from more mainstream product development?

And to repeat earlier questions. Why is the very much cartoon based Thomas being shoehorned onto the real looking WSR and not getting a unique looking Sodor route?

 

I have to second the question with core fixes. What is happening with core fixes and game optimisation?
The last few updates made even GWE start lagging for me at Paddington on Series X. It seems like we're getting further and further away from a smooth running game and these optimisations need to be higher up the priority list.

With the Cardiff route coming up are there any guarantees you can give us that this dlc is in a more ready/polished state? The last DTG route came out with many things not available on release, has this been rectified for Cardiff? I want to buy this route but I feel like we need a few reassurances from DTG that things are being worked on.

Is QA/testing working as well as it could do? With all of these texture issues and crashes on Mildmay on console was this not picked up in testing? Was the Xbox beta group give a different version? Is there any way you can try to increase the effectiveness of the process?

Shot in the dark with this one as ever. Can we get some bug fixes for the steam era routes and some work done so that the features that were advertised are at least playable? Can we get AI sounds, both coach liveries in timetable, a fix to allow custom wagon liveries etc. PFR got nothing apart from the lowering of safety volumes. Can we have the pressure limit on safeties lowered to below blowing off as this would make steam more playable especially on the 4F and Scotsman?

 

Please could we have an detailed update on core performance - more than just ‘we are looking at it’:

• Crashes
• Texture issues
• Stuttering
• FPS drops
  
• Flickering around the ballast and track area highly visible when driving at low speeds, presumably related to the performance issues

 

Can we have a detailed update on core passenger behaviour please? Specifically occasionally empty platforms, passengers staying on ECS etc.

 

Can we please have an update on DTGs hopes for implementing features like guard mode on older routes (than TSW5), like ECML 801 for example.

 

Please may we have an update on how koln achen and GWE passion projects are coming along? Very much looking forward to them, GWE in particular.

 

When will the SKA timetable be released? It was first announced almost 1.5 years ago (supposed to be included in TSW 4)...

 

Will the 150 on Cardiff route have the guards panel working by the staff doors and in the train by passenger doors ?

 

Have the sounds of that Class 150 been reworked than it's previous model on WCL?

 

Need to set my hat as the former PC Editor spokeman for once on again (sorry to bother),
... 2 tiny things re PC Editor.

1.) The scenario creation series by Rob Powell finally gets some attention in the recent roadmap article (by the way link is still broken there because of an appended "http://" in the URL), however is not new (Rob published it right after the PC Editor release back in September 2023) nor is scenario creation a thing a lot of people seeking information for.

Would really be nice if we could have a second Masterclass with Lukas or anyone else showing tips and tricks like the pros are doing it in topic route creation or optimization (maybe advanced track laying with easements and superelavation) or maybe advanced timetable methods with Joe?, if these short tutorials talked about before can't happen for some reason.

2.) Probably not quite current, but we just recently noticed that the TSW4 PC Editor is not available to acquire for first time users on Epic Games anymore (store page is down), only the TSW5 PC Editor is left. Why was it taken down and will the same happen with the TSW5 PC Editor if we will get a new TSW version?

 

After half a year since the release of TSW5, there is an issue with blurry textures on consoles. When will this bug be fixed?

 

Can the EP explain why he is no longer looking at the forums. No one is expecting a one to one reply, but surely keeping in touch with the state of the game no matter how expressed is a key responsibility of the project leader?

 

How are things going with the new suspension feature being rolled out to older DLCs
I am particularly interested in the 323s (support on the Glossop and Birmingham routes); the 314s at Cathcart; the 158s on the MML, Glasgow and Fife Circle; the 710s on the Suffragette and West Coast; the 465s, 377s, 387s and 375s on Brighton and High Speed; the 170s on Fife Circle. What might we get in the short term?

 

Will we get any further fixes to Fife Circle or is that consigned to the graveyard with Edinburgh to Glasgow?

 

1. Would like to know more about the Core Performance Improvements we could experience soon.
2. Stuttering and AI spawning/ de-spawning points sometimes happens right near the player. Can we expect a fix on this sometime soon?
3. Can we expect an increase in field of view ( I understand this is restricted by hardware) however for those who can run it? As at times one could see the distant scenery but the train cars don't really spawn that far.
4. In terms of old routes, can we expect a new timetable (I understand addition of gameplay takes time, however) as a refresher for those old routes?

Thanks Dovetail.

 

Any update on flickering accelerometer on azuma etc that I reported months ago......

Also why no aws and safety system sounds through ps5 controller on wcmlos and Blackpool route? Why is this? As azuma has it etc

 

All recent and currently known future UK routes have some questionable end points.

What is the deciding factor and how is this reached, to cut routes short of a terminus station or in the case of longer/intercity routes a key station?

 

Can we get more details on performance optimization, especially for consoles. Blurry textures and crashes are now a common issue for the tsw5 routes. And even older routes, which ran pretty smooth on the previous tsw iterations, suffer from fps drops.
Is it maybe the new 2D map and if so can we get an option to switch to the old one?
Is it the fast travel or route hopping feature?
The passenger system(which needs to get fixed to)?
Or something completely different?
The issues stopped me from buying new routes even if I’m interested in them and I think I’m not the only one.
I just would like to see more transparency on this and that it is the main priority to fix the core before releasing new content.
Don’t get me wrong, I like the game. That’s why I want it to use its full potential.

Another question (maybe a bit late, but I hope you can answer this)
What about the sounds for the ÖBB talent?
I don’t think you can get a run for some Sound recordings anymore. What about using some sounds you have to create an authentic sound like for the pendolino? Are there any plans?

Wish you all a good day

 

• Can you elaborate on why the Mittenwaldbahn update is not being released? Why is it being held back?
• Are there any updates on the blurry textures issue on consoles/PS5?
• What is the current outlook on future US content? No US route is on the roadmap.

 

Did you go to cardiff for reference and did you get sounds of the train?
Can you clarify any involvement of rivet for Cardiff just so people will stop talking about it.

 

The pendolino has massive looping problems with the sounds when accelerating and decelerating - which is painful to listen to.

Therefore, another question from me actually - can you please have a dev look at the looping of sounds that occurs on many trains and routes in the game. I appreciate I haven't been specific, this is because it's so very widespread I don't know of specific standout examples, other than the pendolino which is discussed above and I feel would be a good place to start.

 

AFAIK the unmodded Class 700 still has a nasty sound loop.

 

Indeed it does! Horns on some of the trains are also another good example of a very noticeable sound loop

 

Going forward, when announcing a new route or loco DLC, is it possible to name any 3rd parties that were involved and what they did?

I ask because pretty much every DLC lately raises the annoying question of "was Rivet involved". If there was transparency from the start, this sort of question would never arise.

 

Am excited about Frankfurt S-Bahn, but the released route map did raise a few questions to me:

1. What layers can we expect? I know this is still pretty early, but can we expect playable freight, regional, and long distance trains in addition to the S-Bahn services, if we own the required DLC?
2. There has been no long distance train airport station shown on the route map. So can we rightfully assume Frankfurt Flughafen Fernbf is not part of this route Add-On?
3. This basically ties into both questions, but if the long distance station at the airport is not included, can we expect barely any playable ICE coverage of the route? Or will the trains be diverted via the regional station which sometimes is the case today due to construction works?

 

1) In TSW we have the section Offenbach to Hanau. With the new announced S-Bahn route from Frankfurt to Wiesbaden, I would like to know what reasons have let to the decision not to build the missing city tunnel and the undegrround part at Offenbach to combine those two sections for completing the S-Bahn lines S8 and S9 ?
Are there concerns about a possible bad performance if the whole thing would be build? Is the building of underground lines too difficult? [# Bakerloo Line?]
2) The time in which the route is set (before Gateway Gardens), what means that for Mainz main station? Is this here a newer station model than those used in the Rhine valley route?

3) The BR420 is on roadmap again, but at this time as TBA. Is there still lot of stuff to do? (I am wondering, because it seems already to be a long time in pipeline).

4) on the "Spring Time Sprint" Poster was Train Simulator Classic mentioned with "Addon Releases". If not anyway mentioned in the upcoming stream (by this time I nothing found an article/post in the forum section of TSC): what can we expect? Several new addons / routes? [would be great if it will be some nice stuff]

 

In the next core update will you please sort out the train count ie frankfurt fulda ice 411 i have done all jobs but still shows as 00/31 completed and sort out the blurry textures on all routes now and please stop telling us to disable layers we want the layers for the experience and authenticity .

 

What are you guys doing about the blurry texture issue on consoles? It makes routes like Mildmay and Kinzigtalbahn unplayable and is a serious issue.

 

Great To see the North London Line Out but I have some questions:
What about the:
Manchester Airport commuter Line
Great western express remaster
And the March Sales????

 

one thing I mentioned a few times in the Cardiff city network discussion is the lighting around Cardiff central. Is the lighting as clinical and clean as it looks in the screenshots? Or is it yellow like it is IRL? Cardiff has harsh yellow lighting and has been the same for years. I feel it would break the immersion if the lighting is incorrect.

 

SHG timetable.

 

I would also agree and ask the same as many others about current condition of the core game and its issues such as degrading such as
Passengers behaviour (now evening missing completely), Performance, Popin/Texture/Flashing issues, AI PIS bugs, along with other longstanding complaints such as washed out midday cloudy lighting, and ongoing abandonment of steam.

 

Where are we in terms of console issues?

I understand it's not good on either platform. But specifically for Xbox;

- Blurry textures
- Audio popping
- Z-fighting

 

Why hasn't there been any acknowledgement that Semmeringbahn and Ludwigsbahn were released on Series S with less layers than advertised? Was this intentional or is it a bug? If it is intentional, why wasn't it mentioned when the routes went on sale, and why hasn't it been confirmed by DTG? If it is a bug, why hasn't it been fixed? We know that FTF and SBD were also released with less layers on Series S, without any notification (SBD later being fixed). Going forward, how can Series S owners know what is included with any routes they may buy? Is it even possible for Series S owners to know what they are getting with routes that they buy?

 

Yes I second this, and I would also ask why we are now including more recent routes as layers in this timetable (such as FTF) that were far-off when SKA was originally mentioned. Hasn't this just delayed the release of SKA further? Isn't it about time to put a release date on this?

 

Any update to the alerter issue that occurs on AI trains (specifically on some inbound and outbound NJT and Amtrak trains) in the New York to Trenton route? Is someone going to fix this bug? This has been a long standing issue since the route released in early 2023.

 

Could the Clinchfield TOD4 upgrade see the light within this year?

 

What are the team working on with regards to the Cardiff route in qa process: is it near gold status and also similarly with the Dutch route, how far along in qa is it and also, what are main priorities with both routes and fixing things before release.

 

Are core issues regarding stuttering, out of memory issues, and passengers being addressed and when can we expect to see improvements in these areas?

Are Rivet involved in building Cardiff network?

 

How is the optimisation process get on?
How is Köln-Aachen upgraded timetable get on?
Are Rivet still working on new routes or loco add ons or routes upgrades as they have been quite?
Have you been able to get the issue of the map freeze sorted out?
Any chance of getting mods or created timetable on to console?

 

Can you please give us an update on the Peak Forest upgrade and the Class 104 as we've heard nothing or seen nothing for ages.
It seems to be a space filler for each roadmap, as does the Japanese route.

 

Can we get more information or photos about the NS SNG for the Zwolle - Groningen railway? Except for a photo from the ICMm cabin and the Springtime Sprint photo we haven't seen anything from this CAF Civity train.

 

Sorry to ask but where do services terminate and go from on Cardiff route.