First Gen DMUs, Mk1+2’s & BR locos. In more modern times they took over from the then used & abused Pacers which were marginally worse. The sprinters look rough today as they’re almost 40 years old, older than some of the stock they displaced & they’ve had a fairly hard life.
Idk if this has already been said/noticed by anyone, but from what I’ve seen, there isn’t a SINGLE 153 service to or from Cardiff bay, which is definitely unrealistic as I’ve been on that line multiple times, lots of which have been on a 153. Apart from that slight nag, I genuinely think this is one of my favourite routes, so much to do. I haven’t got bored once yet which is unusual for me. Overall one solid route.
Usual short route / unfinished product. Do I even need to read the reviews? Has any DTG /Rivet route been finished? Ever?
It is short really wish they extend to Barry Island and few other branches to make it longer cause it could really be a good little route just feels like at the moment your just going around circles I understand its a network route so it would short but feels like its missing something. Also there is a lot of depot shunting jobs on this route.
Other branches would’ve been nice but likely would’ve made a significant amount of un-needed extra work Barry Island is close enough to have added one extra terminating station and provide an extra couple miles of track. I feel it would’ve added enough to make it worth 29.99. 24.99, if central stayed as it is.
Not sure if I’ve mentioned this. What is the deal with so many 4 car 150 services? There seems to be an abundance of them represented in game which just doesn’t happen irl. Certainly not to the extent shown. Almost all of the videos and screenshots I’ve seen are either two car 153s or 4 car 150s. I’ve seen a couple of 1 and two car services, but way too many 2 & 4 cars.
The easiest thing to add would have been Newport given its mostly fields and you would have had a chance to get some speed going.
Anyone know why 2Y00 Cardiff Central - Barry Island heads back up the line towards Ninian Park when you end the service at Cogan platform 1? It's supposed to continue straight down towards Barry. It also runs on the right hand line and changes to the mainline towards Swansea just after Ninian Park. That train certainly doesn't go where it should if it's a Barry Island service.
Just had a quick glance at the Steam reviews expecting more negative than positive. Sadly it seems some people are easily entertained!
Midland Mainline still has pretty negative steam reviews so I wouldn’t say it’s due to people being “easily entertained.”
So I just submitted a refund request for Cardiff. A route this short should really have more detail and quality like Cathcart or Suffragette Line. The scenery and grass being quite lackluster in some areas breaks immersion a bit as well as stations where a simple underpass isn't modeled and given a teleporter instead. I had no issues with the sounds as I've never ridden a Sprinter irl, but I noticed the 153 lack flange squeal and brake sounds. My other big issue is route length. While 20 odd miles is on the short end, a lot can be done with that kind of length, especially for players strapped for time, but with the network style, every run is so exceedingly short with many not terminating. At least with Cathcart, almost everything terminated. An extension or two would have helped I think. Again, on a short route like this, it only makes sense to expect more quality and not a rushed route. I may pick it up again on a deep sale but I'm going to wait and see what the Dutch route looks like. Whether this route was mostly DTG work or mostly Rivet work or an even split, I am hoping to see a push for higher quality before releases.
Well, I listened to all the complaining at the start and I agree with some of it. There are some very poor assets. However, I then watched some streams from people that are not ambassadors. They largely really enjoyed it, so I took a chance. I’m really enjoying it as wel. Goes to show that I should make my own opinion rather than let others make it for me. My review - Overpriced - Could be a lot better - Still extremely enjoyable.
Several people have said that it's a lot better than they expected from the original stream and much of the feedback on here, some from people who don't appear to own it. I don't think you ever get a true idea until you see something properly with your own eyes. I'm still on the fence. I might wait to see if some of the poorer scenery looks likely to be addressed. Certainly the Ambassador streams showed it off better than than the DTG one.
I’ll be honest and say the DTG stream sucked once again and showed some horrible assets that are not there in the final product version. I like it, it’s not wcmlos but it’s fun
Yes it seems fairly busy, I was on morning diagrams before and during rush hour so maybe that was what did it but Cardiff Central was very busy and I regularly passed other trains when out and about (except single line obviously).
Another thing with Barry island, not only would it be an extra terminating station, you would get Eastbrook, Dinas Powys, Cadaxton, Barry Docks and Barry. So that’s 6 extra stations, and Barry Depot would likely have been included. Would’ve added much more playability.
Overall thoughts after a couple of days are that I like it but it needs some polish in places and it is over priced. The 150 is better than the WCL version and the 153 is a great little unit. More routes for this please - like say Scottish Highlands route? The scenery is okay for the most part, but there are some really rough parts. Whitchurch, like, how did this get allowed out the door? It feels like a day one rough mock up that no one went back to. Cardiff Central is just lazy to not model the concourse and outside of the station front and the teleport markers are are joke. I think someone nailed it, it has been rushed out for financial year end when it needed another 3-4 weeks of TLC to get it all finished off. Timetable wise it is good, it feels busy for a network route and you pass plenty of traffic. A bit of variety at Cardiff with the GWR stock and some freight. Interestingly the timetable also has layers listed for Flirt, 197 and Class 67 services and static stock ... The scope though is by far the biggest let down. It just needs more ambition and it isn't the first route where this is the case. It should have had Barry Island (6 extra miles) and also Caerphilly (6 extras miles) to add two more actual service end points. If they wanted to really push the boat out then 8 miles to Pontypridd would have given a few extra miles for running as well. That'd still be only 40 miles total with all 3 and 32 miles with just Barry and Caerphilly.
l agree the route is well done in places and absolutely abysmal in other places. Whitchurch flats are terrible, but l do like Cardiff Station.
I’ve made my feelings on central very clear…. The platforms are well done and the subways too I guess. Mismatch of eras slightly. When platform 8s lift was red (Covid branding) the stair case was blue. I haven’t had a good look at the red on the stair case properly, but irl it has metro branding and I don’t recall seeing it other than a flat red colour in game. the above are minor details I guess, but the lack of front concourse and the model completely missing outside is disappointing to say the least.
The more I play this route, the more I’m enjoying. Nice variety of different runs which is good to see. Whether it’ll will outlast my other UK routes Suffragette, WCML over Shap, WCML South and Mildmay are in my main rotation, we’ll see for now. I echo other comments about Barry Island and / or Caerphilly being included. I’d have said Caerphilly as you could have two complete end to end runs (from there and Coryton to Penarth) 150 sounds and performs a lot better when you notch up gradually. I went from notch 2 to get moving then 3, 5 at 5 mph and 7 arouund 10-15 mph. I found a better experience this way. What I do like is it really does feel busy, there’s a lot going on but more importantly, a lot of adverse signals especially around Cardiff. I done a run from Cogan to Heath High Level (2D48, 1811 dep) and was following a service into Cardiff so yellows / reds and was then held awaiting a platform at Cardiff Central. This is what we’ve really needed in TSW a tight timetable. Mildmay is good for this too.
Not simping. But seeing as people have bought it, even those who have repeatedly said they won't, it can't be as bad as its been made out.
Pretty typical thread I would say… 20 plus pages of people predicting how terrible a route will be, THEN the route is released and heaven forbid, people actually like it and are having fun leaving many of the naysayers rather dumbfounded….
Whilst I respect your opinion, I do disagree. There are some people who have done a U turn, but there are also those like myself who stuck firmly to their position and continue to do so. It's a subjective matter, but I'd argue it is a very mediocre and bland route that doesn't stand out nor does it ooze quality or the detail I'd expect of a TSW5 route regardless of it being released now. My gripe now is the people who continuously moan about the poor quality/quality decline of content but then continue to keep buying this stuff... I've stuck to my point of view, my point of view hasn't changed that the route itself is of a poor quality overall, and I am not spending anymore money on content unless it meets certain quality criteria... From a personal perspective and as a one man army I stick by my principles, and that's funding content that is exceedingly good quality and not bothering with stuff that does not meet that criteria... If a few others stuck by their guns it would shape the game for the better. But that is their freedom to do what they want with their own money, but by not sticking to their principles, future content that was previously considered 'poor quality' can be considered as 'acceptable quality' by certain developers.
I totally agree with you dude, it's just beautiful to watch, but people need their hills to camp on for entirety with their specially sharpened spear and screaming blindly into the void. I like to smile and wave at them as we leave them behind and move forward with the progress of the game, but the distant howls and wailing from all the hills being camped on really are sweet music to go to sleep by.......
So. My two cents. I've picked it up BUT I will be refunding it and I still remain adamant on a sale purchase. Cardiff Queen St has been modelled brilliantly - at rush hour, it's VERY busy with passengers. The 153 is okay, sounds aren't all there, but they aren't terrible. There seems to be an intermittent issue with not getting brake release with AWS enabled. The 150, is.... well, the 150. The route overall seems to have a fair bit of detail, but as said above multiple times; the route lacks details and the missing concourse and station building at Central is inexcusable. There is also issues with Off indicators being lit up when the main aspect is at danger, this needs fixing. Lifts at Central aren't operable as the subway in which the lifts lead to isn't modelled. Make your own opinion up on this.
No obsession here, but many interesting things happen in these virtual halls when people find that hill or mountain that they won't budge from. The entirety of the human condition plays out and boy can it be equal parts epically funny and borderline tragic that humanity just can't handle not getting what they personally wanted from this product.....
Does this go near Llantrisant?(spelt?). I used to work at the Mint but never used the trains, barring one trip to Cardiff from Portsmouth. Cheers.
Same here. Despite temptation I have doubled down on my resolve not to buy this until, 1. The issues that have been raised are fixed and, 2. The price is at a level more compatible with the scale of the add on, which is actually my biggest grievance. I found myself once again yesterday evening on Mittenwald and it is just hard to conceive this work of art is in the same game as Cardiff, let alone cost just £3 more. Keep the faith and don’t feel any need for pity purchases to support this company.
It’s not difficult at all. There is simply no alternative available and people want fresh content so they cave in and buy. DTG have the market and they know it, and whilst they do they can keep producing average to good routes that are unfinished.
Your position is strange. You seem happy enough with what gets pumped out so why are you in these threads butting heads? Surely you should be in the game, chilling and enjoying your high quality dlc?
There is not many 2 car 150 services but most of the 153 services I've driven/guarded besides scenarios are single units.
Yes I noticed that at Cardiff Queen Street yesterday. It's nice they've included them but they need to be done properly if implemented. It can't be more difficult than a regular signal surely?
My position could be viewed as strange and not normal, but then again what's normal these days. Oh definitely not butting heads because I don't care at all about the other person opinion, respect that they have one but really don't care about it, yes the products are far from perfect and things do miff me about it. But when taken into the bigger picture of life and all that stuff, people loosing the plot and their marbles is equally truly rib tickling stuff and tragically sad when it's only a game. What we got is far more than not having it at all......
must be the scenarios that i've seen then - but there does seem to be an abundance of them. it should just be tied to the main aspect to which it applies... if.signal=red if.signal=yellow,green
I forgot to note I am indeed playing right now just done a run from Dresden to Riesa, while waiting to leave for a real train trip to St Ives.....
Anyhow if we are talking attention to detail… While the price hasn’t been announced yet but probably no more than £30, just look at the quality of the forthcoming 137km Lodz route add on for SimRail, compared to what DTG foisted on us with Cardiff… https://store.steampowered.com/app/3583200/SimRail__The_Railway_Simulator_d__Warsaw/ Now not denying SimRail has issues notably the still less than robust single player game, but by god what a contrast.
Probably a stupid question one way or the other but do any services go via Ninian Park and Fairwater? It looks to be on the map but haven’t spotted any services in timetable mode.
