I only own 1 DLC from Rivet Games, and that is the S Bahn Luzern route (I only bought it because it's based in Switzerland). I ignored the negative reviews on Steam and bought it anyway to learn the hard way that the route is just buggy and could have been better. I mostly play the timetable mode, and it gives only 10 seconds to start the train compared to 1-2 minutes for other routes. Other problems include difficulty ending a service in timetable mode and missing the swiss flag on the menu screen for the train. I want to make use of the Steam sale and buy more routes, but I want to ask the community for their opinion to avoid the same mistake of buying a poor-quality route.
Bernina is worth it imo., the other routes mostly have the same issues or more than luzern. But you have to like berninas style (30 kph mountain narrow gauge) but then its a nice route.
Bernina is decent if you like slowwww mountain climbs and descents. FCL is ok with the right mods, vanilla will be more playable once the 158 timetable is out. IOW 2022 is alright… it’s slim pickings with rivet honestly
Bernina suffers from only being around 60% of the route, misses out two key locations (Pontresina and St Moritz) plus the climb up the Morteratsch. The Allegra has dubious sound and physics. Arosa was an early effort, the mountain scenery didn't look that good. The Ge4/4 electric while a good model suffered from poor sounds and Rivet's trademark electric physics of jerking almost instantly to the next speed notch. IOW 2022 - some people like it but I found the signalling a bit odd (green onto red, or distant clear with section signal at danger). The 484 takes off like it has an Epstein Drive from The Expanse and sounds more like a bus than a former LUL D78 unit. Edinburgh to Glasgow, well the route is okay by Rivet standards but the 385 quite possibly the worst train in TSW. Not Rivet's fault it has a tiny windscreen but not helped by dubious physics and appalling sounds. West Cornwall Local. No, just no. Cornwall is represented by a primeval forest of trees with a few buildings plonked here and there. They never fixed the wrong speed limit on the St Ives branch. The disastrous Class 150 is well documented. FCL - one of their better routes and they actually managed decent engine sounds on the 170, but offset by no real track running sound but the most odd flange grind which then persists into the straight sections. Basically, don't buy any Rivet route unless, 1. You can get at least 50% off in a sale and, 2. Your refund status is in good order (Steam) so you can get your money back when it inevitably disappoints in the first hour or two.
I have and enjoy a few. Fife Circle - semi-decent, will be even better when the 158 releases. IOW - a decent route for its time, the 2022 version is even better. Edinburgh Glasgow - good for some main line running. 385 doesn't sound too bad either imo. Make sure you use the Sprinter Express timetable though. West Cornwall Local - the worst of them all and the only one I actually regret buying. But it does have the bonus of providing layers to other BR era routes which saves it from the chopping block.
Fife Circle is excellent AFTER you download the enhancement mod (assuming you are a PC user). Edinburgh - Glasgow is decent but really needs the SkyHook Scotrail 158 to liven it up. West Cornwall Local - it's ok, again after downloading the enhancement mod but is worth it for the 150 (though lots of folks hate that train, I think its alright). WCML South - assuming you class it as Rivet, it's again excellent once you download the enhancement mod and timetable to really make it something good
Honestly out of the Rivet DLCs there aren't any I would buy again if my collection were lost, perhaps WCL would get a pass for the wagons to layer on JT's routes but otherwise I wouldn't.
None. Until they can improve their track record of releasing something broken, or breaking something which once worked and then abandoning it so it's forever broken whilst dovetail carry on charging for it.
The locations of Rivets UK content have potential, it's how they are implemented into a add on by them that is the problem... Awful half baked timetabling in nearly every one of there add ons, awful sound, questionable physics, no ongoing long term support to rectify bugs and issues. Anymore? It's like the saying, if you haven't got anything nice to say, don't say it at all. I think, in pretty much every thread that concerns Rivet, theres no shortage of completely valid negative feedback... Probably the most of any developer in the entire game.
I own them all. Can't say I'm disappointed with any. I like UK routes so most are worth having, west Cornwall was a bit sketchy but with the enhancement pack it's good.
While the routes are one thing, for me it's the trains that are really bad. The sound is at best "acceptable", but never good and mostly bad, but regarding the physics, there's not one train which feels right. The class 150 (and apparently the BR 204 which I don't own) are most famous for being wrong, the train behaves nothing like a diesel hydraulic train, but even the electric trains feel just wrong... When departing, they get off like some toy train and not like a real train weighing a few dozens tons and braking does not feel better, either. Even the Allegra and the class 484, which are often praised at least compared to other Rivet things, don't feel right at all. Also, if you love Journey mode, Rivet routes are a good example for how not to do it. Recently it got a bit better, but most of the routes have the first chapter with all the scenarios and then it's just running the same back and forth without any further meaning in the chapters. Worst is Arosa, where you have one (or was it two?) full chapter of reversing the trains at the terminus. Who in the world thought this would be interesting? I bought the Rivet Mega Bundle a few months ago, but I have to admit, I would never buy it again.
West Cornwall is the worst - and they've never made an effort to make reasonable improvements requested by fans. Arosa is an interesting route, but the scenery is terrible. Wait for a sale for the rest. None are even close to the standard of Just Trains or TSG. They are like a different game.
Cornwall is worth buying... (on sale), For the wagons layers into the JT routes Honestly though I got it in a sale and just don't want to play the route. IOW looks really nice and had been one of Rivets good releases. Heard good things about Bernina as well. I'd say if you really want something then go for it but just don't expect much/if any changes to that DLC to fix or sort issues. It doesn't seem to be the Rivet way unfortunately.
West Cornwall Line I got WCL, because I thought people were bluffing by how bad it was. Had to get it for myself after it releasing few years later I think. My god awful route, bad timetable, scenery is just a disgrace to Cornwall, what plank thought to have that scenery and think it was okay. Edinburgh to Glasgow Route. Scenery awful again, much better Scenery is needed, done the route IRL and the scenery represented is just god awful, it is a nice route to drive but the 385 drowning sounds give me a headache and ruin it a lot for me. The Original timetable very quiet. Thankfully Skyhook rescued it by doing there own timetable. Fife Circle Line This route, as disaster as previously mentioned Scenery is awful, timetable is shocking, they decided not to include depot services yet we have Haymarket depot right Infront of us, the timetable timings and paths incorrect, timetable is awful with barely any AI. West Coast Mainline South Even though this is a 'Dovetail Route' Rivet had a big part in the making and I class it as a Rivet route, Timetable again when it was released very lacklustre all just 4 car services for the 350, lots of missing 390 services mainly AI which does make the route feel quite empty at times, Especially around the 2pm to 3pm time very dead with hardly any trains at Euston which is just disgraceful. Scenery again on the route not great, route looks too clean, no vegetation at Wembley Depot, no vegetation on the tracks. But again that is a Dovetail and Rivet problem. Thankfully Dovetail Liam saved the route and did amazing adjustments, fixed the 350 timetable, AI as well I think, scenery, PIS stating the proper off world destinations. Route is much better, hope he still has plans to do the 390 AI timetable which is missing dozens of the services.
I quite enjoy Bernina. It's certainly something unique. Better than Arosa, although Arosa certainly has it's uniqueness too. Not too much of a fan of Fife Circle. Quite a boring service pattern if you ask me, plus I've been getting some unannounced red signals from time to time.
Interesting. Quite the selection of routes from a developer that's supposedly one step away from being the antichrist I personally haven't bought anything from Rivet Games....not because I follow the sheep, but purely and simply because I refuse to condone their 'if it's broken, it stays broken (or stays broken until they want to sell more content into it)' policy. That's not me saying the op should follow my lead (some of the aforementioned routes may indeed be a worthwhile consideration), that's just me pointing out that, where quality of product is concerned, liberties cannot continually be taken and sometimes you have to say "enough is enough" when they are. Hmm, "enough is enough".....now that rings a bell *Disclaimer: I do own the Cornwall route but that was an unclaimed giveaway, donated to me by a streamer friend who didn't have a use for it.
Of the RG routes I own: IOW: A fun route for me personally mostly because of it's uniqueness, but the 483 (having never seen or been on one in real life) is fun to drive. Quality-wise it's far from great. I would recommend (although I've never got round to buying it) IOW2022 to anyone choosing between them. Luzern: Again a route I find fun although it's very dull with only one train which you operate using a speed controller, and isn't the best quality in parts (but is very good in other parts). For anyone into running safety systems accurately i'd give this one a miss. WCL: If you're in it for a diesel run or the 150 go for Cardiff, and if you're in it for a regional/lengthy diesel run go for GWE or MML. A really poor route which is only fun (for me) on the short St. Ives branch with a 142 or 101. EDN: An alright route with a horrendous train and a one-dimensional timetable. The 158 Timetable saves this route no doubt but the 385 is still a huge negative regardless. Bernina: A fantastic piece of work if you're into a slow but incredibly scenic mountain pass route. If you have Arosa Linie and were disappointed by it - then this is an infinitely better version. Only issue is that it's only half of the route but the half we do have is fantastic and among the best in the game for me, personally.
Second that for Bernina. A very well done route (and if it's only half- well, so is RSN, a beloved old route, and Bernina-Tirano is still a good hour and a half. --------------- I don't think Luzerne Sursee is that bad, save having only the one train. The FLIRT itself is one of the very best 3D models in all of TSW.
I highly recommend Berlina for the scenic aspect. I just picked this up myself in the PS5 sales and I have to say it’s fantastic, has on board announcements too which other devs (minus Just Trains) are too lazy to implement. Having on board announcements really adds to your experience. Fife circle line is another good shout out. It has improved a lot since launch and they added the Leven branch recently too. It offers a good variety of services too. If you pick up the ScotsRail 158 too they will be including a timetable for that train soon also.
Personally I think the scenery on Fife Circle still remains to this day as some of the most sloppy and lazy half arsed can't be bothered I've seen. Rows of copy and paste houses, airport is an empty field, floating trees, empty depots and sidings that are blocked from being in the playable area. Fife Circle is great for the class 170 and if you close your eyes whilst driving.
i heard island line is pretty good. If u get that you can ready the 484 for the upcoming GWE remaster. And maybe their scotrail route is pretty okay.
Appreciate the criticism of Bernina being only half the line, but never minded this personally as it’s an incredibly long end to end run as it is. Oddly they did lay out the rest of the route (several YT videos show it) but it’s not in a finished state.
Not so odd, I think: deadline and budget reality kicked in after the geoforming and track-laying stage, always the first thing done on a route. Ambitious plan to run it all the way to St Moritz foundered on the rocks of how bloody long the set decvorating takes.
IOW 2022's 484 and the Arosa loco have the same issue. That aside I quite like these routes. Scenery on Arosa is not the best, but not that terrible. The train models are pretty good.
Rivet's 3D train models are the best in TSW, bar none. If only their work in other areas measured up! (I remember riding as a passenger on the Luzerne route and noticing the rubber window gasket. Not plastic. Not generic black something: rubber, you could tell. It takes a lot of skill to render textures like that. Similarly the linen headrest covers on the Allegra, and the bakelite fittings in the Re 4/4.)
I agree and think its Rivets only skill as a developer... The 385, 150, 170 are superb 3D models. It's just every other element of their content is a contrast to their 3D modelling skills and is horrendous!
When the walk around video of the Class 385 came out, I was stunned. I couldn’t distinguish it from reality. It’s a shame about the sound, physics and control, like generally all of Rivet’s offerings. Whoever is doing Rivet’s train modelling is being let down by their colleagues big time
Well the first thing you see on their website is “high fidelity 3D models using the latest 3D tools.” so you know what they’re focusing on there.
