Something that's being overlooked a little is that Training Center exists though, among which it includes a copy of the 66 I'm pretty certain. Just use that version in all the pre-made consists, which should be a non-issue because literally anyone who can buy this pack will already have it. You get a engine "included" with it to make if functional. but you also don't add as much mess to the spaghetti code because you would actually have a standardized 66 to be pulling from.
Reading said post I frankly find it bizarre that they can't pivot on the 66 being included, yet Skyhook were able to rework a entire timetable to include longer freight trains on Horseshoe. I get that the work to make the separate 66 was probably done a long while ago, but by the same token the costs of maintaining it going forward ain't free either.
Personally i would love more locos being added especially for UK freight, but i understand the huge undertaking that would be, not only do they need the companies permission, the need unfettered access to said loco for god knows how long, to model the small details, then you have the sounds to capture, that means said loco has to be out of revenue service for x amount of time, not to mention the liability insurance needed for dovetails crew, then permission from railtrack to access the depots, i dont think folks realise whats needed to model a loco to the detail that they would be happy with, if it was a simple as creating the 3d model DTG would have had every loco every built, thought about or imagined in game by now, i would to see the 56 or 58 and even some modern freight locos in game, but at teh end of the day all DTG can do ask said companies if there willing and if there not, there hands are tied.
It doesn’t seem to hinder the German TSW developers. Look at some of the great stuff we’ve had - the 101 (in both guises), the G6, the absolutely superb 218, the E94. List is comprehensive and endless. Yes it can be detected where compromises have been made on sounds but gives a far more “can do” approach to developing content.
your comparing one countries companies to another countries company without taking into account laws, attitudes or any number of random unknowable reasons, mays as well say we can travel faster than light just because star trek said we could, reasons exist whether you can see them or not, i am not defending DTG they have made some real clangers over the yrs, but I'm also not naive enough to beleave there actively being lazy, if that was the case they would have gone bankrupt years ago. Anyway this is off topic for this thread and for that i apologies.
To be fair, the 218, G6 and "Crocs" are to be fair older engines and they could get a lot from them while they aren't the mainline engines like say a Class 70 is. I believe they went to museums to get that access? It's also a LOT easier when 90% of the stock can be had from ONE source rather than dozens of smaller companies. Makes access and licenses a lot easier. Imagine how hard it would be if they didn't have access to DB and were trying to create the German rail networks and stock....
TBH i dread to think the hoops DTG have to jump through to get stuff they need, after running my own business for damn near 30yrs, I've learnt one thing, the bigger the company the bigger the a__holes are that run it LOL.
What companies run those, and does DTG have the licenses/access to create them? If you don't own something, you can't sell it even if you would make a potential profit. To be fair, DTG could just be more up front about who they have been rejected by so people might stop asking. I know there'd be NDAs with licenses, but there's no NDA if there's no deal in place. Then again, that might kill enthusiasm. Take the Class 70 for example. it's nice... but there's only two operators using the 37 produced. So if Freightliner and COLA rail both say "no".... then what? No Class 70 ever? Would that make people happier to hear? You can go the TSC route and just fake it, but people hold TSW to a different double standard so won't accept a "guess" like the TSC version.
Fair enough but as a potential, pretty much certain, customer for any or all of the above traction I want to hear solutions, not problems. Why are these developers even in the train sim business if they can't apply a bit of resourcefulness to gather the data and information needed to produce the locomotives people want to see? For sounds, talk to AP, talk to the DVD producers (professional) who do Wired For Sound cab rides. We had/have these locos in MSTS and TSC so why should we not expect them to appear in TSW at some point. Anyhow as someone said above this is abstracting from the main purpose of the topic, so consider that my final word on the matter for now.
What if the "solution" is to work on something they have access to instead? We "have" a lot of stuff in TSC that isn't ported to TSW for many reasons. Why does everything in TSC "have" to be in TSW? As I said... people apply different standards to TSW, there's a higher bar for some reason. Then of course they demand comparable or lower prices for that higher level content. We know what licenses DTG HAS already...why not focus on what they could deliver through those? Seems like a better focus than pining wistfully in disappointment. =-)
Is this list still accurate of UK licenses DTG has for TSW? What about identifying possibilities from there? For example the Class 56 isn't currently now BR, but it WAS. Maybe they have some reference stuff on it still? The current operators aren't on the list. DB/EWS has Class 60's and 90's in storage. Maybe if they asked nicely? Granted they'd have to backdate a route a bit to get them to run and we'd have to have the routes for them to go on. Having a lot of "commuter" companies on the list also partially explains why there's so much "commuter" content. That's what they have easy access to. United Kingdom - Great Western Railway (GWR) - DB Schenker/EWS - British Rail - Southern - London Underground - Network Southeast - Southeastern - Scotrail - Gatwick Express - West Midlands Trains - East Midlands Trains - Northern - Thameslink
