Gameplay Is Steam Dead?

Has DTG given up on steam entirely? No Thomas does not count

 

Unfortunately

 

It seems so. Not given a mention at all in Direct. The game designers like their shiny modern trains which allegedly bring in the most spondulix. If they can’t find programmer time for simple things like addressing passenger behaviour or adding more save slots, a fundamental revamp of steam physics seems unlikely.

 

Yep because this company can’t give some extra resources to fix steam and work on the core to make it usable for third parties

 

It's a pity. Steam locos are historic and really cool to see. The US and UK (and many other countries too) have restored a large number of steam locos on both tourist rail lines and on the mainlines. A few steam locos have even been built brand new or are in the process of being built (Tornado and PRR T1 #5550, for example). Other restorations are ongoing (PRR K4s #1361, for example).
A lot of the other train simulator games have steam locos. Train Sim World needs more steam locos and routes too.

 

It's a real shame, as I think with some reworking and the right route it could be quite popular. The best we can hope for it seems for now for historic routes are post dieselisation ones done well that sell in good numbers.

As was said on the closure of the Lynton & Barnstable, "Perchance it is not dead but sleepeth"

 

They couldn't even do a facsimile of Locomotion and early rolling stock to celebrate Rail 200.

 

Probably because it would annoy the modern “fans”

 

Is this really a "suggestion"?
You could have posted this on the 30 other threads about steam.

 

While I doubt DTG would ever release sales figures I suspect the lack of development is down to their need to turn a profit on the franchise each year.
If you look at the eras that DTG is making DLC for, it will give you a very big clue as to what sells.

If steam engines is your thing, in fact, if anything 20th century is your thing, you'd be well advised to by a cheap PC and get into Train Sim Classic. There are still independent developers making steam engines for TSC and there's a far greater selection of British Rail-era stuff too.

 

I'd agree on that. Most of the steam content out there that's more TSW-ish (you can walk around, etc) is US focused.
Railroader is US.
Railroads Online is US.
Century of Steam will be US.
Derail Valley is European (Eastern European) so at least some of the signage and couplers and such are more familiar to UK fans potentially. To be fair, I think the steam trains in that are based on US steam engines brought over for World War 2 and given to European railways to use later.

I suppose if enough people suddenly bought up Spirit of Steam and Peak Valley DLCs there'd be a surge of interest and DTG might make more steam stuff... but it'd be the same simplified steam stuff currently in the game. Just more variety.
I'd be okay with that, but I know there is a vocal group that would not.

 

Are you a real railfan if you can't appreciate the history?

 

All I want is a narrow gauge route like Talyllyn. Doesn't have to be that but still. Also I just want drive a pannier tank and paint it light green. Iykyk

 

No, anyways I’m probably one of the biggest supporters of more steam and br trains being added to the game hence multiple threads about it/ fighting these so called fans

 

I don't think it's dead, DTG are still kind of pushing for steam, evidently from their UK routes (after the hiatus of steam) for their railtours and heritage railway services, like The Rivera Line.

From a business perspective, the demand for steam are rising and is a massive market, so for DTG, they will be making a loss because they haven't met those demands. For console players, they can't drive steam locomotives on any different game because there are barely any railway games and rarely include steam locomotives. This brings me to my next point.

The introduction of Trainz Simulator: World Tour coming to Xbox (October 24th)

TSW has a Monopoly over train games on consoles and PC, the introduction of Trainz will bring massive competition into the market, bringing 4 routes across the globe and 3 countries (including Australia) which all come will a steam locomotive and several diesel locomotives with each route and country. Why I mention this is the fact that these are highly requested for TSW (and a lot of people play it on console) like: BR 9Fs, international steam locomotives, and Australia.


I personally think that DTG should continue the development of steam because:
It's highly requested
And
It's probably the most important era in train history

People do want steam in TSW but they want them executed correctly with proper physics and firing.

(I hope this makes sense, and I didn't mean to get business-y)

 

You missed about 4 great games with steam locomotives (better than TSW's) as their primary focus.
The ONLY advantage TSW has is being console, while other railway games are on PC.
That's really the only thing TSW has special.
Otherwise you could just go play those games who implement steam locos better, and you get a whole game for the cost of one small TSW DLC.

 

Based on what I have heard from those that tested th beta for it, it may not compete with TSW, even if it has content that TSW keep asking for, as apparently people didn't like how it was during the beta.

 

I haven't heard anything like that to be honest, all I know is that Pre-orders have started

 

Some comments from another thread.

 

That’s the thing though they are comparing two completely different games with different amounts of money and time, also the beta for tsw wasn’t much better from what I’ve heard

stuff changes so who knows if it will improve or not but at least it’s opening more options for train sims on console

 

I know I did miss some games like Railroads Online and other stuff, but I know that Trainz is a big competitor for TSC

 

Unfortunately they just don’t turn enough of a profit for them to deeply invest into. Best case scenario we might get more railtour steam DLC’s like The Flying Scotsman, but I doubt we will see any new steam era routes for a while. If they just invested into it more, and refined the physics a little, I can see it being much more successful.

 

It's dead until DTG can stick their finger out and fix the physics

 

That's bs. The studio was bought out and alot will argue the dlc prices are overpriced

 

If you think people (including me) don't like it when steam is put above modern trains then I suggest you rethink that as its not true..

 

Multiple threads have proved that modern fans tend to not like mentions of steam

 

In my personal opinion, modern traction is so monotonous most times, while steam engines take so much attention and care to run effectively.

If I drove a class 323 up the Lickey Incline, it won't be as fun as if I drove a Jubilee it'll be an amusing challenge and I'll have more focus on what I'm doing, unlike the 323 where all i can say is: "oh look, a sheep".

Even modern routes are repetitive and boring, even though Spirit of Steam barely captures the spirit of steam, its filled with industries and the transition from suburban Merseyside to the WCML in Cheshire adds to the element, Peak Forest is beautiful, absolutely stunning, and a difficult challenge with a non-linear layout, even though the timetable could be improved with express trains and 4F services like mineral trains and passenger services.

The main feature of TSW6 is "expect the unexpected", but every steam locomotive is a different adventure each time you drive one, just imagine what could happen if steam locomotives returned in TSW6 with train faults, like water injectors failing or something challenging and interesting.

 

Finally someone gets how I feel

 

At least I'm not the only one

 

The Tylenol is strong with them

 

Do you fully realize the irony of what you just said?
I think it's the opposite of the intended meaning.
=-)

 

Steam is kind of annoying in practice.
Fun to watch but not really to drive for me.
Diesel is where it's at.
Not that any of this matters since a handful of vocal people on a forum is as important as real sales numbers.

 

IMO if we were to have another steam loco then a Pannier would be perfect. Would go great with the WSR and the AI movements on the Dartmouth and South Devon railway on the Riveria route.

 

Do we have to have these same old "DTG can do no wrong, it's all the customer's fault" posts based on no evidence?

[Citation needed]

 

We wouldn’t have a debate if they did like steam. Basically just look at some individuals that tend to mention steam didn’t sell well etc, they tend to be modern fans going off what they post in other forums

 

It is. Even though I tend to prefer diesels and electrics, I really wish they gave steam a better chance.

 

It's criminal how we had 2 steam routes and we didn't get a tank engine to shunt with.. IF we ever get steam back, I would kill to see a tank engine like a Jinty or Pannier in TSW.

I'm actually both surprised and not surprised that we haven't got anything related to Railway200 yet

 

Yea and because a few say that does not suddenly mean everyone shares that opinion.

 

DTG should've carried on with steam development and the people who didn't like it, they didn't have to buy them if its not their fancy

 

It’s more the fact they attack you for having a different perspective