Well well well.. a Timetable mode within the game. This is going to please many of us seasoned TSW players! I wonder if it the stories will follow the Scenario style set-up, and the Timetable will be the real-time explorable world part. Hoping too that the ‘adaptable controls’ equals less setting paths and routes and more jump in and drive!
Much will hinge on whether there is an option to drive with realistic controls and physics. Or will it be some sort of godawful DCC type system?
Depends how realistic you would consider it.. but it states in the FAQ article that you can manually drive the trains from a first person in-cab perspective.
I meant as in realistic physics and train handling? Well as good as they can make steam work in the Simugraph environment.
Ah right. Well the preview stream starts tonight at 7pm apparently. I’m sure we’ll get a sense of it there..
There is in cab controls: Can I drive the characters using the cab controls? Yes, you will be able to control Thomas and his friends in the cab, but there will also be simpler controls available when you start the game. All the engines will have their Regulator/Throttle, Reverser to select Forwards and Backwards and Brake operable from the driver's seat. The physics of the engines won’t change, but will give you a more realistic experience of a train driver on the Island of Sodor. This will be under ‘realistic controls’ in the Settings menu.
Hmmm this game might actually be a test for steam simulation for tsw, similar to how the other game is a test for unreal engine 5 there’s a chance in tsw 7 we could get DTG steam locos
Doesn't seem like that, seems it will be basic throttle and brake controls with no reverser simulation (no way this is a test for steam engines when TSG are already working on them), but that's a lot better than the TSW Thomas DLC controls.
Honestly, this may be the perfect place for the "advanced" controls to just implement steam as it exists in TSW at present, with its systems that do not satisfy the hardcore simmers.
Fair enough. Arguably a more Holiday Express style of gameplay provides a more accurate recreation of the 1 gauge AC models used in the show.
Can you elaborate, Matt? Are we talking Trainz style DCC controls? Railroader level steam simulation? SimRail steam simulation (when you can get the brakes to stay released… ) . I’m sure a purchase decision from many of us grizzled, hardened old simmers will hinge on at least the possibility of a semi realistic driving experience.
It's aimed at young children and Matt's already said the trains will drive the same way in both modes, so there's no way the "advanced" controls are going to involve managing steam output, water levels, pressure.... At best it will be forwards / backwards using the reverser with an automatic regulator, and maybe even automatic brakes. Maybe for fun they'll include the requirement to shovel coal, but I'd be very surprised if moving Thomas required any knowledge of how to fire a real steam locomotive. JB
The FAQ explicitly states that the advanced controls are throttle and brake, with the reverser just being forwards/backwards.
Yeah I don't get the obsession with "advanced" controls for a kids game. Yes there's some older folks here too, but it's supposed to be easy for kids to grasp. They already said just basic throttle/reverser/brake. That's it. Basically even less than the current TSW steam which has cylinders and stuff. Why is there even that expectation it'll be "advanced" or even "semi-realistic?" It'll be like the TTTE we had in TSW...except there's two modes... "forward/back" (as it is in the original DLC) and "simplified TSW steam mode." That's it. I'd be surprised if there's even headlight switches, as that's not really necessary for the game. However, I don't expect anything fancy because that's not the whole point of the game. It's not like you're going to find the "real" Thomas the Tank Engine to compare it to. How can you be "realistic" when the original doesn't exist? It's about fun made up stories and a unique fictional setting, not realism. We already have everything about Thomas in TSW for reference minus the three controls mentioned, so you already know the "physics" of it. Whether that's "realistic"... that depends on what you think "real" is for a fictional character. Not a "this model train with a face on it" but a fictional character. Based on real trains for inspiration, but it's still talking trains.
All true I just want to be able to select directions, set my throttle and brake positions and I'd be happy. I didn't enjoy the hold the button to keep going controls of the tsw Thomas doc
100%. The overly simplistic "hold to move" controls are a pain in the TTTE DLC. I wonder if the new second mode will be retro-added to the Thomas we have on WSR. Probably not, but it'd be nice. Depends on how much work it would involve I suppose. Although thinking about it, if the INTENT is to get kids from Sodor into TSW, then the idea would be for kids to progress in stages. 1) Basic controls on Sodor 2) "Standard" controls on Sodor 3) "Standard" controls on WSR (driving Thomas) 4) "Realistic" controls driving a "real" train on WSR So if you don't include the "Standard" controls on TTTE on WSR, then it's kind of a backwards step for a kid learning how trains work, right?
Probably why we ended up getting the WSR add-on test DLC.. the distances between places were too far to keep my kids interested. Hopefully Sodor looks and feels more like a Brio train set in virtual form!
Seems like most people agreed. Well, we now know what at least some of the questions in the last user survey were about, don't we?
