After playing most of the TSW games and having my own opinion about what I like the most, I'm just wondering about what you do prefer the most. Which version does have the best quality in your opinion, like the best base game routes, the best DLC and the least issues. For me, the first TSW including 2020 has multiple very nice routes and it was the version it all starts with. While routes nowadays looks rather basic or even old, back in the day it was quite enjoyable and actually it still can be enjoyable. TSW3 is also my favorite, I really like routes like Bremen- Oldenburg, Linke Rheinstrecke, Birmingham Cross City and Glossop Line. It also was the first game including TOD4 lighting. In my opinion TSW4 has some nice routes too, but overall not that much enjoyable as TSW3 routes. TSW5 was overall just an disappointment, the routes, the performance, the issues, but I do like the new hud coming with this version. I do not own TSW6 routes yet, from the already released routes, I only have some interest in the Riviera Line.
I voted TSW4 but only because it had my all time requested route. However TSW3 had a decent amount of good routes. Niddertalbahn especially. I remember being hyped for that route big time.
Best base game routes - TSW 2020 and TSW 3 TSW 2020 is mainly for GWE, since it came with the most rolling stock (class 43 + Mk3 coaches, class 66, class 166, and freight wagons) TSW 3 is mainly for Southeastern High Speed, which I think is still one of the best routes because of the variety of trains and gameplay Best DLC - TSW 5 and TSW 4 TSW 5 because of Mittenwaldbahn, Preston - Carlisle and Zwolle - Groningen TSW 4 because of Blackpool Branches and the BR 218 I think TSW 6 will easily be the best though (if the DLC on the roadmap actually release for TSW 6). Preston - Crewe, Tadami Line, Liberec – Stará Paka, Neckartalbahn, Medway Valley Line and the class 70 all look great
I was writing out a whole post about why I really enjoyed the TSW3 routes which were fantastic but I realised very quickly as a UK player. I think the TSW 2020 routes were actually better so I've gone back and changed my mind. I love West Somerset with the heritage feel obviously got a beautiful remaster, NTP+HFP is a great route with some great locos I still love driving. TVL is again a great route with some top class DLC in the 20 and the 31. And I've been through the whole ECW journey as it's my most local route. I completed the journeys of ECW+313, TVL+20+31, GWE and WSR+33 and they've been some of my favourite content. I'm still working through NTP and really enjoying that route as well. They may be dated a bit now but they're still some of my favourite routes in the game! I still loved GWE, WSR and ECW before the remaster. And I think the remasters and upcoming content will only make them better So for me apart from the JT routes I'm almost consistently on the TSW2020 routes, apart from maybe SEHS at a push
TSW6 because it gave us the Riviera Line. It's the route I find myself playing the most. I love running the Castle sets, but also love running the Westerns and Peaks.
As Mortal1234 already said, Rush hour is part of TSW2, I do not consider it as a separate game. I even placed TSW1 and TSW2020 as one option.
I chose TSW 5. I think the base routes are on par with TSW3, but the DLC's are better, mainly Mittenwald, Preston-Carlisle and Zwolle-Groningen
I chose the two earliest versions, TSW 2020 and TSW2, because I believe the older routes, up to and including Rush Hour, are easily the best and most enjoyable. It would be understandable if the more recent versions win out in the poll because most players are probably relatively new to the game and are unfamiliar with those oldies but goodies. I still play SPG and the original GWE with DLOTGW ( the remaster is falling over for me regrettably ).
I only started playing TSW late in the TSW 3 era, but I have to agree with you. Some of the gameplay on older routes is really good, I really like routes like Tees Valley, Hauptstrecke Rhein- Ruhr and Rhein Ruhr Osten. However, as this game progresses and new routes look a lot better, my interest in older routes does decline a bit. Therefore I am really excited about the recent remasters.
I will agree that the newer lighting and, in some cases, the scenery, is now better than it was 5-8 years ago and you can argue that the game looks better. But some parts of the game, such as the ambient night lighting and NPC behavior have not improved ( take a look at the night driving in SPG or even BML and BPE ). And many of the newer " features " such as dynamic weather, adaptive eye and that silly snow kick-up have fallen flat. But it's all a matter of opinion of course. That's what polls are for, I guess.
The Rush Hour routes were way better than the TSW2 base routes: BML, Dresden, Boston sprinter. TSW 2.5 should have been an option.
I do agree. The Rush Hour thing they did was great back then. You see it quite often on the forums here that they should do that again rather than a new TSW every year.
Well, separating out launch bundles from DLC routes, unquestionably 2 combined with RH had the best base routes, since those gave us Koln-Aachen, Sand Patch, Bakerloo, Dresden-Riesa, Brighton mainline and Boston Sprinter. Not only were those all good to great, but they have held up pretty well to the present day. Second place would be TSW 2020, which included CSX HH, GWE, NTP, MSB and LIRR. a pretty good run of routes as well but which badly need updating (GWE of course just was. and LIRR updated/superseded last year)
I only joined at the very beginning of TSW4, but i have many oder routes. As many mentioned, the Rush Hour routes are excellent, except for the lighting issues with BML. I feel TSW5 had amazing core routes, the San Bernadino line was good but certainly not my tase but the other two were great and felt very core-route. TSW4 routes came with a lack of stock, especially ECML. For DLC, I feel they're all good contenders but TSW3 is particularly good and TSW6s upcoming DLCs are really amazing.
I believe TSW6 gave us the best core routes, Morristown and Riviera are top notch routes in almost all aspects. Leipzig Dresden isn't as great as the others but the 145 is going to make me play that route only for a good while! In terms of DLC.....I'm really torn between TSW4 and TSW5, however I'm going to stick with 4. We got LIRR 2.0 (still one of my favourites), Semmeringbahn, the 218, and the Expert 101 (current favourite, however it only really shined in the post-TSW5 updates).
