West Coast Main Line: Trent Valley From All Aboard Studios

More? Oh please having a reskin/ barely different sub class aka 350

and the 807 which is no different from any other 800 family

compare to quite few tsw 2/ 2020 routes which would give you two completely brand new trains and quite a bit of new rolling stock to the game

Length isn’t anything without interesting trains which effects most routes

also for the same price you get west coast main line Preston to Carlisle with 90 miles and 4 trains by default

 

I don't have insider info or anything but I am expecting £32.99 for this route. it's 108 miles after all

 

ignoring the fact that three of those trains are reused? preston carlisle undoubtedly gives you a bigger stock offering but it’s unfair to argue that TVL will have reused stock, then point to another route which itself has a mostly recycled roster

 

Preston-Carlisle had one new train, not four

 

Said stock was heavy remade and got new sounds and the best part actual liveries and not some fake bs version (I think that was a few of their sub classes)

 

Didn’t say new at that point did I?
But still you get more trains than this route

also you could technically count all the types of class 08, I’m not including it but there’s like 5

 

this is true, but the same could be said for the 350 and 807 to an extent. technically no AT300 is 100% reused, they all differ slightly. the 350s were also reworked for birmingham crewe

 

I suppose hardware costs too - data centres causing prices of computer parts to go up massively, so CPUs, memory, GPUs, storage etc. all costing much more than they used to. I would assume DTG use relatively high spec hardware to develop the game

 

I have made this point on the forum many times, even back in TSW2020/TSW2 days, that the routes that come with more than one new train are generally only the first route of their type in the game but the standard is always just one new train per route for subsequent routes of the same type.

The first UK route came with three new trains. The first vintage BR UK route came with three new trains, the first steam route came with two new locos etc. The same thing happened with German routes and US routes. It still happens now, with the first Dutch route coming with two new trains, the first Czech route etc. It always reverted to just one new train and maybe a reworked train from other routes, plus loco DLC and layers from previously owned content. That’s generally how it is in TSW and has been from the start.

Even with TSW2 Rush Hour release bundle in 2021 there were only two new trains across three routes, the MBTA train and the 387, although that was really just a (big) reworking of the 377. All other trains included in Rush Hour were reused. The Dresden route got no new trains at all. Some trains had some updates. This is all DTG content but third party developers are generally following the same path but with some putting extra value into their reused trains like all the variants and upgrades JT do to any older content included in their routes.

I’ve had to point this out a few times because people started saying “we used to get two trains as standard now it’s only one” a long time ago when one new train was always the standard. Those ‘firsts’ couldn’t really be released with one train/loco and that’s why they got more, the only reason they got more. Reusing trains in future routes is nearly always in the plan as well.

So to conclude, routes coming with only one completely new train is not new, it’s been around since the second route of any type came to TSW and is the norm. It’s understandable with the amount of work involved in making a train for TSW. It’s also why we don’t get multiple train packs like in TSC.

The question of value is an interesting one because I think JT do give the best value in their content because of all the updates and variants they do with reused stock, and because I play their routes more often than any other routes I get even more value out of them but that bit is value that is personal to me. This route looks to have good intrinsic value as well but I wouldn’t play it as often as Shap.

Apologies for longer post but it’s important to present the facts properly and not just as soundbites in an argument.

 

I appreciate new subclasses, as they're nice to have, and I also get that they aren't "just reskins". But I'd never say they're new trains, in the same way that something like a class 730 would be.

 

It's all kind of subjective when it comes to "new" and "value"...to the player. I don't care for most of the trains in TSW, and I don't see a great value in yet another EMU that looks much like the last one. I don't care as much about this route in particular because it's a passenger focused route. On the other hand, another person might be gobstopped by this route and NEED to buy it because it's EXACTLY what they want and they love the content. Concorde wants a 730 as "totally different' but to me it's just another EMU. Nothing unique about it compared to those already in game.
My point is that every player finds "value" different to THEM.

What doesn't change...objectively... is the cost to CREATE things. Even if you don't want the 807 or think it's "close to the other 800 series", it's NOT those models. It's created new and takes as many hours to create new as other models created new. There are several different 66's that were scratch-built but are the same "train" in theory, however many hours were spent on each one recreating it.

So when I say it's two locos... that's the work put into make 2 new locos. Someone sat down and made them. Doesn't matter if you like them or it's the exact loco YOU personally wanted... someone has to be paid because they typed and clicked into a computer for hours (days) to make them.

Now we can get into an argument of the "true meaning of value" capitalist vs socialist etc in a theoretical economics basis, but for the purposes of this forum.... I think we can agree that a guy making something wants to get paid for it, and the company hiring the guy to make it has to pay him for his work. A graphic artist is doing her typing and clicking... she wants to get paid. Across the board.

That takes money because they won't work cheap. Just as you won't work for pennies, they won't either. So, the company can't offer everything "cheap" and still pay those workers. If you want "cheap", wait until it's outside the initial release period, say a year out... then buy it on sale.

If you are saying you can't wait a year for a video game, then you are yourself assigning it more value because you are saying you "need" it so much you can't wait. Video games aren't like food or water or shelter. You won't die without it. It's a luxury. So any admission you "can't wait" means you "want it badly."

Ergo you value it.

 

With regards price, yes things get more expensive and any video/computer game is going to go up in price.

However, for the maker of said games to survive you have to make sure what you sell at the higher price is worth the cost to the consumer.

So, in order to get this vaguely back to the topic…

Make sure it works, make sure the quality assurance is done and make sure you sell a product the punters (us!) will enjoy having paid a bit more for.

 

To be honest I don't really care about the class 730 (I mean it'd be nice to have but theres other units I'd prefer WAY more), if anything i actually prefer the 350. I was just using it as an example that it'd take a lot more effort to make compared to a new class 350 subclass so would be more deserving of the "new train" title.

 

Back on topic and thought we’d get a stream/release date announcement today, but alas nothing yet.

 

I’m hoping for a Thursday release next week. Will see me nicely into the Bank Holiday weekend!

 

and I'm hoping for GP60M release after (or before... who knows...) trent valley

 

Its a relatively new PS5, I`d been using it for a year-and-a-half when I switched to PC, but PC runs it all better so I do not regret my decision, though I have yet to repurchase all my old addons. PS5 is from 2020, its nearly 6 years old, tbf that`s not young in the computer business, graphics develop fast.

 

Double Yellow your profile pic is making me cry.

 

No doubt a decent PC runs it better. Just that I have most of the dlcs and it runs decently. I find that most console players who experience low framerates have less than 20% of their storage space free

 

I wonder if Kilsby Tunnel is fully realised? Correct portals and the very large airshafts as you pass through, very noticeable.

 

Looks like Monday mornings to me.

 

Think this will be a May release!

 

I reckon Thursday 21 may release.

 

I'm trusting it will be ,I going to purchase this route and live close by this stretch of route though Northamptonshire so I'm going to look at it with a critical eye

 

Further to my earlier comments about Banbury Lane, I sometimes used to do the mega bike ride out to Kilsby Tunnel south portal for a bit of train watching. Used to love the distant rumble from the tunnel mouth which got louder and louder until the train burst forth. Of course I used to also enjoy visiting Catesby Tunnel the difference being no trains since 1966, but back then still open at both ends and not converted to a motor vehicle test track.

 

Looks like you were right)

 

nothing about this confirms a release date. it could be thursday, of course, but i think that tuesday 26th or thursday 28th is more likely, especially since there’s been no article or preview yet

 

Pretty embarrassing that it’s been a week and still no article, let alone a preview stream for the route. Honestly, who’s idea was it to put it as a wish-list on Steam? Would’ve been better if they kept quiet and not have eager players desperately waiting. I only say this as, given the upload on Steam, I would’ve thought some additional info would be posted soon after, otherwise not a very wise move personally

 

I think it was never the plan to release it in may. In the march roadmap it said it would release further down the line and not in the next 0-3 months.

 

It's been in the 0-3 months since April

 

Grow up it's not that deep

 

I think what otisdepotis means is that back in March it was listed as being over three months away, which would put the earliest release around July.

Either way, I’d rather they spend more time polishing the route than rush out a half-baked release.

 

Good grief when will they fix that teal front end on the 80x ?

 

Well I’m sorry, but there should have been a bit of serious thinking before going ahead and putting a route up for wish-listing on a gaming platform, which, after coming to the right conclusion, would have created unnecessary excitement in those interested, if at a minimum no further info was planned to have been released for some time. If you don’t care/ not interested in the route, just say so. Still looking forward to it though

 

Yes, that’s what I mean and you’re 100% right I would rather wait a few weeks and have a route that’s completely finished than a rushed one. B2C is a beautiful route but it had a lot of issues and when the 805 was released they didn’t have enough time to add cruise control. So I want them to take their time, good things take time.
(I think march is 0-1 months April is 1-2 and may 2-3 so I think that June is the earliest possible release date)

 

How dare they allow you to wishlist before a release date, that is just completely unheard of....(sarcastic)

Isn't that part of the reason a wishlist is there so you can get notice when a release date is announced?

 

The wording on the May roadmap however suggested that this route would be the next UK route to release and release soon, I remember it because I swore very loudly that the JT route was still not coming out yet...

 

I have in my wish list, for ETS2 and ATS, release forecasts that date from the end of 2025.

 

I mean, sounds like there’s been some internal personnel stuff going on within DTG, from Alex’s earlier post re RFTV lack of updates, so presumably attention internally has been elsewhere (should be understandable)

the release date will be announced when it’s ready to go; why are people up in arms? If it ain’t ready to go yet, then just chill out… it’s already a pretty quick turnaround from announcement to release window…

im looking forward to it too.. think its going to be amazing doing the run from Euston-Crewe (via route hop), but just be patient!

it’s clearly just around the corner, unless they’ve found something in pre-release, in which case great, if they’ve caught it pre-release and are going back around again.

 

That's true, best they take a bit more time but release it in a more polished state.

Also to be fair in any case the 0-3 months isn't even a sort of countdown according to DTG themselves, Preston to Crewe has been there for 6 months now.

 

Just because a page on Steam accidentally released that means absolutely nothing, as no one has officially given a release date whether that be the Devs or DTG themselves... So, why people are throwing their toys out of the pram is beyond me. Just be patient for goodness sake.

It'll release when it's ready, and an article will be published when it's ready. It'll be a great route when it's released I have no doubt and I'm just as excited as anyone else, but stop basing your entire lives around it and acting like you're owed an explanation when the Devs or DTG haven't given a release date. You only have yourself to blame for getting your knickers in a twist, and the attitude like you're owed an explanation won't be doing you any favours either.

Calm down, lay in bath and have a Magnum as Superhans from Peep Show would say.

 

I think some find it odd just because up until now DTG hasn't done it this way, not that I'm aware. IIRC even new iterations of TSW get added to Steam only once the release date is known.

 

Didn't people criticise Birmingham to Crewe for releasing seemingly before being fully polished?
Now people are moaning about waiting for Trent Valley even though the Steam page is up...?

Whether or not there's a Steam page or not, it'll release when it releases

 

I'm hoping they're taking their time like Firefly did to ensure the blurry texture issue doesn't happen.

 

I hope no one is surprised. However this transpires, whether it gets dropped on us all of a sudden tomorrow, or we`re still here next year with release "imminent", all is to be expected from this world.

 

Don't some games appear on the store and then release years later?

I really don't understand why there is a need for all this drama? It's pathetic.

If the forums did get shut down by DTG I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised, I wouldn't blame them either.

 

Besides all this, anyone notice how the Teal shade of the Avanti West Coast livery appears more as Green in TSW6. In real life, on the 805/7s at least, the blue seems even stronger than the green, though being teal, it should be no more green than blue. I`m such a waffler but whatever, what else am I gonna talk about while waiting for release.

 

See 4th post on this page of the thread

 

I would imagine that this is a particularly hard colour to replicate in a game. Even the pictures posted above seem to show two completely different colours. I will admit that the promo shots look very green, but when in game the lighting can differ vastly with weather conditions and even whether you are looking mostly at the sky or the ground (there is some sort of auto exposure adjust). In game I don’t think the colour is too far off myself. Yes it could be a little bluer but it’s not as drastic as that promo shots look makes it look IMO