Tsw: “oh Canada!”

The route looks great from what I can see in the video, and when the 2d map was brought up the route looks longer than DTG indicated. The loco's look great and the detail inside is nice, the only let down is the amount of CSX cars I saw on the route.

 

There is also on Xbox Store, but my credit card is not able for Australia.

 

The length is pretty much what they said - the clump of sidings you can see at the top of the map when he zooms out is Oakville so it doesn't go much past that to the north, but it's good to see how much of the industrial sector at Hamilton is mapped.

I'm still hopeful that they can figure out how to extend a route, and put a passenger line in all the way up to Toronto - that would make for a properly impressive bit of DLC, even if we have to buy the passenger loco as an add-on add-on.

 

When I heard those default Kuju sounds on the GP9 I just died. I didn't have too much faith in this DLC to begin with but this is just unacceptable. TSW seems to slowly be turning into TS with the lazy recycled sounds.

 

I have no problem with the CSX cars. And it would be nice if DTG would bring the CSX locos to OSD too.

 

I agree... especially hearing that old horn which, AFAIK, was from the old Kuju Rail Simulator days... absolutely ancient source files...

 

maybe they couldn't get access to real sound from locomotives. canada is far away from uk.

 

There are more ways than one to get real sound recordings (such as contracting someone who IS local to such a horn.) If they cared, they could have done it.

 

Exactly. DTG simply doesn't care enough to get decent sounds. I feel like they actually tried early on in TSW's life, but now they get away with making extremely short routes and using reused sounds and rolling stock.

 

The switching is full of hand-holding as I expected; I was really hoping there would be a puzzle element to the switching, as the joy of switching comes from the challenge of working out the best way to split a train and spot the cars; It's no fun if it's already been decided exactly how you have to do it.

The DLC has the same CSX freight cars from the previous DLC despite having the CN license; Very lazy. The locomotive sounds are also recycled from the GP9 on TS1's Soldier Summit. Overall the DLC seems as though very little effort went into it.

 

To be fair, I did see some cool stuff. The tank car loading is neat, and the locos appear to be modeled nicely (though I'm no expert on the prototypes.) My amateur eyes did see a lot of differences in the GP38 compared to the CSX and UP ones.

Oh yeah, almost forgot to mention I saw a few blatant typos in the service/scenario descriptions. Hopefully those will be fixed by release (not that they're critical, but... they do show a certain lack of QC)

 

Yeah, TSW might as well become "Hand Holding Sim World" because of how much it helps you out. You're treated like a toddler by getting rewarded for doing even the most basic task, like turning on the lights. It's ridiculous how much the game holds your hand. It isn't even optional. Like you said, the whole point of switching is the puzzle aspect and how you have to think hard about where to move and what junction to switch. The main point of the entire DLC is switching and if even that isn't done right, why even buy it?

 

The modelling is always good with DTG. The thing they're bad with are sounds, and their textures usually lack some detail.

 

They couldn’t get access to the real locomotives. They aren’t lazy. I get annoyed when people say that.

 

They're still lazy. It really isn't hard to request that someone record sounds for them or at least find more accurate sounds that aren't from over ten years ago.

 

DTG is lazy. They have CN license but they put almost no effort into rolling stock. It's all recycled with a badge slapped onto it. False advertising by far.

 

I have to say this is the first route since CSX Heavy Haul that I've actually been excited about, especially after seeing the sprawl of manually switched sidings in the Hamilton area. It's also my first ever pre-purchase (might be the last but who knows). It will be even better when we have an editor to create our own scenarios but I won't hold my breath on that one

 

I get annoyed when I see lazy recycled content. If the old horn recording were actually good to begin with, it'd be far less annoying... but they're not. They have a really obvious loop "pop" you can hear, in the original Rail Simulator, the locos that reused it in all the TS derivatives since then, and now from today's stream...

As I said, there are several different ways to legitimately (and for reasonable cost) obtain high quality recordings. I understand the absolute ideal situation is for core DTG employees to be on-site in North America recording this stuff with their own equipment, but since obviously that cannot be done 95% of the time, they can use other means. But instead, when it came to coming up with horn sounds, someone said "hey, some of these locos use the old <insert horn model here>, and we have those from Rail Simulator! Convenient and free!"

 

They weren’t able to get references. They need references to make things right.

 

I asked in stream if there were any photos of them working hand in hand w CN, got no response.The sounds arent great, but its a farcry above the LOVE UP geep.

I too agree the little "congrats" for turning lights on is a bit stupid, but DTG is trying to market this to any one it can, which isnt always good. Im not in the 100% diehard rivet counting cult, but im like 70% there - so that doesnt appeal to me, nor the collectibles, so i try to just ignore them

I received the route as a gift, so ill do my earnest to review/enjoy it

 

They did with Caltrain, which is farther. Just stating facts

 

It’s midnight now, going for it (PS4)

 

I agree with you Schnauzahpowahz, I'm the same way. The game treats you like a casual gamer and not a real "simmer," even if you are. If you could just turn off the stupid gimmicks and hand-holding I'd probably play TSW a lot more. I spend the vast majority of my time with train sims on TS20 and OpenBVE, and barely even squeeze out two hours of TSW per month. The sheer amount of glitches, reused content, and hand-holding really turns me off. TSW's concept is excellent, but the execution is poor and the game is in a weird spot, being that it's not quite a casual "game," but not really a sim either.

 

If they could get access to a Caltrain MP36, which is in daily service with major operator, they could definitely get access to a GP9 on a heritage railroad or museum. As well as Caltrain being in San Francisco there's also the Niles Canyon Railway, which has a GP9 that DTG could have recorded: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Pacific_5623

Most heritage railways and museums will gladly assist in such things for a small donation.

 

"If your going to do it do it right or not at all"

 

Didn't DTG use that horrible horn and bell before on a release stream before and then sub it? I hope that's what happens.

 

Matt said that many short lines are still owned or run by larger companies who still say no.

 

The reason for those objectives is because the services are also done by AI, which needs them.

 

Uhhhhh... okay? That doesn't really make sense but okay then.

 

Even if that is true for services, that doesn't have to be the case in scenarios. DTG could have included several switching puzzle scenarios which allowed the player to switch the train and spot the cars as they wanted to.

 

There is a free roam scenario, where you can do whatever you want, as long as you stay in the industrial harbor area.

 

Anthony is our local DTG fanboy who tells us what matt says.

 

So is the free roam scenario similar to the one on NEC? Is there any AI traffic?

 

I appreciate that Matt is present on Discord and that he can answer our questions and we can offer assistance when he needs.

 

No AI. You are in total control.

 

I have a feeling this will be a disaster when it releases tomorrow. Seeing the negative opinions that have already formed I think some backlash is inevitable.

 

Why does everyone focus on the negatives, as opposed to the positives?

 

To be fair, the info he is giving us is widely available....it isn't just "what Matt said"

Your little thread was closed...can you not give that rhetoric a rest?

 

Because they don't want to see the positives. It hasn't even been released and apparently it is a disaster, I suspect that is what some of them are hoping for. They all know better and think they have all the answers and if you try and be positive you get called juvenile names. They don't want you to be positive they just want to come on here and moan, quite sad really, I am sure a lot of people can see that.

 

They don't like it because he is enthusiastic and that doesn't fit in with their rhetoric. Much like playground bullies to be honest. They won't stop as they love preaching the same message amongst themselves.

 

I think it’s about time everyone stopped playing the man rather than the ball, particularly from those that see themselves playing ‘defence’.

I’ve got no skin in this game as this DLC doesn’t appeal to me one bit, but I reckon it looks pretty good and I’m sure those who are into this kind of thing will like it. How it sells is something else entirely, it’ll be interesting how wide its appeal is.

It’s a real shame to see recycled sounds and rolling stock. My only observation is that if you can’t get the references and recordings to make something right, why make it right now? Wait until you can get them, then make it right.

That aside, I’m pleased to see DTG have addressed most (if sadly not all) non-core bugs with ECW and a couple of other fixes. Very welcome indeed.

 

I’m stopping with buying this DLCs when it’s not Germany or finally a long route like 70 Kilometer again. I can buy much better things for 30€ as this awful DLC

 

At the last count, 12 of those negative opinions were posted by you (on this thread), and they don't really count because you play TSW for barely 2 hours a month, because you said so. I think a lot of people who spend more time playing the game than writing on the forum will enjoy it.

 

I agree with you 100% - if DTG had made it clear right from the original announcement, by showing a detailed zoom in of the southern section of the map, then I think that all this "very short route" malarkey would have been avoided. That area is fairly densely packed with content, including industrial buildings, etc.,and trackside infrastructure/furniture, .....aside from the remarkable extent of the layout - it's actually a network, of sorts. If all of that network of sidings can be used, then that's going to make a lot of people very happy.

Also - if they have lit it up well, then it will probably look fabulous at night - but it will still look good anyway, because there appears to be a fairly hefty beam coming from the locos, so all of the very near trackside box-frames around the ethanol pipework, as just one example, will pick out very nicely in UE, at night, I'd imagine. It's almost claustrophobically packed with stuff - lots of hard work done there I think - really fabulous.

The route looks really good. I am hoping that they tested it fully.

Finally - I do hope that they have created some scenarios where you have to navigate your way around those southern sidings. There is potential here, in a future version of the game, to create some very challenging timed scenarios - say, to sort out a mixed manifest in the south, then drop it all off as you head north - but to a strict time limit (or timetable.....).

 

I had pre-ordered the DLC, but from what I saw on twitch last night, I requested reimbursement this morning.
Everything is already seen. It's reheated.
Still no functional level crossing with waiting vehicles.
Really nothing innovative and like many scenarios, we get bored after a while.

 

Um... and I can't believe that I am actually writing this... but I think that they might have undersold* how good the Oakville DLC is.....

Anyone buying this DLC must surely know what they are getting - a freight route with a set of complex shunting yards. If people buy the route and complain that there is no passenger traffic, then that's more like self-inflicted whiplash than a backlash**, in my opinion....

*with the exception of the ridiculous "countless industries" blurb

**unless of course they have accidentally skipped the QA process again

 

No one should be "played" whatever their standing.

When it was first announced I thought it was just a short route with some freight activities which was disappointing. If they had stated that it's purpose was a complex shunting/freight route then I would have said fair enough and not moaned about it!

It will be the first route I doubt I will purchase as it doesn't appeal but I am sure it will for many and it certainly looks good. Of course I may change my mind when I see it in action.

 

I have a sneaking suspicion that when people start posting night/snow screenshots, that there'll be a few people drawn in... The whole colour-space for this route looks bang on, and red/white/black locos, in snow, at night - squeezing long trains between gaps in buildings/roads/underpasses.... Really - it's a potential delight - for some people this will be immersion overload (in a good way).

I need a few boxes ticked before I buy this route. First one is easy - I'd like to see the sounds fixed on the DB BR 155 on RSN - this is arguably the best loco on TSW (that I have seen), and it's a shocker that it hasn't been fixed, after such a long time.

 

There's nothing wrong with a short route which is highly detailed and focuses on switching. It's good as it brings variety to the game. The issue is how DTG have gone about it.

The current game mechanics don't really support switching as there are no car numbers or track names on the map, and the way the services are implemented means that every switching move is pre-planned, removing the challenge that switching usually presents. I'd like to have seen DTG make changes to the core in support of this DLC which would permit greater freedom whilst switching.

The second issue is that DTG said that the route was short, but that was because of the attention to detail around the harbour area, which again would be fine, if it wasn't for the fact it's not true. Basic details such as the Canadian crossbucks on the many level crossing are missing, with incorrect assets being reused from previous DLCs. The same goes for the rollingstock, it's CSX branded instead of CN branded. The sounds on the GP9 are reused from Railworks and sound very poor compared to some of the other DLCs currently available for TSW, like the Class 31. So the attention to detail is lacking in many areas.

The route is marketed as switching based with attention to detail rather than route length. It fails on both counts, which is what makes this DLC a weak one. If anything I think DTG have over sold it, as they have, in my opinion, failed to deliver on the two main selling points of the DLC.

 

Anthony Wood of Oovee did the US sounds for TS. I dunno what happened to their relationship but continuing to work with him could have made all the difference. They could have made a deal with Searchlight Sims for their 645E sounds.