This will be one of many opinions from various players over the next few days and I may be repeating issues people have already noticed, mentioned and things DTG said they will correct. But there are my initial thoughts after playing the introduction, both tutorials, attempting a scenario and as I'm typing, part way through a high speed service to Faversham. The Class 395 is lovely, they've done a brilliant job modelling this, it looks beautiful, the cab is modern but with plenty of buttons to fiddle around with. I did notice the horn looping seems longer than what we've had on previous trains which is a good thing. In cab sounds are quiet but if DTG said that's correct then I've no problem. I've never been in the cab of a 395 so can't comment. 've also noticed that the third rail shoes on the 395 either clip into the rail itself or is not aligned with the rail at all so is sitting on nothing. St Pancras Intl station is nice, open and airy. I've not travelled through STP for a few years and that was over the other side of the station on the Midland Main Line and lower platforms on Thameslink but it feels like St Pancras so that's a good sign. I'm still not convinced with the ballast even though they did change it, can't quite put my finger on the reason why. Stratford Intl looks great, the brickwork and dark shadowing really makes it feel a submerged station. Coming out of London tunnel 2 into the East of London/Dagenham is very poor imo, some assets are much better than others but the general scenery looks void of life and unfinished. You wouldn't think you were speeding through the suburbs of East London that's for sure. Once leaving the high speed line past Ebbsfleet it get's better but the scenery again looks unfinished. I've not had much chance to drive the Class 375 apart from the tutorial so I can't say much about it. Overall the route has potential but at the moment it's just not there, lacking in tlc and general time spent making it up to a good standard. It feels rushed and as I've said a few times, unfinished in certain areas. I'm glad I bought it, I'm sure i will have fun but I have the feeling corners were cut to save time and get it out. To be fair to DTG, they said a patch is due out with no date given, so let's hope this corrects some niggles and issues but that won't change the fact this route is most definitely unfinished. If I had to "rate" it on what I've played I'd give it a 3 out of 5, the potential is there but they've fallen short.
I can concur with the unfinished feel. But I wonder if that is a quality limit imposed on assets for PS4, because the foliage for example on the official streams looked so much fuller than we have on PS4. I was quite surprised by the number of ‘joins’ I could see between bits of scenery that on replaying the official streams seem to be better hidden amongst more greenery. if that is so, I’m hoping things will be pegged a notch higher for the benefit of the next gen consoles eventually. Play-wise it’s nice and the 395 is exquisite.
I enjoyed my first run out on the Javelin even with the quiet cab ambience and controls that are too loud, which I’ve mentioned elsewhere. I like the model of the train which is rather stunning in many ways but the sound lets it down. The route itself is okay and the only thing that I noticed on first play was that the scenery drawing in is a bit obvious at times. We’re used to the catenary structures loading in quite late on PS4 and the way they fade in helps that, but having electricity pylons in the fields next to the track appear in the same way at the same distance is almost comical to see. I suppose it needs to be that way for performance reasons but it did stand out to me. I’ve not given the whole route enough scrutiny yet to comment on how unfinished it may be but I did like the overall feel of it. I’ll see more as I drive more. The tunnels are a bit strange in parts but this is an area in which DTG have never managed to get it quite right. I guess a very long time was spent getting the tunnels in Bakerloo to behave, the kind of time they might not have for other routes. They said in the last live stream that they have to invent the darkness in the tunnels and it’s all baked or cooked (or whatever they call it) so it’s very time consuming just getting to see any changes they make. Sounds like a very tedious process. I’m definitely looking forward to spending more time on the route.
mildly Disappointed was expecting a little bit more out of this but its worth it with DLC on its way i think it will fall in line with Great West Express as being the top 2 routes Available Hoo Junction looks a bit Blank but with more to come who know where this will go
First problem I have Southeastern high speed is with the class 375 from Gillingham depot you have to keep changing the point automatically
Did my first trips with the 395 this weekend. Overall I quite liked it. It's a bit quiet in the cab, could use a bit more track noise, but if it is like this IRL it's fine for me. I am missing two things, though: - is there no way to set passanger lights? - are there no gauge lights for the two brake gauges?
1) No, there isn't a way to set passenger lights. They are on when the auxiliary systems are powered up. 2) I'm not sure what you mean but there is a button you can press on the left hand console which lights up the console (not cab light or reading light).
The panel/console lights don't illuminate the brake gauges so unless you have the reading light (not sure if that's the actual name) it's the light above/on the ceiling, you can't see what brake force you're applying (in a tunnel) when driving with no HUD on..
Some instrument lights not working is a bug that is being fixed. So that maybe the cause at the moment
