Hello, I am a beginner and have some general questions about the concept of TSW2. I noticed that timetables allow you to choose your loco, unlike scenarios. But are there any other differences between these two game modes? I would also like to know if it is possible to move freely on the lines, without a mission and without a specific schedule. Thanks in advance for your clarification.
Timetable also allows you to choose the weather conditions. But there really aren't any free roams, except a couple of yard scenarios. Everything else is scripted. There's a scenario planner, but it is very limited in scope.
Scenarios are the same as what they were in Train Simulator, if you've played that. If not, it basically means they're pre-set series of tasks, often involving unusual jobs that are usually not in the normal timetable. Like train washing, train rescue, special runs, stuff like that. While timetable involves a 24 hour timetable, usually involving hundreds of services per day and you can simply choose which one you want to take at what time, and in what weather, sometimes even choosing which train to drive in it. So gameplay wise the difference is that a given scenario is always the same, but from timetable service there are a lot and you can get yourself more variety by setting different weather conditions and such. As for a freeroam, sadly usually there is none. A few routes may have something like that, like I believe Sand Patch Grade had a freeroam yard scenario, but I think you couldn't leave the yard and get onto the mainlines on that one, as the signals were all red. Your best bet at freeroam is the scenario planner, where you can easily set up a run between two points and drive whatever train you want on it.
Well yeah, but that's limited to the already exsisting starting/stopping points only. Most yards and platforms will remain empty anyway.
Timetable mode also allows you to keep going, driving another train after your previous one, at least while the save game holds up.
Thank you all for the very interesting comments. I will explore the timetables further, since they allow me to choose my loco and so to drive those that are compatible with my Rail Driver cab control.
Yes. Also, in timetable mode, for example you can drive a service from A to B, then wait a bit until it goes back and drive in again, this time from B to A, without having to exit and start again. This also gives you the opportunity to do fun rolepaly stuff, like shutting off one cab and setting up the other one. Or in Sant Patch Grade, I believe there is a series of services, first one goes up the mainline, second one is the same train reversing into a coal pickup siding, third service loads up coal, then the fourth service drives down the mainline with the picked up coal. In theory you could drive this 4 service as one, in one sitting. Though it would take like 6 hours at least to do the full run, but I bet it would be immersive as hell. And I believe other freight oriented routes also have connecting services like this. And last but not least, service mode obviously give you the ability to spawn on foot without a train, which allows you to either explore the map on foot or get on an AI train and ride as a passenger, if you like that sort of stuff.
