Spirit Of Steam Release Speculation

Discussion in 'TSW General Discussion' started by jamesthepershing, Nov 21, 2021.

?
  1. Xmas 2021

    18 vote(s)
    10.7%
  2. Summer 200 (like rush hour)

    122 vote(s)
    72.6%
  3. Other: please say below in the comments what you think

    28 vote(s)
    16.7%
  1. jamesthepershing

    jamesthepershing Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2019
    Messages:
    106
    Likes Received:
    170
    What release pattern do you think Spirit of Steam will follow?
    Maybe releasing Xmas this year as the perfect Xmas present.
    Or maybe summer 2022 following a rush hour style release?
    What do you think?
     
  2. jamesthepershing

    jamesthepershing Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2019
    Messages:
    106
    Likes Received:
    170
    Personally I think it'll be Xmas 2021, as we already have a release in planning and more than a month to go, we could see it coming this year.
    REASONS WHY IT COULD COME THIS XMAS:
    -At the beginning of the year, when Rush Hour was announced, they also announced spirit of steam. I'm not sure why they would announce such a big release 1 year + before release.
    -During the recent stream with Matt talking about the future of TSW, he mentioned that the stock was completed (at least the model), and that the next step would be creating a route like any other up till now.
    -Steam would sell very well as a Christmas present, so when better to release it?
    -Other DLCs have made a rapid progression through the roadmap, and so could steam. (It depends very much on the next roadmap).

    REASONS WHY IT MIGHT NOT BE RELEASING THIS XMAS:
    -DTG have a history of making big build ups gor exciting new projects and stuff, usually more than a month ahead.
    -By the type of release we're talking about, it's very likely it follows a TSW2 or Rush Hour style release.
    -So they don't rush it.
    -If they still have to build the routes, that should take them some time.
    -Ideas? :)
     
  3. OldVern

    OldVern Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2020
    Messages:
    11,925
    Likes Received:
    23,951
    Purely hazarding a guess I would say Q2 next year, possibly for Easter.
    I just think if it was coming out in time for Xmas, now less than five weeks away, some sort of PR campaign would be getting into swing by now, Sean Bean all dressed up as a steam driver etc. This is going to be the most significant development in TSW since, well, TSW itself so I see a couple of months at least lead in starting with a few cryptic tidbits about the route(s) and included motive power.

    Of course I may be wrong and it would be nice to think Xmas Day evening, stuffed with turkey, pudding, mince pies, cake and a few glasses of sherry can sit down at the PC and start thrashing an old kettle on one of my sweepstake routes in my signature!
     
    • Like Like x 5
  4. Doomotron

    Doomotron Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2018
    Messages:
    2,822
    Likes Received:
    3,387
    The gap between announcement and release doesn't have a set timeframe. GTA5 was announced in 2011 and released in 2013, Gran Turismo 5 was announced in 2006 and released in 2010, GT Sport was announced in 2015 and released in 2017... It's purely baseless speculation as to when it comes out, but I'd say Summer 2022 at the latest. The first release this Christmas would make sense but it's up to DTG.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  5. Clumsy Pacer

    Clumsy Pacer Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 10, 2016
    Messages:
    2,956
    Likes Received:
    3,934
    They didn't actually announce the release of Steam, they just announced they're now formally working on it and someone had given it a fancy marketing name. To add to what Doomotron said, TSW was first mooted officially shortly after Euro Fishing was announced (start/middle of 2014) - it didn't come out until 2017. I have a feeling it'll be early next year, but not for Christmas, unless the roadmap is completely wrong like it was for Sherman Hill.
     
    Last edited: Nov 21, 2021
    • Like Like x 1
  6. AirbourneAlex

    AirbourneAlex Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2020
    Messages:
    1,418
    Likes Received:
    2,092
    They're probably going to announce the next UK route(s) before Christmas. I highly doubt they'll release Spirit of Steam so close after London Commuter (which would give them about 3 months until Christmas, far too soon). Either it will emerge early next year (like last year with Southeastern High Speed) or next summer. It all depends whether they can get simugraph working fully with steam first, obviously they have enough confidence with it working properly to make an announcement.
     
  7. Doomotron

    Doomotron Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2018
    Messages:
    2,822
    Likes Received:
    3,387
    The release on SoS is dependent on the SimuGraph upgrade going as planned. The assets are pretty much done, but the developers may well find a roadblock in the update that delays the release by a while, perhaps months.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  8. fabristunt

    fabristunt Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 23, 2019
    Messages:
    637
    Likes Received:
    1,220
    I hope it's next year, I don't want it to be rushed for Christmas.
     
  9. matinakbary

    matinakbary Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2020
    Messages:
    1,701
    Likes Received:
    4,370
    Is that really true? I remember he said the stock is done. But did he explicitly said something like "now we have to do the route"? I don't think he said that, i am pretty sure over the last year they also worked on routes. Just imagine: Spending months of work into developing simugraphcompatability with steam, but when creating routes after that they suddenly realise "oh we can't find enough reference material for a route, so we can't do it now". Would be a pretty bad planning and i don't think DTG makes this mistake. That's for sure not their first route, not even the first historic route. So I guess the routes (or at least one route) are mostly done. Now it's time to do the timetables, the scenarios and most importantly: the intoductions and tutorials. And especially the last thing - the tutorials - take extremly much time to do them accoring to TSG.
     
  10. Clumsy Pacer

    Clumsy Pacer Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 10, 2016
    Messages:
    2,956
    Likes Received:
    3,934
    I think what he said was that the 3D art for a locomotive is done (or at least they know what they need to do with it), and in a separate statement said once Simugraph is sorted, it's just like building any other route.

    I have a feeling the route is chosen, but they just won't say what it is.
     
  11. matinakbary

    matinakbary Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2020
    Messages:
    1,701
    Likes Received:
    4,370
    It definitely is. The last roadmap (or the one before) stated, that they just want to let us wait a little more till we find out the route :)
     
  12. jolojonasgames

    jolojonasgames Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2020
    Messages:
    1,995
    Likes Received:
    5,366
    The route has been chosen, the locos moddeled. My guess is Q1 or Q2 of 2022. With the current release schedule (Dresden - Chemnitz is yet to come out) christmas feels like it's just too tight. During the holidays the team is also on leave, and I imagine they want to wait with the introduction until the team is readily available to solve possible bugs in this new technology.
     
  13. Clumsy Pacer

    Clumsy Pacer Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 10, 2016
    Messages:
    2,956
    Likes Received:
    3,934
    I think Chemnitz will be the Christmas release.
     
    • Like Like x 2
  14. chieflongshin

    chieflongshin Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2019
    Messages:
    4,369
    Likes Received:
    7,214
    Now how much of this will they capture, theres a lot of console killing steam here. Get the camera in wrong place on pc and it’s not happy with diesel smoke.

    there’s a lot to encapsulate and model here

     
  15. Driconian

    Driconian Member

    Joined:
    Jul 23, 2020
    Messages:
    26
    Likes Received:
    52
    I would imagine next year unless. By "Spirit" they mean Christmas sprit and we are actualy getting the Polar Express. Though I imagne getting Simugraph working not just for steam but also traction on ice would take a lot longer than rails.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  16. Doomotron

    Doomotron Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2018
    Messages:
    2,822
    Likes Received:
    3,387
    The smoke won't actually be an issue as long as DTG don't mess it up. Gran Turismo 5 and 6 on PS3 had unrealistically thick tyre smoke, so it is entirely possible.
    maxresdefault.jpg
    Maybe it's the ghost train from The Count Of Monster Disco?
     
  17. driverwoods#1787

    driverwoods#1787 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2021
    Messages:
    9,086
    Likes Received:
    5,606
    Summer of 2022 with the possible routes being United States Soldier Summit UK WSR Steam and Germany specifically West Germany former Deutsche Bundesbahn Wutachtalbahn 086 Steam locomotive Dampflok. 052 044 if Bochum Dahlhausen Steam Railway was chosen and gives steam locomotives to HRR via Essen Steele. Bochum Dahlhausen Steam locomotives are playable on HRR Essen Steele to Mülheim Hbf where they go to Oberhausen HBF then Arnhem. The thing with German steam locomotives they are PZB equipped since the 1930s when it was called Indusi
     
    Last edited: Nov 22, 2021
  18. Callum B.

    Callum B. Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2018
    Messages:
    1,638
    Likes Received:
    2,844
    Particle effects can look really good in UE4, as demoed in this old video. But I do wonder what DTG have done or are doing to improve the efficiency of their particle effects, as they are currently pretty performance heavy when in great volume.


    Cheers
     
    • Like Like x 3
  19. matinakbary

    matinakbary Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2020
    Messages:
    1,701
    Likes Received:
    4,370
    They HAVE to. For the sake of the old gen consoles they have to improve the performance of that. And hopefully the visuals, so we also see some fire particles.

    Another question: I highly doubt we will only get a loco, but also passenger and maybe even freight waggons.
    What UK, what german and what US passenger cars would be the "go to"? What is THE classic steam passenger car in the UK? What in germany? I know this is probably not possible to answer for sure without knowing what loco will come, but what do you guys think? Which passenger cars would be the most reasonable to do?
     
    • Like Like x 1
  20. Clumsy Pacer

    Clumsy Pacer Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 10, 2016
    Messages:
    2,956
    Likes Received:
    3,934
    Depends on the region, era and even type of train (ie commuter/local, regional or express). We didn't have a nationally standardised multi-purpose coach design until the BR Mk1 in the 1950s, but even then, some areas had suburban variants with doors for every set of seats.
    [​IMG]
    (Pic by David Ingham)
     
    • Like Like x 4
  21. chieflongshin

    chieflongshin Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2019
    Messages:
    4,369
    Likes Received:
    7,214
    I find when you're on external camera tracking a train and you put the camera on top of the train behind the smoke that's when it doesn't seem as happy.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  22. SonicScott91

    SonicScott91 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 11, 2020
    Messages:
    751
    Likes Received:
    1,972
    I'm thinking a Spring 2022 release for the first route with the other two routes following close behind like how Rush Hour ended up being released. I reckon they might throw us a nice little teaser over Christmas though.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  23. jolojonasgames

    jolojonasgames Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2020
    Messages:
    1,995
    Likes Received:
    5,366
    For germany the most likely passenger stock will probably be 4-axle umbauwagen or m-Wagen (also known as UIC-x-Wagen). This is mostly due to how common they were in post war West-Germany, and the fact that many still exist for reference. If DTG does a late-steam route (i.e. '70s), n-Wagen are also feasible, and they would have a lot of re-use on other routes as they are still in use in some places (mostly as replacement stock or a temporary solution).

    [​IMG]
    The 4-axle Umbauwagen. These coaches were developed by re-utilising parts of older wooden coaches, and combining them with new steel body shells. These could be seen on most local traffic services, behind most steam locos, and later even diesels from the late '50s to the '80s, with some even lasting in revenue service until 1990. If DTG decides to do a BR 23 or a BR 38 (Preußische P8), these could be very good fits.

    [​IMG]
    1st class m-Wagen. These coaches are a product of the mid '50s, intended for the important F and D trains of the time. These coaches have a remarkably long service life, with some of them still being in use on for example the Snälltåget sleeper train or FlixTrain services, altough I believe these coaches are of a later production run, and all have been overhauled extensively throughout their lives. These would be a perfect fit for a BR 01 or BR 03, the premier express engines of both pre and post-war Germany.

    [​IMG]
    A train consisting of n-Wagen, often nicknamed Silberlinge. At the front is a cab car, but I wouldn't expect these to come with a steam release, due to the fact that they were incompatible with steam traction Turns out these are compatible with steam traction after all, a system of communicating between the cab car and the fireman in the loco existed, the driver could also control the brakes from the cab car. These could be seen on local and some F and D trains. Their production started in the late fifties. These coaches are still in use by some companies, though often only as an interim solution. DB Regio used them until the late 2010's as far as I know.
     
    Last edited: Nov 23, 2021
    • Like Like x 5
  24. matinakbary

    matinakbary Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2020
    Messages:
    1,701
    Likes Received:
    4,370
    I completely forgot that n-Wagen and Steam locos very well fit together. I always dreamed of that coaches in TSW, but never realized that steam actually opens the door for these coaches. And what makes it even more possible, it that both m- and n-Wagen still exist today, so there is enough reference material. And I am pretty sure DTG made n-Wagen also for TS, but I may be wrong on that.
    Given the fact that DTG loves to reuse coaches (looking at you, Dostos), this would make future "oldschool" electric locos (DLC or with the route) possible, as they "only" have to develop the loco, but not the coaches anymore. Your comment now really hyped me up, tough I of course expect the least.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  25. matinakbary

    matinakbary Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2020
    Messages:
    1,701
    Likes Received:
    4,370
    Here is a pic of a steam loco with Silberlinge (in Wuppertal-Oberbarmen, Source: https://digit.wdr.de/entries/92826)
    160531_069_0058.JPG

    And many railtours in german use steam locos and in this instance n-Wagen. So like every future route (and maybe layered into old routes) could have at least one steam loco rail tour with the matching coaches. I really hope DTG doesn't forget these railtours in future timetables as no german rail tour exists, yet. Of course other than the UK, there is no german train in TSW to do a railtour.
    steam-locomotive-g1672acb90_1920.jpg
     
    • Like Like x 4
  26. Schuppenheizer

    Schuppenheizer Member

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2021
    Messages:
    36
    Likes Received:
    32
    Would be nice, if there is a difference of steam development depending on temperature outside.
     
  27. jolojonasgames

    jolojonasgames Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2020
    Messages:
    1,995
    Likes Received:
    5,366
    I must admit 01 202 looks particularly good with the bare metal 'tire' and brass rings around the boiler, especially in this picture.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  28. pacificorca#1435

    pacificorca#1435 Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2021
    Messages:
    60
    Likes Received:
    117
    I don't get the impression that Spirit of Steam (or at least the first route) is 2022's "Big Release" so I don't think it'll debut it the summer. But I would think we'll see steam included in the big yearly release. If I were going to guess, I'd say we'll see the first route either just before or a little after new years. Personally if the initial steam releases are going to happen over the course of 6-9 months I would actually quite enjoy another season pass option.
     
  29. Blacknred81

    Blacknred81 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2019
    Messages:
    5,570
    Likes Received:
    11,841
    For the US, depending on the train and era, i would expect either Pullman Heavyweights, or Streamlined Budd or Pullmans. (If the 1st US Steam DLC even includes passenger service, and isn't a freight only route.)
    unnamed.jpg fde516cf214ca4bc1ba7a3c39bf7a984.jpg 15819410667544940300323532.jpg
     
    • Like Like x 2
  30. Dinosbacsi

    Dinosbacsi Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2017
    Messages:
    3,312
    Likes Received:
    8,665
    That would be pretty cool, to be honest. I'm not really into steamers, but an art-deco style Pullmann set or something would definitely fire my interest.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  31. OldVern

    OldVern Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2020
    Messages:
    11,925
    Likes Received:
    23,951
    A dissertation on the many and varied types of pre-Nationalisation (1948) coaching stock types on the UK railway would take too long. I suspect, if whatever route we get is post 1951, we will get Mark Ones skinned into an appropriate livery hopefully with a few new types such as catering cars to flesh out the existing range.
     
    • Like Like x 1
  32. Clumsy Pacer

    Clumsy Pacer Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 10, 2016
    Messages:
    2,956
    Likes Received:
    3,934
    What types come with WSR? Is it just TSOs and BSOs? (I know we also have the BG from NTP).
     
  33. OldVern

    OldVern Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2020
    Messages:
    11,925
    Likes Received:
    23,951
    Certainly TSO and BSO, come to think of it I don't recall there being any first class vehicles so at a minimum we would need a FO or FK, possibly a BFK and BCK as well.
     
  34. theorganist

    theorganist Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2018
    Messages:
    5,565
    Likes Received:
    11,446
    That is my fear. When the Falmouth branch was released for TS1 it came with a Pannier, Hall, some wagons and some chocolate and cream mark 1's! Hardly representative of branch line coaching stock in the steam era!
     
    Last edited: Nov 23, 2021
    • Like Like x 2
  35. nwp1

    nwp1 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2019
    Messages:
    2,061
    Likes Received:
    1,792
    I think it will be the big summer release with three locomotives and three routes. The sprit of steam, next August gives DTG time to plan something exciting.
     
  36. Clumsy Pacer

    Clumsy Pacer Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 10, 2016
    Messages:
    2,956
    Likes Received:
    3,934
    Perhaps, but no way are they gonna sit on a DLC for 2-3 months, unless it's gonna remain in planning for another few months.
    upload_2021-11-23_19-19-20.png
     
  37. Clumsy Pacer

    Clumsy Pacer Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 10, 2016
    Messages:
    2,956
    Likes Received:
    3,934
    For clarity, here's a picture taken at Sunderland in 1953.
    [​IMG]
    There are at least 3 very different designs of coach in that one train.

    Picture by Ben Brooksbank, CC BY-SA 2.0
     
    • Like Like x 2
  38. chieflongshin

    chieflongshin Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2019
    Messages:
    4,369
    Likes Received:
    7,214
    I have a feeling come summer time we could see a loco pack of steam, one for us, we have two new American routes that had steam, I think they’ll be a new uk route set modern times that steam can sit on and then a German loco too
     
  39. Mich

    Mich Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2020
    Messages:
    1,036
    Likes Received:
    1,342
    Sherman Hill as is in TSW2 ain't in a state where steam locos would make sense for it, there's no infrastructure to support them, and I doubt Horseshoe Curve is gonna be any better on that front.
     
  40. rat7_mobile

    rat7_mobile Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 1, 2020
    Messages:
    756
    Likes Received:
    265
    how about the best known steam trainset, the hogwart express
     
    • Like Like x 1
  41. Clumsy Pacer

    Clumsy Pacer Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 10, 2016
    Messages:
    2,956
    Likes Received:
    3,934
    I think the person who does the licensing just died of fright.
     
    • Like Like x 5
  42. OldVern

    OldVern Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2020
    Messages:
    11,925
    Likes Received:
    23,951
    This, basically! Probably second only to Thomas (or anything Disney) when it comes to that sort of thing. Though I do believe there is a Hogwarts themed Hornby train set.

    More chance of BNSF saying, "Aw go on then", than any of the above...
     
  43. Tanglebones

    Tanglebones Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 21, 2020
    Messages:
    291
    Likes Received:
    636
    It would be awesome, would it not? You just know Matt would love to have the art team creating Platform 9 3/4. I wonder what the mastery would be? lol
     
  44. driverwoods#1787

    driverwoods#1787 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2021
    Messages:
    9,086
    Likes Received:
    5,606
    You mean ECML South London Kings Cross with GWR Olton Hall class locomotive.
     
  45. rat7_mobile

    rat7_mobile Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 1, 2020
    Messages:
    756
    Likes Received:
    265
    That would be the only steam trainset worth making, everything else does not make sense in a computer game. Nothing is really appealing to have in a game, in real to see one work for a few minutes and then the interest is literally gone, and the only real interest in real life is smell of the burning wood to make the steam

    PS do not forget that to get a steam locomotive working, take nearly a day to get it warm enough to make steam
     
  46. JealousSheep768

    JealousSheep768 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2021
    Messages:
    371
    Likes Received:
    533
    We could streamline the transport arrangements so the Yorkshire pupils didn't have to go to London to get a train to Scotland
     
    • Like Like x 2
  47. matinakbary

    matinakbary Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2020
    Messages:
    1,701
    Likes Received:
    4,370
    Oh believe me, the very first thing I'll do is a ("fictional") Hogwarts Express livery for the loco and coaches!!
     
    • Like Like x 1
  48. gogglesguy

    gogglesguy Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2020
    Messages:
    268
    Likes Received:
    578
    I thought Thomas was the best known steam set.
     
  49. eighty.aitch

    eighty.aitch Member

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2020
    Messages:
    18
    Likes Received:
    33
    There's some very bizarre ideas here (Hogwarts/Polar Express? Thomas? Has DTG ever done a licence like that?), and the thought it'll be out for Christmas is laughable. I would of thought at the earliest we're talking Q2 of next year.
    I would think the first route will be British since the licence can be obtained from the Department of Transport and be based on history and not fictitious.
     
  50. JealousSheep768

    JealousSheep768 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2021
    Messages:
    371
    Likes Received:
    533
    The Merioneth and Llantisilly Railway Traction Company Limited is my vote
     

Share This Page