Let's Talk About The Tsw2 User Interface Again, Part 4: The Journey Selection Screen

In previous parts I discussed starting the game, the route selection screen and the main screen. In this part we continue and delve a bit deeper into the Journey selection screen.

You can play journeys in two different ways. The first way is just play the next service in the order it is presented. By default, there is a setting auto-journey mode which makes the next service to be started as soon as you have selected a route. This is not the most brilliant idea, to put it mildly. It causes lot of confusion for new players. So my first recommendation is to turn this feature by default off, or ask explicitly in the game introduction about this.

The big disadvantage of playing just the next service that is offered, you have no idea what you are going to do, how long it will take, which loco you will drive and how hard it is. There should be improvements here into my opinion.

Also, the idea of journeys is to give you a kind of day in the life experience with a variety of activities. Sometimes this works nice, but sometimes the order is weird. For example, the journey chapters are ordered by loco type. I have also seen that immediately after the loco introduction you may most challenging and exciting scenario. Not brilliant either, or for example the DB363 journey, you play a number of services with the BR363 but the services in the same pack where mainline trains bring the wagons to the yard is not in the schedule. The brand new G6 journey has a simple starter chapter, but this breaks the natural order of activities. Arosa Linie has the same issue, by grouping shunting services in a separate chapter.

I like the idea of journey mode, but it is apparently very hard to design it in a way that really works well. I think in general, all dev teams fail in making a good scheme. I cannot resist, I I can help here, I would like to do so, It is free....

Now let's have a look at the screen:


What you see right away is the complete lack of information in the list, just ttle and whether you already completed it. At the right side, you can select the next journey service, but this is not very clear, I thought for a moment it was intended to show the loco to drive.

Compare this to the timetable screen:

This is much better. It shows the starting time (you can guess if you will drive in the dark), it shows the estimated duration, a route map, your best score and a short description.

It does not show the loco and weather. You do not need it, because you have chosen these two parameters in a previous screen. For a journey this would be a nice addition to show the loco and a short indication of the weather.

I cannot imagine it would be very difficult to add this here. The information is available.

 

A good example here of "why? just why?" The UI seems done by a guy who worked for 1 month on a thing, then 6 months on another project, and then back to the same thing after forgetting everything.

You have the code to show timings, scores, map, etc., just use it on the journey screen...

Whatever... there is no point in giving this feedback. Will be changed (if ever) not before TSW 2022.

 

Considering that Journey Mode is touted as the most accessible way to play the sim and is the mode that the game thrusts you towards in many different ways, with the auto function and its prominent positioning in other menus, the actual final menu screen for Journey Mode has the least useful information on it. The screen lets the mode of play down.

 

Here's something else that's stupid, the need to play services from Journey Mode in order for them to count as completed in Journey Mode. I can kind of understand with services where they have specific weather conditions they want you to complete. But there's not a single reason on Earth why it shouldn't count scenarios and tutorials as separate between both modes, it's that way seemingly just to waste your time.

 

I stoped using the journey mode. I start only in exploring mode, either a scenario or by foot where i can set the weather to the real one. Usually i take over a service to have time a bit.

Its fun to play services according to the real time. So a night drive feels like one. Or a rainy trip when its raining outside. Even to get up at 4:00 to do a mineral service to redcar and back has its own "special" flavour.

Thats what i like on tsw. It allows so many different playing styles of the services in the timetable mode. Im sure there is something for everybody.

 

Well i have to say i dont care about trophies and archievements. Ill try to get gold, but who cares if its silver.

I like the unexpected things. One time i took over a bakerloo train and didnt notice i prepared the train in the wrong direction. Instead of loading new, i changed direction and continued the service with a 3min delay, as it could happen in real too.

This way so many surprises can happen. Spaded a red signal at queens park once, because the tubestock leaving the shed got priority. I wasnt paying attention because i was used to this signal showes green.

Thats what makes tsw a true experience in my opinion. I clearly hope it follows the direction of london to bighton in terms of services and ai layers.

I went a bit off topic, but loading just the jurney mode is too linear gameplay for me.

 

Would that flavour be dedication or madness? Either way, well done sir!

 

Yes, I've complained about that before (to no avail!). Before I twigged this, I had* to do the blooming things twice.

* I know I didn't 'have' to, but the unticked journeys in journey mode irked me too much not to!

 

I stopped playing journey mode as well, as night time runs are mostly unplayable in my opinion (like HRR for example). Also snow + headlights at night is just unbearable.

 

I tend to only play journey mode if I want adverse weather. Agreed though it doesn’t paint a picture. Journey mode could be better if it provided a decent story narrative to make you want to do the next one. If I’m honest I only do another journey mode so it feels like I e completed it. 6 out 34 complete bugs me

 

Well both i guess , i just like to enhance things in my own personal way.

 

Thank you all for your opinions and comments. It looks like most of you are not very happy with the Journey mode. I am not sure if this represents the general opinion, but I keep it to the conclusions that the journeys could be far more interesting if they would really tell you a story.
I will move on in this quest and have a closer look at the time table.

If you play journeys, you are now one click away from real gameplay. It has been a long journey ...

 

Well i have created my own kind of journey. Usually i take over a trsin by foot on real weather condition, which runs around the same time as real.

The interesting part is with no hud and no reloading by doing mistakes.

If my train is running late because any screw up, well hapens.
Spaded a signal on the bakerloo because an other train got priority.

The unexpected, thats what makes my playing style to a journey kinda.