Hi all, I'm doing some work on improving the way you navigate through the game to get to what you want to do. This could be in reducing the number of clicks needed to get to your destination, it could be simply making things more easily discoverable where you'd expect them to be. Here's how you can help! We've already put together a pretty significant list of things a player might want to do in Train Sim World to test out potential changes. I just want to ensure we've not missed anything. If you have anything suggestions please fire them into this thread - there's no need to be specific ("I want to drive the Class 37 on Northern Transpennine") and please check that nobody has already made your suggestion before posting. Some examples we already have: - I want to run a service of at least 45 minutes. I know the route I want to use. - I want to see everything I've downloaded from Creators Club so I can clean up. - I just got a new loco and want to learn how to use it. That kind of thing. NOTE: This is not somewhere to suggest new features the game doesn't already have. This is simply looking to make it easier to get to activities already in the game. Thank you.
-A save button in the tab menu (without notice or confirmation, so that you can take free shots without disturbing windows) (There is already a save function, so it would just be a small button in the tab menu (Pc) that saves it even without ESC->S and confirmation.) Creator Club: - a filter function ("Show only (DLC ownership, route selection, train selection) specified duration of the journey, etc.) - longer journeys (e.g. London commuters, 70% only 5-10 minutes journeys, although over 1 thousand are offered) - Report function ingame (better, faster feedback, see TheBus) Please re-read the original request, these are asking for new features. Your first suggestion is fine, but would be better worded as follows: I want to continue a previous save game. Please focus on what you want to do rather than how you believe it should be done. We'll worry about that bit and hopefully make it as simple and intuitive as possible. - Protagonist
Is there a way of implementing a world map to the home screen, instead of sticking all purchased routes in quite frankly a boring line. I would like to see clickable countries within this map, for example if you want to have a trip on a UK route, for PC player's click on the UK for console players, scroll through and confirm. Once you have done so, a blown up map of said country appears, showing geographically accurate representations of where they are, hovering over the route displays it's length, locos, era and journey times (including depot runs). If you want to choose a separate loco, a couple of options will appear saying scenario planner and logo designer (forgot it's full name). These link in with the pre existing features. This could be useful if you want to drive a specific countries route, not a specific route itself. Thanks for your time.
I know a lot of people would like to have track extension packs meaning if you weren’t satisfied with the stops you already have you can pay a small fee to add extra stops to the route that you enjoy the most and explore more I believe this would be a good idea because you can add so many more DLC‘s and add-on packs
Has dovetail ever thought about move in a small business over in America that way it’s easier to add more Improvements and make routes fair to British routes
I applaud the enthusiasm folks, but once again if you wouldn't mind sticking to the original topic that'd be really helpful.
I’d like to get to Timetable Mode, where the most content in a route is, in as few cursor moves and clicks as possible and automatically be on the selection for the train with the most services in that route, so one more click brings up the timetable for that train.
I want the cursor to snap to the nearest control when playing on console. Or to be more general. I want it to be easier to select controls on console (or PC with joypad) Not sure if this qualifies as it’s not about navigating to what I want to do, but navigating the controls when I’m doing it.
I'd like to choose a random route to play. (Right now, every time you start TSW, the game always highlight the latest route release you own. Would be nice if it would highlight a random route of the list instead.)
Bit confused about this thread. Sam basically wants help with accessibility but don't want to know what we want to help? He doesn't want features and yet the examples he gave are.... features!
That's fair, except the examples I gave are existing features. This isn't the place to request something the game doesn't already have. I'd aimed to avoid buzzwords in the description, so let's put them back in... I'm working on user flow through the front end of the game. I want to make sure I haven't missed any obvious user stories in testing out potential new directions. You can help by describing activities you often make a B-line for in the game so that I can ensure that any changes made don't make this more complicated to do.
Oh this could be interesting! I admire your intention behind this idea and hope I can contribute a little. I am planning to do one or two timetable runs on routes I spontaneously decide which. Although it is highly likely that I am using a route or loco where some achievements are missing and I hope to get closer to reaching them. I am planning to spend 60-90 minutes in total for it today and hope I really have that much time available for it. Is this a kind of answer you did hope for?
I want to be able to continue last my save from the main screen without having to select a route first. (Of course it would be nice if the save feature worked properly, but I guess that's not an existing feature )
I want to boot up the game for a short while, I’ll probably have about an hour of time. Perhaps a switching service would be a good pick. Although, maybe that’ll take too long. Maybe a 30 minute passenger train that ensure I have plenty of time to finish. But I’d prefer to do switching.
Sheer laziness is making me ask if the last route played could be the highlighted one when restarting the game. And in general, last-in-first-up sorting would be nice. Would asking for the ability to select a loco first and then a route be off topic? It would certainly save searching time if one can't remember which specific routes a loco is layered into. Also, little thing, but could the game intro music blast could be played at the set game volume instead of at max to reduce the ouch factor?
Probably on the "we already have" sector, but I want to run a 45m/1h service on DRA or DCZ, using the DRA/DCZ BR143 (not the RSN one obviously), the VVO Cab Car (only the DRA/DCZ one) or the BR612 (I think of doing an IRE instead of a RE3, so not double formation), maybe the Talent. Probably as early in the day as possible to still have sunlight, avoiding services already completed. Thinking about playing in March with decent cloud coverage, maybe some rain. I want to have my layers active so I will launch a random service before choosing exactly what to do. Then going to have some fun without HUD and with all safety systems (thanks to the Buchfahrplans available for both routes). Sorry if that wasn't the answer you wanted.
That's the stuff! Fortunately, many of these had already been considered, but keep them coming. It's all helpful.
Random Journey - I generally play in journey mode - would like to be able to randomly jump to the next journey in an (unfinished) journey mode, rather than me having to think about what route I really want to play.
I'd like to see a reviews and recommendations section on the in game store. Let me elaborate... In the DLC store in game (I'm on PS4 for reference) I would love to see a section where the game recognises what routes you already own, or how many levels/hours you have, eg: SKA, Dresden - Riesa, RRO, or, 10 hours on the DB BR 185. With this information the game provides a list of 'we think you may like...' and show a DLC like Munich, Dresden Chemnitz or DB BR 187. Furthermore, I would love to see a rating on each DLC, like how many players give thumbs up, thumbs down or even a paraphrasing a review (something of the likes of "big timetable" "beautiful scenery" "good length" etc etc). I am always on the fence of buying new routes and locos, so having an insight from the community in game would be a big perk for me, nevertheless I can't speak for everyone. I hope this is still relevant here, i did find the question a little confusing...
The pause screen in last summer's UX update featured some flow regressions I'd like to see fixed. Specifically, the need to click 'Options' to get the menu, and the fact that 'Save' was moved away from that menu to the bottom right. Making that menu a permanent feature (like it was - even if it was all moved to the bottom like the buttons in the bottom right) would be a much better experience (less clicks). Also, personal preference, remove 'Exit' option - I almost always click on that instead of 'Main Menu' - thank goodness there's a confirm popup. I'm going to agree to one of the suggestions above that Livery Designer and Scenario Planner should be route independent and accessible from the home screen and not each route. Adding to that Scenarios should also be visible under 'Scenarios' for the route its based on with a separate icon to distinguish them from DTG core scenarios rather than buried in the Scenario Planner. It's too easy to accidentally click on a scenario to edit it and end up launching it - it's also not as intuitive as I'd expect scenarios, even custom made ones, to be under Scenarios
The one major frustrating aspect of scenario planner is the tedious way of selecting the time. If I want, say to start at 10pm, scrolling from 12pm takes too long. I suggest being able to move each number independently just to make selecting night times quicker thus reducing the number of clicks and making things quicker. Example: Current: 12:00 -> 12:05 -> 12:10 etc. Suggestion (vertically changing each individual number): ^ 12:00 13:00 14:00 V
I’d like the ability to run the Nora Turn timetable services on Clinchfield during daylight hours. The Clinchfield services are my favorite across the entire game, however this one being in the dark is not much fun as you can’t see anything at the same time I think it is one of the most challenging and interesting. Even bright moonlight on a clear night would work.
How about Riesa Dresden enabling RE1 RE2 RE6 services on Hauptstrecke Rhein-Ruhr followed by RE1 and Freight on SKA unless that was done part of New Journey DLC
OK, new request. I'd like to see a list of what collectibles I've already got for each route, not just the total number. The list could be just Map #1, Map #2 etc. or you could go to the trouble of naming each (but hide this until I've found a particular one). It would be similar to how the Power Moon lists works in Mario Odyssey. The problem with the current system is I find say 75% of the collectables for a route, then need to use guide to find the rest. Because I don't know which ones I'm missing I need to visit each location again so I may as well use the guide from the beginning, which defeats the whole point. The list should be availible from the pause screen and the Route stats section.
I don't know if this one counts, but the livery selection screen could really show the actual liveries on the button image. I mean what is the point of the small image if it always shows the default loco livery for every custom livery? Especially with the introduction of Creators Club, where people often don't name their liveries in an obvious way, it's annoying to click through all the liveries to find the one you're looking for. If the small thumbnail actually displayed the liveries, that would be great!
As a few people have said, I'd like Creators Club Scenarios in their own section rather than in the scenario planner menu. To me 'scenario planner' means an application I'm using to build or edit a scenario, and not play a scenario. In this section I'd want to see info given by the scenario author (the same as you see on the CC webpage. At the moment there is no detailed description shown, and the ingame scenario title does not have to match the name shown in the CC catalogue. Once I get loads of CC scenarios It'd be impossible to find a specific scenario in the game. The weather settings should also show in this CC scenario section. Currently you have to go to timetable mode to change the weather, then, press 3 times to back up into the planner menu to launch a downloaded scenario.
If we’re talking front end (forgive me if I’ve gone down the wrong rabbit hole and diluted thread). Multiple trains the same - a clear indicator as to what is the newest modelled by DTG variant (not trying to remember a route or livery) One I think which has been on you radar Sam, choose train first and then choose the route as opposed to choose the route and hunt the train, alternatively functionality to do either way. That bleeding gloomy station, if in remit, something I can see the train or circle round it like Forza etc. Perhaps starting the UI with “drive, ride, walk, train” option first leading into route or train selection rather than opening route and having to do it, seems back to front I like the world map idea, there’s a thread hidden where all the routes overlay onto google maps, that would be pretty stand out as a route collection screen. That line is awful. Possibly out of scope but a history of operators or history of train area (museum type thing) Better route summaries, for example the German routes, something that tells you what’s on the route as you choose it (log shunting, grain cars etc). Training academy, learn a train, learn the signalling, earn your license here or the Gran Turismo license tests to become a driver, help the new players through the door. Basic, stop start stuff, intermediate -signals etc, advanced - brake modes, safety’s. I think I’m done for now until I eat.
It would be nice to have a quick access button from the main menu to continue with the journey you were last playing on, rather than having to go select the route again and then continue the journey. Great idea you are working on to improve the efficiency of getting to playing the game.
I would like to be able to resume my saved game from the first available menu screen, without having to trawl through the randomly ordered horizontal scrolling route list.
I'd like to drive a service with lots of yellows and red. I'd like to drive an service rated "easy". I'd like to drive a service rated "hard". I'd like to drive something I've not driven for a while. I'd like to drive one of my favourite services/scenarios again - admittedly this doesnt really belong here because the ability to mark a run as a favourite isnt available and would be a new feature.
I’d like to play a timetable service in the Class 377 on London Commuter at around 9pm. Why that is hard at the moment - the list of services for the 377 is so long that on console it takes actual minutes to scroll down to the evening services and that makes it impractical to do so. As each service is scrolled through, the service details appear on the right of the screen, and going through them all quickly (as quickly as the console allows) means a sort of flickering of text and image effect is created. I’d like to go straight to the time of day I’d like to see services for, to avoid these issues.
That does not bring up all the services that I could play at 9pm for me to select from and is not a helpful suggestion. I know I can spawn on foot but that is not what I want to do. I want to select a service from the timetable at around 9pm and see all the services that are available to drive from all starting points at around that time. Also… This thread is for Sam to collect info to maybe improve the UI experience and not for other community members to suggest workarounds that are not remotely close to what players want to achieve.
I would like to drive a service that requires a lot of attention and can be completed with no HUD. That's about what I can come up with right now.
I know there are issues with the Save function as it is anyway and this may not be the place to put it (I apologise if it's not) but the ability to save more than one game and then on the route select screen there is a shortcut to what saved games are available on that route.
I want to be able to drive a service under 60/45/30/15 minutes length- when time isn’t on my side. I’ve chosen the route I want already.
When I first got German routes I didn't know which train was freight and which passenger (I do now). So I often had to do a bit of trial and error until I got the right kind of service. What could reduce this is when you go into timetable chose the other way round. Ie it lists every service, the description you already get is good. Then when you click on a service you get to choose a train. However saying that, having to choose the train first really helped me learn what train does what.
I want an easy way to see/do the whole schedule for one passenger train on the route for that day without all the waiting between its services. (or attempting to write down when it is next in service from the pis to then find you can't find that time in the timetable because it starts a few minutes earlier or it turns into an ai train)
Timetable list to be more filterable (sort by start location, destination, and length of time to do the service) Or even incorporating my previous posts by type of train or even the specific train which runs those services.
'Your Trains' menu with all owned trains presented. Select one. Press the JustDrive button and... just drive. The game will randomly select the weather settings and one of the unfinished services on the random route where the train is operable.
I want to use a german Yard for my experiments! Ok, i use to make break tests, traction tests / push & pull, towing scenarios and all kind of "unusual" combinations, which are away from the scenarios we have, or not possible in the 24h timetable. So my idea is having the Köln - Achsen Yard "Rothe erde before aachen" accessable for putting stock on those sidings via the scenario planner. It has manual switches and is mostly electrified. So i can put different train consists on it and mess around with all i want to test. Thats the yard: "Schnellfahrtstrecke Köln - Aachen // Rothe Erde Freight Yard", pic from the 24h timetable. The reason i post this here is, i can do my stuff already now, but its extrem time consuming to make the services in scenario planner in the creation i want use them. On top the challenges with the signal blocks. Here an example of a towing experiment of imported class 66 hauled by a br112 --> took me 1 hour to create the consist. In the end all im asking for is a path extension of the yard mentioned above, so it would be possible to put the rolling stock directly, instead of tricking the dispatcher / signals. The benefit in addition, the SKA route is in everybodies collection.
Actually thinking about it and tied up with my separate suggestion, the best QOL for the menu system, is give us back the option of the old style. Far easier than the current abomination which doesn’t even have any order to how the boxes are arranged.
Yes I much prefer the old layout too. Right now on PS5 it would also clearly show on a page what I do (and don't) have installed as part of my 64Gb limit. When you have so much DLC you forget