As some of you know that I need this DLC but I see only bad reviews. Is that DLC really so bad as the reviews showing?
DTM has haters. That is all I will say. Yes, some DTM DLC has problems out of the box or isn’t of high quality, but even after a DLC is fixed, the reviews remain. You will have to try for yourself and just uninstall and request a refund if you wind up disliking it. Minor note: my suggestion for a Clinchfield SD45-2 (a name now owned by CSX) led to this - and I can prove that. So you’re welcome / my apologies depending on where you wind up. No manual credit, though.
DTM doesn't exactly have a track record of releasing quality products. Many developers of TS have set a high bar for standards of payware. DTM consistently falls under that bar whether releasing products under their name or with the High Iron Simulation moniker. It does feel like the low-quality content coming out for North America is tolerated to a much higher degree than products of a European variety.
It is not that bad - technically. But the textures are just terrible and make them look like shiny plastic toy models. Seeing their recent F3 pack they seem to have gotten hold of a professional texture artist again.
I think a better word would be critics. There are some very valid criticisms that people have voiced on his products. Depends on what your standards are. I personally am someone who takes the realism part of things more seriously and even to push the bar of what's possible, so I like having high quality sounds, textures, and modelling to the correct railroad spec/phase of unit. Unfortunately the SD45-2 fails in all these categories, though luckily not it's not as spectacular as the infamous Penn Central Retro Pack. However, if you do want an SD45-2 to drive and don't really care too much about the quality of the model, then fell free. I would recommend getting it with a steep discount if that's possible. Here's a great review that goes more in-depth into the pack and showcases just about everything.
Just to add, I don't expect every NA developer to have Searchlight Simulations level of detail and realism. What I do expect is dlc that isn't reskins of models that are 10 years old tacked with sounds equally as old.
Usually DTM offers a lot of functionality, most in cab switches work, doors and windows will open, brake scripts are good - it's just they look out of place. And generally speaking if a sound is old but correct there's no problem with that. The original EMD 645 engine has not received a sound upgrade in RL afaik
I know he has critics. But every time he releases something, I always see comments from haters as well.
I mostly enjoy his models, I think the Americans are a bit more tolerant as nobody else is making assorted diesel locomotives at present, from a 3rd party perspective, I think if he was criticised too much he might stop creating stuff for the game and walk away, and there is nobody else left available to pick up the baton. We obviously need developers of American content, so, folks are just accepting what he releases by and large, I think some peeps are a bit too harsh, it's how the world is on Steam reviews, you can take loads of them with a pinch of salt. Cheerz. Steve.
Agreed - while visual quality is sometimes superb, sometimes subpar - DTM provided us with a great amount of US locos that would have probably never seen TS' light of day otherwise. So thumbs up for that! Of course there were things that can put people off easily - for some engines for example they just copied the coupler blueprints without adjusting the GeoPcDx path and subsequently the texture path in the file, which lead to missing coupler textures unless you had the original engine and therefore its coupler model. And criticism must be allowed for commercial products. Highlights for me are the UP-GTEL 8500 "Big Blow" and the NS Big 7s.
I had a look at the video linked above (I don't have the DLC). While I agree the texturing and weathering isn't the best, it's not dreadful either, and the criticisms of the 3D modelling were in my view overstated. The only thing I saw that would deter me from buying was the cab engine sound disappearing in certain notch setting. That would break immersion for me.
If you think the EMD 645 sounds "correct" in DTM's products then give yourself a treat and listen to the JR/SS SD40-2. Even the freeware F40PH EP sounds infinitely better than every DTM release with an EMD 645 powerplant. Sounds have come a long way since 2012 in TS.
I was speaking in general, but have not experienced this engine in real life. So you're probably right
