Standard Route Features - Can We Set A List Up For Dtg

Sat here running through Birmingham Cross Country at the moment in a downpour and realised I could hear no rain. I'm not moaning but it made me think, we've heard about this list of standard features that will be in every route after the "open letter "saga last year.

It got me thinking, we moan about things but how about we create a spreadsheet that DTG can look at to see what we would actually class as a standard feature and what would be important to this.

Now it could be

Route features
Train features
Sound features.


If anyone is more savvy than me in setting up a google spreadsheet or something similar to that effect it might just give DTG more awareness of what the community are looking at. I'd imagine it will go nuts to begin and then fizzle with traffic but at the very least DTG know what to consider when project scoping.

Currently this standard features is an unknown entity to us, so why not make it a known entity from the community to DTG.

Anyone willing to set a spreadsheet up?

 

Thanks Matt. Appreciate you coming in early on this one

 

Route Features

Dresden night lighting
NPC's out of towns to make things less sterile
Dioramas
londonmidland signal illuminations
Moving diggers
Busy timetable
Rusty rails
Released with more than one train to use on route (appreciate this ramps cost massively)

Sound features
Track noise
Cab rattles
Cab ambience

Train features
In the main I'm pretty happy with the trains, only thing here is keep up the MFD and build on it where possible.

I feel like i'm asking for a lot but this is what gets me into full on train driver (not distracted by phone) mode.

 

If there is an internal handle for manual use of the windscreen wiper it needs to be useable. It was on older TSW models but isn’t standard on all now.

All internal cameras need to be fully rotatable in all directions with no limits - currently very handy in Cajon Pass when it is raining as the normally useless internal camera that looks at the inoperable map screen can be rotated to the right to have a clear forwards view, as the standard driver view is set far too high for the clear screen area. Also good on Bakerloo when alternate cameras can be rotated around to get a clearer view of the track. In many trains the cameras have limited rotation and it is very frustrating knowing that a camera could be rotated to get a better view but it has been deliberately stopped from doing so. Also good for reaching controls with the centre dot on consoles from cameras that may not have been placed there for that reason. Play with no limits!

 

Personally for me Matt I gravitate towards red light routes , Bml, dresden, SEHS. If a route is quieter and more sedate I tend to leave for the players that enjoy them. I'm not in the camp of has to be 100% authentic, I do enjoy the easter Egg services we see. What I think really makes some of the current routes is when you feel like you're passing through a living moment ,rather than simply to next station.

Horseshoe is a nice example, in that I've been slogging uphill beside another consist as others approach. Three abreast

 

A feature that I'm pretty sure was missing from Kassel-Würzburg was the Sifa / PZB logic introduced in Risa Dresden. Not played it in a while due to lack of Add-ons Manager so unsure if it's been added yet, but if not it would be great to see it implemented in all recent / future German routes.

 

Oh I think I know what they're referring to here! In Dresden-Riesa, a feature was added to the trains on that route that separated PZB and Sifa acknowledgements depending on context. It was quite helpful for those who play with a controller, as on routes before Dresden, the PZB Acknowledge man would say something every time the driver simply acknowledged Sifa.

I know that the ICE 1 lacked this feature on Kassel-Wurzburg, so the PZB man starts speaking whenever the player acknowledges Sifa, which was a thing that Dresden-Riesa should've fixed. I can't remember what other trains reverted back to the combined Sifa/PZB acknowledge.

 

At least one freight loco in addition to the peasant wagon of choice (if both run on the route in real life). In one stream you said diversity within a route would be the way forward but we are still waiting.

 

Proper stopping points for freight; preferably including the red to green field, and not too close to the red lights. KWG comes to mind as an absolute nightmare with regards to stopping points for freight, especially if you factor in LZB which you often have to turn off to reach the stopping point.

B/Circle discriminating between PZB and Sifa. Again in KWG, the ICE3 does do this while the ICE1 does not.

 

The agony of trial and error your first few times running Clinchfield, with some services that have 4 yards between the acceptable stopping point and the red light, before you learn to always make a save a mile out, and go through half a dozen reloads as you attempt to stop the train on a dime.

 

Can we make cab interior switches with only two options always be a single-click toggle instead of a slider when using a controller. An example of this is that the insertion of the master key in some cabs has a slider and others has a single click toggle. Single click is better as it is either in or out but can we at least have it the same way every time?

 

How about making the engine room accessible on the DB Baureihe 101 185.2 MRCE Baureihe 185.5 & Railpool 185.6 because in real life you actually turn on the battery switch from them. Britain Class 47 since engine room has the battery switch.

 

• PIS databases should always include off-map destinations if prototypical
• Services should include a minimum 120 seconds setup time
• Ditto Princess Entrapta: stop markers esp for freight placed a reasonable distance back of the signal. Also, no "on-or-over" stop markers ever (should all be of the "within x meters" type)

 

Accessible/modeled engine rooms are not gonna happen.

 

Hm. I don't see anything so far about a timetable that reflects the real life frequency of trains.

That way we can avoid thing like the notorious 5 hour gap in NJT services.

Also, how about: A route pack should contain at least 2 drivable trains.

And: If a route has PIS, it should be native to the country in which it is set.

 

I'm sure I'm not the first person to suggest this, but maybe it should be a toggle in settings whether safety systems should be on by default or not. Cause in the case that someone has that option on but doesn't want it on for a particular route/train, they could just disable it as we all do now to enable it. I just think it'd be much nicer for us people who like to play with safety systems on for all regions 99% of the time.

 

Just want to point out since DTG wont, its not really a 5 hour gap in NJT services midday. Its just that during the midday hours, the cab car leads the consists in both directions, running around the loop at Sunnyside before heading back to Trenton. Now, in reality, I think its a bit more randomized whether the cab car or ALP-46 leads but that's how this particular timetable was set up.

 

Ok then but for some trains, you need to enter them and access Pantographs Battery and Train protection switches these are ACS-64 182 & 187

 

DTG have been faking this for some time, for example the Engine Start button in the cabs of US diesels (not really there)

 

Ok then and for the actual engines where will you start an AC4400CW SD70ACE ES44C4 Tier 4 Credit the newest diesel locomotives in the game 3250-3299 built-in 2020

 

I'm thinking not raining in tunnels or undercover
platforms too
Passengers not being in depot moves

I'm just trying to think of things fed back on live streams or previous releases

 

re safety systems, off the top of my head: ensuring that the acknowledge button on keyboard is single press, especially for PZB (*screams in talent2*)

Similarly, lever controls on the keyboard should try to be standardized in terms of how much the lever moves when holding the key. There's some trains where the lever moves pretty easily, and others (like the M7) that move much more slowly. Some get caught at certain snap points (like in/out of neutral, and others don't or not nearly as badly)

Other than that, new features added in previous releases (wheel blur, passenger counts/behaviors, smoke texture from steam locos for diesels, etc.) should *always* be present in new routes. Really just general consistency between the DLC. If you're gonna make one loco have all the buttons pressable (even if they don't actually do anything), then all trains should follow this.

 

When raining, rain appears on the screen.....What happened to the RHTT class 66, especially when you where selling dynamic weather feature at the same time.
for me I'd like to see the GSMR radio as a standard on trains

 

For example: this is on the new Acela


No Acela service terminates at Providence! That screen should read either "New York" or "Washington." (Note that the older Northeast Regional service, on the left track, correctly reads Washington DC). To be really accurate, the intermediate stops should be listed as well (New Haven, New York, Philadelphia, Wilmington, Baltimore)

 

Just to focus on a couple of areas:

PIS
- Must be present unless the route is 100% freight only
- Country-appropriate screens
- Era-appropriate screens (thinking of vintage UK content - the BR Blue PIS is good although a little buggy, disappointed to see no PIS implemented on SoS)
- Off-map destinations should always be included where applicable (including off-map intermediate stations)


Timetable
- Based on real WTT
- Busiest authentic timetable possible*
- AI timings should never be used - real timings should be input for each station stop
- As many currently existing locomotives as possible should be included to fill out the timetable as necessary**
- Adding 'bonus' services on top of the WTT to add something a bit different is appreciated - rail tours, RHTT, stock movements - but the full WTT should take priority

80 services a day is fine if that's reality for me - the aim should be to fill out 100% of the real-life WTT, whether that is 30 services or 3000.

*Timetables should always be based on the real Working Timetable, including layovers where necessary. Long layovers (>10min-ish) could be included by breaking up services into separate parts.

**Hence why many of us are asking for the Class 101 and 45 in BR Green to fill out the Peak Forest timetable accurately (particularly the 101 for the Buxton shuttle). I think we all understand that we're only ever likely to get a maximum of two new locomotives per route so no one is expecting the whole of Rowsley shed to be filled out with G2s, 9Fs, 4MTs etc. but if locomotives already exist in the game and need minor modification / relivery then it seems a bit churlish not to include them.

Services should only be excluded where there is no new or existing locomotive to run them that would be at all appropriate. For instance, it's ok to have the Class 378 London Overground services missing from the aboveground section of Bakerloo as we don't have anything close enough (yet).

Having said that, using the Southern 377/4 is absolutely fine on BML services to Epsom Downs, Caterham, Milton Keynes etc. where they might be a different subclass in reality. The same goes for Peak Forest - I'd happily see a 101 DMU on the Buxton shuttle even though they were more prototypically a 104, but I definitely wouldn't want to see a 4F or Jubilee.

I'd be interested to hear other's opinions on what I've written as it's something I've spent quite a lot of time thinking about over the last few route releases/previews - I honestly think timetable mode is brilliant and can make or break a route more than almost any other factor.

 

Unless it's a route that only has 1 train running on it in real life

 

Indeed... People keep mentioning the Mallaig line which would be great scenically but, regardless of era, you are looking at 4 trains a day in each direction, plus seasonal extras such as the Jacobite steam train and the odd railtour plus a bit of freight in the Fort William area as it goes "off scene" towards Crianlarich.

 

Would there be more traffic if it were set in a different era? Presumably folk are mostly interested in the Mallaig line for the scenery which leaves era and timetable a bit more open.

 

Personally I want it to be authentic.

For example the S & C with an half hourly passenger service would feel very unrealistic.

Of course you will have as many opinions as those giving their opinions.

WCL shows what can happen when you discard authenticity due to pressures from forum members.

 

Authentic

 

But isn't that the charm of the Mallaig line and similar routes? Obviously you aren't going to sit on Fort William station trainspotting but there are other routes for that.

 

It would never have been busy, in fact I would wager it probably has more services now then ever.

 

This! ^^^^ The amount of my life I have wasted having to find buttons to switch on that would be switched on already in real life must run into days.

 

Totally understand why that makes sense for new players, but may I suggest a couple of toggles in Settings for advanced players?

Vigilance system on by default [No/Yes]
Safety systems on by default [No/Yes]

They could also be combined into one toggle. However, personally I hate annoying alerters like Sifa, but wouldn’t drive without safety systems on.

 

Completely agree with this. I don't like seeing inappropriate stock on routes although I agree I would be happy with a class 101 on the new steam route as they were in the area, I am sure Derby had some or Stoke, but would prefer something actually allocated to Buxton depot. But if the only DMU in the game was a class 117 I would say no way!

Surely the aim of a simulator is to simulate not make up a fantasy world! I suppose you do have scenario planner for that.

I am not worried about one train routes personally. Two of my most played TSW routes are BCC and CCL, they have one train but a realistic timetable and you get complete routes which you can work a complete drivers shift on.

For me standard features should obviously include the new lighting and weather effects of TSW.
PIS and TMS screens where appropriate
Implemented track joint sounds and run sounds
Non AI timings
A realistic timetable with train reporting numbers etc
Space for future DLC in the timetable where appropriate
As many landmark buildings on a route as possible and preferably local specific styles not the same generic buildings
Logical start and end points, well at least at one end. Somewhere where you can actually feel you are making a journey from. For example leaving Derby, a large industrialised city and heading into beautiful countryside, not starting at a fairly insignificant station almost in the middle of nowhere.
If possible have at least some service which are self contained in the route so you can stay with the same unit. Obviously unless we get very long routes this won't work for expresses. Why do the S-bahn services on HMA not go to their end point in Munich?

 

Also, I know there was an explanation/confirmation posted somewhere about how the Amtrak stock on NYT has no circular wheel blur, but circular wheel motion blur is a must for me. Either that or have some sort of motion blur exclusion for the wheels. Cause I mean this in the nicest way possible, but there is nothing I hate more in the entirety of TSW than the awful wheel motion blur. And if possible, I think this should be a key one to get back ported to old content too.

 

Every route should get a player immersed. What makes a player immersed? comprehensive controls, smooth graphics, coherent scenery, engaging gameplay. Audio should reflect the experience on screen without any distortions and preferably in Dolby Atmos.

Feel free to add on what immersion means for you in TSW.

 

I think the thread has drifted a bit from what the OP intended. It isn't supposed to be a general wishlist; rather; it's supposed to be a list of features which already exist in TSW, which need to be included in every new release.

 

I must admit, I got carried away once I started typing!

 

How do you feel regarding comments on the timetable DTG Matt ? Would be interesting to get your feedback on those.

 

I certainly prefer the authentic approach to timetables. But obviously opinions on this would vary. For example if you guys ever made the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner, a route where I grew up and have spent tons of hours rail fanning. North of LA there are only 10 Surfliner services per day. I would prefer that over say doubling it to have more services because it would break the immersion of the authenticity of the route I grew up with and love. I would have no problem replaying those services in different times of the year or weather because I grew up doing that and watching the same 10 trains day after day! If you add in UP, Metrolink, and the Coast Starlight the timetable gets much busier obviously while staying authentic. However this is getting into the weeds about my initial point. If you guys ever do make any Southern California routes, Matt, please please please reach out I have so much reference material and knowledge I would love to share.

 

A big one here is the banking comm, which is nonfunctional in Clinchfield alone but certainly needed there.