Midland Mainline - Skyhook Feedback

thank you and will do!

 

You will appreciate that I will not discuss a commercial partner. I can say though Alex is that the publishing team at DTG have been really good in pushing really hard for a slot for us for the hotfix. It is just the crazy admin of sorting with Steam. Getting a steam slot is like waiting for a slot at Heathrow. Asking for an extra new slot over what has been pre-arranged is tough. This hasn't been a financial thing more of a slot haggle thing (financially at Skyhook, the quicker we get this out to you all and we move on to the next full patch the better as we want to keep supporting the issues that are spotted for obvious reasons).

 

I knew you had to book release slots for new releases, but wasn't aware Steam made you jump through hoops nowadays for patches. Surely it's in everyones interest, including Valve's to get fixes out on the pipeline asap. Fixes mean more sales, and more $$$ for Valve too.

 

So if it's not released today, which I guess is slim, when are the next patch days? I have Tuesdays and Thursdays in my head?

 

could be any time now, being a special release, it can go out on any day.

 

I think its more a matter of a bazillion requests for releases, updates and so on.

 

Based on your comment history you’re on this forum to offer nothing more than tedious antagonism.

 

DTG also release patches on the same day and date across all platforms (though timings vary) so whatever booking system Steam use has to tally up with the equivalent (assuming they exist) on PS, Xbox and Epic

 

yep this is what I meant by organising with multiple stakeholders plus Steam. It is complex!

 

It seems to me, from what Jane is telling us about the release of hot fixes, is that DTG really has no idea of when it will get a slot on Steam and the other platforms. They come back to DTG and say "OK, we have a slot on x for you to use", and that is the first DTG knows of a date. Her explanation also clears up, to me, why we get releases that have bugs in them. The release date is booked far in advance and if DTG cancels the release they may have to wait some time for the next available slot.

 

Sounds like it, I am certain it isn't some conspiracy by DTG in any case, they have nothing to gain from delaying the patch.

 

Fingers crossed the hotfix is out by Monday evening. If it is then I'll buy the DLC to play on holiday otherwise it'll have to wait until I'm back in the land of decent wifi. Really impressed with how it's looking especially Pipe's screenshots from earlier. Plus I really want to see the HSTs layering onto SEH even though they are only AI.

 

Hi,

First of all I apologise in advance if I’m repeating existing feedback! It is a long thread after all.

1. On the HST the DRA and DSD switches appear to be inverted. I.e. when the UI shows the switch as “isolated” it is in fact “normal” and vice-versa.

2. On the Xbox One X it doesn’t seem possible to cancel the DSD warning (on the HST) with the X button as you would with all the other types of train in the game. Instead you have to manually press the foot pedal. Not a big deal but it is annoying enough that I play with DSD off on the HST.

Also I want to add how much I’m enjoying the route!

 

Yeah great ain't it I actually put something in the forum and low and behold I actually get someone to talk to me so I am not an invisible person.

 

Yes I do like a rant because that's how I get noticed but all ask is some advice on these routes on the dtg game and which would be a great route to purchase. But I have now decided to stick with advice that I was given Earlier on that don't bother buying dtg games as you will not get any help if you are stuck with a problem.

 

[EDIT - Jan - Quarrelsome]

 

This kind of behind-the-scenes reality check is incredibly valuable. Thanks much for the explanation.

One follow-up. When a game publisher releases patches that apply to every system rather than a specific one, how do they sync it up with everyone so all versions release at the same time?

 

[EDIT - Jan - Quarrelsome]

 

It's not too difficult with a long lead time (eg more than a month), but doing it at short notice is very difficult indeed - and in order to be fair to players on all platforms, all versions would usually be held until the last version can go live. The console platforms are harder to arrange for this; Steam relatively easy, especially for patches/hotfixes, but any time something is multiplatform it adds layers of complexity.

 

Phil is absolutely correct on this.

 

It is a lot of telephoning to people to say can you do this or this date and trying to get everyone from each platform and team to agree (especially with console certification being very complex). It is a full time job of a scheduler to get everyone on the same page with a release slot. Lots of different stakeholders and platform managers to get to agree on things.

 

I gather this is why a handful of games out there will release an update for PC and consoles don't get the same update until a while later, those companies for whatever reason decide to not wait around for those release windows. It makes me glad that isn't the case here, even if it does mean somewhat longer waits, no one gets left out.

 

DTG JD

Can you provide us with an ETA and date for this patch release please. It seems no DTG representatives want to engage with the community about this..

 

My guess is that SHG don't even know the answer to that one, as once it goes to publishing it is effectively out of their hands and becomes DTG's sole responsibility.

 

I actually don't have an official date Alex, although the plan was/is to release this week, which is all I know so far from the publishing teams. It is imminent and I will likely hear any time and will pass straight to you guys. I lead dev so have no involvement once a patch leaves us, except a courtesy notice that it is going live. Once I have that I will gladly share. Last conversation I had was aiming for this week with all the stakeholders. So if it misses tomorrow it will likely be rapidly thereafter.

 

JD is entirely right, once a patch leaves our dev team to the publishing people at DTG there are further checks and admin to be completed. This is actually really beneficial to all of us including you guys, so is really important (thanks for dropping in JD appreciated!)

 

is Glossop next week? You are all going to love it seriously. I have so much fun with it, especially with the 158

 

The stream today peaked my interest in it.

 

Appreciate the clarity JD

 

Gotta be honest and speaking only for myself. I'm disappointed with that delay. It's not like the updates or patch has come out of nowhere. I'll probably wait until the MML patch is sent out before I purchase Glossop or the 700. That's my priority.

 

Shame that the borked SEHS update is holding up the MML update, but fairly par for the course around here. And, of course, new revenue streams must take priority.....

DTG develop some great products, but as a publisher they make mistake after mistake after mistake.

I was hoping that the Focus acquisition would help in this regard, and tbf it's early days, but it seems to be getting worse on the publishing front rather than better.

 

Let's just make sure any frustration for the delay doesn't go to Jane or the Skyhook team who have worked hard and been upfront since the route was released. They have all worked hard and I guess they are just as frustrated as us.

 

100% agree- Skyhook has been transformed IMO. Really hope their new ethos spreads!

 

On the Glossop line how far can you take the 158 on there and how many services

 

So basically you have to brute force it. Yikes. That seems like a stressful job.

 

From what I saw on todays stream was one service which was 9 minutes long

 

Yup, it releases on the 27th

 

It's been a bit hard keeping up with things here between personal family matters and being an ole Toys R Us Kid Not as young as I used to be but still trying to give back a little as well as getting assistance from community members. While I may have missed some posts but trying my best to keep tabs on what is happening, I'm pleased to see that Skyhook is so active as a dev here with jane-skyhook being the go-between, it's been a long time since I saw this kind of interaction.

And I'm dating me self...

The Past week has been a hard one, between sharing one PC while trying to get better equipment and as well as having my daughter do a lot for and with me while it's taking away from her own things she would like to do as I'm trying to get useful info in hopes to assist the devs with what I have experienced.
I'm guessing that some of what I have to report/show the how, what, and where may have been reported, and if so, I apologize for being pete and re-pete.

The following video took several days to complete, I was trying to keep it as short as possible but to be accurate and give proper useful information, some things just could not be removed, I was trying my best to get this info posted here as soon as I could and if some of what is in the video as part of the hotfix and updates to come, that is great but if not I hope it is of assistance for future updates.

 

Thanks for another fine scenario, Marc. St Pancras to Glasgow Sleeper 1973. All looks good in the dark on the MML

 

Oh right thank you

 

Can I ask, therefore, if DTG do testing etc after they receive a patch and before release, would someone care to explain how the patch released half-cocked the first time?

The testing can’t be very thorough…

 

Thank you. I chose to have it chucking down with rain to add to the ambience but it's not a necessity for that scenario. Part two (Nottingham to Derby) will be sometime this weekend. This was the timings I found. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

 

Well, that question crossed my mind as well. And additionally: How, on Earth and after all this ´testing´, does DTG still frequently release wrong or incomplete patch builds?

 

How do SCS with the updates of ETS and ATS. We get them almost every day.

 

I'm excited for Glossop, the 700, and the upcoming MML patch but I beg of you, please double check and make sure all of the files are there first lol

 

I am really very grateful for all the information in this video. It will prove incredibly useful to the team. Thank you so much. A real lot of hard work that will find a good home!

 

having worked on the publishing team for ETS and ATS... I can add a bit here. Its not "almost every day". The content updates also had to be carefully coordinated (both JD and myself have spoken about platform coordination). The difference with us and SCS is that as someone posted above, it is an order of magnitude more complex when shipping not just on Steam but multiple consoles too. More versions to keep in sync with everyone involved.

 

Again, if this is the case how did this patch release the first time with half it’s content missing? Did no one doing this ‘testing’ compare the patch against the release notes (which you have to assume is kinda the whole point) and say ‘hang on a minute, where’s A, B, C?’

My inquisitive mind also wonders how the hell SHG sent the patch to DTG with half the content missing in the first place. It seems that the software industry seems to create masses of unnecessary work for itself by not simply applying a bit of rigour, process and standardisation to what it’s doing.