Dovetail Games What Marks A Route As Completed For You?

Oof. I get that with Northern Trans-Pennine.
Maybe it'll be a bit spicier with the Pacer or 150.
But as is, it's not a go to.

 

Would like to like your post as I agree with your opinion as it seems but the first sentence is ambiguous and could be seen in another way I completely disagree with.

I'm also one who understands the purpose of this thread and don't see it as redundant, but however disagree to the main aspect of "completing a route / completing a route through achievements/trophies". Also as I stated before, the poll seems rather useless to evaluate for me, but the thread is informative about what people think.

 

Sometimes I'm thankful that english is not my native language to understand and provoke a reaction in me.

 

I've always considered myself a "train fan", I have many wonderful childhood memories of day trips to the coast by train, or always tracking down a heritage line whilst on holiday somewhere. I remember going to Clapham Junction to watch the trains with one of my mates from school, on one trip we saw a Class 59 Yoeman, I only saw it from a distance so didn't see which one it was so couldn't cross it off in the little pocket book of train numbers his Dad had bought me, but I didn't care, I had finally seen one, that's all I wanted.

I particularly remember holidaying near Minehead with my parents and we went on the West Somerset Railway. It was a bit late in the day so we could only travel as far as Dunster before hopping off and catching the train coming the other way to take us back, but that was perfect as far as I was concerned as I had a model of Dunster Station on my model railway at home.

A few years ago I stumbled across Train Sim World on PlayStation, it even came with the WSR so I could finally travel the rest of the route. I have no idea how to drive a train, I don't know if the sounds are accurate or not, the models of the trains look exceptional to me and I get to drive a huge variety of trains, that's all I want. I have all the DLC and greatly enjoy the differences between the them, from the slow and heavy freight to the modern electrics, from the built up commuter routes to trips into the relative wilderness.

I already answered the other day what I consider completion to be, which is that a route isn't 'complete' until I've finished the Journey, that doesn't necessarily mean I'm finished with it, more that I consider it 'incomplete' until the Journey mode is done.

I've then kept track of the thread as I was interested in other people's opinions, but sadly the thread has been derailed by people claiming that people like me aren't real "train fans" at all.

If you think I've waffled on for long enough then you're wrong, as I'm going to share an anecdote of one of my favourite memories of playing this game (sorry, 'simulation'). It was on Clinchfield and I was tasked with shunting assorted wagons from place to place, well I followed the game's instructions to uncouple half the train, then headed off down the slope only to see the uncoupled wagons had decided to follow me, at first pretty slowly then they were gaining on me at significant speed. I ended up judging my train's speed to perfection to 'catch' the runaway stock and bring it to a safe stop before applying the handbrake on the leading wagon (in hindsight I should have done that the first time). It was probably the most fun moment I had had in the game for a while, and that's just it, it was a fun moment, in a game.

 

That was a nice read.

Also, be careful. You stopped the trucks this time but next time you may not be so lucky.

 

As a real life train driver I view it somewhat differently.

A route is never completed.

There is always a service to operate.

And with the great variety of routes to drive in TSW I would like to say I would be enjoying all the routes for a long time to come.

While collectibles are fun and exploring is as well, It's just nice to sit back and enjoy the scenery on Linke Rheinstrecke for example or Main Spessart Bahn. Or many others.

If I complete every service and find every collectible it doesn't mean I have overstayed my welcome. Though I haven't done that yet.

Daniel

 

Now that the official scenario editor exists then I doubt whether I'll ever consider a route finished. Opening up all tracks and sidings is a game-changer for me.

 

Gee, perhaps some people wouldn't be thinking things like that if DTG didn't lie to their customers and flip flop on so much stuff which leads those to lack trust in the company and what people like you say. You reap what you sew.

If the company was more trustworthy, then perhaps people wouldn't be thinking things like that. It’s that simple

 

Oh I doubt this,
I've been on enough forums where the communits doubts and tries to dig deep into the statements made by even the most exemplary developers.

Online, people love to start conspiracies and assume alterior motives.

 

Well if a company has done things that has lowered trust within some, it's not a surprise that some don't trust the intentions. I've been on these forums long enough to see why some have lost trust no matter how hard you try to spin it.

I'm not doubting DTG's intentions, but am merely saying why there are those that may not trust them given DTG'S past of saying one thing only to do something completely different and not keeping their word

 

In what world does DTG cutting features make any sense at all? I can't even see that as a trust issue, just someone's invention somehow being picked up and parroted despite no basis in history or good sense whatsoever.

 

I start with doing the Journey and work my way through the chapters while learning the trains and the route.

I dont try to complete everything in a journey chapter. So if a scenario or a service feels like a chore I'll skip to the next one. I also dont worry about medals.

So for me finishing a DLC is when I can comfortably drive a train across the route with comfortably knowing my braking points, speed restrictions and land marks.etc with safety systems on with as little HUD elements as possible and without needing to drive erattically just to keep time (no sudden heavy braking because of a speed restriction i wasnt aware of)

Once I've reached this point I'll continue doing services until I feel I've experienced enough of a route and its trains.

This can vary depending on the dlc and how much I like the content featured. I played original Koln-Aachen for about 15hrs before I moved on. Northern Trans-Pennine on the other hand I've put well over 50hrs into.

 

Context for the non Brits reading this:

Neil: How about this one then?
Jay: Championship Manager? Completed it.
Neil: But you cant complete it.
Jay: Er, I know, But I got so good at it they offered me a role in the England set-up.
Neil: Did they?
Jay: I took Woking from the conference to the champions league in 6 seasons, that kind of stuff doesn't go unnoticed.

 

Seems to be the conclusion people come to nowadays.

 

Well although I’m currently enjoying a TSC renaissance, I do miss having the full timetable to choose from and the Journey mode which, going back to my original post in this thread, of which finishing tends to be a milestone in a TSW route experience if not exactly completion.

 

Yeah the lack of timetable mode is why I don't touch TSC any more. It's really the best feature of TSW to be honest.

 

Apart from the fact that TSW definitely sets goals, there is still enough variety. I view TSW as a digital model train. In addition, I have all the DLC so far and don't see myself ever "finishing" it. Every ride is a new ride and different from the previous one. That's why I also advocate maintaining older DLC! It can only make them better and more interesting.

TSW and every DLC is a never ending story for me and that's what makes it for me!

 

Saying this,

real life train drivers do get the same services quite a lot......

 

I don't touch TSC anymore because of the graphics, simulation, physics etc... I just can't go there.

Hoping to see Ipswich-London make its way to TSW with the Class 360 and Class 90/91s etc... Stoke on Trent WCML with the Class 350 and WCML over Shap wit the tap changer BR blue locos (and branches!) and Western Lines of Scotland-the west extremity to the port is especially scenic and beautiful!!!

 

Well TSC certainly wins over so far as steam physics are concerned. In fact I think Trainz has better steam physics than what Flying Scotsman was endowed with in TSW!

 

This is how I view the topic personally!
Once I buy an add-on, I’ll play it very often for a few days-weeks (depending on the “size” of the DLC; for example I’m still almost exclusively playing the TSW4 launch routes right now). I’m eager to learn all the locos, complete scenarios, journey missions or complete interesting services.
When I started playing in 2021, I initially completed all the scenarios and did as many journey missions as possible until I felt inclined to play other content again. Nowadays, as I’ve become more familiar with how the game works, it’s not as strict anymore. I generally tend to use service mode quite often if there’s no journey or scenario that fits my current mood. For example, I really like sunset end-to-end express runs on Vorarlberg, but these aren’t really featured in scenarios and journey mode, so I’ll use service mode often. Having a good time and playing what I want is more important to me nowadays than urging myself to complete all scenarios and journey chapters at all costs.
I also used to really care about trophies in TSW2, but I’m not really paying attention to them anymore for various reasons (losing trophy progress multiple times due to transition between game versions and console platforms).

It’s been really interesting to read all the comments, amazing how differently everyone plays the game!

 

Having the freedom to choose how you play is one of the strengths of TSW. In that way you can choose to complete the journey mode and move on or get more into it and slog your way through an entire timetable. I sometimes get hooked on one particular route and play as many services as I can or as in my current mood flit from one route to another playing as many different trains and routes as I can to continue enjoying my whole collection. I’m currently enjoying many services with a personally selected thickness of fog, set without any cloud cover to simulate that kind of fog where there is just the low lying cloud you are in. It makes every route new again.

 

I would like to point out an important thing to understand and evaluate the concerns raised in this thread, which might not be the ones you intended to ask for, but in the end you did.

There is a big difference between asking for "How do you play the game?" or "How do the achievements, medals, collectibles, scenarios, timetable services satisfy or enhance your player experience?", and the concern of this question, "What marks a route as completed for you?"

If DTG wanted to ask for the former, the latter question, as it came out, makes the subject of the question completely different and hence that people answer it differently.

I enjoy scenarios very much and I want all to be done. The only negative thing I have with scenarios is, they are so extremely less. I wish that DTG would provide more scenarios with each route DLC. Given the price tag, this is also more than relatable. I can't think of that two or three scenarios more really need several weeks to implement to it. But that's a different thing.

I also did some found some collectibles and enjoyed it (for example the garden gnomes in Nahverkehr: Dresden-Riesa are fun to look to for and I really like the reference with it to this old german movie called "Go, Trabi, Go 2" in which the main character had a garden gnome factory somewhere in a fictional place around Dresden) and I also try to redo services with looking to if I can make something better (the new TSW4 result gives a very detailed table to show what you did or did faster than before - premise: it works bugless) which I really like since also in real life, delivery or train drivers need to warrant and follow certain time contraints and improving "their time" by checking how long time it took to complete a timetable service, and so it indeed makes sense.

However, and this is my point, for me it isn't something a route is "completed" with or even has a stronger impact to my players experience. Plus the question in any other way implies that a route shall be "completed", which is against mine but also the understanding of many others, and might even give a shocking impression for us to ask you for, to be honest.

These are two different things.

I also can't ask "What joyride is your work for you?" if I want to ask which activities the other person enjoys when being on work or even what joy it brings to do the work at all and evens out all of the hard and stressy things when doing it, because that question implies that all of the work shall be a joyride for the other person, which is probably will not be true and might even end with a very aggressive reaction from my conversation partner.

So, therefore Jan provided a question with a subject which is against my understanding. I answered this question in the way they asked for. If the question had been given in any other way, my reaction (and I guess the reaction of many other people here) would have been different, if you simply wanted to ask about the use of these things for us.

 

I would say I've finished it when I've played all the different calling patterns in the timetable a few times rather than doing the whole timetable. Plus doing all the scenario same unique services

 

Scenarios still take time to make. It isn't just a simple thing to do in a single day. It requires planning so it's not just a service you would do in timetable mode, actually making, testing, changing and testing some more, etc.

 

Even if that would be true, it's still a relatable concern why not more than 5 to 6 scenarios are added to a DLC. I also wouldn't complain if the Scenario Planner would be a lot better. We still can't change individual signals or rip a timetable service off and costumize it to one's own needs and desires.

I don't like the interface how you create a scenario on an implicit rather than a direct way, like for example a map where you can set AI trains, set signals to block or toggle junction switches.

I guess the people saying "use the editor" in one way after such a statement, but the Editor is more sophisticated and suited for more complex things. Plus, the editor can't be used on consoles. A rather intuitive and easier but on the side more functional tool would be way better for creating custom scenarios.

Adding last but not least, that I stumble over a bug regularly, where passengers don't show on train stations and/or don't load in passenger trains, even if [loaded] has been selected.

So, "go create your own scenarios" does not work for me as a good substituion. At least not yet.

 

Completed for me means: All Scenarios, all Timetables plus one run from end to end and back. (mostly in freeroam unless there's a timetable or scenario which convers the whole route)

 

That's a nonsense question!

I also play MS Flightsimulator but I had never the idea that I had one of my airports or planes finished !

Same for the TSW routes and locos. I don't care about achievements. Its all about driving a train in the most realistic way, without HUD and with activated train safety options. As we in Germany say "Der Weg ist das Ziel" (The path is the goal).

And for me it's ideal for relaxation !