Hello! Disclaimer: I would consider myself more or less a TSW veteran, I own most of the DLC's released for that game. I have seen that DTG has released Chatham Main Line for free and I have decided to give TSC another go. The thing is, that I'm not really sure where to start with this game. As far as I know, TSC doesn't have a timetable mode, and that's the mode I enjoy the most when playing TSW, I'm not really interested in scenarios. So basically, the way I would usually go about playing TSW is pick a route that I like, pick a loco, and go to the timetable and find a service that looks interesting, preferably in peak times to get some traffic and adverse signals. Is there an equivalent to this in TSC, or would I have to create a custom scenario? How does this work?
The closest thing to timetable mode in TSW is quick drive. With quick drive you can select most trains on any route and select your own time. You will also see Ai traffic in most cases. Mike.
I second that quick drive. Timetable mode may seem nice at first, if you're really into big commuter networks. Relatively, though, it's repetitive. The strength of TSC is flexibility - use pretty much any train anywhere - and abundant content. Basic editing is also simple. Workshop scenarios can supply you with varying weathers, times, hiccups, challenges. Maybe the UK fanbase can recommend a few authors to check out, I only know Not.Silent and TobBirk. What I did - I found some workshop, purchased the requirements, play the scenarios to learn about them, then workshop. Important note, in-game workshop is restricted to what you have installed. Use the Steam client / website to browse freely.
It can be a bit daunting… I have found myself starting a scenario on one route then getting distracted to go and try something else. Unlike TSW, there is no Journey mode to focus your mind on a particular route or train. The ideal for TSC would actually be an enhanced Quick Drive where you can do a bit more than just straight A to B but without having to go full on Scenario Editor setting up your own timetable and that of all the AI trains.
I just play scenarios in TSC, but I prefer to play actual services. I have a load of scenarios already from various add ons and enhancement packs that I‘ve bought. However if I want something new I just go on a site like Alan Thomson Sim, TSC or Armstrong Powerhouse (they have a separate site for scenarios) find something interesting and install it. A lot of them are actual services with the correct rolling stock for the day it was set. I‘ve never run out of scenarios yet, but I only get to play around 5 hours per week. The downside of this is that you need to have all the requirements for the scenario and there can be a lot and they might need purchasing. I quite enjoy finding everything and then playing (and I already have most of the paid add ons I‘m likely to need), but if you like TSW and are used to just playing any timetable service and it just working, then you might find this frustrating.
It is worth noting that the scenarios on the new Chatham Main Line are mostly based on real timetables, as are the scenarios on the original Chatham Main Line which is also included in the new route. The Medway Valley Line is based on real timetables as well, but is not included in the newest Chatham Main Line version because of seemingly no reason. That said if I really wanted to drive the scenarios I wouldn't use the default stock. The Class 375 is appalling and should not be touched. The AP Class 375 EP is majorly flawed and having plenty of missing or incorrect content, but it is so much better than the DTG one and can largely be fixed through mods. That EP only needs the Chatham Main Line to work. The new Chatham Main Line includes two 465s. One is the horrible /0 and /1 model that is ugly, incorrect, and sounds terrible. Avoid it. The other model is much nicer to look at (albeit with an incorrect interior) but with even worse sounds. While it could theoretically be a good base for a future AP EP, the actual 465 EP uses a combination of the Class 365 from ECMLS and the separate Class 465 DLC, which is for London to Faversham. For both the 375 and 465, it is relatively simple to replace the trains in scenario with the AP versions, and extremely easy to just replace the player train. The Class 395 has no improved version available. There is a sound pack for the London to Faversham version which significantly improves the interior sounds at the expense of unbearable exterior sounds. I personally wouldn't bother changing it, as I find the DTG 395 to be good enough already, and I think the model looks more accurate than the TSW one, but that is beside the point.
Thanks for the suggestions! I did a run on the Chatham Main Line with quick drive and it was fun. I really liked how much more noticeable the gradient changes were compared to TSW, among other things. Anyway, back on topic. What's really missing when doing quick drive are stop orders at stations. I guess you just drive by the HUD and stop wherever you want? Or is there something I'm missing here? Some of you have already touched on building a collection, and that's an aspect I haven't taken a look at, at all. So driving around, I have seen some AI traffic, and it was okay I guess. Is there a concept of layers in TSC? Let's say for example that I purchase some route or a loco pack with a Class 66 or 67. Would those show up as AI on the route in Quick Drive, or would I have to make a custom scenario?
Yes the TSC 375 actually sounds worse than the one in TSW! Next AP sale looking at grabbing the 4 CEP for a worthy substitute.
I believe there is a file you can edit to change the default AI stock used in QD, but I don't know how to do it. Hopefully someone who does will be along soon.
With a Quick Drive you can call at the stations you wish to call at and ignore those you don't. There is no timetable so no penaltys. If you know of a Public Timetable for a route you could run a Quick Drive to those timings. And you can run a Quick Drive with Freight trains not just Passenger services.
Every DLC defines a few routes where it can show up as AI consist. (Sometimes funny ones. Like the Western Pacific stuff from Feather River populating Norfolk Southern Coal District.) Typically the ones that come for the route, do. Initially I'd recommend to settle for playing scenarios and quick drives as is - yes, you can stop, but you cannot define instructions. Once you understand the basics, there are solutions: either using the editor to set up your scenarios / amend quick drives, or using external scenario generators. (RailWorks Enhancer v2, RWE2 has one for QD iirc.) I create my own scenarios. Relatively time consuming, but if less dense or so, it can be okay. It's also possible to reuse scenarios. If you create Free Roam (or Timetabled) you can pick any train that is in your sight. You can obviously define roundtrips. What I observed from TobBirk (workshop) is creating a relatively dense scenario, then cloning it and flipping around the player train (and season, weather) so that you get to play a number of services. 3in1 like Nescafé.
Give ThirdRails a try. It let you pick a real live timetable from Realtimetrains Api or DB which you can drive on a Quick Drive or Freeroam scenario using its own HUD. You can drive in realtime simultaniously with the real world service or drive it any time you like. More info: https://thirdrails.org
I was fortunate enough to pick up the (now long discontinued) 375/377 sound pack from AP when it used to be on sale which made them sound a hell of a lot better compared to the default. Plus being an Australian player, everything from AP basically costs double over here due to our exchange rate
