Thats just really really bad honestly. Its been no secret, but manual firing for example was promised and so was US and German steam content afaik.
That explanation doesn't really make sense. Did DTG sign a contract without actually reading it? Why would you pay for something without fully understanding what you are actually getting? Was there a "get out" clause in place, just in case LNWR didn't like something they saw DTG doing with their branding? And if it's the latter, what did DTG do to upset LNWR so much? Alex's post creates more questions than answers.
there's not a lot more we can say, to be honest. The loco will be there for you to see, and whilst we'll try to work with the Licensor to get the branding, it likely won't happen any time soon. It's been removed this week.
Not necessarily dtgs fault, LNWR are in charge of the licencing, and they can do how they please, but in this case, there was literally nothing DTG could do.
Ah, fair dos JD, must admit the initial shock did, well, shock me as I'd seen the branding in that video as it popped up on the youtube, but that is short notice and suppose there is nowt you can do. Not ideal at all, but at least it weren't the case I thought it were with this being known for longer than just a week. Just so I don't have to eat my words too much, in the stream would you be able to make it at least a little bit awkward and perhaps use the phrase I suggest above?
Believe it or not some people on Facebook are making it seem like it is unplayable without the licensing XD
Any chance we can get a response on the save game issues and other points raised, please, JD? The silence is rather concerning.
It would be interesting to know how/why it went down... not that it changes all that much... but obviously to put all the work into branding the trains and stations DTG must have either had the license or THOUGHT they had the licence... So was it in place but pulled at the last minute by LNWR? If so, why? (is it something that could be avoided in future) Or was it a matter of DTG thinking they had a license but then realizing they did not? I do understand that this may be confidential information though. I know obviously BCC has WMT license/branding... and it is connected to the LNWR... but I am no corporate lawyer.
Licensing is the first thing I look at, so I doubt they created the route before asking for a license.
Oops, sorry, yes. For some reason the forum software jumped me forward. Well that is very disappointing particularly with regard to the save game. It would be interesting to know what the technical reasons are behind only one save slot. And the issue with continuing the session to drive multiple trains but losing objective data when you save and reload has been mentioned numerous times before. We shouldn't need to keep reporting it for something to be done by now.
Not a real answer though is it. I mean we already knew that nothing would be done with the save feature for this iteration of TSW. Actually rather cynical to ask us to file a bug report at this point. How about forget hopping and the othe gimmicky features and focus on creating a solid multi save feature. I imagine we'll be asking the same question a year from now and getting the same response. Not much chance of a proper technical explanation methinks. I'm tempted to shrug and just make the best of what we've been given. They took it away once. They could do so again. Multiple saves like we had with MSTS and TSC are not happening period.
Sadly, though subject to what I hear of the Pendolino sounds from the stream later I am really contemplating downshifting to the standard edition, or even just taking the free update and banking the money back in my Steam Wallet for the JT route. Same sentiments as regards steam traction, they could have had a big push to make some significant changes, instead of which the core just gets some superfluous fluff.
Manual firing for steam still not being added/fixed is insane after it was promised not long after SOS release. I know DTG haven't directly cancelled steam loco development but they're so vague with info it feels that way. Please don't give up on steam and please be more transparent, it kills us when we don't get straight answers.
I think the pertinent question to DTG is: Are their any third parties currently reviewing and actively trying to understand the steam element of the game? Don't expect names of developers or persons, as they advised recently that ATS had been working on stuff for nearly a year before they were announced as a 3rd party contributor. This was to understand the software by recollection. If you could give us just that crumb of info, that you have someone looking at it at least, I'm sure many would take a step back and stop asking every week. Don't say you can't advise.....just say Yes or No please.
The customer base deserves a little bit more than no plans to work on steam? You've miss sold two whole routes based upon promises and features which haven't materialised and now seemingly won't (not just manual firing). The least we could get is a "Okay we're sorry we've really messed up for these reasons". Like can we get an honest and open explanation rather than a PR response? We spent our money investing in steam content after all.
Amen brother Though here's an idea, why not just put in "fudged" branding which looks right at first glance or from a distance? For example in this case "LMWR" would be enough to satisfy pretty much all users except those who froth over paintjobs in the real world and certainly wouldn't bother the casual users. OR here's another idea, in TSC Armstrong Powerhouse release their products in unbranded liveries (unless they are BR specific) and then provide a "branding patch" for free which then adds the branding, this being down to not being able to make money from the branding without a license. But yeah, arrows of indecision please and lots of them, throw in some swallows too for good measure
I'm not a lawyer but im pretty sure that still violates copyright. I cant make a brand called Papsi and put in the exact same packadging. or Train Sim Warld 5 and use the same art on my cover
I feel like they can't fix the save thing, same with steam traction, seems like it's either too hard or can't be done. As the wow new stuff crowd is the market now (why else would Rivet still be in business) the stuff we really could.do with gets kicked so far into the long grass I feel like it will never happen now. I will take the free core and probably get the JT route and maybe the core routes when in a few months they are masivly reduced.
That is what I have now done. As someone mentioned in another thread, by Christmas last year TSW4 various editions were discounted by 40%. The JT route will definitely be the keynote upcoming release in the next few months. My existing TSW and TSC content plus all my other games already offer enough to do that I don’t need to immediately blow £55 on mediocre content. I mean last year, the only route I really spent much time on was ECML. Vorarlberg turned out to be a bus service with a few distant views of the Alps and AVL failed to impress me like I thought and not built to a terribly high standard.
From this and other threads I definitely got the impression TSW5 will inherit all the bugs, delays, excuses and still outstanding issues from TSW0,1,2,3 and 4. With the usual promises carried forward to please the main market of gaming consoles. DTG either lacks the staff and competence, financial incentive, directives from Focus Entertainment to finally deliver on all the promises made the previous 5 years. All TSW4 DLC will be abandoned, or only updated (one step forwards - two steps back) when there is some real player pressure on DTG's management. The free core upgrade is a nice gesture, but any new DLC I'll buy only in sales with substantial discounts for I have lost my appetite for this game that seems to go in a direction I don't want to support.
I would find that more immersion-breaking than an unbranded livery, and it would probably also be trademark infringement.
I suppose the save issue is something too difficult for the team to make right or they would have done so by now. As for the poor showing regarding steam traction, well, the refusal to work on it further is a shame. Can pre-orders be refunded on Steam? I think I'll watch from the sidelines instead.
When 'the team' hasn't implemented a successful single slot save feature by now, one can be reasonably sure the feature won't appear any time soon. With the usual excuses like 'all routes and rolling stock require updating' (and mentally adding "we don't have the capacity, money and desire to break open all that abandoned stuff") Let alone multiple save slots per route. Plus, there could be a valid reasons like the consoles cannot handle it. Regarding steam, that means external combustion and having to deal with the physical properties of coal/stoker fuel, water and superheated steam. I bet, under the hood, all Simugraph simulates 'electric traction' with fixed power/speed/tractive effort calculations.
When pressed on stream, Alex said at least twice if memory serves that there are 3rd parties looking into producing steam content. However, it always just sounded like a deflection to me to get us to stop asking DTG. Multiple 3rd parties have already confirmed that they won’t produce steam content on account of the unfixed state of the base simulation. Alex never got any more specific than above. JD didn’t mention them either in this thread. I’d love to see more steam content and improvements/fixes. Unfortunately, it’s best to assume that steam is dead in TSW. Abandoned by DTG in a state that prohibits 3rd parties from coming in at all.
