This would be a perfect way to cool the community down and it’s really needed. Another thing I want is a real life E2 model in game as a lively or different train, this would be perfect for spirit of steam, peak forest, west Somerset railway and many other uk routes if you count rail tours
Yes it would be great, but it is not happening. It's not needed either, the kids won't notice and those that care about realistic steam won't play the Thomas stuff, so why bother?
I think they would notice when they struggle to drive the train and it would also be more worth it for older players
A bit like the existing steam physics in TSW then. Well certainly FS. But I seriously doubt we will either see a “real” E2 in the game or any change in the stance on “mature” steam traction for TSW. In fact this just adds a huge raspberry to the middle finger they already gave those of us who supported SoS and PFR in the hope it was the beginning of a new and interesting direction for the game.
This is my main gripe with this announcement. Steam is dead and buried without ever being properly alive, and instead of working on realistic steam, we get a toy train...
To be honest the existing TSW steam locos aren’t difficult to drive. They just perform unrealistically. Making them perform realistically wouldn’t make them easier to drive.
Thomas is meant as an "introduction to trains." Not a full simulator. For that I think the current system is good enough. However, if that leads to an interest in "real" steam trains... well there's the hope. Its a learning process. So many people want to just focus on themselves and don't think about the incoming noobs who don't know much about trains and are overwhelmed by it all. You don't start a jet fighter pilot in a jet. You start with a small propeller job and work your way up.
Thomas controls with be like the simplified physics model of the F7 on the Christmas Elf route. You're not going to have the safety valves blowing off constantly with it. One would hope anyway.
Well, it depends in what they were improved. If it was a case of all of the controls remaining the same, but boiler pressure responding more realistically to inputs, then it wouldn’t really make it any harder. If it was a case of adding inputs (such as rate of firing), then it would make it more complex, and therefore potentially harder.
Earlier I said that it would be ironic if " Thomas " drives like a one handled emu. What would be really ironic is if it had more sophisticated controls and better steam physics than the current Jubilee and 8F. That would be a real kick in the head for some players.
If Thomas turns out to have perfect physics for an E2 based on real-world data, I will genuinely buy the DLC and might even have a pizza or two sent to Dovetail's offices. It won't happen, but it would be hilarious if the only accurate steam loco in TSW was that annoying light blue git. My favourite characters were the Culdee Fell engines anyway.
Play the Clinchfield Route and come back to me on that. The Christmas Route route physics model was made to be simple to play and operate by design, that's even stated by DTG themselves.
Have you actually played the Holiday Express DLC? The F7 did not have simplified physics and was not especially simple to play and operate.
The Holiday Express F7 was easier to operate, but did indeed still have realistic physics. A hill start with filled up coal wagons did cause some serious wheel slip Anyway, if they want the Thomas DLC to operate in a way that is playable for the target audience, they will have to simplify the controls and physics a lot more. Just throttle and brakes , and always full grip.
I also think Thomas will have exactly the same controls reverser forward/back throttle 0-100% braking : little/increasing/max
They’re making a new very simple way to drive Thomas which I think will literally be forwards and backwards. Not even separate brakes. Will just be like driving an EMU with the one power handle. There will be no “steam physics” there will only be smoke and steam coming out of places with the audio.
So, everyone says the physics are simplified. You're the only one to think otherwise. Makes me wonder if you're just arguing for the sake of it.
Because I'm the only one who's spawned the Clinchfield and Holiday Express F7s next to each other and examined how the brakes behave!
So you're right and they're wrong, based on you somehow being psychic and knowing you're the only one to compare the two. How do we know you've compared them, apart from you saying so? We don't, just like you don't know if anyone else did the same. Your argument that the physics for both being the same doesn't hold much weight.
Physics seem to be the same, i couldn't get my train with merry christmas blocks up the hill . just the controls are a bit more basic