Hi guys! You reckon Dovetail would put these layers onto BCC or not? For such a busy station being so empty in the game it be great for it to be busy and now we have most of the layers as well! Understand it would take lots of time but think how many people would buy it because of the busyness of the route. Maybe a Unbranded HST too for the Cross County services?
Have heard apparently loads of ambassadors have requested it and many others have I probs put a ticket in actually. But it does seem it, and I love the route just needs that missing traffic!
Still have a feeling in my bones that the 730s are coming to this and the WCML South as a separate DLC once the 730/2s are in service. This route itself may not get an update but I can see them adding AI to what is still a great route to drive (despite the lack of any other passenger stock).
Still got a feeling this is a candidate for the TSW6 launch route as an extended route like SEHS with extensions added to two other locations from BNS as the hub. Can then add in all the newer rolling stock to make the route what it should be for the second city.
It would make a nice network if they added the Walsall line plus Coventry or even Rugby to Wolverhampton or Stafford. Lots of scope there to use the 350 and 390 plus a 158 in TfW livery could appear on Cambrian and Chester services that run to and from International.
They certainly should, and should do similar for lots of other routes (HRR! Vorarlberg! Countless more!) but probably won't.
So much possibilities BCC could have! Could have a Wolverhampton to Walsall extension! Would love to see My Football team in the game UTV! But its such a great line and also it would add more freight too. could also have a Birmingham International extension as well. So many possibilities.
Has much changed along that route since 2022? We had a 1970s timetable on a 2017 GWR mainline. I don't think a 730 will look out of place, besides the pack would cover the Birmingham and WCML units and the longer 110mph 730/2s in that fantastic green/grey livery will be the stars of the show between Milton Keynes and Euston, they'll also add to AI options at New Street.
Didn't stop them with Cathcart! I doubt the route has changed and it would likely get a new timetable in addition to the original one.
The emptiness of the route and how quiet New Street is the reason I don't play it. In reality there's always trains coming in and out, stabled in the few centre roads, constant tannoy announcements etc etc. For me it's immersion breaking.
Plus end to end it's pretty much a 90 minute electric bus service and not being able to break to play and also save something else in the meantime is a put off for me.
I enjoy the occasional spin on BCC, it’s a good length (not too short for once) and the 323 is quite easy to drive so a good chill out route. Adding AI traffic now we have the WCML stock would make such a difference to immersion, hopefully a remaster for BCC will be announced this year.
Was watching Matts own personal stream and someone commented about BCC and Glossop Line and he said quite firmly, there is no plan to update either... Very sad.
That is very sad ngl considering how much of the community would massively appreciate the timetable update and also it be a way of getting people to buy the route.
Give it one or two years and that may change. We never thought GWE was going to be touched again, yet it was. Albeit it was a passion projec though.
Updating those two routes would certainly make me purchase them. They're two routes I just never got round to, but now the chances of me buying them at all are slim.
I always knew it would be the case, so it didn't come as a surprise. But none the less it hammers the fact in that improvements to either route is unlikely. Still disappointing none the less. Interestingly the topic of route extensions come up which was quite an interesting watch... I won't say to much (don't get your hopes up massively), but I'd go to Matts channel and watch the stream. Routes can be edited and extended but would be have to be released as entirely new routes (which is fair enough to claim back the resources that's gone into extending them).
Sadly confirmation the “fire and forget” policy sits firmly at the top of the decision making tree. Once it’s broken even on projected sales and returned a profit, it’s in the “former product” dustbin. That’s why I will no longer watch or be impressed by release streams as it’s all a bit phoney, really. How many of us watched the arrival of SoS or even PFR thinking this lays the foundation for something great only to find it never goes any further?
Isn’t Birmingham New Street one of uk’s busiest stations ? They absolutely should add some layers to it. Maybe it’s time for another Birmingham route one with more services. This one’s far too quiet and only 2 platforms used. I’d go for Birmingham to Coventry with 390s
Wolverhampton to Coventry would add Soho Depot, rather stupidly missed from the original BCC, but to make any sense it needs to be built into the existing BCC. Alas I just don’t think DTG are interested in what would actually be quite a crowd pleaser.
There's been lots of requests for the 730 which I would support but I wonder if the weaker relationship with WMT/LNWR after the license was pulled for WCMLS might make it hard to get the reference material. The sounds could be copied from the 710 but there's a lot of external and internal differences as well as a much higher top speed. But maybe Daisy could help them again if DTG is willing to go unbranded.
I'm curious to know on what makes DTG selective on what routes can or can't warrant AI layers. Cathcart Circle over BCC and Glossop Line. For those doubting oh "they require upgrades etc" when they are very happy to upgrade Cologne to Aachen without remastering the route.
Remember cathcart also had a financial incentive with the 380 not that it really mattered but at least there was some money involved. Could be availability of staff and what their expertise level is.
I use to have a more sympathetic attitude towards it all, but quite honestly I just think DTG can't be bothered. Resources were initially put into both BCC and Glossop Line, but when appropriate stock wasn't available at the time they just moved on and they are left in a purgatory state... Well unless we class the guard mode functionality. Resources seem to be focused elsewhere and on future up coming content (which is understandable to an extent). However, much like Old Vern said about steam, and which is relevant to both BCC and Glossop, the 2 routes were hyped up at the time, put on sale and then essentially left stagnant. As a player it's made me realise in future if any similar routes like these are made, to just avoid them because they essentially get left behind with no thought to improve them when relevant content releases. 'One Hit Wonder Content'. DTG going forwards, and learning from feedback, need to have a more long sighted plan in terms of updating existing routes when relevant AI rolling stock becomes available rather then just skipping them with no thought... They've shot themselves in the foot by not updating Glossop and BCC as they'd be selling like hotcakes if they were shown the right love. How can 2 good routes that have had money thrown into them to create them in the first place just be left to sit and rot? The positive feedback from players and the good publicity it would receive in the community at a time when things aren't looking particularly great wouldn't do much harm... Anyway, if you can't tell I've just become disheartened and a bit disgruntled with the game at the moment.
Also would make DTG Team happier seeing positive feedback for once if they were to layer in the 390 and 350, as well as maybe unbranded XC HST's and 170s at XC. We have literally just lots of the rolling stock for BCC Bar the Class 730 and 221. Exclude 730 as they not long started service and weren't present at the time. But don't DTG want lots of praise or do they like negative feedback. I really enjoy Matt's streams as he isn't corporate and answers truthfully. Hopefully we as community can suggest it so many times that Dovetail will finally give in and do it. Maybe give a possible paid extension. Also be great to see Lichfield Trent Valley on WCML some action.
Yeah I agree, and exactly what you've said is perfectly achievable. But what seems clearly logical and achievable to us, seems to be looked at through a different lense by DTG at the moment. I don't believe this has always been the case with them though, which is why it gets my back up. It does seem that in the last year or two this type of attitude towards previous content has become 'the norm'.
I played it a few time but it seems boring as there is a lot of potential missing indeed. hence I rarely touch it hoping on either a community or dtg timetable update.
A sad reality is that DTG doesn't listen to any feedback whatsoever, only if the money goes into their bank accounts. Make the product, make sales and move on. Just like in a car processing plant. You also know DTG is not focused on the community when they are releasing the Thomas DLC to appeal to a larger audience. It's only going to get worse looking ahead, the more relaxed casual players they have the less market demand there is to demand a high-quality playable route. Those who don't care if the route is so infested with bugs or is half-baked in general.
H’mmm. The streams are stage managed to the extreme and as a rule they pick and choose what questions are answered. And the EP role is about as corporate as it gets, obviously there is some pressure from the money men on high but the post essentially is the day to day management of the product which includes deciding what gets made, what doesn’t and at least tacit acceptance of the fire and forget policy when it comes to DLC. Regardless of how enthusiastic the presentations may seem.
Were you guys really expecting him to announce timetable updates on previous routes on his own personal stream? He can read this community like a book, and knows to say no and not hint at anything even if they do have plans in place, because this community is the very embodiment of the phrase give them an inch and they'll take a mile.
I do try and draw a distinction between peoples personal YouTube channels and the DTG official one. Even though I found the answer disappointing, Matt didn't have to answer the question at all, so for him to even acknowledge the question in a personal live stream, I respect the frankness and honesty rather then not answering at all.
Thanks for responding to the Thread guys, appreciate it. Sorry not been able to reply much as been very busy with work and home life. I hope there is a percentage that DTG will take this in and act on it sometime in the near future because If I was a Dev and I had the opportunity for Birmingham to look like IRL Birmingham with the amount of trains I would and be embarrassed if I didn't do that. Only one I think who would do it is Liam because he is very passionate and loves listening to community ideas. Unfortunately, there is only one of him. Whether he would do it in the future is a thought. But that shouldn't be the case, DTG should at least have plans in place for routes that started without the correct rolling stock and eventually when the rolling stock did get introduced in TSW it should then be implemented. Like I said as well, I think it would encourage more sales for BCC and get more people playing it as I just think BHM is just embarrassing, the quietness is daunting aha. Maybe like that has been suggested by TrainGeek08 The Chase Line, (Amazing and in-depth suggestion post) Putting that as an extension for BCC Which is Wolverhampton to Walsall/Rugeley. Now that would be a great route with loads of variety. I think Dovetail could do that route in the future. Again thanks for all responding Matthew
There's a business-speak phrase I picked-up in of the many thousands of meetings I've had during my insurance phase of my career. "Sweating your assets". I think that may inform DTG's management of existing routes. It's not a phrase for the effects of wearing a double layer of thermal pants, it's a way of wringing more sales out of existing products for the lowest possible cost. I think a lot of existing routes will get some AI/weather/suspension updates soon. If I wanted to show-off that I can speak fluent "Business" I would say that "TSWs user experience could be future-proofed by sweating existing assets that provide a value-add with target-centric best practice driving quality outcomes and providing oven-ready deliverables"
Like updating a few routes that share layers and offering them together in a discount pack. Would really depend on how many new users the sim is getting though.
got it along with the Suffragette Line, and it is quite fun, as it can have more different routings, which I love, despite lack of rolling stock ... I also enjoy occasional Suffragette Line runs, tho 710 is a bit more fun on the WCML
They actually do but it be very long. It be Leicester to Birmingham, be a nice route but would need the XC Licence for it and then the 170 branded XC. Also Birmingham New Street to Nottingham too but would need another branch Line for that I think. j
The only way financially I could see BCC getting new rolling stock is a new TSW launch title and it being labelled 'extended' that includes Wolverhampton to Coventry and the depot. They can then re-skin a few trains/add any that were not available at launch. If they really wanted to milk it, get someone, like Skyhook, to add in another loco specifically for the route be it passenger or freight. I really enjoy BCC until I enter New Street, then it's just a ghost ship and nothing like real life, which kills it for me. I'd still go as far to say that BCC is the route with the most potential to become a flagship for TSW.
There's also a decision of whether you go with a timetable with the latest rolling stock particularly with the Class 730 having taken over all of the BCC services or backdate it to when Class 323s were still running. That probably depends on what the relationship is like with WMT/LNWR as you would need to gather a lot of reference material. Although there are similarities with the Aventra series in game like the 710, the passenger interior and the drivers cabs have significant differences including with the gangway connection to make longer sets. It also has a much higher top speed.
they may not be able to do anything with the route until the WMR / LNWR license issue is sorted.... yes it seems as simple as adding layers on the face of it, but could equate to re-publishing (new timetable) and they can't do it (justice anyway)
Standalone it would be nice to get that in for some XC action. One could dream & imagine the network potential for linking MKC to BHM, BHM to MML, MML to ECML.
