Hi everyone I was just after everyone’s opinions on Australian Trains and or Routes in TSW5 as it seems every other country is involved with the game except Australia and New Zealand so would love to hear everyone’s opinions and if possible could we try and push to get something happening for some Australian and New Zealand rolling stock or even just a trial start with one to see if it works out or not. Sure all your thoughts and opinions please don’t come at me please because it is true every other country is in the game except Australia and New Zealand.
Depends on licensing at the end of the day and a 3rd party willing to do it who have the actual expertise of the region/area but licensing first
This is a case where an Antipodean third party partner would be crucial, because sending research teams to the other side of the world would be bugetarily right out for DTG.
being train sim world. it would be a hell of a mistake not to include other countries outside the typical british, germany and america routes. We recently got routes also from the netherland and japan soon and a bunch of others that i cant remember. And it would be awesome to see a Australia/New Zealand route. Which also both countries I have been to! Very nice places!
We need to try find a third party either here in Australia or close to Australia that’s willing to help create some models to add into the game if possible just so it’s fair because I’ve been on for a while now and I’ve seen quite a lot of people asking but seems as tho not many like to respond when us aussies and New Zealanders ask about it but like I said if we can work all together to try find a third party it could work out.
Loads of scope for an Australian route, many sections of the NSW Main Line such as Moos Vale to Goulburn with branches would be a good place to start. The problem as others have mentioned is logistical. The distance involved to get research, licensing and access for those tasked with that purpose. Plus the very real fact most Australian sim interest centres around Trainz, or residual MSTS/Open Rails where we had the superb Coals To Newcastle. And again being realistic, how many commercial Aussie routes did we see for MSTS or TSC - none that I’m aware of. So while there may be a huge market, it appears no payware developer is prepared to risk their financial future on such a prospect. You are also going to need a whole host of assets, from the unique flora and fauna, to the signalling system and many different types of building style. Plus at least two or three new trains, unless doing a branch line where just one type operates.
Considering the resources that would be needed should a dev not in that region try to make a map for it, I'd much prefer current dev teams are focused on making a less disjointed picture of the nations already in the game and wait for a developer native to aus/nz to make something.
If I could secure licensing for it, i'd love to. The fact its on the other side of the world doesn't really matter tbh. Thus far, pretty much all operators coming back with a hard no. Matt.
That’s interesting. Would seem the Trainz stuff, admittedly most of which is freeware including that massive modular NSW route, has just disregarded that side of things. That said, most of the Oz locos I downloaded for Trainz seemed aliased to the Class 47 or F7 cabs so not providing any sort of study level opportunity for anyone thinking of stealing a train! A shame they would take that stance as there are some interesting and surprisingly scenic routes.
Indeed, I had a couple of routes planned out that we were seeking licenses for - Aurizon were positive but then got bought out and that disappeared. Always on my mind though, so even though no results being seen, it's one of the many many things our licensing team are bubbling away on in the background. Matt.
Appreciate the little white dot where Lichtenstein is in Switzerland- we were soooo close to have it with Vorarlberg!!!
Part of me wonders if N3V/Auoran has an upper hand in the Aussie market due to being based there. Though also alot of their content may or not be licensed properly.
Basically what I said earlier. And as much of the Aussie content in terms of locos and multiple units goes back to the TRS2004 or TRS2006, ages old, with generic cabs, sounds and physics more attuned to Trainz’ original purpose as a model railway game. Even now, there’s not that many people in the Trainzverse building high quality rolling stock, nothing that would even come close to TSC standards, let alone TSW.
I wish there was Australian routes. If dtg made some sort of mod management app, would licensing really matter? They could make the route and leave to branding to modders.
You still need people who are willing and capable to build the routes. You still need custom foliage (gum trees etc.) making from scratch along with uniquely Australian buildings. As I said earlier, that’s before you get on to the rail infrastructure and signalling equipment which would also need to be designed from a cold start. And so far as DTG are concerned, N3V and the previous MSTS freeware authors might get away playing fast and loose with licensing, a relatively high profile software house will be more circumspect - which includes not having the ability to freely mod out parts deliberately left blank.
To all intents and purposes for train simming, it is. I did once do an Aussie style route in TSC, don’t think it works anymore with all the core changes, which just used existing UK/European etc. assets and of course no branding. So definitely a huge challenge with or without licensing.
All they gotta do is watch crocodile Dundee. There's the reference material. Dtg have got to start somewhere. The reused European assets are getting a bit bland. Wcmls was released without branding, didn't seem a problem. Or maybe all the other problems took priority.
I think you have solved your own problem: there were so many major issues with WCCL that the licensing fell into the background, that doesn't make it excusable going into the future.
Just watch Return To Paradise on BBC! Though a small town that seems to have a murder every week, seems less than idyllic. On the other hand the small police force seem very efficient and solve the most complex crime in 45 minutes. And the irony is, the actress playing the imported English detective is actually Australian while the actor playing the Aussie detective is British. Sorry for OT whimsy.
Spoilers Vern! Though I must agree that it is not a village I'd be visiting too often, same goes for the Island version with Ralf Little.
My prefered Aussie line would be a Western Australia iron ore route with modern EMD and GE power pulling really long, heavy iron ore trains in the Outback desert. An AC6000CW, C44-9W, SD70ACe, ES44ACi/DCi, etc. would be perfect power for the ore trains.
That one did occur to me. Though of course it depends if the parent company or infrastructure operator is one who has already slammed the door on DTG’s approach. Though whimsical Vern thinks it would be great to go back a few years when the branch line from Midland up through the zig zags to Kalamunda then on to Karagullen still operated… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upper_Darling_Range_railway
I meant like Australia in General so all trains and routes not just certain area of Australia but TSW rlly needs to get there gear together and start being fair there charging a lot of money just for a train on the game so be fair if they added Australia in and New Zealand
