Hello folks, As promised, here is a Q&A thread for all of your burning Cross-City questions, which we'll aim to answer on the live stream next week. PSA: THE LIVE STREAM WILL BE AT 17:00 UTC, RATHER THAN 20:00 - PUT IT IN YOUR DIARIES - IT WILL ALSO BE TUESDAY 15TH NOVEMBER. In case you missed it, here's a walkaround of the 323 in action: Please feel free to ask as much as you like, but bear in mind some of these will be answered as we go through the stream anyway. Thanks, and have a nice weekend.
Biggest question from me, is why are we finding out details of new routes from steam database first and not from DTG direct?
Actually I saw it first from an update received on one of the consoles (I think playstation) that someone then posted on here. I'm sure DTG are no longer announcing their routes months in advance to stop the torrent of questions and tirades they get on this forum, but it seems no matter what they do that will happen
Here’s (quite a few) questions I have regarding the upcoming BCC route: - Which loco DLCs will be layered into this route, from other routes? - How many total services are there for the 323? - Will there be AI services for the Wolverhampton and Walsall traffic? - Are there any freight opportunities which come with this route? - Will all platforms at Birmingham New Street be accessible? - How much of the upper concourse will be modelled at Birmingham New Street? - Why wasn’t Soho depot modelled within this route? Seems like a big opportunity missed. - Are there any AC neutral sections simulated on this route? - Do the interior lights flicker as per real life when taking power on the 323? - Are there any walkable routes outside of the main station area? Such as along the canal, for example? - What made you choose the Birmingham Cross City route? - How long has this route been in development for? - Where there any significant challenges when building this route? - What was it like modelling Birmingham New Street, given its complex track layout, amount of platforms, signalling and gradients? That’s all I can think of for now. Thanks.
My only real question is why wasn't Soho Depot included, seems a very big miss considering that it's about 2 miles away from New Street. It would have been a nice addition considering that we are probably going to be paying more for these routes now. Also no mention of 'Hunslet' the Bear since he lives at Soho!
A few further questions: - As this route in reality is operated by guards controlling the doors, will there be an option to have the guard operate the doors instead of driving it as Driver only operation (Similar to Fireman operated steam loco ie options of: Driver Only, Driver controlled (10bells), Driver Open/Guard Close and full guard controlled doors like the cross city is in reality) - Being a member of traincrew on the route, how did Daisy inspire the development of Cross City Line and 323 and did she sway anyone or teams to do things not previously done before? - The canal section on the route between Five ways and Bournville is one of the most picturesque areas on the route, has it been accurately represented? Being only a few feet from the track for most of that section. - Are the New "TV" Style passenger information screens in place across the route in the places they need to be, instead of the usual GWE style PIS boards being placed everywhere? - Is the Lichfield City Cathedral visible in game as it is in reality? (It wasnt in TSC) - Can you see the Aston Villa ground from the train as you can in reality?
What is this route selling for? (For existing TSW3 owners). Will there be a preorder discount? Hang on, is the stream today or next week? Top of the page says 4th November but the Live TV schedule says Thursday 10th.
The screenshots in wet weather did not appear to show the very lovely new wet platform textures we had in the new recent TSW3 routes. Will these make an appearance on this and all future routes? It may just of been a setting in the SS but it would he a shame to omit an improvement. However, this has what has happened before unfortunately with new features! Also, what made you again pick only one loco for a busy route? Did you consider other units, if so what and why? I would also love some information on layers and any other stock we can hope to see on the route and expect this to be part of next week's stream and article anyway. Would love to see more rail fanning and station exploration in the stream, would be nice to see some of the key landmarks also and hope they are explorable.
Couple more here i've tried to categorise. What new features does this route bring? Are their dioramas in this? Are their NPCS in places other than stations? What are the collectibles? Any Easter eggs to hunt out? What was the most complex part of the route Is the upper concourse at new street walkable? Will other trains be layered in so this route is not quiet? Will this route be like Cathcart where nothing else comes to pad it out? Does New street have potential to connect other routes to in the future? Has the route been built in a manner (no confirmations) that it can be built up more? Any new weather conditions we will see? Accompanying patch Will bidstack patch be launched with this? Does this have the improved night lighting that works on light levels instead? Is save checkpoint patching back in with this? Autotune How has autotune helped the route, has it enabled a more dense or less dense route as a result of the heatmaps highlighting issues. Has the autotune allowed the artists to push the LOD out more?
Are RHTT layers coming? From where to where we will drive freight trains? Are there any Spirit of Steam based railtours?
I see this advertised as a starter pack. Does this mean people that already own tsw3 are basically gonna have to pay the same price as people that don't own tsw3? Also can the 323 be brought as just a loco dlc?
Absolutely this. Or are we going to be stuck with Chopper and Change, Amtrak 66 etc. all over again. Sorry to tag DTG Alex and DTG JD but I think this is something that needs pre confirmation. Can you also update the dates above to that of the actual stream, please?
I believe it's going to be available as a starter pack with the base game and TC or just the route on its own. I don't think you'll be able to get the 323 without the route though.
Matt's already said in another thread, that it was felt by some that its been too long since TSW3 released for a DLC as it is.
I can only speak for myself that I would much rather wait an extra two or three weeks and get a more complete experience, though appreciate the impatient may not share that view. It's not like we're asking for an additional train pack here, the principal sidings and depot are about three miles away from its main hub and should have been the first thing that went in. This is beginning to sound like another rushed job, in the same way SoS was pushed out before being ready. Can't help but wonder what other corners may have been cut or detail left out to meet a deadline.
I would have happily waited a little longer for a route that's finished. I guess we may get the depot in another payed dlc.
Since the Soho depot is not included and is located west of new street, we can assumed lots of the morning and night moves will begin and end at new street. I think that was a missed opportunity not to include the depot. I think the moves would have been a positive addition to the route.
That is unlikely cuz it would require extra devs to work on it and with them working on newer content, it's unlikely to happen. The meissen branch was like 80% done when dra released, some outside devs I believe finished the rest. And there was huge player demand. So I highly doubt dtg would go in and take the extra time to model it. The timetable would have to be updated, etc. So it would require a whole team to create it. But they probably are already working on the next thing
I accept this is quite a harsh line of questioning, but why, once again has DTG taken a decision to omit an area of the route (Soho Depot) when a) they know the backlash they’ll get from players, b) harm the gameplay opportunities of the route to meet an arbitrary deadline that only they’ve set? Surely you’d get a more positive response and maybe sell more content if you went the extra mile. Yes, time is money, but so is lost loyalty, increased frustration and even anger at quite frankly, very poor decisions. You must know by now, given the amount of previous feedback, that areas like Soho Depot are cherished and are deeply missed by the community when omitted. It really baffles my brain.
Its possible that the tracks to Soho Depot has been modelled so that trains can start/end there but no scenery is present so players will not be able to spawn in. The London Commuter has Hove station/Sidings so trains can start there but is off limits to the player. Could be a similar setup.
A route that only has one loco, only 37 miles long, with a probably low timetable route, the depot not included is a mistake.we keep hearing is all about time and cost, what hope do we have for future routes.In other routes they had mentioned depot were not include do limitation on gen 8. I don’t want to sound negative but it seems that this a a new trend.Hopefully Future routes get more content included. Just my opinion
They already said that the delay for this DLC is too long from the last content, given how alot of the posts I see hereare about "no new dlc?!" And the impaciency of people, I doubt many would have had the same willingness to wait. Given how much detail/ planning/ big fixing and production time is needed, I suspect that it would have taken more than 2 or 3 weeks to organise and perfect. So this DLC may have been delayed until the new year at best?. Either way, I'm not bothered the Depot isn't in. Maybe we can hope it comes in an update at a laster stage? Like another sim game that routinely addes in more content for its already released dlcs.
Given most things I read on this forum, anything they do, good or bad, will get backlash from players. *Release a DLC early - not finished *Not enough DLCs - people demand reasons why no content each week. *Route asked for and made- WHY THIS ROUTE, I WANTED *popular but out of scope* ONE. Honestly, here are players (myself included) who aren't that bothered by the lack of depots on routes. If it's in, its a bonus. But there are so many other routes that don't have their depots, and I never saw complaints about those? What ever these devs do or don't, they will anger someone. I don't know enough about the depot, maybe it's a complex mess of lines and would have taken too long to get sorted? Or maybe it was deemed that it's addition wouldn't add enough gameplay to the route?
Bearing in mind the focus of the product is the Cross City route and its very specific rolling stock, the omission of the depot is a major flaw (IMHO). It would be a bit like doing a Bristol focused route but not including St Phillips Marsh, because it's tucked out of the way a bit. (Or omitting Canton from a route set at Cardiff heading east).
So two questions I have will there be changeable destination boards and will there be double unit services?
Oooh yes, I would also like to know this, would be nice to see rush hour services using doubled train which then split for offpeak hours.
Will the new train from this route appear in the Training Center's timetable mode? Will this (and future) DLCs also add features or usable space to the Training Center?
Lol. But if dtg were to answer that question this Thursday, they would say no plans. Unless it's on the roadmap, it's not going to happen