So DTM, or Digital Train Model just put this statement out today.... DTM for those that don't know is a 3rd party dev for Train Sim Classic and has been doing US vintage freight loco DLCs for it for quite a few years (As well as some work on HIS's packs and routes and did DTG's SD60M as well). Not sure what this bodes for TSW4 US freight content though, as DTM's products aren't the best things made in the world, with following issues related to past offerings. -Incorrect Model Sizes. -Missing or inaccurate models. -Sound or physic issues. -Slow, or lack of patching for released content. Though it does make one wonder if other 3rd party devs from TSC may try and put content out for TSW in the future with the editor.
Not good news, and if you take a look at DTM's work, they have never even been able to even match freeware modelling/texturing, not to speak of DTG's or Reppo's work. The undisputable low end of TSC. Bugs, ugly headlight flares, missing textures, plain and bland texturing and the dimensions are pretty much totally off and a lot of it seems guesswork. TSW is so far ahead concerning loco design, modelling and texturing (apart from Skyhook's ugly lo res HST cab) that DTM should consider going to school first, before attempting to join the real experts in modelling here, and this is not sarcasm. This is coming from a 7,000 hours TSC veteran. DTM only made it through all the years because there was very little competition for US stock and they could flood the market with a lot of simple copy'n'paste work. (Even pasting asset paths from other models resulting in missing textures, only addressed by the community.) Unfortunately, DTG don't check on their subcontractor's quality. There is still a Norfolk Southern SD70M on the store that features 4 (!) notches only, a cab looking like it's from a 1995 game, silly physics, but people said the horn was ok, at least.
Forewarned is forearmed. One would hope if they are going for payware which has to be sold through DTG, it will be vetted for quality. However in the wake of certain stuff from the existing associates, I wouldn’t be so sure.
This I doubt. Look at Skyhook's 187 (don't have it, but have read enough about it) or their ES44 on Horseshoe Curve. The headlights illuminate the cab nose through the deflectors, unusable at night because it's highly distracting. Turn the cab nose light on and the switch will not function anymore. Not talking about the engine sound. There's no such thing as a checklist QA goes through - I doubt they have a dedicated QA team. I have to say thank you to cwf.green again - this is the kind of commitment and communication that is needed. It almost feels like on the Zusi forum, where the main coder Carsten answers to every report, and if people create meaningful bug reports his answer most of the time is "fixed in the next build ".
My impression with DTM is, he works off the cheapest scale model available by mail order from Argentina and just cut-copy-pastes the parts around. On the CADscreens it all looks quite impressive, but a good DLC is more than a clay model: texturing and with TSW scripting are high hurdles to overcome. All of DTM's efforts are very simple physics and scripting wise, the same simulation and scripts are used in every model of previous ALCo, EMD or GE locomotives. It depends on DTG's base level of quality required and its assurance to get the TSW 'seal of approval. Which, going by Skyhook's still uncorrected ES44 and many other glaring errors in almost all USA DLC, doesn't bode well. But hey, any half arsed DLC is better than no DLC in some places, isn't it? After all, those who strive for true to prototype fidelity in a virtual scale realisation in their simulations are nothing but rivet counters and nit pickers, aren't they?
