Enough Is Enough!!!

Problem with Trainz, is that while the route building tool is the best of all the sims, the driving experience remains dreadful in no small measure due to the many outdated assets and odd aliases for cab and sounds. No timetable mode per se and most often you need to set the route for your train as you go.

 

Nooooooo

 

I just tend to make routes for myself which is pretty awesome as there is no bar, you can do what you like. Otherwise I grab the pro pre-made routes in sales. I certainly wouldn’t bother with the download station thingy as that’s where all the missing assets ruin your experience.

 

No, it just means that their opinion differs to yours. Is that really such a crime?

One other thing: I actually watch quite a few of the "Dad Rail" content because as ambassadors go, he seems to be one of the very few who don't fixate on the "this wonderful, this is great" approach to what they're playing, but in all honesty I don't recall one instance where somebody has said "after watching a Dad Rail stream I decided to buy.....". Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there are instances where those words were indeed spoken but I'm also pretty sure that there a lot more infrequent than you're suggesting.

 

Funny. That is exactly the point I was trying to get across, that even if everybody thinks DTG are greedy I can have a different opinion on that, and I usually explain why that's the case. No accusations, and nothing criminal. A discussion lives from different opinions.

I find it patronising to tell them who to give free keys to, or if they donate keys to HumbleBundle etc. This all is the opposite of greed actually.

Of course, you can start a rally to stop them from doing this if you feel DLC are getting more expensive for you then. But, you'll need some facts and actual numbers to convince DTG that Ambassadors are unnecessary expenses, opinions won't suffice.

I stand by my point, it's just a case of being envious of some getting free keys. Envy will only hurt yourself.

 

Oh, hang on a minute, the (your) comment I quoted can interpreted in two ways...I can clearly see what you were saying now. Apologies.

 

No worries. The problem of the internet, misunderstandings because we cannot see each other.

 

Although I like this one even better ---->

 

This is something that gets at me too when I play it. I've been building a route on there for some time now and while I only use much newer assets, a lot of stuff you can find on there even in the base game is sometimes over 20 years old. You can literally have two trains alongside each other, one totally up to date with 3D modelling and textures with unique sounds, and the other effectively flat boxes with literal 2D phototextures and sounds that date back to 2004. Or a single really high detail loco surrounded by scenery and textures just about on par with the original Half Life.

This isn't even to mention the fact that if you actually want to be able to use stuff from the content manager, you have to deal with a lot of occurrences of missing dependencies. Alternatively sometimes you get faulty dependencies, at which point you have to practically become at least an amateur coder to fix things yourself.

I had this conversation once before elsewhere and took these pictures below to demonstrate.

 

I raise you...

 

That was the last Mercedes designed by Friedrich Geiger, who was followed by the legendary Bruno Sacco and his timeless and in many aspects groundbreaking W201 (known as 190 or Baby-Benz) and W126. I am driving a W203, which is the last car Sacco designed for Mercedes. The following Peter Pfeiffer models were much more "cluttered" and "obstructed" and less elegant imho than the italian design.

The Sacco family...

..ended here (my model)


The "190" happens to be in TSW, in a poor condition though...

 

Absolutely. Grandfather had the 280SE version. Beautiful, together with the R107. Later on a W126 - 420SE. Those were the times when Mercedes still knew how to built cars. Then they were haunted by a guy who shalln't be named ...

 

I've still got that Swatch we got handed over after the "glorious" merger with Chrysler, idea of a madman. It's not become a particularly valuable collector's watch...

My C220CDI is pretty reliable, 430,000 kms already - original engine, transmission and clutch still. Of course chassis parts / suspension needed replacement. Love it. Never let me down. Low consumption, high sustainability.

 

Great piece of iron! I love that period, Both BMW and Mercedes! Oddly enough I love both! My friend has an E 380SE W126 with 684k km! NEVER a problem!

 

Why? I still enjoy TSW, and besides, I can't use TSC as I can't fulfil its requirements.

 

Chief Designer.
Listen up team, Just how many doors can we fit on this new train?

 

Mind you, you get similar problems with TSC...

 

The problem with Trainz is that some stuff still available on the DLS is missing dependencies. Classic are the SR EMU’s which when created were aliased to a sound set that had allegedly been taken from elsewhere without permission. N3V took down the asset but the author of the stock never updated the EMU’s to use another set of sounds. So they can’t be placed in game as they come up as faulty, unless you go in and try to repair yourself. There’s also a complete set of various LUL assets, still listed but when you go to download get a message about withdrawn due to breach in T&C. So a bit of a mess!
In fact one could almost add N3V to the enough is enough sentiment, for completely losing control of their Download Station!

 

I think you could potentially say that Trainz is an example of a developer allowing their game to become too community driven. Don't get me wrong, the game is absolutely carried today by the vast array of community contributions, and some of its most popular releases ever such as S&C and ECML were third party. But go beyond the well known items on the download station and you find a mess of varying grades of content, dependencies being updated beyond their dependants and not always with a way to backdate them, and brand new TRS19 content being listed right alongside something made for TRS2004, and the vast majority of stuff is still built for TS2012.

 

Trainz was a fun and diverting alternative to MSTS in the 2000s, but has ever since been hampered by the insistence of being forever backwards compatible. N3V need to wipe the slate clean and bring out a new title, freed from the shackles of Trainz. TSW will be in the same boat in a few years if Dovetail keep soldiering on with UE4 and supporting Jurassic consoles.

 

There are several things on this page that I have seen and now cannot un-see ... but it's ok

 

I think you may have missed the irony or tongue-in-cheek element in Old Abe's quip.

 

No Crosstie, I'm aware. It was just another thought on secrets.

 

I basically now just use it to create versions of model railway plans from old books or I find online.

 

What started as an expression of serious disappointment with DTG has now become one of the most valuable, respectful and mature threads imho. A place for everyone.

 

Problem with trainz or at least from what i found is that most of the stuff i want to play are all in the BR era or even earlier. Sure there are trains that are 199X and beyond but other than that theres not fitting time route to run on. Like theres not even a modern ECML or a full WCML and most of the time trainz just releases bloody heritage liveries on those utterly boring american freight locos (seriously there is so many irl and in trainz that i just dont think is even rare anymore :/). Hell US fans gets more fun from trainz here.

 

The ECML in Trainz was built specifically to showcase the Deltics. Unfortunately the route shows up the shortcomings of the platform from several angles, whether the aged appearance (it was a labour of love started way back in the days of Trainz 2004 or 2006) or the need to act as signaller while driving which is a farce on a complex main line plus no easy means for the player to run to a timetable. As I said a lot of the content is old and was or indeed remains aliased to ancient Auran assets. I remember downloading a Japanese centre cab diesel loco and when I went to drive it, found the cab aliased to the original Auran F7 along with generic GM sounds. So great as a model railway experience, but doesn’t really cut it for a decent prototype sim.

 

Similar example, take this Flying Scotsman depicted in its condition in about 2004. Pretty good engine as far as Trainz standards go, very good model and textures.


Pop into cab view though, and you're met with the default Gresley A3 cab made for TRS2004.

 

for now at least…

that is until the absolute chaos that is the dovetail direct unfolds

 

Steam peaked in Trainz with the Settle and Carlisle line then later the Potteries Loop, both of which were subsequently pretty much abandoned as the core moved forward. Certainly PLL was never updated for TRS2019 let alone 22. I haven’t been following developments with Trainz very closely the last year or two, not even been on the N3V forums for a while but guessing we will be looking at the next version TRS2025 before long. Of course they already created a two tier product by having the Trainz Plus Subscription service, who get access to far more and new features than those who bought the retail version of 22 outright.

 

Since the core summer update on PC my game has become borderline unplayable with stutters and fps drops all over the place. Previous routes i had no problem running are struggling.

Ive had fps drops in Sand Patch, Goblin, loads on Rosenheim, parts of Bremen Oldenburg and a few others. I havent touched my settings and they were all running brilliantly beforehand using the lighting mod from Jetwash.

What the hell have they done and is anyone else effected by this?

 

Yeah I've had alot more graphical glitches on my series x since the update.

 

With there being no August Roadmap yet, are there any known plans for updates to Train Sim World 4 after Train Sim World 5 releases this Fall?

 

They couldn't say anything until dovetail direct

 

Pretty sure I'll be giving that a miss.

 

With 9 days to go until the direct, or, as I like to call it “Doomsday”

I think this thread will become, once again, very important for gathering people’s potential anger, frustration, and opinions. As it has with the previous game.

Also on another note: watching this thread go from once one of the most toxic cesspools born out of hatred, to now being an actual good resource for people’s views on the game, that is actually mature, is really inspiring.

seems like the worst things posted on the forums, can sometimes end up being useful and good.

 

What, you want support for free? That's not how it works in the DTG Universe. You better get the paid "upgrades" and they may graciously consider possibly maybe fixing their bugs.

 

To be fair to DTG, we’re in a lot better state than last year. TSW3 had a lot of outstanding bugs and issues (yes, TSW4 has issues, and they won’t all get fixed, but I still think we’re in a better place) and patches basically got paywalled behind TSW4. TSW2 was finally acknowledged as being dead despite fixes being on the roadmap for ages.

But this year TSW4 has had the Core Updates that have addressed long standing issues. I’m thinking of BML 377 rear door open, and SEHS AI PIS.

Yes, again, I get that <insert your pet bug here> hasn’t been fixed, but I’m going to state here major kudos for whoever put forward and won buy-in for the time to do the Core Updates, as that isn’t something business people sign off on readily.

Is TSW4 perfect? No. But credit where it’s due, it’s being left in a better state if this is the end. That’s progress.

 

In the interests of fairness, and I'm fairly outspoken in my criticisms, I'm still on TSW 3 and haven't spotted any bugs.
Now I hasten ro add that I only play on the East Coasstway route so maybe that's in a better state than others, or maybe I just don't notice them (so don't point them out to me, esoecially as TSW3 is no longer supported), but if the quality is apparently getting better with TSW4 then that's got to be a good thing..

 

TSW5, a moment of fate,
Will it bring joy or a weight?
The Dovetail direct draws near,
A time of hope, a time of fear.
Will it be a disappointment,
Or will it be a win?
The outcome is uncertain,
As we count the days, with a grin.
So check your wallets,
And prepare for the ride,
For TSW5 will soon arrive,
Our destiny to decide.

 

With apologies to Robert Jordan… The Dovetail Wheel Weaves as the Dovetail Wheel Weaves…

 

I think me creating this thread is enough and will suffice for future generations lol

 

Its poetry Jim, but not as we know it

 

Keys handed out to Ambassadors cost us "punters" precisely nothing, in these days of digital distribution. If, say, a sock company gave out free pairs of socks, then those socks cost something to manufacture, and there is a finite supply against which to graph demand; but software can be duplicated infinitely at no cost.

 

You’re talking nonsense fella! Next you'll be telling us the software develops itself? There is ALWAYS a cost!

 

Developing the software has a cost, but you can copy it indefinitely without any cost.

 

The point of giving keys to ‘ambassadors’ is to drive sales. Those keys are an investment, and DTG would expect a return on that investment. If an ambassador wasn’t seen to be helping to drive sales, they’d be dropped. The keys aren’t a cost-free giveaway. They’re also a drop in the ocean vs actual sales.

 

You could theoretically count an ambassador key as a lost sale but in practise it really isn't.

 

The only sort of cost that would be incurred would be any that Steam has, and from what I understand developers can get new keys for nothing from them. In turn this makes the economics so low that if literally just one person buys a game from a video that wouldn't have without it then you've made your money back, and if a second buys it then you're now making money off it. It's way cheaper than say buying out TV space, a billboard, or indeed using a ACS-64 as a billboard like DTG did. Certainly a lot less risky, there's a lot few movies for example that made back their production budget, but bombed due to massive marketing budgets, Indiana Jones 5 comes to mind as a recent example.