Enough Is Enough!!!

Sounds like it’s getting to the point where some negotiation with domestic management will be necessary to secure a PC upgrade!

 

Not necessarily. People are reporting the same issues on consoles. And TSC is running smooth as butter.

 

Merry Christmas! I'm back on TSW4 so I can use my RailDriver.

 

Longest thread in dtg forum history here lmao.
135 pages.

 

Merry Christmas everyone

 

Thomas the Tank Engine and all his buddies want to wish everyone a jolly steamy Christmas, and they'll be seeing you all soon........

 

*Sighs and does a little inside* yeah, I suppose so.


So will Wales and the class 153 though!

 

Can't be knocking Wales, I'll defend that country to the death and I'm not even bloody Welsh......

 

I meant it in a good way

 

I think you are a bit early XD

 

To the less educated train fan…

 

This tank engine is so unbelivable creepy when it looks around with it's creepy eyes and maniac grin

 

The kind of grin that probably has been the last thing quite a lot of people have ever seen.

 

They completely fked up how they marketed the Thomas DLC. I think just revealing it separately without trying to hype it up as something game chaining with the season of reveals would have made it receive more positive thoughts. Even I, as someone who watched a lot of that show as a kid am having a negative perception towards the DLC as it's reveal was foreshadowed by disappointment from expecting something better like a brand new game feature.

 

It feels like they are running out of ideas at DTG or licensing options or both. Those of us asking for more diesels (not another 66) more older trains (they don't sell, unless JT are behind it) routes that start and end in logical places (Ambergate I'm talking about) Save games that can be restarted, signalling that works like a human is controlling it, Steam that has decent physics and AI sounds, less marketing noise (announcements of announcements)etc and a commitment to keeping standards high for all content.

Those are things that some would like.


Happy Christmas all!!

 

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to everyone

 

Could definitely have been handled better, then there was the fireside chat which I honestly couldn’t bring myself to watch. Cringeworthy.

Anyhow strange though it may seem, running out of HD space had an inner debate last night whether to temporarily remove TSW or TSC and, much to my surprise, found myself saying au revoir to TSC, with MSFS 2020 and Forza 4 going into the 500 Gb of HD space it just freed up.

 

I bought a T5 drive which my TSC install sits on, loads up and plays pretty much as quick as on the main drive.

 

They are for the most but the leaves are still on the hardwood trees in Canada in the game; Dec 29 looks like July 29

 

I don't know if it belongs here, but during the holidays I had a look back at TSC after years with focus on TSW. And I must say... now I'm dissapointed with TSW, even I just played "Quickdrive" in TSC. There are so many routes, locos and repaints worldwide I almost forgot about it. Downloading a repaint is sometimes even easier than with TSW. In TSW I never had the feeling of travelling really far with high speed trains, other in TSC, where you can drive e.g. from Frankfurt / M the whole track up to Düsseldorf (for example, with route hopping). And what I also found interesting that many of the big stations or interesting routes are just converted (more ore less) from TSC to TSW. Where is the really new content? For German regional trains, we have always the same Dostos and EMUs.

Of course, the routes from the beginning to today are longer and more detailed. But after already more than 7 years the functional range is still not on the level of TSC. What TSW has in advanage for me are the graphics and more realistic signaling and safety systems. Also you can rely on more modern implementation of the trains (quality level). But I miss the long routes and the range of the wide community-driven contents.

 

I have dipped in and out of TSC which can be satisfying with route length etc. Problem is no timetable mode, TSWs single best attribute in my eyes. TSC even in quick drive mode is either empty or predictable. TSW physics apart from Steam traction are better. In TSC I managed to release the brakes on a Sherman hill consist immediately and start moving. That's not good at all. TSW could do with AP developing for it as the level of detail they get down to would be appreciated. That would provide a contrast with the direction DTG are going in.

 

I agree. There are 3rd party developers for TSC providing scenarios, but they are limited and require a rather big investment when you don’t own the required content. The timetable mode is much easier.

What do you mean by „AP developing“

 

Routes made in tsc to tsw is not just a simple port or conversion like you are implying. Tsw requires everything to be rebuilt from scratch and there's so much more content to create. Tsc also has over a decades worth of content and tons of 3rd parties. Many requested dlc in tsw is already made in tsc and only creating brand new content never done before, there would be nothing left to create. They couldn't just get a brand new license or create a new country just like that. They couldn't also do like all steam era routes or something cuz then variety decreases.

 

I do find it odd that you can "forget" how diverse the content on TSC is! Anyway - Just remember - the origins of that game are 2007 - thats 18 years ago - and people have been modifying it and releasing content for it ever since - TSW is a lot more complex, i.e a lot harder for the every day man to mod and much newer!

 

To some extent that is because DTG sat on the tools for several years. Then released the route etc. editor with TSW4, but no instructions not even a PDF sheet just a very brief YT clip. Nothing since. I tried briefly and failed, not because of the difficulty but the simple lack of instructions or attempt to customise UE naming conventions to a more user friendly form (actors, WTH). And as we have seen from recent reports get so far and get stuck, or one wrong/missing step and the project crashes. And DTG haven’t even officially enabled cooking yet so no one is going to waste hours on a project you can’t share with others.

As has been said, the editor was a cynical marketing tool to sell TSW4 and/or a means of recruiting anyone who could make any semblance of headway to the paid third party programme. So unlike TSC there is unlikely to ever be a plethora of freeware and independent payware route builders.

And as for third party rolling stock, well again we are hardly awash with new independent content. A few wagon packs, a DMU which has sunk into development hell and, um, not much else.

 

While I agree with most of your post, I have to say that actors aren't just for scenery. You are able to place down scenery models without them being actors, but it is not recommended for a variety of reasons.

It isn't DTG's responsibility to rename things in Unreal. TS' editor had a number of odd names for things like lofts too. It's worth noting that pretty much any Unreal 4 tutorial will teach you early on how to use actors. Actors are incredibly useful when used properly.

The lack of documentation for regular Unreal features like scenery is not an issue, because it's easy to learn it yourself. The problem begins with signalling and track laying really. To be fair though, only RailWorks came with a proper manual for the editor which is quite outdated now. Most people who have learnt how to build routes in TS are either self-taught or used online tutorials.

 

OK this could be true: The most interesting routes were covered already in TSC and it would be no oppertunity for TSW to create just the boring routes

It's sad that from the beginning with the MSTS the routes became more realistic and more beautiful, but always shorter. I remember my first add-on for MSTS with the route "Cologne-Aachen", which covered not only the main track, but also the small routes to Jülich and Heimbach. Maybe DTG and its providers should offer more "linked routes" in TSW.

TSC needs to be supported the next years, because both TSW and TSC have other advantages.

 

Sad thing, because as I said, development of the platform then becomes very slowly and there is no positive pressure (or motivation) to get moving with new content.

 

Around 8 months to TSW6 !

 

Oh, they are working on it, as we speak, regardless of topic.
They are polishing up the broken stuff then an announcement of the new train and route from Japan, as it "may" be bundled with TSW6. Yes?

 

A little more Dystopian...

 

The routes get shorter with each platform, I have often flagged this up as an issue but people shout 'it's more difficult now' I acknowledge that to be the case but it doesn't make the end product any more interesting when it's shorter with every evolution. Glasgow to Edinburgh is a solid example. MSTS Making Tracks version came with both Falkirk routes and a ton of rolling stock, TSC version came with both Falkirk routes and the Grangemouth Branch and track but no scenery to Stirling and several items of rolling stock. The TSW version is Falkirk High route only with a 385 only and that's before looking at shortcomings well documented.

It's no good trotting out excuses if the software is so complicated that the regular DLC releases are are getting shorter and less value for money every time. Feels like shrinkflation even if it isn't.

 

Can't wait for the reactions to tomorrow's roadmap

 

Hopefully there's something positive, there's too much negative energy lately.

 

I'd quite like to see a release date for this Welsh network. That would be amazing

 

Despite its compact nature, this is the one I’m quite looking forward to, mainly for the 150 and 153. Fingers firmly crossed though Rivet have not been allowed anywhere near them and they are all new models and sounds. As noted elsewhere, can’t believe DTG have created two new rolling stock assets just for this little route and would like to think something more expansive is on the whiteboard. Add a TfW SHG conversion of their 158 and you have a nice little fleet ready to tackle the Marches Line or Shrewsbury - Wrexham (Bidston) - Chester.

 

It absolutely is good enough, because it's not "trotting out excuses", it's the truth. It is utterly impossible to create a MSTS size route for TSW and sell it for the same price, since the graphical quality is vastly increased and it takes far more time to create every asset.
Or do you have a solution you can share with us?

Since you described increasing quality in return for shorter routes as "less value for money every time", it seems like the increase in quality from MSTS to TSW holds no value for you, which is perfectly fine. In that case, why not just abandon TSW and go and play MSTS/OpenRails instead? There is a huge library of addons for it.

 

Ok so if this carrys through to the next simulator platform the routes and content will be even shorter again.

No thanks

Will play what I choose thank you and comment accordingly having been around and spent a lot on DLC for all platforms.

 

I like the idea of some fresh thrashy sprinters. Plus a network is always a fun wee drive. It's also good to see Wales is finally getting some love

 

Short recap of the January Roadmap:

Mannheim-Kaiserslautern releasing January 30th, has only reused content (BR 425, ICE 3M, BR 185.2 AGAIN, BR 111)
Mittenwaldbahn releasing in February
Recap of Season of Reveals, with new screenshots of Mildmay Line and Class 86/2
Next patches are optimizations to WCMLS and FTF
Spotlight on some PC Editor creations
TSW Tracked (looks like a Spotify Wrapped ripoff ngl)

 

Let me guess, the BR 185.2 that is reused have the same too loud buzzing giving you a headache after 5 min too.

And another thing from the roadmap
Manchester Commuter was on 0-3 months in November now it's release date TBC.

 

Thomas comes next year(whit TSW6) i've readed correct?

 

believe that’s a typo, seems to be copied and pasted from the reveals

 

And it suggests that players are driving an average of 13000 kilometres per play session too. DTG still not very good at counting.

 

I also can’t believe WCMLS so popular. As they say, lies, damn lies and statistics.

It probably scored highly from players keep going back to see if they can get a bug/crash free run!

 

Well my theory about them sacking most of the developers is well known. Now it seems they have AI doing the PR as well!

 

No Wales news. Sad

 

We don't even know what did they account for? Is it all the TSW routes available including SEHS, London Commuter etc? It's may be fair to say WCML South had an atrocious launch as to why it's likely less popular than Frankfurt - Fulda. Though I guess the love affection for the Class 390 still carries on as well as playing on one of the UK's flagship route, despite the timetable is still half - baked.

 

To be fair the times I have fired WCMLS up it has more or less behaved itself. The 350 and 390 are both reasonable trains. It’s the shoddy Rivet route building that lets it down and of course the core performance issues, which are actually worse on the Shap route.