Feature Future Vision: Msfs-inspired Base Content, Dynamic Realism & Cooperative Shared Cockpit

Hello everyone,

I'm a big fan of the Train Sim World series and truly appreciate the level of detail and immersion you've achieved. As we look towards the future, especially with TSW6 on the horizon, I wanted to share a couple of ambitious ideas inspired by other highly realistic simulators like Microsoft Flight Simulator. These suggestions, I believe, could significantly enhance the core gameplay experience, offer immense value, and foster even greater community engagement.

One of the most compelling aspects of Microsoft Flight Simulator is its vast, accessible base game content. You don't need to purchase additional content just to fly anywhere in the world, and a wide array of aircraft are included from the start. I really think Train Sim World could benefit greatly from a similar approach to its core content.

Imagine a base game where the initial offering of routes and rolling stock is significantly more expansive. Instead of just a couple of routes, there could be a much more diverse selection covering different regions and types of operations (like a mix of passenger, freight, and different eras) and a substantially larger fleet of trains included from day one. This isn't about creating unrealistic global railways that stretch from Europe to the USA, but rather ensuring that the included content provides a richer, more varied, and less restrictive experience right out of the box.

Oh, and also, I'd love to see real liveries that you don't have to buy DLCs for. Perhaps this could be achieved by including a broad selection of real-world liveries in the base game, or through robust modding support that truly enhances the experience. A key consideration for modded liveries, especially in a multiplayer setting, would be synchronization – if I'm running a train with an NS livery, it would be amazing if my friends also saw that livery without needing to download it manually. This kind of expanded, accessible content, whether official or community-driven, would allow for so much more creative freedom and endless experimentation. DLC could then focus on highly detailed, specific real-world routes, unique historical rolling stock, advanced scenarios, or major regional expansions for those who want even more. The core experience would simply feel much more open and free, significantly increasing the game's initial appeal and long-term value.

This leads directly into another exciting possibility for enhancing realism and social play: cooperative shared cockpit multiplayer. Imagine being able to pilot a single train with friends, not just driving separate trains, but truly working together within the same locomotive. This would allow for distinct roles, such as one person driving (controlling speed, braking, signals) and another acting as the engineer or secondman (monitoring gauges, managing auxiliary systems like pantographs, doors, lights, safety systems like AWS/PZB/TVM, troubleshooting faults, and communicating with dispatch). For passenger services, you could even have a friend take on the role of a conductor or guard, checking tickets, managing doors, and signaling departures. This kind of multi-person interaction would elevate the simulation to a new level, fostering communication, coordination, and a deeper understanding of real-world railway operations. It would transform a solitary experience into a genuinely collaborative one, adding immense social and immersive potential.

And finally, to truly deepen the simulation experience while still keeping it accessible, I'd love an optional setting for realistic train startups. Just like in MSFS, you could choose to spawn the train fully cold and perform every single step of the startup procedure yourself, flipping switches, testing systems, and bringing the locomotive to life. This would include real-world scenario elements, where factors like weather conditions (e.g., cold or rain) could realistically affect startup times and procedures, making it take longer than in ideal conditions. But critically, this should be optional, so players can turn it off and just spawn with the train ready to drive if they prefer.

And continuing that thread of realism, it would be incredible if every action had a consequence, just like in the real world. This also ties into multiplayer synchronization, ensuring that any action taken by any player within a shared session leads to consistent outcomes. This extends to system failures, unexpected delays, or even rule violations. If you run a red light, for instance, the game shouldn't just abruptly end. Instead, it should trigger realistic consequences - perhaps an emergency brake application, a fine, a recorded incident that affects your career progression, or even a scenario failure that still allows the game to continue with a penalty, rather than a hard stop. This kind of dynamic consequence system would make every decision matter and significantly enhance the sense of responsibility and immersion.

Thank you for considering these ideas. I believe they could truly help Train Sim World evolve into an even more comprehensive and engaging simulation for years to come.

Best regards,
Max van Gelder