Has Tsw Opened Up Your Interest Into Railways In Other Countries?

Just a thread for a small discussion really, regarding whether the Train Sim World franchise has opened up your interest into railways from different countries.

For me personally, I started playing Train Simulator back in 2012, and whilst I do not play it anymore, I have racked up around 2,000 hours over the last decade. I had absolutely zero interest in any European or US content. I was only interested in the UK.

Even up until around the mid point between TSW3 and TSW4, I had very little interest.

However during an Xbox sale, I was able to pick up Cajon Pass, Riesa-Dresden and a couple of US and European locos quite cheap. As we all know, Xbox sales are few and far between so I took the opportunity.

Cutting to the chase, in some respects I actually find European and US content more interesting than UK content now, particularly with learning the German safety systems, as well as mastering brake management on really long and heavy US freight trains down steep gradients. It has made me want to research more about the stock and the routes, even to the extent of planning to visit a few in real life.

Train Sim World certainly has its issues and bugs, I’m not denying that. However in my opinion, the fact that the game / simulator can trigger an interest for something, that at one point would never have even been considered, is really something, and in some ways is quite impressive.

But who knows? Maybe it’s just me

 

nah not really. only trains I like outside of germany are Velaro-platformed vehicles for the UK, Turkey, China and what not.

 

Computer says nah

 

Not really. Instead, it's just opened up my eyes to how big of a railway network other countries have.

 

Only countries that feature in TSW. If it’s not UK related it’s usually German or American content.

 

Definitely, particularly German Railways.

It's also made me appreciate American Railroads a little more. What I once saw as a long boring trudge with cool horns is now a delicate operation requiring skill to nurse heavy trains up and down steep gradients.

 

Not really. since I only know American Railways, the only thing this game has done is expand my interest in American railroads. If a new country is introduced in the game, I’ll try it for about 2 days and loose interest very quickly. American content is the only content that keeps me on this game. (Although this U.S drought is severely effecting how much I play this game)

 

Not me either, my interest is still solely on Britain.

 

Coming from an individual who's nearest train station is about 20 minutes away with a poor rail network compared to Europe, it got me very interested in railways across the world.

I got tsw2020 and it was enjoyable. Back then, I didn't like old and slow diesel engines. Now I love them. After playing for a while, I realized I really enjoy uk content. Then tsw2 came out and I basically bought everything for the variety. Sure, I'm aware of bugs, rely on mods and tsw hasn't reached its full potential, but it's fun driving different routes and trains.

There is lots of room for improvement. From a person who's played a variety of games from indies to triple a games, the graphics and performance in tsw could be so much better.

 

Exactly this

 

I remember the initial performance when it first came out on Xbox. Great Western Express was so poor it was virtually impossible to stick to the timetable.

What platform are you playing on? I’m on Series S. Tends to average around 40-60fps on most routes, with occasional drops to around 25fps in really busy areas, which isn’t a huge issue.

The only performance issues I’m having more commonly are on Antelope valley, tends to drop down more frequently

 

My answer is that I was always interested in railways in all countries. When I was about 6 years old I discovered some railway history books and my fascination with rail transport dates from that time.

Frankly I don't really understand the mindset that excludes railways outside a person's home country, but each to his zone I guess.

After more than 20 years of playing train sims of one stripe or another, it's disappointing that publishers have stuck to a very limited number of countries.

 

No technically, I was never locked to a country before hand, I don’t really comprehend why people are put off entire countries trains, no train is the same so it can’t because they don’t like a particular train.

 

My performance is around 60fps lol on high settings. I'm more talking about the smoothness of the game which compared to many other games I have played is worse. Even those using unreal engine tend to have fewer stutters or there are stutters but it is almost unnoticeable. It kinda feels more noticeable in tsw. Of course I'm no game dev and have no idea how it all works, but it just feels different

 

Not everyone has an interest outside their own country.

 

My point was on the reasoning not the action. The action part is obvious but why/reason is not.

 

I just prefer what I grew up with. That's probably the same for most people.

 

I can understand the nostalgia in that, but I don’t see how it could affect much on trains people have never been on, in that scenario they wouldn’t be interested in other countries trains but would be for something else they lack connection with, doesn’t seem to make much sense.

 

I have to say yes, especially the UK railways. When i started TSW in late TSW 2020 i didnt know much about it, nor did i care, i remember thinking NTP was a current era route xD. But with more modern 3rd rail or overhead electric routes i also tried UK routes and got the hang of it. Now id say my TSW playtime is almost evenly split between German and UK content, and ive also grown a interest for real life UK railways. When i was in London Last year, i was excited to see trains i knew out of TSW and got on some just to have been on them irl.

 

Maybe German and a bit of British, but this could also be influenced by my surroundings. I live on the Dutch/German border and I regularly go to Germany for all kinds of stuff. And since the Dutch railways are compared to German railways more boring, goes my interest often to Germany.
For the British, I have a couple of friends whose are interested in British railways, so it could be also that.

 

Yes - I am definitely more interested now in German railways than I was, entirely thanks to TSW. Played TSC for many years but never had interest in DE content until TSW.

US is still a work in progress; the passenger routes I find more interesting than the long freight at the moment. All will come in time though I'm sure

 

TSW no, TSC yes - South Africa, Japan, China, New Zealand, Turkey.

 

If you begin to struggle with brakes on the US freight runs when you get to that point, I recommend watching Matt’s Cajon Pass tutorial as well as his Braking Tutorial. I believe both can be found on the TSW YouTube channel. They really helped me personally, and to quote Matt himself, despite how obvious it sounds, you are actually driving the train, not just reacting to what’s happening.

It certainly makes for a rewarding experience the first time you take that 15,000 tonne train down Cajon

 

I knew nothing of German trains until TSW introduced me to them and the same with any country other than UK and US. My main interest is still UK trains though and overall I’m only really interested in driving trains and not getting into learning everything about them. I nearly always stick to UK and US trains in the sim now because there is plenty of variety there, especially UK content. German content takes a back seat for me now and I’m not too sure why as at times I have battered the German content at the expense of the others.

 

I mean as a Brit I prefer UK routes, but saying that I enjoy the German routes a lot more. I find the safety systems more engaging and fun. I play attention more on the German routes, the UK routes are more relaxed for me.

 

I first purchased TSW 2 on a x box summer sale i had seen a friend had it on PC and i said wish they would port to console so they eventually did i bought it for US Sand Patch grade and bought the US freight routes then passenger ...but i did start tinkering with the UK EU routes that came with it then TSW 3 came liked southeast high speed route then purchased a few UK EU routes via sales that started to peak my interest in them more ..i like the older UK locos like class 20 37 47 etc but enjoy the other various trains the electric locos for amtrak and on EU routes ..ive also watched you tube videos of these trains i operate in TSW how they are in real life

 

Wasn't this same question asked in a previous thread a few weeks ago?

Anyhow answer is the same. It didn't take TSW or any other sim to awaken my interest in the railways of countries outside the UK. After joining BR in 1977, as soon as I was eligible I was taking advantage of the free travel available on many European railways to get out and about see something different. I even scooted across to Canada in 1986 as you could get free travel on VIA Rail. Covered 1000's of miles all for just the cost of onboard food, one upgrade to a section sleeper. I also had to pay to use BC Rail from Prince George to North Vancouver as they weren't included, also the bus from Calgary to Edmonton as VIA Rail had withdrawn the Budd Dayliner service due to too many grade crossing collisions.

 

TSW hasn't changed my opinion of non-German Trains. But I wouldn't miss the Opportunity if I had the chance to ride with the Javelin or Baby Bullet. The last one I think will be difficult because I heard that the Route has now been electrified and other Trains are being used.

 

Caltrains EMUs are still not in service, and the Bi Levels will still be used on the un-electrified section between Tamien and Gilroy.

 

Foreign routes not for me either on TSW4 or TS Classic ,I only play UK because I can relate back to my childhood days when I was young Train Spotter with steam and the arrival of diesel’s back in in the late 1950s early 60s on the WCML route in Nuneaton and GWML over at Leamington Spa.

 

Well, I came for LIRR but stayed for Dresden
So yea I’d say so

 

I was already interested in foreign railroads especially high speed trains like the ICE and TGV. TSC just gave me the opportunity to explore some countries much more and get a better insight with the trains they have. Among the first and favourite routes even now in TSW are from Germany and UK (especially old true trains like loco hauled services and the immortal HST). Next on the line are the likes of Austria and Switzerland.

 

It has for me. As an American, i never left my own country (yet, hopefully). So getting a chance to "experience" other rail lines across the world is awesome. Ive particularly fallen in love with British rail

 

Early TSW was a great introduction to German railroading, with RSN and MSB specifically. But I suppose the team who made those is now long gone, and all recent German content from TSW3 has generally nonsense signalling and it is clear that the developers do not understand the fundamental principles of German railway rules. So nowadays probably not really anymore.

 

Can you be a bit more specific, especially because you say "all", including every german DLC since TSW 3 (so... DRA-remastered, NID, LFR, MTB, KWG, VRGB)? Sure there are some bugs, but i didn't experience yet the feeling of "generally nonsense signalling", which is a big statement.

 

I stayed in Wuppertal on holiday a few years ago and actually went for a day trip to Hagen and Finnentrop just cos I'd played Sieg Nord

 

I have no other choice since TSW does not offer anything from my country.

But overall, it did not. Even before, I liked European rails and still do.

 

Well, I could say something like this about Hmmsim Metro... no particular destination on the route to get to, but just to take a ride through the stations featured in that game.

 

Belgium and Netherlands.

 

Youre probably the first tourist Hagen ever got. xD
Hope you enjoyed it.

 

Definitely!

I'm from Germany and only know the DB. But I was and am always interested in railways. As a child I had model trains but also only DB. It was only with MSTS that I got to know other railways. Then came TSW...

Today I have to say that I'm at least interested in DB, because I know that. But I've always wanted to take US trains and I like the UK routes by far the best!

And yes, I would really like to get to know other countries and their trains! Especially Japan, Spain, Italy, France and the Netherlands. But I'm completely open about it. I have to let myself be surprised anyway and wait for things to come.

 

I just ordered my flight tickets to Switzerland so I can travel on Bernina and other RhB lines, I think it can be something with the recent Rivet release that pushed me to finally do it

 

It's always been my interest to see different countries in TSW, including very personal ones like Switzerland(Main Line SBB), Russia, Norway and France.

Unfortunately, it seems that we are often sticking to Germany, UK and U.S.

 

Being in the U.S. it’s definitely expanded my interest . Still though with the nearest train station to me being over 6 hours away I still have little to no interest in passenger services. In fact I don’t believe I’ve ever seen an actual revenue passenger service, just long heavy freights. TSW has definitely made me enjoy overseas freight though . Find myself on the tube constantly watching freights from across Europe .

 

Hmm, I have not played TSW recently a lot, but let's see.
- KWG: can't remember anything wrong with trackside signalling, but it was also almost all just red/green blocksignals without any additional logic with nothing to break there; LZB was completely broken in one of the stations for selected freights, generating nonsense speed curves (in reality it would fall back into PZB for complex crossings in station)
- BRO: has broken signals in Oldenburg where half of services depart onto mainline on Sh 1; broken signals in I think Delmenhorst where you are given Vr 1 into 40 km/h switches, derailing you
- LFR: was initially released completely unplayable with nonsense signalling on Mainz approach derailing you, but that was later mostly fixed; but still is signalling you freely into open crossings; one of block signals does not have any distant signal, so when that one is on Hp 0, you will spad out from game; missing advance speed boards; Mainz exit signals show Hp 1 into 40 km/h switches, derailing you
- NID: was in general good, but of course it was not developed by DTG and we will also not see any new route addon from this dev in any foreseeable future; shunting operations are not done prototypically (but could be waved off on such branch line)
- DRA: did not have anything changed in regards to signalling as far as i know, so i don't count that as a post TSW3 development
- Vorarlberg: vast majority of shunting signals do not work; Sh 1 signals are pre-signalled as expect clear, derailing you; extensive shunting operations are great addition, but signalling-wise are almost completely wrongly done
- MTB: after seeing them proudly present the addon on preview stream with driving over open crossings, I did not buy it so I cannot tell. But I remember people here on forums also report some wrong signals near the harbor branch..

 

I fully agree with you!! I was getting a bit bored of the UK content as it started to feel a bit repetitive in TSC mainly so I thought to explore some German and USA content in TSW.

The American content wasn't my cup of tea, however the German content definitely was!!!

I love learning new things so I got really invested in learning the German safety systems and once I got around it I was playing all German content on TSW for a week straight, as the safety systems add a challenging element to the game (compared to cancelling the AWS once in a while).

I tried to play German content on TSC but it didn't have the same allure as the TSW counterpart, not sure why. Hence I do stick to TSW for German driving.

I think its nice to switch it up once in a while.

 

well, since playing TSC and TSW, Class 465 became much more familiar for me than Seoul Metro series 5000(which i rode about 20 years or so)

 

There are currently too few countries in TSW to open me up to railways in other countries. All the featured previously existed in other train sims I played. It will probably not change much for as long as no more 3rd parties will join TSW development. We should get Japanese route sometime relatively soon and maybe also some Chinese later with Union Workshop on board, but they already opened up my interest in TSC long time ago (there was some Japanese and Chinese stuff I had earlier in Trainz, but I didn't get much into it).

For the Seoul stuff I can recommend checking out Hmmsim Metro, if one playing TSW/C is interested in opening up for a new country, or at least if you are on PC. Although there are no passengers for now and there's a major rewrite from UE4 to UE5 happening at the moment, this is one of the few* that opened my interest in railways in another country for a long time - there are even KTX trains running (dubbed HTX due to no license) and some other electric & diesel locos passing you by, but AI only.

(* Another one was NZTS Workshops stuff for TSC.)

 

already playing it, but well, my interest shifted from my homeland networks to European/American things after playing this game series.
afterall, those Seoul Metro things of Hmmsim are...rather life, not interest. Way to maintain my life stuffs or so.