I’ve never really put much thought into playing this game hudless, but until recently I’ve often wondered what the whole experience would be like and how it would change my perspective on the game. I do have my favourite routes that I play religiously over others and would love to put my knowledge to the test. Is there any users that choose this hudless approach to the game and what is your source, method to learning a route. Are you following official documentations or are you following a user generated script? This is all new territory for me and I’d really like to know. Thanks
PTG Rail on YouTube is a good guy to follow and he has just become active again with his latest route learning video. https://youtube.com/@ptgrail?si=W8zsc4ZDRfEdPEeU
it depends on the route but generally if i want to commit to learning it, i’ll learn it in the same loco until I'm confident. for example, my first 12 services in birmingham-crewe were all 390s, i didn’t touch the 350,until i could do a pendo completely hudless. once you’re confident with one loco you’ll know which spots to keep an eye out for in the rest
There's also interesting video in the racing space I watched that I think sums up my thoughts on in-game elements. To sum up though, fundamentally, the HUD's free info, and the game really doesn't give you a incentive to really want that info off. And with TSW specifically, for certain things like knowing what station to stop at it really doesn't give you anything organic in game to compensate with the HUD off on most routes. So I don't really see in what way I'd actively benefit from switching it off. (Other than to maybe take the occasional screenshot)
I sometimes play Hudless, I don't really have a method. Once you play a route enough, you usually know it pretty well. For example I know SEHS and BCC off by heart..For German routes, the Kilometre Posts are very helpful I have a document with All stations and their respective kilometerage which allows me to play hudless with an Ipad open beside me.
Thanks for all the suggestions fellas. I think PTG rail tutorials is the way to go though. Thanks Terry. His videos are very in-depth and engaging which won’t make me bored… I hope.
For me, I would remember warning boards or certain bridges/tunnels to know when to brake for stations/speed limits. Although I usually use the kilometre posts for German routes.
For german routes I've used this documents and it's been really useful once you make the habit of looking at the km posts: https://www.trainsimcommunity.com/m...entation/i5185-ebula-inspired-book-timetables For UK routes I think it's just about memorising what the stations are and where speed limits change so that you start braking in time.
I drive once over the route with the HUD and take notes for stations and speed limits (+ where to start braking where needed), and have the notes beside me without the HUD another few times, and then once I know the section(s) off by heart, the learning is complete! All memorised.
You want to be looking out for things like buildings to the lineside or AWS magnets for speed restrictions. Usually there’s something a little bit unique around (whistle boards, crossings, tree formations) that should get your attention and remind you to start braking.
One thing I find that helps when learning a route hudless is landmarking certain points of the route, especially when it comes to speed restrictions and slowing for a station! Writing things down can also help for your first few runs, and when you're comfortable, you can try it without notes Also doing it in the same train for the duration you're route learning can help, so you can gauge how your train reacts and performs!
Only thing to be careful of here (on the real thing as opposed to the game) is that units can perform wildly different to each other and if you have traction packages out or differing brake performance it can really change things up for you! They make look the same but not all trains are equal!!
Wonder what would happen if the same route was done, swapping between the Riviera 150 and Cornwall Local 150
