Midland Mainline - Skyhook Feedback

An update from me that is important. A hotfix to sort the patch issues has just been given a release date (this will also include some further stuff we will add in! ). The hotfix is imminent.

As the date firms up I will confirm to you all. I want to be careful as things change. The date I have is in a very short timeframe from now. (Please please don't take this as gospel as things sometimes change if a team raises something)

The upshot is that a date is being discussed. We are getting extra stuff in there too and that this is very soon.

 

Awesome Jane can't wait for the patch

 

He replied to everything except this one Please, any feedback? Thanks!

 

Jane, a big thanks to the team and you for your work getting this post patch fix done and ready to upload.

 

1 light type does not work Jane, a signal.

It is red, but puts the signal of the Derby station by numbered wire. You confirm it, and please revise it.

 

No worries Sharon, thank you for the support. We are really excited to keep updating. I spend my free time driving this route!

 

just to reassure, every issue gets seen and reported to the team. I just don't always have time to respond to everyone, so apologies if people get missed. I am not a community person, just doing posts separate to my day job of managing the teams

 

Again, I have said this before, I miss so much a functional editor to create scenarios in TWS. I sit here, as I drive this route, and dream of the wonderful freight activities, please excuse the MSTS reference, that could be created around the power plant. I would think it would have its own shunter and think of this one. A class 66 has just brought in a loaded train of coal hoppers and you are tasked in braking this train down and then running the cars through the dumper and putting them back together for an out bound back to the coast for another load of import coal. In just this one idea are three trains for us to operate.

 

Thanks a lot! I appreciate that.

 

jane-skyhook Why is there no daytime freight?
Please at least try to produce AI/operable services, why has this been left out?

 

wow.

 

I do wish SHG would create the extended Sprinter family, if the 158 is anything to go by then any 150 (albeit a different subclass to the one we have) 153,155 and 156 would be astounding.

 

That would be brilliant hopefully they may do in future

 

I also hope they do another member of the 15X family

 

Apologies if I’ve missed it somewhere in this mega thread …
I think we’re about to get the micro update that fixes the file mix up for patch 1? Does this include the freight elements that were outstanding and waiting a fix for consoles? (I’m on XBox x and really enjoying this route)

 

Even if you hit the "passenger doors" button (Y/U), then immediately hit it again, the whole open/close procedure still takes longer than the 30 seconds allotted for a stop. It's kinda funny, ngl.

Anyway, more major bugs. First of all, I managed to get the Mastery to work somehow. No idea how exactly, as the milestones still show up as not completed. The tiers, however, say "Completed" and are gold in the main Mastery menu. So what's the problem? There's no reward. The supposed "medieval fayre" overlay doesn't show up in the "Mastery Rewards" section.

Secondly, 3 of the collectables are now broken. 2 were removed (the benches in the first screenshot were blue and paintable before the patch), and 1 is now blocked by new scenery (2nd and 3rd screenshots showing the problem and its location at Leicester). I can only assume the level designer had it collected already and went "eh, who cares if these vending machines block some map, it's not like it's easily visible," not realising it was a collectable. So instead of the previous 101 collectables, which was also wrong, we now have 99. 1 of which is inaccessible, so it's actually 98.


And some minor bugs as well. Pathing of these guys seems broken (northwest at Spondon).

This bridge, which is copy-pasted many times across the route, has a bit of an LOD problem. This is very attention-grabbing, as it happens exactly in the middle of one's FOV multiple times per drive. "View Distance" and "Shadows" are both at their highest setting.

 

Oh, goody. What is it?

So the fix has been "given a release date," but the date isn't "firmed up" yet. Gotcha.

Oh, you do have it. Great, what is it?

So you don't actually have it.

Gave me a chuckle, it did. Schrödinger's release date

 

Anyone else notice same service head code with different start times. Which one is the correct service?

 

That was brilliant, you've made me LOL!

 

Even James Bond probably couldn't solve that one!

 

One is the real 1C11, the other is Tom Cruise in a latex mask.

 

Finally had alot more hours to play mml today. Its good, but, i have some grievances. The points missing at nottingham i think it is.

Random aws alerts for nothing.

Aws alerts for speed reductions but no morpeth boards shown what speed will be reduced to.

Most of the morpeth boards and speed boards i have seen, the numbers are far to small, even some of the speed boards are tiny themselves.

The destination display on the front of the 158 is far to small also.

Also noticed when you get to the different speed location as per the hud there is no speed board, or you get a speed board but the marker on the hud is a couple 100 yards still, nothing matches.

Also just had a reduction to a random 20 that wasnt shown on the hud then jumped back to 60 i think it was .

Lastly the signal at platform 3 at parkway is hiding in the grass which made me spad as i was looking at the signal above the fence on my left, didnt notice the signal in the grass was for me. Gggrrrr.

Thats it for now. Am sure more play time i shall find more.

 

Those sound like leftover glitches from the file mixup. The next patch should resolve things to the extent intended by the first patch.

 

Another bug... 158's randomly sit at stations when the doors have locked and don't proceed. One of the services was over 1 hour late, even though the doors had closed, just sitting at Barrow Upon Soar..

 

Here's a view from someone who lives in Leicester and uses the route every week:

For me the biggest problem with the route is actually the vegetation. The trees just seem to be three similar models cut and pasted at regular intervals to fill space. The embankment on the Up side at Leicester is particularly bad - in real life the trees are scrubby and bushy and nothing like the ones in the game. Devs need to study the real world (the way railway modellers do) and reproduce what they see - otherwise you just get something that looks bland and generic.

Going forward I really hope developers will take vegetation as seriously as they take buildings. Vegetation gives character and a sense of place to the route. We should be able to recognise different tree types (oak, ash, elm) in different stages of development. We should also recognise hazel, hawthorne, buddleia, rose bay willow herb and other types of common railway vegetation. Niddertalbahn has demonstrated how it can be done - but also just how poor other routes are in this respect

 

Agreed, surely the tree assets could be expanded somewhat for TSW. The kind of foliage we had for the Forza UK sim was brilliant, if only we had some of those assets.
I've recently been playing a bit of TSC and the classic WCML North route by Keith Ross, and what struck me was the great use of the ancient Kuju era 2d tree assets, using a wide variety of types to enhance the immersion. Ever since the creation of the 3d trees the TSC routes have appeared to be quite bland and generic. For example, JT's MML is an excellent route for its detail (the best imo), the only thing that lets it down is the use of the same repetitive 3d trees and bushes - which lowers the immersion for me. (However, JT's trees in the Spring and Winter seasons are much more realistic).
So yes, DTG could do with importing some different types of tree assets, surely there are more available for Unreal.

 

And reported.

 

Dude, stop spouting rubbish will you?

And yes I've reported you aswell.

 

Ok a quick word from me. I am not going to respond to any of these issues as my interest is discussing trains. So I appreciate the support of everyone. I removed the court letter and my comments (removed it all on Sunday incidentally) so as we can continue to discuss MML and all things trains. That is exactly what I intend to do.

I am really sorry that my being here and trying to help everyone with updates has caused issues. I apologise sincerely to you all and to all the team at Dovetail.

Jane

 

Dont apologise for being here, you've done a hell of a job on this thread. I haven't even got mml (yet ) but seeing how you've been willing to interact with the community take on board our feedback and be engaging and honest with us has been second to none and an example to everyone including dtg.

Just ignore those few who are in here for the wrong reasons because I know a majority of us in here are so grateful that we've finally got an interaction/line like this from a dev who's clearly passionate about providing the best consumer experience they can

 

You've done nothing wrong mate. It's him.

 

getting back on TRACK (pun intended) are there plans to add station announcements Jane? it seems very strange to me at least being at a mainline station and it being deathly quiet

 

You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for.

 

Any update on the missing files?

 

Nothing to apologise for. I agree with what's been mentioned. You are here to give information etc regarding MML. You didn't start anything. Let's all get on with what this forum is about.

 

HI Jane Your interactions and provision of information to us customers is greatly appreciated and it is very important to me that you continue to deliver such great feedback. So please don't allow yourself to be bullied off this forum by those who obviously have an agenda to shut down healthy discussion about SHG's products and how to improve them.

 

Jane, trolls are everywhere and I don't think you have to apologize for being the smart individual that you are and the many wonderful things you have done in the gaming world, including assisting with getting MML to be the best dlc in TSW3. I am loving this route and the 158 in particular.

 

Ok gang, the update from me.

The current plan is to release the hotfix this week. Massive disclaimer, it is always possible it slips a couple of days. That's nothing sinister, it is just that we are taking the opportunity to add even more fixes to the hotfix (is it now a hotter fix? ).

Again, I want to be clear, this will not fix everything that is outstanding on our list. This is a hotfix for patch 1 only. It is also not the end of the patching and content process. Let me say that again please, there are still further fixes on our list. We are dealing with pressing issues that arose with the last patch and taken the opportunity to add in some bonus stuff. Work on MML in many areas continues beyond this and is ongoing. I just came out of a new content meeting for MML (no, I cannot share yet but yes I am super excited by what is in planning). We want you all to love MML and what is on the horizon.

I also want to thank all of you for still being so diligent in forwarding stuff to us. (even though you sometimes make our list grow ). We are genuinely grateful, so please continue.

Thank you all
Jane

 

Excellent news Jane can't wait to see what you have planned for the route

 

Fingers crossed Tail lamps on the freight trains are included!

 

Thanks Jane, does this sort out the freight on consoles issue too?

 

not yet, we are still working on this with DTG behind the scenes. I am "hoping" next patch. Its a core issue, so working hard on this with DTG engineers who are being really helpful.

Jane

 

Thanks. Still looking forward to patch 1. This is fast becoming my go to route.

 

If you’re on PC and have Peak Forest the below mod will bring Peak Forest’s vegetation to MML:

https://www.trainsimcommunity.com/m...19-patches/i3636-uk-route-vegetation-grass-ep

It seems to be more visually interesting and perhaps a bit closer to what you describe.

 

jane-skyhook , we really, really, really appreciate your being here, together with all the progress updates and patient answers to questions!
You have NOTHING to apologise for. It's certainly not your fault that the world contains a certain number of Penistons and Scunthorpes.

 

Way to go. That´s how you treat your paying customer. Respect!

 

Good evening Jane,
Another day another TPWS trip at Mountsorrel ( I have started adding them to the diary!) at the exact same location as the screenshots posted, just south of the sidings. On this occasion it was 1D25 and I was travelling at only 77 mph, thinking I'd avoid the trap, on the 110mph section of track. As with other occasions it was on the series S and if you need any more info/help just give me a ping.
As always thanks for your communication and openness about the plans for the patch and route going into the future. You could say you've found the happy meridian between community communication and company secrecy, well lets hope anyway!

 

Jane, You have doing a sterling job, informing everyone on these forums about the fixes and the passion you show about the MML, look forward to your continued work with MML

 

Matt, we believe we have identified this and fixed it. Your support was a huge help, thank you. It is in test and if all good will go out in this hotfix.