Ny-trenton: Usa Content Is Still Severely Flawed

slow down i sure that they fix it very fast

 

it’s already been stated in this thread that there are “no plans” to add or improve anything.

 

We see about that as far as fixing it fast....But despite that, I'm still standing my ground on how US content doesn't get the same energy and treatment as UK and Germany content....missing ai layers, busy timetables, and etc..But there's always excuses, and it's a repetitive pattern....

 

in this case im with u wish there where more attention to US content

if this is true forget what i said^^

 

your joking, trust me the UK routes are just as bad. lets not forget Rush hour BML still as no rush hour passengers 18 months on

 

This is looking like one of the better looking routes in the game but my god does it look dull.

This timetable is just a joke and anyone who worked on it or approved it for release need to hang their head in shame. This needs DTG to get their finger out to rework the timetable or the route to go on sale for less than half price to get a sale here

So access to wallet denied

 

And that's bad, and I'm aware of that cuz passengers should be fixed in all passenger dlcs, but majority of US passenger dlcs have been horrible compared to some UK content..

Where's the busy timetable this NY-T dlc supposed to have....and everytime DTG want to incorporate the words in their articles "busy/busiest railroad" system, the dlc comes out looking completely dead.LIRR still is completely forgotten, but yet Rapid Transit(which came out before LIRR) had a timetable makeover to represent their 2021 schedule. GWE came out before LIRR and even that had ai layers in and out of Reading as well as a static 1972 train layered outside Ealing Broadway( I think) which of if I'm not mistaken is the terminal of two lines of the London Underground...and these are earlyyyy dlcs from the beginning.

 

at least it has trains

 

Even though many people are going to disagree with me, I'm gonna enjoy this route. Driving different trains and cab cars, etc. Lots of bugs don't affect me unless they actually stop me from getting me to my destination. Obviously want it to be better but as long as I can play, I'm satisfied lol

 

they ran out of time. no time to fix

I'm glad you will. It looks great. But is a ghostown just like we all knew it would be. has a lirr feel to it. I'm sure it will be fun driving the Acela on the route. I'll probably grab it on a big sale

 

Trains themselves seem solid right now, the route scenery between Newark-Trenton seems solid. The timetable AI isn’t, the scenery from Newark-Sunnyside isn’t. And the UK PIS isn’t good either.

5/10, maybe a 6/10 from me

would go up to a 9/10 with a timetable update

(My opinion, of course)

 

Yeah kinda dissapointing especially right when I saw that clipping into the train at Penn Station can see that nothing has changed there as i predicted. Isn't the station supposed to be polished? Also not much train traffic. Thats what happens when your missing a good amount of Services & layers. So far the route is not grabbing my interest. Best part is the Acela which I will be picking up. Penn looked so dead.... Scenery not bad. Train models are pretty good.

 

Same. The scenery looks good, and I’ve actually seen quite a few trains driving by. Obviously not London Commuter levels, but also not completely deserted. All the trains and cabs seem to be implemented very well. Very few bugs, essentially all of them cosmetic and with little to no impact on gameplay.

Everybody is always just complaining and not even ready to admit that the route actually looks quite good as a whole. In the end, people are just ruining their own experience with the route by being negative all the time.

This route overall looks so much better than Edinburgh-Glasgow on all levels, which is ironic considering that route was highly anticipated and marketed for multiple months.

 

Amtrak should invest in DTG's ACS-64 locomotives & NJT should invest in DTG's ALP-46 locomotives. They're apparently dual mode!

 

I'll be picking up the Acela but Trenton will sit waiting for either a big sale or an improved timetable. Just 50 [actually 40 - I was over stating] services in the ALP-46 and we know some of those will be depot moves, the route felt really quiet especially considering the first service Matt ran was early rush hour, we should have seen a lot of more traffic heading into NY

 

40

 

Smfh...ohh but don't worry the route doesn't feel "completely deserted"..yea right...And this what some of us meant, not even much traffic during the rush hour part of this dlc.

 

How about those total 40 services for the ALP-46.
1/3 of the route are sunny side moves……..same here will pass

 

You can clearly see that the majority of people in the thread are commenting on how good the route looks - not sure why you’re putting yourself on a pedestal over people who complain all the time, asif people that act blind to every bug & complain about anyone who dare bring it up, are any better

There are issues in the NYC area that should of been sorted out the first time it appeared in a DLC, certainly by the second - to then release a third paid DLC with same low level of detail & obvious clipping issues all over the place, it’s not great by any standard.

 

They picked the busier time to show off the route and still empty. Just a complete waist of a great looking route

 

I'm in agreement with everyone else here it seems, looks like a good and interesting route. The train models all look great. But the timetable is a complete joke. An update to prices and yet we end up with a timetable like this, why I can only assume is because of time constraints.

Maybe been playing train sim world for a year or so now and was really excited for this route as maybe my first day one purchase, but I really can't justify that anymore after the preview stream. Really disappointing.

 

What’s worse is that they know the timetable is lackluster and even acknowledged it but won’t commit to fixing it. I mean 40 ALP-46 services for the NJT. Is just a shame, a waist of a good looking route

 

I wouldn’t even be mad about the timetable if we had the ability to customize consists and create and import our own timetable in the form of game modifications, BUT we can’t… so the lack of creative freedom has us solely relying on the developers to implement that (and most other things), but they always seem to fall flat, especially with US content. :/

 

I didn't know DTG was making trackline belts for their merch.
A Trenton - NY belt to hold up my pants at my waist sounds stylish.

Just poking fun in good faith.

 

A few thoughts:

- AI trains run with their pantographs down (not sure if all of them, safe to say the majority)
- AI runs with wrong headlights/tail lights (or completely without any lights)
- At NY Penn, the carriages hit the pillars

The above three... there is no excuse. You commit these mistakes every single time. Very immersion breaking, especially for £30.

- Scenery looks ok but the route feels bland
- Nice catenary
- Felt very empty
- Acela is very nice, the only thing I'll be picking up, the route in this state is a big no

I'm a bit disappointed as I was interested in the route.

 

I wonder how far back into the development of this route you could pin the issue down. Matt has already elaborated that the principal issue with the timetable is time.

What I do wonder is if the initial scoping sessions for the DLC plan are the crux of the problem. This section of NEC is NJT’s stomping ground, for me the number 1 priority should have been the NJT aspect, but it feels like all the effort went into Amtrak.

I just don’t see how DTG can develop a whole new loco (something they are doing less off) and then only give it 40 services? Especially on a route where there is a potential for 100’s.

Surely there’s a point in initial scoping where the devs are discussing what they plan to do with a train? How is it that one of NJT’s busiest corridors has been so badly overlooked?

This was the same issue with the DBAG 101 - good content goes to waste because of seemingly poor planning, it took 2/3 years for the 101 to get a decent chunk of stuff to do with it, how long will it be for the ALP46?

 

Scenery looked good and I have to admit, the trains looked very nice. But as it was expected, the route is really empty. Not LIRR levels of emptiness, but pretty bad representation of a rush hour service.

Then we had things like the clipping at NY Penn, bad lighting at NY Penn tunnel, trains driving with pantographs down and Matt confirmed the Amtrak rolling stock doesn't have the improved radial blur for wheels.

Definitely wouldn't get it full price for myself. Might still get it next week as a birthday present from family, as it looks fun. But not quality I would be happy to pay full price myself. The obvious issues need to be sorted and a timetable needs filled with more traffic and ideally LIRR AI at NY Penn.

 

The way the Amtrak train near NY Penn clipped just about every support beam in the stream was a bit bizarre and comical.
You can see it here around the 1:16:00 mark, just about every coach clips a beam.
Good thing it's a videogame and not real life! That would be a bit scary to say the least.

The lighting is way better than TSW 2020, especially in the North River Tunnels.
One inaccuracy I noticed about the North River Tunnels was the lack of 3rd rail.
Granted the 3rd rail is RARELY used in those tunnels.
As it's really only for Amtrak's P32(s) on protect duty, it's still there and live I presume (not that I have any interest in finding out for myself).
It's not a shocking detail I'm interested in pursuing.

It is good to SEE in that area now. TSW 2020 was utter darkness. It reminded me of the "Bringer of Darkness" Jutsu from Naruto.

 

Agreed that the emptiness brings down the immersion.

 

The Boston with the Acela new signals looked and worked great. Thank you for giving lots of details. Hope you can work your magic on the Harlem and LIRR route……

 

As far as the route being empty, it's not too inaccurate in the stretch between Trenton & say Elizabeth or so.
Empirically albeit I normally take trains on that stretch on the weekends, it's not bustling with trains 24/7.
It's not a TOTAL ghost town imo, but it's not jam packed all the time.
The stretch between NWK & NYP is the busiest. Between TRE & Rahway, it can be a bit light.

One super odd thing I noticed was some Amtrak trains, I believe it was 652 in the stream actually began its run on an outer track at Trenton.
In real life it normally uses Track 1. It didn't bother me, I just found it interesting. It's rare to see Amtrak trains use the outer tracks at Trenton, those are typically reserved for NJT & SEPTA. Unless there's some sort of service disruption or construction going on.

 

That's a good point. I don't know what the internal workings are like at DTG, nor is it my business to know.
However, I think that has to do with how these routes & services turn out.
There were more things planned (ie LIRR AI Trains, more AI trains in general) that didn't make the cut due to a seemingly pre-determined schedule & perhaps their budget.

 

.
And out of the 40 we don’t even know yet how many are deadheads and railyard moves so passengers service are probably even less…..

 

Same. As long as there aren't Harlem Line glitches that literally prevent me from finishing services, I should enjoy it.
Is it 100% perfect for me? Certainly not. Is it unbearable for me? Certainly not.

It's optional, and I choose to play it and will likely enjoy it.
At the end of the day it's to each their own.

 

I noticed that certain AI trains have been running with the rear headlights on for some time, most notably in the Caltrain DLC.

 

I know once I get it I will enjoy it even though its on the quiet side, but right now I still have circa 600 journey mode services on routes which Im still enjoying so Ive plenty to get on with and personally in the current climate I just cant justify to myself to pay full price for a route which doesnt get me salivating like the Acela does.

 

Yes, I thought it was poignant that the team had an " Ooh, would you look at that!! " moment whenever an AI train passed by.
AI traffic should be so frequent on that route that it shouldn't need a mention.

The lowered pantographs are simply inexcusable after beta and in-house testing.

I agree with most people that the modeling is very good on the whole. The route is just too darn quiet.

But...I will likely buy it and enjoy it, however with far less enthusiasm than I had a month ago.

I wonder what Brandon was thinking, seeing all those empty tracks.

 

Oh, dear, no rush hour passengers! Unplayable!

 

Yes I noticed that too. JD try to sell the route with 289 services , the most out of the US route…. I guess he’s not wrong….. he forgot to mention that 1/3 of the services are yard moves

 

That's just TSW3 lighting.

 

I wasn't too focused on it. I know the timetable issues, so there wasn't any point in stressing over it.

 

All in all, the trains looked great. The scenery looked great, Boston looked fantastic with the new skies and the Acela. The timetable in Trenton is killing it. If it had the timetable it should the route would be 9/10

 

Maybe the same thing is affecting AI trains as well? Rewatched the stream, and all the pantos were down, and a couple of occasions when the headlights/tail lights were off or wrong.

 

A few minor "bugs" that could be implemented to improve NJT realism:

• Cab car numbering should be 70xx, not 71xx
• Coaches should be turned around 90 degrees, so the blanked lower level window is nearer to the locomotive (same as the cab cars)
• Door-closing sound should beep 8 times rather than 6

Trackwork and pathing looked great, although I do hope they have correct routing for NJT trains heading east/north out of Newark Penn Track 1, switching over at Rea/Harrison rather than Hudson.

 

Did Boston get more AI traffic. Even without the Acela looks busier especially around Boston

 

wasn't in the update notes. I think with the signalling update, it might have made it busier, but there is no additional ai traffic that I know of

 

As a heads up, I noticed a signal bug in today's stream where the ADU didn't drop from clear after passing the fixed Approach Medium signal: https://www.youtube.com/live/d-CjDN--xbE?feature=share&t=5460

Going from fixed signals of Clear > Cab signal 60 > Limited Clear into Secaucus seemed odd but maybe prototypical, idk: https://www.youtube.com/live/d-CjDN--xbE?feature=share&t=4841

Makes me worried about QA issues for signaling after the discussion about how much went into trying to fix it.

 

It's always been this way! It's easy to forget that Boston South Station gets VERY busy.

 

A general observation: it's clear to me now that gameplay, and in particular the timetable, should be the main focus of getting a route 'right'.

Compare and contrast - a community very unhappy with NY - Trenton due to the timetable despite most admitting that the scenery hits the mark. And yet London - Brighton, a route that is still riddled with various scenery issues and other bugs is held up as an exemplary route (by myself also) almost entirely because of the quality of the timetable.

I'm not sure how various aspects of a route are prioritised at DTG Towers but I'd like to see the gameplay and in particular the timetable shot right to the top of the list for all future routes. This includes the aspects which the timetable relies upon to function smoothly, realistically and comprehensively - signalling/dispatcher and as many appropriate locos included as possible (Peak Forest is in danger of suffering badly because of this).