Skyhook Games Uk Gameplay Pack Speculation

hope its the class 222 its a must for the midlands the loco that replaced the hst's fingers crossed

 

It's announced as a gameplay pack, so do not expect new locos

 

Probably reskins and a bunch of scenarios.

 

Sheffield definitely would have improved the route.

 

Bit of a hot take but could we see Skyhook doing a LNER liveried HST to add the diesel services to ECML that the 801 couldn’t do?

Conversely, could we be getting a livery pack for the 158 similar to that of the pack they recently did for HSC. Might be nice to see Northern and Scotrail 158s.

 

Agreed, the HST runs are over far too quickly.

 

More 158 liveries, and a HST in Intercity Livery would be great.

 

Definitely! The HST needs a longer route, similar in length to Peterborough - Doncaster. I've suggested in other topics, doing any future segments of the ECML in various eras, one that includes a Valenta HST alongside a Deltic would be just the ticket!

As for this pack, not expecting any new stock. Will either be some new liveries, with extra services or a Diesel Legends affair I imagine.

 

I'm hoping for the best for whatever they're adding, though seeing some of the Gameplay Packs we already have, It likely wont be adding too much. It's even less likely to be a whole new locomotive in a 3 month time... Unless they're reusing a bunch of stuff to make a new one.

Nonetheless, its always nice to remain hopeful for a possible miracle.

 

Those aren't how long it takes to make something. It's when it is likely to release

 

The roadmap doesn't state that the product has / will take 3 months to develop, that's only the estimated release. For all we know, this gameplay pack could have been in development since the MML was initially released.

 

I suspect it'll be a freight & shunting pack for MML, and a texture pack for all the disused yards and sidings to bring them into use.

We've yet to see any 3rd party making content for other 3rd parties.
The only exception, and it sounds like a fluke, is the 142 layering into WCL, and thats just "a surprising coincidence"

 

Could be a 158 livery mega pack!
Could do a scotrail livery for Edinburgh - Glasgow.
A regional railways for WCL
A gwr one for GWE/WCL
A northern one for the a.i on the ECML and for Glossop.

Could be very cool if it's that

 

Slight problem with that idea - with the changes made to the train over the years, they'd be putting so much work into it that it wouldn't be a gameplay pack anymore. At least three new seat types would need to be modelled, and the cab and other detail changes would need to be done too.

 

I think it will likely be the New Measurement Train (Flying Banana) and here is why I think that:

• It is reusing the HST (which is in game on two seperate routes (not including on layered routes))

• It is based on the route at Derby RTC, so it would make sense to make the NMT

• All you are really doing is modifying the livery on the Class 43 + Mk3s and changing the interior of the Mk3s to replicate what the NMT looks like IRL

Hopefully I have predicted this one correctly as the only other thing I am thinking the pack is would be adding freight services along the route with a new wagon in/out of Toton or Ratcliffe Power Station

 

Not strictly true. The NMT has quite a few differences. It isn't a case of painting it yellow, slapping on some decals and ripping out the passenger interiors.

 

The Class 66 RHTT Pack was considered a gameplay pack, and it included a new wagon. Due to Ratcliffe Power station being one of the noticeable features of the route, perhaps we will be getting some kind of coal hopper. Would help fill out Mountsorrel Sidings too, as well as adding a few services from Ratcliffe towards Toton & Nottingham.

 

That is part of the process, you have to model all the specific parts that NR receive the track data from onto the model of the Mk3 and also the camera on the front of the Class 43 too

 

Plus there's the entire interior to model, which is pretty much something that needs to be done from scratch.

 

Yeah, that will take time to model the interior with all the equipment that Network Rail use as the interior isn't GWR or EMT-based.

 

Realistically, the only way I’ll be making another Skyhook purchase, is if it’s making use of the 158, or another sprinter made by the same team as the 158.

 

I've got my tin foil hat on for this one so fair warning. Let me just share this little interaction I spotted a while ago from the MML feedback thread.




Skyhook apparently didn't know the full extent to which Free Roam would be usable, and even they admit that Ratcliffe power station needs rebuilding. We can only blindly speculate as to what the resulting discussion between Skyhook and DTG actually was about or what its conclusion was, but regardless it seems believable that they were already looking at the power station anyway.

When it comes to new rail vehicles, it is true that gameplay packs do not add fully new locos. I believe that IOW 2022 was listed as a gameplay pack simply because of the enhancements that came with it to the route. It was neither just a loco pack or a new route, so neither of those names could be applied to it. Asides from that, gameplay packs in the past generally feature reskins of locos with perhaps a couple new features added, such as with the railtour Jubilees that had the added feature of AWS or the ROG Class 37 which updated it to a /7 and featured the MU coupler, as well as a reskinned 375 along with it. However new wagons or coaches are very possible, think of the RHTT pack or Rivet's new aggregates pack, both featuring entirely new wagons and in the case of the RHTT pack not a single model or sound effect was reused. It is true that gameplay packs are not loco packs, but they can absolutely be rolling stock packs. This is actually something that TSC has which TSW is sorely missing, as it's a very easy way to massively expand the variety of traffic.

With all of that said, I find it highly likely that this gameplay pack if it is for MML will be new freight trains for the power station, perhaps with a new freight wagon and a reskinned/enhanced locomotive that we already have. Given Rivet's other release I find it unlikely that it will be a Class 66. Also we currently have no other locomotives in-game which are being used by EWS so reskinning into that operator isn't an option. So my best guess for if they do reskin a locomotive will be that they will take advantage of the DRS license and, based on DRS's current fleet, it will be either a 47 or a 37. Even if it is modified into the same chassis, I feel that a 57 would be a bit of a reach for a gameplay pack.

 

I guess maybe this is class 37 in Colas livery.

 

Colas would be good too. That license would open up the opportunity for a Class 70 down the road, since there's still no sign of Freightliner.

 

The only issue with that is that freight in this area at this time literally is only hauled by EWS / FL / GBRF 66s.

If they were to add a Colas 37, there would be very little gameplay. The occasional shunt from R.T.C to Eastcroft is about your limit, unless as mentioned above, they remodel some coaches to operate the Network Rail test trains, but even still that wouldn’t add anywhere near enough gameplay to justify spending money on it

 

Also there is no indication that Skyhook are rebuilding Ratcliffe. They have always said since the initial preview stream that those areas are modelled as it makes it easier if they decide to extend the route, but it isn’t designed to be accessible

 

As long as it's not another god damn Class 66, anything is an improvement.

 

but in all fairness, there has been NO indication from Skyhook at all, on anything.
I think the most obvious option for this pack is the 'extension' (rebuild) of these areas and the introduction of freight services to the yards and power station.

Wether it comes with a new or yet another reworked train is yet to see, however.

 

Great speculation going on here, thanks for the interest. We'll have an official announcement soon, however our plan is to be ready with the MML improvements first, and to talk about that.

 

I've always said the route should of gone to Sheffield but to do that the route would need building again but other than that I still enjoy the route look forward to seeing what the DLC is

 

Really hope we get the Ratcliffe Powerplant expanded with unloading coal wagons.

 

And 56s and 60s!

 

I really want the Class 56 to add to my TVL timetable lol.