PC Steam: Difference Between Tsw2/3 And Tsw4 Compatible Version?

Hello everyone,

So I got to know some TSW DLCs are on sale during the Steam Halloween event right now. I want to purchase some TSW DLCs but I have a question about it.

I don't want to lose the compatibility to TSW3, so I'm thinking about to buy the TSW2/3 compatible version of the route instead of the TSW4 version. However, I don't know whether this version makes any technical difference/ provides benefits or disadvantages to the new TSW 4 compatible version.

To illustrate it a bit better and get precise: If one buys for example, the TSW2/3 compatible version of SKA (link) does it give me any disadvantages over the newer TSW 4 compatible version (link)?

Or is the TSW4 version also backwards-compatible to play with TSW3?

Has anyone experience with that?

 

You should be fine buying the TSW2/3 version as this entitles you to the TSW4 version anyway as your collection always carries forwards, so you get access to both versions. Buying the TSW4 version would likely mean that is the only version you get.

 

All DLCs are exactly the same. Whenever they are in your profile you can use them. Indeed TSW3, TSW2 and TSW1 do not exist anymore in steam store for instance, so there's only one game now.

"Compatibility" in DTG language means the old ones are not going to be updated anymore. They are discontinued basically. If you are lucky you may see some services fixes in case they contain errors that do not allow players to finish the service, but that´s it. But if you have a catenary pole in the middle of the tracks or those kind of errors they will stay there forever. Other example is the addition of new timetables when rolling stock DLCs are published but I think that was done at game core side, not at DLC side, as it was basically the same schedule, but I can´t remember it now...

Cheers

 

Yes, I think to do so. However, I am not sure if it gives me any disadvantages over the newer TSW4 version for future compatibility or updates for example and DTG will ever say something like "no, you can't port this version to TSW5/6/7" when these iterations come out. I mean I know it's the exact same route, however as much as I don't understand the separation to a new DLC either, it could be possible to be left out alone by DTG then. I mean since I have the option, just wanted to ask before.

Yes, this could be. I'm afraid of this as well. That's what I asked for. I understand the wording "compatibilty" meaning towards upwards (since this is older TSW2 content brought to TSW4), but there is no guarentee that there will be a compatibilty downwards when I purchase this version.

Would like to find an official statement from them (both are the same upwards and backwards compatible), where they clearly state there is no difference between them and the separation is only for marketing purposes.

 

The problem is contentwise they are exactly the same, correct. However, on Steam they are treated as two different things.

I wasn't here when it happened, but from what I heard there where a time where some older DLCs couldn't be used in a new TSW iteration anymore, thus weren't compatible. (I get it). However, what if I would buy the TSW2/3 version of it now, and on a new iteration of TSW DTG says "nope, not this version of it, the other one!". I know this is nit-picky but however a reasonable question to ask I think.

Technically, they still do exist. But you can't purchase them anymore. In my steam library I still can find TSW3 and even the Steam store page is available for TSW3 yet. So, it might be not be able to purchase and obsolete with the release of a newer iteration, however it still exists. Therefore my thoughts, if they could come to the idea and separate these versions to the dedicated games or let all versions be compatible with each other and future iterations of TSW.

Yes, I got that point and agree with you on that. However, my concern is about the conditions of the compatibilties regarding the separate versions (since they exist separately), if that makes sense.

 

As stujoy said then just purchase the TSW3 version if you want to be safe. It will appear on TSW4 as well because it will be linked to your profile. That always works for older versions.

Cheers

 

I brought the Bahnstrecke Bremen to Oldenburg route for TSW4 today and it showed up on my TSW3 DLC library as well.

 

I thought compatibility was supposed to work in both directions. Buy a "compatible" route, and you can download that route for any version of the game.

Older versions can still be bought as well. Right now, I'm looking at the TSW2 page on Steam, and the current Halloween sale prices are showing on the DLCs there.

Confirmation from DTG that this is so and everything is working smoothly would be nice.

 

The only time content didn't port over was with tsw2 where the original nec ny route, switcher with cab car and gp40 didn't port. Other than that, every other dlc ports over. Compatibility allows a dlc to be used in the previous version

 

The only official information I found is this article from Dovetail:
https://dovetailgames.freshdesk.com...74-train-sim-world-add-on-compatibility-guide

However, this table only shows the compatability of each DLC to either the TSW iteration it is released in, or whether it is upwards compatible or not and the fact that newer routes aren't backwards compatible to older TSW iterations.

The subject of my concern with the 2 different DLC versions is different in the way whether an old DLC created for an older iteration of TSW (but emphasized to be compatible for the new iteration) is still compatible A. to the older iteration in which it is created and B. whether the DLC version which is emphasized to be compatible with the iteration it is created in, is and will still be compatible to future iterations because of the fact that the developer created a "new compatible version" for the new iteration, which might seem to be the new big compatible one upwardswise for newer TSW iterations.

No guarentee that your mind won't explode after that sentence.

And even if this is not true and both actually have the exact same compatibilty (up- and/or backwards), I think the cause of this thinking of mine is why DTG even created two version of the same DLC with TSW4.

I mean at the time we had TSW3 back in August for example, the DLCs for TSW3 were (and still are by the way) entitled to be "TSW2/3 compatible". Why didn't they do that (rename the title of the DLC) to something like "TSW3/4 compatible" or just ditched the whole compatible nonsense as it's obvious when I attach a DLC to a new TSW iteration that this DLC needs to be compatible to this game version.

Instead, they created two different versions of the exact same DLCs on Steam now, both having independent audience, independent reviews, and maybe in the future (but hopefully not) independent sales. What exactly was the motive for that?

I only can think of they wanted the negative reviews, often negative "thumbs downs" to be erased with the TSW4, which to a certain degree I do understand, because some bugs mentioned in the old reviews have been fixed by now with TSW4.

However, also some good and helpful reviews for the DLCs have been vanished for new players. For example, I wrote a 2 page long review for DRA - thumbs up one - covering mostly positive but also negative things, which new players of TSW4 now can't see and discover anymore. I mean I sat on this review for 2 hours just it to be ditched in the dust a few weeks later.

For me personally, I am experienced of that and now if I want to read a good and honest review of the DLCs, I go back to the reviews to the old TSW2/3 compatible versions.

So even for even out bad reviews it wasn't the best move, because many goods ones erased with this as well, and some players may refrain from buying a DLC, because there is yet not sufficient reviews on it.