Return to Japan and experience world-leading commuter operations in the heart of Tokyo with a new route from Union Workshop. Read More : Tokyo Commuter – Coming Soon (dovetailgames.com)
Finally, the official announcement! Really looking forward to this one. The screenshots look pretty good. I just hope they took the time to make their models performance friendly. Their previous works were quite heavy on the poly count, as things like passenger handle rings and ventillators inside the passenger compartment were being fully rendered even in outside view. Also they mostly used shadow casting lights for cablights and such, which were big framerate killers. With 10 long car trains in a metropolitan area, this could be an issue, considering on their previous routes even just 2 rolling stock in the same view could kill framerate... But fingers crossed it won't be a slideshow. They have been teasing it for quite a while now. Maybe even for a year if not more?
This one would not really fit any, I suppose. But their previous Tohoku Main Line could run them. Would love to drive an EF64 or EF66.
There are a few freights per day north of Nippori, I think they originate at the terminal at Minami Senju (The Terminal isn't on the route, but is accessed by a connection near Nippori). Also a fair bit of freight joins near Uwara coming off the Musashino freight bypass
Unfortunately you wouldn't find those types on the Northern Tohoku - Northern Japan is mostly 20kV AC - the EF64 and 66 are DC only
AUNZ RAILFAN on Youtube have a lot of rural railway videos on Youtube which looks interesting to add to TSC! https://www.youtube.com/@AUNZRAILFAN
I could maybe live with another single track commuter route that is similar to the Wakayama Line route. But personally would prefer more dual track commuter routes. I am really glad that this route is finally being released, as I have been waiting for a proper japanese commuter route since Wakayama Line released.
I think there are some single-track routes that could be interesting, like the Hokuetsu Express pre-2015, but I think the Tadami Line fills the "scenic quiet single-track Japanese branch line operated by DMUs" niche well enough.
This looks interesting, might have to add to the collection. Only thing I can't see from the article is how much of the line(s) are included.
Union Workshop have confirmed on Twitter that the route is the 26 kilometres from Ueno, the southern terminus of the Utsunomiya Line, to Omiya, the northern terminus of the Keihin-Tohoku Line and where the Utsunomiya Line diverges from other lines it shares tracks with. Utsunomiya Line trains take about 25 minutes to reach Omiya from Ueno, while the Keihin-Tohoku Line, which makes many more stops, takes around 40 minutes. The two lines differ in routes as well as service, as they diverge for roughly 4 kilometres between Nippori and Oji.
Thanks Tom, not that long a route then (shades of TSW). Might have to hang on for a sale, unless it releases with a lower price tag or decent pre order discount.
It's a very dense route, never dropping below 6 tracks wide and often with many more. The reason the tracks split between Nippori and Oji is that they are running either side of a huge rolling stock yard, so I can see why UW say it's the biggest route they've done, even if the end to end distance is relatively short.
It really does! And love the performance. Must be the smoothest running japanese route up to date, despite being the busiest. There are a few issues, like the AI trains still accelerating incredibly quickly. Or at one point the Yamanote Line train was coming in for a stop at a station, but instead stopping it just slowed down, opened it's doors then took off at high speed with doors open. I also feel like the windscreen of the player train is not transparent enough, but that's not the end of the world. Didn't watch the whole preview, as I don't want to "spoil" the whole experience. But looks promising so far, looking forward to buying it. Do we know when it releases?
At the moment it’s a tossup between this and the MML for TSW but I think this is winning, as an old Densha de Go fan! Has anyone gleaned how many scenarios the route comes with, being the one ongoing Achilles Heel of TSC over TSW where with the latter you get a comprehensive timetable?
The Japanese railway value accurate—Accurate schedule, accurate stopping position. The DLC should simulate the stopping and calculate the schedule accurately, and the accelerate and decelerate rate is essential. The technique of stopping is the feature of Japanese train game.
One thing I did wonder, should the platform edge doors not be closed until the train arrives and at a stand and animated to open/close as required? Otherwise they are rather pointless as a measure to stop people falling on the track or jumping in front of a train if they can just stand in the gap!
In real life, yes. But I assume they couldn't animate them in TSC, either due to the lack of know-how or just time constrains. Scripting does not seem to be a strength of Union Workshop. I remember their destination boards having quite weird wonky scripting, for example.
Yes I'm guessing they would have to be co-ordinated with the train being at a stand and correctly aligned, with the player/driver actually triggering them.
The game isn't programmed to penalise you for inaccurate stopping, though it obviously won't stop you from trying to stop accurately as a self-imposed challenge. As for scheduling, Densha de Go is popular in Japan and it does things like compress the routes...
The Japanese railway have different type of signal, this should also simulated, include the signal reminding system on board. Also, the Tokyo commuter trains are mainly crowded at peak hour, trains may open and close the doors several times. You may need to sure the “On board signal” allow you to depart. The “On board signal” is important on the DLC.