I watched the start of a video where the player appeared to take over a train in service at Newton Abbott. The safety systems were isolated. I wondered why this was the case and whether it in no longer a requirement for such units to be taken empty to to the nearest maintenance facility for repair before returning to passenger service. Although some considerable amount of effort and resource has been dedicated to implementing the puerile conductor mode to the game the player then departed the station with no bell buzzer communication from the train manager. Six versions and seven years into the game why is it so difficult to implement this feature? The original TSC class 166 had it and that was released about a million years ago.
That's not exclusive to the Voyager. What you're describing is the Conductor Mode feature (and yes, it isn't perfect).
My question is really why? Apart from one rogue steam charter driver UK trains do not operate in regular mainline service with their safety systems isolated. If you take a service over at Seaford for instance you would not expect the AWS to be isolated for no apparent reason. The protocol would be to fail the train and arrange to run empty to the depot. Unless the rule book has radically changed any attempt to reinstate the system and run with passengers would likely lead to being sacked. I know support don't want to be inundated with casual one and done players asking why their train is making a funny noise but the game is sold on the basis of realism compared to other sims such as TSC and after 7 years I'm still not feeling it. Maybe next year! Might I suggest the TSW7 slogan could be Expect more of the same but with a gimmick and even more hype.
Unfortunately TSW just isn’t going to be like that due to its casual nature, so I wouldn’t expect it. Unless the ToC/licensor demands it, they aren’t going to do it. Having a setting for it though would make for a good compromise. Even using the keyboard shortcut to enable them all is now getting pointless, as some trains have certain systems enabled by default, so using the activate all bind just disables whatever was already on.
When the new LIRR was launched with safety systems always on and non-isolatable, thanks to the licensor's insistence, you would not believe the wailing and gnashing of teeth! (Myself I would like a settings toggle that allows you default On; surely that wouldn't be too hard? Just make it part of what they call "expert mode")
Very good point! While I always turn on all the safety systems - the roar in the forums over this being the case of them being permanetly enabled on the LIRR was amazing. I feel it is an acceptable compromise to have them off by default and for those of use who want to use them to turn them on. Minor inconvience at most for myself and lets others run the sim in the manner they enjoy.
To be fair, I think people who want to use safety systems are much more likely to know how to turn them on than people who don't want to use them are to turn them off
Because it is a computer game and not real life. Many players (especially new ones) haven't figured out safety systems yet and they default to being off. I agree with your premise but it really isn't a big deal. Just press ctrl-e and shift-e immediately and they are all on. Takes 3 seconds.
I totally get all that but TSC is also a computer game from the same stable and they managed to get basic stuff like AWS activation, bell buzzer in the cab and automatic selective door operation included and all seemingly from day one. TSW has lots of great features but I just want as realistic an experience as possible and prefer having the above to high speed lifts, bright umbrellas and suspension that makes heavy locos bounce up and down like pacers. Safety no nos like doors opening off the platform just kill the immersion for me personally even if we all know TSW passengers can levitate. It's all about what people enjoy and I'm not the target audience so I'm more than happy to stick with TSC but I'd still love to know the rational for not including bell buzzer communication on this particular DLC. I mean who doesn't want an extra button to push?
I mean TSC also has a primitive physics model, flight simulator 98 graphics (despite poor FPS in many routes), lacks 24 hour timetables with hundreds of services and layers, and locks you to the chair without the ability to move around the train or world at all. Not like it’s a paragon of realism and immersion by any measure. TSW absolutely smokes it in immersion factor overall. You can start your day at a depot, do a walk around inspection of your train, set it up, put it in service, go to the first station then play an entire 8 hour driver shift across multiple services if you want to on some routes, through multiple times of day with dynamic weather. I love doing that stuff on routes like SEHS, Goblin etc. Feel free to keep playing TSC if you prefer it but pressing 2 key binds to turn all the safety systems on an already in service train is not a big deal to me. Of all TSW’s flaws (of which I’m very critical in other threads) I can’t really see the big issue there. I don’t think you will fool too many people into thinking TSC is peak realism or immersion. TSC’s big draw is that it has much more content and longer routes, not that it’s any more realistic and immersive. I see some snobbery from time to time from people acting like TSC is some high end commercial level simulator while TSW is some arcade game for kids but the reality is far from that IMO.
AIUI, safety systems are permanently on, and a driver can only disable one on explicit instructions from On High. So normally he would assume they're on.
As safety systems are permanently on, a driver should expect to hear them when they set the train up.
Turning on the safety systems is a complete pain on console unless I attach a keyboard which I try not to do if possible. I agree with a previous comment that there should be a toggle in the menus to have the safety systems switched on or off by default. The game could ship with the systems switched off to stop new players from getting stressed! It’s another very simple quality of life feature that should’ve been implemented about five versions ago….
