What Exactly Is Wrong With The Current Steam Physics?

A dev for DTG on discord back in 2023 explained what was wrong with the physics and that it all comes down to a shortcoming in Simulgraph.

And that DTG had spent over 2 and half years trying to adjust the physics before SOS so basically had run over budget on the dedicated team working on it that no steam route would be profitable.

So basically they worked on it and ran into a brick wall at some point and its not worth it to them any more as they already went way over budget.

Also they probably got scared off when the community all got up in arms after Peak Forest when alot of the community said they will not purchase any steam in its current form.

 

Ah so that's why you're so angry

 

Yet they repeatedly said during the promotion of SOS, after the release of SOS, and during the promotion of Peak Forest that steam was being worked on.

 

They were, it was after Peak Forest when the stopped and broke up the dedicated team. So add the 2 1/2 years for SOS and the time between the 2 routes and you can see how they would have gone over budget. That alot of time and payoll to be working on sometging that at most is going to be 1/3 of your game.

Might as well work on the 2/3 you can get to work.

 

If more people are willing to go with steam in its current state then maybe they will change their policy.

But as I see it its only the same 20 users over and over requesting steam on these forums and that is by far not a majority in the community asking for it.

Also if DTG said to you we are making 2 routes One Modern, 1 Steam and you can have all the profits for 1 of those routes which would you chose to fill your bank account?

That is their point of view, you guys are looking at it from a players point and not as a buisness.

 

2 because I’m not a greedy person and honestly I’m willing to bet money on the steam route doing better than you think

 

But would it do better than the modern route?

Again your thinking as a player, how many buisnesses are not greedy, and are willing to take a risk when what they have been doing is working? Over double profits from last year proves it is.

I've seen the sales numbers from TSW3 since my grandchild works for DTG and you are not correct. Even the worst selling modern route sold 5% more units than SOS. BR blue era was even lower, but that probably has changes since JT's routes.

But hey your free to think what you want.

 

I’m calling it now you made up that bit about your grandchild
And anyways that was with steam in it’s worse form, like if this is going to be fair then both routes would be tsw 6 standards and both would include at least one new loco

 

You don't want to be calling someone a liar without evidence.

 

That, ladies and gents, was a swing and a miss like this forum hasn't seen in a good while!

 

So uhh... steam physics

 

I feel bad for the DTG admin that has to clean up that mess up above.

 

SoS was a TSW2 route, if you don't have the sales for the former then I really don't think we can draw a proper conclusion. It's pretty clear from the outside looking in sales for routes are very front loaded, very possible it had a amazing TSW2 sales period, only to flat line afterward. Even ignoring that though the fact that the sales are low also in itself doesn't say much. The real question is why it's low to begin with, and I and most here are adamant steam content itself is so poor and has been dissed by so many that it's obvious it's not gonna sell well.

Also I have to say given how much trouble leaking out info can have I really wouldn't be abusing your child's connection to DTG in this way. You're might be putting their job at risk using that info for brownie points on the internet based on what I've seen over the years at other companies.

 

SoS fared poorly because after all the hype we had an empty route which got barely any aftercare or attention, let alone a follow up pack or two to flesh out the experience. Typical DTG fire and forget, moving quickly on to the next hot idea that can be sold with high fives and silly headphones and also forgotten.

 

Unfortunately they removed the truth and not the lies.

 

Yes, its a crying shame nothing was done after, the route itself is lovely, and looks lovely, same with Peak Forest too. But looking lovely but being devoid of traffic is a travesty

 

Yeah, honestly at this rate I would just take having early diesels in br green to fill in some gaps,

would 100% want steam over that but if it’s the only option I would take

 

Yeah, Spirit of Steam is a depressingly sparse route in terms of traffic, I'd be happy just to get *something* extra for it

 

I think the idea that steam doesn't sell because console players aren't interested is flawed. I don't think it's unreasonable to say that younger players will be more into modern trains (even though when I was younger I was much more into steam trains, with a love for Class 91s and 92s on the side), but the fact is DTG released two steam routes, neither of which were very good. The steam physics are still bad, but had DTG stuck with it and made key improvements future DLC could have been better. I assume DTG saw the sales figures, which were good for SOS but ungood for Peak Forest, and chose to cut their losses rather than continue to invest.

I still believe that even Kuju steam locomotives in TS provide a better driving experience than the TSW steam locos. That said, the relatively basic way of simulating steam in TS was a blessing in disguise, as it allowed third party developers to effectively write their own steam simulations. That's how we've got such good steam locomotives from Bossman Games, Smokebox, MeshTools, Forge, Victory Works, and to a lesser extent Caledonia Works.

I think it's obvious that DTG should have started small with a loco DLC for an existing route. Some kind of tank engine for the West Somerset Railway would have provided a good starting point. And because it would be pretty much an inconsequential release, had the steam physics been as bad as they were for SOS, the backlash would have been much less intense.