RMWeb Gamer's Lounge.

[Reorte]

35 minutes ago, Classsix T said:

Just had another look at the TSW stuff on offer at PS Store as it happens, their pricing strategy seems odd for the DLC if the struck through prices are to be believed as the rrp. You pay twenty five knicker for the full game and have to pay that again if you want Trans Pennine? Sheesh, and more still if you fancy the Whistler/Gronk bolt on...

 

I don't know about TSW but I'm assuming in this sense that it's the same as Train Simulator. The main game isn't really a full game but the platform you need to run everything else on, albeit bundled with some routes. It would perhaps be better if there was a bare version for free that you couldn't do anything with, then bought whatever bits and pieces you fancy. Each real product is the route, and bits to run on it.

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I'm also perhaps showing my ignorance that having paid for a Wizzo, you can only use it on the West Somerset DLC? But the main game has the GWML, so why can't we have Western Champion on railtour duty out of Paddington? 

Again if it's like Train Simulator it'll come with some scenarios (i.e. someone's already defined the timings, what routing the signalman will send you along, any stock you have to pick up or drop off, what AI trains are present etc.) for the West Somerset route but you could use it on any other. In Train Simulator you can combine any stock and run it on any line you like (no matter how absurd, with the only restrictions being electric won't run on non-electric - probably distinguishes third rail and overhead, and different gauges, but I know it doesn't distinguish between different overhead systems - you can run modern 25 kV electrics across Woodhead if you want) but you'll either have to learn the scenario editor, or just accept driving where you like, routing where you like, which in some ways is more like a model railway than driving a real train.

Edited November 13, 2019 by Reorte

[Classsix T]

Yeh, I kinda knew I'd be opening a can of worms with my misunderstanding of how these things work having not played these kind of simulators.

So if I understand you correctly Reorte, on PS4 (or Xbox), TSW would make better commercial sense as a free to play title and profit generation would come from pay to play subs to access the DLC?

 

I'm not so sure, I think the Dev wants boxes on shelves, and for whatever reason, it's not panning out how they figured. Was MSTS ever available on consoles? There might be a reason for that from a marketing perspective. 

 

C6T. 

[Reorte]

15 hours ago, Classsix T said:

Yeh, I kinda knew I'd be opening a can of worms with my misunderstanding of how these things work having not played these kind of simulators.

So if I understand you correctly Reorte, on PS4 (or Xbox), TSW would make better commercial sense as a free to play title and profit generation would come from pay to play subs to access the DLC?

 

I'm not so sure, I think the Dev wants boxes on shelves, and for whatever reason, it's not panning out how they figured. Was MSTS ever available on consoles? There might be a reason for that from a marketing perspective.

Hadn't (sadly) considered boxes on shelves, since good luck in getting most PC games in one, so for a console, yes, chuck in a couple of routes and charge for it I suppose.

 

The downside is that I've got a few routes I've got no interest in at all because of having them bundled with the game when I originally bought it, and the cost of the complete game isn't much more than the cost of a route... (I've also ended up with a few other unwanted ones just because they were needed for third-party routes that I did want - a bit annoying but I'm not sure if there's any practical alternative).

[Classsix T]

The more you're pointing out about TSW, the less sense it actually makes selling it the way they have! 

 

I guess through some sort of altruistic feeling they felt it'd be a good idea to let console owners in on the party, perhaps after seeing sales figures for something like Farming Simulator, and if they returned a profit all well and good. 

 

Obviously at launch they needed a package they felt would appeal to as many global customers as possible, hence the inclusion of routes perhaps of no interest to some. It'd be like Hornby selling a big box train set with French coaches, US loco's, German freight cars and a UK signal box! 

 

Currently I'm most interested in the Trans Pennine and Saltburn routes, with the added hope that Class 56, 55 and 60 will be catered for later. What I really don't understand is restricting certain traction to specific routes, could anyone clarify if that is actually the case? 

 

GTSport meanwhile continues to give players new cars and circuits on a regular basis for nothing, but then, TSW isn't a title made by a manufacturer with the ulterior motive of using a game to shift hardware!

 

C6T. 

[big jim]

Regards traction for routes, yes you can only use say the western on the west Somerset pack, I for example have the trans Pennine heavy freight pack and I can only use the 40 and 08 on that route

 

I bought my copy in a Microsoft sale as the premium package download witch included  Lots of ‘route pack’ DLC but I still have to buy extra ‘scenario packs’ for those routes such as the heavy freight pack

 

i think looking back now it would have been good to have had the basic game as a free download on ‘game pass’ with DLC purchase-able at a later date, it may sound like a loser for the publishers but I’ve been “hooked in” with the forza series on game pass, the week it was released you could get the game for free on game pass and within a day bought all the extra DLC in the ‘ultimate bundle’ for 50 odd quid, similarly forza motorsport 7, not a particularly new game, but free and all DLC avavilable from Microsoft shop for £8, lots of people spending the same as me will soon add up for the publishers 

 

then of course when forza eventually drops off game pass I will then have to go out and buy a physical copy to still enable me to play if I were to lose the digital copy for some reason! 

[Reorte]

3 hours ago, big jim said:

Regards traction for routes, yes you can only use say the western on the west Somerset pack, I for example have the trans Pennine heavy freight pack and I can only use the 40 and 08 on that route

 

 

Isn't there a "quick drive" option in TSW like there is in Train Simulator, where you can plonk down whatever you like on whatever route you like (other than electrics not working on non-electrics)? You won't have any scenarios for it, and AFAIK they haven't yet released the tools to create your own for TSW, but you can at least drive along from A to B. When I originally bought Train Simulator it came with the south east route (HS1 then off in to Kent), not something I've got any interest in at all, although it was very well done, particularly the non high speed bits, but I did use the HS1 part once because of its steep gradients to see how fast I could make a Black 5 go.

Edited November 14, 2019 by Reorte

[Steadfast]

There's no editor for TSW so mere mortals can't swap traction between routes. Only those who work for DTG and create the content have that power. No free roam either.

There's rumoured to be an editor in the works, but what they showed last year as 'coming soon' was the tools they use to build the game and said there'd be a beta editor soon, but there has been radio silence since. See where I'm going... Not that I'm cynical or anything of course.

Certain German traction will appear in other routes (ie own route A and route B and the traction from A will appear on some services in B) so hopefully we'll see a bit of that on UK routes, but the fact each UK route is set in a different era doesn't really help that.

As for steam, the motion blur effect makes wheels and motion look horrendous at speed, and there's been no teases that steam could be in development. Not one I'm personally holding my breath for.

Rumour has it Microsoft may be working on a new train sim based on their new flight sim engine, using the imagery from Bing maps and low poly buildings for distant terrain, so only near buildings and the actual railway need to be modelled bespoke. Could be a great time saver for route building if so

 

Jo

[Classsix T]

Thanx Jo, much of your info on TSW's alleged Unreal editor etc is mentioned on Dovetail's TSW Wiki entry, but as you state is either slow progress or not happening.

 

I should also correct myself and clarify that the Trans Pennine DLC is included within TSW 2020, so no need to purchase both. I suspect though that should I fancy the Darlo-Saltburn, Whistler & Gronk, and heavyweight Tractor bolt-ons and those three aren't discounted, I'm not going to see much change from fifty quid. That said, as far as game prices go, fifty notes for something that could potentially offer 100+ (?) hours of entertainment isn't a bad deal.

 

C6T. 

[Reorte]

Ah, if it's included in TSW 2020 then I might be getting interested. That and the Saltburn routes, whilst not my ideal, are still of enough interest to me. Might see if it's in the next Steam sale at any rate.

 

***

 

Moving on to other things, the Red Dead Redemption 2 download finally finished, after 2 days.

[Classsix T]

1 minute ago, Reorte said:

Ah, if it's included in TSW 2020 then I might be getting interested. That and the Saltburn routes, whilst not my ideal, are still of enough interest to me. Might see if it's in the next Steam sale at any rate.

 

***

 

Moving on to other things, the Red Dead Redemption 2 download finally finished, after 2 days.

Yeehaa! Kotaku reports the transition to PCs hasn't gone entirely smoothly for RDR2 and Rockstar are working on bug fixes so perhaps worth perusing the R* website... 

 

Apologies if I confused the issue with TSW, not my intention. There's a purchase link directly to Steam via the Dovetail website.

 

C6T. 

[Reorte]

The initial RDR2 problems, with it crashing on launch, were supposedly fixed after a few days. It fired up OK last night though, albeit with one big niggle - it'll only launch from the damned Rockstar launcher software, not from the shortcut, even if the launcher is running. That's downright annoying anyway (completely inconsistent with everything else - if it must have some sort of DRM it should be as unobtrusive as possible), and to think I was grumbling a bit about The Outer Worlds!

 

I didn't have time to play that much of it last night but it certainly looks gorgeous. It didn't take me long to ride my horse off a cliff, turned out the default is to move the horse with the mouse as well as the keyboard, but fortunately it can be turned off so the mouse just moves the camera.

[Classsix T]

It is a fantastic looking game, after I'd finished tinkering with the account settings on the PS3 I booted up RDR...still a great looking title but the prequel, for understandable reasons, knocks it for six. 

 

C6T. 

[Reorte]

I'll have to try cranking up all the settings to max just to see what it looks like (and see if it turns performance into a slideshow!)

[Classsix T]

I'm unsure if it's actually confirmed that PS5 will be backwards compatible, should it be and I've bought the best telly possible, I'll look forward to playing RDR2, Horizon Zero Dawn and Deus Ex Mankind Divided all over again in all their 4k loveliness.

 

I popped into my local high street electrical goods shop last week actually, just to see how prices are doing on TV's (in preparation for the PS5 launch), and they had a Sony Bravia set running a GTSport demo...incredible. I'll not have the wherewithal to afford an 8k telly this time next year but 4k is still a major step-up from where I am currently. 

 

C6T. 

[Classsix T]

 

"This is the Star Wars game you are looking for."

 

https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/star-wars-jedi-fallen-order-review/

 

C6T. 

Edited November 15, 2019 by Classsix T

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Classsix T said:

 

"This is the Star Wars game you are looking for."

 

https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/star-wars-jedi-fallen-order-review/

 

C6T. 

 

It looks good, but I've still got The Outer Worlds, Death Stranding, A Plague Tale plus some more stuff I forgotten about to get through.

Oh and Shenmue 3 is coming soon.

[Classsix T]

Woh, I make no apology for dumping this Kotaku link in the Lounge because I see it as something really important, to those so interested (me!).

Firstly, EA (having sunk millions of dollars into it) are sticking with Anthem and apparently are determined to make the bu99er work. 

If that ain't your thing though, scroll down to the bottom, Mass Effect! Seriously don't even muck about, cos if they don't actually do that, that's not funny.

 

https://www.kotaku.co.uk/2019/11/15/sources-bioware-plans-a-complete-overhaul-for-anthem

 

I'm not gonna lie friends, I demand the closure of the Adam Jensen Deus Ex trilogy before I'm 50, if there's gonna be another Mass Effect, hurry up!

 

C6T. 

Edited November 16, 2019 by Classsix T

[Reorte]

To be honest I'm not sure how I feel about another Mass Effect game - it's a setting that deserves a great deal, another Star Trek or Star Wars, but I can't say I'm not worried about what could happen to it (Andromeda didn't bother me - its flaws were mediocrity, with some good stuff thrown in, rather than trying to urinate over the whole thing).

 

[Classsix T]

4 hours ago, Reorte said:

To be honest I'm not sure how I feel about another Mass Effect game - it's a setting that deserves a great deal, another Star Trek or Star Wars, but I can't say I'm not worried about what could happen to it (Andromeda didn't bother me - its flaws were mediocrity, with some good stuff thrown in, rather than trying to urinate over the whole thing).

 

I'm cautiously optimistic. EA/BioWare are now fully conversant in how not to make a game following the absolute hash of Anthem, so couldn't possibly mess up all over again, could they? If Casey Hudson isn't on board as a minimum then I shall be right with you in tipping the franchise's cadaver into a shallow grave. 

 

C6T. 

[Classsix T]

Class 31 now available for TSW as an add on for the Tees Valley route. The cab interior needs work though, not a hint of duct tape draught proofing! 

 

C6T. 

[Reorte]

Enjoying RDR2, love all the attention to detail, despite a few grumbles about the railways - I've seen two signals in total, and lots of missing checkrails. Just can't please some people I guess!

 

I'd love to have a game that looks that good, has that same level of detail, but without the whole being a thieving, killing piece of *!"£$* part. Some have complained about the pace and having animations for every single little thing such as when opening a drawer, but that's exactly the sort of detail I really appreciate and helps make the world feel so much more convincing.

[big jim]

Dominics horse is still missing on RDR2, it ran off 6 months ago and has never been seen since! 

[Classsix T]

19 minutes ago, Reorte said:

Enjoying RDR2, love all the attention to detail, despite a few grumbles about the railways - I've seen two signals in total, and lots of missing checkrails. Just can't please some people I guess!

 

I'd love to have a game that looks that good, has that same level of detail, but without the whole being a thieving, killing piece of *!"£$* part. Some have complained about the pace and having animations for every single little thing such as when opening a drawer, but that's exactly the sort of detail I really appreciate and helps make the world feel so much more convincing.

Hmm, I don't think Brown Bread Reduction, a tale of popping down the shops would engage me quite so much . 

 

Take heart though pardner, once you've unlocked the entire map after the epilogue you can busy yourself on the farm and needn't worry about shooting the gaff up.

 

C6T. 

[Guest]

Look what came in the post....

 

[Reorte]

31 minutes ago, Classsix T said:

Hmm, I don't think Brown Bread Reduction, a tale of popping down the shops would engage me quite so much . 

 

Take heart though pardner, once you've unlocked the entire map after the epilogue you can busy yourself on the farm and needn't worry about shooting the gaff up.

Plenty of other games where you don't have to be! Give me an Elder Scrolls game to that level of detail for example, would love that.

 

The real-world setting of course puts constraints, which gives an advantage to outlaws and criminals as being the group least bound by them and hence more convincingly able to do things that actually produce gameplay, although since the Wild West is mostly fantasy anyway you could probably get away with a good guy perspective as a Lone Ranger sort of character.

 

Certainly wish I could've left Micah in prison though. And that was before noticing a spoiler for much later in the game when I was trying to find out something else...

Edited November 18, 2019 by Reorte