Announcing DTG's upcoming Union Pacific Kansas City - Topeka route

[jalsina]

It would seem we have another "nice" route with another "Big Boy".
Fortunately the SD70 could be fixed with some work by applying the Searchlight Simulations 16N-710G3C enhancement package.

[raptorengineer]

Upon further review...

Ditchlights can be toned down by going to setting 2 on headlights.

Screenshot_Granger Heartland - Kansas City to Topeka_39.06880--95.67517_13-57-10.jpg

Cars do not stop at several grade crossings.

About 2.5 miles outside Topeka on the approach you'll see a 30mph limit followed by a 15mph a half mile beyond - speed actually becomes 15 at the 30.

As far as route decorating goes (with the understanding that I don't live there and can't speak about what is appropriate or not) I think it's fairly well done.

More later if I find more.

Edit: Forgot to mention

I can see the walkway in cab view.

Screenshot_Granger Heartland - Kansas City to Topeka_39.07144--95.68197_13-59-24.jpg

ah so they did fix that walkway issue.

[buzz456]

Stockholm Syndrome? No, and I am aware of what’s coming, I read the posts, all of them and don’t feel compelled to buy anything. I do appreciate quality but I also acknowledge that as long as a route is a reasonable representation of a railroad it can be tweaked. This is not possible if it doesn’t exist. Frankly, whilst I appreciate the work of for example Minerman and Tomcat, I personally am not that worried about how many skyscrapers there are as long as the route is interesting operationally AND it works. This route is not yet proven one way or the other - I have an open mind.

I'm with you John but it's so much fun trashing someone else's work. It really encourages anyone working on a route to publish.

[mindenjohn]

Yeah, being optimistic, or at least open, is a lot harder than the alternative. Negativity is daunting to route builders and scenario writers, why put yourself in the coliseum with the lions when you can sit in the front rows being entertained.

[EngineerJohn]

But at the same time, we're literally being treated like second class citizens compared to European content (for the most part at least).

[bnsfsubdivision]

Any feedback here is meaningless. Sales is what matters for DTG and as long as all the "kids" purchase this DLC (and any other for that matter) you will never see real effort or improvement in quality. Constant revenue = happy CEO.

Problem is there's only few people around (most of them obviously here) who care about quality over quantity. Unlike us (those who care), all the other 99% simply don't and just purchase content for the sake of having something fresh, something new, no matter how bad (or recycled for the 10th time) it might be. They simply don't care and unfortunately make up the majority of revenue for DTG. So as long as they continue to support them, you're not going to see a change in quality.

Why adjust business practices to handful of people when seemingly 99% of your customer base is fine with the quality offered?

[EngineerJohn]

Any feedback is here meaningless. Sales is what matters for DTG and as long as all the "kids" purchase this DLC (and any other for that matter) you will never see real effort or improvement in quality. Constant revenue = happy CEO.

Problem is there's only few people around (most of them obviously here) who care about quality over quantity. Unlike us (those who care), all the other 99% simply don't and just purchase content for the sake of having something fresh, something new, no matter how bad (or recycled for the 10th time) it might be. They simply don't care and unfortunately make up the majority of revenue for DTG. So as long as they continue to support them, you're not going to see a change in quality.

Why adjust business practices to handful of people when seemingly 99% of your customer base is fine with the quality offered?

You and Woody should start preaching

[cnwfan]

Problem is there's only few people around (most of them obviously here) who care about quality over quantity. Unlike us (those who care), all the other 99% simply don't and just purchase content for the sake of having something fresh, something new, no matter how bad (or recycled for the 10th time) it might be. They simply don't care and unfortunately make up the majority of revenue for DTG. So as long as they continue to support them, you're not going to see a change in quality.

Kevin... while you are entitled to your opinion, I don't think that's fair of you to lump bulk of this community and/or the DTG customer base into the "simply don't care" group. Somewhere between be ultra-quality / ultra-accurate group and as you put it, the "simply don't care" group, you'll find a majority of the community.

Am I one of those "kids"? In your eyes... yes. But this kid also realizes that different quality levels are acceptable based on what the content is, my frame of reference, and will the content fill a void for me. In this particular example, I don't care if a bridge on the route is blue or brown. Why? Because I have no frame of reference to compare against. But I do care how a train handles over that bridge. Does operating a train over the route give me a reasonable experience without frustration. If the answer is yes for me... it's a win. Can I create my own scenarios using higher quality content for a more realistic experience (Searchlight's UP SD40-2's and Jointed Rails 4750 covered hoppers)? Absolutely yes. But if this route never came to market, I wouldn't be able to do either.

[dr1980]

Well said, and having only been to KC once in my life I would be totally happy with a plausible route and functioning rolling stock. Where I get annoyed is things like hearing that there are no whistle posts. This happen on the N Line as well (which beyond that I quite enjoy). Whistle posts actually hold an important operational function and there’s really no good reason for them to be missing. That’s the kind of stuff that really bugs me.

[Chacal]

I don't care if a bridge on the route is blue or brown. Why? Because I have no frame of reference to compare against. But I do care how a train handles over that bridge. Does operating a train over the route give me a reasonable experience without frustration. If the answer is yes for me... it's a win.

+1

The most fun I had was with Rich Garber's old ficticious routes that were built like model railroad layouts. Colton & Northern I think, or Rascal & Cottonwood. They came with 25 standard scenarios featuring lots of switching.

[Fireexplorer249]

What I don't understand is how some of you are able to still defend DTG after many people, including some from the area, have pointed out many issues with the route. And yes I know the ole' "you don't like it, don't buy it" saying that some of you like to repeat. And in fact I won't. I would much rather support the great 3rd party developers who actually put time and effort into their products. I'm tired of DTG's lack of quality and will not give them another dime until it is fixed. Its just frustrating how free routes look 100 times better than this one. I understand the frustration that those who live there feel. Its cool to have your area in game, but when it looks like this, its just embarrassing. Why do you think it is taking me so long to build my Redlands route? Because I know the area like the back of my hand and want it to be a perfect representation. The future of this game is in the hands of those who care, which quite frankly, is not DTG.

[artimrj]

If you don't like them then don't buy them. You do not have to continuously trash the route and knit pick it to death. We who are the 99% like them, you don't have to. I have had enough of this. You want to trash the route(s), do it somewhere else. I am tired of getting complaints about you 1%. Enough is enough. Next step is to let you all go.