Railworks America

Hot off the press, DTG are going to launch a brand new platform called Dovetail Live in late 2016, possibly, and this is pure speculation on my part, in time for the TSW BETA being released, further info here, oooooooh isn't this exciting news,

http://www.dovetailgames.com/news/2016/oct/31/dovetail-games-attracts-investment-to-build-a-groundbreaking-new-platform-for-simulation-fans

Cheerz. ex-railwayman.

Wait is this like Steam or something?

I'm guessing this is multi-player from DTG. Rather than allowing users to be the MP server, it sounds like MP must come from DTG server platform.
chris

Operationally, this makes sense. I do however have some concerns about DLC integration. Sounds as though in MP we will be limited to the "content" loaded to the MP server, and not our stand-alone stuff. It doesn't say "this eliminates Steam as a middle-man" which I find interesting as well. Much to know yet......

Take a look at this quotation from the URL offered above:

The vast majority of people that buy our products don’t behave like traditional gamers, who typically play through an experience from start to finish and then go on to look for the next new and big thing,” says Dovetail Games’ CEO Paul Jackson, Esq OBE. “They behave like hobbyists, individuals with a deep interest in one product that often spans many years. They are very committed to their hobbies and when it comes to simulations, they take great pleasure in curating highly personal collections of content. Developing skills and knowledge by adding new layers of depth and enjoyment to their hobby is something they are very willing to invest in.

Yes, I know that some folks like both simulations and games, but Paul Jackson's statement sums me up in a way I hadn't really thought of previously.

OldProf wrote:Take a look at this quotation from the URL offered above:

The vast majority of people that buy our products don’t behave like traditional gamers, who typically play through an experience from start to finish and then go on to look for the next new and big thing,” says Dovetail Games’ CEO Paul Jackson, Esq OBE. “They behave like hobbyists, individuals with a deep interest in one product that often spans many years. They are very committed to their hobbies and when it comes to simulations, they take great pleasure in curating highly personal collections of content. Developing skills and knowledge by adding new layers of depth and enjoyment to their hobby is something they are very willing to invest in.

Yes, I know that some folks like both simulations and games, but Paul Jackson's statement sums me up in a way I hadn't really thought of previously.

That is the exact reason 3rd party tools for content and route creation are so critical. If TSW is just 'playing' the game, then it won't get the traction compared to 'involved' with the game.

ex-railwayman wrote:Hot off the press, DTG are going to launch a brand new platform called Dovetail Live in late 2016, possibly, and this is pure speculation on my part, in time for the TSW BETA being released, further info here, oooooooh isn't this exciting news,

http://www.dovetailgames.com/news/2016/oct/31/dovetail-games-attracts-investment-to-build-a-groundbreaking-new-platform-for-simulation-fans

Cheerz. ex-railwayman.

So what is so funny about this eh!!!!!!

Wooo, even more DRM!

My distain for DRM aside. After reading that announcement, I can't help but feel they should call it something like 'Simulator Live', and open it up to other simulator devs. I feel that would attract a lot more people to sign up, and more importantly, use the platform.

Just having it to DTGs products, *I feel* will create the same thing as Uplay or origin. If you want the game, you're stuck with the platform. I don't know anyone who likes origin or Uplay, I only ever use them to launch the games, and even then I dislike them.

DrewG wrote:Wooo, even more DRM!

My distain for DRM aside. After reading that announcement, I can't help but feel they should call it something like 'Simulator Live', and open it up to other simulator devs. I feel that would attract a lot more people to sign up, and more importantly, use the platform.

Just having it to DTGs products, *I feel* will create the same thing as Uplay or origin. If you want the game, you're stuck with the platform. I don't know anyone who likes origin or Uplay, I only ever use them to launch the games, and even then I dislike them.

Yep.

Ugh. Are they trying to cut out the middle man and replace steam? That's a foo's errand IMO since Valve has massive infrastructure and funding (and hopefully longevity) while DTG have this funding round and unknown long-term prospects.

Also: The DRM we have now is bad enough. Being forced to use DTGs site to buy content is worse for us (though better for DTG since Valve won't get a cut).

In short: why is this good for us? Uplay, Origin, and the zillion other proprietary stores already show that this going to be somewhere between annoying and awful for the player.

Diego

To be fair, we don't know what this new platform will be. There is no precise information in the announcement.
I can understand the concept: Steam is heavily action-game oriented. Steam's typical customers are not Railwork's typical customers.
Most of Steam's functions, especially community functions such as Friends, chat, etc, are useless to me.

trev123 wrote:So what is so funny about this eh!!!!!!

Well, it depends how you look at it Trev, the Multiplayer fraternity might be over the moon, the rest of us probably couldn't give a dern, is your glass half empty, or, half full, do you find this an exciting development, or, not, you can be as sarcastic, or, as overjoyed, as you wish......

Cheerz. ex-railwayman.

dgallina wrote:Ugh. Are they trying to cut out the middle man and replace steam? That's a foo's errand IMO since Valve has massive infrastructure and funding (and hopefully longevity) while DTG have this funding round and unknown long-term prospects.
Also: The DRM we have now is bad enough. Being forced to use DTGs site to buy content is worse for us (though better for DTG since Valve won't get a cut).
Diego

Well, I don't know, Diego, this is something that we wanted 7 years ago, however, it's a bit late now and I am stuck with 150GBs of Railworks DLC on the Valve/Steam platform, whilst DTG now want me to abandon this and go to their brand new website in future to make my purchases, and access my game, probably TSW, which won't appeal to everybody as they all want their DLC in one place. If TSW isn't put on Steam then there is no way of the community doing scenarios on a Workshop-style platform, unless they offer us an alternative function under their control, so, the old game (TS2017) will be on Steam, and TSW will be available on a completely separate platform where DTG are in control, maybe a subscription based access for everyone, and if they utilise a server for Multiplayer they can control that also, and possibly ban all 3rd party content Payware/Freeware and you can only use DLC obtained from DTG, and looking at their wording it sounds as though they might even create a brand new forum for all of us to post threads in, and they will control that as well, control and rule and take all of our money, this is the future.

Cheerz. ex-railwayman.

I'm guessing an approach closer to World of Tanks/Ships, etc. This distribution strategy makes massive amounts of money. See Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_of_Tanks
chris

ex-railwayman wrote:maybe a subscription based access for everyone, and if they utilise a server for Multiplayer they can control that also, and possibly ban all 3rd party content Payware/Freeware and you can only use DLC obtained from DTG, and looking at their wording it sounds as though they might even create a brand new forum for all of us to post threads in, and they will control that as well, control and rule and take all of our money, this is the future.

The operative word in the quote above is the first word: "maybe".
Or maybe none of this will happen, which is pure unsupported speculation anyway.