TSW6 releasing...

[GSkid]

For those of you that care, Train Sim World 6 was announced and is on it's way. No release date yet, but it's likely to come this September. They have not yet released what routes, locomotives and rolling stock will be included. There will be a scheduled DTG live-stream full announcement on August 26th giving us all the details.

It has been confirmed that they will again offer a free TSW 6 starter pack upgrade for a limited time at launch.

I've also read that any current owners of the now discontinued CalTrain related DLC content (San Jose-San Francisco route, DLC add-ons) will not be able to carry them over and play them in TSW 6. So you must have TSW 5 or older installed in order to play that specific content.

Talk and speculation in the DTG forums is that the expired CalTrain license doesn't allow it to be used in newer versions of the sim. That had DTG simply upgraded the current TSW 5 with the newer features instead of presenting it as a full new number version of the sim, they could have loophole avoided this. Not sure yet of the truth of that. A DTG community manager indicated they were still looking into a way to possibly carry it forward to TSW 6, but it didn't sound very hopeful.

I will likely only get the free TSW 6 starter pack this time around unless they include a USA based route I like. As I've said before.... USA-based content is a low priority for them. The only new USA content on their current roadmap is a "Santa Fe on Cajon Pass Gameplay Pack" from High Iron Simulations. It sounds like at the very least simply a scenario pack with possibly Santa Fe repaints or even SF branded new locomotive models and rolling stock. We shall see. The USA is basically ranked 3rd in content priority by DTG.... so we sadly only get what we can get from them unfortunately.

[buzz456]

Which is why TSC is far and away the sim of choice if you want a huge choice of all things rolling stock and number of routes as well as some great enhancements the last couple of years.

[cnwfan]

I've also read that any current owners of the now discontinued CalTrain related DLC content (San Jose-San Francisco route, DLC add-ons) will not be able to carry them over and play them in TSW 6. So you must have TSW 5 or older installed in order to play that specific content.

Well, I was on the fence with TSW6, but this news seals it's fate. The Peninsula Corridor is my favorite route in both TSC and TSW. I'll freeze at TSW5 and spend my hard earned dollars on TSC content.

[ElphabaWS]

As I've said before.... USA-based content is a low priority for them. The only new USA content on their current roadmap is a "Santa Fe on Cajon Pass Gameplay Pack" from High Iron Simulations. It sounds like at the very least simply a scenario pack with possibly Santa Fe repaints or even SF branded new locomotive models and rolling stock. We shall see. The USA is basically ranked 3rd in content priority by DTG.... so we sadly only get what we can get from them unfortunately.

This post merits a reply. (1) US content is not a low priority for DTG nor for TSW. That will become increasingly apparent in the months ahead. (2) The content of the upcoming HIS Santa Fe GamePlay Pack has been detailed on multiple occasions on the TSW roadmap and elsewhere. It includes an EMD SD40-2 rebuild in AT&SF blue and silver, a Santa Fe GE C40-8W in Warbonnet and with AT&SF specific details; three all-new TSW freight cars (AT&SF 2-bay cement car, AT&SF three-bay covered hopper, and AT&SF 86-foot auto box), reskins of multiple existing TSW freight cars in AT&SF liveries; a AT&SF services TT based on actual AT&SF freight timetable featuring more than 250 movements, a UP layer (for use with Sherman Hill stock) also based on an actual UP freight schedule; five new scenarios, and a GE tutorial.

[cnwfan]

Hey Gary... is there any chance of getting the Caltrain folks to budge on the licensing? I can see their position about not selling any new routes or content. But at the same time it is really unfair of them to prevent existing owners of the content from being able to carry it forward to newer versions. That really leaves a sour taste in my mouth, especially since I worked for them for 5 years. I hope DTG is able to get a concession from them.

[GSkid]

This post merits a reply. (1) US content is not a low priority for DTG nor for TSW. That will become increasingly apparent in the months ahead. (2) The content of the upcoming HIS Santa Fe GamePlay Pack has been detailed on multiple occasions on the TSW roadmap and elsewhere. It includes an EMD SD40-2 rebuild in AT&SF blue and silver, a Santa Fe GE C40-8W in Warbonnet and with AT&SF specific details; three all-new TSW freight cars (AT&SF 2-bay cement car, AT&SF three-bay covered hopper, and AT&SF 86-foot auto box), reskins of multiple existing TSW freight cars in AT&SF liveries; a AT&SF services TT based on actual AT&SF freight timetable featuring more than 250 movements, a UP layer (for use with Sherman Hill stock) also based on an actual UP freight schedule; five new scenarios, and a GE tutorial.

Thanks for the clarification. Glad to hear more USA content is on the way.

My opinion is based on looking at roadmaps over the years where there is USA content here and there, Versus the constant European content.... especially UK routes and DLC. I understand their studios are in the UK. That there might be some level of home country bias aided by the fact they don't have the logistical headaches of having to travel out of the country to gather pictures for content creation. But the USA has a population of about 340 million Vs. 68 million for the UK. You would think from a financial point of view they would show a market that is 5 times the population of their own, just a little more love than they do. But they just haven't in comparison.

I really wish the USA had a software company with DTG's resources to make a train sim. Run 8 is programed by one guy who has some help from a few route/asset builders. Imagine if he had a bigger team that was full time employees. I'd bet we'd get a much better sim than DTG makes. We have such talented software developers here.

As for "Santa Fe on Cajon Pass Gameplay Pack"? I only looked at the roadmap and was completely unaware that details about it were out there. Based on your decription, it's almost certainly a must buy for me.


Just an observation. I don't know the ratio of PC owners to PlayStation/Xbox console owners of TSW. But on the DTG forums in the TSW 6 thread, console owner's comments completely dominated the conversation. They had 2 main concerns....

#1: Wishing DTG would drop support for the older PS4/Xbox One and only make new versions of TSW for the newer, far more tech-capable PS5/Xbox X/S consoles. They want a version that takes full advantage of them instead of being held back by having to run on the older, legacy console hardware as well.

#2: While TSW on PC allows installed routes/DLC to be transferred over to the newer version of the sim, aparently you have to re-download all your DLC on the videogame consoles to do the same. The console owners are especially angry about this one. Not only does it take a lot of time to do that, but those with internet data caps are potentially gonna be getting slammed hard on their plan.