News on Tools?

[sumitsingh]

So if these tools are ever released at some mysterious point in time, will there be a 3D Canvas/Crafter plugin that will enable exports like there is for TS20XX?

As far as I know, UE4 acepts fbx format, so any 3D package which exports .fbx will be able to work.

[cbff33]

Just my opinion here. Going back to the beginning of DTG taking over RS, there have been many promises made to fix this or fix that, and a large majority of their promises went unfulfilled. Promising editors for TSW is, so far, another one. Promising there will be, but all kinds of excuses as to why there isn't. I've been in on TSW since the Beta. Uninstalled now, because DTG didn't deliver what they advertised. Last month, I took another look back into the forums and all of DTG's unfulfilled promises dating back years. Looking at the completely locked down TSW, I decided to go peek at Run 8 again, another locked down, no 3rd party content trainsim. By the end of that day, I had purchased the whole Run 8 collection, because when it comes to locked down train sims, Run 8 offers a far superior experience as opposed to TSW. Again, just my opinion. For tinkering with routes, and activities, I can still use Open Rails and my msts content, or TS20xx. DTG likes to say their editors are not ready, and that they want to ensure that the editors are top quality when they release them. If you look at DTG history, this is NOT how they have ever operated. They rush buggy, minimally tested stuff out the door for top dollar. But now all of a sudden they care about a top notch editor tool? And then you see TSW DLC content flowing pretty readily from DTG, and judging by what I see in screens and youtube vids, the route editor is pretty darn functional. At least as functional as TS20xx editor. And if any of you remember, prior to the beta release, DTG released a video showcasing a pretty complete looking, and smoothly functioning route editor. And now we hear the excuse, can't release editors without giving out the base code. I take that with a grain of salt. Until a time when DTG proves me wrong, it is my opinion that DTG want's to go the direction of Run 8. Control ALL content, to maximize their profits. Makes sense, and I wouldn't blame them. 3rd party content, and freeware content take away from possible income to DTG. IMO, TSW is the modern day version of the MSTS trainwreck that was released all those years ago.

Oh and one other thing that irks me from DTG. When they posted at one time, that a RW SD40-2 engineer ran their TSW SD40-2, and said it was spot on accurate for how it operates. That turned out to be a crock of british crap!

[buzz456]

Feel better now?

[mrennie]

So if these tools are ever released at some mysterious point in time, will there be a 3D Canvas/Crafter plugin that will enable exports like there is for TS20XX?

There's already a version of 3DCrafter that exports to UE4. I tried it and it works fine, at least for small models such as Jupiter's tender. When I tried it with the complete loco, it hung.

[JerryC]

Do try to look on the bright side. Maybe DTG, not wanting to repeat past errors, is seriously trying to put out a better experience with the Editor this time around. I'd rather wait a while longer than have something only halfway useful on my desktop tomorrow.

[hminky]

Do try to look on the bright side. Maybe DTG, not wanting to repeat past errors, is seriously trying to put out a better experience with the Editor this time around. I'd rather wait a while longer than have something only halfway useful on my desktop tomorrow.

When has a train sim producer ever worried about a half baked product?

Geez, DTG just used their PC community to beta test their Xbox offering.

Harold

[katyusha454]

Do try to look on the bright side. Maybe DTG, not wanting to repeat past errors, is seriously trying to put out a better experience with the Editor this time around. I'd rather wait a while longer than have something only halfway useful on my desktop tomorrow.

Honestly, right now I'd prefer something halfway useful with the promise of future updates. Just give us SOMETHING, anything that lets us edit even minor aspects of the game would be a huge improvement. Even a bare-bones scenario editor would add a huge amount of replayability.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

Do try to look on the bright side. Maybe DTG, not wanting to repeat past errors, is seriously trying to put out a better experience with the Editor this time around. I'd rather wait a while longer than have something only halfway useful on my desktop tomorrow.

I've watched some of the developer videos on the TSW page in the Steam store.
They use a fully fledged UE4 editor to create their routes.

So perhaps DTG needs to create and release a stripped down UE4 editor (if such a thing exists in other free world games than perhaps that can be used) for route building by players?
I assume future selected third party developers will use the full UE4 editor by agreement with DTG and DRM their creations through DTG proprietary licenses etc.

How are Consists, Scenarios and Services created? Or are these just a collection of scripts?

[BNSFdude]

Yeah whatever real world engineer they had giving feedback to them must've been one that works for some tourist railroad and has no dern clue.

I've offered to them in the past with TS DLC how to improve performance, and even when TSW was first being teased in closed alpha, but any sort of actual not butt kissing advice is completely lost on that team and they never change anything and it gets released.

I've got thousands of hours in AC4400CWs, SD40-2s, GP38-2s, GP40-2s, and many others, and can say with certainty that not a single one of them comes even close to being properly represented performance wise in TSW. They all run like slot cars with preset speed notches. A total joke.

[JohnS]

Don't forget TSW can only be 40 to 45 miles in length to keep it compatible with Xbox. So that ended my interest in the sim.

[SAR704]

Assuming a flying pig ever does get cleaned up by an inattentive pilot, will there be many folks that will actually intend to build routes that are 100+ miles in length?

I remember the MSTS days when the routine was to place the track to the terminus, then build in sections via placing the roads one day, the fences the next, vegetation on the following one, and farms/scenery as well as the station yard etc on the fourth one, then continue on with the next section.

Of course, a TSW route can theoretically be built in this style if you want it to look like my MNB route, instead of a modern eye catcher

[Shukal]

Route length is not the problem with the Xbox. If anything it would be how much rolling stock can be in an area. Looking at the new DLC though it doesn't look like they cut down on it though. The yards are actually way more filled than in GWE.
I'm curious how they are going to realize NECNY on Xbox, especially Penn Station.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

Reading and combining info from a couple of fora gives me the impression DTG at present seem to release a route every 3 months.

What can, must and need to be created in those 3 months? How many custom locomotives and cars, station buildings, notable landmarks, etc.
How many tiles, how many miles of tracks, how many buildings, trees can be laid, put down, planted? By how many paid members of staff?

For what price and what return of investment?

Reasoning all these factors I think the present route length and complexity is all that team can handle and perhaps make a small profit selling it.
It remains entirely to be seen wether the TSW takes off on the XBox console.
If XBox sales overtake PC sales, if XBox is easier to create and maintain for, then the focus will shift and the PC market with its specific demand will draw the short straw.

I for one can't think of any console player wanting to use the game pad to create a route on his XBox.

First DTG needs to fix all the existing bugs and make up its mind: develop TSW as a game or TSW as a simulation, succeeding TS2018.

[eyein12]

I really dont think they intend to release an editor at all. why would they at this point. 3rd party developers would slash profits. I get it from a business standpoint to hold on to it. They have a working version of an editor clearly or they wouldnt be able to create aftermarket content for the game themselves. sorry to be a wet blanket on this but can you blame them for holding on to it? I mean you probably use the EU4 editor to create the content but they have the conversion tools.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

I really dont think they intend to release an editor at all. why would they at this point. 3rd party developers would slash profits. I get it from a business standpoint to hold on to it. They have a working version of an editor clearly or they wouldnt be able to create aftermarket content for the game themselves. sorry to be a wet blanket on this but can you blame them for holding on to it? I mean you probably use the EU4 editor to create the content but they have the conversion tools.

Sounds right to me, business wise releasing content creation tools at this stage doesn't make sense.

DTG made a promise however, and many of its clients will keep them to it.

Despita all the DTG hype and hoopla, Steam sales of TSW and its DLC are still very poor and bring no return of investment if every piece of DLC is offered at reduced introduction price and cheap bundled offers.