GWE first impressions

[gwgardner]

The GWE route for TSW has similar excellent graphics as CSX Heavy Haul. Only five scenarios, but many many service runs available. Many of those however are similar runs, simply at different times of the day. The tutorials are rather basic, primarly engine startup sequence, a bit about brakes and stopping at platforms.

The route itself seems quite detailed and interesting.

The engine sounds seem very muted, same with horns. I'm using headphones at max volume and can barely hear the horn whether in or out of the cab. May be different for some engines. I've only tried one other than the short tutorial runs. The B43 engine, I think.

I decry the lack of ingame help, for instance an option to bring up the startup sequences at will. I can't find any manual for the engines either. The menus for setting up runs are well done, but it's sometimes disconcerting to make a choice related to GWE and find a transition screen with CSX Heavy Haul.

Altogether my first impression is very positive, and for the intial price of $18 well worth it. I'm not a nit-picker, and don't care much about such things as amperage readings and so forth, so can't comment on the nitty-gritty stuff. I'm sure that DTG will continue improving this new route/content - their track record is VERY good as far as I'm concerned.

[NorthernWarrior]

If you run in the warm light of a summers day as opposed to a grungy autumn evening the graphics lose some of their appeal and are - at best - only on a par with the better TS2017 routes, such as WCML North or South and the Weardale line. However the trains look unbearably shiny and plastic with the HST having IMHO a showstopping awful visual artefact of distorting the whole graphics whenever you pass one.

They have done a nice job on the station buildings, particularly Paddington (though it's missing the OHLE catenary) and the new station at Reading. Just need several 100 more people milling around (particularly in the morning and evening peaks) to make it realistic.

The sounds are the worst part of it and, frankly, the person(s) responsible should be sacked. Never been DTG's strong point - which is why third party providers such as Armstrong Powerhouse came to be for TS20xx - but these are truly abysmal, not even as good as Trainz I have to say.

There is potential here but after two round trips from London to Reading, combined with the bugs I'm already bored with it. Within the confines of the UE4 engine the route needs extending, the London area branch lines (including Colnbrook and Brentford freight spurs) adding and some classic British traction such as the Class 37, Class 47 and Mark One rolling stock.

[SamYeager270]

Br3ss4n on the Steam forums posted the following about sounds:

I agree so a temporary solution.

Open "Documents\MyGames\TS2Prototype\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor\GameUserSettings"
Search this:

MasterSoundVolume=1.000000
MusicSoundVolume=1.000000
SFXSoundVolume=1.000000
AmbienceSoundVolume=1.000000
DialogueSoundVolume=1.000000
ExternalAlertVolume=1.000000
MenuSFXVolume=1.000000

Replace with this or according to your preferences:

MasterSoundVolume=2.500000
MusicSoundVolume=1.000000
SFXSoundVolume=3.000000
AmbienceSoundVolume=2.000000
DialogueSoundVolume=1.000000
ExternalAlertVolume=1.000000
MenuSFXVolume=1.000000

Save and close.

Someone else suggested increasing DialogueSoundVolume to 3. Seems to have worked for a number of people.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

Thanks.

Immediately tried these, and they do make quite a difference. Now I can at least hear sounds.
However, the sliders are off the scale. So I think DTG made a scaling error somewhere under the hood.
No doubt this will be fixed soon as it is nothing major.