State of TSW? - & Thoughts on Trainz TRS 2019

[Space-Ventura]

I have just reinstalled Train Simulator 2019. I did struggle with the graphics at first, but have to say as I became more proficient at driving, I then began to appreciate the expanse and the layout of various routes and scenery. I was annoyed with some bugs on certain routes that just kept tripping me no matter how perfectly I would execute a specific route. My obsession for perfect scores is what led me to uninstalling the game. I have decided to return to the train sim world less concerned for perfect scores. I think I would rather just complete scenarios and this time look into the work shop side of things.

The reason I want to ask about TSW and Trainz TRS2019 in the Train Simulator 2019 Forum, is to avoid bias. I own TSW but left it because it seemed to be lacking where TS2019 excelled. I really don’t want to have to go into details on that. I bought TSW to see if I would agree with those who still favoured TS2XXX. I guess I left TSW in the end because I too, felt the driving sim aspect was better in TS2XXX. Yea yea … the graphics are very nice – BUT …

How does TSW compare to TSXXX now? Can people create their own routes now? What’s the rolling stock like? What’s the work shop like?
_______________________________________

TRAINZ TRS2019:
My other question relates to Trainz TRS 2019. Am I right to say this game cannot be compared to TS2XXX and TSW because it’s more a Model Railway Game?

I have to say though that the Trailer for that game impressed me very much. Not sure why I am reading people complain about the graphics as to me they look pretty good. I would love to get into Model Railway Building with my grandson. Despite that hobby always being an expensive one, I have to say it’s gotten ridiculously even more out of reach for everyday people. The only types I see showing off their model sets are the aging community who have been blessed to afford such an expensive pastime. In my book that hobby is literally becoming a dying one with less and less young folk taking it up.

So it is that I like the idea of this Trainz TRS 2019. Just wondering what some TS2XXX users think of the whole TrainZ concept and if you get much satisfaction out of it from a route building perspective with it being liken more to a model railway?

People complain about the price of the digital content, but I have to say compared to what model railway hobbyists now have to pay, I don’t mind spending hundreds and hundreds … instead of thousands and thousands. I guess what I am saying is that I really don’t care that much about the price of DLC when talking in terms of digital games. To me they take up less space and give me more emersion and will always cost less than a fully-fledged model railway route than takes a month of Sundays to change routes. I concede thatTS2XXX has thousands in DLC but like I just said, if I was to setup routes individually, that would cost hundreds of thousands to a million in terms of the model railway hobby.

I nearly bit the bullet with purchasing into model railway building – but instead decided to return to digital train sims. So it was without question that I load up TS2XXX with possibly route building in mind this time round. I own TSW but unless anyone can confirm it is now = to TS2XXX in overall Simulation, then I care less about reinstalling it.

TranizTRS2019 looks like I should get it at the very least as already having TSW on my list which I just could not get into. It might just be the ultimate in facilitating a dream hobby I could not and will never be able to afford?

Admittedly I don't know much about the Train Sim world compared to many of you that have years and years of experience. Therefore, my opinions mean little. I was just trying to give context to my return is all.

Would really love to hear your from the long time avid TS2XXX supporters as to the State of TSW? - & Thoughts on Trainz TRS 2019. Your opinion does means a lot to me. Just bare in mind I am viewing Trainz TRS 2019 as less of a sim but more of a Model set up. I do hope one day it will become both.

TIA.

[Oz Gaming]

TRAINZ TRS2019 is Not about model railways. The majority of the routes available are normal routes just like in TS2019 and include scenarios as well. There is also multiplayer and a very good map / route maker as well. I'm about halfway thru making a route myself. It has pretty good graphics and runs nice and smooth on my PC.

[Space-Ventura]

Thanks for your reply. Multiplayer hey. Now that's worth buying just for that. Good to hear about the scenarios.

I'm pretty sure Trainz is based on model railway building and the control model railway control operations are still being used. Perhaps the model railway building side of it is on optional mode?

Here is a link to someone using Trainz TRS19 as a model railroad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbJsze-X3J4

It looks as if they may have nailed both perspectives, although I hear a little more work is need from the in cab point of view and there in driving simulation.

Multiplayer ... I am very interested in that. Checking more on that now. TY

[Oz Gaming]

Here is a typical Trainz2019 normal route. Not table top:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPVSZT4aXyk&t=459s

[Purno]

I've tried Trainz: A New Era (TANE). I wasn't impressed. Doesn't offer the same experience you get in TS20xx while driving from cabview. TANE seems to be best enjoyed from outside camera. I guess that's fine for people who like freeroam. I wrote a review about TANE where I compare it to TS20xx.

I got TANE cheaply in a sale. Considering the Summer Sale is near, might be worth a look?

As for TSW, it has potential, each DLC seems to be better than the previous, but the editor is still being worked on, so no user-created content yet. That's still all in the pipeline according to DTG.

[pjt1974]

I haven't tried the Trainz series since Trainz 2012 so cannot really comment on comparisons between Trainz 2019, TS2019 and TSW.

As far as TS2019 and TSW are concerned, the editor in TS2019 is still the deal clincher to me however I'm a creator so 99% of my driving is done either in the set up of a new scenario or whilst testing it.

[Broomwagon]

TS can be run very satisfactorily as a model railway - it's what I mainly do. Check out a previous discussion about that on this forum - 'model railway vs freeroam.'. The only limitation is that you can't move to locos beyond line of sight once in scenario - though there is a work around which works quite well on smaller lines.

[Space-Ventura]

Originally posted by Kitty:

Here is a typical Trainz2019 normal route. Not table top:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPVSZT4aXyk&t=459s

SOLD :) I enjoy the outside view very much.

[Space-Ventura]

Thanks Guys ... I think I will purchase Trainz2019 soon enough. Another one I did not mention was Transport Fever 2. That also looks like fun.

Cheers

[Broomwagon]

Originally posted by RTSmasher:

Originally posted by Kitty:

Here is a typical Trainz2019 normal route. Not table top:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPVSZT4aXyk&t=459s

SOLD :) I enjoy the outside view very much.

I've never considered Trainz before but it does look rather good in this. For someone like me who loves UK steam - there is such choice of DLC in TS that it allows one to set up and run really super freeroams to run layout style. How much choice of UK does Trainz have?

[Purno]

Originally posted by RTSmasher:

Thanks Guys ... I think I will purchase Trainz2019 soon enough. Another one I did not mention was Transport Fever 2. That also looks like fun.

Cheers :cranewagon::boxwagon::boxwagon:

Transport Fever 2 is a whole different kind of game though. It's more towards city-builders and tycoon-alike games.

[electronx]

Hello, thanks for raising the questions and the answers from everyone. Was curious myself after coming across some heavy duty Facebook advertisement.

I didn't consider it previously but this most recent version looks sweet. The price matches TS: 55€ for 5 real routes + 1 kickstarter + a wagon pack.

https://steamdb.info/sub/137635/apps/

They seemingly release a new title every few years, as opposed to renaming their core engine like TS. Looks like you don't get a free upgrade either, but the idea is that you get the new routes & engine (game), and then you can add your existing content to it as long as it's still compatible, some of which is even updated. Hence the separate, seemingly redundant DLC list across the titles.

Funny thing, their current flagship NA route is actually Field-Golden-Revelstoke, possibly including the coal branch that's not in the TS Lake Louise-Field-Golden-Revelstoke (Canadian Mountain Passes). Thus it could be a nice comparison in various ways: how sweet it looks, how real it is, gradients, engine power, train behaviour... Plus the Rocky Mountaineer.

It has a little few reviews. Especially the routes. It seems to have, however, BNSF. ;-)

Reviews suggest that TS has the best driving experience out of these three. Trainz has a HUD similar to TS now. There are fewer scenarios included per route, you're supposed to be toying around with it. Makes sense as there are so many engines and skins, and it's probably best to encourage / educate players to enjoy all of them.

People generally praise that it has a better editor.

@broom: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWKxjwamMBI
The UK Edition has Cornish Lines + Scottish ECML, with full ECML available from earlier. Cornish Lines includes the Falmouth and some other branches.

As far as TSW goes, I'm not sure what to say. While I'm not pleased with the idea of shorter routes, slow routes where the detail can be enjoyed might work.

Bottom line - I like and hope that TS gets some competition, might improve quality and approach all across the board.

[Numenorean]

They are different games. Trainz is more of a simulator of a person building replica routes in his basement; at least that was the original idea.

TSXX was a simulation; which was good in 2009, but in 2019, feels like an indie project from 2 guys in their garage. Most of the routes looks dated; and even with the new routes, the engine show its age, It is nobody's fault in the end, but the developers. They were supposed to make a transition to a better engine (Unity), in 2012 or so; and that could have improved things for them, instead of being stuck with their old engine.

Then they realized that people were tired to buy ancient looking routes, with a ton of bugs for a ton of money, and made TSW. Thinking that it is enough to use Unreal engine to get for free great graphics and physics; they tried to milk more money from people. Sadly the gameplay is what it is; because at DTG; you have no person with 5+ years of experience in Unreal engine, doing simulations, and it shows clearly.

Take TSXX for what it is; people still play ancient games like MSFS or MSTS; so from that perspective; TSXX is not that bad, if you remind yourself to NOT BUY any route, and just use what you get from the main game.

TSW is a side project at this point; it is not a sim by any means; the DLC are overpriced even for TS standards, and bugs are rarely fixed; as common habit; so I would not invest on that either.

Trainz is what it is; if you look for a simulation; sadly TSXX is still the "best" product on the market. Mostly because the other products are so bad, that makes a mediocre game like TSXX to look like if it was a great game.

[Purno]

I'm still confused about how Trainz handles things. I've bought the TANE base package a while ago, including the free Niddertalbahn DLC. What happens when I buy TRS2019? Will the routes from TANE carry over to TRS2019? Are they the same DLC, or an improved version?

[electronx]

@Purno
If I understood the reviews & comments properly, you can download them indeed in the content manager. Steam probably won't know that you have those.
Plus, you should be able to have a separate install for the earlier game.

[Purno]

Is that the same content manager that keeps your download speed extremely slow unless you pay a subscription fee?