So many games and DLC, any tips for a beginner?

[Mothinggg]

I'm recently getting into Sim games, Euro Truck has been an amazing time, how do the Train Sims fair? Is it a similar experience to that of ETS?

I wanna try the Train Sims but there are so many with countless DLC I have no idea what to get...
Just trying to take advantage of the Summer Sale, help?

[Highball Simulation]

Originally posted by ♥ Gabby ♥:

I'm recently getting into Sim games, Euro Truck has been an amazing time, how do the Train Sims fair? Is it a similar experience to that of ETS?

I wanna try the Train Sims but there are so many with countless DLC I have no idea what to get...
Just trying to take advantage of the Summer Sale, help?

If it's Train Simulator Classic you're thinking of, I'd advise starting with the basic bundle, as this will give you a good idea of what the game is like.

[x1Heavy]

I agree with HS. Get a basic TSC Bundle for your Country to start off with.

Then use the sales a few times a year to add to the DLC list. I bought the WM Steam engine this week and paid retail for it. Its a nice little engine to go with my B&O Mountain Sub DLC.

That DLC is a taste of home so I started there. However its the American West that has my heart so Sherman Hill etc. I ended up running the hell out of the Rio Grande. Its engaging. Its immersive when you are helping Amtrack to stay at 70 and above racing the ETA schedule and its late. That one got me.

Then work outwards accumulating on sales.

This summer I rounded up most of the Amtrack stuff. Ive got a few loose ends to get in the winter sale before I own all the Amtrack stuff in the game. I was raised on the NEC back in the 60's and learned lessons related to train safety when the whispering death comes through at 110 to 120.

For beauty I liked the Semmering. Its Austrian. Essentially mountain Germans. HE HE HE. Teasing....

Be very careful to disregard the DTG Live, Disregard the Career SCORING (The Career scenarios are best played as a mission rather than ETA scoring which is broken in some of them. You will be late, then penalized and then gain bad self esteem and feel horrible chasing it. HA....

Be cautious buying Pro content. Its essentially real world in computer form. I loved the 844. But dont have 50 hands for all those controls. The H9 WM engine is my learning engine this year.

The game is going through a update situation which... for lack of a better word got botched. Some of it is fixed. But the rest of it?" Who the hell knows.

This years summer sale was a good sale and I spent enough for now. I have money set aside for winter sale next already. Theres like 200 DLC unbought for years. I dont know how much money that will cost to get it all at once. Probably a couple thousand.

This is the only game that I participate in DLC type buying. I do AVOID subscriptions, DLC, add ons and random gambling content and so on. It costs too much.

All other games are bought one time for the full game. Thats it. No DLC needed.

[sbmarauderman03]

Go to YouTube, type 'Train Simulator' in search bar...choose one and start watching. I'm not being glib, but this is the best way, imo, to find out if you will like train sims and which one...

[Mothinggg]

Originally posted by sbmarauderman03:

Go to YouTube, type 'Train Simulator' in search bar...choose one and start watching. I'm not being glib, but this is the best way, imo, to find out if you will like train sims and which one...

I already did before making this topic.
I kinda just wanted to look for more inside opinions.
So far I might get World Sim rather than Classic.

[sbmarauderman03]

Originally posted by ♥ Gabby ♥:

Originally posted by sbmarauderman03:

Go to YouTube, type 'Train Simulator' in search bar...choose one and start watching. I'm not being glib, but this is the best way, imo, to find out if you will like train sims and which one...

I already did before making this topic.
I kinda just wanted to look for more inside opinions.
So far I might get World Sim rather than Classic.

Good start, then. Are you wanting to just drive trains or create routes? TSW series does not have much in the way of route creation while TSC and Trainz do. If you're more interested in graphics and just driving trains, TSW is the way to go, but I've seen players talk about lack of variety which makes it become uninteresting in a relatively short time frame. TSC has a learning curve to it along with occasional random bugs in some of the DLCs that discourage new players at the start. You can get quite a bit of TSC content for cheap since it is older, though. I have over 70 DLCs and have spent less than $400 for all of it due to sales.

[Mothinggg]

Originally posted by sbmarauderman03:

Originally posted by ♥ Gabby ♥:

I already did before making this topic.
I kinda just wanted to look for more inside opinions.
So far I might get World Sim rather than Classic.

Good start, then. Are you wanting to just drive trains or create routes? TSW series does not have much in the way of route creation while TSC and Trainz do. If you're more interested in graphics and just driving trains, TSW is the way to go, but I've seen players talk about lack of variety which makes it become uninteresting in a relatively short time frame. TSC has a learning curve to it along with occasional random bugs in some of the DLCs that discourage new players at the start. You can get quite a bit of TSC content for cheap since it is older, though. I have over 70 DLCs and have spent less than $400 for all of it due to sales.

Mostly driving, yes.
I'm 100% new to Train Sims so maybe on the long run if TSW hooks me I can switch to TSC.
I read it's more beginner friendly and holds your hand way more often than TSC (the DLC amount frightens me a lot though).

[x1Heavy]

I see TSW as a retail paid patch to TSC.

The problem is very many older players like me loved TSC so much we aint gonna TSW. Not too many anyway.

Maybe someday... but its skinny compared to the plentiful cornucopia on the TSC.

[trev123]

Train Sim World 3 Standard Edition is on sale at 70% off. https://store.steampowered.com/sub/749139/

[CrazyGecko]

TSW is ideal if you just want to quickly hop in and drive as the trains are mostly set up at the start of a run but the controls/handling are more simplified and the game can become a hog storage very quickly.

I own both but I still prefer TSC for its better variety and better creativity. For TSC the DLC list can look daunting but the game has been out for years *I joined in 2014* and not only can you hop in and drive but also create scenarios and even entire routes. Pro content is more hands on and reading the manual is much advised. Buying one DLC can sometimes include more content saving you money but sale time is the best time. As for what to choose:

UK ones are good starters as the safety system is easy to follow, signals are easy to read and speed limits are just track side signs.

USA is the middle ground depending on if it's a freight or passenger route. Various parts of the USA and can have numerous signal aspects.

Germany is more hands on. Safety systems dictate the speed you can travel as three modes have their own set limits. Speed limits are enforced by both track side signs and signal aspects with the later taking priority. The safety systems can be toggled on/off if your having trouble.

Other train games that might interest you are Diesel rail car simulatior and Derail Valley :)

[Pethulla]

If you are interesting in TSW go to humblebundle. You can get TSW and 15 DLCs for 12,74 euro.

[Mothinggg]

Originally posted by CrazyGecko:

TSW is ideal if you just want to quickly hop in and drive as the trains are mostly set up at the start of a run but the controls/handling are more simplified and the game can become a hog storage very quickly.

I own both but I still prefer TSC for its better variety and better creativity. For TSC the DLC list can look daunting but the game has been out for years *I joined in 2014* and not only can you hop in and drive but also create scenarios and even entire routes. Pro content is more hands on and reading the manual is much advised. Buying one DLC can sometimes include more content saving you money but sale time is the best time. As for what to choose:

UK ones are good starters as the safety system is easy to follow, signals are easy to read and speed limits are just track side signs.

USA is the middle ground depending on if it's a freight or passenger route. Various parts of the USA and can have numerous signal aspects.

Germany is more hands on. Safety systems dictate the speed you can travel as three modes have their own set limits. Speed limits are enforced by both track side signs and signal aspects with the later taking priority. The safety systems can be toggled on/off if your having trouble.

Other train games that might interest you are Diesel rail car simulatior and Derail Valley :)

Gotcha gotcha, thank you for the tips! And I'll check those out too!

[sbmarauderman03]

Originally posted by ♥ Gabby ♥:

Originally posted by sbmarauderman03:

Good start, then. Are you wanting to just drive trains or create routes? TSW series does not have much in the way of route creation while TSC and Trainz do. If you're more interested in graphics and just driving trains, TSW is the way to go, but I've seen players talk about lack of variety which makes it become uninteresting in a relatively short time frame. TSC has a learning curve to it along with occasional random bugs in some of the DLCs that discourage new players at the start. You can get quite a bit of TSC content for cheap since it is older, though. I have over 70 DLCs and have spent less than $400 for all of it due to sales.

Mostly driving, yes.
I'm 100% new to Train Sims so maybe on the long run if TSW hooks me I can switch to TSC.
I read it's more beginner friendly and holds your hand way more often than TSC (the DLC amount frightens me a lot though).

Why does the amount of DLC frighten you? You don't have to own it all to play the game. In fact, you could probably get a hundred hours of play easily just buying the base game and using stuff on the Workshop page that's compatible with the routes you get...

[Highball Simulation]

Originally posted by ♥ Gabby ♥:

Originally posted by sbmarauderman03:

Good start, then. Are you wanting to just drive trains or create routes? TSW series does not have much in the way of route creation while TSC and Trainz do. If you're more interested in graphics and just driving trains, TSW is the way to go, but I've seen players talk about lack of variety which makes it become uninteresting in a relatively short time frame. TSC has a learning curve to it along with occasional random bugs in some of the DLCs that discourage new players at the start. You can get quite a bit of TSC content for cheap since it is older, though. I have over 70 DLCs and have spent less than $400 for all of it due to sales.

Mostly driving, yes.
I'm 100% new to Train Sims so maybe on the long run if TSW hooks me I can switch to TSC.
I read it's more beginner friendly and holds your hand way more often than TSC (the DLC amount frightens me a lot though).

Train Simulator DLC is not like other games. I suppose the appropriate comparison is to building a model railway; you acquire things you're interested in and ignore the things you aren't.