North Wales Coastal and Train Simulator 2018 - Coming soon

[david1]

We had exactly the same when Rail Simulator was first announced, many people were not impressed and vowed to stick with MSTS forever. Look where we are now.

It's just natural progression, at some point TSW will hopefully grow to a point where people find it more acceptable and we'll be wondering what all the fuss was about in a decade.

Its not quite the same this time though, I remember not being impressed with Rail Simulator, but I am here with TS2017, its not just the core game though, it is availability of stock, back in the with MSTS everything was modeled from old to the most modern, with TS we have almost all new stock modelled, but lack a lot of older stock, I am 51 and got into trains during the BR Blue period which is where my heart lies, but as been said DTG is a business and well cater for the masses, which is why I think TSW is going to be mostly modern stock, because that will what most people want, know doubt a few older engines will be made but will it be enough to populate a route with real AI traffic? The sad fact is progress, must train are now plastic multiple units, people from my generation will understand, we had Steam train, then we had diesels which A lot of steam fans hated, now we have long distance units that have no charactor, you can not beat a locomotive on stock, but to the newer generration that only know modern stock they wont be able to relate to what I would call a real train, to them what is a Western or a Deltic or even the most common class 47. I think a lot of people will stick with TS20xx for this reason, I might be proven wrong though, but a lot of the Blue era stock that have been released came from a third party.

I think there is many more years left if TS20xx

[acfreeman99]

As Nick mentioned earlier in the thread, he and I are looking at the possibility of regressing this to the BR Blue period and possibly extending it but, of course, we have not seen what DTG will publish yet and what assets they will provide with the route.

The big problem with getting to Holyhead is the Menai Straits crossing.......if they provide the small tubular bridge at Conway then we may be able to create a passable Britannia Bridge from that...if not, then without a custom asset we will be stuck - but there again there is the possibility of Bangor....many trains started and terminated there in the 70s and 80s. I will certainly buy the route on release day and will enjoy driving the modern version whatever happens......I can then figure out just how big a job it would be to regress what they publish, in theory should not be too bad.

Andy

The King Edward Bridge model (or one of the Newcastle bridges) from the Newcastle to York route is wide enough and tall enough for a single track line and an accompanying road inside the girder support section
I tried Menai once a long time ago using that bridge and from what I can remember it worked reasonably well, but that was long before I had any sort of reputable standard in route building and I deleted the route I had built shortly thereafter.

And the station building used for Vindells station on the LT Heritage route (formerly Phorum Peninsula) could initially substitute as a station building for Holyhead.

Good suggestion, thanks - I had forgotten just how long ago the fire was, was thinking that the tubular sections would need to be modelled, so that could indeed work - we'll just need to wait to see what is published and then we can properly review whether or not we can take it on.

Andy

[jpvdveer]

Regarding the possibility of extending to Holyhead, please don't forget the approach DTG with the South Wales Coastal route. Initially just Bristol - Cardiff was published, and this is what was included in TS2017. Then a new route going all the way to Swansea came out - a nice way of getting people that already had bought TS2017 to pay again for the extension. It would not be surprising if they were to follow a same approach here. In view of this, I would rather tend to sit on the fence before attempting to construct an extension to Holyhead myself.

[dingerb]

so you get your kettle to Holyhead,that it? because you would need a large T to turn your stock for a return or a shunt yard just where do you put it?do you regress the whole island back in time? good luck with that one.

[xguerra]

so you get your kettle to Holyhead,that it? because you would need a large T to turn your stock for a return or a shunt yard just where do you put it?do you regress the whole island back in time? good luck with that one.

There's such an arrangement at Valley, the next station down, where steam railtours can make use of a triangle provided for the nuclear flask trains.

I presume however in steam days, Holyhead had a turntable.

[brysonman46]

so you get your kettle to Holyhead,that it? because you would need a large T to turn your stock for a return or a shunt yard just where do you put it?do you regress the whole island back in time? good luck with that one.

If you look at any of the modern routes that have been regressed to steam days, you will find turntables, coal towers, water troughs, etc. Even the ones backdated to BR Blue have had large housing estates removed, and replaced with green fields. Some of us enjoy driving kettles on authentic routes - each to their own! If I wish to see a Voyager shooting through a built up area, I can go down to my local railway line!

[scorpion71]

As Nick mentioned earlier in the thread, he and I are looking at the possibility of regressing this to the BR Blue period and possibly extending it but, of course, we have not seen what DTG will publish yet and what assets they will provide with the route.

The big problem with getting to Holyhead is the Menai Straits crossing.......if they provide the small tubular bridge at Conway then we may be able to create a passable Britannia Bridge from that...if not, then without a custom asset we will be stuck - but there again there is the possibility of Bangor....many trains started and terminated there in the 70s and 80s. I will certainly buy the route on release day and will enjoy driving the modern version whatever happens......I can then figure out just how big a job it would be to regress what they publish, in theory should not be too bad.

Andy

If you could "like" a post as you can on some other forums, then that post would get one, instead, have a beer on me

I've enjoyed what you've both done with the Liverpool-Manchester route and can't wait for your further forthcoming extensions, if you could work your magic on Crewe-Llandudno/Bangor/Holyhead then being able to re-enact my days of travelling the North-West and North Wales in Br Blue hauled by the likes of 20's, 24's, 33's, 40's, 45's and 47's during the 70's and 80's in TS20xx will be complete.

[acfreeman99]

As Nick mentioned earlier in the thread, he and I are looking at the possibility of regressing this to the BR Blue period and possibly extending it but, of course, we have not seen what DTG will publish yet and what assets they will provide with the route.

The big problem with getting to Holyhead is the Menai Straits crossing.......if they provide the small tubular bridge at Conway then we may be able to create a passable Britannia Bridge from that...if not, then without a custom asset we will be stuck - but there again there is the possibility of Bangor....many trains started and terminated there in the 70s and 80s. I will certainly buy the route on release day and will enjoy driving the modern version whatever happens......I can then figure out just how big a job it would be to regress what they publish, in theory should not be too bad.

Andy

If you could "like" a post as you can on some other forums, then that post would get one, instead, have a beer on me

I've enjoyed what you've both done with the Liverpool-Manchester route and can't wait for your further forthcoming extensions, if you could work your magic on Crewe-Llandudno/Bangor/Holyhead then being able to re-enact my days of travelling the North-West and North Wales in Br Blue hauled by the likes of 20's, 24's, 33's, 40's, 45's and 47's during the 70's and 80's in TS20xx will be complete.

Thanks very much...even though I am not originally Welsh I was brought up in North Wales and, like you, travelled on the North Wales Coast line extensively in the 70s and 80s ( mainly with my head out of the window next to a Class 40 ) so would love to do this route if possible, let's see.

Andy

[spellow3010]

As Nick mentioned earlier in the thread, he and I are looking at the possibility of regressing this to the BR Blue period and possibly extending it but, of course, we have not seen what DTG will publish yet and what assets they will provide with the route.

The big problem with getting to Holyhead is the Menai Straits crossing.......if they provide the small tubular bridge at Conway then we may be able to create a passable Britannia Bridge from that...if not, then without a custom asset we will be stuck - but there again there is the possibility of Bangor....many trains started and terminated there in the 70s and 80s. I will certainly buy the route on release day and will enjoy driving the modern version whatever happens......I can then figure out just how big a job it would be to regress what they publish, in theory should not be too bad.

Andy

If you could "like" a post as you can on some other forums, then that post would get one, instead, have a beer on me

I've enjoyed what you've both done with the Liverpool-Manchester route and can't wait for your further forthcoming extensions, if you could work your magic on Crewe-Llandudno/Bangor/Holyhead then being able to re-enact my days of travelling the North-West and North Wales in Br Blue hauled by the likes of 20's, 24's, 33's, 40's, 45's and 47's during the 70's and 80's in TS20xx will be complete.

Seconded...

I'm really looking forward to this route - it's one I have always answered when giving feedback to developers/Facebook/forums when questions have been asked about 'what would you like to see' etc. If it comes out as the modern, current day iteration, then so be it. I'll buy it, and use it, but I won't be driving sprinters on it as they just don't appeal to me. I'm looking forward to 'free roaming' the BR Blue era. A nice hellfire run to Llandudno with a pair of JT Class 20s ex Derby. A nice hellfire run with an AP Class 40 on the old Stoke to Llandudno too... A 'random' 47 off Crewe Diesel Depot on a Euston to Holyhead service with crew change at Lludo Junction (just pretend). Regional Railways Class 37 action in the 'anything goes' period of the Mid-90s (all sorts of NB 37s out on that lot... including DRS 37/6s).

Might be tempted to run a BR steamer from my collection too.

I wonder how much of Crewe will actually be modelled. It is a very big place... Basford Hall? Independent Lines? Heritage Centre? Crewe Carriage Sheds? Crewe Works? Crewe Gresty? Crewe Electric? Crewe Alex

Day One purchase for me. Thank you DTG. And of course, will look forward to anything that regresses it back to BR Blue in due course. I wonder if the Earl Of Lancaster will be modelled too??

Further ahead, the possible extensions to Bangor and Holyhead will always be welcome too. Bangor at least as a terminating point for Regional Railways Class 37 action. Hellfire growls in the tunnels there.
Running a Class 40 into the quarry sidings at Penmaenmawr and wondering how it stays on the rickety track...

Game on with this one.

--
Off topic - but there was some previous discussion about TSW and how only modern stuff would appeal to the business. Let's not forget how complex a loco and stock simulation could be with appeal to an enthusiastic simmer. Buffering up... coupling... connecting the brake/heating hoses correctly... conducting a proper brake continuity test etc. Making a proper NRN or GSM-R call to the signaller... There's actually quite a lot still to be properly simmed in the sim world. TSW is probably the correct vehicle for that. But we're way off in the future just now.

[michaelhendle]

Hi
I'm old enough to remember the excellent MSTS North Wales Coast route,which started just before Chester and ran from there as far as Llandudno Junction,where one branch went to Blannaue Ffestiniog,another to Llandudno Town,and the main line carried on to Holyhead.
the station was fully modeled along with the steam shed,carriage sidings,and goods yard.

It was set in the BR Blue era but because most of the route was still semaphore signaled at that time you quite easily run steam steam trains over it.

In fact believe it or not you can still buy it from UKTS as it's still on their CD ordering page,oh and you got a full set of BR Blue Era Diesel locomotives,Mk1 and 2 Coaches,some steam locomotives.You get all that for £25.90.

What will we get get for the same price from DTG a shortened route,a Arriva Trains DMU, possibly a 66(shed) and intermodel wagons,or possibly a DRS 68.

Mike

[gptech]

In fact believe it or not you can still buy it from UKTS as it's still on their CD ordering page,oh and you got a full set of BR Blue Era Diesel locomotives,Mk1 and 2 Coaches,some steam locomotives.You get all that for £25.90.What will we get get for the same price from DTG a shortened route,a Arriva Trains DMU, possibly a 66(shed) and intermodel wagons,or possibly a DRS 68.

Don't forget that the 25 quid to UKTS is to help cover costs, being a 'not for profit' enthusiast site has a lot to be commended but DTG are a business.

[31160]

Hi
I'm old enough to remember the excellent MSTS North Wales Coast route,which started just before Chester and ran from there as far as Llandudno Junction,where one branch went to Blannaue Ffestiniog,another to Llandudno Town,and the main line carried on to Holyhead.
the station was fully modeled along with the steam shed,carriage sidings,and goods yard.

It was set in the BR Blue era but because most of the route was still semaphore signaled at that time you quite easily run steam steam trains over it.

In fact believe it or not you can still buy it from UKTS as it's still on their CD ordering page,oh and you got a full set of BR Blue Era Diesel locomotives,Mk1 and 2 Coaches,some steam locomotives.You get all that for £25.90.

What will we get get for the same price from DTG a shortened route,a Arriva Trains DMU, possibly a 66(shed) and intermodel wagons,or possibly a DRS 68.

Mike

I wouldn't be surprised if the included trains are a 67 in arriva with some MK3s in the right livery and a 175, to be fair that is pretty much what does the passenger services apart for the odd 158 with 150s on the branches, there isn't much in the way of freight up there now the quarry and the steel works at holyhead are shut/disused I saw a pair of 68s the other day on the flasks but JT make the flask wagons unless DTG fancy making their own

[deltic009]

Hi
I'm old enough to remember the excellent MSTS North Wales Coast route,which started just before Chester and ran from there as far as Llandudno Junction,where one branch went to Blannaue Ffestiniog,another to Llandudno Town,and the main line carried on to Holyhead.
the station was fully modeled along with the steam shed,carriage sidings,and goods yard.

It was set in the BR Blue era but because most of the route was still semaphore signaled at that time you quite easily run steam steam trains over it.

In fact believe it or not you can still buy it from UKTS as it's still on their CD ordering page,oh and you got a full set of BR Blue Era Diesel locomotives,Mk1 and 2 Coaches,some steam locomotives.You get all that for £25.90.

What will we get get for the same price from DTG a shortened route,a Arriva Trains DMU, possibly a 66(shed) and intermodel wagons,or possibly a DRS 68.

Mike

Firstly, I'm much more appreciative of the time and effort that will have been put in to make Crewe as a start location rather than Chester, Crewe station as a 6-way junction on the WCML is a mammoth undertaking.

Second of all, the point of comparing mileage, quantity of stock and price is a very big red herring. Without seeing anything I know that the scenery on this will make no comparison to the MSTS version in the detail and variety in the multitude of custom assets. Then to the rolling stock, a single carriage or perhaps a locomotive bogie in TS20XX probably contains as much detail in terms of the 3D meshes as everything that came included with the MSTS version. These things and they're associated detail take more man hours to produce and therefore it isn't reasonable to expect an identical ratio of mileage/rolling stock to price between two vastly different products with stratospheric differences in the detail variation between the two.

Comparisons with MSTS are a bit of a bugbear of mine I'm afraid.

[J0hnG]

Well, I welcome this.

But I'd really like to see a list of improvements added to TS2018 over TS2017.

Top of my list has to be stability.
The most awesome thing would be a 64-bit engine. But, that's highly unlikely.
Next most awesome, support for at least Direct X 11, again unlikely. More control over the render pipeline would make for more efficiency though.

But, I'd settle for a more stable 32-bit experience where the memory manager understands when memory is running low and garbage collects, and/or removes things and/or lowers texture detail to stop TS crashing.

[gptech]

Stability issues? No problems for many of us so have you done your part?