TL;DR (too long; didn’t read) Summary
- Dovetail Direct: Summer 2024 – New announcements coming August 20th!
- DB BR 218 – Released last month!
- Scotrail BR Class 380 & Cathcart Circle Remaster – Arriving July 11th!
- Scotrail BR Class 158 by Skyhook Games – New Screenshots and details
- Expert DB BR 101 by TSG – New Screenshots and questions answered
- UK Route Developed by Just Trains – New Teaser and initial details!
- “In The Depot” Projects – Small mentions to upcoming add-ons still being developed
- Summer Core Update – DE and UK fixes released, US improvements coming soon!
- Suspension Improvements – Coming end of July!
- Inside Development – Community Suggestions & The LAMPOIL Process
- Steam Summer Sales Final Call – Ending Thursday July 11th at 17:00 UTC!
And just to cover the changes from the previous graphic:
- Added "UK Loco" to 4-6 Month Add-ons (1st Party)
- Added “Dovetail Direct: Summer 2024” Section
- Added 6 new add-ons in the Dovetail Direct section
- Re-Added Formation Designer Creators Club Functionality to 0-3 months
- Removed “DB BR 218” from 0-3 months (This has released)
- Removed "Summer Core Update (DE & US)" (This has released)
- Removed “Cathcart Circle Line Remaster” from 0-3 months (This has released)
The Train Sim World Roadmap
Welcome to July everyone! Today we have lots of exciting news to share, including the date announcement for our next major Dovetail Direct event!
We also have a range of new screenshots and details for upcoming Train Sim World 4 add-ons, including the highly anticipated Scotrail Class 380 & Cathcart Circle Remaster, arriving this week on July 11th. We’ve also got new information from Skyhook Games for the Scotrail Class 158, and the TSG team on the Expert DB BR 101 locomotives, both releasing soon, and a quick update on additional projects from both first and third party teams.
For development insights this month, we wanted to re-visit the “how community suggestions are used” topic and explain the LAMPOIL process we use when choosing what routes to develop. Additionally, we’ve got a confirmed list of locomotives included within the Suspension Improvement update, coming later this month.
Finally, don’t miss out on a range of amazing Steam discounts for Train Sim World 4 and all of our compatible content! The sales end on July 11th at 17:00 UTC!
We’ll be live tonight (Tuesday, July 9th at 18:00 UTC / 19:00 BST) to talk you through this full article and you can find a stream event link at the end.
Dovetail Direct: Summer 2024
Today we’re announcing our next Dovetail Direct, coming on August 20th, 2024, at 14:00pm UTC!
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If you’ve not caught one of our Dovetail Directs before, they’re exciting live events packed with all new announcements across many of the titles we develop at Dovetail Games and with our partners.
This year, we’ve got loads of news to share, and not just for Train Sim World, but also for brand-new projects, as well as more news on an upcoming Roblox Tycoon experience we announced earlier in June, and a check-in on City Transport Simulator: Tram! Be sure to mark your calendars and set a reminder on the YouTube event above.
As a note, due to the Dovetail Direct, there will not be an TSW August Roadmap.
Released Add-ons
DB BR 218 – Developed by TSG
Last month we released a thundering new diesel-powered locomotive, coming from the TSG team, with the DB BR 218! Taking up both passenger and freight duties on Hauptstrecke Hamburg – Lübeck and Maintalbahn. Explore 48 new services, 4 scenarios and endless express style possibilities using Free Roam that can also bring the loco to Linke Rheinstrecke, or Niddertalbahn, where it is also seen in the real world.
Content Up Ahead
Scotrail BR Class 380 & Cathcart Circle Line Remaster
Get ready to hear the otherworldly Desiro hum echoing through Glasgow's suburbs as you complete loops around the Cathcart Circle Line with the upcoming ScotRail BR Class 380, arriving into Train Sim World 4 on July 11th! Check it out in our Class 380 First Look showcase:
[previewyoutube=UdpeYNVXWb4;full][/previewyoutube]
Alongside this release, the Cathcart Circle Line will be Remastered, and, excitingly, this launched earlier today!
Featuring a massive list of improvements to bring the route right up to TSW4 standard, here are a reminder of the key headliners, setting us up nicely before the release of the Class 380 later this week:
- New Timetable
- TOD4 Upgrade (latest lighting, volumetric clouds & fog)
- Updated route scenery, landscape and foliage
- Updated track and signal visuals
- Updated Class 314 with new lighting, rain effects and added GSM-R
- Updated Glasgow Central lighting, scenery, PIS and passenger spawn locations
- Updated stations, new lighting and passenger spawn locations
- Added scenery for disused Netherton Goods, Crossmyloof and Dumbreck stations
- Added scenery and track for the disused Smithy Lye sidings
- Added scenery and lighting for Shields Depot
- Added interactable player bench at Glasgow Central and Pollokshields East
And for those who aren’t sure what we mean by Remaster, these changes will come for free to anyone that already owns Cathcart Circle Line in Train Sim World 4!
If you're playing on Steam and have yet to play Cathcart Circle Line, you can get this route Add-on at 50% off until 11th July. If you own Train Sim World 4, your purchase will automatically update the route to the Remastered version.
If you someone who is now eagerly anticipating the release on July 11th, then be sure to head right into our Scotrail BR Class 380 Timetable Deep Dive article, which includes over 3200 words of history, research, service details, new screenshots of the Class 380 and much more, all passionately written by our Product Marketing Coordinator James, to give you the full picture.
Scotrail Class 158 – Developed by Skyhook Games
Coming later this month is Skyhook Games’ ScotRail Class 158, with a whole host of gameplay on the Edinburgh-Glasgow route, as well as scenarios on Fife Circle.
This week, we have some updated Work in Progress screenshots for you, showcasing the loco in action on Edinburgh-Glasgow.
It’ll also be available as AI traffic as a result of the Cathcart Circle Remaster, when released later this month.
As a note, scenario services for Fife Circle will be added after the Leven Branch is released.
Keep an eye out for an article providing more information, as well as a release date, later this month!
Expert DB BR 101 – Developed by TSG
Take on the ultimate challenge, and step into a new level of simulation with an unparalleled, in-depth recreation of the much-loved DB BR 101, complete with the IC Steuerwagen, developed by the talented folk at TSG.
We’re in the final stages of development now, so we thought we’d check in with the team to find out more – and share some more work-in-progress screenshots inside the cab and engine room!
‘Work is underway for a release at the end of this month. Fault simulation, as seen in the screenshot below, will be configurable on a hidden screen where ebula would be. (default hidden).’
‘William Green, known for Developing the Vectron for DTG, is hard at work finalising setup. The rest of the team is working to correct art bugs and finalise audio and gameplay.’
Upon release, it’ll have (copied) timetable services on Nahverkehr Dresden, and Bahnstrecke Salzburg Rosenheim, but you can – as with all Train Sim World 4 locos – use Free Roam to play it on your favourite routes.
We’ll be sharing more information about the Expert DB BR 101 later on in the month, but we’re really looking forward to seeing how you’ll adjust to the added complexities and immersion an Expert loco will provide you with!
UK Route – Developed by Just Trains
This month, Alex from the Just Trains team gives us an update on the progress of their next route’s development. And they’ve delighted us with an early WIP screenshot!
Alex: “Following on from our highly acclaimed first-ever Train Sim World release; Blackpool Branches: Preston - Blackpool & Ormskirk Route Add-On, the Just Trains team have been and continue to work hard on our second Train Sim World add-on. All the track and signalling has been completed and many tens of miles of immersive scenery has been crafted with still more to do.”
“Set in the BR era of the late 80’s the route is one that has been highly requested and features a good array of iconic stations from minor to major with our 3D artists excelling themselves with authentic looking and accurate assets and objects throughout the route including many period Signal boxes of which quite a few are explorable. The rail vehicles are coming along really well and will provide a unique experience for Train Sim World.”
“A treat of traction! The busy and varied timetable will provide a very immersive experience, with our full timetable featuring passenger, parcels, freight, and shunting operations along with a variety of special extra services, plus of course our use of layers will interact with other Add-ons that you own, which will mean that you are on this route for the long-haul.”
Thank you Alex, we can’t wait to show you all more! Where do you think this teaser is hinting at? You can expect more details about this release in our upcoming Dovetail Direct: Summer 2024 event on August 20th!
“In The Depot” Projects
This section was known in our previous roadmap as the “Background Projects” – how terribly corporate! We’ve decided to brand it “In The Depot”, which is simply to refer to any projects that are currently undergoing lots of hard work and development time, but are ones we’re not yet ready to share further updates on.
We know you’ll likely ask us about these during our livestreams and within community spaces, so this is to help ease your mind rather than leave them out completely. As a note, this will generally not include everything that’s happening, but aim to provide a single sentence on a few key projects that are highly anticipated.
Tadami Line
Union Workshop are continuing to develop the route, but nothing further to share this month.
Unannounced Alan Thomson Simulations Route
The team continue to work on bringing their route to life. This content is still some way from releasing.
Fife Circle Leven Branch
Adding the newly-opened Leven Branch is one of Rivet Games’ next projects, and they have started to gather reference material for it over the past month.
High Iron Simulations
High Iron Simulations have announced a new member of their development team joining to support their TSW projects and continue working on their previously revealed Santa Fe gameplay Pack for Cajon Pass. They are also progressing away on their first full TSW route, with details to be announced at a future point.
Patches & Updates
Summer Core Updates – US Improvements coming soon
We’ve seen good feedback since we decided to start focussing on larger bundles of patch notes, rather than smaller and frequent updates. In the last month, we have now released the three large sets of improvements, focussing on core changes, as well as focusing on both UK, DE and US fixes.
Recent Patch Notes
- June 3rd Patch Notes – UK Add-ons and Core Improvements
- June 24th Patch Notes – DE Add-ons and Core Improvements
- July 9th Patch Notes - US Add-ons and Core Improvements
As a note, some improvements to the Antelope Line, MP36, and Peninsula Corridor didn’t make today’s update, but they will be added to a future patch when they pass testing.
Your feedback has been vital for our teams to target the most reported community issues, and we’ll continue to take this into account as we look to build new patches and improvements. If there’s any outstanding issues you’re experiencing, please let us know on our Forums, or via a Support Ticket. We value the time you take to share your experiences with us.
We’re now looking towards our next set of improvements, so please continue to use our Troubleshooting Forums to let our teams know, and you will also find additional Guides, general Support and FAQs.
Progress On Improvements
Suspension Improvements
We’re finally ready to announce that the long-awaited Suspension feature will be coming to you all within our next major patch, aimed at the end of the month/start of August, and will include Suspension improvements for a selected list of locomotives.
Our Development teams have been working hard to deliver and test these new systems, and to stay true to tradition, we have two final videos to share for the upcoming feature on the BR Class 801 LNER Azuma, and Bahnstrecke Salzburg-Rosenheim’s BR 185.2, to give you a taste of the difference the experience will be like after the update.
[previewyoutube=n9uwAjzKzrg;full][/previewyoutube]
[previewyoutube=1cRLBGNrrzE;full][/previewyoutube]
The full list of locomotives that will receive this new feature with this release is:
- ECML – Class 801 Azuma
- ECML – Class 66
- ECML – FKA Wagons
- Vorarlberg – ÖBB 4024
- Vorarlberg – Habbins, Kjils, Laeers
- Maintalbahn – BR 624
- Maintalbahn – Eanos, Habbiins, Roos-t
- Rosenheim – BR 185.2
- Rosenheim – ÖBB 4024
- Rosenheim – Habbiins, Doppelstock
- Semmeringbahn – ÖBB 4024
- Semmeringbahn – Habbiins, U708
- Flying Scotsman Mk1 and Mk2 coaches
- Blackpool Branches – Class 08
- Blackpool Branches – Class 47
- Blackpool Branches – Class 142
- Class 380
- Class 323 (Training Center variant only)
As an addition to this, the Class 218 has an initial version of the suspension improvements, but this will be improved after we’ve released the Core update. The Class 380 and DB BR 101 Expert will also have Suspension improvements added to them at some point after release. We are currently discussing implementation of Suspension on the ScotRail Class 158 with Skyhook as a post-release update.
For US players, we haven't forgotten about you – we’ll have news in the future on trains from Antelope Line and LIRR Commuter.
The new suspension system will be implemented as standard into future add-ons moving forward, and we’ll continue to review opportunities to bring this system to more locomotives in our back catalogue of content where possible.
PC Editor
We have finished an initial piece of work on the PC Editor, it's currently in test and we'll get it out to you as soon as possible.
This update will cover a lot of initial player feedback from the Editor, including enabling cooking, fixing the asset loading issue where some assets fail to be detected, and improving the handling of mods in general. We'll have more info on this when the update goes out.
This isn't the end at all, we're currently planning the next piece of work and will update more on that as it happens.
Community Corner
Inside Development - How We Use Suggestions (LAMPOIL Explained)
In this month’s Inside Development, we wanted to take another chance to talk about how we use community suggestions within our development process, and how we go about choosing the routes that we develop, as it’s a question we often see players wanting more insight on.
Back in our April 2023 Roadmap, we gave a detailed explanation about the “LAMP” process from our Senior Producer Steve, which incorporated Licensing, Anticipation, Mix and Prominence into the selection process. Since that time, we’ve actually grown our acronym to “LAMPOIL”, which adds three new categories for us to consider: Opportunity, Intelligence, Limitation, which we’ll talk about in more detail.
Generally, when choosing a new route to develop, this begins with a proposal from either a staff member, or from community suggestions we’ve seen. We then take this idea through our LAMPOIL process to understand how viable and feasible the route will be for our teams to create, and to help determine if we should move forward with this idea.
So, here’s a breakdown for the full LAMPOIL process:
L - Licensing
Licensing covers our legal obligations and is a good starting point to answer questions such as whether we have licenses or agreements in place to ensure we can represent the route appropriately with the trains that are seen on the route in the real world, for the time period proposed? Do we need to consider additional licenses to bring in to develop the route? This then informs our Licensing and Contracts Team on where they need to focus their resources.
A - Anticipation
Anticipation is about how we expect the players to perceive the route, and the included content. This probably is the most subjective area of the evaluation as we’re essentially evaluating how well players will receive the route in its proposed form. We look closely at reviews and comments from similar routes we released previously, as well as any community thoughts and concerns raised on proposals from suggestions. We need to answer if players will find the content boring, or just a duplication of a previously released route? If there is strong support for a route, where is it in the hierarchy?
M - Mix
Mix looks at the gameplay element in greater detail. Is there enough gameplay provided in the route to keep players occupied and engaged? Does the value of the included content and gameplay align with the intended pricing? Does the gameplay volume align with previously released content? Are there any unique elements in the gameplay that we can leverage to improve the gameplay offering (new industry elements or interactive components that can enhance the experience)?
P - Prominence
Prominence looks at the global commercial appeal of the route – are the locations represented known globally or is the route known only to locals? Are there prominent landmarks which are required to properly represent the route? Do the included locos have appropriate appeal to the players? Is there any prominence to the locos (are they famous)? Routes that have greater global appeal and have strong landmark features, with trains that are likely to engage the players are more likely to move forward to approval.
O – Opportunity
Opportunity is the first of our new categories we’ve added to this definition, and it looks at the potential to alter the design of a proposed add-on to increase the appeal for players. This could be including a famous location, landmark, train, service or coach name. It could also look at the chances to create additional related add-ons, seasonal spin-offs or layers that may link to the route and the content included.
I – Intelligence
Intelligence refers to aligning a release with real world events that may elevate the add-on if completed by a specific milestone, such as birthdays and festivals, or released at a certain time of year. These can help support the add-on success by giving our Community, Marketing and PR teams areas to highlight, such as historic events or locations.
L – Limitation
The final area, Limitation, is our last check to understand if we need to consider anything that would work against us for creating a specific add-on. Outside of licensing issues with operators, we also need to consider legal constraints such as a copyright landmark where there may be a fee. We would also use this step as a chance to ensure there is sufficient relevant content to make the add-on feel alive, and if the scope of the project is something we’re able to support to give the best version of the add-on to players.
So that’s the full process as we have it now, I hope this insight helps you understand where your suggestions come into the picture and explain the challenges our teams face before picking the perfect route. Keep giving us your community suggestions for new add-ons, and make sure to submit these ideas to our Suggestion Forums.
Steam Summer Sales – Don’t Miss Out!
It’s never been a better chance to get involved with Train Sim World, with a massive 80% discount on Train Sim World 4 Deluxe and Special editions on the Steam store.
There is also a huge range of discounts across our entire collection of compatible content, with some of our latest add-ons making an appearance, such as London Overground Suffragette Line and Semmeringbahn, both 30% off!
Here’s a preview for some of our highlighted discounts across our UK, DE and US add-ons.
The Steam Summer Sales are ending very soon, so make sure to get the most out of these deals while they last!
Roadmap Livestream
Exec Producer Matt, and Director of Community JD, will be talking about all the things we’ve featured above, and answering your submitted questions in our July Roadmap livestream. The stream will begin from 18:00 UTC / 19:00 BST on our YouTube and Twitch channels.
Have a question for us? Put it in our July Roadmap Q&A thread, and we’ll answer as many as we can live tonight!
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