ETCS / Test track tutorial needs a redo

[Katsu.I]

So I decided to try the ETCS test track tutorial and found it rather upsetting to put it mildly.

It's supposed to be a tutorial and not a punishment.

 

First off, it fails immediately when you make an error and then you have to go through the whole loading, scripted cutscene and lengthy startup sequence again. You cannot skip these.

Secondly, it fails to actually explain things before you need to know them.  It doesn't explain any of the indicators on the screen, talking about braking curves without indicating what to actually look for, telling you to ACK messages if you understand them without telling you what they actually mean.

It also bugs out a LOT where it is waiting for something that already happened, like when it's actually OK to start driving, then contacting dispatch after the first lap, then waiting at the stop signal for the malfunctioning part.

Speaking of, it wants you to 'change modes' at that point but it doesn't tell you HOW.

 

Making tutorials is HARD and should be done by someone who has NO idea what they're doing for other people who have no idea what they're doing.

With this one I feel like there is a lot of oversight due to being too familiar with the train and procedures.

You shouldn't have to resort to google for a TUTORIAL, that's why it's a TUTORIAL.

And please think up a different way to handle errors than 'FAIL!!!!!! START OVER!'. That just makes me want to rage quit.

Then I got up to the level crossing while composing this post and it locked out ALL my controls making me unable to brake or do anything, hit the emergency brake and fail the scenario, so that's a bug. And that DID make me rage quit so the tutorial is probably a whole another level of messed up but I can't be bothered to get to it and complain about it.

[longmun_]

Yeah it's beyond terrible. I managed to complete them back when they were released, but tried again this month and the same nonsense happened, got locked out of controls, failed to slow down, failing to slow down fails 35 minutes of progress. Heaven forbid you try out a Trip?! In a tutorial? What are you crazy?! It's maddening how shoddy this game is. Best to stick to multiplayer, which is at least playable, albeit missing so much.

[Pospec76502]

On 1/6/2025 at 7:18 PM, Katsu.I said:

Then I got up to the level crossing while composing this post and it locked out ALL my controls making me unable to brake or do anything, hit the emergency brake and fail the scenario, so that's a bug.

Fix available here: