New To The Forum - Seeking game development advice from rail enthusiasts

[Citrus2D]

Hi My Name is Citrus2D and Im a game developer

Im currently working National Railroads Tycoon and Sandbox
The game will feature procedural world creation, custom biomes, day/night, seasons, train and track management and a tycoon game with missions and a sandbox mode.

Im here to get feedback and information to keep me on the right track, boom boom.
If you like train games and want to help me make this one as good as it can be then your feedback and suggestions are more than welcome.
I dont claim to know that much about trains but am learning a lot every day, which is great. But I hope you help me correct any issues that might be annoying to train enthusiasts and indeed help me add in features you have been crying out for.
Please feel free to let me know what game features you would like to see added and any errors you would like corrected.
Feel free to be as specific as you wish.

Thank you for the feedback so far and Ive put together a video of development progress so far. For additional information you will find links in the video description.

 

[D821]

This looks really good, keep us posted with how it goes.

 

[Citrus2D]

Stations have supply and demand, so far I have included the items below. This list will be expanded upon once I have a clearer idea of how the economics of the game is going to run.

CURRENT LIST
* Passangers
* Mail
* Timber
* Grain
* Coal
* Ore
* Rocks
* Cattle

UPDATED 1/03/2022
* Passangers
* Post Office Mail
* Timber
* Arable Food Produce
* Coal
* Ore
* Rocks
* Livestock Produce

In the supply and demand system some factorys will require more than one item to be productive.
For example a textile mill would demand leather from livestock, coal and a steady supply of rocks and timber for expansion.
There is still a lot in this area which will take me a few weeks to sort through as the economic impact of your trains spreads.
The pleasant green land you start with will become more like a city as small parishes and towns merge to become one city.
In the video you can see housing, some small businesses, stations and a new textile mill.

 

[jupiter]

Very interesting! That’s a massive amount of work you have planned. I would make your way to your nearest heritage railway and see what they are operating. I think you’ll need to implement a simplified servicing scheme, it’s quite in-depth.

I’m not sure what you’re planning to model, the operation of the railway, the timetable, the economic aspects of the carriage of goods and passengers, etc. What’s the geographic size of the area you are modelling? (Maybe you said that previously and I missed it.)

Edited to add: also, what’s your target market for this? I had a quick look at the videos but can’t take too much of the roving/panning/tilting camera I’m afraid.

 

[Dave W]

This looks good. I suggest you have a look at PikkaBird’s UKRS for OpenTTD for an idea of what sort of locos to include. He has a good eye for including vehicles that are actually useful (of course your game mechanics might well be different, but it‘d still be a good move I think)

 

[Citrus2D]

I think you’ll need to implement a simplified servicing scheme, it’s quite in-depth.

What’s the geographic size of the area you are modelling?

what’s your target market for this? I had a quick look at the videos but can’t take too much of the roving/panning/tilting camera I’m afraid.

Hi Jupiter,
thanks for the feedback.
The game uses tiles, these tiles are about 1sqkm in size.
The map will go over 20x20 tiles so lets say around 20sqkm is your sandbox and game play area.
In that area I will be making mission maps of various sizes, do you have any ideas for locations?
You will be able to make your own maps with terraforming tools and save and share them with friends.

The target market is for anyone who enjoys tycoon games as well as making their own tracks, planting trees, bridges etc and watching trains run on them.

have a look at PikkaBird’s UKRS for OpenTTD for an idea of what sort of locos to include.

Thanks Dave,
I will see what I can find out from this site. It looks a great resourse so thank you once again for letting me know about it.