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OpenLoco: Modern, open source version of the classic transport simulation game

openloco.io

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Re: OpenLoco: Modern, open source version of the classic transport simulation game

#23
post #19

In the 90s, I played a computer game whose name I haven't been able to remember. You built railroad tracks and trains would pass through your town(?). I'm pretty sure it was played from a top-down view and the terrain was gray, but honestly the main thing I remember is how, on holidays like Halloween, all the assets automatically changed to suit. I don't suppose this is familiar to anyone :)

Sounds like Transport Tycoon.

Re: OpenLoco: Modern, open source version of the classic transport simulation game

#24

This is cool, I've played Locomotion a lot and OpenTTD never did it for me. I find myself sticking to these old games even though there seems to be attempts to release new games in these genres, maybe its the limited nature of computing power at time of release that makes these games the right amount of complexity, as there was only so much a game could offer.

Same. Games like Sim City or Theme Park were limited by the hardware to the point where they couldn't overwhelm you with features and details and complex simulations. They felt more like puzzle games than genuine simulators, which made them better videogames in my opinion.

Re: OpenLoco: Modern, open source version of the classic transport simulation game

#25
post #17

It's curious that despite trains and rail networks being a perennial nerdy favorite, the simulation game selection feels somewhat limited. For example is there any that simulate real-world signaling systems, such as ETCS or it's national peers? Or are the different systems truly so generic that you can just substitute them with generic signaling mechanisms? Recently I've been playing Factorio and the trains are fun c…

Don’t know about ETCS but I find the options to work with signals in OpenTTD quite satisfying.

https://wiki.openttd.org/en/Manual/Signals

Re: OpenLoco: Modern, open source version of the classic transport simulation game

#26
post #17

It's curious that despite trains and rail networks being a perennial nerdy favorite, the simulation game selection feels somewhat limited. For example is there any that simulate real-world signaling systems, such as ETCS or it's national peers? Or are the different systems truly so generic that you can just substitute them with generic signaling mechanisms? Recently I've been playing Factorio and the trains are fun c…

I think TS2 fits the bill of what you're describing.

https://ts2.github.io/

Re: OpenLoco: Modern, open source version of the classic transport simulation game

#27
post #19

In the 90s, I played a computer game whose name I haven't been able to remember. You built railroad tracks and trains would pass through your town(?). I'm pretty sure it was played from a top-down view and the terrain was gray, but honestly the main thing I remember is how, on holidays like Halloween, all the assets automatically changed to suit. I don't suppose this is familiar to anyone :)

Possibly A-Train? The assets would change for special occasions in that.

Re: OpenLoco: Modern, open source version of the classic transport simulation game

#30

This is cool, I've played Locomotion a lot and OpenTTD never did it for me. I find myself sticking to these old games even though there seems to be attempts to release new games in these genres, maybe its the limited nature of computing power at time of release that makes these games the right amount of complexity, as there was only so much a game could offer.

I really like some of the modern games, though, they often bring both great UI/UX as well as nice graphics to the table!

Mashinky: https://store.steampowered.com/app/598960/Mashinky/ (a pretty nice indie game)

Transport Fever: https://store.steampowered.com/app/446800/Transport_Fever/ (runs well, affordable, lots of content)

Transport Fever 2: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1066780/Transport_Fever_2... (hands down the best UI/UX in any game like this)

Workers & Resources: https://store.steampowered.com/app/784150/Workers__Resources... (a whole city builder, with resource management)

That said, for what it's worth, OpenTTD and games like it are quite good, if you can figure out the font scaling and UI. Oh, also some enjoy Simutrans, albeit it's a bit different: https://www.simutrans.com/en/

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