Simutrans and various thoughts...

September 11, 2009, 05:00:18 am

   Its already more than three years since I've met with simutrans.
   There have been major changes in game wise and on forum wise.
   ST served me good portion of my hobby time and it is truly unvaluable.

   From my young age I've had profound interest in railroad due to my environment and
   chance to have contact with very first Simcity at age of windows 3.1.
   Since then, simulation doing with construction in closed world always
   attracted my interest.

   Until now, I wasn't really sure if I was satisfied with my gaming experience.
   I also play MMO and FPS as side dish. Since they have alot of title so Im very satisfied with what Im
   playing right now.

   All existing city builder didn't really satisfy my desire.
   But ST played the major role on what kind of game I really wanted.

   [][][] ...then what is it...

   Economic development simulation using main tool as transportation.
   Distributing material wealth of all kind to everybody. This sounded really purposeful for me.
   (That ofcourse including traffic of people and goods)
   I imagine a game with more interaction with cities and population.
   Not only to grow but to satisfy their needs.

   Currently I think ST does excellent job giving players the task to connect everything with everything.
   It offers players the challenge to satisfy customers under his/her system.
   (since cities and industry chain grows almost indefinitely, where to put end to his system is up to player)

   [][][] ...detail...

   Another way to view it. Lets ****ume in this example, there is only material to move around, the coal.

   1. A material wise self-sufficient group of communities scatter around the map.
   Eventhough not simulated, we suppose they have tranfer of material and people amongs them
   at level where it does not affect their economic development any furthere, so their quality of life
   and their poplation growth stagnates. (initial state)

   2. With intervention of player, they gain new kind of product and life style.
   We ****ume communities require coal because the effort/price payed to coal is less than
   what it was used to be to get heat and cook.
   With improved material provision, they start accumulating material wealth and population start
   growing once again. As long as they kept provided, they will keep growing.
   (start of growth)

   3a. But there is a limit in the world on how much they can provide coal at given time period.
   When number of people(consumer) reaches that point, the growth is over. (end of game)

   3b. If game setting enables so that there could be endless amount of coal extracted per/space/time,
   there is a chance that population cover the entire map up to highest population density possible.
   (another end of game but just prolonged. then why not do as 3a?)

   Above is the simplest scenario which outlines the imagined game flow.
   There, designer could put different number of product type and chain complexity to provide challenge.

   [][][] ...p****enger and mail?...

   Considering this time, p****enger/mail only world.

   1.Same as above. Independent communities.

   2.Exchange of people and idea sprouts new buisiness opportunities.
   Some city will grow than other.
   Many of buisiness (not simulated) will show dependency on traffic service by player to survive.
   (growth)

   3a. If designer believe buisiness has limit without genuine industry, eventually in that game,
   growth will come to an end. Slowly, all p****enger will turn into requirement to support grown
   part of city.(fixed amount of buisiness trip, commute, tourist) (end of game)
   (as cities grows, p****enger departure shift towards city maintenance rather than growth)
   3b. If designer believe exchange of people and idea is enough to grow indefinitely, cities will do so.
   (end of game when highest population limit reached)

   Yet path is long, it ends here for today.

EDIT1: A sentece corrected.

Re: Simutrans and various thoughts...

Reply #1 – September 11, 2009, 11:38:36 pm

So what am I trying to say...
I wrote lengthy post yesterday so I'd like to summerise what to be achieved or try to demonstrate.
And explain why it is good. Later on how to do it in realistic manner.

1. All cities will consume any kind of product.
2. Attributing key ressource.
3. Prefixed and limited natural resource deposit placement and number for some resources.
4. Qualitative amelioration of inhabitants life and its representation and player interaction.
5. Demonstration of cities dependency on player(s) service.
6. Diverse city growth behaviour.

reason
1.This will offer more logistic challenge from the early stage of the game.
2.Make certain ressource absolute necessity to add challenge in logistic provision.
3.To avoid map to become over crowded with road and railroad.
4.Productive city or some other city fluorish with service business will host more
material wise fortunate people than other and they will generate more p****enger demande.
5.More responsability toward network stability.
6.This is to create some isolate region and island unchanged.

Re: Simutrans and various thoughts...

Reply #2 – September 12, 2009, 08:21:44 am

Well, a company usually do not care whether transport will stimulate town growth or not. They just transport what is there.

Strategic planning on what to transport is of course possible, which would go more in the diretion of the settlers. Also morecare on twon development is also easily possible and would go more into simcity. Said that, as there are also freeware games for both, I would rather focus on meeting demands set by the world rather as paning for them.

Re: Simutrans and various thoughts...

Reply #3 – September 12, 2009, 03:50:56 pm

Quote from: prissi – on September 12, 2009, 08:21:44 am

Strategic planning on what to transport is of course possible, which would go more in the diretion of the settlers.

I will ****ume strategic planning on what to transport by meaning if there is product a,b & c to be transported to
a town, one should be choosing 2 out of 3 of a,b,c to transport for the good of player and town. Sorry, I don't remember
well settleres.

On my blue print, I'd like to every things to be transportable to all places.(Ofcourse with some simplification)

Quote from: prissi – on September 12, 2009, 08:21:44 am

morecare on town development is also easily possible and would go more into simcity.

I sounded like if I'm going to invent a whole new game and was confusing. My apoligies.
In principle, game shouldn't change in principle. There is good and people waiting/wanted to be moved.
You move them. This stay the same.

Actually, care on town to grow exist in some players. I am one of them. It is quite logical if I dare to say.
That because at least in current ST, grown city is 100% sure to provide more income source for player.
For last few month, first thing in my mind when playing ST was to grow cities and grow my network.

ST cleary implies city building element in it.
In ST, growing of network comes first. Growing follows the establishment of the network.
This city growth(city building element) is already one of element in ST.
Especially if growth speed is DIRECTLY proportional to player's service on that city.

Cities and industries and their size, position and behaviour is ingredients.
Vehicles, player's techniques and infrastructures is the chef with tools.

Re: Simutrans and various thoughts...

Reply #4 – September 15, 2009, 01:51:19 pm

...under suspension... -complete change-

Edit2: Suspended. Changing direction.