[New Release] Simutrans-Experimental 7.2

March 26, 2010, 02:28:57 pm

A new version of Simutrans-Experimental is available to-day: Simutrans 102.3 Experimental 7.2. See here for more information on how to download, install and set up the latest version. For those already familiar with the installation and setup, here are some quick links:

us (site down, do not visit) ]/simutrans-experimental.zip]Windows binaries
Linux binaries (i386) - to follow
Linux binaries (x64) - to follow
us (site down, do not visit) ]/simutrans-experimental-config.zip]Configuration files

Simutrans-Experimental 7.2 is an interim release pending the next main release, Simutrans-Experimental 8.0, which will fix the automatic convoy replacer feature (which is disabled in 7.2), enable depots that can only build certain types of vehicles (e.g., steam, diesel, sail, etc.), and improve compatibility with saved games. However, there are a number of significant enhancements, mainly related to balancing, in Simutrans-Experimental 7.2 which I wanted to give people the opportunity of trying before the release of version 8.0, which may be some time away due to the complexity of fixing the automatic convoy replacer. Version 7.2 incorporates all the latest updates from Sumutrans-Standard (including broad tunnel portal support); there follows a list of the main changes in 7.2:

Changes (Simutrans-Experimental)

FIX: Tunnel weight limits were always written as zero by makeobj
CHANGE: the program will check for simuconf.tab and settings-experimental.xml in the standard location first, and, if it cannot find it there, switch to the standard Debian directory and try to find them there, switching back to the ordinary directory if they are not there either.
FIX: Crashes on reversing in some cases
CHANGE: speed preview closer to actually achieved speeds and flickering of maintenance cost info removed. (Bernd Gabriel)
CHANGE: speed preview respects friction of waytype and global power factor now. (Bernd Gabriel)
CHANGE: schiff_t::calc_akt_speed() uses get_friction_of_waytype() instead of constant friction of 1 for flat water. (Bernd Gabriel)
CHANGE:Overhauled physics model 2.1: More consequent use of SI units. More lazy calculations. More and better speed and weight preview methods. (Bernd Gabriel)
CHANGE: Consequently using kg instead of tons allows calculations for bicycles. (Bernd Gabriel)
CHANGE: 'Lazy' calculation of power and force, when needed for the first time. Often power is not needed at all. (Bernd Gabriel)
CHANGE: New method for calculating maximum starting weight. (Bernd Gabriel)
CHANGE: Method for calculation maximum weight at maximum speed now considers friction. (Bernd Gabriel)
CHANGE: gui_convoy_****embler shows min and max pullable weight with ****ociated speeds for powered vehicles. (Bernd Gabriel)
CHANGE: gui_convoy_****embler shows red top speed info of convoy, if it is too heavy to start and show its min and max pullable weight with ****ociated speeds. (Bernd Gabriel)
FIX: Remove all references from ai_goods before deleting a factory. (Bernd Gabriel)
CHANGE: P****engers now register as happy when they arrive at their ultimate destination, not immediately on departure.
CHANGE: Convoy ****embler skips possible speed/weight range, if there is no powered vehicle in the ****embly. (Bernd Gabriel)
CHANGE: P****engers/goods that are discarded en route due to overcrowding are now given a refund based on an estimate of what they have paid to be transported so far.
FIX: Purchasing vehicles cost twice over.
CHANGE: Cities only record "p****engers transported" and "mail transported" when p****engers and mail reach their destinations.
FIX: Possible crash when processing mail (Bernd Gabriel)
FIX: Automatic signal spacer (Bernd Gabriel)
CHANGE: Way maintenance costs for diagonal ways based on Euclidean rather than Manhattan distance.
CHANGE: Vehicle purchase and fixed maintenance costs are now scaled with the distance per tile setting.
FIX: Can load pak64 games again (Bernd Gabriel)
FIX: Can read einstellungen of save games of experimental version 7 again (Bernd Gabriel)
FIX: Can read savegames of experimental version 7 again. (Bernd Gabriel)
CHANGE: NOROUTE info shows additional details, if vehicle is too heavy. (Bernd Gabriel)
CHANGE: Comfort is less important to p****engers the shorter the journey (in time).
FIX: Sorting of goods by revenue in the goods list is now more accurate.
FIX: Comfort was incorrectly factored in the goods list when calculating p****enger revenue.
TEMPORARY: Disable "replace" button until the replacer is fixed, for release of 7.2 only

Major changes (Simutrans-Standard)

ADD: allow_buying_obsolete_vehicles in simuconf.tab can disallow buying obsolete vehicles for better balancing
FIX: forest density/size nor again reasonable dependent on map size
ADD: factory stops can now get different names from building stops (%s factory %s %s must be new tranlated)
FIX: build foundations only directly under elevated monorail depots
FIX some issues with harbours: no crashes with terraforming, powerlines, tunnels, foundations on harbours
ADD: (gerw) Broad tunnel support

Feedback and testing

Thanks to all those who have tested Simutrans-Experimental and provided useful feedback. In particular, it would be useful to have feedback on the latest updates (shown in teal) to Bernd Gabriel's new physics model (discussion in this thread, please): Bernd has put an enormous amount of effort into this (I am extremely grateful to him for his very great patience with all of the e-mails that I sent him asking for various revisions to the code), and it would be extremely useful to have some detailed feedback to enable the system to be fine tuned. I should also be particularly grateful for feedback on the new balancing changes (shown in maroon).

Any other feedback from this version would, as ever, also be very much appreciated, including (1) bug reports; (2) information as to how well-balanced that the game is; (3) any difference in approach/strategy needed for Simutrans-Experimental as over Simutrans-Standard; and (4) any other useful feedback.

Thanks again to all those who have worked to test Simutrans-Experimental, and happy playing!

Note

This topic is locked, as it is intended to serve as an announcement. To report a bug or otherwise give feedback, please start a new thread for each bug/topic. To ask a question about how to obtain Simutrans-Experimental, use this thread.