Map settings (big)

[Fichom]

So, I'm hoping to start a large map playthrough, but I haven't played in ages, and well versions change etc., long story short, I'm looking for some recommendations on map settings to get a very big game going.

Things I am hoping to see:
start at 1940~
Map size at least 1k*1k, but I wouldn't mind 2k*2k
Amount of industries that would fill this map out nicely, without everything being 50 tiles away at max (or like a 1000 tiles at minimum)
Amount of cities with interconnections lengths that would make it so there's usually 4-5 cities connected, but I'd still have to build proper connections between such clusters.


My main issues with trying to do big maps is industries kinda connect to randomly far off industries, so I have a lumber mill connecting to a paper mill on the other corner of the map, but not on the few factories close by. I guess what I'd like to see is denser supply and demand connections. I don't mind having to go large distances for late game/high complexity industry chains (again, am noob, but say stuff like car production).

I'd also like to see new industries grow naturally over time - is there an amount at which this stops happening? Do old industries ever 'die out'? Do new ones appear? I'm pretty sure they do, but I don't want another say 20 power plants to transport more oil, I'd like the new industries to grow in complexity (longer chains and more intermediary products) as time goes on.

On the topic of time, I just threw 1940 up there randomly, but maybe you have a better suggestion. I'd also be interested in longer playthrough, say a month lasting for an 30~60 minutes of RL time (I can always speed time up if I feel things aren't progressing fast enough).

I'm probably asking too many questions in one thread, but it does come down to "what settings do I shuffle to get the described experience". Unfortunately, I don't have time to play for 20 hours just to figure out which settings seem to result in my desired experience, and I'm not expecting others to go ahead and invest that time - but maybe someone already did, and is willing to share their settings, and maybe some suggestions on how I could tailor them to get most satisfaction.

[Docsprock]

I usually just create my own maps. That way I can place the cities and industries where I want them.

[Fichom]

Originally posted by Docsprock:

I usually just create my own maps. That way I can place the cities and industries where I want them.

What tools do you use? Do you just go sandbox mode or is there some nicer 'mapping' tool for simutrans?

[Roboron]

So many questions I've lost track, but here are some answers:

1 - On the topic of industry chains: New ones will naturally open, old ones will remain. Wheter or not they are more complex that depends on the pakset design of industries.
2 - Starting year: Again, this depends on the pakset you are playing. Some paksets can start earlier, some don't even have a timeline to start with.
3 - You can change the time setting the "bits_per_month" option. Every increase will make it two times slower.
4 - City density / inter-city road length. There are settings for this in the new game window.
5 - Distance of industry chains. There is no setting that I'm aware of. You can however build the industries yourself by switching to the public player (or play a smaller map).

[Fichom]

Originally posted by Roboron:

So many questions I've lost track, but here are some answers:

1 - On the topic of industry chains: New ones will naturally open, old ones will remain. Wheter or not they are more complex that depends on the pakset design of industries.
2 - Starting year: Again, this depends on the pakset you are playing. Some paksets can start earlier, some don't even have a timeline to start with.
3 - You can change the time setting the "bits_per_month" option. Every increase will make it two times slower.
4 - City density / inter-city road length. There are settings for this in the new game window.
5 - Distance of industry chains. There is no setting that I'm aware of. You can however build the industries yourself by switching to the public player (or play a smaller map).

Thx for the response, some of them were quite helpful (especially the squared increase with bits increase for day length).

If you don't mind me asking further (sry for going off-topic on this), any good place I can read up on the tools for creating custom maps?
I've seen the 'official' tutorial at https://maps.simutrans.com/tutorial_using.html, but is there any dedicated tool I could use, or is the aforementioned the best source of info out there?

Also, any good 'library' out there with maps from other users?

[Roboron]

maps.simutrans.com is the best resource I'm aware of. Note that it also has maps from other users as well. In the forum you may find more.

[Fichom]

Originally posted by Roboron:

maps.simutrans.com is the best resource I'm aware of. Note that it also has maps from other users as well. In the forum you may find more.

Thx

[Seek Truth From Facts]

Originally posted by Fichom:

My main issues with trying to do big maps is industries kinda connect to randomly far off industries, so I have a lumber mill connecting to a paper mill on the other corner of the map, but not on the few factories close by. I guess what I'd like to see is denser supply and demand connections. I don't mind having to go large distances for late game/high complexity industry chains (again, am noob, but say stuff like car production).

The game here on Steam is Simutrans-Standard. There is another version of the game called Simutrans-Extended, which offers more advanced and complex gameplay. In Extended, you can limit how far across the map each factory type can connect and the default settings do limit this. In addition, factories can be limited to certain regions. For example, in pak128.Britain-Ex, coal mines only appear in regions that historically had coal reserves. So that also means that you get more historical supply chains, but a car production chain might require factories all over the map.

On Steam, you can switch from Standard to Extended by using the Beta function. If you want to have both at the same time, you can get Extended from the International Simutrans Forum. Be aware that Extended is much more complicated to play (get some experience in Standard first) and is also in perpetual beta (all players are also beta testers!) and things will break (though the current build is relatively stable).

[Fichom]

Originally posted by Seek Truth From Facts:

Originally posted by Fichom:

My main issues with trying to do big maps is industries kinda connect to randomly far off industries, so I have a lumber mill connecting to a paper mill on the other corner of the map, but not on the few factories close by. I guess what I'd like to see is denser supply and demand connections. I don't mind having to go large distances for late game/high complexity industry chains (again, am noob, but say stuff like car production).

The game here on Steam is Simutrans-Standard. There is another version of the game called Simutrans-Extended, which offers more advanced and complex gameplay. In Extended, you can limit how far across the map each factory type can connect and the default settings do limit this. In addition, factories can be limited to certain regions. For example, in pak128.Britain-Ex, coal mines only appear in regions that historically had coal reserves. So that also means that you get more historical supply chains, but a car production chain might require factories all over the map.

On Steam, you can switch from Standard to Extended by using the Beta function. If you want to have both at the same time, you can get Extended from the International Simutrans Forum. Be aware that Extended is much more complicated to play (get some experience in Standard first) and is also in perpetual beta (all players are also beta testers!) and things will break (though the current build is relatively stable).

Ok cool, wasn't aware I can get it via steam as well (extended). I played for quite a bit some years ago, am just wanting to return into it, but forgot how map-specific things work. I'm considering making a map for myself to play on first, with all custom industries, towns and terrain.

[Seek Truth From Facts]

I tried making a completely custom map once and it soon dawned on me that I had underestimated the amount of work required and it had turned into a chore... Hopefully you are made of stronger stuff than me. Good luck!

[Fichom]

Originally posted by Seek Truth From Facts:

I tried making a completely custom map once and it soon dawned on me that I had underestimated the amount of work required and it had turned into a chore... Hopefully you are made of stronger stuff than me. Good luck!

Currently working on the heightmap. Due to some life stuff, it's going a bit slower than I'd had hoped, but here's some progress for now (it's 2k*2k):
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1205276213120335902/1211439674594172998/map_progress.gif?ex=65ee341d&is=65dbbf1d&hm=5c961eb1a7bdfa7f85faf004a25bb6c30bb47c5306653726907d3e19a38ba91c&

If the link doesn't work, lemme know, I'll reupload somewhere else.

It is roughly 30% done, since the remaining land masses will be somewhat flatter compared to the north-western one (which is quite mountainous). Also water should be quick to complete as well once the land is done.