Is Martian Express worth getting at all?

[ZaydinTTV]

I already know that despite being elevated tracks that they can't be placed on uneven terrain, as little sense as that makes, but I'm wondering whether it adds any value at all or if it's a waste of seven bucks (Or 6 if I get it at Humble Bundle).

[Ericus1]

The single semi-useful thing it does is allow you early game to set up a remote mining site without needing to build a dome. Other than that, everything else is already done far better by other existing game mechanics without the severe limitations, micromanagement, and problematic issues trains have. Unless you are a major ferroequinophile in it just for the aesthetics, I would recommend avoiding this DLC.

[Alex]

Yes, the option to set up an early-game mining outpost before you have shuttles is the sole selling point of this DLC right now. A bit meager for 7 bucks. Even on a completely flat map, the trains are not useful enough for bulk or passenger transport. The shuttles are simply leagues above. Okay, the trains may help a bit during dust storms, but a proper supply reserve is still the better choice.

[kaki_gamet]

@Alex - after your comment in this Workshop mod, have you bought it lately?

[Ericus1]

I can not imagine the amount of tedious micromanagement needed to use modded RC vehicles as buses. And Luke hasn't done anything more with that mod for over four months. None of this is worth it; just build a remote micro mining dome and be done with it, or better yet use a couple probes to find a good landing site to start with and make this whole thing moot.

It's like a whole sequence of various Herculean efforts to come up with inferior solutions to what already exists. Just.....why?

[YertyL]

Originally posted by Ericus1:

The single semi-useful thing it does is allow you early game to set up a remote mining site without needing to build a dome.

Kind of the opposite of that: A mini dome is likely cheaper than the total cost of the train track, and you also get the benefits of a dome (living space).
Biggest advantages of trains IMO:

1. Colonist transport before shuttles: You are in many ways bound to your starting position until you get shuttles, which can take a while depending on game settings, and you can get unlucky and e.g. not have a rare metal mine nearby. Your base will be a lot more efficient if you can have your mining domes near depots, farming domes near water, your research domes near research sites, and engineering and tourist domes near vistas (those shine especially in combination with dome bioscaping, hotels, and smart homes).
   
2. High volume cargo transport: With the right setup, a train line can save a lot of shuttle and drone capacity. For example, a line between two bigger bases, or a line from a farming dome or open farm to your main base.
   
3. Easier underground access: Apart from underground shuttles being even later (two expensive techs), you would ordinarily need domes on both ends of the elevator, and can replace both with train stations. You can, for example, immediately expand to an underground wonder via train to underground elevator and train from underground elevator to wonder.
   
4. The combination of the train and underground bonus can make for some very powerful fungal farms. This is especially true for high performance workers, e.g. church and Japan, because worker performance relatively plays a much bigger role for fungal farms than regular farms (big base production vs already big performance bonus from soil).

Apart from the "Martian Express patch" mod, I would recommend Lukeh_Ro's "fixed storage per resource" and "simple balance for martian express", because otherwise it is quite difficult and finicky to transport more than one item without transporting everything, his "Enhanced passenger transportation", as well as zanstel's "useful trains" (reduces cost of trains) and "train tracks with electricity" (convenient upgrade) from the paradox workshop.

[Alex]

Originally posted by kaki_gamet:

@Alex - after your comment in this Workshop mod, have you bought it lately?

I had bought it early, then reimbursed it back. It's just not worth the seven bucks, maybe 2, at best. The same holds for B&B, actually, I cited the overwhelming amount of bugs to return that piece of crap and never regretted the desicion.

Originally posted by Ericus1:

I can not imagine the amount of tedious micromanagement needed to use modded RC vehicles as buses. And Luke hasn't done anything more with that mod for over four months. None of this is worth it; just build a remote micro mining dome and be done with it, or better yet use a couple probes to find a good landing site to start with and make this whole thing moot.

This mod might've been a good idea if the "busses" were to be independent of stations. Like an alternative mode for the safari rovers to set up a colonist transport route. But with the limitations, I'd rather beeline towards shuttles.

[kaki_gamet]

@Alex - thanks for your answer, thought you had chance to try it with after patches ^^'

[Alex]

Originally posted by kaki_gamet:

@Alex - thanks for your answer, thought you had chance to try it with after patches ^^'

I don't think that they'll let me reimburse a DLC for a second time. Besides, the major problems of flat terrain only, no hub stations, and the pesky micromanagement still remain.

In order for the train DLC to be truly worth the hassle (and cost), you'd either have to implement measures to nerf/postpone shuttles, or make the trains more useful and user-friendly. Perhaps even both.