One missing feature makes this (otherwise excellent) game boring fast

[Trip]

The inability of trains to use any available free platform at stations has turned me off this game after about 30 hours of play.

I wouldn't mind the fiddly solution of assigning platforms to each line if it worked, but it doesn't, and the bigger the rail network the worse it becomes.

Having already paid for the game there's no reason me stopping playing it should have any leverage but I'm going to mention it any way just in case.

[Doc Savage]

It does work, and quite well.... As long as I remember to set up the proper platforms when I set the route. As long as I do so, the game keeps them. Using Shift+Click to get the menu right off the rip works well enough to eliminate some clicking busy work.

If you set up a route between two cities, you can split the platforms without having to click a single one. I've been using a double main to the insides of the 4 track stations. If I set up 2 runs, the 1st A>B and the 2nd B>A, A>B will use one set of platforms and B>A will use the opposite pair. (beta version, not sure if this new behavior or not, but still pretty slick)

I will agree that it does get frightfully tedious later on to change mutliple lines, but there's a copy+paste to help with that. Haven't gotten in the habit of using it yet, but it's there. Someday maybe I'll know whether it's helpful or not...

This issue magnifies itself when something goes wrong. If anything needs attention, it's the game stopping and asking if I want to allow trains to change platforms instead of auto assigning everything.

If it stopped to ask before it pulled the trigger, I wouldn't be sitting in a pile of dead lines...

Cheers..!

[Dr Duh]

It works pretty well for me too. It really helps to take account of your long-term planning for station expansions and additional lines up front though because rerouting lines and reassigning platforms can be very time-consuming. Better to have planned ahead where possible so that you don't have to move stuff once you've done it in the first place.

[Trip]

Unless you can tell me that you never have trains waiting for a platform when other platforms are free then it's not working.

And if you told me that I wouldn't believe you ;)

[chaney]

The task of reassigning platforms after the game develops is really impractical in this game unless the player wants a tedium simulator with time pressure.

Assigning platforms as you go takes you so far, but as a station develops the balance gets thrown off, so readjustment would improve the game for either aesthetic or efficiency reasons - whatever the player desires.

There was an extended discussion including one of the devs a while back about dynamic assignment of platforms. I think it was an honest dialog where the dev explained technical reasons why it couldn't be done, but in the end I think a method was evolved that met all those objections and would work. This seems to be a sacred cow for the dev team.

[Dr Duh]

Well, I think you have to decide where the focus of the game should be and what the player should be doing - and perhaps a lot of various people's dissatisfaction has more to do with differing ideas from that of the devs on that score.

Is it supposed to be a competitive game with time pressure to make your strategic decisions? If so it doesn't do it well and there is a lot of streamlining of mechanics that ought to be done, like the ability to place any<->any switch/signal networks (esp at station entrances, ability to place double-tracked shunts with signals in just two clicks, ability to double-track with signals entire lines in just a click or two, etc. But the biggest thing if you go in that direction IMO is that you'd need to either vastly improve the AI, and/or add multiplayer to actually make for a competitive game.

So the alternative is that you're trying to provide some sort of challenge as a "scored puzzle" to build a better rail network where you have to do the work setting most stuff up. Getting the balance right there for what tools you have and to what level of detail do you have to set stuff up is the problem. For that kind of game I think they miss in having a penalty for score for enabling pause. People that enjoy piecing together a rail network efficiently want to take their time, be able to watch the pieces work as they do stuff, ride or watch trains etc.

I think the track laying and signal tools are well done for that, and I can accept that the player has to manage his platforms, and I think you just have to suspend disbelief when it comes to trains just sitting in the station while servicing rather than having a switch network and animations moving in and out of the maintenance shed, and the trains teleporting to turn around rather than having a switch network or turntable with animations - after all there's a whole level of realism we're ignoring with the time and distance scaling, and nobody wants to play marshalling yard tycoon - just imagine if you had to keep track of buying all your railcars of different types and tracking them back and forth and putting together every consist on sidings.

[Beduino]

Originally posted by chaney:

The task of reassigning platforms after the game develops is really impractical in this game unless the player wants a tedium simulator with time pressure.

Assigning platforms as you go takes you so far, but as a station develops the balance gets thrown off, so readjustment would improve the game for either aesthetic or efficiency reasons - whatever the player desires.

There was an extended discussion including one of the devs a while back about dynamic assignment of platforms. I think it was an honest dialog where the dev explained technical reasons why it couldn't be done, but in the end I think a method was evolved that met all those objections and would work. This seems to be a sacred cow for the dev team.

How is it impossible to do what is considered BASIC features in this genre? I'm not saying that can't be the case. Game-dev is a complicated business. But if hat's the case someone screwed up really bad early in development.

I hope this can be fixed, as its the ONLY thing stopping me from buying the game.

[gardlt]

Beduino, it might not be what you want to hear, but one of the devs did touch on this subject here: http://steamcommunity.com/app/503940/discussions/4/2860219962101846236/#c1693788202021652165

[Beduino]

Originally posted by gardlt:

Beduino, it might not be what you want to hear, but one of the devs did touch on this subject here: http://steamcommunity.com/app/503940/discussions/4/2860219962101846236/#c1693788202021652165

Sigh.... Well thanks mate. Really. At least now I know. Best to avoid this game then. This game is well designed in most systems. But they seem incapable of finding solutions a bunch of volunteer developers working for free in OpenTTD found YEARS ago.

Thanks for tracking this info out for me mate.

[chaney]

That's the thread I remember. We got into detail later on and I believe every technical objection is handled by the method evolved in the thread. Something must have happened in development earlier on that made this topic off limits, because for a high demand feature, the resistance has been quite strong. I wish someone with budget authority over there would require another look at the paradigm, it would improve the game sales plenty if the feature were added. If I'm wrong about there still being a hard technical problem, you have my appology, but I'd like an explaination before I give up the issue.

[Doc Savage]

In a game where you're relying on tasks to push play and paring down the available production chains to fit perceived time contraints and performance the platform puzzle is one of the only real challenges the game has left to offer.

That this process is frought with frustration and tedium is as much a product of the game just not asking before changing a platform because "shorter route" as it is lack of global station/line editing controls. They made their own mess and then made it tedious to fix for the player.

It's an odd dichotomy TBH. Everything else is being kept overly simple and dumbed down, geared for the short attention span; you would think auto platform assignment would fit right in. It fits what looks to be the market aim, certainly more than the current frustration and tedium model does. I don't understand the resistance to it.

I'm still holding out for serious adult development or a mode that removes all the limitations that have been artificially placed within the game so I can just play with it. I don't need honey do lists, tasks, forced speed reading or scores to tell me what I should be playing.

Ultimately I feel it's the Devs insistance on defining what my game experience should be that's holding the game back and limiting it's market. As long as they keep a narrow view and game scope, they'll have a niche market and narrow appeal.

Can't say they haven't tried to broaden things. Shame they keep trying to reel it back in every time they do though...

Cheers..!

[McLeoud]

You can assign one Track wich the train should use in the Stations by planning the Route (even after planning it) !

[Beduino]

Originally posted by McLeoud:

You can assign one Track wich the train should use in the Stations by planning the Route (even after planning it) !

So you are willing to babysit the station so EVERYTIME a train get stuck you assign a new platform to it? Wow. You must be budhist or something. Cause you have some legendary patience.

Or maybe you never use more than 4 trains in a 4 plataform station. In that case, damn. That's not fun AT ALL. Well to each their own. Have fun dude.

[chaney]

Beduino, I share your disappointment with the game falling short of its potential on a few key points. It is a fun game as it is, so don't be too fast to take a pass on it without trying it.

The Dynamic Platform Assignment feature has been a big topic of discussion for sure, and I expect it will continue to be so. I put together a summary of my thoughts on the topic at http://steamcommunity.com/app/503940/discussions/0/1693785669856938730/?ctp=3#c1700542332327706254
I suggest giving the game a try. Maybe during a sale? You may find the puzzle solving aspect fun and satisfying, although the evolved method described in the link may be too immersion breaking for the purist.

Also, thanks for acknowledging that people are trying to help. This game community has lots of people who are trying to help, but it can come across badly some times. We all just want a great game, but sometimes see different ways of getting there.

[gardlt]

Just going to point out that in this game cities grow quite fast. Once you have played for awhile I think you will realize that excess capacity to handle volume in the later stages is the key for your builds. Not some painstaking swapping between platforms. As such, just isolate platforms and focus on their usage individually.

Maintenance wait in the stations is a much bigger efficiency consideration. And one that players such as myself tend to exploit via engine replacements, since the used engine refund is quite generous.

[Beduino]

Originally posted by chaney:

Beduino, I share your disappointment with the game falling short of its potential on a few key points. It is a fun game as it is, so don't be too fast to take a pass on it without trying it.

The Dynamic Platform Assignment feature has been a big topic of discussion for sure, and I expect it will continue to be so. I put together a summary of my thoughts on the topic at http://steamcommunity.com/app/503940/discussions/0/1693785669856938730/?ctp=3#c1700542332327706254
I suggest giving the game a try. Maybe during a sale? You may find the puzzle solving aspect fun and satisfying, although the evolved method described in the link may be too immersion breaking for the purist.

Also, thanks for acknowledging that people are trying to help. This game community has lots of people who are trying to help, but it can come across badly some times. We all just want a great game, but sometimes see different ways of getting there.

Thanks mate. Yes, I guess I could try it in a sale. Thanks for the help everyone. Hope you have fun with the game.