Railways and logistics

[WPMG]

I've bought this game just a couple of days ago, and have enjoyed it since. However, there are some things about the railway system that doesn't work quite right for me.

I've been building two tracks next to each other, one going in each direction (don't know if this is needed really, but hey, that's how I like it), and it seems like if two tracks are going parallell next to each other (no space between but not intersecting), the trains can pass over between them, with the effect that the "can't reach the destination" pops up, since if the train passes over to the wrong track, it can't reach the entry of the next train station. The route doesn't seem to realize that there is a working path available. I've also encountered that trains will pass over empty space if there is a track passing over a train's current track at 90 degrees, continuing for one tile, then turning 45 degrees in the direction of the train's direction, creating the same problem of not reaching the destination.

The "can't reach the destination" problem can often be fixed, by checking all crossings and layed out tracks, however when the warning pops up mid-late-game, when there are multiple stations, it's quite hard to find where the invisible connection lies / where the pathing error occurs.

I would also like to give a suggestion regarding logistics: I've found myself wanting to deliver goods from one warehouse to another over a small–medium distance, utilizing truck depots, but i feel that it's a bit silly having to transfer the goods warehouse -> truck depot -> truck depot -> warehouse. I would therefore like to suggest that the different transport depots (trucks, trains, zeppelins and boats) could be modules to warehouses, like how gatherers work.

Sorry for a long post, and thank you for an interesting and fun game!

[WPMG]

Sorry, it's the first time I'm posting on Steam, and I just realized that there are other sub forums. I don't know how to move this posting, hopefully it can be done by a moderator. I'm sorry for the inconvenience.

[Alex, Master Penguin]

Thanks for your feedback!

In short, this is what I would recommend you:
- Trains can turn max 45 degrees
- Press F8 to locate weird turns or disconnected tracks
- Terminals have an entry and an exit. Make sure the tracks are connected properly

This said, the whole route system is a bit too manual for my taste. Going to be redesigned from scratch for A8, which automates the way warehouses speak to eachother, including the whole WH-TD-TD-WH thing

EDIT: this subforum is fine, don't worry :)

[WPMG]

Thank you for your reply!

I've thoroughly checked my tracks, and there has been no disconnected parts, and they've also been connected correctly with the entry/exit on each station. The problem I'm trying to describe occurs when (1) the train "jumps" over to another track, even though no visible 45 degree connection exists, or (2) when it chooses the wrong exit out of a dual tracked T-crossing.

The (1) happens either when there are two tracks running parallell next to each other, going diagonal over the squares (it dosen't happen if the tracks are going "normal"), or when there is a 45 degree close by a "normally" laid track. I'll try to illustrate below:

 \\      
  \\     
   \\    
    \\   
     \\  
      \\ 

  \      
   \     
    |o   
----+----
    |    
    |    
     \   
---------

In the lower illustration, the "o" is a space without a track, although a train coming from the north will pass over to go east on the northen-most horizontal track.

(2) may be explained by this:

   |    
   |\   
   | \  
   |  | 
    \ | 
------+-
      | 
      / 
--------


   |    
   |    
   |\   
   | \  
---+----
   |    
   |    
  /     
--------

Where in the route could not be connected with the upper track layout (with a train coming from the north going east on the northen-most horizontal track), but the track could be connected using the lower layout.

[Alex, Master Penguin]

Interesting, will investigate