Transport Challenge

[Rainbow]

Hello Erik,

I hope this message finds you well and that you’re still programming the game!

I have been searching for an advanced transport simulation game similar to OpenTTD, but with improved graphics and more versatile gameplay. I believe Factory Town could also serve this purpose, if it included a dedicated game mode or challenge.

I’ve been reflecting on the game’s potential and believe there are opportunities to introduce new features that could significantly alter or even transform the gameplay. In fact, some of these changes could create a mode that feels like an entirely different game, potentially even a new genre.

Concept Inspiration
I envision a transport-focused game with elements of self-production. A great reference point is OpenTTD, where players manage cities on a map that produce various items. You start with some capital to purchase vehicles for transporting goods between these cities, but there’s typically no production chain involved.

While Factory Town offers more complexity, vanilla it is not a transport challenge game. Here are some key points:

Differences in Factory Town
Town Centers: Players can build town centers anywhere, which allows for rapid expansion.
Industry Placement: Industries can be established without restrictions on location.
Conveyor Belts: These can be used over long distances, making transport easy.

To create a more engaging transport challenge, I suggest the following modifications:
With a-d should be easy to implement and e,f harder but optional.
a) Fixed Town Centers: Town centers should be fixed on the map with fixed specializations.
b) Industry Restrictions: Industries can only be built in town center areas that match their specialization.
c) Conveyor Belt Limitations: Conveyor belts should only be usable within the confines of the town center.
d) Sales Mechanism: Instead of selling goods directly in towns, they should be sold to trade posts.

e) Town Growth Dynamics:
Towns could grow organically over time instead of being build up by the player.
Players could accelerate growth by donating building materials.
f) Self-Production: Towns should produce certain goods automatically based on their industry type, level, and population.
Conclusion

I believe implementing any or all of these suggestions could significantly enhance the gameplay experience, even if they are not adopted as part of a challenge mode but just a normal map setting the player can use or not use. Each point could introduce exciting new map settings and dynamics.
Thank you for considering these ideas! I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Best regards,
Andreas