Linear or Sandbox?

[Zaphod]

Yeah, I know it is a train game, hence "linear" , ha ha.


I am worried considering how linear the demo is.
Is the game itself going to be just a prolonged version of this with minimal replay value or is there randomly generated encounters/events?

Is there a linear journey to "complete" or is more of career progression? If it is a single journey, will I complete it because I after X attempts will know the story by heart (not desirable) or because I get better at preparing for more eventualities (desirable).

I would hope it was me and my trusty locomotive venturing out in the cold russian winter to make a living heading into the unknown. Instead

The early versions of this game featured a functional look of the train, highlighting its engineering, components and simulation detail. I worry that since this video was removed from the store page, that the scope of the game had been substantially reduced.

When playing the demo, it seemed like stopping distance from normal speed would be beyond vision range, so how would you stop for a fallen tree or something unless the game gave you an unrealistic warning beforehand. So if the game isn't hand held by a narrator the whole time (like the demo was), I wonder how they solved this.

[Stuka White]

Yeah, theres to be a sort of "Free play" mode where its departed from story and is just the transportation and maintenance aspects of the game with or without the survival elements to players content.

Not sure yet if there is random or "radiant" mafia jobs that can be enabled or not like survival elements though, as im still downloading the game.

[Zaphod]

That sounds promising, but I take your answer to mean that this is not in the game for the moment.

I don't mind the mafia relationship adding an ambience or progression to the game. But I prefer it to be encounter based or deciding to take on an extra package or mission or two rather than a static "do this, then this, then this"- thing we saw in the demo.

Well them, I will wait for free play mode and read the reviews in the meantime.

[CrusaderKiller]

I want to tag onto this discussion as well since I’m considering buying.
Will the game be like derail valley where you can keep taking jobs as long as you desire to play?

Or does it come to a conclusion?if yes, you can play infinitely, is there a purpose for transporting goods?

If yes, it is ongoing, do AI trains consistently run?

[Kyo21943]

Originally posted by CrusaderKiller:

I want to tag onto this discussion as well since I’m considering buying.
Will the game be like derail valley where you can keep taking jobs as long as you desire to play?

Or does it come to a conclusion?if yes, you can play infinitely, is there a purpose for transporting goods?

If yes, it is ongoing, do AI trains consistently run?

It has a Story mode which i assume it ends at some point (i have yet to finish it), and two "Endless modes", one with survival mechanics and one with the survival needs disabled.

You seem to be able to play indefinitely doing jobs in endless mode, however i have yet to try that mode so i'm not sure if they can be chosen like in DV or you're just assigned them randomly, or how repetitive they can be.

And yes, there are both AI trains and proper railway signalling which imo is really what Derail Valley needs (i know they are coming later down the line tho... but it will take years most likely).

[Kyo21943]

Originally posted by Zaphod:

The early versions of this game featured a functional look of the train, highlighting its engineering, components and simulation detail. I worry that since this video was removed from the store page, that the scope of the game had been substantially reduced.

I never saw that video, however i can say the train is more interactive than the Derail Valley equivalents (as far as amount of buttons go, lol) and has some components for the cab, compressor and wheel/brake assembly which have to be manually replaced when worn out.

[Huxian]

Looks quite linear to me even in survival mode: you don't get to choose which job (wagons) you deliver or where, the game assigns the task to you and it is always "deliver these wagons to a nearby station". I was hoping to be offered a selection of wagons with several destinations, some nearby, some further away, but it is always between 5 and 18Km away. Which looks as if it was further since you end up cruising at 40Km/h. I'm enjoying it so far but that will limit how long i will. Hopefully more choice gets added over time and the ridiculous speed limitations to 40 on the main line are lifted (or made to show up less often).

[CrusaderKiller]

Can a dev enlighten us?

[Anwar]

Originally posted by Huxian:

Looks quite linear to me even in survival mode: you don't get to choose which job (wagons) you deliver or where, the game assigns the task to you and it is always "deliver these wagons to a nearby station". I was hoping to be offered a selection of wagons with several destinations, some nearby, some further away, but it is always between 5 and 18Km away. Which looks as if it was further since you end up cruising at 40Km/h. I'm enjoying it so far but that will limit how long i will. Hopefully more choice gets added over time and the ridiculous speed limitations to 40 on the main line are lifted (or made to show up less often).

Good idea, expansion of transport gameplay

[Stuka White]

Same kind of concerns for once the story is concluded. Choice or wide variety in cargo and distance in endless freeplay would be something id like to see and something that would add reasons for weaponry to be used in such modes, like random event gangsters attempting to attack the wagons or block the rails out in the far countryside

[Knsgf]

Originally posted by Kyo21943:

You seem to be able to play indefinitely doing jobs in endless mode, however i have yet to try that mode so i'm not sure if they can be chosen like in DV or you're just assigned them randomly, or how repetitive they can be.

False. Transport tasks are the exactly the same in all modes.

[killburn77]

Agreed. There has to be an "open world" part. This would adress more fans. I hope this will be done.