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Rail Route News

🚂💨 Rail Log #17: The Upgrade Purge & The Golden Stop Button

Hello, dispatchers! Angel here, back on the tracks with another weekly Rail Log. This week, we're serving up a bite-sized update, packed with all the juicy details you need. So, buckle up, and let's get this express train rolling!



[h3]Last Week's Progress: Staging Success 📈[/h3]

  • Staging version: It's shaping up nicely, like a well-oiled locomotive. 🚂
  • Regional Trains: We're all aboard the feedback train, refining and polishing as we go. 🛠️




[h3]The Great Upgrade Purge 🧹[/h3]
  • Interface upgrades: We've removed a bunch, unlocking them by default. We realized they were like the caboose - nice to have, but not essential. 🚋
  • Colored station signs: Now a standard feature. You can still turn them off if you prefer your stations in monochrome. 🌈




[h3]The Stop & Reverse Conundrum 🔄[/h3]

  • 'Reverse once Stopped' and 'Stop & Reverse' upgrades: Removed. The Reverse button now marks the train for reversal. We've added a new sound and animation for this, because who doesn't love a bit of drama? 🎭
  • The Golden STOP BUTTON: It's new, it's shiny, and it lets you stop and start your trains. It's like a pause button, but for trains! 🛑




[h3]The Road Ahead: Continuous Development 🛣️[/h3]

  • Post Update 12: We're switching to smaller, more frequent updates. It's like snacking, but for game development. 🍪
  • Upcoming features: Automation of regional trains and further UI improvements. We're not just removing upgrades, we promise! 🤞


As we pull into the station for this week's Rail Log, we want to hear from you! Got thoughts on the new upgrades? Feedback on the golden Stop Button? Or just want to share your experience with the staging version? We're all ears! 🐰

Hop aboard the discussion train on our community Discord. Your input is invaluable to us, and we're excited to hear what you have to say. Until next week, keep those signals green, and happy dispatching! Angel signing off. 🚦



https://store.steampowered.com/app/1124180/Rail_Route

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1896900/Rail_Route_The_Story_of_Jozic/

Rail Log #16: Accelerating Towards Update 12

All aboard, dispatchers! Angel here, riding the high-speed development train back to you with another weekly Rail Log. We've been shoveling coal into the Rail Route engine non-stop, and boy, do we have a freight load of updates to share! So, grab your conductor's hat and let's take a sneak peek at the bustling activity around our upcoming Update 12.



A Whistle-Stop Tour of Last Week


Our core mission last week was to roll out the first staging version and voila, it arrived on Friday! It might be a little rough around the edges, but rest assured, we'll have a medium-rare version by this Wednesday - just in time for your midweek gaming session.

Update 12: Taking Shape and Color


This locomotive of an update is hauling a vibrant new UI color scheme, enhanced Bottom Panels, and nifty Info Panels. We're also giving a facelift to Focus Views and introducing Regional Trains to replace the current Coach Yard (CY) contracts. Don't miss the train; Update 12 promises a truly captivating journey!



[h2]Last Week's Focus: Colors, Panels, and More[/h2]

We poured our hearts into finalizing the color scheme last week, and it's done! The new Info Panels also received some final touches and are now 95% complete. We spent some time shining up the Bottom Panels too, with these being just a hair's breadth away from completion.



[h2]Not All Smooth Rails: Challenges & Difficulties[/h2]

We won't sugarcoat it; revamping the entire UI at once is like shunting a mammoth locomotive - it's hard. Keeping two separate UI versions active isn't an option, so we'll roll out the changes more gradually. So, while we polish the edges, bear with us if you spot any inconsistencies. Your patience is appreciated, and we promise to iron out these creases in the upcoming updates.

[h2]Navigating the Transition: Old Meets New[/h2]

Change can be exciting, but we understand if some of you might feel a pang of nostalgia for the old overview. Fear not, dispatchers, for we've got you covered! You can still turn on the old overview whenever you like. The best part? Now you can have your detailed view and overview simultaneously! Keep a close eye on the upcoming trains while soaking in the new improvements. It's the best of both worlds, all in one!



[h2]Stop & Go: A Fun New Mechanic![/h2]
By the way, did you know there's a brand-new way to stop and start your trains?



[h2]Ahead Full Steam: This Week's Focus[/h2]

Our sights this week are set on refining contracts. Expect tweaks to enable prior acceptance, fine-tuning, and a possible retrial feature - if your feedback nudges us in that direction. We're also chugging full steam ahead with the Regional Trains!



Introducing Regional Trains: A Fresh Approach to Contracts


Wave goodbye to the old Coach Yard contracts as we are ushering in a new era with the introduction of Regional Trains. These are not your usual one-leggers, but instead, are composed of multiple legs, bringing a fresh challenge and a new layer of complexity to your dispatching adventure. These multi-legged beasts are all set to replace one-legged contracts, providing a new source of red points. So, you might want to reject your old contracts and hitch a ride with the new ones.



[h2]Regional Trains: A Deep Dive[/h2]

Each Regional Train contract comprises of 2 to 3 legs, bringing a fresh dimension to gameplay as you handle the transfer in between these legs. You'll need to carefully plan for waiting times and consider how to best utilise your space. This introduces a dynamic new element into gameplay that will keep even the most experienced dispatchers on their toes.

[h2]Coach Yards and Regional Trains: An Exciting Partnership[/h2]

With Regional Trains entering the scene, Coach Yards are due for a makeover. In anticipation of the changes, Coach Yards are set to become a Tier 3 upgrade. This means they'll serve as a valuable asset later in the game when space becomes a luxury. You can utilise Coach Yards to temporarily store a train from a Regional Train contract.



Release Date: 26th Jun
There can be delays on the track.

As we approach the final station for this Rail Log, we want to hear from you! Have a stellar idea for the contract adjustments? Or a creative suggestion for the Info Panels? Or just want to share your experience with the new Regional Trains? We're all ears!

Feel free to comment below, or join the conversation on our community Discord. Your input is invaluable to us, and we are excited to hear what you have to say. So hop aboard the discussion train!

Until next week, keep those signals green, and happy dispatching! Angel signing off.



https://store.steampowered.com/app/1124180/Rail_Route

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1896900/Rail_Route_The_Story_of_Jozic/

Rail Log #15: Breathing Life into UI

Greetings Railroaders! Angel on the line, thrilled to come back with another weekly Rail Log. As we approach the end of the early access phase (this year?), we've been working tirelessly to polish Rail Route, and today we have some exciting updates on the UI changes. Buckle up and let's embark on this UI journey!



Spoiler Alert: All the fantastic updates you're about to discover will be arriving in Update 12!

Info Panels


Our primary focus has been the introduction of Info Panels, an idea nurtured by the feedback we've received from you all. Info Panels are customizable panels that can be placed either on the left or right side of the screen or directly on the game board, providing key information right where you need it.



[h2]Station Timetable[/h2]

One of the key Info Panels we've introduced is the Station Timetable. We've heard your requests for a detailed view into the station's timetable, and we've made it happen! Now, you can pin any station to have an easy glance at all the trains passing through at a given time.

Note: The longer variant will show longer period then on the picture

[h2]Configuration[/h2]

The best part? Each Info Panel can be configured to your liking. For instance, the Station Timetable panel allows you to choose which platforms should be visible and whether there should be an offset applied. You also have the flexibility to choose between a smaller panel showing 30 minutes in advance or a larger one revealing 80 minutes ahead.



[h2]Onboard Info Panels[/h2]

When an Info Panel is placed on the game board, it stays put, enabling you to "decorate" your game area with context-sensitive information. And yes, we're considering options for size adjustments and zoom sensitivity to ensure maximum flexibility.



[h2]Other Info Panels[/h2]

While the Station Timetables will be the main Info Panel in Update 12, we're already mulling over introducing more of them, like a Train List Overview. But let's keep that for the future. For now, we're excited to see your response to the current updates.

Bottom/Other Panels


Next, let's delve into the revamped bottom bar. We're relocating node details to a configuration panel on the right, which now houses the sensor configurations. But remember, this is just a pit stop. We plan to bring these panels onboard via Focus Views soon!



[h2]Train Detail[/h2]

Don't worry, we haven't forgotten about the Train Detail panel. It still finds its place at the bottom of the screen, albeit in a much more compact form. The space now has multiple uses, depending on the game context.



[h2]Build Bar[/h2]

The Build Bar takes centre stage during construction, replacing the previous left panel and giving you more horizontal space. You can quickly navigate through buildables using the keybinds Q, E, mouse wheel, or assign hotkeys 1-9. And yes, we plan to reintroduce category delimiters for better visual guidance.



During an Offered Contract Focus View, this bottom bar will provide insights into the planned timetable of the contract, keeping everything at your fingertips. As well as as customer set of info panels to give you the context for the contract!



And much more coming!



It's been a delight working on these updates, and we can't wait for you to experience them. Your feedback has been instrumental in shaping these changes, and we hope they'll bring a whole new level of convenience and fun to your Rail Route journey. Btw. if you would really like to see

We're just about to wrap up, but we want to leave you with an invitation to get involved. We've designed these new UI changes with our players in mind, but the real joy comes in hearing directly from you.

If you have ideas for a standout feature for station info panels, something that would make the game experience even better, we want to hear it. We're a few weeks out from the Update, which means there's still time to make tweaks and add features based on your suggestions.

So don't be shy, join the conversation! Drop us a comment below, join our Discord community, or reach out on social media. Your suggestions have the potential to shape the future of Rail Route and make the gameplay even more exciting. We look forward to hearing from you!

Get in touch with us on:



Keep railroading, and see you in the next week or two!
-Angel

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1124180/Rail_Route

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1896900/Rail_Route_The_Story_of_Jozic/

Hotfix 1.11.20

UPDATE: Expected speed of contracts adjusted to be reachable on short distances (e. g. can not reach avg greater than 60 km/h on 1 km distance because of timetable rounding)
UPDATE: Localizations (de: achievements, ui; en: ui; nl: ui; no: ui; ru: research, ui)
UPDATE: Timetable times rounding & average speed computation explained in Offered Contract dialog. (I.e. why contract average speed is lower than trial train average speed). Hint how to improve avg speed added.
UPDATE: Train label positioning & sizing improved
UPDATE: Tunnel speed can be upgraded with track items selected (rather than with signal & sensor items)

FIX: Arrival sensor prevents routing sensor from being triggered when on the same grid point
FIX: Offered urban contracts was incorrectly displayed in Offered Contracts panel, could not be rejected & caused all other contracts not to be displayed
FIX: Routing sensor detail panel does not show the same content all the time.
FIX: Routing tutorial failed to finish when train was reversed before being instructed to do so
FIX: Scaling with zoom did not produce equal results for various screen resolutions / window sizes
FIX: Track was not highlighted for modification so bulldozing was not possible if one of its endpoints was missing due to some previous error
FIX: Typo in 'through'

Rail Log #14: Contracts Generation

Hey there, fellow railroaders! Angel here, back with another edition of our Rail Log. Today, I have some exciting news to share with you about the upcoming changes to contracts generation in Rail Route. We're also introducing three new buildings that will revolutionize the way you manage your rail network. So, grab your conductor's hat and let's dive right in!



Contracts Generation: The Old Way


Let's start by looking at how contracts were generated in Rail Route previously. Contracts used to be global, meaning they were not specific to any particular station. Every game tick, there was a chance for a new contract to be generated, and its maximum possible distance was determined randomly. The game would then decide the type of contract and the routing it would have based on predefined probabilities.

The game would search for stations that could be a good fit for the contract, considering weights assigned by the map author. Some stations were more likely to appear in intercity (IC) contracts, while others were favored for commuter (Com) contracts. However, there were instances where the game couldn't find a suitable station or the contract didn't make sense, leading to its removal and a subsequent attempt to generate a new one.

Introducing a Station-Centric Approach


In our continuous efforts to improve the gameplay experience, we're introducing a new approach to contracts generation. Contracts will now be station-centric, meaning each station will generate its own contracts based on its specific characteristics. Every game tick, stations with available contract slots will have a chance to generate a new contract.



This change ensures that every station has a fair chance of having contracts generated specifically for it. Previously, some stations may have had sparse or no contracts generated at all. With the station-centric approach, the generation process starts with each station in mind, guaranteeing a more balanced distribution of contracts across your network.



New Buildings: Salesman Post, Dispatcher Office, and Loading Dock


To facilitate this station-centric contracts generation, we're introducing three new buildings that will take over the contract generation process: the Salesman Post, Dispatcher Office, and Loading Dock. These buildings will add a new level of control and customization to your rail network management.



Let's start with the Salesman Post. Initially, each station sign will have one slot for a green contract, and offered contract icons will appear next to the station sign. However, with the Salesman Post, you can unlock additional slots and move the offered contract icons to this building. By configuring the Salesman Post, you'll have more control over where the icons appear for each station. You can even fine-tune the contract generation by specifying your preferences. For example, you can focus on generating intercity (IC) contracts for a particular station, ensuring that the generated contracts align with your strategic goals.



Moving on, the Dispatcher Office and the Loading Dock will handle the generation of red (Regional and Urban trains) and blue (freight) contracts, respectively. Once connected to a station, these buildings will enable the generation of their respective contracts, and the contract icons will appear next to the building. By strategically placing and configuring these buildings, you can shape the contract generation for each station, tailoring it to your network's needs. For example, only stations with a Dispatcher Office will appear as ending stations in Regional train contracts. This means that the more Dispatcher Offices you build, the more diverse (and complex) regional trains will become.



But remember, with great power comes great responsibility! Each building you construct for a station will incur upkeep costs. These costs will increase significantly for subsequent buildings of the same type for one station. By connecting multiple Salesman Posts to one station, you can increase your slots and contract generation speed, but it will also put a strain on your finances. So, plan your expansions wisely and keep a close eye on your budget to ensure the financial sustainability of your rail empire.

Focus Views: Bringing Contracts to Life


Another significant change to the user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) is the introduction of Focus Views. We've heard your feedback and wanted to find a better way to display important information without cluttering the traditional UI. With Focus Views, we're bringing the data where it belongs—right onto your scheme, on the board of your rail network.



When you click on an offered contract icon, a Focus View for that contract will appear. The game will pause, and everything else on the screen will darken out, drawing your attention to the contract details. The camera will smoothly move to display all the relevant data on the board. First, we'll compute the possible paths the train needs to take through the contract, drawing them over your network. Then, we'll show station timetables next to the stations in the contract at their predicted arrival times. This way, you can easily evaluate whether it's the right time to accept that contract.



You can accept or decline the contract by clicking the corresponding buttons within the Focus View. Alternatively, if you've made up your mind you can use the secondary action (right mouse button) or hit the ESC key to leave the view while keeping the contract intact.



But wait, there's more! You could "pre-configure" the trial train by selecting the desired platforms before accepting the contract. This means that when you start the trial, the train will already have a pre-set route, allowing your existing automation to seamlessly take over. Scheduled contract acceptance is also on the list, but that's for another time and another Upgrade.

The introduction of Focus Views not only enhances the visual appeal of the game but also improves the decision-making process when selecting contracts. You can now assess the impact on your network, consider timetables, and make more informed choices—all without leaving the immersive environment of your rail network.

Exciting Times Ahead


With the upcoming changes to contracts generation, the introduction of the Salesman Post, Dispatcher Office, and Loading Dock, and the immersive experience of Focus Views, Rail Route is taking another leap forward in providing you with a dynamic and engaging gameplay environment. We can't wait to see how you'll utilize these new tools and buildings to create intricate rail networks and conquer the challenges that lie ahead.



That's all for this edition of Rail Log. As always, we value your feedback and suggestions. Feel free to leave your comments below or reach out to us on our social media channels and Discord. Your input plays a vital role in shaping Rail Route into the best railway management game it can be.

Next time, I'll be writing about upcoming UI changes, especially of the Info Panels. Stay connected with us on:

Stay connected with us on:


Thank you for joining us on this exciting journey, and happy railroading!
Angel

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1124180/Rail_Route

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1896900/Rail_Route_The_Story_of_Jozic/