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City Transport Simulator: Tram - Early Access Roadmap

[h2]Hello and welcome to the very first CTS: Tram Roadmap!
[/h2]
We are very excited to start sharing news about upcoming developments for CTS: Tram in these articles, and you can expect to see more of them down the line.

This article and its future iterations will include updates on upcoming content, screenshots, trailers and behind-the-scenes news on current developments.

Please note: The order of content shown in the Roadmap image gives a rough indication of the order we’ll be working on, but is subject to change. This does not take into account additional player feedback, which will be worked on alongside said content.

We’ll also be using data and feedback to best inform where we invest our development time.

This time, we want to highlight Early Access, which will be available from June 20th on PC. We'll explain why we decided to go with Early Access and provide details about what you can expect during this period.

If you’re in a hurry, here’s a quick summary of what updates to expect next during the Early Access phase:

[h3]• ULF A1
• Quick Play
• Postcards Collectible
• Junction Tutorial & Updated First Time Experience
• Updated Manuals
• Updated Character Selection Screen & Titles
• Ambient Sound improvements
• AI traffic improvements [/h3]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Why Early Access?[/h2]
We chose to go with Early Access, because we believe that, with your input, we can create the best gaming experience, as it provides us the opportunity to develop City Transport Simulator: Tram hand-in-hand with our community.

This approach allows us to integrate real player feedback, ensuring that we create the most immersive and engaging tram simulation experience possible. Our team values player insights, and we believe this collaborative process will greatly enhance the game's quality and playability.



Our long-term vision for City Transport Simulator is over time to bring additional transport modes, expanding the maps and modes - these will be added via new paid-for releases, DLC and expansions. All of these will come after full launch, as separate releases. At the moment, however, our focus for CTS: Tram is to build the gameplay mechanics, city infrastructure, and immersion which we can use as a basis for building on in future. Our ultimate goal is to provide an entertaining, fun, varied, public transport simulator – with your feedback at the heart of it.

What’s next?

[h2]The Roadmap – First Stop[/h2]



During Early Access we plan to introduce a slew of new features, separated into different phases, which we are lovingly calling “Stops”. Starting with the First Stop we’ll aim to introduce a new tram, collectibles, more gameplay features as well as finalise character selection, achievements and tutorials.

Then, in future updates, you can expect to see map extensions, additional services, new trams and even more gameplay features including dynamic weather and track events like malfunctions to make the experience even more immersive. All of this will be accompanied by updates and changes based on your feedback.

While all of this is still a work in progress and subject to change, let’s delve a bit deeper into what you can expect during the First Stop.

The highlight is certainly the addition of a new tram, namely the ULF A1, a further enhanced version of the ULF A. First introduced to Vienna in 2007 and with a much shorter length of 24,2 meters compared to the ULF B1, it is a perfect addition for your low-frequency timeslots.



We are also working on a narrative to further establish Tramau’s history and make it feel even more like a real city. If you haven’t done so yet, make sure to take a look at the regular Pic Of The Week Updates, as they provide a lot of insight into Tramau’s history and give you a look behind the curtain on how certain systems operate.



Want to learn more about the picturesque cathedral or the historical Tramau Central Station? Or are you more interested in how we implemented Passenger Information Systems, intersections or the highly detailed overhead lines? All of this and much more is waiting for you to be explored right now.

The completionists among you will be able to look forward to collectables, hidden all over the city. These postcards will unlock more of Tramau’s history, adding even further to the authenticity of Tramau as a real, living and breathing city.



This first wave of updates will also introduce the Quick-Play function, allowing you to jump into the game right away. If you’re just hankering for a bit of tram driving, this mode is for you.
Finally, the character selection and achievements will be finalized, and all tutorials will be introduced to the game.



[h2]Phase 2 and beyond[/h2]
After the conclusion of Phase 1, we move onto further updates. Much like the previous content, this is currently all a work in progress and subject to change, but for now let’s take a quick look at what is currently planned.

Tramau’s tram network offers a lot to explore from the get-go, but we would like to expand this even further and add more areas for you to delve into. These expansions will add to the existing network seamlessly and allow you not only discover new areas in Tramau, but also give you more freedom to expand your network and interconnect it in new and exciting ways.



To keep things interesting, we are also working on a new, modern Viennese tram to be added in the future. We can’t reveal which one it is quite yet, but we hope you are excited and looking forward to another highly detailed and accurate vehicle to add to your collection.

Furthermore, we want to add to the immersive experience by adding AI trains at the main station and more varied passenger and AI car models.

You can also expect to hear more news about the dynamic weather feature, which introduces fog and rain effects which impact the driving behaviour of your tram. The dynamic passenger volume feature will make adjustments to how many passengers board your tram depending on the time of day, making nighttime drives calmer, but the midday rush all the more exciting.



And that is it for now! Make sure to have a look at our announcement article as well, which will go into more detail about when and where to purchase City Transport Simulator: Tram.

To stay up to date on the latest news, development updates, and other fun things, follow us on our social channels (Discord, Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter/X), visit www.citytransportsimulator.com, and sign up to our mailing list.

City Transport Simulator: Tram will be available for pre-order on June 20th, and we can’t wait to see what you think!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2604480/City_Transport_Simulator_Tram/

City Transport Simulator: Tram – Coming to Early Access!

Greetings tram drivers old and new, we’re so excited to announce that City Transport Simulator: Tram will be entering into Early Access on 20th June 2024.

You can still add City Transport Simulator: Tram to your Steam wishlist, and also be sure to sign up for our mailing list so you’ll be the first to know when we enter into Early Access.



[h2]About City Transport Simulator: Tram[/h2]
Assume the role of a tram driver as you transport your passengers to their destinations all around the city of Tramau. Get set up in one of three true-to-life real-world trams, each with their own unique cabs, interiors, modes, and functions. Familiarise yourself with your favourite tram and start picking up and dropping off your passengers while sticking to the timetable.



The city’s tram network has seen better days, so it’s up to you to manage Tramau’s entire tram operation! Start with limited resources and a single tram as you gradually expand your small tram operation into a city-spanning customisable tram network. Add more trams to your fleet, customise and edit your own timetables, and position your own tramlines to link up your stations however you see fit!



[h2]Welcome to Tramau[/h2]
Tramau is inspired by real-world cities found in southern Germany. We’ve worked hard to build Tramau to be as authentic as possible, producing a rich and storied history and unique points of interest, including a Baroque-style cathedral, a 14th century University, and a botanical garden constructed in the 18th century. We didn’t want you to be limited creatively by a real city when building out custom tramlines and stations, but rather, to truly make Tramau your own.



[h2]Why Early Access?[/h2]
We chose to go with Early Access, because we believe that, with your input, we can create the best gaming experience, as it provides us the opportunity to develop City Transport Simulator: Tram hand-in-hand with our community.
This approach allows us to integrate real player feedback, ensuring that we create the most immersive and engaging tram simulation experience possible. Our team values player insights, and we believe this collaborative process will greatly enhance the game's quality and playability.



[h2]Get in Touch & Keep Updated[/h2]
If you want to keep up to date with latest news, development updates, and other fun things, be sure to follow us on our social channels (Discord, Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter/X), visit www.citytransportsimulator.com, and sign up to our mailing list.

Thank you for your continued support as we embark on this exciting journey together. We can’t wait to show you what we’ve been working on!

Pic of the Week #23 - Main Menu

In this Pic of the Week, we're taking it easy as we prepare for a major announcement next week!

Week 23 - The Main Menu


We don't want to leave you without a new screenshot, so today we present the new main menu of City Transport Simulator: Tram.



Stay tuned to our social media channels because next week we'll have plenty of exciting news about City Transport Simulator: Tram – maybe even a release date? 👀



CTS: Tram will be released in 2024, and we are excited to share these developments with our community. Stay tuned for more in-depth insights into the development process, exclusive features, and exciting updates. Join the discussion in our Steam Forum, Discord Server, and explore our social media channels (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook).

Sign up for the CTS: Tram Newsletter, where we share exclusive insights, behind-the-scenes content, and much more – click here to join our mailing list!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2604480/City_Transport_Simulator_Tram/

Pic of the Week #22 - HUD Display

Welcome to the City Transport Simulator: Tram - Pic of the Week #22! This week, we focus on the HUD we have developed for CTS: Tram.

Week 22: HUD Display




Our previous tram simulator, TramSim, didn’t have a HUD, which often led to players not knowing how fast they were going or what the speed limit was. Therefore, it was important to us from the beginning to integrate a HUD in CTS: Tram.

We created the first concept for the HUD back in July 2023. The goal was to unify all the information found in the tram into one place – the HUD. For this, we created a space at the bottom left that displayed speed, allowed speed, the next signal, the next two switches, the slope, and the amps. Additionally, there were IBIS information like the name and distance of the next stop, and the current punctuality.



[h2]Initial Implementation and Overhaul[/h2]

Initially, the HUD was implemented into the game as designed. However, after several test phases, we noticed that it was too much information at once. Therefore, we simplified the HUD to include only the most important information. To complement this, we implemented a kind of minimap that shows the next switch positions and the location of the next stop. Additionally, we now show the route being driven with the selected color above the "Next Stop" and the distance to the next speed restriction below.



[h2]Career Mode and EXP Display[/h2]

On the right side of the HUD are all the important elements related to EXP in Career Mode. You earn a certain amount of EXP for correct driving (observing speed, signals, using indicators, etc.). This can also create a combo that awards even more EXP. At the top, you can see the current level, the total EXP, and the time.



[h2]Objectives and Tips[/h2]

For tutorials and tips, there are specific "Objectives" in the top left. These help you quickly and easily understand what the next step is. Below these, you can also find notifications about the respective controls, such as whether the door release has been activated/deactivated or how much the lever has been moved.



Overall, we are very proud of the HUD display. It immensely helps to have all the important information at a glance, making tram driving even more beginner-friendly. Of course, it can also be turned off if you prefer the classic experience.

CTS: Tram will be released in 2024, and we are excited to share these exciting developments with our community. Stay tuned for more in-depth insights into the development process, exclusive features, and exciting updates. Join the discussion in our Steam Forum, Discord Server, and explore our social media channels (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook).

Sign up for the CTS: Tram Newsletter where we share exclusive insights, behind-the-scenes content, and much more – click here to join our mailing list!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2604480/City_Transport_Simulator_Tram/

Pic of the Week #21 - AI Traffic

Welcome to the Picture of the Week #21! Today, we delve into the world of AI traffic in City Transport Simulator: Tram.

Week 21: AI Traffic in Tramau




AI traffic is a crucial component that truly brings cities to life in a simulation. We've introduced some exciting improvements and innovations to enliven the streets of Tramau with realistic and intelligent traffic.

A vibrant city is characterized by a variety of vehicle types and colors on its streets. Therefore, we've integrated various types of cars in different colors to create a diverse traffic scene. From compact city cars to delivery vans – the streets of Tramau are bustling and diverse. Even a DHL delivery van can be found in the game!



[h2]Improved AI Technology[/h2]

The AI in the game has been completely overhauled and is now significantly smarter and more dynamic. This contributes to making the traffic in Tramau feel realistic and organic. Even parked cars have been faithfully recreated, including the correct angle of the wheels.



Another notable improvement is the adaptation of AI passengers. They now respond to the destination display of the tram and board or disembark accordingly. Additionally, they utilize all available seating in the tram regardless of the entry door and prefer seats over standing room. When they want to disembark, they move towards the door during the journey, rather than waiting until the tram has come to a stop.

[h2]Intelligent Traffic Light Control[/h2]

Controlling the traffic lights was a central focus in the development of Tramau. Since it's a fictional city, we had to redesign and implement the traffic light system from scratch. We aimed to make the traffic light sequence dynamic and realistic.



At tram stops, there are trigger points that switch the traffic lights to "stop" or "go" mode, similar to many real cities, to ensure the smooth flow of passengers.

[h2]Adaptation to Stop Areas[/h2]

In stop areas where there is a lane for cars between the tram and the stop, we're currently implementing special measures. Cars will stop before the tram stop to ensure the safety of passengers. This will allow passengers to reach and leave the trams without any risk, while other road users wait until boarding and alighting are complete.



CTS: Tram will be released in 2024, and we're excited to share these exciting developments with our community. Stay tuned for more in-depth insights into the development process, exclusive features, and exciting updates. Join the discussion on our Steam Forum, Discord Server, and explore our social media channels (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook).

Sign up for the CTS: Tram newsletter, where we share exclusive insights, behind-the-scenes content, and much more – click here to join our mailing list!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2604480/City_Transport_Simulator_Tram/