The Bus News

[p]To celebrate the free expansion of The Bus – Hamburg City Map, we’re launching a series of short video clips. The focus is on Line 7, which will soon expand the existing DLC.
The release is planned for mid-December 2025.[/p][p]The videos will be published gradually on YouTube.[/p][p]We start on Fuhlsbüttler Straße, heading north.
In Part 2, we drive through the southern section of Steilshooper Straße, followed by the northern section in Part 3.
Part 4 continues east along Steilshooper Allee to Gustav-Seitz-Weg.
Finally, Part 5 takes us to the terminal stop Borchertring.[/p][p][/p][p]Video links:[/p][p][/p][p]Part 1 – from Dec 8, 2025, 16:00[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Part 2 – from Dec 9, 2025, 16:00[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Part 3 – from Dec 10, 2025, 16:00[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Part 4 – from Dec 11, 2025, 16:00
[dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Part 5 – from Dec 12, 2025, 16:00[/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Enjoy watching! 😊[/p]

[h2]Winter magic in Berlin[/h2][p]Via the in-game calendar, various festive Christmas markets in Berlin can be selected as dates starting December 1, 2025. When you select one of these days in December, the markets will be visible in the game up to and including December 31, 2025. At the same time, this is a small reminder to check the calendar whenever you feel like a trip through Berlin with festively decorated markets.[/p][p]The mix of a winter setting, market stalls and glowing lights creates a special atmosphere on your daily routes through the city.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]What you can look forward to[/h2]

• [p]Detailed stalls and Christmas-themed attractions[/p]
• [p]Traditional mulled wine and bratwurst[/p]
• [p]A festive environment during your regular tours[/p]

[p][/p][carousel][/carousel][p][/p][p]Whether you just pass by once or cross the market again and again on your lines, the Christmas market will accompany you throughout the festive season.[/p][p]Have fun in wintery Berlin and enjoy the Christmas season in The Bus![/p]

[h3]A new version of the popular Hamburg City map for The Bus is now available on Steam.[/h3][p][/p][p][/p][p]The focus of this update is an important new feature: AI buses are now operating in Hamburg as well.[/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Implementing this feature turned out to be significantly more complex than expected. Every single AI bus was tested on all available routes. Whenever issues occurred, a detailed analysis followed, the suspected cause was corrected, and only the next version showed whether the problem was truly resolved.[/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p]Section by section, all critical spots were refined until every bus could operate reliably. With the AI buses now available on routes 6 and 17, Hamburg’s city traffic now feels noticeably more lively and even more authentic.[/p][p] [/p][p]The update also includes the previously announced new repaints of Hamburger Hochbahn.
A special highlight is the repaint of the white E-Citaro, featuring numerous employee signatures. This has been faithfully recreated to deliver a highly authentic impression.[/p][p][/p][p]Also included:
Several smaller improvements, including adjustments to the behavior of passengers, pedestrians, and AI traffic.[/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p]Update not downloading automatically?[/p][p]Simply go to Downloads in your Steam Library and click the download button next to The Bus.[/p][p][/p][p]We wish you lots of fun with the new feature: AI buses in Hamburg![/p]

[h2]Introduction[/h2][p]Welcome to DevLog 1. In this entry, we are looking at a system that runs in the background but is very important for how The Bus feels to drive: the compressed air system of the buses.[/p][p]Over the past weeks, we have developed a new, custom pneumatic system that replaces the previous simplified calculations and is intended to bring the simulation much closer to reality.[/p][p]As always, everything shown here is still in development and may change before release.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]New compressed air system[/h2][p]Recently, we have been working on a new, custom pneumatic system that handles the compressed air calculations for the buses. Until now, these calculations in the game were rather rough and heavily simplified. With the new system, we now simulate an actual mass flow of air through pipes and individual components.[/p][p]Air flow is calculated more accurately using different physical formulas for various flow regimes, including laminar flow, subcritical turbulent flow, and supercritical turbulent flow. The system is fully modular: individual components can be freely combined and configured, and it is designed so that it can become interesting and extendable for modding in the future.[/p][p]We primarily expect this to result in a much more accurate simulation of brake behaviour and suspension. It is also planned that the sounds will react dynamically to the pneumatic system, so that air noises are more directly tied to the actual system state.[/p][p][/p][h2]Setup in the editor[/h2][p]To be able to use this system effectively, we have created a visual editor inside the engine. There, we represent the different circuits and components of the air system as a graph and can configure the entire setup in a clear way.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Here you can see the brake circuits recreated in the editor. Circuit 1 and 2 are responsible for the main service brake system on the front and rear axles. Circuit 3 handles the parking brake, and Circuit 4 supplies ABS, ASR, and other consumers such as suspension and doors.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]In the editor, the required components can then be added freely and connected to each other.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]After that, they can be configured in detail, allowing us to adjust the setup depending on the bus type or system requirements without having to reprogram everything from scratch.[/p][p]For the moment, the new editor is used exclusively for the pneumatic system. However, the idea is to later configure the entire drivetrain of the buses through this editor as well.[/p][p][/p][h2]Live data and impact in game[/h2][p]During PlayInEditor, all live data of the system is displayed for debugging. This allows us to monitor compressed air and, in some cases, the resulting forces in all parts of the system in real time. We can see immediately how changes in the setup affect the behaviour of the bus and fine-tune the system accordingly.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]In game, this should mainly result in more precise braking behaviour and a more believable suspension response.[/p][p]Even though the new editor is currently only used for the compressed air system, it is intended as a tool for many future systems. With this DevLog, we have taken the first step. In future DevLogs, we will cover more topics from development and keep you updated on our progress. Thank you for following The Bus so closely![/p]

[p][/p][p]With the free route expansions around the new lines 7 and 277, the branch to the Alsterdorf depot, and the extension of line 17 to the Berne underground station, the Hamburg DLC continues to grow steadily.[/p][p]In addition to the map expansion, additional features and optimizations are also planned. At the top of the list is the integration of AI buses on the already existing lines.[/p][p][/p][p]But that’s not all: There is also news regarding the repaints.[/p][p]Be You. Be Us. – A statement for the city[/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p]Under the motto Be You. Be Us., Hamburger Hochbahn not only actively recruits new employees, but the slogan also stands for diversity, respect, and solidarity.[/p][p]With around 6,600 employees, Hochbahn is one of the largest employers in northern Germany and offers a wide range of job opportunities with over 100 different professional fields.
If you want to learn more about the initiative, you can find additional information on the linked Hochbahn website.[/p][p][/p][p]Authentic implementation in the game[/p][p]To ensure this look also leaves an authentic impression in the game, several fitting bus repaints were created for the DLC. [/p][p]The advertisement was applied to all bus models currently available in The Bus, including vehicles that are not used in real Hamburg city traffic. This creates a uniform and cohesive cityscape, regardless of which bus type players choose.[/p][p]Attentive fans may have already noticed: The campaign can already be seen as a poster in the game at Barmbek station.[/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p]Release of the repaints [/p][p]The new repaints will be released with one of the upcoming updates for The Bus – Hamburg City DLC.[/p][p]Special thanks go to Funky_HD, who created these repaints with great care and attention to detail.[/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p]Best regards,
The Halycon Media development team[/p][p][/p][p]Link: Hochbahn[/p]