I feel it’s about time I released another version of Train Game: so here it is, version 0.2! Like it’s predecessor this version isn’t really playable in any sense, but you can drive the train around a bit. Here’s a screenshot showing the two major new features: trees and uphill track:

Building and Playing

This version is source-only and will only work on Linux/*BSD without significant tweaking, although I do plan a Windows version at some point.

First, download and unpack TrainGame-0.2.0.tar.gz.

In the TrainGame-0.2.0 directory, run:

cmake .
make

You will be notified of any missing dependencies. Note that FLTK is no longer required. Do not run make install! It’s currently designed to run in-place.

To play:

./bin/TrainGame play demo

You can substitute “demo” for anything in the maps directory such as “figure8” or “uphill”. If you want to create or edit a map do:

./bin/TrainGame edit mymap --width 32 --height 64

The controls are quite simple:

  • The up and down arrow keys control speed.
  • The “b” key toggles the brake.
  • The “r” key toggles reverse but only when there is no power applied.
  • The left and right arrow keys change the direction of points when you are near some.
  • The tab key switches between bird’s-eye, floating, and fixed camera modes. Use the mouse to move the camera in floating mode, then hit tab to lock it in fixed mode.

Plans

So, I’m thinking of where to go with Train Game now since the project seems a bit direction-less and perhaps that explains the slow progress.

My current thinking is that there will be two game modes: “challenge” and “trading”.

Challenge mode involves you completing various train based tasks. There are two sub-modes:

  • Timetable – drive a passenger train along a route trying to stop at stations at the correct times and also make the passengers’ journey as comfortable as possible (i.e. no sudden starts/stops). This style of game seems very popular in Japan.
  • Delivery – you are given a series of increasingly difficult delivery tasks to perform with a strict time limit. E.g. “collect 10 units of wood from X and deliver them to Y in 1 minute” or something like that.

Trading mode is a bit more open-ended and also has two sub-modes:

  • Capitalism – you buy and sell goods at different stations. There’s a simple market economy which fluctuates with your actions. It’s a bit like a train-based Elite. With the money you earn you can buy new trucks, upgrade your train, etc.
  • Socialism – there’s no market but you score points for heroic actions such as transporting goods over long distances at high speeds. There are also randomly generated “quotas” that work a bit like an extended challenge mode. The details still need to be worked out…

In both these sub-modes you compete against other AI controlled trains, or maybe even other human controlled trains.

I’m also considering renaming it DoofTrains to make it sound a bit less generic.

What do you think, readers?