Ever Changing Routes?

Discussion in 'Suggestions' started by deanmacgregor, Sep 30, 2021.

  1. deanmacgregor

    deanmacgregor Active Member

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    I seen a screenshot of london commuter with cranes by battersea power station now. It made me think that they wouldn't stick around forever in real life. It would be good if there was an option for live routes where without the need for an update, DTG could just upload changes to the map in real time, and I mean small changes like in a few days the cranes are gone, a few days after a large building by the track side suddenly has scaffolding around it for a week. Or maybe have the game randomize the maps like this on it's own? Online live maps would also be good for other live players to operate on the same network as you. And maybe the player can turn "other players" on or off and the signalling system would account for them as well. To stop it being mayhem, maybe each online session could have a maximum of 4-8 players. I think a live online feature on routes would have so much potential but my initial idea was so that DTG or other certified devs could test something they want to put in like scaffolding, cranes, static vehicles or other dioramas and when they're happy, place them into the online session versions of the route and maybe look to allow the game to randomize scenery automatically so those who aren't online would benefit too. What does everyone think of this ever-changing scenery idea?
     
  2. trainsimplayer

    trainsimplayer Well-Known Member

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    I think the "frozen" nature of the routes is better, personally.

    Firstly, routes such as GWE portray the line in the middle of Construction Works preparing for Crossrail and also to electrify the route.
    BML obviously is a few years back.

    I feel like the different eras help make routes unique in a way.

    So I'll go with a "No thanks" to this one :)
     
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  3. deanmacgregor

    deanmacgregor Active Member

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    That's the beauty of this, the ongoing updates and changes would be an optional feature where the user could toggle it on or off to the original version.
     
  4. Rybnicki

    Rybnicki Well-Known Member

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    You'd have to have a dedicated team for each route in this case, who rode it regularly and updated it. Just not feasible.
     
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  5. aaronbrall#7894

    aaronbrall#7894 Active Member

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    Yeah nah way too much work for the devs, DTG has about 140-150 employees who have to update all 27 in game routes regularly to keep up IRL changes, AND make even more content for the game, its a really bad suggestion

    Not to mention the fact that some routes look very different today compared to when they are presented in the game like WSR, TVL, NTP, MSB to name a few
     
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  6. antwerpcentral

    antwerpcentral Well-Known Member

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    It doesn't have to be live without updates. But I like the idea of ever changing routes but then I think more like works being done on the railroad. With these specialised trains they use to replace rails.. If those would randomly pop up wherever on a route the route will be changing for ever.
     
  7. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    Whilst not agreeing with "ever changing" I have wondered whether tile substitution is possible (similar to locos subbing) so you could literlaly have a tile for summer, a tile for winter or for things like "the cranes aren't here any more", which would allow for variety over a few seasons and mean that the route isn't always the same.
    With routes like Cornwall upcoming where you would definitely WANT things to be busier in summer and almost dead in winter (think beaches) this would allow great flexibility. But of course I don't know whether it's possible technically
     
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  8. antwerpcentral

    antwerpcentral Well-Known Member

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    Sounds possible. There is a calendar tied to weather and day and night so it's a dynamic calendar. I like the idea of routes that will never be the same. Also passengers clothing should change with the seasons.
     
  9. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    RH passengers already do this, and they'll be rolled out across all routes as the preserved team get to them. Clothing will be tied to prevailing temperature (so in summer they're in T shirts and so on, in winter they wear coats)
     
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  10. Factor41

    Factor41 Well-Known Member

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    This doesn't even need to be a huge difference, just the occasional little things popping up - maybe a bit of scaffolding that comes and goes, a maintenance team working on one of the bridges, an unusual boat in port, an old plane following the railway line overhead etc, just enough to catch your eye. Like when you're on EC or SEHS and one of the railtour trains goes past, taking you by surprise. I'm sure they could be implemented in the same way as the Mastery overlays.
     
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  11. ARuscoe

    ARuscoe Well-Known Member

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    Dioramas would serve this purpose, same as they do on platforms for passenger and engineer scenes
     
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  12. deanmacgregor

    deanmacgregor Active Member

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    The odd hot air balloon to appear 1/5 times in different areas
     
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