Pic Of The Week #13 - The Central Control Unit

Originally published on March 15th, 2024

Welcome to the latest 'Pic of the Week' for City Transport Simulator: Tram! This week, we're taking a closer look at the Central Control Unit (ZSG) of the ULF tram.



The ZSG is a crucial element in the ULF tram, helping the driver to operate safely and monitor various systems of the tram. One of the important functions of the ZSG is to prevent unauthorized departure. For example, it can prevent the tram from moving if the door release is activated in a station and the driver forgets to clear it.

Energy-Efficient Driving

The ZSG of the ULF tram also indicates to the driver how energy-efficient their driving is. When the driver leaves the lever of the tram in a neutral position, the tram only rolls and consumes less power. The percentage displayed on the screen shows the average energy savings during the journey, while the blue bar provides additional motivation for the driver to drive as energy-efficiently as possible. This feature was actually integrated into the tram to encourage drivers to maintain an efficient driving style.



Game Implementation

We have made efforts to integrate the ZSG as accurately as possible into CTS: Tram. However, the ZSG only displays error messages in German, which can be a challenge for some players. Additionally, each vehicle has a different solution from the tram manufacturers, as mentioned earlier.

Therefore, we have implemented an additional help option in the form of hints & tips in the game. These hints are displayed in the HUD during the session and provide players with dynamic support when the game detects that they are stuck, for example, with the door release or when upgrading a tram. Of course, players have the option to turn off these tips at any time.




CTS: Tram will be released in 2024, and we look forward to sharing 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).