CIM2 requests and suggestions

[Gogomaester]

As i have read almost everything about CiM 2, I would like to say just one thing, but probably it will be solvedwithout my note:

-When a sim goes from A to B and two or more lines are going there (same time), the sim should use the line, that comes first. -That would be a nice addition, because of making two lines in center with interval 5 minutes and 1 line in suburb with interval 10 minutes. (I am sorry I do not know the english word - branching?) It was in Traffic Giant too.

thanks

 

[josh95459]

Just a few Suggestions based on what I've seen.
1. Multiple depots per line and the ability to "lock" which certain vehicle to certain lines. This is especially imprtant for long lines.
2. Support for service patterns based on time period, so a train might be express during peak or a bus will stop at a stadium on weekends.
3. The ability to decide where to start a service on a line, so people at Z don't have to wait for a bus/tram/train from A to arive in the morining.
4. Different types of depot's such as large maintenance facilities and small sidings/layover stops.
5. Probably difficult to implement, but special events on certain days at stadiums and parks and the ability to have special event services.
6. Public spaces like parks and beaches as potential trip generators.
7. park and ride potential and the ability to actually affect congestion on roads.
8. Integrated transfer stations for all modes.
9. Line/Company Colours.
These are just some of my Ideas, but I wanted to try avoid repeating the really common ones like single track and moddable stations, which I have full support for.

 

[Shukfir]

6. Tramway stops can be used by buses as well.

Good idea. And trolleybus stops too.

 

[mippzon]

Funicular

I just realized that CIM2 needs funicular (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funicular) as well.
And metro/railway station features such as those sliding doors that opens when the train is properly aligned with them at a station!
Oh, and please let us build the Copenhagen Metro as well! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copenhagen_Metro)

 

[unmerged(387152)]

I would like to see more types of bus stops (Express Stops) and Train stations (6-8 Platform stations) More variety of Tram stops and Ferry Terminals.

if CIM 2 is timed based, and I decided to run a 24hr Metro Line, I wouldn't need 5-6 carriages for my metro line in the early mornings or on unpopular lines. I would be losing money. Though if I can customize the amount of carriages from a min of 2-6 depending on how popular the line is at the time. This would make the game more realistic plus won't be losing valuable $$$$$$$ from the early morning shifts.

 

[TH1]

I just realized that CIM2 needs funicular (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Funicular) as well.

What about cogwheel trains/trams? ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest_Cog-wheel_Railway )

 

[slornie]

Another suggestion:

How about the option of designating routes as tourist attractions? Sightseeing buses, or heritage tram lines (with appropriate vehicle choices). These would have greater attraction for tourists at the expense of popularity with general commuters. Maybe the attractiveness could be scaled by the number of places of interest the line covers (have special waypoints to put at said places of interest).

 

[gaerraty]

Suggestion: Ability to change vehicle color by vehicle type or line

This could be done with a mod in CiM1 but it would be nice to have built in option to change line colors for specified vehicle type and/or different lines. For example light blue for busses, green for trams and orange for metro .

 

[TH1]

Suggestion: Ability to change vehicle color by vehicle type or line

That would be nice.

 

[giladteller]

One of the most important aspects that need revision from CiM1 is the objectives.
Most objectives on CiM1 were very easy and mostly - annoying. Most of the time I just placed 2 bus stops, bought the cheapest bus available, and immediately closed the line.
I think that one big objective would be good. Time limit for the objectives can also add to the difficulty of the objective.
Some ideas:
You have X days to transport 1000 passengers.
You have X days to reach 90% coverage.
Earn X $ (or whatever the currency will be) each day for 1 week (1 game week is 2.8 hours).
Keep a reputation of 90% or more for 1 week.

You can also have a mission to help a failing company. The game starts in a map with working lines, but the company is loosing money, and has many loans. You must get the company back on it's feet, return all loans and make the company profitable. But, any place that is already covered, must stay covered - coverage percentage must not go down, to prevent the player from selling all vehicles, and demolishing all his infrastructure to get quick cash.

 

[unmerged(276373)]

I think that they mentioned some of that in one of the videos.

 

[slornie]

You can also have a mission to help a failing company. The game starts in a map with working lines, but the company is loosing money, and has many loans. You must get the company back on it's feet, return all loans and make the company profitable. But, any place that is already covered, must stay covered - coverage percentage must not go down, to prevent the player from selling all vehicles, and demolishing all his infrastructure to get quick cash.

I like your general ideas about improving the objectives and missions in Cities in Motion, but I disagree with the two points highlighted above.

1) I'm not sure that an objective to repay all loans is a particularly good idea. I would hate to get so far into a campaign level, have achieved all of the other objectives, and then have to sit around on fast-forward until I can afford to pay-down the entire loan. Pay down a set proportion of the loans, fine; but the entire loan, especially a large one, no thanks. I actually quite like the goals in CiM1 where you just have to raise a certain amount of money (maybe to return to investors?), only I would like to see them improved so that new money raised from additional loans is excluded from the target. Or perhaps something closer to your suggestion would be nice, where the goal is to reduce the level of company debt to a certain percentage of company value.

2) If I am challenged to rescue a failing company, I would find it annoying to be penalised for attempting to reconfigure services to make a profit. If a line to a particular area is losing money and I can't see any way to improve the situation, why shouldn't I be allowed to close it and focus my attention elsewhere? By all means set a goal for coverage, but don't prescribe that coverage can't at any point fall or be removed from existing areas. Let the player reach it in their own way and time.

 

[rcrowle]

An idea i have (not sure if already been suggested), would be to have a "workshop/coachbuilders" at the garage, this would allow improving/change vehicle (even as technology changes) things like what type of ticket machine installed, or if the display is electronic or roller (not sure what called 2000's would often see a mixture of old and new displays on buses) Other things could be like adding air con & maybe changing the engine (what Euro emission standards it meets, how powefull (maybe have an electric/environment friendly etc) , how many doors on buses (improves loading/unloading, this could effect fair dogging, and number of seats)

I not really sure what else if anything did get customized by cities/bus companies. I think it could add bit more fun to the game

 

[unmerged(276373)]

That sounds neat. I've been thinking about something similar myself.
You could install electronic timetables at stations/stops that shows real time info about how long it's for next vehicle to arrive and other information for the network. You could install those in the vehicle also for enabling the sims to maybe use a different route to get to their destination quicker if something unforeseen happens, and put some pressure of the most used hubs/lines at the time.
Those would also make your reputation higher.

 

[jmr00]

My suggestion / request is for CIMS to understand timetables/schedules.
So if I have a bus line that only runs in morning peak that they dont turn up to the stop after peak and wait there all afternoon/night for a bus that is not coming for another 12 or so hours. Would also like to be able to run weekday only routes and not have people turn up to a stop on a saturday waiting until monday for the bus to come.

 

[giladteller]

I like your general ideas about improving the objectives and missions in Cities in Motion, but I disagree with the two points highlighted above.

1) I'm not sure that an objective to repay all loans is a particularly good idea. I would hate to get so far into a campaign level, have achieved all of the other objectives, and then have to sit around on fast-forward until I can afford to pay-down the entire loan. Pay down a set proportion of the loans, fine; but the entire loan, especially a large one, no thanks. I actually quite like the goals in CiM1 where you just have to raise a certain amount of money (maybe to return to investors?), only I would like to see them improved so that new money raised from additional loans is excluded from the target. Or perhaps something closer to your suggestion would be nice, where the goal is to reduce the level of company debt to a certain percentage of company value.

The general idea of my proposal wasn't tasks that you can complete by fast forwarding. Your idea of returning only a certain percentage of the loans is more reasonable.

2) If I am challenged to rescue a failing company, I would find it annoying to be penalised for attempting to reconfigure services to make a profit. If a line to a particular area is losing money and I can't see any way to improve the situation, why shouldn't I be allowed to close it and focus my attention elsewhere? By all means set a goal for coverage, but don't prescribe that coverage can't at any point fall or be removed from existing areas. Let the player reach it in their own way and time.

What I want here is to force the player to fix the situation. If you have a line that is loosing money - fix it. Re-design the network. You can close a line, but only if you build another one instead. The company is waisting too much money on a metro line? You can replace it with a bus.

 

[TH1]

giladteller, slornie, it's nice to read your discussion: looks like you are designing the missions for the game. maybe you should consider applying for a job at CO.

 

[Seravajan]

An idea i have (not sure if already been suggested), would be to have a "workshop/coachbuilders" at the garage, this would allow improving/change vehicle (even as technology changes) things like what type of ticket machine installed, or if the display is electronic or roller (not sure what called 2000's would often see a mixture of old and new displays on buses) Other things could be like adding air con & maybe changing the engine (what Euro emission standards it meets, how powefull (maybe have an electric/environment friendly etc) , how many doors on buses (improves loading/unloading, this could effect fair dogging, and number of seats)

I not really sure what else if anything did get customized by cities/bus companies. I think it could add bit more fun to the game

Excellent idea. Especially if the network is running quite well and there are no other tasks to fulfil it would be handy to create new vehicles, technologies or accessories (air con, DPIS (dynamic passengers information systems), fare systems and so on) for them or for the attractivity (ex: increase the attractivity of a vehicle by modernizing it and by adding air con). Even having two way vehicles for tramways being developed as well.

 

[co_martsu]

One of the most important aspects that need revision from CiM1 is the objectives.
Most objectives on CiM1 were very easy and mostly - annoying. Most of the time I just placed 2 bus stops, bought the cheapest bus available, and immediately closed the line.
I think that one big objective would be good. Time limit for the objectives can also add to the difficulty of the objective.

I believe you will be happy to hear that this is something we realized earlier and have designed already We'll be concentrating on the big picture, not as much on those separate small tasks. Great to hear your suggestions and feel free to keep new ideas coming!

 

[Svip]

Well there be any unique Ulm features? I ask because I am trying to convince Ulm to play CiM2, and right now it is unlikely that anything can rise beyond the Ulm DLC for CiM1.

(Also left hand driving.)

 

[mkostrov]

My requests and suggestions

1. The vehicle at achievement of 100 % of wear goes to depot and any more isn't shown on lines while player will be not not led by major maintenance or will buy on its place other vehicle. So it is realized in Railroad tycoon 3.

2. Timetables
At a route is an exit on which vehicles are bought. Upon purchase of a new vehicle the schedule type gets out:
* Work only in rush hour - with 6:00 till 10:00, with 15:00 till 19:00
* Work one change - or morning (6:00-15:00, either evening 15:00-0:00, or night 0:00-6:00)
* Work - goes to 2 changes 2 drivers, 6:00-0:00
* the 12-sentry (day) - goes with 6:00 till 19:00

It schedules should belong not to a route as a whole (as in traffic game), and to concrete vehicles.

It would be quite good to add this table with columns from "Line statistic panel" addition, that is besides intervals to display quantity of vehicles on a route, income, an expense, profit, mood of passengers which stand at stops. it would be quite good to show in the table and a passenger traffic on a route at different times days that there was a possibility to react to its change not only addition of vehicles to the line, but also change such as the schedule of each vehicle.

3. Days should last jotas of 2-3 real hours. Otherwise at an interval of 5-10 minutes (in game) on routes buses will accumulate at stops. Besides it guarantees that for rush hour the bus will pass at least 1 turnover of a route. Rush hour which only 2-3 real minutes it last it is not serious.

Or the time scale should be adjusted manually before game start.

4. A little more about multiplayer. Remember, how was in a multiplayer in Traffic Giant? On streets there were many stops of the different companies as it was impossible to lay a route through another's stops. Because of it buses disturbed each other. It looked not esthetically and isn't realistic. And so, if the stop is constructed by someone, other companies should have full authority on it to stop! Thus expenses for a stop share on both companies.

5. Tram ways and subway ways, trolleybus lines also should have possibility to be used by any company. However, that there was no injustice (one player constructed ways, and the others use), it is necessary to make the following. At the route organization on another's ways, the owner of ways has a dialog box: to resolve or not laying of a route of another's company.

6. Possibility in a multiplayer to start up the rolling stock on another's route. At the owner of a route the message - to resolve it should emerge or to forbid it, and also the offered sum of rent for using a route per day. Respectively, appears the message, whether you agree for this sum to place the vehicles on this route? I do not know, how in Europe and USA, but in Russia some companies on one route is a norm.

Tnx for work and sorrry for my bad English))