🚩FAQ - Questions and answers🚩

❗Русская версия доступна по ссылке.

❗Deutsche Version hier erhältlich.  

Some time ago, Transport Games users formed a list of questions, which we will try to answer in this post 😉

First of all, many thanks to all of you for your questions and for being interested in our game! It is very important thing for us as a small indie team to know that people are waiting for our game and want to see it as soon as possible. We are currently deeply focused on development of the most important game mechanics that will allow us to build a complex simulator of public transport. All of us spent hours in such games like OMSI, Trancity, Bus Simulator and all of us are following the development of modern bus and tram simulators but in all of these games there was always something missing! 😄 Urban Transport Simulator started out as a trolleybus simulator, and therefore trolleybuses will be given special attention here. However, our main goal is to make a simulator of all major types of urban transport (except for various variations of "large" rail transport, at least for now 😆), so buses and trams will also be worked out as much as possible.

Please note: all screenshots posted here were taken on a test map in an early version of the game and does not represent the final quality. We still have a lot of work to do with the environment, details and the picture.

Well, let's get down to your questions! :)

General questions:

1. What types of transport will be available in Urban Transport Simulator? Will they be available immediately or sold as modules?

As we said in the introduction, there will be three types of transport in Urban Transport Simulator: trolleybuses, buses, and trams. All of them will be available already in the first playable version of the game, without dividing into separate modules.

2. What vehicles will be available? Will there be a {transport name}?

Of course, we would like to add all the vehicles in the world, but, unfortunately, we do not have enough resources and time for this. 😄 On the simulator's Instagram page, you may already have seen some vehicles: first of all the ZiU-682V and G trolleybuses, as well as the LiAZ-677 and Mercedes-Benz O405 buses. Development continues, and we will announce the exact list of all vehicles closer to the release of the game.

3.  Which countries' vehicles will be featured in the game? 

In the first public version of the game, both Soviet/Russian and European transport (trolleybuses, buses, and trams) will be available.

4. How many people are working on the game?

The Urban Transport Simulator is created by a small but very interested team. 😄 The basis consists of 4 people and two more join them from time to time, depending on the current tasks.

5. When will the game be released? Will it be early access or full release?

Urban Transport Simulator is a very ambitious and complex project. Therefore, we simply will not be able to implement everything we have planned in an adequate time frame. That is why the plan at the moment is to release a solid playable version into early access, and then refine and create the final version of the game. Early Access version will be a playable simulator game, while the final version, according to our plan, will add a broad economic component. 🙂

As for the dates, we will announce them later. 😉

Gameplay questions:

1. What will be the level of difficulty of the game,  how steep is the learning curve ?

First of all, it is important to understand that we are making a simulator. This means the development of many different vehicle systems (for example, a pneumatic system or a  electric motor drive controllers), as well as a realistic transport control algorithm. Of course, we will be forced to make some simplifications, but our main goal is to show the features of controlling different vehicles.

We are players too, and we understand how repulsive can it be when you enter the game, struggle for ten minutes and can't even move the bus. Therefore, we also have a simplified mode planned, where the player will not have to think about how to put the poles on the wires correctly, or about the sequence of turning on the switches in the cockpit 😄

2. Will trolleybuses run autonomously?

Yes, there will be option to drive using batteries instead of wires. It will be present even on old trolleybuses, but it will be very limited (useful only in case you accidentally drive away from the contact wires).

3. Will there be a consumption of fuel for buses and battery energy limits for trolleybuses?

Yes 🙂

4. Will the routes be fixed, or will the player be able to create his own?

In the first playable version of the game, the routes will be fixed. However, in the future we plan to add a career mode where the player will be able to create his own routes.

5. Will there be depots and zero routes?

Yes, when starting a fast ride, the player will be able to choose whether to depart from the first stop or from the depot.

6. Will there be high-speed special contact network units?

When developing the mechanics of the contact network, we include the possibility of adding new special units. So yes, the inclusion of high-speed switches is quite possible.

7. Will there be a multiplayer mode?

We have some ideas, but it's too early to say something. 🙂

8. What cities will be available?

The first basic in-game city will be fictional. It will combine ideas from various real cities, so we hope you'll enjoy it :)

9. What trams will be available in the release version?

It's a secret for now! 😊

10. Will there be AI-Traffic and passengers?

Of course! However, this is yet to come.

11. Will it be possible to walk around separately from transport, like it was in bussim18?

Yes, the player will be able to freely move around the game world.

12. Will there be tram tracks with curved rails and tram cars swinging?

This is still a secret too 😄 Tram mechanics are in active development right now and a lot of interesting things are planned in it. We will share information with you as soon as we are sure that everything is working as it should. 🙂

13. Will there be a Campaign mode and player progress system?

Yes, the Campaign mode is one of our main goals. However, its development will require a lot of time and resources. That's why only the quick drive mode will be available in the first public version of the game. However, it won't be boring either. 😊

14. Will there be vehicle maintenance and refueling?

According to our plan, player will need to deal with various manager's business, including monitoring the schedule of maintenance and refueling of vehicles.

15. Will there be gameplay videos and/or developer diaries?

Right now, it is difficult to schedule some specific events. At the moment we are working on the main functions of various game mechanics, so almost all that can be shown is the code and game statistics confirming the correct execution of functions 😄

Modding:

- Will it be possible to import vehicles and buildings into the game

- Will there be a map editor

- Will there be mods and workshop support 

- Will there be a repaint editor

- Will there be a possibility of interior decoration

The game is created on the Unity engine, which is both an advantage and a disadvantage for modding. The advantage is that it is, in fact, a map editor out of the box. A disadvantage is in everything else. 😄

Modding is one of our main goals. Therefore, when creating certain mechanics (for example, our own road editor), we also think about how a regular player could use it. Therefore, although it is too early to talk about specifics, it is quite possible to expect an editor for creating your own maps (as well as the option to import own buildings) in one form or another.

Nevertheless, players will be able to create their own repaints for various vehicles and share them! 😊 Even maybe through the Steam Workshop. If we have enough time and resources for this, an interior decoration will also be possible in earlier versions, but this is much more complicated. 😊

As for adding modder's vehicles, everything is much more complicated here. We have a plan that will make the development easier for modders, but it is postponed. After all, firstly we need to finish the main game development. 😄 There is also a possibility of cooperation with third-party development teams to release new vehicles as an official add-ons.

Technical questions:

- Will there be MAC support?

It's difficult to answer right now, since none of the developers have a MAC ...😄

- Will there be steering wheel controller support?

Yes, support for different types of steering wheels is a priority for us.

- Will the game also run on older hardware?

We will try very hard 😂

That's all! Thank you again so much for your interest in Urban Transport Simulator! We hope we were able to partially satisfy your curiosity. Follow the news! 😉