SimRail future expansion: connected routes instead of isolated content

[Corsair]

I am having a few thoughts on how I would like to see SimRail expand in terms of geographical and route content. First and foremost, I am sure SimRail team already has some solid plans as to what they want to do with the sim, and I also understand all of this is driven by the realities of running a business. It is also very early in the game lifecycle. But I just wanted to share and hopefully spark some interesting discussion and ideas about what's next for this nice looking sim so far!

Often when it comes to upcoming simulation content, users from all over the world usually wish to "pull the cover' towards them: see trains and routes of their own homeplace. This is a very human thing to do and I'm no stranger to it. However, I do not think this is the most ideal expansion strategy for a sim such as SimRail, which puts greater emphasis on the infrastructure side of things than previous simulation titles.

Poland offers quite an interesting and diverse railway experience, and I would dearly like to see the development team capitalise on it and expand from the current lines, instead of picking random bits elsewhere. I'm thinking connecting the current routes we have to Wrocław or Kraków (and the beautiful Tatra mountains?), or up north to Gdansk. My point being: when considering new content to develop after consolidating what you have, would it not be better to implement topologically connected regions instead of "one-off", isolated network from what is already there? Too many times has train simulation content not made sense geographically.

For international expansion, we are lucky to have Poland being a geographically quite central place in Europe, connected to Germany and its now well known railways infrastructure and rolling stock in the simulation world, as well as lesser known rail networks to the south. I'm thinking about Czech and Slovak railways (and further down to Austria), both with very interesting scenery, rolling stock, and railway infrastructure (MIREL, ...). The point above stands: connect instead of isolate, while still allowing to discover new rail networks and its associated unique services (cross border, multi system operations, EC/EN/NJ trains, etc.).

Incidentally, it's increasingly been my philosophy of travelling: see what's immediately next door and expanding from there, instead of making big leaps to far, not necessarily connected places. Often the discoveries are equally as interesting! I am excited either way to see what's next.

Edited January 23, 2023 by Corsair

[hyzwar]

Same for me. Evolve here instead of reborn elsewhere.

[Spong]

I also fully agree with the post's statement. It would be so nice to finally have a simulator that connects routes to existing ones as it expands, instead of having one route in Poland and another random route in another country. If SimRail does have this philosophy, I'm almost certain that, with the right communication between players and developers, the game will become a massive success. 500 kilometers of drivable routes in Early Access is more than enough than a lot of us expected, and I'm positive that we all love the different trains we can drive and all the stations we can visit. Ultimately, the developers decide what is best for the game and what they can do for it to become more enjoyable for everyone.

All in all, the only thing we can do is hope.

[Sajmon]

I read a moment ago on Twitter that they want to expand simulator by making routes not only in Poland. This are a long term plans but, they have just finished talks about routes and trains in Germany positively. What's more the route along the Missisipi river is in production. I realy hope that they will add more and more routes in Poland to connect them later with Germany ones. 

[Urgentemente]

I would love to see it expand to cover some of Ukraine,there's already services that cross between the two .
I rode on the 'Kyiv Express' back in mid-November 2022 , unfortunately only from Lublin to Warsaw to then change to travel onto GDansk..

 

[hyzwar]

50 minut temu, Sajmon napisał(a):

I read a moment ago on Twitter

could you link the source?

[Sajmon]

1 minutę temu, hyzwar napisał(a):

could you link the source?

 

[Loongeron]

I'm already waiting for an available editor. 
I'm so impressed with the game that I want to help develop it. Therefore, I am currently studying Unity development and 3D modeling to be ready when the tools for building routes and content become available. 
There is a dream to build a border route to Belarus, where there is a change of track gauge and cargo transshipment. The Talgo train also has such mechanics as changing the track on the move.

Edited January 23, 2023 by Loongeron

[Howky]

 

The Czech community would also like to be involved in the creation of a line connecting the Czech Republic with Poland via Bohumín, Český Těšín.

It can offer new vehicles that run both in CZ and in PL. New objects and more.

 

Edited January 24, 2023 by Howky

[George]

A little something we might have in the future in the game...😊😊

Edited January 27, 2023 by George
Add one more screenshot

[m61]

A short film about train traffic between Warszawa Zachodnia and Warszawa Centralna/Śródmieście/WDK stations. It is probably the most loaded part of railway lines in Poland. Currently, it is undergoing a serious and costly modernization, including the construction of a new Warszawa Zachodnia station. Maybe someday such a morning rush will be possible to simulate in SimRails. Taken in Openrails timetable mode.

https://www.stolicadobrychrelacji.pl/multimedia/zdjecia

https://www.skyscrapercity.com/threads/wola-przebudowa-dworca-warszawa-zachodnia-w-trakcie.520250/page-397#post-181793242

Edited January 27, 2023 by PFT_Marek_pl

[Kaito Kid]

8 minutes ago, PFT_Marek_pl said:

Krótki film o ruchu pociągów między stacjami Warszawa Zachodnia i Warszawa Centralna / Śródmieście / WDK. To chyba najbardziej obciążony odcinek linii kolejowych w Polsce. Obecnie przechodzi poważną i kosztowną modernizację, w tym budowę nowego dworca Warszawa Zachodnia. Może kiedyś taki poranny pośpiech uda się zasymulować w SimRails. Zrobione w trybie rozkładu jazdy Openrails.

https://www.stolicadobrychrelacji.pl/multimedia/zdjecia

What?

[Kaito Kid]

2 hours ago, George said:

I got fooled for a moment here, but the overhead wires gave yourself away. 😝 I really can't wait to create some of my local railways from Spain.

Edited January 27, 2023 by Kaito Kid

[1814]

 

Całkowicie zgadzam się z podejściem. 
Przed startem z innymi krajami należy rozbudować trasy i tabor w tym kraju, w Polsce.
 W takim razie dobrze byłoby rozszerzyć działalność na kraje sąsiadujące,
 które mają wspólną szerokość torów lub w takim przypadku rozstawy torów.
 Byłoby dla mnie wielką przyjemnością móc dotrzeć do mojego kraju, Hiszpanii, z której mam 4 odtworzone prawdziwe trasy, 
których nigdy nie publikowałem do symulatora pociągów. Obecnie również w moim krótkim czasie staram się nauczyć jedności,
 aby móc wnieść wkład w społeczność międzynarodową w tworzeniu tras i projektowaniu krajobrazu jak najbardziej wiernym rzeczywistości.
 Skok do USA uważam w tej chwili za zbędny, 
mając tak wiele do zrobienia w Europie, która jest moim zdaniem z pewnością bardziej atrakcyjna niż te rozległe terytoria Ameryki,
 w większości puste, ponieważ wiele obszarów przecina obszary pustynne.

 

[Kaito Kid]

1 hour ago, I.G.V, said:

Całkowicie zgadzam się z podejściem. 
Przed startem z innymi krajami należy rozbudować trasy i tabor w tym kraju, w Polsce.
 W takim razie dobrze byłoby rozszerzyć działalność na kraje sąsiadujące,
 które mają wspólną szerokość torów lub w takim przypadku rozstawy torów.
 Byłoby dla mnie wielką przyjemnością móc dotrzeć do mojego kraju, Hiszpanii, z której mam 4 odtworzone prawdziwe trasy, 
których nigdy nie publikowałem do symulatora pociągów. Obecnie również w moim krótkim czasie staram się nauczyć jedności,
 aby móc wnieść wkład w społeczność międzynarodową w tworzeniu tras i projektowaniu krajobrazu jak najbardziej wiernym rzeczywistości.
 Skok do USA uważam w tej chwili za zbędny, 
mając tak wiele do zrobienia w Europie, która jest moim zdaniem z pewnością bardziej atrakcyjna niż te rozległe terytoria Ameryki,
 w większości puste, ponieważ wiele obszarów przecina obszary pustynne.

?

 

Also, why do I keep seing texts in boxes? Can't people write normally without the use of these boxes?

Edited January 27, 2023 by Kaito Kid

[George]

Specifically, these 2 locomotives run in Poland (and a few others), PKP has them on lease, so why not prepare them for the game? Yes, I know, it will still be a while, before the editor/SDK is available, but I'll have less work to do. Various fixes/modifications will still be needed to make the models work in-game. And I'm not talking about wagon models, I have more than 50 of them... 😂

For example, this locomotive (ČD 163.040-9) also runs in Poland, but it already has the current corporate paint "Najbrt", which ČD currently uses. 😉

[Kaito Kid]

Did I did something to you @I.G.V,? I see that you're "disagreeing" with me in some posts but with no explanations... 🤷‍♂️

[Corsair]

8 hours ago, George said:

A little something we might have in the future in the game...😊😊

I've always been very impressed with CZ/SK contents for other train sims. I wish setting those up (i.e. assets hunt) wasn't such a hassle.

Edited January 27, 2023 by Corsair