trilarion / freerails Goto Github PK

Currently there does not seem to be a scenario editor. However, it is desired. With #21 one can simply use a screen similar to the main screen in some God-like mode where one can change anything (terrain, account balances, rails, ...) and then save.

Now that I know how to do that with rsync and svn2git I think it's not much effort to actually have the real history of Freerails (starting in 2000) in Git and although that might lead to conflicts with existing forks, the number of existing forks isn't that high, nor have I heard of significant activity within these forks. Now is the time to do that.

This greatly simplifies things. Saved games are basically scenarios with players already chosen. Scenarios are saved games without specific player information yet.

If this is not already so, make it so.

Will be done only shortly before version 1.0 using the standard, recommended ways for Java FX client applications.

Bintray looks good. Need to checkout.

Seem to be zero all the time. What is the model behind them?

Is this possible? Is there a trainyard?

Source: https://sourceforge.net/p/freerails/feature-requests/50/

• Adjust size (or zoom level)
• Switch between different views (terrain with overlay, just the network, ...)

For example when looking at dialogs. Might improve playability.

Source: https://sourceforge.net/p/freerails/feature-requests/43/

For now it's better to concentrate all knowledge in the model. As it is currently the client decides how to color players and terrains but that only works if the model never changes the order of the players and the terrain. That is vulnerable. On the other hand it allows clients to have different skins/looks independent of the model. However, since the client's look will change anyway substantially, concentrate it all in the model for now and make the client "skinnable" later on.

I'm not having much success getting started - likely in part to do with my infamiliarity with both git and gradle.

I've cloned the respository, imported the project in Eclipse. I've tried running the gradle 'dependencies' task but it does not seem to work. I've tried running 'gradlew.bat' first, and tried the gradle task from both Eclipse and from a command prompt.

Perhaps some kind of basic guide to building FreeRails should be integrated as part of the standard documentation (i.e. appear on the root page of github).

Otherwise changing the code in simple ways breaks the test all the time.

Currently XML is used. A change to JSON might result in lower overhead (less verbose, easier to serialize) at the cost of less structure. However, it might not be needed anyway. And JSON also has validators. See for example https://github.com/java-json-tools/json-schema-validator.

Which are there currently?

Additional possibilities

• Engine shop, if more than one staton has one, then user
  can pick where trains get build.
• Post office, goods storage etc slow the rate at which
  cargo not picked up wastes away.

Source: https://sourceforge.net/p/freerails/feature-requests/37/

Source: https://sourceforge.net/p/freerails/feature-requests/42/

Currently issue maximum number of bonds, buy 90% of shares. Wait. Stock price goes to -21.

Anyway, document, how the stock price is calculated.

What does it do? What is the strategy?

Possible simple strategy:

• Selects 2 cities
• Builds stations and connects them with track.
• Adds a train with an automatic schedule.
• Once it has enough money, selects another nearby
  city, connects it, and adds a train.
• Repeats until there are no suitable cities left.

Source: https://sourceforge.net/p/freerails/feature-requests/46/

See also https://stackoverflow.com/questions/28147162/how-to-create-a-shared-editable-dictionary-for-intellij-idea-spellchecking

Measure the network bandwidth first.

Then apply some of the following:

• Compress/Decompress messages on the fly
• Regulate update interval with the client simulating movement in between

Source: https://sourceforge.net/p/freerails/feature-requests/1/

What should happen?

If station, select and show station info panel.
If no station or train, display terrain info tab and update.
Center map maybe too?

And collect useful, still valid information

• https://sourceforge.net/p/freerails/feature-requests/
• https://sourceforge.net/p/freerails/bugs/
• https://sourceforge.net/p/freerails/mailman/freerails-list/

Convert valid request/bugs into issues here.

First a thin executable wrapper around the jar and then an installer like NSIS.

Is this already built in. It would effect train speed and so influence track planning.

How should it be done?

Source: https://sourceforge.net/p/freerails/feature-requests/13/

To adapt to the current state of the game.

Two parts:

• Combine icons in single file
• Implement handlers to get icons again

Is it already existing? If not, implement it.

The game model, especially the planning of moves and the undo ... seem overly difficult. They just make the game difficult to programm (and maintain) but might not add much to the depth and fun.

In order to get to a runnable programm the game model should be kept as concise as possible without taking away the majority of the fun. The question is how to achieve that?

Should they be shown? Profits are a function of stock price but stock price is a function of profit. The solution will involve solving a set of simultaneous equations.

Source: https://sourceforge.net/p/freerails/feature-requests/69/

Compared to the flat 2D display now, some nice, isometric 2D might be looking much better without needing to go to full 3D. Look at some other open source games how they do it and make it similar. For example Widelands has been mentioned (https://sourceforge.net/p/freerails/feature-requests/64/).

And write them down. Replace artwork whose background is unclear.

Are there signals? Can trains crash? If not, would we want that?

https://sourceforge.net/p/freerails/feature-requests/36/

Is this desired? If yes, in which levels/ within which limits?

Since they are defined as double track.

See also: https://sourceforge.net/p/freerails/bugs/188/

And link to it from the website and from the readme.

On github pages.

Screens have increased the pixel density since 2005 when FreeRails was released. The tile size of 30x30 pixels might result in too small tiles now. On the other hand the tile based artwork could show more details if for example the tile size would be 48x48 pixels. Not sure. Therefore let's discuss this.

Even if only preliminary.

• Splash screen
• Favicon, Window icon
• Website (either banner or portrait)

Places to post about this continuation of FreeRails:

• Transport Tycoon forums: 'Railroad Tycoon Series' subforum - topic
• FreeGameDev forums: 'Project Showcase & Collaboration' subforum
• Java Gaming forums: 'WIP' subforum or 'Showcase' subform - topic
• Subreddit r/opensourcegames - post
• Subreddit r/freegaming - post

As exhaustive as possible. Extend and check the current available description.

Source: https://sourceforge.net/p/freerails/feature-requests/44/

How are they generated? Manually or by some other means?

Problem is that they need to be generated new with changing game rules. This effort should be kept minimal.

The best solution is probably a separate script (not part of the main package), that uses capabilities of the main package (i.e. a scenario model), adds things using functions of the model (to ensure conformity) and saves through current functions of the model. Running it should be part of the distribution process.

Coming across this repository of RRT2 maps I got the idea that some of these custom maps can either be used as inspiration or basis for maps of FreeRails. I guess there is demand for digging up what people did to customize RRT 1&2.

Source: https://sourceforge.net/p/freerails/feature-requests/51/

Project is in Java, so a port to Android seems to be reasonable. Most a different UI for the client part.

What needs to be considered?

and put in CONTRIBUTE.md in the main folder, so they are more visible

Then convert them back to rst (together with the history) and include them in documentation.