The modding idea is certainly a very highly praised move. The problem in my opinion remains the fact that RT2 has a large number of bugs that can make the gameplay very unpleasant. If what I will be saying is inappropriate feel free to move the comment in another thread. Present features that might be adjusted through modding and that might be helpful: - bridge availability. It is clear that bridges can be built out of stone even before 1900 yet in 1800 it is possible to use only wooden bridges which is indeed a very strange choice. - inconsistencies in the way electrified track is available or considered in terms of maintenance cost. It is clear that electrified track costs a lot more to maintain that standard track yet I am not sure if this can be corrected in a reliable way - innacuracies in the way cargo is being used. Milk can be delivered directly to a city even though its attractiveness would be lower due to variation in eating habbits in modern world. Coal as well as logs are still an useful fuel source even today for heating homes so its demand could just be lower not entirely gone. Strangely enough the RT2 game engine considers logs as not acceptable in villages, towns, cities. - cargo delivery rate. It is clear that some industries might deliver a lower or a larger amount of cargo yet this is not reflected in the game. For instance cargo delivery rate is the same only that cars became heavier and somewhat more profitable in the first years since introduction but useless as you advance in the game. Also the problem that you cannot use a lower weight car with an engine is also manifested. The choice of cargo cars shall be free at any moment the only downside for older cars being less profit. Present bugs that affect gameplay - the "rocket" locomotive or engine (not Stephenson Rocket kind... :) ) effect. When an engine waits a long time for cargo it might literally shoot out of the station at top speed if it waited enough. This is a bug that has never been adressed. - missing cargo. The index system used for engines and cars is very devilish. Since in an era you might not have a certain car in your consist that number may point to a different engine that is added to the consist. In short: a train had a dining car while being set and if the game time is changed to before that car is available a Stephenson Rocket might be added instead to the consist. The strange aspect is that you cannot use more than one engine in a consist even if the game engine clearly shows that this is possible. Note: In a normal game engine anything, whithin some saneness limits, might be added in a car set and the car limit might be pushed to more than 6. Engines like Brenner, Big Boy or Dash 9 are not really paying of if pulling only 6 cars. This is a known game limit and probably not easy to change. - demanded cargo calculation. If a train stops at two stations that cover the same area the demanded cargo limit is shown differently depending on the point were the train delivered cargo the last time. At that station demanded cargo is shown as being very low. - determining breakdown and crash probability for engines. It is almost impossible for an engine to suffer a catastrophic failure while being relatively new yet this can occur in the game. The problem of breakdown rate increased with the engine speed is not quite correct from an engineering perspective. The problem of engine load, tractive effort and engine maintenance factor should be used. Total travelled distance might be or not a triggering factor for breakdowns. Speed alone is not enough to damage something. Also due to the game engine breakdown management is very badly done. An engine might be used even a hundred years with a maintenance cost within limits determined from the interval between rebuilds. - financial profitability. It is clear that interest on money deposited in a bank account can cover part of the expense the problem is that it is not realistic. You either impose inflation in every area related to operational costs or you get rid of interest for the current bank balance. Otherwise the larger you grow as a company the more you can cover costs and losses through interest which is not what it always happens in real life. - economic cycles. It is obvious that when you introduce periods of growth and decay the same thing might affect your company (not only your cargo) yet this is never taken into account. Your operational costs might go lower in a period of economic decay due to workforce affordability (wages) while your typical costs for maintenance will go lower at first and the higher due to scarcity. In the game you see just that your cargo goes lower and perhaps some industry goes bust which is not entirely correct. In the end, in order to improve the community effort in modding the game I would propose that the idea of delivering a game values modifier tool to be considered. In that way by increasing the interest in the game for fans the chances of a successful revival of the game and perhaps even more than that could be achieved.
