Constracktion is a new track building and traffic optimization game based on the Diesel Railcar Simulator (DRS) codebase. The gameplay is very different, focusing more on building and less on realism. The theme is vaguely North American with a total of six desert and mountain maps.
If you already own DRS, you'll get a -30% discount by purchasing a "complete the set" bundle containing both games. The bundle will be released at the same time with the game, on 1st of September. Wishlist Constracktion so you won't miss it!
Wait a minute, aren't you supposed to be working on this game!?
The truth is that DRS hasn't sold enough to cover the development costs in years. It's difficult to see this situation suddenly changing in the near future, due to the competition and saturation of the traditional train sim market. Unlike DRS, Constracktion has novel and unique ideas which makes it more potent for success.
The release of another game does not mean that DRS has been cancelled, although it does mean that the gameplay update has been delayed. There are several reasons to continue working on DRS:
- The game still has potential, especially by focusing on pre-1990s railways and making modding easier
- Many modders have spent thousands of hours in total on developing content for DRS. It would be a shame to see all that effort go to waste
- The technology behind DRS is evolving and usable for other spin-off games, so it makes sense to keep developing it further
- The release of Constracktion hopefully brings a surge of new players to DRS too
- It's embarrassing to not finish Early Access properly
What's next for DRS?
The next major update is the gameplay update, intended to be ready for open testing by the end of the year. Since the codebase for the gameplay update and Constracktion was shared up until this point, many of the gameplay update features are already present in Constracktion, such as:
- Simpler and more consistent main menu system
- HUD menu allowing changing graphics settings and other settings on the fly instead of having to navigate separate menus. The HUD menu will be just one (small) part of the DRS HUD though
- Simpler and more intuitive key, mouse and gamepad bindings
- Derailments
- Wheel flange squeal and hiss sounds
- Tandem AI drivers
- Performance improvements
Many of the minor improvements applied to DRS in patches over the past two years were a direct result of the work done on Constracktion.
Constracktion also has some features that can't be introduced to DRS just yet due to the constraints of the sim, but they form a solid base for the forthcoming train and traffic updates, and the possible expansion to US railroading:
- Walking outside the train
- Automatic block signals
- Animated couplings
- Manual point operation
- Dynamic text on trains for headcodes, destination boards, unit numbers etc.
- More flexible system for static text (not just platform signs)
- AI support for moving under shunting orders
- US locomotives and wagons
- US style offset rail joints and signals
- Additional industrial scenery models
The gameplay update will be followed by improvements to the train and route editors to facilitate modding and content production. More spin-off games may also appear in the future, depending on the popularity of the two games.
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