For anyone who doesn't already know, I'm a kiwi! (a proud resident of Aotearoa New Zealand).
Back when I first released Rolling Line it was pretty much entirely NZ trains and locations, with the one exception of the Big Boy locomotive. The rest of the original locomotive roster of the DX, DSJ and Flyer are all trains from NZ. And of course the game's one and only map, the Top of the South (or the "main layout" as it used to be called) is set in New Zealand's south island!
My entire vision of Rolling Line from the start of its development came from the simple childhood experience of trainspotting at the Kaikoura railway station while staying at the holiday park next to the tracks. This scene of the holiday park and railway station was the very first piece of scenery I ever made for the game:
But that was just the start!
After I initially released the game with its single "Main layout" map, so many more maps and trains have been added since then. And while I've focused on a few overseas locations (like Brazil & America) the vast majority of new maps have been set right here back in NZ.
Funny thing is, despite all these NZ maps being added to the game, I still haven't even done some of my favorite rail locations in the country (like the South Island's west coast coal mines, and the incredible Arthurs Pass crossing the southern alps). There's certainly more to do!
So this event centered around games made in NZ seemed like the perfect time to celebrate the amazing railways of NZ and Rolling Line's strong link to this modest little country at the bottom of the world!