Minimum Vehicle Date?

[Brockster007]

So, I was wondering the exact year in OpenTTD that you can access the first vehicle of any kind, so that I can basically start from the very beginning. Does anyone know?

[Redirect Left]

It will vary depending on the GRFs you use. Some start from the 20th century onwards, a few have vehicles before that, horse drawn carriages etc.

Unless its different to ages ago, the first vehicles in default openttd start in the 1920s. Again unless altered, GRFs can theoretically introduce vehicles starting from Year 0 (as far as I know, none do, for obvious reasons)

[SilverSurferZzZ]

The first OTTD's vehicle is here: Famous Cars Ver. 8; The Flintstonemobile.
And comes in the year 0.

In future, more early vehicles will arrive to this and to the rest of sets from Cars Series.


Only one thing...
You need vehicles, yes, but always need cities, industries... or you will only have a really curious vehicle dancing in a circle

Maybe the best option is to start in 1700, with Famous Cars and other sets with early dates as eGRVTS 2.
In any case, enjoy the game and make your own style.

[Leanden]

1700 start with eGRTVS and Sailing Ships makes for an interesting and challenging game.

[kamnet]

So, I was wondering the exact year in OpenTTD that you can access the first vehicle of any kind, so that I can basically start from the very beginning. Does anyone know?

With the default vehicles (not NewGRFs) vehicles start appearing between 1925 and 1930 (and may vary by up to two years). There is a list available here:
https://wiki.openttd.org/Vehicle_Comparison_Charts

With NewGRF vehicle sets, they start whenever the authors decide. They can start as early as year 0. You'll need to see each individual release and its documentation (if it exists) to determine.

[leifbk]

1700 start with eGRTVS and Sailing Ships makes for an interesting and challenging game.

I'll second that. In addition, you should load "Squid Ate FISH" aka FISH2, which tweaks the income for ships such that the sailing ships actually become (slightly) profitable. I'll also recommend FIRS Extreme as your industry set. Start with fishing, and expand very slowly. Continue with paper mills, lime kilns, brick works etc. Be aware that transport over more than 200 tiles Manhattan distance usually doesn't pay off.

[Baldy's Boss]

I suppose there were some versions of sailing ships that originated before 1700 and I suppose if you start with civilizations that didn't use wheels even that could be added as an advance...but a new vehicle has to offer something new to be attractive.(An apocalypse scenario where good stuff wears out and only bad stuff can replace it would be possible,though).

[Caker]

Is there any way to make Aviator's set profitable when you are playing the game started in 18th century?

During the long game with early start, when the time comes for aircraft, Aviator's set (and most other aircraft Newgrfs) can barely repay itself. By the end of 20th century any cargo delivered by alt planes is unprofitable (inflation level is 3-4%). The only option is to use original vanilla planes.

Can you suggest any good aircraft Newgrf for this type of party? I am usually starting in 1750, with horse carriages and sailing ships; first trains are available by ~1820 (UKRS & NARS), but I have only Av8 for air. And it's not working (at least I cannot properly use it).

[Leanden]

Have you tried changing the plane speed factor to either a 1 or a 2?

They fly quicker for the same cost that way

[kamnet]

If you're playing with NewGRFs and have inflation on, turn the inflation setting off. NewGRFs are not balanced against it and thus its horribly broken.

[Lesarthois]

I use AV8, General Av8ion and AV9.8. And I found a Russian planeset on an Russian OpentTD forum.

Either way, putting plane speed to 1 is required to earn money. Unless you find that Russian plane set that was balanced to be played with the original speed, as the cost for their planes it sometime 10 times less that the more regular ones (tho, the planes are very scarce and small before the 1960's, with the Li-2 able to carry 32 passengers or 3 tons of cargo for example).
On the other end, by the 1990 you get to play with the Antonov 124 and 225, with cargo capacity of 600 and 1000 mail bags

[Caker]

Have you tried changing the plane speed factor to either a 1 or a 2?
They fly quicker for the same cost that way

Maybe this could be the way, but plane speed affects both NewGRF and original planes, and original ones bring better profit. So what is the point to use Av's models except very early period when there no other planes around? IMHO, game limitations should be done by the game engine, not by myself.

If you're playing with NewGRFs and have inflation on, turn the inflation setting off. NewGRFs are not balanced against it and thus its horribly broken.

Thanks for advice Switched it off in the current game. Now should wait for ~70 game years to check Av's models.

I use AV8, General Av8ion and AV9.8. And I found a Russian planeset on an Russian OpentTD forum.
Either way, putting plane speed to 1 is required to earn money. Unless you find that Russian plane set that was balanced to be played with the original speed, as the cost for their planes it sometime 10 times less that the more regular ones (tho, the planes are very scarce and small before the 1960's, with the Li-2 able to carry 32 passengers or 3 tons of cargo for example).
On the other end, by the 1990 you get to play with the Antonov 124 and 225, with cargo capacity of 600 and 1000 mail bags

Is this planeset available for download via standard online library in Android version? Maybe I should try it as well in next game Right now I have only Russian trainset installed.

[Leanden]

The default planes may be more profitable, but that isnt why we use newgrfs.

Newgrfs are for more challenge or variety.

[Alberth]

[IMHO, game limitations should be done by the game engine, not by myself.

OpenTTD is a sandbox game. The engine gives you possibilities, you configure your own goal and challenge inside that space.

That means there is not a single way of playing OpenTTD, everybody makes his own game. Across the community, there are several different play styles. You can aim for historic accuracy, make a scene that looks beautiful, play a game with only ships and trucks, have to fight for survival as money is scarce, build a huge pax (passengers & mail) network, or transport as much as you can.
Likely my list is not even complete.

The point is, OpenTTD is a game where you control how you play, rather than the game forcing you to play in one and only one way.

[Lesarthois]

Is this planeset available for download via standard online library in Android version? Maybe I should try it as well in next game Right now I have only Russian trainset installed.

Sadly not. I think it's listed on the newGRf page however :
https://wiki.openttd.org/NewGRF_List

The Russian Train set, if you mean the xUSSR set, is awesome but horribly costly to set up IMO. from what I remember, by 1960 just the engines alone take 2 "openTTD"cases".
But heh, to each his own as was said, OpenTTD is mean to be played the way you want.
And nothing forces you to use all of a newGFR. I play for variety, so there are several times my NewGRF have several options, and I may choose a more expensive one, because I like that vehicle. And as long as the profit isn't negative, who cares?
It can even be a challenge to make money out of some vehicles, like the Carter&Co Steam busses (from the eGRTVS2 pack). Sometime, I manage to do it

[kamnet]

Is this planeset available for download via standard online library in Android version? Maybe I should try it as well in next game Right now I have only Russian trainset installed.

Sadly not. I think it's listed on the newGRf page however :
https://wiki.openttd.org/NewGRF_List

All you need to do is install either the .grf or .tar file into the "newgrf" directory (if it's packed as a zip, 7z, or anything else, it will need to be unpacked. You'll probably need an android file management app to help, unless you're connecting your device to your PC and can navigate via FTP or your PC's file manager. I don't know where that directory exists under Android's structure, but you can look in the Android development thread or contact the developer, Pelya.