Transport Tycoon 3D

[conkerjoe]

Would it be a crazy idea to try and resurect the idea for a 3D version of TT. i was considering taking the current source code and try and port the majority of the engine but build a new 3d graphics engine to replace the 2d one.
Would this land me in trouble ? would anyone be interested in seeing it?
i dont know about you but i think a well done 3d Version of transport tycoon would ROCK

[chrissicom]

My personal opinion about this is simple... this game is not meant to have rocking graphics but to be a cool simulation that's fun to play. And the fun doesn't come from looking at gorgeous graphics but from nice players and cool functions. Just my opinion though. I would not play any 3D version of OpenTTD Actually I find the current graphics rocks!

[richk67]

Seconded and thirded, etc. I think 3D is a desperate coverup in general for poor gameplay (Doom/Quake excepted). I still play the original Panzer General, even though there are prettier graphics versions. The graphics take attention away from gameplay; I would hate to see OTTD go that way.

[Rubidium]

People can't even get themselves together to make a complete set of non-3d graphics, so the 3d graphics will never get done.

[conkerjoe]

i agree that graphics are an easy cover up for most games for poor gameplay but surely good gameplay and good graphics are a good combination.
i love TTD i still play it loads even today, and i would love to see it in 3D. done well of course.
i find it really strange that fans of TTD would not want to see it in 3D, a lot of my close friends have the same opinion, maybe iv got it wrong, maybe it wouldnt work. id love to see it to find out though.

i think TTD needs a lift though, it is a wicked game but its 10 years old now. it needs something new to bring in new players. i thought 3d version might bring in a lot of new players, maybe just another 2d version but build the engine from the ground up and add much more dynamics to the game. maybe make the citys area of the game more like sim city. so you have even more control over the game i dunno just ideas.

its a shame nobody wants 3D but its pointless building something if noones going to be interested..

and the 3d graphics would be easily done.... even if i resorted to paying for them i could have a basic collection of nice 3d skinned models for around $200

[sickie]

I wouldn't mind a 3D OpenTTD, but it should be unobtrusive, and game mechanics (like construction) should remain the same as in 2D. It would be just sexier to see my rail network in a 3D environment

[conkerjoe]

thats exacly the feel i wanted.. i wanted to keep the game nearly identical.. maybe add little bits here n there but generally the same game.. so if you leave it in the isometric view port you wouldnt notice any difference other than slightly jazzier gfx... but if you want to play with camera you could attach it to a vehicle and follow it round etc just as an idea..
the actual game mechanics would stay as close to what they are now as possible..

[Aydan]

Well then for starters leaf through the grfs and check out how many 3d-models you need. And then we'll see if you're still up to it.
Personally I'd like it.
3D would definitely solve a few visibility problems. Like for proposed cliffs/steeper slopes.
Also many if not most of the newer true color graphics are based on blender models which could be adapted for the 3D engine. Although these graphics sets are far from complete.

Good luck for your very ambitious project.

Aydan

[chrissicom]

I think a good historic comparison can be done with Total Annihilation. Some people made a free "add-on" called Absolute Annihilation which added new features and units similar to what OpenTTD does for Transport Tycoon Deluxe. 15 years after the release people tried to do a 3D version of the game. It worked (it was possible to play the game) but it looked absolutely ugly! The 2D graphics looked a lot better. Even the most hardcore fans didn't play the 3D version because the graphics just sucked. When I now look at the 3D graphics that are partially available on the Wiki I don't think any different. Sorry to say it this rather rude way, but I just don't think that in a game with such deep gameplay these graphics would help in any way. More colours (32-bit) is fine with me but a 3D environment in OpenTTD would destroy the now easy gameplay with so many different graphics (vehicle sets, town sets etc.).

[Xaykev]

Don't know about you guys, but I really like the graphics in TT.
They are not fancy, but the graphics get the job done.
It makes it easy to play the game, and the "feel" of the game is good too.
I wouldn't like TT as a 3D game at all. But I am not very fond of 3D.
I like the original Total Annihilation much better then the 3D one.
In the same way as I like the old Red Alert games better then the
newest one in that series.

[LordAzamath]

If you can make it just as an option - so that you can see everything in isometric 2D too, then I would try this feature. It's just too much work I'm afraid, for just some eyecandy. Plus you need an active team just throwing graphics to you every second.... That's something that even the OpenTTD lacks. I know that in example the progress from GTA2 to GTA3 / Vice City etc. was tremendous, but that game is not about managinga whole network, but is based only on one "train wagon". So there was good reason for this.

Anyway, if you actually start doing it then good luck.
Lord

[Gord]

I think 3D is a great idea and i would certainly try it if someone gave it a go.

However...

For me, in the current state of play in OTTD, there are far greater projects happening right now which mean more to me. Passenger destinations and shared tracks/subsidaries are the main ones, (still waiting for the day i can play both patches together!) So even though any development of 3D graphics would be far from wasted time and i would love to see it...its not top of my list.

If someone does take it on...good luck....anything that renews and maintains people's interest in the game is an excellent idea!

[CMircea]

Honestly it depends, I won't like anything like RCT3. This type of games wasn't meant to be fully 3D. You however, can make a partial 3D environment, like being able to rotate the map in various directions, yet still keep the same feeling of being God. No need to see a train moving from the wheel, you got M$TS for that. We also don't need fancy 3D graphics with thousands of polygons, only 32-bpp with 3D feeling, I've seen it done in lots of games, and it's pretty light on the system yet looks very good.

Just my 2 cents.

[Born Acorn]

Transport Tycoon 3dness in all it's glory. (roughly 2:35 mins in)

[Gord]

I've seen that before, forgot about that. playstation wasn't it?

You can see how proportion suddenly becomes an issue when it turns into 3D

[Wezz6400]

All that movie shows is a free movable camera, the graphics are still 2D. The only thing changed from original TTD is that everything needs graphics for all four sides instead of just two.
Personally I don't understand why some people think 3D graphics pose a danger to TTD. Aside from being able to create them or not, why would 3D graphics damage the gameplay? Ofcourse it needs to be done right, however the same goes for 2D graphics, with the only difference that that has already been done properly. I think that you could have the very same great gameplay, combined with beautiful looking graphics. Personally I'd love to see that, to see a huge railroad junction in beautiful graphics. Maybe one day I will take a shot at it (given enough people and time), but to do it with this community doesn't sound like a good idea to me. Too many people don't like it, and the last thing we want is to split up the community.

[Born Acorn]

All that movie shows is a free movable camera, the graphics are still 2D. The only thing changed from original TTD is that everything needs graphics for all four sides instead of just two.

I don't mean to be rude, but you've just described 3D. What, and how do you imagine any other version would work like? If you're imagining smooth curves and all the features from your favourite modern new game then you're describing a lot of work, and a different game.

Take a look at this. It's practically the same as the above video.

[Wezz6400]

All that movie shows is a free movable camera, the graphics are still 2D. The only thing changed from original TTD is that everything needs graphics for all four sides instead of just two.

I don't mean to be rude, but you've just described 3D. What, and how do you imagine any other version would work like? If you're imagining smooth curves and all the features from your favourite modern new game then you're describing a lot of work, and a different game.

Take a look at this. It's practically the same as the above video.

Ok sorry that seems to be nothing more than a misunderstanding. What I usually call 3D is 3D graphics (smooth curves, and lot's of other stuff ), which the movie clearly does not show. However as TTD already has 3D gameplay, adding a freely movable camera creates what one might call a 3D world.

I do believe that adding 3D graphics would not neccesarily change the gameplay for TTD, as it already has 3D gameplay (we're not talking about a sidescroller here). However a lot of people seem to disagree (which ofcourse is fine with me).

It's too bad the 3D discussion always goes like this these days. Understandibly (it's been discussed many times before), yet still a shame if you ask me. However that is just my opinion, and I'm not the one making the dicision. I feel that 3D would add a lot, but if people don't agree then let's not. After all there is the 32bpp project. The 1993 graphics may do the job, however there's nothing wrong with making them a little bit better.

[athanasios]

Not again...

There are no graphics for 2D and we are discussing about 3D again. You all know my opinion. I believe it will be very heavy and it is questionable that it will give a better filling for the game. I played and continue to play DUNE 2000. That was an improved graphics and not only sequel of DUNE II. After they decided to go 3D: Emperor messed everything. I didn't play it so much... Other things have priority. Like the enhancement of graphics (DUNE II -> DUNE 2000) and passenger destinations as already posted.

Now if you want to make a 3D we are not against you. We will even play it if it is good stuff and not cheapo commersial games styled. But you have to make a big team because the work will be tremendous. You 'd better start getting in contact with those who would like to assist you, instead of arguing in the forums. Don't think that dev's will sabotage you. But expect limited assistance, as most members of the forums have set other priorities and there are many things pending for dev's. Good luck in your project.

[Normandy333]

Personally, I like it better 2d. In fact I like the 8bpp graphics engine better than the 32bpp. Though 2.5d might be nice (isometric view).

The 8bpp engine, in my opinion, is just easier to look at. Your eyes don't hurt after looking at it for too long. That and the buildings are just more uniform, so your cities look more like cities rather than a deviant art mass conglomeration of both shoddily drawn buildings that have literally no detail whatsoever, against buildings with beautiful shading, etc... If someone were able to create a unified set of 32bpp set, then I'd like it, but it's just a lot of work.

And TTD just isn't one of those 3d games. There'd be no real other point to having 3d other than just imporving graphics - and that's just pointless.