Unique Train Wagons for FIRS cargos [ATOV]

[Lemur25]

A set of train wagons with unique graphics for new cargos in FIRS both loaded and unloaded. This allows you to play with FIRS without refitting train wagons so its more like the original game. Graphics, prices, and cargo sizes designed to match the original vehicle set.

Currently has all cargos in FIRS 4, you can use it with other versions of FIRS but may have to refit wagons for the missing cargos.

Available at BaNaNaS or ingame content downloader: ATOV_UniqueFIRSWagons

AllFirsWagons.png

(225.59 KiB) Not downloaded yet

[odisseus]

But... but refitting wagons is part of the fun. In the original game, it was an oversight or perhaps a limitation of the game engine.

For example, there is absolutely no reason why e.g. "Coal Hopper" and "Iron Ore Hopper" should be two separate wagons. The same train should be able to haul Coal and Iron Ore without going to depot for rearranging or refitting.

IIRC there's a train set (I don't remember which one) that handles wagon refitting in a more realistic way. There are "dirty" cargoes such as Coal, Iron Ore, Oil... and "clean" ones such as Grain, Food, Water etc. Refitting between "dirty" cargoes, or from "clean" to "dirty", can happen at a station at no cost, but refitting between "clean" ones, or from "dirty" to clean", has to be done at a depot and incurs a cost.

[Lemur25]

I like the look of having all the different trains going around, and being able to see what a train is carrying just by looking at it. I guess a solution is to have 1 universal wagon and just change the graphics whenever it is refit.

[Argus]

I see no point in this graphic.
Some wagons have different graphics for coal or iron ore, this can also be solved by coloring the wagon. In addition, when I see where the train is going, I know what it is probably carrying.

[_dp_]

But... but refitting wagons is part of the fun. In the original game, it was an oversight or perhaps a limitation of the game engine.

For example, there is absolutely no reason why e.g. "Coal Hopper" and "Iron Ore Hopper" should be two separate wagons. The same train should be able to haul Coal and Iron Ore without going to depot for rearranging or refitting.

There is a UX reason, having a separate wagon that you can just buy is way faster and simpler that dealing with refits and filters. And for vanilla cargoes it works just fine.

[Argus]

The vanilla game is boring. I understand that this is enough to make someone happy, but not me

[Lemur25]

I prefer to keep my game more vanilla for now, that's been the idea behind this series of newGRFs.

[kamnet]

I do quite like it, and I appreciate the work you've put into it!

[odisseus]

There is a UX reason, having a separate wagon that you can just buy is way faster and simpler that dealing with refits and filters.

I see your point, but I cannot agree with your conclusion. In case of a long cargo list (such as with FIRS or XIS), both options are quite awkward.

I wonder if the vehicle purchase dialog could be redesigned to look more like station placement dialog, with a list of pre-defined filters on the left and a list of filtered items on the right.

[andythenorth]

Seems like a neat grf

[kamnet]

I wonder if the vehicle purchase dialog could be redesigned to look more like station placement dialog, with a list of pre-defined filters on the left and a list of filtered items on the right.

JGRPP splits the engine and wagon selection apart, players seem to like it.

[odisseus]

That's not quite what I had in mind, but nevertheless it is a clear improvement over the original game's interface.

[Lemur25]

Since FIRS is broken up into 5 different economies, each one isn't really all that big. Something like AXIS would be much more of a problem.

[andythenorth]

Since FIRS is broken up into 5 different economies, each one isn't really all that big. Something like AXIS would be much more of a problem.

Iron Horse has about 60 or 70 types of wagons (non-cargo-specific, refittable).

I think this ATOV wagon grf is no problem at all, people who don't want to use this one-wagon-per-cargo approach can get a grf with one universal wagon or something

By the way FIRS 5 Steeltown will have 63 cargos https://grf.farm/firs/steeltown-v5-prev ... #steeltown

[odisseus]

Well, of course the existence of an optional add-on is not a problem. I see it as an attempt to solve a problem, though the solution is subpar. The proper solution would be an UI redesign.