Transport Tycoon Forums

One day I was playing a game and thought "That's how you do it."
I decided to write it down so I could remember it later, but I thought; why not make a big book full of tips about how to get things running?
So that's what I ask - good information about every aspect of the game.
The book paticularly concerns:
Getting good cash flow;
Succesful small town lines;
Passenger rail;
High Speed Lines;
Getting industry line to work effeciently [<- Important! I suck at this.]
Effective sea transport;
Yards;
Air, and buses and trains. It's also going to have general tips and a complete directory with every mod, it's author, and it's site and download link.
Currently the book is around 20 pages but I am in the process of redoing it.

So, I ask for helpful tips on every aspect of the game but especially industries. Thank you.
And I will post the book as soon as I have a legible version.

!-------------!
Here is where to look for the current version! However, info about updates will be in their own post.
This copy is 1.2:

great idea; A LOT of the tips are already around, and with the track laying, some-one has made a wiki about how to go about it (I dont remember who, but the search function may help)

Also, there's a sticky on Tips and hints on how to play, a few topics above this.

did you have the user manual? I read that twice before I even played the game.

Im guessing he wants to get more in-depth of the game.

yeah, it never covered complicated networks, or large trains.

noofnoof wrote:yeah, it never covered complicated networks, or large trains.

I just figured it out through trial and error.

Bumping the thread - new version. Attention Grabber :!:There's two - one that is old, but I don't like how it is set out so I am making a newer version. Here you go:
Oop. The old version is too big, so I'll link it later.

one cannot find plastikmans DK packs at dekosoft.com one will find them at amitrains.co.uk

Few points:

1. Dont like the font. Doesnt read nice.
2. The page backgrounds are annoying.
3. Images are too big, you could just cut out the details instead of a full screenshot.
4. The list of packs, are good, but for a book it changes to fast. So useless, in my eyes.
5. Are all the screenshots made by you? Because some of them look like i have seen them before.
6. Not printable (if someone wants that). This because of point 1, 2 and 3.
7. Centered text *shivers*

I was going to ask you I.A; why you have to be soo mean, but I guess he asked for comments, and yours are valid one's.

My 2 cents are;

(First page)
1. The color image, is not overlapping the background image and so you get a feel of, who made it; just need to centre it, or just remove that color image, and have the back-ground of that page color.
Aside from that, well done.
(2nd page)
1. Didn't need to know who made the book, we know who it was from the first page. (Simple removing of this line would help)
2. Try and line the text a few mm under the image, and not have the text split between the two. (Realignment is simple I guess)
3. If you really want to have your name here, just put it in one of the bottom courners, in smaller font if you wish, but digression is the name of the game.
(3rd Page)
1. The first thing that popped out at me, was the font alignment, shouldn't be in the middle, that sort of work is what we do in grade 3-5 to try and look cool and make it seem like we used more words.
2. Need to split the background image from the color image, as well as make the color one a tad smaller, and less multi color (Just work out how to cut the background image of that page so that just the text lay's inside, then have a small gap for the color)
3. As stated above, try and not have the text go in and out of both image and white, its quite distracting.
(4th page)
1. Text I wont get into, But don't be scared to use brackets to state what the image is, its easier to read normal font inside a pair of brackets, then the slanted font.(and as stated above)
2. If wanting an image there, try and avoid a conflict of imagery, by either removing the background, or at least line it so we cant see the background
(5th page)
1. For people with bad eyesight, how will they know where you placed the extra bus-stops (Sure if you zoom in, but a simple yellow box at where, would help)
2. The image does not match up with what you are saying, (Maybe getting a better image would be of fitting, say split image of a town, and in the other image, two towns apart but joined by 1 station)
(6th page)
1. All comments stated above
(7th page)
1. Your signals though simple, are kind of irrelevant when stating about the direction, last I looked and even your image here, has no proof of the direction arrow on top.
(8th page)
1. Moral, think it through (All comments are stated above in some for or matter)
(9th page)
1. No real need to have this page here, if you used smaller fonts and less bold, the top line could of been added to page 8 (With the 1st image from page 8 to line up with the text)
(10th page)
1. Avoid using words like "I" and "my"; its giving the impression that you are the only one who does it this way (Simple changes of words, like; "As" said before; We’ll start off by looking at some passenger lines; They are fun to build and can earn a lot of money (Spot the changes)
2. With the image, you didnt need the "This is my HSI-C Ice line"; you could of just stated (An High-speed line) (mind you, the viewer has no real idea on what it's a high speed compared to what? (add another train if you wish, having to give way to high speed ICE, maybe have a cargo train giving way)
(11th page and 12th page)
1. "I’ll say now: Everything here is my opinion, and how I do things. It may not be the best/only way, but it’s worked for me so I’ll
share it." (We knew this part, as your the creator of this book page 1 and 2 have this.)
2. the 11th and 12th pages could of be joined up by removing the named trains, and by stating what the graph means.
3. Text and wording need's some work (As stated above)
(13th page; unlucky)
1. You are stating an high-speed line, so why would we ignore the stations along the way; wouldn't a quick ro-ro image (SMALL) of how it still remains high speed be worth wild?
(14th page)
1. You are using different signals in this image, and so what you stated on page 7(Signals), become irrelevant, as you now have 3 set of two way signals on a straight path (Try and keep as much continuity as possible even with images)
(15th page)
1. How was the station in the shown image, different when it wasn't working? (Just a split image of the before and after, with yellow boxed marking out where the changes have happen)

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Okay, I have a few more to say, but its getting late.
Well done on starting it, and we do know its a W.I.P. so keep on at it, after all, we never stop learning.

I'll also add; remove the smileys from the book (You know, the... :0 )

And the Mod pages are not needed, could just add in context pages Where mods can be found, Websites only; or if its going to stay a web book, then quick links to the sites could be done there.

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So that's my 2 cents; can I get some change now?

the websites do link.

I.A and Blender, you both make good points, but I have excuses
I'm using MS Word 2000. First, the centered text I would have liked to have on the left, but I have to use a picture, and whenever word see's a picture it runs away and hides in a bush.
I originally intended to have the picture Square Wrapped so I could move them about but that cause a bunch of page reordering. In line doesn't work as it should either. I could go on and on about pictures.
Word also doesn't like the Mod Dir heading and it's somehow magnetically repelled from the table. Plus, the first version of the table broke when it got too large, and then the 2nd one didn't, and if I copy it across it begins infinetly creating pages. I really don't know what's going on.
@Blender:
I put the smileys in because most of the book was just ugly block of text and I needed a reminder that this was not a lecture.
I do want a background in, because otherwise it's just boring. but I will try and splice some pictures so that it fits the page. Word can only have all page backgrounds or no backgrounds, and it can't pick on one page. (So far as I know.)
I'll try and make my pictures clearer too

@Alien: Your slightly less helpful...
What do you mean about the list of packs? My little sister could decide she's the best person in the world, but I don't see anyone giving her a certificate. That means, I will do my best to keep the list updated with the major items and the well-shared ones. Don't expect to my sister's scribbled loco to be in there.
This isn't meant to be printable, there's too many pages and paper can't be updated.
Yes, I shot all the screens.

At any rate, thanks a lot for your feedback. ^^

damo566 wrote:I.A and Blender, you both make good points, but I have excuses
I'm using MS Word 2000. First, the centered text I would have liked to have on the left, but I have to use a picture, and whenever word see's a picture it runs away and hides in a bush.
I originally intended to have the picture Square Wrapped so I could move them about but that cause a bunch of page reordering. In line doesn't work as it should either. I could go on and on about pictures.
Word also doesn't like the Mod Dir heading and it's somehow magnetically repelled from the table. Plus, the first version of the table broke when it got too large, and then the 2nd one didn't, and if I copy it across it begins infinetly creating pages. I really don't know what's going on.

@Blender:
I put the smileys in because most of the book was just ugly block of text and I needed a reminder that this was not a lecture.

I do want a background in, because otherwise it's just boring. but I will try and splice some pictures so that it fits the page. Word can only have all page backgrounds or no backgrounds, and it can't pick on one page. (So far as I know.)
I'll try and make my pictures clearer too

Lols; you don't have enough text for it to be a lecture,
-----------

Guess one way to remove the background, is by having an actual picture cover the whole background image, that way it would seem like that page has no background, but an color image.

I put the smileys in because most of the book was just ugly block of text and I needed a reminder that this was not a lecture.

Smacks of dumbing down really. There is no need to add expression to something if it is well written in the first place.

This isn't meant to be printable, there's too many pages and paper can't be updated.

If its not meant to be printable, why call it a book? Its no use to people playing the game if they can't print it out to refer to while they play. The best designed media forms are always the simplest.

As to the assertion that the book could be somehow 'boring', people are presumably reading the book because they are interested in the topic matter, i.e. Locomotion. So it won't bore them, especially if they are using it as a reference guide.

As for Word 2000, you really need to get a new version of word mate.

Kevo00 wrote:

I put the smileys in because most of the book was just ugly block of text and I needed a reminder that this was not a lecture.

Smacks of dumbing down really. There is no need to add expression to something if it is well written in the first place.

This isn't meant to be printable, there's too many pages and paper can't be updated.

If its not meant to be printable, why call it a book? Its no use to people playing the game if they can't print it out to refer to while they play. The best designed media forms are always the simplest.

As to the assertion that the book could be somehow 'boring', people are presumably reading the book because they are interested in the topic matter, i.e. Locomotion. So it won't bore them, especially if they are using it as a reference guide.

As for Word 2000, you really need to get a new version of word mate.

Thanks there, I'll keep that in mind.
But as for word.. In my opinion Microsoft Product=Facedesk. Just look at my computer: It decided just the other day to give me a new account. No idea where the old one went...
I'm not going anywhere near Vistaword, if that's okay with you

Then get a Mac and use Pages instead

Hey book is good just a few things it seems like all your talking about is starting at like 2000 i start usually in the 1920s - 1950s and the earlyist train you have on your high speed list is the 1974 turbo-train, then a Amtrak super liner 1979 but with genesis which is 1990s if I'm right but, genesis only goes 103 first then 110, yet in 1939 the UP City of LA is made and goes 109, or that just many normal amtrak, sd40s and much more, with normal cars go just as fast, faster than first genesis. it just seems like you are talking all 21st century but most of the game is 20th. good book though

Uh.. I think you rtalking about the trains in a real timeline, is that right? I have no knowledge of actual trains release dates and what lines they ran on etc. If that's what your saying, how does it effect the book?

I would just leave mods out.

Stick the facts on the game.

It reads more along the lines of "here is a mod menu, and these are my favorite!"

Many of the mods you have selected are outdated by today's standards.
While they are classic mods, I don't think anyone has used many of those in the last 5 years as they have been replaced.

lego_trains wrote: It reads more along the lines of "here is a mod menu, and these are my favorite!"

Of course it does - those are the ones I have, so it follows that those are the ones I know something about. I've started a topic so I can collect the ones everyone has.
This isn't finished, remember