Early Start Dates Question

[Falconius]

Hello.

I'm new to OTTD and love the game so far. My question is how to start at an earlier date. I downloaded the USA scenario, but when playing, it starts in 1920. There isn't a way to build stations that early. Do I need to download something else to allow early builds?

And similarly, let's say I wanted to start in 1830 or so in a vanilla game. I know I can set the date, but how do I get it to allow me to build anything?

Thanks for any help.

[Auge]

Hello

I'm new to OTTD and love the game so far. My question is how to start at an earlier date. I downloaded the USA scenario, but when playing, it starts in 1920. There isn't a way to build stations that early. Do I need to download something else to allow early builds?

And similarly, let's say I wanted to start in 1830 or so in a vanilla game. I know I can set the date, but how do I get it to allow me to build anything?

You need GRFs that has at the start dates available vehicles. The NARS set (North American Rail Set) starts AFAIK in the 1830-ies with the first vehicles. For road vehicles you can use eGRVTS 2. For ships you can use SQUID. These are only a few examples. All above-named sets are available via the ingame-download (BaNaNaS).

Tschö, Auge

[Alberth]

Iron horse also starts early, and maybe road hog too (not sure).

[leifbk]

Iron horse also starts early, and maybe road hog too (not sure).

Iron Horse, Road Hog, and Squid (Fish 2) all start in 1860. But Sailing Ships and eGRVTS2 horse carriages are available as early as 1700.

[Translink]

Not sure when the UKRS2 starts (1830's I think) but Bob's British Buses, Bob's Random British Vehicles and Bob and Ameecher's Tram Set (BATS) go down to 1730. Do also remember to turn inflation off.

[kamnet]

I downloaded the USA scenario, but when playing, it starts in 1920. There isn't a way to build stations that early. Do I need to download something else to allow early builds?

Back when this scenario was created, scenarios didn't come with NewGRF, the general consensus was to allow users to add their own NewGRFs to please themselves. A few years ago, the behavior was changed to stop allowing users to add NewGRFs to a running game (including scenarios) because it generated too many crashes and bug reports from behavior that the developers actively discouraged. Scenarios now must include all the NewGRFs intended to be used.

So a solution to this immediate problem is to enable the Scenario Developer mode and then open the scenario in the Scenario Editor, add the NewGRFs you want, save it and then play the scenario.

If you start a new game of OpenTTD, or develop a new scenario, you will have default stations going back to year 0, so long as you have a vehicle set that allows vehicles to be built at whatever early date you wish. But if you don't have vehicles, you can't build stations.

[Falconius]

Thank you everyone for the quick responses! I will try several of those.

[Falconius]

So a solution to this immediate problem is to enable the Scenario Developer mode and then open the scenario in the Scenario Editor, add the NewGRFs you want, save it and then play the scenario.

How do you enable Scenario Developer mode? I'm trying to make a scenario using USA scenario as starting point and adding GRFs. I saved a set of GRFs I want to use, but can't figure out how to combine with a scenario.

[RA3236]

So a solution to this immediate problem is to enable the Scenario Developer mode and then open the scenario in the Scenario Editor, add the NewGRFs you want, save it and then play the scenario.

How do you enable Scenario Developer mode? I'm trying to make a scenario using USA scenario as starting point and adding GRFs. I saved a set of GRFs I want to use, but can't figure out how to combine with a scenario.

Go to openttd.cfg in your installation, go to scenario_develper and set that to true.

[planetmaker]

So a solution to this immediate problem is to enable the Scenario Developer mode and then open the scenario in the Scenario Editor, add the NewGRFs you want, save it and then play the scenario.

How do you enable Scenario Developer mode? I'm trying to make a scenario using USA scenario as starting point and adding GRFs. I saved a set of GRFs I want to use, but can't figure out how to combine with a scenario.

Go to openttd.cfg in your installation, go to scenario_develper and set that to true.

And be aware that you cannot change houses, or industries at all without corrupting your savegame beyond repair. And with everything else you need to exercise great care - With the best of intentions a NewGRF might change beneath the surface more than it openly advertizes. Screwing prices is the least of hassles.

[Translink]

I always add NewGRFs to running games, never had a problem. Mind you, I do always save before I do so just in case.

[kamnet]

I always add NewGRFs to running games, never had a problem. Mind you, I do always save before I do so just in case.

I always said that as well. Until one day I discovered that a save that I had been playing continually from 2009-2012 had become corrupted.

[Translink]

I always add NewGRFs to running games, never had a problem. Mind you, I do always save before I do so just in case.

I always said that as well. Until one day I discovered that a save that I had been playing continually from 2009-2012 had become corrupted.

In fairness, in one of my saves trains would often get lost and if they crashed the game would follow. I ended up abandoning it cause I never play save games that long to be honest. Managing a big map in singleplayer is hard, sometimes I would have saddle tanks with 6 wheel coaches running alongside Pendolinos!