I have been playing CiM 2 for quite some time, and I also played CiM 1 before it. As a transit enthusiast (and someone who works for a transit agency!) I have a few suggestions that I would like to make for the game. Some of these are not new, but I'm new to this forum, so I would like to make a few requests:
1. Change the pathfinding - I know this has been a complaint from many, but the route making choices made by the CiMs are absurd. Passengers will get off of Metro 1 to ride Bus 2 so that they can transfer to Tram 3, even though Metro 1 connects with Tram 3, and would eliminate a time consuming transfer. This should be fixed! passengers should select the quickest, most direct route, with a small margin of error. But they shouldn't make bizarre decisions that result in extra travel time for them, and the need for me to add extra vehicles to some lines just because people want to ride the line for one stop. This is supposed to be a simulation... it should simulate real behavior.
But it should go beyond that. We should be able to add part-time routes. For example, here in NYC on our subways, we have many lines that operate only during rush hours, or maybe only during the daytime hours. Or like in Chicago, where the purple line is extended during rush hours, but other times, a shuttle is used to serve it's branch. This could be set up easily by allowing passengers to change their routing when they arrive at the station. If a route is not scheduled to operate at the station for some predetermined amount of time, then the Cim could choose to use another route at the station, or at a stop within the catchment area. If there were no alternate routes available, then the Cim would be dissatisfied with your service, and would find another way to travel. This would make the timetables more useful in their function.
2. Terminal stations for Metros - So metros only have two options for turning around; depots, or loops. Of course, in the real world, metros reach the end of the line, and then reverse direction on a switch. Maybe we shouldn't have the ability to make every station a terminal, but maybe we could provide a number of place-able objects that are stations. A terminal station with bumper blocks at one end, and an island platform between two tracks would be one. A three track station with two island platforms between each of the tracks would be another. Through trains would use the outer tracks. Terminating trains would use the center track. Lastly would be a 'relay track', a single track with a bumper block at one end where trains could enter, then switch back and reverse back out onto another track going in the opposite direction. These stations could have a changeable 'hold time', a built in amount of time for trains to lay over in the terminal. This would also be used to mitigate delays on one part of the line. For example, if the train is scheduled to arrive at 11:00, then have a 30 minute hold, and leave at 11:30, even if it shows up at 11:15, it would still leave by 11:30. This is even where the two track terminal would be a big help, since there could be two trains laying over at once.
Obviously, there is great potential for terminal stations, even building much larger ones than what I mentioned, like what exists on NYC's subway at the Stillwell Avenue Terminal in Coney Island. You could even make minor repairs to the vehicles when they are at the terminals (i.e. - they could be half as effective as depots). Or, terminals could automatically send vehicles in need of repair to the depot. A terminal could even have storage tracks to store trains, instead of sending them to the depot, or in order to replace trains which are breaking down. There are lots of possibilities for terminal stations (including adding them for other vehicle types, mainly trams).
3. Express stations for Metros - I was very excited when you made the ability to have a lot of flexibility for metro tracks, by allowing for 2 track metros in the same direction, and 4 track, 2 direction metro tracks. However, there is no ability to add stations that serve the middle tracks. Adding the ability to place island platforms between the metro tracks that serve both tracks would make the 4 track metro much more useful, especially if it allowed transfers between trains.
I know you are very busy working on games, and you get a lot of suggestions, but these are just a few ideas I have that would improve the CiM 2 experience. I have other ideas (recurring maintenance costs for rails/trolley wires, adjustable base satisfaction for employees wages), but I think these would be great improvements to make.
Thanks for considering.
1. Change the pathfinding - I know this has been a complaint from many, but the route making choices made by the CiMs are absurd. Passengers will get off of Metro 1 to ride Bus 2 so that they can transfer to Tram 3, even though Metro 1 connects with Tram 3, and would eliminate a time consuming transfer. This should be fixed! passengers should select the quickest, most direct route, with a small margin of error. But they shouldn't make bizarre decisions that result in extra travel time for them, and the need for me to add extra vehicles to some lines just because people want to ride the line for one stop. This is supposed to be a simulation... it should simulate real behavior.
But it should go beyond that. We should be able to add part-time routes. For example, here in NYC on our subways, we have many lines that operate only during rush hours, or maybe only during the daytime hours. Or like in Chicago, where the purple line is extended during rush hours, but other times, a shuttle is used to serve it's branch. This could be set up easily by allowing passengers to change their routing when they arrive at the station. If a route is not scheduled to operate at the station for some predetermined amount of time, then the Cim could choose to use another route at the station, or at a stop within the catchment area. If there were no alternate routes available, then the Cim would be dissatisfied with your service, and would find another way to travel. This would make the timetables more useful in their function.
2. Terminal stations for Metros - So metros only have two options for turning around; depots, or loops. Of course, in the real world, metros reach the end of the line, and then reverse direction on a switch. Maybe we shouldn't have the ability to make every station a terminal, but maybe we could provide a number of place-able objects that are stations. A terminal station with bumper blocks at one end, and an island platform between two tracks would be one. A three track station with two island platforms between each of the tracks would be another. Through trains would use the outer tracks. Terminating trains would use the center track. Lastly would be a 'relay track', a single track with a bumper block at one end where trains could enter, then switch back and reverse back out onto another track going in the opposite direction. These stations could have a changeable 'hold time', a built in amount of time for trains to lay over in the terminal. This would also be used to mitigate delays on one part of the line. For example, if the train is scheduled to arrive at 11:00, then have a 30 minute hold, and leave at 11:30, even if it shows up at 11:15, it would still leave by 11:30. This is even where the two track terminal would be a big help, since there could be two trains laying over at once.
Obviously, there is great potential for terminal stations, even building much larger ones than what I mentioned, like what exists on NYC's subway at the Stillwell Avenue Terminal in Coney Island. You could even make minor repairs to the vehicles when they are at the terminals (i.e. - they could be half as effective as depots). Or, terminals could automatically send vehicles in need of repair to the depot. A terminal could even have storage tracks to store trains, instead of sending them to the depot, or in order to replace trains which are breaking down. There are lots of possibilities for terminal stations (including adding them for other vehicle types, mainly trams).
3. Express stations for Metros - I was very excited when you made the ability to have a lot of flexibility for metro tracks, by allowing for 2 track metros in the same direction, and 4 track, 2 direction metro tracks. However, there is no ability to add stations that serve the middle tracks. Adding the ability to place island platforms between the metro tracks that serve both tracks would make the 4 track metro much more useful, especially if it allowed transfers between trains.
I know you are very busy working on games, and you get a lot of suggestions, but these are just a few ideas I have that would improve the CiM 2 experience. I have other ideas (recurring maintenance costs for rails/trolley wires, adjustable base satisfaction for employees wages), but I think these would be great improvements to make.
Thanks for considering.
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