OpenTTD

OpenTTD

Studio	OpenTTD team
Publisher	OpenTTD team
platform	Unix ( GNU / Linux , BSD * ), Windows , Windows Mobile , OS / 2 , PSP and others
genre	Economic simulation
Subject	Transport , logistics
Game mode	Single player , multiplayer (Internet & LAN )
control	Keyboard , mouse
system advantages preconditions	233 MHz CPU 64 MB RAM 10 MB hard disk
language	more than 50 different languages
Current version	1.10.2 (June 01, 2020)

OpenTTD start menu with game graphics in the background (free OpenGFX graphics set)

OpenTTD is a free re-implementation (replica) of the engine of the 1994 economic simulation game Transport Tycoon Deluxe by Chris Sawyer . In contrast to the original, which was limited to Microsoft DOS and Windows , OpenTTD was ported to numerous other operating systems and platforms, including various Unixoid systems ( GNU / Linux , Mac OS X , BSD ), OS / 2 , the PSP and Palm as well as Windows Mobile . Versions are also available for Apple iOS , Android , Symbian devices and the Nintendo DS .

Comparable to the unofficial modification TTDPatch for the original Transport Tycoon Deluxe , the original functions of the game have been expanded and new ones, such as B. added a multiplayer mode with up to 255 participants in 15 companies.

history

Development began on March 6, 2004 - about ten years after the appearance of the model - with the release of version 0.1, by Ludvig "Ludde" Strigeus also for the development of ScummVM and the BitTorrent - client uTorrent is known. The basis was an analysis of the disassembled original files , after which a new version in C was developed using the SDL libraries. The author published the first bugfix version 0.1.1 with some innovations just eight days later. Version 0.2 was released the following month. The popularity of the game then increased and other programmers joined the project, but "Ludde" only stayed with him until version 0.3.3 of July 14, 2004. After his departure, OpenTTD was completely refactored and largely transferred to C ++ .

The current development status can be obtained from the Git repository at any time . A nightly build is created every day at around 8 p.m. In addition to bug fixes, it usually contains changes and updates to the various translations, but sometimes also new, and therefore untested, functions.

On April 1, 2010, OpenTTD 1.0.0 was released, which for the first time could be used completely without the original game files, but these are still supported.

Gameplay

The player is the manager of a transport company and has to help it flourish. At the beginning of the game, you will find some cities and businesses in the game landscape. The player's perspective of the game landscape is isometric - similar to other games of this time, e.g. B. SimCity 2000 or RollerCoaster Tycoon .

The player can now supply the companies with goods that are needed there or bring goods that are produced there to where they are needed. An example is the transport of coal from the coal mine to the power station. The player is rewarded for this transport and can further expand his company. With the transport to the processing companies, the local production of goods increases. Some companies also process the raw materials and goods into so-called "goods", which can then be delivered to the cities. It is also possible to move passengers and mail between cities.

The starting time of the game is freely selectable. Over time, other technologies such as the magnetic levitation train will be developed and made available to the player. Since the technologies have a dedicated start time, it is de facto not possible to play before the earliest available means of transport. The available technology can be controlled via NewGrf (see below).

Goods and passengers are transported either by land - with road and rail vehicles -, by sea or by air freight . The most efficient way in the game is the overland route with transport by rail vehicles and the use of airplanes.

It is possible to build more complex rail systems with signal systems and in this way to optimize the routes of the rail vehicles. With a good knowledge of the game mechanics, the routing can be optimized so that the trains run close together at full speed. Otherwise there will be very long traffic jams; the delivery times of the goods to the companies are longer, sales and profits are falling. The cities can e.g. B. because of a bad reputation (major changes on the site of the city, poor transportation of goods) refuse to renovate the station or the companies stop production / processing due to lack of transport.

Differences from the original

In addition to the obvious porting to other operating systems and platforms, OpenTTD also offers numerous changes and improvements in terms of content and graphics. First and foremost, the newly implemented and heavily revised multiplayer mode should be mentioned, which, in contrast to the original, is directly integrated and allows OpenTTD to be played via IP-based LAN and the Internet. In addition to local, dedicated servers are supported, on which up to 255 participants in a maximum of 15 companies can play at the same time. There are worldwide OpenTTD game days in which players from all over the world take part in order to get to know each other better, to find mistakes in the game and to measure their skills in mutual competition. Compared to the single player mode, the gameplay in the multiplayer mode changes slightly.

The NewGRF system developed in the TTDPatch project to change or expand the graphics and behavior of the individual simulation objects contained in the game, as well as to expand the vehicle and industrial park, was also implemented in OpenTTD. Most of the settings can, however, be made via a graphic interface that is integrated directly into the game, which also supports the reloading and updating of extensions from the Internet from the project's central "content server".

The algorithms for finding the way were improved (e.g. turn right to take the route to the left instead of not finding the way). Path-based signals for train routes to make the track area more realistic. Building on sloping terrain is also more extensive.

Community

OpenTTD has developed a growing community throughout its history. Since OpenTTD is freely available for download, no exact figures can be made about the number of copies.

There are various fan pages for the game, including extensions (patches), so-called NewGRFs (OpenTTD now has its own database that can be accessed via the game) for vehicles, roads, textures etc. and various information and tips about the game.

Variations

Patches

The start menu of the Open-TTD extension Chill's Patchpack

Patches change fundamental things about the game. For example, passengers and goods with the “CargoDist” patch had specific destinations and can no longer be unloaded at any location. This patch is now integrated into the standard game.

Several patches are often combined in patch packs. One of the best known is Chill's Patchpack, this adds, for example, the “CargoDist” patch, larger maps, higher mountains and other changes.

NewGRF

NewGRF stands for New Graphics Resource File . NewGRF provides an interface for extensions to OpenTTD such as B. vehicles, traffic routes or even houses. NewGRF files end with the extension .grf. By default, the individual extensions are saved in a single .grf file. Sometimes the extensions are also published in an uncompressed archive, where a readme , a changelog and a license can be enclosed.

Most of the time, the extensions are downloaded through the game; A database is available through the game from which some extensions can be downloaded directly. The NewGRF format is the successor to the GRF (Graphics Resource File). This format was used in the Transport Tycoon Deluxe extension TTDPatch .

There is, for example, the DB set with German trains or the DACH (Germany-Austria-Switzerland) set with trains from these countries.

Dependencies

A current C ++ compiler, a toolchain and porting of the SDL libraries to the target platform are required for manual compilation .

OpenTTD does not require any files from the original game, all necessary files can be obtained from the OpenTTD project site, reloaded during installation or obtained automatically or manually within the game. The formats of the original graphics and sound files as well as background music of the original game are supported (as of April 2014) to create a nostalgic look in the game, but the project provides its own graphics, sound and music packages that can be used alternately with OpenGFX, OpenSFX and OpenMFX (so-called sets ) are available, which are based on the models in architecture and design, but have been completely recreated. There is also a separate project that is creating completely new stylistic and independently designed graphics. For the most part, the free 3D modeling program Blender is used, for which various OpenTTD-typical standard elements (streets, trees, windows, various wall textures, etc.) are centrally available. In addition to new graphics, two additional zoom levels are then available in the game . In the meantime there is also a graphics package that supports the 32bpp color palette, while all others only support the 8bpp color palette. The better color palette results in a significantly better color image and an unpixeled image even at the highest zoom level.

Legal situation

When the first published version was created, the analysis of the original binary files from Transport Tycoon Deluxe for MS-DOS served as a template, but the program code itself, except for numerous numeric constants , was not adopted. The game programmed by Chris Sawyer was published by MicroProse , the exploitation and naming rights to Transport Tycoon and Transport Tycoon Deluxe are currently (as of July 2009) with Atari SA . However, the company is currently not showing any interest in clarifying the legal situation in any way. Transport Tycoon Deluxe is still sold as new and despite his age so that no abandonware . Chris Sawyer also drew attention to this.

With the progress of the OpenGFX, OpenSFX and OpenMSX projects, OpenTTD is completely independent of the model. Therefore there is no need or obligation to own the original game in order to use it. By using the original files, however, a nostalgic increased play value can be achieved for those familiar with the model. Since the game itself is under the GNU GPL v2 , but Linux distributions such as Debian also attach great importance to adhering to a strict and clear licensing policy for accompanying data such as music, images and symbols, OpenTTD will be without the original files, but with the free alternatives for graphics, sounds and music created by the open source community.