A February Update: It's time for coal, but slightly delayed
Dear Community,
last month we gave you a sneak-peek into the next update that introduces new gameplay mechanics and improvements, including coal firing.
Initially, we announced that this update will approximately release by the end of February. However, we made the decision to delay it by just a little bit and now plan to release it on March 10, 2023.
Why? Well, work and polishing simply took us longer than expected. This means that our QA team will begin testing the update next week and, in addition to that, we want to keep some buffer to fix potential issues they find.
Let's coal coal, baby!
While this might be disappointing, we want to use the opportunity to share more details about the update with you! For example, some of you speculated in the recent weeks about what happened with the silhouettes of engines and cars we shared last year. A few people in the community guessed it correctly: Some of them are part of this update! :)
(Note: Not all of the silhouettes. They will come later. Hehe.)
Just to clarify: The new locomotives we introduce are all fired by coal. Existing engines will continue to be powered by the mighty magic of wood.
The use of coal will not be a trivial aesthetic make-over, instead it requires a whole new workflow. That's why we are introducing coaling towers which you can place all over the map – at best in strategically important areas.
The coaling towers must be filled with coal via the coal hopper, so make sure to build some very nice lines from the coal mine to your desired coaling towers! The coaling towers have a chute attached to them which you have to use to load the tender of the brand-new engines with coal. From there, you can shovel (yes, SHOVEL!) the coal into the engines' firebox.
Pro tip: Using coal will prove to be much more efficient than firewood and will therefore come with the benefit of not having to refill your tender as often. More focus on deliveries, less on fueling...
Of course, the new update will include much more than that! We won't spoil the full list of included new locomotives, cars, and towers (yes, there are more) – but we are quite sure you'll like them! :) No worries, you can also expect fixes and improvements as usual.
Steam Spring Sale 2023!
To celebrate the new update, we will put Railroads Online on sale from March 10 to March 23.
However, from March 10 to 16, you can expect a bigger discount (cool new update, yay!). With the start of the Steam Spring Sale which runs until March 23, the discount will be slightly reduced. The earlier you join, the more you save :)
And that's it for today! We'll share more details about the update once it releases. For now, have a good time in the valley and never stop shaping the world of Railroads Online ❤
in January, we teased an overhaul of the overall presence of our game on Steam and other platforms. As we are making fast progress, we want to shed some light on our decisions: Welcome to a fresh new look for Railroads Online!
(Also, just a PSA here: This is just an ✨ aesthetic ✨ makeover that our art and marketing departments have been working on and the beginning of new communication channels, the game itself stays largely unaffected ☺️).
A cleaner name
Let's begin with something that did not change today but rather a few weeks ago already: 'RAILROADS Online!' has transformed into 'Railroads Online'.
When we all sat together brainstorming about this refresh, we asked ourselves a lot of questions: What does the current name and its typography stand for? Does the exclamation mark serve a purpose? Does the community use the name as it is?
Our conclusion was this: Let's remove the capitalization and simplify✨ it!
With this new typography, we’ve optimized the readability (especially in the middle of a sentence), but otherwise, not a lot has changed. We know we all kinda dislike change, so we hope these small changes are just for the better.
A new logo
The new main logo and some flat versions for special occasions
The most prominent change would probably be the fully refreshed logo where a change was inevitable once we decided to touch the typography of the name.
Additionally, we wanted to use this opportunity to make sure the new logo represented more of the game's essence. With the new logo, we want to better grasp the look and feel of the industrial age, creating a homage to the past by making the logo both look heavy but also powerful, enticing and unique.
However, in today's modern times, we had to ensure that we can utilize the logo in a variety of use cases. We think our art department nailed it! Do you agree?
Plus: We took great care ensuring that it looks good in motion as well! Speaking of that...
A fresh trailer
That was exciting, wasn't it?
By now, and after dozens and dozens of updates, the trailer previously seen on the store page had to be deemed as slightly outdated. If we're going for a new look altogether, a fully overhauled trailer for Railroads Online seemed long overdue.
It was important to us that new players would immediately understand what Railroads Online is about once they see the trailer by showcasing the pillars of the game mixed with some beautiful shots. However, we deliberately kept it as authentic to the actual gameplay as possible – after all, our veterans shouldn't start shaking their heads :D
A bunch of screenshots
Oh yeah: We created new screenshots as well. As it is the case with the trailer as well, you can check them out on the store page.
An overhauled store page
Wow, did they just say 'store page'? Yes, they did! A new logo, a new trailer, new screenshots, a new name... obviously, we had to follow suit and update our presence on Steam accordingly! Alongside it, we exchanged the description, even putting some sleek GIFs in between the paragraphs to improve the overall understanding of the game from the point of view of a player discovering the game for the very first time.
(BTW: It's pronounced 'GIF' not 'JIF'. Hate us in the comments for saying that.)
A slogan
TAKE YOUR TRAIN.
In the future, we will use this new slogan in different areas, for example in trailers and on other marketing material.
A website, even
To new players from all over the world, we believe it is important to create as many touch points as possible. Our very own website includes a lot of detailed information about the game and we're confident to let it become an important part of our overall communication strategy in the future :)
Open to-do's
First things first: We are also working on an updated key visual which we will use pretty much everywhere once it is ready. As it is still work-in-progress, we can not share it today but we will once the final touches have been made :)
Plus, the game will be updated in the near future to include the new logo, updated icons (for example in the Windows Taskbar) and other things. No ETA yet though!
We finally have Social Media Profiles!
In addition, we are – better late than never – finally present outside of Steam as well! We strongly believe that we should be available to the community on as many platforms as possible so that you always have a way to contact us and stay informed about everything that is happening behind-the-scenes.
Follow us for the latest news, quick updates, community spotlights, fast chats and a buuuunch of other things!
PS: We do intend to bring back an official Discord server for the community in the future. We'll let you know once that is the case – just wanted you to be aware of it :)
We hope you like the changes as we are very happy with the results! Once again, these changes only have trivial influence on development so no resources are being taken away. :)
The Railroads Online Team
Railroads Online - Update 230130
Dear Community,
we just released the new update 230130 to the main branch! As you can see, it’s just a minor update but we hope we fixed some really annoying bugs and crashes with this one! We also added an auto load function for cranes, please try it out and tell us if you like it 🔥
We know we’ve already teased you with new content coming soon and it’s obviously not in this update… but ‘soon’ will be in about 3-4 weeks 🤫 (We're still working on some important bits and bobs to make sure everything works and looks well in the end ;))
Changelog
Fixed client randomly crashes to desktop when walking towards a freight train
Fixed tutorial window can be opened multiple times
Fixed It is possible to slide on the ground on "crossover" parts (crossover 90 and crossover 45) while being in construction mode
Fixed locomotive exhaust sounds and particles to wheel rotation
Added new locomotive exhaust sounds
Added new exhaust particle effects for smokestacks
Added auto load function for cranes, active cranes will load a freight car until it has reached its maximum capacity
Added flags to Class70 locomotive headlight type 1
Try out the new update for yourself and enjoy the rest of the week!
The Railroads Online Team
A January Update: What we've been working on and what's coming next
Dear Community,
new year, new tasks! We're all back from our annual holiday break and incredibly excited for what's ahead of us in 2023. As we're approaching the end of January already, we wanted to give you a quick update on what we've been working on during the last few weeks, what's currently happening behind-the-scenes and what's coming next. Let's get started!
Lots of QA and a full Code Review
Our very own internal QA studio spent a looot of time playing the game to perform a huge analysis regarding the overall gameplay and feel of the game, looking at it from a player's perspective. While we definitely believe to have a good understanding which areas could and should be improved in the future based on our own impression and your feedback, a professional analysis is of tremendous help as well.
In addition, we performed an extensive code review with an external studio, going through the entire codebase of Railroads Online. We wanted to have an unbiased look at the state of the game, where there's room for optimization and what should be changed in the near and distant future. We believe that this will help us in improving the game going forward – especially in terms of graphics, UI, performance, physics and multiplayer.
Currently, results of both the QA run and the code review are being evaluated to ensure we find the right path for our development roadmap we previously shared.
New content coming soon
While the analysis is running, we continue to work on some frequently requested features. Some of them, including the amazing telegraph offices, have already been implemented but, as always, there's much more to come.
One thing we're incredibly excited about is a new gameplay mechanic that is being developed at this very moment: Coal firing! In addition to the existing method of using wood to keep the oven warm and cozy, you can fire the locomotives with coal as well. To do that, you gotta use your new shovel to transport the coal from your tender into the firebox.
Additionally, coaling towers will be introduced which need to be supplied with coal from the coal mine. You can use the coaling towers to load the tenders with coal. Locomotives will exhaust smoke particles when being powered by coal and also receive exhaust sound synchronized with the cylinder action.
Obviously, we'll add a pack of coal fired locomotives as well – coming with the next update. More rolling stock and facility buildings are also in progress (you loved our previous teasers, didn't you?). Take a look at the screenshots to get a first glimpse!
No worries: Improving the overall stability and performance while fixing a lot of bugs remains our top priority :)
A better store presence
The sales, product management and marketing teams at astragon are also working on a better and improved presence on Steam. As we've added a lot of features and plan to introduce even more, we think it's time for some fresh screenshots, trailers, an updated logo and a clearer game description. We've changed a few things already and exchanged some texts but more stuff is in the works. You might have noticed that we, for example, altered the name of the game a little bit.
Yes, it's now "Railroads Online" instead of "RAILROADS Online!". Looks a little bit... cleaner.
Community Contest
Hundreds of players participated in our recent community contest and we're absolutely thrilled to check out what you have built! Eventually, we plan to feature the coolest, fanciest, or craziest creations in Railroads Online in a future community trailer.
As going through the worlds of every single one of you requires a lot of time, it will take a bit longer to announce the winner of the contest and make a decision on who exactly will be featured in the trailers. Please have a little bit more patience! 🙏
And that's it for today! We'll have more to share and release in the coming weeks. For now, have a good time in the valley and never stop shaping the world of Railroads Online ❤
Your Railroads Online Team
Community Contest
Dear Community,
we hope you had a lovely time during the holidays and a good start into the new year. Let’s make 2023 a good one! 🎊
To start off the year, we’re happy to announce our very first Railroads Online Community Contest!
We want to see your coolest, fanciest or craziest creations in Railroads Online and would love to feature them in a community trailer. 🎦 You established a beautifully sorted railyard? Created an astonishing bridge? Built a crossing that cannot be unseen? Show it to us!
Not only will you get the chance to be a part of our community trailer, but you can also win a pretty cool price 🎁👀
A H0 mini train model
Here’s what you need to do: Just fill out the Google Form and submit your savegame to participate in the contest.
https://forms.gle/gkmvPS5EmCAwi2GdA
The contest is open until January 15th, so make sure to take part 😊
We’re looking forward to seeing your submissions!
Your Railroads Online Team
Steam Winter Sale: Railroads Online is now 20% off!
Hello everyone,
Merry Christmas! The Steam Winter Sale is well underway and we're part of it as well!
RAILROADS Online! - Update 221221 - Christmas Special
Dear Community,
we just released the new update 221221 to both the main and the beta branch!
We would like to surprise you with a small Christmas-Special!
Changelog
Fixed bug where Locomotive Number would not be shown on Clients
Removed Debug Player Buttons
Added snow
Added new Locomotive "Cooke 2-8-0"
Added new Car "Snow Plow"
Updated Morse Code
Snow
To celebrate the winter season the landscape, rails, switches, and alike are now covered in snow.
Cooke 2-8-0
This Cooke Locomotive & Machining Co. 2-8-0 Consolidation was originally built for the Dever, South Park & Pacific Railroad and comes with various headlight, smokestack and paint options.
Snow Plow
This Wedge Plow by the West Side Lumber Company can be coupled in front of your train! You can choose between four different paint styles.
Enjoy the cool snow plow effects while receiving a little bonus on the top speed.
...and it's teaser time!
Which engines are these? Post it in the comments down below!
We hope you enjoy this little special and wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!
we just released the new update 221214 to both the main and the beta branch! Included are a bunch of bug fixes, some fantastic new features (you'll definitely like them!), and a few other great improvements!
Changelog
Bug Fixes
Fixed bug that caused the game to stutter and drop to <10FPS when multiple bridges have been built on the map and a train is moving
Fixed bug that caused the game to crash to the desktop during the rerailing process (Multiplayer / Client)
Fixed bug that caused the Track Construction Menu not being able to be closed with the assigned button
Fixed bug that caused the Construction Menu UI to overlap any previously opened track Construction Menu UI
Fixed bug that caused the Construction Menu UI to stay on the screen while the mouse cursor disappears
Fixed bug that caused tracks previously built by a client to may miss coupling indicators (Multiplayer)
Fixed bug where the word 'resources' would be misprinted in the tooltip for host server settings
Fixed bug that caused the car truck rotation to be locked
Improvements
Adjusted Class48 locomotive tractive effort
New Features
Added Rail Crossover 45°
Added Telegraph Office
Added Player Icons and Player Names to Minimap
Rail Crossover 45°
Previously, you were able to use only one type of rail crossovers that had an angle of exactly 90°, slightly restricting your options. With today's update, we're adding a second one that has an angle of 45°! Try them out for yourself and let us know what you think! :)
Telegraph Office
This historic telegraph office can be placed anywhere on the map and serves as a fast-travel point, enabling you to swiftly move from one part of the map to the other (they even make a nice beeping sound). When opening the minimap you can select a placed telegraph office (marked by the letter 'T') and fast-travel to its location.
Make sure to keep a little bit of space between them, otherwise the selection on the map might turn out a little bit difficult. Scroll a little bit further below to see the marker on the map screenshot!
Player Icons and Player Names on the Minimap
Now, the minimap shows all players currently connected to your server - including their name, their location and their rotation. You won't miss each other ever again :')
...and more to come!
We don't want to spoil too much... but what could these possibly be? Feel free to speculate in the comments!
Try out the new update for yourself and do not hesitate flooding us with feedback (it would happen anyway, we're pretty sure)!
The Steam Awards 2022 are here and as we're now officially more than one year old (a real grown-up!), we are incredibly grateful for every vote you cast in the category "Labor of Love"! :)
Your continuous support, the incredible input and the tremendous knowledge provided... they are unbelievably helpful and motivating. Without you, this project would not be possible and as we continue to update the game (check out the most recent one!), we can also not wait for everything that is yet to come.
