The International Simutrans Forum

Community => Community Discussion => Randomness Lounge => Topic started by: Isaac Eiland-Hall on March 14, 2014, 02:19:10 AM

Title: Mini Metro
Post by: Isaac Eiland-Hall on March 14, 2014, 02:19:10 AM
http://dinopoloclub.com/minimetro/

QuoteMini Metro is an upcoming minimalistic subway layout game. Your small city starts with only three unconnected stations. Your task is to draw routes between the stations to connect them with subway lines. Everything but the line layout is handled automatically; trains run along the lines as quickly as they can, and the commuters decide which trains to board and where to make transfers.

Sounds interesting!
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: ӔO on March 14, 2014, 02:32:02 AM
very neat!
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: Spacethingy on March 14, 2014, 09:39:32 AM
Man, that's addictive! I can't get past about 150 pax! Good spot, thanks!
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: Isaac Eiland-Hall on March 14, 2014, 02:01:44 PM
It's a pretty intensive game :)

(http://ieh.im/age/170.png)
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: wlindley on March 14, 2014, 04:40:57 PM
My best so far...

(http://www.wlindley.com/images/simutrans/minimetro1.png)
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: ӔO on March 14, 2014, 06:09:29 PM
getting 600 is pretty difficult.
I always opt for more lines and station capacity, although running an upgraded train in a loop seems to work too.
(http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa131/AEObikes/567_zpsb3f1fbff.png)
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: Flemmbrav on March 14, 2014, 08:17:09 PM
thanks a lot for this link!

I broke the magican 600:
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/85896215/minimetro.png
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/85896215/minimetro.png)

It might be easyer to build ring lines,
becouse the trains only have to drive in one direktion,
so the trains don't need to drive every line two times.
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: prissi on March 14, 2014, 09:40:00 PM
I really wonder how this can amount to 11 MB for a game code, not to mention 23 MB for graphics ???
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: kierongreen on March 14, 2014, 10:00:56 PM
Trying to get past 500 at the moment!
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: ӔO on March 15, 2014, 12:33:51 AM
I finally got 600, just, with the loop method.
(http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa131/AEObikes/600_zpsb8174f42.png)
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: kierongreen on March 16, 2014, 02:36:33 PM
I ended up hitting a limit after 600. At that point it became extremely difficult to connect new stations without unduely lengthening existing lines. The fact you never know where stations will pop up makes it quite difficult to plan where lines should go.
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: ojii on March 16, 2014, 07:05:46 PM
Curse you for sharing this. Wasting all my time with this now :D

(http://i.imgur.com/FIFP9mY.png)
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: gauthier on March 16, 2014, 08:29:19 PM
Wasting so much time ... not to achieve over 250 :'(
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: BBGunn on March 17, 2014, 12:22:49 AM
So let me get this straight... the game pretty much looks like that?  Lines and circles and stars and triangles?  AND it's addictive?

I'm not trying to be critical here.  I'm genuinely curious.

I guess the best answer is to give the game a try myself.
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: gauthier on March 17, 2014, 07:07:40 PM
Quote from: BBGunn on March 17, 2014, 12:22:49 AM
So let me get this straight... the game pretty much looks like that?  Lines and circles and stars and triangles?  AND it's addictive?
A game can be excessively ugly/simple and very addictive ... just see Minecraft :p
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: Isaac Eiland-Hall on March 18, 2014, 01:11:52 PM
I don't know... Minecraft is very beautiful to me. I love the landscapes and the fact that every single block (sans bedrock) is mutable. :)

I might point to Angband (rogue-likes in general) as an example of something very simple yet very addictive - but there's a huge amount of complexity under the hood. Not as much as Dwarf Fortress, mind - or so I hear. Knowing that the game is a matter of "how long before you die", it's not the type of game I like. heh. Minecraft is, because in-game death isn't very critical in most cases.
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: Ters on March 18, 2014, 04:21:45 PM
Tetris is way simpler and is still around after all these years. It's made of squares in groups of four. And playable with as little as three keys, although four is the norm. Playable with just a single finger.

There are countless other examples of simple games that become very popular.
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: BBGunn on March 19, 2014, 12:28:29 AM
OK, you've convinced me to give it a try.  Unfortunately, I can't do that at work.  I have to install some kind of video software to play Mini Metro, and the work computers will not allow me to do that.
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: An_dz on March 19, 2014, 03:35:16 AM
Wow, Tetris is amazing, I have at least 4 copies of it. I tried Minecraft once but found it not worth the price. I should give a try on Mini Metro too.
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: IgorEliezer on March 19, 2014, 03:40:55 AM
Quote from: An_dz on March 19, 2014, 03:35:16 AMI tried Minecraft once but found it not worth the price.
How dare you! D:<
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: An_dz on March 19, 2014, 04:29:22 AM
I did not say it's a bad game, just a pricey game.
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: IgorEliezer on March 19, 2014, 05:01:14 AM
Quote from: An_dz on March 19, 2014, 04:29:22 AM
I did not say it's a bad game, just a pricey game.
Mph! Fair enough. *tips hat*
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: Isaac Eiland-Hall on March 19, 2014, 05:02:55 AM
Well, I think if I had to pay what I thought Minecraft was worth, I couldn't afford it. :P

That being said, for goodness sakes, everyone likes different things. I just had to put in my 2¢ :)
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: ӔO on March 19, 2014, 05:28:52 AM
mostly luck, but I almost got 700.
(http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa131/AEObikes/696_zps93784699.png)
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: Sybill on March 19, 2014, 06:45:56 PM
Nice little game, tried it a few times, and my personal best was 669.

Quote from: BBGunn on March 17, 2014, 12:22:49 AM
So let me get this straight... the game pretty much looks like that?  Lines and circles and stars and triangles?  AND it's addictive?

@BBGunn

It's not the graphics that makes a game a good game, it's the idea! This says someone who started playing on a C 64 and is still loving text adventures.

Btw. here is another nice little game, actually more to read than to play, with a slight philosophical touch.
It's not so important to find the solution in the end, but  the experience to play it through.

http://paperdino.com/save-the-date/ (http://paperdino.com/save-the-date/)
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: gauthier on March 19, 2014, 07:03:15 PM
Quote from: An_dz on March 19, 2014, 03:35:16 AMI tried Minecraft once but found it not worth the price.
I agree. Fortunately I bought it when it was only in alpha (half its current price). They are about a dozen of coders on this game but new features happen very slowly, along with a increasingly excessive need of performance from the computer compared to what the game looks like. I assume this being due to java which is not designed for such games.

I juste understood how to use upgrades on mini-metro so I'm going to make more :p
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: Isaac Eiland-Hall on March 19, 2014, 09:34:30 PM
Idea and gameplay both, arguably. :) It's smooth and moves nicely, even on my old machine. :)
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: jamespetts on March 21, 2014, 01:01:51 AM
Gosh, that's fun. 259 best so far.

Edit: 341

Edit: 440
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: ӔO on March 21, 2014, 03:45:34 AM
(http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa131/AEObikes/711_zps07bfcdd4.png)

There just isn't enough capacity in the trains beyond 700.

probably need to use two rings, one initial ring that captures the first 5 shapes and a second ring that captures a triangle, circle square and the rest of the shapes.

If you get lucky with the station layout, I think it should be possible to string up to 7 in a single line, but if the layout is poor, then maybe 6 or 5 will be the most before the train can't keep up with demand.
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: Partyschreck on March 21, 2014, 10:58:45 AM
QuoteThere just isn't enough capacity in the trains beyond 700.

probably need to use two rings, one initial ring that captures the first 5 shapes and a second ring that captures a triangle, circle square and the rest of the shapes.

There is. There isn´t a signifiacant form for the circles, I think. Games should be too different according to the symbols.
But the direction of travelling in the rings is very important !
Every posted record has a problem, because the arrangements of the symbols may be a little bit better than in most of the other games, otherwise it wouldn´t have been a record. You can´t build the same way in more difficult settings.
(http://s7.directupload.net/images/user/140321/jdgc8zin.jpg) (http://www.directupload.net)
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: ojii on March 21, 2014, 11:26:37 AM
New version, looks like we all have to change our strategies :D

http://devlog.dinopoloclub.com/post/80232001557/mini-metro-alpha8
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: ojii on March 21, 2014, 11:30:34 AM
First time trying Alpha 8:

(http://i.imgur.com/CZpMEpW.png)

It got a lot "easier" in my opinion, with tunnels getting nerfed really hard (which is good in my opinion, limiting the number of tunnels makes more sense in my opinion than slowing trains down). Also the target-based upgrade is nice.
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: ӔO on March 21, 2014, 12:14:31 PM
1131! now that is amazing to see.

I also get to see that there are no new shaped after pentagon.

the new one makes more sense.
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: FS1819 on March 21, 2014, 03:32:39 PM
Alpha 8 totally screwed up my mind again. My new strategy is to opt for C and T whenever possible. S isn't that useful.
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: ojii on March 21, 2014, 04:00:26 PM
I only ever get C, 3 tunnels is more than enough (especially since I still have the alpha 7 mindset of tunnels=====bad!!!)
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: Partyschreck on March 21, 2014, 06:48:43 PM
I don´t like Version 8 and will keep playing Number 7.
With the smaller trains I have the feeling that the importance where the symbols spawn is getting more important and so luck does. You will need more tunnels too, if you´re unlucky.
Version 7 was much more relaxing, too.
My second try was this.
(http://s14.directupload.net/images/user/140321/u99xjsqm.jpg) (http://www.directupload.net)
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: gauthier on March 31, 2014, 07:29:37 PM
This is the best I got ... How the **** are you doing to get so high scores ? XD
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: IgorEliezer on April 10, 2014, 06:44:40 AM
Mini-metro let's-play:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa0ovZT09oo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa0ovZT09oo)
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: ojii on April 21, 2014, 12:35:19 PM
alpha9 is out.

(http://i.imgur.com/zAuTn4W.png)

See their blog (http://devlog.dinopoloclub.com/post/83350676170/mini-metro-alpha9)

Really like the changes.
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: Isaac Eiland-Hall on April 23, 2014, 02:23:58 AM
The map is definitely nice, if nothing else :)
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: Partyschreck on April 23, 2014, 09:48:46 AM
Version 9 is much better than the last one and got me to play again a bit.

(http://s14.directupload.net/images/user/140423/nljhok9t.png) (http://www.directupload.net)
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: asaphxiix on April 23, 2014, 06:38:16 PM
indeed the newest version shows great progress.

4036 that's pretty amazing!
So far my best is 1300 in the new version.
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: Lmallet on April 23, 2014, 06:59:09 PM
@Partyschreck:  I notice that many stations have no lines, is there a strategy there?
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: Partyschreck on April 23, 2014, 08:02:47 PM
QuoteI notice that many stations have no lines, is there a strategy there?

There are a number of different reasons not to connect some stations:

1. At the end of the game, when you know that you cannot stop the finish anymore, its often better not to connect the last stations, because it takes some time until they overcrowd, especially since alpha 9 has bigger stations.

2. If a station is placed extremly bad its better only to serve the station from time to time with a single train. When you reach 2000 Points its time for such tactics.
One of my rules is never to have more than two circles in a row before a triangle appears.

3. Outer stations doesn´t produce very much passengers.

I think the developers should stop the playing method of using single trains as ambulance trains. With standard play (no ambulance trains) I can´t reach more than 2500 with Alpha9.
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: ojii on April 24, 2014, 09:21:41 AM
Quote from: Partyschreck on April 23, 2014, 08:02:47 PM
I think the developers should stop the playing method of using single trains as ambulance trains. With standard play (no ambulance trains) I can´t reach more than 2500 with Alpha9.

Agreed. I limit myself to "sensible" networks (as in, what would probably make sense IRL), so my scores tend to be low. I wish the devs would try to make it so "silly" networks/"ambulance trains" become less important/strong.
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: ojii on April 26, 2014, 05:09:24 PM
My new strategy: Portals!

(http://i.imgur.com/v8boVZ7.png)
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: dwpvdk on May 03, 2014, 11:41:00 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/X6AK5pB.png)

Finally got around to playing this game. It's really fun and challenging! #alpha11

===dwpvdk's Mini Metro Strategy===

Sets of Three - Opening:

Necessary Upgrades: Lines, Tunnels

The main three symbols are circle, triangle, and square. Circles appear the most often, while squares are almost never spawned with triangles somewhere in between the two. Despite this, the demand for these three symbols seems to the same. So, a Good Thing is to contain one "set" of these symbols on each line. Lines that contain more than one of any type are unbalanced and overcrowding will promptly occur.

Because squares appear the least often of the basic types, the first square spawned on the map will end up being the first interchange between lines as there will be a large amount of circles and triangles to be linked to a square. This is not a Bad Thing because no passengers will have destinations that require them to wait at the square and change trains. So, the square will hold the same amount of passengers as the other stops.

However, when other squares appear, it's a Good Thing to make another system based around the new square. Usually two systems will develop on each side of the river, and this is a Good Thing as well, because it makes less demand for tunnels. Lines can easily rerouted through the stops to make travel to the square from the outlying circles and triangles very easy and not dependent on the first square. This technique will often free up tunnels and lines for other uses.

Enter the "Special Symbol" - The Midgame:

Necessary Upgrades: Lines, Tunnels (but mostly focus on lines)

It isn't too long after the beginning of the game that a cross symbol spawns or one of the other symbols changes into a cross. The cross is the first featured "Special Symbol". Only one of each of these symbols spawn, and there are many: cross, star, pentagon, pie, rhombus, etc... Because only one of each of these symbols spawn, it means that changing lines is necessary. It's a Bad Thing if passengers already have to change lines to reach a symbol before a "Special Symbol" spawns for the first time.

A good quality of "Special Symbols" is that passengers do not seem to want to go to them as much as they do the circles, triangles, and squares. So, "Special Symbols" certainly do not need to be part of multiple lines because of their infrequent occurrence. They could be forgotten about completely as additions to lines near them if not for the fact that they slowly seem to increase in demand over time.

Only seven lines maximum are allowed in the game, and using short lines is costly and quickly becomes a Bad Thing. As more and more outlying circles and triangles are spawned, they must all be linked to squares and with an even ratio in the set. It is, however, impossible to make each set have its own line. It is possible and a Good Thing to make lines that link together more than one complete set. An example, following the game rules of probability of occurrence of symbols:
                                                                                      Cir---Tri---Squ---Cir---Tri
                                                                                      \      set1      /
                                                                                                      \      set2      /
The square is at the center of the line, justifying that the circles and triangles have spawned out from the square and that the square is the least possible in occurrence. There will be no travel through the complete line, taking up unnecessary space in the railcar as each of the three basic symbols are serviced in both halves of the line; all passengers will get off at the square as if it were the end of the line. This of course excludes the "Special Symbols", but these will not be such an issue if they are made easy destinations despite their steady increase in demand.

The network would be very simple if not for this increase in demand for the "Special Symbols". (Also, the other symbols grow in demand and generation, but this is not as much of an issue because of the sets strategy.) Rapid and effective transit across/ between the systems created in the game becomes necessary as more "Special Symbols" are generated. A central loop line that ties many of the lines together can come in handy (see the Red line in the image) as well as lines that don't link up sets but go across systems (see the lower half of the Green line in the image). To keep these two types of lines functioning, it may be necessary to not link up sets of circles, triangles, and squares along these lines or deliberately make them so that normal passengers won't use them; their purpose must be for longer-distance inter-system transportation.

Upgraded Outer Loops - The Endgame:

Necessary Upgrades: Double Locomotive, Extra Carriage

If most of the lines link up complete sets, and the ones that don't are used for inter-system transit, then the network is doing well. By this point, the network is comprised of two (or more) major systems that are completely self-sufficient except for the "Special Symbol" passengers. These passengers are the only ones that should be changing trains. There is no more need for tunnels, because the upper and lower parts of the network already have the necessary connections across the river toward the center of the map (Red and Green lines in the image above).

Because no more lines are available, it's time to start thinking practically. If existing lines are always just extended, then the lines will become unbalanced and overcrowded because of the sets rule. It's okay to strip out all the lines and the connect the stops in completely new ways. Even this will become ineffective after a time, and outer loops are the only viable option. Loops are a Good Thing because they maximize the effectiveness of a long line if used correctly.

As the game weeks go by, it is necessary keep upgrading the capacity of the loop lines with the double locomotive and the extra carriages (the Pink line in the image above has two locomotives, both with an extra carriage). It becomes impossible to continue linking up even ratios of sets as the circles and triangles multiply. The game boils down to a race against time in many situations to see if the trains can reach the symbols quickly or an upgrade can be applied before symbols get overcrowded.

GOOD LUCK, ALL!

...I don't know if this will help, but it's how I play.
Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: jamespetts on May 04, 2014, 10:37:28 AM
Hmm, seems to be easier to get high scores with this latest version:


Title: Re: Mini Metro
Post by: Partyschreck on May 08, 2014, 03:28:03 PM
They´re creating the endless mode.

(http://s14.directupload.net/images/user/140508/fkq6ha34.png) (http://www.directupload.net)