Question of the week #27

1

As part of my ongoing development of a major expansion to my existing build (unrelated to the Heiwana build), I have compiled a list of transportation methods. It’s a bit of a survey, and I’d like to hear from you guys.

I have a few ideas that I’m considering.

Rideshare

Similar to Uber and Lyft, characters can request a ride through their phone, be picked up, and dropped off in another city. This functions similarly to taxis, except it is reskinned to operate as a ride-share app. The only downside of this idea is that most characters do not own smartphones, due to the lack of cell service in the realm except for your imagination.

Taxi

The usual. You hail a taxi, tell them where you want to go, and they’ll take you there. This system is already in place for Serenity (to be renamed) Island, and it’s simple, reliable, and will always get you from point A to point B.

High-speed rail

The idea of a high-speed rail has been on my mind for quite some time. High-speed rails are generally very innovative and luxurious, demonstrate the capabilities, and can ferry large groups of passengers between major city hubs in style (which is something I’d like) without needing to be instanced.

While this was an idea I’d like to implement, the only issue is that one of the areas I’m planning to include is a small cozy town in the countryside that is hundreds of miles away from megacities, and bullet trains stopping in a town populated by 5,000-10,000 residents makes no sense.

Sleeper Bus

Popular in Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia, passengers can comfortably sleep inside a sleeper bus while on a long-haul route to another city or a town. While the slowest, the fares are cheaper than the usual plane tickets, and on top of that, you can grab some meals at a rest stop.

Now then, which type of transportation would you prefer?

  • Rideshare (Vamos)
  • Taxi (Identical to the one on the main island)
  • High-speed rail
  • Sleeper bus
  • Other
0 voters
2

Why not medium- or low-speed rail? It has its own charm, and can be significantly cheaper, plus more suitable for areas where sharper turns may be necessary for terrain.

As for cell phones, there’s a thread about that. Of course, it may not apply in your area, and such technology is not suitable for everyone.

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3

That’s a good question. The reason why this was the case is because I want to envision my build as modern and technologically advanced, similar to what South Korea is pumping out.

I also have cell service in the build as well, which will come once the Heiwana update comes out (spoilers, includes a phone store with multiple service networks to choose from).

Here, it was well baked into the DNA.

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4

Oh, and uh… Sleeper Train exists too, so I’m adding that in.

5

to be fair, South Korea has a lot of medium and low speed rail! While they have one or two high speed lines (some of which go to still developing towns), most of the country is served by lower speed and still modernizing rail, though I do see your point ^^

6

Looking at the polls, it seems players want high-speed rails, yet I still need to accommodate the small town in a way that makes logical sense and is realistic.

What I would want to do is limit the high-speed rail service between Iwagenska and Maruyugen through the Chisumi Shinkansen (which will have a separate room), while these two medium-speed lines will have a simple room-to-room connection via train station.

  • Iwagenska-Nakao via Sorase Line
  • Maruyugen-Nakao via Amagiri Line
7

Please for the love of anything sane, do not make your zone any more confusing. It’s already impossible to find anything.

Think about what players want. They want fun things to do. Whether they ride a train, take a boat, or walk, it’s just an exit. Places to be should be easy to get to.

Stop making it so hard.

8

Some people have fun riding a train, or a ferry… yes, you can pose about it regardless, but having a designated environment to do so in with little details can add to the experience. Sometimes, it’s about the journey, not just the destination!

I agree that it’s important to have good directions (the short description that shows when you click a subarea name can be useful for this, as are maps); and in many cases a teleport pattern at the destination, to allow those who do just want to get back without any fuss to skip the trip.

9

I have updated the Pacifica International Airport by streamlining the rooms by merging Pacifica and outdoor into one single area. This update was made to accommodate the user-run build, which no longer exists.

My other option is revoking the exit between the airport and Pacifica so people will have to take a taxi.