I built a switch yard with 5 tracks and 5 trains that serve a simple loop around a city center. When I announced that I had installed this mod and that there were trains waiting for engineers to drive them, I had a 'traffic jam' of trains within an hour. I fully expected that :)
General Observations:
- Placing track can be tricky at first. Switches are the worst. These tasks get easier with experience. I've had to redo my track layout a few times for the switch yard. That was expected also. IMHO the tracks need more angles. It has 30, 45, and 60 degree turns. That gives 15 degree difference between 30 and 45, and 45 and 60. With a large 30 degree difference between 0 and 30, and 60 and 90. That makes the tracks look odd.
- I was driving a train and a player 'clicked' me out of the driver's seat and took control of my train! Maybe I should make a gallows to hang train thiefs >:)
- The view around the area can be obstructed by the train. I use F7 often to solve this.
- More than one rider per car would be nice.
- Trains kill players that get hit by a train. Hmm. I don't know about changing this behavior. Leave as is with no bones generated but inventory items dropped. See next list item.
- Trains come to an instant stop if they hit something. This hasn't been extensively examined. If a train hits a 'brick wall' in real life, yes it's going to stop. Eventually. But running over a player's bones? Nope. The train should keep right on rolling along. Hmm. Can we have a mangled player bones node added? haha.
- Controls - Not sure how to do this. Kinda good as is. Maybe add a small button to show help text for controls?
- Train vanishes if track is dug near the train. I need to look it this more closely to find out exactly what is happening.
- Can't see the train from very far. This may be caused by something outside of this mod
- Signs - Oh yes we need signs! xD
- Should engines have "keys to the cab"? IOW, engine is only usable by the player that placed it and by admins. Make this an option.
- I've jumped off a moving train and died. I also sometimes didn't take any damage. Jumping off a moving train should cause automatic damage based on train speed. hmm. Same if fly is enabled?
- Head light for engines
A few comments from the viewpoint of trying to make this mod 'kid-friendly':
- Trains need whistles! I'm an adult and I want to blow the whistle also xD
- For various reasons, players often abandon their trains while they are moving. If trains can pass through one another, this won't be too much of a problem. But if not, then having the ability for trains to 'auto-drive' to a certain point or type of block would be very desirable to prevent train-jams.
Steam puffs from the steam engine is a nice effect. Love it.
I am installing mesecons mod soon. I hope to get some automatic switching happening.
This mod is *lots* of fun! Over time it will only get better.
