Version 1.6 beta

Version 1.6 is ready to begin public beta testing, and it is available to download in the beta branch. Unlike past major versions, 1.6 is a smaller release with shorter development time. Here are the main new features and changes:

Multiplayer optimizations

A big focus of the 1.6 private development has been to optimize multiplayer for better scalability. Not all goals have been achieved in 1.6, but it should still be more capable than older versions of playing larger saves in MP.

Track curve weight

It is now possible to manually select the halfway point between two tracks, allowing to alter the curvature of tracks without moving their control points. This feature in turns makes split and tape tools possible.

Track split and tape tools

The track editor gains five new tools: split track, track tape, promote tracks into platforms
(demoting platforms into tracks is also available in the track properties panel), building tape and parallel track tape. These tools have a different interaction mode compared to older tools, always working on top of existing tracks.

Track editor "hold" mode for keybindings

This game option changes the way the track editor tool keybindings work. In this mode the track editor is always in selection mode. When pressing a tool keybind the editor switches to the corresponding tool, but only while the key is pressed. On releasing the key the selection mode is enabled again. Experienced players might find this mode a more efficient way to interact with the track editor.

Track editor optimizations

Manipulating track selections involving parallel tracks and/or multiple stations should be noticeably faster in v1.6.

Path trace options in train window

Two new options (accessed from two new buttons in the train window) make it possible to visualize the projected path of a train to its current destination, or to any point in any track.

Check out the October and November devblogs for more in depth information:
https://carloscarrasco.com/nimby-rails-october-2022/
https://carloscarrasco.com/nimby-rails-november-2022/

(NOTE: the "platform tape" and "station tape" tools have been discarded, replaced with the 1.6 "platform promotion" tool. You can get the exact same results as the "platform tape" tool combining the "track tape" and "platform promotion" tools. The original station tool remains in the game).

Official NIMBY Rails Wiki

I'm now hosting a MediaWiki for the NIMBY Rails player community:

https://wiki.nimbyrails.com/

It's only a few days old and it has been mostly private until now, so it's very empty, but it will grow with time.