What the developers have to say:

Why Early Access?

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?

LOTUS-Simulator

AI

scheduled traffic and surrounding traffic

pedestrians, passengers

interactions with AI Gameplay

schedules and block schedules

signals

radio and control center for multiplayer Content

Map “Berlin”

enhanced vegetation Environment

weather and seasons Engine

enhanced graphic effects

Map editor

tunnels

free forming and painting of terrain

AI paths

enhanced overhead wire construction



What is the current state of the Early Access version?

LOTUS-Simulator

Gameplay

module for road vehicles (bus and trolleybus package) "Streets of LOTUS"

module for rail vehicles (trains package) "Rails of LOTUS"

driving physics, including real coupling and rail physics

simulation of systems (switches, lights, animations, …)

multiplayer mode

individual keyboard and game controller settings

free train assembling

VR support

vehicle-specific real-time support system for incorrect operations Content

dummy map “Diorama”

Berlin tram GT6N at 90%

basic scenery objects for free use Environment

daytime, solar altitudes Engine

base engine with file management, options, GUI, simulator, Steam interface and efficient multithreading

real-time lighting, dynamic shadows, gloss, normal-/bump maps, parallax occlusion, particle system (smoke, steam)

64bit

sounds

plugin interface for external hardware

individual adjustment of languages and language files

Map editor

streets and crossings construction

rail track and switch construction

laying splines and polygons

placing objects

bridges

simple and catenary lines

placing maps on a real world model

displaying world map beneath the terrain

real digital elevation model (DEM) import

Content tool

comprehensive content management system

import of vehicles and scenery objects

substantial configurations of animations, lightings and vehicle behaviour, including complex car configurations, such as Z-positions and Jacobs bogies

vehicle scripts and script simulation

modularization of vehicles, such as displays, printers, passenger information

repaints

mesh animations

particle systems configuration on vehicle

extensive configuration of materials, including night textures and surface character



Will the game be priced differently during and after Early Access?

How are you planning on involving the Community in your development process?

“The technical basis for LOTUS is created. You can build and furnish maps, you can import and configure vehicles – and of course you can drive!The necessary complex tools are basically finished and the simulation has the substantial base features to provide a driving experience with highest claims for realistic physics, sound and system depth. With your feedback we not only want to optimize the tools with regard to your individual demands, but also improve and extend the gameplay to reach our shared purpose: A simulator not only for driving bus and railway, but also to set your creativity free, develop your skills, perhaps take a stroll down memory lane, connect with sympathizers and which most importantly provides a lot of fun for a very long time.”“We plan to stay in Early Access until approximately 2020 – just as long as it takes to implement all planned features.”“The following of our planned features are not yet implemented in LOTUS:“The following features are already“This price of the Early Access version of LOTUS is the same as the price of the release version. We primarily address players and addon developers who appreciate an intense communication with the developers, want to implement their own projects in an early stage of development, want to influence the development of LOTUS or just want to be players from the very start.”“During EA we offer an intense, fast and direct one-to-one support and the opportunity to direct individual requests to the developers, discuss them with them and to possibly integrate them in our application. In addition, every single bug report is of great value and will be processed appreciatively.Everybody will be able to take part in surveys regarding the next features to be implemented in LOTUS.Our simulator is so diverse and extensive that we are depending on feedback from different systems, from addon developers with different and international standards and different ambitions as well as from players with different levels of knowledge – to reach our high claims when the release has come, which is why we need you!”