Why Early Access?

“We are bringing CTS: Tram into Early Access, because we believe we will be able to produce the best game experience with our players’ input.

Early Access provides us the opportunity to develop City Transport Simulator: Tram hand-in-hand with our community. This approach allows us to integrate real player feedback, ensuring that we create the most immersive and engaging tram simulation experience possible. Our team values player insights, and we believe this collaborative process will greatly enhance the game's quality and playability.

We have a comprehensive Roadmap of features and improvements over the coming months we want to bring to the game you can read later in these FAQs, but we want to be able to continue to develop the game based on continued player feedback – with the end goal of building a game we can all be proud of.

Our long-term vision for City Transport Simulator is over time to bring additional transport modes, expanding the maps and modes - these will be added via new paid-for releases, DLC and expansions. All of these will come after full launch, as separate releases. At the moment, however, our focus for CTS: Tram is to build the gameplay mechanics, city infrastructure, and immersion which we can use as a basis for building on in future. Our ultimate goal is to provide an entertaining, fun, varied, public transport simulator – with your feedback at the heart of it.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“We would aim to release at the end of our Early Access Roadmap, currently tracking to later this year, however, as we go through the Early Access process and review your feedback, the Development plan will become clearer.

Our commitment is to quality first, so we’ll remain flexible and responsive to the needs of the game and our community.”

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

“Whilst we're confident you'll get a great game experience with CTS: Tram, we will be using the Early Access window to improve the game – with new features and content, quality-of-life improvements, and changes based on your feedback. This will build a solid foundation to continuously develop on through Early Access.

As part of the Early Access launch, players will be able to:

• Operate the R2.2B tram, Stadtregiotram, ULF A1 and ULF B1
  
• Play the Sandbox experience with access to North, South, East, West, and cross sections of the Tramau map – this equates to more than 100 possible lines
  
• Play Tutorials including how to drive the trams, the basics of operating them, and signals
  
• Play Career Mode – where you’ll take on the role of planning routes and transporting passengers across Tramau, with efficiency being the key to success. The happier your passengers, the more EXP you’ll earn! You can also select one of up to six characters as part of Career Mode
  
• Customize Your Tram Operation – change the logo of your tram operation and display it on your vehicle. Players will also be able to change the name of the operation, which is used for the tram stops in the city
  
• Create Your Own Lines – Line Creation & Timetable Generation in both Sandbox and Career
  
• Manuals for gameplay, vehicles & signals
  
• Two liveries for each tram (Green Tramau & Original)

Areas we’re looking to improve early in the Early Access process:

• Performance improvements
  
• Expanding the map
  
• Improving Tramau’s scenery
  
• Signalling improvements
  
• Quality of life improvements based on initial player feedback

The full version will boast a more comprehensive set of features, including additional tram models, and more complex simulation – alongside improved graphics, enhanced user interface, and a more robust selection of content driven by player feedback.

Current planned improvements and new content – these will be released during the Early Access window, and will feature in the full version:

• Collectibles #1 (Postcards; unlock Tramau’s history)
  
• Mailbox system (get tips for your tram network)
  
• Added narrative to Tramau
  
• Quick-Play function
  
• Finalised Character Selection and Title achievements
  
• All tutorials completed
  
• Map Extensions, adding more services and areas to explore
  
• A modern Viennese tram
  
• Additional AI trains at main station
  
• Improved Loading Screens
  
• Scripted progression in Career Mode
  
• Collectibles #2
  
• More variety of passengers and cars
  
• Tasks and Missions
  
• Dynamic weather – fog, rain effects, and adapted driving behaviour
  
• Dynamic passenger volume
  
• Track events and malfunctions
  
• Additional polish and balancing changes

Please note: the order above gives a rough indication of the order we’ll be working on them, but is subject to change. This does not take into account additional player feedback, which will be worked on alongside the above.

We’ll also be using data and feedback to best inform where we invest our development time.

We’ve outlined our most up-to-date Product Roadmap during the Early Access window here:”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“As part of the Early Access launch, players will be able to:

• Operate the R2.2B tram, Stadtregiotram, ULF A1 & ULF B1
  
• Play the Sandbox experience with access to North, South, East, West, and cross sections of the Tramau map – this equates to more than 100 possible lines (This will not include the map extensions that are being worked on for Day 1 release); Details to follow.
  
• Play Tutorials including how to drive the trams, the basics of operating them, and signals
  
• Play Career Mode – where you’ll take on the role of planning routes and transporting passengers across Tramau, with efficiency being the key to success. The happier your passengers, the more EXP you’ll earn!
  
• Customize Your Tram Operation – change the logo of your tram operation and display it on your vehicle
  
• Create Your Own Lines – Line Creation & Timetable Generation in both Sandbox and Career
  
• Manuals for gameplay, vehicles & signals

Areas we’re looking to improve early in the Early Access process:

• Performance improvements
  
• Expanding the map
  
• Improving Tramau’s scenery
  
• Signalling improvements
  
• Quality of life improvements based on initial player feedback

”

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

“Players who support us during Early Access will benefit from a reduced price as a token of appreciation for their early involvement and feedback.

Once the game reaches its full version, the price will increase, reflecting the expanded content and overall enhancements. We believe in fair pricing that corresponds with the value of the game, and rewarding those who contribute to the development of the game.”

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

“Our community will be imperative to the Early Access process, and we welcome as much of your feedback as possible, to help us create the best game we can.

If you have feedback, suggestions for feature requests, or ask questions about CTS: Tram, you can head to our Steam Community Forum, or the official ViewApp Discord server. If you experience bugs or issues, you can raise them in the dedicated places above. When you do so, we’d appreciate as much information you can provide as possible (more details on how to submit a bug report will be available on Discord and Steam Community pages).

We will aim to provide regular developer updates and blogs on our Steam page, as well as the Discord server. We’ll also share regular video and live stream updates on our YouTube and Twitch channels.

You can also head to our Social Media accounts Facebook, Twitter/X, or TikTok for development updates.”