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LOTUS-Simulator
For the first time, bus, tram and train are simulated extremely realistic in a single game – and you can drive them, build them or create the world around. LOTUS – simulation will never be the same!
All Reviews:
Mixed (637) - 46% of the 637 user reviews for this game are positive.
Release Date:
Sep 14, 2018
Developer:
Publisher:
Oriolus Software GmbH
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Features
Languages:
Interface Full Audio Subtitles
English ✔ ✔
German ✔ ✔ ✔

Early Access Game

Get instant access and start playing; get involved with this game as it develops.

Note: This Early Access game is not complete and may or may not change further. If you are not excited to play this game in its current state, then you should wait to see if the game progresses further in development. Learn more

What the developers have to say:

Why Early Access?

“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.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“We plan to stay in Early Access until approximately 2022 – just as long as it takes to implement all planned features. This value has been increased multiple times during the past years, since we decided for a comprehensive all-inclusive solution at some features that took a lot more time then expected, but resulted in features that left nothing to be desired. It has always been worth the time!”

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

“The following of our planned features are not yet implemented in LOTUS:
  • LOTUS-Simulator
    • AI
      • interactions with AI
    • Gameplay
      • complex train control systems
      • radio communications in multiplayer
      • collision physics
    • Content
      • enhanced vegetation
    • Environment
      • weather and seasons
    • Engine
      • enhanced graphic effects
  • Map editor
    • free forming and painting of terrain
”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“The following features are already implemented:
  • 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, …)
      • surrounding traffic, pedestrians, passengers
      • changing vehicle modules: displays, bord computers, ticket printers, etc.
      • multiplayer mode
      • timetables and tour schedules
      • scheduled traffic
      • control center and signal box for multiplayer
      • individual keyboard and game controller settings
      • free train assembling
      • VR support
      • vehicle-specific real-time support system for incorrect operations
    • Content
      • Map “Berlin” (Early Access version)
      • dummy map “Diorama”
      • Berlin tram GT6N at 90%
      • Berlin double decker bus by MAN at 60%
      • a ton of 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 like driver's desks
      • 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, tunnels
    • simple and catenary lines
    • placing maps on a real world model
    • displaying world map beneath the terrain
    • real digital elevation model (DEM) import
    • extensive timetable and tour schedule planning
  • 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?

“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.”

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

“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!”
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About This Game

LOTUS-Simulator is a driving simulator in a class of its own! At the beginning, the player chooses freely a vehicle and drives it around town, enjoys the ultra-realistic feeling of driving and the original sounds and may even forget that the vehicle is virtual. Once gripped by the excitement of simulation driving, the standards increase: stick to tight schedules, carry special passengers, master the difficult traffic. But that’s not all. The ambition grows with the experience: Now the multiplayer is played under real conditions – the colleagues in the control centre coordinate by radio, the game leader set challenges in the middle of the road, unpredictable weather, real duty rosters and long shifts. And after all, how about recreating the way of the school bus and to master the student’s traffic this time on your own? Didn’t the mate from the historic vehicle society have an ancient tram car with crank control standing around? You could breathe life again into it in the simulator – as a museum run or maybe even at the time it originates…

With LOTUS, dreams and ideas come true – and the best of it: every good realization will find followers and supporters that are hoping for extensions or are looking for exhausting the adventure of simulation driving. They are waiting for you!

LOTUS, that means: L like Leitstelle, (German, control centre), O like omnibus, T like tram, U like underground, S like suburban train.

Features

  • Modular structure: Buy and play only what you are interested in – vehicles of the railway, like trams or trains, or vehicles of the road, like buses and trolleybuses, or even other modules that will be released later.
  • Realism: Driving physics, environmental physics, graphical effects, sounds, weather, seasons and the world coordinate system are uncompromisingly realistic – that is our first priority.
  • Multiplayer: Driving different tours with friends, greeting each other at the meeting point, ensure the connection by radio, coordinate everything in the control centre on your own or follow the instructions of your colleague – this and much more is provided by the multiplayer of LOTUS.
  • Map editor: With many tools, aids and quite a few ingenious gimmicks mountains are moved, embankments planned, tracks laid and streets tarmacked. Afterwards the landscape is shaped and decorated with buildings, trees, lights, stops, benches, fences and much more.
  • Content tool: Whether a single scenery object or a whole vehicle – with the content tool the objects are configured. From material settings to complex animation, from the design of the physics, the sound settings and the import and debugging of scripts, the content tool accompanies and supports the developer.
  • Plugin interface: A discarded crank, the board information system with display, a driver’s desk or a whole cockpit can be operated with the simulator and get information back from it by the use of the plugin interface.
*Some features, like weather, will be enabled during Early Access and are not available from start!

System Requirements

    Minimum:
    • OS *: Windows 7, 8, 10
    • Processor: 2,6 GHz, 4 cores
    • Memory: 4 GB RAM
    • Graphics: 512 MB VRAM
    • Storage: 10 GB available space
    • VR Support: SteamVR. Keyboard and mouse required
    • Additional Notes: OpenGL 3.3, Internet required for activation and multiplayer, some Intel HD graphics not supported
    Recommended:
    • OS: Windows 10
    • Processor: 3,5 GHz (the more the better), 4 cores
    • Memory: 8 GB RAM
    • Graphics: 6 GB VRAM
    • Storage: 10 GB available space
    • Additional Notes: OpenGL 3.3, Internet required for activation and multiplayer, some Intel HD graphics not supported
* Starting January 1st, 2024, the Steam Client will only support Windows 10 and later versions.
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