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Mars First Logistics has turned into a Martian railway builder, with some very pretty, 100% authentic cloudsWell, sir, there’s nothing on Mars like a genuine bona-fide electrified six-car monorail
Well, sir, there’s nothing on Mars like a genuine bona-fide electrified six-car monorail
Image credit:Outersloth
Image credit:Outersloth
Efforts to render Mars commuter-friendly proceed apace asMars First Logisticsembraces the magic of trains. The latest update for the physics-based open world build-a-car game introduces a mountable theodolite, which lets you stitch together monorail networks you can then ride about on.
Here’s a trailer for the new update.
Mars First Logistics Early Access Update 4: Roads and TrainsWatch on YouTube
Mars First Logistics Early Access Update 4: Roads and Trains
“A new contract type has been added that tasks you with connecting different stations using various structures,” MacLarty explains in a Steam post. “For example you might be asked to build a water pipe between a reservoir and a habitat. You are, however, free to build structures wherever you like.
“Transmitters are now also structures that you need to build yourself instead of discovering,” he continues. “They have a small cost and need to have line-of-site to each other, which brings a new dynamic to exploring the landscape.”
Speaking of landscapes, these are now garlanded with clouds, which apparently is a reflection of thereactuallybeing clouds on Mars, and not just a calming aesthetic flourish, nosirree. MacLarty and the team at Shape Shop have also carried out some smaller improvements and fixes, as below.
The game’s next update will probably be on the piecemeal and incremental side, with a more substantial one to follow next year. Again, MacLarty has big plans for that theodolite. “I feel like we’ve just scratched the surface of where this new system could go,” he writes. “For example I’m thinking it might be nice to integrate rocket refueling with the fuel pipe lines. Perhaps you have to connect stations to the fuel grid before you can refuel at them?” Yes yes, MacLarty, sounds good, but that’s not a rollercoaster, is it. Where are my loop-de-loops?
“Mars First Logistics is even more delightful than it looks,” Sinwrote last July, praising the game’s “approachable design” and “smooth controls”. It looks like it’s come along nicely since then.
