The current name of the map is Trainyard_Drive, but whether or not that is going to be the final name has not been decided yet.
The basic idea of the map is this: Players take control of a number of trains on the map, and use them to transport various goods to where they need to go. The game will start with 2 trains and a few flatbed train cars. The players couple the cars to the train, and drive it to a loading zone where the cargo is loaded into/onto the cars (depending what type of car and cargo it is). The train is then driven to an unloading depot where the cargo on the cars is removed for points.
The points can be used to purchase more trains and cars, of which there will be a variety of types. Some cargo will earn more points than others.
There will be a number of obstacles that impede the transportation of the cargo. Of course the trains might derail, but aside from that, other obstacles include flooding of various portions of track, track blockage by enemies, and more. There will be specialized trains/traincars for dealing with certain problems, such as a car with mounted weapons on it to deal with enemies obstructing the tracks.
The trains ARE physbox trains, they are not func_track/tanktrains.
If trains derail (and they will), there will be a way to reset them to a position in which they can be easily placed back on the rails.
As for coupling the trains together, I have devised a coupling system which comes attached to each end of every train and car, which you can connect and disconnect them to each other with. It took me almost the entire two weeks that I've been working on this to figure out how to make the couplings. They are not perfect, but they do what they need to do.
The trains can be operated in 2 ways. One way is to stand inside and pull the levers manually. This would be easy to do if it weren't for the fact that it is very hard to stand and move around correctly when the train is moving. I can't do much of anything about this, it is apparently a limit of the source engine. The other way, is to enter a driver seat pod within the cab. While in the driver seat, you can control the break, horn, direction, and speed of the train using the keyboard. The pod can be rotated from front view to back view by pressing a button. The train also has headlights.
Here are some pictures of the map and the trains so far. Later there might be a video of them moving, when theres time to make one.
The two trains sitting in the station where you spawn. (The red one is the same as the grey one, just painted differently)
The tracks leading out of the station, with the red train sitting still.
Another view of the grey train
The two flatbed cars with the grey train in front
Inside view from the driver seat. Zeo standing by the control panel
Another view from inside.
Passing the red train
Rear view
Preparing to load a cargo container onto one of the cars
Success
Flatcar with its cargo
View from the rear train as all 4 units begin to move forwards
Turning right on the curved section
End of the line
Crashing is bad, but makes great screenshots. Here I ram the cars at top speed as they sit on the tracks with their train slightly derailed up ahead. >.>
And from outside
There is no release date for this yet. When it's done.
