Classic open source simulation game OpenTTD is coming to Steam

OpenTTD, the free and open source simulation game based upon Transport Tycoon Deluxe is officially coming to Steam on April 1, and the Linux build will be available too.

Another fine example of a brilliant open source project! Based upon Transport Tycoon Deluxe, a business simulation game in which players earn money by transporting passengers and cargo via road, rail, water, and air. It's entirely free and doesn't need the original game as it has a full graphics replacement too but it can work with the original data files if you have them. This is a fully-featured game and it's popular.

Just a few of the enhancements it has over the original:

• bigger maps (up to 64 times in size)
• stable multiplayer mode for up to 255 players in 15 companies, or as spectators
• dedicated server mode and an in-game console for administration
• IPv6 and IPv4 support for all communication of the client and server
• in game downloading of AIs, NewGRFs, scenarios and heightmaps
• new pathfinding algorithms that makes vehicles go where you want them to
• autorail/-road build tool, improved terraforming
• canals, shiplifts, aqueducts
• larger, non-uniform stations and the ability to join them together
• mammoth and multi-headed trains
• different configurable models for acceleration of vehicles
• clone, autoreplace and autoupdate vehicles
• the possibility to build on slopes and coasts
• advanced/conditional orders, share and copy orders

The team had a few packaging troubles as getting a game up on Steam has a more involved process compared to direct downloads. Partly due to the Steam Linux Runtime being based on older libraries, which caused issues with the way the OpenTTD team automate their builds. Thankfully, after some discussion and others getting involved they found a way around it and so we can expect it on Linux at the Steam release on April 1. I've tested it myself from the Steam Beta build they provided to me and it works perfectly on both Ubuntu 20.04 and Arch Linux.

Since it will no doubt be asked: why download on Steam anyway when it's been available in Linux distributions for years? The point is extra exposure, opening it up to even more people to see it and enjoy it!

Follow OpenTTD on Steam or download right now from the official site.