“I also like the challenge of breaking down something that exists in real life and then using our collective knowledge to work out how to simulate that within the hardware constraints we work to.”
Potter says making games in a genre like this is enjoyable because he gets to work with a group of people who are incredibly passionate about the subject matter, making games for people who are equally passionate. So I thought this was the perfect opportunity to talk to Dovetail about what it’s like working in such an ultra-specific genre and how you even go about translating driving a train in the real world into a simulation. PC Gamer writes about simulators more than most outlets, but rarely about the people who actually make them. Train Sim World, a simulator from Dovetail Games, is one of a long line of hardcore sims with a focus on realism. “The best part about Train Sim for me is getting to drive trains I’ve seen before,” says ‘mygawd’, while ‘tppiel’ notes: “ the same reason people play Football Manager, and Arma … you are not a manager/pilot/soldier in real life, but you are interested enough in the role.” “You have to plan out your actions and figure out the best way of getting everything where you need it to be.” “There some vague elements of a spatial puzzle to it,” they add. “It’s a relaxing and calming way to spend time,” says Reddit user ‘Canadave’ in a thread discussing why people are so into the genre.
