ZDSimulator 60.0: Polar Express

We are happy to present a major New Year update that covers several key directions of the project’s development at once — from multiplayer and updated rolling stock to new content, tools, and overall optimization. In this article, you will find a detailed overview of the changes, including the updated multiplayer server with support for shunting operations and side tracks, improved locomotive logic, reworked sounds, new content, bug fixes, and technical improvements aimed at increasing the game’s stability and performance.

Multiplayer: Out of Beta

This multiplayer update introduces a number of important changes aimed at improving usability, access control, and the overall logic of cooperative gameplay.

New Room System Steam post image Previously, multiplayer only offered open rooms and fully closed sessions that were not visible to other players. The system is now more flexible and divided into three room types:

Open Room

An open room is displayed in the public list and is available to all players. Anyone can join without additional conditions or restrictions.

Visible Private Room

This room is displayed in the list, but access is restricted. You can join it in several ways:

• by entering an access key (password code);

• by accepting an invitation from the administrator;

• by being manually added to the allowed players list by the administrator.

This type of room is convenient for private sessions without complete isolation from other players.

Hidden Private Room

A hidden room is not displayed in the public list.

Joining is possible only:

• via a direct link;

• or by being added by the administrator to the allowed players list.

There is no access key for this type of room — control is handled exclusively by the administrator.

Steam post image Steam post image

A global session chat has been added to multiplayer. Players can now communicate using text messages that are synchronously displayed both directly in the simulator and in the corresponding room chat on the website.

Chat Controls

• Enter — open chat

• Esc — close chat

This simplifies communication during gameplay and makes interaction between session participants more convenient and responsive.

Reworked Multiplayer Logic

In this update, the multiplayer logic has been completely reworked. Trains can now move along all available tracks in both directions without artificial restrictions. All switches and signals are involved in routing, except for shunting signals, making train operations more detailed and engaging. Thanks to these changes, multiplayer traffic has become more stable, logical, and user-friendly for all participants. Dead-end branches, multi-level side tracks, and new signal operating modes have also been added.

Route Control Panels At the moment, four route control panels have been implemented. All of them are designed for the new multiplayer version and operate using the updated traffic and signaling logic. Each panel is tied to a specific route and allows controlling train movements within its designated section.

Available panels:

Dnipro—Kharkiv Dnipro—Henichesk Kyiv—Shepetivka Shepetivka—Lviv Dnipro—Pyatykhatky

Development of four more panels is currently underway. They are being designed exclusively for the new multiplayer version, without compatibility with the old logic.

In development:

• Kyiv—Shevchenko

• Kyiv—Vorozhba

• Kyiv—Zhmerynka

New panels will be gradually added to the project as they become ready.