Oops! Too Many Signals! by TBK_David
Computers are too expensive these days, so humans are used to route trains along old and very inefficiently laid out tracks. Keep an eye on the upcoming trains and route them to where they need to go. Make sure they don't crash!
First ever solo game and Ludum Dare. I know it's way too hard but I hope someone gets a minute or so of enjoyment from this.
| https://voiceofthemany.itch.io/oops-all-trains | https://voiceofthemany.itch.io/oops-all-trains |
| Original URL | https://ldjam.com/events/ludum-dare/59/oops-too-many-signals |
Ratings
| Overall | 728th | 3.053⭐ | 21🧑⚖️ |
| Fun | 594th | 3.105⭐ | 21🧑⚖️ |
| Innovation | 487th | 3.289⭐ | 21🧑⚖️ |
| Theme | 308th | 3.947⭐ | 21🧑⚖️ |
| Humor | 539th | 2.467⭐ | 17🧑⚖️ |
| Mood | 818th | 2.471⭐ | 19🧑⚖️ |
| Given | 8🗳️ | 9🗨️ |
A couple of times trains would leave a station right as one was coming in, which felt pretty unfair. Agree with @loig that a more progressive system would be a better player onboarding experience.

There were a few moments where it felt like there was nothing I could do -- I set up train that I think was on the fastest track to get to route 6, for instance, and as it was about to arrive a train from 6 spawned and they crashed.
Overall I think it just needs difficulty tuning though, and a lot of polish/juice to give the player more feedback. Some upgrades could be good.
The core concept is well made. some of the destinations are harder to go to. I never managed to bring a train to the destination #2, because you have to bring it at the top right of the map first.
Also, you could really bring more life to the game with simple juice, visuals and SFXs, particles and screen shakes for exemple, but i know that we don't always have time to implement thoses :smile:
Would love to see the map randomized with stations in different positions each run. Also having a moment to study the map before things start would help a lot.
And the black wagons are barely visible in the route list
I got lost several times along the way, especially when the trains passed through the same location, but the forks were different.
I dismantled paths that were already ready several times due to sheer inattention.
Even though it's not a very easy game to manage, the gameplay is quite easy. There are no complicated controls, and this allows the player to focus on what's most important: building the path.
The art is simple and objective, and it matches the spirit of the game well (simplicity).
One thing I missed was the sound. Even simple effects (like train noise or feedback from actions) would make the experience much more vivid.
Another thing that could be greatly improved would be the presence of levels, starting with one train and gradually increasing. This would help the player learn gradually and increase engagement.
How did you think about balancing the game?
I'll leave this game saved here on my computer to practice more later. I refuse to believe I only managed to get 3 trains to the right place.
Congratulations on making a game all by yourself. That's admirable.