I wanted to present some suggested mods from Reddit and elsewhere to give new players or players wanting to try new things, a few suggested NewGRFs and add a little commentary. Some argue that Modding the game is what makes OpenTTD unique and I tebd to agree…
Since playing some online multiplayer games that are ‘Vanilla’, meaning ‘barebones’, with no added NewGRFs and with basic settings/ limitations, I can appreciate more the basic NewGRFs that I normally add to my single player games.
Some get into Industry sets, vehicle choices, better rails, add trams, or nicer graphics for towns, infrastructure, and landscape that some call ‘eye candy.’
Let me start with my basic set of NewGRFs and a bried explanation of why I use them:
Standard Basic Mods
- OpenGFX+ Airports 0.5.0: Makes airports climate aware and allows rotation at 0/90/180/270 degrees.
- OpenGFX+ Industries 0.3.5: Enhances the default industries, and gives control control over logistics.
- OpenGFX+ Landscape 1.1 2: Enhances the landscape module and goes along with OpenGFX style.
- OpenGFX+ Stations 1.0: Provides standard stations and also allows customization using sprites.
- OpenGFX+ Trains 0.3.0: Enhances default trains and extends the rolling stock in OpenGFX style.
- OpenGFX+ Trees 0.8.0: Standared OpenTTD trees but with some added parameters you can set
What I Usually Add
- Opengfx Airports as Objects 0.3: This adds objects (eye candy) for airport areas to add fake features.
- Industrial Stations Renewal 1.0.2: Provides a set of predefined cargo stations and tiles to enhance.
- ISR Rail and Road Depots v0.2: New graphics for rail & road depots matching industrial stations renewal.
- CHIPS Custom Docks v1.0: FIRS & CHIPS style customizable Docks. Buoys and GUI icons included.
- VACE – VTOL Aircraft – v0.4.1: Vertical Take Off & Landing (no runway needed). Real & fictional aircraft.
- ATOV – Helicopters – v1.0: ATOV adds to original helicopters. Adds extra cargo helicopters as well.
- av8 Aviators Aircraft Set: Fuller complement of aircraft with more cargo carrying and early intro. dates.
- Use-able Default Aircraft: Gives original ‘default’ aircraft lasting availability and more cargo types.
- Universal Rail Type 2.0.1: Simplifies train & rail replacement for electrified, monorail, & MagLev upgrade.
- Vactrain Set Fork 1.1 3: Vacuum tubes by Emporer Jake. MagLev trains run on them later but cost $$$.
- eGRVTS v2.1: Extended Generic Road Vehicle + Tram Set. Vehicles from 1900~2020. Horse~Articulated.
- PIPE v6.41: Pipelines as a rail type to transport any kind of liquid. Includes 12 pumps from 1860~2012.
- U&Bridges 1.5: Bridges replacement set with new graphics for roads, Normal rail, Monorail and MagLev.
- U&GUI v2.2: A Graphics replacement set for the graphical user interface (GUI) like the menu & toolbar.
- U&RaTT 2: A wide range from dirt-road to highway. Tram and trolleybus available if with other tram mod.
- SHARK 1.0: 70 ships! A fork of ‘Squid Ate FISH!’ Designed by Emperor Jake. Graphics by others.
- Ontario City Names: I am from Ontario in Canada so I like loading my local Cities and Towns.
I would like to point out some of these are new for me as well. I have bee quite stuck in the mud and resistant to change. I still like the ‘vanilla’ untouched game without too many fancy ‘eye candy’ objects or flashy vehicles, let alone scripts and AI competitors. The ones marked in purple are the new ones that add but I am experimenting with (not my core everyday ones…)
Recently I decided to branch out a little bit and try some more complete sets of vehicles such as av8 for airplanes, eGRVTS for road vehicles, Vactrain and PIPE for later in the game and to learn the mechanics of it. I have also started playing multiplayer games and against a few AI competitors. Maybe I can learn strategy from them, especially AAAHogAI.
Let me know in the comments or send an e-mail and let me know what you use and why. Tell me if something I use has a better option. Thanks!
Best Practice: Best to use the Online Download content and report any bugs or errors you find. This helps the purely volunteer developers make sure both the game updates and the NewGRFs are compatible and working!