I always know what kind of game I want to play, but it's overwhelming to set up, if even possible. It's tons of packages, forums, idk.. so I just end up playing vanilla, with maybe some rules among the players. But I wish there was a comprehensive interface to allow me to set all the stuff that I want.

From the top of my head (haven't played in over a year) it would be: cargo destination for people, cargo prices reflect proximity of other productiosn, mono/maglev only has passenger cabs, regular rail still gets upgrades, no planes I guess, "automatic" public transport within cities - no need to build stops, just buses driving around (transferring people to train stations). And probably more I can't think of now.

I’m the same. I once suggested on the Transport Tycoon forums that there be a mechanism for curated sets of NewGRFs that work well together to be selected from the main page and was resolutely told that it’s up to the user to put together their own sets as they like.

EDIT: it looks like something like this is now in v16 as “collections”! I wonder if these can be shared.

If you're happy with not doing cargo and can tolerate an also slightly weird pax distribution, I highly recommend [NIMBY Rails](https://store.steampowered.com/app/1134710/NIMBY_Rails/).

Simutrans?

Half joking because if you are really into TTD The Simutrans interface feels terible(It looks like TTD but does not feel like TTD, this is often why photoshop people hate the gimp so much) but...

I started with simutrans, and have a hard time with ttd. Their systems disgust me in a way that they probably should not but it is that same bugbear, it looks like simutrans but does not feel like simutrans.

If anyone does try it out, beware pak128. The paks are more like mods that change the goods and price ratios rather than the mere graphics updates that their name would suggest. As someone who plays the hell out of pak64 I can't make a functioning network in pak128. I almost suspect it is broken. The price ratios just never work out. pak192comic however, is easy, fun and looks good.

https://www.simutrans.com it is also free on steam, probably the easiest way to play.

If I had to describe the difference, it is that simutrans tries a little harder with it's systems, it take a little more care to make a functioning network in simutrans. Factories have specific destinations and storage sizes. for example iron ore to steel mill will jam full if you fail to deliver the steel to the car factory and no steel will be made if you fail to deliver the coal it needs. So freight network revenue is fragile until the entire chain is complete. Passenger service is tricky because the passengers want to go somewhere(exactwhere is not specified, you have to treat it statistically). If your network does not go there they won't take your trains. So the ideal is to have service everywhere, but you you have to start small and small pax networks make no money, thus why it is tricky. The money is made on the fast long distance routes, and you take a loss on the slow urban routes just to make sure you have their destination/origin covered.

Anyone have any favorite ai suggestions? I am never sure which ones are too easy, too hard or simply crash all the time.

It's actually not difficult to setup at all. The game just work out of the box without any mod. However there's a learning curve. Find a tutorial somewhere online and follow it thru then you're golden.

It took me maybe an hour to learn the first time I played it. It's worth it! :D

Tho after finishing the game a few times it gets old.

If you're starting out, I really recommend the Master Hellish youtube channel, here's one introductory video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_pGUdMjWVs

This would be awesome for OpenMW, too. Morrowind is kind of dated. But I like the original style. So a curated easy install of improvement mods as a service would be great.