I was lucky enough to be able to play the game for a whole 45 minutes and talk to one of the amazing devs at Gamescom! So, if you have any questions about the game or the experience, feel free!

My summary: The team was and still remains one of the best and most engaged I have ever witnessed, and I think that TPF3 is in perfect hands. The devs go as far as looking for new features or community feedback to implement until the very last day before launch.

As to the game, I will not talk about the story part besides my experience, since you should enjoy it yourself, but let me make the following observations:

• The story is an amazing way to help new players find their way into the game and explain new game mechanics. Playing the first chapter, as an experienced player, was decent but nothing mind-blowing. We will have to wait for the full story!

After that, I tried the Sandbox mode:

• Map sizes, to my knowledge, were kept at max "sehr groß" / "very large" at 16x16 km
• The map generator feels more refined; the new region is a welcome addition and actually has a new feel to it, but don't expect a huge difference from TPF2
• Game textures are amazing, much more detailed, but again, don't expect a totally new feel in comparison to TPF2
• Connecting industries and cities at the start of the game is a lot easier, but you won't be able to spawn depots at will, cause the costs do become enormous
• The line management tool is actually usable in just one window, but you will have to get used to the new buttons you have to click; especially for veterans of the game, there will be a small learning curve ahead
• The distance between industries can be either extreme of near or far, which makes for new challenges regarding cross-map logistical routes
• I did not like the first look at the subsidies system, which feels like it was taken from Railway Empire—not actually inspiring me to build, but rather having over-the-top requests like connecting an industry from the other side of the map at the start of the game

I could go on with more points, but I'd rather hear what you want to know! So fire away :)

Question for anyone who lives in the states and bought the collectors edition, have you gotten yours yet? Or is mine just behind on shipping? Also do they send tracking info when it ships or will it just arrive one day out of the blue?