Cozy train game Station to Station will eventually get a proper photo mode sometime after release. Joost van Dongen, who founded developer Galaxy Grove, shared information about the highly requested feature during an interview with The Escapist.
Station to Station encourages players to bring diorama railroads to life in a number of ways. You can manage your buildings, complete optional challenges, and explore unique mechanics offered by each biome, but the coal keeping the cozy fire roaring might just be the incredible visuals. Your train adventure in each biome begins with barren, black-and-white wastelands, but as your operation expands, color and vegetation begin to engulf the area. It’s a brilliant way to showcase the game’s voxel graphics. However, it does feel like it’s missing something.
Many have wondered if Station to Station will include a photo mode at launch. We asked van Dongen if the feature will be available in tomorrow’s build, and while the answer is sadly “no,” the creator did confirm that it is in the cards, as are other fan-requested features.
“Photo mode is not currently in the game, but we will add that in a post-launch update,” van Dongen said.
🚨BIG ANNOUNCEMENT🚨
Station to Station will be pulling into a PC near you on October 3rd, 2023! pic.twitter.com/XxMVB9nhJ5
— 🚂 Station to Station – Out Now on Steam (@GalaxyGrovegame) August 24, 2023
Van Dongen continued to talk about fan requests, explaining that photo mode isn’t the only feature players can look forward to in the upcoming cozy game. Specifically, some demo players were frustrated that new buildings would pop up in unannounced places as they progressed. Now, things have been tweaked so that there are visuals showing where buildings will appear. Station to Station will also feature a checkpoint system, giving you the option to jump back to previous phases if you get stuck.
“Some of the locomotives in the game are based on player suggestions. The double Fairlie locomotive I just mentioned. I had never heard of it, but I had asked the community, ‘Do you have any favorite locomotives you want to add?’ And one player said, ‘Well, I’m a volunteer on a group that maintains old locomotives, and we have this double Fairlie, and it’s super cool. You should include that.’ So that’s actually based on someone who drives actual locomotives who asked for it.”
Galaxy Grove has kept its ear to the ground to listen to its fans, and it shows no sign of stopping post-launch. Be sure to hop aboard Station to Station when it launches tomorrow. For more on van Dongen’s work, be sure to keep an eye out for our full interview, where we learned more about the studio’s relationship with trains, its influences, and how the team worked to make an engaging-yet-cozy experience.
