When comparing AssaultCube vs Simutrans, the Slant community recommends AssaultCube for most people. In the question“What are the best open-source games?” AssaultCube is ranked 24th while Simutrans is ranked 33rd. The most important reason people chose AssaultCube is:
AssaultCube is extremely fast, small, and network efficient for an FPS game.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Minimal resource usage
AssaultCube is extremely fast, small, and network efficient for an FPS game.
Pro Cross platform support
AssaultCube runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Pro Fast-paced multiplayer FPS gameplay
AssaultCube does a good job of adding fun, fast paced shooter gameplay (like in Counter Strike) to the open source world.
Pro Activity in multipayer
Many people online. You can play it every time you wish.
Pro In-game level editor with support for realtime multiplayer editing
Admins of a server can enter edit mode for a map during gameplay, updating components of the map live without needing to run other software or develop any code or image assets.
Pro Variety of fun game modes
Pro Has a decent number of community servers
Pro Passengers & goods have their own travel destinations
Each product has a chosen destination and they will only use your company if you deliver them where they want.
Pro Multiple paksets
There are multiple graphic packages to choose from, each with different dynamics. So even though you have mastered one pakset you can have a different gameplay with another.
Pro Cross platform
Available for Windows, Mac, Linux & Steam-OS.
Pro Available through Steam
Simutrans is available through Steam for those who prefer automatic updates and game management through Steam.
Pro Transportation
For fans of transportation games it has lots of vehicle options and things to transport. The multiple graphical packages also mean a, kind-of, multiple games in one, as each graphical package can be completely different from the others.
Pro Multiplayer
Multiplayer support still has bugs and disconnections happen, but it works and is easier to setup with version 120.3 and up. It also allows you to setup servers without announcing them to other players, though that requires manual work.
Pro Map customisation
The map has multiple customisation options, like map size, climate zones, terrain 'roughness' and number of rivers, cities, industries and tourist attractions, & more.
Pro Modding
Creating new objects is not too hard, as long as you have some drawing skills you just need a text file with some parameters and then you can compile it to enjoy. Some paksets even rely on rendering from 3D objects.
Pro Community
Even though the game is old the community is active and open to developers and modders who want to improve the game. Decisions on how the game evolve also accept the decision of the majority of the community.
Pro More complex version called "Extended" for hardcore gamers
A fork of the project called Simutrans Extended extends the standard game with more complex and realistic features for extra complexity and realism for those who like hardcore gameplay. The fork is available in their official forums.
Cons
Con Few weapons
Few weapons. Really. One assault weapon, one pistol, one sniper rifle and one shotgun. Boring.
Con Lack of gameplay refinement
AssaultCube does not have that many weapons (though they do have some variety). Additionally, the game is not very balanced, as spawn points are sometimes in vision of other enemy spawn points.
Con Outdated graphics
Based off the original Cube engine, which has dated quite a bit.