Travel

Exploration in TCoM is built around utilizing travel methods such as walking, tram lines, or car travel to go to key locations or points of interest. Travel choices influence time efficiency, resource management, access to regions, and the player’s overall daily routine.

Walking

Walking is the default and most flexible movement option. The player can reach any walkable location, including alleys, narrow paths, small interiors, and pedestrian only districts. Movement speed scales with player Energy (Higher energy allows for standard walking pace and running, while lower energy slows pace and requires rest.)

Cost

Walking is free, allows access to paths/trails other travel methods cannot reach, and encourages organic encounters and discoveries. However, walking is the slowest travel method, weather can affect pace (icy paths, heavy rain, etc.), and long-distance walking may not be time-efficient on days requiring a tight schedule.

The Trams

The Malsburrow Tram Network is routine-based form of fast travel. It acts as both a convenience to the player as well as a method of standard travel for NPCs.

Tram Network

The system contains four tram lines (A, B, C, D) covering four quadrants of Malsburrow. Each line has 2–4 stops, as well as 2 trams operating on opposite ends, for a total of 8 active cars in the entire network. Each tram has at least 1 conjoined station with another tram line to allow both the player and NPCs to reach any station even if they did not begin on that line.

Station Rules

Stations are one way and loop on themselves. At the start of each day, cars are located on opposite ends of one another so the wait time for another car to reach a station is uniform, however tram cars will not continue to the next station unless it is unoccupied, which may cause car desync as the day progresses.

Cars will wait at a station for a fixed amount of time to load and unload passengers, and will not wait for the player. When the player is on a car, they must pick a station to be dropped off at that is within the corresponding line. Travel time for trams is based on the number of stations before the player's destination and stacks (e.g. if a tram takes 30 minutes to get from 1 station to another, needing to travel 3 stations will take a total of 1h 30m of time to complete.)

Cost

Trams are free for all Malsburrow residents, but will cost a small currency fee for non-residents each time they enter a tram (e.g. a ride costs $10, traveling 3 stations on the same car will not stack but moving from line to line will cost additional fees due to swapping cars)

Car Travel

Car travel is a premium fast-travel system available after reaching a certain story milestone. The player must be at their parked car location to initiate fast travel. Once a destination is reached the car will remain parked at the new location. Cars can only travel to road-accessible regions of Malsburrow, and cannot travel to pedestrian-only areas such as the Public District or Veyloris Precinct.

Cost

Fuel cost scales with distance and is required every time car travel is used based on the units of travel needed. Smaller trips with low distances (e.g 5u) will cost noticeably less than longer distances (e.g 30u). Car travel is the fastest, but cannot access many denser regions and requires knowing where the car is located.

Major Regions

Malsburrow is separated into four major regions with several subregions, each containing unique NPCs, activities, and environmental tones.

The Outskirts

A work-oriented zone characterized by industrial sites, depots, and maintenance facilities.

Features

• Mostly barren or fenced-off labor areas
• Active work crews during Morning and Afternoon phases
• Limited civilian NPCs
• Good location for industrial themed trade materials

Travel Notes

• Accessible by walking, car, or tram (limited)
• Few interior spaces.
• Large exterior space

The Suburban Zone

The largest and most residential region with winding cul-de-sacs, neighborhood parks, and local convenience shops.

Features

• Community centers, small groceries, hobby shops
• High density of resident NPCs with diverse routines
• Most key NPC housing is located within this region
• Good location for natural trade materials or basic stat items

Travel Notes

• Accessible by walking, car, or tram
• Interior spaces are limited depending on character reputation
• Large exterior space

The Public District

Closest to the lake and the busiest region during midday.

Features

• Government buildings, large plazas, civic offices
• Upscale shops and white-collar workplaces
• High NPC density and events
• Poor location for foraging, best for shopping and bartering

Travel Notes

• Accessible by walking or tram only
• High density of interior spaces
• Crowded exterior space during the day

The Veyloris Precinct (The Stacks)

The eastern port district housing the low-income and heavily industrial regions.

Features

• Dock workers, cargo lifts, warehouses
• Gritty atmosphere, tight corridors, elevated pathways
• Low density of shops or interactable entities
• Best location for foraging in the high variety of subregions

Travel Notes

• Accessible by walking only (The nearest tram station requires walking into the district)
• Regardless of global reputation, the player is not liked in this region by locals
• High density of interior spaces
• Crowded exterior spaces near the port