Scenario time 4hours Too long or not?

[Slammer423]

Hi all,

Just out of intrest because i have made it lol, what would you views be if i was to release a scenario that (in Real time) would take 4 Hours and 25 minutes to complete? (Thats without moving AI) As it is a series of pick up drop off's and a rescue thrown in for good luck lol its for Cresston V3 titled "A Busy Day" if you want it i will try and throw in some moving AI if not I will just keep it for myself! lol

I will aslo try and slip in pop up instructions? (or not depends on the communitys views on them) or i could write out a detailed read me of what you need to do and where? But before i go about doing this and improving it further I just want to see if it is wanted or not.

regards,
Dave

[RudolfJan]

Hi,
Long scenarios are OK to play, it can be very realistic and boring as well. No problem, that's life and it's a simulation. I wish you lots of wisdom creating this long one. Testing it can be awful. I think creating very long scenarios require advanced design methods. I'm looking forward to read on how you do this, without spending too much time on testing, testing and testing again.My longest scenario is about 1h30 minutes and it took me at least 10-12 hours of work to create it.

[FoggyMorning]

A few really long scenarios would be very welcome
My only concern would be that they maintain a reasonable balance between periods of heavy activity (shunting, pickups etc) and good lengths of time where you can "just" drive

Personally, I favour popup advice over seperate read-me instructions, as it makes it simpler to relate what you need to be doing to the where and when part

[Slammer423]

Hi,
Long scenarios are OK to play, it can be very realistic and boring as well. No problem, that's life and it's a simulation. I wish you lots of wisdom creating this long one. Testing it can be awful. I think creating very long scenarios require advanced design methods. I'm looking forward to read on how you do this, without spending too much time on testing, testing and testing again.My longest scenario is about 1h30 minutes and it took me at least 10-12 hours of work to create it.

Very much so and that’s why I need to try and make it as interesting in between destinations by using AI to (Hopefully) interact with the player train. Testing is a nightmare in fact it started life as 2hours now I have added a few more pickup and drop off's and its jumped to 4 hours, Several times in testing I had errors that bemused me that I could not figure out what was the cause then a careful look and I found the items to pick up where lightly embedded into the track buffer. It has taken me so far 3 days to put together and test and will take a further day or more if AI get involved as you may well know, the slightest change to the line status can mean the difference between the scenario working as intended, not working to plan or the worst of all fails to work at all!

I was and still am unsure if it will be a success or a complete disaster as I have never attempted such a long scenario with so many instructions, still we all learn by our mistakes and if this turns out to be one then I will leave it to those who know the territory the best.

[Slammer423]

A few really long scenarios would be very welcome
My only concern would be that they maintain a reasonable balance between periods of heavy activity (shunting, pickups etc) and good lengths of time where you can "just" drive

Personally, I favour popup advice over seperate read-me instructions, as it makes it simpler to relate what you need to be doing to the where and when part

Yes, I may return it and add a little longer trip to the scenario but there was (before the boss radios you to rescue a failed HST buffer) where you ran light engine from Wastsons Scrap yard back to mayweather. Infact can we use standard locomotive couplings on say the 37 for normal HST rescues? as i know i will be pelted with rocks if i do not at least try a defualt stock version of it for those who may not have one of the DLC items i use, though its taken me so much time to put the DLC stock version together I may just leave it to the mersy of the end user and a copy of RWTools.

[clivejames1st]

Excellent idea!
But, with a scenario lasting that long I would prefer to be able to print out the instructions rather that keep referring to F1 and the instruction windows that can constantly pop up.
As others have mentioned, it would be more realistic to have a scenario lasting at least half a shift.
There is the risk of the scenario failing at some point, even toward the end, since no two systems are alike and that would be a risk we would have to accept. I think that is a risk i would willingly take though.
Perhaps the way RW is saved could be reviewed, giving us an option of where we can restart the previous scenario rather than overwritten every time.

[Slammer423]

Hi Clive, It is my intention to write a detailed documant for print out as i am not the worlds biggest fans of F1 and pop ups, i have used a few but i can't give a really detailed insturction in a pop up window that not only obscures the view but also does not stay on screen long enough.

I have been tweeking a bit with the sceanrio tonight and Passenger services are a nightmere i have 2 sets of 166's doing the rounds (as it is a sunday service) i am going to try and run through in a bit at least half the scenario to see if setting all services to special (the only way to keep the dispatcher happy) will conflict or not.

One thing i wish could be done for Writers is the ability to tweek the scenario Live instead of having to return back to the point of the scenarios start and resetting all progress, thats one of the biggest put off's if you are writing a big sceanrio and constantly need to tweek.

[clivejames1st]

Hi Dave.

Yes, one of the main problems with these information windows is that they are, often, not on screen long enough and when they are, once they have gone you have forgotten what they informed you. That could be age though?
I agree! To have to go through the start of a scenario time after time to rectify a fault more than half way through is very frustrating, and so often results in a scenario being temporarily shelved.
Still, it is a great idea you have and i wish you all the best.
Keep us updated on this please.

Best Regards

Clive

[Slammer423]

I cna Assure you clive its not the age, I'm the same and at 24 i should really have a much better memory.

Another pet hate thisevening is the faulty AI bug where the AI starts off ok but about 2 signals later it crawls along at about 0.1MPH i am not sure if there is a cure without having to "remove it" and "Replace it" with a Fresh identical consist" and having to spend the time re-writing its instructions.

You know, I have so many Scenarios i shelved and ended up deleting because of the exact reason that or dispatcher didn't want to play fair, Still i have so much work in this one i certianly won't give up easy, Sometimes writing or building in RailWorks can be as streddfull as a full time job with a pain in the backside Boss! lol I am sure i found a grey hair the other day after a session in Railworks!

I will indeed keep you posted, no doubt with another quirck that RailWorks has lol

[Slammer423]

00:45 - Decided to go to bed concidering the signaling gave me the all clear to pass over a junction that was set against the player train???? Will pick up where i left (back in the editor sadly) in the morning.

[FoggyMorning]

I know the feeling. Right now I'm trying to create a scenario for Newcastle-York that's either bugged by crawling/stopping/starting at the wrong time AI or an inexplicable "failed to load water.fx" error outside Thirsk

[misery456]

I would not say no to that scenario, I would really enjoy it.
One important point to remember is to try your best not to make it boring.

I don't like popups when the train is moving, I concentrate on whatever it is I'm doing and then one of them pop up
and goodness what is happening in the scenario at the time.
Pop ups when stationary is OK as they dont interfere with anything - usually.

Good on you, you have the courage to do that long scenario and I wish you well, I
look forward to it - Thanks.

[Slammer423]

yes all pop ups are atr the start before the train moves off and aftrer pick up couplings / drop offs / Stop at instructions, Indeed i will to try and make with a few express services if the dispatcher allows it lol.

Yeah i had the crawling AI bug managed to fix it by leaving the DMLC? i think it is of the 166 the one with all the instructions and replaced the rest of the formation with a fresh set and it seemed to work lol, my main mystery is that "ok to proceed over a junction set against the service LOL

[Slammer423]

So far i am very pleased with the RW Dispatcher, it has had a few groumbles but nothing that's meant removing anything. just look what i have managed so far AI wise....



One thing i must say is Portals... a very good friend of mine with out them well, we'd have a back log lol

[Slammer423]

How hard can it be to proof test a sceanrio?

one minute it works,
Then AI collison
then AI left its path,
Then Something Bad Has Happened

Conclusion, what has gone on with RW since the 108 update :/ never used to be this diffacult to play a scenario, concidering i have not many AI services because of pathing issues and dispatcher throwing his toys out the signal box i'm surprised i have so much trouble.