RW3 AI / scenario / timetabling issues.

[Darpor]

Yep, it would seem the "Play" button is broken and the scenarios work fine if launched from the main menu. I sent a bug report off to RSC a few minutes ago to make sure they were aware of it, not sure if anyone else had reported it to them. Very annoying having to exit the editor and re-launch the scenario from the main menu (and I'm lucky, my PC tends to load routes fairly quickly...).

This has been the case for years, it's nothing new. It was always the recommended thing to exit to the main menu to allow signals to set themeselves correctly. I don't see it as that much of a big deal.

[malkymackay]

I've not seen any issues with service priorities being ignored. It might be worth tweaking the service type & the performance % to see what difference that makes. I have seen signals not clearing even though the path is clear & you get permission to tab, but that was happening in RW2 in some locations, so you can't blame the update for that.

[jivebunny]

Hi Darpor,

It's nothing to do with the signals, the AI trains simply start to crawl after about 10 / 20 seconds regardless of track layout (and where signals are involved, they tend to be showing the correct aspect). It's fairly frustrating going into the editor to spend only 5-10 seconds altering a timing and then having to exit it and wait ten times that amount of time for the route to re-load, whereas going in straight from the editor it loads in mere seconds. In addition, I've posted about crawling AI trains in General Discussion on a couple of occasions in the past and had a page or two of replies, none of which suggested the "exit and re-launch" strategy, suggesting that it's clearly not common knowledge.

In any case the button is there and does not as far as I can see have a "do not use" sign on it, therefore I think it's reasonable for users both old and new to expect it to work, particularly as it's the only way to exit the editor...

@ malky, I'm aware the issue has been around for a while, I was simply referring to the fact that the dispatcher has seemingly been updated yet signals still aren't showing correct aspects. In fact it's the only reason I've never bothered to release a scenario, as I find getting a red for no reason spoils the enjoyment of the game and also messes up timings with regards to crossing AI, as users will sit at a red for varying amounts of time before hitting tab, having eventually realised that they might be being held for no reason. The priorities issues has been reported elsewhere since RW3 launched, and again what is the point of having a feature if the acknowledged best practice is to not use it?

JB

[Darpor]

Yes, I know the crawling isn't related to signals but I was trying to point out that the issue of starting from the main menu was common practice anyway. On certain scenarios, if this wasn't done, some signals would not be correct throughout the scenario, meaning unneccesary red lights, TAB to proceed etc.

[jivebunny]

Ah sorry, I thought you were suggesting it was signal-related - wrong end of the stick there! I'll be exiting and reloading for the time being but will still try to push RSC to fix it - I was always aware the "play" button on the video controls didn't show a full simulation, but wasn't aware until now that the "launch scenario" button didn't properly reset the scenario to its starting state. I have the horrible feeling that every instance of "crawling AI" I've suffered over the past few years could have been fixed by exiting and re-launching.

I dread to think how many of the 399 hours I've spent on RW2/RW3 were lost to trying to get scenarios to work when I was using a button which was known to be faulty

JB

[malkymackay]

I have the horrible feeling that every instance of "crawling AI" I've suffered over the past few years could have been fixed by exiting and re-launching.

Nah, I wouldn't worry about that. I've seen crawling AI, even after coming right out of Railworks entirely & then going back in and launching from the menu. Was rather annoying to be 1 1/2hrs into testing a scenario & then wonder where the express was that was due to pass. Quick look at the 2D map shows it to be creeping along 20 miles back :bad-words: Can't remember how I sorted it now, I've moved on & been fighting with the dispatcher to get through Reading without sticking reds

[Kariban]

I have a fairly long scenario on the Falmouth line which criss-crosses the main lines through Truro a couple of times; by the end of the scenario I have to ignore just about every signal ( and a completed scenario has 4 SPAD errors, heh ) just to keep on my path. Given there's three AI trains in the entire scenario at the moment and none of them are around to be blocking the signals something bad has definitely happened in the transition to RW3. I fixed one or two of them by adding a few more instructions, but they weren't necessary in RW2. I must video the amusing signal that continually bounces on/off...

And the AI: one runs correctly, one stops at every signal no matter what colour and then proceeds again, and the third just sits at a green with it's path set and won't move at all. You can unstick them by jumping in and out of their cab, but that's not really a solution.

I edited the B&E Torbay Express scenario in the RW3 editor to replace some stock, and despite trying every type of train priority for the player train it's stuck in the depot until the freight from Portishead passes!

And yes, I always go back to the menu to start the scenario.

[FoggyMorning]

... I must video the amusing signal that continually bounces on/off...

I've noticed this behaviour also, and a bit more alarmingly junctions constantly flickering between the different divergences

This does seem to suggest it's an intrinsic bug though, rather than (just) my shonky signalling!

Steve

[Kariban]

I have one of the can't-make-it's-mind-up junctions in this scenario too, which I think is probably the cause of one of the stuck reds at least ( thanks for reminding me to try and fix that! ); in this case the player train is trying to get from one fork to the other with a reversing move, so I suspect that just working in RW2 might be a bit of a fluke.

I've also had an issue when I left some stock at a destination marker to go and run round them, and when I backed up on them again I couldn't couple up - I suspect they were slightly off the marker ( well one end was ) so the "couple at destination" instruction was failing by not being at the destination. Is that a carried over issue or something new?

[crazyfrogbro]

hmm... i've tested my AI test scenario again, and the AI's wasn't crawling. It didn't cared about the priority of trains though, but it worked at least.
When i created it i didn't fully restarted the game. Also with the loco that i'm helping to develop i noticed sound issues when i restart the scenario (brake sounds disappear, and sometimes the traction motor sounds too. With clean restart everything is OK. I thought this is only happen with sounds, but now i see the same problem with scenarios. Then this bug is in RW since long time.

[nips_uk]

Thanks Malky,

I have been testing using the play button (and the sim play thing) ill try loading from the main screen

[smarty2]

I've not seen any issues with service priorities being ignored. It might be worth tweaking the service type & the performance % to see what difference that makes. I have seen signals not clearing even though the path is clear & you get permission to tab, but that was happening in RW2 in some locations, so you can't blame the update for that.

My experience is service types are not working I had a standard freight set 15 minutes after the arrival of my stopping passenger at guildford and it blocked my path, definitely something up with it. Also crawling Ai has returned.

[RSderek]

Hi,
Any example of Crawling AI (using core assets/routes) please send an rwp to support, along with details of scenario and the when/where which service etc.

regards

Derek

[jan38]

I have exactly the same issue as mentioned by others.
I try to create a custom scenario for the core asset + routes.
On all the routes with using the standard core assets/trains the AI train stops at a green signal even when its priority is special and other trains like player train or other AI are lower in priority (stopping passenger or standard freight).
I've nothing edited in the routes themselves and I regularly verify the integrity of the game cache, but to no avail.

What I have also noticed is that when the game cache is verified it always seems to have files that need to be updated or replaced, but I have not edited any original file (assets or routes/signals, etcetera).

Example to clarify:

Route: Oxfort - Paddington.

If I create one train (player train) all signals are good, the train acts as it should, no errors whatsoever.
If I add an AI train with a higher priority (special or express) then the AI train stops at the first signal it sees, and the signal is green !
No movement whatsoever from that point on.
I've checked that I placed the train on the right track, no wrong direction. And also checked the pathing which gave absolutely no errors.
Again no altered routes or signals, no additional scripting. I just use the original routes/signals/assets that comes with RW2/3.

This also happens when the AI train starts in the opposite direction.
for example: Player train with stopping passenger priority starts in Oxford and heading to Paddington (I've checked the pathing and no errors)
AI train starts in Paddington towards Oxford. The AI train stops at the first signal it sees even when the signal is green and no other trains or loose consists are blocking its path.

When I remove any additional train except the train I'm driving then everything works as it should. As soon as any train is added then the trains stop at the first signal they see and stop and again even when it has green light.

I really tried to sort it out and double checked anything like track direction / pathing / length of train, etcetera. really tried to find anything I might have done wrong.

[smarty2]

Hi,
Any example of Crawling AI (using core assets/routes) please send an rwp to support, along with details of scenario and the when/where which service etc.

regards

Derek

Well I don't think core assets include the 421/455/JT20/VGA/33/156/UKTSFP rolling stock on the PD route etc etc will be explored will it? Not that that will make any difference to the problems we are encountering even if core assets were used.