Atomic Systems

Dear all

Maybe this is common knowledge but has anyone else played with standard scenarios where you drive one train and then change to another train?

I built a standard scenario where a 67 hauls a charter from Bristol towards Exeter (on the Bristol and Exeter route no less!). Added an AI freight with a 47 intended to leave Fairwater Yd and travel to Bristol just before my train arrives at Taunton. Approaching Taunton I saw the freight wait at a red signal for a Bristol bound HST to go past past. I brought my 67 to a halt in the platform at Taunton just as the HST depated and checked what was happening using the map. The AI freight had a green signal once the HST had cleared the block but remained stationary - so I decided to try something.

Using number "8" (free camera) I left the 67 and 'flew' back down the line to the AI 47. The signal was green with a feather but the 47 was not moving. Every 20 seconds or so it would momentarily rev up but then go nowhere. I then clicked on the loco and using number "1" was in the cab of the 47. My AI was now the player train and I drove it through the signal and on to the main.

My intention was to return to the 67 but I stayed too long. When I exited the 47 using number 8 view and 'flew' back to Taunton my train (now obviously AI) had left for Exeter. No problem, I thought, I'll just fly on till I catch up. Unfortunately, just beyond the platform I came to a halt and started to go backward! View 8 clearly only works within a certain radius of the player train and my view was now being dragged away as I was tethered to the moving 47.

I knew you could change trains in free roam but did not know this was possible in a standard timetabled scenario. Using the technique described it would be possible to drive an outward leg on one train, change over at a station and drive another train home. Or you could have alternative endings for scenarios. In the situation I describe, having arrived at Taunton I could choose at that time whether to drive on to Exeter in the 67 - or change to either the HST or the 47 for a run back towards Bristol. Not sure whether there are other limiting factors but this is fascinating.

Has anyone else experimented with this?

cheers

mazda

I was having a look at this with a scenario I was creating for fun on the GEML. If I remember rightly, it started in the class 153 (Braintree branch), then into an express to London Liverpool Street from Ipswich to a station whose name escapes me and then onto a class 360! It was very long!

If I remember rightly, I couldn't get this feature to work in a 'standard' scenario but only in a 'timetabled' one

It is certainly an interesting feature

Hi mazda,
Yes I've had a play with this (a while ago mind) by creating a freeroam and issuing AI instructions as normal but by adding text as well which you would only see if the train was a player train. It worked to a point but once you start to take over the controls the dispatcher can get confused and AI stalling or at worst collisions could occur.
If you have Creative Rails' China Clay for Export route have a look at UKTS29867 Slurry in a Hurry. It seemed to work ok. I also made a Oxford - Paddington route scenario where you could choose any 1 of 3 overnight parcels or jump ship part way and head back to Paddington ! Never finished it off but that worked ok -ish too.

Give it a go and Good Luck!
Kernow2/Graham

Kernow2 wrote:Hi mazda,
Yes I've had a play with this (a while ago mind) by creating a freeroam and issuing AI instructions as normal but by adding text as well which you would only see if the train was a player train. It worked to a point but once you start to take over the controls the dispatcher can get confused and AI stalling or at worst collisions could occur.
If you have Creative Rails' China Clay for Export route have a look at UKTS29867 Slurry in a Hurry. It seemed to work ok. I also made a Oxford - Paddington route scenario where you could choose any 1 of 3 overnight parcels or jump ship part way and head back to Paddington ! Never finished it off but that worked ok -ish too.

Give it a go and Good Luck!
Kernow2/Graham

What I should have put was "by creating a freeroam BUT issuing AI instructions as for a standard scenario and adding achievement text as well, which you would only see if the train was a player train."
Hope that makes more sense!
G.

Hmm... I think it is common knowledge that you can swap trains in a timetabled scenario (but not a standard one); I've used them quite a bit in scenarios that I've built for myself and, as you say, there's potential for some very interesting scenarios with this feature.

Weren't RSC/DTG going to do away with timetabled scenarios at one point? I recall it caused a bit of alarm precisely because this feature would no longer be available.

But I may be imagining it all!

yerkes wrote:Weren't RSC/DTG going to do away with timetabled scenarios at one point? I recall it caused a bit of alarm precisely because this feature would no longer be available.

I've not heard of any plans to physically remove the ability to use them, and to do so would not really be consistent with their upgrade policy. They have stated that "they are no longer supported" which usually just means that this is a direction where no further development will take place.

I continue to create Timetabled Scenarios for distribution. In the simulator they are listed as Standard Scenarios and in the worst-case situation it should be possible to change them to Standard quite easily using RW_Tools.

John

Carinthia wrote:I've not heard of any plans to physically remove the ability to use them, and to do so would not really be consistent with their upgrade policy. They have stated that "they are no longer supported" which usually just means that this is a direction where no further development will take place.

Ah, perhaps the lack of support is what I was thinking of. Thanks for the correction.