My Pathetic AI Fireman

[jarmstro]

My AI Fireman isn't up to the job. His shovelling rate is abysmal and he can't anticipate when it is appropriate to put on the large injector or when to hold back because i need steam for a hill or whatever. In fact he is utterly useless and refuses to put in a supreme effort in time of need. He just carries on in the same pathetic leisurely way. I am constantly having to mortgage the boiler to keep time only to find no reponse from my fireman whatsoever!! I want him sacked!!

Is there any way to alter the performance of the AI Fireman? Where is the script? It must be extreemly basic and I would like to improve it. Or has some one already done it?

John A

[Kariban]

No script, it's built in. Most of the parameters you'd need to script a fireman ( like say, fire mass ) aren't available in scripts anyway. Actually thinking about it it's probably only fire mass missing for you to be able to put the fireman in the engine script in manual firing mode.

[jarmstro]

Oh well, I expected as much.

Thanks so much for your reply.

John A

[Kariban]

He made me learn to manual fire ( the F4 display is actually useful for that ), which is a lot less troublesome than you think. It's not like you have to manually hold the shovel & throw every dose of coal in...

[Griphos]

So, is there a tutorial on manual firing? Something that explains all that John is talking about that makes no sense to me...boiler pressure, steam chest pressure, injectors, etc.? I'd like to learn how to do this.

[jarmstro]

He made me learn to manual fire ( the F4 display is actually useful for that ), which is a lot less troublesome than you think. It's not like you have to manually hold the shovel & throw every dose of coal in...

I am The Driver. And you want me to shovel coal!!?? Never. never!

[metrobus]

Considering all drivers have to be firemen and cleaners for many years, they should be used to it
regards
Edward

[burek]

i think here is a useful link: How to Drive "Running On Empty" by Kromaatikse

[bdy26]

Check you've got the dampers open ("on") and give it a bit of welly. This seems to give him a bit of a prod, close his snap tin and put the enamel lid back on his tea and get to it.

B

[Griphos]

Thanks for the link to the videos.

[Griphos]

Actually, those videos don't really explain why he does what he does and how things work, and I don't use the HUD anyway (don't even have that HUD installed anymore, since I use the modified HUD for Raildriver). Anyone have a link to a tutorial that explains the workings of the boiler and water and firing manually?

[jarmstro]

I think the whole firing system could do with looking at, manual and AI.

I've noticed that with manual firing the blower seems to have practically no effect. When stationary turning the blower on does not increase steam generation rate by much if anything. Also neither does firemass other than in a very crude way. And there is no difference in the way you fire or drive with different engines. From what I have read a completely different technique was required to get the best out of, say, a Hall and an A4? Also what about Coal quality?

As for the AI Fireman he has the blower permanently on. He shovels at one rate regardless which means that you are either constantly blowing off or short of steam. He needs to have some AI built into him in order to assist the driver and anticipate the route as would have been the case in real life.

John A