Virtual British Rail

[exshunter]

Count me in Jimmy, this could breath new life into TS2013

[gptech]

Yeah, nice idea though not exactly new--Marleyman tried to get something similar up and running a while back (http://www.railworks.marleyman.co.uk/ra ... layer.html)
Might be worthwhile dropping him a line to see how it panned out, a 'pick his brains' kind of thing.

[bGriff]

I think this is precisely the sort of multiplayer that works with TS2013, certainly the sort of thing that I wished Career Mode was.
Players band together to join "companies" in a similar way to "clans" in COD. Can be open or invitation only.
Actions are all recorded and details logged - speed, comfort, stops, braking, acceleration, timeliness.
Communities can limit themselves to a certain route or traction (I.E. Portsmouth Direct Railway Co.) or elect to have all available. (Europe Trains Co.)
Online leaderboards - detailing by Company or all companies showing best companies for being on-time.
Maybe enhanced friends list that will show you their precise location within TS2012 - could be displayed as Basic (User: Bob, Location: Stratford International, Updated: 10 secs. Refresh?) or the advanced view that can be displayed either as the 9 camera setting or as a SimSig style map and you can track the player that way.

[smarty2]

I think this is where Joined up routes would come in handy, i.e sharing stations like we have with the PD route where Reading is shared that is one route that connect with Oxx Padd, another is S&C WCMLN, I think its a great idea Jimmy, pity I live in the Midlands though! Nothing virtual for my area!

[jimmyshand]

I agree with you Griff, that's what multiplayer should be about. Just goes to show that RSC have lost the plot on this particular aspect of development. Medals and points is so not it.

I think they may have lost their way with multiplayer and got bogged down with thinking it means complicated arena style situations where multiple players are online in the same scenario at the same time.

It doesn't have to be that complex. A simple structure that can be set up outside of the driving part of the sim to record your mileage and performance as we've discussed here would do the job. As long as it was based on realistic operations and had a realistic career path to follow then it would be a sure fire hit.

So simple when you think about it, who on earth came up with medals? Completely bonkers.

[gptech]

I think they may have lost their way with multiplayer and got bogged down with thinking it means complicated arena style situations where multiple players are online in the same scenario at the same time.

A type of 'collaborative play' as you've outlined would probably be what many would like to see, even though there have been no indications that this is what we're likely to get.

So simple when you think about it...

yeah, until folk think a bit further and...

Maybe enhanced friends list that will show you their precise location within TS2012 - could be displayed as Basic (User: Bob, Location: Stratford International, Updated: 10 secs. Refresh?) or the advanced view that can be displayed either as the 9 camera setting or as a SimSig style map and you can track the player that way.

Theres a world of difference between a guy producing a log at home and dishing out the next rostered job and a guy at home hacking the code of the game to show who's where and doing what.

[Mitsunari]

I know from flying in Virtual Delta Airlines that the way they work it is when you sign up you take a little test that's forwards onto the administrators. The Administrators then assign you a rank based on your knowledge of flying. For example someone who's knew to fly simulation, gets under a certain amount in the test is put into the lowest rank... This allows them to fly any active current Delta Airline flight using the regional jets. To advance you have to do a test on the engine you wish to drive showing that your capable along with having clocked up so many hours of flying at any given level, unlocking the more advanced planes and biggest route for example at Rank 2 you can fly 737 tube-liners as opposed to Regional Jets on the first rank.

You can have the route saved as scenario's that are downloaded from the from the virtual railways website, for all of the English routes within the game. Maybe start of with scenarios for just one route then slowly expand on them. The member then downloads the route they wish to do for the engine they are qualified to do so. Complete the scenario and then fill in a small reporting for with the start and end time, of the journey, time arrived at each stop along the way etc. This completed form gets e-mail back to the administrators and then this information gets added to the member's profile page on the website that would list all their information. Completed journey's, Engines Driven, Current Rank, On time %, Steam username? Just a suggestion as to how you could run it.

[jimmyshand]

Thanks for all the comments again guys. There are some great ideas being mentioned, I like the thought of having a website that can be used as a central place for everything but that's a bit outside my realm of knowledge/expertise so it could be something for the future or if anyone else out there has the know-how or facilities?

In the meantime, I'll try and crack on with doing it the old fashioned way to start with! If this is going to be based on BR in the 1980's then old fashioned paper documents (albeit sent by email!) would be the most authentic option.

A bit of a request, if anyone has any old BR documents, manuals, timetables, work tickets, drivers logs etc (someone mentioned so earlier in the thread) that they would be willing to share copies of, if you could send me a PM to let me know that would be great. I'd like to be able to scan then modify them to create the most realistic system possible. Wouldn't it be great to receive an email with an authentic BR style worklist that you can print off telling you what to drive? So much more engaging and immersing than just picking a random route and scenario from the collection screen.

I would envisage this being not too intrusive to start with. Most of us are very busy people with limited spare time so I'd imagine that plenty of time will be given to complete your assigned duties. As a ballpark figure say 2 scenarios with a week to complete? This would give us all chance to set some time aside to be part of a virtual BR but not completely dominate your time on the sim.

[Leaf85]

Please add my name to the list of participants, Jimmy. I've had some experience in virtual rail, with OVS (Ohio Valley Systems) and recently just got involved with NERW (North Eastern Rail Works). A virtual rail set-up for the UK would be outstanding. Being a part of a virtual rail system definitely breathes life into the sim from an immersion point-of-view, at least to my way of thinking anyway.

Kind regards,
Dave

[tubemad]

Right, time to set my keyboard on fire! I've been meaning to reply but I know my reply would be longer than War and Peace so here it is:

Good idea!


That's the short answer , the serious long answer:

I remember the Virtual Railways of MSTS, and there was one based on the S&C with some special modifications and extensions to the route for the VR, which I think was North West Train's or something, it was fictional with fictional stock like the Class 166 on the S&C in NWT (or whatever it was called again) livery. I didn't join it as personally, I prefer real TOC's. I've been flying for VA's before and currently I'm with FlyBe. There are some other big groups out there that I could join but some were fictional airlines so I didn't bother with them. So with VR's I'm only interested if real TOC names are simulated. It doesn't have to be one of course, it could be set to be a group of TOCs and you decide who to drive for (including FOCs) and could transfer between companies, or you could just work for any TOC at any time..more on that in a bit..

The more work to start with, the better. Expect quite a lot to join and want to get started. I feel there should be something for everyone. For instance the FlyBe VA I'm with has no limitations, however I was most annoyed with the British Airways VA who had a long waiting list! It's not a real job so I don't see why I should be in a long queue to join a hobby based VA I applied anyway just on the off chance it wasn't that long, but after 1 month I've heard nothing so I've given up. If they offer me in I'll turn it away, so for a VR it would be nice to be able to take on everyone.

It might be good to make use of the Relay feature too, closest thing I can think of for this Multiplayer type idea. I haven't used it before but I understand it is there to hand over to another person to finish off for you. Maybe this could be used as a 'crewe change' feature if needed?

As for logging, there was someone on an OMSI forum who made an external program that would link with OMSI, which was for a Virtual Bus company. This read exactly where a driver was and would log the journey details. On VA's there are some live maps too that shows where every pilot is. I don't know how it's done though, would be very nice to have a live rail map to see where everyone is!

Now back to TOC's and FOC's, a ranking system does sound like a good idea. Start off in a Class 08 shunting then move up to local lines, doing commuter work with DMU's and such like, then eventually move up to the high speed stuff. There are plenty of routes to base shunting work on, even with the default stuff. I do have a few Working TimeTables with Freight and Passenger stuff, and I have a fair few National Rail Timetables too. It would be nice to be able to have every train diagram to start with, but that would be a lot of scenario writing. There would need to be a few written to start off with, can't say using default scenarios is an idea as I've never liked the default scenarios on default routes, some don't work properly anyway.

I don't know how a training process would work (if you wanted to include it) as with a VA you can join in with the pilot, something you can't really do in RW. Only thing I can think of is training documents or training videos.

You can count me in though, this is something I'm interested in. Maybe my post isn't as long as I thought it would be!


James.


EDIT Oops I forgot this was ideally for the 80's. In that case I'm even more interested! I do have 1980's Working Timetables mainly for the Western region and the Southern (Brighton end), along with 1980's National Rail WTT's. In that case scrap the idea of TOC's and FOC's, it doesn't really matter.

I also think maybe linked duties could be done, whereby a shunter puts the train together in the yard with the 08, then another driver takes the train the shunter put together onto the mainline in a 47 or something. Just an idea..

[jimmyshand]

Thanks for your input there James, there are a lot of potential ideas now in the pot.

I did think of the relay scenarios. They've largely been a big flop and I'm not aware of anyone who has used them, but your post has got me thinking. Relay scenario's are intended to be shared between friends, which is exactly what this VR idea is, a way of conducting scenarios with others. The biggest limitation of relay scenarios is that there aren't many routes in the game that are long enough to warrant a crew change! However, I think we will just have to adjust our mindset. This is a simulation aferall and so we may just have to compress time in our minds. We're not full time drivers, we do this in our spare time and so I don't think there's anything wrong with making the assumption that half an hour driving equals half a shift? So to use WCMLN as an example, 'driver A' might drive Carlisle to Carstairs. He then Relay hands-over to 'Driver B' who takes the train from Carstairs to Glasgow. Likewise, say we used Bristol to Exeter, 'Driver A' will drive Exeter to Taunton and 'Driver B' does Taunton to Bristol. A string of scenarios could be built whereby the day starts with someone shunting stock from Riverside sidings or the depot into Exter St Davids. The next scenario then sees the morning shift drivers sign on to take the first trains north. Meanwhile other scenarios will also be running at the Bristol end where some other drivers will be preparing to head south west. Somewhere in the middle you will pass your mates!

The VR will also give a background 'world' outside of the sim. A real driver doesn't just jump in the cab and hit play. He has to sign on, be given a roster, worklist, notices of issues etc. A real driver will also be subject to performance appraisal and recording of incidents etc. That's what a Virtual BR can offer I think, simulated structure to add to the immersion factor.

In terms of getting this up and running, it could take several years to create a perfect system to rival those in FSX world. To get it up and running in as quick a time as possible I'm thinking of getting a basic system going with a few volunteers and then evaluating and building it up as we go. I think the best way to develop this is to start small and then keep getting feedback as to what is good/what is not so good and then tweaking, adding and refining as we go.

[msey0002]

Sounds great Jimmy!

Really think that this is exactly what the sim has been missing and more than happy to offer a helping hand where it may be used

[andynwt]

I remember the Virtual Railways of MSTS, and there was one based on the S&C with some special modifications and extensions to the route for the VR, which I think was North West Train's or something, it was fictional with fictional stock like the Class 166 on the S&C in NWT (or whatever it was called again) livery.

that's the one, and that's why i have nwt in my username you seem to remember more than me about it though

[tubemad]

Ahh! Never put two and two together for that!

Yes there was some NWT Loco's too in red and black or green and black..one of the two, but I can't remember if it used the Northern Rail Routes v6 extension (which extended the S&C to the North West network) or if it was a NWT extension.

I still have the Northern Rail Routes v6 Community CD that I got when it was new!

I'd actually like to see this VR on the London - Brighton route, now there is a fair bit of BR blue stuff released for RW. We have Electro-Diesels, Slammers, Duff's, MK1s, MK2s, Cromptons, 455's, 08's, 101's to make it happen

[RichyV]

Hey all,

I guess I'm playing Devil's Advocate here (and am ready to be shot-down because of it!) as, although this sound like a great idea to get everyone's imaginations racing and possibly bring some much-needed feeling of worth and progression within the game.

But I'm just not sure how much of these ideas are going to be possible.

As it stands, all that is possible is;

1) Driver being sent an email outlining there current status and options of next assignment (?).
2) Being sent a rwp (from what would have to be a 'large' pool to cover all needs) depending on your next 'assignment'.
3) Completing said scenario and sending in a screenshot of your results (who's going to send one back that shows anything other than 'perfect' driving as there's no way to stop people from re-doing it.?!).
4) Someone keeping 'score' of everyone's 'progress' on a spreadsheet, possibly on-line for all to see.
5) Repeat..............

I can't see that, as an 'experience', that's much different than anyone can do now...
(I am able to choose to drive whatever I like, wherever I like, as long as I own the stock/route. So, I can choose, over the course of a day/week/month/whatever, to start driving a 03, progress along to a 14, then 31, 47, 66 -> 395. Whatever..............)

Unless there are many changes implemented in the core game itself, I can't see how any of the more 'exciting' ideas can even be started.

I'm missing something, I presume. Would someone care to explain what they are REALISTICALLY hoping to see implemented? Thanks!