Advanced v Simple controls of locomotives

[earwigo]

I am wondering how you select 'Simple controls' on a locomotive which offers simple or advanced? I notice a window at the top right which says what has been set presumably by default. This is often 'Advanced' and I would like to change it to 'Simple'. Please could anyone tell me how to do this?
Many thanks,
Stuart.

[deltic009]

It depends on the developer as to whether you can change it in game, or whether you have a switcher file independent of TS itself and it needs to be utilised before opening the simulator.

[RobertM]

Most RSC steam locos use 'B' as the control, dont know about diesels though. JT vary in how they do it

[tnleeuw01]

Steam locos from VictoryWorks use ctrl+a to switch.

The use of 'b' by DTG locos I find confusing, since it is so often used by others for the bells, or alternative whistle tone.

--Tim

[michaelhendle]

some will only work in advance mode,I have just down loaded some Chris Trains and they switch off simple mode

Mike

[tnleeuw01]

There's a simple mode in the game, and an expert mode in the game.

However, some engines have an "advanced mode" that is more advanced than the in-game expert mode, and a toggle when in expert mode to turn the "expert advanced mode" on/off.

What extra features are offered in advanced mode depends on the engine and the developer, sometimes it's more realistic brake scripting and steam-chest expansion simulation. Sometimes it's more.

Cheers,

--Tim

[ChrisBarnes]

The use of 'b' by DTG locos I find confusing, since it is so often used by others for the bells, or alternative whistle tone.

I think it's to make it possible to change modes using a gamepad as well as a keyboard, for sofa-sitting players, as the bell control is often redundant on DTG steam locos with legacy and realistic modes.

Most RSC steam locos use 'B' as the control, dont know about diesels though. JT vary in how they do it

Yeah, the Manor uses a toggle switch key on [Enter], whereas the BR Standards and I believe the diesels in the Advanced range require an external swapper app. The K4 and later JT Advanced steam locos will drop the swapper app in favour of the toggle key on [Enter].

Kind regards,
Chris

[tnleeuw01]

The use of 'b' by DTG locos I find confusing, since it is so often used by others for the bells, or alternative whistle tone.

I think it's to make it possible to change modes using a gamepad as well as a keyboard, for sofa-sitting players, as the bell control is often redundant on DTG steam locos with legacy and realistic modes.

Good point, didn't think about that! Still don't like it much, but at least it makes sense from that point of view.

Most RSC steam locos use 'B' as the control, dont know about diesels though. JT vary in how they do it

Yeah, the Manor uses a toggle switch key on [Enter], whereas the BR Standards and I believe the diesels in the Advanced range require an external swapper app. The K4 and later JT Advanced steam locos will drop the swapper app in favour of the toggle key on [Enter].

Kind regards,
Chris

That is good, I like being able to switch in-game Although with the auto-fireman, the need to switch to a simple mode is for me personally much reduced, I certainly do understand people who do wish to play that way!

Anyway, all these different ways to enable some sort of advanced mode within the so-called expert mode highlight why, in my opinion, DTG should implement in TS:Unreal a 3 difficulty settings from within the game itself: Simple, Standard, Expert. With Expert mode perhaps being an optional mode, defaulting to Standard mode for engines which do not implement it, but Expert mode not having to be restricted to keys that can be mapped to a controller.

Cheers,

--Tim

[karma99]

Victory Works locos do indeed use Ctrl-A (for Advanced )to switch modes. I had a discussion with DTG when they were considering adding advanced modes to their locos and they agreed on Ctrl-A. They then decided to use B! I would agree it's not that useful as it takes away the "default" bell control which even on UK locos is a useful key for either a second whistle (GWR) or some nice short whistle bursts rather than the full long whistle.

Also Victory Works locos will always start in "Standard" mode - you need to choose to go advanced.

I think it's to make it possible to change modes using a gamepad as well as a keyboard, for sofa-sitting players, as the bell control is often redundant on DTG steam locos with legacy and realistic modes.

This was actually an intentional decision to use Ctrl-A as it meant that people with gamepads couldn't activate Advanced mode by accident as it requires a keyboard. All Victory Works loco's advanced modes have to be keyboard controlled due to the amount of controls needed - a gamepad with it's limited number of buttons just doesn't cut it

As with all add-ons the best advice is to check the manual - it's a shame you can't get to them easily. Having a button to open the pdf on the loco selection screen in-game would be ideal.

[tnleeuw01]

As with all add-ons the best advice is to check the manual - it's a shame you can't get to them easily. Having a button to open the pdf on the loco selection screen in-game would be ideal.

That would be very good, but would require all content to be updated to include the name of the manual somewhere, if that is not already present!

Perhaps you know whom to talk to so that they will consider adding this to TS:Unreal?

As regards to the choice for ctrl-A -- good point regarding forcing the use of keyboard. But I think that those few DTG locos that have an advanced mode use it only for enhanced steam-chest and brake simulation, thus not really needing the keyboard for advanced features.

Oh, and I saw yesterday that their new US locos included in the WP Feather River route do use ctrl-1, ctrl-2 keys for increasing or decreasing the realism of the brake simulation... Also not controller-compatible!

And one more point about the manual... If only all DTG locos had all their features explained in the manual!! The DB BR261 "Voith Gravita" has essential features and buttons for proper operation of the loco which are not even mentioned in the manual, let alone explained!

--Tim

[metrobus]

And I just use separate Advanced and Simple locos
Edward

[tnleeuw01]

And I just use separate Advanced and Simple locos
Edward

Indeed, and I bet it must simplify scripting and scenario making, but you do have to duplicate all scenarios.. Also, workshop scenarios must choose one version or the other, making it a bit harder for the average Joe user to choose for any workshop scenario if they want to drive in standard, in advanced mode.

Anyway best solution would be long term for DTG to add the extra difficulty level to the core game.

--Tim

[karma99]

Anyway best solution would be long term for DTG to add the extra difficulty level to the core game.
--Tim

To play devils advocate for a moment, the advantage of having it on a per-loco basis is just that, it's separate for each loco.
Lots of 3rd parties are making advanced/complex/realistic/"make life hard" locos and there is quite a range of these modes, from DTG's basic "add a steam chest" (as you rightly pointed out) right up to those that require a whole process to even get the loco moving from cold. I'm not sure I'd want a global control to decide how I wanted to drive every type of loco? I think it's also quite nice to be able to change partway through a scenario if it all gets too overwhelming without having to totally restart.
Just food for thought

[kevpotts]

Time for agreement and a standardised set of keys?