Railworks Scoring and Career Mode

[growler37]

Hi
Sorry not for me either! Maybe, when everythings fixed with RW it could be looked into, but as i say, not intrested.
If i may be so bold as to say,not very good timing either, with the update problems,my humble opinion is, put every ounce of effort into correcting the core program errors.
Regards
Kevin.

[Easilyconfused]

Well I can take or leave it. Like a number of others I would also like to see some other things fixed first.

However, the real big issue for me is NOT having it tied to my Steam account but to the local logged in user account on my PC. At home we all have local user accounts on our XP machine with each with their own folders in "Documents and Settings" but there is only 1 Steam account (mine) that all of them use. I don't want Bronwyn's and my scoring getting lumped together. Historically some games have been notoriously bad at handling the multiple users on 1 PC scenario.

[rabid]

Have to agree with the concensus here.

Please let's keep on track with the goal of improving RW as a railway simulator, and keep the gamey bits for later.

What most people seem to want is making RW a more accurate and better all-round simulator, and many like myself have bought the RS.com add-ons hoping that our investment will turn into worthwhile improvements. Personally I have re-bought all the stuff I had bought in for RS for this reason. I don't think this on-line scoring idea is a worthwhile improvement at this stage, although I can see the value in being scored at the end of a scenario for good driving etc.. However there are plenty of other things we'd like to see sorted first.

[alexedwin]

I'm with the majority here.
Not interested.

[CaptScarlet]

Well I can take or leave it. Like a number of others I would also like to see some other things fixed first.

However, the real big issue for me is NOT having it tied to my Steam account but to the local logged in user account on my PC. At home we all have local user accounts on our XP machine with each with their own folders in "Documents and Settings" but there is only 1 Steam account (mine) that all of them use. I don't want Bronwyn's and my scoring getting lumped together. Historically some games have been notoriously bad at handling the multiple users on 1 PC scenario.

That is a good point re the steam accounts. I would like to have the ability to have a career mode that is single player as well ie. If I choose not to use the steam functionality, I would still like to have a career if I wanted too.

Re the fixes and enhancements question, as Derek has said they are and will happen and seeing that this stats/career mode is still in the planning stage I take that to mean it is at least 6 months or more away. One thus assumes that a number of things will be "fixed" in that time and perhaps done as a prerequisite for this new type of functionality so we all get a better sim out of it in the end. Hows that for positive spin, but why is everything so pink looking ?

John

[dean1986]

Maybe we should all be typing our thoughts on rs.com aswell so that everyone from RS.com can read them as only Adam and Derek post on here.

Dean

[Easilyconfused]

I don't have one of the accounts needed to post on the blog and don't intend to get one just to comment. I have enough accounts that I need to keep track of the passwords for without acquiring more.

[dean1986]

Just a thought.

[karma99]

A very disappointing idea. I can't think of anything less relevant to a simulator (it is still a sim isn't it?) than achievements.
A career mode is a nice idea, but surely that involves lots of in-depth related scenarios, something that even the most recent releases from RS.com lack in any half decent quantity.

And honestly, right now, RW has FAR more to concern itself with than gimmics like this.
Now matter how much the promise of it not interfering with "other" developments, I can't imagine a single thing less important than this in RW's development that someone already working would have to be pulled from. Failing that, if another person/s would be hired to do this, use the money to hire people to create more routes, stock and especially scenarios.

Also at the risk of enflaming some recent discussions, the last thing RW needs right now is to make itself even less of a serious simulator and more of a console game. Doing everything they can to get serious sim'ers involed in creating should be their primary (and I would argue only) "non-sales" related priority until ALL of the large bugs and problems that are stopping RW being more than an application to display high quality models are resolved.

[Acorncomputer]

This idea might appeal to gamers on Steam and if it did in fact attract some new customers to bring money into the coffers of RS.com, then we would all benefit in the end. I have my doubts, however, that a Railway simulator could ever be an exciting attraction to 'gamers' and an attempt to spice it up a bit cannot really have any future. Let us be honest, train simming is probably one of the most boring 'games' around and no matter what you do, it will still be pretty boring to anyone other than enthusiasts.

The real interest and long term future support of the program will be from enthusiasts like us and although Steam may be the Church that gamers worship, I think there may be more genuine interest from outside the world of Steam than there is in it. I think RailWorks sits fairly uncomfortably in the Steam stable and any attempt to promote it as something that it is not, will end in tears.

As I said before, if this idea will actually increase sales for little effort then OK but RS.com still have to win over many existing train simmers (particularly those talented people still modelling for MSTS) and arcade style tactics, and Steam hype are not going to help much.

[bigvern]

I decided to break my silence if only to post a generally supportive reception for the principle of this idea, as a counterpoint to some of the rather lukewarm views expressed.

Depending on how it is done, I think it could be a useful idea. I have frequently lamented the lack of purpose in both flight and train sims. Look at how successful the FS Passengers add-on(s) have been for Flight Simulator, though of course this goes one step further and adds a financial element.

It depends almost entirely on how it is implemented. If it's just a Windows Live style flag waving exercise, then no thank you. IMHO it's something that should be applied equally to standalone and not just on line.

The idea is not new as the Train Driver 3 programme featured a career and scoring mode. A tally was kept of your total mileage and percentage skill, in addition to any serious breaches such as SPAD's or speeding (a traction inspector would pop up from time to time with a radar gun). You were also scored during each run, starting at 100% and losing points for poor timekeeping and significant errors - wheelslip, allowing the brakes to drag, failing to cancel AWS. You could also be injured by firebox blowback through tunnels if you forgot to activate the blower and close the doors. Even running the ammeter in the yellow zone for too long cost points.

Far from adding an arcade element, done properly this might encourage more professional driving standards as that would be the only way to finish a run. Speaking personally, this is exactly the type of feature that might spark my interest in producing another route for the sim (in time) rather than having it idle on my laptop.

[longbow]

Like many posters here I spend most of my time modelling and very little time actually driving so I understand the lukewarm response. But let's give this idea a bit of thought as if it's done well it has potential to greatly increase the experience for hardcore trainsimmers as well as casual gamers.

Here's some random ideas based on UK steam practice:

Career/Achievements
Ability-related career path ie Cleaner/Fireman/Driver (and maybe a trainspotter level?).
"Rising up the Links" - Driver achievement levels based on completing relevant scenarios ie shunter/goods/local passenger/express passenger (with auto fireman off, of course). Endless scope for grading, right up to eg Royal Train and Loco Trials.
Classroom mode on relevant basic skills (trainspotter - loco recognition; cleaner - basic loco knowledge: fireman - cab controls and loco operation; driver - signalling and rule book) with multiple choice exam at each stage?
Automatic Driver feature for fireman training?
Route-based achievements based on demonstrating route knowledge ("signing for the road") - F3 window disabled!
As Vern suggests, broaden driver performance monitoring beyond SPAD and timekeeping - I'd also suggest monitoring economy (water/coal consumption)
Scenarios could test knowledge of suitable railway rule book aspects - single line working, Rule 55 - eg pop-up Qs requiring keyboard response

Multiplayer
Virtual Railroad - I'm not familiar with these but the idea is that you join a group and perform and log assignments on a particular route. An obvious Steam opportunity.
Driver Multiplayer - what better to way to address the dodgy AI than dispensing with the need for it? Allow multiple human players to drive any or all services in a scenario.
Multirole Multiplayer - multiple players can act as firemen, drivers, signalmen, controllers or just trainspotters. Think that 's one for a future RW version but you can imagine the potential.

[whittaker]

i dont get much time to run trains am to busy route building etc,this is the side of the sim im intrested in, but if it brings more people to the game it got to be good.


joe whittaker

[mearle73]

10 points for cars going through level crossings,5 points for signals not working right,100 points for a steam update thats not broken.

[AndyUK]

Maybe we should all be typing our thoughts on rs.com aswell so that everyone from RS.com can read them as only Adam and Derek post on here.

If RS.com choose to use this forum as a sounding board then it's up to them to monitor the response here.

Andy L