[PerryPlatypus]

First request is probably going to be the most difficult, and will involve going well beyond the current activity framework... I think having event-triggered AI Train origination would be extremely helpful for activities. To be clear, you could create any type of event (location, etc.) and it would trigger an AI Train to spawn. This would allow the activity creator to account for variations in drive time for the player. For example, if you wanted the player to always meet a certain train at a certain passing siding hours into the activity, then slight variation in player performance could drastically impact how the meet would time out. Location event-triggered AI spawning would overcome this by having the AI train spawn only after the player (or a specified AI train) has reached a certain location or triggered another event, such as the player picking up cars, etc.

Second request, I think will be a bit easier to implement. This is AI-location event triggered sounds. We current already have player location-triggered events with sounds. I have been using this in order to have detectors go off once my train has cleared a certain location. But having AI-location event triggered sounds would allow AI trains to set off detectors when they pass a certain spot, or to make some call out on the radio when they pass a certain spot. This cannot be accomplished simply by using a time event, because the position of AI trains is difficult to predict very specifically over time, and the AI train's timing may be significantly affected by the player's performance. I hope that this will be a fairly easy code to create, since event-based sound files has already been implemented. It would ideally just require content creators to place a location event (or any event) with a line such as:
ORTSAITrigger ( "WestboundQTrainTraffic01" )
Where you insert specifically which AI train should trigger the event. Perhaps inserting multiple names of traffic trains in multiple sets of quotes would allow the same sound event to be triggered by multiple trains.

Last request is time and season-based sound sources. Many sounds only play during certain times, seasons, and weather conditions. Crickets are heard more during evening/night/before dawn hours. Other nocturnal animals like owls are similar. Meanwhile, many birds are only up in the day, and many are only really making sound during early morning or evening, like the meadowlark.

Season and weather is also a factor. You aren't going to hear many birds chirping, frogs ribbeting, or crickets chirping in the dead of winter. Some birds or other animals will not be out making much sound during the rain or precipitation.

Would it be possible to have some sort of include file for the ssource.dat file in the route where we can add lines for time of day and season? Include files for each individual SMS would also work. Something like this (sorry that the syntax is screwy but you will get the idea)

Sound ( Name ( "Meadowlark" )
Season ( Spring
TimeofDay ( 0700 0900 1700 1800 )
)
Season ( Summer
TimeofDay ( 0500 0800 1800 2000
)
Season ( Fall
TimeofDay ( 0700 0900 1700 1800
)
Weather ( Clear )
)
)

Where TimeofDay dictates the hours during which a sound file will be allowed to start playing (I say this so that a sound will not be immediately cut off at the change of hours, but be allowed to finish that particular loop or single shot before the sound source goes dormant). Each pair of times (0500 0800 being a single pair) dictates a start and end time of a period during which the sound can play. You could add as many pairs as desired. Each entry falls under the season. If a season entry is not present, the sound will not be played during that season. Weather indicates the condition during which the sound will play, and can include anywhere from one to three values. (Clear, Rain, Snow).

If any of the above have already been worked on, then I would love to hear it! It's possible I've missed something similar already being implemented. As always, a big thanks to the OR team that continues to improve every day the functionality of this simulator. :)

[Csantucci]

Hi Sean,
your suggestions are surely interesting; some is more, some is less complex to implement. Maybe I (or someone else) will have time to examine some of them in more detail from an implementation point of view. At the moment I'd suggest you to open Trello boxes for each of them, so that it can also be checked how much they are of interest also for other people.

[railguy]

All of Sean's suggestions have real merit. I'd be delighted to see them implemented at some point.

[JeroenP]

I do not think that currently the ssource.dat is used in ORTS. It does not seem to be loaded at all. Even though it is mentioned in the manual. See also http://www.elvastowe...post__p__233197

[darwins]

The first suggestion may be closer than you think.

I have enjoyed this feature using timetable mode where a connecting train can be held for a specified period to wait for another service if it is running late.

In fact there are a lot of great features being put into action in timetable mode. I am hoping that some of these will find their way into activity mode also.

Sound depending on season and time of day is already listed on the OR road map at Trello. It is certainly something I will look forward to. The sound of children playing as you pass a school after midnight can be quite odd!

Not sure if the second request has been brought up yet though.