Elvas Tower: Idea: "Intermittent" Stoking? - Elvas Tower

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Idea: "Intermittent" Stoking? A "realistic" approach to hand firing...? Rate Topic: -----

#1 User is offline   Traindude 

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Posted 27 April 2020 - 09:51 AM

I just thought of something I'd think would improve the realisim of hand firing in OR. My idea is a new fire stoking algorithm that takes into account the intermittent nature of firing by hand--such as the time it takes for the fireman to walk between the loco and tender.

I wish I knew how to code, but alas, I don't know any programming languages. However, I can give "pseudo-code" in plain words, to describe how I envision the algorithm:

--Firing Cycle Starts When firing rate increases above 0%--
1. Pause momentarily to simulate the time it takes for the fireman to get up out of his seat, grab his shovel, and walk to the tender/bunker. This delay will vary depending on the locomotive's bunker/tender-to-firedoor distance. (In particular, a tank engine will have a shorter bunker-to-door distance and thus the delay will be much shorter.)
2. Decrease the tender/bunker coal supply by an amount equal to anything up to "ShovelCoalMass". The fire mass remains unaffected until later (see step 4).
3. Pause to simulate the time it takes for the fireman to walk from the tender/bunker to the firedoor (again, this varies depending on the locomotive)
4. Increase the fire mass by an amount equal to the amount the tender/bunker coal supply was depleted in step 2.
5. Pause to simulate the fireman walking back to the tender/bunker.
6. Loop steps 2-5 as needed while the firing rate is above 0%.
7. When firing rate returns to 0%, wait for the last shovelful to be "thrown on the fire" before ending the firing cycle.

Not sure of this is practical, but it's something to think about...

#2 User is offline   QJ-6811 

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Posted 28 April 2020 - 12:04 AM

After my opinion, the amount of "coal" you use is affected by the firing rate (R or Shift-R), so don't set it to 100% but something like 60-70%, then this is more of a "reality". (as a stoker you generally shovel equal amounts, but is different with more or less shoveling at a time )
Otherwise, lower the "ShovelCoalMass" if it is too high.
Regarding sounds (if you mean this?), you can of course change the "shovel sounds" (Audio editor) from "shovel + pause" and if desired also vary with the required "amount". (via variable_ trigger 3 for example). Takes some research, but is possible.

I just wonder what else you want to change?

#3 User is offline   copperpen 

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Posted 28 April 2020 - 05:17 AM

It would enhance the realism of steam if OR were to emulate the method used in MSTS for the auto fireman. You have control of firing in manual mode so all of the proposal is covered.

#4 User is offline   Traindude 

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Posted 30 April 2020 - 10:52 AM

View Postcopperpen, on 28 April 2020 - 05:17 AM, said:

It would enhance the realism of steam if OR were to emulate the method used in MSTS for the auto fireman. You have control of firing in manual mode so all of the proposal is covered.


I think I need to clarify my proposal a bit...

What I mean is that when a loco is fired (regardless of whether it's done by the player or by AI), instead of the tender coal mass decreasing and the fire mass increasing at exactly the same time, the tender coal mass should decrease before the fire mass increases (after a necessary pause). Likewise there should be short pauses between the necessary changes in the tender coal supply and fire mass, rather than having the tender coal mass and fire mass change at a consistent rate of speed.

Does this make more sense?

#5 User is offline   QJ-6811 

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Posted 30 April 2020 - 11:38 PM

View PostTraindude, on 30 April 2020 - 10:52 AM, said:

Does this make more sense?


Thanks for your explanation.
My opinion: Although the reality is a bit "step by step" (coal burning is also "burning-on, burning, annealing", technically a kind of fade-in / fade-out) and dozens of other items affect all this, of course the simulator calculates all this as an average.

So by AI you will not notice this in the simulator (background information), just keep an eye on the tender coal stock.
As by Player, you can simulate this effect a bit if you keep the firemass between 90-110%. (burn up to 90%, add to 110%) and the tender coal mass and fire mass (actually the burn rate) also go 'step by step'.

Personally I don't see the effect for the simulator yet?
But again, it is my opinion .....

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