[railguy]

What I'm about to describe is not really "new" or "revolutionary." In fact, I'm sure that multi-player activity creators have been doing this all along. Still, it's been a fun way for me to create some activities for myself that can remain more interesting over time. Before someone asks why I don't release activities, my main answer is that, for getting close to 20 years now, I've been collecting rolling stock that I use to create activities--over 15K pieces of rolling stock at current count, sourced from all over, many modified, repainted, etc. Many of them come from my purchased payware, many from freeware--with many of those from sources no longer around. When I create an activity for myself, I pick the rolling stock from my inventory that fits what I want, without consideration of its source. Trying to release an activity loaded with stock like that would just invite all kinds of problems. That said, anyone can use the method that I'm about to describe to make some activities that will stay enjoyable and entertaining for awhile. These activities are best suited for straight through train running, not complex switching activities. What I'm about to describe CAN NOT BE DONE IN MSTS, only in OpenRails.

Here goes: First, I create what I call a "base" activity, the main purpose to be to fill yards, sidings, and spurs with loose consists for a route. This saves me from having to painstakingly place loose consists from scratch in a new activity. I just copy the activity objects part of the .act file to the new activity file (I use ConText for file editing, using it helps to avoid syntax errors), then use the TSRE AE to add, move, or remove loose consists that I don't want. Big timesaver there. Next, I use Trackviewer to create numerous paths, many of which that can be used repeatedly in various activities. Again, a big timesaver. Now, the fun part. For my new activity, I create numerous Services and a Traffic file to run the activity--a note here: the paths that I use usually contain several passing paths and I use location-linked passing path processing in OR to help things run smoothly. All of this isn't really different than most activity creation, but now comes the fun part. I deliberately create the activity such that I can use Alt+F9 to decide which train I want to run at any particular time. So, I start the activity, but then I can either run the Player train or I can switch to any AI train that is active. That way, the same activity can be run several ways.

A great route to use to try this out is Rory Rice's Northwest Line V6. (PLEASE, Rory, release NWL V7 that you've been "screenshot-teasing" us with for a long time now. NW6 is already a gem, but NW7 looks to be even more fantastic.) This route is great because it has two separate mainlines paralleling each other for most of its length--one with a lot of double track. One can really load it up with loose consists, all kinds of traffic on both lines such that, in one activity, one could choose among at least a half dozen or more trains to run using the Alt+F9 function. The good news with OR--I have a fairly beefy computer, but nothing radical, and I can run a stock and train loaded activity like this and still maintain decent frame rates without crashes. By contrast, MSTS, even on a really beefy computer, wouldn't even load the activity, much less run it. Throw in some random weather changes or events in the options screen and things can be made even more interesting. And, of course, if things get "constipated" somewhere (like they often do on prototype railroads), the Player can use the Dispatcher function and/or manual switching function to straighten things out. So, one activity can be interesting to run more often.

Yes, activity creation is still a bit "clunky" with the TSRE AE and TrackViewer, but it can be done relatively efficiently if one prepares paths, etc. ahead of time. Just some thought--comments welcome.

[railguy]

Yes, you certainly may re-post it.

[Weter]

Happy holidays!
Using translator, you can see, how rolling stock may be distributed for activity designers and players, by usage of online database.
http://www.elvastowe...__fromsearch__1
I've started dedicated topic to introduce and discuss that strategy.

[conductorchris]

I appreciate this comment. It helps me think through my process for activities.

One can also use "activity generator to create the loose consists, so they are varied. Just copy and paste.

Christopher

[R H Steele]

Using much the same routine when creating activities. As Christopher posted -- I use "Activity Generator" to populate the route. Works only with routes having activity templates to begin with. (...and then I always substitute the default equipment that comes with the template with my own choices )

Sometimes it takes more than one generation with activity generator --- I cut and paste the activity objects sections into the master base activity. Recently I've added a new twist --- which takes more time --- renaming all the "loose consist" in the activity file to match their locations. The last step is to take a run through the route and check all the loose consists.

Takes time, but in the end, it is worth it and it fulfills one of the main characteristics of hobbies...they take time.

railguy, on 29 December 2021 - 06:10 AM, said:

Yes, activity creation is still a bit "clunky" with the TSRE AE and TrackViewer, but it can be done relatively efficiently if one prepares paths, etc. ahead of time. Just some thought--comments welcome.

I admire your work ethic in creating activities...they must give you a lot of satisfaction and entertainment. I agree about the lack of one cohesive tool/program dedicated to making activities...but that's the reality for now. I also us the TSRE AE to place consists...have you found a relatively painless way to name the consists instead of everything being called a "loose consist"?