[R H Steele]

atsf37l, on 09 July 2015 - 05:05 PM, said:

...
So yeah, once you hook up to a playable engine you can go to its cab and run it wherever you want. The big problem is making the hop from one player to another.

I'm no software guy but it still seems that you ought to be able to point-and-click on any operable locomotive and switch to its cab. If you can point to a switch and throw it with a keyboard/mouse command or uncouple cars in the same way, why can't you point to a locomotive and run it?

:lol2:

Yes, Herb, I agree. I just made sure I was not talking through my very large hat. I had modified the BNSF Scenic Lumber run activity with some other engines in the yard. Also some cars in the bayside yard with another switch engine. In Manual mode I was able to move the player engine in Everett, couple onto the "loose consist" engine, change cabs, drop the player, move off path and run down to the bay yard, couple onto the switcher there, change cabs again, and begin switching. No problems whatsoever. No path was needed. All "in the red" just as you posted.

Neither am I a software guy, but, the way OR is coded, there may be more to it then we are seeing. Although, you would think something interactive...as with the switches....could be figured out. I mean these guys are BRILLIANT.

(okay if that pound of butter, soft soap and BS did not grease the wheel....<_< ) You folks on the OR team are remarkable!

[Csantucci]

OK, I see what could be done for loose consist locos. They could be selected and act as player trains with no path, running in manual mode. It should not be complicated, but it won't be present in the first release.
Instead I'm sorry, but I don't understand what Chris (longiron) means with his question.

[longiron]

Csantucci, on 10 July 2015 - 08:20 AM, said:

Instead I'm sorry, but I don't understand what Chris (longiron) means with his question.

Carlo,

Let me try to explain myself. It relates to an earlier comment you made about switching control: Re static consist locos: they can't be driven, because to run them they should have a path; but if they have a path, they are no more static consists... So at least in this first phase only AI trains may be eligible to be driven.

There are more 'attributes' to an AI train besides the path - in the activity file. Among the attributes in the activity file is 'start time' for the AI train to be spawned and run the path. Given the current state of MSTS and OR, and if I want an AI train to be selectable, then it must have already passed the 'start time' in the ACT file. The scenario I'm thinking about is as follows:

1. I want the AI train to spawn and be selectable.

2. I don't want it to move from it's spawn location without having to use one billion waiting points or some other approach because I don't know with certainty when the player will actually get to that phase of the original activity

3. I want to define a path for this AI train that I know I'm going to take over. Why? Because there are advantages with an existing path and activity files - automatic signaling works, work definition and completion success, weather changes, etc, plus I'm not in manual mode.

4. When I take over this AI train, I have effectively a whole new activity defined versus the original train - because the parameters of the ACT file become activated in the game. This happens with your approach already.

So effectively I asking is there a way to separate the spawn of an AI train from its execution of the activity? That's where I came up with the concept of a "no" start time. The AI train will never execute the activity file or activate the path reservation until its taken over as the player train. Is that clearer?

Thanks

chris

[Csantucci]

Thanks Chris, it's clear now. To separate AI train spawning and starting in an activity requires some sort of flag to be added in the activity and/or in the traffic file. It should be a flag that isn't considered by MSTS and is by OR. In principle it is possible.

[Csantucci]

Well, a first alpha version (but quite complete already) can be downloaded here. Simply unzip within release 3196 the three files included here.
6/11/15 Attachment deleted because function now available in standard OR version
To use it refer to post #17 plus following integrations.
The second time you left-click the mouse you have a further option: if you left-click with the shift key pressed, the former player train is put in suspended mode, that is it won't continue on its path, but instead it will stop where it is. This is possible only if its speed is = 0. You can exit from suspended mode by later reselecting such train as actual player train. A suspended train is shown in orange colour in the train list window.
I have already successfully performed some checks on save/restore, on waiting points (linked or not with a red signal), on absolute waiting points, and on station stops.
I also was able to pass the new player train to manual and to move it outside its original path, and to have it reentering its original path and return to auto mode.
It is also possible to stop this new player train outside its original path and then to return to the original player train. If this return is performed with left-click and shift key pressed, the off path train will stay there in suspended mode. If instead it is performed only with left-click the off path train will disappear, as usual for off-path AI trains.

This means that there is a palette of options to redirect AI trains.

What is still to do is to manage 4xxxx and 6xxxx waiting points for trains that have been put under player control.
Also the suspend mode must be extended to allow coupling of other trains to it.

Comments are welcome.

[R H Steele]

I just downloaded and installed the files contained in the zip. WOW - excellent work!!
Jumped back and forth between player and AI train arriving in yard - using the new Alt-F9 window. No problems.
Don't have much more time to work with it tonight (astronomy night) so will get back to it tomorrow. Fine advancement for Open Rails, :) :sign_rockon: :cool3:

[atsf37l]

It'll take a while to check this out fully but it looks like it works like a champ! Thanks for all your work on this Carlo. Great job! :)

[Genma Saotome]

Very interesting stuff!

Csantucci, on 10 July 2015 - 11:02 AM, said:

To separate AI train spawning and starting in an activity requires some sort of flag to be added in the activity and/or in the traffic file. It should be a flag that isn't considered by MSTS and is by OR. In principle it is possible.

It needs SpawnTime() and DepartureTime().

[R H Steele]

Still working with this new implementation. Interesting, two initial observations that may be due to my inexperience or using the wrong key commands.
1. Camera positions sometimes do not reset correctly after having "jumped" from one engine to another, noticeable in both Camera 4 and Camera 5 (passenger view in cabeese hooked to AI and Player trains)
2. Also there may be a problem with using RailDriver, it's strange, the controls do not function as expected...I know this is vague...deserves more looking into.....No problem when using only the keyboard.

[atsf37l]

One thing I have noticed, when in the engine terminal and I hook the player locomotive to the helper the engineer's headout remains on the player locomotive but the fireman's "looking back down the train" headout jumps to the helper. So I'm not surprised the your 5-key view isn't in the right train...... :)