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| more support for single play? 17/08/2010 at 18:42 #1634 | |
jc92
3631 posts 
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hey guys. i love sim sig and railway signalling in general, but unfortunatley i cant play the larger sims (sheffield specifically as i live next to the PSB). as a single player im limited to royston and the original swindon and didcot. i know that through chaining and multiplayer its possible to operate these large boxes but i wud also like to be able to operate certain panels on there own. eg sheffield panel 2. would it be an idea for future versions of the software to include an option to only control certain panels and allow the others automatic control by the simulation (similar to ARS) and lock the player out? any ideas or comments appreciated "We don't stop camborne wednesdays" Log in to reply |
| more support for single play? 17/08/2010 at 18:42 #10775 | |
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jc92
3631 posts
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hey guys. i love sim sig and railway signalling in general, but unfortunatley i cant play the larger sims (sheffield specifically as i live next to the PSB). as a single player im limited to royston and the original swindon and didcot. i know that through chaining and multiplayer its possible to operate these large boxes but i wud also like to be able to operate certain panels on there own. eg sheffield panel 2. would it be an idea for future versions of the software to include an option to only control certain panels and allow the others automatic control by the simulation (similar to ARS) and lock the player out? any ideas or comments appreciated "We don't stop camborne wednesdays" Log in to reply |
| more support for single play? 17/08/2010 at 18:56 #10776 | |
John
884 posts |
It would be great if all the sims came equipped with ARS, but I can't even begin to imagine the extra work involved.
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| more support for single play? 17/08/2010 at 18:58 #10777 | |
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jc92
3631 posts
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i agree. it doesnt nessesarily have to be ARS. it was just an example. even removing the excess panels as a sim startup option? anything and any ideas on how to do it?
"We don't stop camborne wednesdays" Log in to reply |
| more support for single play? 17/08/2010 at 19:51 #10778 | |
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Tallington
254 posts |
I am hoping to do a 'panel extract' from the Peterborough paged sim in the near future - without bothering the hard pressed developers too much! a) to see how much work is involved and b) because I would like this particular panel to be on display permanently without having to control trains off screen... No prizes for guessing which one! Ken Log in to reply |
| more support for single play? 17/08/2010 at 21:53 #10782 | |
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ipswich
247 posts |
VW4
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| more support for single play? 17/08/2010 at 22:58 #10784 | |
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TomOF
452 posts |
Some sims where provided with ARS for the very reason you mention, even though the real thing doesn't have it. When I first started playing Peterborough I used to have all ARS switched off except in the station , leaving ARS to handle the less interesting areas of the sim.
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| more support for single play? 18/08/2010 at 07:32 #10786 | |
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caedave
142 posts |
This thread is something I raised some time ago. On using ARS to control the other views/panels, that only works if the WTT writer has not dropped some odd off-route trains into the time table. Allowing the other views/panels to run on auto is I think asking a lot from the programmers. My choice, and I think the easier option, is to go for stand alone sims of individual panels. These could then support single user chaining with the other panels and run to a common WTT. This may work better on the old view type system than the scrolly type. Dave M. Log in to reply |
| more support for single play? 18/08/2010 at 13:11 #10795 | |
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bill_gensheet
1321 posts |
I actually believe a sectioned timetable is also lot of work, especially in reworking in any rules that may have vanished 'off-sim' and recoding entries for otherwise captive trains. As you say I am led to bunderstand that full ARS is also huge amount of work. The most likely steps in this direction seem to be: To encourge sim developers to include 'autos' where they aren't in reality and also some basic ARS for some junctions (eg NLL at Gunnersbury and Stratford) perhaps linked over to a 'single player' option at startup. Only worth it if a viable single player sim results of course. To consider if one area in a sim could be split off, as Peter has mentioned in another thread regarding Cowlairs on the CSCOT sim. Not too bad on redoing the timetable, and at two or three screens still very suitable for one player as it has a lot of autos. That said, we have to recognise that this is all work and may go against the grain for some developer groups, and respect this. As for running single handed, I suggest you give Waterloo, Southampton, Westbury and Edinburgh a go, and perhaps NLL. You may find that after getting the hang of the areas there's enough ARS / autos in them to keep things easy enough for one. regards Bill Log in to reply |
| more support for single play? 19/08/2010 at 03:54 #10807 | |
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Lardybiker
771 posts |
Other sims not mentioned that are OK for single players include Peterborough (which has ARS), or Cambridge and Stafford that don't. Even Kings Cross can be done on your own once you know the layout. Remember you have one advantage the real signaller doesn't...You can slow down time and even stop it by making judicious use of the pause key! Log in to reply |
| more support for single play? 19/08/2010 at 10:26 #10812 | |
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kbarber
1712 posts |
Extracts from larger sims sound an excellent idea - in effect what I had in mind when I contributed to a thread (perhaps on the old forum?) about ARS to allow 1-person operation of part of a larger sim. A couple of questions, leading to a more challenging thought: is it possible to chain sims partway through a session or do they have to be chained from the start? (Inevitable supplementary: if they currently have to start together, would it be possible to alter code so that an additional sim could be chained to an existing game partway through?) Also I guess, at present, timetables have to be written specifically for each sim (and would have to be rewritten for an extract, to just show the available locations)? Could the code be adjusted so a timetable covered the full sim area, with the operational panel using just what it needed (but of course preserving rules etc that took place "offstage")? (That raises the prospect of multi-sim timetables too. A mega-timetable covering KX, P'boro and Cambridge would have virtually the whole of the KX suburban fleets captive and could use the facility Clive has referred to, that records how many trains are present in sidings & offstage locations, to give a significant degree of fleet management functionality with little additional work - if sidings are empty, timetabled ECS simply can't appear and if they're full, ECS can't be disposed of!) And the thought - perhaps for the distant future: could every sim be coded as (always or potentially) a series of standalone mini-sims so that, on starting up (or even during a game), a user could select which section(s) they wished to work. That would allow users to learn larger sims a "panel" at a time (rather like they do it on the big railway) - at present the only practical way to learn the larger ones is to pitch yourself into a full-blooded multiplayer. It would also allow multiplayer sessions to be very flexible, with people able to simply add their panel to the existing session (and likewise leave) and the timetable simply continuing to run. I guess this might need some very significant changes to the basic code SimSig is built from? But if a major rebuild ever happens, incorporating these facilities could enhance the existing functionality very considerably. I know... I'm a dreamer. It's a rotten job, but somebody's got to do it 
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| more support for single play? 19/08/2010 at 11:11 #10816 | |
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AndyG
1835 posts |
As far as I'm aware, sims can technically be chained at any time. However, there may be some TT issues eg if a train has entered one sim before chaining, but then enters again as a late runner from the other sim. Regarding learning an area, there are route-learning trains for drivers, why not a route-learning TT for the simulation? A cut down version of the TT, with a lower frequency service of the common and regular routes. Once you know the routing of the regular headcodes it's much easier to run the real TT. Would be a relatively east task to produce, and include with the simulation download. I can only help one person a day. Today's not your day. Tomorrow doesn't look too good either. Log in to reply |
| more support for single play? 19/08/2010 at 12:40 #10818 | |
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Danny252
1461 posts |
AndyG said:Regarding learning an area, there are route-learning trains for drivers, why not a route-learning TT for the simulation? A cut down version of the TT, with a lower frequency service of the common and regular routes. Once you know the routing of the regular headcodes it's much easier to run the real TT. Would be a relatively east task to produce, and include with the simulation download.Maybe also removing some more complicated shunts - I believe for SwinDid (or maybe Didcot) there is some TT with two versions - one with runrounds outside Didcot PS, the other without. Log in to reply |
| more support for single play? 19/08/2010 at 17:20 #10829 | |
Peter Bennet
5363 posts |
Also in real boxes it's quite commng to see post-its at junctions saying stuff like 2Mxx all stops and 1Gxx UF, 1Hxx US so why not do the same? E.g. on KX 2Pxx and 2Cxx run slow to Potters Barr and then turn out and in again at WGC- so add a post it to that effect. Peter I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs! Log in to reply |
| more support for single play? 20/08/2010 at 12:12 #10853 | |
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UKTrainMan
1803 posts |
I seem to recall that a lot of what has already been said above was previously discussed in another thread basically covering the same thing. Have tried searching for it but cannot find it Anyway, the new 'McSimSigs' (CScot (Central Scotland), Edinburgh and NEScot (North East Scotland)) have the new 0.5x speed available to use which I understand has helped out other players who originally struggled to work those simulations mentioned, even on 1x speed. I would expect this new 0.5x speed to be carried over to all future simulations. Any views and / or opinions expressed by myself are from me personally and do not represent those of any company I either work for or am a consultant for. Log in to reply |