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Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game.

You are here: Home > Forum > Wishlist > Features wish list > Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game.

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Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game. 20/12/2020 at 20:58 #135006
dave55uk
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As an example - Exeter.

It would be nice (for me at least) to be able to take control of one panel
and let the computer do all the others.

There's no way I can keep up with everything, even at 0700 in the morning LOL

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Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game. 20/12/2020 at 21:15 #135007
Joe S
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Hi Dave,

There are some simulations with 'ARS' which stands for Automatic Route Setting and does exactly what it says on the tin - in effect controlling various areas of the simulation. These can be turned on or off as you wish, meaning you can control as much or as little of an area as you like.

These sims are generally the busier ones as ARS is provided as an aid to the signaller.

You can see a list of sims with ARS here: https://www.SimSig.co.uk/Wiki/Show?page=usertrack:areainfo

Have fun and - as it looks like you may be new (apologies, if not)- welcome to the world of SimSig!

Joe

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Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game. 20/12/2020 at 21:41 #135008
mjkerr
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X
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Last edited: 21/12/2020 at 10:42 by mjkerr
Reason: None given

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Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game. 20/12/2020 at 22:14 #135009
dave55uk
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Thanks Joe. No, not new, but it's been a long while - pre-loader in fact.
Slowly finding my way around again.

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Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game. 20/12/2020 at 22:16 #135010
dave55uk
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April 18 when I first registered.
Last edited: 20/12/2020 at 22:17 by dave55uk
Reason: None given

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Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game. 21/12/2020 at 02:14 #135012
JWNoctis
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I assume it's the summer 5-day early 80's timetable, in which case there's no shame in pausing the sim to keep up - As the timetable notes said, you had to make do with rather less infrastructure than what was then in use esp. around Newton Abbot area, especially around 0700 in my experience.

You might also want to scroll with overview panel, which is much quicker than plain scrolling in larger sims and less abrupt than hotkeys, though your mileage may vary.

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Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game. 21/12/2020 at 15:31 #135020
Dionysusnu
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JWNoctis in post 135012 said:
I assume it's the summer 5-day early 80's timetable, in which case there's no shame in pausing the sim to keep up - As the timetable notes said, you had to make do with rather less infrastructure than what was then in use esp. around Newton Abbot area, especially around 0700 in my experience.
Hey, I'm very interested in the older era TTs, especially those with loco swaps. Which TT are you referring to here? I see about 10 summer timetables, of varying upload dates. Could you provide a link to the one you mean?

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Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game. 21/12/2020 at 15:50 #135021
Albert
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I am afraid the Exeter 5-day TT in question has recently been taken offline on request of its author.
AJP in games
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Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game. 12/02/2021 at 06:11 #137153
alrispoli
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Is it a whole mass of work to add the ARS to panels that don’t currently have it?

I’ve always enjoyed the idea of Kings X but there’s no way I can operate it single handed! I’ve recently bought Victoria (I sign it as a driver so thought it worth a go!) and very much enjoyed the ability to just focus on Panel 1 leaving the ARS to run the other panels unless something kicked off and needed my intervention. If it’s possible to bring this to Kings X that would be amazing but I suspect that it involves a lot of work.

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Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game. 12/02/2021 at 07:32 #137154
clive
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alrispoli in post 137153 said:
Is it a whole mass of work to add the ARS to panels that don’t currently have it?
It's not a huge amount of work but it's not trivial either. If you asked me to guess, I would say it's about an extra 5% compared with writing the sim in the first place.

But it's up to the individual sim developer to decide whether to have ARS in the sim or not.

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Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game. 12/02/2021 at 09:10 #137155
alrispoli
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Of course and I fully appreciate it may not be seen as worthwhile especially as Kings X is a free simulation I believe. However if it happens it will be greatly appreciated. Thanks again for the reply.
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Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game. 12/02/2021 at 10:50 #137160
Sacro
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alrispoli in post 137155 said:
Of course and I fully appreciate it may not be seen as worthwhile especially as Kings X is a free simulation I believe. However if it happens it will be greatly appreciated. Thanks again for the reply.
KGX is always popular as a multiplayer, have you considered that?

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Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game. 12/02/2021 at 11:00 #137161
alrispoli
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Unfortunately my hours are such that multi-player isn’t really an option. I also don’t have the time to play for long at a time and so dip in and out as my time permits.
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Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game. 12/02/2021 at 11:22 #137162
Sacro
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alrispoli in post 137161 said:
Unfortunately my hours are such that multi-player isn’t really an option. I also don’t have the time to play for long at a time and so dip in and out as my time permits.
Getting time is an issue, but there are SimSiggers not only around the world, but also many who do work shifts.

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Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game. 12/02/2021 at 18:15 #137186
y10g9
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Also what needs to be kept in mind is that not every layout is suited for ARS operation. The Victoria sims and Three Bridges which don't have ARS in real life responded well to having it added in the sim. On the flip side, Bristol Temple Meads when it was signaled to TVSC had ARS implemented on the panel, however most of the real life signallers switch ARS off on the workstation as it causes more problems to the train service than help it
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Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game. 12/02/2021 at 18:38 #137187
alrispoli
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I know ARS isn't the great saviour of signalling, trust me i drive enough routes with ROCs that rely on it to get fed up of it very quickly from the drivers point of view!!

However it does make it easier for us 'anti social' (just kidding, i mean those of us who aren't really able to do multi-player) to enjoy the larger sims.

Surprising that Bristol are allowed to override the ARS, I bet thats popular with the driver's as they will almost certainly see less reds!! I recently submitted a TRUST delay form with a simple 'See ARS' on it for holding me 5 mins with no due reason. I'm certain that was ARS and not a human!

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Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game. 13/02/2021 at 00:53 #137191
GeoffM
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alrispoli in post 137187 said:
Surprising that Bristol are allowed to override the ARS
Depends on the local management really. Back when I visited IECCs for my work, simultaneously there was one manager in one box that required signallers to turn off subareas and signal manually occasionally (usually Sundays); while another manager in another box would need a very good reason why any subarea was switched off.

alrispoli in post 137153 said:
Is it a whole mass of work to add the ARS to panels that don’t currently have it?
Another "it depends". These days layouts are timetables are coordinated in an effort to use ARS. Older layouts in particular simply don't work because the timetables are written for humans rather than computers, and the layouts don't lend themselves too well. Lack of sufficient train describer berths, lots of regularly used shunt signals, yards without slots/acceptances: these all make ARS harder to apply.

Except for the simplest of layouts, adding ARS is a lot of work. Leeds East/West, for example, 20-25% of the data is just for ARS. It's about 1/3 for Liverpool Street. But Marylebone is only around 10-15% because it's a relatively simple two-track railway for the most part.

SimSig Boss
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Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game. 02/03/2021 at 08:57 #137542
DonRiver
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Had a thought about this. If sims had hidden entry/exit points branching off the connecting lines at the boundary between panels, timetables could be written / trimmed down to let the lone user focus on the one panel.

The only visible UI element would be an exit button to send the train into the void instead of off down the line… and that could be hidden

(named for the one in Tasmania, not in Russia)
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Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game. 02/03/2021 at 12:33 #137544
Dionysusnu
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That's basically what's done in mini-sims, like London Bridge and Stafford.
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Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game. 02/03/2021 at 16:24 #137547
DonRiver
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Dionysusnu in post 137544 said:
That's basically what's done in mini-sims, like London Bridge and Stafford.
But in those cases Cajon Rail LLC have an entire separate product to maintain and support. Worthwhile for London Bridge etc where some folk might buy the minisim but not the full one, maybe that's profitable. Would a "Dundee" or "Dundee + Perth" spinoff from NEScot draw many takers, though? I doubt it. But if I could adjust the timetable so that trains appear and vanish at Dundee's actual fringe beyond Broughty Ferry I'd probably manage the rest of the layout single-player.

(named for the one in Tasmania, not in Russia)
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Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game. 02/03/2021 at 16:40 #137548
GeoffM
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DonRiver in post 137542 said:
Had a thought about this. If sims had hidden entry/exit points branching off the connecting lines at the boundary between panels, timetables could be written / trimmed down to let the lone user focus on the one panel.

The only visible UI element would be an exit button to send the train into the void instead of off down the line… and that could be hidden
Dionysusnu in post 137544 said:
That's basically what's done in mini-sims, like London Bridge and Stafford.
It's nowhere as simple as that. You can't just dump trains in at a fringe and have them fall off equally dramatically. You want aspect sequences for trains moving away to be realistic. You want appropriate notice of inbound trains and their progress. For every sim there is a significant overlap with an adjacent sim (not used when chained) to achieve this. Finally, many panel boundaries are not simple affairs - there could be slots and directional locking to deal with, for example.

My current leaning is sims of 2-3 panels which are big enough to be interesting, yet small enough that a single player could probably cope.

SimSig Boss
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Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game. 02/03/2021 at 16:48 #137549
bill_gensheet
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This is really close to how 'eras' are done as well.

So I think it would be possible to have an 'era' for NEScot where Aberdeen vanished leaving Greenloaning / Cupar through to Stanley / Broughty Ferry.

I'd like to do an NEScot 84 timetable to go with my other Scottish ones, but the thought of testing it over all the AB rather puts me off.

Bill

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Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game. 02/03/2021 at 17:38 #137550
Steamer
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bill_gensheet in post 137549 said:

I'd like to do an NEScot 84 timetable to go with my other Scottish ones, but the thought of testing it over all the AB rather puts me off.

Bill
I can't see it being all that different to CScot to be honest; the longer distances are generally compensated by a lower traffic density.

Take a look at my fictional loco-hauled TT, which is manageable by a single player (though it can get a bit hectic at times).

"Don't stress/ relax/ let life roll off your backs./ Except for death and paying taxes/ everything in life.../ is only for now." (Avenue Q)
Last edited: 02/03/2021 at 17:39 by Steamer
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Single Panel Operation in a multi-panel game. 03/03/2021 at 13:05 #137564
headshot119
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Dionysusnu in post 137544 said:
That's basically what's done in mini-sims, like London Bridge and Stafford.
Just on a point of order, Stafford is not a mini simulation. Stafford was the original simulation reflecting the mainly mechanical boxes which controlled the Stafford area.

Staffordshire is an entirely different simulation which covers Stoke SCC, Rugby ROC, and the mechanical boxes out toward derby.

Unlike London Bridge absolutely no data is shared between the two.

"Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer
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