Railworks is a pain

[fgoepfert]

This app is short on details about routes, which leads to some extreme lower back pain.

1. On the Route to San Bernadino, assembling a train I can't get past a junction not open.
Click base of turnout, nothing.
No blue junction dot to click they are red and do not respond to open the path.

2. On a German passenger route, instructions are to wait at a town for another train to pass.
The ONLY way to do this is to back into a siding.
However you cant get far enough forward to do that without the air being spilled, end of it.

I am beginning to think that this app sucks.

[Chacal]

Hello and welcome.

This app is short on details about routes, which leads to some extreme lower back pain.

1. On the Route to San Bernadino, assembling a train I can't get past a junction not open.
Click base of turnout, nothing.
No blue junction dot to click they are red and do not respond to open the path.[/quote]

That's because those are not manual junctions. They are controlled by an AI dispatcher like the mainline junctions in real life.
The scenario should take that into account. Often, the junction will open when you complete the preceding tasks.

2. On a German passenger route, instructions are to wait at a town for another train to pass.
The ONLY way to do this is to back into a siding.
However you cant get far enough forward to do that without the air being spilled, end of it.

I am beginning to think that this app sucks.

If those are problems, they are with the scenarios, not with the routes or with the Railworks simulation program ("the app").
The scenario writers, who may be users like you, make errors sometimes. If those really are problems, they will have been spotted before and been discussed in forums. Do a search with the actual name of the scenario (not "the Route to San Bernadino"). If you don't find those problems discussed, there is a good probability that you are not performing the scenario tasks correctly.

[fgoepfert]

On the route to San Bernadino, the previous tasks were to assemble the freight train and couple to a pusher engine.
Those tasks are completed.
If the junction is cleared by the AI controller, how long do I have to wait for this to happen?
I don't like guessing games.
PS: The fault is in the scenario scripting code, that's part of the app.

[arizonachris]

Yes, most of us will agree, Railworks is a pain. But it's also a lot of enjoyment.

Which scenario on B-SB is this? Flatcars to Helendale is broken. Otherwise, if you can't "Shift- click" on a blue circle in the 2D map to change a switch, try the TAB key, "pass on danger". The "G" key can also change a switch.

The AI dispatcher can take a while, and if an AI train is stalled, as happens in RW, it can take forever. Best to quit the game. Verify the game files in Steam Library list. Then when you go back to the launch screen (don't click on Start yet!) go to Tools and Docs and clear the blueprint cache.

[Chacal]

On the route to San Bernadino, the previous tasks were to assemble the freight train and couple to a pusher engine.
Those tasks are completed.
If the junction is cleared by the AI controller, how long do I have to wait for this to happen?

I don't know, and because you still haven't told us what scenario this is, I can't find out for you.
It could be an error or an omission in the scenario, or it could be on purpose. Maybe the dispatcher is waiting for another train to pass.
Usually, there should be a message about this, but some scenario writers are lazy or clumsy.

PS: The fault is in the scenario scripting code, that's part of the app.

No, it is not. The scenario is a blueprint. It is data, not code, and is NOT part of the app.
We can correct errors in the scenario. We can't correct bugs in the app.

[fgoepfert]

Not to be "persnickedty" about it, but an app is process code + data.
Without data, there is nothing to process with the code.
Testing an app means testing it with an app/data set.
Obviously not enough of this is done.
That leaves a route scenario in BETA test mode.
With people paying for it, that is a bit short on ethics.
I have reprimanded programmers in the past for this.

[arizonachris]

You should also realize that Barstow to San Berdoo has not (and may never) be upgraded to RW3/ TS2012. Which means a lot of scenarios could be broken. I have some third party scenarios for B-SB and they work fine, but the authors have patched them to the updated RW.

[peterhayes]

AC

You should also realize that Barstow to San Berdoo has not (and may never) be upgraded to RW3/ TS2012. Which means a lot of scenarios could be broken.

But surely not the default scenarios - they should work OK? or perhaps not?
All the scenarios I have used in CP and other routes ie post RW3/TS2012 seem to work fine and only misbehave when I do something I shouldn't have done.
Regards
pH

[arizonachris]

RSC never did fix "Flatcars to Helendale" so I pretty much think they forgot about this route and it's scenarios. Doug (Heavy Chevy) http://www.smittyslocomotiveshed.com/ has some really outstanding scenarios for B-SB. RSC has pretty much abandoned it.

[fgoepfert]

Concerning "buggy" scenarios and default scenarios.
If there are a set of scenarios that you receive, when you purchase the product,
they are therefore, default scenarios.
If a product is brought to market with defects, that is an unethical rush to profit.
Bugs can occur. Earlier versions may become incomparable.
However, if there is not transparency, and adequate communication of this UPFRONT,
That is unethical.
Rushing a product to market with insufficient testing is unethical.

[Hawk]

I think this topic has reached its climax.