The one thing RW needs is TRUE career mode

[Kali]

The randomization issue came up at UKTS too to some extent; it was a bit more limited because it was just in terms of the same scenario playing out differently but a few good points. I would at least like to see the weather optionally randomized a bit even if nothing else can be done yet. Perhaps in the flyout for a consist in a scenario under start time you can have a tickbox for "randomize start time" and an entry box for how big an error it can be. That way you can still deliberately time something to cross at a given moment.

The OPs career idea would be excellent; to generate it you'd need a complete working timetable of a week digitised somehow, and hopefully a scenario generator otherwise you'd have to add that all to the game too, although if it's already digitised then that isn't a total disaster. I would not really like to be the one to set up a WTT for a fictional route... is there anyone who'd want to do that? The only other way I can think of is setting up supply and demand metrics for each provider/consumer on the route ( stations, loading points, sidings etc ) and having the dispatcher generate traffic from that, with the understanding that you might get a scenario with nothing much happening. That might actually be doable if people started providing similar capacity metrics for their rollingstock.

I would also like to see the ability to trigger events when the player consist has passed a certain point, rather than just a certain time has gone by. I remember Tori at least also wanting it.

[Chacal]

When you think about it, a chunk of real-life operations, say, a month's worth, is just a month-long scenario with planned and unplanned events.
In the course of that scenario, a specific actor (e.g. a loco driver) will see only part of the events.

If I go to work on Monday morning for 12 hours, I will play a small scenario which is part of a bigger one.
If I go back to work on the same job on the next Monday, I will play a different small scenario but it is still part of the same bigger one.

The problem right now is the small scenarios are not part of a bigger one. So we are stuck with playing the same scenarios over and over again, or condemned to write more and more small scenarios.

It would seem logical to be able to build a huge scenario using the current editor (with some added functionality as discussed above),
and be able to define subsets of it for players. Subsets could be defined either as subsets of tasks, of objectives, or simply as entry and exit times.

The Ubisoft WWII submarine simulators (SH3, SH4, SH5) use this concept. The overall scenario, of course, is defined by the historic events of WWII. These are ship movements. The player can choose a date and a starting point and just enter the war. He is given a set of objectives and the scenario ends when he returns to port, or sinks.

[Machinist]

A good carreer system should be the same of many Flight Simulation Virtual Airlines. May be on-line (multiplayer) or offline, starting with single monomotors till reach quadjet international passenger flights, after many hours of accomplished missions en each career's level.

For instance, in my country (Brazil) we have the TAM Virtual Airline, same airplanes, routes and timetable of real TAM. To be admited as virtual trainee pilot there is a examination test (on line) including all the aeronautics official manuals (from Brasilizian Air Force for civilian flgihts), airplanes especific manuals, and Rules of Conduct of real airline. In the first flight (online multiplayer) an official examinator monitors all you actions since start engine and checklist on ground before take off, till stop engine after landing. Confort, safety, skill on piloting are analysed accurately. Majority of candidates don't get to pass this phase. And after enter the airline, you have to fly minimum hours per month (not much in fact), obey schedules etc... To change level, after some hours (100 per inicial level), you have again an online (multiplayer) flight examination in the new airplane (of next level). That's is a real virtual airline career mode.

RW script options and commands for scenarios is very poor yet. In the "other" game (not need to mention the name huh?) you can script random events for scenarios* (sometimes signal fails, other doesn't; a train in opposite direction using a single track departs early or later blocking, or not, the single). A command needed in RW is the placed-trigger: when a train reaches a position in the track a trigger is launched to start another train activity. Actually the trigger is time-based, and everybody knows the problems of failing scenarios due to this kind of (timed) trigger.

Looking forward multiplayer, and more advanced options for scripting scenarios, and then a virtual railroad (or railway) company, with a true carrer mode. Actual Career Mode is just an arcade mode: maximum speed all time long, unreal accelerating departings (couplings never break!) and full braking actions totally impossible in real driving experience.

I am confident someday (in a short term) we will have all this.... here in Railworks or Train Simulator (hehehe).

* Edited later: Sorry. Only after I posted, I saw RSPaul message announcing random events in scenarios for Train Simulator 2012. Great news!!!

[Kali]

Well, you don't have to qualify for a different type of train like you do with multiengined planes; the basic requirements to "solo" any train - in the UK at least - are the same, passed on the particular traction, and passed on the route. Full knowledge of rules and procedures is something everyone needs to know. There isn't - at least here - a progression path like there used to be from cleaner->top link driver anymore. Frankly I don't want to take an exam to play a game either, it's why my flight sims don't go past the 1940s :P the most complicated train doesn't take that long to learn, thankfully.

[BNSF650]

Yea that would be awsome Bill if they did that.

[steve_the_slim]

I've always wondered if it would be possible to have some kind of random scenario generator that worked on the same principle as work order generators for model railroads. Basically, the program would know what industries were on the route and what sort of traffic they generated, and would create a custom work order that would be different every time the scenario was played. When the scenario loaded, the route would automatically be populated with the necessary rolling stock. This would probably work better for multiplayer op sessions than singleplayer scenarios, and is obviously geared toward freight service rather than passenger, but it would add a lot of replayability, especially to routes like the IIR.

[Kali]

I've always wondered if it would be possible to have some kind of random scenario generator that worked on the same principle as work order generators for model railroads. Basically, the program would know what industries were on the route and what sort of traffic they generated, and would create a custom work order that would be different every time the scenario was played. When the scenario loaded, the route would automatically be populated with the necessary rolling stock. This would probably work better for multiplayer op sessions than singleplayer scenarios, and is obviously geared toward freight service rather than passenger, but it would add a lot of replayability, especially to routes like the IIR.

Yeah, that would work - for passenger too - if you had metrics for how much of what cargo is generated/required by each siding/platform ( rather like Transport Tycoon now I think about it, if you ever played that ). That would also support what you might term a constant scenario with some continuity between generated sessions.

On a huge route it'd be evil to set up though! at least you only have to do it once.

[steve_the_slim]

Well, ideally the route maker would set the whole thing up, which would be a pain for them but would mean that everyone else wouldn't need to do anything other than install the route and then click the "generate scenario" button in the game menu.

Of course, such a system also runs into the problem of some people not having the rolling stock that the route maker has deemed necessary. For example, RW2 does not include a US flatcar by default. If someone created a route and set it up so that certain industries generated traffic using, say, the RSC centerbeam, anyone that didn't have that addon wouldn't be able to use the random scenario feature.

[plethaus]

Actually I made a post about this on the Steam RW forum. There's a program called Activity Generator for MSTS (see http://www.skylinecomputing.com) which does exactly what you are describing.

Every route needs a template created for it that describes what types of cars each siding might have in it (so that autoracks won't show up in a grainary or what have you), how long each siding is so that it doesn't get overfilled with cars, and of course which of those cars needs to be moved by the player.

And as you said, the same general idea applies to passenger services. Decide which stops will be on the run, the timetable, etc.

Ideally, all .bin files for wagons would include a basic classification line (like boxcar, grain hopper, tank car, etc) and the template would first call for a specific car, and if that car is not found on the user's installation of RW, then it would default to a choice of classification for that siding, not specific rail cars. That way, if one user does not have anything but the default rolling stock, for example, the scenario generator could still come up with something that works and at least makes a little sense.

Additionally the user would be allowed to make some predetermined choices before a scenario is generated, such as the locomotive(s) used, time of day, or weather (or all of it could be tossed into the randomization mix).

I feel that this feature has been sorely missing from Rail Simulator/Railworks and would be a huge boon for it.

I know RSC must obviously be somewhat successful with RW or we wouldn't be seeing things like this huge free update, but at the same time I feel like many potential users see the DLC products as having very little value because many come with so few scenarios.

Take the Big Boy locomotive DLC, for example. I would totally buy it but the fact that there's only one scenario included with it means it's got very little value for the money. Sure, scenarios can be manually created for it, but in my eyes that should mean the product should cost less because we have to invest time into it to get actual use out of it. A random scenario generator takes each DLC product (routes and locos alike) and injects it with LOTS of added value, because every user will know that they won't be relying on a) whatever scenarios might be included b) whatever free scenarios kind souls on the internet might put up for download c) working at making your own scenarios, to have a lot of fun with a given product.

Just my two cents.

-M

[Kali]

A general class system for addon stock is something that's been brought up before anyway even for existing scenarios, so if you try and run one that wants stock you don't have then it can fall back to what you do have instead of crashing out. This is a nice expansion on it.

Generating scenarios is a fairly well established business by now in other game types, I can't imagine there would be too many surprises for a rail sim. I think we should probably try and iron out any of the kinks and then give it a little push. It's still nice to have storyline scenarios too though - just as a flight-sim campaign might have key missions - I would never suggest making a total replacement.

So for missing stock:

a) Fall back until you reach the nearest default stock type, even if it's a boxcar for a flatcar
b) Just ignore the traffic to that provider entirely.

Let's try and get some behaviour and requirements ironed out?

[SoloTwo]

Wow great idea's everyone. Glad to see some of you share my sentiment. I bought NEC the other day, and only played one scenario because I just want to drive to from NY to Phily and vice versa not deal with the same thing happening everytime.

Also last night I splurged and purchased the SW1500 pack and it only came with 2 scenarios besides a couple free roams. Thankfully I have the Colton and Northern scenery so I've been spending my time putting the SW1500 into those scenarios.

Which brings up another point. I really love RWTool's and didn't mind donating for it but I really wish RW would have a very simple in game way of switching out rolling stock in scenarios without having to use a separate program. A lot of people aren't going to go through the effort to learn how to switch engines around but I think its perhaps the best way to breath new life into the game after buying new DLC.

Also I'm thinking about making some sort of thread as a resource for downloading Scenarios, free and payware. Right now its not the simplest process to try and hunt down new scenarios.

[arizonachris]

Solo, there is already a site dedicated to putting all the third party resources/ links at your fingertips: http://www.guildportal.com/Guild.aspx?G ... ID=3357953

Lots of good suggestions going on here. Hope to see some of it finally working! In the mean time, I already have so much to do, I'll be busy until next year!