AI Coupling - available?

[Toripony]

I was rather hoping to see the ability of an AI locomotive to couple to another asset as AI controlled operation. However, I do not see any new functions that would allow this. Does anyone know if AI coupling i now available?

An example might be an AI SW1200 going about the yard gathering up cars and assembling them for pickup by a player train or another AI train.

Yes, it works, provided the cars to be picked up are there when the scenario starts. You CANNOT drop off cars and then pick them up with an AI. There are examples in the HSC route (according to others; haven't checked them out myself yet). To create an AI pickup operation use the same "Add to..." instructions in Scenario Editor as you would use for a Player Train. There are additional postings about this in other threads here.

[artimrj]

This is in that new article by RSDerek in the announcments. The title of it says for route builders but thisis in there on new scenario stuff.

Scenario Editor:

AI Improvements
AI engines can now pick up rolling stock as well as drop off. Simply author the instruction on the AI engine the same way as you would for the player. The rolling stock picked up must be in the pick up location at the start of the scenario (i.e. not dropped off in that location by another AI or player during the scenario).

Stopping Points
Stopping points allow more precise control over where AI and player trains should stop. This is especially useful on long sidings where previously the trains would stop at the end of the marker.

The stopping point marker is located in the Track Infrastructure filter of the scenario object browser list with the other scenario markers, such as siding and platform markers. It is a track linked item which can be doubled clicked and named in the properties tab. These stopping points show in the simulation as a red arrow on the track profile.

Scenario Specific Track Properties
There is a new square “Select” icon in the scenario editor toolbox (top left panel) which allows you to draw a line along a section of track to select it and bring up its properties. This works in exactly the same way as the world editor version of the select button.

Properties which can be changed for the track properties for a scenario include:•Speed limits – This allows temporary speed restrictions for scenarios.
•Directionality – Allowing the dispatcher to path the player or AI trains to locations against the default track directionality.
•Line Type – Sets whether the type of track is designated for main line, yard, freight or passenger running. Useful for changing default settings to allow freight stock into previously designated passenger only areas for example.
•Line Unevenness – Determines how much cab sway the player will experience. This value also affects the likely chance of derailment; the more uneven the track the more cautious the player will have to drive.

[artimrj]

I'd say yeah it is a zombie because it is not programmed to be there at the start of the scenario. Everything has to be in place or you cant use it. So it is static not dynamic.

[Kali]

Someone try this?

* Drop a car off an ai train
* Pick it up with the player locomotive
* Attach both the car and the player locomotive to the back of an AI train
* disconnect the player locomotive

[OldProf]

Someone try this?

* Drop a car off an ai train
* Pick it up with the player locomotive
* Attach both the car and the player locomotive to the back of an AI train
* disconnect the player locomotive

According to the description provided earlier in this thread, that certainly sounds possible. Using the player engine to pick up rail vehicles, both engines and cars, was certainly possible already in RW2.

Hope someone gives this a try soon -- wish it could be me -- if no one does the experiment sooner, I'll give it a try ASAP after I get home on October 18.

Tom Pallen

[Kali]

Yeah, I had an AI train drop off a carriage for me to attach to the player consist in a RW2 scenario; I never got round to attempting to attach it to another AI train again though. The problem in RW2 was that if you attached a player locomotive to an AI consist it ate the driver, so you'd have to shunt it up to the back and drop it off the player engine first. I think RW3 is better behaved.

[robbit]

My Ai trains seem to be broken. I can not get them to couple or uncouple they go where they are suppose to go they think they coupled or uncoupled and then leave. I got them to pickup once but that is all. If I get them to work again I will try that for you but may be a while

[Kali]

* Attach both the car and the player locomotive to the back of an AI train

That bit certainly doesn't work, the AI train just sits there afterwards. I will try pushing the vehicle up to the consist and uncoupling the player engine first.

Edit: well, that didn't work either; it did actually couple the carriage ( I saw the coupling join up ), and then it collided with itself. So near, & yet...

[robbit]

However, could an AI engine, with an AI coupled car in tow, pickup another car with the first AI coupled car and not make the second car an AI zombie?

An AI train cannot have another car already attached and pick up another car or it will derail

[220389]

Present moment in time AI Coupling is very fussy. If you do not set the pick up order correctly the unit/ locomotive will just powerdrive into the train.

Uncoupling and coupling will work fine if the train hasn't been hauled by a previous AI train, if it has will just result in an AI collison warning and stop the game.
Many things such as that would be great if it was fixed as would open up a large amount of possiblites for activities.

Here is my example of doing so.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2lokQBekqo&hd=1

Chris