Does anyone here play at VORA?

[artimrj]

Haven't been any post in that forum since September, does anyone here play with them? Is that forum really needed here?

[PapaXpress]

I believe they have moved on to Run 8.

[artimrj]

I believe they have moved on to Run 8.

Who? VORA has moved on to RUN8? I thought they also did RW amd MSTS??

[artimrj]

RW and MSTS are both still supported. Run 8 is not used yet

Do you play with them?

[Chacal]

Nick stopped advertising VORA soon after we pretty much asked him to in this thread. I think this particular forum is no longer needed because all threads but one are announcements for past events. RWA members who may be interested in joining will find plenty of references to VORA events and web site in Nick's posts in other RWA forums.

[SouthernPacific-Mike]

I would have to concur, I don't think it is needed. They have not posted in any of the other forums I have attended, not did they have the best of luck with using TS 2013 as a platform due to the series of changes. I had recommended they look at Run 8, and let simply leave it at my expectations and theirs were not the same.

[artimrj]

OK thanks guys that was what I wanted to know. I am getting rid of dead weight to free up the forum for other uses.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

Before you close and tidy up, Bob, one last question is permitted?

What do we actually need to have a VORA mode of operation in Railworks?

A suitable route, rules, multi player capability, dispatcher and CTC seem obvious to me when looking at Run 8, but what else?

[artimrj]

Before you close and tidy up, Bob, one last question is permitted?

What do we actually need to have a VORA mode of operation in Railworks?

A suitable route, rules, multi player capability, dispatcher and CTC seem obvious to me when looking at Run 8, but what else?

I have no idea. All I know is I want to have fun driving trains, I am not looking for another job otherwise I would be working for NS here. VORA sounded too much like a job to me. It sounded that way to several other people too. I believe that is why the forum died in september. And since it was all a secret, unless your a member of VORA, we will never know as they are not allowed to talk about it outside of their sessions. I didn't like that either. But I am not going to fret about it. I/we have plenty of other things to do and play, I won't miss it. I have Run8, but don't play it as I have no time to learn how to use it. So I will just wait for RSC to make a real multiplayer for us. Also I don't beleive they (VORA) have multiplayer, I do not think you ever see anyone else, you just know their schedule. But what do I know, I have not been there or tried it.

[Chacal]

Before you close and tidy up, Bob, one last question is permitted?

What do we actually need to have a VORA mode of operation in Railworks?

A suitable route, rules, multi player capability, dispatcher and CTC seem obvious to me when looking at Run 8, but what else?

There's a lot of answers to that question in Nick's posts here.
Basically you only need a suitable route, suitable rolling stock (with corrected physics), rules, and dispatcher.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

Thanks, Chacal.

I gather VORA was also very much a "paper railroad" operation. With train orders being issued and stuff, much like in the "dark age" before CTC and ABS.
The players only make use of Internet and headsets to communicate but are otherwise on their own.

Like with Run8l, the dispatcher is in charge of operations, and the post will require a "boss man" (or lady), usually only people with a certain character apply for this post.
Run8 additionally has this actual CTC panel, but since I don't own this sim, I cannot tell much more about it.

So the choice is either good AI and scenarios for interactive single player use or a certain amount of dispatching/CTC for multiplayer use.

Anyway, Bob might as well close this thread now as he intended, otherwise we run away with it.

[TrainMaster1]

VORA is quite alive and well. We ceased posting because we had repeated problems even completing the simplest operating sessions. Just this past week though we completed a pair of successful qualification runs and brought in new engineers.It took a considerable effort including adding people to our team who know their stuff when it comes to fixing sims and optimizing performance.

In 2013 VORA will be developing our own line of routes and equipment for RW. Some of these will indeed be available for sale to the public. The majority however, will only be available to qualified members of our forum. That's our ways of saying thanks for participating an helping us grow.

We have many new additions coming in 2013 so I am sorry to see our section of the forum be termed dead weight and disappear. Only reason for no posts was the fact that we had nothing to report except frustration and head scratching on how a basic route could cause such operations problems.

I know that VORA appears to be a secret society but we have spent considerable time, and cash to make our sessions the best the can be. We fully intend to protect our training materials and operating session for those who earn the right to be there. Really not going to apologize for that. We are really for the person who want to run according to the book and I know that is not everyone's cup of tea or boxcar of joy so to speak.

BTW, VORA is not a "paper" railroad. We are a prototype operating group that knows the differences between every type of track control methods. When warrants are called for you write those down, when in CTC routes you run on signal indication under Dispatcher's control.

We will continue to add new members in 2013 for those who really are interested in getting the most out of their sim. One advance will be for those who just want to learn how to run better without running in our operating sessions. This is and many other items will be unveiled as we move forward in 2013. Stay tuned you will not be disappointed.

Nick

[Chacal]

One advance will be for those who just want to learn how to run better without running in our operating sessions.

Now that's a good idea! Good news, quite interesting.

[arizonachris]

Don't kill it, Bob. Just my I have run with VORA in the past, nice nice bunch of friendly guys (maybe a few gals, IDK) Nick and his crew are just great.

I have a medical problem, doc can't describe it, I can't sit in front of a monitor for more than about an hour, so I had to quit doing the main VORA runs. But anyone can sign up and do the qualifying runs, and the "school" which is very informative. I highly suggest joining up a VORA, if you want a true simulation.

[SouthernPacific-Mike]

It is said that word of mouth advertising is priceless and I usually agree with Chris, but this time I don’t. I know at least a few of the forum members are or were members of VORA. But I think it is only fair to caution people about this “Virtual” Prototypical Railroad, as you may be wasting your time as I have felt I have wasted mine. My reasoning for attempting to join this organization was to expand my knowledge of Railroads and Railroad operations. I attended their Intro Questions and Answer Session, where it was explained to me and several others that VORA was ran like a "real" railroad. They did provided some information that the required training would consist of two training sessions for a total 4 hours’ worth of training, and that you must pass a two qualifying runs. That there were a minimum number of sessions one had to attend to maintain your engineer qualification and that there was other positions one could train for such as Dispatcher, MOW, etc. I really thought this was neat.

So I attended the four hours of training, and I admit we discussed a lot. Such as how to read the train roster, how to create my train consist to mimic how a “real” railroad operated in the past, how to fill out their copyrighted Track Authority Form, how to read their track charts, how to call a signal since they used a TeamSpeak. Since I had experience other simulator communities I asked all the questions I could and took notes because I wanted to do my best. So based on what I was taught and told I felt fairly well prepared and eagerly awaited the qualifying runs. For brevity's sake, let it be sufficed to say that their training and what they expect of beginners’ during the qualifying runs are two totally different expectations.

No true to life railroad could or would operate their training program in such a manner and survive. I should have known something was wrong when their total number of members was only 37 people. They have a high number of applicants but those that actual attend training and the qualifying session number is extremely low. During my qualifying run approximately 10-12 individuals were scheduled. Only two others and I actually showed up and the experience was horrible. The “Dispatcher” had very little patience and the training that was provided didn’t cover everything and I left quite frustrated and disappointed.

Bob is right; they do make it out to be a secret and many would call it a “Paper Railroad”. Unless they are using RUN 8 (which would best simulator for this type of organization), a few days before hand you are given your train consist list (it contains your start time as well) you create it on a modified route which you are given. You then get your train consist certified, once that is done on the day of the event you report in at your schedule time and contact the dispatcher and fill out your Track Authority Form prior to departure. Then you depart using a track sheet which will list the signals. This makes it very tough as you have to ignore the signals outside your window. There is no secret multiplayer software, you just know their schedule. But that first qualifying run left a very bad taste in my mouth. So I will leave it at that, maybe it will be different for you.