C&O Alleghany Scenario creation Questions

[artimrj]

It is better that most of the siding/platform markers are included int the route (world editor markers).

I disagree. If the route developer places all siding markers then thats all you have to work with. If the scenario writer places the siding markers they have more flexability in making a scenario. It is a little more work and you have to plan where you want to go, but you have total control of where you want your trains to go.

[Toripony]

IT WORKS! And it beat me! Twice!!

I finished my first scenario... 12 targets, 3 pickups, 3 drops, 1 loader, 1hr 40min.
Actually, my second loss was because I need to move a marker. I'll send it out with the next COA update (before end of Feb). I did need to improve some track marking to help it work; those improvements will be in the update.

Once I learned WHERE to click, it wasn't hard at all. It's like programming PLC's, if anyone knows what those are. Timing traffic signals would be another comparison (have done the former, not the latter, darnit). Now I need to write some easier activities, whew.

About placing markers.... I am kinda doing both. I can see both sides; I think it depends some on the route characteristics. The COA has some stubs where there is only one space and one thing to do. Might as well go ahead and provide the markers. But long sidings and yards I am leaving wide open with nothing but Dest Mrkrs to name the tracks and a signal on the yard gate.

Tori

[artimrj]

Yes there are several places on my route that can only be 1 thing and I also placed the siding markers there on the route. I forgot I did do that.

[Toripony]

I think that learning someone elses naming conventions might consume as much or more time than if I placed just the markers I need myself.

Tori

[Beakie]

Hi,

Sorry it took me so long to answer back but been working on the scenario and this what I found:

What I wanted to do was take an already loaded consist up to the Anderson Asphalt Limestone unloader and drop it off. After reading terry's post I tried putting my own markers in the scenario and none of the things I tried worked to allow me to unload there. (Yes, I tried all three of the markers available Platform, Siding etc.) I can get the train there and I can get the Scenario to see that I made it there but I can't get it to use the unload command like I wanted it too. I got the feeling that, that functionality is something that the route builder must allow or am I wrong?

Please correct me if I'm wrong. But, I thought that I could use the unload command at any unloader with any freight car using the "Transfer" key (the one you use to load/unload passengers or fuel etc.). Or do I need to buy the special ones that say they load/unload? Because if that's the case I will have to rethink all the scenarios I was going to make for this route.

Please understand Tori (and the rest of you guys) I am a new Scenario designer so all the problems I'm having are probably just caused by Stupidity, and Newbieness but from what I read, It should not be that hard to make a simple Limestone Run like this... Specially with no AI traffic installed yet.

Tori, absoultely have fallen in love with your route, and, I haven't given up on it yet as far as scenarios go because I believe that your route deserves to have many and varied scenarios made for it. And, if it sounded above like I was blaming your skills as a route maker I was not, (and never would Route building at this point is way over my head).

Confused

Beakie

[Toripony]

No worries, Beakie... we're figuring this out together. Honestly, I was worried of sounding too defensive in my response. I tend to answer questions with questions through any kind of troubleshooting process. It worked great with my I.S. department, lol.

I think you're right; I need to do something additional with the loaders. I tried adding the siding marker over them like Tom (I think it was) suggested and they showed up in the Loader drop down list. The fact they are listed as "XXXXLoader @ XXXXXLoadingTrack" tells me that perhaps the programming sees Loaders like the Waypoint Markers... they have to go on top of another Marker.

I haven't tested/improved that Superior unloader yet, but I am working my way there right now. I've made some corrections to some Destination Markers and added some Siding Markers at the quarries and Ronceverte that are going to help us all write scenarios. Thus, I recommend that we all wait until I can finish this process and get my Feb update out asap before we spend much time writing scenarios because there will be changes coming that might wreck them. I think it best that my time is spent working out these kinks before I extend the route any further. I like to get the problems out of the way early before they get to be huge.

Does it sound like we're ironing out a good "formula" for marker placement? If you guys don't mind, this is the kind of teamwork I like. I think this could result in a "Scenario Writer's Guide" section in my COA Route Manual.

Tori

[Toripony]

I found out quite by accident that a siding marker does not have to cover the entire cut of cars - at least for a dropoff....................SNIP.

Is this true? Can you elaborate on why you say this? I honestly don't know (should try it myself, huh? lol); what I've read says the siding must exceed the length of the cars. Are you referring to a Player dropoff or an AI drop? Does it make a difference?

Can you tell I only half believe what I read in the manuals? Well... they never tell the WHOLE story, ya know?

Tori

[Beakie]

Does it sound like we're ironing out a good "formula" for marker placement? If you guys don't mind, this is the kind of teamwork I like. I think this could result in a "Scenario Writer's Guide" section in my COA Route Manual.

Tori

Ok
Tori, I'm sorry if I added another layer to your workload with my questions.LOL. I'm going to stop working on the C&O for the moment, Til I get your next update. I like your thinking on the sentence I quoted above and I would be willing to help in the creation of this, in anyway you need me too. If you want of course LOL. I think that in order to make the best Route experience possible there has to be a certain amount of communication between the route and scenario makers. Just let me know if there is anything i can do to help.

Beakie

[Terry]

Tori,

That was a player dropoff on the P&LE route. I just wrote a regular scenario for it and the dropoffs were part of a that scenario. I created a siding marker but the entire train was longer than the marker. The dropoff succeeded anyway.

I tried it again on a very short marker (one that is included in the route but is extremely short) and it did NOT work, so perhaps at least one car has to fit or a certain portion of the consist to be dropped has to fit.

I'll play around with it a little more to see what I come up with. I haven't tried that with pickups so I don't know if the same thing applies there. There's no assurance either that I have not found a bug!