Making just pop-ups in Free Roam

[flatbush71]

I'm trying to learn/teach myself basic free roam scenario creations with no scenario settings. But I would like to learn the proper way to add the scenario temporary siding markers just for adding pop-ups. Can I add a bunch of markers down the open path and have each new marker display a few lines of information to the player as he passes over them ?

[micaelcorleone]

You can make popup messages either with the message option in the timetable view.
Here you can set a particular time which refers to the scenario's start time: If you enter 5 minutes, the message will appear exactly five minutes after the scenario has started.

The other method which is the only one that allows you to let messages pop up at ceratin places is to use the "stop at" instruction.
Eiter you leave it a "stop at" or you enter a speed value in the properties of this instruction, then it turns into a "go via" instruction.
Now you can enter a message into one of the boxes in the properties of this instruction and the message will appear as soon as the playertrain reaches the destination.
(problem is that this is no real freeroam scenario anymore as there are now instructions for the player)

[flatbush71]

Thats been my problem. It always wants destination etc. I get the first one at start-up to work just fine. But after that, oh well. Back to typed orders.

Train Orders (Thers no way I could ever program all of this in one scenario :

1. Hook up to Possum's raged old chip cars and take'em down to Monaco Coal and drop on the side track next to the chip loader. You'll load these later,on the way home.

2. Come around to the Monaco Coal docks, hook up and dump the 4 cuts of coal (10 cars each) in to Monaco Coal unloading, put the empties back in the same slots.

3. Head on down to Hog Island Engine Track ( 1 or 2 ) for fuel and coffee.

4. Hook up to the long cut of boxes on Hog Island Yard South Track #6 and cut'em up, 6 cars each at the Hog Island Warehouse / Transfer tracks #1 thru #6.
(Jim Ward is standin there pointing at the first car, ACY )

5. Head on back to the Hog Island Yard, pick up the cut of tanks on Hog Island Yard South track #2 and tak'em down to J & L Steel Yard track #5 (by Hog Island Lead Track )and cut'em lose.

6. Ease across the yard to pipe fitter mill and get the cut of loaded pipe on bulkhead cars (under the shed) and run the single track main down to Montour Yard North Track #4 and cut'em lose.

7. Flip your engine at the Montour "Y " main to pusher and push the first cut of empty bulkhead on Montour Yard North Track #5 up to Aliquippa Iron Works Track #1 and unhook.

8. Hook up to the bulkheads loaded with steel beams you just passed, uncoupling at the empties. Pull these reversed down to Montour yard as well. Go to the other end of the yard and push'em back up #4 & couple them to the load of pipe.

9. Come to the front of the yard and couple to the last set of empty bulks ( Pulling Foward )
and go to Aliquippa Iron Works Track #2 and unhook.

10. Go up in to the mill and back down the lead to Cement Holding Yard Track #3 and hookup to the Cement bulk cars and head North to Monaco Cement and drop on the empty track behind the loader.

11. Hook up to the empties at Monaco Cement (next to loading track )and push back down
to Monaco Coal Holding Track #1 and drop'em here for right now.

12. Pull foward and back down #4 track go to the chip loader and load Possum's cars. You have two other spurs to park load cars on close by, as there not much room behind the loader.
When you are finished loading make'em up into a train and put'em back on the storage track.

13. Hook backup to your cement cars on Monaco Coal holding Track #1 pulling reversed.
Go all the way down the main to Mckees Rock Yard and push'em up into Car Repair Track #1.

14. Go to the turntable & flip your engine.

15. Get the large cut of boxes on Mckees Yard Track South #5. Make 7 cars per cut to warehouse tracks #1 thru #7.

16. Pick up all empties on old sidings tracks #1 thru #6. Make'em up and park'em on Mckees Rock Yard North #6.

17. Head north and pick up tanks at oil sidings #1, #2 and #4. You can filp your engine at the wye just north of there, make up your train and flip again. Then head north to Hog Island Yard North Track #6 and cut'em lose.

18. Pick up Possum's loaed chip cars at the siding next to the loader, pull'em back to Monaco Coal Holding Yard (any open track). Do a run around and head to Possum's Spur.

[arizonachris]

whew, dude, that's a lot of instructions! you can always put them in the F1 menu, but then the driver has to refer to that constantly. You may want to send a PM to Lonewolfdon, his scenarios have great pop up instructions. Or, maybe he'll "pop up" here.

[flatbush71]

I know Thomas, he's busy right now working on the CSX-Mainline. There's not enough characters in the F1 to hold it all.

[Marleyman]

'Thats been my problem. It always wants destination etc. I get the first one at start-up to work just fine. But after that, oh well. Back to typed orders.

Train Orders (Thers no way I could ever program all of this in one scenario :'

Why not?
Take just the first instruction you mention.
Hook up to Possum's raged old chip cars That is an 'Add to Back or Front' and then the car numbers. The intro text can tell the player to pick up the cars/wagons.
When the player completes that they have a Go To Instruction and take'em down to Monaco Coaland that can be a pop up but does not need to be. You just add a Note and time it say 30 seconds after the pickup is complete or as the Instruction Complete/success text.

The destination will be in their destination window on the HUD so do you really need to 'walk them through it'? When they Stop at that Destination a new Instruction Complete pop up will tell them the instruction to 'Drop Off' and drop on the side track next to the chip loader..
Now, if you want them to drop those cars in a specific place you can place your own marker and the destination instruction can reference your marker next to this chip loader. You don't even need to mention it in the text. Then, when the drop is complete you can give the 'Sucssesful instruction' pop up saying You'll load these later,on the way home.

There are many opportunities to get messages to the player in small parts. Don't think the whole instruction has to be 'blurted out' and then remembered by the player. Use Salami Tactics... Slice by Slice.

[flatbush71]

Well, the whole point in free roam is to have choices, if you want to follow general instructions or change them up some as you go. If you see a better way or better place to put/get something, go for it !! There's noway in the world (at my age) I could program that many pickup/drops/commands without a ton of errors & a couple of weeks in beta testing, when it works just fine right now. Someone really good at making long scenarios might be able to do it. Anyway, only one friend has asked for it, and I am going to send it to him, because he likes the P&LE route as much as I do. Nobody else here or at TrainSim has shown any interest anyway. I had a lot of fun making it and setting out cars. If you want to take a crack at it, you more than welcome, I need to make up a power & stock list anyway. Thanks for your help.

[harryadkins]

If you want realism, provide a printed work order with your scenario. Let the crew work from just the work order instead of providing pop-ups. I have done this with the MCSA and it's alot of fun.

[PapaXpress]

If you want realism, provide a printed work order with your scenario. Let the crew work from just the work order instead of providing pop-ups. I have done this with the MCSA and it's alot of fun.

Let me see if I understand this. Are you saying that you include a text or DOC file with the scenario files which are in the form of work orders, and there are little to no in game prompts?

[harryadkins]

That's correct. I position all the cars and locomotives where they need to be and produce one or more switch lists (txt file) for the engineer/conductor to work from. To take this one step further, you can also produce track warrants to control the movement of your player train. For example, your player train might have to clear the mainline at a designated point and time for a passing AI train or they cannot leave a certain location until a designated AI train has passed. The only AI trains I have used on the MC&SA were on the parallel Southern Pacific mainline so I have not had to coordinate meets. But, it's a lot of fun to operate by a printed switchlist. You can find many examples of switchlists and track warrants (and their use) on the internet (Google).

[flatbush71]

All I had was a pocket watch and clipboard. You need to know the route pretty well. You got that fancy black map to look at too. There's no car numbers listed, just the number of cars in the cut. You can put'em where you want'em. Its Free Roam so do it how you think best. Theres 18 orders above, you guys tell me if it makes sense to you. As well, if you have all the add-on stuff, the yards are all full of low poly cars, so you need to look at the map, read you orders, check your switches and go.

Here's a few pics

Order #4 completed. Them are Jessie's repaints, fine looking cars !!



Hog Island Yard, the tanks and the string of boxes on the far right are yourn.



Possum's ragged old chip cars, your switcher is parked just foward of'em ,Jessie's cars as well.



My Switcher

[PapaXpress]

This sounds like too much fun. What route? Is this scenario already available?

[arizonachris]

Flat, in my (limited) thinking, Free Roam is just that. It free roam. Now, this is of course IMHO, but, you put instructions/ pop ups in there, it a scripted scenario. In free roam, you should not get an instructional pop up as to what you have to do next. It's free roam. Like I said just my

[flatbush71]

I was wanting to use them but it just can't be done. So ,it starts at the switcher and thats it, you all on your lonesome. I do wish there was a easy way to use portals to launch and recover AIs. I had AIs running both directions, 20 minutes apart in my Trainz, Marias Pass Custom Route. I got spoiled using all them in game commands.

For those of you that may be wondering what the P & LE looks like, here are the route layouts,