Anyone here who add AI direction markers to model railroad maps?

[KyrahAbattoir]

Long story short, for me, it started with the Japan model railways, I was trying to get a few automated trains to roam around the map as a nice interactive background to my own operations and they kept doing really strange things during pathfinding.

The thing is.. I'm not very good at this at all, has anyone made good quickdrive sessions for TMR or TANE Platinum to try to "fix" derpy AI routing and succeeded?

And any advice in general?

 

[JackDownUnder]

From what I have experienced.
A simple way of looking at the problems.

- A1 drivers take the shortest route.
- I start with a navigate to "final destination"
- Then observe where it goes
- Then make appropriate command additions.

 

[KyrahAbattoir]

I don't assume there is a way to add one way markers while the session is being played? Or to make the AI ignore speed limits (so the test doesn't take hours)

Still about one way markers, what is their "range" exactly? I assumed one per rail section but when buiding a session on a busy map it's sometimes really hard to tell, does anything else influence the prefered direction AIs take?

 

[boleyd]

Set the option in the Main Menu/Settings to enable Debug Features. Set that and then use the Shift-Key to speed up the transiting of the route.

 

[stagecoach]

The yellow direction markers are placed pointing in the direction of travel. I place them near a junction with the marker pointing at the junction, a train should avoid going up that track.

 

[mikeaust]

One thing I have found is when you place a track marker on the route, don't adjust it's position, as the AI will disregard it. Delete it and place a new one in the right spot and replace it in the driver instructions.
Cheers,
Mike

 

[JCitron]

Sometimes direction markers aren't needed at all and a regular named-track mark will work fine. Place a track mark before, in the middle, and at the end of a line to ensure the AI takes the route we want them to rather than traversing the long way around, though to the AI the long way is the short way between two points. I do this, for example, when I want AI to use a yard bypass the majority of the time, and only alter their schedule when I want them to enter the yard.

Unfortunately, track marks and their relations can't be placed on the fly during driver. As you gain experience, you'll starting thinking like the AI when you build or modify routes, and you'll anticipate what they'll do ahead of time and incorporate these things in your track design.

 

[JackDownUnder]

Sometimes direction markers aren't needed at all and a regular named-track mark will work fine. Place a track mark before, in the middle, and at the end of a line to ensure the AI takes the route we want them to rather than traversing the long way around, though to the AI the long way is the short way between two points. I do this, for example, when I want AI to use a yard bypass the majority of the time, and only alter their schedule when I want them to enter the yard.

Unfortunately, track marks and their relations can't be placed on the fly during driver. As you gain experience, you'll starting thinking like the AI when you build or modify routes, and you'll anticipate what they'll do ahead of time and incorporate these things in your track design.

Your second comment I believe is not correct. I frequently carry out minor additions when in Edit Session. However one has to ensure that one changes the location from Session to Route. Top RH corner of the assest detail after pressing ? and selecting it.
When one exits TANE always asks if you want to save the Route and the Session.

 

[JackDownUnder]

I don't assume there is a way to add one way markers while the session is being played? Or to make the AI ignore speed limits (so the test doesn't take hours)

Still about one way markers, what is their "range" exactly? I assumed one per rail section but when buiding a session on a busy map it's sometimes really hard to tell, does anything else influence the prefered direction AIs take?

What do you mean by One Way Markers, do you mean the Yellow track direction marker, if so I find it better not to use them unless all else fails.

 

[JohnnyC1]

I don't use "Direction Markers" on any of my routes or DL routes. I use visible track marks to route the AI trains, the TMs are placed one mile apart, and if mile marker is in front of a junction I use a fractional mile marker beyond the junction so that the AI will stay on the prescribed route.

John

 

[JCitron]

Your second comment I believe is not correct. I frequently carry out minor additions when in Edit Session. However one has to ensure that one changes the location from Session to Route. Top RH corner of the assest detail after pressing ? and selecting it.
When one exits TANE always asks if you want to save the Route and the Session.

This is correct. You have to exit from Driver, edit the session in the Session editor side of Surveyor, then return back and test drive again. Perhaps I understood and read his statement as saying editing within Driver, which is not available.

 

[KyrahAbattoir]

AI drivers follow visible trackmark directions? I've been mostly poking at the Japan map from model railroad and some of the markers face the wrong way (can't edit them) and the AI in general will use just about any track to go from A to B, which leads to jams.

 

[JCitron]

AI drivers follow visible trackmark directions? I've been mostly poking at the Japan map from model railroad and some of the markers face the wrong way (can't edit them) and the AI in general will use just about any track to go from A to B, which leads to jams.

For the red-colored track marks, it doesn't matter which way they face, though I prefer to face them in a specific direction, the yellow-colored marks do however have a specified direction.

The AI will follow track marks - the red-colored ones - which act as way points and goals. This is done by placing driver commands in the driver-command bar (queue). The actual commands for this are Navigate to, Navigate via, or Drive to and Drive via track mark. You pick one of these, which has some subtle differences between Navigate to and Drive to, and pick the track mark name from a list of track marks.

The other marks yellow-colored marks are direction marks. These work like one-way signs and can be used to keep the AI running in a specif direction, and to prevent them from entering tracks under their own power. As a human driver, we can go anywhere as you'd expect.

Unfortunately you can't edit a built-in or payware route. You can, however, make your own routes which I highly recommend.

 

[ecco]

AI drivers follow visible trackmark directions?

If you tell them to.

.............................../----------------A----------------------------\
------------------------/-----------------B-----------------------------\-----------------------------------C

1. Drive Via TM A; Drive to TM C
2. Drive Via TM B; Drive to TM C
3. Drive to TM C

Version 3. might take either path depending on what else is on the tracks.

I've been mostly poking at the Japan map from model railroad and some of the markers face the wrong way (can't edit them) and the AI in general will use just about any track to go from A to B, which leads to jams.

It doesn't matter which way the Red Trackmarks are facing.

There are also subtle differences between Drive and Navigate.



ETA: I didn't see JCitron's post until after I posted.

 

[stagecoach]

Navigate means it will look at other ways of reaching the next point of travel.
Drive means it should take the direct route and not look for other ways.

 

[KyrahAbattoir]

Damn now i just realized that the Model Japan map came with a rather elaborate session with a complex AI schedule, and this is when i realize I understand none of this...