2: I would push for an end of June deadline: That's more than enough time to produce a good layout, and I think if we push the past kuju's release date, there'll be nobody left to join in.
Just to remind you that for many of us it is in fact the exam season, so we'd be at a disadvantage because exams have the clear priority. We'd need more time, hence why I suggested August. Could we have routes built by the start? That sounds quite sensible.
3: I would say an absolute NO to four boards. For one thing that doesn't even cover the main station and associated yard of the route I plan to enter. it also does not tailor to a prototypical route 4 boards would barely cover two signal blocks, let alone proide enough space for a route. There is a big difference in the design of proto or semi-proto and 'model train' layouts. 15 boards, as originally specified, would hardly be enough for many a branchline (I would reccomend a limit of 45 for that), but would be a bit excessive for a 'model train' layout due to all the looping and doubling back that occurs in that style of route. My suggestion is an unlimited board size. The desire to keep quality high ought to prevent people from going OTT.
Personally, I'd like to see a limit to standardise layouts a little. Besides, you could
represent a branchline in very few boards (I think you can just get away with less than 15, assuming the layout is only 1 board wide). My station only coveres one and a half boards (including throat, but no yards), so you must have a monster in mind.
4: The 'poly' sugegstion, like the 'route length one' is probably to controlling IMO. I think it ought to be up to the route buildier to decide that's good and what isn't.
5: My suggestion about assets: I think it's easiest to allow any assets (since so much good stuff is not on it), but I think responsibility for finding non-dls assets should rest on the route builder. if the route builder is too lazy to point people to non-DLS stuff and make it easy for others to collect it, then it will be the route builder's fault for being lazy.
I guess actually if the route builder didn't mark where assets came from, the users would be sensible enough not to vote for them.
6: A stipulation that every individual asset must be downloadable without an FCT, since some people do not have them.
I forget that there is "hidden" stuff - I've so far never used an FCT. Good point, well noted.
Rockster has also hit another nail on the head by pointing out that the trackwork can be completed very quickly, but everything else is slower and more of an art (signalling is crucial, and can break a route as easily as make it).
Semi-finally, any board restriction is a
limit not a
target - some people haven't quite got this idea yet. It's the same as things like speed limits, weight limits, height limits etc. This means you could enter a four board route if desired. I mentioned elsewhere though that shunting layouts may struggle to spawn an AI session, but I think in this case you could create a session that uses HTML pages to give instructions. This seems a good compromise.
Finally, can we keep Kuju to another thread please? It looks a spectacular simulator, but it isn't what I want to talk about here. Thanks.
A few more posts and then I'll post some revised rules, to see what you think of the fruits of our discussion.
BidMod.
