Midwest Central Multiplayer

[Oldcustard]

Hey guys, I was wondering if anyone had tried running a MP session of crb001's Midwest central, http://trains.0catch.com/MWC.html. He has spent many hours working with AI to create an (almost) failsafe route designed to run 10 or more trains by themselves. He has created an operations manual which outlines some of the workings of the AI control. Also on his site he has an amazing bunch of tutorials for creating these AI-safe routes.

The reason I think this would be a good route for multiplayer is how well signaled and designed the route is. It also has a big handful of industries and 5 or 6 passenger stations. I think release 3 would be best for multiplayer however there are some dependencies not on the DLS. The portal manager is used only in a few of the sessions, so is not required for MP (it wouldn't be anyway), but there are some route based ones such as the meat packing plant. Is it possible someone could create a MP-compatible route without the non-DLS dependencies?

I would like to hear some feedback
-OC

 

[colourlight]

All assets must either be built in or on the DLS/Content Manager. I could for example do a new version which is Multiplayer compatable but that would require the Author,s permission. However, in the current climate until N3V Games sort out the multiple (no pun intended) problems with the new Patch I do not feel inclined to produce a Multiplayer Route/session which nobody can play.

 

[colourlight]

Following on from my Previous thread The Armour Meat Packing Plant can easily be replaced with a similar one. I noticed that Pro-Lars industries are given a mention. They caused a lot of problems in one Multiplayer session and until until it can be determined that they can definitely be used in Multiplayer with no more problems than The MIN's (in Multiplayer) I feel MIN,s should be used. At some point I ought to test the Pro-Lars to see if they can be used in Multiplayer with a reasonable degree of success. I do know someone who did use them in a Multiplayer Route and he says they worked ok. The Locomotives and Rolling stock may have to be partly or completely replaced but I havn,t looked at them closely. I think I,ll download it and try it out. I,ll do it with build 49922 which I have just re-installed as that is the only reliable way to work on it at the moment. I have downloaded the Route Erie Northern and created a new version. However there is one unknown and a few broken assets in the content List I can,t get rid of by deleting them. For Multiplayer these must be removed. It could be turned into a nice multiplayer session but without AI trains as they are generally frowned on in multiplayer. It would require a new Route and Session although Route changes can be kept to a minimum. Maybe the author CRB001 has a few thoughts on the subject and he may also be agreeable to allowing somebody to upload a new Multiplayer Route and Session. Update. I have managed to create a "clean" version of Erie Northern with no unknown, broken or missing dependencies. Now I have to go over the Route and replace what is missing.

 

[Oldcustard]

Okay, thank you. Erie Northern is a very nice route and I agree it would work well for MP. That being said, I am still somewhat persistent about creating a Midwest Central MP-compatible route. You mentioned replacing the meat packing plant, do you know of a similar industry that imports livestock? If so, we may be able to use that. AFAIK MidCen only uses two ProLARS industries so maybe it is possible to replace them. We would still need to contact Chuck for his permission though. What are your thoughts?

 

[MountE]

Chuck was looking for testers for an update of Erie Northern although I haven't heard anything for quiet a while.

Rob

 

[jhuravitch]

I already have a route/session created for multiplayer, have sent it to some others for beta testing, and fixed all found problems. While it is not exactly what you are looking at, I'm thinking of attempting to upload it. No passenger stations are on the route, but there are interactive industries already set up. The only thing really holding me back is the recent problems with the upload system, ex: TOPSIG's MRL v3.1 showing pages of missing kuids that are built in. The route is a small version (70-80 miles) of the Powder River Basin located in Wyoming and Montana. It should work with 49922, SP1: 57720, 57825, and now 57898 unless something goes wrong during the upload/check process and the problems around multiplayer as colourlight has said. Would anyone be interested?

 

[colourlight]

I have created a multiplayer route and session out of crb001,s 3rd version of his route which is the full 50 mile lrngth from the BNSF track in the East to the Union Pacific Track in the West and I have asked for permission to upload it, however I don,t think he is on the scene anymore. It is a great route, ideal for multiplayer so I kept the changes down to the minimum. I added the Armour Meat Packing Plant from the DLS and added a MIN to load the Hanging Meat Product. There was nowhere to take the Containers from the Container Terminal so I had to create a 2nd Container Terminal on a greenfield site at Westfield. I also had to create an Auto Distribution Center on a brownfield site. I think the only other thing the Route needed was the removal of the Derailers on the mainline for multiplay. The session needed the Industries setting up, Locomotives, Rolling Stock and Rules added and that is about it. I have decided to keep the very few LARS Industries in the session for now in the hope they work for Clients.

 

[Oldcustard]

Thank you very much colourlight. If you happen to get Chuck's permission, when you upload could you credit me (okay, I know I didn't do anything other than suggest the idea )

Looking forward to trying it out.