Saw 2009 Announcement - AI Activities??

boleyd

Well-known member
Does TR2004, TR2006, or the upcoming TR2009 have AI type train activities to allow the user to setup complex environments and drive a train within them?
 
I know with 04, and 06, while the AI might have some logic problems when picking the best route, (its not that big of a deal when it comes to trouble shooting, you can make a really busy, complex route train wise as long as your computer can handle it. Portals will turn trains around and also spawn new ones. If you want you can have a train a minute running spawning out of each portal(though i dont recommend it. It will realisticly create a major traffic jam.)
 
Thanks...

As an example could I have say 3 shuther/switchers running around assembling trains from cars on sidings. Then delivering the final assembled train to a siding where a long distance engine would couple and take the newly assembled train on its way?
 
As an example could I have say 3 shunters/switchers running around assembling trains from cars on sidings. Then delivering the final assembled train to a siding where a long distance engine would couple and take the newly assembled train on its way?

I don't think that any train simulator's AI locos can be programmed to do all that in one activity, scenario or session. It would turn the action into a GAME, the player himself can have no part of, driving his train at the same time.

In any case it's much more fun doing all that yourself ! ;)

O t t o
 
Actually yes you can have some AI shunters assemble an entire consist, hooking up a main engine to it might be a problem due to timing but you can always run the engine thats picking up the consist.
 
The plan is to have the shunters assemble a train and let it drive off under AI. Then they assemble another train and away it goes as per AI. Push this as far as you can with acceptable (personal tolerance) performance. Now you have some events in the yard. The you grab a shunter, assemble a trin and an AI train leaves with it. If you do not complete the assembly on time the train leaves without the consist and you are sacked.

If there is sufficient capability to couple and decouple assets under an AI type schedule a nice active yard can be created. Then you interject yourself in as a driver and try your hand while all the AI is running about under control of the PC.

Yes,I could pretend to be a shunter driver and assemble the train. Then pretend to jump from the shunter and run over to the big engine and drive away with the new consist. The question is, does the program offer more than pretending to be a trian driver and all of the perils therein? Or can you add to that and have a bunch of AI trains and shunters running around to challenge you for time, track space and meeting a schedule.

RS is out of the question for this process.
 
That sounds tricky but probably just about possible in a Trainz scenario coded in GameScript.

Our "TFN09 Millworker" activity (available for TRS2004 and TRS2006 but only with a Razorback Railway subscription) involves some vaguely similar operations. It involves you working a shunter, loading and unloading wagons at a lumber mill. AI trains drop off loaded log wagons for you to take to the mill and unload, and collect empty log wagons that you left in a siding earlier. Other AI trains drop off empty lumber and wood chip wagons for you to load at the mill, and collect full wagons that you've loaded and left in the siding earlier.

John
 
This is pretty much what is done in one of the sessions that accompany the Marias Pass (payware) route from HP-Trainz. They dont need scripting, just a session with the appropriate driver comands. No problem for trainz, just needs the perseverance to set up the session properly. And presumably some testing.
 
I have 2 shunters at a Power Station dealing with inbound coal consists (all run under AI control).
It is all run using triggers and timing to deconflict traffic.

The coal is delivered to one of 2 inbound coal spur by main line engine, which uncouples and then heads to a waiting spur which triggers one of the two shunters to couple up and take the consist to be unloaded.

The empty consist is then returned to one of 2 outbound spurs and the shunter returns to its starting location which triggers the main line engine to couple and then leave either to a portal or coal mine after a set length of time

So effectively
The first inbound goes to inbound spur one and is serviced by shunter one, the second goes to inbound spur two and is serviced by shunter 2 and so the sequence repeats.

All that is required is timing to make sure that inbound/outbound locations are free, and that the servicing shunters have returned to their starting locations.

But I often have 4 loco's moving in the yard at any one time, and could have more, with planning.

The biggest hassle is the AI not waiting for a green and deciding it can get around the light by reversing and trying another route (so more trackmarks used). Another is the AI going completely up the wrong spur then returning back and then getting it right (can't work that one out).

And as stated earlier it needs a lot of testing to see that it works OK. But when it does it's fun to watch.
 
Yes boleyd

That is all possible now, however its takes a bit of time to get to know how to use the AI properly, so many people come on here and say the AI has problems. it did for me in the beginning too but over time I have learnt and explored all the rules on the DLS they all look unnessasry to start with but they each have some good special features. So now I can get the AI to do exactly what I want them to do in some really super complex situations, and without triggers. Its just practice my friend

Cheers
 
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