The Xmas version of Dugout -NEW MAP!!

[LIneAxe]

Ho ho ho !!! The elves have been busy night and day , just to bring to you the Christmas Special. "Dugout -Dig Deeper in the Pits" . The map download size is quite small, Under 5 megabytes!! This Route/session were created to allow more high speed action along the various routes. The gameplay is essentially the same as the Dig Deep in the Pits 2.0 game, however the scenery and other features have been changed quite a bit.( Some of you may know that already ,since I see over 20 downloads even before I get a chance to write this). Anyhow, the latest version that I am hoping should be available by Christmas eve is

Dugout 3.0 / Multiplayer - Dig Deeper In the Pits 3.0:3

I am looking forward to hearing about any comments that may improve how I am timing the AI trains Franky & Moira. I needed to create a random situation that would select one or the other and have it start first. Then the other train needed to wait at least another 20 seconds ,so that they would not drive to their lights simultaneously at opposite ends of a bidirectional section of track.
I came up with a quick down & dirty solution, but would love to hear about any other ways of achieving this.

 

[William0d0]

Firing up CM.

 

[LIneAxe]

Just released a revision that tweaks alot of the stuff I have been testing out.


I have been testing the routine that starts either Franky or Moira first , then waits for around 15 seconds to start up the other one. It works alot better now. I had a situation where a 3rd AI train, Stenke , would take over the junctions from a couple of miles away and several junctions back. So I had to tweak the logic to try to make sure that Moire and him did not get into that situation very often. It kinda put a time constraint on how they could start up. ]
There are more speed limit signs up for the AI trains.I also fixed some track sticking up in the air and other kinda stuff. Latest revision, should be the last one for a while, and it is

Dugout Version 3/Dig Deeper in the Pits:4

... Thanks for playing the map and I hope to have you a game soon !!!

 

[LIneAxe]

I imagine that 3:4 should be available sometime WED PST everyone !! I hear it takes 3 or 4 days for all the assets to get through DLS archives. Thanks for your patience and understanding!

 

[LIneAxe]

I hope that 3:6 should be available sometime WED PST. The Route/session download size is quite small ,it is under 10 meg !This latest map version deals with a few issues brought up while we were testing it in multiplayer mode. My apology on not noticing a track direction marker in wrong place near a switch in version 3:5 . I have quickly uploaded the fix and changed geometry around somewhat to fit tracks better.
Also, I have been trying the map out quite a lot in single player mode and find that I sometimes need to control the AI trains during the game . I use the Stop command to regain control of a junction when I absolutely need to get through a Junction. I use the Change Direction Command every once in a while, when it is imperitave that the AI train must backup out of a situation. Rarely at this point ,I need to just control the train myself with the throttle etc... And of course when I am done I use the Continue Schedule command and the AI train is back on its original journey. I keep working at reducing the amount of times that I need to control the AI trains. The result is, that in many games , the AI keeps on running for long periods of time without my input.. With 2 players in the game, the AI works even better.
Oh sorry about Cafe's going backwards down the track when he first starts out. I tried to stop that by
1) putting a destination marker on the track
2) reducing his speed to the junction he is to change direction at (DockA)
3) lengthening the track , so that the shorter path is in front of him
4) a direction marker (no good since track needs to go both ways)
5) the actual direction while laying of the track that feeds into the above junction

Conclusion: Cafe is a dummy , A crash test dummy

 

[LIneAxe]

Hi All, version 3:7 will be the last one I am doing for this map for a while. I think that if I do any updates to this route/session and it's companion "Dig Deep in the Pits 2.0 " in the future, it will be on a monthly or biweekly basis at the most. I am taking on other projects of a different kind so I will be busy with them most of the time. Hope you all enjoy the maps, and please do post any errors, changes or whatever you would like to see on them!
The changes in the latest version were small. I set a main junction switch (yellow route) to its correct position and cleaned up the track geometry, added in a few more speed limit signs and moved some. amongst other little stuff.

 

[LIneAxe]

Well, we played some multiplayer the other day and decided that the map could use some changes. The track curves are much improved in this newer version 3:8. You could drive a Cadillac down them, even. Download size is less than 10 meg! A couple of lights added. Yellow and Red routes were measured and evened out quite a bit. With the additional height Yellow has to climb to a bridge and a 2nd bridge on the route and both sides are pretty much the same now. Some geometry got modified and a River connecting the lakes. Boats , fish and other objects were added into the map.Alot of the curves have warning posts placed ahead of them in this version. Some of the signs have been modified and street lights added to them , and so on. Oh ,and the clock is set back to 5:30 to give the game more light time.
When I get a chance to put out another release I plan to
1) merge everything up to route layer and create several session types
a) single player -setup for practicing either Cafe or Stenke's route..The challenge is to keep Franke & Moire running coal.
b) Multiplayer - 2 ,3 or 4 player version
c) a) and b) above with Winter , spring and summer session types
2) open for ideas...

 

[LIneAxe]

Well, I found a major bug in version 3:8 that I had created while I tried to get Cafe to navigate properly down to the supply route. I had so much editing done , I didn't notice it at all until now. SO, quickly once again , I put out patch 3:9 and added in all the different sessions. Not sure of the total download size yet, it should still be small , but now players can pick and choose the session game type they want to play. The need to abandon schedules, etc has been removed from the single player games. I think I am getting the handle on what N3V wants a route/session to be. Anyhow, Version 3:9 should be on DLS very soon!! Very sorry about the inconvenience !!

 

[LIneAxe]

I forgot to mention that I now have created these session types for the routes
(for a total of 12 sessions)

Red Route (Cafe): Winter Spring Summer & Fall
Yellow Route (Stenke): Winter Spring Summer & Fall
Multiplayer Route: Winter Spring Summer & Fall

 

[LIneAxe]

I did a version 3:11 on the Route. This test checks to see if I can change the route and keep sessions the same version underneath the modified route. I think it should work fine. Hundreds of little changes to the route have been made and a few objects added for more detail. Also, added warning signs for alot of the sharper curves and one steeper hill.

I am still trying to beat 60 minutes for the first 3 trips on Cafe or Stenke's Schedule. My best time so far is 1:02.15.

 

[LIneAxe]

Well, all this working on the map and a miracle did happen. Cafe works in AI the way he should . 3:11 is the latest and should be the last one I work on for a little while now. I added in some ideas I got from others as well as some of my own. Also fixed up anything I could find .. Lot's of signs to warn of any corners coming up. I am trying out a different traffic light at two different spots to see if it works better. I will compile some text on the schedules for Cafe & Stenke to make it easier for others to understand their routes. Well, we are having fun with it here in BC ,Canada, and I hope you do too!!!

 

[LIneAxe]

I'd like to know which driver keeps knockin down my traffic signals. Another one went missing and so... without further ado , here comes 3:12 ,right on the heels of my last revision. Now, I know you are thinking. "Good Job, now you fixed up the Last bug in your Route".
You bet! That's the last one there is.. all ready to be packaged up and put out the door...
Cafe: Dugout 3.0 Version 3:12 is the most awesome set of tracks I have ever had the pleasure to roll down.
Franke: Ya, dis coal job is good.
Stenke: Cafe lies !! there are better tracks out there somewhere!!!
Moire: Don't listen to Stenke !!

 

[LIneAxe]

My 100th post, does this mean I am no longer just a spotter ?

Well, good thing that I did this version. I figured out how to get Franke & Moire through the whole route alot quicker now. Now they make even more $$$ for the team and they take less time in each section of track too!! I added in some lights that should have been there ,but got pulled out when Cafe wasnt doing his route properly. Now that he works , those 2 lights went back in. I think there is 65 to 70 lights on the tracks now. Alot of them are used by AI mostly.

 

[LIneAxe]

amazing but true!!!

Hmm, finding out how to speed up the AI quite a bit now requires me to get a new version of all the session maps. This is because the junction state information seems to be owned by each session. If you change it globally on the route. The session will not take the new junction states into account. I had to learn from that one. So, the AI rockets through alot of places now but , of course now I had to send out new Route and Session maps to reflect the new junction states. They are 3:13 , and each session map now has the :1 added to it . That's the latest changes. Haven't discovered anything new lately, so it can't possibly have any bugs added in

 

[LIneAxe]

Wow, some great action while trying out the route last night !!

My stats for the session showed that
Franke & Moire did 10 coal trips each for 20 @ 200 = $4000 cash for the team.
Cafe did 9 Coking Coal trips so that's 9 @ 750 = $6750 cash for the team.
I did my total of 7 trips, 1 @ 2500 and 6 @ 1850 =$13600
including the $3000 cash paid up front at the start of job the Total is: $27,350

I did the first 3 trips in 1:00:30 , (one hour and thirty seconds) so I have to shave some time off somewhere in order to do it less than one hour. Then I screwed up a bit and lost some time so I finished in 2:35:18 . I could have done better than 2:20:00 I just know it !!!
We are planning to have some Red vs Yellow 2 player games when all the files reach DLS server and I will post the stats here for both players afterwards

 

[LIneAxe]

Man that was some fun playing the map with Red vs Yellow two player games. We agreed that we like the new style of traffic lights, and I just got to figure them out better and put them all over the route. We changed over summer weather on the maps so it will stay sunny. Changing of the terrain near conveyer. and some freight cars flipped to correct orientation, as well as other stuff.

Stats:
We almost made it through 3 trips and made $12950 cash total.
Our coal trains did 4 trips each and earned $3200 of that for us..
It took us 54 minutes to get through 2 1/2 trips until we had a crash.
All over, it was a great experience!

 

[LIneAxe]

The new lights are installed in Dugout Version 3.0:15 . Some tracks were rerouted in order to make sure the lights would show the correct paths. The Session routes were modified somewhat as well to reflect the seasons that they were. And a few other changes here and there to make it run smoother all throughout the tracks. The session versions are now :2