Yeah, but last year there was the counter-argument that because it was summer, everybody would be doing outside recreations most of the time. It seems to me that we just can't win.
TOPSIG Round Robin Sessions!
- Thread starter JIb228
- Start date
Yeah, but last year there was the counter-argument that because it was summer, everybody would be doing outside recreations most of the time. It seems to me that we just can't win.
Hello fellow TS2012 runners and all!
I just picked up this game myself last night. I have a couple questions:
1) I'm not sure how the multiplayer works. How would one connect to it?
2) Assuming I know how MP works eventually, for this particular session, would I, as a beginner, be able to spectate the fanning session and learn the ropes from watching and experiencing?
Happy trails to all! And - hopefully - see you on the rails!
I just picked up this game myself last night. I have a couple questions:
1) I'm not sure how the multiplayer works. How would one connect to it?
2) Assuming I know how MP works eventually, for this particular session, would I, as a beginner, be able to spectate the fanning session and learn the ropes from watching and experiencing?
Happy trails to all! And - hopefully - see you on the rails!
Hi Ohm welcome to Trainz. For you to join a session you need to down load a MP session that someone has running.
There are just a few that have more sessions they are UMR Summer,Thompson And Western2.1,MRL is three. T & W is running now.
To DL it look for the session2.1 in Content Manager. Make sure you get all the dependences.
There are just a few that have more sessions they are UMR Summer,Thompson And Western2.1,MRL is three. T & W is running now.
To DL it look for the session2.1 in Content Manager. Make sure you get all the dependences.
Well as far as I an tell, a side from me, your the only one interested right now. And if you read my last post, I said that I'm postponing TOPSIG RR sessions for a while. I need ot get a few projects out o the way, both in Trainz and else where. But youll know when I am going to host a session again, cause Ill post right here.
So Ive got Rico, Danny, GN, James, and one unknown, and of course my self. So 6 people who are willing to join a session on the weekends.
While Im happy to see interest growing, still a few problems that I for see with this.
1. 6 people over 3 days means there might mean only ever seeing 2 people on at a time.
2. What route to use? MRL I find too big for our small numbers at the time. Once we get a larger following then MRL might be an option. And my last pick for a route, no one seamed to like cause there where "missing" industries.
3. Session structure needs rethinking. Hosting and hoping kinda sucks. Id rather know that so and so is going to be there, and when they are going to be there.
Lets go into more depth with #2. I think a good MP route should be some thing that has a little for every one, and lots to do. But also not be too long. MRL, UMR, and even T&W are too big for the few people that we get in any MP session. 3 or 4 people over a 100+ mile route works out to 0.04 people per mile. This means you have a very slim chance of meeting some one. What we need is a higher person per mile ratio. 6 people on 30 miles of track is 0.2 ppm. What does that mean though? Means a high chance that you see and interact with some one else.
On UMR I found my self working a town. I was there for about 6 hours. I had talked to a few others who where on the route, the closest guy was 20 miles away. After a few hours of waiting he showed up, dropped off some cars, and was gone. While I had fun, it would have been nice to have seen other crews. This was my idea when making a session for Indiana Western. Its only 30 miles, and one yard. This meant that there was a higher chance of seeing and working with another player. But that route failed as coal and oil had no production point. (These commodities are produced off route and brought in with the instant load command at the interchange track. But no one bothered to note that down.)
On to point 3, structure. I say host and hope, in that I host a session in the hopes that some one will join. If Run8 and Trainz has taught me any thing new, its that hosting and hoping just doesn't work. In Run8, when people are going to host a session, they have sign ups for it. They state when the session will start, when it will end, and what needs to be run. People then say when they will show up and what they will run. Now I have posted when hosting Trainz sessions what jobs need be done, and when the session starts. But no one ever claims a job, no one says they will show up. But people still show up, and have no idea what to do.
Now I have said whats wrong with MP right now, and whats holding me back form hosting again. But this is not to try and shoot down my own idea or TOPSIG. If we all know whats wrong, then we can all work towards a solution. I want to host again, I want to run MP Trainz again. But I dont want to sit in a session for a weekend and only get 2 or 3 people in it.
Now, how do we fix some of these issues? First off, we need a few good, smaller routes that we can use. If need be, some one should make one. I can handle the session, I like to set up the session based on whats needed car and locomotive wise.
Now on my end, I may have solved a person problem with hosting a session. I have a second PC that I may be able to use as a host machine. Just need to test a few things first. (I hate tying my main PC up for 3 days and not being able to do any thing on it other then Trainz.)
While Im happy to see interest growing, still a few problems that I for see with this.
1. 6 people over 3 days means there might mean only ever seeing 2 people on at a time.
2. What route to use? MRL I find too big for our small numbers at the time. Once we get a larger following then MRL might be an option. And my last pick for a route, no one seamed to like cause there where "missing" industries.
3. Session structure needs rethinking. Hosting and hoping kinda sucks. Id rather know that so and so is going to be there, and when they are going to be there.
Lets go into more depth with #2. I think a good MP route should be some thing that has a little for every one, and lots to do. But also not be too long. MRL, UMR, and even T&W are too big for the few people that we get in any MP session. 3 or 4 people over a 100+ mile route works out to 0.04 people per mile. This means you have a very slim chance of meeting some one. What we need is a higher person per mile ratio. 6 people on 30 miles of track is 0.2 ppm. What does that mean though? Means a high chance that you see and interact with some one else.
On UMR I found my self working a town. I was there for about 6 hours. I had talked to a few others who where on the route, the closest guy was 20 miles away. After a few hours of waiting he showed up, dropped off some cars, and was gone. While I had fun, it would have been nice to have seen other crews. This was my idea when making a session for Indiana Western. Its only 30 miles, and one yard. This meant that there was a higher chance of seeing and working with another player. But that route failed as coal and oil had no production point. (These commodities are produced off route and brought in with the instant load command at the interchange track. But no one bothered to note that down.)
On to point 3, structure. I say host and hope, in that I host a session in the hopes that some one will join. If Run8 and Trainz has taught me any thing new, its that hosting and hoping just doesn't work. In Run8, when people are going to host a session, they have sign ups for it. They state when the session will start, when it will end, and what needs to be run. People then say when they will show up and what they will run. Now I have posted when hosting Trainz sessions what jobs need be done, and when the session starts. But no one ever claims a job, no one says they will show up. But people still show up, and have no idea what to do.
Now I have said whats wrong with MP right now, and whats holding me back form hosting again. But this is not to try and shoot down my own idea or TOPSIG. If we all know whats wrong, then we can all work towards a solution. I want to host again, I want to run MP Trainz again. But I dont want to sit in a session for a weekend and only get 2 or 3 people in it.
Now, how do we fix some of these issues? First off, we need a few good, smaller routes that we can use. If need be, some one should make one. I can handle the session, I like to set up the session based on whats needed car and locomotive wise.
Now on my end, I may have solved a person problem with hosting a session. I have a second PC that I may be able to use as a host machine. Just need to test a few things first. (I hate tying my main PC up for 3 days and not being able to do any thing on it other then Trainz.)
I have played around with some of the shorter routes like Harbor Master, but I am not sure it would work well at 6 people. It has alot of industries but I have found that they will need to be setup for session play. I will look into it more and see if a Multiplay session can be put together.
Okay, good. I'm glad my post got interest going again !
JIB > I completely empathize with you on the headaches, disappointment etc of being the host.
I had a meet group/organization Facebook page for Farming Simulator 2011 set-up.
- I had maps for small, medium and large sessions (people count)
- I had complete lists of every piece of MP equipment we would use
- I had a requirements list for machine specs (which no-one really paid attention too) oy vey
- Members were req'd to post RSVP if a game was being hosted
Here's the group page https://www.facebook.com/groups/210824478927645/
I got alot of little kids trying to join, mostly form Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden and the UK, even though I stated it was a Private Group created for U.S.A. located (and English speaking) Farm Simmers. Rules were not followed, and the whole thing went Female Mammaries Up.
Anyhow,
I ended up with 2 Aussies as admins, which meant THEY had to play at 9am AU time, and I at 4pm PST US.
So, I will check out the MP routes we have now, I'll look at routes with activity, i.e working industry, and a smaller size.
I'll post back here with ideas.
Rico
JIB > I completely empathize with you on the headaches, disappointment etc of being the host.
I had a meet group/organization Facebook page for Farming Simulator 2011 set-up.
- I had maps for small, medium and large sessions (people count)
- I had complete lists of every piece of MP equipment we would use
- I had a requirements list for machine specs (which no-one really paid attention too) oy vey
- Members were req'd to post RSVP if a game was being hosted
Here's the group page https://www.facebook.com/groups/210824478927645/
I got alot of little kids trying to join, mostly form Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden and the UK, even though I stated it was a Private Group created for U.S.A. located (and English speaking) Farm Simmers. Rules were not followed, and the whole thing went Female Mammaries Up.
Anyhow,
I ended up with 2 Aussies as admins, which meant THEY had to play at 9am AU time, and I at 4pm PST US.
So, I will check out the MP routes we have now, I'll look at routes with activity, i.e working industry, and a smaller size.
I'll post back here with ideas.
Rico
Yea, that's what really hinders me from hosting. I dont like tying down my PC to play one game for a whole weekend and not having any one show up. Kinda a huge waste of resources I think. But I have gotten the ok from the GF to use her old PC as a hosting machine. This means I could host an MP session and not tie down my main computer. I just have to get it up and running is all.
But Rico, a good route doesn't have to have a existing MP session. It just has to be on the DLS as well as all the content for it on the DLS. If those are met, I can make up a session.
One of the things I have noticed with Run8, people show up to sessions. They take time off of work, or do what ever it takes to join a session. But with Trainz, i dont htink people are interested as they once where. And I cant think of any way to really boost that interest.
But Rico, a good route doesn't have to have a existing MP session. It just has to be on the DLS as well as all the content for it on the DLS. If those are met, I can make up a session.
One of the things I have noticed with Run8, people show up to sessions. They take time off of work, or do what ever it takes to join a session. But with Trainz, i dont htink people are interested as they once where. And I cant think of any way to really boost that interest.
I am relatively new here but would be interested in joining a session. I have done operating sessions with model trains and one of my long term goals for Trainz is to recreate my HO scale layout in Surveyor. However, time is a bit limited so that may not happen for a while.
-Al
-Al
Little update here, Thanks to Danny5 for letting me know this, but iPortals work in MP. What dose this mean for TOPSIG? Well a bunch of ideas came to mind right away. But by far the simplest, and best is the idea of interconnection of MP sessions. This means that while I'm hosting a session on MRL or another route, we can send trains to other routes and even other sessions.
So bringing it back to MRL, Ive been working on and off on the 3.0 update. Ill be adding iPortals to the route and by default will be assigning them names and destinations portals. This also means that some commodities on MRL might not be consumed on MRL, but consumed else where on another route. And things might have to come in form other routes. (Thinking the Auto plant will become a fuel refinery like its supposed to be.)
Now I have my second PC up and running and am able to host on that computer as well as join it in sessions form my main computer. This means that I can start hosting long sessions again. Now I wont start hosting again until the MRL3.0 update as that's the route I want to start with. But I will have links to Thompson & Western, and my WIP CSX Saginaw sub. As well as any other MP routs that want to start interchanging trains. (I'm looking at you UMR!)
So bringing it back to MRL, Ive been working on and off on the 3.0 update. Ill be adding iPortals to the route and by default will be assigning them names and destinations portals. This also means that some commodities on MRL might not be consumed on MRL, but consumed else where on another route. And things might have to come in form other routes. (Thinking the Auto plant will become a fuel refinery like its supposed to be.)
Now I have my second PC up and running and am able to host on that computer as well as join it in sessions form my main computer. This means that I can start hosting long sessions again. Now I wont start hosting again until the MRL3.0 update as that's the route I want to start with. But I will have links to Thompson & Western, and my WIP CSX Saginaw sub. As well as any other MP routs that want to start interchanging trains. (I'm looking at you UMR!)
jhuravitch
ProRailz...
Sorry I haven't been contributing to this thread at all before, but i have been paying attention to it. However, I have tried to join TOPSIG sessions before. I hope the iportal idea works for MRL v3.0. I had an idea for the Indiana Western route, but I see that has been put on the back burner. Anyways I can't wait until the next TOPSIG session and hope to see everyone who has commented on the route.
One idea, and Im waiting to hear back on it, is to have a 24/7 MRL session. This route and session would have iPortals on it linking MRL to other single player or even multiplayer routes.
Another idea is to have a few players each represent a different railroad. And use only locomotives from that railroad. Then send train to MRL to be sorted, then shipped to other locations on MRL or even to other railroads. But first I need to hear back if iPortals work in MP sessions. IF they do, which I think they do, then I'll crank out the update for MRL and post the rules and what not for iPortalling with MRL. If iPortals dont work in MP, I still have an idea that I really fancy for IPortals that I think would be a lot of fun.
And we can still of course do the TOPSIG sessions.
Another idea is to have a few players each represent a different railroad. And use only locomotives from that railroad. Then send train to MRL to be sorted, then shipped to other locations on MRL or even to other railroads. But first I need to hear back if iPortals work in MP sessions. IF they do, which I think they do, then I'll crank out the update for MRL and post the rules and what not for iPortalling with MRL. If iPortals dont work in MP, I still have an idea that I really fancy for IPortals that I think would be a lot of fun.
And we can still of course do the TOPSIG sessions.
I like where this is going Jib. In regards to the update, Vinnie has uploaded a whole slough of MRL locomotives. He isn't too pround of the SD's, but the GP's came out fantastic. He is also trying to get permission for the SD70ACe's which are very sexy looking. Another thing: if IPortals work with MP, we could create one route that is just a large classification yard and have trains organized and sent to different routes from there. We would have to make sure that everybody had common rollingstock and locomotive sets installed though.
With the sudden uprising of people interested in MP, we should try and organize a TOPSIG session.
With the sudden uprising of people interested in MP, we should try and organize a TOPSIG session.
Thats what Im thinking. My idea is to use MRL as a standalone MP session, with the iPortals connecting to single player routes.
Example, part of MRL could be linked to my Saginaw sub. This the auto dealers on MRL would get auto racks from my route. An MRL Locomotive would brig in a train from MRL to the Sag. Where I could then use my JR locomotives to move the train along the route. Then send the train back to MRL at any time. This way trains would come and go from MRL. We migth start an MRL session with 300+ cars, but then have another 300 come in form other routes. Heck, a auto train might get loaded on the Sag, go though MRL in an MP session, then go to your route to be unloaded.
So, what Im saying is, yes. We would have a class yard of sorts. MRL would get cars from our routes. Sort them into trains fro other routes and its self. In this way, we could simulate railroading on a much MUCH larger scale. Picture this if you will, south end of my Saginaw Sub is linked to MRL and its 24/7 session. The north end is linked to T&W and Dannys 24/7 session. A mixed freight form one route comes on to MRL. Some of the cars get cut off for other destinations. Some go my Sag. Once there, more cars are added, then sent to T&W. Where they are sent to another route.
I have lots of ideas GN, if you think of it, feel free to say it. But be warned, I might have all ready thought of it my self. I want to know if iPortals with in MP first. I know Danny5 Said they do, but I want to confirm with him again. Once that detail is worked out, you'll all drown in a flood of my ideas....and it will be sooooo good.
Example, part of MRL could be linked to my Saginaw sub. This the auto dealers on MRL would get auto racks from my route. An MRL Locomotive would brig in a train from MRL to the Sag. Where I could then use my JR locomotives to move the train along the route. Then send the train back to MRL at any time. This way trains would come and go from MRL. We migth start an MRL session with 300+ cars, but then have another 300 come in form other routes. Heck, a auto train might get loaded on the Sag, go though MRL in an MP session, then go to your route to be unloaded.
So, what Im saying is, yes. We would have a class yard of sorts. MRL would get cars from our routes. Sort them into trains fro other routes and its self. In this way, we could simulate railroading on a much MUCH larger scale. Picture this if you will, south end of my Saginaw Sub is linked to MRL and its 24/7 session. The north end is linked to T&W and Dannys 24/7 session. A mixed freight form one route comes on to MRL. Some of the cars get cut off for other destinations. Some go my Sag. Once there, more cars are added, then sent to T&W. Where they are sent to another route.
I have lots of ideas GN, if you think of it, feel free to say it. But be warned, I might have all ready thought of it my self. I want to know if iPortals with in MP first. I know Danny5 Said they do, but I want to confirm with him again. Once that detail is worked out, you'll all drown in a flood of my ideas....and it will be sooooo good.