Just like the old saying about a problem child goes, this holds true for AI drivers. I agree that some of this is self-inflicted, but it's not always and it's due to game mechanics and that bit of randomness that gets thrown in the works. There are days when things go well, and there are days when everything falls apart as if the AI went out on a toot the night before and come to work in less than perfect form. With those days, the AI will get stuck at signals, run junctions, SPAD, and do all kinds of unkind things that keep me from doing what I want. It's those days, I want to take the whole kit-and-caboodle and rip it off my PC!
Well anyway, yesterday, I did some Trainzing for the first time in a few months outside of some brief beta-testing. I fired up build 111951 and went about the usual. Downloaded some routes, installed some updates, and then did some Surveyor stuff. It was quite fun and I enjoyed my time, which hasn't been that way in quite awhile. I then decided to drive and poke around my venerable Gloucester Terminal Electric route with about a dozen AI drivers, lots of consists spread out, and some portal-consists that run back and forth.
Outside of the portal-consists, the rest of the dozen or so AI drivers run various loops around the this compact route between various points with tram stations spread out along the way. In addition to the traction operation, I have some diesel switching operations that I do, with everyone else doing their thing. Instead of doing the usual routine of gathering the boxcars, covered hoppers, and tanks in the big yard near Gloucester, I instead started down along the docks. Like the rest of my switching, I use a couple of SW1500s and this operation was no different. In the yards, they work in tandem with each one facing in opposite directions. This makes switching easier, and when I go out on the road, I put an engine on each end so each one can push or pull cars in and out of the various sidings. Todays, switching job was to pick up loads and empties and return them to the yard, and if there was time left I was to switch the brewery.
While I did my switching, I was only interrupted twice. Yes, only twice due to stuck AI and that was at the very end of my operation since it was getting late. Nothing has changed in this setup, there was no new install of anything including the program or Windows. It was only a power up and go about my business. The AI for the most part did their job, and I didn't have to babysit them. After about 3-1/2 hours, it was time for bed and everything ended on a high-note for a change, and it was at that point that the AI started to come unglued.
I'm almost tempted to try this again, but then at the same time I don't want to ruin a good thing. Being a retired hardware technician and IT guy, I want to know why things worked pretty well this time but not others? Do I need to consult Oracle by throwing a power supply at the feet of the computer gods as the soothsayers did with goats in ancient times? The temps are good in my PC most of the time, except for the summertime, and even then they're not that high to do nasty things. I can't figure it out unless it was the Trainzing gods decided to shine a nice light on me for a change!
Well anyway, yesterday, I did some Trainzing for the first time in a few months outside of some brief beta-testing. I fired up build 111951 and went about the usual. Downloaded some routes, installed some updates, and then did some Surveyor stuff. It was quite fun and I enjoyed my time, which hasn't been that way in quite awhile. I then decided to drive and poke around my venerable Gloucester Terminal Electric route with about a dozen AI drivers, lots of consists spread out, and some portal-consists that run back and forth.
Outside of the portal-consists, the rest of the dozen or so AI drivers run various loops around the this compact route between various points with tram stations spread out along the way. In addition to the traction operation, I have some diesel switching operations that I do, with everyone else doing their thing. Instead of doing the usual routine of gathering the boxcars, covered hoppers, and tanks in the big yard near Gloucester, I instead started down along the docks. Like the rest of my switching, I use a couple of SW1500s and this operation was no different. In the yards, they work in tandem with each one facing in opposite directions. This makes switching easier, and when I go out on the road, I put an engine on each end so each one can push or pull cars in and out of the various sidings. Todays, switching job was to pick up loads and empties and return them to the yard, and if there was time left I was to switch the brewery.
While I did my switching, I was only interrupted twice. Yes, only twice due to stuck AI and that was at the very end of my operation since it was getting late. Nothing has changed in this setup, there was no new install of anything including the program or Windows. It was only a power up and go about my business. The AI for the most part did their job, and I didn't have to babysit them. After about 3-1/2 hours, it was time for bed and everything ended on a high-note for a change, and it was at that point that the AI started to come unglued.
I'm almost tempted to try this again, but then at the same time I don't want to ruin a good thing. Being a retired hardware technician and IT guy, I want to know why things worked pretty well this time but not others? Do I need to consult Oracle by throwing a power supply at the feet of the computer gods as the soothsayers did with goats in ancient times? The temps are good in my PC most of the time, except for the summertime, and even then they're not that high to do nasty things. I can't figure it out unless it was the Trainzing gods decided to shine a nice light on me for a change!