Where did everybody go?

M

MidnightWilde

New member
I look at youtube videos with multiplayer sessions I want to be a part of but when I finally get around to getting the game and patching it up to the latest. Its a ghost town. I even ran a session that lasted more than 24 hours and only person who joined it was someone who just seems like he wants to randomly derail things. I ran a shorter session the other day and got one other player. I only have seen two other sessions hosted by anyone else in the last two weeks. So what am I missing here. There supposedly is a million of you out there. Is there some group I got to join to get invites to invisibly games? I see a lot of content is broken but I assume if I run all dls content and host a session anyone can join.
I am not disappointed by the sim I am disappointed that the multiplayer community seems to have given up. All sessions I host are sp1 hotfix 2. Sp1 takes forever and a half to patch to.

So whats the secret?

Favorite route so far is the Port Ogden route. I also like some of philskenes smaller routes. I am a fan of both nice mainlines and switching routes and if I there were enough players I would love Port Ogden however it is very lonely right now.

I also sometimes broadcast gaming sessions on twitch.tv/midnightwilde I am not sure what that does to my bandwidth as I simply have not had enough people on to test it.
 
I know exactly what your talking about. It seems everyone has given up on multiplayer. Why? I don't really know. It seems interest has gone. It doesn't help that many people are too wary about SP1 to patch so they are still running version 49922. It seems the multiplayer community has been split in half. SP1 has worked great for me, and I'm disappointed at some of the reactions of people about SP1 that were posted on forums. Another problem some people seem to have is what their interests are. Some people prefer big multiplayer routes, while others prefer smaller routes because of their time limitations. More info on people's opinions can be seen in the General Trainz area under a thread started by GN1996. I would like to see a multiplayer revival and GN1996 and myself have been thinking of some ideas on how to get people interested again.
 
Bit of a dilemma isn't it.

If you want MP you can't modify assets and must use what's on DLS or builtin.
But a large proportion of DLS assets are faulty and need to be repaired and thus become modified.
If you don't modify assets then single player sessions may not run properly.
Many interesting MP layouts would be nice as single player sessions but don't allow it.

Similarly, to test MP sessions it is necessary to load on DLS.
When errors are found, or creator wants to improve he has to upload another version.
Conseqauence is that many superseded MP sessions now are cluttering the DLS.
 
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My thoughts on MP is that the server is down so much that people don't want to start all over again after spinding 2 or more hours doing something and have to do it again when the server comes back up.
I only have one PC and really don't want to tie it up running a session 24/7.
But i will run a session of Thompson & Western Session 2.2 for a few hours if there more then one other player.
Let me know if you are and what time of day or night and what day.
I see that N3V has a session going all the time,but have not seen more then one person outher then the host.
Now if they(N3V) would host other sessions and see which one has more players join and host that one more.
 
Given how the system seems to work, we'd really need a dedicated persistent server to really play the game.

One example is indeed the game that seems to be running 24/7 on N3V's system - though why they'd pick that route for an AU (I'm assuming) audience is beyond me.

In days of yore, Quake 3 ran much the same way. Someone would "host" the game, and players would join. There would be a list of available servers within the game, and players would pick which one to join.

Games were in one of several modes, and used "stock" maps (equivalent of our "routes") OR would run a custom map which you could download if you attempted to join but did not have the map already.

Of course everything was persistent except the players, and at some interval (time or score based) the game would stop and the restart, usually on another map.

For Trains I can see one major issue, if everyone wrecks the available trains, there's no mechanism that I'm aware of, to "spawn" new trains to take their place - and no defined goal as far as I can tell.

To my way of thinking, that leaves TS12 in an unfinished state as far as MP goes. At this time, the only thing that can really be done is a Virtual version of a Model Railroad Club session - which would mean coordinating all the participants "offline" about a time and some sort of definition of what's supposed to happen.
 
Above is mentioned about a Model Railroad Club Environment. This is very true and a great idea not yet attempted. On another post, Model Railroad Module Development has been discussed. Those into model railroading, this would be a great virtual club atmosphere where scheduled events were arranged. This is where Multiplayer seems to be a disaster: No Scheduled Events. Multiplayer Routes are well Multiplayer Routes. Positive Development In The Route Category is pretty elementary whereas better design is always being addressed. Why this feature is just not a great feature is because of its structure. The structure really deters from development and participation. Quality of the route and session content comes into play (not just size but functionality) and also the quantity of MB Download to experience Multiplayer. Adding N3V Patch complications have really set this feature back as well. I could continue, but feel it is unnecessary.
 
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frogpipe said:
Given how the system seems to work, we'd really need a dedicated persistent server to really play the game.

One example is indeed the game that seems to be running 24/7 on N3V's system - though why they'd pick that route for an AU (I'm assuming) audience is beyond me.
---- snip---


I agree I am going to experiment and see what this game needs from the server prospective it might be possible for me to run a 24/7 server. I kinda wish a dedicated trainz server existed that maybe ran on linux and we could do something like this.

If I could run it on an old computer with the idea of just running a server it might be possible for me to plot it at a dirt cheap cohosting location.
Or maybe work out something with my boss.
Click to expand...
 
Off Topic - Could not Do Port Ogden V1g due to stating I need Paintshed (WTF) and Red Dependencies. I got near the end to get that error thus downloading for 1/2hr with no ability to play. Yet another flaw of MP. Just not a huge fan of MP at this time due to the flaws. Think it has great potential, but it needs work and better route design. The dedicated server route has great potential, but I am not a huge fan of the route. Tried to play MP with ya for sometime based on your post, but I can not control the roadblocks. Fear a reinstall without SP1 is coming and coming soon. SP1 is like new medicine - fixes this but risks are more than the benefits.
 
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The reason i have given up.
Up till the patch everything ran well, now there are so many problems with assets that are broken or cannot be reverted that the time wasted on trying to fix all these problems is just not worth it, my time is limited with real life commitments, so when or if they ever fix it i will try MP again.



rail:confused:
 
I don,t join or host a multiplayer session anymore because the SP1 patch broke all the multiplayer sessions I liked. And now I have given up on multiplayer until N3V Games get their act together and fix it. And that is why a lot of people have left altogether. Run8 may not be ideal but at least it does work!
 
Well lets see since sp1 I ran and had people join Traction and krashandburnrrco (youll have to excuse my spelling I am at work) Also know that the built in content works for multi player. Are there any others confirmed to work on sp1?
 
Another trouble, somewhat related, is that no one runs anything that's BUILT IN to the game as a MP session - which means downloading many Mb in the hopes of MAYBE finding a session, bad enough if you don't want a lot of stuff filling up your HDD that you might not otherwise use, compounded if you don't have an FCT.
 
frogpipe said:
Another trouble, somewhat related, is that no one runs anything that's BUILT IN to the game as a MP session - which means downloading many Mb in the hopes of MAYBE finding a session, bad enough if you don't want a lot of stuff filling up your HDD that you might not otherwise use, compounded if you don't have an FCT.
Click to expand...


I think storage and lack of a fct is not a very good reason. The FCT is so cheap and well worth it. As far as hard drives go. I have a 2 terrabyte hard drive which I paid 89.99 for. I am using about 70 gigs for trainz. I probably use more than most because I download all the things. That is about 15 dollars and 92 cents. When a Gig of hard drive storage is available for 32 cents you really cant complain that the programs too big. Hit worst buy buy a western digital 2 tb hard drive external usb 3.0 for less than a Ben Franklin. Or if ya think it costs too much order online.


Way I figure multi player needs:
A few improvements in the drm system on dls so players could use and share 3p or paid for content and that content if paid for would only be useable when connected to a user who holds a license for it.

A reporting system for when content is broke to alert the author so they can push an update. ( I am starting to do this manually here)

A way the author can release his grip on that content and enable editing so a 3rd party can fix it just in case he is too burned out to do it again.

A dedicated server option. Especially large layouts need this. Not everyone has bandwidth for 20 players and a spare dedicated computer to run it on. This would be just a dumbed down version of driver that only contains the map part and admin functions. We can call it dispatcher and it should work via a web applet so people can host a server just like they host a minecraft server threw cheap shared hosting. This could also be a revenue stream for auran. Would be nice if it worked under linux too but there are plenty of shared windows hosts out there. This should also have the ability to assign multiple administrators.
 
The problem is that it isn't easy. You have to download so much to be able to run with people, and there's really no group on here nor on Facebook (or any other social network for that matter) to coordinate sessions to run.

Trainz is for building routes and running solo, in my opinion. If you want multiplayer that actually works and has operational realism, you may want to look elsewhere (i.e. Run8 or OpenRails).

Steve
 
MidnightWilde said:
Are there any others confirmed to work on sp1?
Click to expand...

All the Mojave Multiplayer sessions I think (even though some people do not like them), the route I just uploaded to the DLS a few weeks ago "Powder River Basin (fictional) V1.1", Thompson and Western, and a few more that I can't think of at the moment.
 
MidnightWilde said:
I think storage and lack of a fct is not a very good reason. The FCT is so cheap and well worth it. As far as hard drives go. I have a 2 terrabyte hard drive which I paid 89.99 for. I am using about 70 gigs for trainz. I probably use more than most because I download all the things. That is about 15 dollars and 92 cents. When a Gig of hard drive storage is available for 32 cents you really cant complain that the programs too big. Hit worst buy buy a western digital 2 tb hard drive external usb 3.0 for less than a Ben Franklin. Or if ya think it costs too much order online.
Click to expand...

Well...

I have no job... haven't for 2 years - so if hard drives and FCTs are so cheap, why don't you just buy me one of each?

The preceeding is of course insane - I don't expect you to do that, but I find it equally unreasonable to take the position that "buy more stuff" is an acceptable answer.

Let me clairify what I was saying too. I tried, pre SP1 to get aboard the MP aspect of the game. Of course there was no server browser then (god only knows why) and tons of MP routes/sessions out there. So after consulting threads about what the more popular routes were, I had a look at downloading them and without a FCT decided that I wasn't going to bother since my impression was that I could easily spend hours and hours and hours downloading routes and dependencies for nothing.

DO NOT lecture me on the virtues of an FCT - as I said I have no job (tho I have a followup interview tomorrow, fingers crossed) the ONLY reason I have an FCT right now is the generosity of another Trainzer who appreciated my contributions to the forum.
 
Hi MidnightWilde
Most of these have been implemented to some degree :)

MidnightWilde said:
Way I figure multi player needs:
A few improvements in the drm system on dls so players could use and share 3p or paid for content and that content if paid for would only be useable when connected to a user who holds a license for it.
Click to expand...
The new DLC system allows 3rd party payware content to be used with multiplayer, so long as the content is sold via our DLC system. If a payware creator wishes to look into selling their content via the DLC system, then they need only contact us for more information :)

We don't have plans to allow content from 3rd party websites, due to the issues that can occur with this (e.g. two players with the same loco having different Especs on the loco, and hence the loco running faster or slower for one of the players).

[qupte]A reporting system for when content is broke to alert the author so they can push an update. ( I am starting to do this manually here)

A way the author can release his grip on that content and enable editing so a 3rd party can fix it just in case he is too burned out to do it again.[/quote]
This is already available, and was run over the DLS about 8 weeks ago. We give authors 8 weeks from contact to update their content before it is added to the public listing for the community to repair. Many authors have already repaired their content. We also repaired some commonly used content when SP1 was released.


A dedicated server option. Especially large layouts need this. Not everyone has bandwidth for 20 players and a spare dedicated computer to run it on. This would be just a dumbed down version of driver that only contains the map part and admin functions. We can call it dispatcher and it should work via a web applet so people can host a server just like they host a minecraft server threw cheap shared hosting. This could also be a revenue stream for auran. Would be nice if it worked under linux too but there are plenty of shared windows hosts out there. This should also have the ability to assign multiple administrators.
Click to expand...
This isn't currently an option for us, due to the way the multiplayer system works. However, if multiplayer grows in future, we may look into this.

Regards
 
ZecMurphy said:
Hi MidnightWilde
Most of these have been implemented to some degree :)
-snip--


Thank you for your response.


The good news is danny got a port ogden running so it can indeed work but razor wasn't able to join. After a few hours I crashed out of the game and now an unable to rejoin it crashes while loading.
Click to expand...
 
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