Creating the Driver Train

crisger

RR Mod Maker
OK i am much closer to understanding how all of this work, as you all know it is not easy to track down all of the info ...but you all have been a huge help.

my final challenge is to be sure about how to make the Driver train. None of the lovely Aurun Tutorials go into this and the documentation neglects it too.

Am i right to assume the first train i place in a new Session (in session layer) i am creating IS the driver Train by default? and if i have that engine "activated" and then place track markers ahead and text triggers and objective triggers they will be "saved " to the Driver train? I understand the process of creating rules, and have read a number of times how some of the rules related to objectives but how to connect those objectives TO THE DRIVER TRAIN is what is mysterious still.

I also assume once we create an AI train and add a driver to it and then with it active place markers and give that driver commands at specific points along the route he/it will obey and carry them out....

so i am guessing whatever train(engine) we have selected, either Driver Train or AI train will obey the markers places with that engine actively selected?

and the Driver train alone will NOT have a actual driver assigned to it?


thanks for help on this this one point has bothered me for weeks and after digging thru the tutorials and online it still has not been answered enough for me to know what to do ..

thank you

I had created a meta base session with all of the yards populated and a number of trains already placed but i see if what i posted above is true, i will have to delete the placed train that i want to be the Driver train and also any intended AI trains and then go thru the steps of placing them or they will not be "seen" by the scripting process and connected to the commands and markers intended for them to carry out. Step by step. :)

Chris
 
OK i got some help from a good friend in the TrainzItalia community and think i can get going on this now. seems some of my estimations and guesses were right about making the Driver train, i will just have to re create them using my default base session template by making new trains for the Driver and AI trains to activate the "session' rules software.

One question remains, should I select a driver from the driver pool for the Driver train? he suggested it might be a good idea as that is how it works in 2012 but not sure. I didnt want to confuse TANE into thinking the Driver Train is another AI train.

I will have to just try things out and see how it works by doing....but I do appreciate all of the help given so far, and after this is over I may try to draft a simple Handbook on Session Making to help others facing the task that has been so hard for me in trying to figure all of this out. The tutorials are nice but none of them cover the basic 1, 2 3 steps most details the rules etc. but we need to know HOW to put a Session together from the ground up.

It will be fun tho to see it all working and makes the research and efforts well worth it. We have a wonderful route created that took many years to make...and accurate authentic rolling stock so we need good sessions to bring it all together.

pmaU5I8Aj



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thanks

Chris
 
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One question remains, should I select a driver from the driver pool for the Driver train? he suggested it might be a good idea as that is how it works in 2012 but not sure. I didnt want to confuse TANE into thinking the Driver Train is another AI train.

The Driver Setup Rule (where locos are assigned drivers) works exactly the same way in TANE as it does in TS12. A driver/loco can be given driving command (e.g. Navigate to ..., Load, Wait For ..., etc) in which case they become an AI driver under automatic control. A driver/loco without driving commands will do nothing. I find it good policy to give all locos that can be driven a driver, with or without AI commands.

Driver commands can be issued, deleted and altered during a running session by use of one of the Schedule rules. For example, when a train under manual control reaches a trigger point, it can be issued with a set of driver commands so the AI takes over control of the train. You can also use this to give commands to another driver/loco without any driver commands.

Likewise, you (the player) can jump into any train that is under AI control and manually suspend or cancel its remaining AI commands just as you can jump into any non AI driver/loco and take command yourself.
 
HI and thanks Pware

I am getting a clearer picture of how it works. Some of my confusion was due to not knowing "HOW" to set up the Driver train, ie direct the player to go from Point A to Point B.....but i am guessing we do it with just the instructions in the pop up message: tell them to Drive to B and obey commands given in the same way along the route. I am not going to use the point reward system, as i think that is not immersive. the speed limits are set for accuracy on the route ie 12 mph so hopefully they will obey them without having to penalize them. I also intend to set up STOP triggers for them to unload and load passengers which will be done by the Automatic process. I also intend to do the same for freight deliver and pick up, ie using the STOP and.... command trigger.

I had thought about using Navigation markers or route markers but i dont know enough yet about how Driver Trains are supposed to be directed so i will just try my own method and see if it is workable.

thanks again for the reply.

Chris
 
I have started using the Navigation Points extensively in a series of session I have created for TANE (now on hold until the "bugs" are worked out) and I am quite impressed by them. However, they do rely on the player following the instructions exactly as shown - although you can build in some latitude such as leaving the order of events up to the player and cancelling the navigation points after a certain point.

Popup messages, both simple and more complex HTML based, are great for giving instructions to the user and work very well with navigation points although, as I have discovered, they can be a lot of work for the session creator.
 
Hi Pware
ok thanks a lot. your advice along with help i have gotten from Carlo over at TrainzItalia have given me enough info to get going on this, finally. I will avoid any of the complex things to avoid the bugs you mention, as i do need to get this done. I will keep my sessions simple to a degree but hope to add enough historical content to make them interesting and fun to use.

here's hoping it goes well.

I can see more and more the need for COMPLETE DOCUMENTATION that is created in simple format step by step for the basic essential operations to make the great things that TANE can offer available to the new user. Thank God for the kindness of heart and generous spirit of veteran users like yourself and others who have helped me over the past years to gain enough skill and knowledge to be able to contribute in a meaningful way to our Trainz work.

thanks again

Chris
 
Pware is mistaken in that there was a substantial change in the Driver Setup Rule in SP2 since there is a new check option in the Driver Setup dialog box "Generate drivers for empty trains". You should uncheck this if you are creating a session for distribution IMO.

You are quite right that Session creation is poorly documented. What I have done is examine built-in and payware sessions and edit them to see how they work. Time consuming but very educational.


 
Hi Norm
thanks and yes i wont use any of the "new" and unproven and potentially bugged SP2 add ons. I experineced some real problems with them already and don't want to do anything new ..will stick to tried and true methods. I don't have time to extensive testing of other sessions at this point, we have delayed far longer for our release than I wanted because my father passed away end of May and i am trustee and executor and had to deal with that and I am in charge of sessions. We will have some good ones and also a base templete of the route with all of the yards already populated correctly and over 20 accurate consists will be included in the release and actual historic schedules and detailed info on what scheduled trains ran and when and all of the industries will God willing be already programmed with correct freight and depots and stations the same.

We have one very happy item in our release, a new Consolidation Engine that is fully adapted and corrected in the config to allow it to operate correctly for coal and water consumption as things were back in the 2012 version of Trainz so that it will be possible to run some trains and sessions with complete accuracy and challenge..which with the 4% grade and the route as it was will be a fun and demanding challenge for drivers both experienced and novice. :) We have Bob our Trainmaster and Ben Neal to thank for that. they both working together and esp Bob have made our stock set of over 160 accurate and historically accurate rolling stock and motive power a true treasure for those interested in the history of the route.

thanks for your note much appreciated. And all of your other help with our project.

Chris
 
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My condolences for the loss of your father. It is never easy to say good bye.

I am so looking forward to this release.
 
Hi Norm thanks, appreciate that.

yep we are very close just need to do this final bit of work. will get it done asap.

Chris
 
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