Mexican Standoffs! ARRGGHHH!

What's worse than being just about done with a 5-hour run down a single-track mainline, holding for one last AI traffic train, only to have that train stop on the mainline before entering the siding and permanently fouling your path, despite the fact that it has a clear path around you?This happens, despite the fact that the switch is thrown for the AI train to enter the siding, and the exit signal at the other end is cleared for the AI train to run through the siding, around my train, and back out onto the main.What causes this, and is there a way to fix it?Bruce Bridges

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

RE: Mexican Standoffs!!! ARRGGHHH!!!!, black5, Mar-13-04, 11:13 AM, (1) RE: Mexican Standoffs!!! ARRGGHHH!!!!, robertreedy, Mar-13-04, 12:51 PM, (2) RE: Mexican Standoffs!!! ARRGGHHH!!!!, heavyd, Mar-18-04, 11:32 AM, (3) RE: Mexican Standoffs!!! ARRGGHHH!!!!, kevarc, Mar-18-04, 12:08 PM, (4) RE: Mexican Standoffs!!! ARRGGHHH!!!!, tulsarailfan, Mar-19-04, 09:16 AM, (5) RE: Mexican Standoffs!!! ARRGGHHH!!!!, robertreedy, Mar-19-04, 10:43 AM, (6) RE: Mexican Standoffs!!! ARRGGHHH!!!!, eashock, Apr-05-04, 04:14 PM, (7)

Conferences | Topics | Previous Topic | Next Topic

There are many topics on 'double reverse' points that may help..or are you using them anyway???
Georges

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Bruce, to add to Georges above. Another reason I've had this happen many times is not having the AI run through 3 or more absolute signals before getting to that point. If you have the room to do it (not at the end of the route for example), this is usually the simplest solution. If not, as Georges said, the double reverse points are probably the only way to go. If you're not familiar with them hit the Steam4me site .. there's some good tutorials on their for this subject. Also, any 'easy' way check this rather than running through the 5 hours only to find it won't work again, is to do as Kevarc has mentioned on here many times. Create mini scenario using your main activity as a start. Save as ZZTemp.act (or something different than the original), then make a separate path (or template the original so you have a guideline to follow without messing up the original), then start your path back 30 minutes or so from where you are having the trouble. Change starting time to match this particular point and you can get the traffic worked out this way. Once you have it working, you simply go back to your original activity and the traffic is already set up and ready to go. Hope this makes some sense.RobertR .. ADF-M&RM at http://www.adfrr.com

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

OMG I know what you mean! I love main line running but I need the AI traffic to make it interesting. When I get one of those senerios I try reloading the activity from an earlier save point, usually the previous siding and stopping my train there and simply waiting for 10-20 min and then continue. This will change the timing of when the AI train meets yours and where, this may solve the standoff. So I always save my activities every 10 mins or so and leave 5 or 6 previous save points so I can go back at least an hour or so just in case! Hope this helps...

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

You cannot do that though for one for release, you would need to put pop ups to let ppl know they had to wait for x number of minutes. It is better to make mini activities to work out the kinks.Kevin Arceneaux
DEFAULT IS FOR DUMMIES
Cry havoc and Let slip the dogs of war.
It's fun being CRAZY!!!!!
Lone Wolf Activities Forum and Activity Packs are on www.3DTrains.com

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Two more things I've found that sometimes help:
1. If you're waiting on that AI train that's holding the main and won't advance into a siding for which he's cleared, make a reverse move and then stop. Sometimes that will somehow release the logjam and get teh AI train moving. Not always but it helps 50% of the time.2. Try saving and exiting where the standoff occurs, or preferable, just before it occurred (if you were lucky and saved some time before that point) and then restart the activity. Sometimes when you do that the AI engine will recalculate and route the train through, or, the train won't even be there next time.--Steve

Steve Davis
"TulsaRailfan" on this forum
sgdavis@vigoris.net
www.skylinecomputing.com

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

#1 above - Just be careful that the activity is not designed with another AI right behind the first, or you end up waiting for a whole line of them. I have 3 or 4 activities like this which will end up giving you what seems to be a permanent red, since AI just keep coming after the player backs up and 'opens the gate' However, the activity writer should place then in either read-me or pop-ups to give an indication of what is about to happen.RobertR .. ADF-M&RM at http://www.adfrr.com

Alert | IP

Printer-friendly page | Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Something I've discovered through T&E (of course) is the placement of your consist.I'm currently working on an activity for the M&M Sub (great route, btw).The activity begins with you in a siding, waiting for the arrival of a TOFC/COFC train, which takes 8 minutes to arrive. When I first began building the activity, I had the start point randomly chosen in the siding. During testing, I noticed that my train would move up, closer to the signal. The end result? Mexican standoff.I moved the starting point up, so that the player train would be at the signal's "stop point," and wouldn't move. Believe it or not, this solved the problem. Now I've got the ability for the AI train to start 2 intermediates away, and pass my spot in the siding at normal track speed, as if I wasn't even there. This is how I was able to give an 8 minute delay at the start.Something you might also want to look into are establishing "passing paths" at all sidings. This has helped me at a couple of logjams.-Eric Shock

Alert | IP

[ Home | MSTS Forum | MSTS FAQ | File Library ] Copyright © 2004 by Nels Anderson. All Rights Reserved.