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"New Activity - Whitefish Local 2081, Episode 1"

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SuperDave (26 posts)
Jul-29-01, 06:51 PM (EST) "New Activity - Whitefish Local 2081, Episode 1" Just a note about a mis-type in this activity's description on the Download Site. It states that the local is between Whitefish and Cumberland Falls (it should say Columbia Falls ... sorry, my bad). That's what I get for trying to finish the documentation at 2AM.This is my first attempt at setting up an activity with multiple-AI traffic running around the yard. Please let me know if this causes any bad "frame-rate" hits. At one point there are as many as 3 AI trains moving about the yard during your switching operation. Oh, by the way ... be sure to stay on YOUR sidings, as AI trains and your train (as well as static consists) don't mix well.There have been mixed opinions about using AI trains and I have to side with those saying they should be used. You just have to figure out ways to work around their limitations. If not, your activities would appear to operate in a "lifeless" world. Kind of like the Steven King movie, "The Langoliers".A couple of points about "AI" trains I discovered when making this activity:1) Do NOT try to make an AI train couple up to a preset "static" consist; and especially don't try to couple your engine or service to a stalled AI train (the later will lock you up and send you to the desktop ... at least, that's what happened to me).2) Also, (a good point made by "flarrfan" in another post) keep your paths for the AI trains short. In this particular activity, I made the paths so that the AI trains "appeared" and "disappeared" just outside the normal distance of vision; if you're where you should be when switching. Naturally, if you just sit at the west end of Whitefish, you'll see AI trains suddenly appear (as if "beamed-down" by Scotty ...).3) You can't always trust the "VCR - Player" in the Editor to give you a true representation of timing or signal sequencing. Sometimes you just have to make your "best guess" and see how it runs in the sim.Anyway, hope the activiy provides interest for those of you still trying to figure out the editors (as most of us are).Dave Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
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Subject Author Message Date ID RE: New Activity - Whitefish Local ... JAG07 Jul-29-01 1 RE: New Activity - Whitefish Local ... davy Aug-24-01 2 RE: New Activity - Whitefish Local ... michigandon Aug-24-01 3

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JAG07 (2 posts)
Jul-29-01, 07:58 PM (EST) 1. "RE: New Activity - Whitefish Local 2081, Episode 1" Hi SuperDave,I downloaded your activity, played it, and thought is was great! I thought you used the 'alert messages' perfectly. I almost felt as though the dispatcher was talking to me. I wish all the activities were as well thought out as yours. And your use of the 'AI' trains was just excellent...made the Whitefish yard come to life! One of the best activities to date!! Keep up the great work, and I look forward to more of your activities! Thanks. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
davy (17 posts)
Aug-24-01, 05:22 PM (EST) 2. "RE: New Activity - Whitefish Local 2081, Episode 2" Just ran your activity and it was one of the worst experiences I've ever had. It crashed MSTS just about every time one of your messages came up. It even crashed when after several hours I finally completed it and the "ACTIVITY COMPLETE" message came up. I guess I'm the fool for persevering and completing it. Just had to let you know what a frustrating experience it was. I ran your first episode and didn't have these problems. Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
michigandon (46 posts)
Aug-24-01, 07:45 PM (EST) 3. "RE: New Activity - Whitefish Local 2081, Episode 2" I too have been having problems with "Part 2". Many, many, MANY sound loop errors. Too bad too, because I really enjoyed Part 1. I thought it had a lot of interesting AI traffic, funny popup messages, and challenging switching scenarios. And it didn't cause my frame rates to suffer badly like many of the "aftermarket" activities seem to do.
Keep trying!Don Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

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