Interest in Trainmaster !!!!!

[AT41B]

I have been checking the TM forum from time to time and it seems like no one is interested in this version. Should I just concentrate my endeavors of making my scenario a version 1.06 or continue with the TM version ??

[RulerofRails]

Back when Hawk had a sign-up required for downloads, IIRC there were about 200 people over there for every 1 that went on the forums. In terms of how much interest there is in TM of late, a check on the download counts for that might help, I'm not quite sure what metrics are available? Because there are few scenarios available it may be that people don't feel they have much to add.

It's your choice really. I think it's safe to say that with more maps, and less of a learning curve, 1.06 will always be more popular. Personally, if you planned the scenario for TM, and have built/setup a TM economy to a good stage already, I would carry on. I will play it for sure. After-the-fact it wouldn't be that much work to adapt it the economy for 1.06 later, things like events can be transferred straight across. But if you haven't built the economy yet, it might be a harder call to make.

[AT41B]

1. I personally like the setup of the game and the logistics of the different industries.

2. On and off, for over a year, I have been working on a TM scenario. It has come down to the fact of "change this and change that" so many times, that I get frustrated.

3. The main problem is that I cannot get the designated AI to enter the game as I would like. I have tried all sorts of situations for the AI . I believe I have selected a good AI player .

I enjoy playing the game, making topographic changes on the fly, such as river heights, mountain heights, natural resources, working with the events trying to make the scenario do what I would like it to do, etc.

What I was trying to do is play the game without the AI or the AI company being present on the screen. When 25 years have passed, and the players company has not lay track in all four counties, the AI shows up by creating a company and laying track in the last county. And then, if the AI company had not lain X-number units of track by the end of 6+ years, the AI’s assets would revert over to the player ID #1

[RulerofRails]

In the past people have suggested keeping AI players dormant: by setting Player cash = $0. Then when you want to activate him, give him personal cash with an event which he will hopefully use to start a company and lay some rails.

However, it's a bit hard to control territories precisely for companies that haven't started yet. If anyone else knows, please enlighten us.

Controlling where the AI player starts the new company is a bit of a conundrum. Territory access is controlled at the company level, which is meaningless if he doesn't already have a company. Other than that there is only the default access (normal) or no access (using Limited access option in Territories tab). These options can only be set at game start.

The AI will look for building opportunities when starting a company in Territories that are by default accessible. If you have an event that blocks their access when they start a company they will not go through with the planned build if it is subsequently in out-of-bounds territory. That would look like a company who started but didn't build any track.

If, as you say, you give him 6 years grace, it may not matter if he doesn't immediately build track. So I would go with the option to have all territories open by default (don't use Limited access). Then just have an event for each territory.

Each of these would use Force test against Territories - the specific one and Force against Companies - only AI companies and a check of a variable that would show if the Human player built in that territory yet (need separate set of events for that), and finally use the effect on combination "territory/company for which condition is TRUE" of "Set Territory - Allow All to FALSE."

If you want to restrict the players access to territories and want him to be able to purchase them at any time, instead of event choice solution, this wont work that well. You could try to use "AI ignore Territories at startup", I didn't check, but I think they may proceed with builds in out-of-bounds territories which would then be useless to him. (You could use extra grace events to let him keep an out-of-bounds build). As I said I'm not quite sure how this option works.



Something else you could try is to keep an AI company around with no territory rights. (You could possibly disguise it as something else. An trading/investment/mining/casino company or whatever probably let it own a low-earning building or two to keep it's books slightly positive.) Without access rights it wont be able to build rail. If you use Set company cash = $20,000 every month it shouldn't be able to buy more industry. I don't think it will try to use bonds to buy industry (not 100% on that).

In this case you could set exactly the specific rights at the right time along with cash. Hopefully he will build some track.

Let me know if you understood or if you want more details, ideas etc..

[AT41B]

Thanks You mentioned one item I did not try ! I will incorporate that and run a couple of games. I hope it works.
I will let you know.

thanks again,
ATB