Introduce a new player in middle of game

[edbangor]

I had this thought to add to something I'm working on but don't know if it's possible so thought I'd ask.

What I want to do is set up the scenario for just a single human player - without AI players - but at a choosen point use an EVENT to bring a AI player onto the map.
For example, the human is given a task to do in say, 10 years in an exclusive territory. if he doesn't do it, then a second company (and player) is bought in to do it. (as would happen in real life, although in RT3 world the player would still have to complete the task by now with someone else in the way.)

Is this possible to do or would the AI player have to be exisiting from the start, tinking about in the stock market etc, or can they be introduced from scratch part way through a game?

PS: If I didn't explain this right just ask and I'll have another go when it's not so late.

[EPH]

In short, no, you cannot add new players in the middle of the game.

Check out the 'Chicago to New York' scenario that comes with the original RRT3 game. When WWI comes you can hand off your company to an AI player (who has been kept pretty much inactive up until then) and get it back in 1920.

What you could do is set up territories and events such that failure to fulfill an objective would seize any track, stations or even trains in the affected territory and hand them to an AI player. Or just give the AI player access to the terrotory and a boatload of money and see what happens (probably not what you want - none of the AIs are very good at running a railroad).

[edbangor]

Thanks EPH

That's pretty much what I thought the answer would be.

I guess the only way around it is to set up the AI player from the start but don't give them access to any territories, just let them play the stockmarket in the human player's company.
Then when the event is triggered, give them access and - as you say - money and hope they build something interesting and not the usual freakfest the AI companies normally come up with.

Still, I like the idea of the AI being given part of the Human's track, stations etc. as a 'punishment' for not doing whatever it was fast enough as I hadn't thought of that one.

[Grandma Ruth]

Still, I like the idea of the AI being given part of the Human's track, stations etc. as a 'punishment' for not doing whatever it was fast enough as I hadn't thought of that one.

There is an effect called "confiscate" which I've never been able to work out. Either it confiscates the AI's stuff to the human player or the other way round (can't remember which - I'm at work just now) but I've never been able to figure out what really happens when you use it. It might be worth playing around with it to see if you can make it do what you want.

By the way, I just noticed, another Limey! Whoo-hoo! Feeling all patriotic today after the Last Night of the Proms this weekend.

[edbangor]

There is an effect called "confiscate" which I've never been able to work out. Either it confiscates the AI's stuff to the human player or the other way round (can't remember which - I'm at work just now) but I've never been able to figure out what really happens when you use it. It might be worth playing around with it to see if you can make it do what you want.

Interesting, had a look in the editor and Confiscate (tracks, trains, stations, buildings or all) would appear to "assign all the current [whatever] in the territory to the current company" - wonder what it means by "current company".... Guess I'll need to investigate that further to see what it does, if the 'current company' can be specified.

Thanks for the tip - we Brits have to stick together in England's green and plesant land

[Grandma Ruth]

My pleasure. Let us know how you get on.

[EPH]

Look at the events for 'Chicago to New York' because there are some that do exactly what you want.

Your event should force test by territory, with 'AI companies only' selected, and have a 'Company ID = 1' (or whatever the numerical ID is for the company you want to use). In the drop-down territory box, select the territory in which the event will happen.

You will be able to confiscate trains, track and stations in the specified territory. DO NOT confiscate buildings as this will hand over every house, farm, mine, factory and for all I know tree in the territory.

The events you need to look at are Confusekate! and Take Back Now. The first one hands the human company over to the AI, and the second hands it back. Hope this helps!

[edbangor]

Oddly I've used the confiscate trains event before for when the volcano blows in "Edland" as, but only to remove trains, tracks etc, from the game not to give them to someone else as, for some reason I now forget, it worked better than the destroy event.

Thanks for the tip though, as I think I have the perfect place to use it to change ownership over in the second scenario I'm basing on my new "Hub" map, which I'm currently working on.

Weird about confiscate buildings, giving you everything though. Guess that must be a programming error.

[edbangor]

I had this thought to add to something I'm working on but don't know if it's possible so thought I'd ask.

What I want to do is set up the scenario for just a single human player - without AI players - but at a choosen point use an EVENT to bring a AI player onto the map.
For example, the human is given a task to do in say, 10 years in an exclusive territory. if he doesn't do it, then a second company (and player) is bought in to do it. (as would happen in real life, although in RT3 world the player would still have to complete the task by now with someone else in the way.)

Is this possible to do or would the AI player have to be exisiting from the start, tinking about in the stock market etc, or can they be introduced from scratch part way through a game?

PS: If I didn't explain this right just ask and I'll have another go when it's not so late.

Okay, I know I'm answering my own question but I found a way around this... sort off.

In my current Trainmaster scenario, I've set up an 'extra' AI player who will join in later during the game.
This is done by setting him up, but giving him, initially no money. Then, at the point you want them to start, (say at the end of a failed human player challange) use an event to give them a boat load of cash and see what they do. They might just play the stock market but, assuming there's still room on the map, (I've set mine up to change the AI territory rights so this 'new' player will have rights previous players did not) they will start a company and get right on in there.