Over the Carpathes

[belbincolne]

Went back and played on. Got 10 out of the 11 start of 1913 and then changed every train carrying missing goods to last town and got there in Nov and Gold at end of year. Hence didnt test that you got Gold for only 10 (assuming its programmed to check at end of year only).
My only comment really is that in some ways its too easy because money simply flows in so you can afford to build and upgrade (say) a Textile Mill by one sheep farm regardless of how profitable it is. For those who like micro-managing custom consist trains its a good scenario. As I've said, personally, I'm not keen on such micro-managing and prefer a scenario where you have to struggle to achieve profitability and PNW. But there's plenty of people out there who do.

[RayofSunshine]

Hey Bel,
I have watched the responses of which you make for playing scenarios, and who am I to question those of a real Tycoon, but I have learned a lesson. Although the PNW is not a requirement of some scenarios, I still check the progress of my profits in JULY. At this time I save the play. At this way, I only have those months thereafter to refigure my play, rather than to back up to Jan. Just a suggestion, as we all appreciate your endeavor and expertise to make this "hobby" more interesting and enjoyable.

[belbincolne]

Hi Ray

thanks for your kind comments - but its you guys who make scenarios that deserve all the credit - without you RT3 (and 6 with huge gratitude to those who created this - and Hawk for all his work) would have gone the way of most other computer games this old. I'm only too pleased to have new scenarios to while away the rainy days with

I forget to save midterm dating back to when my computer was so small that couldn't afford the space and only rarely remember when I realise that its big decision time to go this way or that - normally just rely on autosave even though I know this is daft.

My big puzzle is why do some scenarios get downloaded dozens (hundreds) of times but only 2 or 3 people post?

[Hawk]

My big puzzle is why do some scenarios get downloaded dozens (hundreds) of times but only 2 or 3 people post?

I'm guessing that it may be the same type of situation as with MSTS and RailWorks. A lot of people download files and play the game but never participate in forums.

[RayofSunshine]

With all the suggestions of play and maybe upgrade this scenario, I changed my strategy of play as to that of using the $50M test fund, as well as mergers, industries, and double track. Some what unlike Bels method. Much was due to the problems I had with that system.
This time I din't either merge or double track anything. I did buy a few industries in order to fill the loads hauled requirement, and just missed the 11th city, the loads of which were standing at the water/sand of the last city, but was completed in 1908, 6 years ahead of deadline of 1914. Play was only in the the Medium, and it could be more of a challenge in Hard or Expert.
The problem which I have of hauling commodities, and especially when sharing a city with an AI, is that of a requirement of commodities supply to that of a demand. e.g. coal/iron/steel/goods. I may haul any one of them, but the AI doesn't give a dam, and will haul it out on their next trip. So, my engine sets waiting for a finished product. "All is fair in love and war" I guess. Part of the fun.
I know that this sceanrio is not one of Bel's "taste", but he still gives his all to test them. Now I so like this type of scenario, as it gives me a "hard time" to keep oriented on how to keep micromanaging load hauls for a requirement. We older members have to keep our minds from deteriorating, and this is a good solution.
Now I just wish that someone would give some strategy to that of playing the "This is Sweden". This isn't part of this tread, but I'll sneak it in, and maybe get some results. LOL I like that scenario, but get nowhere with it.

[brunom]

Two weeks since the last comment in this thread (unusual rate of revisions, but it's perfectly ok)... here is a revised version.

changelog:
- eligible cities for cargo accounting have their names written in capitals now
- AI are curbed and will not expand as much
- historical events added (recognizable dates from international history)
- historical events include the Long Depression - between 1873 and 1890

comments:
- Indeed this is a change from my usual scenarios. It won't be uncommon for players to be amazingly wealthy in the late years of the game - but that won't guarantee any medal - i don't want to change the spirit of this map now, even if I am among those who don't appreciate micro-managing RRT.
- the Long Depression was an interesting finding during my research - it sure adds a level of difficulty during the first 20 years since you get a crash and a long poor economic status almost from start - I didn't find it impossible with this in my single trial, but the lower industry growth will make it even more key to manage cargo accurately.
- I still haven't figured out what makes the scenario crash on some occasions. On my single test with this version, it didn't...

Overall, I am quite happy with the scenario now, but didn't test it to the end. However, since I am very short on "hobby time" these days, feel free to play and comment at will - it will take time before I have the opportunity and the energy to paint the whole thing.

B

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[RayofSunshine]

In Brunom's last thread, he mentions revisions, which are dated Feb ??, but the Archives only shows his Galacia-1870 and Jan ??. So, has his revision included in that Jan posting, or not yet updated?

[Hawk]

Revisions to what map? If you're talking about the Carpathes map discussed in this thread, the revision is in the post above yours.

[RayofSunshine]

Thanks Hawk,
For your patience. And damed if I don't know the reason that these attachments are not appearing at times.
Yes, it is there NOW, but not when I had read it before I went hunting into the Archives.

[Hawk]

The only reason I can think of is your Internet connection times out sometimes before it fully loads the site.

You are with AOL after all.

[Sugus]

Wow! Hard life around the Carpathes!

Was fighting (beta 02 on medium) yesterday and today and got silver as you can expect from

and - very strange - got (in 1914) a message for winning silver in GERMAN! (Yes, sure, I'm playing with a German version, but - I inspected the map by means of the editor - you've specified a related message in English. Try to find out the reason for this effect. A radio button selected the wrong way?)

Ok, there are a couple of reasons for failing to get gold:
- Economy was down within the first five years and especially after 1905.
- Obviously I was too silly to run profitable trains - hmmm, had no chance to get the rights to either Poland or Prussia (to reach a tenth required city).
- And finally: I HATE TRAIN CRASHES! Being some k or even M dollars below zero you'll have no chance to do anything useful as reaction to a "bunrning locomotive". (Hey, have you ever seen that in reality?) PLEASE: disable this horrible RT3 "feature"!

[Wolverine@MSU]

- And finally: I HATE TRAIN CRASHES! Being some k or even M dollars below zero you'll have no chance to do anything useful as reaction to a "bunrning locomotive". (Hey, have you ever seen that in reality?) PLEASE: disable this horrible RT3 "feature"!

Load the scenario into the Editor, check "Disable Train Crashes", resave it and play away to your heart's content.

[Sugus]

Of course, Wolverine@MSU, as a map creator I know about this method. Nevertheless, I try to play a scenario in the sense of the author and avoid any "tuning" simply for reaching gold. But if so, instead of disabling train crashes I'd prefer to give my company a yearly cash of let's say $10 million dollar and any "problems" vanish into thin air!

[brunom]

Turning train crashes off is not an option

But I could tweak their reliability (as scenario creator, eheh). Since about half the game will be working under depression conditions, I think it is a tweak towards playability.

Thanks for the test report, Sugus. I will look into those silver/gold conditions. Other than that, any crash problems or extra comments?

B

[Wolverine@MSU]

Turning train crashes off is not an option

In the Editor, under "Special Conditions" is a checkbox for turning off train crashes.

[brunom]

.. turning off the engine crashes is an option in the Editor, yes, but it's an option I am not taking as scenario creator in this one. That's because I actually decided they were going to be enabled and would be part of the scenario... that's what I was saying earlier, but thanks for making me clarify this, wolverine

B

[RayofSunshine]

Well Fellas,
To enjoy myself, I like to "play, play, play". SO, I play, but do not necessarily like steep extreme to moderate mountains, as well as the dislike of "crashes". BUT, that is in affect, reality.
Hence, to tell anyone who knows how the programming works, that a player has to consider the terrain, in the selection of engine to accommodate, even if the speed is not favorable, or within their "reliable" expectations.
Now not knowing any thing about using the Editor to change the "reliability" of engines, a player can disable "crashes" by using the "tab key" in combination with the "lower case ""period key". When a notice or bulletin screen appears, type in the "cheat" of >>safety first<<. That will disable any crashes.

Everything to each individual's option, opinion, or liking.

[brunom]

Revised version of this scenario:
--- ATTACHMENT REMOVED ----

This version has minor fixes, including the win/loose conditions and improved reliability for all engines.

I am also done with the painting aspect, but the map still has no trees. I did try to spray a few around, but was so unhappy with the result that I erased them all and postponed another attempt. After that, it just laid here in my archives for a while. Tonight, I decided to post this anyway.

Everything should work nicely, and if a charitable soul wishes to offer help in the form of adding the trees, it's a finished project.

If not, well... sometime in the future I might get back to it.

B

[brunom]

update:

In the process of uploading the file to the archives... keep posting reviews, please, thank you

B

[Hawk]

The final version is now in the archives, in the Europe section.