West Africa 1975-2010

[RayofSunshine]

I realize the position of some members with all the programs operational. It is just my question of "why was I able to play all the beta versions, but not am not able to play the full fledged version"? It is a very interesting scenario and therefore I would like to see how the final version has changed, as well as to play it.
Also my statement was that whatever the patch of a member, the scenario will be downloaded, but because there are so many members only using the 1.06, that there will be less comments to the thread, as we are not able to play the 1.05 version. Well, at least not until we install the 1.05 patch.

[Hawk]

Maps made in 1.05 will load fine in 1.06, maybe not play as intended though.
Maps made in 1.06 will not load in 1.05.

Sounds like you might have a messed up installation Ray.

[RayofSunshine]

You were right, some how, with the installation Hawk. Went back to the Archives and downloaded the scenario again. And opeing the folder to get the different "inputs" needed to validating the player, I "overwrote" the "engines, PKs, and etc", which had already been copied in my previous attempt.
With that done, the scenario is now shown in the "menu of maps" , so can be played when loaded.
Just another one of those things which didn't function on the original attempt.
Thanks again for the info.

[RayofSunshine]

Well, I may have missed some comment, but a question. In this scenario, or maybe with any scenario, and the requirement is to be the only operational company, but not being able to merge with an AI because they liquidated, does that qualify. Some scenarios mention the term as "only survivor". Another as an "operational company". Just wondering.

[brunom]

In this scenario, that win condition is really testing the number of companies. You will not win if the number of companies is bigger than one (except bronze, which doesn't test this particular condition). I can't remember testing if a liquidated company still counts as a company for this accountancy or not. Still, a liquidated company can have its assets bought, in the same panel where you merge companies, and that makes it disappear for good.

The way this works, I guess it forces you to pay attention to the last minute because the other players are still active and might (theoretically) start a new company in the last minute.

I can't think of another simple way of programming a condition like this one, no matter how it's worded. You could allow for other companies to exist, but not own track, but this would be a little more complex to program (several lines, one per company at least) and not so interesting.

To my knowledge, limited as it is, there's only one way to do it (and that's my way )
B

[RayofSunshine]

One of the problems with the "only survivor" is to have merged, and then have that AI to start another railway. And the problem is that usually that AI has all of the stock in the new company, with no way of obtaining it. At that point I just "quit".

[belbincolne]

I've found that if at some point you offer a 100% premium it will be refused but if you wait the required period and offer again it will normally be accepted. I've won quite a few scenarios where this has been needed.

Haven't managed to play RT3 for last couple of months but will have to give some of the new scenarios a whirl as soon as I've some spare time.

[brunom]

Indeed, Ray, if that happens, and if it is in the last year of the scenario, it's bye bye medals.

I don't know any way around it, it's just life

B

[RayofSunshine]

Well Brunom,
There is a way to disable an AI from starting another company, but I don't know anything about programming such a feature. I say that there is such a way to program it, as I have played a number of other scenarios in which the AI just disappears. they might still be shareholders, but don't start another railroad.
However, it is a good scenario, and even with that problem, I enjoyed it challenges.

[Wolverine@MSU]

Well Brunom,
There is a way to disable an AI from starting another company, but I don't know anything about programming such a feature. I say that there is such a way to program it, as I have played a number of other scenarios in which the AI just disappears.

There's a checkbox in the "Special Conditions" to disable starting multiple companies. I don't know whether this will prevent an AI from starting a second company if his first one is taken over.

[RayofSunshine]

Thanks MSU,
And my comment regarding "multiple" starters, was for the benefit of Brunom, as he didn't know how it could be changed.
Now I don't like to change the programming of a user creation. That option should be left up to the creator of the scenario. However, I will check on your suggestion, although if I remember correctly, that "change" would then have to be saved as a different title, hence leaving the original in tact? Am not that enthusiastic in making changes in the Editor.

[brunom]

With nearly 2000 downloads (yep, celebration time is due ), I don't think it is justified to review the scenario because of this. And anyhow, I already have so much scenarios half-baked in here that I really don't want to dedicate time for this. Having said that, next time I make a "be the sole survivor" scenario, I'll try Wolverine's suggestion and report.
(Though I think it only applies to a player - AI or Human - already in charge of a company, Wolverine)

B

[brunom]

Well Brunom,
There is a way to disable an AI from starting another company, but I don't know anything about programming such a feature. I say that there is such a way to program it, as I have played a number of other scenarios in which the AI just disappears.

There's a checkbox in the "Special Conditions" to disable starting multiple companies. I don't know whether this will prevent an AI from starting a second company if his first one is taken over.

While preparing another scenario with AI players I just confirmed that "Disable starting multiple companies" does not apply to what we intended here. Once a player is ousted from a company because of a merger or a takeover, he can start another company. It will be his only company, hence not a case of "multiple co.s"
Specially if that happens after an aggressive merger with a big premium paid, the AI player will be left jobless but with a lot of cash in hand and will jump start a company owning 100% of the stock.

This means that if your objective is to be the single survivor, you need to be careful about how much cash you let your opponent take. Tough luck!

By the way, I realized we just tipped over the 2000 downloads mark one this - go go H&B !
B

[TheBonobo4]

After struggling for so long with this scenario, (going bankrupt, getting fired etc), I finally managed to get Gold on Medium. I think the key trick is to ignore trains until around 1997, and focus on Industry, since this is a guaranteed profit (and you start with $4.4M, which is enough for a few industries from start). The AI all failed, though not all went into liquidation or got fired, however the Benin and Abidjan both went into liquidation and I think the Senegal Railroad got fired, if not liquidated, making things easier.

I only started on trains once Abidjan-Niger went into liquidation (which was around 1995 I think, and may even have been before the Benin Railroad, despite me thinking the Benin Railroad being most likely to fail). By game end, I had around 5,000 miles of track, consisting of the 5 AI's layouts and a few connections to other coastal cities (as well as Abuja and Niamey). The Nigerian Railroad did create a new company after I merged (he did not get fired), which was also merged (in Liberia I believe, but may have been Sierra Leone).

Not sure how things would have gone had I been on Expert, but it was actually very simple on Medium, I was making around $8M profit a year (this might have been in a boom though) by end game, and had all Electric Track (although I used a few Diesels). Game was won by 2003. All in all a very nice and well made scenario.