German South West Africa (and Crashes in general)

[belbincolne]

World record here?? !! ??

With the other scenarios causing problems at the moment this one crashed before it even finished loading necessitating alt-ctrl-del action!

At least the reaon proved to be obvious - it needs the G-Wizz port (and possibly other things). I know I had this but suspect it was one of the things I deleted in an attempt to stop some other scenarios from crashing.

Perhaps Lama can add what extras are needed to the Read Mr?

And could Ray tell us what he has in his Bad Maps Folder (Luzithania thread)? I'd be interested to see if they're the ones that crash on me also although I've no solutions as to why that should be.

[Hawk]

I'm afraid asking for Lama to do anything is going to be a waste of time. I don't believe anyone's heard from him in over 2 years, sadly.

[El Moichi]

For this map to play, the installation of a Gwizz Port is required.

The files are included in the original german zip-file and, surely, Lama pointed that out in the german readme.

[Edit] As I noticed, the additional files are NOT included in the translated zip-file here. You can download the original files here:

http://dl.railroadtycoons.de/ -> RT3-Maps -> Africa, then the second map.

Unzip the files, install them and take the *.gmp-file translated by OilCan, then everythng should work fine.

[Hawk]

You can also get the Gwizz Port here.

http://hawkdawg.com/rrt/rrt3/Xtras/Buil ... ctures.htm

[El Moichi]

Thanks Hawk, for I noticed that the file hosted by Molse does NOT contain that additional files, instead of the other maps by Lama.

So what I wrote yesterday, it´s not true (at the moment).

I am sorry for that.

[OilCan]

For this map to play, the installation of a Gwizz Port is required.

This is my oversight, and I appologize. It crossed my mind at one point when I first started the translation, but the thought did not reoccur as I wrapped it all up. I guess a note about the Gwizz port should be added to the map box.

This is not an easy game. Lama did not give much slack in his timetable nor the haul requirements. The limited track keeps you guessing about whether you are going to make it. The game has a historical background, although Lama has the final battle taking place in Windhuk. This is not entirely accurate. The outnumbered and poorly equipped German forces (moslty armed settlers) withdrew from Windhuk without a fight in favor of making a stand in the north of the colony. They did make a heroic stand, but the South African forces were too many for them. South Africa over ran the colony with very little loss of life, but the victory was more for PR than anything else: there was nothing strategic nor a valuable resource gained from the conquest....unless desert sand is considered valuable.

[Hawk]

I guess a note about the Gwizz port should be added to the map box.

Done!

[RayofSunshine]

Luck must have been in my favor, to a sort. I played the scenario without any crashes, and didn't know anything about what to do with the Gwizz port.

Adequately I had not problem on achieving the goals within the amount of track limitations. But I did not win the war. The reason was the limitations of being able to mandate troops to confront the invasion. Using the "custom" selection, I was unable to direct troops, and even though I used "custom" selection, and would indirectly select a number of alternate destinations, I could only manage 3-4 troop consists. That was inadequate considering the requirement was 24.

The same with the ammo and weapons. Consists designating them were too slow to be effective to even get to the point of the invasion. My recourse was to direct other trains to other destinations, to be redirected to the point of necessity. This was effective to quell the uprising of the natives, but being the slower original engines, I had to replace them with much faster electric. Made for slower speeds on steep inclines, but even then, I had to keep redirecting them, and the invasion was happening faster than I could get the troops, ammo, and weapons into position to head off the attack.

Not being able to manually direct consists are one of the disappointment of RT3, especially when such is slected by the "custom" option.

Just a lot of enjoyment in the creations, and I appreciate the imaginations, as I know that there is a lot of time and effort required to make such scenarios.

[Gwizz]

I've often wondered why some people have a problem with the Gwizz Port and others don't.

I don't remember ever having fails to start or crashes with or without installing the Gwizz Port. Strange. Must have something to do with reaching a memory limit. But, the port and the station loading together shouldn't add that much load on memory.

[Sugus]

It's a fact that some scenarios - e.g. Coal Miner's Daughter - will CtD, if the famous Gwizz Port insn't installed. As you can see concerning arop's Great Southern RR (as an extreme problematic sample), it's obvious, that RT3 looks for "some things to be available" when loading a map. Till now, I hadn't the time and the desire to deeply work around this problem.

[RayofSunshine]

Okay you wizards, as I basically am illeterate when it comes to computers. Why is the Gwizz port of such importance? What function to be needed in a scenario? And, where is it available? I do believe that to play "Coal Miner's Daughter" that it was part of the folder, but not certain.

I am not trying to disqualify the necessity, as I believe that Gwizz is a "Whizz" when it comes to imagination and creations. I usually find it pure enjoyment to play them. Hence, I am just trying to get a handle on what I should be doing to be able to not have some scenarios crash at any time, especially when either just after the download, or in the attempt immediately to save that download.

[Hawk]

Here's the link to the Gwizz Port.

http://hawkdawg.com/rrt/rrt3/xtras/xtras5.htm#gwiz

[Sugus]

@Ray of Sunshine: As a map creator, I'm free to introduce and use additional buildings or whatever else. Of course, it's my in responsability to inform the possible user about my extensions. And if I do that as expected, you'll find a 'readme' file telling you, how to run my map. But there are some highlights all over the RT3 history. And one of them is the famous Gwizz Port! You'll find it in Hawk's Extras as well as in some maps. Playing a (user created) map assumes, that you have checked the necessary conditions!

And, please, don't attack Lama - he's the King of Scenario Creation!

[RayofSunshine]

It is and was never my intention to attack anyone. You Surgus, Lama, or any other map creator. I have the highest regards and appreciation for all map and scenario creators. Although computer illiterate, I have a very talented electronic son who can build computers from scratch, diagnois electronic problems, as well as manufacture gambling systems. I can see what his talents and time to complete such programs.

Being of a computer illiterate, I ask questions to try and analize the purpose of some of the "items of creation", which are being used in specific scenarios. And yes, the "read me" inclusions are of great help, and much appreciated in order to know what to expect from a creators "new idea" to be downloaded.

Sorry if the wording was incorrectly written.

[Hawk]

And, please, don't attack Lama - he's the King of Scenario Creation!

I don't see where Ray was attacking Lama, you or anyone with his question. I believe you have misread his question.

[Gwizz]

I didn't like the way PopTop chopped many RT3 features to get the game out the door sooner. The Gwizz port simply put passengers back at the port by combining a port with a town station.

[Sugus]

You're right, Hawk! Ray, I'd like to apologize for that.

[belbincolne]

Well I installed the GWizz port and it caused no difficulties. I'm afraid that cant be said for the remainder of the game though! Had no difficulty in making the connections but although I'd connected to Luderitz with a large station on the edge of town covering every building in it and "connected" came up no transits to it counted. (There isnt a GWizz port here).

The early transits to Windkop also didn't register on the Almanac although I got extra rails for carrying them (probably they come up as they arrive but vanish at year end). Don't understand the need to connect the two eastern towns to carry textiles - there's no farms there and no textile mill appeared.

Worst is the ammunition/weapons position. Although Swakopmund had some early on (enough to send to Windkop) after that no more came into the port. Luderitz did keep getting pathetic numbers but nothing like enough to stop the enemy forces - I probably carried enough troops but by then it was late so I didn't count them.

I think therefor there's some problems in the scenario design but I will give it another try - I think I can probably achieve all the scenario requirements before the necessity to fight the enemy arrives but we'll have to see. I got Silver by the way.

[Wolverine@MSU]

The early transits to Windkop also didn't register on the Almanac although I got extra rails for carrying them (probably they come up as they arrive but vanish at year end).

Yes, if you look at the Status Page in the ledger for the previous year (i.e. in January) it won't show what was hauled the previous year. I usually have a look in May or June, take stock of current trains to see what's going there and add new trains as needed to get the quotas by the end of the year.

Don't understand the need to connect the two eastern towns to carry textiles - there's no farms there and no textile mill appeared.

I had three Sheep Farms spawn around the two towns and a Textile Mill in Windkop. Don't know whether they spawned when the annoncement was made or after making the connection. Did you make the connection and still nothing spawned?

Worst is the ammunition/weapons position. Although Swakopmund had some early on (enough to send to Windkop) after that no more came into the port. Luderitz did keep getting pathetic numbers but nothing like enough to stop the enemy forces - I probably carried enough troops but by then it was late so I didn't count them.

Are you talking about the 5/2/2 yearly to Windkop or the stuff needed to quell the rebellion. In either case, I found I had to use the "bait and switch" strategy to get them to work. Sometimes there wasn't enough Ammo/Weapons to make the yearly quotas, but I'ld say I made them about 50% of the time. Rebellion took a few years to complete, and again, I had to use the "bait and switch" to make it work (Troops were generally not a problem on either task).

I think therefor there's some problems in the scenario design but I will give it another try - I think I can probably achieve all the scenario requirements before the necessity to fight the enemy arrives but we'll have to see. I got Silver by the way.

I chose "Standard guage" and used only Dukes. Kept a maximum of 3 cars per train going uphill to keep speeds up. I also built a Large Station next to the Gwizz Port to cover Swakopmund. Getting Livestock there was easy, but had to use a few tricks to get the Iron quota 'cause I didn't start trying to specifically haul Iron until later in the game.

[belbincolne]

Got Gold on Expert on next try. Hard work as I was just 2 loads of iron short so had to do emergency transit of troops etc. I think I had less iron mines than on previous try (maybe because I'd gone from Normal to Expert?) as I achieved that target easily before.

I cheated though as realising that I might not make it I bought about 6 trains two years early and filled them with troops etc ready to go - and stopped the only one which set off. So 1st Jan off they went and that target was reached in April. Thought that would give me gold but no had to transport again to See..? Changed every train with troops etc on it to go there and got Gold 2 months later. Wonder if I'd also got the iron target in this period so got Gold then and not after first success (didn't think to check). As I didn't have to carry troops etc to third town as in previous try.

Don't really like scenarios which need extensive micro managing but this was an exception - highly enjoyable especially as I'm housebound due to snow keeping my car in the garage! (Grandma Ruth - if you're reading this hows things your way?)

On previous points - Windkop almanac - yes its year by year - and as I didn't need the extra track maybe should have stopped sending troops etc there after a couple of successes and thus not had to deal with the native uprising.

Sheep farms and Textile Mill appeared this time (didn't check whether before or after)

Ammo/weapons - to Windkop o/k. For the war as I said I pre-prepaired so had them that way.

And finally I used Narrow Gauge. Worked fine. I had so much cash I electrified and changed every train as soon as it became available. I got another offer much later some 5 plus years after I'd already done it which I didn't get first play - odd that. Incidentally I bought every mine & cattle farm on the map just to make sure they didn't vanish. On Normal all finished very profitable - less so on Expert.