New Map - English Contryside

[AakeL]

Hello friends! from AakeL. I've been working on this map trying to create a nice english landscape, hoping that some of you got a special interest in this part of the world(coming up soon, sended it yesterday). I should also say a few things about the scenario strategics. Tryed to make it straight forward easy to understand. 1.Did not allowed the bond offerings, because it became to easy, i thought. 2. Instead player's will be asked to take out loans at stategic dates, as when times are critical before connections should be made. 3.Quite a lot of money at the start duo it's very much rails to lay. So please have a try, i hopefully enjoy some of it. PS. Have a nice summer you folks on this half of the world and of course any other people at any weather where ever you are. Regards.DS

[Hawk]

Now available in the archives.

[brunom]

Hi Aakel

Don't take this post the wrong way, please

...but I think I should tell you that it is customary to post maps for review first. You do that by adding them as attachments to a thread message (like this one I'm replying to). Only once you let the community test it and fix whatever problems it might have it becomes ok to upload it to be placed in the archives.

Hawk will always be so nice and add the maps to the archive and possibly not ask anyone to pass them through some public testing before. But if you do put them here for review before sending to him, then you don't put our excellent and busy host to the trouble of uploading your updates.
Your previous maps were fine (appearance wide, you seem to be a natural-born artist) but had spelling and programming errors (99% of the maps have errors before another "pair of eyes" has a go at them - 100% in my case), which you corrected issuing a second (third?) version. The result is that the archives get updated over and over, which is unnecessary.

I'll download your map now and post a review as soon as I get the chance.

cheers!
B

[RayofSunshine]

I like this type on a scenario concept. I did run into a financial problem in trying to cnn with Exeter/Tonquay. Real marginal until I got a "loan"about 1948-9, and by this time, there was the notice that it was time to cnn with Bodmin/St.Austell. Got me to jumping to get the Exeter/Tonquay, as it was pinching the date of 1955 for the Bodmin/St.Austell cnn.
Anyway, to this point I had been trying to syncrunize both a express and freight over the same routings. But watching them, I found that the express was basically running empty a good portion of the time. The freight was doing a great haul in both directions. Or at least not running empty.
I did leave them operating until the end of the game, but increased the consist of the freight from 5-6-7-8 until the speed was getting too close to the acceptable 48 mph. At that time I decreased it back to 5.
The intial engines were Pacific for freight, and the Northern for express. However, once the Mallard became available, I switched. In the 1950s another faster engine became available, and the switch started again, as the Mallards speed got decreased.
Basically I used the spur for maintainence amenities. And depending on the length of haul, I would some times stagger which amenity I would use. Short hauls, 2 separate stops, and long hauls only 1.
It was not until the 1950s when I did purchase industries of demand of lumber and paper. These were the hauls which gave me the required quota from 2178 to 3300+, ending with a yearly total of 420 per yeat at the end.
But livestock is also a great marketable demand, it was just that "lumber mills" cost $900 and "paper mill" was $???and a "meat packer" is $2400. And that this point of the game, with laying track and purchasing large depots, I did not have that much revenue.
Seeing that I don't like a lot of steep mountainous terrain, I enjoy this type of terrain, of which track is less costly on the levels of 0-3. But it is the concept of challenge which makes it interesting. whatever changes might be made will make it just that much more interesting, and challenging.

[AakeL]

Hello all you tycoonfriends!, First i i'm going to resure "brunom" that i'm just glad for every tipp that anyone do make. That is very essential for me to evolve in making better scenarios(am just not sure how to lay out as attachments betas)And you are of course right, i have allready seen some things that i could have made better. well, thank for the replying hope we can correspond futher. From AakeL.

[AakeL]

To Ray, It was some time sens we spoke on line derfore i'm esspecially glad to here from you. I can se and read that you have been as allways very serious with reviewing and testing 1. I must ask did you got a financial decrees in company money after you took the loans ( i experiensed a real back drop, and if i had not had some very good industry earning and at least five or six trains runnig with good revenue it got really bad)2. This fras idid not understand "Basically I used the spur for maintainence amenities" at first have to look it up in my book. Getting back to you in other matter if i may. Regard to my very best observer. From AakeL. and . DS.

[RayofSunshine]

Sorry for the response delay. Got hung up on a couple of other Betas.
Actually Aakel I was operating in the red, or at least marginal in revenue, so that I could not get a loan, or do anything to expand the operations. It was not until the "programmed" loan came, that I was able to lay track to Exeler/etc. And as mentioned, it was around the 50s, so was at the very edge of the 1955 deadline to get the requirements completed.
The industries which I may have had, of which I don't remember at this time, as notes got tossed, were not adequate enough to attain any progress of operations to Exeler/etc (don't have the spelling of the other city).
But all worked out by the 1955 deadline. will have to try next time to invest in more industries.

[belbincolne]

Managed to play this one through on Normal.

In one way the scenario is beyond me. Speed. Firstly though I made all the connection requirements incredibly easily. I built one Industry (Textile) early but think could have managed on railing alone. Cash just rolled in. At the end I was triple the carryings needed. As soon as the really fast train came in I changed all my trains to it. Double lined so there was no waiting and ran passengers on 0/4 (all on priority haulage). Goods on 2/6. The average speed on both was under 35. Sometimes I did manage to get to 36. Five years from time I changed goods to 2 / 4. They did get up to 36 - but passengers dropped to 34. How is this possible?

One real peculiarity arose. Twice I got a message to say trains could not reach their next station. In both cases they had been running o/k. The first time I found a bridge had got a gap in the middle so I repaired it and that was that - but why? The second time everything was fine. Absolutely no reason. I retired all these trains. Bought new ones doing same trips and they ran o/k. Why. why. why

[AakeL]

Hi there Belbin from Colne. Well i can't really know why(why, why) you had those mysterios faults, where track did not connect and speed dropped. Other than that i have not putted in no trubbelmaking ingrediens in the game scenario. It's often some things that appers for now obvious reason. You as being an englishman, maybe you have an advantage in making your own country flourishing. Hope to here more from you. best of regards From AakeL.

[RayofSunshine]

Bel,
I have had a problem with bridges as well. It did become necessary to bulldoze those with even tracks and then relay them to correct the problem.
As to the engines. I have found that after a number of years, that all the speeds change. I have even found when I might reboot after I have shut down for a time, that the speeds are different than prior to shut down.
Guess it has something to do with the programming, and some times it seems odd.

[AakeL]

Hi there Ray, I,m now in a slightly desperat mode. Are you telling me that this ghost just apperes in this particurlar map "english countryside". Thou i have played it my self about twentyfive times during progresse, i've never noticed this "bridge ghost" (to call it something). And that thing with the speed indicator's is also a little funny so to speak. Well, for me (the worst "programmer" in the world it will be impossible to now anything about the matter). I'm gonna play and check and try it, try it, try it again anyway. thanks for helping AakeL.

[belbincolne]

I'll try again and see what happens. It's quite likely to be the way its installed on my computer and can't be replicated elsewhere. I've had several other examples before - probably we all have.

[AakeL]

That is kind of a relief, if a am to understand that this problem has to do with the game it self and can apper randomly anywhere at any time on any map?

[belbincolne]

Yes - I'm guessing that its something to do with the way patches etc have been loaded - and possibly what video card you have but I'm no expert. I've had speed problems before but cant remember ever having trains unable to use lines except when (say) an earthquake/flood has been programmed in. Won't have a chance to play again for some time as away after today.

[RayofSunshine]

Seeing that I have had the same "ghost" bridge problem with other maps, it is not the maps or scenarios, but "maybe" a glitch in the graphic cards. OOOORRRR, what I did find in a couple of instances,
e.g. Laying a track into a city, which is by a river. Then later, to build a bridge to the next city. For some reason the "connection" is not completed, although it "looks" complete, as well as, using an "overlay", it does not indicate any problem. If a problem, the bottom "track laid price" indicator will show the cost. It is just one of those things which a player has to keep making alternatives, until the problem gets corrected. In most instances, I have found that the bridge has to be bull-dozed, and replaced.