I believe this is a final result, at least for me. I think the gremlin is dead.
![YeHaa ::!**!](./images/smilies/brain_yahoo.gif)
I did about 17 runs- after I had the solution I did a few confirmatory tests and lost track of the number somewhere above #14. Remember these are partials (not over 14 years). I'll spare the details. The interesting thing will be to see if anyone else has some feedback on the following findings.
Now, mind you, I started by searching the threads to find out how to get into the AI company in the editor.
![head bash |--0](./images/smilies/wallbash.gif)
. I finally found Blackhawk telling danielches how in Rt3/Letters to the Editor/Scenario Writing thread. So I sucked the scenario into the editor and ctrl-clicked on an empty portrait and VOILA- there is the mouse-over note at the bottom of the page explaining how to do it. Thanks for telling me guys.
![Grrrr (*!grr!*)](./images/smilies/sd-grrr.gif)
Really, I always prefer my embarassments in public. It just makes me stronger!
![roll_laugh ^**lylgh](./images/smilies/lachliegen.gif)
!
OK... I tried something simple like just adding a maintenance shed to pair with the nearby water tower in case that was a problem; it shouldn't be- the AI isn't smart enough to add them when it takes over a resigned or fired chairmans empty company so I didn't think that was a big factor. I tried moving the station and the city to different places to no avail; bulldozing most of the island and building new ones as well ("islands", not islands; forgot the ocean bridge wasn't available yet.). No go.
I noticed later that whenever I did this, I placed the city over the station (not directly but close enough) rather than the other way around (which meant that I had to change the station name to match- in this case, Copenhagen). This glitched every single time. When I placed the city first and then the track and station, (no matter where- on the continent, on an "island" etc) TA DAAA: the glitch vanished. (Does anyone else put stations first and then the city, and have you noticed any weird effects?) Remember my home maps never did this because I just now learned how to get into the AI heads, so I've never done it that way before either, and I don't know if that's how EPH did this particular one: track/station first, or city placement first?
At any rate, I decided to try a simple test- do nothing but trash the station and rebuild it- nothing else.
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This is the fix-->When I replaced the station and held the station one or two trackslengths (a little less than a full tile) away from the end-of-line, the glitch vanished completely. (I then reset the station name from Copenhagen Junction to Copenhagen). I ran out of energy or I would have tried nipping off the endmost track-segment; but I wouldn't recommend it without further testing. In fact, I have an itch on the back of my neck - so I'm going to run a few more tests, just in case.
However, when I replaced the station dead up against the end of the line the glitch re-appeared. The game went past the old Oct.1841 stopping point, but around that time the framerate crashed to single numbers, bottoming out at 0.3, (!) before coming to a completely solid freeze in Feb. 1843. In positioning the station against the last track segment, which itself is very close to the city pylon, the glitch was present but it took slightly longer for the AI to lose its mind; that is, after the replacement of the original station.
So...it looks something like the station model tore it's pantleg texture on a bit of vertex that was in a bad place due to the end track segment interaction with the city pylon. Or some such doublespeak. It would be interesting to see if city pylon/track interactions have reproducible glitchy properties- just for the purpose of avoiding same in future, of course. (Thank you PopTop...
![thumbs_down !*th_dwn*!](./images/smilies/not_ok.gif)
)
In the meantime, I had stupidly sent EPH a time wasting suggestion (I only now realize that; and have just now retrieved and replaced it with the real fix), then I remembered Hawk's obvservation:
Hawk wrote:I'm curious; How is a creator to know if there will be an issue with his map if his system doesn't produce any issues?
which also has a corrollary: if the designer's system won't trigger a particular glitch, then he can't tell when it's fixed either, and there's no point in suggesting he try anything; he needs a testor who's machine reacts to the glitch, and can tell when it is fixed, to do that thing. And in recompense, I humbly submit this is it. Sorry EPH. My bad.
BTW:
Blackhawk wrote:But for those that run into an issue with the game freezing, rather than attempt to change graphic settings, it's probably a better idea to go into the editor and edit the map
I totally agree- in principle, but that depends on the experience/comfort level (and carefulness) of a particular user in the editor. A lot of players are just "players", and there's nothing wrong with that. And most gamers dont have that option with most games, unlike this one (thank you PopTop
![YeHaa ::!**!](./images/smilies/brain_yahoo.gif)
), so, industry-wide, the grab-the-graphic fix is often the only one available. We do have it pretty good in that regard.
To recap the fix: trash the station and rebuild it-
nothing else- AND (this is very important) hold the station one or two track-lengths (a little less than a full tile) away from the end-of-line point. (You will need to add 200,000 to the co.cash for this).
Let's see if that works for everybody.
![cheers (0!!0)](./images/smilies/cheers.gif)