SurvivorSean

Absolutely. Run8 has been very good at that for the past 10 years and has only impoved on that. I still monitor Run8 but I'm hoping for DLC more suited towards of all things single player or smaller groups and servers. It's a bit different in North America than Europe because there is lots of switching involved in North America. They have AI everything except switching right now and this is where it gets difficult to try and run a big area because you need people to run it, which makes the MP aspect so much better when you have a good group of people that can agree on times etc. I suspect single player here will be very much like TSW which I may play once and then it's back to MP for me. Unless it has some kind of randomness to it then what's the point. The MP is what this requires to work the most thus why having AI that work, controls (seems to be getting better), and people who participate with everyone (not just their friends) is important. Thanks Sean

The anarchy statement is not garbage it's a misunderstood concept in the real world. For example Run8 has anarchy mode, but just because it has a mode does not mean there aren't rules it depends on the collective. Real world anarchy or anarchists beleive in less government and rules and more freedom. That being said if you rob someone expect consequences. That consequence is based on rules, natural law, or whatever else is stated or agreed apon. Anyways the whole point of all of it was to say that you can have anarchy but unlike a group keeping to themselves and their own values, that is not possible in a single server. Specifying certain servers such as new players, or drivers only gives a bit more of a meaning. If they went further they could have role playing servers but honestly I have seen the Polish servers already getting overloaded where they come over to English to participate. The English servers are really not that busy at the moment that I have seen. Except for the good signal boxes as they go fast. Thanks Sean

Actually just to add onto your thread of features I'm not sure those lamps at the desk really do much since I can see the phone buttons in the dark. What would be cool for those lamps is to light up the non CTC board. Also having a lamp (or night light on the exit door main light would help). Reason I suggest this under improvements is becasue at night I like to have the lights off. You can see the trains much better with the lights off at night. Sometimes I'll keep a lamp on but they don't really do much. But if it's pitch black and you want to leave good luck without the main lights. Thanks Sean

When I'm hungry I get out of my real seat and head to my real kitchen, it's very cozy 🙂 But the windows is a good idea and one of the things I was trying to do when I first dispatched. Thanks Sean

I'm all for anarchy but even anarchy itself as a collective agree on a certain set of rules which apply to everyone dispatchers and drivers. Because of that and the fact that the servers are run by the software, then it's the software company that will need to establish rules and moderation (similar to what is done on the forum). The paywall is not going to stop people from doing this either, in fact they will become more entitled. We already have a sense of entitlement that has been growing as more people come aboard for a free play test. Thanks Sean

Funny you mention that because I was on Lazy LC last night and I did have some different routings the AI would send me. Thanks Sean

I'm all for a random failure and it's something I believe the developers said would eventually be in the works. But just doing it because you're bored should not be a reason to hold players hostage to your gameplay. Remember it's not just the players who are already on but it's the ones coming on taking those AI trains. Thanks Sean

Well if they don't have logs this is a good way to figure out some of these AI bugs.

So far I find the big boards for the most part are all set-up for straight through runs. With the exception of some trains coming in off the very bottom of the board to flow into the traffic pattern. It will be interesting to see these other exits come into play I take it with the full schedule. Thanks Sean

Works like a charm. I went to clear the wrong signal and it immediately took it down. Radio will describe the error message and why the signal was taken down. Thanks Sean

I was just kicked off the server at a weird time when I noticed an update was in progress. The notes show one feature we've been waiting for so we'll see how things turn out now. Looking forward to this one. Thanks Sean

Yeah the jumping up and down doesn't bother me. But I'm not a fan of being routed onto a 40KMH siding for no reason espeically if my goal it to try and keep on or behind time. This happened to me the other day and I was never able to gain it back. I think this is where private servers could help because then those that have systems or whatever rules they want can agree to join the server and do what they want etc. The other thing is this is a playtest. There are some serious issues already taking place and there are good theories but I'm not exactly sure what is causing them. Since there is no emergencies programmed in I think it will help the team to focus on what we are finding in the stuff that is programmed. Thanks Sean

We still have some issues with AI and I found one case at Bezdin and from what I can tell it is NOT a player issues because I was next door at SG and couldn't get 1 of 2 trains to make it to me. A player dispatcher came on this afternoon and he never communicated with me but simply logged off. I take it the issue was he couldn't get the switches to throw either as I couldn't either. Nothing appeared to be lit that I could tell but the bottom line is the AI could never clear a train as it kept asking SG for permission to run 2 different trains and never sent 1 of them. It seems the AI gets confused when there are too many decisions to make. I'm at a point where I don't know what to report because everything is being duplicated or being worked on, and neither does anyone else. Thanks Sean

This is where we get into a whole other ball of wax and that is how people want or expect to play. Personally I have seen or heard way too much of "this happens in real life". Actually I'm not from Poland and I could pretty much assure you unless their tracks are absolute crap it doesn't happen all the time. Things can happen but the simulation is not simulating these issues. I could care less about points either. This where the true simulation that this brings begins to die off. Saying everyone agrees is not true. No you and a couple of dispatchers agree so what that doesn't mean the players agree (they count just as much). Again this is where rules or private servers come into play because stuff like that can be truly organised. Because this is not a play test I don't care as much right now. But I'm beginning to wonder what is going to happen when this actually releases. I don't drive that often as I dispatch, but I personally won't partake in it. Thanks Sean

I'm going to use this thread to highlight weird issues I've noticed, and perhaps I'll even do one of stuff that is going well. So I picked up a cargo train after 2pm EST today on EN2. The train was way ahead of schedule (something that is normal as the AI boards do not hold cargo trains to their schedule). I was approaching Lazy LC and I got into range where another train I believe ahead of me was either supposed to go on track 1 but was routed to 3 because of an "issue with the track". Now I don't know what that issue was but what I do know is by the time I made it to Lazy LC suddenly I began picking up "failed to stop at station messages". In fact I know I was not routed properly becasue the upper right hand corner would say "closest station so and so" until eventually I rejoined. I also noticed many passenger overtaking me in the left track. I don't know if this happened before Lazy LC because I already noticed some people on speaking another language and trains in the left hand track overtaking my track. So I'm not going to name any names because there was plenty of creative stuff happening on this server. "issues with tracks" to me is something that shouldn't be simulated if the program is not causing the issue. If it is I guess I just haven't heard of any issues. As for so many overtakes the cargo train should of been held back at a siding. That could have been an AI issue or simply people just trying to push stuff through. Anyways not naming names but I don't know what the solution is. It is dissapointing not hearing an official word on this as well. I don't mind picking my servers as I have plenty of control in that matter and can find what works well for me. It was still an enjoyable trip regardless and I was never stopped at any signal for more than a few minutes. I did however see plenty of passengers including Euros held up along the way which isn't right just to make humans feel better about their trip. Thanks Sean

I'm going to start another thread on my discrepency reports

Understood. Thanks Sean

No! Just post messages when you see issues with servers. The server you are on. Where you are stuck. Trains # if known in front of you. Of course it probably won't tell the whole story because in some cases it will be trains even further up the track to where you can't reach. Thanks Sean

Yes the issues are happening in North America. I will have to look into the schedule issues as I never got around to updating the schedule I was doing. Even I made mistakes at SG in the beginning becasue it's the only one that has a 2nd page. All it takes is 1 train to mess up a line. But there are also some trains I've seen come into SG NOT on the schedule. Perhaps we should do an experiment and get someone like myself or others who understand SG to run a full 3 hours and see what is happening. After all it's a playtest and this would be a good way to test it out. It's 1:34PM EST which is about half way through the last reboot. Perhaps we should start a thread on WHEN the server is noticed as being backed up and observations of train numbers if possible. I will start doing this moving forward and then we can try and figure out what is happening. Thanks Sean

I know in recent years in various countries and dispatch locations, we are starting to see cameras over CCTV that the dispatcher can see at his panels. If this is prototypical in Poland I would love to see that option as it would give the signal box operator even more information and things to keep an eye on. Thanks Sean

I've seen some 40's on some of the yard like tracks outside of the mains and sidings. Thanks Sean

I thought about that as well. But I think there is plenty of stations that don't yet have a panels and are working (for the most part). I'm still curious what that map is going to look like in January as well. Thanks Sean

Yeah what your talking about I believe is called stacking (I could be wrong). But stacking involves a route that is set to clear immediately once the block is unoccupied. But I may have read that wrong. To stay on the topic at SG I will often bring a train that doesn't stop onto the opposite track when available just to give an approaching train more room before requiring a stop. By the time the train in front makes it's stop and leaves the other train usually has at least 1 block on exit and can cross back over. Thanks Sean

Yeah I mentioned how they will change and basically give away route changes in advanced of an approach signal. As for knowing the timetable if everyone is supposed to know this timetable by memory good luck. It takes an experienced driver several trips with a trainee to get them custom to the variances and they still need to know by meory or reference what certain tracks less traveled are. Thanks Sean

I agree that most of the this is not an issue for me. Somthing odd was happening last night again on what appeared to be all North American servers. Austrailia was fine and it was the first time I ventured over there Thanks Sean