Nice to be back, hopefully I can give an added boost
May 8, 2018 22:23:41 GMT -6
Post by survivorsean on May 8, 2018 22:23:41 GMT -6
Hey guys:
It was nice running with some familiar people tonight. Other than Ski and I testing out a few LA things, probably haven't run with you guys since late last year.
My projects with Run8 are currently on hold. For me pushing the limit of 100% scheduling, in single player, or very small groups is very difficult in the current environment of Run8's routes. Mojave Sub was the closest I came to enjoying things again, but ultimately I found limiting a route to something smaller than the entire possible network takes away potential clients from running (simply because they want a place where they can run more).
I'll continue to be running with you guys Tuesday and Thursday nights moving forward. I'll keep an eye on local opportunities as well as we all know manpower is key in keeping a big network running.
For those wondering what I'm up to now, I am programming again in RTS. It's not what you may think though, as it has nothing to do with Run8. I decided my goal was to build a CTC machine & 2D Railroad Simulator under the RTS name. The concept is based on the weak link of my favorite 2 programs in the past 8 years being FYM/Yard Duty and Run8. Both of them despite Run8's improvement with AI, is still manpower heavy in order to run at 100% traffic.
I am currently programming RTS in Game Maker Studio 2, and working on the CTC dispatcher module. This will also be a proof of concept for the AI dispatcher as well as a conduit for the 2D simulation. Once the basics are in play, I'll switch focus to the 2D side. Within it I will be rehashing the original RTS logic and code. The main focus here have AI trains that can not only run a network like Run8, but also capable of humping, switching, etc. all on their own. The ultimate goal would be to be able to run this 24/7 on a network that can expand and adapt on the fly based on customer needs. It will be totally freelanced, as I don't want to waste time researching or sticking to one prototype or era.
One of the side projects that I may look into since I'm still at least interested in my 3d fix with Run8 is to make something Run8 compatible with the XML files. I would much rather wait and see what happens with V3 of Run8 before going this route. Simply because just like there is a DLL for communicating with External Dispatcher that I wish I had access to, Run8 can simply change the program or DLL at any time. The main goal is still proof of concept that AI dispatching and switching can indeed work. Then if I want to take it in a direction, the ball would be in Run8's court if they wanted cross compatibility. Considering I've been very critical of Run8 don't hold your breath on that one. But at least it's food for thought in the future.
More info can be found on my forum and YouTube channel. I am also live streaming all my visits to SRS like I have done in the past.
Thanks
Sean
It was nice running with some familiar people tonight. Other than Ski and I testing out a few LA things, probably haven't run with you guys since late last year.
My projects with Run8 are currently on hold. For me pushing the limit of 100% scheduling, in single player, or very small groups is very difficult in the current environment of Run8's routes. Mojave Sub was the closest I came to enjoying things again, but ultimately I found limiting a route to something smaller than the entire possible network takes away potential clients from running (simply because they want a place where they can run more).
I'll continue to be running with you guys Tuesday and Thursday nights moving forward. I'll keep an eye on local opportunities as well as we all know manpower is key in keeping a big network running.
For those wondering what I'm up to now, I am programming again in RTS. It's not what you may think though, as it has nothing to do with Run8. I decided my goal was to build a CTC machine & 2D Railroad Simulator under the RTS name. The concept is based on the weak link of my favorite 2 programs in the past 8 years being FYM/Yard Duty and Run8. Both of them despite Run8's improvement with AI, is still manpower heavy in order to run at 100% traffic.
I am currently programming RTS in Game Maker Studio 2, and working on the CTC dispatcher module. This will also be a proof of concept for the AI dispatcher as well as a conduit for the 2D simulation. Once the basics are in play, I'll switch focus to the 2D side. Within it I will be rehashing the original RTS logic and code. The main focus here have AI trains that can not only run a network like Run8, but also capable of humping, switching, etc. all on their own. The ultimate goal would be to be able to run this 24/7 on a network that can expand and adapt on the fly based on customer needs. It will be totally freelanced, as I don't want to waste time researching or sticking to one prototype or era.
One of the side projects that I may look into since I'm still at least interested in my 3d fix with Run8 is to make something Run8 compatible with the XML files. I would much rather wait and see what happens with V3 of Run8 before going this route. Simply because just like there is a DLL for communicating with External Dispatcher that I wish I had access to, Run8 can simply change the program or DLL at any time. The main goal is still proof of concept that AI dispatching and switching can indeed work. Then if I want to take it in a direction, the ball would be in Run8's court if they wanted cross compatibility. Considering I've been very critical of Run8 don't hold your breath on that one. But at least it's food for thought in the future.
More info can be found on my forum and YouTube channel. I am also live streaming all my visits to SRS like I have done in the past.
Thanks
Sean
