If a Run8 V4 Wish list what would it look like

[westerngy]

what about something as simple as in the Industry Config like the slide button to block cars or not when they get reprocessed

[Leaf85]

Servicing the local industries would be cool if there was a way to set up a schedule for player to run with- collect a cut at Factory X, then grab the boxcars at Factory H's spur, drop of tanks at XZ etc. then deliver to Bakersfield (or wherever). If a player didn't pick up the job, say in 20-30 minutes, it would become an AI assignment. (If the R8 AI couldn't function that way, then the game program could remove/add cars as appropriate for that working day). I dunno, just an idea. It would be awesome to get a bit more 'life' into the sim.

Kind regards,
Dave

[NorthernWarrior]

Funnily enough I fired up R8 yesterday evening after an absence of over 6 months (my bad). Think I burned out attempting that over populated SoCal scenario or whatever it’s called, which would be an ideal situation in which to get the AI doing more. Anyhow started with a blank slate and just spawned in a few trains to converge on Mojave with traffic for the Lone Pine branch.

However while trundling across the desert west from Seligman my mind did keep wandering to what the developer could do different and better to keep our interest sustained.

Better passenger operations for sure, more stock options (rolling not money!), scheduled timetable operation including turnarounds to next working including loco run rounds.

Vintage or classic locos and stock. Who wouldn’t love to shunt/switch the Buttonwillow or Trona branch with an Alco RS3 rasping away. Even if not strictly prototypical, give us something fun to do.

A back woods logging line, something like the old Carlton Coast or McCloud Forest. Something where we can really engage with the local flavour, as it were. I know we have the South Fork branch for coal traffic but I presume for that to work you really also need the Horseshoe Curve route to serve it. Which of course leads into my final point, still no change to the e-commerce system where items have to be purchased one at a time and never any seasonal sale or discount for bulk purchase to encourage a few extra buys.

[TrainSimJack]

Vern, I really liked the Roseville route when it came out - the single route, with just a single dispatch screen was just about my speed as far as having a garden to tend to - a few locals on the left, a bunch on the right, and eye candy trains going by every 20-30 minutes.

I've seen a lot of people comment on the ecommerce system. I'm sure they've thought about it. Seems they like the idea of "never a sale" similar to Apple and maybe a few other upscale brands, but even those brands will offer something on Black Friday - so maybe they could think of that - $5 off all $40 MSRP routes or something like that.

[NorthernWarrior]

I got Roseville/Donner but didn’t gell with me compared to the TSC or even MSTS versions. Too much emerald green texture even in the high country, needs to look much more rugged. As I said in my previous post not expecting something like Snowrunner graphics (though that would be nice) but they certainly need to look at what Railroader or the truck games are doing and try to emulate that.

[NorthernWarrior]

Here's a couple more, after returning to play the game, which would actually be nice to have in a patch for V3...

The ability to run without the alerter sounding. Or at least not go off while playing around in one of the sub menus, finding a better horn, checking on how an industry spur is getting on etc. Should certainly be an option, ultimately we are only playing at running the train and sometimes it's not going to hurt to leave things moving for a couple of minutes while you dash to the loo or see what the wife wants.

And No.2., for the love of all that is good, let's not have every assembled rake of cars on the route start on loading the session with all the brake hoses detached. The only time this should even be a thing is if you've been humping and haven't yet gone through the cars in the bowl to couple them. I know we can couple up an engine and use the shortcut, but it's nonsensical that the cut of cars I detached on Track 2 at Mojave, while digging out some traffic in the middle of the formation, when I return with the rest of the train suddenly have all the brake hoses hanging loose. Again, at least make it an option.

[TrainSimJack]

Here's a couple more, after returning to play the game, which would actually be nice to have in a patch for V3...

The ability to run without the alerter sounding. Or at least not go off while playing around in one of the sub menus, finding a better horn, checking on how an industry spur is getting on etc. Should certainly be an option, ultimately we are only playing at running the train and sometimes it's not going to hurt to leave things moving for a couple of minutes while you dash to the loo or see what the wife wants.

And No.2., for the love of all that is good, let's not have every assembled rake of cars on the route start on loading the session with all the brake hoses detached. The only time this should even be a thing is if you've been humping and haven't yet gone through the cars in the bowl to couple them. I know we can couple up an engine and use the shortcut, but it's nonsensical that the cut of cars I detached on Track 2 at Mojave, while digging out some traffic in the middle of the formation, when I return with the rest of the train suddenly have all the brake hoses hanging loose. Again, at least make it an option.

Hey Vern, I think the alerter only happens if you're in the cab - try pressing the 4 key for the boom view and see if that helps the next time you step away. (And I know exactly what you mean - many a time have I left the computer room for a minute only to hear the alerter and have to run back for it.

As for #2 - I would agree - John if you're reading this, if there was a way to save the "between car" state (are they coupled, are air hoses connected, are angle cocks open) that'd be helpful.
I also have one more request: Save the Velocity and direction of each consist. This would allow an active hump yard to be autosaved, and then reloaded, without fear of having a bunch of cars stuck in the bowl - if those cars were saved with velocity and direction, they could just pick up where they left off.

[NorthernWarrior]

Actually I think you might be correct. When I'm in any external view, particularly switching, it's never troubled me. Which kind of makes it daft to have it going off in the cab, unless you want it.

An audio QOL playing a bit more along the Trona line would be more track sound, particularly rail joints on old non welded rail and some rumble going across bridges.

[NorthernWarrior]

The disconnected cars will rear their head again this evening. Reached Searles on the Trona branch and detached the front car for the little industry spot there, leaving the rest of the train on the main. Dropped the car off and headed round the triangle to get back on the main train at which point bedtime beckoned. When I return this evening to reattach the engines to the train, instead of just coupling up and opening the anglecock halfway to build up pressure, every single vehicle in the consist will have the air hoses disconnected. There’s no way I’m walking back over a mile doing each individual car, some of which are still stood in the tunnel.

John, Brad, anyone from 3DTS reading this can you please look at doing something to change this.

One other item which might have been mentioned, well two actually connected. It shouldn’t be necessary to relinquish your train to go off and detail manage another on the network. One of my AI consists had somehow turned itself into a free agent on the Bakersfield sub. So I had to let go of my train in the middle of nowhere between Mojave and Searles, fast travel to the stranded train, take it over then set to AI. There was then no quick way of getting back to my original train other than jumping to Searles (after digging it out the industry list), then Shift F12 and Ctrl with relevant movement keys following the line until I found my train. Obviously this more of an issue on unsignalled sections but even where you can warp via the DS map, doesn’t always place you right next to your train.

[TrainSimJack]

One other item which might have been mentioned, well two actually connected. It shouldn’t be necessary to relinquish your train to go off and detail manage another on the network. One of my AI consists had somehow turned itself into a free agent on the Bakersfield sub. So I had to let go of my train in the middle of nowhere between Mojave and Searles, fast travel to the stranded train, take it over then set to AI. There was then no quick way of getting back to my original train other than jumping to Searles (after digging it out the industry list), then Shift F12 and Ctrl with relevant movement keys following the line until I found my train. Obviously this more of an issue on unsignalled sections but even where you can warp via the DS map, doesn’t always place you right next to your train.

I agree with Vern on this one and have asked for it myself in the past - the need for the user to relinquish his/her train, just so they can bring up the UI on an AI or Free train is a bit of a pain, would be great if they could allow this.

Vern: In the scenario you described above, LSHIFT+1 will "Save" a position. And LCTRL+1 will "Load" a position.
There are 5 slots (1-5)

[NorthernWarrior]

Thanks Jack - I do wish the forum software had a "Helpful" tag!

[NorthernWarrior]

With the news that DTG are adding LA to San Bernardino to TSW as a second Metrolink route, once again need to raise the fact Run 8 needs some Metrolink locos and cars ( the F125 in TSW is actually a very nice loco), the Antelope Valley adding and some proper routines for passenger timetable operation.

[comet61]

One thing should be mentioned...when loading from a World Save, allow the sim to load all trains within that world first....THEN activate OTTO. If you activate OTTO before the AI trains and standing consist (yards/industries) are loaded, it can affect the Traffic.r8 file. Though it isn't always consistent, I've had a few AI trains get a mind of their own and relinquish themselves during initial load if OTTO is on. Since I now allow all trains to load into my world first...then activate OTTO....those problems went away.

In the scenario you described above, LSHIFT+1 will "Save" a position. And LCTRL+1 will "Load" a position.
There are 5 slots (1-5)

Lot of folks overlook this. Very handy tool...if you remember to use it. I use this method quite a bit when kicking cars or working yards in the Hump or shunting.

As for the "relinquishing" and "control" aspect, it does indeed need attention. Just in case anyone didn't know, Left+Alt+R relinquishes the controlled train.

[SurvivorSean]

On of my ideas implemented in Run8. Your welcome

Thanks

Sean

[NorthernWarrior]

If you activate Otto before the trains finish loading you end up with him not seeing their presence on the railway and potentially a cornfield meet; has happened to me a couple of times.

Anyhow I am getting quite addicted to the F125 over in TSW, so come on John/Brad talk to Metrolink about licensing and get your 3D modellers to work on the loco and the commuter cars. At the same time, the route(s) needs an overhaul with the generic Amtrak stations used replaced by the correct design and branding for Metrolink.