Autosave Function and Cruise Control?

[Der_Hans]

Hello all,
Hopefully the Open Rails dev team checks in here periodically, and if so, hopefully they see this.

I'm just wondering if it may be possible to implement some auto save functions into Open Rails, perhaps even with some user definable criteria for when we want the save to be made?

For example, it would be nice to be able to simply say to auto-save the activity every so many minutes or hours, to auto save the activity at a signal or switch or a certain distance before a signal or switch, or to be able to put location events into activities that cause an auto-save at certain points. This would be helpful to mitigate glitches with some routes when running long distance trains over them, etc.

My second request, if possible, would be for some kind of "cruise control" function that would use ONLY the throttle to hold whatever speed it was set to hold, and immediately switch off and go to idle should the player apply the train brake, the engine brake, the emergency brake, or put the dynamic brakes into Setup.

[R. Steele]

Work on a cruise control feature started in March of 2020 -- this thread at Elvas Tower >>> http://www.elvastower.com/forums/ind...ruise-control/

This feature is implemented in the Monogame branch of OR...it might be aligned with Unstable or Testing version, I'm not sure about that.

Excerpt from a Dec 1, 2021 post by Carlo Santucci: {links in quotes not active}

In ORNYMG 111 support has been added to have simultaneous CC controlled dynamic and air braking. Description can be found here http://www.interazio...ng-the-eng-file . The updated parameter list for the .eng file can as always be found here http://www.interazio..._Parameters.xls .
For completenes it must be said that, while in my own test bed the feature works as it should, a person who tried the same configuration often gets an incorrect behaviour.

Here are the two links in the above quote
http://www.interazioni-educative.it/...g-the-eng-file

http://www.interazioni-educative.it/...Parameters.xls

Here's an excerpt of the introduction to the documentation on Cruise Control...I have not followed this particular development, so I don't know how much has been coded, however, it is in active development.

OR NewYear MG features a draft version of Cruise Control (CC), which has been in the foremost part developed by Jindrich.

To equip an electric or diesel locomotive with CC, following steps must be performed:

In the .eng file the required entries must be provided
in the .cvf file the required cab controls must be added
in the .sms files the required sound stream entries must be added.

To drive a locomotive that has been equipped with CC following driver interfaces are available:

Keyboard commands
Mouse
HUD and Train Driving window.

The CC feature includes also the management of a very versatile specific controller, called Multi Position Controller (MPC).

A paragraph is devoted to each of the above topics.
10.2. Operation Modes¶

The CC Speed Regulator can be in 4 different states (or modes), that is:

Manual, when the automatic cruise control is disabled and the driver controls the speed through throttle and brakes as if there were no CC.
Auto, when the automatic cruise control is enabled, and therefore the speed is automatically controlled
Testing, not implemented at the moment
AVV, not implemented at the moment.

Switching between Manual and Auto mode can be configured to occur either by a specific cabview control (ORTS_SELECTED_SPEED_REGULATOR_MODE) or when certain conditions, defined in the .eng file parameters, are met, or by keyboard commands. One of such parameters is e.g. ForceRegulatorAutoWhenNonZeroSpeedSelected.

The CC Speed Selector can be in 4 different states (or modes), that is:

Parking
Neutral
On
Start.

Switching betwenn Speed Selector Modes can be configured to occur either by a specific cabview control (ORTS_SELECTED_SPEED_MODE) or through keyboard commands.

The Cruise Controller can be of three types:

None
Full
SpeedOnly

The type selection occurs through .eng parameter ControllerCruiseControlLogic. Types None and Full work the same way. None is default, meaning the full Cruise Controller features are active.

Regarding AutoSave, that's a good idea.

[geepster775]

Both of the suggestions here are to work around some aspect of laziness held by the user.

There really should not be content that is so unstable that it requires autosave functions. If you are presently dealing with unstable experiences that trace back to 21 year old routes or 10 year old crowdsourced activities and paths, then you need to bite the bullet and replace the paths using trackviewer or go about replacing crowdsourced activities with your own home built ones. The Dev team does not exist to put diapers on 21 year olds.

If 21 year old routes are so much trouble, try buying some current ones built explicitly for Open Rails instead and put Marias 5 to pasture.

[R. Steele]

Both of the suggestions here are to work around some aspect of laziness held by the user.

I appreciate your point, however, I don't believe that's the whole picture...many contemporary video simulations/games provide an auto save feature. I've always thought it was because of the immersion factor...users simply forget to save. Although some of the games I played have a penalty if you save too often ( probably because of game points and other competitive aspects. )

Personally I think it might be useful in OR, I've forgotten to save at times...it's not a big thing.

[Der_Hans]

Steele, thanks for the link, I'll go read up over there. Perhaps it'll be a nice feature to have to help me cope with my laziness.

[geepster775]

But the real human sitting behind the throttle doesn't get an autosave button. Why should the simmer need one?

Real life RR cruise control is called Trip Optimizer. Real rails hate it. It is all about algorithms saving fuel for shareholders. Maybe we can wait and incorporate Trip Optimizer and AutoRouter into "Open Rails 5 - Corporate Overlord Edition" where the engineer simmer is just a sleeping train-riding babysitter (has the OP found his calling?), and we can multiplayer with others who are the roving pickup-truck driving Utility Conductor.

[CSRX]

I often wonder why some folks even bother to ask questions on this forum anymore..


Occasionally I use "Speed Control" on the GP38-3's and SD70M-2's I run, but it's boring compared to actually moving the throttle when needed.
I'm sure this would be a more ideal feature to have in ORTS, especially when dumping ballast along the ROW.

[IndianRailways1601]

Maybe we can wait and incorporate Trip Optimizer and AutoRouter into "Open Rails 5 - Corporate Overlord Edition" where the engineer simmer is just a sleeping train-riding babysitter (has the OP found his calling?), and we can multiplayer with others who are the roving pickup-truck driving Utility Conductor.

Unwarranted jab at OP there. I, for one, would love to have autosave. I'm gonna try to follow Carlo's method for CC as well.

Also, the simmer isn't always here to 'drive' trains. Sometimes I just move to a passenger carriage and pretend I'm on a journey while the train runs mostly on autopilot (I always accelerate and decelerate manually because autopilot is way too fast, so I use autopilot as a form of cruise control, I didn't know this existed already). I've also created activities where the player spawns at a station and can watch trains run by, for a virtual railfanning session. We're not all here to just 'drive' trains conventionally.

[niknak]

Both of the suggestions here are to work around some aspect of laziness held by the user.

There really should not be content that is so unstable that it requires autosave functions. If you are presently dealing with unstable experiences that trace back to 21 year old routes or 10 year old crowdsourced activities and paths, then you need to bite the bullet and replace the paths using trackviewer or go about replacing crowdsourced activities with your own home built ones. The Dev team does not exist to put diapers on 21 year olds.

If 21 year old routes are so much trouble, try buying some current ones built explicitly for Open Rails instead and put Marias 5 to pasture.

Ouch....

[geepster775]

Ouch....

Tough Love.
Not responsible for any injuries incurred by others who faint.