What's next on my plate with respect to Activities....

[amtrak115]

As I approach the end of the 1995 SW Chief Journey, (Working on final segment now), I started contemplating what I wanted to do next with respect to Activities. Some of you may know but I've been working on a rework of the contributed "TrackViewer". In my updated version will be a complete activity editor (I'm tired of switching programs between TrackViewer, TSRE5, and notepad to create activities...Anyway...The activity creation process, in my opinion, needs to be easier and more seamless with ORTS. But that's another subject. My Next project is Recreating the Head-End video created by Facing Point Media of Amtrak 572 from LAUPT to San Diego. All the traffic in this activity is keyed off the player train, and currently there are over 75 radio calls strategically placed between LAUPT and San Diego. The Conductor calls to release the train at every station stop (HighBall)....There are speed restrictions and other interesting items to be placed in the Activity....The attached preview video, starts with the first minute of so from the FPM vido, then transitions to the ORTS simulation. Comments are appreciated...hope you enjoy the video...(it's about 10 minutes long...)

later

Amtrak 115 ...........OUT

https://rumble.com/vzv1l7-amtrak-572...openrails.html

[LetsGoRailfanning]

Here is an idea some ATSF Freight Activities.

[motormaster532]

Looks real good! I actually did a round trip of the the same train,but I ran it over the Transcon the whole way as my ENTIRE railroad is completely fictionalized. It was the only way to integrate my Routes into a mostly seamless system. Now that I am retired for about 3 years after a 33 year career on the railroad, I am working fast nd furious on creating Activities. Like you, I find the switching between TSRE and the Track Viewer a pain. It also doesn't help that having gotten proficient with the MSTS Activity Editor I never mastered TSRE. Eventually,with Open Rails exclusive content, I will have to. Anyway,to end this rambling post, I will say to you-WELL DONE!!!!!

[geepster775]

While we all have differing viewpoints, and that's okay, but my only observation is that no activity is truly worth having to deal with 300 older, dated, obsolete zip files downloaded from freeware file libraries anywhere. Hell, even if I already had 194 of them downloaded (which I don't), debugged, third party sounds and cabviews added and working, and pre-dusted for cobwebs, no activity would be worth having to sort out and identify and download and set up the 106 zip files that I would still be missing.

There is a reason Bob P's and Ed K's activity packs were much more popular in download counts. Namely, they would build a set of activities around the bundle of rolling stock that came from 4 or 5 far more recent and higher quality payware routes that are complete, intact, don't rely on erroneously written read-me's trying to apply a cabless nose to an SD45, and contain all the necessary and working sounds and cabviews and passenger views already. Those 4 or 5 routes and maybe 5 or 6 additional payware trainset packs (that 95% of the user base already owns) when pooled together added up to the entire collection of rolling stock that their set of activities usually required.

[amtrak115]

I understand what your saying....I had even contemplated including all the equipment/rolling stock as part of the activities. (except for payware versions). I figured as long as all the content, including the readme's were included, no-one should get upset. When I started the '95 SW Chief, finding time-period appropriate rolling stock was not easy to say the least. Trying to eliminate all BNSF and only include ATSF or BN rolling stock, became challenging...and not having the same traffic train re-appear over and over again in the same segment. While many have a lot of the payware on their systems, I couldn't make that assumption. Also when I started out, I tried to keep MSTS compatibility in mind, however as the journey continued I dropped that concept. (I don't have a running copy of MSTS or the AE include with the original distribution any more.) Anyway...Thanks for the input...

later

Amtrak115

[amtrak115]

Looks real good! I actually did a round trip of the the same train,but I ran it over the Transcon the whole way as my ENTIRE railroad is completely fictionalized. It was the only way to integrate my Routes into a mostly seamless system. Now that I am retired for about 3 years after a 33 year career on the railroad, I am working fast nd furious on creating Activities. Like you, I find the switching between TSRE and the Track Viewer a pain. It also doesn't help that having gotten proficient with the MSTS Activity Editor I never mastered TSRE. Eventually,with Open Rails exclusive content, I will have to. Anyway,to end this rambling post, I will say to you-WELL DONE!!!!!

Thanks for the kind words. While I never worked for the railroad, (11 years in AF, then 35 years as a defense contractor for AF and Navy), Passenger activity was a nice introduction to how all the process worked. On one of the '95 SW Chief segments (Raton Pass), I worked up an ATSF Coal freight activity...basically "doubling" the hill. I was never really satisfied with how the activity worked out, so freight activities such as that are on my todo.....look at....list....

[amtrak115]

Here is an idea some ATSF Freight Activities.

I added a Coal Freight activity as part of the '95 SW Chief run over Raton Pass, however I was never really satisfied with how the activity worked out. There were things that needed improvement within OR to make it work better. That was about the point I started looking at the OR source code to see what was going on....Anyway...thanks for the thoughts.

[LetsGoRailfanning]

I added a Coal Freight activity as part of the '95 SW Chief run over Raton Pass, however I was never really satisfied with how the activity worked out. There were things that needed improvement within OR to make it work better. That was about the point I started looking at the OR source code to see what was going on....Anyway...thanks for the thoughts.

How about a BNSF Z train activity for the Gallup Sub?

[agentatascadero]

There are a few ATSF passenger activities I've been able to find. Something I got a small taste of, and would like to see a lot more of is a run of the ATSF Grand Canyon, in the days of the great ATSF passenger fleet.
I could say the same for the GN Western Star on the Scenic or Marias Pass (5) routes, or the CP Dominion up north.

AA

[amtrak115]

There are a few ATSF passenger activities I've been able to find. Something I got a small taste of, and would like to see a lot more of is a run of the ATSF Grand Canyon, in the days of the great ATSF passenger fleet.
I could say the same for the GN Western Star on the Scenic or Marias Pass (5) routes, or the CP Dominion up north.

AA

I've looked at the ATSF Grand Canyon....that's a possibility. I'll have to look at the others you mentioned.