Operating session for the DigiDAR anyone?

[stem]

By now if you've been running Open Rails, you probably realize that you can have a multiplayer operating session.

I have wanted to do this for years but I think it time to really take it on. Paul's DAR is free and so is Open Rails. We just need to get both up and running and everyone on the same version. No biggie.

One of us needs to be the server. No probelm, I can handle that. Then we just need to plan a small session and try it out. No different than on a model railway session.

Who's game to try this out?

[Paul Charland]

I'm really unfamiliar how a multiplayer session works but just a thought, if you were to use DARv2 there are activities that cover every train run at the time and maybe that would be a starting point for consists and running the trains based on at employee's timetable.

Paul

[stem]

Here's my thoughts Paul. I like the V3 because we could have operating sessions in WIndsor, Kentville, Middleton, Digby, Yarmouth all at the same time without any congestion in one area. If there's only 2 or 3 players at first, we can choose which area we would all be in. The dispatcher could zoom down to a session and take a look - I'm think capturing video for use later on (maybe museum or as a record of session for YouTube). We can stream it live too.

I like Open Rails because we can set up a folder structure just for the DAR and keep everyone on the same page with activities and rolling stock. Your other MSTS folder with all your other routes can stay the same with no interference. It would take a bit of work to make sure this is all in place but I'm betting there's at least 5 of us that would like to do this - maybe on a continual basis like once or twice a month for a few hours at a time (1-1/2 to 2 hours).

An operating session like a club is more what I had in mind with a dispatcher who controls train movements and has the master schedule.
http://openrails.org/share/multiplayer/
Each player in turn accepts an order to run a particular train (Extra 8136 for example) and proceeds on their way to assemble and drop off as the order demands, reporting back as they pass stations along the way so the dispatcher "knows" where they are. Then we will have regularly scheduled passenger service and gypsum train service too a; depending on how many players join in.

Really, no automation, just running it like I said, like a club would. The only thing we do is create an activity that sets out all the rolling stock. Then players are assigned their order, jump in their locomotives and go with the dispatcher overseeing and maybe even playing if the player count is only 2 or 3.

As for the activities you mentioned, it looks like Open Rails is headed in a different direction and there are new tools to do that in Open Rails. Have you tried the Timetable Editor yet?

That's sort of my brain dump on the idea. Nothing in stone, just what I had in mind when I wrote the post in the first place.

[stem]

So here's what I've already started this afternoon. For Open Rails I have a C:\MSTS folder. Inside the folder is another folder C:\MSTS\_DARDPI-MP in which the MSTS structure for the DAR route is placed. I am going thorugh it to minumize the amount of files it needs and and then I plan to ZIP the whole thing up so that a player can just unpack it and have all the file needed to play.

Do you have or is there already a manifest for all the files needed to run DARb3_55?

This to me is the first step is to get everyone on the same page and then connected to make sure it works.

In the meatime, of anyone already has the route and Open Rails setup, feel free to connect multiplayer to 74.50.121.15:20250 and see how that goes. This is a free server from the guys at OpenRails. Conect as client only. The server will automatically determine that the first person on is the dispatcher. You can even connect two sessions on your computer at the same time. Just give yourself a different name for the second session.

To check your session status on the server, bring up this page: http://www.tsimserver.com/ORFiles031205/ServerInfo.html

[Paul Charland]

Hi Steve,

I've not tried Timetable mode, so I'm not familiar how it works. When you are a route builder the only time you actually take the time to run a train is when you're testing something!

I was thinking V3 is the way to go, it is complete to the end of the block with the Yarmouth station, and at least the trees have been removed from all the tracks and roads north of Annapolis Royal south of there the Yarmouth Sub has been built to OR standards.

"Do you have or is there already a manifest for all the files needed to run DARb3_55?". Not exactly sure what you're asking here Steve. Are you asking about the rollingstock required, if so, it would be the same for v2 as I did build all the rollingstock that showed up on the entire route from the 1975 consists, that wouldn't have changed.

V3 isn't public but for anyone who's interested in it I can upload b3_55 to Dropbox or is that something you need to modify for multiplayer and distribute?

Paul

[stem]

When asked, that's exactly what I do Paul. I've got a copy on my OneDrive I hand out. I also really want to hand out privately the whole MSTS folder "ready to go" for those who are new to the sim. For that reason, in trying to keep the MSTS folder that will only hold the DAR ver 3 route as small as possbile, I was more thinking of all the unnecessary shape and texture files in the GLOBAL folder that I could get rid of.

This is a great way to manage the game for multiple players. If there are any changes required to the route, we just download and replace and everybody is synced up again.

The timetable mode looks very interesting and I need to read more about how to use it.

My idea is to create either an activity or a timetable that populates the whole route with rolling stock and engines for players to jump in and follow their train orders.

I have discovered that the dispatcher function in the game controls all the switches everywhere for routing. So non-dispatch players must "radio" the dispatcher to get him to switch turnouts and if we had signals that would be part of it too. Interesting.

I have also discovered my ConBuilder won't run on WIndows 10. What do you recommend for a 3rd party manager to replace ConBuilder?

[Paul Charland]

Hi Steve,

The betas that I post have been compacted and the RAW files deleted, so it's about as compact as it's going to get. Aside from that, there are the ten eleven zipped rolling stock files that we would all use for any sessions.

The only signal on the route in real life was at Windsor Junction. I had to add a second signal to tell OR that it was an end of the signalled zone, just west of Windsor Junction, it's buried underground.

I have no idea Steve, I'm still using Windows 7 and still using MSTS Activity Editor. I'm staying away from W 10 as long as I can seeing as TS Modeler doesn't work in it and from what I read, Guku's route Editor is mind bogglingly different then how I have been building routes for the last ten years.

Paul

[stem]

Thanks for the insight Paul. I'm going to struggle through this to see where the other potholes might be. In the end we will be alble to something for sure. I know what I have in mind... just not sure if I'll get there or it's even possible. Running train together though no matter how organized will be fun.

I'll start to hang in places like this to get some ideas: https://www.trainsim.com/vbts/forumdisp ... ultiplayer

[Paul Charland]

Hi Steve,

I do have a bit of a concern for the Dispatcher's sanity. If the Dispatcher is the only one able to throw switches, then that means that when you're running a way freight, the dispatcher has to be nagged every few minutes while you switch industries. This might turn into a daymare every morning in Hantsport where you have a wayfreight coming up from Kentville switching, a gypsum train coming down and would need to at least run around his train and pick up his empties, the possibility of Fundy Gypsum switching six cars at a time, and a southbound RDC making a station stop... all at the same time.

Each engine crew would then need to have a hard copy map in his hands just to be able to tell the dispatcher which track they want to enter. Doing this by messenger could take a bit of time.

Paul

[stem]

According to the "manual" each driver CAN throw their own switches. I'll figure out how to configure that correctly.

To prepare the first operating session and to make it fairly realistic I'm going to use these spreadsheets from the wiki:
http://dardpi.ca/wiki/index.php?title=F ... tbound.xls
http://dardpi.ca/wiki/index.php?title=F ... nbound.xls

and this schedule:
http://www.cptracks.ca/data/TimeTables_ ... _oct28.pdf (page 22)

We can design a weekday session around with 1 or 2 Dayliners Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, a regularly scheduled freight Nos. 24, 25, or 50, one or two yard switchers at Windsor and Kenville and as many extras as we need to pick up and deliver freight between Kenntville and Windsor. If there's only 2 or 3 of us then we can all just run extras and do only freight including some gypsum runs.

Using the spread sheet will help identify where to set out cars to be picked up and how many should be in the 2 main yards at any one time.

Once we have a basic idea like this and I can set out the cars and set up the consists and engines, then I can distribute the files all ready to go so everyone has exactly the same stuff to choose from. This wil also insure that there's no goofy stuff while the sim is running.

Later if there only a few of us we can set up operating session for different subdivisions to get to use the whole line.

In the meantime you can "read the instructions" to get ready. https://open-rails.readthedocs.io/en/la ... layer.html

[Paul Charland]

Hi Steve,

Good to hear that people can go into manual to do their own switching.

One thing to keep in mind about my spreadsheets for incoming cars, they don't include cars coming in from Halifax, Dartmouth really. That would include fuels heading south all the way to Yarmouth, and things like beer. The DAR was also still taking LCL freight from their siding inside the trainshed at the Halifax station.

Kentville did have a yard engine but Windsor would have been switched with the power from the Mixed. The return movement of the way freight from Kenville was run as "Extra 81XX South" and would have departed around 1400 after the northbound Dayliner cleared (about the same time as the Mixed departed).

Paul

[stem]

What a run around. To do this I needed to gret my consist editor running again. Well ConBuilder is essentially out of business and there's no response in multiple tries to get my license to get it to work again. So I had to go through the pain of getting something else installed.

I settled on Goku's TSRE as it seems to be so well accepted by the train-sim community. I had problems because my laptop didn't have OpenGL installed so once that was discovered and fixed it seems I have a route.consist editor now and can get back to starting to set up the rolling stock needed for a decent multiplayer session.

Paul.. have you tried Goku's TSRE editor yet? Looks exceptionally good. Goes full screen too! I know you'd love that after years of peering into that little MSTS route editor window when it's not crashing on you.

[stem]

What a run around. To do this I needed to gret my consist editor running again. Well ConBuilder is essentially out of business and there's no response in multiple tries to get my license to get it to work again. So I had to go through the pain of getting something else installed.

I settled on Goku's TSRE as it seems to be so well accepted by the train-sim community. I had problems because my laptop didn't have OpenGL installed so once that was discovered and fixed it seems I have a route.consist editor now and can get back to starting to set up the rolling stock needed for a decent multiplayer session.

Paul.. have you tried Goku's TSRE editor yet? Looks exceptionally good. Goes full screen too! I know you'd love that after years of peering into that little MSTS route editor window when it's not crashing on you.

[Paul Charland]

Hi Steve,

Now last I heard, which is really last time I paid attention, the consist editor in TSRE only edited existing consists and you couldn't create consists, maybe that's changed though.

I'm days away from completing the FJ&Gv2 and am still using MSTS Route Editor after all these years. I've been asked to have a look at building the 21 mile lone Grand Falls Central (42"gauge Newfoundland). I have tinkered with it a bit and have the terrain created and the route markers in. There is someone just about completed making 42" gauge track sections, and I was thinking maybe it's time to give TSRE another try. His process to building routes is just a bit odd compared to using MSTS RE for ten years though.

Paul

[stem]

Well I quickly went tp TSRE to see if I could build a consist and yes you can. You have to create a consist file first, name it and then you can add rolling stock to it. You had me going there thinking after all that.. if I can't edit.. I'll be pretty ticked!!