IT'S HERE - IT'S HERE!!!

[AZ Rail Rat]

AZRR Beta-3 is in the Test area available to the BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (all 28 of you). When you have conquered all those new maps in C2C, give this MONSTER a try.

MAKE SURE you load logos in UserExtraContet or it will crash right off the bat because it uses the Southern Pacific one from the start.

Have fun, record bugs (should not be many more than all C2C maps had COMBINED - What do you expect for nothin'?), then send me your bugs list, wishes and comments.

Really interested in late hauling years (1917 on). Need to know if load goals are too high or low.

Now it's time for me to start on DANTE's INFERNO :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

[kriss]

Taking it home tonight, no grandchildren visiting this weekend & wifey is in Belfast socialising. Serious testing about to commence!

Interesting characters and critters out there in Arizona. Is it safe?

The Sentinel connection has two company cash effects and no player cash effect.

The capitol moves should depend on whether or not a connection was made. I connected Yuma to Tucson in 1876, but the incongruous headline appeared anyway.

I put stations in all the cities that had buildings, and left the rest until buildings appeared. I used Maricopa as my hub with three locos running
to and from Tucson, and 3 running to and from Yuma, stopping at all stations. Later I added dedicated trains where demand was high. I put post offices at all stations to help generate cargo and a hotel in Maricopa.

I connected to Phoenix with SP in the early 1880s, going between Chandler and West Chandler. By connecting SP to Phoenix and the other two cities in the territory, I triggered the Phoenix Trolley events early. I am thinking that perhaps that access to Phoenix should be 'not buyable', and made available by event only. That would force the player to stick to the story line.

Starting the Phoenix Trolley company crashed the game anyhow even though I used the right logo. Maybe I should have taken out the Poland extra content. Dunno.

This map is a bit of a challenge for my machine - 128MB video, 1024MB RAM and 1.33 GHz. The video jerks sometimes. I am up to 1887.

No sign of any quicksand.

[AZ Rail Rat]

Your giving it a good workout. I'll check the Sentinel bonus. Guess I didn't make the early years tuff enough for you. Never expected you to get there before they moved the capitol (forget what year). I'll consider making it a condition.

Where did you get enough money to buy PST territory in just four years or so? I thought it was $20M and another in between at another $20M? ARE YOU CHEATING??? If you are not, guess you deserve it, but it throws things WAY off.

No idea what happened on your crash. Try loading a simple map and using it. If you can make it happen again, be sure you are in Windows mode so you can tell if it was the logo. No word from others if they crash or if they are even using logos other than the SP.

Jerking must be our video cards. I too have one with 128M, but that's with a 600MZ Celeron and only 256MB RAM runing Win98SE.

Thanks for the input. Youse guys and gals are doing GREAT :!: :!: :!: :D :D :D

[Wolverine@MSU]

Jerking is probably not due to video card, but rather to CPU speed. With all the calcs that need to be made, CPU is probably holding things up. Also with a big map, sending info to the video card can be quite a high overhead on CPU time. 1.33 GHz is a bit low, but 600 MHz is definately marginal, especially when you start adding lots of trains. Also, 256 Mb of RAM is a bit on the low side. You may see an improvement AZ if you add another 256 Mb of RAM. 128 Mb video card can handle the graphics, it's getting the info to it that may be slowing things down.

[AZ Rail Rat]

But Wolvey, the only thing we have in common is the 128MB video card. He has twice the CPU and FOUR TIMES the memory, and it still jerks on his. :?: :?: :?:

Guess I didn't make the early years tuff enough for you.

Where did you get enough money to buy PST territory in just four years or so? I thought it was $20M and another in between at another $20M? ARE YOU CHEATING???

That was on medium difficulty to make sure things rolled along. Normally I play on expert.

Phoenix Trolley is $10M for access. I raised cash by issuing shares early and often, and borrowing all the way up to $10M in bonds. There was also a little bit of industry I bought along the way for revenue.

[Wolverine@MSU]

But Wolvey, the only thing we have in common is the 128MB video card. He has twice the CPU and FOUR TIMES the memory, and it still jerks on his. :?: :?: :?:

But twice really slow is still slow. I have 2.6 GHz P4, 128 Mb video, and 1 Gig of RAM, and even mine gets jerky on a big map with lots of trains. I would be intersted to hear what it takes to get Kriss' new monster PC to slow down.

And by the way Kriss: it is possible to edit building surfaces if you have a tool to edit DDS files. I'm not sure if the GIMP has a plugin to do this, but if it does, you can edit the correct 2D file and repaint building surfaces. When PJay gets his editor up and running it may be possible to edit the structures themselves.

[PJay]

And by the way Kriss: it is possible to edit building surfaces if you have a tool to edit DDS files.

Not necessary. JPG and TGA will work too :)

[kriss]

Thanks guys, can you now invent the 48 hour day so I can do all this stuff :lol:
PJay, so I unpack the building pk4's, edit, repack as pk4's & place in user extra content? Will they then appear in the game instead of the originals?

[PJay]

PJay, so I unpack the building pk4's, edit, repack as pk4's & place in user extra content? Will they then appear in the game instead of the originals?

No, the originals won't be replaced (you can change them, but then you change them for all maps). It's better to just add some.

Skinning:
1) Unpack the 3d\RT3DDSW.PK4 file
2) Find the .dds images of the building you want to change (they will end in _A.dds, _B.dds, _C.dds, ...)
3) Edit them and save a copy as a dds, jpg or tga. Give them a slightly different name (eg: "DistilleryKris_A.jpg") You can just edit the big _A.dds file, and then resize it to get your _B, _C, _D, ... pictures. These have to be square pictures, with a side which is a power of 2 (..., 64*64, 128*128, 256*256, 512*512, 1024*1024, ...). The biggest image should be the _A, then just make _B, _C, ... half of the _A size.
4) Put these files in the UserExtraContent folder


Making the buildings work:
1) Go to the directory Data\BuildingTypes\
2) Find the .BCA file for the building you want to change. Copy & rename it (eg: "DistilleryKriss.BCA")
3) Find the .BTY file for the building you want to reskin. Copy & rename it (eg: "DistilleryKriss.BTY")
4) Open the BTY with a hex-editor (eg: hexplorer (http://artemis.wszib.edu.pl/~mdudek/))
5) Change the string starting at byte 34, so it has the name of your copied files (eg: "DistilleryKriss")
6) Change the string starting at byte 124, so it points to the new graphics (eg: "DistilleryKriss")


So, what do you have in the end:
-> a copy of the .bca file in Data\BuildingTypes\
-> a modified copy of the .bty file in Data\BuildingTypes\
-> some new skin files in Data\UserExtraContent\


This is all from memory, but I recall from my early tests, there is another file you need to copy (not edit), but I'm not 100% sure which one.

[kriss]

Many thanks PJay, I'll report back

[AZ Rail Rat]

AZRR-Beta-3 has been removed from the Test area. Why? Because (believe it or not Ripley) the FINAL version is ready to post. Problem is, upload is NOT WORKING. Soon as Station Master gets back with me, will get it in Scenarios. :( :( :(

[Stoneman]

Rail Rat: ALL RIGHT! I am looking forward to playing your next version! It is fantastic so far. Cheers. Stoneman. :D

[AZ Rail Rat]

Also, wait until you see my next CREATION FROM THE DEPTHS OF A WARPED MIND. :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

Last night I threw together a WORLD map. I have the basic concept (that's really sick). Just have to throw together the story line. It's WIERD.

I need to go back and check events on GWIZZ Rome. I tried LTD to (and from) Territories in the Ledger Status. Thought all I had to do was place the variable in dialog box, test on territories and select territory I wanted to display, then make an event for each territory. They all apperared, but stayed at 0 even when loads were carried. :x :x :x One thing, will loads add up if you have "Disable All Money Things" checked???

I might put the raw map in the Test Area (if I can upload) and see what youse guys think. Looks cool I think, and took less than five minutes to make.

If Station Master got upload fixed, AZRR Rev 1 should be up tonight. If not, he'll have to peel it off my site. I have high hopes as Test Map area now works. I think it not working earlier and my upload problems were related.

[kriss]

So!, not content with rewriting the map of Arizona you're now going to take over the world.
There's a name for people like you :lol:
Oh yeh, Egypt belongs to ME, get your dates somwhere else!

[Stoneman]

So, Rail Rat, are you going to add a shipping component to the World Map, so our trrains can deliver products to ports and then our ships can take the prodcuts wherever it is most profitable, a la Aristotle Onassis? If so, this should keep you off the streets for a Long Time!

Wow--I did not know there was a new version of the Official Release of the wonderful arizona scenario coming. Let us know when it is posted.

Cheers. Stoneman. :D

[AZ Rail Rat]

First hint about my World Map - No Ports! Why? No WATER!!!

Can you say GLOBAL CATASTROPHY???

Told you it was WARPED :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

[kriss]

What scale are you talking?
Does it take a Planet 2 years to circumnavigate the "Planet"?
Answers on a melon skin to Whacky Railroads inc, Arizona :lol:

[AZ Rail Rat]

I'm still not sure what I'm going to do with it (World Map). Sort of EVOLVES as I go along about like a great artist painting a messterpiece. :P :P :P

[kriss]

Hang on to your ears!

[pigboy306]

Tried the AZRR it is a great idea for a new map. I keep running out of money in the beginning. I start with all my cash then ket to about Maraucana but there are no real good spots to build stations. The industry is sparse too. HOW DO YOU MAKE A PROFIT.
OK then i moved on to the Trolley bit I can only connect with 3 cities i cannot takeover SR so how do i make the money???
Or am i a blunder head????

GOOD MAP THOUGH I CAN SEE A LOT OF EFFORT WENT IN THANKS!

[Stoneman]

Pigboy, there are some discussions of strategy here on this website, but you have stubled onto one of the most creative maps I have every seen. I actually enjoyed being lost in the AZ Rail Rat wilderness. I hope you enjoy it. Cheers. Stoneman.

[pigboy306]

As I say great map just getting my head around it...

[AZ Rail Rat]

Glad to know it's still out there causing headaches....errrr...gaming fun.

Keep at it piggy. Go S-L-O-W. Let the economy build. By the time you finish the Prescott & Phoenix, SP will be a runaway and can take over the WORLD (or at least the state). You'll be surprised even the AI can't screw it up while you are off on other lines. :shock:

Don't get hung on the Trolley. Build to the three cities and move on.

One hint: Only loco worth a plug in the mountains is the Shay until the imported P8 comes along.

[CJN]

Excellent map! I have reached the P&P stage and I love playing it.
The only bad part of the map is this:
"Who messed up my train routings!"

It seems to me that two of the ingredients of sucess on this map are:
- Gain control of all stock in the companies. The AI will pay out high dividends which will boost your fortune and give you more money to start the next RR.
- Make sure that the starting SP money is enough to allow you to connect to Maricopa. Run out of money before, and you will have a hard time getting profit. You can start risking bonds once you're past Maricopa, because Casa Grande, Eloy, Picacho, Red Rock and Marana adds significant amount of traffic compared to the distance you have to build.

[AZ Rail Rat]

You hit the spike on the head (pun intended) there CJN. I like to play avoiding loans like the plaque. Guess it filters over from my personal life where I'm paying more in interest than I spend on principle (or make for that matter).

Sometimes I have to break down and take out a quick loan to connect to Tucson because it is a long way from Marana and you have to build your first bridge or take a lOng detour around the river. However, I set the connect bonus so high (which is based on census figures by the way) loan can be paid back immediately.

There is enough time from the 1880 connect until you jump to PST in 1886, you can set up for efficent operations. I take this time double tracking and setting up long haul SP trains. Others can use profits to buy industry. Don't fall too much in love with your operation though, AI will COMPLETELY CHANGE IT! Just go on to bigger and better things, let AI make the SP (and you) rich and use it after mining railroads are built to take over the world.

Important to make sure you have water towers between EACH city and I have six sheds, three on each side of Maricopa. Too many times I would take back over and find stupid AI had a train going between two cities so regular, it was too stupid to change and go get water.

I hope the northern phases (Prescott & Phoenix and Arizona/California) make you feel like you are playing a different game. Mountain track building is always a challenge, you don't have a lot of route choices because I limit that to the way they really built the road, and the economy up there SUCKS worse than early years of SP.

After you had fun dong that, the mining phase seems to me like game number three, but still with the other two chugging away. Only once did I build the line from Picacho to Mesa and only made one attempt at the northern spur between Phoenix and Yuma. Will have to push on some day and play this one out. TONS of debugging to do in the 1950s on.

Until then, I got lots of other catching up to do on game scenarios (only now just finished Republic of Germany) and other player-built maps. By the way, Mobius' Trans-Siberian - HE IS ONE SADSISTIC MUTHA . . . :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

[CJN]

I have spotted three possible bugs?:
- The status screen still displays Phoenix-Maricopaville when I'm building the P&P.
- Florence seems to be placed in the middle of the river.
- Warehouses shows up in the countryside, not just in cities.

[AZ Rail Rat]

I always had Ledger Status connect issues. Think you just have to let the years pass. Florence is a bit close. Wickenburg is a pain too. Oh well.

You want close? Check out Moscow on SM's (Sadistic Mobius :twisted: ) Trans-Siberian map. On top of that, he restricts building so no way can you get all its buildings with one station!

I think I have regions set with warehouses. This might need a change. Does cargo flow in and out of warehouses, or do they have to be under the influence of a station? Need an econo expert here - Hello?

Either way, I guess a warehouse in the middle of the dessert does nothing other than take up processing time and delay cargo from flowing where it's needed.

Noted.

[CJN]

I now have all four RRs up and running, I own them all to 100%, and have 6.5 million $ cash. A&C was very easy after P&P which required some planning. I'm glad you added the P8 to the scenario, it is a very good replacement for Consolidations and Shays.
Some more issues:
- The 1900 status resets connection variables, so the connections shows up as unconnected if you connect before 1900.
- There is very little demand for iron on map, so I had to route a train over a long distance to get the iron from Crown King. I think that Wickenburg was the first station that did offer 1K for iron from Crown King. Maybe the Prescott warehouse should demand iron?

[EPH]

As far as I know, cargo flows in and out of a port or warehouse exactly as it does any other industry. The presence of a station seems to help increase demand, but that is all.

[CJN]

I have completed all six RRs, but I just can't motivate myself to continue past that point. The reason is that I find the idea to return to the SP, and straightening out the mess that the AI has made with routing, just not fun. :?
Another problem is that the challenge is gone, I have reached the point where I have enough money that I can throw tons of it at a problem to solve it. I had enough cash to give both of the mining RRs 10 million $ each in staring funds without taking loans.
The too much money problem might be solved by adding inhertiance tax when Colis Huntington Sr dies.

[AZ Rail Rat]

Hey CJN,

I get the same feeling. Not so much because I'm BLOODY RICH as when I do it, the SP AI may have made a mess not operating the way I like, but he (or is it she) made gobs of money.

I did add a tax when the old man dies. Guess it needs to be bigger. Maybe I need to take the Democrat approach and raise other taxes.

IF we ever get RRT4, a couple of new features I just thought of would be interesting to see:

1 - Bankers being an industry, but an active, player-controlled industry. A central bank (if bought by the player as an industry) would have dialogs for accepting or rejecting loans, both from human players and AIs, setting interest rates (x% above or below what the government [see item 2] lets them, and sets the rate of interest dividends for loose company cash.

2 - Governments: (local [city], state [or region], federal. These would be a selectable (turn simulation on/off) special condition for each. If ON, players would elect Mayors, Governors, Presidents. Voting would be based on how much players have paid into Political Action Committees (PACs) for candidates. AIs and "the people" could have "a little" say so (or just like real life, THINK they do).

Mayors would control individual city growth, pay bonuses for (or try and prevent) railroads coming to town, etc. Governors would control regional growth and partialy override Mayor influence. They could also come up with hair-brained schemes or like happens so often, cram down the people's throats things they don't want (all influenced by the railroad companies of course).

Presidents can do things like declare war, raise/lower taxes, provide subsidies and bailouts (or deny same) . . . you know, generally reak havoc with the world.

If this seems like it's turning into Sim City, that's why it is selectable, for those that like it or not. Also, this would be AFTER many more important upgrades are made to the game.

[isii]

Rat, I like some of your ideas for RRT4. I've burned out on RRT3 for now and have taken a hiatus. I don't want to see RRT4 turn into Sim City or RCTx, but there definitely needs to be renewed interest. And, as Gwizz knows, I'm not a programmer but I'd love to make some maps but there is absolutely positively no road map so that I could learn (I'm really impressed with all of you folks who can do it). Do we know when RRT4 is coming out? Also, if you have another iteration of your map you'd like me to test sometime 8) please let me know!

[AZ Rail Rat]

isii - isii - Why havuth thou so little faith in thyself? The "road map" for building maps is not "out there", it's INSIDE YOU :!: :!: :!:

There are as many techniques to map building as there are to playing the game. Just compare events in my AZRR to Sadistic Moe's Trans-Siberian. I have to hunt for HOURS in his events to figure something out, and would require extensive brain power figuring his technique, but it must make sense to him and makes for GREAT maps.

Before you tackle THE GREAT RRT MAP, start small. Learn to use the Map Builder that came with the game. It's a lot LESS frustration, though not as accurate as using a DEM. Pick a not so small island like I did with Skin This (I used Shri Lanka). Then practice laying cities.

When in the editor, start at the top and figure out what each tool does. Paint territories, regions and just paint. Play with rivers when you REALLY want to get frustrated. When you learn a few basics, then go for the more complicated stuff.

You will find that road map in your head will start to come out. :D