Berlin Scenarios for TS DLC VNHRR

[OldProf]

How many acronyms can one subject line contain? Never mind, this topic is about scenarios.

What does Berlin have to do with the VNHRR (AKA Springfield Line)? There just happens to be a town by that name south of Hartford, which I have imagined as a trans-shipment spot. I've just uploaded a set of 2 scenarios that involve switching at Hartford and en route to Berlin, CT.

The first scenario is already available in the Steam Workshop, where it published without difficulty; I've tried uploading the second one several times. StWk accepts it, I fill in all the blanks, the uploading gizmo begins to whirl (like waiting for a Netflix program to begin streaming), reaches 67%, but without even a gong or a Bronx Cheer, up pops a failure box. Phooey! Uploading to RWA requires more preparatory steps, but it actually works.

Once these scenarios post, I'll appreciate some comments.

[Chacal]

Thanks! I'll be sure to try them as soon as I have a minute.

[gtrtroger]

Tried several ways....could not get past #9 - placing the 3 TOFC and 2 gons on 05S. Will try again tomorrow. Good up to that point.

[OldProf]

Tried several ways....could not get past #9 - placing the 3 TOFC and 2 gons on 05S. Will try again tomorrow. Good up to that point.

I have put some difficult switching into these scenarios. Once you have picked up the TOFC and gondolas, you must drop those cars and the caboose on the correct siding. That's in the Train Orders. Even trickier maneuvers are required to position your engine to pick up the second set of cars and deliver them to the correct siding. This is a Standard scenario, so you can take time to look around you, using F6 and F7 to find the correct cars without worrying about losing points or merit badges or whatever. Patience and thought will be rewarded. Thanks for your persistence.

[gtrtroger]

Thanks Tom. Will give it another go tonight. I knew it was going to be a thumper when it said you wrote it, and made special to read the TO's carefully because of that. I saw somewhere a scenario that allowed to review all the messages in case you missed something and wanted to back and look at them. Might be something to consider. Not required though.

[charliechan]

Good Morning:

Ran both scenarios and didn't have any problems. Always enjoy your work and many thanks for creating.

[OldProf]

Thanks Tom. Will give it another go tonight. I knew it was going to be a thumper when it said you wrote it, and made special to read the TO's carefully because of that. I saw somewhere a scenario that allowed to review all the messages in case you missed something and wanted to back and look at them. Might be something to consider. Not required though.

I completely agree that being able to review messages is a good thing, but it requires using LUA and I just haven't mastered that yet. Of course, the F1 Task List contains brief reminders of all instructions, but I like to use marshalling instructions in switching scenarios and it isn't possible to add text to those: just rolling stock numbers and the track marker.

Thanks for your comments!

[OldProf]

Good Morning:

Ran both scenarios and didn't have any problems. Always enjoy your work and many thanks for creating.

You're certainly welcome. Comments like yours keep me going.

[gtrtroger]

Got'em done.... great stuff!

Tom, will all your previous VNHRR scenarios work with this new version of the route - swapping loco power not withstanding?

Roger

[Chacal]

Completed 1st scenario successfully. This is a good one, Tom. Thanks!
It is just perfect for my taste: some mildly complex switching, reasonable length, marshall instructions, some interesting AI traffic.
Instructions are clear but not too verbose. My solution for reviewing messages is the "Display work order" function in RW-Tools.

Minor problems:
1- Popup instruction at the end says "Train Order 9: Reverse south to Hartford Union Station Track 1." Actually the end destination is on track 4, not track 1.
2- Missing "Stop at Hartford Union Station Track 4" before "End destination" instruction. Because of this the final destination does not show up in the task list, it shows only in the HUD at bottom, which can be confusing for some players.

[OldProf]

Got'em done.... great stuff!

Tom, will all your previous VNHRR scenarios work with this new version of the route - swapping loco power not withstanding?

Roger

I haven't tried all of them, but so far the answer is mostly no. Michael advised me early on that some of them would not, due to track changes here and there. In at least one of them, I employed one of my favorite maneuvers: having the PT exit a roundhouse at the start of the scenario. This involves using a StopAt or GoVia instruction on the opposite side of a turntable, and the scenario editor accepted it as far as TS2016 provided that the starting and ending track markers sat directly across the bridge and it was in line with them, but 2017 will not allow it. What's the use of a roundhouse and turntable if the bridge cannot be crossed? Another of my favorites, instructing the player to use a turntable to reverse the direction of his engine, will work. In one of my German route shunting scenarios, the Player Engine had to align and cross a transfer table -- I haven't tried that one yet, but if crossing a turntable bridge is not allowed, the same is probably true of a transfer table bridge. placing a track marker on a turntable or transfer table bridge has never been possible, something that I've never understood either.

Anyway, if you try one of my scenarios for versions 1 or 2 of VNHRR I'd appreciate knowing whether it runs or not.

[OldProf]

Completed 1st scenario successfully. This is a good one, Tom. Thanks!
It is just perfect for my taste: some mildly complex switching, reasonable length, marshall instructions, some interesting AI traffic.
Instructions are clear but not too verbose. My solution for reviewing messages is the "Display work order" function in RW-Tools.

Minor problems:
1- Popup instruction at the end says "Train Order 9: Reverse south to Hartford Union Station Track 1." Actually the end destination is on track 4, not track 1.
2- Missing "Stop at Hartford Union Station Track 4" before "End destination" instruction. Because of this the final destination does not show up in the task list, it shows only in the HUD at bottom, which can be confusing for some players.

Drat! That's what I get for uploading without performing one last check. I can't remember just now how Bob feels about re-posting a scenario with corrections.

[buzz456]

It's no problem. Just upload it with the same name and he'll put a note that it's a new version.

[OldProf]

Completed 1st scenario successfully. This is a good one, Tom. Thanks!
It is just perfect for my taste: some mildly complex switching, reasonable length, marshall instructions, some interesting AI traffic.
Instructions are clear but not too verbose. My solution for reviewing messages is the "Display work order" function in RW-Tools.

Minor problems:
1- Popup instruction at the end says "Train Order 9: Reverse south to Hartford Union Station Track 1." Actually the end destination is on track 4, not track 1.
2- Missing "Stop at Hartford Union Station Track 4" before "End destination" instruction. Because of this the final destination does not show up in the task list, it shows only in the HUD at bottom, which can be confusing for some players.

Finally got around to trying to fix these errors. The first was easy -- simple message change. Number 2, however, is impossible. Even though the editor accepts Hartford Union Station Track 4 as a final destination, inserting a Drive To instruction for the very same destination causes an "Unknown error" (one of my favorite Timetable Editor tidbits) that turns every one of the PT's instructions red and keeps the scenario from loading due to "many failures" (I love that one, too).

[Chacal]

Just completed the 2nd scenario without any problem.
Quite enjoyable. A little bit too easy maybe.
TO were clear.
Interesting AI traffic on the main line.
Feel free to make more!