Keeping people away....

[jdtrainman]

Folks....

I laud the fine payware routes out there such as Kicking Horse Pass, the Bridge Line Route, and Cajon Pass.

My concern here is that we exclude people who are potential multi-player participants due to the required purchase of a commercial route. The three routes listed here would cost approximately $80.00 for someone to purchase. In addition, NONE of the above are available as pay and download any longer which now adds the factor of having to wait for USPS or UPS to deliver the package.

With that in mind, I would like to suggest (read: "recommend", "encourage") us to categorically rethink our multi-player route choices.... Last evening I popped in to observe the KHP session and noted that only 3 people were actually operating. I have observed similar results with other payware route sessions.

The success of the CSX M&M multi-player sessions should set the example for the rest of us.

Let's try to encourage more freeware route sessions in addition to keeping the payware routes available as well.

Finally, I started the multi-player calendar with the intent that people would check the calendar before just randomly calling a new session. Scheduling more than one session also diminishes the number of available crews out there.

With that in mind I'd like to ask everyone on the forum to carefully consider all of these aspects of multi-player sessions before scheduling a session.

The goal here is to ENCOURAGE more participation. In order to grow we need to be accessible to all interested persons.

Jim Duncan
Forum Moderator

[andrewpickell]

Jim,

I'm not interested in running on a lot of the freeware routes. Most freeware routes that have been released are eastern United States routes. As a western railroad fan, I have little interest in running on eastern-style routes.

Interest will be generated if people can run on routes they are interested in. Perhaps it was just a bad day for KHP, I've dispatched runs on KHP before with over 12 people...you have to pick the right time and have the right dispatcher. Perhaps the person who called the session had something to do with the turnout?

You'll never see me run a multiplayer based in the United States because I'm just not interested, freeware, payware or whatever...

Andrew Pickell

[link:www3.telus.net/apickell/SquamishSub/bcrhome.htm|BC Rail Squamish Subdivision for MSTS]
http://www3.telus.net/apickell/SquamishSub/banner.jpg

[andykeffer]

The Kicking Horse Pass session was small, but that was a good thing to me because that was my first time ever playing a MP session. That was my practice for the East River District that is tonight.

Any ways, There are only three people on the East River unless other people join when i`m at work ( milking them cows for three hours ).

If anyone would like to try a session for the first time, sign up with us. I had little trouble last night for my first time. The problem I had was the fact I didn`t have much power. I made it up the hill though.

[Pkmanca2004]

I think we just need to get the word out that there is a multi-player Sessions going on every week . to me I don't care if it is freeware or a route someone has to pay for. What I care about that we can draw in the people to make a multi-player session great , having at least 6 people to run it. I am looking forward to being a part of many multi-player session in the Future .

What I really like to see , is someone or company come up with true to live multi-player server with trains to stop and pass. Where you would see the other player train and were the dispatcher has full control over the route and the Signals. I feel this would go over big with multi-player train group .

Steven Presnal

PkmanCa2004

Stevenmarie111601@Charter.net

[jdtrainman]

With the apparent demise of M$TS-2 I think we've lost the possibility of having true interaction at in the short term. It is something that will NEVER be possible in TS-1, unfortunately.

The closest we can come is to use pre-canned activities with AI trains to simulate the other players. With some creative activity writing it CAN work but it's a bear to coordinate with various computer/video combinations affecting frame rates which also affects the sim clock and the timing of AI trains.

We're a long way from the day when I'll be able to stick my hand out of the window and give you a wave as I roll by your train in the hole.

Personally, my suspicions tell me that Microsoft decided to scrap the current incarnation of Train Simulator with the intent of coming out with a replacement product in the next couple of years. The biggest problem will be in compatibility with all of the routes and add-ons that are now available for TS-1. It's very possible that we will have to start over from scratch but where there's a will there's a way!

There are, of course, lots of different dynamics involved in multi-player sessions. From where I sit I want to be involved in sessions that operate prototypically with proper radio procedures, track bulletins, etc. I'm looking for realism and while that is difficult to achieve it's not impossible. I hold up the operations-based model railroads out there as the example to follow.

The ultimate solution would be for a simulator route to be on a host server which feeds information on train locations back to the clients for opposing/following trains, signals, track bulletins, orders, CTC, etc. It's a long ways off but not as far as some would think it is!

It's already happening in Flight Sim and I know of at least one NASCAR-style racing program that is an internet-based system where opposing drivers ARE seen which hosts live, real-time races on a regular basis.

We're behind the technology as compared to other sim games but I believe that the next few months will see some major developments along these lines. In the interim, we can still enjoy ourselves and prepare for the day when these things will become a reality in the Train Sim world!

JBD

[SVTS]

I think you are also missing one of the factors behind a MP session. People normally will pick a route they are fond of or have seen in person, such as the case with me and Tehachapi Pass II. Yes, the last session only had 2 people, but I still enjoyed running it, as did they.

Will we ever see a route as popular as the M&M? Who knows, only time will tell. As time goes by, and more people join in, perhaps we will see regular sessions for most of the routes. Untill then it is up to the select few to decide what routes are used. Tonight I will hold a session over cajon, followed by a Illinois Northern run next Sunday, and a ADFRR MP sometime this month. So things are looking up.