kinnamon
09-24-2006, 02:57 PM
I have been fiddling with a first person shooter game called Joint Operations, and I think it points to some possibilities for interesting things that could be done within a new train simulator.
Now I am not into programming, so there are probably limitations I am not aware of. Nevertheless, I'd like to hear what folks have to say about the potential for doing a few of the following things in a new sim:
1. I think it would be a good thing to be able to have multiplayer (internet/lan) sessions in which one person runs while the other works the ground. In Joint Ops, players engage in large multiplayer sessions and move about freely in the game world while interacting with objects in that world. It's pretty amazing and very realistic!
Imagine how neat it would be to use a voice-over-internet program for your radio and to direct your engineer in switching movements. Hand signals would even be possible. As conductor/trainman, you and perhaps additional crew would line switches, couple and uncouple cars, lace air hoses, cut air in and out, set and release handbrakes, chock wheels, and perform many of the other functions of one working the ground. How about calling the engineer for "a little slack on the pin" to make a cut!
The engineer would have a limited set of views and would have to follow the directions of his crew. In other words, no '2' or '3' key view to let the engineer cheat!
As someone actually responsible for training real world conductors, I see a great potential for this as a safer way to train crews and to build familiarization with switching before cutting people loose to do it where they can get hurt.
2. In Joint Operations, it appears that as many as 64 people can be on a server "map" together engaged in battles. This makes me think that it would be possible for train sim sessions in which participants could operate trains and see each others trains--complete with real dispatching. Other sims do this, including sailing and flight simulators.
It seems to me that the technology is out there and is being used to do this sort of thing in other areas. Is there any hope that train simulator enthusiasts will see this one day? Is it within reach of current technology, or am I mistaken?
Thanks,
Lee
Now I am not into programming, so there are probably limitations I am not aware of. Nevertheless, I'd like to hear what folks have to say about the potential for doing a few of the following things in a new sim:
1. I think it would be a good thing to be able to have multiplayer (internet/lan) sessions in which one person runs while the other works the ground. In Joint Ops, players engage in large multiplayer sessions and move about freely in the game world while interacting with objects in that world. It's pretty amazing and very realistic!
Imagine how neat it would be to use a voice-over-internet program for your radio and to direct your engineer in switching movements. Hand signals would even be possible. As conductor/trainman, you and perhaps additional crew would line switches, couple and uncouple cars, lace air hoses, cut air in and out, set and release handbrakes, chock wheels, and perform many of the other functions of one working the ground. How about calling the engineer for "a little slack on the pin" to make a cut!
The engineer would have a limited set of views and would have to follow the directions of his crew. In other words, no '2' or '3' key view to let the engineer cheat!
As someone actually responsible for training real world conductors, I see a great potential for this as a safer way to train crews and to build familiarization with switching before cutting people loose to do it where they can get hurt.
2. In Joint Operations, it appears that as many as 64 people can be on a server "map" together engaged in battles. This makes me think that it would be possible for train sim sessions in which participants could operate trains and see each others trains--complete with real dispatching. Other sims do this, including sailing and flight simulators.
It seems to me that the technology is out there and is being used to do this sort of thing in other areas. Is there any hope that train simulator enthusiasts will see this one day? Is it within reach of current technology, or am I mistaken?
Thanks,
Lee