DB-Tracks PON-11 MINI

[OTTODAD]

Having released it in the MSTS forum for use in a specific for it MSTSBin MINI, it is also running in ORTS.

But loading its forinstance Anderson activity takes ORTS 105 seconds to load, whereas the MSTSBin MINI loads it in 10 seconds.

Any idea what the reason for that is ?

Is it all these AI services running ?

[OTTODAD]

Test running that activity today I am waiting at this RED signal for the first of its many AI services to appear.

It having psssed, that RED signal does not change to GREEN and there is no response from pressing the TAB key.

http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/video/pon-11-anderson-activity.wmv

Should there be some sounds from the passing AI ?

Made myself some buttered toast and a cup of tea and getting back to the computer 10 minutes later that signal was still RED and passing it, there not being a response from pressing the TAB key, got a SPAD emergency brakes application.

P.S.: Just realized that none of Sniper's short paths Freestyle activities will work in ORTS, its Manual option for them not working properly and is a pain to use.

However my Explore The Route activities have regular paths and have no problems running in ORTS !

[R. Steele]

Hi Otto,
Let's give this a try. I just loaded and started running the PON11 Anderson act in OR X2604. As soon as the activity started I switched to manually and the path was unimpeded by any signals bandicam 2014-10-30 22-21-10-143.jpg
There are quite a few AI traffics running. Before starting the activity I checked start times using MSTS AE and found one that started same time as activity, so I changed that to a few seconds before activity start time.

Many of the AI's start and hour or so before the activity start time so it's possible their runs may have completed when the activity starts and they will not make an appearance. That's something that usually has to be considered when running MSTS activities in OR. There is a possibility that the AI traffic start times will have to be altered for OR. I'm not saying that is the case here, just a possibility.

Well anyway, I have started to run the activity, so we'll see. I'd like to troubleshoot this with you, may help me learn something, you have considerably more experience with MSTS activities than I, and considerable experience in everything trains/MSTS. On the other hand, I run OR almost everyday and have been keeping up with development for the past 18months by downloading the experimental version every friday, so that may give me an little (emphasis on the little, make that very little) edge when running OR.

Maybe between the two of us we can come up with something. Can't promise anything, but I would like to give it a try.
(just a note: to make sure everything was in order I checked route, trainset, activites, sound files, cabviews and anything else I could think of - no errors at this point, everything shipshape.) Cheers

[OTTODAD]

Hi Gerry !

Great to get a response from an interested in what I am doing fellow user of MSTSBin / ORTS, who too has a good knowledge of what makes them tick !

B.t.w., this route and other than my EXPLORE freestyle activities have been created by the Coconut God, Sniper, Jim WARD, the expert in Freestyle activities, who was my teacher in the early days of MSTS and other train simulators and then learned something from me !

There have been hundereds of downloads of it from my web site and am ready and willing to add any improvements to my DB-Tracks version of it, it they can improve running it in ORTS !

There is a plug-in to enable super-elevated DB-Tracks in ORTS but prefer its tracks like they look now without it !

Take care, Otto.

[R. Steele]

bandicam 2014-10-31 12-43-27-001.jpgImage00001.jpg

Hi Otto,
Sounds like we have a plan. I'm familiar with Sniper, Jim Ward, having seen his moniker on numerous and instructive docs about MSTS. Most are in my digital source library. I never heard about the "Coconut God" (should I even be asking?

First things first, perhaps we should sync up what options we each have checked in OR. That could influence what is happening when we each run the activity.
Currently, I also DO NOT use superelevation. Somehow, I assumed that was primarily for modern high speed rail lines, but again my experience with this is minimal. So I do not have it checked.
Heres what I have checked
1. Options > Experimental
Enhanced compatibility with MSTS activities
Location-Linked passing path processing
........also these, which I don't think will influence activity ops much
Always use highest detailed objects
Extend object maximum viewing distance to horizon
Load DDS textures in preference to ACE
Ashesion proportional to rain/snow/fog
and of course I checked:
2. Options > Audio
MSTS Bin compatible sound

I have other options checked but none of them seem like they would influence the activity, such as large address aware binaries, Model instancing, Distant mountains, dynamic shadows, advanced adhesion model, break couplers, and curve dependent resistance for example.

I would be willing to default to what you have checked, then the data we each get would be similiar. Suggestions?

I followed your lead and am waiting for the first AI Traffic - which from the dispatch window screenshot is ccwFreight2 coming from the east. I am in manual mode, I'm going to run one pass by of ccwFreight2 in manual and see what happens. Then I'll run the same sequence in Auto.

Right away I noticed a discrepancy. (see second screenshot) in manual mode the signal ahead shows red in the route, on the track monitor is shows yellow. I went through the signal and did not have any problems. So OR is showing yellow and route shows red. This discrepancy may already be a known bug, or perhaps been addressed. I'll do some research or you may know about it. Switch is aligned for player.

That's where I'm at right now, waiting for the AI. Cuppa and toast sounds about right. See ya.

[OTTODAD]

Hi Gerry !

Below are my ORTS Option settings.

I am foremost a Railways and Trams Tracks enthusiast and know nothing much to do with signaling, using mainly short paths Freestyle activities in MSTS, ORTS has problems with.

Which activity is that you are running ?

[R. Steele]

Which activity is that you are running ?

Hello again, Otto

I am running AndersonDay on the PON11 route (same as you are I believe)

Activity initial load is around 45sec to 1 min for me, resume from save loads in under 10 seconds.

Otto you are 100% correct, if the player stays in Auto, he isn't going anywhere.
So I ran out of the shed and stopped at the signal, then I changed from auto to manual mode.
That first switch is locked and passing it will trigger an "Out of Control - Off Path" situation. No way around it. Looks like the short path freestyle has to be run in manual mode.

I am able to run the activity "freestyle" in manual mode, with no emergency brake being triggered. When you run in manual mode the emergency brake is triggered? Am I understanding you correctly?

In manual, player can set a path all the way to Shea and into the tunnels if you wish to.
I used manual switching as I went or plotted the path using the Dispatch Window, aligning switches in the window with the mouse - selecting main or side

That being said, the AI Traffic should still run fine in that mode (subject to correction by someone who really knows the AI logic code!)

A significant difference in the running of the activity is that your first AI traffic train enters the yard from the west (saw this while watching your video of the activity) while my AI traffic enters yard from east and exits to the east via the loopback track at the western end of the yard. Curious?

Concerning the AI Traffic Sounds, I positioned myself (using the free roam camera #8 right next to the yard track the AI was on, heard all the sounds, loco, freight, squeal, etc. Away from the track yard sounds appear to dominate, compressor sounds, something else I cannot identify, maybe player locomotive, perhaps. But the AI sounds are present. How could we make them more noticeable from a distance?? (beyond my skill set at this point)

The main difference in our option settings is I am using Location-linked passing path processing (you are not) and you are using Enhanced compatibility with MSTS activities (and I am not). Could this be the reason the AI traffic is running differently in the same activity??

Cheers,
screenshots of path I plotted west to Shea using the Dispatch Window (in manual mode.), AI Traffic loopback to east (The first traffic I encounter in AndersonDay) and lastly of all AI traffic when activity starts.
bandicam 2014-10-31 15-52-14-311.jpgbandicam 2014-10-31 15-52-36-086.jpgbandicam 2014-10-31 15-55-14-051.jpg

[R. Steele]

Hi Otto,
One thing I forgot to mention, this warning showed up in the OR log you posted.
Warning: Unable to access Microsoft .NET Framework performance counters. This may be resolved by following the instructions at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/300956
You may wish to consult this thread.....http://www.elvastower.com/forums/ind...ry162053...for more information.

Cheers,