Self-directed Activities for Open Rails

[adreid]

I need some vocabulary help!

I'm building a set of non-typical activities, and I need a descriptive term for activities that have the following characteristics:
* There is a defined player path with start point, end point, and an "end-of-activity" event.
* The player may change to MANUAL mode to set switches, and leave the path for switching operations.
* Near the player path, there are loose consists on industry sidings and in rail yards.
* Traffic trains run on parallel paths, and may cross the player path at some points.
* There are no items on the F11 worklist, but a switch list is provided in the "Briefing".
* The player has the option to use this switch list, make their own switch list, or simply pick up cars or drop off cars wherever they choose.
* Alternate switch lists will be provided in a text file.

I'm hoping these activities will appeal to players who desire a set of goals, as well as those who want to be creative or do whatever they wish.

I've spent the afternoon searching the forums and file library for other activities with this dual nature, to see how they were described; if there are any, I've missed them.

For now I'm calling the activities "self-directed", but I'm hoping someone can suggest a more appropriate word or short phrase.

[motormaster532]

I need some vocabulary help!

I'm building a set of non-typical activities, and I need a descriptive term for activities that have the following characteristics:
* There is a defined player path with start point, end point, and an "end-of-activity" event.
* The player may change to MANUAL mode to set switches, and leave the path for switching operations.
* Near the player path, there are loose consists on industry sidings and in rail yards.
* Traffic trains run on parallel paths, and may cross the player path at some points.
* There are no items on the F11 worklist, but a switch list is provided in the "Briefing".
* The player has the option to use this switch list, make their own switch list, or simply pick up cars or drop off cars wherever they choose.
* Alternate switch lists will be provided in a text file.

I'm hoping these activities will appeal to players who desire a set of goals, as well as those who want to be creative or do whatever they wish.

I've spent the afternoon searching the forums and file library for other activities with this dual nature, to see how they were described; if there are any, I've missed them.

For now I'm calling the activities "self-directed", but I'm hoping someone can suggest a more appropriate word or short phrase.

Most,if not all Activities encompass what you are saying. I guess an all encompassing term would be "Custom Activities". Does that help? I dont really understand what you are looking for. Brian

[R. Steele]

If you have the Mullan expansion pack from TrainSimulations you should check out the activity "Missoula Switch" which sounds very close to what you are creating.

Here's the activity breifing:

Today you are the crew for the 7:00 Switcher in Missoula, using MRL's only GP40. You will be performing a full shift worth of switching around Missoula Yard and on the industrial leads north and south of the yard. Press Ctrl+M to enter Manual Mode, and remain in Manual Mode for the entirety of the activity. There is an all day maintenance window on both sides of Missoula today, so there shouldn't be any mainline trains to worry about.\n\n"+
"There is no particular order that you must perform your work in, but the last few tasks of assembling outbound cuts on the yard tracks will require that you have already picked up cars from many of the industries.\n\n"+
"It is highly recommended you use the Map Window (Ctrl+9) and have Siding names turned on in order to become familiar with where the various industries are. There is no time limit, but careful planning ahead of your switching will allow you to get your work done much quicker.\n\n"+
"Press F1 to view your Work Order. Once all tasks are completed, return to this same location and stop to complete the activity. The activity will not end unless all switching tasks have been done. This is a long and complicated activity, so you may need to save the game and complete the activity in several sessions.

Also activities created with Skyline Computing's Activity Generator and activity templates are very similiar.

http://www.skylinecomputing.com/

...and back when..before I become a member here there was something named "free form activities" for MSTS, don't know much about them.

I don't see much wrong with "self-directed" though. Have fun, thanks for your efforts, forum members always appreciate new activities.

[niknak]

Hi Dan, Self directed sounds just fine to me too. Well either that or, based on my experiences as a beta-tester, how about "bottlenecking" lol

[adreid]

I wonder if "multi-use" may be a better descriptor, as each activity may be run several times with different intentions (with the switch list in the briefing, with an alternate switch list, or with no plan in mind).

[PerryPlatypus]

"Open World" comes to mind, and is a term I had in the back of head when developing the Missoula Switch activity Gerry mentioned above (although what you are suggesting is even more towards that "open world" end of the spectrum).

[seagoon]

How about "flexible activity"? Or "multi-choice activity"?

[adreid]

I have decided to call these activities "freewheeling" because players are at liberty to ignore the supplied switch lists and do as they please.

I have just uploaded these activities. They should be in the file library soon.