The International Simutrans Forum

A new version of Simutrans-Experimental is available to-day: Simutrans 111.2.1 Experimental 10.12. See here (http://forum.simutrans.com/index.php?topic=1894.0) for more information on how to download, install and set up the latest version. For those already familiar with the installation and setup, here are some quick links:

   
• Windows binaries (https://github.com/downloads/jamespetts/simutrans-experimental/simutrans-experimental.zip)
• Linux binaries(i386) (http://www.43-1.org/~simutrans/simutrans-exp/i386/simutrans-exp-2012-10-29-d5e072a)
• Linux binaries(x64) (http://www.43-1.org/~simutrans/simutrans-exp/amd64/simutrans-exp-2012-10-29-d5e072a)
• Linux binaries (x64 - no graphics server) (To follow)
• Linux binaries (x64 - nettool) (To follow)
• Configuration files (https://github.com/downloads/jamespetts/simutrans-experimental/simutrans-experimental-config.zip) Updated for this version

Note that the Windows binaries contain the Windows version of the no-graphics server and Nettool. Nettool is currently an older version, as there have been compiling difficulties (http://forum.simutrans.com/index.php?topic=10729.0) with the latest version.

This is a substantial upgrade from the previous version, 10.11, and is based on a later (although not the latest) version of Simutrans-Standard, being the released version 111.2.1.

I have not presently realeased a complete packaged version bundled with Pak128.Britain-Ex with this version, as there still need to be some substantial updates to that pakset to work well with this version; a new version of the pakset will be released when further work on it is completed.

I have included the version compiled with IPv4 only in the Windows binaries, as some users were reporting frequent desyncs when using Windows XP in 10.4.

Physics - note
There have been some substantial updates to the way in which physics are handled, including full physical braking and some substantial alterations to the resistance/power dynamics, which requires pakset authors to recalibrate powered vehicle physics. This recalibration will be necessary with any versions of the pakset compiled with the latest version of Makeobj - the Makeobj from 10.11 will use the old calibrations.

In brief terms, the resistance has been reduced substantially. Diesel powered vehicles should now have a gear value of 50% and electric powered vehicles 80% to reflect their transmission losses, assuming that the vehicles are using power values taken from or based on quoted power figures for real vehicles. Steam powered vehicles might need manual recalibrating of their power figures: a reduction of about 50% from previous values will probably suffice. As an interim alternative to modifying individual vehicle .dat files, pakset authors (or players of unmodified paksets compiled with the latest Makeobj) can simply set global_power_factor_percent=50 in the pakset's simuconf.tab. Indeed, this is set by default in the global simuconf.tab in the latest set of configuration files, so this will only need to be changed if the pakset author has set a different value in the pakset's file. Pakset authors should take note to ensure that this figure is individually set in the pakset's own simuconf.tab file: where the gear factors have been used as suggested above, the setting ought be: global_power_factor_percent=100.

The term "gear" has been changed in its English translation to "Power output ratio: " for clarity, as "gear" suggests some sort of mechanical gear ratio. If anyone can suggest a better name for this factor, I should be grateful.

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A full list of changes follows. This does not include the changes imported from Standard.

Changes since 10.11

   
• CHANGE: Choose intercity bridge type deterministically (Richard Smith)
• FIX: City populations respect median again (Richard Smith)
• CHANGE: Allow minimum load values up to 400 percent
• CHANGE: Allow no big cities (Richard Smith)
• CHANGE: City populations on Pareto distribution (Richard Smith)
• CHANGE: Respect requested number of big cities (Richard Smith)
• CHANGE: New max_small_city_size and max_city_size settings. (Richard Smith)
• CHANGE: Now sorting cities by size so biggest is created first. (Richard Smith)
• CHANGE: When a convoy is waiting for its spacing slot, passengers will not board until 10 minutes before the spacing departure time. (Carl Baker)
• CHANGE: Store more waiting times (Carl Baker)
• CHANGE: Don't register waiting times of under 1 minute. (Carl Baker)
• CHANGE: Repeal the reduction of waiting times. (Carl Baker)
• CHANGE: Flush differently. (Carl Baker)
• FIX: Divide by zero crash when the speed bonus speed in the goods list becomes zero.
• FIX: Do not try to swap a union (Prissi)
• ADD: Physical braking - vehicles have a defined brake force and cpnvoys will start to slow down in time to stop given their speed, weight and brake force. (Bernd Gabriel)
• FIX: Errors on loading games with an Experimental version of 10.
• CHANGE: Some optimisation of physics code
• FIX: simtime_factor was not updated after reading meters_per_tile from savegame - use enhanced setter set_meters_per_tile() every time meters_per_tile is set, which updates steps_per_km and simtime_factor. (Bernd Gabriel)
• CHANGE: Splash screen and copyright.txt at Hajo's request.
• CODE: Change hashtable iterator to FORT type (Dwachs)
• CODE: Make private cars use a memory pool.
• FIX: Private car origins were not saved/loaded
• FIX: Add correct settings for saved game numbering in the settings window.
• FIX: Poor performance with many city car graphics.
• FIX: Spelling error in "Highlight schedule"
• FIX: speed scale is independent from meters_per_tile setting again. (Bernd Gabriel)
• FIX: Travelling times were calculated incorrectly on circular routes with convoys alternating in each direction.
• FIX: Status colour was incorrectly shown to be orange on convoys
• CHANGE: Status colour for convoys with no route is now red.
• FIX: Revenues were not calculated correctly in some cases.
• CHANGE: use numberinput components on goods list window for faster navigation (Hein Bloed)
• CHANGE: Optimise the city iteration routine in neuer_monat() (from Standard).
• FIX: Improper deletion of some GUI data.
• FIX: Occasionally, increasing the catering would reduce the revenue.
• CHANGE: Update the credits
• CHANGE: More sensible new attraction/town hall expansion messages.
• FIX: Occasional crash related to deleting private cars
• FIX: Crash on loading in some cases
• FIX: Missing buttons in the display settings window.
• CHANGE: MIDI music disabled by default
• CHANGE: Scroll inverse enabled by default
• FIX: The settings window did not correctly set/read boolean values.
• FIX: Convoys did not reset their departure data when schedules changed.
• FIX: Factories were not iterated properly at the beginning of each month.
• FIX: Schedule changes did not lead to a proper clearing of the departures data when lines were involved.
• ADD: Elevated ways cannot be built over buildings of a certain level (default: 2) and buildings over this level will not be constructed underneath elevated ways. The value can be set in simuconf.tab with the parameter max_elevated_way_building_level.
• CHANGE: Congestion settings adjust properly with the bits per month setting.
• FIX: Missing translation text entries.
• ADD: Stations and other buildings can only be built underground if allow_underground=1 is set in their .dat files. Setting allow_undergound=2 allows them to be built either underground or above ground. Setting allow_underground=0 (the default) allows building only overground.
• FIX: Possible error in calculation of cash flow on loading (from Standard)
• FIX: Halts registered as within walking distance of each other are re-checked periodically in case they move apart from one another (if part of a halt is removed, for example)
• FIX: Manually placed industries had excessive production values.
• FIX: Could connect a substation to a factory that was once in a city.
• FIX: Do not allow convoys assembled in the replace window to exceed their maximum length.
• CHANGE: Set parameters for the maximum city sizes in simuconf.tab
• FIX: Refresh paths for passengers when stops are registered as no longer being in walking distance of each other. Fixes crashes in some cases.
• FIX: Crashes on deleting foot connexion
• FIX: Station list special filters (from Standard)
• FIX: no need to call obj_remove if obj is going to be destructed (from Standard)
• FIX: do not call obj_remove directly, it will be called by destructor anyway; should speed-up upgrading of overheadlines (from Standard)
• ADD: try to build factories with different rotations if available (from Standard)
• FIX: (dlichtenberger) crash when using passenger AI and air transport (from Standard)
• FIX: road-gates did not update image properly after change of rights, images will not be updated in paused mode though (from Standard)
• FIX: toolbars with only metatools always returned empty icon (from Standard)
• FIX: Integer overflow resulted in perverse values when station purchase and maintenance costs are too high
• FIX: Crash on deleting stops in some cases.
• FIX: Crash in some cases.
• FIX: Crash in destructor of fabrik_t due to incomplete initialization if besch is missing. (Bernd Gabriel)
• FIX: Vehciles "teleporting" in some cases (Bernd Gabriel)
• FIX: Sometimes, especially with sea-going vessles, departure and waiting times would not properly register.
• CHANGE: Refine the calculation of congestion.
• ADD: rolling_resistance=x can be set in vehicles' .dat files to specify each vehicle's rolling resistance individually.
• FIX: Divide by zero error (crashes in some cases)
• CHANGE: Increase maximum length of non-rail convoys from 4 to 8.
• ADD: New city syllable
• FIX: Crashes when sending to depot vehicle already in depot.
• CHANGE: Minimum load is now stored as a uint16 value, allowing minimum load ratios of over 255 (current maximum is set to 400)
• CHANGE: Minimum load increment is now 10% rather than an automatic progression
• CHANGE: Use a hidden directory for saved game files, etc. in Linux (Kieron)
• CHANGE: Install directory for Linux is renamed to /usr/share/games/simutrans-ex (Darkbill)
• FIX: Broken resize in vector_tpl::store_at (Dwachs - from Standard)
• ADD: Show the maximum tolerable journey time for the comfort level of all passenger vehicles in the depot/replacer windows.
• FIX: Convoys >65 tonnes did not properly register their weight (from Standard)
• FIX: Infinite loop crashes in some cases.
• FIX: Possible network desync
• CODE: Fixed memory leak in #ifdef DEBUG_SIMRAND_CALLS (Bernd Gabriel)
• FIX: desync caused by never re-started static iterator in haltestelle_t::step_all() (Bernd Gabriel)
• ADD: Aircraft can only land at an airport with a sufficiently long runway. Specify the minimum length of a runway for an aircraft in meters in its .dat file using minimum_runway_length=[a number in meters]. NOTE: This requires a new version of makeobj.
• ADD: Aircraft hangers will no longer show "(diesel)" after the name of each aircraft.
• ADD: Aircraft cannot fly to airports with no control towers.
      NOTE - this feature can be disabled by setting allow_airports_without_control_towers = 1 in simuconf.tab
      NOTE - a control tower is a station extension building with is_control_tower=1 in its .dat file
• ADD: Some more city name fragments
• FIX: Error loading older saved games
• FIX: Upgrade price was not scaled
• FIX: Prices of vehicles were re-scaled on successive occasions, resulting in excessively low prices (sometimes of zero)
• CHANGE: Enlarge ranges of values for starting a new map
• CHANGE: More reliable river generation for new maps (Prissi, from Standard)
• FIX: Name for ground/water not translated.
• FIX: Revenue would sometimes be calculated incorrectly.
• FIX: The number of rivers generated will not be limited to 100/320 (Prissi, from Standard)
• CHANGE: Increase the maximum number of objects checked in a pakset mismatch from 10 to 512
• FIX: Various issues with checksum comparisons for online games
• FIX: Convoys will always be in non-reversed formation in a depot.
• ADD: Airport minimum wait, global power factor percent and allow airports without control towers can now be changed via the "settings" GUI.
• FIX: Various problems with upgrading of vehicles.
• ADD: aircrafts can handle waypoints and partial re-routing now. (Bernd Gabriel)
• FIX: Addons did not load correctly (Dwachs)
• FIX: integer overflow in geared_force[] and geared_power[], causing very large aircraft to be too weak. (Bernd Gabriel)
• FIX: Steam locomotives with double tenders and Garretts with powered front portions were not treated correctly on reversing.
• CHANGE: Make the cornering distance tolerances dependant on the meters per tile setting.
• FIX: Multiple liveries with freight images did not work
• FIX: Scale not set correctly on new maps
• FIX: Incorrect calculation of station costs
• FIX: Inconsistent capital costs for stations in some cases.
• CHANGE: The public player does not pay extra to build public stations.
• CHANGE: Recalibrate default air/rolling resistance values to enable smaller vehicles to reach maximum speed.
      NOTE: This change assumes the use of the gear=xxx parameter for diesel and electric rail/monorail/maglev vehicles. Suggested values: diesel: gear=50; electric: gear=80; maglev: gear=90. Manual recalibration of steam locomotive power (not tractive effort) is recommended.
• CODE: Put air and rolling resistance defaults in a single place in the code.
• CHANGE: Reduce (default) air resistance for rail and rail type waytypes. NOTE - values will need concomitent reduction when set manually in .dat files.
• CHANGE: Reduce the global power factor percentage from 100% to 50% in the default simuconf.tab to compensate for the reduced resistances in the physics recalibration.
• FIX: cost sign for stops with station_price (Richard Smith)
• CHANGE: more realistic population code (Richard Smith)
• FIX: Prevent deadlocks sending convoys to depot (Richard Smith)
• CHANGE: minor layout tweak to city stats box (Richard Smith)
• FIX: Adding buildings reduces homelessness (Richard Smith)
• FIX: Boolean (yes/no) settings in the Experimental settings window were not properly preserved
• CHANGE: Maximum value for the passenger minimum distance setting in the GUI increased to 4096.
• FIX: Occasional crashes.
• FIX: handle non-integer vehicle prices (Richard Smith)

Feedback and testing

Thanks also to all those who have tested Simutrans-Experimental and provided useful feedback: it is very much appreciated. Any feedback from this version would, as ever, also be very much appreciated, including (1) the new features from 10.11 (braking physics, Carl's new timing/spacing features, the elevated way restrictions, underground station and signal restrictions); (2) online play (see here (http://servers.experimental.simutrans.org/list) for a list of Simutrans-Experimental servers); (3) general bug reports; (4) information as to how well-balanced that the game is; (5) any difference in approach/strategy needed for Simutrans-Experimental as over Simutrans-Standard; and (6) any other useful feedback.

Particular thanks for this version go to Bernd Gabriel, who has worked tirelessly for many months implementing and refining many physics enhancements, and also Carl Baker and Heil Bloed for their first Simutrans-Experimental contributions, as particularised above. Thanks further to go Prissi, Dwachs and Richard Smith for their assistance on importing features from Standard, fixing bugs and enhancing the city population system.

I shall bid people good playing, and look forward to any feedback! Apologies that this version has been so long in the coming.

Note

This topic is locked, as it is intended to serve as an announcement. To report a bug or otherwise give feedback, please start a new thread for each bug/topic. To ask a question about how to obtain Simutrans-Experimental, use this (http://forum.simutrans.com/index.php?topic=1894.0) thread.