There's this tree...

[Roads]

I have this game going with very small cities.  Actually I started the game with no cities and placed them where I wanted.  Anyway, I happened to notice I have a couple cities with some very nice trees that I hate to see chopped down.

Is it possible to lock a tile so that the AI will not build on it?  Not only would this be good for me but I think I read something about people having trouble with highways.  Wouldn't locking a tile solve that as well?

I just want to designate two great looking trees as landmarks and BTW congrats on whoever painted them!

[whoami]

Under "special construction tools", there should be a function to place a sign/marker on that tile, so the tree will be protected against players other than you.

[Roads]

Thanks whoami.  It places a sign there that kinda detracts from the looks of the tree but I guess you have to have something in place so the Simutranians know not to cut it down.

[sojo]

Can you build a placeholder or a street around?

[emaxectranspoorte]

Thanks whoami.  It places a sign there that kinda detracts from the looks of the tree but I guess you have to have something in place so the Simutranians know not to cut it down.

Not necessarily streets around it. When I had something important on map that didn't want get destroyed by simutranians, I usually build curiosities (attraction) buildings around it. : Don't know if this is the right thing to do, though.  :-\ : :-\

Anyway... Can you, please, attach a picture so I can see the painted work of art as well? 

[Roads]

emax, I seemed to have misplaced the link to the upload site.  Do you have it handy?  I have made pics of the city both with and without the sign.

[emaxectranspoorte]

emax, I seemed to have misplaced the link to the upload site.  Do you have it handy?  I have made pics of the city both with and without the sign.

Can't you place it here as a jpg or a png or something...

[Roads]

The only way I know how to post a pic here is to upload it first at the upload site and then reference the file name.  I think it was Dirk who posted the link but now I can't find the thread where it was posted.  And yes it does need to be a jpg or png but the type is not a problem.

[emaxectranspoorte]

The only way I know how to post a pic here is to upload it first at the upload site and then reference the file name.  I think it was Dirk who posted the link but now I can't find the thread where it was posted.  And yes it does need to be a jpg or png but the type is not a problem.

Sorry, Roads. :-\ See if anyone else knows how to solve this problem.  :-\ :-\

I can't remember and/or see it any longer, either. 

[whoami]

Small pictures can be attached in the forum directly, larger files can be made available by e.g. http://www.simutrans-germany.com/files/index.php?lang=en (this service is supplied by Frank).

[emaxectranspoorte]

Thanks, whoami. 

[sojo]

Mayby so ...

[emaxectranspoorte]

Mayby so ...

[sojo]

The picture was for this:

I just want to designate two great looking trees as landmarks and BTW congrats on whoever painted them!

[emaxectranspoorte]

The picture was for this:

May I ask how was that placeholder made?

Can it also be done for a bigger area? :-\

[Roads]

sojo, that would work as well but just like the sign it does detract from the aesthetic of the tree.  Thank you for posting the option though.

whoami, thanks for the link.  I'm going to save it in my links file this time.

Here's the pics:

[sojo]

sojo, that would work as well but just like the sign it does detract from the aesthetic of the tree.  Thank you for posting the option though.

The wall is just a exsample. Mayby use a "gracht" for 64x64, form pak.german. Or an other placeholder, when you use pak128.

Edit: This placeholder is a railway with speed=0 or 5 or so.

[Roads]

doh!  sojo, I had completely missed the implications of what you are saying.  Many thanks.

[emaxectranspoorte]

doh!  sojo, I had completely missed the implications of what you are saying.  Many thanks.

Thanks, Roads. That really looks great.

[Roads]

Well emax even us tree huggers realize you have to cut down some trees. :(

Still it is why my preference would be for a simple tile lock.  That way I could force the city to grow in the places I want.  You know, I think I would like to be a city planner.

[emaxectranspoorte]

Well emax even us tree huggers realize you have to cut down some trees. :(

Yes, true. :(

Still it is why my preference would be for a simple tile lock.  That way I could force the city to grow in the places I want.  You know, I think I would like to be a city planner.

What's the method of doing a simple tile lock... :-\ :-\ :-\

Sorry, but I don't have an idea how to do it... :

[Roads]

What's the method of doing a simple tile lock...

As I've haven't yet looked at the source code, I have no idea.  I'm inclined to think it would not be awfully difficult.  You could probably use the existing code for the sign and replace the graphic with just one pixel or something that didn't change the look of the tile.

[mobo]

You wouldn't have to go that far i think. You can create objects with images that are just background blue, they're invisible in game then. So you could lay "invisible" tracks around the tree, or put an invisible marker on it. You can also run an invisible train on it, hey ... maybe i'll start pak invisible  lol extra difficult for experts.

[Roads]

mobo, I want it!  If you ever get in the mood to produce such a thing.  It could be hot keyed couldn't it?  Well, but then you would need some code for the cursor to tell you the tile is locked.  And then a way to unlock it - funny how things can get complicated. :(

[emaxectranspoorte]

mobo, I want it! 

Me too, Mobo. 

[VS]

Mobo, run like hell

[emaxectranspoorte]

Mobo, run like hell

[mobo]

Here try this.

[emaxectranspoorte]

Here try this.

How to use it and/or what to do with it, if you don't mind me asking?  :-\ :-\

[mobo]

Extract it, put it in your pak-file path - it will replace the existing file, put a Marker somewhere, and look whether it's invisible after placing.

[emaxectranspoorte]

And will I still have the text marker separately, with it, as well?  :-\ :-\ 

Cause I also need it to tell of new factories industry sets, as well, as stopping simutranians to expand further in certain cities...

[mobo]

It replaces the other one. But it still works like before, there is no sign on the landscape, that's all.

[emaxectranspoorte]

Thanks a lot mobo. But the sign still shows on the landscape... Sorry...

Where exactly, do you know, have I gone wrong? :

:-\

[Roads]

mobo, I had some real life stuff come up right in the middle of posting yesterday so I didn't get a chance to try the cursor pak or post anything until now.

Thank you very, very much for posting it.  Like emax though I'm having a bit of trouble with it.  I put it in the pak128 directory.  In player mode when I place the sign the first time, the sign does not show.  However when I use my query tool it does not indicate the tile is locked, merely says tree and how old it is.  If I go into public service mode, the sign shows.  When I go back to player mode and try it, the sign shows.

EDIT:  OK, further testing shows I was wrong.  I had two tiles that I was experimenting with.  When I placed the sign on the tile the first time, in player mode, it works perfectly.  Query shows the tile to be "public property" in addition to how old the tree is.  The second square is a bit troublesome, it keeps displaying the sign but I'm in the process of playing around with it to see if reload, etc. works.  At any rate, thanks again for the code, I really appreciate it!

[emaxectranspoorte]

I had two tiles that I was experimenting with.  When I placed the sign on the tile the first time, in player mode, it works perfectly.  Query shows the tile to be "public property" in addition to how old the tree is.  The second square is a bit troublesome, it keeps displaying the sign but I'm in the process of playing around with it to see if reload, etc. works.  At any rate, thanks again for the code, I really appreciate it!

Same with me, But the normal reload didn't work  : Anyway... :-\

Thanks for your help mobo and Roads.

[mobo]

Hm, i cant explain that behavior. I tried it with version 99.18-1827 and pak32 (the file actually is a pak32-file), and it worked ok - never showed up on landscape only as cursor.

.

[emaxectranspoorte]

My version is 100.1 r2184 pak128 ...

[Roads]

I tried it with version 99.18-1827 and pak32

I'm running 100.1-2126 Nov 20, 2008 with pak128 so that might be the problem.  At any rate mobo it is way better than having nothing to work with.  I think there might be some difficulty if the player goes into public service mode and uses the sign or if he tries to use it on the same square multiple times.

[Roads]

mobo, I downloaded the latest pak128 to start a new game.  The pak I was using had been downloaded in November and when I unzipped the file to the folder there was no cursor.marked.pak in that folder.  However when I went to copy your file to my newly created file folder, I got a msg asking should I overwrite.  I clicked yes and just so you know, the file works perfectly with the new pak, exactly like you said it should - thanks again!

[emaxectranspoorte]

mobo, I downloaded the latest pak128 to start a new game.  The pak I was using had been downloaded in November and when I unzipped the file to the folder there was no cursor.marked.pak in that folder.  However when I went to copy your file to my newly created file folder, I got a msg asking should I overwrite.  I clicked yes and just so you know, the file works perfectly with the new pak, exactly like you said it should - thanks again!

I did the same thing, but now I tried it with version 101.0 stable r2207 and simupak128-350 from the nightlies site, and still won't work.

I am really sorry, Roads and mobo. :(

[Roads]

I'm guessing the version of the executable doesn't affect the file.  I'm still using the same executable as I was previously.  Apparently the prob I had was that the pak128 I was using was too old.  Since the one you are using is, I think, newer than my current, it is anyone's guess.  I can't imagine there is a tiny window where only the file will work.

I assume you have checked the date of the file in the pak128 directory and it is actually mobo's file there?

EDIT:  BTW, you might not want to use it anyway if you need/want signs.  It eliminates them.

[z9999]

Sorry, off-topic but one question.
Does a marker really protect the tree from AI player ? 

In my test, all players, include AI, can build ways on the other player's marker.
Is this a bug ?

[Roads]

z9999, In the game I'm playing now I don't have any AI players but the game engine is effectively growing the cities around the trees.  I really like how it is working...