Changing Config-settings in a save-game.

[AvG]

I want to compare results of different settings of several variables in the config-file.
I want to do that in the same scenario.
Is it possible to alter these settings in a save-game? Or is there a better way?
AvG

[prissi]

Maybe. YOu can try with the current nightly. Load a game, get to new world dialoge, change settings and save the game after closing new world dialoge. Not all setting can be altered, but many are accessible.

[AvG]

Thanks prissi for your info.
However, I am working with Exp6.6 and I am afraid that using a nightly will confuse me even more.
I am trying to sort out the cause of getting almost no passengers, when playing in 1900 with 60 cities on
a map of 512*768 and median-cities of 500.
James said to increase median-cities to 2000. Of course that will help, but does not solve the real problem.
I think that the real problem might be the maximum tolerance level of passengers for how long they will
spend travelling.
Currently in Exp6.6 these levels are FIXED numbers and might be OK for modern era's but are to high for
1900 environment, where for shorter journeys, horse/wagon was the main transport.
The bits_per_month setting also has a big influence.
I will go on with my investigations and will keep you informed.
Avg

[prissi]

Please post help and bug reports for experimental in the experimental thread. This one here is about the standard simutrans, and experimental has added additional complexities (with its bugs and features) those support is task of the experimental crew. Many of the features from experimental were denied, since the additional complexity and effort in supporting them were not considered woth for simutrans.

mod note: moved from Help Request board to SE Branch board
~vilvoh

[jamespetts]

AvG,

Simutrans-Standard recently incorporated a GUI for changing certain settings in a game after it is underway (including a saved game). This feature has not yet been extended to cover Simutrans-Experimental specific features, but I am hoping to extend it thus by version 8.0 of Simutrans-Experimental.

[AvG]

James,
That is realy good news. I will try that asap.
Just started a new scenario Exp6.6, with different config setting.
I tried bits_per_month 25, in fact the best setting, but the game-pace is realy to slow. So back to 21.
I want to start with small towns, but nevertheless an acceptable number of passengers. You said median cities of 500 is to small and advised to go to 2000. Being born stubborn I had a look in the config to look for the cause of the problem.
I found that the problem is caused by the setting of the tolerance-level of passengers.
The standard-setting can work for more modern scenarios, but not in the 1900 environment.
Teleport yourself to that time and think of the situation in these days. Horse/wagon (if available) was the common transport.
If you could do your journey partly by train you were lucky. But the AVERAGE speed of most train-connections was probably no more than 30 km/h.
I changed the tolerance levels to: 20>>40, 60>>290, 45>>79, 180>>460, 120>>270 and 720>>49412 (last one quiet useless)
At this moment it is july 1900 and I have a decent amount of travellers.
Combined with mail I have a monthly profit of 2250, with 540 maintenance. Very well useable now.
If you are interested in the background of the figures I can mail them.
AvG

[neroden]

Thanks prissi for your info.
However, I am working with Exp6.6 and I am afraid that using a nightly will confuse me even more.
I am trying to sort out the cause of getting almost no passengers, when playing in 1900 with 60 cities on
a map of 512*768 and median-cities of 500.
James said to increase median-cities to 2000. Of course that will help, but does not solve the real problem.
I think that the real problem might be the maximum tolerance level of passengers for how long they will
spend travelling.
Currently in Exp6.6 these levels are FIXED numbers and might be OK for modern era's but are to high for
1900 environment, where for shorter journeys, horse/wagon was the main transport.
The bits_per_month setting also has a big influence.
I will go on with my investigations and will keep you informed.
Avg

So many things have been changed since 6.6 that I would strongly suggest retesting on 7.1, or 7.3 when it comes out.  Indeed it may be completely impossible to make an intercity trip in 1830 due to journey times -- in 7.2 (using pak Britain Ex) I can still get enough local passengers to have quite a lot of passengers though.

The fact is that people actually made far fewer intercity trips in 1830 than today so I'm not sure this is really a problem.  The problem is that the smaller number of trips don't make enough money.

bits_per_month is of course painfully important, the entire game balance pretty much breaks when it gets changed, and I'm hoping to sort out the mess related to it sometime, but not this week.

[jamespetts]

AvG,

thank you very much for your feedback. The tolerance settings are there, as Neroden states correctly, in part to simulate the fact that, in times past, far fewer people travelled than now precisely because it took longer to get anywhere. It might be that they need some adjustment, but they should be set to realistic levels. It might well be that the passenger level and/or town size need increasing to get a realistic passenger flow. As Neroden also notes, checking profitability in 6.6 is of limited value, since there have been many balancing enhancements since that version has been released. Your feedback is always most welcome, though!