pak.german-exp is now available for download

[mopoona]

The first Version of the pak.german-exp scenario for Simutrans Experimental is now available for download.

http://simutrans-germany.com/pak.german_exp/download.php?d=pak.german_exp.20382.7z

Your help is required: Please report any bugs or problems to me (via this forum).

All features required to play the game are implemented:
All passenger trains, airplanes, ferries and busses have different comfort rating and loading times. Push-Pull trains are faster at reversing and three tilting trains (namely Pendolino, new ICE-T and ICE-TD) can travel around corners at higher speeds than other trains.

The following functions will be added to future releases of the pak:

• Overcrowding capacity for vehicles (busses, trams, urban rail)
• A new cost system with monthly costs for every vehicle
• A more distinctive comfort-system
• Weight limits
• Journey time tolerance

[jamespetts]

Goodness. This is quite something for a first post. Welcome and thank you for the contribution!

[inkelyad]

There is no rivers in it?

[mopoona]

There is no rivers in it?

Since there have been no changes to the pak other than the vehicles, everything included in the standard-pak should be available to you. However, some experimental features are changing the behavior of the game. When the games creates a new map, no rivers are created for some reason (I don't know why). But you should be able to build canals.
See my post below.

[inkelyad]

From main simutrans config/simuconf.tab:

Code Select Expand


# now river stuff
# first river type (should be defined in pak dependent file)
# The highest number is the smallest. A river with max_speed==0 is not navigavable by ships.
#river_type[0] = river
#river_type[1] = small_river
#river_type[2] = just_the source

From pak64 pak/config/simuconf.tab

Code Select Expand


# rivers:
# The highest number is the smallest. A river with max_speed==0 is not navigavable by ships.
river_type[0] = river
river_type[1] = river2

From openpak128/config/simuconf.tab

Code Select Expand


river_type[0] = river_00
river_type[1] = river_01
river_type[2] = river_02
river_type[3] = river_03
river_type[4] = river_04

From pak128.britain/config/simuconf.tab

Code Select Expand


river_type[0] = River3
river_type[1] = River2
river_type[2] = River1
river_type[3] = River0


See? You should define it too.
And use different image for canal. It is same as for river.

[Frank]

added this on simuconf.tab

Code Select Expand

# now river stuff
# first river type (should be defined in pak dependent file)
# The highest number is the smallest. A river with max_speed==0 is not navigavable by ships.
river_type[0] = river
river_type[1] = river2
river_type[2] = fluss_quelle

# start with 16 (looks nice on not too large maps)
river_number = 16

# river min length (not too short)
river_min_length = 20

# river max length (not too long?)
river_max_length = 512


[mopoona]

Thanks for the hint. I accidentally forgot the rivers when merging the original simuconf.tab files with the one for Simutrans Experimental. This "bug" will be fixed with the next release. Meanwhile, you can add the following code to the simuconf.tab (inside the config folder from this pak) file to enable river creation:

Code Select Expand

# rivers:
# The highest number is the smallest. A river with max_speed==0 is not navigavable by ships.
river_type[0] = river
river_type[1] = river2
river_type[2] = fluss_quelle

# start with 16 (looks nice on not too large maps)
river_number = 16

# river min length (not too short)
river_min_length = 20

# river max length (not too long?)
river_max_length = 512

[HeinBloed]

Hi mopoona,

I have a few questions regarding your pakset (please bear with me as I haven't had the time to test it myself yet - if you think a question can be answered by just playing it, just say so )

- is it a 64 or 128 (bits/bytes?) set?
- did you base it on an existing pakset or is it a completely new development?
- are you planning to work towards a balanced set with regard to costs, revenues etc.?

[mopoona]

The pak is based on the 64-tile pak.german for Simutrans Standard administrated by Frank. This Version of the pak will feature the same vehicles and buildings, but incorporate new features from Simutrans Experimental. The original pak has a pretty well balanced cost/revenue system. I would say it is the best. But the new comfort levels, catering and other vehicle properties introduced by SE will require some adjustments.

[sdog]

nice! i've just started it, and the demo map has Neubeuern at it's centre. That really was a nice surprise!
Is it coincidence, or some of you lads living there?

the same in german
nett! ich hab es gerade gestartet und die demo karte hat Neubeuern im zentrum. das war wirklich eine nette ueberraschung.

ist das nur zufall, oder wohnt einer von euch dort?

[mopoona]

I don't know who made the demo map. It's from the original pak.german. I think this is a coincidence.

Ich weiß nicht, wer die Karte gemacht hat und denke, dass es eher zufällig dazu kam.

[sdog]

found two problems with narrow gauge tracks. signals seem to be inverted, allowing trains to pass only from the backside. (1947)

level changes (1 terrain step up) with elevated narrow gauge not possible, graphic shows tracks without girders, trains could not pass it.

crash with exp dev version 9.x: http://forum.simutrans.com/index.php?topic=6184.0

[mopoona]

I waited for someone to find the signal bugs with narrow gauge (and the transrapid-by the way). Most Players will never recognize this bug, because you rarely use signals on this track. This issue may be fixed with the next release. If there is one, the copyright situation of the pak has changed since the first release.

2nd bug: This actually is no bug. If you try to build a elevated track in multiple steps, you have to make sure that all pieces overlap with each other at the ends. They don't connect if you just build them next to each other. Here is a tip how to get it right: After one piece is created, you position the cursor (the yellow box) underneath the last part of the existing track. Do not start at the level of the existing track.

As for the mentioned crash with the dev-version of SE 9, I won't do anything about that right now.

[sdog]

the crash is very likely not related to the pak, i just put the link here for completeness.

the graphics for the inclined elevated tracks is also wrong, only two tracks hanging in the air are displayed. i was also pretty sure i connected both ends. Using the elevated track with brick foundation the problems did not happen. I'll test it again when i have the time for it.

[Frank]

... Bei der Stahlträger-Strecke fehlen auch noch ein paar Ansichten. ...

[sdog]

just checked it again, the inclined elevated track is passable, i really failed to connect it properly.

[sdog]

some other things:
- DB 612 available in 1953
- tram 'track remove' does not remove tram tracks
- no "end of choose signal" available

on the economic side it seems quite a bit easy. I earn incredibly much on a not very large map, with about 150 small cities. (largest 16k!) with a rudimentary network that's not optimized at all. savegame 4MB

[Dwachs]

- tram 'track remove' does not remove tram tracks

You have to use the plain 'track remover' from the railroad menu. maybe the menuconf.tab has to be updated. The way remover for tram tracks simply does not work, as internally tram tracks are railroad tracks.

[Frank]

some other things:
- DB 612 available in 1953
...

DB BR 612 not DBAG BR 612

DB VT 12.5 / BR 612 german

DBAG BR 612 german

If you know of any vehicle or believe that what is wrong, you can also check the wiki.
pak.german vehicle list german
pak.german vehicle list english

... on the economic side it seems quite a bit easy. I earn incredibly much on a not very large map, with about 150 small cities. (largest 16k!) with a rudimentary network that's not optimized at all. savegame 4MB

The economic is balanced for Simutrans standard. mopoona has not much experience in balancing.
Set balancing takes many time.

[sdog]

DBAG BR 612 this one did appear in 1953. (Always wondered what the BR meant, now i know

Set balancing takes many time.

that's why i start to provide feedback* :-)

*You know, in the german way, getting to the problems without a mention of the good aspects, not even thought of that. So, it's quite good. Balance is also surprisingly good. Playing around with general parameters (passengers, general infrastructure maintenance) might be enough already.

[Dutchman on Rails]

I did a quick run, and I'm sorry to have to report a finding:

Setup: Simutrans 102.2.2 with Simutrans Experimental 8.2 and Pak.German-Exp. 20382.

The 1st day of the next month after loading a save game triggers an industry expansion wether it is supposed to or not. For some reason, I can no longer reproduce this with Pak128.Britain-Ex (I've had lots of trouble with it there), but now the problem resurfaced with Pak.German-Exp.

I hope this helps. If you need a savegame or something else, please don't hesitate to ask for it.

Edit: In a new Pak128.Britain-Ex game it resurfaced as well. Apologies for the incorrect report.

[jamespetts]

Dutchman on Rails,

this is a bug in 8.2 which will be fixed in the next release. Apologies for the next release being slow - my time to track down and fix the reported bugs is sadly limited!

[mopoona]

It is very difficult to find a balance in SE-paks. All the SE-specific incomes (comfort and speed ratings) are active in this version of the pak.german-exp, but no additional costs were added. This has to be changed in the next version. New monthly cost (for vehilces) will be added (higher ones for faster vehicles). Calculating these is very complicated and will take some time.

[jamespetts]

Mopoona,

I'm very interested in how you are finding it balancing paksets for Simutrans-Experimental; anything that you've discovered doing this would be of great interest to me in my efforts to balance Pak128.Britain-Ex.

[Dutchman on Rails]

I'm sorry to have to report a finding.

Setup: Simutrans 102.2.2 with Simutrans Experimental 8.2 and Pak.German-Exp. 20382.

In my games, town houses only show foundation (under construction) pictures. Town Halls, tourist attractions and industries are unaffected.

I hope this helps, please don't hesitate to ask any information needed (like save games).

Kind Regards, DoR

[mopoona]

That's no bug, look at your display settings, you hided all normal buildings.

[Dutchman on Rails]

I stand corrected, my apologies.

[jamespetts]

Simutrans-Experimental 9.0 has now been released, which resolves a number of issues in 8.2. I hope that development of this pakset can now recommence :-)

[mopoona]

For some reason I cannot load the current version of the pak.german-exp with SE 9. Does somebody have similar problems?

For now I like to give a little overview of the features I want to add to this pak:

• Higher cost for building and maintaining railroads and roads.
• Less km-costs but new monthly costs (higher for faster and more powerful vehicles). 
In real life almost 70 % of all costs are fixed costs. All locomotives will get new costs related to their power and maximum speed.
• New comfort system: the comfort values of all vehicles will be calculated as a sum of 3 numbers (base comfort for the chosen travel type/distance, seat density discomfort and vehicle specific comfort), costs are added in relation to base and vehicle specific comfort.
• new loading times: vehicle type specific loading times and payload related ones
• lower journey time tolerances (they have almost been disabled in the current version). A few passengers will want to travel very fast.
• lower passenger level (and less goods to transport)
• overcrowded vehicles
• more realistic traction
• Road, water and air will be alternative solutions for many problems previously only solved this railroads

Each feature will take some time to be tested, I hope I got everything ready until the end of january. At first I hoped I could work with the values of the Simutrans Standard pak, but now I think a full recalculation is the better way.

[jamespetts]

Mopoona,

I cannot reproduce the problem that you are describing in running Pak.German-Exp with my 9.0 binary. Can you confirm that 20382 is the latest version?

[mopoona]

At first I thought my version was not working due to the changes I made for my test. But I downloaded the current version and your Simutrans Experimental Complete files to check it again. And this combination doesn't work. I forgot the exact error (something with GOODS_PASSENGERS). I'll try again tomorrow.

[jamespetts]

Are you referring to version 20382? That version is working for me with the released 9.0 on Windows 32-bit.

[sdog]

Mopoona, could you sort out the problems in the german forum, with quite a lot of the contributors to the pak not allowing the port to experimental? When i read the thread, i thought the whole project is dead already, i'm positively surprised now, that you're still working on it now.

[jamespetts]

Mopoona, could you sort out the problems in the german forum, with quite a lot of the contributors to the pak not allowing the port to experimental? When i read the thread, i thought the whole project is dead already, i'm positively surprised now, that you're still working on it now.

I was not aware of this issue; this sort of thing is just the reason why open sourcing things from the outset is important.

[mopoona]

Frank, the former developer of the pak.german, decided that the pak should be ported to SE. He didn't want to work on both versions. So there was no one left to incorporate the newest changes in Simutrans (network play...). Angry about Frank's decision not to support the standard version one contributor did not allow the use of his graphics. But this got resolved (I least I think it is). prissi now works on the standard pak and after the release of the newest version a team will be chosen to care for the standard pak. So pak.german wont die. The original reason for the dispute doesn't exist any more and I am confident that there will be no more problems.

It is in discussion to make pak.german open-source, I would like that too but it's not my decision.