US History

[jeffryfisher]

My US History scenario is coming along nicely. Having started in the 1820s, I have entered events part way into the great depression. I have over 180 events already in, and I have about that many more to go (including all of the presidential election headlines).

My objective is to teach some history by having players experience it. Most of the events are one-time headliners, but most of those cascade effects via variables to about 30 events I'll have at the bottom of the stack to do the heavy lifting against companies and territories.

I've read elsewhere that too many events can cause crashes, but I've also read about track destruction under moving trains doing likewise. In my testing so far, having a long list of events does not crash the game as long as I am careful to always stop trains before disasters. I'll offer up my scenario to y'all later to replicate my testing.

I've also read that having many events can slow the game. As a programmer with experience going back to the 70s, I have an eye for efficiency. Besides collapsing many events into simple one-timers backed up by a few generics, I am also distributing event load among year-start, month-start, month-end, year-end and company-start.

I am also confident that hardware improvements in the decade since RRT2's release will render performance issues moot.

Expect an alpha release before Christmas (2011)!
(It will be bundled with a modded v1.56 that enables military industries and cargoes in time for the civil war)

EDIT: Since the OP is easy to find, this is always the place to find the latest US History map attached

EDIT: Most bugs are now "fixed". Event count is near 400. News headlines are being polished.

EDIT 7-Oct-2011: I think it now works as intended (unless my last adjustments screwed up something else). It should now be ready for wider distribution, but I'll stand ready to make a patch if any new bugs are discovered.

EDIT 7-Jan-2012: Added and tested Civil War arms race (North v South). It works if you have mil buildings and loads enabled, as in my mod of RT2_Plat.exe. I also corrected a subtle bug where some small sub-territories were falling through the cracks of certain events acting on their parent territories.

EDIT 13-Jan-2012: Edited TGV events to reflect fix to game mod in another thread. The TGV introductions are now actually back to the order of the original game (which will please players who can't use the mod).

EDIT 1-Feb-2012: Fixed some late-20th C bugs where having too much money fouls up triggers based on revenue (because interest income isn't included in "revenue", but but my "tax" miscellaneous charge is). I really hope these "fixes" stick because testing events in the 1970-2020 time frame is difficult for a scenario that can start in 1823!

EDIT 7-Mar-2012: Only cosmetic changes to headline texts, reserved cells etc. The scenario finally seems to be running as intended. This zip file also includes my most recent mod of the platinum v1.56 patch and a couple data sheets to go with it. If you don't like (or can't use) mods, then just delete them. As always, back up files before replacing them with modded versions.

EDIT 9-Apr-2012: Corrected some briefing texts, especially the earliest game start date in which a player can win silver or gold by starting a Mexican company.

EDIT 28-Oct-2012: Cleaned up a few odds and ends (like making the waste delivered status vanish after 2017, when it becomes unimportant). Unless I messed something up, this map is now "done".

EDIT 25-Jan-2013: I guess a programmer's job is never done! This version adds some snow events that slow trains in Canada every winter, and slow trains in blizzard-prone US territories in random (infrequent) winters. It also touches up the map and responds to some recent feedback. This zip includes a revised game mod that "fixes" some problems with managers' salaries. Most notably, I boosted Siemens from 6k to 86k so his massive 30% electric engine discount is something you might actually see when you can use him rather than seeing him only in the age of steam. I also finally hunted down and adjusted the TGVx intro date. I have included cargo, locomotive and manager spreadsheets to use as play-aids. I've also included the full EXE Data spreadsheet for anyone else who is interested in modding.

EDIT 28-Feb-2013 (minor): Touched up some reserve cells and enhanced the George Pullman recruiting event. Now if you "buy" George, he stays bought even if you hire a different manager later. On Feb 1 every year, Mr Pullman will come back to you.
As always, when substituting a modded EXE in place of an original, be sure that you've backed up the original (or last working copy).

EDIT 27-Apr-13 (minor): Added WWI statuses; tweaked magnitudes in electric fuel events; tweaked advertising trigger; added "Obama Re-elected" historical event; pushed fictional future events 4-years forward. Mod adds 20% electric track build and electric engine maint bonuses to Siemens.

EDIT 22-Aug-2014 (minor): Simplified (de-geeked) some text messages; Added E-track cells status; Fussed w rsv cells around Atlantic City; tried to protect against book-value overflow in nationalization income calc; shortened bankruptcy headline.

EDIT 4-Sep-2014 (experimental): Patched map file attempting to fix demand recovery at ports. Created port-patch ('PP') version of map, adding new zip file for testing. "EXE Data.ods" updated too, but other files are unchanged.

EDIT 24-Jan-2016: Finished testing patched ports. The map file retains a -P to remind everyone (especially me) that the map has had bytes tweaked (which will become untweaked if the port settings are ever edited again). I hope this is the final version of the map.

Revised File "US History 201601.zip" contains:
US History-P.MP2 (ports patched)
RT2_PLAT.exe.j10 (modded v1.56 of CD version)
default2.lng.x3
EXE Data.ods
LocomotiveData.ods
Cargo v156xj.ods
Managers v156x10.xls

US History 201601.zip

[jeffryfisher]

My US History scenario is coming along nicely. Having started in the 1820s, I have entered events part way into the great depression. I have over 180 events already in, and I have about that many more to go (including all of the presidential election headlines).

My objective is to teach some history by having players experience it. Most of the events are one-time headliners, but most of those cascade effects via variables to about 30 events I'll have at the bottom of the stack to do the heavy lifting against companies and territories.

I've read elsewhere that too many events can cause crashes, but I've also read about track destruction under moving trains doing likewise. In my testing so far, having a long list of events does not crash the game as long as I am careful to always stop trains before disasters. I'll offer up my scenario to y'all later to replicate my testing.

I've also read that having many events can slow the game. As a programmer with experience going back to the 70s, I have an eye for efficiency. Besides collapsing many events into simple one-timers backed up by a few generics, I am also distributing event load among year-start, month-start, month-end, year-end and company-start.

I am also confident that hardware improvements in the decade since RRT2's release will render performance issues moot.

Expect an alpha release before Christmas!  :)

(It will be bundled with a modded v1.56 that enables military industries and cargoes in time for the civil war)

EDIT: Since it's easy to find, this is the place to find updated US History maps attached

[jeffryfisher]

My US History scenario is coming along nicely. Having started in the 1820s, I have entered events part way into the great depression. I have over 180 events already in, and I have about that many more to go (including all of the presidential election headlines).

My objective is to teach some history by having players experience it. Most of the events are one-time headliners, but most of those cascade effects via variables to about 30 events I'll have at the bottom of the stack to do the heavy lifting against companies and territories.

I've read elsewhere that too many events can cause crashes, but I've also read about track destruction under moving trains doing likewise. In my testing so far, having a long list of events does not crash the game as long as I am careful to always stop trains before disasters. I'll offer up my scenario to y'all later to replicate my testing.

I've also read that having many events can slow the game. As a programmer with experience going back to the 70s, I have an eye for efficiency. Besides collapsing many events into simple one-timers backed up by a few generics, I am also distributing event load among year-start, month-start, month-end, year-end and company-start.

I am also confident that hardware improvements in the decade since RRT2's release will render performance issues moot.

Expect an alpha release before Christmas!  :)
(It will be bundled with a modded v1.56 that enables military industries and cargoes in time for the civil war)

EDIT: Since it's easy to find, the OP is the place to find updated US History map (and mods) attached

[Gwizz]

I wish I had that civil war mod when I did my civil war map.

Sounds like a good plan.

Thinking about the history of programing:

I don't think I would enjoy making a map using punch cards from the early IBM days.

I have two banks of IBM switches that are gold plated. 

My plan was to recover the gold if gold ever reached a big number.

At $1400 and oz. it might be time.  Now, I just have to figure out how to do it. 

[jeffryfisher]

I'm coming down to the last events (the "cascades" that handle conditions set in variables by one-time historical events already listed). I've run into several logic problems, so recent work has been slow going (and forced some compromises), but I might still get something uploaded this year.

The scenario will need my v1.56 mod to do everything properly. The primary mod need is troop/munition/weapon activation of buildings/industry-conversions/cargoes/cars in time for the Civil War). I'll upload that too.

Re recovering gold: There are companies that do this professionally and efficiently on all manner of plated jewelry, dental gold etc. They probably offer different % on recoverable gold value, so shop around. Weigh the effort of learning, inexpert DIY, and the discount on recovered gold vs the further discount you would suffer to sell the switch as is.

[jeffryfisher]

Huzzah! All events are in (about 300 of them), including all of the cascades. I have placeholders to add a few more if I think of something I wanted but forgot to write down earlier (or if some of my programming has bugs that require work-arounds).

I'm going to run it through at least once to catch the worst mistakes that I didn't catch in prior dry-runs. I should have be uploading the map and my mod of RT2 Platinum v1.56 tomorrow or Christmas day.

Note: The biggest delay was because I can't add or subtract a calculated value (even a trigger) from company cash or player cash. I had to work around by jamming values into player variables and then having extra events to draw down both (my variable and cash) as long as the variable remained positive. I had to do this for three different routines. They're clunky, and I hate the kludge, but they work well enough.

[jeffryfisher]

So far, so good. It's 1827 (starting the 4th year), John Q Adams was elected on schedule in 1824, and I've spotted only a couple cosmetic errors (annual status). The events haven't crashed or done anything crazy (yet). In fact, I am rather pleased at several things that are working very nicely already.

[jeffryfisher]

Here's my current mod of RRT2 Platinum v1.56.

I know I need to tweak the military building / industry / cargo start dates a little more so they'll be in play for the War Between the States. Let me know what development you see by 1861 so I get a handle on it.

EDIT: This is a slightly enhanced mod than was here before. Food can be refrigerated, and diesel can be kept in liquid storage.

EDIT: Military industry further refined; rubber enhanced.

 

EDIT: This mod is now included in the most recent zip in the OP

[jeffryfisher]

Here's my current mod of RRT2 Platinum v1.56.

I know I need to tweak the military building / industry / cargo start dates a little more so they'll be in play for the War Between the States. Let me know what development you see by 1861 so I get a handle on it.

EDIT: This is a slightly enhanced mod than was here before. Food can be refrigerated, and diesel can be kept in liquid storage.

EDIT: Military industry further refined; rubber enhanced.

[jeffryfisher]

Here's my latest "US History" map. I think I've worked out the early (pre-1911) bugs. I'm interested in any feedback as I continue testing.

EDIT: I have fixed (I hope) the serious bugs found in testing.

EDIT: Removed buggy attachment, added "fixed" attachment to OP atop page #1

[jeffryfisher]

Playing the map I uploaded... So far so good -- I'm 10 years in at 1834 and some guy named Pullman wants a job. Should I hire him?

[Gwizz]

Happy to hear that your testing is going well.

I'm on a run through and still have a major problem with a % of hauls cargo event.

The wrong percent of the cement hauled gives an incorrect answer.

In the event, I added the number of cement hauls, Then the number of food, lumber and goods that were hauled to specific territories, places they were hauled to the in real life history.

I divided the total hauls for the 3 cargoes into the total cement hauled and then multiply the result by 100.

For success I'm Looking for a result for cement that is greater then 50%.

The win event for gold wants 3 times as much cement hauled as the other three added together.

The problem may be as simple as delivering too much cement too early and/or having a bug in the events for territories.  I didn't have enough territory variables, so I used company variables and a game variable to add up the parts.  I've done this in the past and it worked.

I'm missing something that is causing this problem.   

If it is an overflowing percentage number then I need to figure out a check that blocks the too high a

status percentage that I'm getting.

The map is very hard.  If I don't find the bug soon, I just may make the map easier.

[jeffryfisher]

Happy to hear that your testing is going well.

I'm on a run through and still have a major problem with a % of hauls cargo event.

The wrong percent of the cement hauled gives an incorrect answer.

That doesn't sound much like my cement-ties-become-cheaper event. What you need to do is haul at least one cement plus five more gravel than cement in the same calendar year. Then your track building will be discounted 10% for 3 years (cumulative). This only applies after cement ties replace wooden ties about 1970. Before then, there's a similar event for logs/lumber.

I've been using such events for years on a couple maps, so if there's a problem, it's a just typo and easily fixed.

In the event, I added the number of cement hauls, Then the number of food, lumber and goods that were hauled to specific territories, places they were hauled to the in real life history.

I divided the total hauls for the 3 cargoes into the total cement hauled and then multiply the result by 100.

For success I'm Looking for a result for cement that is greater then 50%.

If you're editing the map, then you're on your own. It would be best if you created a separate thread for any line of development apart from mine. Otherwise people will become confused and not know whose version is being debugged in any given post.

Anyway, if anyone plays the US History map as I uploaded it (or update it), please post observations here so I can put the finishing touches on it.

Thanks!

[Gwizz]

I don't count gravel on my map only cement.  Not enough variables for gravel.  And I don't feel like making the work around needed for counting events.  Not enough empty time/space to use.

Sorry I used your thread.  I'm a bit confused on what you are doing with your map.  It seems it is much more realistic than my map.  I tend to compromise more leaning toward the puzzle style maps.

[jeffryfisher]

I'm a bit confused on what you are doing with your map.

I've attempted to use the scenario editor to create a genuine history teaching tool. I'm hoping that teachers and parents will pick it up, and that students will have enough fun playing the game that they'll work through it. With most of the events having some impact on play, it's not just reading about history but living through it -- hopefully making it more memorable.

[jeffryfisher]

The transcontinental awards don't work (at least the US one doesn't). I have two suspicions:

1) An early-game check of the trigger would have divided by zero (while multiplying by zero). This may have caused the whole event to be judged erroneous and not to be checked again after variables were set. I have altered the formula to avoid the possibility.

BTW, this raises an interesting tactic one might be able to use to have an event execute per company or per territory (therefore more than once) and then eject itself from the queue so it doesn't take up space or time after that.

2) At least once in the past, the trigger editor complained about /= (not equal) being an invalid operator. It always complains about every occurrence of '!', so the != advertised in the editor manual is right out.

The game as uploaded has a /= operator in each trancontinental award trigger, and the editor didn't complain about them. However, the event processor might be rejecting them. I have rewritten the trigger logic to (x=y)= False to avoid the potential error point.

It's just as well that the award didn't fire, because I flubbed the cash calculation anyway. You absolutely positively don't want to come in 2nd or later on any of those races!

My test game is up to 1876, and my company holds most of the continent in a death-grip. I have particularly enjoyed the territorial expansion and the challenges of conquering the mountain west.

An observation on computer players: When a destruction event like war cuts a cell out of their track, they never repair it. Like a primitive worm, the two (or more) fragments may grow separate nets.

Further more, if each of two fragments tie into my rail net (as at diagonal crossings), then the computer will unwisely send swarms of trains onto my track, which seems okay until they venture onto a congested mainline where they make very little progress.

Now I need to run some years off the game calendar to see what other errors I can spot in later events before uploading a new and improved file. I'm also curious to see if those computer trains can cover 40 cells of mainline before the Obama administration takes office.  ;D

If anyone else has a chance to use this map, please let me know both the good and the bad in the next few days.

[jeffryfisher]

I'm into the 1890s, and the errors are making the game almost unplayable. I thought some effects (like resource production and track build costs) could be made territory specific, but they seem to be affecting the whole map.

I also flubbed the train stoppage for the labor strike -- my company lost train running rights in purchased territory permanently even though I set the effect to be temporary. I thought I had tested temporary stoppage, but I hadn't been thorough enough to try it with purchased rights.

I'll try to upload a repaired scenario sometime this week. In the meantime, the map plays well from 1824 through the 1870s. If you play beyond that, don't reject any labor demands  ::)

[Gwizz]

Talking about errors:  Sometimes an event will stick.  I have a status event that won't go off status, back to a normal event.  I just marked it as "do not use"

I have another event that refuses to do math.  I worked on it. have yet to check it.  I have a spot on the map that if I pass the curser over it the map crashes.  I'll mark it as an unexploded mine, keep clear.

These are old problems.  It seems to happen when a map is continuely saved over its' self.  You might want to change each save as you go, with a slightly different name.

I use 99 in the name and reduce the number by one for each save.  When you have a lot going on it is too easy to make errors.  Just part of the challenge of map building.

 

[jeffryfisher]

Those are some strange errors, like when I rotate or expand a paused game and sometimes it crashes. Rebooting the computer helps. I suspect that the program has a memory leak.

BTW, if you are willing to share, I'd be curious to see any or all of these oddities. Maybe you could start a thread for broken games / maps for shared analysis.

[jeffryfisher]

I have replaced the map and game mod in their original messages on page one (look for the paper-clip symbols). Let me know if there are any problems.

[jeffryfisher]

I am working with the latest map. Something interesting happened to San Francisco: With the city marker in the bay, SF's houses have become scattered around its shores (except in reserve cells of course).

I am working on finding the mysterious cause of train speed doubling. I have a "task" event series (track re-alignment) that is supposed to increase speed by 10% for each company as it completes the series. On the previous map, at about the time that the eleven computer companies would all have been getting their bonuses, my company got a huge boost.

That made me suspect effect crossover, but my detailed testing shows that train speed can be bumped for one company at a time (and a temporary bump will unwind correctly). I don't know what's happening.

I think the next version that I upload will contain some debugging statuses (internal variables), and I'll remove them after all big mysteries are solved or avoided.

[jeffryfisher]

At least one of my transcontinental awards is still not working. It uses territory connected to territory, and I used a sub-territory at one end. I am wondering if the connection registers with the parent territory, leaving the function returning false.

Has anyone worked with the territory connection function? Will it work with a sub-territory?

[jeffryfisher]

Huzzah! My most recent testing has uncovered the sources of both mysterious bugs from the last round. The weirdest, the speed jump circa 1920, was the result of one territory's speed penalty event expiring... and pumping up speed in all territories instead of just the one where it had been halved.

Even the transcontinental awards are now working, so I'll be uploading repaired scenario and latest game mod sometime this week.

[jeffryfisher]

Both scenario and mod have been replaced. The scenario (map) is attached to the OP atop page #1. The latest mod is included.

This version of the map fixes all three of the major bugs that had been plaguing it. The prior version was playable from 1820 up to about 1920. I'm hoping that this new version will be playable to 2001.

Please try it!

[jeffryfisher]

Both scenario and mod have been replaced. The scenario (map) is attached to the OP atop page #1. The latest mod is included

This version of the map fixes all three of the major bugs that had been plaguing it. The prior version was playable from 1820 up to about 1920. I'm hoping that this new version will be playable to 2001.

Please try it!