pcopa

I played all CtC scenarios. I think Ireland is not so bad as well the others CtC maps. Thanks a lot

This has been probably asked many times but I hope to get an answer once more. In the original scenario from CtC “Ireland”, what had the PopTop designer actually meant as award objectives: wool and grain or clothing and alcohol cars?

From Wikipedia: “With the 1930s came the widespread use of stainless steel for carbodies. The typical passenger car was now much lighter than its "heavyweight" wood cousins of old. " (?) I meant it in the car weight context. How does axle load affect performance characteristics of locomotives, I've not dealt with this topic yet. As I already mentioned, there are probably significant differences between USA and Europe. In Europe there are only max 4 axle coal cars (type open-top, gondola), so there's no normally operating open coal cars with total weight exceeding 70-80t. Unlike in the game, the heaviest cars are the so called (steel) coil cars. They have mostly 6 axles and up to 120t (in Europe). I've found the most informative website on this topic so far, with really detailed data. Unfortunately, the most interesting part, the freight car catalog, is in german only, but maybe you'll have a look [www.stinnes-freight-logistics.de/gueterwagenkatalog/deutsch/gueterwagen/index.html] For the first time I was looking at the cars in game and … counting axles. Apart from fertilizer, uranium and cement they are all 4 axle cars (the last versions), I'm not sure about weapon (4 or 6). ======== I studied and updated the cars sheet from your exe data yesterday. The only duplicated (spare) line is the fdin3 data. Probably like pax cars a fourth version was planed and then discarded. I replaced the data with falco and tested in game. It seems to work fine, so I've finally got a light and a heavy alcohol car!

Very interesting, I didn't know that. I think, I've read that the late mostly wooden passenger cars were heavier as the first all-steel ones. I've learned, the key and decisive value is the maximum axle load allowed (mala) for railroad trucks. Rail networks, lines or even individual sections have a category. Depending on this category there are different malas. In Europe (also UK) the mala does not exceed 16-19t with the exception of Sweden, where few new lines have 25t. I've read also, in North America the mala is usually bigger as in Europe. The highest mala (world record) have some lines in Australia, 40t! By the way, as well as the world record for the longest train ever - eight engines pulling 628 cars of 99732t total weight, imagine such train in RRT2 I think, american cars are also slightly longer and higher as their equivalents in Europe, they even look “heavier”. Furthermore, as you noticed for sure, the north american diesel locomotives are usually much heavier as the european engines, and last but not least, there can be some confusion concerning weight units. Concluding, I am actually quite satisfied with the cargo weight values in RRT2, they aren't unrealistic or imaginary. On the other hand I don't mind to adjust them, especially the empty/loaded pax cars or making some cars heavier e.g. steel or cement . They couldn't be too heavy of course, since the balance with the engines power would be lost. Question: In the game editor there is “traction” as an adjustable value for engines. Is this the “free weight” in your locomotives data table?

Astonishing but single cargo and passenger cars are! Here is some data I've found [source: German railways forum]: Cargo cars used at present days: 2 axles: from 14t (empty) to max 35t (loaded) 4 axles: from 20t (empty) to max 70t (loaded) 6 axles: from 25t (empty) to max 100-120t (loaded) Note: 6 axles cars are very rare! Modern passenger cars: double-decker coach, bilevel car, Dosto (ger. Doppelstockwagen) - total (loaded) weight 55-58t "normal" passenger car - total (loaded) weight 36-40t Note: For passenger cars the load weight (passengers) is assumed to be 5t average So the difference (laded - unloaded) is relatively quite low. Another examples (passenger trains): Shinkansen 52-58t per car (integrated electric motors) Eurostar 2 engines + 20 cars – total weight 750t (empty), 815t (loaded), 34-37t per car The new AGV (TGV) about 40t per car This is the major limitation of the game, regrettably very unrealistic. That's what must be done, unfortunately it's not very easy.

...and that's it! For some incomprehensible and curios reasons, an additional TGVx entry date is located outside the loco data section “in the middle” of the file! So my editor counts just normally, from the start of the file. Check it out please.

@ TGV I've got it! Oh my Goodness, the problem wasn't the exe file but my save files! It took a long time to find it out. The program sets a flag in a save file that says “the engine has already appeared” and therefore there is no pop-up window in the game. So if you want to test the TGVs, do NOT use a file saved after 1954! I've tested it several times already and I am really happy now, it works perfectly. All that have to be done in Jeffry's modified exe (if I'm not mistaken): offset 0x79602 > BD07 and 0x79609 > 0F27 (probably not necessary) I've discovered something new too, the column L in table "cars" means: engine side-view skin/graphics.

I'm not sure I understand your question correctly. I changed the year of appearance (exe file), went into the game editor, map options, industry, port and checked the yellow display of the year on the image. It would be a pity right now. As I mentioned in my last post, everything seems to work properly. The only flaw is the lack of the pop-up window on the first of June 1981. !!!Typing error!!! The correct file offset is: 0x79602 Yes, it should be thought out very well. However, in my humble opinion, some changes are indispensable. It would enrich the game only marginally but the game would be certainly more “historical”. Maybe a few “classes” only e.g. 20t, 40t, 80t, 120t.

I've tested it very briefly but yes, they do make money, housing as well. Yes, I actually do, but these ones are something for an aspirant to a higher school of clairvoyance. There is only one small thing that I could find out. I was looking at the building list and I noticed, apart from TSC buildings, they were all in a strict alphabetical order ( if you read “log mill” and “oil refinery”). The only exception was “Textile Fake” in the place of.... port. I did some testing and it IS the port. Consequently, the column AF can't be a "used in the game" flag (tested) but rather something to do with customs duty or water (?). Your guess is right. I changed for sure the values in both columns (E,F). As you know, all steam locomotives have two units (tender) as well as the F3 and the E656, the sum total appears in the game. @ The (dam...) TGV I've finally found by testing the year of appearance [Edit] (0x79602). It seems to work fine, the engine and the displayed year appears correctly in 1981 but.... there is no the usual announcement in the game "a new engine is available!" >:( I give up (for a moment?)!

When I start a new company in the game editor now the number 38 is shown, maybe when I reach one after 255, the problem will be solved? ;) That's what I should had to do instead of liquidating the companies. Finished corridors and valleys ready for laying tracks was the only reason of using a save file. I bulldozed all buildings on the map anyway, so there was no problem of doubling of housing. As already mentioned, the scenario works fine.

1. TGV This one is a tough nut but I think, there is still a chance to subdue it (I'll take a look at that at this weekend). If our efforts do not succeed, we should ban it from the game, we have another three TGVs. 2.Buying industries Thanks jerry's work I am finally able to buy a geothermal power plant (2M $). I can buy military depots and barracks too and it makes me quite happy because they don't disappear abrupt any more. It' also possible to buy houses but I think, it would disfigure the game play to much. On the other hand it would open new options for scenario design. P.S. Jeffryfisher, I suppose you've already known this. If not: exe data – Bldg Sched – column C t/f 3.Own weight of locomotives Sorry, but the fact that the Trevithick has the same own weight as the Big Boy (60t), both more then the GG1 (30t in game, historically around 215t) gives me no rest. I've tested the Trevithick and the GG1 with different own weights (without cargo cars). There is an impact upon the performance but not very dramatical. I'm working on it and testing further. I experimented a little bit with this issue and I think you're right. It's a pitty, I don't know how it works exactly (a formula).

I've tested the last exe file version yesterday, at first by cheat . The TGV (gray) has appeared exactly as before with displayed 1955 year between GP9 and E69 on the train buy list. I exited the game and started it again without cheating to make shore, there was no any unwanted influence . Then I've run the game normally from 1920 to 2022 paying particular attention to the upcoming new trains. All trains with changed data have seemed to be correct... with the the exception of the TGV. It's appeared as usual in 1955 and has remained till 2022. The conclusion: the changed entry date for the TGV definitively does NOT work. An idea, please try to change the speed (or something else) of the TGV to ensure this is the right data block. I also viewed the exe data. What does the column S (free weight) actually contain? In the game, if you check with right-click a train in the list box (without cargo cars), there appear really odd and curious weight values and they do not meet the table data at all.

That's what I actually meant. I've read the thread "Modding RT2" today, quite interesting reading matter. I've had a look at all trains (by cheat) in my game with the your moded exe too. There is still something wrong with the TGV trains. The gray TGV- prototype is still shown for 1955 and the orange one for 1971 (as diesel!).

I'm working on a scenario and I use a map from a sav file. The scenario works actually fine, but there is one thing annoying me. In order to modify my map I have started many times a new company and then deleted it. Now, if I open the map file in editor, the button "start a new company" is non existend. I have to go to the menu map options, general restrictions and first uncheck the box "player may start multiple companies". Then I must save the map and reopen it to obtain the possibility to start a new company. Unfortunately the numbering of the company continue from the bigining. How can I set the entire thing back to the initial conditions. It means there would be only the buton "start a new company" and if I start one (editor) then the number one? As I've mentioned above, there is no problem playing the scenario. Thanks in advance

jeffryfisher, I've read many of your posts not only in this thread and I must admit, I truly admire your passion for RT2 (14 years after its release)! Thanks for the quick replay. Yes, I am very aware of the fact that the detailed readme file would cost a lot of work and I'm not going to urge you to do it. I was just wondering, you haven't done it from the beginning. The corrected locomotive data are not a big problem, it's quite easy to find out the changes. On the other hand, as I belong to the generation that used to read (printed) game manuals, I enjoy to learn some information like your explanation to the GP18 and F9 engines for example . It's been my conjecture that the mod was created in connection with a specific game scenario. Imagine, I'm a player who designs and very carefully plans his own very hard to win map, where the number and kind of industries and especially their placement are crucial to win. Suddenly, I find my weapon factory demands lumber instead of rubber (now from my textile mill needed), my “barracks village” starts to demand weapons and to supply passengers instead of troops (they are now in military depots) and so on. The entire planning lies in ruins and I have no idea what more is going to happen in the future and no manual to learn something. I think, my point of view is much clearer now. --------------------------------------- Some other aspects on the historical mod (I should rather say a game patch) I think about: 1.Velocity and weight units in the game (probably the most painfull of my gripes) I'd better will not comment the fact of neglecting metrical units in a game for an international market. For more then one and a half century all trains in (continental) Europe travel in km/h, but in RT2 (RT3 too!)one is forced to cope with mph and that because of a half line of additional programme code! I'm sorry, but this ignorance simply makes me really angry! Since I've found jeffryfisher's work, there is a little hope that I finally will be able to play my game with trains running in km/h. Thanks to jeffryfisher, it is possible to change the speed of the engines. Unfortunately, if I adjust the values to km/h, then the trains will run accordingly faster. There is a possibility in the game editor to change the speed from four times slower to four times faster (!) as an effect of a game event, but it doesn't solve the problem too. My conclusion, little hope, assumption is, there is possibly a changeable factor that affects the actual train speed but not the displayed values. It would be great to find where and then set it permanently to 0,6214 (for the US-mile?). Maybe my dream comes true? A short question to the weight of cars (trains) in the game: Which tons are actually meant? Short, long, metric, imperial or republican? (Sorry for being sarcastic) 2.Barracks and military depots It's very irritating when these buildings suddenly disapear. It would be fine, if we could buy them (we could call it e.g. a supply agreement) to prevent them from disappearing. 3.Alcohol car As a consequence of being first added in TSC, the weight of this car from the very beginning throughout the whole game is 50 tons. Especially in the early stages, when a passenger car weighs about 15 tons and the most powerful locomotive is the John Bull, it could be quite problematic. It would be fine, if we had a gradually increasing value like other cars. As far as I can interpret the spreadsheet, no chance for that (?). 4.Geocore plant Why is this plant aviable from 1800? I have no idea, but does a geocore plant need chemicals and produce hazardous waste? 5.PK2 files I know, it is possible to edit (and manipulate) the content of the older PAK files from PopTop and there are also tools to modify the RT3 compressed files. How about PK2 files, is there any news? 6.TGV-prototype I'm not an expert, but I've researched a little and I assume, the game disigners meant not the TGV- prototype from 1972 (TGV 001) but the BB9004 or CC7107 locomotive from 1953. Aviable in french and german only, but quite informative: [de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weltrekordfahrten_der_SNCF_am_28./29._M%C3%A4rz_1955] There are few strong discrepancies: the original TGV-prototype (TGV 001) was also orange painted! the speed record of BB9004 from 1955 fits the highest speed of TGV-prototype in the game the graphics of both engines in the game are identical (except the skin) two very similar electric engines at the same time in the game don't make much sense there is a huge gap in the game concerning electric locomotives in the 1950s the original TGV 001 was not a “pure” electric train By the way, the TGV-prototype was a diesel in the sens of diesel engine in the game, but it had a gas turbine engine as primary drive. 7.Demand for milk It would be nice if the abrupt cease of the demnad in the cities could be fixed. It's definately a bug.