Modding RT2

[jeffryfisher]

I think I have found the industry conversion data at 0x141AD0. Dates are easily recognizable. Just after each date range is a cargo number (what is produced). Five bytes later is another (an input) followed by quantity (usually 1). Ten bytes later might be another cargo number (second input) followed by another quantity.

I can clearly see autos (8) produced by two steel(6, 2) and one tire(22, 1) starting at 0x141C05. However, I haven't yet figured out what all of the intervening numbers (mostly powers of 2) mean.

[jeffryfisher]

I've been decoding more data segments near the end of the EXE (v1.56). Tonight I stumbled upon all of the station improvements.

I am wondering how to control the earliest appearance of an industry building. Oddly, the only segment that seems to deal with the buildings themselves appears to have no dates in the data records.

I've been filling in a spreadsheet (an open office .ODS file) with structure and data, including what interpretations and guesses I have. I am up to 10 sheets for the ten data segments I have located. Someday I might upload it.

[Gwizz]

Sounds interesting.

[jeffryfisher]

Last night I spent more time parsing some of the data sections in v1.56. I discovered a series of what must be cargo conversions, four conversions per block (most "unused"). Each block must correspond to a building.

One of my epiphanies was to realize that some of the columns containing lots of (decimal) 128, 64 and 63 values must be floats. Important analysis tip: Patterns like {0, 0, 64, 64} and any four bytes ending in 62 are likely to be floating point numbers (if you're curious, 64-64 = 2.0, while floats ending in 62 range ~0.05 - 0.499).

Unfortunately, the data in these blocks do not match buildings' first appearance dates in the game. Those must be elsewhere yet, so my quest continues.

[jeffryfisher]

I've finally locked on to the building introduction dates. They're in the data segment starting at x135C38 in v1.56. The records are 39 bytes long, and the appearance date is the only element whose meaning I understand.

That would make matching dates to buildings quite difficult were it not for the fact that there's another data segment with industrial conversions, and these dates are in just the perfect sequence to provide the right introduction date for each industry's building, even including what might be a duplicate textile mill.

I'll try modding what I think are the military buildings and test their appearance dates this weekend.

[jeffryfisher]

I tried some new dates for mil buildings. They showed in the scenario editor (under industry) just as I had entered them in the EXE file. I'll need to play a game to see if they hold for first-appearance announcements, but I don't anticipate a problem.

[jeffryfisher]

I finally got back to the locomotive data segment. I don't know what all of the numbers mean, but at least I was able to identify which data went with which loco -- except for the two TGV's. I can't tell them apart because neither one fits the dates given in my manual (They both seem to be scheduled to appear in 1973 instead of one in 1955 and one in 1981).

I also ran across the missing A3 again. It is the only loco with a zero set in its first byte. All other locos have a one there, so it looks like a flag got turned off. Modding the game to set that flag to one should put that loco into the game on its preset schedule. As long as there aren't any bugs associated with its other data in the game, that should work well.

The locos are now all in a page in my spreadsheet.

[Gwizz]

I looked up Silver last night after hearing it was making huge gains.  After two years, a one dollar investment is now worth about $3.50.  If 2 years ago I had inside information and the money to buy Silver, I could have have made a good profit if I sold today.

The gain in Gold has almost doubled over the same two years.  I'm surprised with the news that China, a gold producer, was now buying gold by the ton, world wide.  I expected a bigger gain for Gold.  There must be some Gold sellers out there taking a profit.  There still seems to be a shortage of gold, so its price should keep growing.

I was thinking it would be nice in RT2, for a chairman to be able to buy stock or even commodities in some map industry. 

I know as a simulation a railroad can buy an industry.  But to have a chairmen be able to own the stock or the commodity  would add another path toward personal net worth.  In the real world those who control stock or the commodity are able to control a Railroad by controlling the industries that use the railroad.

It might be too large a Mod to undertake.

[cogeo]

I was thinking it would be nice in RT2, for a chairman to be able to buy stock or even commodities in some map industry. 

I know as a simulation a railroad can buy an industry.  But to have a chairmen be able to own the stock or the commodity  would add another path toward personal net worth.  In the real world those who control stock or the commodity are able to control a Railroad by controlling the industries that use the railroad.

It might be too large a Mod to undertake.

Human and computer players in RT2 can buy stock (their own company's or the others'), short-sell stock as well as buy on margin. Everything else is not possible.

Unfortunately we cannot change this by modding the game the way we do (change industry purchase prices, bond amounts, cargo/car dates etc). This would require changing the game's code, which is not available to us.

[Gwizz]

I was thinking about owning stock in an industry or what that industry produced.  (The Futures market or commodities)

[jeffryfisher]

Doing more modding today (patching some holes revealed by my earlier mods). I'm still tweaking the appearance dates for mil buildings so there will be a usable mix when the civil war starts.

Anyway, while I was at it I added what I think is a cool new feature: Starting in 1943, chem plants will demand oil and turn it into (synthetic) rubber needed for weapons. Seeing how rubber can represent all plastics, I also have tool & die (factories) converting rubber into goods starting in 1950.

What do y'all think? Good idea or would it cause problems?

[jeffryfisher]

Here's my incomplete EXE data analysis spreadsheet (see attachment). It has numbers from RRT2-Pt v1.56. I know that I accidentally grabbed a handful of numbers from an early modded version. I went back later and tried to highlight those numbers in red.

My game mods of course have many new or changed numbers not in this spreadsheet.

This is a work in progress. Some tables are incomplete (or empty), and many columns have yet to be identified.

EXE156_Data.zip

[jeffryfisher]

Here's my incomplete EXE data analysis spreadsheet (see attachment). It has numbers from RRT2-Pt v1.56. I know that I accidentally grabbed a handful of numbers from an early modded version. I went back later and tried to highlight those numbers in red.

My game mods of course have many new or changed numbers not in this spreadsheet.

This is a work in progress. Some tables are incomplete (or empty), and many columns have yet to be identified.

[jeffryfisher]

Here's my incomplete EXE data analysis spreadsheet (see attachment). It has numbers from RRT2-Pt v1.56. I know that I accidentally grabbed a handful of numbers from an early modded version. I went back later and tried to highlight those numbers in red.

My game mods of course have many new or changed numbers not in this spreadsheet.

This is a work in progress. Some tables are incomplete (or empty), and many columns have yet to be identified.

Edit: For some reason, a duplicate of this message was created as post #37 earlier in this thread, and the attachment went there instead of staying here (very weird... why would a Jan 2011 message sit among messages from 2009?).

Edit 2: The most recent EXE data file (and modded v1.56 etc) is in the zip maintained (replaced from time to time) in the OP of the US History thread.

Edited September 23, 2016 by jeffryfisher
Repair/replace link

[jeffryfisher]

I've just discovered another vein of mod possibilities: a file called default2.lng. It contains all of the text strings displayed during the game. It's designed that way so that all those strings can be translated into another language (hence the extension on the file), effectively porting the game without touching the EXE. As such, it can be edited in a plain text editor like notepad. The strings are all quoted, so length need not be preserved (within reason).

Only cosmetic mods are possible here, but I still found some worth attention. After backing up the file (of course), I changed "it's" to "its" in several places where it was wrong. I also shortened some of the stopped-train statuses so that they display more reliably (where the station name & status text runs into the payoff-display in the below-map list, it goes blank instead of truncating. Shortening statuses means that doesn't happen as often).

I also want to think of a whole new set of fake news article headers to replace Bigfoot etc. I thought of writing ten or so (short) tactical game-play tips/reminders disguised as tycoon news. For example: "Top RRs replacing older, bumpy track with smoother grades". Suggestions?

I will probably also end up tinkering with a few other things too. It's humorous but annoying to get stations named "Grand Junction Junction", so I may freshen up the list of alt station labels.

If anyone is curious to try mine when I am done, then ask me to upload it here. However, it would be easy for any of you to customize your own (after backing up the original of course).

[Gwizz]

I bumped this up.

[Gwizz]

I have been thinking about just how difficult it might be to code the turn around of locomotives on a turntable..

I would like to use a turn table to turn locomotives. I can turn a whole train on a balloon track.

The code already blocks trains from running through each other, except when turning around at a station, crossing on the diagonal or when I reverse or change the trains direction.

Maybe a rewriting of that code could be used to block connections between a locomotive and the cars when the direction is changed.

A turntable would have to be coded. My thinking is: it could only be used with double track.

The game is already coded for left or right hand running rules. So that flipping the locomotive's direction on a turn table would move it to the second track and turn it 180 degrees.

The action would be a simulated turntable where only the loco is allowed on it and a simple code would flip the locomotive around on the turntable as it does now in a station.

It might even do this automatically. Coding may be needed for the train to pick up the uncoupled cars as it passes it's uncoupled train.

It seems much of the code is already written and just needs, an adjustment of the code. It might not be as impossible as I once thought.

[jeffryfisher]

What would be gained from a turntable? Eye-candy? The one benefit I can think of is that engine turn-around speed could be calibrated to convey the progress of a train's station turn-around time. However, this would only play for trains that do in fact turn around.

Such an enhancement goes beyond "modding" as I understand it. My EXE file hacks can change some of the numbers in the game (like engine reliability and building/cargo intro dates), but I can't touch (or even begin to comprehend) the program logic. To add a new function, one needs to work with source code, and that means either a release or rev-engineering (and you know where that thread is).

A turntable would be tricky to display because some locomotives are longer than one cell (especially with a tender in tow). Graphically, they won't play well with other graphical elements (like stations) when sideways (nose or tail would sweep through the station lobby and any buildings across the tracks therefrom). Also, after turning an engine, where would you attach the consist, and in what order?

[Gwizz]

My thinking is the turntable would be a section of double track which turns off of a main line next to or close to a station. The only movement would be that of the flipping of the locomotive as it runs onto the double track turntable.

The turntable could use a small station, with the turntable super imposed under the double track and the whole thing looking like a double track turntable and not a station.

This would be similar to how the Gwizz station was created combining a port and a small station.

The turntable action would be about the same as happens when a loco turns around at a station.

The turntable itself wouldn't move. The locomotive leaves the turntable and returns to the station on the next track and picks up the train as it passes each car.

Again, the action would be about like it is now with the locomotive picking up one car at a time until all the cars are moved behind the locomotive next to the station

Basically the existing code doesn't change. Delays may be needed that allow the locomotive to move forward to a programed routing dot on the center of the turntable, turn around on the turntable and pickup the cars as it passes them in front of the station.

[maddog]

Jeff,

Have you considered making an exe that will mod RT2 once you find the location of all the data? BTW, if you want to look at the Linux gold version I can send you the exe file.

--Ray.

[jeffryfisher]

Have you considered making an exe that will mod RT2 once you find the location of all the data?

Huh? I have no idea what you are trying to say. I don't make an EXE to mod the game. I edit the game and then upload the edited EXE as a replacement for the one that came with the game (backup your original in case my replacement can't replace your version)

[Gwizz]

Played a bit this morning. Merged a couple of AI railroads and ended up with some duplicate track and an extra station.

I wonder how much trouble it would be to auction off unwanted parts of my railroad such as I have now.

Example: The game could present a control key or button for auctions. Push the button then Highlight the part of railroad that is for sale.

The game would analyze the value of the property, for sale and by random number make an offer by the nearest AI railroad.

I could push a button to accept or reject the offer.

[jeffryfisher]

That's like my idea for liquidating bankrupt companies. A dying company could go into "chapter 7" for a year before its track is finally ripped out. Its trains would be deleted, but the track would persist for a year. All other companies would have the opportunity to select sections of track and stations to bid upon or buy (first come, first served) at some "court sanctioned" fair market value.

I know the AI couldn't make intelligent use of the opportunity, but it could probably preserve tracks it had incorporated into its own routes, and it could certainly preserve tracks under its existing trains.

[Gwizz]

I was looking at my grandsons I-pod. I think it was an I-pod since in was about 1/3 the size of a laptop. ( 12" by 10" ?)

It had RR Tycoon on it. That might be one of the reasons we didn't get replies. I didn't have time to really check it out.

The first game was more of a puzzle. I had to build track and turn switches ahead of the train to keep it from crashing.

The others seemed to be more involved. The next time I'm at their house I'll take a closer look.

I didn't find the CD with the wish list on it. Maybe its on one of my back up drive or a USB drive. Or, maybe on a CD just placed in a save place that I now can't find.

[jeffryfisher]

I think an i-pod is the size of a cell-phone. 10x12 might be an i-pad (with an 'a').