One aspect of Train Simulator that bugs me is that AI trains can't use their horns. I feel like allowing them to do so would add a bit more immersion into the game. I'm not sure about other countries, but horns and whistles are used quite a lot in the US, and it just seems unnatural for AI trains to be completely silent. I'd like it if an AI train would give the proper horn call out before moving, or when gong through a crossing, or even giving a friendly "Toot Toot!" as you pass by one. I'd like to elaborate further, but for some reason I've been having some serious writers' block on this one. Anyway, what do you guys think?
It's something that can be done, although it requires some extra set-up. Blowing the horn at a crossing sadly isn't possible, as AI trains cannot receive messages from track markers like the player train can, but locomotives can give a toot when starting - some of the Meshtools British steamers, the Smokebox Wild West trio, and some of the Just Trains pro range.
Can they not? Even a script trigger when crossing a via? It would mean someone going in and adding these to every single crossing location though, so that would be a lot of work...
If Searchlight Simulations were able to make defect detector, then I don't see why you couldn't script something that causes an AI train to sound its horn at a given area.
Commercial realism... what gives the most reality for the least cost. Programming only the US crossings to sound the horn so that US people can get US realism is probably work that could be done by US people?
gtrax made milepost detectors i,am kind of surprised dovetail hasn't done that that or fixed the crossing gates going down to early
It is possible for AI to sound horns. Take a look at one of the scenarios from the AP Class 365 EP. They managed to pull it off on one of them a passing 91 blasts the horn.
I noticed on one of the scenarios an AI train sounded the horn prior to reversing. Was on the one of the freight packs.
I would welcome this as well. Especially if the AI passenger train is going to blast through a station at over 100 mph that its not destined to stop at to warn passengers like they do in real life. The AI needs to be more life like in that way. It would be great if they sounded a friendly horn at you when in "photo mode" those scenarios that are train spotting types but the probably set to "random" so that not all trains blast their horn at you..
I would like to point out that trurail simulations made a live radio for thier wip p42 revamp and dynamic paint for the dash9 (update their dash9 is gone)
Well that certainly is a wrong attitude. What matters the most about the realism, is giving the user what they are paying for. I could give 2 farts how difficult it is, I was a programmer (master debugger), so don't blow steam up my backside and tell me I farted. I didn't buy the program so I would have no way to effectively set a speed range, as long as I had a way to prove I was paying attention, instead of constantly having to pay attention to just my speed so I can't focus on anything else. I'm supposedly the Engineer on a train with significant tonnage, and the software telling me I was doing so improperly just pisses me off when I blow my horn at an intersection. I own several products from Dovetail, and if you are saying spending a little time to go back through stuff they already made so they could fix or otherwise make more complete, the maps/routes already released, I'll stop using the products altogether. I want yellows, flashing yellows, reds, and maybe even a malfunctioning gate, making my Conductor get off his bside so he can stop traffic. Yeah, I know it's a lot to ask, but I'm not the one who named it Train Simulator. Even in an airline simulator, you have to raise and lower your landing gear, and turn on your landing lights. I don't care if the AI trains blow their horns, or sound their bells, but I'd like to be able to without fear of losing career points for it. I will say this, I'm going to stop purchasing addon Locos if I continue to be unable to enjoy one of their most essential safety systems.
Cool, so you know about how much work goes in and if you were selling direct to customers you know the value of each hour and prioritising the work If you've never sold direct, your experience is as relevant as a chocolate elephant Excellent. Bye then In the end, if the software doesn't live up to your expectations then don't buy it, it's fairly simple