Red Singles / Red Lights In West Somerset Railway Tsw2

Discussion in 'TSW General Discussion' started by shhweeet#4292, Mar 7, 2021.

  1. shhweeet#4292

    shhweeet#4292 Well-Known Member

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    Hi I’m a totally new player to TSW.
    I am currently playing West Somerset Railway add on and was wondering. When you get a red light / signal and the signalman says you can’t go and have to wait for the signal to change, how long do you reasonably have to wait? I’ve had this happen to me several times and the wait has been so long I’ve just ended up not waiting and re started the task from the beginning again which is particularly annoying if your not far from finishing it. Is this a bug in the game or are these totally unacceptable lengthy waits normal? Surely not though because the game is meant to be fun at the end of the day sim or not and waiting literally forever for a signal to change sure as hell isn’t fun.

    Also what exactly is the big difference between immersion and classic button controls on my DualShock PS4 controller? Either way both are seriously complicated for a newbie to get the hang of. ☹️
     
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  2. Thunderer

    Thunderer Well-Known Member

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    For the red lights - click the touchpad and bring up the map, you should be able to see where the other train is that is causing you to wait for the red.

    Is it on the same scenario or schedule that is happening on and even maybe the same signal? In which case it could be a bug.

    The biggest thing with the immersion control scheme is you can one click for features that need a key to be held and a menu to pop up in the classic scheme. To use the camera in immersion it's a single click of R3, the doors can be opened with left or right d-pad rather than holding left d-pad and selecting open doors from the pop up.

    After a while Immersion controls do feel more intuitive, but many people think the camera controls aren't as good as classic - ie free roam, front camera etc.

    PS - you do know you can save the game mid-route right? You don't have to start from the beginning. It's accessed from the pause menu.

    PPS - Because of the slow speed limits and loco mix, WSR is probably one of the hardest routes for a newbie to learn on, what other routes do you have?
     
    Last edited: Mar 7, 2021
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  3. shhweeet#4292

    shhweeet#4292 Well-Known Member

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    Hi. Thanks for the reply it was much appreciated by this frustrated newbie. I’ve had the red light / signal happen to me several times on both Minehead 1 and Minehead 2 shunting tasks using the Class 09. I didn’t know about the map being able to show what the hold ups were so that is useful to know and the whole map feature I will have to investigate more throughly as it probably tells me a lot more info for things. ☺️ I have only been playing TSW 2 for only a couple of days or so and to be honest I’m finding it all a bit daunting trying to learn everything by sheer trial and error, but I AM getting there slowly usually after a fair bit of swearing etc.

    I’ve bought TSW2 collectors edition on disc because my initial investigations said it was the cheapest way to get onto TSW2 and to get some extra maps ( Which are very expensive at full price individually as everyone knows ) I then bought West Somerset as a TSW2 add on in the recent sale along with TSW2020 standard digital edition which again was just under a tenner in the recent sale for lots of tracks which I’ve imported into TSW2 for free and because my preference is for UK trains. So! I have ended up getting quite a lot of maps for a reasonable outlay, my only mistake was not buying West Somerset as a TSW2020 add on before I realised so I could play it on both versions by doing so. ☹️ Like everything about TSW it seems you live and learn I guess but I am enjoying it all apart from all the obvious frustrations and ignorance of a total newbie. As you say I’ve probably picked the hardest map via my ignorance to learn on. I am quite good for a newbie on the Baker Loo Tube line though apart from not quite getting my station stopping distances quite right. Thanks also for the saving the game mid task tip btw. I should have thought of that but it’s all currently a bit overwhelming for me at the moment, I will get there eventually though. TSW is a very complicated and quite hard game for a total newbie to learn, I just wish dovetail had provided an instruction booklet of some sort in the disc box in order to explain the basics to total newbies to get started. ( I’m old school and still like a proper physical instruction book to be provided tbh. Thank God for YouTube and message boards like this one. )
     
    Last edited: Mar 7, 2021
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  4. HeuF

    HeuF Active Member

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    Hi,

    Nice to see there are more newbee's around here. I began with TSW2020 last year and now own TSW2. I have a lot of fun with it, but I also have some questions. To save half way the route is ofcourse a very good idea. Thanks simongilford.
     
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  5. shhweeet#4292

    shhweeet#4292 Well-Known Member

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    Did you find it daunting trying to learn everything at the start like I am? TSW seems to be a great game but new players do need a big helping hand and guidance if they have never played it before. As it stands your very much left to your own devices which isn’t good when you come to this complicated game for the very first time.
     
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  6. HeuF

    HeuF Active Member

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    I totally agree with you. I still find it difficult now and then, but I'm not giving up. Maybe we can help each other? Chat on PS4, while we play TSW.
     
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  7. shhweeet#4292

    shhweeet#4292 Well-Known Member

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    I’m currently stuck on flipping red waiting to go up the main line a bit ( Minehead shunt 2 ) so I can shunt the two coaches back onto some others sitting in the Minehead station in order to form a train. The Class 47 is on the turntable. I’ve been here 20 mins! This can’t be right surely? Friggin boring if it is. ☹️ It’s a flippin game not real life. I’ve looked at the map and I can’t see any other trains coming? How do you ask the signalman permission to change points? This game really does need an instruction manual provided for poor newbie saps like me.
     
    Last edited: Mar 7, 2021
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  8. AGoodJudge

    AGoodJudge Active Member

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    That's definitely not right - as far as I can tell, there is no other AI traffic anywhere in the scenario.

    If I remember right, the class 09 plus one coach has just reversed into another coach in a different siding, so you now have two coaches attached? Make sure your reverser is pointed in the right direction, and make sure you have changed the points in front of you so that you're going right at the junction. (If you go straight on instead, you'll be heading towards the shed again). You change the points by approaching the lever at ground level and moving it - if you get close enough to it, you're given the option of moving it. When there are points levers at ground level, you have to change them rather than the signalman and you don't have to ask permission first.

    When you've done that, there should be a ground level signal a little distance away showing a proceed aspect (two white lights), which is your signal to leave the station. If not, then ask the signalman again - now that he knows which direction you're going, he might approve.
     
  9. shhweeet#4292

    shhweeet#4292 Well-Known Member

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    Can’t you change the points via the map though? I’ve started again ( The practice will do me good I guess ) but a big Grrrrrrrr from me at the moment.
     
    Last edited: Mar 7, 2021
  10. AGoodJudge

    AGoodJudge Active Member

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    Yeah, you can do that instead.
     
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  11. shhweeet#4292

    shhweeet#4292 Well-Known Member

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    Just getting a lengthy red light again so It must be a bug? Oh well! Can’t think what else it can be? Either way I give up coz I’m bored of this flipping West Somerset Railway, I’m wishing now I hadn’t bought it tbh especially as a TSW2 add on because It probably plays ok in TSW2020 ☹️ Thanks for your help anyway but I’m now suspecting this is a major fail on dovetails part rather than mine tbh unless anyone else knows any different?

    Maybe the signalman has fell asleep or knocked of duty early?
     
    Last edited: Mar 7, 2021
  12. HeuF

    HeuF Active Member

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    I printed all the manuals. It's very interesting to read.
     
  13. stujoy

    stujoy Well-Known Member

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    A couple of the foibles of TSW that may be important for new players that are having issues. No guarantee that these are the issue in this case but they are helpful nevertheless.

    1. Saving the game or loading a saved game can cause unexpected problems.
    2. Sometimes, the HUD will show the signal behind you when you are stopped instead of the one you are actually waiting to change, so always best to look at the signal in the game world, if visible. The HUD updates once you reach a few mph. This is known to occur with some services on WSR.
     
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  14. shhweeet#4292

    shhweeet#4292 Well-Known Member

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    Good idea. I would like to be able to do that but unfortunately I don’t own a computer or printer.
     
  15. shhweeet#4292

    shhweeet#4292 Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for this link. It will have useful tips for this clumsy shunter and it will be interesting to try and work out why he doesn’t get this infernal red light that I keep getting
     
  16. HeuF

    HeuF Active Member

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    You can read the pdf files.
     
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  17. johndeuf#8569

    johndeuf#8569 New Member

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    Hello, I encountered the same type of problem on Scenario 1 1-Preparation work: Loco BR Class 47- Unable to restart after stop before Bishops Lydeard, Actually I was not using the correct command. As this line is part of the preserved collection, some controls on the PS4 controller are significantly different from those shown in the TSW2 quick start guide. To contact the switchman, press the left joystick (L3 button) and not the round button, the authorization to start again at slow speed is then transmitted immediately.
     
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  18. shhweeet#4292

    shhweeet#4292 Well-Known Member

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    Pressing the left joystick just sounds the horn for me? To call the signalman I have to press the left button on the D pad and toggle to the call the signalman tab, the bugger then just keeps denying me progress and keeps me literally waiting forever.
     
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  19. peterturner#8185

    peterturner#8185 New Member

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    I think my game is having some sort of issue I've been sitting for almost 3 hrs waiting for the close track to either yellow or green I'm in Cumberland charge still waiting for the light to turn yellow or green I've restarted I closed the game went back in still waiting got to be some glitch or something in the game
     
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  20. Turbojugend

    Turbojugend Well-Known Member

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    As others have said, West Somerset is a fairly tough route to start with. Speeds are slow, and I'm pretty sure that the grade indicators are inverted in certain areas, which makes it a bit confusing if you use them at all.

    I've had the lengthy waits as well. I do understand that this is a simulation and immersion is key, but it's also a video game. Dropping your controller and walking away for 15 minutes should never be an option.
     
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  21. Gav

    Gav Active Member

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    I 1000% agree with what some of the others are saying on here.. West Somerset Railway is not a good choice if you are just starting and learning the game, its quite a difficult setup. Yes the line is quite short and only a 2 track line... but its very slow and there is a lot of slowing your speed down all the time and its so easy for new players to go way over the speed limits (even if they barely pressed the throttle lol)

    Its a pretty track, but it can be super frustrating because of the speed and you have to watch the speedometer like a hawk

    I'd suggest London Paddington - Reading route to start with and the Class 166, this is quite an easy train to handle and its smooth and more modern..
     
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  22. shhweeet#4292

    shhweeet#4292 Well-Known Member

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    I’m really enjoying Trans Pennine tbh. Still need to work on my recovery when losing traction in the rain on a gradient or even the dry for that matter because I often nearly come to a complete stop and can’t get going again when easing off for a speed limit. I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s sometimes just better to keep the pedal to the metal as it were, and just accept I’m breaking the speed limit in order to keep the weight v momentum going. On WSR it’s harder to do that because the speeds are slow. I agree WSR is quite hard and it wasn’t the best one for me to start with when it comes to learning how to drive a train.
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2021
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  23. shhweeet#4292

    shhweeet#4292 Well-Known Member

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    So! I thought I’d have a go at completing the infernal Minehead shunter 2 scenario once again now I’m a bit more experienced at this game, but alas no can do because of the flipping red light that won’t change for love nor money :mad: Am I really the only one who is coming up against this? It’s so annoying because I can’t play WSR via the journey mode because until I can complete Minehead shunter 2 it always goes to that scenario as next in line to do:| I dunno whether this is specifically a PS4 bug or it’s a TSW2 bug? I downloaded it as a TSW2 add on and not a TSW2020 add on.

    Edit... I’ve just watched the video of Minehead shunter 2 that is linked to earlier up this thread and the guy is getting a yellow light? but I’m pretty sure he isn’t playing it on a PS4 because his HUD is different. This makes me think this red light problem I’m having is PS4 or TSW2 specific? If it is then dtg need to sort it out :(
     
    Last edited: Apr 5, 2021
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  24. borg#1850

    borg#1850 Well-Known Member

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    How do you do that (Change the points from the map interface). I have only looked at the route setting and then got out the cab to change the points, as in real life lOL.
     
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  25. Turbojugend

    Turbojugend Well-Known Member

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    Bring up the map, you should see active junctions as triangle markers. Click on the triangle icon with the Interact button to switch the junction, I believe the current switch is highlighted dark purple.
     
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  26. AGoodJudge

    AGoodJudge Active Member

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    It works fine for me on PS4. I'm just trying to eliminate what you could possibly be doing wrong. Immediately before, when it tells you to couple to the wagons, did you reverse into them slowly and then wait for a moment as it tells you to? If you tried to manually connect them yourself it probably won't work as they're coupled by vacuum. Second thing, after you'd done that, did you set the track correctly? In the youtube clip, the guy moved one of the two points levers in front of him. If the track isn't set properly the light will stay red.
     
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  27. shhweeet#4292

    shhweeet#4292 Well-Known Member

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    Hi thanks for replying. Yeah I reversed very gently onto the coaches and waited. The loco moved the coaches perfectly fine anyway ( I was quite surprised I didn’t have to connect to them via the manual method tbh ) I set the points via the map and the purple colour pointed the right way and I was able to drive over them ok up to this red light. If you have managed it on a PS4 then it MUST be doing something wrong though? Maybe I’m not waiting long enough when connected the coaches before moving them? How long did you wait before moving the coaches and did you get a yellow instead of my red like like the guy in the video? I waited but I can’t have waited long enough? Do the prompts tell you when to start moving the coaches? If so I probably didn’t wait long enough that can only be it?
     
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  28. shhweeet#4292

    shhweeet#4292 Well-Known Member

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    I’ve finally done it! :) After goodness knows how many tries since I started to play this game. Here is the weird thing though. I didn’t do ANYTHING different from the other 8 or however many goes I had at trying to complete it? The only thing I did different was go through it a lot faster ( I mean goodness knows I know this scenario off by heart by now ) I can only conclude that if you go through this scenario too slow your going to get the red light? Other than that I’ve got absolutely no idea why I got a yellow light this particular time instead of that infernal red? Anyway it’s done and I can move on. In fact I’ve just purchased the Class 33 as a celebration. I think I’ve earned it.

    I nearly fluffed it at the very end though. I had trouble connecting the Class 47 to the now assembled coaches and the flipping thing wouldn’t couple up, the way marker was saying I still had yards to go when I hit the buffers of the coaches but I didn’t think I’d hit the coaches buffers too hard tbh but I must have. Anyway because your doing this in reverse and blind ( I think the external camera view on classic control is rubbish compared to the flying drone one on immersion btw ) and the info on the floating waypoint isn’t very accurate I WAS softly hitting them but it was still too hard. AAAAARGGGGGH! After a few goes it was eventually ok and I went to couple up only to realise I’d fallen onto the railway line and couldn’t get back up onto the platform! Luckily I found I could crawl under the buffers and get back into the loco from the other side, phew! I also somehow got a gold medal in the summary at the end??

    This was one weird scenario for me, I’m glad to see the back of it tbh but I would like to know how tonight I got a yellow light and not my usual red when I just carried out the scenario in exactly the same way as all the other times.

    Thanks for your help AGoodJudge and others it was much appreciated.
     
    Last edited: Apr 6, 2021
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  29. borg#1850

    borg#1850 Well-Known Member

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    The distance notification that counts down, is how far you as the driver (I think that's right) are from the train or whatever you need to attach to. So if you have X vehicles behind you, you have to take into account their length as well. Many times I have been on auto pilot (in my mind) and rammed some vans into the other vans I am meant to connect to. One large heap of wagons on the floor!

    Pity you cannot call up a breakdown train and have fun putting them back on the tracks. :)

    Each MK1 coach is 66ft long with the gangway extended. So two coaches plus the length of whatever loco you are driving is the distance. Wagons are about 16ft upwards depending on what they are. What I personally do is approach any wagon at 1mph or less and keep the brake at "Initial Application". then you can kiss the buffers together and stop buffered up.
     
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  30. shhweeet#4292

    shhweeet#4292 Well-Known Member

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    Your explanation with regards to the floating waypoint distance countdown makes sense but without the immersion control flying drone external camera feature where you could zoom onto the buffer area and accurately watch as you drive the loco towards the coaches, which classic control doesn’t have, then it’s all purely down to guess work and. how long you think all the coaches add up to in length isn’t it. I mentioned in the IOW thread with regards to a scenario I was having real trouble with that in real life surely train drivers don’t back a train up a fair old distance virtually blind as it were?

    Interesting the technique you used to back up to the coaches because I do it in exactly the same way with the brake set on 1st application and hardly any throttle at 1mph but I still found I was hitting the coaches too hard when it felt like I really wasn’t?

    Honestly this whole Minehead shunt 2 scenario has been a nightmare for me. Like I said earlier I’ve no idea whatsoever why I got the yellow light last night instead of the red light I usually kept getting. I really didn’t do anything different apart from go through the scenario a lot faster because by that time I’d past caring. LOL. Maybe saving gives you the red light? That’s the only other reason I can think of.
     
    Last edited: Apr 6, 2021
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  31. borg#1850

    borg#1850 Well-Known Member

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    Well I have not played that one yet, but I do have it in my collection. I suppose in some ways we have to see this as a Game not a true Prototypical Railway Simulation. As an ex BR employee (Signalman / Driver / Guard) from the 1970's there are many glaring issues. Like, yes you would never reverse a loco more than a couple of hundred yards, ok maybe a bit more. Though of course we cannot hang out the window which is how we used to do it may years ago, We also had a 2nd man in the crew, who you could send to wave you onto rolling stock or a shunter :)

    There is one scenario in Trans Pennine, where you back the loco all the way from the stabling point into the station (about a mile or more), that would never happen. Well not on my watch.

    Glad you have got it done.:cool:

    Sometimes there is no continuity in the way some of the scenarios are set up.

    I am still enjoying TSW even for its issues.
     
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  32. shhweeet#4292

    shhweeet#4292 Well-Known Member

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    Great to hear the views of an ex railway employee on this game. ( I wonder how many ex railway employees are playing TSW2? Quite a few I should imagine ) Yeah I do feel I’m thinking too literally and too close to what we would do in real life for this game. I am slowly adapting though.

    Do you mean you haven’t done any IOW yet? If so wait until you get to the Engineering Interruption scenario! If you have problems with it I’m your man. Although my saga and the solutions with that one are well documented fairly recently in the IOW thread. LOL.

    I think I know the one you mean in Trans Pennine. Is it the one where you have to rescue the broken down train from the station?

    But yeah I’m still enjoying TSW2 as well putting frustrations aside.
     
    Last edited: Apr 6, 2021
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  33. borg#1850

    borg#1850 Well-Known Member

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    I have not got IOW yet, waiting for it to go on special again.

    I am sure there might be some railway staff playing this (Well EX railway staff) Not sure the guys doing the real thing want to come home and do it LOL. The others, like me, will probably be pointing out the errors ;) ("Back in My Day" you did not do it like that!) :o;):D
     
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  34. shhweeet#4292

    shhweeet#4292 Well-Known Member

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    Almost certain that my red light problems on WSR is due to saving. I was doing another run with the Class 47 yesterday and got a red light that wouldn’t change no matter how long I waited. Did the same run again right through without saving and I got a yellow.

    Moral of the story NEVER save mid task on WSR.
     
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  35. madda253

    madda253 Member

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    Yeah, same issues as you had, all were linked with saving mid task and resuming. Not just on this route mind you, makes me a bit hesitant to play longer routes tbh.
     
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  36. badgersurfer

    badgersurfer New Member

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    I am getting the same problem on a PC... It's doing my head in. I have been saving and loading from saved game. Someone said that it has issues so I will go through the scenario "AGAIN".... :(
     
  37. shhweeet#4292

    shhweeet#4292 Well-Known Member

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    Don’t save and re load from a save I’m pretty sure that’s the problem. Play the scenario from beginning to end without saving.
     
  38. steve.taelemans

    steve.taelemans Member

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    From my experience, loading a save game in scenario mode is asking for trouble. Either you encounter unchanging red lights, or the destination marker is missing (making it impossible to finish the scenario). I always play a scenario in one go. When in timetable mode, loading a save game is usually not an issue.
     
  39. shhweeet#4292

    shhweeet#4292 Well-Known Member

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    I agree although loading a saved game via journey mode seems ok as well. It does seem to be a problem with just scenarios.
     

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