I started playing Train Sim World 3 a couple of weeks ago, and the game looks amazing. However, my enthusiasm somewhat faded when I started making my own scenarios via the Creator facility and found some shortcomings, to the point that I am wondering if the "AI" is just a script followed by services that are not controlled by users. For example, I tried to build a scenario on the Koln-Aachen route (very interesting as it includes a long stretch of PZB-only signalling with several stations that have bypassing tracks) and the first thing I noticed is that eastbound (Aachen-Koln) user-created services at one point take a turn into a platform. This causes the maximum permitted speed to drop to 80km/h and shows an issue with the built-in planner. The most concerning factor however is that the game doesn't seem to use any decision-making capabilities. For example, when an autonomous stopping passenger service precedes a user-controlled non-stopping passenger service and the former pulls into a station, the latter finds a red signal and is required to give priority to the stopping service, which will then create a similar situation again down the line. In another scenario that I was trying to create in the Kassel high-speed route, I realised that any trains scheduled to depart before a user-controlled service are not spawned in the game. Also, in one of my experiments I found myself stuck at a red signal just before a junction between Wurzburg and Fulda while another system-controlled service was stuck at the other end of the junction. Prior to reaching the red signal, the LZB limited the speed of my train to 200km/h (instead of the typical 250km/h), which I wonder if it was caused by some "ghost" trains scheduled to depart earlier than the time of departure of my user-controlled service. I am still in the tweaking process but I believe there is no way, for example, of running a freight train and get it to pull into a siding to let a faster system-controlled service continue unobstructed. In conclusion, from the above experience I believe that "AI" is not present in this game, all objects follow just a script to go from A to B. This is further evidenced by the fact that it is not possible to spawn two services from the same platform at two different times; likewise, once all the destination platforms are used, no services can be planned for a destination, leading me to think that once a train arrives it stays there forever (or until the user logs out and restarts the scenario. Having a proper AI would be great, but probably a better and more detailed scenario planner, with separate spawning and departure times, waypoints, priorities, etc., would be a good beginning. All of this makes TSW3 a very primitive game for more serious enthusiasts. Is there a more advanced method of editing AI?
Your assessment is essentially correct. The good news is that DTG are working on developing dynamic AI, that is, an actual intelligence as opposed to a bundle of autopilot scripts. The bad news is that this is taking a very long time and we can't expect it any time soon.
Thank you, this is very useful. In the meantime, is there an advanced scenario editing method where, for example, you can open the file containing the instructions and tweak it as required? This would allow a user to edit a scenario with advanced features (e.g. the freight train leapfrogging) and tweak it. Thanks for your help.
