We Need An In-game Ebula

I know, I know, this has come up before. But this post is intended to get onto peoples nerves. Maybe to such an extend that DTG gives up its resistance to developing this and just give it to us

It probably comes down to how people are using TSW and what they are looking for in a simulation. Personally, I would like to experience the task of driving a train as realistic as possible. I hate to rely on the HUD, not only for speed restrictions, but also to tell me what time I need to be where. I am not so much bothered that my passengers get stuck in doors or that I dont have announcements in my train. Dont get me wrong, this is all needed for a nice immersion, however, it is, in the end of the day, not essential to drive the train.

With the EBuLa it is different! This, for me, would be the single most important thing still missing, in order to drive German content around in the simulated landscape. A real train would never leave the station without such a document.

Agreed, EBuLa would not be a thing for the historic German routes we are about to get, as it only started to see the light of day around 1998, however, once such an "automatic" system would be integrated into TSW routes, it would be a pure visual thing to change it from an EBuLa style to a Buchfahrplan style, as the information's needed are identical.

I am curious, what is more important for you? More immersion through more realistic surroundings or concentrating on the job as a driver...

 

Ooooh I remember the good ol' times. There was an Ebula "Mod" once for I think TSW2020/TSW2 fitting for my then favourite routes, MSB & RSN. It was absolutely cool because, after I understood how to read it and how it aligns with the mileage-signs I learned both route's speed limits just by this single texture alone. When I was unsure in the beginning I didn't press CTRL+5 but zoomed to that now ultra helpful, otherwise just blank screen, oriented myself where I am and got the information almost as fast but a lot more "realistic". For me being able to do that is in itself very immersive

 

Tbh, what I think TSW needs an API, where the ingame variables, like speed, train weight, world location, geo-location, safety system status, timetable...etc, would be available for 3rd party apps.

This would allow the community to step in, and offer apps for i.e. EBuLA, logbooks..etc that would work even on mobile devices. So your Ebula could be on a tablet next to you. It would also allow the creation of custom dash sw, or HW equipment for custom cockpit builders.

If you look at sim racing scene, and see all those accessories people use (i.e. ), it's becasue it is standard for a racing sim to have a way to share its telemetry data.

And this would work for consoles too, all it takes is for the API to be UDP based, and the data can be shared with any other device in the network.

 

Job as a driver. The passengers (and their issues) are secondary to me. Sure, they should be improved, but they serve their purpose as is, in my opinion. EBuLa or Buchfahrpläne would elevate TSW to a new level. Not the same as Zusi, obviously, but a good step in that direction. I’ve been asking for working EBuLas for a long time and hope they’ll come at some point. To answer your question directly: I’d have DTG focus on the tools of the driver (brake modes, EBuLa, more in depth computer screens, …).

3rd party and consoles don’t mix well. Don’t know if it’s possible but I’d rather have the in-game EBuLas working than hope someone can jury-rig one in an app that might or might not even work on consoles. If we have working EBuLas supported by DTG, I imagine it would already be much simpler for a 3rd party to get it on your tablet, if you desire.

 

that would be a dream if we could use programs like TS-MFD like i use in TSC

 

Yes, it would be great to a have an ingame ebula. But the reality is, that it is obviously not that high on the DTG priority list, and if it eventually made into the game, it would most likely not be reverse-ported to older german routes. This is without mentioning how buggy these supporting functionality (i.e. PIS information screens) currently is in-game.

The benefit of using UDP shared data is that the 3rd party app would not have to be on your console, but rather on your phone, or NTB. This is something that already works with console racing sims.

 

I did once win a competition on discord and received a companion app that runs on tablet which hosts the Ebula for the Dresden Chemnitz route, in theory having it next to you on a tablet solves the above problem, but as it's not linked to the game itself and the progress you are making in the route, it was difficult to grasp when it was falling out of alignment and it also didn't seem to perform too well on my tablet so I didn't end up using it much. An API delivering up to date info would be pretty snazzy indeed.

In-game I think it would be difficult to make an Ebula useful without some sort of expanded zoom/FOV options so that you could get in close enough to clearly read the screen in the cab, and keep an eye on the track ahead. Maybe just a more freely adjustable camera would help, as it is the zoom is linked to a particular position and if it is too far away from the screen the text will need to be massive to be particularly readable.

 

If it would be an external program it would only work if it is linked to the game, absolutely agree. tygerways#2596 and myself have also experimented with an EBuLa external tool, however, as time warps within TSW, you are quite busy aligning the programme constantly, as there is no constant timeline, leaving alone delays etc.

Nevertheless, I am glad so many people agree that DTG should concentrate on the drivers perspective, rather than adding features, which are nice, however, also seem to block so much capacity to actually bring them to an acceptable level (ie passengers).

DTG, here you go, some guidance from the forum

 

What I don't get is the following fact: Why is it possible that 3rd Parties can implement a EBuLa system in TSC, and why isn't the same possible in TSW? I mean yes TSW runs on a different engine (Unreal), however they seemed to have find a way once to provide an API to the developers to do it. Why is it now so hard with TSW to do the same?

I mean all issues of the new engine aside, shouldn't they have found a way after years in TSW, to simply recreate this API into Unreal engine and make it accessible for third parties or modders at least, if DTG themselves have no time, no capacities or no interest to get it in for each new route?

 

I still use it occasionally. it's great on the few routes and trains it supports. sadly after years of silence the development has come to a DTG standard. Promised function of adding your own parts so other routes can be added never saw the light of day and the discord server is quieter than the release of american freight routes.

 

It's 100% possible (I'm not saying that it would be efficient or well designed from a software architecture point of view) to do it for individual rolling stock on a specific route, but your rolling stock you develop is going to be used on routes you cannot anticipate so whatever EBuLa stand-in you develop is going to fall short sooner or later. Hence I guess most are waiting for one central solution that can be easily integrated into a cab display and which works on all routes out of the box.

 

Someone on these forums has made some PDF Buchfahrplane for a lot of the German routes. For those that exist, I always use those loaded on my mobile and then run HUDless. But I'd like an in-game eBula, or at least an eBula-lite. My hopes for this on the Expert 101 are high (but my expectations are not!).

 

But if they can do it for individual rolling stock per one route (iow it's a loco variant to route connection), there should be the possibilty to exactly do the same for other routes as well. It might not be possible with a "simple layer" into the route, but a modified version of the rolling stock designed for the specific route. All what speaks against that is that it probably would be too much more effort and time to do for DTG, but it wouldn't be impossible.

And the funny thing is people already complaining a lot about that the same rolling stock appears several times in their own pak files per route. If they already do exactly that, multiple versions of the same loco, building an EBuLa system for a loco variant of each layered route wouldn't be much of a problem, unless you won't go the extra mile and build the EBuLa table individually for each route.

Otherwise, and as OP says, we all (at least the german community) patiently are waiting for a working EBuLa system for years and it still isn't there even for new recently released locos and/or routes. With TSW5 knocking on the door soon, I don't think it'll come either.

It could be implemented by using an enhanced version of the signal network and/or the timetable system, including a cooperation of information between speed limits, distance markers and the arrival times. Or a complete new overlay system with markers you attach to the tracks, containing of an equal functionality as said above (maybe inbuilt or at in cooperation with the Network Edit submode one places the distance marker with).

 

Yes, it was made by noir -> Here is the thread where you can find several EBuLa tables.
https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/book-timetable-ebula-for-german-routes.62326/

One TSG dev has stated that it isn't a feature in the expert 101 for now and probably won't come. They said they're going to evaluate in these days, what they could do to bring in at least a good approach to EBuLa.

In another forum (Rail-Sim.de), I suggested in a post that they could at least try to implement the timetable under the T key on the EBuLa screen, as it already would be very helpful for players who play without HUD, not having to always turn the HUD on, press T, turn HUD off to see the expected arrival times of your service. Not sure, if my message got them yet. Had no reply in the last 24 hours.

 

That's actually a very good idea if EBuLa isn't possible

 

Zusi approached it this way.

First, it was an external window displaying the EBuLa data retrieved from the timetable.
Then, external app ZusiDisplay was developed, allowing an overlay using the real life appearance. Communication with the game through TCP protocol.
Finally, the ZusiDisplay output got integrated into the cab displays allowing full in-cab display interaction.
-> textbook case of good software engineering

But, don't expect it from TSW. It's based on a game engine not designed for a train sim. Developing your own engine, you can arrange the game and its data structure to your needs, which is obviously a huge issue with UE4.

See Formation designer. Stuff that works so easily on TSC (via QD Consist Editor or Scenario Editor "Save Consist" function), Run8's TrainMakerUpper or in the Zusi Editor (simple drag and drop to make your consist) needs years of development in TSW.

 

I'd say just like announcements in trains and other stuff mentioned. third party devs manage on their own system now. but DTG has to rewrite a lot of base game code to make it integrate and work well. and even then, the game is already so full of bugs with more arriving every update or new dlc. if ebula becomes a thing it wouldn't suprise me if half the routes become unplayable.

 

With the ever growing content to be managed, making core changes will become more and more catastrophic.

 

These circumstances do raise the questions, whether it was the right decision to even build TSW in Unreal Engine, and whether it makes sense to go ahead with it.

And is there a future for the TSW franchise, if issues and lack of vital content and functionality can't be solved and will dominate always and ever in the future (maybe even getting worse)?

Would it be more wisely (or even possible) to transfer the franchise to a new game engine, where developers can handle with these problems a lot better?

 

I personally don't think, we ever gonna see a working EBula in TSW. Even though a part of me secretly hopes that DTG or a third party developer proofs me wrong some day.
But what about the next best thing, a "Buchfahrplan" inside the drivers cab?
We already have plenty of "Buchfahrpläne" thanks to the community. So all DTG had to do is to implement some kind of a PDF reader and if possible make it look like an actual book that lays in front of the driver. And of course it would need to have a click spot to turn to the next page.

 

All my book timetables can be easily translated into machine-readable data and I will be happy to provide them to TSG or any other developer who would want to build something on top of them.

 

This is a question the DTG higher ups should be discussing, we can just take it or leave it.

And the main point of TSW is selling a train game to the masses, not simulating everything in-depth. This works. So it's more a problem of german customers than DTG.

There's other sims to choose from. TSW is general-purpose, whilst Run8 or Zusi are more in depth and specific.

 

Another thing is as daanloman#3930 already stated, the missing passenger announcement functionality, which is highly missed until this day in all routes around the globe DTG ever did, especially in the commuter and rapid transit lines.

Matt said that they're up to get the core functionality to support those asap, but just like their interest in EBuLa, it doesn't seem to have top level priority and with that might keep a missing essential feature for a train simulator for forever.

Until yet, there are several other train sim out there indeed (especially in Germany with Zusi as its biggest competitor, beating TSW in long terms of functionality in the cab).

But Train Sim World is the one which still is the best in graphics also in comparison to TSC (except for some categories where the trophies surely go to TSC) and well - the world feature to explore stations and surroundings - which gives TSW its name.

Another big plus is the variety of routes which other Sims don't offer, but in-house TSC still keeps the throne over it.

However, I'm not sure how long TSW and TSC can survive in this market at a moment where essential features still are missed and more and more competitors come out providing similar, equal or even better functionality in comparison.

Today is not the day yet, but maybe it is not too far away to come.

 

I did approach DTG at the time Tygerways and myself were testing our EBuLa / Buchfarplan tool, offering to develop what we had done even further to whatever they need. The answer was clear: if they bring an EBuLa it must be fully integrated and not relay on external files. This makes sense in my eyes, however, it would also mean that someone within DTG must actually work on this for it to happen. At the time the coms with DTG were encouraging and it did sound like there was a plan that this is going to be developed at some point. This was in 2022 and I somehow have given up on the idea that it will ever come.

But simply integrating the PDF files would not do it, for me. I can have them on an external device or even print them off. The true benefit of an EBuLa would be to incorporate your timetable into it as well, enabling you to see arrival and departure times but also see intermediate times and making it possible to judge how well you are doing regarding on time performance.

The ability to save energy has become such a big factor in railway operators, nowadays. For the upcoming expert 101 it says that the energy counter is incorporated, to drive as efficient as possible. But when I don’t know how well I am doing regarding time, I always opt to be faster and ignore this aspect completely.

I really think a working EBuLa would open up so much more in regard to gameplay. It’s unfortunate that this has apparently not been identified by the developers…

 

The arrival of more and more third party devs is something I praised since the japanese route got announced and they told us a lot of extra devs have entered TSW. I think for this game to really continue the core for stuff like announcements, EBuLa but also other things like substitution and the way CC liveries get put onto trains should be completely rewritten. I can imagine they sort of shot themselves in the foot with the editor because any big changes and updates have an effect on everyones project. but also it made the game so much better letting the dedicated community develop whatever they want. In my eyes the best way forward is to keep TSW4 for a year or two longer. focus on getting the editor out of beta and a lot of bug fixes next to the current releases. and then when there is enough fixed to have the game be stable and the editor near properly functional. get the core actually fixed and working as a base structure for all upcoming and current projects. No more 7 types of dosto cab car if they are the same thing, just different liveries for them is fine enough. same for the duplicate class 66 or BR 182 with different sounds and bugs but the same model. if it actually works streamlined with no random issues. Release it in two years from now as TSW5 and I think a lot of people will be happy. maybe a consideration to UE5 is possible then, if that doesn't ruin the editor too much. I think UE4 is fine still for now.

Edit: if it's better it might even be a smart idea to consider their own engine. I have no idea what goes into that though so can't say.

 

daanloman#3930
Pretty idealistic. People have been thinking like that for seven years now - what makes you think it'll be different in two years time?

I've started out on german freeware "Loksim3D" ages ago. Within two days, I had my first little route finished using the supplied editor.

What have we seen since September? Not a single freeware route is out there, and let it just be a tiny two-stations demo route. Nothing. Eventually the creators hit a black wall that they can't resolve without needing to get into the 3rd party programme.

In the end, what use is shiny UE if people can't develop their own stuff properly and you're sitting on your few german, american and british routes?

 

I agree it is idealistic and that's why I said that's what I think is the best for the company and community. I have no idea what goes on in the company or what they want or think they should do. hence I do not expect what I said to happen. I saw a lot of people saying they really want UE5 but I doubt that's a good step right now. two years is more the time I hope it takes. although I don't see a TSW5 this year as some think it really doesn't suprise me if we get a new slightly more better graphics, more bugs and unfinished promised functions in a cheap bundle of three routes. we've been told this year that the preservation crew got removed and DTG cares no more for anything they have produced in the past. To me that seems odd since I hear matt and other devs still caring about working and updating older routes. Since steam and american freight is on an indefinete hiatus I wonder what we'll lose next TSW. and yeah the process of the community making routes is slow. but they don't get payed and only work in their time off, on a program that's still in beta...

 

Yes, but as it seems there still is a long way to go for most of these projects since not a single of these is really announced to come at anytime soon. The only routes which are announced to come third party wise are the unknown Just Trains route and the Tadami Line.

They will never do this. Would be way too much effort to rewrite everything. Until the system works, why change? Also nobody is complaining here about that everything needs to remade. All what we want is a working EBuLa and passenger announcement system. Nothing more, nothing less.

My personal opinion is that they don't need to keep TSW4 to make big improvements to the core game and the Editor, also don't need to swap to UE5 (as it would make things even more complicated). The main problem for me is that it's very likely that many of the issues we complain about won't be fixed and much of new functionality we want to have won't be added in a new TSW iteration.

In my opinion, and looking at the recent roadmaps missing a 6+ months category, it's clearly visible that something like TSW5 must come around there. So denying that TSW5 or alike comes (as some people insist to do) is rather hilarious for me. Again, Purchasing TSW5 isn't the biggest problem, not providing necessary features/enhancements and leaving unresolved bugs is.

It's also so slow because DTG abandoned their plans to help. No tutorials for Simugraph to build locos, no tutorials to build the passenger systems spawning on stations and boarding into trains, no tutorials how to release a route or loco on any website or plans to release them on any in-house community based platform like the Creators Club. And because of this not so many projects are incoming as they could had and many people abandoned their plans to create a loco/route or whatever and with it to improve the game in the end.

I had a laugh for the "on a program that's still beta" because did you meant the PC Editor or TSW4 with that?

 

The Ebula is a basis for train journeys in timetable mode.
This feature should definitely not be missed and is a must!

Ebula in TSW is long overdue and should have been implemented long ago!

It's also about realism and Ebula should definitely not be missing!

 

to be honest both, I mean it's still called TS2Prototype if you look the files up. and that's why I am so for a core rebuild. of course I'd like EBuLa and announcements. The proper support for editor and some years of delayed bugfixes, maybe a better CC too. UE5 is definetely no use at all. But I see no possible progress without rewriting at least some core things. last update we had brought more bugs than it seems to have fixed. Each new DLC seems to add onto the pile of stuff that's all incompatible with eachother and has it's own random bugs.

I'm go game dev so I'd love to be corrected if I'm wrong. but for example the dosto's. we have in total now 7 or so different ones from each route. two versions only. the BR 767.2 and BR 766.0 one with and one without first class. DRA has a special one with S bahn dresden livery. lets say I forgot one, that makes only 4 different. I'd personally say, have those two models as base rolling stock with their sounds, buttons and cable functions. if it shows up on DRA force the special livery over it. Destination board options it takes from the route anyways so no need for a special one there either. it's really easy to keep adding onto something but I'm starting to lose track of what dosto I can use where because of the PIS and train line power issues some have on some routes. some are TOD4 and some aren't. and that's just one train. the 185, Class 66 and Siemens Eurosprinter (DB 182/ÖBB 1116) are all with their own quirks and bugs. Sure some things aren't possible to split because of different functions, power systems or other. but I wouldn't mind some copied rolling stock with a new livery to have the same functionality.

New functions are cool and all. but a stable and functional game is needed for that. as matt said. they have no idea now how to even add announcements, because it needs to be put into the game as a core function.

 

You will have to do it at some point, because it very soon becomes completely unmanagable. And sooner you realize it, the less work it will be for the devs. Two, three years from now we will have more than twenty different-but-same dostos or 185.2. Each variation does not really come with different functionality, but it does come with different bugs. That is the current state. None of them work flawlessly, every single variant has more or less game breaking bugs. Bugs that will never be revisited because nobody has time to track down which bugs are where and what is needed to fix them. Locos with broken safety systems in ten different ways, or silly things like headlights that cannot be turned off even when the cabcar is at the end of the train.

I genuinely think that this will probably be one of main features of TSW6, "we dedicated time to merge the duplicates and polished the merged version so it is without bugs and playable both on TOD3 and 4 routes". And I am actually looking forward to it, because trying to go through forums every time to see which dosto steuerwagen is the most playable one for this particular route is ridiculous experience.

 

My bad. I think when I heard you say it it was the bernina stream or the one after. so a while ago. I'm happy to see it's close to a finished and implemented product already. EBuLa for me is very important and I totally understand it will be a pain to implement it into the game as a core thing working on every route or train.

For the electrostar bug yeah having all trains use the same things and a connecting walkway in an american train being changed effecting the thing in a british train is a bit overboard. But as Noir said. There are now way too many dosto's on way too many routes. and I have the same issue like many others having to look which one is the least buggy on which routes. they are all broken in their own way somewhere like the 182 dispolok having updated sounds but the MRCE or DB version having old sounds and I think one has a silent sifa. For a marketing standpoint. apart from the layers each of the 7 routes with a dosto has it included in the price since I doubt a route gets sold on only the route but also the included time for rolling stock. this means I paid for 2 different models and one reskin 7 times. I personally am not buying them to play dosto with new bugs. so yeah I get that it's easier to not have rolling stock all take stuff from other rolling stock. but for same models just duplicated onto a next route apart from tod3/4 differences should be any special.

Right now I expect if EBuLa gets implemented instead of "the dosto's have a certain bug" they will all 7 have different issues or some will work fine. that's going to take way longer to test than just grab two dosto's because they all use the same model. I'd rather double check the BR 767.2 and BR 766.0. than to have to check all 7. or with all the layers and dlc that includes them before EBuLa is a thing, probably check 20 indeed. but now it's still slightly overseeable so as noir said. I expect it to happen in TSW6

 

As I learnt through another hobby of mine, the desire for providing any work in a "perfect state" and the aim for absolute perfection is not always the best thing, for your work but also for oneself because it has a big potential to make one crazy and with that absolutely not serves its initial purpose anymore.

Better a working result/product but with flaws and some advanced techniques to handle it than no result/product.

And I guess with saying that, this statement is probably true for a lot of work, services and products in our world, we as the costumers or users don't even have a clue about that it's actually seen as incorrect or faulty by the developers and the people maintaining it, but - and this is important thing - it works for its purpose and we're absolutely fine with it.

As a conclusion and to say it again, I would say better provide a system or product that works for its purpose than not having it. Also you can always come back and enhance or replace it later with a "better version". But stucking at the same place having people wait for it, just because the perfect solution needs time, is also not a "perfect" thing. Neither for the costumers, nor the developers.

And I surely can guess that in someway this even could reflect on Train Sim World, which is in its fourth version if I recall correctly (maybe even soon in another), but still is not the perfect product, costumers as well as devs probably wanted it to be just from the start up. But you also didn't say "Hey, let's delay TSW because some features don't work." No, you gave birth to TSW long time ago and its by the today an evolved franchise with thousands of costumers (independent wheter they are more on the happy or angry side about it). You also could have delayed the release of TSW until it's "perfect", but is "perfect" really "perfect"? Would it really have been better to not releasing it just because it was not the thing you wanted to see?

I would say no.

Now, the same applies to a certain feature of it. If you delay EBuLa or passenger announcements until nirwana, aiming for the "perfect" state of it, it maybe could hurt the franchise more than a "perfect" state of it would help.

Enough "Perfect" for today. To have a little bit of smooth fadeout to this topic, an offtopic mention to the end. Just watched "A Perfect World" with Clint Eastwood and Kevin Costner this sunday. And this movie depicts perfectly that something like a "Perfect World" does not exist.

 

Thanks, Matt. This is good news. I know 'wishlist' isn't the same as 'on roadmap', but nevertheless this is a positive statement of intent: "Yes we've listened, yes it's technically feasible, and yes we want to do it"

 

It's better than a "No, we're not interested in it" for sure and I'm glad for his direct response. However, what stops this topic being just another thing marked as a notice and laid in some shelf in the DTG office waiting to being raised up unsuccessfully again somewhere in the future?

 

I recall you saying you would love to have every route with every piece of rolling stock in every time period in the semmeringbahn. I think that was when the question that has been on the forums for a months and in stream for hours on why only the Bmz was included. Time was the apparent problem. also no comments on the NJ and RJ services. Of course there is a difference between we all want everything and there's only so much possible. But having all IC, EC, RJ, NJ and EN services a copy paste of 1116's with I sincerely hope a different amount of Bmz coaches to me seems like the easiest and lowest effort option there is. For me the addition of Amz coaches and the promise that in the future that route will be looked at again to put in the RJ and other way different trains in would be enough. SRM and Voralberg are getting the 1116 in as EC (and maybe RJ? no idea hasn't been answered yet) but the preservation crew is gone and working on existing DLC has been announced to not happen unless it's a passion project. I personally am genuinely confused what to expect for routes past their release and that for example is why I still refuse to buy FCL. there are a few promised bug fixes but most issues raised by the community seem to be unanswered. not with a "we can't do that" or "it takes too much time" just no answers at all. I might be ranting a load today and I am definetely glad Matt is here to answer on what the community thinks about stuff. But I really wonder how many posts get taken into the "to be looked at" bugs list in the company. I've reported a few on SRM a couple of times in a few threads including the official one, and am yet to get a single "that's acknowledged" back.

 

So, how about implementing a first simple API which outputs the train location (via udp/tcp) and let other developers create a stand alone application?

 

What about using a feature which already is in game?

For example displaying the timetable we got when pressing T and HUD is activated on the EBuLa screen?

In this way we could have at least the times of the arrivals and departures at the next stations to watch on the otherwise just blacked out and useless EBuLa screen?

It would already help much for players like me who prefer driving HUDless, because it would avoid me from activating the HUD, press T, watch the timetable, press T again, and deactivate the HUD and this every time I want to check the times, which can already be 2 or 3 times just between two stops.

Unfortunately until now I slept on making a proper suggestion for it in the Suggestion Forum.

 

This is really great news! Thanks for sharing this…

 

Okay, that seems like good news, but what does that mean exactly?

Will this be one of the improvements to the Editor?

How can we use that to build an Ebula system?

And will this be something meant to be used for the first party developer as well or just the community? (Just want to ex out a "The community needs to do that" explanation)

 

The whole point of the API is to allow the community access to TSWs internal data so they can develop external tools that use that data, and somehow you manage to make that sound like a bad thing...

 

Fun fact is that I even sold some stuff which uses an API access, f.e. to control volume and other buttons remotely, but it's almost 6 years ago, and my mind is washed out a bit if you don't use these things constantly. I apologize.

Although I highly appreciate this upcoming feature, my point is different, because I feel like we're drifting a bit off the main topic.

What has this new API to do with bringing EBuLa on its respective screen in each german loco?

Should this mean we - the community - have to build a tool using the API to create an EBuLa system? I thought this discussion was about bringing the EBuLa inbuilt into the vanilla game by the actual game developers, but not the community.

 

This is correct and is basically what I was talking about originally. However, as stated above, for me the main thing would be to integrate the current run timetable into this feature, in order to represent timings as well. If the API is capable of providing this it would certainly satisfy what I am after, as I am more after the realistic operation. Not to say this is what everyone wants, of course. I have to admit that also with Zusi I am actually relaying on a second monitor for the EBuLa and other stuff.

Regardless, I do think it’s certainly a step in the right direction and some light at the end of an endless long tunnel.

 

So, I finally made my suggestion for bringing the (T) timetable on the EBuLa screen as a good approach to it. Not sure whether at least this would be possible, but it already could be very helpful.
https://forums.dovetailgames.com/threads/timetable-under-t-key-on-ebula-screen.80754/

 

I would also add important information like current speed limit and upcoming speed limits. And of course the distances
Basically the necessary information from the HUD, when you don't have a Buchfahrplan available.
I also think, this wouldn't be a great solution and of course it is unrealistic as hell, but at least, it should be doable.