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| Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 26/08/2014 at 03:14 #64131 | |
TylerE
149 posts |
Trent was always probably my (edit: second*) favorite sim back in the day - just due to the sheer scale of it and the wide variety of movements and routing possibilities. Unfortunately it seems to have been left in the dust, even as far older sims get brought into the new world. Any plans for an updated loader sim version of Trent? Even as payware I'd happily shell out for it. * 1st Favorite being the semi-official NLL scrolly that floating around at one point. That really deserves an update as well. Last edited: 26/08/2014 at 03:18 by TylerE Log in to reply |
| Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 26/08/2014 at 08:56 #64136 | |
zachpratt
25 posts |
I agree. I love Trent and Sheffield as well. Really hoping for an updated version of these two great layouts. The mix of freight and passenger movements always offers a superb experience.
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| Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 26/08/2014 at 09:41 #64138 | |
58050
2659 posts |
I suspect the answer to that is yes, but one day. Aside what you are asking I'd much prefer to see a 1980s era sim done of Trent as the vareity of traffic flows would be significantly greater than a modern era tt. For me personally a 1980s era of Trent would be at the top of my list of things to see done. However this is in the hands of Kurt & its anyone guess as to wjetjer it will be done & when. Maybe we should start a betting syndicate to wee what gets done first & when. That aside Trent is probably my favorite sim despite me living about 2 miles from Clay Cross Junc. But Toton was probably my favourite place to go watching trains when I was train spotting back in the 1980s & early 1990s.
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| Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 26/08/2014 at 14:31 #64141 | |
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njimiller
141 posts |
Trent and Sheffield are my favourites to be updated too. I often hope Christmas will come early!! Nick Log in to reply |
| Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 26/08/2014 at 15:05 #64142 | |
lazzer
634 posts |
I've always loved the Sheffield 1983 TT, but once you've played some of the newer scrolly sims, going back to Sheffield is like passing through a time warp. 
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| Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 26/08/2014 at 16:31 #64143 | |
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CABOOSEMAN
35 posts |
I could not agree more these two sims are simply superb to play and always interesting I go back to them quite often as I worked through the area when a passenger guard at Peterborough Regards Cabooseman
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| Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 26/08/2014 at 17:01 #64146 | |
onlydjw
456 posts |
" said:Trent and Sheffield are my favourites to be updated too. I often hope Christmas will come early!!Christmas will come early - just nobody said which Christmas! God bless, Daniel Wilson Log in to reply |
| Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 26/08/2014 at 19:14 #64150 | |
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Lardybiker
771 posts |
They have not been forgotten, I can assure you. The main issue with both Trent and Sheffield is they did some clever things that required the use of custom code which devs could use freely back then and not a small amount of it either. Custom code ceased being supported for SimSig developers some time ago and everything is now done in data instead so those features that used custom code would have to be implemented using different techniques that are now available which means basically means some parts of the sim would have to be re-written from the ground up. That's not an insignificant task. There's also how much time Kurt has to throw at updating them as well. Log in to reply |
| Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 26/08/2014 at 21:37 #64152 | |
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Muzer
718 posts |
Out of interest - which clever things are these? And how do you do things nowadays that are unique to one area - or is the core code flexible enough that you can do even this using just data?
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| Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 26/08/2014 at 21:58 #64154 | |
headshot119
4869 posts |
" said:Out of interest - which clever things are these? And how do you do things nowadays that are unique to one area - or is the core code flexible enough that you can do even this using just data?I can't speak directly for Trent and Sheffield. However I can give you an example of something from one of my sims. The NSKT between Llanrwst and Blaenau Ffestiniog in North Wales Coast needs "custom" phone calls. Back before a recent core code update this would have needed to be written in "custom code" however it can now be written in the data, in such a way that when I use it in another sim, it's fairly easy to modify to suit. "Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer Log in to reply |
| Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 26/08/2014 at 23:01 #64155 | |
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Danny252
1461 posts |
" said:There's also how much time Kurt has to throw at updating them as well.Which, going by how long it is since I've seen any evidence of his existence at all, isn't very much time at all! Log in to reply |
| Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 28/08/2014 at 16:14 #64192 | |
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clive
2789 posts |
" said:Out of interest - which clever things are these? And how do you do things nowadays that are unique to one area - or is the core code flexible enough that you can do even this using just data?The data that the core code interprets doesn't just include static descriptions of the layout, such as track circuit lengths and signal locations on the diagram. It also includes a restricted and specialized programming language that lets you do things at particular times or in response to particular events. For example, two lines of the data for Fenchurch Street are: These describe two of the entry points. ULC= says what subroutes to lock (and so light up in white) when a train is entering. BER= says which berth to put the train's identity into. But note that Up East Ham EMUD also has a CMD= entry. This says "execute the following code whenever a train enters here". In this case, the code is simply "trts,S900", which fairly obviously means "trigger the TRTS at signal 900". As another example, here's part of the logic for the SPAD alarm at Euston: Things beginning with L are internal variables that take a value from 0 to 63. Things beginning with C are freestanding bits of code triggered in various ways. In this case, L1SPAD etc. are internal variables that are set to indicate a SPAD at that signal. So L2ARM is set (to 1) when S2 is red, track circuit 54 (the platform track circuit) is occupied, track circuit 55 is clear, and the route locking from neither the A end nor the B end of T55 to the C end is active. From memory, 55 is points facing to the platform, so this means that it arms if a train is standing at signal 2 when it's red and nothing is approaching the platform. L2ARM is cleared (to 0) if signal 2 clears, track circuit 54 is clear, or a route is set inwards over track circuit 55. L2SPAD is then set if both T54 and T55 are occupied with the alarm armed, and cleared by an explicit clear action. Thus L2SPAD is set if a train straddles signal 2 at danger after having been only on the platform and with no inbound route set. LSPADALARM is a simple union of the 18 possible individual signal SPAD alarms. LSPADACK corresponds to a button on the screen. A left click when LSPADACK equals 1 will set it to 2; a right click when it equals 4 will set it to 0. State 0 is shown as a hollow button, state 1 as a flashing red one, states 2 and 3 as a solid white one, and 4 as a flashing white one. Thus clicks on the button acknowledge the alarm. LSPADCLR is set when the alarm is active and LSPADACK has reached state 2 or above. It clears when the alarm cancels itself. So if the button has been pressed to acknowledge the alarm, L2SPAD and friends will attempt to cancel themselves. If the SPAD condition has actually cleared, they will succeed and so LSPADALARM and then LSPADCLR will return to 0. If the condition is still there, L2SPAD and LSPADALARM will immediately set again. CSPADCHECK is executed once a second. The code says: if the alarm has gone off and LSPADACK is not in states 1 or 2, then put it in state 1 and execute the CSPADALARM code as well. If the alarm isn't active and we're in state 2, move to state 3. If the alarm isn't active and we're in state 3, move to state 4 and execute the CSPADCANCEL code as well. The CSPADALARM and CSPADCANCEL bits of code each have an associated timer (indicated by TYP=D). Executing CSPADALARM outputs the message "Train running away", sets the timer to go off in 10 seconds, but only ticking when LSPADACK is in state 1. When the timer expires, CSPADALARM will be executed again. So this gives a message at regular intervals. I hope this is enough to give you an idea of what flexibility we have. Last edited: 28/08/2014 at 16:15 by clive Log in to reply The following users said thank you: Muzer, Finger, BarryM |
| Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 28/08/2014 at 16:43 #64193 | |
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Muzer
718 posts |
Thank you very much for the detailed explanation - it does indeed make it a lot clearer now. It took me a few times going over it, but I believe I understand everything you said now. It seems then that pretty much anything unusual to a sim area that is required could be done with this language - it seems very comprehensive (albeit quite an unusual language, though I'm sure it's easier when you're used to it!), which is pretty cool.
Last edited: 28/08/2014 at 16:46 by Muzer Log in to reply |
| Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 28/08/2014 at 16:54 #64194 | |
Peter Bennet
5402 posts |
A Stat - Edinburgh had 82 pages (when cut and pasted into WORD) and 91K characters (105K with spaces) of bespoke code which needed converted. One issue to be resolved though. Peter I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs! Log in to reply |
| Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 28/08/2014 at 18:37 #64195 | |
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Sacro
1171 posts |
" said:82 pages (when cut and pasted into WORD)with which font and line spacing? Log in to reply |
| Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 29/08/2014 at 11:37 #64203 | |
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Muzer
718 posts |
Back ontopic, after playing it a bit more, I can see why Trent has a lot of custom code - there does appear to be quite a bit of "non-standard" stuff in there (probably because some of it wasn't at the time part of the core code).
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| Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 29/08/2014 at 12:38 #64204 | |
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Jan
906 posts 
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If I remember an explanation by Kurt correctly, even CCTV level crossing weren't part of the core code until development of Trent was already way under way, which is why only Bulwell Forest crossing will give a message (and play a sound) when the 'Clear' button becomes active.
Two million people attempt to use Birmingham's magnificent rail network every year, with just over a million of them managing to get further than Smethwick. Log in to reply |
| Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 29/08/2014 at 13:25 #64205 | |
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TomOF
452 posts |
The same also applies with things like setting TSRs and historical era selection, Just goes to show how much effort has been expended on the core code over the years.
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| Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 04/03/2018 at 11:49 #106394 | |
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mfloyd
189 posts |
Sorry to bump this, but is this realistically ever going to happen?
Ripley, Derbyshire Log in to reply |
| Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 04/03/2018 at 11:56 #106395 | |
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headshot119
4869 posts |
There's not really any point in digging up old threads. Nothing has changed.
"Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer Log in to reply |
| Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 04/03/2018 at 12:04 #106396 | |
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mfloyd
189 posts |
That's fair do's, I thought after 4 years that a question wouldn't be too over the top though!
Ripley, Derbyshire Log in to reply |
| Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 04/03/2018 at 12:32 #106398 | |
agilchrist
258 posts |
Would you prefer a new thread ? I think posting where it was last mentioned makes sense. Even if the reply is 'not at the moment' At least this can lay dormant now until the time is right and we are all surprised. Blessed are the true believers, for only they shall walk the Path, and they shall be welcomed unto the realm of the Ori and made as one with Them. Log in to reply The following users said thank you: mfloyd, Ar88 |
| Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 04/03/2018 at 12:42 #106399 | |
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Peter Bennet
5402 posts |
Rule 10 probably applies: 10) Bumping: Don’t post to an old topic simply for the purpose of keeping it alive. But if you have something useful to add then it is preferable to add to an existing topic (no matter how old) than to start the same or similar topic again. Though how it applies is probably open to interpretation. Peter I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs! Log in to reply The following user said thank you: mfloyd |
| Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 04/03/2018 at 12:50 #106402 | |
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headshot119
4869 posts |
To expand a little further. The Trent developer has very little to do with SimSig anymore and hasn't done for a number of years. Without the original data, or input from him there is little any of us can do. "Passengers for New Lane, should be seated in the rear coach of the train " - Opinions are my own and not those of my employer Log in to reply The following user said thank you: mfloyd |
| Is Trent ever going to get loader love? 04/03/2018 at 13:02 #106405 | |
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Peter Bennet
5402 posts |
[Not completely off topic] I do happen to have all the Bristol and Gloucester files from 2009 and I did try and make contact to volunteer to convert but got no response. Peter I identify as half man half biscuit - crumbs! Log in to reply |