Beta: Wolf Three Fifty Nine

[Rodea2007]

Welcome to the second entry in my "Colonization" series.

Yes, I know... there is already a game by that name associated with this site. However, it really is the only name that fits!

Like San Martino, the assumption is that you are a settler on another planet around another sun... not that I've dinked with the skybox or anything like that. However, for purposes of this scenario, heavy air transport has become suddenly unavailable. No one really knows why, but nothing flys. So you, being the old time rail enthusiast you are see a golden opportunity to both resurect the days of Rail and make yourself a nice bit of change in the process.

So, can You tame the wild Wolf 359???


**authorial note: Pre Final beta. I've developed what I think are fair but challenging goals for this 15 x 15 map, but I'm not really subjective since I know all its tricks. I need input as to just how do-able these goals are and what, if any, changes need to be made before final release**

Wolf359.zip

map_Wolf359_thumbnail.jpg

I was download last update for this map, but unfortunally I Got CTD when begin play, I have found it on RRT_TrainCars_Wolf359.xml Line 28, Column 40 "<TrainCar><szName>Cask Car</szName></szGood></TrainCar>" that red word is making Fatal error, and shouldbe without it, please use XML editor to check RRT_TrainCars_Wolf359.xml, because with this tinny software you can know where your XML get error

[Star Ranger4]

Well thats really wierd since it was running fine for me for... gods...

ah well.

Updating zip to version .9d, refreshing first post...

[snoopy55]

Star Ranger4 - what program are you using to edit your XMLs? I only ask because I wanted to see what Rodea was speaking of, so I opened your RRT_TrainCars_Wolf359.xml using Notepad++. The first thing it threw in my face was "line 28: mismatched tag". With Notepad++, if you try to save an XML that has this type of error, it will throw a fit and not let you save it. Yes, the other program(s) have thier bennifits, but I have used this one since 4 monthes into this game. Sometimes you have to search for the problem, but.....

Also, one problem with the Beer Car that was not mentioned......it SHOULD not work. The reason being that you have it in there twice, the first time as a three-liner, and the second time after the error. The three-liner will not work because it is not a standard Train Car, unless this map is a GLOBAL style. The full listing for the Beer Car is blocked by the error in line 28 that Rodea2007 pointed out.

Just tossing my few cents into the pot.........

[Jancsika]

Also, one problem with the Beer Car that was not mentioned......it SHOULD not work. The reason being that you have it in there twice, the first time as a three-liner, and the second time after the error. The three-liner will not work because it is not a standard Train Car, unless this map is a GLOBAL style. The full listing for the Beer Car is blocked by the error in line 28 that Rodea2007 pointed out.

I was wondering too. But this is not a SAM map.
See Goods.XML (All 3 liners)
It is not quite CIC map.
But I played it through, with the error in the TrainCars.XML without any crash.

Never the less the errors needs to be corrected. Does it need two Traincar.XML files?
Am I muddying the waters???
Jancsika

[snoopy55]

No, it is a standard, no-mod map. The three-liner for the Beer Car was the only place that made it questionable. There would really be no reason to make it into a SAM at this time, tho it would be the quickest one I ever did, if I chose to and Star Ranger 4 had no problem with it.......

[Star Ranger4]

Star Ranger4 - what program are you using to edit your XMLs? I only ask because I wanted to see what Rodea was speaking of, so I opened your RRT_TrainCars_Wolf359.xml using Notepad++. The first thing it threw in my face was "line 28: mismatched tag". With Notepad++, if you try to save an XML that has this type of error, it will throw a fit and not let you save it. Yes, the other program(s) have thier bennifits, but I have used this one since 4 monthes into this game. Sometimes you have to search for the problem, but.....

Notepad ++ just like you advocate. I've started to develop a love hate relationship with it, because while it might detect some xml errors, it doenst help you FIND them. Like this one...

Also, one problem with the Beer Car that was not mentioned......it SHOULD not work. The reason being that you have it in there twice, the first time as a three-liner, and the second time after the error. The three-liner will not work because it is not a standard Train Car, unless this map is a GLOBAL style. The full listing for the Beer Car is blocked by the error in line 28 that Rodea2007 pointed out.

Just tossing my few cents into the pot.........

But that makes no sense, because it Does run, with the error! bloody damn wierd, imo. ANYWAY, Fixed the xml, repackaging YET AGAIN, updating to 0.9e...

No, it is a standard, no-mod map. The three-liner for the Beer Car was the only place that made it questionable. There would really be no reason to make it into a SAM at this time, tho it would be the quickest one I ever did, if I chose to and Star Ranger 4 had no problem with it.......

Aaaaand now I am comPLETEly confused, as it was my intent to make this SAM or CIC style. I've listened to you and Lowell go back and forth about what is a cic and what was a sam and I still dont understand the differences... All I know is that I worked this one up with standard goods because the custom goods I had been working with kept going boom.

[Rodea2007]

Aaaaand now I am comPLETEly confused, as it was my intent to make this SAM or CIC style. I've listened to you and Lowell go back and forth about what is a cic and what was a sam and I still dont understand the differences... All I know is that I worked this one up with standard goods because the custom goods I had been working with kept going boom.

Follow my way.... Keep in your way, SAM, CIC or standard Map they are the same way, just...the idea is how the your map can run perfectly without error. and why I did not want to move from the standard type to SAM or CIC type , because I do not want to upload the same file twice, for example, now you can laying WSM Map with QCL Map in one SMR Folder and take the new model from QCL Map into WSM Map, and does not need to move folders if you want to play WSM Map or QCL Map. Just to remember if you have edit file from origin file please rename that file with what ever name, don't use original name to your edited file. That is basically every file that I edit give name with Rodea, meaning I would not advertise my name to this forum only later will not affect to the other map if my map place along with other map

[snoopy55]

OK, to explain/define:

A SAM requires no other map or files in Sid Meier's Railroads other than the ones that are in the ZIP file. Yours fits this criteria

NORMALIY, a SAM has the Goods XML as RRT_Goods.xml, not named for the map, and because of this it requires that the RRT_Goods.xml has full listings. Yours COULD be done this way, but since you only used Original materials, it is not required. If you have used ALL of the Goods in the Original game and NO others, in the Scenario file you could simply use RRT_Goods.xml as the name of the Goods file.

Unlike a CIC style, a SAM style only contains the XMLs that are required to run the map. For instance, if the map does not make use of Decorations, the Scenario calls up RRT_Decorations.xml and the file is not in the map folder. If you make no edits in the Tunnels and/or Bridges XMLs, you do not need to include those either.

Aside form the RRT_Goods.xml, you only need to give full listings to Mods. Original things do not need full listing unless you edit something in the code. Then only the line(s) you edited need to be included. Otherwise, aside from locations in Industries, three-liners are all you need.

There are a few other things that can be cut that will not effect the working of a map. One I'll let you know about is the Loaction sections. Only six lines are needed for a single In-City Industry placement:

<Locations>
<Location>
<Size>0</Size>
<InCity>TAG_CITY_NAME_CENTRALIA</InCity>
</Location>
</Locations>

The two Starts and the Rotation have no meaning in this game. The Industry is located by the City name, and of course the Size is needed.

There are others, and probably some we haven't found.

I hope this explained most of it. The reason that it is not a SAM in a way is that there has to be a definition as to how they are made. While yours will Stand Alone, if someone else wanted to do the same thing and was unfamiliar with mapping, looking at your thay may think that three line entry is fine for a SAM, even if they are using mods. A common structure avoids confusion. I hope that made sense to you.

If you have any other questions....ask away!

As to Notepad++, you may be right. I guess it was just easy for me, and probably others, to see the error in line 28 when the line was pointed out. Some are not that easy, and are usually stupid! Like the famous, "I put that block in there, and I copied it!!! Why won't this d**m thing work!!" And you are looking right at it in the XML.....and then you realize that you put it BELOW the final closing line!!

[Jancsika]

Now I am going to stick my neck out!
To begin with you are doing just fine as is.
As long as you are not getting any "Not the game original" products and/or units you don't need SAM or CIC.

Your next step of developement should be SAM style maps. When you look around in the forum you will discover the so called "Building Blocks". These are as the name implies are seperate Blocks of units,industries, depots, goods that you can add to a plain vanilla type maps. These are units that were designed and collected by Snoopy and Company.They are useful to people like myself who like to make maps,but are ignorant in the graphic and modeling department.

Finally there are the CIC maps. These tend to be large undertakings. Up to now only Rodea and Lowell made a few. They are like professionally designed scenarios. Rodea's maps are available on the forum. Lowell choose to withdraw his.
Jancsika

[Star Ranger4]

So... Lets see. Aside from one comment that the goals are apparently still to easy, I've got the errors fixed right?

[Jancsika]

Aside from one comment that the goals are apparently still to easy, I've got the errors fixed right?

I just played it again. Now it was even easier than the first time, since I was more familiar with thle landscape.
Finished by 1885. Except the TGV which won't appear till 1981.

Seriously. I would not change the the turns/month, but would add couple more "ERA"to the scenario.
You have Gold Mine and Smelter also Steel, Automobile Factory, Furniture Factory, Manufactured Goods that could be incorporated into the Scenario. The way it is now I did not even bothered to activate those. Placing them in the Scenatio Script would make the game more chellenging.

If you need any help just holler! We are here to help.
Jancsika

[Lowell]

The two Starts and the Rotation have no meaning in this game. The Industry is located by the City name, and of course the Size is needed.

When you place the industries on maps with the games landscape editor, it places those rotation numbers as you rotate an out-of-city industry or anything else that is placed on the game board. Then when you enter the game map, the industry/item is placed at game start then rotated by that rotation number. The numbers roll off on a counter inside the game editor as you turn objects/industries on the map surface and give you a readout. You can also manually set the numbers and it will turn as well.
It's kind-of cool. Their editor isn't so bad, it works great.

Unlike a CIC style, a SAM style only contains the XMLs that are required to run the map. For instance, if the map does not make use of Decorations, the Scenario calls up RRT_Decorations.xml and the file is not in the map folder. If you make no edits in the Tunnels and/or Bridges XMLs, you do not need to include those either.

Well not really in CIC maps anyway. The scenario list in the scenario file can have the lines removed or left to read the games default list that you will not be supplying files for, like the decorations and bridge lists. The scenario.xml list will load only what scenario files are provided and listed.

It also tracks the x, y and z location on the land map as well, that is what those other number sets are you mentioned.