Transport Tycoon Forums

I updated and extended the patch Group Info, which is mainly based on the work of MagicBuzz: https://bugs.openttd.org/task/1042
Using the patch, one can simply manage all the vehicles, by analyzing profit and current usage (extended).
The patch also supports hierarchical subgroups of release 1.5.0.
I cannot imagine playing without this patch.
1.5.0 got hierachical subgroups, maybe 1.6.0 will include group info.

I'm using similar (previous?) patch included into reddit client and found it much more useful than those "burgers" and "vege-burgers" signs.

BTW, what stand for "current usage" ?

McZapkie wrote:BTW, what stand for "current usage" ?

Current usage is loaded freight / capacity in percent averaged over all vehicles in the group.

(This value is determined only during travel of each vehicle and does not represent loading/unloading.)
I don't know, if occupancy is a better description.

I use this value to check, if I need more vehicles (because all vehicles are full) or if lots of vehicle go almost empty.

For industrial cargo, wouldn't current usage always be around 50% ?

Alberth wrote:For industrial cargo, wouldn't current usage always be around 50% ?

Not if you use station refits to haul different cargo on return trip

mtm2207946034 wrote:

McZapkie wrote:BTW, what stand for "current usage" ?

Current usage is loaded freight / capacity in percent averaged over all vehicles in the group.

It is understandable, but which means "current"? Is it computed instantly, or yearly averaged?

Alberth wrote:For industrial cargo, wouldn't current usage always be around 50% ?

In an optimal situation, current usage would be around 50%. If a lot of vehicles are waiting for cargo, than current usage may be 30% or even less.

McZapkie wrote:It is understandable, but which means "current"? Is it computed instantly, or yearly averaged?

Current means current. There is no daily, monthly or yearly average.

The usage of each vehicle is determined, when it leaves a station. This value remains constant, until the vehicle leaves the next station.

mtm2207946034 wrote:Current means current. There is no daily, monthly or yearly average.

The usage of each vehicle is determined, when it leaves a station. This value remains constant, until the vehicle leaves the next station.

I just tried this patch and I like the idea, instead of roughly adding in my head the individual vehicles to see how much profit my services make each year I can see it right there on one line, but I think instead of showing the usage at the time of opening groups window, yearly averages displayed as "usage this year" and "usage last year" would be much more helpful for deciding if adjustment to capacity is needed, and would also fit better with the way profits are displayed.

Eddy Arfik wrote:I just tried this patch and I like the idea, instead of roughly adding in my head the individual vehicles to see how much profit my services make each year I can see it right there on one line, but I think instead of showing the usage at the time of opening groups window, yearly averages displayed as "usage this year" and "usage last year" would be much more helpful for deciding if adjustment to capacity is needed, and would also fit better with the way profits are displayed.

I also updated and extended the patch Trip History, which contains a similar idea. The occupancy/usage of a vehicle is shown for the last 10 trips:
http://www.tt-forums.net/viewtopic.php? ... 0#p1146577

Calculation occupancy/usage yearly should be doable. These values (occupancy in current and last year) should also be displayed in the vehicle detail window.
It should be discussed, if usage/occupancy of a vehicle should be averaged over time, over distance between stations or just averaged at each station without weight.

I don't know if occupancy which is averaged over a longer period contains any information at all. Long time changes (comparing occupancy of current and last year) should be visible in profit too.
In my opinion, current usage as realized in my extension of the Group Info patch has an average:
You can see short time effects as a blocked road or something else.


Does anybody else find occupancy/usage of a vehicle (group) useful?