Exclusive Waypoint

[chairface]

I would use "Checkpoint" as the term for this suggestion, but I believe that's a term used in TTDPatch for what we call "Waypoints." So I'll call it an "Exclusive Waypoint."

And yes, before anyone jumps on me, I realize a lot of the use of this would vanish if/when multi-track waypoints are implemented, but in the interim, this should be easier, and would still be useful besides.

It's just a normal waypoint (maybe hold ctrl while clicking to place, in keeping with OpenTTD's theme for such things) except that *only* trains specifically ordered to it may pass it at all. All other trains see it as a break in the track.

This'd mostly be handy for complex PBS junctions, where you still want to split up traffic to minimize left turns (or right turns, if you drive on the left.)

[}T{Reme [Q_G]]

Isnt that already like that? You have to add current waypoints to train orders before they even attempt to use them. All the other trains pretty much find their own route, going in a different direction or thru the waypoint if needed. If you want trains not to go through a waypoint, make another one somewhere else and order the other trains to go there.

[chairface]

All the other trains pretty much find their own route, going in a different direction or thru the waypoint if needed.

The difference would be that other trains finding their own route would NOT go through the waypoint unless they'd been specifically ordered to do so.

If you want trains not to go through a waypoint, make another one somewhere else and order the other trains to go there.

This is why there'd be *less* of a need for this if/when multi-track waypoints are implemented.

As an example:

There's four paths out of my station and 3 different kinds of trains that go in and out (but obviously, many trains of each kind.)

Three paths run parallel and into one junction, the fourth path is different, it goes somewhere else or arrives at the junction differently.

I want 1 of the kinds of trains to use the fourth path, and all others to use the other 3. I cannot make a waypoint across all three of the other tracks and order all the other kinds of trains to go that way (as that's not finished yet, but presumably someone is working on it.) There'd still be some isolated cases where this would be useful even once multi-track waypoints are finished (mostly to block trains from going to certain depots via clicking the go to depot immediately button, or if you haven't specifically set service at depot orders.)

[jabberwalkee_]

I like it. It means you can more easily create an express line or allow you to better implement exclusive exits.

GREAT IDEA

[MeusH]

Other and simple way to do this would be to add "do not ever go via <name>" - this would be waypoint which would be not entered by train (like opponent's station)

[DaleStan]

And how the train know when it had succefully obeyed that order?

[MeusH]

I think this should be condition to check before entering next tile?

[DaleStan]

I think you misunderstood. At what point does it go on to the next order in the list?

[MeusH]

Okay, I think I wrote my thoughts wrong way:

Imagine this on the order list

Go to A (Load)
Go via waypoint X
Go to B (Unload)
Go to C but do not go via waypoint Y (Load)
Go to D (Unload)

Train will go to A>X>B>C>D.
When going from B to C, train will check if there is waypoint Y. If there is, train will try to look for another route, or if failed, reverse at the waypoint.

[chairface]

Okay, I think I wrote my thoughts wrong way:

Imagine this on the order list

Go to A (Load)
Go via waypoint X
Go to B (Unload)
Go to C but do not go via waypoint Y (Load)
Go to D (Unload)

Train will go to A>X>B>C>D.
When going from B to C, train will check if there is waypoint Y. If there is, train will try to look for another route, or if failed, reverse at the waypoint.

All this would really be is a workaround for not having multitrack waypoints, it won't be as useful (or useful at all) once we have those, whereas having the exclusive waypoint still could be handy.

[Sacro]

If you give the waypoint a high NPF penalty then normally trains won't go throught it unless specified. I think that should do the trick nicely!

[chairface]

That is a good idea! I will try that out!

[odalman]

This is exactly what I would have suggested, if I had not found this thread, after watching 3 trains take the wrong turn going through the wrong waypoint. One of them here:

The eventhough the train reached the station, it did not even stop there. Instead it continued to go for the waypoint, taking a huge detour via some unrelated mine.

Exactly where is the NPF penalty set?

[Auge]

Hello gravedigger (the thread saw no activity for nearly 15 years)

This is exactly what I would have suggested ... after watching 3 trains take the wrong turn going through the wrong waypoint.

Where is Pernau Train Depot #2? If it's not on the route to "Minsk SteelMill dropoff" (maybe it's one of the depots on the right track branch?), then it would be normal that the train takes the branch to the right.

The eventhough the train reached the station, it did not even stop there. Instead it continued to go for the waypoint, taking a huge detour via some unrelated mine.

You force the train to go to the depot, so it tries exactly that. So far, so normal.

Tschö, Auge

[odalman]

From just watching the screenshot, that could have been the reason. However, the train has already visited Pernau Train Depot #2. The two depots after the waypoint >Minsk Steel Mill pickup< were named Minsk Train Depot #3 and Minsk Train Depot #7. So when the trains take the wrong turn, their current order is the waypoint >Minsk Steel Mill dropoff<.

I moved the waypoint closer to where the trains sometimes took wrong turns. Maybe it helps (saw no trains doing wrong turns so far).

The reason that the waypoints were further apart in the first screenshot is of curse that waypoints can not be on diagonal track. Initially, both waypoints were down in the bottom left corner. I first moved up one to follow the split before merge principle.