Michael Blunck's new graphics [http://www.ttdpatch.de/]

[Hyronymus]

Enough lads, let's stay on topic and give way for whatever evil Michael is up too .

[Sanchimaru]

I am glad to see you are around, Michael!

By the way, I wanted to inform you of something I found about your stations namings:
During your absence I was reviewing the spanish version of the Industrial Stations Renewal that mart3p is coding, and I realized that there were some naming in your stations menus that weren't right, here is what I could find:

andénes > andenes (only singular "andén" carries tilde)
paso inferior > paso subterráneo (this is what they are called, but if you want to save space, inferior is not incorrect)
vacio > vacío

tejas sin via > cuadros sin vía ("teja" is a rooftile, at first I had no idea what did it stand for in the stations options. The word for "tile" would be "baldosa" but only to refer to a real tile. I think that "cuadro" (square) is much more understandable in the game context, being a word referred to a form, and not a specific object)

[Raichase]

Playing a DBXL game just a few moments ago (and will continue in but a few more moments), I an pondering the ever present problem of beer transport. I'd like a short beer train into town, but the stadiums keep moving or closing altogether, and that kind of micro management is impossible when running a whole map of trains.

Perhaps it's a solution to have a "stadium" as an industry, rather than a town building? Must be built within x tiles of a town and accepts passengers, tourists and beer?

Just throwing ideas around, seems a waste of a fantastic brewery if all I can do is dump grain at it and not take the tasty product anywhere!

[Aegir]

Town buildings can be coded to stay put and not move, coding it as an industry shouldn't be necessary .

[Raichase]

Town buildings can be coded to stay put and not move, coding it as an industry shouldn't be necessary .

Ooh! That'll do nicely

[michael blunck]

I an pondering the ever present problem of beer transport.

NewCargo.grf is quite old, meanwhile. Indeed it was put together to demonstrate Csabas newcargo feature in the first place. Since then, George and me had revised the ECS scheme and "beer" turned into "food(beer)", i.e. the chance for acception should be higher now.

Someday I´ll put a new revision of NewCargo online with more cargoes and more industries.

E.g., something like this would be adequate for a modern version of the brewery, n´est-ce pas?

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/88/20504 ... fd.jpg?v=0

P.S.: Seems to be derived from a "guess the brewery" game ...

regards
Michael

[Rainer]

Hi,

P.S.: Seems to be derived from a "guess the brewery" game ...

Jever.

I've been there about twenty years ago ...

cu
Rainer

[michael blunck]

Jever.

Right.

You´ve won a bottle. I´ve put it for you in my fridge.

regards
Michael

[Toni Babelony]

Bweh... Jever... I'd prefer Köstritzer...

Looking forward to your new releases Mr. Blunck!

[Rainer]

Hi Michael,

You´ve won a bottle. I´ve put it for you in my fridge.

I trade it for an early car transporter

cu
Rainer

[DonRazzi]

Mhhhhhhmmmm... Jever! You gave me the right idea what to drink at tonights BBQ....

[michael blunck]

@Rainer
There will be provisions for early car transport in v0.9.


On a different note:

Yesterday evening (when browsing through my newly acquired railway books) I had the idea (again) to add another early electric to the DBXL, namely the E 04, the later 104.

Although this engine isn´t that common (like the E 17), it´s still an important engine and it would have its advantages for the set:

- in 1934, it would offer a relatively high speed of 130 km/h, but only with reduced tractive effort (155 kN), so it would come handy for long-distance passenger express trains (only),

- the natural choice (the E 17, already in 1928) would be more powerful and more common, but it would clash with the already existing E 16, which I´d like to keep, simply because its early bavarian brown livery,

- a slight problem would be that the E 04s had been used primarily in East-Germany after the war, so it could (should?) appear with a red under-carriage, instead a grey one (DB style). In this way, it would act as a very early DR engine (like the 250/155 or the 143 do, in later years),

- another slight problem would be its visual similarity to the existing E 44. In case, I´d re-design this one to get these two properly divided.

Any thoughts?

regards
Michael

[lobster]

i like the look of that one. but from 1932 'til 1982? that's a right long lasting one, i'd say. the fact that it's a good, early express passenger loc makes it an excellent choice though. it has my support.

and on a different note, i was wondering if you're going to implement pre-1920 material in the upcoming 0.9 release? t'would be most awesome, surely.

[DonRazzi]

I think at the moment there's no need for another early E-loco in the set. The E 16 is quite nice to have, and when you introduce the E 18 in 0.9, there'll be no need for a loco quite similiar to the E 16 (not talking about the croco-style). But something I really miss is something, which fits into the gap between the V 140 and the V 100. For nearly thirty years there isn't a loco suitable for branch lines. So what do you think about adding the V 80?

Greets,

Don

[Toni Babelony]

But something I really miss is something, which fits into the gap between the V 140 and the V 100. For nearly thirty years there isn't a loco suitable for branch lines. So what do you think about adding the V 80?

Wouldn't a "WR 360 C 14" or V 36 be more appropriate? The V80 (1952) series had only 10 locomotives and the V36 (1938) had over 160 locomotives. Furthermore there are no locomotives built in WW2 except the funny V188 (1941) and filling up this gap is difficult... But wasn't that the case in all countries who suffered from this war? In game you should suffer as well but this time under Herr Blunck's command.

[michael blunck]

i was wondering if you're going to implement pre-1920 material in the upcoming 0.9 release?

Yes, at least to some degree and that early date showing up only in OTTD, see list below.

I think at the moment there's no need for another early E-loco in the set. The E 16 is quite nice to have, and when you introduce the E 18 in 0.9,

Well, yes. Introducing the E 18 had been in question for a long time, simply because it´s such a powerful engine (same with the 103 in DB times). And these ones are always hard to balance, gameplay-wise. OTOH, in RL, there was room for all these engines. The type program of the DRG for 1931 envisaged:

- 1'Do1' engines for heavy express service (-> E 18)
- 1'Co1' engines for light express service (-> E 04)
- Bo'Bo' engines for passenger and light freight service (-> E 44)
- Co'Co' engines for medium and heavy freight service (-> E 93, later E 94)

In this way, to have them all, should be nice and possible by a well-done balancing , don´t you think?

there'll be no need for a loco quite similiar to the E 16 (not talking about the croco-style).

E 16: 1926, 120 km/h, 2340 kW, 142 kN, 342,000 RM
E 04: 1934, 130 km/h, 2190 kW, 155 kN, 314,356 RM

I.e., eight years after the introduction of the E 16 you´ll get a similar but slightly faster engine. This would be on par with the fastest steamer at that time (BR 01). To differentiate against the E 18 (1935, 150 km/h, 3040 kW, 210 kN, 397,390 RM), the E 04 could be made usable for local services as well and also for push-pull service. Just an idea.

[edit]
In addition, I wouldn´t like to be forced to use E 18s for my light express trains. This would be uncommon, instead, E 04s and E 17s should be used. Unfortunately, it´s not technical feasible to restrict the number of a certain type of engine, so this decision is/should be left to the player. Nevertheless, then there must be a possibility to choose. Remember: you must not use every engine from the set.
[/edit]

But something I really miss is something, which fits into the gap between the V 140 and the V 100. For nearly thirty years there isn't a loco suitable for branch lines. So what do you think about adding the V 80?

Wouldn't a "WR 360 C 14" or V 36 be more appropriate? The V80 (1952) series had only 10 locomotives and the V36 (1938) had over 160 locomotives. Furthermore there are no locomotives built in WW2 except the funny V188 (1941) and filling up this gap is difficult...

That´s right. Both in WWI and in WWII, there wasn´t much new development of locomotives. In addition, WWI was too early for diesels (development of electrics was delayed), and in WWII, diesel fuel was such a scarce resource that even existing diesels were retired (the fast diesel train sets). Generally speaking, only the "war locomotives" were built (though in large quantities), i.e. the KDLs, KMLs and KELs. And after the war, development of new engines was delayed until the late 1950s.

IMO, the V80 was only a "pre series" and the V 36 (although one of my favourite locos for a model railway) seems too weak and slow for the game. And the V188 is really exotic, yes.

[edit]
> For nearly thirty years there isn't a loco suitable for branch lines.

There´s the 86 ...
[/edit]


Now, for further discussion, would it be helpful if I´d post the complete list of v0.9 as it stands today?
*) = new in v0.9

1906 BR38 (S)
*1907 ETA 177 (E)
1910 BR92 (S)
*1910 BR57 (S)
1912 E 62 (E)
1914 BR75 (S)
*1914 E 36 (E)
1914 ET-87 (E)
*1915 E 91.3 (E)
1924 E 52 (E)
1925 BR 18 (S)
*1925 E 91 (E)
1926 E 16 (E)
*1928 BR 86 (S)
*1928 ET-41 (E)
1928 E 75 (E)
1930 E 95 (E)
1931 BR 01 (S)
1932 BR 85 (S)
1935 SVT-137 (D)
1935 E 44 (E)
1935 ET-11 (E)
*1935 E 18 (E)
1936 BR 44 (S)
1936 V 140 (D)
*1936 ET-31 (E)
1937 BR 05 (S)
*1938 VT-137 (D)
1940 E 94 (E)
1952 VT-08 (D)
1952 VT-95 (D)
1953 ETA-150 (E)
1954 V 200 (D)
1956 ET-30 (E)
1956 BR 140 (E)
*1956 BR 141 (E)
1956 BR 110 (E)
1957 VT-11 (D)
1957 BR 150 (E)
1962 BR 212 (D)
*1962 BR 112/114 (E)
1968 BR 218 (D)
1970 BR 103 (E)
1972 BR 614 (D)
1972 BR 420 (E)
1973 BR 232 (D)
*1973 ET-403 (E)
1974 BR 155 (E)
1974 BR 111 (E)
1974 BR 181 (E)
1979 BR 120 (E)
*1989 BR 143 (E)
1990 BR 401 (E)
1996 BR 101 (E)
1997 DE-AC33C (D)
1998 BR 605 (D)
1998 BR 612 (D)
*1998 BR 425 (E)
1999 BR 403 (E)
*2000 BR 146 (E)
2002 BR 182 (E)

Yet to be decided:

*1934 E 04 (E)
*2000 BR 185/189 (E)
*1950 BR 23 (S)

regards
Michael

[DonRazzi]

For someone who starts 1920 the W 360 is much too weak, that's true. But it'd be the ideal engine for a post-WWII-start. On the other hand I like to build branch lines on my (huge) maps. Very small branch lines...

Don

[Toni Babelony]

IIRC the W 360 (V36) was also used in pairs and with a dome-cab (later?) for local traffic. That could be a good excuse to put them in the set. However, they wouldn't be a good 'replacement' for previously used engines on branchlines. I guess one just has to go with the older types, just like back in those days.
IMO introducing much more modern engines later will be more rewarding and makes this set even more interesting to use.

[Uwe]

Concerning the list: The Br 143 available from 1989? Shouldn't that be 1984? That's when series production started and the loco became a common sight (at least in East Germany). The Br 44 is also new, am I right in assuming it replaces the Br 45? Are there any other locos that will be replaced? And I'm very much in favor of adding the Br 185 or Br 189 as modern freight engine, they're a common sight around here (which the Br 182 is not).

Just my 2 ct

[DonRazzi]

BTW: Does someone know, which engine will be used to replace the BR 216 for the auto-transport to Sylt? Which engine it ever will be, it would be a great feature in DBSet. Also it would be nice to have the BR 216 in cream-red livery, as it has been used for years on that route.