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The Train fever wiki page on “Tracks” (http://trainfever.wikispaces.com/Tracks) mentions both Path and Block signals. But I only see one type of signal shown in-game.
what for? they are not necessary. real signals are “path” signals as much as “block” signals at once, it just depends on where they are placed. its not necessary to use improper designations from openttd to describe train fever’s signals, it only confuses the matter. train fever signals work like real “main” or “home”-signals, they protect a block of track as well as a path through switches in a station or a junction.
Well signals with 4 aspects would be nice if it would help trains to use different tracks if one is blocked by other trains. Aka advance warning signal so the train seeing that could switch to free track before it comes to the red signal.
When you build a signal by default it has 3 lights lit on it. When you zoom on a signal and select it a pop up comes and you can activate/deactivate “one way” thus having only 1 light lit on a signal.
the game would not need 4 aspect signals in order to allow for switching of tracks. its all in the pathfinding logic, the signal has nothing to do with it. if the pathfinding logic would allow for choosing of alternative paths on the fly, it would work even without any signals at all.
the signals in train fever do four things:
1. they divide the track into blocks to allow for more traffic on the lines
2. they determine the place where trains stop if the track or path ahead is blocked
3. they define whether a track section can be used in both directions or only in one direction
4. they suggest which side of the track trains should run, even if they are not set to one-way operation
Choose signals like in simutrans would be nice, allowing for lines to use multiple platforms without changing the current line system.
Signals in Train Fever are working in combination and cooperation with the switches, stations, depots and ofcourse the existing lines you have created by yourself. Many players don’t see how smart and elegant this system works.. its so stupid simple to grasp that it looks hard to get a hang of it. If you understand how the TF signal system works then you also understand that the one way signals placed on the long double track connections works as automated bock signals. In more complicated situations is the relevant switch, not only a switch but also the flawless controller of the relevant exit signal! Thus in passing loops you don’t need a entrance with exit signal combination to create the block protection in the passingloop. Each station platform act as two following signals, placed on both ends and having the station railtrack between. That is the reason why stations but also depots don’t need manually placed exit signals.
Also in Train Fever you can force a line to use multiple platforms, at a terminal station too. I give a hint.. repeated route setting in a line between two stations, A – B – A – B.
Yep – path signals are sufficient for what TF does. That trains don’t take alternate routes if their usual one is blocked, has nothing to do with the signals, but is an effect of TF’s line mechanics. (A line is assigned to a track, and trains will only use that assigned track, nothing else, ever.)
Anyway, path signals are quite enough even in games like OTTD; you can get the same results with them. They’re basically the traditional pre-signal/signal setup, rolled into one.
I agree, I really like the line system in TF, it works really well for the most part and the pathfinding is very intelligent, there are just one or two annoyances that make me wish it had waypoints and the ability to choose the platform a line uses. For example it doesn’t seem to take road size or traffic into account when planning bus routes, which means in one case my buses are preferring to take a little gridlocked side-street rather than the nice bus-laned 4-lane road that is just a tad physically longer, forcing me to use trams on the route so that I can directly plot the path I want them to take.
@Person012345 Having way points in TF is also one of my wishes. But I am afraid that it is not done in the gaming industry to accomplish all the gamers wishes instantly.. due commercial reasons. So fingers crossed 😉
I think, pre-signals aren’t needed at all, at best as a cosmetic feature.
If you think over it, pre-signals were introduced because trains became faster and couldn’t stop in time as saw as they saw a “Stop” signalling Main Signal. So pre signals got introduced, so RL locomotive drivers (I’m not a native english speaker, if the job has a better name in English, I’d be happy if you tell me) could stop/slow down in time.
Since we’re not dealing with RL locomotive drivers but instead with AI driven locomotives, they always know in time, what the mainsignal shows for them, so pre signals as functional signals are unnecessary.
If you implement a mechanic, that AI locomotives don’t register main signals until they actually see them and thus could risk driving over a “Stop”-Signal, they would make sense, but otherwise not.
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