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| − | Coordination is very important for cooperative gameplay, since the goals and implementation tactics are meant to be shared amongst all participants. Planing stage of game is to lay a good foundation for prolonged and interesting gameplay, where the final result is achieved by combined efforts of all players. Planing does take some skill and experience, and should be taken as a serious task and with responsibility for future development. It should provide detailed description of what and how is to be done.
| + | #REDIRECT [[Planning]] |
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| − | ==Studying the map==
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| − | There is no basic "best strategy" for all situation. All games are very circumstantial, environment dependent and may have different focuses. Even for targeted games, when a particular scenario or game preconditions are used, it still remains very open ended and similar result can be achieved by many ways. Thus it is very important to explore the map and foresee future development and implementation, ensuring that it is possible to achieve certain goals (and set these targets). Some layouts are only applicable to certain cases and various types of netwrok are dealing with landscape in different fashions. It is very important to keep in mind that it is not that landscape is to be altered to fit the idea of the plan but vica versa, the plan must adhere to circumstances.
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| − | ==Main elements==
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| − | Any plan have certain main elements which predefine plan's basics, these are:
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| − | ; Game type : Global [[:Category:Gametypes]] (ie: ''raw cargo'', ''TGV global pax game'', ''ICE/S-bahn'', etc.) or versions of them. Could be something completely new as well.
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| − | ; Goals/focus : Narrowing down the type to a particular points (ie: ''flow/capacity'', ''speed'', ''second tier saturation'', ''connecting something'', etc.) or emphasizing on something.
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| − | ; Network type : Basic rules, describing type of lines used (perhaps: ''plain'', ''segregated'', ''distributed'', ''shifting'' ) and track width, along with some details (such as: ''prioritized 2nd tier', ''none blocking mergers only'', ''expandable to ...'' etc)
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| − | ; Network layout : That controls shape of lines and defined by major stations' requirements. Sould be done in some illustrated form or shape, providing enough details to show keypointys of particular layout.
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| − | ; Perks : anything what is out of ordinary and not generaly applicable to described conditions (ie: ''steam only'', ''no terraforming'', ''avoid coal'', ''save all trees'')
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| − | ==Sharing ideas==
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| − | It is possible, that there are already plans being discussed or some are made, in which case it would make sense to comprehend them and understand key elements and differences. Presenting many plans with varying only by directions of mainline or train length used is quite pointless. It would be much better to discuss with the author possible changes and make corrections to existing plan if they are considered as usefull after coming to concensus. Plans, as well as the game itself, can be result of colloboration and shaping the ideas based on experience of diffrent players, however insisting on changes instead of suggesting them is definately going too far.
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| − | ==Planing==
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| − | Usually, there is a remote spot somewhere on the map with sign " '''!!NETWORK PLANS'''" next to it. This is designated area for laying out proposed plans. In case if there is no sign - feel free to create one, but bear in mind that plans are meant to last whole game and selecting densly populated area makes very little sense, usually unused areas such as corners/edges of map, with more or less even landscape are best spots.
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| − | When creating a plan - allocate yourself enough space and try not to interfer with other people's work, make sure to state as much details as possible to make the plan clear for rest of players (separation between primary/secondary, type of network and width, train legths etc). Major elements' design can also be noted, in case, if it is not clear from visual layout. Make sure the plan is comprehensive and covers all/most game aspect. Don't forget to title and sign it, as well as add it to voting board if one is there already.
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| − | After core of your plan is done - listen for critique and constructive comments, be patient for more plans to appear and voting to be finished. It is quite common for planing phase to take long time simply because of different people's schedules and other real life limitations.
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| − | ==Understanding Complexity==
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| − | As an author of a plan, you are responsible for covering many aspects in design and location of key elements (be it a hub, station or location of a drop). A good plan should present an opportunity for many players to have their input usefull for acvhieving the goals, not be overly complex (or simply impossible), have various challenges for variety of skill levels and be able to withstand the test of time. In many cases planned expandability saves the day by turning tidious upgrades into set of doable small tasks with little to none interference to existing network functionality.
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| − | ==Implementation==
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| − | In case if you plan is choosen (and that is bound to happen sometime), as author, you are entitled to providing as much help as possible to execute the plan. Creator of selected plan takes a guiding role of chief engineer, answering questions and being reliable source of wisdom when unforseen challenges arise.
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| − | It greatly helps for proper implementation to have predefined locations for major nodes of network as well as other important elemenets. Selecting placement for these, by putting signs in desired areas, essentially charts the map to meet plan's requirements. Being the author does not mean that it is totasly up to you to completely do complete network layout, but playing a key role in creation proces is expected. At same time let other to help you to "get there" it will be faster and more entertaining as joint effort of many.
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| − | ==Modification and corrections==
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| − | As time goes, it is quite possible, that a need for reform or alteration is required due to change in environement, implementation limitations or unforseen roadblocks. In case if such are observed - it is imperative to quicly react and mod the plan to satisfy new needs. Aside of being ''proactive'' and trying to ensure future of game by detailed planning, author should also try to be ''reactive'' to ongoign developement. Other players can provide valuable input which can ease some challenges and help avoid known pitfalls. Sometimes there are several approaches that can be taken and it is up to the author to consider alternatives and make wise choices, introducing corrections to the plan
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| − | ==Examples==
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| − | {|
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| − | || [[Image:plan4.png|thumb|center|320px|]] || [[Image:plan1.png|thumb|center|320px|]]
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| − | || [[Image:plan2.png|thumb|center|320px|]] || [[Image:plan3.png|thumb|center|320px|]]
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| − | || [[Image:plan0.png|thumb|center|320px|]] || [[Image:plan5.png|thumb|center|320px|]]
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| − | || [[Image:plan6.png|thumb|center|320px|]] || [[Image:plan7.png|thumb|center|320px|]]
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| − | || [[Image:plan8.png|thumb|center|320px|]] || [[Image:plan9.png|thumb|center|320px|]]
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| − | |}
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