TOPIC: Rating pushing

Here is a screenshot of certain setup I've come up with recently and was told it's illegal (note that I wasn't caught doing it - I called an admin to ask for opinion).

While I could live with only the final design being allowed I would like to point out that keeping high rating wasn't the only purpose of this setup - main purpose is to have long trains going to MACHINE SHOP only when they are at least 70% loaded. This way there's less traffic around town. If I can achieve that and keep high ratings by the way - I am proud of my design.

If that is not allowed, what about something that EVERYBODY does - having more trains than needed to service an industry - this way you always have a train waiting for cargo providing high rating. Another case is supplies delivery - people always have long trains transporting supplies from a distant location to a central point near multiple industries needing those supplies and then doing last-mile delivery with short trains or RVs. Not everyone uses timetables but those who do always set them to make vehicles wait on central station instead of delivery station. Wether they are aware of it or not - it keeps rating higher than it would be in 2nd case. This causes another issue - station spread - all those vehicles waiting to start new timetable cycle need much bigger station to prevent jams, yet, I never seen any admin picking that up.

well, my opinion is known: those litle trains are ONLY for keep rating high (aka rating pushing). It's a different design of making a vehicle visit the same station, several times. Therefore, I consider it illegal.

I can see why ST2 sees it as a ratings push, as that does seem to be the point of it rather than more efficient cargo delivery.

From my point of view, sometimes I think you're over-elaborate on your gameplay, where a much simpler system might deliver the same result. All that messing about in timetables etc is surely time that could be better spent building lines and improving delivery systems.

@ ST
If I had cargo from RAFINERY station delivered directly to MACHINE SHOP, no matter what load percentage, rating for PT would be 100% and for CH it would depend on how much I kept stockpiled, so my RAFINERY II station was only dropping rating for main RAFINERY station (note that station II was not recieving cargo from Oil Rafinery). If you had take some time to watch those station, you would see that only every 3rd / 4th train doesn't get the 70% threshold load, making the little train visit main station less often than long trains are. Having it set to fully load further dropped ratings on main station.

@ Chizzle
Yeah, you are right about me being over-elaborate, however, I hardly ever stick with initial ideas, I always change things around to test various solutions to see which one I like the most. The idea that is subject of this discussion is a 2nd attempt to have only 70% > loaded trains. I wasn't happy with first setup I came up with because for some reason ratings wouldn't go past 94%. Here is a SS of it:

krawco, I checked very well the trains and their orders. And it was only disguised "transfer loops" to reach rating pushing goal, which make it illegal. And you'll get transfer cargo to the same station... only having another close. Transfer cargo from 1 station to the same station... what is that?

And in my opinion, over-elaborate it's only (and yes, ONLY) tries and attempts to circumvent the rules, always testing limits (of rules) and not trying to improve gameplay itself.

But I have to say: I'm happy that you call us to ask our opinions and to check if it's ok or not.

Neither of those designs is an attempt to push ratings, both of those setups actualy lower them due to cargo being transfered to the same station it came from (I think that is the reason it happens, I am not sure though). Both designs also seem to cap ratings around 90-94% and if they go higher it's only breif. The only reason for all that messing around is to have trains loaded ... Why am I repeating this ...

It's disapointing that you assume all my experiments and ideas are atempts to bend rules and test limits

I often see ideas and designs of mine being picked up by other players, I am sure someone would've backed me up if these forums were more popular among players

Bottom line is:
1. Having trains going to MACHINE SHOP no matter what load % - ratings are 100%
2. Waypoint and transfer back to initial station if loaded less then 70% - ratings capped at 94%
3a. removed
3b. Transfer to another station if load % less than 70% and transfer back to initial station with little train fully loading - ratings capped even below 90%, no affect on undelivered CH

Only scenario 3a is pushing rating and only if there is CH stockpiled in MACHINE SHOP station.
This was the 1st game I tried this design so I haven't had a good chance to watch ratings closely but it seems like in most cases I am pulling them down rather than pushing up.