TOPIC: Server#9 - FIRS Steeltown- Time to update?

I've noticed that with FIRS - SteelTown - the game seems heavily weighted to getting vehicle parts shipped the longest distance to win. Quickest path to accomplish this is to use Ash. In observing games of the last few weeks, this pattern is repeated over and over. The trains carrying Vehicle Parts cargo are 2x more profitable then any other train. This makes the strategy to win focused on one path, and all others not worth while. The time to mature a complex path takes too long to make profitable to win.
I would like to suggest adjusting the FIRS game settings to get a balance so there are more competitive and profitable paths to win. Let me know your thoughts.

any way I can get a copy of all the configuration files used for FIRS on server #9 ?

CV games do not require any extra game scripts. So you can enter server #9, review game settings and NewGRF settings, and you have it!

Anyway, referring to your previous post, what do you suggest to adjust on #9? (I cannot do that but I'm just interested what's your proposition, let's discuss it)

Im trying to get my local machine to create a game similar to what the server #9 generates.
From there, I want to figure out how to adjust the game settings so there are more competitive paths to win. Typical is Ash -> VP -> Vehicles for the win, with other resources feeding that as needed. Largest profit is on the Vehicle Part cargo transport.

I'd like have a balance on some other paths like:
Coal --> Coke --> Pig Iron
Iron Ore --> Slag --> Steel
Limestone --> QuickLime --> Steel

goal is to make it so that there are several very profitable paths to a possible win. Each with seperate resource runs. so if you join the game and a player has started on the Ash --> VP run, there are other options.

I'm open for any thoughts / suggestions.

I usually start with Soda Ash Mine because it assures the fastest start and allows to finish the game in ~2 hours. Looking at your paths: please note that from Pig Iron there is only one step to Steel, and from Steel - one step to Vehicle Bodies, then Vehicles (giving the largest profit). So: every path will finally end with VP/VB and Vehicles. Unless you're too lazy to do that Sometimes, just for fun, I transport 18 different cargo types. I also tried starting with Coal and Limestone (up to Vehicles), and it was 15-20 minutes longer.

If you join the game and a player has started on the Ash --> VP run, you can always start your own Ash --> VP run, or use one of the other paths, and also win (if you build smarter/faster).

Anyway... it would be not easy task to balance everything. And it needs a lot of tests. My guess is that some adjustment of cargo payment rates on primary resources would be nice, but I also do not want to make the game significantly longer.

There is one NewGRF you can use to change rates, named "SPI(1.32) Cargo Payment Rates" - you can play a bit with it. It seems that NewGRF works with FIRS, however the names of cargos are not correctly mapped to cargo IDs, e.g. when you adjust payment rate of Bauxite, you will see that Chlorine payment rate is changed (in Steeltown economy) - result is visible on Cargo Payment Rates chart. And that's all what I know (I spent a couple of minutes adjusting rates, looking at chart; never played the game after adjustment).

agree- I'm not looking to make the games longer

I figured if I can adjust the payment rates or raw material production rate - that would make some of the more complicated paths more attractive.
Goal would be to give a balance in time to win for multiple paths.

I'm playing now using anything other than Ash--VP to see what would need adjustment.

Other challenge is that I have never written or updated code for a NewGRF. but I have started looking at the code behind.