--- In 18xx@yahoogroups.com, Ian D Wilson <ianwilson156@...> wrote:
>
> I already have a prototype in playtesting, which uses an obsolescence rule
that keeps old trains running....
>
> --- On Fri, 3/7/09, W.R.Dixon <WRDixon@...> wrote:
>
> From: W.R.Dixon <WRDixon@...>
> Subject: Re: [18xx] E trains in 18GL (and also 1826...)
> To: 18xx@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Friday, 3 July, 2009, 12:14 AM
>
>
> You could do this with all train types that normally rust.
> If they are obsolete they drop one step in capability.
> If they are two steps obsolete then they drop two steps.
> and so on.
>
> You would have the choice of running them as less capable trains or
> rusting them.
>
> Bill Dixon
>

In the game I have been working on the thing that I wanted to tweak was not the
sudden obsolecence, but the large difference in utility (in almost every 18xx
where neither 3s nor 4s are permanent) between the first 3 train and the last 4
train.

So I looked at introducing something I called 'incremental rusting'.

E.g. the first 5 train rusts the first 3 train, the second 5 train rusts the
second 3 train (etc).

The 2 trains I was killing off with the first 4 train in a 'civil war' type
event so didn't bother with incremental rusting for them.

So basically depending on which train rusts which other train(s) you can tweak
exactly how many trains are allive at any particular point in the game. I think
I had 8 major companies plus two super companies (like nationals, but on
'opposite sides' of the war), and during incremental rusting ~9 trains alive at
any particular time. (Some variations rusted the first 3T with the last 4T)

Here's how that compares to 1830:

Train Tier - Number of trains in play
2T 1-8 trains
3T 9-14 trains
...
4T 7-10 trains
5T 11-13 trains
6T 8-9 trains
Diesel 6+ trains

That is if I remember quantities correctly (8x 2T, 6x 3T, 4x 4T, 3x 5T, 2x 6T,
inf D)

In that game the last 4 is rusted by the first 8, which ends the war (and there
is no more rusting after that). I had also looked at the recycling mechanism
for the 2Ts, 3Ts and 4Ts. They would go into 1835/1861 style minor companies
that don't start until the war begins - with the intention that this gives
everyone something to do at the end of the game.

....

I like the individual rules and the theme or 'narrative' of the game, but I'm
not sure if it 'works' when everything is put together. E.g. does it 'flow'
properly, does it play quickly, or will the late game minors slow everything
down?

....

I'd also considered turning it into a fantasy themed game (Elves/Orcs/Dwarves et
al).

And at various times I've considered having "German game" style tracks around
the outside of the board. E.g. you could have one for maintenance costs - every
operating round after the first one is bought the counter for the 2 trains
advances one spot on the track, with ever increasing maintenance (e.g. +10 per
square).

And of course the concept of supply and demand for bonus runs (similar to mail
runs in 1899) with different cities producing and preferring different
commodities.