Some Questions for the Autodrive Buffs

[cwattyeso]

So I'm very slowly getting used to Autodrive and how it works in FS22. I never used the mod previously in FS19, only using Courseplay to handle everything, including transporting and selling stuff, which sadly is not currently possible to do in the FS22 version.

On the base game Giants maps, I've used downloaded courses created by other people in the community and everything is already setup, I just need to choose the right options on vehicles and everything seems to function okay. I have started making my own network for a map but it's been very rudimentary in routes from my silo to pretty much just sellpoints, and I've done it with the Map AI Traffic disabled so I can do just single routes.

I've now started playing on a newly updated map this weekend and have to start creating the Autodrive network from scratch, as there are no downloads available. So now I'm at the stage where I want to try and learn a bit more about the "Proper" way to set up your routes. For example does the choice of road type matter or have any impact on Autodrive's functionality? If I use the Green Road, The Blue Two-Way Roads or the other Yellow Roads, what are the differences and when and where should you each type?

When it comes to setting up fields for Harvester unloading what are the correct and best practices for setting routes for this? On some of the user-made downloads I have tried with maps I have been playing, it really varies. Some players seem to do a route all the way round the edge of field and then have branches coming off this to go to field markers and then from that marker back to the main highways. Other players seem to just have a marker next to the field that only connects to the main highway and nothing else.

I'm wondering what the proper etiquette is on this. From what I have seen the ones where a path has been made around the entire edge of the field seem to be very inefficient for the trailer. Whenever the combine calls for it, it seems to want to do a lap of the field on this route before heading to the combine. So what's the best setup to ensure quicker and speedy response from trailers to harvester calls for unloading?

Also when it comes to harvesting if using multiple harvesters or multiple trailers, again how do you set them up for best efficiency? I'm seeing quite often harvesters calling for trailers when they are 60% full, the trailers nearest to the harvester (Literally right beside them or a few metres away) make no attempt to move, yet a trailer a hundred metres or so away on the complete opposite end of the field will start driving, and do a lap of the field and final arrive at the harvester when the harvester has reached 100% full and has been sitting for a few minutes waiting to be emptied. Again this to me seems very inefficient and am wondering if it's user error or course recording error causing this and how to improve it? If I have one harvester on a field and three tractors/trailers assigned to it on the same field, I don't see any reason why the harvester should ever have to stop and sit and wait for a trailer to unload it, unless somehow all three trailers are driving off to the sell/unload point at the same time and they have a long trip.

I've tried watching some YouTube videos on Autodrive, but find a lot of time the Creator doesn't do a very good job of explaining how they've done something or why they have chosen to do something in a particular way, a lot of time they seem to jump cut the whole creating process and go from "I Need to Set up a Course to do XYZ" to suddenly "Course is done and here it working Ladies & Gentleman". So again if anyone here on the forums knows and can shed some insight on how to get the best out of Autodrive and eliminate some of the squiffy behaviour by the drivers that would be great to see posted.

[blue_painted]

I've been a fan of AutoDrive ever since I found that an AD corn-cart can unload my player-driven combine. I tend to use AD to fetch things from the shop, or take them back, and to deliver grain etc. from my silo to a sell point (the UK style of operation) In FS19 I also set up a diesel supply, filling the tanker lorry and having it make a delivery, and a milk collection. Both of these need player input at the ends but automated the driving part. With that out of the way:

I use green-routes where there is room for two vehicles to pass, a two-way road, OR where I want the traffic to approach only one way; to position a lorry under the silo-loading spout for example. I use blue-routes for farm lanes, single-track roads, and have to be careful not to cause head-on conflicts: One thing AD is bad at is alerting you that the AD vehicle is stuck. I use brown-routes for farm-only, where I only want access to fields and so on, so that road lorries don't take a shortcut across my fields. For corn-cart, and go-to, I set an access point just inside the field gateway. I have never run multiple combines, or beet harvesters etc, so I don't know. I sometimes run multiple corncarts, in which case I'll have two distinct routes to avoid conflict, and switch in the combine which one I want to come. On that subject, I've assigned CTL+END to "call unloader" since the unloader often gives up and needs yelling at. I've never tried using some one else's routes. I go for one of two methods, either I drive around with traffic off and time at zero, and lay down routes for all the major roads and lanes, or I just make routes, at zero speed and no traffic, as and when I need them.

Sorry for the wall of text!

[Jiggin]

if you go to the Autodrive Discord, https://discord.gg/9D4B5hX they will be more than happy to help you out. it's real easy, once yu get the hang of it. you can also check out The Farm Sim Guy on Youtube, [youtube]https://youtu.be/9bjeQa3FIM8[/youtube] he has done loads of Tutorials.

[cwattyeso]

Don't apologise Blue, great to hear the response. I did wonder what the Yellow/Brown Roads were for and you have made me realise then it is a sort of priority system where Autodrive will rather stick to Green Roads before using Blue Roads and then finally will use the Yellow/Brown Roads if it has no option and needs to get to a point. I definitely think then at my farm on this new map I'm playing I've been setting up the farm and fields wrong using blue and green roads, when I should be using the lower priority ones, so as you say vehicles don't take shortcuts through my farm or fields.

I'll have to try setting a dedicated "Call Unloader" button as well, right now the Harvesters are set to call for unloader at 50% full if they are AI driven, I have been manually calling for harvesters by putting the pipe out when I want them to head to me and unload, and have been manually piping out around 60% but as I said in the first post often times I'll end up 100% full and having to sit and wait, despite their being multiple trailers on the field available to come and empty me.

[Decker_MMIV]

There is some information on https://github.com/Stephan-S/FS22_AutoDrive/wiki - in particular explanations of the main icons.

If I use the Green Road, The Blue Two-Way Roads or the other Yellow Roads, what are the differences and when and where should you each type?

Green = primary routes, one-way (hence the arrows)
Blue = primary routes, dual-way
Yellow = secondary routes (side road), one-way (hence the arrows)
Brown = secondary routes (side road), dual-way

AutoDrive will avoid taking the secondary routes, unless the target can only be reached via secondary route (or is 20x further away on primary routes - I have yet to see this occurring, on my route network.)

If you press the little '?' icon, in AutoDrive's window-title, some additional hints/help appear.

Making a route network on a new map, does take quite some time. - I usually start by making the primary routes (green, one-way) along the main roads, and then afterwards experiment with dirt/farm road-paths and alike.

Hint for junctions, doing the "turn connections"; using the editing ability (mouse clicking on a 'waypoint'), and then hovering mouse-cursor over the wanted destination 'waypoint', it is possible to create an arc by using mouse-wheel, before clicking for joining the two waypoints. - Though some times its probably better to just drive the "turn", to get the wide angle needed for trucks-with-trailers.

To start recording a 'green, primary one-way' route, use left-mouse-button (LMB) click on the [REC] icon.
To start recording a 'yellow, secondary one-way' route, hold LEFT-SHIFT before left-mouse-button (LMB) click on the [REC] icon.
To start recording a 'blue, primary dual-way' route, use right-mouse-button (RMB) click on the [REC] icon.
To start recording a 'brown, secondary dual-way' route, use hold LEFT-SHIFT before right-mouse-button (RMB) click on the [REC] icon.

Delete a waypoint; use LEFT-ALT and LMB on the waypoint (Note: There is no 'undo', so be certain it is the correct waypoint highlighted.)
Create an non-connected waypoint; use LEFT-CTRL and LMB at the terrain location.

Connect/Disconnect waypoints; LMB on first waypoint (it will change color), then LMB on destination waypoint.
Switch between primary & secondary type; LEFT-SHIFT and LMB on waypoint.

.. there are more combinations, but that would be for more advanced route setup.

[cwattyeso]

To start recording a 'green, primary one-way' route, use left-mouse-button (LMB) click on the [REC] icon.
To start recording a 'yellow, secondary one-way' route, hold LEFT-SHIFT before left-mouse-button (LMB) click on the [REC] icon.
To start recording a 'blue, primary dual-way' route, use right-mouse-button (RMB) click on the [REC] icon.
To start recording a 'brown, secondary dual-way' route, use hold LEFT-SHIFT before right-mouse-button (RMB) click on the [REC] icon.

Thank you for that information. I had sussed out how to record the Green and Blue routes using the rec button, but had no idea how to record the Yellow or Brown Routes. So I've been spending ages going rounding recording green and blue routes and then having to sit there for ages holding shift and clicking on each red dot to turn it into a yellow or brown connection. Going to be a lot easier now I know I can record yellow and brown courses from the get go. Means I can probably delete my current autodrive.xml from my save and start again, as it'll quicker to record the routes around the far again with the right roads then trying to edit the existing roads and clicking on every marker to turn it into the correct type.

[blue_painted]

To start recording a 'green, primary one-way' route, use left-mouse-button (LMB) click on the [REC] icon.
To start recording a 'yellow, secondary one-way' route, hold LEFT-SHIFT before left-mouse-button (LMB) click on the [REC] icon.
To start recording a 'blue, primary dual-way' route, use right-mouse-button (RMB) click on the [REC] icon.
To start recording a 'brown, secondary dual-way' route, use hold LEFT-SHIFT before right-mouse-button (RMB) click on the [REC] icon.

Thank you for that information. I had sussed out how to record the Green and Blue routes using the rec button, but had no idea how to record the Yellow or Brown Routes. So I've been spending ages going rounding recording green and blue routes and then having to sit there for ages holding shift and clicking on each red dot to turn it into a yellow or brown connection. Going to be a lot easier now I know I can record yellow and brown courses from the get go. Means I can probably delete my current autodrive.xml from my save and start again, as it'll quicker to record the routes around the far again with the right roads then trying to edit the existing roads and clicking on every marker to turn it into the correct type.

There's a bit of a cheat, which works for me, if you accidentally make a green/blue route but want a yellow/brown one: simply change one or more segments at the start of the route and, so it seems, the route-planner will treat that as making the whole route secondary.

[TobiHH]

To start recording a 'green, primary one-way' route, use left-mouse-button (LMB) click on the [REC] icon.
To start recording a 'yellow, secondary one-way' route, hold LEFT-SHIFT before left-mouse-button (LMB) click on the [REC] icon.
To start recording a 'blue, primary dual-way' route, use right-mouse-button (RMB) click on the [REC] icon.
To start recording a 'brown, secondary dual-way' route, use hold LEFT-SHIFT before right-mouse-button (RMB) click on the [REC] icon.

Thank you for that information. I had sussed out how to record the Green and Blue routes using the rec button, but had no idea how to record the Yellow or Brown Routes. So I've been spending ages going rounding recording green and blue routes and then having to sit there for ages holding shift and clicking on each red dot to turn it into a yellow or brown connection. Going to be a lot easier now I know I can record yellow and brown courses from the get go. Means I can probably delete my current autodrive.xml from my save and start again, as it'll quicker to record the routes around the far again with the right roads then trying to edit the existing roads and clicking on every marker to turn it into the correct type.

Why don`t you simply look in the help section on github. A lot of helpful information can be found here.

https://github.com/Stephan-S/FS22_AutoD ... mbinations

[norfolk farmer]

Thank you for that information. I had sussed out how to record the Green and Blue routes using the rec button, but had no idea how to record the Yellow or Brown Routes.

Hold down left shift then click on the record icon as you would for a normal route either left or right mouse button.

[cwattyeso]

Why don`t you simply look in the help section on github. A lot of helpful information can be found here.

https://github.com/Stephan-S/FS22_AutoD ... mbinations

Yes a very handy list of keybinds and buttons for the mod. However not really what I was asking in this thread. I'm kinda wanting to know how you should record routes, what type of roads should be used in what instances, and how to make the trailer drivers more intelligent and efficient when it comes to unloading harvesters. For those type of answers I need the input and response from players who have more hours using the mod then me, and can provide answers not found on the GitHub.

[TobiHH]

It shows exactly how you record which route, and it would have saved you a lot of time doing this stuff...

Thank you for that information. I had sussed out how to record the Green and Blue routes using the rec button, but had no idea how to record the Yellow or Brown Routes. So I've been spending ages going rounding recording green and blue routes and then having to sit there for ages holding shift and clicking on each red dot to turn it into a yellow or brown connection.

[norfolk farmer]

Can't see any issue asking on here, may lead to further discussion and benefit us all.

[Darthschwade]

Got a good question: Once i make the route i can send the truck and its does great. only problem is about 5 seconds into the drive once the vehilce leaves i can use tab to change to another vehilce, walk around, almost no imputs from key board or mouse are allowed. not sure whats going on. anyone come across this?

[blue_painted]

Got a good question: Once i make the route i can send the truck and its does great. only problem is about 5 seconds into the drive once the vehilce leaves i can use tab to change to another vehilce, walk around, almost no imputs from key board or mouse are allowed. not sure whats going on. anyone come across this?

That could be because you've got the mouse-cursor enabled: usually that's right-click. I get caught by this so many times.

[raran]

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... GWF1F_97aQ

Check that for field setup tutorials and more with CP.