Ridiculously Complicated Loco Numbers: Fear Not!

One of the things you learn about steam engines, especially those that last a long time in service is that they change a lot during their lives. Better ways of doing things are developed and modifications are made to suit the engines uses.
With all of our loco add-ons we always try to reflect as many of these options as we can: safety bonnet styles, bunker steps, reverser types (lever or screw) are just some of the dozens of options we've created over the years. The way to set these options in game is to use the loco number in the scenario script using the Locomotive Numbering section from all our add-ons manuals, for example:

(from the GWR County manual) 
 
1. to 4. 4-digit locomotive number
5. to 7. 3-digit reporting number, use ### for no number
8. Headboard
•    0 - None
•    1 – The Cornishman
•    2 – Torbay Express
•    3 – The Mayflower
•    4 – Royal Duchy
9. Chimney
•    1 – Single
•    2 – Double
•    3 – Sheet steel double
10. Safety bonnet
•    1 – Polished
•    2 - Painted
11. Company logo
•    1 – GWR lettering (1942-47)
•    2 – British Railways lettering in GWR font (1948)
12. Lining – Yes or No
13. Power disc – Yes or No
14. Speedometer – Yes or No
15. Head code – Letter of the head code class (see Appendix), note: lower case for running tender first

e.g. 1012###0111YYN

As time has gone on these numbers have become more and more complex and people have told us that they are beginning to struggle to make sense of all of the available choices. And due to the complexity and detail that we love to provide they are not getting any shorter.. one of the GWR Pannier Tanks that we are working on at the moment will have a number that is 25 digits long! That is a lot to fiddle about with and has the potential for getting it wrong in a small way that can completely change the loco's set up.

Although all of our add-ons can be used "out of the box" and have prototypical numbers already set we also know you all like to set them up just the way that you want.
We have heard the feedback loud and clear and so here is a glimpse of a little program we've been working on as a side project that will create these numbers for you in a very easy to see way.

It is inventively called the "Victory Works Number Generator"! It will come pre-programmed to support all of our existing add-ons (from Steam and from Steam Sounds Supreme 42xx/5205 Terrier) and future engines will come with the required files to add to the system automatically.

You select an add-on from the drop down list.

You then select a livery/type.

The program then lists all of the available options for that add-on/livery and you can make the selections using either a box to type text into (e.g. for the loco number) or a drop down selection for a particular option. If you type too much (or too little) into a box then it will highlight it and give you a hint as to what information it needs.

Once you have made your selections you simple click the "Copy to Clipboard" button and the number generated will be stored ready to paste into the loco number in the scenario in the Train Simulator editor.

Easy peasy!

The program can expand the interface to handle as many or as few options as are required allowing it to help you with even our most complex of options systems.

It is still a work in progress at the moment (we still have quite a few more add-ons and liveries to include) but we hope to make it available before the end of the year.