Moving - [EBP Help Contents]
A mouse or touch device is required when playing an EBP match. You need one to designate the desired route for your train and to build track. Also see the game rules.
MOVING YOUR TRAIN MANUALLY
During the operation phase of your turn, to manually mark the track you want your train to follow, click a milepost adjacent to your engine, then the next mp, etc. As you mark the route, a small "trip tip" box floats nearby with distance information. If the box gets in the way, click on it to temporarily hide it. When EBP encloses the distance value within parentheses, you are pointing to a location farther than you are allowed to move this turn.
When known, around the most-distant milepost(s) possible via your move, EBP draws an oval with vertical shading. Click one to move your train all the way there. Note that events that impact movement may cause an oval to appear in an apparently incorrect location because your maximum distance may depend on the direction in which you choose to move your train.
To undo the move one segment at a time, 1) press Backspace, 2) click/touch the Swipe bar above the map and slide right, or 3) click/move your mouse backward over the route you had marked. To undo the entire move, press Shift+Backspace or choose the Turn, Undo Move pull-down menu.
Your train's symbol will not actually move until you consume the maximum distance you can move this turn. If you wish to stop at a milepost before consuming the max move, click OK (done).
The rules do not allow you to end your movement at a wrap point (teleport) milepost. You must either stop before it, or continue across to the other side and move away from the wrap point.
If you move upon the tracks of another player, to that player you must pay a rental fee, traditionally $4. EBP automatically collects this fee from you at the end of your movement. If you'd like to change the amount of this fee, in Game Options double click on UseFee. Many people reduce this fee to $2 because doing so increases track rental frequency and player interaction.
MOVING YOUR TRAIN WITH ASSISTANCE
This is easier than clicking adjacent mileposts. As you slide your mouse around the map, the trip tip box will display the distance. When that value equals your max move distance for the turn, click that milepost, and EBP will move your train all the way to that spot. If you do not like the route EBP used, choose Turn, Undo Move and redo your move step by step.
AUTOMOVE
Automove moves your train along your tracks all the way to a destination. There are several ways to engage Automove, plus you can tell EBP whether or not you want the program to wait for you to build after each automove. To engage Automove, when it is your turn either 1) point to a milepost served by your track, right click and choose Automove, or 2) point to a city name on one of your contracts, right click and choose Automove.
Another way to engage Automove (without building) is via the Turn, Go To pull-down menu.
Automove automatically moves your train when it is possible to reach your destination using only your track. To turn off Automove, even when it is not your turn, press Ctrl+A. Standard Automove deactivates itself automatically upon any event, while Automove Express (which is what most players use) deactivates only upon events that cause you to lose loads or track, or certain other significant events, such as Congress and Special Demand for which you may need or want to replan your route. Automove Express can be reengaged by pressing Ctrl+R. Automove also deactivates automatically if an opponent delivers upon an Open Contract or Special Demand and you have onboard a load demanded by that OC or SD, or are watching that OC/SD (right click on contract, choose Watch).
Automove is particularly useful during Play by Email matches because for long trips EBP can move your train without the need to email the match to you.
BUILDING TRACK
See the Building Track help topic.
RIGHT CLICKING
Right clicking (or touch and hold) on a milepost displays a popup menu with additional features. The function of most should be obvious. "Information" displays more information about the milepost, such as terrain type, and estimated build cost from your existing track.
MOUSE WHEEL
The mouse wheel zooms in or out of the map. Configure the direction of zoom, or turn off this feature entirely, via the Display Settings window. Note that reversing the setting may also reverse the operation of pinch and spread touch screen gestures.
AI MOVEMENT
If an AI bot encounters trouble finding a move, it may stop, and in the history box you might see something like "Red Bot stopped at Chicago, reason 2". The reason codes are largely for debugging purposes, but if you are curious, refer to the list below for a basic explanation.
....1 - stop due to rail strike, load unavailability, or pausing before renting opponent track
....2 - new track needs to be built for movement
....4 - wait for an events to end before building needed track
....8 - can't afford to build needed track
....16 - upgraded engine deemed helpful
....32 - an event is preventing movement
....-32 - can happen if and event is impacting a ferry
....64 - an event is preventing movement, wait and assume the event will end soon
....128 - a discontinuity in rail network, or inability to reverse direction, is preventing movement
....256 - can't afford track rental needed
....512 - need to rent track to reach a city in trip plan
....1024 - at unserved milepost, pausing to find a good way back to own track
....2048 - rail network is disconnected
....4096 - pausing to switch from track of one owner to another
....8192 - at unserved milepost, pausing to find a new trip plan
....16384 - can't afford border crossing fee
You might also see other reason codes that are negative values. These represent the city number +1 to which the bot is having trouble moving.