Boston Central Artery/Tunnel Project (Big Dig)

[simzebu 20]

I actually asked this same question a few pages back. I think the answer was 5 tiles of water.

But just for clarification, does that mean:

_              _

   \ _ _ _ /

Where the two top horizontal lines are land, the diagonals are the costal pieces that are half and half, and the bottom 3 are completely underwater?

Or is it:

_                     _

   \ _ _ _ _ _ /

Using the same key as above.

[blahdy 21]

Originally posted by: simzebu I actually asked this same question a few pages back. I think the answer was 5 tiles of water.

But just for clarification, does that mean:

_              _

   \ _ _ _ /

Where the two top horizontal lines are land, the diagonals are the costal pieces that are half and half, and the bottom 3 are completely underwater?

Or is it:

_                     _

   \ _ _ _ _ _ /

Using the same key as above.quote>

Probably the former with

_                 _

   \_ _ _ _ /

Final decision is still pending on this.

[blahdy 21]

Okay, lane marking is completed at the tunnel transition area.  Lane painting for Leverett connector on-ramp is done.

Area where Leverrett on-ramp merges onto main highway:

Leverett On-ramp itself:

Lane painting operation is now getting started in elevated HW transition area and the Charlestown exit:

[Meastro444 1]

amazing, i am becoming more and more impatient!!

Meastro444

[aldara6166 109]

This is getting more and more incredible by the day...

Quick technical question for you...one BAT designer to another...how are you "painting" the lane markings...are you using textures or are you putting in small, extruded white lines that rise slightly above the surface of the bridge?

[blahdy 21]

Originally posted by: aldara6166 This is getting more and more incredible by the day...

Quick technical question for you...one BAT designer to another...how are you "painting" the lane markings...are you using textures or are you putting in small, extruded white lines that rise slightly above the surface of the bridge?quote>

The latter case is true (white lines that rise slightly above the surface).  In fact, many of them were basic primitives (box with vertexes modified) because lane markings were imported from my previous gmax models where there weren't enough modelling skills back then.   But, many of the new lane markings on this bridge are now made out of splines and lines w/ extrusion to make the process quicker and to also improve gmax performance.  The model has excess of 665,000 polygons, so several optimization works were done on the tunnel transition area to reduce some excess stuff.

[blahdy 21]

Lane markings for the main highway segment is completed.  The two cantilevered lanes (Charlestown exit) is the only remainign segment that needs lane painting as of now.

Every lane pieces have never been altered in anyway that would make them steer left or right to align with SC4's elevated highway piece.  This backs up the mathematical accuracy of project planning during the early stages of the modeling

[blahdy 21]

Additional lot announcements

Due to sufficient off-list criticisms/feedbacks suggesting that the bridge is quite useless to most cities unless you are doing a Boston city journal, the following three additional lots will be made soon to complement the existing on/off-ramps.  These will be made and completed either right before the 1.0 release or shortly thereafter, and are designed to let you make your own creative underground interchanges.

Here are the three additional lots that are proposed to be made shortly after:

1. One-way on-ramp: Y-stack underground interchange

Start out with an on-ramp, but splits into Y, letting you take the driver into two different highways.  Useful for creating underground interchange platforms.

2. High-capacity on-ramp.  An on-ramp with 3 lanes inbound.  Use this to create a starting segment of your underground highway from city center or any other creative ways you can imagine.

3.  On-ramp with 'over the top' street road via-duct:

An on-ramp with a normal SC4 road that goes on top of the on-ramp itself before the actual tunnel entrance, using a via-duct.  Use this in really tight spaces where you just can't afford another tile for a road next to the on-ramp

Modelling templates for these 3 proposed on-ramps are already done, so it will go a lot faster than the Zakim bridge itself to BAT these 3 on-ramps.

[bewilder2 2]

I can't wait!!!!!!

[Rayden 7]

Great work, I can't hardly wait another month to see the final result

[Anarchy 0]

i can't wait too!!

[Battlecat 14]

Amazing work!  Particularly on the bridge.  For something that looks that amazing, I'll make a place in a city for it! 

Nice to see even more great lots comming for this project!  I'm looking forward to trying them out.  

Just a thought for another lot to add after you get past the release of Version 1.0 (Wouldn't want to slow that down), what about a Big Dig to sunken highway transition?  It might actually be easier to build since there won't be any slopes to worry about. 

Anyhow, just my 2 cents worth, I can't wait to try this out!

[sloppet 3]

Breathtaking! I have no words!!

[Ryan B 35]

I think it's time to pull out the ol' Sprint / Nextel Wheel of Adjectives.

[Meastro444 1]

i hope those onramps will be offramps too

[Vetmosis 0]

wow.

[simzebu 20]

A

M

A

Z

I

N

G

[ardecila 125]

As always, I am standing and ready to modd.

By the way, is there any way we can speak privately? I use Trillian, so I can run AIM, MSN, and Yahoo simultaneously (I have accounts on all three).

This is looking amazing so far! I can't wait to use these to attempt at Hubbard's Cave!

[nycsc4 5,250]

this is amazing, when is it comming out?

[paperboy15 4]

Originally posted by: ryanb_sc4 I think it's time to pull out the ol' Sprint / Nextel Wheel of Adjectives.quote>

You took the words out of my mouth!

I'll be in the soundproof room shouting for joy.

[blahdy 21]

Thanks everyone for your comments!

Update!

We have now completed lane marking project!  All lanes are painted as designed.

The last segment of the lane painting project: Charlestown exit.

1. As you get off the exit:

2. The terminus:

Milestone Reached:

The bridge is now substantially complete!

The only remaining steps are as follows:

1. Night lighting work.

2. Final details check.

3. LOD, then hand over to modding (ardecila) department.

Here are the four pictures of the substantially completed Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge:

[josefmayor 8]

3 words... OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is one of the most incredible things I've ever seen on STEX. Or anywhere for sim city period.

[nycsc4 5,250]

i can't wait for this too come out, that bridge looks amazing, wow!!

[bixel 1,228]

incredible, this is gorgeous!!!

[shasta 1]

First off, the bridge looks incredible! Second, is it just me, or are the stripes on the bridge considerably longer than those on the standard freeway?

[Rayden 7]

Oh boy, oh boy, this is gonna be great!!

[GMT 389]

wonderful, simply amazingly wonderful

[Meastro444 1]

@shasta, you can see that on the first pic, you can see the diffence between the SC4 elevated highway, and the bridge

[Anarchy 0]

Greatest thing ever!!! I will download this for sure!

[canuck3360 14]

HOLY SHNIKIES that is awesome I can't wait for the release