Boston Central Artery/Tunnel Project (Big Dig)

[blahdy 21]

And high-quality rendering of tunnel entrance for the Zakim bridge, needed to be done to test texture maps, so might as well post pics too

[U3D 6]

Nice, I like the guy's name in the corner there. It seems so ready to be released yet so far.

[simzebu 20]

Wow. This whole thing looks absolutely amazing.

I have a few questions, though.

For blahdy:

1) It seems like there is are pieces of Maxis standard in these models. If I installed a highway mod like the one that changes the pavement color, would the pavement on the section of Maxis highway be able to change?

For anyone:

2) I'm starting to begin thinking of starting a project that will deal with the elevated highways, and I noticed back on page 5 or 6, a link was posted to a model of the elevated highway, but now the link is expired. Would somebody mind putting up another link for me? The actual unrendered 3d model, not the prop. I haven't been able to find it on ST anywhere.

[blahdy 21]

simzebu:  Yea, if you install a custom HW mod that changes default Maxis standard, it will look incoherent with the Big Dig transition lots.  I decided to put Maxis models in so that transition from standard SC4 highway theme to modern underground system is as smooth as possible, just like in real world

[davidtothej 1]

looks great... when this is all over with you ought to think about releasing the textures you are using for the tunnels, transistions and bridges as highway textures.... the only alternative to the standard maxis one that i know of is the dark asphalt one, a little variety wouldnt be bad....

the bridge looks great, i lived in north boston during the construction of the darned thing, lost five years of good sleep....

[blahdy 21]

Thanks

I'll probably release them later when completed.

Okay, I've fixed the lighting inside the tunnel for the sunken HW transition. 

[poops2u 2]

Wow, this is truly amazing BATting! To me, everything looks perfect. You have taken alot of time on details.

-P2U

[pilotdaryl 25]

Woot!!!! This wil have 10+ buildings demolished in my largest city (Stradmont) cause it's so AWESOME!!!!  They will be replaced, thank you RCI pack!

[MadTV_Freak 0]

I mean wow, this is GREAT! I mean this is amazing, Im definitely getting this when it comes out

[sloppet 3]

great work! looks outstanding!

[josefmayor 8]

This is one of the craziest most advance BATs i've ever seen. This is going to be the most increadible addition.

[blahdy 21]

Thanks everyone

Here is a new detailed component addition to the sunken HW transition lot:  Traffic surveillance camera.  The camera is pointed toward the tunnel portal watching the traffic in that area.  (There are hundreds of cameras throughout some 10 miles +/- stretch of Big Dig highways, which is amazing).

SMILE! you are on camera!

[blahdy 21]

aight, the sunken HW transition model is pretty much done now.  Just need to do a lot of clean-ups (outer layer wall/boat section, handrail oddities, etc) and add lane markings.  Also need to add grass-textured plates around the model so we fill in the gaps between SC4 terrain and sunken HW wall/tunnel-boats.  If anyone has a grass texture that you prefer to see, feel free to paste them here.

[freedo50 1]

wow great work still blahdy, i just had no internet for a week and fell like i dont know the place again! phew

keep it up, looking forward to this greatly

[nycsc4 5,250]

looks amazing, hope you can release this part soon!!

[Ramona Brie 121]

Still chugging along there, Blahdy! I hope to see this on the STEX soon.

[ardecila 125]

What happens to the extra lane on the right? I don't think integration with multi-highways is a good idea, unless you do one for regular 6-lane highways, too.

[blahdy 21]

Originally posted by: ardecila What happens to the extra lane on the right? I don't think integration with multi-highways is a good idea, unless you do one for regular 6-lane highways, too.quote>

Not exactly sure I understand what you're saying.  Can you rephrase?

BTW, got those pics for the LOD yet?

[aldara6166 109]

As I've said before this is amazing...

Have you considered a sunken highway wall set to compliment and integrate seamlessly with your sunken highway entrance?

Great work...especially love all the preview pics...keep em coming...

[SC4Noobie 5]

I didn't know there would be a sunken h/w transition piece! Great! Useful as my first region with sunken h/w's in action will definatly have this, as the main sunken goes right through D/T. Sort of what aldara said, how are you going to put this in? What I mean is that, the other walls don't blend. This will look outta place. A quick afterward vertical wall set would be AWSOME, on top of this, you will become the most highly reguarded transport BATTer.

[blahdy 21]

Originally posted by: aldara6166 As I've said before this is amazing...

Have you considered a sunken highway wall set to compliment and integrate seamlessly with your sunken highway entrance?

Great work...especially love all the preview pics...keep em coming...quote>

yup, I have.   i agree it will look incoherent without the sunken highway wall set.  but... one step at a time

[josefmayor 8]

Blahdy you keep making me poop myself at how amazing your bat is.

I don't need any signs, persay! Thanks though

[KingSimCity 3]

Best Work I seen.Yet can you make this awesome project w/o any signs just like josefmayor

[ardecila 125]

Well, I just mean that most people would find more use for the sunken highway transition if it was only 2 tiles wide. Multi-highways (split a ground highway in half, for the extra lanes on the right) are difficult to use, especially in a trench.

[blahdy 21]

yea it's probably useless to them, but it's also useful for people who wants to build expensive under-water / harbour tunnels and want to send feeder road with it.  the two tiles-wide version looks pretty crappy, it's too narrow and doesn't show much inside the tunnel.

anyhow, it's too late now, the model's already almost done.  not backing out at this point.

[EDIT]

and btw, it won't be a multihighway version..

It's single highway and you drag a one-way road right next to it, which connects to the 3rd feeder tunnel portal.  so it won't be hardly difficult at all for most people to use it -- just sink 3 tiles wide of terrain, plop highway and a one-way road, done/done.

[simzebu 20]

ardecila:

Originally posted by: blahdy

...

It will have additional one-way road going next to the main highway to the right (similar to Zakim bridge setup), so you can drag 3 subway tubes across a body of water (if you are using this to create water-crossing tunnel) or other creative ways you can imagine.quote>

But I agree that it will be kind of awkward to use that extra lane. However, with stuff that looks this good, I'll find a way.

[Andreas Roth 629]

Hmm, what about using the third tunnel entrance for rail or GLR? You're right about those "expensive underwater/harbour tunnels", where combining several types of transportation is very common (the same goes for double-decker bridges carrying a highway and a railway).

[blahdy 21]

Originally posted by: Andreas Roth Hmm, what about using the third tunnel entrance for rail or GLR? You're right about those "expensive underwater/harbour tunnels", where combining several types of transportation is very common (the same goes for double-decker bridges carrying a highway and a railway).quote>

yup, that is a good idea.  I was considering doing that as well.  But in that case, I'd release two models.  One with 3rd tunnel being feeder road, which is the way it is now, and another with 3rd tunnel being rail connection.  This should be acceptable by most people as I understand it.

[blahdy 21]

BTW, anyone has a .gmax/uvw model or a texture file for GLR railroad?

[Andreas Roth 629]

Probably, you can take the GLR base texture from the NAM. I guess it has to be color-corrected, but it's better than nothing.