Boston Central Artery/Tunnel Project (Big Dig)

[MadTV_Freak 0]

I myself, think this is amazing, I cant wait to see more

[blahdy 21]

A teaser preview of something new coming up

[blahdy 21]

Okay, teaser preview is over ;-)

A bonus add-on for version 1.0 release:  high capacity entrance (3 lanes) modelled after South Bay interchange I93 north entrance.

Here is what it used to be before:

But the above model is cancelled and will not be released in version 1.0.

Here is what it is NOW, that will ship with 1.0 release:

[pilotdaryl 25]

I wonder how you mod this, cause I wanna attempt to do another "Big Dig" project called "The Stradmont Underground Freeway System."

Your works are just so awesome that I wanna do it too!

[blahdy 21]

Rendering shots:

More render shots coming up shortly.

[Ryan B 35]

Dude, that's just wrong. Who am I kidding? This stuff is some of the best I've ever seen.

[blahdy 21]

lol thanks man. with the advance of my modelling experience (now using splines and lofts), new models can now be built quicker and better than ever before

[ACEfanatic 7]

I love you, blahdy.

I'm guessing the shoulders haven't been painted yet? Those are some wide lanes...

-ACE

[blahdy 21]

thanks; yea ill fix the lane painting. I didn't really bother with it, because I wanted to test with plugging in one-way road first and see how lanes will need to be painted accordingly.

[blahdy 21]

okay, ground highway transition lot (part number: BIGD-T2-GHT1) is now being updated with today's technology upgrades -- final update before release for this lot.

First: Lane Control Signs are being replaced with new textures:

More updates will come thruout the week.

[blahdy 21]

Originally posted by: pilotdaryl I wonder how you mod this, cause I wanna attempt to do another "Big Dig" project called "The Stradmont Underground Freeway System."

Your works are just so awesome that I wanna do it too!quote>

:: shakes ::

Not sure why you keep copying me (Walnut Creek --> Airport Team, now the Big Dig). 

But in any case, I'm not a modder.  The Big Dig project is being executed through joint partner work with experienced modders, where I'm providing the modelling and general project guidance.  So even if I wanted to, I don't have the knowledge to help you.. sorry man.

Good luck with your project though, competition is always good, it brings innovation! :-)

[paperboy15 4]

Awesome, Awesome, Awesome! I continue to drool...

[sloppet 3]

just OUTSTANding!!

[Ryan B 35]

Just a note that I don't know if you've missed or not - the lane lines on the left shoulder should be yellow, not white.

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/34/onrampmarkingskw3.gif < - Straight from the most recent MUTCD. Can't get much clearer than that!

[blahdy 21]

ryanb_sc4: Which model part number are you referring to? On/off-ramps here don't even have side shoulder lanes painted yet, they will this week before I render them for hand-off to modding. I believe the BIGD-T2-GHT1 model (the ground highway -- underground highway) model is already correctly painted.

Also, in Boston Big Dig areas, on-ramp shoulder lane connecting to channelizer is painted white, not yellow. Not sure why, but that appears to be the case in here..

[ACEfanatic 7]

Originally posted by: blahdy

Also, in Boston Big Dig areas, on-ramp shoulder lane connecting to channelizer is painted white, not yellow. Not sure why, but that appears to be the case in here..

quote>

 

That's the same on all freeways I've seen.  Traffic on the other side of the line is moving in the same direction, so it must be painted white.  Yellow lines divide traffic going in opposite directions.

-ACE

[blahdy 21]

I hate to double post, but this is a separate topic.

We have discussed internally on our release schedule/engineering and LOD problems and how we are going to tackle them.

As for LODs, we want to do LODs the proper way and separately render sign posts, etc using higher resolution in alpha channels to maintain quality, so that vehicles will be visible pretty well as they enter the tunnel system.  However, realistically speaking, the work to do this on these models could take weeks to months, not days to meet the deadline.

So here is the game plan:

1. We are going to do a simple LODding on these models for 1.0 release, where cars won't be visible very well as they enter the tunnel system.  Note that each and and every lot will still function perfectly and pass traffic, they will not be acting as sitting eye candies.  They will be functional, but cosmetic appearance of cars passing through will not be visible.

2. After we release 1.0, we are going to go back to each one of these models and take time to do a proper LODding, then later we will release a patch that will upgrade your existing lots and fix the cosmetic issues, which will then show the cars properly as they drive into the tunnel.  This will take longer, as we have to do some quality assurance testing to ensure that it does not break anything and works perfectly.  But this is the way we want to achieve for this project, just don't have the time to do it right now.

Again, I will reiterate that these lots will be functional on 1.0 release, you just won't see the cars visible as they pass through, until we release a patch upgrade in the future that will fix the LODs properly.  These will act as functional lots from day one, not eye candies.

This is the best game plan right now because many people are wanting at least a limited release ASAP to get started on underground highway projects.  Doing the LODs the proper way as we wanted will take a long time that would significantly delay the project deadline, so it is best to not even bother with complex LOD at all at the beginning, and fix them through an upgrade patch.

1.0 Release Lots

The following models will be released on version 1.0:

Part Number	Model Description
BIGD-T3-GHT1	Ground highway to underground highway transition.  Use this to sink your Maxis ground highway to underground level.
BIGD-T2A-ONR1	Underground highway on-ramp Use this to connect your streets/roads to underground highway network.  You must connect it using one-way road.
BIGD-T2A-OFR1	Underground Highway Off-ramp: Extended Version. Use this to provide off-ramp from your underground highway.  This lot is recommended to be used when you want to extend your off-ramp using surface one-way road.
BIGD-T2A-OFR2	Underground Highway Off-ramp: Urban Intersection Version. Use this to provide off-ramp from your underground highway.  This lot is recommended to be used when you want to directly plug this off-ramp into an intersection.  Useful for downtown areas.
BIGD-T4-GHCT1	High Capacity Tunnel Entrance -- 3 Lanes Use this to provide a 3 lane on-ramp into your underground highway network, or to create a single-direction transition from ground highway to underground highway.  Feel free to use your creativity.

The above 5 models are being rendered and will be handed off to modding this week for testing + release.

[blahdy 21]

Rendering work has been started on above 5 models for hand-off to modding+test department.

A User Guide will be available in PDF version as well.

[pilotdaryl 25]

Mine's not coming out till August!  IT'S READY!!!  WOOOOTTTT!!!

Oh, and thanks for the LOD notes, they'll certainly help me.

[Haljackey 17,398]

Can't wait, looks so amazing. I can't even think of a way to say how awsome is and how it will change sc4!

Great work!

[Andreas Roth 629]

@blahdy: Wow, you surely did an excellent planning (and also if I only repeat myself again and again, your modelling skills and your attention to details are magnificient!). The approach to release a fully functional, but slightly limited preliminary version sounds good; I guess half of the entire Simtropolis community is dying to use your BATs in their cities. For the second (or third) release, might I suggest some versions with Maxis road and highway textures as well? Esp. if you're planning to do a European version (i. e. with European signage), this might be a good option for us European folks...

[blahdy 21]

Andreas Roth: Thank you, and your constructive suggestions are always appreciated, as you saw the benefit of such with that rail-link tunnel entrance

Yes I think it is appropriate to think about ways to blend more into Maxis environment in terms of road surfaces. It's one of those that will continue to be considered as we move forward with update releases after 1.0.

Thanks!

[pilotdaryl 25]

Andreas Roth:  I'm doing the same kind of project with the Maxis Textures.  It's called the Stradmont Underground Freeway System.  It's actually designed to enhance this by providing the old SC4 textures.

So what about it, Blahdy?  This is a replica of the real thing but for SimCity, so it might leave you thinking about the Euro signs...

And what about the asphalt highway mod?  I don't use it, but the transition from Maxis to Big Dig highway will look obnoxiuos because of:

Asphalt Highway > Maxis Highway > Big Dig Highway

I suggest making another patch to change it to the asphalt textures.

As for the euro textures for road, street, avenue, and oneway, that is not a problem (Or at least that's what I think).

[blahdy 21]

Originally posted by: pilotdaryl Andreas Roth:  I'm doing the same kind of project with the Maxis Textures.  It's called the Stradmont Underground Freeway System.  It's actually designed to enhance this by providing the old SC4 textures.

So what about it, Blahdy?  This is a replica of the real thing but for SimCity, so it might leave you thinking about the Euro signs...

And what about the asphalt highway mod?  I don't use it, but the transition from Maxis to Big Dig highway will look obnoxiuos because of:

Asphalt Highway > Maxis Highway > Big Dig Highway

I suggest making another patch to change it to the asphalt textures.

As for the euro textures for road, street, avenue, and oneway, that is not a problem (Or at least that's what I think).quote>

i think it's been made pretty clear from the early pages of this project that number one focus of this project is realism.  with that said, hunt for better textures to resemble closer to Maxis transitions (including euro/asphalt mods) is always on, and will be considered.

you should perhaps want to take a ride to Boston through the tunnel systems.  there is a reason why they use concrete surface, even though there are abrupt changes of road surface in many places around Boston where it changes from asphalt to older/gray concrete to newer concrete, etc.   The reason: maintenance.

Maintenance of road surfaces inside the tunnel system is fairly easy.  Maintenance of road surface on tunnel boat structure on transition areas is expensive.  Boston's tunnel boat structures are installed in modulular formation, where while it scales better in construction aspect, it makes it more difficult to easily maintain the road surface cheaply, this is the reason why they use scratched concrete panels for these areas, without regards to abrupt road surface changes.

I honestly don't know why so many people are so uptight about abrupt road surface changes.  May be they have not driven on highways as often as I did, or may be Boston is different from everywhere else.  But abrupt road surface changes is common in real life.

[pilotdaryl 25]

you should perhaps want to take a ride to Boston through the tunnel systems.  there is a reason why they use concrete surface, even though there are abrupt changes of road surface in many places around Boston where it changes from asphalt to older/gray concrete to newer concrete, etc.   The reason: maintenance.quote>

Won't be able to, I live on the west coast.

P.S.  I have driven on loads of highways before, and before I could drive, we drove to many different places.  In fact soon I'll be driving to California (So many miles of road) so I'll know more about roads in no time.

Abrupt road surface changes are alos common here in Canada.  Lots of pictures of them in BC Highways, as well as seen it for real on the roads.

[SC4Noobie 5]

Great! Waiting for the release!! Man, I can't wait to convert my elevated system into this! Only 5 days! *Sets Computer Alarm* I really love this project! lol, I'm gonna advertise it in my sig! Is that ok with you?

[bixel 1,228]

Awesome work blahdy...I downloaded the custom content modd/Bat guide to highways and transit but I got lost in the lua ID stuff. I so want to make new cool highway/avenue stuff..is there anyway to model it and pass it along to somebody that can do the lua stuff>> LOL....do I need special textures?

I have been roaming Hong Kong with google satellite maps just ogling all the transit connections. It would be awesome to do them.

[Andreas Roth 629]

Originally posted by: blahdy

you should perhaps want to take a ride to Boston through the tunnel systems.  there is a reason why they use concrete surface, even though there are abrupt changes of road surface in many places around Boston where it changes from asphalt to older/gray concrete to newer concrete, etc.   The reason: maintenance.

Maintenance of road surfaces inside the tunnel system is fairly easy.  Maintenance of road surface on tunnel boat structure on transition areas is expensive.  Boston's tunnel boat structures are installed in modulular formation, where while it scales better in construction aspect, it makes it more difficult to easily maintain the road surface cheaply, this is the reason why they use scratched concrete panels for these areas, without regards to abrupt road surface changes.

I honestly don't know why so many people are so uptight about abrupt road surface changes.  May be they have not driven on highways as often as I did, or may be Boston is different from everywhere else.  But abrupt road surface changes is common in real life.quote>

 

This is certainly true, and I don't have any problems with abrupt surface changes per se. However, the game itself doesn't feature surface changes on the same network, but only on crossroads/transition pieces like highway onramps, intersections between streets and roads etc. So making something "realistic" in context with the game, this means to adjust it to SimCity standards rather than to what we see in real-life. Please don't get me wrong, I appreciate your approach, but I just want to explain why some people are insisting on such things.

[blahdy 21]

No problem at all Andreas. just to make it clear though, my blunt comment was in no way directed to you I was just venting about why there are people who get uptight about it (you certainly were not, you were just providing suggestions to find a rational middleground, which is very appreciative!)

sc4noobie: thanks, feel free to advertise ofcourse!

bixel: awesome, good to see more highway systems being worked on. good luck!

[blahdy 21]

first model rendering completed, shoulder lanes painted.  ready to hand over to modding.

she looks beautiful in lot editor... only a matter of time before i test it in SC4.

And i think hamstertk wants some CJ-base shots

Next model rendering/polishing starting in a few hours.

Also a quick trivia:  Most Big Dig models have an average of 450,000 polygons (Zakim Bridge consists of over 1 million).  The on-ramp above consists of 130,000 polygons.