Boston Central Artery/Tunnel Project (Big Dig)

[Godzillaman 21]

i have to use this, when do you think it might be out blahdy?

[Explodingsims 3]

Adar-dar-dar-dar-dar-dar Holy Crap, this stuff is awesome, it's perfect, I can't wait to see more of it.

By the way, can you provide some download links?  When can we expect more ramps?

[Shadow Assassin 336]

Wow, that looks cool. Though, I see one problem, and that is the potential texture incompatibility between the normal el-rail and the el-rail of your tunnel portal. Also, that el-rail is 3D, while the normal el-rail texture is actually 2D.

[bearmans 0]

Thats pretty sweet blahdy!

[masssc4 3]

THATS AWESOME this is probaly the best project for simcity i have seen anywhere!

[Mayor Abe 3]

Could you make the EL- Sbbway entrance seprate from the rest of the Big Dig, becaue I downloaded an early version and didn't find much use for it (no offense) the idea of converting road to subway traffic is repulsive. If you, by somew miricale of computer programing, could make the BD a seprerate system from regular  subway, I woukld fet it.

[simzebu 20]

Um, Mayor Abe, if you don't mean any offense, you might not want to call the project repulsive. Repulsive is a strong word.

Anyway, amazing work, blahdy.

[Mayor Abe 3]

Well, 'repulsive' IS a strong word. The texturing and the detail are certanly top notch, but I just don't like the idea of substitutung subway for rad traffic, thats all. I have nothing agan'st the aim of underground highways.

[gt6282 3]

I think Tarkus and Blahdy is already doing something about it. I mean maybe in the near future, Big Dig/RHW users will not use subways as connection between Entrances and Exits..

[DFire870 2]

It's not like the road traffic is permanently becoming subway, it converts back when it exits the Big Dig.

But anyways, I would kinda like having the el-rail to subway transition separate too, since it gets kinda boring using the same transition over and over again.

[Explodingsims 3]

Also, did you make a Elevated Highway to Underground or are they all Ground level?

[Filasimo 1]

cant stands no more..guys: be grateful there are ppl who make custom content for this game i have seen other abnoxious comments from other threads and ill have to agree with the mass of ppl who have sed this before....if you dont like it then dont use it! if you have a problem with it then dont take the time to post anything about it bc 99% or more out of the time they are not going to care about what u think so take it or leave it

[evancassidy 0]

Hey Blahdy-

Absolutely amazing! I first downloaded the initial on/offramps that you created two years ago and hadn't checked back much since. Your enduring dedication to the project is admirable, and I'm estatic to see that the board is stull alive. Personally, I can't wait to see the final version since I drive through it daily in Boston. I was having difficulty locating your tunnel downloads in the Exchange section, however. I searched for "big dig" "boston" and "blahdy" and each turned up no relevant results. Are they being hosted elsewhere? Also, I just began a new city (first in a long time!) and I can't get any traffic to flow between an on- and offramps using the subway to bridge the gap. One way roads connect to each end. There's probably a simple fix I'm overlooking, but the past 30 minutes have been quite puzzling. I'd appreciate any support you can provide.

Thanks, and good luck with the rest!

[owenluby 1]

Originally posted by: Shadow_Assassin Wow, that looks cool. Though, I see one problem, and that is the potential texture incompatibility between the normal el-rail and the el-rail of your tunnel portal. Also, that el-rail is 3D, while the normal el-rail texture is actually 2D.quote>

Well Blahdy might have to mod the whole el-rail network to make it compatible! Easy compared to the stuff that goes on in this thread...

Nice job!

[simzebu 20]

The seach function is pretty messed up on the STEX right now. There's probably a link somewhere in the thread. As for the other problem, a picture would be nice. But make sure that the oneways are going the right way (into the on ramps and off the off ramps) and that they actually go into the lot, rather than just going up to it. And the subway lines need to connect to the little square under the lot that you see in the subway view. If there isn't one, just run it the whole length of the lot. I hope that helps.

[SC4luv2 0]

Cool!

Sc4luv2

[hawkpride147 1]

@kevin ar18: as much as i wish it was, it is not possible...well on a PC at least and definitely in the US. We have managed to modify the way the mac based sc4 works and now cam mess with the hardcoded stuff. but again this is illegal in the US so only non US members have been working on it and will get to see the results on their own systems.

[blahdy 21]

okay, finally I fixed BAT4Max install and rendering works again in 3ds Max.

Here is preview of the first 3ds Max test render below.  Yes, I think the street night lights are a bit too bright, I'll fix it next time I have a chance (this is first time I've opened up sc4 since 2006).

Anyway, basic LOD is created to and I'm quite lazy to create complex LOD's for vehicles to appear.  Finding someone who will path this is challenge nowadays too. 

Given the months of delays, once I work out some additional rendering and lighting issues with 3ds Max, I will just release it as is without any vehicle automata (just like Big Dig 1.0, it will still function, just no eye candy for visible car traffic).

I think even this 'rushed' release of ramp CS-SA is now long overdue because Big Dig 2.x only has onramps released on STEX and people are dying for an equivalent offramp to complement their installation. 

Of course, if anyone reputable (note the keyword: reputable; I'm not giving out these models to someone not trustworthy) wants to help out with complex LODing process and pathing work, let me know and I'll send the model over.   Even after this ramp is released to STEX w/o any vehicle automata, invitation for someone to create LOD+path will still be opened.

Street lights are too bright... need some corrections...

[tommiej 0]

blahdy, that offramps looks amazing!! did see a glitch, 2nd pic..

but for the rest, it looks awesome!!

[Shadow Assassin 336]

Oooh, looks good.

Wouldn't it be actually better for the one way to enter that ramp on the diagonal? It looks a little odd curving like that from the tunnel portal to the road.

[Godzillaman 21]

woah thats nice! i will download it, but might not use it but it looks great!

[simzebu 20]

blahdy, that is amazing. I truly can not wait to use that.

[blahdy 21]

Originally posted by: Shadow_Assassin Oooh, looks good.

Wouldn't it be actually better for the one way to enter that ramp on the diagonal? It looks a little odd curving like that from the tunnel portal to the road.quote>

It's like that in real-world (click on link for pic)

[Pixelrage 34]

incredible.

[blahdy 21]

Thanks Pixelrage;

Okay, the Ramp CS-SA is now substantially completed  Just need transit enabling + finishing touches. 

3ds Max rendering definitely produces better color quality and lighting shadow maps than Gmax BAT..  You can even see the camera!  Finished model shots (all street lighting is corrected):

[KyNYC 16]

Truly amazing stuff, blahdy! You ROCK!

[Andreas Roth 629]

Very nice work, blahdy! If you don't find someone for the pathing and LOD work, I'd be glad to do some icons and stuff like this, so they won't look like an eyesore in the menu if you plan to upload them to the STEX as a preliminary version.

[blahdy 21]

alright, continuing the maintenance work cycle here while we're at it.

Now that Ramp CS-SA is done and getting close to public release, it's time to wrap up the RHW/MIS Tunnel Entrance Portal.

It's been months ago since RHW/MIS tunnel was made, so the model is now polished up with latest standards and equipments.  Here is a summary of what's now changed on the RHW/MIS tunnel portal before LOD/rendering work will commence:

1. Updated entrance signbridge configuration;  Only one sign (tunnel prohibitions) for simplicity sake, and sign lighting is added per chat user request.   Also lane control signs reinstalled with latest LCS equipment.

2. All light poles are replaced with latest high-curve tubular light poles for use with small-width ramps:

3. VMS sign on Subway Connector tunnel replaced.  For those of you who are wondering why there are two traffic lights on a ramp with only 1 lane in it, it is actually MUTCD requirement to have at minimum of two traffic control signal devices when they are being deployed at highway ramp segments.

4. Latest traffic surveillance equipments.  The RHW tunnel portal has two cameras.

Here are the final aerial model shots before they become rendered to SC4:

South View

West View

East View

North View

[tommiej 0]

amazing blahdy!! the detailing is amazing!! i really hope sc4 will be able to display as many details as possible! so many details...

really looking forward for release!

[TheOneThird 1]

I know it's not strictly part of the Big Dig, but are you planning to make a standalone Subway->El transition to replace the default SC4 one?

I couldn't model to save my life, but I made a rough render of what the kind of transition I'm talking about. It goes from elevated rail and gradually gets lower and widens until it reaches the tunnel.