Boston Central Artery/Tunnel Project (Big Dig)

[____----____ 37]

blahdy: thanks for the reply maybe someone could make a set of lots with

overhanging props to fit in the extra space, because i am not sure

what i would place under the over hangin part of the model

or on the tiles adjacent to it, and it will look strange in an urban environment

to see large pieces of cycledoggs terrain mod showing around it,

looks awesome though and i have mad ideas already

[blahdy 21]

aleking: yea... in real world version, they currently have nothing but sand/dirt b/c its "still under construction." But the idea is that they are going to put grass around that open space and put a few trees on it to nicely top it off. It's only 1 tile width of open space (and may be 3-4 tiles long for grass).

[Meastro444 1]

ey,

ill try to clear it up:

the curved one doens't look 90 degrees to me, if it does, ignore the following question;

what kind of curve would it be then?

Meastro444

[ICFan 0]

Now where to put these wounderful pieces of art in my region?

[Muntted 0]

Would there actually be that much work in making a LHD version of these lots? All you would have to do is reverse the signs and get the modders to make the traffic to flow through the other way. That way many other people would be able to use your art!

Pretty please.

[MadBee 1]

Great work I'd try it as is

[blahdy 21]

A quick update about straight (non-curved) ramps...

The straight on-ramp that we had from Big Dig 1.0 days will be deprecated, because of its unrealistic dimensions. 

However, there will be two new straight ramps.  A long 7-8 tiles one that will replace the current big dig 1.0 straight ramp, and a short 4-5 tiles long version that will be useful for people that want ramps in tight spaces.

Here is the new SHORT 4-5 tiles long on-ramp under modelling work:

Basic foundation is done, phase 2 modelling process will begin shortly.

[Meastro444 1]

ah,. waht kinf of road textures is it going to use? again boston concrete? or something which blends in with the standard textures/euroroadmod textures?

btw, cant see much of it, but what i can see looks good

Meastro444

[Frankie_Grove 32]

cool, always loved this project! Can't wait for V2 relases

/me waits and waits and waits.........

[Goin2Chicago 4]

those on and off ramps look amazing. i can't wait for them to be released. keep up the awesome work.

[Sir Gawain 1]

7-8 tiles long? I thought the point of having an underground highway was to save space. There should be a 3 tile ramp as to be about the same length as the ground/raised ones.

[blahdy 21]

Originally posted by: Sir Gawain 7-8 tiles long? I thought the point of having an underground highway was to save space. There should be a 3 tile ramp as to be about the same length as the ground/raised ones.quote>

then you can go ahead and make one. 

Also buddybud has short lengthed tunnel entrances on his great Under Bridge Scenery project, so that's useful to address your concern.

I don't believe the ramps below are 3-4 tiles long, in fact 7-8 tiles length is more accurate scaling to real world counterpart:

[Frankie_Grove 32]

What's wrong with them being long? they look better that way.........

[Sim shady 12]

wow blahdy, that interchange/intersection looks really confusing and really impressive! Cetainly would be cool if you could make that anyways nice job on the new ramp. looking forwards to more!

[Andreas Roth 626]

Well, Sir Gawain has a point... You can't really compare RL with the SimCity scale - just look at the in-game highway onramps, they are incredible short and unrealistic, the same goes for any other overpass etc. I think the size of the version 1.0 ramps was just fine, in the terms of in-game proportions. The curved ramp should be a little longer, but not that much. Just look at the building on the left side of that ramp - it's about as large as the ramp, I'd say. Now let's assume it's a rather large building that occupies a whole block, that would be 6x6 in SC4 terms. IMO, the ramp shouldn't be much longer.

[blahdy 21]

Yes, i understand that, and trust me i've spent days trying to scale this properly. And also, real Boston Big Dig ramp in downtown is actually as long as a large building's foot print just FYI

I am at a really difficult position here where 50% of people complain about road surface textures not matching up with game and about the dimensions of these lots, where the other half wants highest reality never seen before in SC4. The current setup is a rational middle-ground, you cannot have a real-world big dig tunnel boat fitting inside so little space, no matter how much more you scale it down, it's been tried..

If anyone else wishes to try scaling that while maintaining gradual descent into underground and proper dimensions for entrance height clearance, you're by all means welcome to...

[ACEfanatic 7]

Y'know, I say you should just build whatever the hell you want. There's no solution that would satisfy everyone, short of creating several dozen ramps. I think people'll be able to work with them after the release.

Looking beautiful as always, though...

-ACE

[hamsterTK 93]

i think they look way better long. for one i never use any of the NDEX or Maxis Rail/El Rail/GLR --->Subway for the reason they are so short they look totally ridiculous when going down a full 16m(in BAT). Buddybud's are an exception because they have a very low clearance(which is cool because they are made more for surface streets not a freeway)

[blahdy 21]

updated shots... superstructure is done, work to add details is started..

The electronic VMS signs in Big Dig 2.0 lots are  very accurate in their presentation.  This ramp's particular model is Daktronics CF-1400 series:

The modelling work for this VMS was done accordingly to datasheet diagram made by the supplier:

http://216.93.240.36/~blahdy/stex/big-dig-tunnel-portal/daktronics/cf-1400-7x75-3L.map.pdf

[MiniMark 7]

My oh my this gets better and better everytime I look at this. Keep up the excellent work

[Sir Gawain 1]

I didn't mean for my comment to be seen as a negative view towards all of your hard work, blahdy. I am using your mod right now, and I think it looks amazing.

The only thing I was trying to point out is that with 7-8 tile long ramps, it would become less of a space-saver to make an underground highway.

[sorchin 18]

Hey blahdy: I think they look great just the way they are. It's your project so you should be able to build them your own way and take advice only when you think it will help, not frustrate or hinder you. Take care my friend...

[Andreas Roth 626]

@blahdy: Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. There's simply no way to please everyone, and every side has some valid points. Personally, I prefer BATs that fit well into the game, but obviously that means you have to make some compromises regarding the real world. Again, your approach to make them as realistic as possible amazes me everytimes, and I really appreciate it. Of course, this is your "baby", and the discussion here shouldn't distract you from your goal, but merely help you to preserve and objective point of view.

[lrfox 2]

I think suggestions are always nice, but i think that it sometimes people get a little pushy to try and get what they want. Blahdy, this is incredible work, being from Boston it fits perfectly for me, especially since i've seen most of what you're working on in real life. people who feel so passionately about how your work should be different should turn that passion into motivation to learn to mod and maybe once they download tweak this to their liking. It's amazing how rude people can be even in a community like this. keep it up it's incredible.

[tommiej 0]

Blahdy this is amazing work, it's becoming better and better!!

[jj88 24]

Wow more excellent work blahdy! This most be the most realistic Simcity project ever!!!

By the way I don't mind about the ramps being long as this project is about realism isn't it?

[simzebu 20]

All I care about is that it looks good in the game. And in real life, it wasn't just a space saver, but also a way to get rid of the uglyness. I'd assume the same is true for sim city. I know I have some ugly freeways in my cities.

[blahdy 21]

Thanks all I'm not offended by the 'rudeness' or such critics, but I'm just defending my rational for why it's been done this way and why I don't intend to agree to those specific suggestions (while I agree with other criticisms from time to time and I am happy to implement them). Hey lrfox, glad to see you're finally back!

sizebu: Indeed, can't agree with you more. In real life, Big Dig actually did not save ANY space. Nor was there even a mention that of saving space in the initial Central Artery/Tunnel project proposal during the bidding and political lobbying process.

The primary objectives of the Central Artery/Tunnel project, dubbed Big Dig was to do the following:

1. Ease congestion (i.e. do something about 6 lane wide (3 in each direction) and non-stop off/on-ramp situation with existing old elevated via-duct).

2. Reunite the waterfront back with the city.

3. The city is too ugly with the old "green monster" (not the Fenway park, the elevated via-duct): make it look neater.

4. Connect Logan airport to interstate highway network and reconfigure existing Sumner/Callahan tunnels to vastly improve airport access for commerce.

All of the space used by the original elevated via-duct are still owned and part of the state government as well as the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority. Almost all of it has never been given to anybody for personal use, and almost all of it is being reconstructed and redeveloped into public parks and museums to restore the aesthetic look and culture back to the downtown, once taken away by the elevated via-duct. Only a very few parcels have been assigned to state approved developers for multi-use development (apartment + parking lot + state agencies + offices) -- in fact, they can't "save space" and construct buildings in much of where elevated highways used to be, because the tunnels underneath cannot serve as a reliable foundation for a high rise building without risk of collapse.

So assessing what had been proposed originally and what has been done over the past decade on the real world project, not a single significant space was saved ever. All the space that could theoratically be saved is now what we call Rose Kennedy Greenway and Bulfinch Triangle. Hope this clears up some misunderstandings

[blahdy 21]

Handrails added.  Model is about 65% complete:

Render shots:

[Sim shady 12]

lol thats hard to believe no one has posted in here since yesterday and u had to double post. Anyways, looking good!