simmars-forum-threads Transit Network Workshop

[Shoji_sim 9]

What about highways? I think the default highways in SC4 look bulky and don't match with SMB2.

I have 2 models of a 2-tile highway segment. Negotiations are ok.

[TimeMaster 4]

Yes, that looks pretty good, but your going to have to ask a transit officer.

[Shoji_sim 9]

Ok.

[timcravey 168]

I could BAT the pieces for you Shoji - the real challenge is modding it and that might not be as hard as it seems.

You need to look closely at the whole set of highway puzzle pieces and try to build at least the basic set - straight, 45° corner, T-intersection and cloverleaf. Also ramps need to transition from your covered highway to the uncovered streets.

Don't feel like you have to do the whole set - start with just the necessary pieces and we'll work from there.

Also, I desperately need airports or my CJ (Hell_S @ https://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=36&threadid=102242&enterthread=y) is gonna flatline. Anyone know what happened to evillions? Or has anyone else got an airport design? I will BAT it if necessary.

[TimeMaster 4]

Ok, you can BAT that if you want... 2. Right, lets get the actual highway done first because we don't have a modd for it.

[Shoji_sim 9]

Sorry to say, but I just started BATing.

[un1 41]

Shoji-sim - That is nice, so how about deleting 4 of your posts of how "new" and "bad" you are at BATting.

-un1

[JakeMD 107]

We don't like our threads cluttered up with random posts especially 5 times in a row....

[timcravey 168]

I don't think it's Shoji, Swat. I notice several threads seem to be having a similar problem today. Traffic on the net seems to be bottlenecking on the overseas connections.

[Shoji_sim 9]

I found something, by the way, about how in the world we are going to mod the cars.

These screenshots were taken from iLive reader, in simcity_2.dat.

[warrior 169]

They have models, but It is very hard, need to get an automata modder on the team.

Why is ST soo slow today?

Jonathan

[timcravey 168]

I like the airship as ferry idea. I have some early attempts at just that but haven't got a satisfactory model yet. Replacing the airports will also be a challenge because the air is so thin that any plane that could fly on Mars would need an enormous wingspan.

'Rail gun' is another possibility for medium to long range travel. This is an electro-magnetic cannon that fires the transport into low orbit where it can either fire its own engines to climb further out or re-enter the atmosphere to land anywhere on the planet. Maybe this could replace the Space Shuttle reward as I think the space shuttle may be used to replace the airport.

[un1 41]

Airports could be Spaceports. The huge space elevator could be the "Seaports".

-un1

[TimeMaster 4]

Or maybe the "ships" could run on the ice or something? And the reward for spaceport is more or less going outside of the solar system for exploration.

[AndisArt 2,066]

Tim, good point with the thin air. Would it be different if planes would be starships with different engines?

And interesting concept with the rail gun, guess on earth this is not possible but on Mars.

Space Elevator as seaport would be cool. I'm wondering how will the BAT be placed though ingame? will one see only the elevator or the platform as well?

Also is there a maximum height ingame?

[JakeMD 107]

Maybe we could have something like an elevated network enclosed in a tube?

[warrior 169]

The tubes could probably be made draggable (not 100% certain, but will try if you want)

There may be a problem with having a space elevator as a seaport, with the way the game calculates ferry paths, probably best to speak to someone who knows about the traffic simulator (like JPlumbley). Couldn't another Spaceport be made?

Jonathan

[un1 41]

Not a functional spaceport... More of an eyecandy one for now.

So would the space elevator go into the airport menu then?

-un1

[timcravey 168]

I think I would just replace Seaport and wouldn't even mod the lot - just let it handle cargo traffic. Projections suggest a lift time of approximately one week so it isn't really going to be competitive with the shuttles for passenger service.

I think the upward limit of the Lot Editor is 64 tiles, just like its side-to-side limits. I'm not sure of that. That should provide ample room for the anchor station and the satellite. Even if we had to make it much shorter than that it would still get the point across.

Rail guns are proposed for the Moon to transfer materials into Earth orbit for large-scale constructions and it is not impossible to imagine them being used right here on Earth for moving heavy materials into space.

How about we change the icon on the Water Transport menu and leave those slots open for a variety of alternative transport systems. I know we're all excited and full of ourselves but we probably haven't even scratched the surface of what's possible. Let's make sure the next generation of modders has ample room to grow.

I like Time's idea about 'ice-skater' ships - it sounds like fun! Maybe we could use that to replace the Marina.

Are you suggesting those tubes for Highway, Swat? They look great. I can send you my latest glass material if you like.

Shoji - Have you learned to alter textures in the Reader?  This would be very useful.  You can also make many other changes to the model, such as stretching it, scaling it, even changing its shape.  I think there's a tutorial at SC4D.  Also, would you mind if I use your elevated highway models as PedMall bridges instead of highway? I can't promise that I can make them work but I'll try. You would need to make one more model - the elevator piece that connects them to the ground.

edit: tutorial is  here: https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=4093.0

[AndisArt 2,066]

Bascially we can put in anything we want. We don't have to replace all available transports and then the slot is filled. We can add any number of transports with the attributes we want.

Like the idea with reward for interstellar spaceport!

The spacelift works mainly for cargo then.

Soji, nice models!

SWAT, looking good! I'd add some  parts supporting the glass like sort of this idea:

Dragable would be great!

What's the experince here with Automata modding/replacing transit? I made a draft model for a dragable covered rail or highway, but that's it, I don't have experience with actually replacing models or make them work.

SWAT are you up for making thos tubes a project?

[warrior 169]

Are the tubes roads or rail type networks. If Rail these could be Maglev and replace El-rail.

Also what format/program are you using to create them? Can you export them as 3ds files so they can be put directly into the reader (Network models must be truly 3D, not like buildings/props which are just cuboids with textures applied)

More info:http://www.wiki.sc4devotion.com/index.php/Modelling_for_Networks

I can replace networks but not automata. Try someone link Swamper77, Olasz or I think Vandy?

Jonathan

[AndisArt 2,066]

I made these long ago, would like to work on it again.

They can be used as a cover for any transit.

For me the question is what are the rules I need to know for creating these.

I need to know how to replace and mod these. Tutorials needed!

Or can anyone help out?

 

[un1 41]

andisart - To replace any model in game:

It is really like texturing, you want to replace the texture IID.

But you have to replace every model, and that is more difficult, my experience with transit/lot textures, I have noticed that all textures go from E to A (for different zooms).

From what I think, models are probably alike, one main ID then different last letters for each zoom and/or for each direction.

Although it would take a long amount of time to do it. Maybe 1-2 hours for each model.

-un1

[JakeMD 107]

Are you sure? I think those are just the 'textures', not the actual examplar. The textures don't really have much to do with the actual model, which we have to figure out how to get it into the network. Maybe in the actual examplar we could use a property or two to have those displayed on the actual network while being dragged. This may take a while, so why don't we create a ploppable set of those Andre, test them out, and see what we can do.

EDIT:

SWAT are you up for making thos tubes a project?quote>

I sure can if it is wanted or people are interested in it !

[AndisArt 2,066]

Ok, let's take it from there.

Definitely, yes. Please go ahead with it, it's a really cool idea and it looks good so far!

[JakeMD 107]

Ok heres what it might look like tiled and repeated:

(extra supports for the glass included.. (Draft render))

[AndisArt 2,066]

I know I suggested it, but it might in fact look better without the extra supports, it looks very "sliced". Or you could try to use a darker texture for the extra supports to make them less prominent.

[warrior 169]

Any network items need to be rendered in 3D (not the normal export of BAT). YOu need 5 models one for each zoom.

For tubes and see though models you need to change settings in the reader to match those of the post I put in Un1's thread I think, or you won't see trains through it.

Andisart You are a 3ds max user? If you can send the files in max format with the textures I can import them into the reader and make them replace rails (The rail textures would still be inside the tube).

Jonathan

[Shoji_sim 9]

Probably we can replace ferries with these capsules with ads on the sides. (That will be cool...little rocket-powered boxes flying over vallies...yeah...)

[un1 41]

That isn't possible, due to the modding of the SimMars game.

The sea level is set to 5 or 3 maybe even 0, so we would only be able to have ferries on the ice at the direct bottom of valleys.

-un1