Changing Elevation

[longshoreman26 1]

I would love to be able to raise, lower and level land in SC4 similar to the way it could be done in SC3000.  For example in SC3000 you could make a smooth grade elevation ramp to a bridge connection or plataeu.  However in SC4 the landscape tools are much to wide.  I want to make a smooth ramp leading up to a bridge instead of the unrealistic super-steep ramp that you typically get when placing bridges in SC4.  Any ideas?

[simzebu 19]

Press Shift+numbers 1-9 to change the size of a tool. Also, rail lines can be used to make smoother slopes.

[longshoreman26 1]

Thanks for the help but I am aware of the shift # key.  Using even the smallest lower or raise tool is still incredibly difficult.  In SC3000 you could highlight 1 tile and raise or lower it and the surrounding tiles would adjust to the new elevation.  If this can't be done, does anyone know how I can make a smooth gentle sloped bridge ramp?

[SC4BOY 20]

The primary ability lost in SC4 is the ability to level a location. You may find it useful to place unconnected street plops in a pattern which flattens an area to be big enough to use the tools in SC4. Use an X placement like

SXSXSXSX

XSXSXSXS

SXSXSXSX

where X is blank and S is street pieces. Start the first S on the place at the level you want to eventually make the whole area.

The rail strip for "slope smoothing" works pretty well to start, but you will probably have to eventually use the "MAYOR MODE" raise and lower tools with SHIFT-2 size and SHIFT F1 strength to get the final smoothed slope you want.. Once you get the slope in one strip, lay a rail or street on it and then "draw" strips side by side to the one you made. This will force the adjacent terrain to the slope of the first street you layed..

Happy terraforming..

[Joe 90 358]

You could also use the hole-digging and ground-lifting lots on the STEX to lift or lower ground by a certain amount. This is probably the closest thing you'll get to SC2K-style terraforming.

Also zoning a line of 1x1 R$ tiles and then repeatedly clicking on the zoned tiles can produce some very nicely graded ramps. Thankfully all the extra clicking doesn't cost anything!

[tungston 19]

Originally posted by: longshoreman26 Thanks for the help but I am aware of the shift # key.  Using even the smallest lower or raise tool is still incredibly difficult.  In SC3000 you could highlight 1 tile and raise or lower it and the surrounding tiles would adjust to the new elevation.  If this can't be done, does anyone know how I can make a smooth gentle sloped bridge ramp?quote>

 

You can add the "F" keys, 1 through 10 to lessen the effects.

[SC4BOY 20]

Originally posted by: Joe 90 

Also zoning a line of 1x1 R$ tiles and then repeatedly clicking on the zoned tiles can produce some very nicely graded ramps. Thankfully all the extra clicking doesn't cost anything!quote>

 

Hmm... I had never seen this before so I gave it a try on some hills.. didn't work too well for me. Are there specific cases where you find it useful? I note also that for 1x1 lots you don't seem to have any "arrow control" ability. When I did a 1byX strip with the control key down it seemed to work a bit better.. I'm interested in hearing about how you use it.

[Joe 90 358]

The direction of the arrows shouldn't matter, only that each tile is a 1x1 zone. I've found you don't have the same level of control with bigger zones. When you click on each zone again, it will try and level itself, and doing this once each to a line of tiles repetatively will leave every tile on a smiilar slope. So if you start on a flat area at the bottom of a hill, and end on a flat area at the top you can get a gradual rise followed by a gradual flattening out at a new level. I've also found it useful to 'anchor' the chain with a single street tile at each end. It also pays to have no development (blank tiles) on either side. I'll get some screenshots tonight to illustrate it.

It's a pretty versatile tool too. I use it a lot for smoothing out railway lines (often to the point where i ruin it with a level crossing because it looks flat but isn't), as well as for ramps up to bridges and overpasses, and even in a big grid for some mild terraforming!

[Joe 90 358]

Pics as promised!

1. I've set up with a high-point and a low-point marked with street tiles. These will hold each end at a set elevation. I've then partially smoothed it off with rail so I don't get any problems with the R$ not wanting to go on the slope.

2. I layed out the R$ from top to bottom, although direction isn't important. The R$ arrows will normally line up, although, again, this isn't important.

To start smoothing the slope, start at the flattest end (the right in this case) and click each tile 2-3 times as you move to the left.

3. Clicking on a single tile will cause it to get progressively flatter, so don't overclick or else you'll end up with benches. You'll probably need to run over the whole R$ line 10-20 times to get it looking right. It's not an exact science, so just work on it until it looks right.

4. And this is what you end up with, a nice smooth approach for a road bridge. For avenues and highways, run a line of street along the slope next to the road, and it will automatically match the existing road profile.

So there you have it, another sneaky way to manipulate the SimWorld to your liking.

[simzebu 19]

Wow! That's one I'd never heard of or thought of. Cool! I'll have to try that!

[ianpaschal 77]

Bassically I make a hill, and select about partwya up the side and use the quick level brush to flatten the top of the hill, then if the base wasnt already on flat ground, flatten that as well.

[szarkoz 8]

This is an interesting way of dealing with slopes, however I think it's easier to just download a good slope and tunnel mod, for example this one(it's attached to vester_DK's post).