Charles River Crossing Project

[blahdy 21]

For those of you who wondered what happened to Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge from the Big Dig project, well you will hear some good news and bad news today:

The bad news:

The initially modelled bridge was modelled using outdated and little skilled modelling techniques at the time, which made it impossible to render in Gmax.  A new attempt at the project could theoratically work by reducing lot of model objects, but the complexity of each Big Dig element may also make it not possible even if the bridge was to be re-modelled from scratch.

The good news:

With help of 3DS Max, which has far more resource-tolerance than Gmax and advanced Big Dig 2.2 modelling technologies, we have both seriously reduced number of polygons, model object counts and a modelling software that is more tolerant and agile toward highly complex models.

And with recent co-op with Rural Highway Project, we are now able to use Tarkus' RHW-MIS (Modular Interchange System) technology to push Big Dig to an experience that was never attempted before.

A mega-project on the horizon...

We are going to attempt something new, something of an extraordinary scale that would push the demand for detailed modelling to a level never seen before, and if we are successful, it would become the most complex piece of transportation network in SC4 history: introducing the Charles River Crossing Project (CRCP).

The CRCP is basically Zakim Bridge Reloaded, except that it will now include the full Scheme Z of the Boston Central Artery/Third Harbour Tunnel Project.  It means the Zakim bridge will terminate into an urban double-decker freeway system, and will go through a multi-leveled Charlestown Interchange system, all of which will be modelled and made for SC4 in-game content.

Preliminary Proposal

Due to the complexity of Scheme Z design including an interchange, the bridges and tunnel transition into the Big Dig over the Charles river area, the game will not be able to support this on a single flat lot.  However, RHW's Modular Interchange System (MIS) will be incorporated into this project, thus making the whole system modularized.  With modularized configuration, it will be possible to bring the entire real-life Scheme Z configuration, including Charlestown Interchange, the Zakim Bridge, Leverett Connector Bridge as well as the tunnels all together into one giant interchange for SC4.

Preliminary Study Designs and Implementation Designs will need to be completed before even the first polygon is drawn in 3ds Max.  Currently we are investigating the following "Study Areas" to study whether to include them to in-game environment, and if so, how and exactly where.  Each Study Area will result in multitude of design proposals and internal reviews that would eventually be finalized for Final Game Implementation Plan, which then modelling project can commence afterwards.

Initial Study Areas

Project Schedule/Resources/Timeline, etc.

Currently Tarkus and I are spearheading the start of Charles River Crossing Project.  We expect that there will be a number of more professional individuals that we will be working with soon to make this project a reality.   There will be following class of individuals that would be working on this project:

Modellers and Section Design Consultants:  Engineer, design, and model the real-life system in a way it can be presented in Sim City environment.  The entire project will be broken into small sub-project sections, where the modellers and SDC's will be building the entire system in multiple sectionalized model files.  For example, the Zakim Bridge itself would be in its own model file, and the Interchange would be in another, hence modularity.

LOD (Level of Detail) Modellers:  Once model segments are completed, create complex LODs so that vehicle automata traffic can appear.  With project modularity, the LODers and modellers can both be working on different sub-project sections at the same time, thereby speeding up the workflow of the entire project.

Modders and Producers: Once LODing, modelling and rendering are completed for each sub-project sections, the modders and producers would path them and conduct necessary polishing work in order to integrate into game environment.  Again, the principle of modularity comes in here -- the modellers, LOD'ers and modders can all be working on different sub-proejcts at once to speed up the process.

Currently our initial estimates include:

1. Given the RL constraints of each Charles River Crossing Project consortium participant, we estimate it will take approximately 1 year of schedule to complete this project.  However, no hard deadline/ETA will be given as entertainment/hobby projects are highly fluid situation given the real-life obligations.

2. We expect the project will probably have 5-6 different people working during its peak, but this is initial projection.

3. We expect the entire system, including all modular model segments, will cost approximately 15 million polygons.

----

Let there be no ambiguity: it will be a hard BAT project.  We are not calling it a 'mega project' just for a show, it's for real.  However, after more than a week of thoughts and discussion and consultation, we believe we now have the sufficient technology and resources technically available to us to make this possible.  But there are of course, no guarantees that this proejct may succeed -- it may succumb to yet another one of "failed projects" or abandoned projects, or we might actually be able to pull it off. 

Hoping for the latter case scenario, this project will commence with initial design proposals and additional people joining in the coming weeks.  Updates will be posted here, stay tuned!

[Meastro444 1]

hey

sounds great, looking forward to it!!

regards

Meastro444

[tommiej 0]

blahdy, you always have amazing projects!! i hope you get some great batters, modder, LODers and the rest of the people you need!!

really looking forward for this one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bluepelican31 5]

Good luck with this project.  The work and time provided will be greatly appreciated.

[teemu_om 47]

That is absolutely insane. Good luck!

[1dera3 28]

Wow, seeing your Big Dig, this is going to look great! Good luck!

edit: sweet, now i'm a Citizen!

[patriots_1228 51]

OMFG! I cant beleive it! Bostons getting alot of Simtropolis attention lately. Scotty is about to release 28 state street, Im dishing out mediocre Boston Buildings, And your doing these amazing Boston Transportation Porjects. Cant wait, but you still will work on the big dig, right?

[rickmastfan67 0]

WOW.  This is unreal.  Good Luck!!  This will be a sweat project when it is finished.

[lrfox 2]

unbelievable. this is certainly ambitious

good luck, i can't wait to watch how this goes

[JCarter 0]

CANT WAIT!!!!!!

[simzebu 19]

Cooll!!! I can't wait!

[bakercity 270]

This will look great along with the big dig. Good luck.

[Ryan B 35]

blahdy:  Good luck in this latest endeavour!  I look forward to seeing the progress as time goes by.

[owenluby 1]

Cool, I just checked the area around the highway in Google maps and I was blown away at how hard this will be...

I think Boston has the most complex highway interchanges in the WORLD!

[Sydney Claridge 106]

Wow.  I can't wait to see this finished. and to use it in my cities.  I only have one complaint, though.  I personally despise Maxis highways, so maybe an Elevated RHW should be made so that this project can transition into a better (and more realistic) freeway, rather than an unrealistic freeway.

[Haljackey 17,241]

Wow, you guys are crazy. This would be insanely hard to even attempt, gotta give ya guts!

Best of luck though!

[Tarkus 6,931]

Houston_Fan:  Well, there is an Elevated RHW in the works.  I've kind of set that project aside for the moment to work on the RHWMIS, but I've recently learned some new things modding-wise, and have some very surprising and interesting things planned for the El-RHW . . . so there may be that option depending on how things work out.  Rest assured, you'll be able to start that new CJ soon . . .

haljackey:  I can't speak for blahdy, but I probably am a little crazy.

-Tarkus

[blahdy 21]

haljackey: we're all crazy   In fact, it's ridiculous to even attempt a fully-scale multi-stack interchange, rofl.

Houston_fan: The plan is that the CRCP network will done in a way where you have to connect Maxis's elevated highway piece (but this is not finalized yet).  Another alternative option is that we may be able to connect RHW elevated highway instead, but for that to happen, RHW elevated highway network must be able to carry 3 lanes per each direction by then, instead of 2.

In any event, whichever elevated highway piece we decide to use (RHW or Maxis), it will be only present at the transition area, where it will then transition into big dig via-ducts.

[JCarter 0]

Crazy? Very...but I like crazy if it means this crossing project! lol

[patriots_1228 51]

yea i think you are crazy. im doing the TD Banknorth garden and right next to it theres this giant mess of tunnels and stuff. I spent an hour trying to figure out what went where. its insane(the gardens right next to the zakim bridge as you probably no). Good luck!

[nousername 0]

nice job on the big dig project, i'll be sure to follow this too.

[xgriffinx 4]

this is an awesome project. you've set hard goals but I'm sure you will finish this project successfully earlier or later.

[Filasimo 1]

Blahdy/Tarkus: Would it be possible to make 2 transition versions? one where u can use RHW 3 way EL and another where u can use the default maxis highway? That way people can decide whether to either RHW or the default highway connection

[blahdy 21]

Preliminary implementation designs are now being prepared.

First design for Tip O'Neill Tunnel portal area and south side Zakim bridge terminus.  The implementation design is used to exactly scale the real-world segments into SC4 grids.  It will be used to do rough sketches using splines to start the basic foundation.

The South Side Section (Tip O'Neill tunnel portal area, north station/south side bridge terminus) will most likely consist of 3 puzzle pieces as shown in the design diagram:

[tommiej 0]

that looks awesome, it's very clear! nice job!

really looking forward for the Charles River Crossing Project!!

[JCarter 0]

Very nice...cant wait!

[Yoman3 5]

Blahdy - I know your hard at work trying to make this the most realistic you can but I'd suggest that you split the bridge up into a seperate piece from the rest of this huge project so that these great works don't all have to be in perfect alighment and together. The real life bridge and interchanges are tailored to that area so I suggest you make this flexible for game's sake.

After that thought I cant wait to see what you come up with!

[blahdy 21]

yoman3;  that might be a possibility, because the implementation plan for the bridge is being revised right now with wider tile space.  But the design is still not finished yet. 

However... design for CTC15A2-00 puzzle section is completed and ready for modelling -- this section is the I-93 tunnel portal at the southern terminus of the bridge. 

Ground broken on Charles River Crossing Project (CRCP)

Teaser for CTC15A2-00 puzzle section modelling --- work in progress:

[rickmastfan67 0]

Very nice!!!! 

[Frankie_Grove 32]

blahdy, is it just the angle? or do those textures in the tunnel seem a tad bit crooked?