Show Us your Highways!

[Indiana Joe 1,752]

If I recall he went in and made his own custom puzzle piece for it.  Awesome work there, takemethere!  Urban infrastructure at its finest.

[TakemeThere 5,834]

How did you do that with the curve?

 

If I recall he went in and made his own custom puzzle piece for it.  Awesome work there, takemethere!  Urban infrastructure at its finest.

 

Thanks! And yes that's correct, I made a custom piece for that interchange. I was looking for a solution to replace the old NAM maxis highway diagonal interchange as I was updating all my highways to RHW/Project Symphony.

It was not an easy interchange to update because of the local terrain and how both highways curve just before the interchange, leaving little space for ramps.


Local development was fair game for demolition but I didn't want to completely reroute the approach highways as that would of required the demolition of large area of development and the rerouted of several other major roads and railways. The only way to make the two highways connect with ramps is for them to be directly next to each other since ramps aren't possible on diagonal RHW. So that gave me the basis for the interchange design. But there was no way for the ground level highway to get by the elevated highway without either shifting the highway(s) and local roads and dramatically expanding the interchanges size, exactly what I was trying to avoid. The easy solution was to just use a tunnel, something I use in other interchanges;


But those tunnels look completely unnecessary from a realism point of view - why would a ground level highway need to go into a tunnel to get past an elevated highway? Makes no sense. Plus the different angle and the empty space between the tunnel entrances also looked awkward.

That's when it dawned on me that I could just make the missing piece myself;

(The extended medium for added safety on the RHW section )

The interchange is also fully functional, through not in the traditional sense. Programming the paths is something that is beyond my abilities and I imagine it would be very difficult to do with a curved highway piece directly on top. The solution is to use tunnels, fake ones in this case for the paths;


For me visual realism is more important than technical realism. Functionally there is only one real compromise for trips through the imaginary tunnel, some cars turn into buses and vice versa. Which to be blunt I don't really care about because they function in a similar way. Sure freight trucks can't go through it either, but that works out perfectly for me because that highway leads into the downtown core of the city and freight trucks are prohibited from driving through the residential and commercial downtown areas of all of my cities. Normally I would make use of a no truck road lot. What was important was to make sure that the southbound and northbound routes were separated so that trips can't suddenly turn around in the middle of the highway and that the imaginary tunnels didn't connect to any real subway routes and the other underground ramp. Anyhow, sorry for the prolonged explanation but that's the story behind it.

 

[matias93 7,535]

Talking about MHW replacing, has anyone idea of how to do this with RHW?

 

 

The idea is to have a mass transit network inside a highway, a configuration that is used here in Santiago de Chile with metro (Línea 2, between Cal y Canto and Franklin), or with BRT in Lima, Perú (in a much longer length)

[Compdude787 916]

Talking about MHW replacing, has anyone idea of how to do this with RHW?

 

[pic]

 

The idea is to have a mass transit network inside a highway, a configuration that is used here in Santiago de Chile with metro (Línea 2, between Cal y Canto and Franklin), or with BRT in Lima, Perú (in a much longer length)

Easy. You just take that MHW and covert it into RHW-4 or RHW-6S and then use ramp pieces and use the FlexHeight transitions to transition the MIS to elevated. Then, use the draggable avenue overpasses (click the "Draggable ERD" button in the roads menu) to make the overpass for the avenue, then you can drag the elevated MIS through that to make the intersections. The footprint of said interchange would be about the same, only a little bigger than what you have now.

It's probably going to be a lot easier to drag out the RHW than it would have been to do that weird MHW configuration. I have no idea how you were able to do that.

[matias93 7,535]

Talking about MHW replacing, has anyone idea of how to do this with RHW?

[pic]

The idea is to have a mass transit network inside a highway, a configuration that is used here in Santiago de Chile with metro (Línea 2, between Cal y Canto and Franklin), or with BRT in Lima, Perú (in a much longer length)

Easy. You just take that MHW and covert it into RHW-4 or RHW-6S and then use ramp pieces and use the FlexHeight transitions to transition the MIS to elevated. Then, use the draggable avenue overpasses (click the "Draggable ERD" button in the roads menu) to make the overpass for the avenue, then you can drag the elevated MIS through that to make the intersections. The footprint of said interchange would be about the same, only a little bigger than what you have now.

It's probably going to be a lot easier to drag out the RHW than it would have been to do that weird MHW configuration. I have no idea how you were able to do that.

I begun trying to do it with RHW-4 but I bumped with the height differences between RHW x Avenue and Rail x Avenue ploppable overpasses (all of that after trying to drag the avenue overpass, also without acceptable results (it made intersections, not overpassings)

So I searched some old manual for MHW and used the 'drag rail over MHW' tecnique to archieve such precarity. Even more precarious, the highway branches change to one-way roads under the avenue.

Anyway, I've tried to put a train station there, and no results. Maybe if the avenue underpasses a surface highway and rail...

  Edited September 12, 2015 by matias93  

[Compdude787 916]

I'm saying that instead of plopping puzzle pieces (there aren't even any 7.5m overpass pieces for crossing over the RHW), you use the draggable overpasses. These are MUCH easier to work with than puzzle pieces. 

 

I think I'll do up a little tutorial for you on how to do this. But that will have to wait for a few hours before I get a chance to do it.

  Edited September 13, 2015 by Compdude787  

[matias93 7,535]

There's no hurry, though. I should be writing an essay by now, but procrastination is stronger...

[Dreadnought 8,231]

WOW !!

I've seen some really great work done here, and some fine pictures posted.  I came here looking for inspiration for a new region I going to start, and your traffic systems have inspired me.

Only problem -- 6 months form now when I need to see the pictures again -- I'll have to search for them because my system won't open a Portable Network Graphics image.  Would be so easy to save them as a JPEG before posting -- then everyone could save them for reference.

The highways winding through mountain river valleys were absolutely works of art !!

[rsc204 21,866]

The interchange is also fully functional, through not in the traditional sense. Programming the paths is something that is beyond my abilities and I imagine it would be very difficult to do with a curved highway piece directly on top. The solution is to use tunnels, fake ones in this case for the paths;

Have you made a proper puzzle piece in the NAM/SC4 sense, or is this just a model on a lot?

If it's the former, pathing is actually not so hard, I'd be willing to create those for you, send me a PM if you're interested

[TakemeThere 5,834]

Have you made a proper puzzle piece in the NAM/SC4 sense, or is this just a model on a lot?

If it's the former, pathing is actually not so hard, I'd be willing to create those for you, send me a PM if you're interested

Thanks for the offer. The piece is a BAT model made into a building as a prop so that it can overhang on a 1x1 lot. Traffic enters the lot by car/bus and is converted into subway traffic. This is then reversed on the other side with another 1x1 lot(blank lot) hidden underneath the prop. It works and its easy enough to do. SC4 is really limited to begin with it comes to tunnels so this basically lets me be more flexible with my highways. Tbh I'm perfectly fine with using this process as the amount of traffic doesn't change and it gets to where it need to be. Here's an a couple other examples of how I've used this method;

And a crazy example

Anyhow, what I don't have any experience in is making NAM puzzle pieces and pathing for the vehicles using those piece. If you'd like to use that for the piece I created to do that I don't mind at all, just let me know and I'll send it to you via pm. But the textures aren't perfect duplicates of actual NAM puzzle pieces, just close enough to not be obvious

 

[Haljackey 17,398]

Short weave area... Traffic doesn't like it
 

 

Click for full size.

[MushyMushy 3,618]

I find it funnier that you have those yellow scraper machines driving on the highway regularly.

[Haljackey 17,398]

Well my road funding is at 120%. Those things must mill and pave the roads constantly to keep that fresh asphalt look.

 

  Edited September 15, 2015 by Haljackey  

[Lost Realist 762]

How did you do that with the curve?

 

If I recall he went in and made his own custom puzzle piece for it.  Awesome work there, takemethere!  Urban infrastructure at its finest.

 

Thanks! And yes that's correct, I made a custom piece for that interchange. I was looking for a solution to replace the old NAM maxis highway diagonal interchange as I was updating all my highways to RHW/Project Symphony.
 

It was not an easy interchange to update because of the local terrain and how both highways curve just before the interchange, leaving little space for ramps.


Local development was fair game for demolition but I didn't want to completely reroute the approach highways as that would of required the demolition of large area of development and the rerouted of several other major roads and railways. The only way to make the two highways connect with ramps is for them to be directly next to each other since ramps aren't possible on diagonal RHW. So that gave me the basis for the interchange design. But there was no way for the ground level highway to get by the elevated highway without either shifting the highway(s) and local roads and dramatically expanding the interchanges size, exactly what I was trying to avoid. The easy solution was to just use a tunnel, something I use in other interchanges;


But those tunnels look completely unnecessary from a realism point of view - why would a ground level highway need to go into a tunnel to get past an elevated highway? Makes no sense. Plus the different angle and the empty space between the tunnel entrances also looked awkward.

That's when it dawned on me that I could just make the missing piece myself;

(The extended medium for added safety on the RHW section )

The interchange is also fully functional, through not in the traditional sense. Programming the paths is something that is beyond my abilities and I imagine it would be very difficult to do with a curved highway piece directly on top. The solution is to use tunnels, fake ones in this case for the paths;


For me visual realism is more important than technical realism. Functionally there is only one real compromise for trips through the imaginary tunnel, some cars turn into buses and vice versa. Which to be blunt I don't really care about because they function in a similar way. Sure freight trucks can't go through it either, but that works out perfectly for me because that highway leads into the downtown core of the city and freight trucks are prohibited from driving through the residential and commercial downtown areas of all of my cities. Normally I would make use of a no truck road lot. What was important was to make sure that the southbound and northbound routes were separated so that trips can't suddenly turn around in the middle of the highway and that the imaginary tunnels didn't connect to any real subway routes and the other underground ramp. Anyhow, sorry for the prolonged explanation but that's the story behind it.

 

Dude, just gotta say I love the way you're at it. MHW really isn't my thing, also from a realism point of view, but the way you approach your interchanges and the thoughts you put into them are really respectable, keep it up! I'm digging that 90° curve with the extended median, that entire piece is straight sweetness man. I wish I had the discipline to bring myself to dive a little deeper and create my own pieces as well. Great stuff.

  Edited September 15, 2015 by Lost Realist  

[matias93 7,535]

A rather humble trumpet interchange in Monte Verde cajón (an steep, narrow valley between two lines of hills).
This is the result of my first excercises with RHW that do not end with crumbled overpasses and so.

[raynev1 1,887]

Well my road funding is at 120%. Those things must mill and pave the roads constantly to keep that fresh asphalt look.

 

I did that kinda work for nearly 20 years . The smooth ride , when done right . Here in West Virginia they are clueless as to how to do things right . They get federal funding and then try to keep as much of the money in there pockets by skimping out on why the road failed to start with . Sad to blow tax payer money that way .

[rsc204 21,866]

Have you made a proper puzzle piece in the NAM/SC4 sense, or is this just a model on a lot?

If it's the former, pathing is actually not so hard, I'd be willing to create those for you, send me a PM if you're interested

Thanks for the offer. The piece is a BAT model made into a building as a prop so that it can overhang on a 1x1 lot. Traffic enters the lot by car/bus and is converted into subway traffic. This is then reversed on the other side with another 1x1 lot(blank lot) hidden underneath the prop. It works and its easy enough to do. SC4 is really limited to begin with it comes to tunnels so this basically lets me be more flexible with my highways. Tbh I'm perfectly fine with using this process as the amount of traffic doesn't change and it gets to where it need to be. Here's an a couple other examples of how I've used this method;

Anyhow, what I don't have any experience in is making NAM puzzle pieces and pathing for the vehicles using those piece. If you'd like to use that for the piece I created to do that I don't mind at all, just let me know and I'll send it to you via pm. But the textures aren't perfect duplicates of actual NAM puzzle pieces, just close enough to not be obvious

You can't really convert a BAT model into a puzzle piece, although if you have the original model, you can render it as a 3D model for use this way. One other problem, for a good while now, the online tool for making a necessary part for puzzle pieces has been MIA. So as it stands right now, I suspect converting it to a proper puzzle piece is probably not a viable option.

However, I'd still urge you to consider releasing any pieces you have as-is. I would personally be interested in anything you had for the MHO. I'm sure quite a few others would also welcome some additional pieces for use in their games too. It doesn't really matter how it works, as you say, anything to provide some more transit options that are functional is always a win in my book.

[Haljackey 17,398]

[Abrams 1,744]

Epic!You should import it to ring of fire!

[Compdude787 916]

[pic]

Epic!You should import it to ring of fire!

It is, though.

[raynev1 1,887]

@haljacky Looks cool weaving through forested area .

[Haljackey 17,398]

22 image overpass album - because why not

https://imgur.com/a/QgISj

 

Edit: guess new ST site doesn't allow HTML embeds? Oh well link to album provided instead...

  Edited October 21, 2015 by Haljackey  

[timmie 988]

22 image overpass album - because why not

https://imgur.com/a/QgISj

 

Edit: guess new ST site doesn't allow HTML embeds? Oh well link to album provided instead...

Sadly, no more HTML support. :'(

[citycowboy 183]

how'd you do the diagonal tunnel?

 

[Thin White Duke 4,072]

Transition from I-96 W. to I-96 E. over Colonel Hill in Boswell.

  Edited October 29, 2015 by __B  

[_Michael 2,681]

Transition from I-96 W. to I-96 E. over Colonel Hill in Boswell.

I'm loving that hill climb and the towns either side. Oh and those trees; they're just beautiful!

[timmie 988]

Nice picture! The windmills are a pity, though. Why not use fewer but bigger windmills, like the SFBT one? I know wind turbines in Belgium are usually ±100m high.

[Thin White Duke 4,072]

Nice picture! The windmills are a pity, though. Why not use fewer but bigger windmills, like the SFBT one? I know wind turbines in Belgium are usually ±100m high.

I know. Was thinking about removing them before the shot, since they don't actually seem to fill any purpose. (with all the other powerplants I have) But then I thought "nah, too much hard work" and this is it instead. So so sorry.

[gviper 922]

Nice picture! The windmills are a pity, though. Why not use fewer but bigger windmills, like the SFBT one? I know wind turbines in Belgium are usually ±100m high.

For a minute I kept wondering what the heck are those? Though they were some kinda power line. Yeah, they do interrupt an otherwise gorgeous pic.

[T Wrecks 10,210]

I like the realistically staggered setup, though. That's very good, and an aspect that many people ignore.

However, you could still use more distance, and you could also break up the pattern a bit. When you put up wind turbines on hills, nature generally doesn't do you the favour of providing absolutely straight and regular terrain features, so it's not strange at all to see smaller clusters of turbines scattered around in what doesn't look too systematic at a first glance.