NAM General Discussion Thread

[Slabrankle 4]

yo tropod, I can't download your newest Puzzle Piece set nor can I use the old ones, all I get it a blank litup box. What am I doing wrong?

[frogface 352]

this one is more what i had in mind, its got that sort of 'grimy' feel to it that i think will be appropriate

 

 

 

[rgb6474 0]

I just downloaded your latest version of the Network Add-on Mod (6_12), and I notice that this one has one .dat file, and that's it.  All previous versions had multiple files with varying degrees of pathfinding ability.  How does this update relate to those?  Are the pathfinding files and transit fixes included in the .dat, or is there maybe some kind of error?

 

 

 

EDIT -

 

Also, is it possible to run other networks like road and rail under the highway puzzle pieces?

 

[cammo2003 20]

If you have downloaded a previous version of the NetworkAddonMod, then you can safely leave the pathfinding and automata dats included in that download can be safely left alone. This one is intended to replace ONLY the NetworkAddonMod.dat file.

 

What does all that mean? It means that Tropod's only updating what needs to be updated in this thread in order to keep filesizes down, which helps simtropolis at least a bit. Not just that, but it also means that you don't have to click on are you sure you want to overwrite this file a million times...  Double bonus!

 

Hope that answers your questions.

 

EDIT:

Just make sure that if you have the old PuzzlePieces file that you remove it. Otherwise you could have problems. And for the people still insistent on using that file and only seeing the white box: make sure that you have the PuzzlePieces file in the same folder as the NetworkAddonMod.dat file, that fixed the problem for me (this is probably yet another reason Tropod updated).

 

 

[raindog 4]

Tropod and all the others who worked on this mod, a BIG thanks.

The result is absolutely fantastic.  It took me a while before I realised what this ANT actually is. I conclude it isn't anything to use at this point but it opens a whole lot of possibilities for a new network.

 

Btw, also a very good manual added in the file. I removed my other transitmods. Only one I left is the tunnel & sloping mod made by BigRedFish some time ago. It controls the sloping percentage of the network and gives me much smoother roads. (see highway tunnel in the pic below).

 

I was just toying a bit in an empty map between two cities and was surprised by the amount of traffic generated. I assume the pathfinding is much better than I used before.

 

(image hosted on imageshack)

 

[rgb6474 0]

Thanks.  That answers my questions exactly.

[subedei 3]

Still does not work for me. The only transit mods i have are the ones from this mod. All i get is a blank single square. Well its back to re-reading the info files that were included.

 

Subedei

[Dexter 40]

Tropod, as said earlier, I have created some textures for the ANT network. I have created two straight ANT textures. The first one is American and the other one is English. Does anyone think that the yellow on the American texture is too bright? if so then I will tone it down a bit. Now, Tropod, I don't know how big these textures need to be, so can you please resize them. I have made the lines in the middle match up, (so if you stuck them underneath each other, they would match up). The attached file includes the bitmap versions. If you think these look good, I will start to make the junction textures.

 

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/7703/USARoad1JPEG.jpg>         http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/5861/large_roadJPEG.jpg>

 

Note: These images are hosted off-site.

[builderman 3]

Date: 6/12/2004 2:54:33 PM
Author:

Still does not work for me. The only transit mods i have are the ones from this mod. All i get is a blank single square. Well its back to re-reading the info files that were included.

Subedei

quote>

I have the same problem. Interesting.

[caghaasnoot 11]

Date:6/12/2004 2:28:17 PM
Author:raindog

Tropod and all the others who worked on this mod, a BIG thanks.

The result is absolutely fantastic.  It took me a while before I realised what this ANT actually is. I conclude it isn't anything to use at this point but it opens a whole lot of possibilities for a new network.

 

Btw, also a very good manual added in the file. I removed my other transitmods. Only one I left is the tunnel & sloping mod made by BigRedFish some time ago. It controls the sloping percentage of the network and gives me much smoother roads. (see highway tunnel in the pic below).

quote>

Raindog,

What is that tunnel & sloping mod you're talking about? Where is it to be found?

cag

 

[davidhogan 1]

Oh yeah!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!

 

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/7389/cl-101.jpg width=600 border=0>

 

Dave

[BigRedFish 21]

Date: 6/12/2004 3:26:49 PM

What is that tunnel & sloping mod you're talking about? Where is it to be found?

quote>

Some months ago, a member named CSQ246 posted a little mod that made the game a little more willing to draw tunnels. I liked it, and I had always been bothered by the roller-coaster rails and highways the game will build. So, I modded CSQ's mod to lower the maximum slope allowed for the various transit networks, and force it to auto-adjust terrain if needed. The result is that rails self-smooth over wavy terrain, highways don't jog up and down so wildly and so on.

Full disclosure: It can also make drawing rails over steep hills a real annoyance. It turns out that the adjustments are a relatively delicate balancig act, and this mod can make it a bit difficult to lay down networks on hilly terrain because the game has much less room for slope adjustments along the network than it used to. So when you have railroads on a hill, sometmies you have to demolish and re-lay sections of track to draw a grade crossing across becaus those are always flat - and if the track is at maximum grade for 20 or so tiles each way already, the game can't do further smoothing so it fails with the unsuitable grade message. [Look at the bright side, the smoothing is easy, perfect, and comes free with the track.]

I think it's acceptable, as real railroads either tunnel through steep mountains, or they detour around. Others disagree and I can't say they're wrong either, it's a taste thing. There are workarounds for most difficulties though.

The thread is here:

My Exeriment in Tunneling

The thread is worth a read, as it gives you a heads-up as to how to handle the thing. It's not a one-size-fits-all mod. If you like to build on flatmaps, or on floodplains between hills and run transit networks through narrow mountain passes and along riverbanks (like in real life), it's pretty useful. Saves a lot of expensive terrain levelling.

[Slabrankle 4]

Hmm, yeah its a bit bright, darken it a couple of shades then add a few spots of black, darkened yellow and gray to make it look aged a bit

[DuskTrooper 314]

Is there a way we could use the addons withpout trashing our existing mods?  I have my own transit mod, but would like to use these pieces.

[Dexter 40]

I have made the colour (color) a bit less bright and added some grey and dark spots as slabrankle requested. Now does the UK version look too dark or bright (it's the same colour as the avenue markings). I live in England, so I know more about the UK road markings. The bitmap image is a lot less blurred and much clearer than this compressed version.

http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/5120/USARoad2.jpg width=123 border=0>

 

Note 1: This image is hosted off-site.

Note 2: This image is stretched. The JPEG file is smaller than this.

 

[raindog 4]

 

Date:6/12/2004 4:43:35 PM
Author:BigRedFish

Date: 6/12/2004 3:26:49 PM

What is that tunnel & sloping mod you're talking about? Where is it to be found?

quote>

Some months ago, a ....

quote>

 

Thanks for answering this one, BRF. I just like to add that I have changed the sloping percentage for rail to 4% and it works just fine for me. 

My opinion is that this mod should be in the essential mod-section. It sure is essential to me!!!

 

cheers

[Slabrankle 4]

Yeah thats way better GJ

[Ryan B 35]

I second that.  I feel that this mod has long since become essential.  With the oncoming of this orthogonal stack (Sorry, Smurfer - didn't see your quote there!), as well as the future inclusion of the four-way stack interchange, this mod will be downloaded by hundreds, if not thousands, of SC4 fans the world over.

 

Also, pertaining to the orthogonal stack:  GREAT JOB!!!  This deserves about a million bunnies, but I'll probably get warned for posting that many.  So I'll settle with 10:

 

 

Hmm - I think they look like they're doing the wave.  LOL

[DuskTrooper 314]

OK, I dont have a pic, but if you mess with the puzzle pieces a bit too much, the game will crash.  I combined the avenues into some funky 3 way attachment, and KABOOM!

[BigRedFish 21]

Date:6/12/2004 4:43:35 PM

Thanks for answering this one, BRF. I just like to add that I have changed the sloping percentage for rail to 4% and it works just fine for me.

My opinion is that this mod should be in the essential mod-section. It sure is essential to me!!!

quote>

If you mean Tropod's mod is essential, I wholeheartedly agree. The Network Addon is practically an EP of its own.

If you mean the Tunnel/Slope mod, tell you what - if your adjustment is working smoothly for you, package it up and post it back in that thread. From the requests I've gotten, I think lots of people would want your alternative, and it should be in anything posted in the Mods section too.

I've hijacked Tropod's thread quite enough with this, and will move further discussion to the previously-referenced Experiment in Tunneling thread.

Back on-topic, I can't wait to see the next update of the Network Add-on. This has just taken realism (and traffic-management in general) to a new level. Specifically, the y>0 level.

[+Guest]

I'm loving the whole ANT mod, but think you guys could get larsz (or whoever made traffic cop) to update it to be fully compatible with this mod?

[Tropod 144]

@cammo2003; thanks for the explanations.

 

Folks; if you're having problems [still], then perhaps you should re-read what I said;

If you have any old versions, of anything related to this mod [or anything else traffic/transit related], and I DO MEAN ANY-THING, then remove it from the Plugins folder before using the above mentioned file [this excludes the Traffic/Automata Plugin files though. You can keep a hold of them, just so long as it is from a previous version of this mod]

Whenever I post a file, I use the exact same file in my Plugins folder that you guys should use, and I have never had any problems using any of the additional items. This is the one [of the many] thing I test, each, and, every, single, time, before, I, up,load, the, mod, file. . I do this to ensure that the stuff actually works; so I don't see how my game would be any different from anyone elses, given the same circumstances/conditons/etc.

 

@Dexter;

I've PM you regarding this.

 

@DuskTrooper

If this is the first time you're using the Network Mod; then perhaps you should download the one from the Mods page first [same thing goes for anyone]. The one in the mods section includes all of the documentation, and also includes some additional files not found/included with what's in this thread. Anything released in this thread is basically released on the emphasis that it is used for testing, to ironing out any major issues/bugs etc. Once something has been tested & implemented into the mod enough [& I am happy with it], then the Main Mod will get completely updated in the Mods section, and include anything/everything.

So about the crashing issue; well, the Puzzle Pieces stuff is still being ironed out. If you could show/illustrate [by diagram or whatever] what you were doing when it crashed, I can have a look at the problem. Otherwise, don't be building any funky 3 way attachments. They're not designed for that [if what I understand what you're saying].

 

@iamrobk

I've already answered this, in larsz's thread for the program.

[+Guest]

Wow my brain really HAS shut down for the summer! I completely forgot I asked there. But anyway, I can mod well enough in Datgen, and I tried to set the speeds, but I couldn't figure out what was what....any chance you could release a small tutorial?

[gambit529 0]

everything has been so awesome guys....

for some reason i cant place the new highway interchange. i got rid of all the transit related modds and still no good. when i downloaded the newest modd it was just the one file. is this right. is there another file i need for this interchnage

[ardecila 124]

Here are those preliminary BATs I was talking about earlier. mikeyb, I'd be happy to collaborate with you, if you'd like.

[Ryan B 35]

Wow.  Looking good, ardecila!

[Ryan B 35]

Wow - image editing does take a while.  I haven't done any of that in quite some time . . .

[Tropod 144]

Date:6/13/2004 12:02:40 AM
Author:ardecila

Here are those preliminary BATs I was talking about earlier.  mikeyb, I'd be happy to collaborate with you, if you'd like.

quote>

hey guys/gals; just regarding the Viaducts;

This is what's going to happen;

I already have someone to help in regards to making pieces for the Rail Puzzle Piece(s). And there is already an agreement to do this for me. If they want to change/modify this design though, that is fine. There will though only be one, & one only, type/design for the Rail Puzzle Pieces implemented into the Main mod. Any [additional] others that people want, well I will address this at a later stage [sorry guys, it's just has to be done this way].

If folk want to brainstorm different types of designs/types though, for Rail Puzzle Pieces in the thread still, that is fine. But only one design/type will be used for the main mod. Any others that people may make, keep them as they will come in handy [not just for me, but for yourself and others-more on this later though, once I can get the Rail Puzzle Pieces up and running].

[DuskTrooper 314]

Sooo..

Can we contribute models, untextured, to be used in the Viaducts and stuff?  I have some cool ideas.....

[redlotus 16]

Date:6/12/2004 11:08:33 AM
Author:cammo2003

I've noticed that the lines on that interchange are still unbroken. It's not that I mind that, it's just that it's kindof inconsistent with the original highway pieces... still, it's brilliant to finally have another interchange option. I don't mean to be a nagging, whining individual on this, but I think that should be fixed at some point before the final modd. I just want this thing to come professionally like you would.

 

Oh, and how did I know you were going to update the file today, just when I go in to test the PuzzlePieces plugin? oh well, I'll just wipe the PuzzlePieces file...

 

Some of the possibilities with those puzzlepieces will feature in my journal, which I think I'll update now.

 

Oh, and keep up the good work, folks!

 

 

 

quote>

I did see your earlier request to use broken lines and I have tried several times to get them to look good.  Unfortunately, I could never get them looking right on the diagonals.  They always ended up looking squashed on one side and too long on the other.  The unbroken lines just look much better and, besides, I figured that DOT-types would prefer to discourage lane-changing in a stack like this.

-red