NAM General Discussion Thread

[LBII 3]

Hi guys!

Think I've an issue with the NAM... when I want to use one of the exclusive pieces of it, like the pedestrian tiles for for commercial aeras or the ANT, my cursor is getting red and I can't place anything! What is the solution?

Thanks!

[greyveil 37]

did you recently install the NAM? was it working and the started having problems? please give us a list of all transit related mods you have installed and where. 

[The boy formerly known as Evil Muzz 27]

For some reason I can't build elevated rail along road puzzle pieces. The cursor just appears blank. Is this a known issue?

[Andreas Roth 607]

Date: 3/26/2005 2:30:19 AM Author: The boy formerly known as Evil Muzz For some reason I can't build elevated rail along road puzzle pieces. The cursor just appears blank. Is this a known issue?

quote>Try it the other way round - first build the el-rail and then place the puzzle pieces. It seems they are much less tolerant regarding to terrain changes than normal network tiles (the same counts for off-ramps and such, which are basically the same as puzzle pieces).

[gstommylee 6]

Keep up the good works guys can't wait to see any more new stuff for the NAM

[davidhogan 1]

I just placed a stack interchange - GREAT WORK!

I love it.

Dave

[tinnyboy_gummi 0]

hey quick question, is it possible to intregrate train and car into the one bridge like the sydney harbour bridge, it would be a great space saver and very handy indeed thanks if any one can help

[GoaSkin 2]

Bridges for road and rail in one are impossible because you need to drag a network over water or a suitable valley. While dragging the network, you can select a bridge for it and no other networks. Even if adding a road&rail bridge to the road bridge menu, it is generally impossible to attach roads and rails to free-standing bridges. For puzzle pieces there is no possibility for bridges.

[BigCountry6882 0]

Hey everyone..... what is the difference between dragging out an ANT road or a regular road?

[davidhogan 1]

The ANT road isn't a road, it can't have buildings grow on it, and it can't interchange properly with everything. All this is explained in the docs that come with the NAM. Please take the time to read them.

Dave

[LBII 3]

Date: 3/25/2005 12:51:12 PM
Author: greyveil

did you recently install the NAM? was it working and the started having problems? please give us a list of all transit related mods you have installed and where.

quote>

Sorry for the time I take to answer

Ehm, I installed the most recent version (March 05 version) and then everything stop working. The last version was working good.

Every transport related mod... I have a Bus-Subway station (Blue one)and a couple of road-top bus stops and that all, in files in the plugin folders in My document

[LBII 3]

Date: 3/25/2005 12:51:12 PM
Author: greyveil

did you recently install the NAM? was it working and the started having problems? please give us a list of all transit related mods you have installed and where.

quote>

Sorry for the time I take to answer

Ehm, I installed the most recent version (March 05 version) and then everything stop working. The last version was working good.

Every transport related mod... I have a Bus-Subway station (Blue one)and a couple of road-top bus stops and that all, in files in the plugin folders in My document

Thanks for telling me why my NAM isn't working anymore... My cities are sad without the NAM!

[greyveil 37]

did you remove all the files of the previous NAM version first?

[LBII 3]

Date: 3/31/2005 6:27:38 PM
Author: greyveil
did you remove all the files of the previous NAM version first?

quote>

Oh gosh, I think I've simply overwrite the old files with the new one... Maybe I should try to delete my actual files, and place the new one, like a Mod Reboot

[bewilder2 2]

That would help.

[lakeyboy 12]

Date: 3/29/2005 7:11:30 PM Author: GoaSkin
Bridges for road and rail in one are impossible because you need to drag a network over water or a suitable valley. While dragging the network, you can select a bridge for it and no other networks. Even if adding a road&rail bridge to the road bridge menu, it is generally impossible to attach roads and rails to free-standing bridges. For puzzle pieces there is no possibility for bridges.

quote>
So this means we can't create puzzle pieces which remain the same height as it started at over any terrain? I've been wanting that for ages. New possibilities for bridges.

[GoaSkin 2]

Bridges are a special feature in Sim City. Neither lots nor puzzle pieces can be placed on water. Bridges have to defined differently and do only appear if you draw a network over a suitable terrain. You can't draw two networks simultanously.
The only solution may be the onslope puzzle pieces. With the onslope and the raised network pieces, you can create low bridges which can be placed beside each other.

[Swamper77 90]

Date: 4/1/2005 4:25:37 AM Author: GoaSkin Bridges are a special feature in Sim City. Neither lots nor puzzle pieces can be placed on water. Bridges have to defined differently and do only appear if you draw a network over a suitable terrain. You can't draw two networks simultanously. The only solution may be the onslope puzzle pieces. With the onslope and the raised network pieces, you can create low bridges which can be placed beside each other.

quote>

Actually, GoaSkin, you can place puzzle pieces on water. However, they will follow the landscape of the seafloor and disappear under the water. This feature is a side effect of Tropod making the puzzle pieces conforming with the landscape. I have done it across deep channels in a test map on my system and was able to UDI across the entire length of the networks. The effect of the puzzle pieces on water generally looks best in shallow water, though.

-Swamper77

[GoaSkin 2]

There are a few lots which can be placed completely on the water surface. I don't know if that's possible to puzzle pieces too but if so, puzzle pieces for raised roads/ railways to be placed on the water surface may be a solution.

[the7trumpets 10]

Date: 3/5/2005 1:50:26 PM Author: greyveil

ok, I have uploaded the latest NAM (to my knowledge 11-29-04 is still the latest) for those people who are trying to download it, unfortunately I don't have the stack addon yet.

as for why we are having issues hosting it... let me address

I think yahoo has suspended sharing briefcases on free accts, thats probably why redlotus's link does not work,

I have no idea what happen to newyorkrunner, my guess is ego but thats me,

I pray that we hear from Tropod soon, I really miss his guidance.

the link to the NAM is in my sig, I will continue to find a host for this file (and any updates I recieve) until I hear from any active developers, if the link is down PM me and I will email the file to you (include your email addy in the PM)

hope this helps...

Date: 2/21/2005 10:45:02 AM Author: DragonAnime

People, just wait the NAM will be updated. Maybe the reason Tropod has been gone so long is because he has been updating the NAM, probaly not very likely but we can only hope.. There is a good chance it will be updated soon.

Cheers

 

Date: 4/1/2005 7:37:35 PM Author: Andreas Roth

Unfortunately, there are so many requests, but very few people who actually have the capability to create such things, and their plate is already loaded way too much. Many of the old modd squad aren't around anymore, I guess it's time for some fresh blood. So if you're interested in this kind of stuff, try yourself (not only you, mcarch, but everyone who strolls around in this forum)!

 

 

 

If you have looked at the staff page, you will notice that I have been lurking for about two weeks.  For those of you who are relatively new (started coming after December 2003), I'll give you a brief history of who I am:

 

(caution, I'm known for long posts, but they are informative)

 

I began coming here the spring after sc4 came out, and me and a few others started a 'travel time testing' experiment.  This lead to general confusion of how the transit system works, or didn't work, in SC4, so we pulled it apart to pieces until we began to understand its file structure and how it worked in the game.

 

After the release of rush hour, the discoveries really took off.  Redlotus, Tropod, and others made some great discoveries on the RUL and path files, which we continued to pull apart until we really had a full understanding of them.  Once that happened, we noticed bugs in certain ways that transit tiles would draw, and transit tiles which sims would not commute through in the correct manner.  Through the last half of 2003 almost all my time was devoted to 'fixing' these errors with the 'transit bug fix' modd.

 

During this time, our understanding was comlete enough of the transit files, and our understanding of the s3d format was increasing to the point that we could begin to design and get rudimentary 3d network additions into the game with some success.  With the release of the BAT, it made it possible for anyone to do this (see redlotus' interchange tutorial thread).  Because of this, Tropod and Redlotus developed a structure for the NAM so that anyone could design and add content to the NAM independently, and the only thing that would be required to be centralized is the compilation and uploading of the actual modd.

 

I got married that December (2003), so I took a long sebatical from simtropolis life, and concentrated on other things.  This was hard, but necissary.  I came back many months later, and Tropod and Redlotus were deep into the NAM, with almost everything you see with the exception of diagonal puzzle pieces and the stack complete.  I will admit, however, that both of them were beginning to get burnt out since there were countless requests and complaints and very few people actually reading the tutorials and creating new content.

 

When I came back, I unfortunately came back with too much force, and burned myself out fairly quickly.  I didn't ration my simtropolis time, and ended up neglecting other real life things that I should not have neglected.  That was the reason for my sudden 'unanounced' dissapearance.

 

Since then, I have realized that if I am to come back, I need to be more focussed on creating content, and ration the ammount of time I spend on such projects.  So, here I am, announcing just that:

 

 

The state of things now

 

As of now, it looks like some people have stepped up to at least allow people to download the NAM.  The development of the GLR modd has seen some people creating content, and that is a big encouragement.  Unfortunately it seems that Tropod and Redlotus have other things to do at the moment.  Please know that while I don't know why they are not as active as they used to be, I'm quite sure the whine factor didn't encourage them to stick around.  Us modder typically love it when we see new people excited to create and discover new things (e.g. qbert2 back in late 2003).  Please focus your energy on creating and supporting those who are creating rather than whining and complaining.

 

With that said, in order to keep up my promise of actually creating content instead of being an annoying forum commenter not improving the game any, below are the projects I'm currently planning on working on.  If there are some on this list you want to see more than others, please let me know so that I can focus on the most popular one first.  Please also note that as I have said before, my strength is definately the path and RUL files in the game.  3d editing and all those steps is definately not my strong suit.  Because of this, if anyone wants to help out with modeling, these things will be realized much sooner.  If not, everyone will just have to wait a while.  Without further delay, here is the list:

 

 

• 10 or 12 lane highways (5 or 6 lanes per side)  estimated project time: 3 months

Creating the highways is actually more simple than you would think, the hugely time consuming process is the interchanges required to actually use these wide highways.  The general theory would be that when you draw one highway directly next to another, they would combine into a superhighway.  If you didn't want them to combine, you could just draw one elevated and one ground.

• Double decker highways estimated project time: 3 months

These are about as hard as the wide highways, with a BIG playability limitation.  Basically, they would be eyecandy only.  Functionally, they would have to function the same as a ground or elevated highway, meaning that the capacity and speed would be the same.  Still though, I realize people may want the option.

• GLR possibilities

This will take some experimentation, but as I have hinted before, the ANT may serve well in this capacity.  While I have been thoroughly impressed with the work of the GLR team, it does take longer to make s3d pieces with the associated exemplars, etc, than it takes to create flat textured pieces.  It is possible to created textured pieces so they draw the same as roads do.  This would make installation of such tiles easier, and people would encounter fewer 'grade unsuitable for construction' errors.  It would take some time to convert to a textured network, but once it is converted, future additions will be easier, and useability would be improved.  For example, integrating trams on roads, oneways, and avenues, would be much easier.

• El rail over networks expansion

The current implementation of the el rail puzzle pieces over road is a small example of what is possible.  The only limitation is that three networks cannot coexist, meaning you can't have elrail above an intersection between a road and avenue, road and oneway, street and road, etc etc.  This, like the abovementioned GLR possibilities, could be integrated into the eltrain track drawing tool, so that fewer puzzle pieces would be required, and unsuitable grade errors would be reduced.

• General interchange and intersection expansion

This is the easiest thing for someone who wants to help out getting started to do.  All it requires is looking at examples and reading the interchange tutorial section.  If there is much interest in intersections (between two 2d networks), let me know and I'll be happy to write a tutorial).  There have been many suggestions (trumpets, offramps, etc etc), so all you modding hopefulls, give it a stab!!!  If you have any questions or problems, post it in the NAM development thread, and post the completed files there so that me or someone can integrate it into the NAM and post it on this site, so that there is less confusion on where all the versions of the NAM are available.

 

I think that just about does it.  Good luck all, and this concludes my one hour a day I'm limiting myself to sc4 stuff.  Please encourage me to continue development of some of these requests by joining me in creating new content.  Thanks!

 

 

ps - it's good to be back...but I'm a little overwhelmed by the proliferation of emoticons I have to choose from to express my feelings.  So, I'll just choose the third icon from each section:

 

 

There...that should cover it

[mikeseith 457]

Glad to see you are back the7trumpets. Your list of projects is impressive. I can't wait for the larger freeways.

[GoaSkin 2]

Actually, it's hard to contact NAM developers to integrate additions into the NAM.

So, the GLR addon became a generic extension for any kind of NAM addon. Actually it includes apart from lightrail puzzle pieces on-slope pieces created by Smoncrie. Developers from simzone.de are actually creating more ped mal puzzle pieces (optionally with lightrail track on it). Apart from that, a mountain trail set will be in progress.

I think it's time to integrate the next ALPHA release into the NAM when it's out but actually, there are finished extensions for the ALPHA 3 to be integrated including a lightrail ped bridge piece and various ped mal pieces with lightrail on it:

[Saint Andrew 6]

Im having trouble with my ANT roads. They're not doing anything special, they look exactly like roads. What are they supposed to do?

Please help

[greyveil 37]

the7trumpets, it is great to hear your voice of reason again, I am here to help out in any way I can.

I have started doing a few things with network tiles and the BAT too soon to tell if I can succeed at creating anything workable, what I would really like to see is a common file warehouse website that would contain all unfinished models and tutorials and work in progress stuff so we would have a place to go to for reference and to make sure we are not duplicating work (i.e like with models).

 

I am willing to voluteer all the time needed to maintain such a place, just don't know about the hosting issues.

 

The GLR team has impressed me with their diligence and ability to stay focused, your guidance will help this project alot.

 

again, glad to see you back and looking forward to any updates!

[Chris M 406]

  Nice to see you back, 7Trumpets, your list of projetcs is very long and sounds complex but we can wait for those masterpieces, keep this great work up.

[guinea 31]

So good to see you back T7T ,

[andreharv 1,197]

Welcome back t7t.  That response was like a godsend for me.  As long as people are working on the networks, I am still sorta addicted to this site.  I am not too picky about when these interchanges come out but simply the fact that they will...With that being said, I noted that you wanted to know which network addons to focus on.  I would say that the most useful ones at the time would be (in order of importance)

1. Diagonal into orthagonal highway T-intersection (or possibly that  highway Y intersection that was suggested some ways back in the thread...)
2. el rail puzzle pieces for monorail.  I know there is a monorail overpass but I tried to get the el rail past double monorail tracks and it didn't turn out too pretty.
3. 12 lane (or 10+2HOV) Highways.  Will it pass that ffffh (65,535)traffic cap that is set on normal highways?  Also, what is the traffic limit on highways before they lower commute times?
4. Everything else
5. I was going to flip for the double decker highways but I guess the traffic limit goes by tile huh?  But I guess a 12 lane-dd highway would be nice too...maybe?

Thanks man.  I tried using gmax and after about 4 or 5 hours I threw up my hands but I guess I should try again at some point...I got the interchange tutorial thread but i have to work up to the experience to even start using the tutorial

[GoaSkin 2]

I think highway-like exits for avenues would be useful. Apart from that, I am missing stacks for the railway system.
Double decker highways and 12-lane highways are not interesting me. In Europe there are nowhere double decker highways or highways with more than 10 lanes (this only as ring around big cities). Over 90% of all highways aren't bigger than the original highway.

[Ryan B 35]

First and foremost, nice to see a post from you again, T7T!

Secondly, I agree with everything you've said.  I look forward to the expanded highways (6-10 lanes) and the interchanges that will go with them, and the general addition of new interchanges. 

Here's to getting some work done!  (Just don't forget to rationalize your time, or you'll be gone again!)

[JoeMeister 1]

Question: 

I'm getting kind of annoyed by the following:

 

Is there anyway to get those viaducts flat? 

 

I'm hoping someone can help me with my problem...

 

Thanks in advance!