NAM General Discussion Thread

[+Guest]

I've mirrored it again. I've made Andreas Roth's merged file available for download at my own webspace. There are three formats:

• 7-zip archive * (6 588 270 bytes)
• Self-extracting 7-zip archive (6 667 630 bytes)
• Conventional zip file (9 461 705 bytes)

All of these files are identical in contents. The first 7-zip file is much much smaller, though you'll need a different zip program to extract it, the free, open-source 7-zip (figures). The self-extracting 7-zip file is nearly as small, but with a header that lets the computer extract it. It can compress files much smaller than regular zip can, and it saves you and me bandwidth and download time. The second file is a 7-zip file that will unpack itself. (Sidenote: Mozilla uses 7-zip to compress their downloads.)

Please download either of the first two, as it saves me bandwidth and will cut your download time by approx. ¹/₃. Thanks!

[newyorkrunaway1 110]

this is a lot of help guys, i was wondering where the rail stack was. lol

[GoaSkin 2]

When I try to plop the ground highway/ avenue side-ramp, the game freezes. Is this a NAM- or a Mac-bug?

[Bones1 96]

I apologize if this is a known issue, but I noticed that the road-over-groundHighway puzzle piece doesn't cast shadows on the highway beneath it. The rail-over-groundHighway does cast shadows. See the two pictures below, and notice in the first one that the rail is casting a shadow, but when I remove the rail you can clearly see the road does not cast a shadow. (Also note that one of the road tiles of the on-slope puzzle piece is a slightly lighter shade than it should be.)

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//RailoverGH.jpg align=baseline>

 

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//RoadoverGH.jpg align=baseline>

[moss01 0]

I was just curious if the new NAM comes with the right side turning lanes.The version I have only has the left version.

[smoncrie 43]

Bones1, all of the NAM puzzle pieces that are not at ground level should have shadows.  I added shadows to the rail pieces as part of my cosmetic mod, but the rest, like many other things, still wait to be done.

Everyone, I have created a basic tutorial on how to use the OnSlope Puzzle pieces.  You can find it here .

[prince_of_sims 0]

Date: 7/26/2005 8:50:50 PM Author: moss01 I was just curious if the new NAM comes with the right side turning lanes.The version I have only has the left version.

quote>

right side turning lanes? the Avenue Turning Lanes project only created left turn lanes for the avenues. someone, i can't remember who, is working on left turn lanes for roads, but that's it.... nor right turn lanes

[jplumbley 5]

Hi I was looking through the list of new intersection types and was wondering how to make some of them.

-Diagonal Avenue dead ending into a street or road corner
-Diagonal Avenue into one way forked transition, both Ortho/Ortho and Ortho/Diag
-Avenue curve with one way Offsplits
-Street, Road, or One Way Orthogonal with and without Junctions into Avenue Corners

Could someone please help me by explaining or showing pictures of how to make these intersections. They would be a great help for me in my cities. Thanks! BTW GREAT update to NAM, love the diagonal roads and Avenue Y-intersections.

[kassarc16 4]

Date: 7/27/2005 12:19:30 AM Author: prince_of_sims

right side turning lanes? the Avenue Turning Lanes project only created left turn lanes for the avenues. someone, i can't remember who, is working on left turn lanes for roads, but that's it.... nor right turn lanes

quote>

 

I think he's talking about the turning lanes being on the left side of the road while he has right-side driving.

 

Look for a Left-Side driving related file/folder in the NAM directories and delete them. That should solve the problem.

[Tropod 144]

thetorpedodog

Thanks for the additional hosting.

 

GoaSkin

I couldn't say off-hand, but I doubt it is NAM related. The NAM does not touch the GroundHighway/AvenueRamp item as far as I am aware.

 

 

Bones1

Yeah, we're aware of some issues such as this. As they're considered a minor visual inconsistancy, they don't have a priority at the moment. Myself personally, my focus tends to be on the implementation of newer items, rather than how they look (though this often gets factored into it). Others though take the opposite approach.

 

 

moss01

You need to *properly* read the InstallationInstructions that is included with the NAM, specifically the section regarding which files to install.

 

 

smoncrie

Thanks for that tutorial. I was starting to think I'll be the only one ever to post a tute in that thread

 

 

jplumbley

All you do is use the existing normal network tools (i.e. Avenue/Road/etc). You need to join the mentioned networks in the direction mentioned. So diagonal avenue dead ending into road corner.....make a 90 degree road corner, & then drag diagonal avenue into the outside of the road corner. As for those others; I will see if I can find some time to show in-game pics with some of the newer intersections added (of which would most likely be posted in the Networks: Custom Content: How To's & Sample Pics  thread).

 

[fishstix001 0]

I downloaded the newest nam and I only saw one new piece

as well as no turning lanes on a 4 way stop on an avenue

whats up with this?

[aasim45 1]

I am having some problems with the newest version of NAM (the July edition)

 

First of all, I can't seem to connect any puzzle pieces with the regular ones that maxis provided. Eg. The one with an Avenue over a Road / Railway / Avenue. In this case, I can't connect the below road with another road, below railway with the general railway. What's up? Why can't I get this done? I could do this with the June edition. What am I doing wrong?

 

Also there are no Turning Lanes on my Avenue Intersections. What new file do I have to use for this now?

 

Please Help!! Someone!!

[prince_of_sims 0]

Date: 7/28/2005 3:59:08 AM Author: aasim45

I am having some problems with the newest version of NAM (the July edition)

First of all, I can't seem to connect any puzzle pieces with the regular ones that maxis provided. Eg. The one with an Avenue over a Road / Railway / Avenue. In this case, I can't connect the below road with another road, below railway with the general railway. What's up? Why can't I get this done?

quote>

to use a network-on-network puzzle piece, you MUST lay the below network first, then place the puzzle piece on top of it...

 

so, first step: lay underlying network, like this:     ---

 

second step, plop puzzle piece like so:     -+-

 

make sure that the puzzle piece goes in the middle of the network, as in there are at least one tile of the underlying network on each side of the puzzle piece.

 

there is a tutorial on how to use the NAM puzzle pieces, i suggest you find it and read it.

[aasim45 1]

prince_of_sims: Thanks a lot for your help! 

 

But still I have problems with the Avenue Turning Lanes not showing up. Do I have to do something for that?

[Buster 9]

The turning lanes aren't showing up for me either! I thought it was just me! Everything else works, though. I'm starting to think it's just one of those things... maybe the planets aren't aligned properly... strange local magnetic fields...

[thatmonkeysim 8]

ATL isnt included with NAM the last time around i dont think...

i dont know so quote me

[Tropod 144]

I've looked at this on my end & nothing suggests that there's anything preventing the ATL from working as it has previously.

As usual, please do make sure you've removed any previous NAM related file(s), including files released in other threads that provide or add increased Network functionality. So this would include any previously released ATL file, diagonal streets file, roundabouts file, new intersections file & so on, that pre-dates the existing NAM.dat file. Also make sure the ATL file is in the exact same folder as the main NAM.dat & that the file names are not changed. All of this is effectively outlined in the documentation.

 

[aasim45 1]

Check out this picture.

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/1550/0011225640162pr.jpg align=baseline>

 

As you can see, I have the Round-a-bout feature on, but not the Avenue Turning Lanes. I have the following files in my Program Files\Maxis\Simcity 4\Plugins\NAM directory.

 

NetworkAddonMod.dat

NetworkAddonMod_ANT_Plugin_Beta.dat

NetworkAddonMod_Addendum_Y_Rail_Stack.dat

NetworkAddonMod_Automata_Plugin_Radical.dat

NetworkAddonMod_Avenue_Turning_Lane_Plugin_Beta.dat

NetworkAddonMod_Custom_Highway_Menu_Plugin_Optional.dat

NetworkAddonMod_Roundabouts_Plugin_Beta.dat

NetworkAddonMod_Traffic_Plugin_BetterPathfinding_5xCapacity_10xSpeeds_10xCommute.dat

 

All the other Puzzle Pieces are active in my Game. So can anyone throw a light on why the Avenue-Turning Lanes are not showing up in my game.

 

 

 

Note: Above Picture is 800 X 600 pixels (96 KB).

[Buster 9]

OK, I had a look, and I did in fact have earlier roundabout and diagonal street files installed. I replaced those with the ones from the latest NAM, and the turning lanes now work fine. (And they look really cool, too!)

Sorry for the inconvenience. I'll just be over here kicking myself for being sloppy about reading documentation.

Aasim45, I still can't really see what your problem is, unless you, too, have files like these lurking about in some other folder.

[Cjah 15]

Date: 7/28/2005 10:56:05 AM Author: thatmonkeysim ATL isnt included with NAM the last time around i dont think... i dont know so quote me

quote>

Wait you don't know,but you'll let him quote you....lol

 

I too have the roundabouts and I no longer have to ave turn lanes.Is there anything i can do to fix that...or do I do what Buster did?

[aasim45 1]

Cjah, If you have old files of the NAM, then you have to delete the old files and install the fresh ones that came with the new edition of NAM.

I just installed Simcity 4 a few days ago, and I can say for sure that I do not have any old NAM files on my system. In fact, I deleted the older zip version of the NAM (June Edition), when the new one came.

 

EDIT: Ok, I solved my problem. In my case, there was another plugin which was conflicting with NAM.

[Ultima 0]

How about right turn yield-turns? These are common where I live (Montreal).

To get an idea of what this is, look at the screen captures below. Notice that for the left intersection, I can use streets to get this effect, but for the right intersection, I cannot use streets because of the alignment of the intersection. Also, this cannot be done for orthogonal intersections. In the second shot, I've photoshopped the image to show what a new intersection could look like.




For the second topic, look at the following shots. In real-life, a left turn (and right turn without the streets) would be difficult to do (maybe impossible for an 18-wheeler) at such an intersection.
I've photoshopped the second image to show what a more realistic intersection might look like ( a bad photoshop, i know )




Lastly, how about more realistic lane widths? The Avenue's pavement is wide enough to hold 3 lanes (or 2 lanes plus a parking lane), even with that beautiful wide median.

[tripleinversia 0]

I got the new July NAM release but the diagonal streets aren't working for me. I never had the original version, and NAM is the only MOD I have that affects streets. I've checked to make sure that I didn't accidentally delete the .dat (or w/e type it is) file, and to make sure I even reinstalled NAM.

Is anyone else having this problem or just me?

[aasim45 1]

Date: 7/28/2005 12:55:40 PM Author: tripleinversia

I got the new July NAM release but the diagonal streets aren't working for me. I never had the original version, and NAM is the only MOD I have that affects streets. I've checked to make sure that I didn't accidentally delete the .dat (or w/e type it is) file, and to make sure I even reinstalled NAM.

Is anyone else having this problem or just me?

quote>

 

Hi, there! You have to make a zig-zag section of the street to get a diagonal one. About three four sections will do.

 

 

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[nonessentialnoodle 2]

Im having the same problem with no more turning lanes since the july update, the june one worked fine  so I have replaced all the old nam files with the new ones at least 4 times and still no success, i even tried using the old nam turning lane file but it still didnt work

[prince_of_sims 0]

it'd be nice to hear from Tropod.... it seems that the Avenue Turn Lanes not showing up in the new NAM is a common problem...... i too have it, and i just uninstalled Swamper's sidewalk mod

[Teirusu 38]

Guys,

 

Make SURE you have not only deleted all of the old NAM files but ALSO the old roundabout and diagonal street files from your plugin folders as well.

 

-Teirusu

[Teirusu 38]

Oh!  Also try renaming the 'NetworkAddonMod_Avenue_Turning_Lane_Plugin_Beta.dat' to something like 'ZZZ_NetworkAddonMod_Avenue_Turning_Lane_Plugin_Beta.dat' too.

-Teirusu

[killer0027 0]

I was having the same problem with the July NAM. I uninstalled the Left Turn file, and re installed it, everything works fine now.

[Tropod 144]

Date: 7/28/2005 4:48:48 PM Author: prince_of_sims it'd be nice to hear from Tropod.... it seems that the Avenue Turn Lanes not showing up in the new NAM is a common problem...... i too have it, and i just uninstalled Swamper's sidewalk mod

quote>

 

It's a common problem, not only with ATL, but with some items in general. This is because people fail to (properly) read & follow the documentation. And I would say in 95% of cases this is the problem. Rarely is it because of an issue which is the fault of a release (the latest version & the Rail Y-Stack being mistakenly left out is probably the biggest slip through the cracks since the NAMs inception).

One of the contributing factors to peoples' issues is because of how the Networks are handled; all the Network RUL files are unique to the games engine. If more than one of these RUL files exist in the plugins folder, which is the same RUL, the game will only load one of them. And this is where most problems occur. Hence why it's paramount that people read & follow the install instructions to the letter, & to look at the Q&A at the first signs of trouble. I don't believe there's anything additional that I can say, that probably isn't already covered for in the documentation, that's necessarily going to help. It covers issues both specific & general, to deal with the many problems users may or may not have.