NAM General Discussion Thread

[davidhogan 1]

Date:6/15/2004 3:30:44 PM
Author:sargeantcm

Yeah, half highways would be really cool.  That way we can have medians and stuff like in real life.  Also in real life you have areas where one barrel of the highway can be quite a distance from the other, due to topography, development, etc.

 

quote>

 

Single lane highways could also lead to much more interesting interchange possibilities, plus would be nice for making an inner loop type freeway.  (Like, a very short, but one way, looped freeway to end a spike freeway.  I know I've seen one on a map, but I can't find where it was.)

 

Dave

[Daeley 46]

half highways should not be a priority, as they can already be done!

 

Check out my threads on multi-highways how to create them... you don't have to create the entire multi-highway, you can limit it donw to one-way highways.

[gambit529 0]

even though i dont mind doing all that for water tunnels, i would and im sure others would agree. why cant it be one of the options in the same box for the bridges. and rename the box water crossings.


seriously its not the money i would lose because i know of the god cheat (ctrl+shift+alt+F1 and click on the god mode icon) its just time consuming

[DuskTrooper 314]

WELL, I installed the disable prompts, but it does not work.

[Andreas Roth 607]

Tropod, you made my day!  As you suggested, I removed everything from my plugin folders, even the landmarks from maxis etc., started the game and... it worked - but not because I removed a conflict with other lots, but because I accidentially removed my Sim City 4.cfg file as well. The game created a new one, and now it runs in hardware mode! I've never been able to switch to hardware mode before, but then again I never had the idea to simple delete the cfg file...

 

Needless to say the diagonal cloverleaf looks fine now, and it seems that my not-so-3D  graphics card can handle hardware mode quite well. I made a new icon (less blurry) for the cloverleaf, see attachement.

 

The new ped mall tile will be awesome - right after the bridges on land we can do functional pedestrian areas now! Since it is no lot, I don't know if we can edit the textures (as with the Lot Editor), so I suggest make the textures looking something like this:

 

 

BTW, you can call me Andreas, I had to register with my surname as well, 'cause Andreas was already given away.

[the Monkeys Uncle 35]

Date: 6/15/2004 3:53:16 PM
Author:

half highways should not be a priority, as they can already be done!

Check out my threads on multi-highways how to create them... you don't have to create the entire multi-highway, you can limit it donw to one-way highways.

quote>
I KNOW that! But it is still impossible to do diagonal ones, or make bridges over them. It would be much easier and better if we could just draw them ourselves. [hint hint nudge nudge Tropod]

[Skippydam73 0]

Tropod, I have a couple ideas that I had not seen added yet. For the elevated road, avenue, how about adding off/on ramps to the other networks? Also, what about elevated intersections? I dont think its possible but thought to ask. Here in Portland, OR, some intersections by the hiway are elevated due to railroad tracks nearby. Great by the way....

[Ryan B 35]

Yeah.  I could use some bridges over those half-highways!

[spy360 1]

Has anyone thought of making the roads wider. Like a real road there should be 2 lanes going one way and 2 going the other? and there should be a middle turning lane. Not like an avenue with a divider.

[bbruzzes 0]

Another nice thing about half highways is we could make it easier to build through rough terrain. An example of this occurs on I-24 in Tennessee, a I-8 in California where there are spots where the opposing carriageways are nearly a mile apart due to the rugged mountains.

[aerojad 8]

Date: 6/15/2004 12:48:48 AM
Author:
will it be possible for y-interchanges on the highways



a straight highway splitting into 2 diagonal ones

quote>

This would be awesome if it could be pulled off.

[Ryan B 35]

I have so many instances where I can use a Y-interchange, it's not even funny.

[Skippydam73 0]

Date: 6/15/2004 7:01:31 PM
Author:

Has anyone thought of making the roads wider. Like a real road there should be 2 lanes going one way and 2 going the other? and there should be a middle turning lane. Not like an avenue with a divider.

quote>

Spy360,
Well there is a thread in this Mod section on adding turn lanes at avenue intersections. While it is possible to make roads wider than they are tile wise, the man hours to complete would be too enormous.

[joexcooldude 1]

I thought of a good idea while I was at a shopping center today. We could create a bus pull-off next to bus stops. I dont mean like a separate road for the buses only, but a place thats wider in the road next to the bus stop so traffic can go past the bus. Another good idea would be bus lanes that run parallel to the road, but are not separate roads but just an added lane.

[Casper3141 60]

Tropod do you think you can make an Ave-Road intersection that is controlled by stopsigns?not Streetlights? like the Ave-Street Intersection except Ave Traffic stops for the stopsign too?

[Tropod 144]

Date:6/15/2004 5:13:04 PM
Author:DuskTrooper

WELL, I installed the disable prompts, but it does not work.

quote>

Well, then the file is either;

-Not installled properly [or in the right place. Make sure it is in the exact same folder, and not a Sub-Folder, as the Main mod, and that you do not change the File names-this is very important, as the file names can & do dictate what file(s) are read when the game loads].

-there's another file apart from the NetworkAddonMod.dat that is causing interference with the NoAutoPromt file then. Though, I doubt this would be the case, since you have had the overpasses etc working. So it's probably the first one I would think [least it seems that way from the sounds of it].

In any event, I'll be changing this for the next major update, as I've already mentioned.

[+Guest]

Oh, peeps, you're doing great things! I like your way in experimenting and developing so I have some questions about some things on this mod.

First, I wonder - is it possible to make all the overpasses a little bit lower? I mean, the standart in-game road-hwy overpass is very-very lofty, especially in comparsion with ave-hwy overpass ans hwy-hwy overpass (with or without cloverleaf).
This huge difference in loftiness make me stop using road-hwy overpasses, and even worse - all these great overpasses from the Network Addon Mod.

The second is not a question, rather it's an idea.

What if to create (or edit) overpass ramp 3d model segments suitable to one SC4 tile, that will allow very varied according to the topographic I think.
This thing would be great feature for the terraforming experts, who love to create ground high-ways beneath the ground level. Also, It will allow creating ground ramps by means of terraforming (my dream) with no any crooked avenues or hihgways (ah-h).

I just don't have a time to look into it by myself, what a pity!

[joerg 280]

Yes i would have to agree with marrasat you guys are making the overpasses and the new interchange simply to tall. The new interchange is almost ruined becuase of this. It looks sort of like a wild mouse roller coaster in rct with that really high u turn thing. Dont get me wrong the work you guys are doing is amazing its just it is alittle tall.

[Equinox 1,209]

I'm glad we have overpasses at all now ... Maxis never would have gone this far ...

[arrellb 2]

Hey, Marrast,

I love the group of underpasses that you put out on the STEX awhile back. Do you think it would be possible for them to become a functional addition to the NAM if somehow Tropod and others can upgrade them from their eye candy status and remove them from the landmarks menu? Just a thought.

[builderman 3]

Date: 6/16/2004 6:59:48 AM
Author:
Hey, Marrast,

I love the group of underpasses that you put out on the STEX awhile back. Do you think it would be possible for them to become a functional addition to the NAM if somehow Tropod and others can upgrade them from their 'eye candy' status and remove them from the landmarks menu? Just a thought.

quote>

I believe that turned out to be impossible because of the games pathing files. (problems with going underground)

[redlotus 16]

For everyone having problems with the new intersection in software mode--as Tropod said, a solution has been found.  Unfortunately, it won't be a quick fix.  Apparently, in software mode, the game cannot use textures that are larger than 256x256.  I am working as fast as I can to get this cleaned up.

 

marrast and joerg:  I never knew that any of you folks had issues with the height of these things.  The question I have for you is this:  is it the actual height difference between levels or is it the slope of the level changes are too steep?  If it's the former, how many meters do you think should separate the different levels?  If it's the latter, I have already started to change the way that I'm making new interchanges for the future.  For example, here is a quick peek at my first try for the ground version of the diag/orth interchange:

 

 

For this new version, I increased the size of the overall model (from 12x12 to 14x14), increased the radius of the turns, and tried to reduce the slope as much as possible.  I know that it's kinda hard to judge the model like this, but does this look a little less 'rollercoaster-ish' to you?

 

What if to create (or edit) overpass ramp 3d model segments suitable to one SC4 tile, that will allow very varied according to the topographic I think.

 

Actually, all of the models in this mod are already created this way.  All of the models are made up of individual pieces that the game engine has to assemble to create the whole.  Also, all of the pieces are completely 3D, so the game can modify them to conform to the terrain.

 

-red

[the Monkeys Uncle 35]

That looks much bette Redlotus. It also helps that there isn't 3 different levels too. Slopes are pretty good and smooth I'd say.

As for the general overpass slopes, I think they look pretty good. I *guess* they could be lowered a bit, but it's not too neccessary in my case.

[+Guest ckokotay]

That looks great. Looks like the start of many new interesections. But, don't make this one replace the previous one - have it in addition to the other one. This will allow us to have many different types of interchanges in our cities.

Once again, great work, this is really great stuff!

[Ryan B 35]

WOW!  That looks pretty good there!  I like how two ramps look like a cloverleaf, and the other two are flyover.  Great mix!

 

Should be fun (and a little confusing) to UDI on, eh?

[+Guest]

To RedLotus:

...marrast and joerg: I never knew that any of you folks had issues with the height of these things. The question I have for you is this: is it the actual height difference between levels or is it the slope of the level changes are too steep? If it's the former, how many meters do you think should separate the different levels?..

I was talking about actual height of any overpass, not about ramp slope steepness I think it should be smaller even one and half.

...Actually, all of the models in this mod are already created this way. All of the models are made up of individual pieces that the game engine has to assemble to create the whole. Also, all of the pieces are completely 3D, so the game can modify them to conform to the terrain...

No no, that's not exacly what I'm talking about. I realize all that you saying about 3D models. In this case I show you what I exacly mean:




On a left is a standart SC4 ramp 3d model scheme. After the terraforming and placing any ramp on it (from Network Mod or any SC4 overpass) we got that what in the lower left corner of the pic - very unrealistic roughness. This is the result of in-game 3d model correcting according the ground level.

But if the 3d model will have 3d vertices will placed exacly at the SC4 tile borders, in theory the result of in-game 3D correcting wil be much better - look at the right.

But is only a theory. I can't try it in practice, that I didn't even work with SC4 3d models and don't have time to learn it as yet.

[ardecila 124]

Marrast, there are Urban Overpasses in the works so we can do overpasses over ditches. There are issues with Urban-style diamond interchanges, though.

You guys say you want a highway y-intersection? That shouldn't be too hard, as the only pieces I need to change are already available to me through the in-game trumpets.

Can we do interchanges in puzzle-piece form? If so, I could make some parclos.

[DuskTrooper 314]

Date:6/16/2004 1:39:29 AM
Author:Tropod

Date:6/15/2004 5:13:04 PM
Author:DuskTrooper

WELL, I installed the disable prompts, but it does not work.

quote>

Well, then the file is either;

-Not installled properly [or in the right place. Make sure it is in the exact same folder, and not a Sub-Folder, as the Main mod, and that you do not change the File names-this is very important, as the file names can & do dictate what file(s) are read when the game loads].

-there's another file apart from the NetworkAddonMod.dat that is causing interference with the NoAutoPromt file then. Though, I doubt this would be the case, since you have had the overpasses etc working. So it's probably the first one I would think [least it seems that way from the sounds of it].

In any event, I'll be changing this for the next major update, as I've already mentioned.

quote>

Hmm... well, they are all in the same folder, but maybe something else is interfering.

 

I think I have like a replacement file for the railroad signs, and that might be the culprit...

[joerg 280]

Ok i guess i have a problem with the slop and the height but decreasing the height will also change the slope so that should kill 2 birds with one stone.  Also as shown in that newest pic you are maybe spreading things out alittle to much. Here is a little drawing show perhaps a change you could make.

See things need to just flow. Right now you have alot of places where it just all of a sudden starts turning. Now im not sure how you are with modeling along splines and such so if this is hard for you to do i completely understand that. And the main blue part it seems like the ramp just jumps up and then stays flat for awhile and just jumps right back down and here you could easilly make it a smooth transition with little to no flat portion at the top. Overall it looks great but readjusting a few minor things will do wonders i think.

 

And as for a specific height i would have to say 6-7 meters. A real over pass is usually about 17-18 ft alitttle more for a rail. And as for stretching them out in the vertical direction becuase of simcity perpective im guessing thats not nessecary simply becuase of how small of space these overpasses have to be in. A normal highway will usually kep the grade always below about 10 degrees and in the pic im guessing thats atleast a 30.

 

You guys are doing some amazing stuff and i cant wait for the ground level version.

[newyorkrunaway1 110]

You have your people going in circles. do you see that. the south bound lane has an exit that immediatly puts them back on the same highway, but going north bound. just an observarion.