Canals/Waterways - Image

[S.A.C 20]

...oh, and again;

SAVE OFTEN


This will allow you to take some risks and experiment with different solutions, and you can easily escape to region view, (without saving), and re-enter from where you saved the last time you were satisfied with the development https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/1.gif>

Couldn't be mentioned too often https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/22.gif>

[n74704 21]

isn't the road tool wonderful?

 

flat-land instantly!  i don't think i could've done the stuff i did without it.

 

-EDIT-

 

every time you get the chance, SAVE!!!  I learned the hard way yesterday.  i had built a brand new city and it was just starting to take off when - BOOM - game crashes to desktop.

[eangulus 3]

Would just like to mention this. Having the Elevated Highway placed in at ground level as you done with the elevated rail, would allow you to then FINALLY get Monorails to go over them.

Sounds like a great solution

[n74704 21]

no it wouldn't.  this leveling the terrain is only a visual thing.  The monorail would still hit the freeway.

[eangulus 3]

Why would it hit the freeway?

Wouldn't it create a Bridge accross the lowered terrain?

[Slybine 0]

How do you get those pedestrian walkways ? They are very nice, but I can't figure out how to put them in my Cities.

Thanks

[fgottes 5]

Agra the one prob I see with the ground level El rail is how can sims can't get to the station and hence be functional since its seperated from the road by one of Pegs lots?

 

Very cool idea https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/3.gif>

[Smack Sim 0]

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On 1/25/2004 2:03:06 AM fgottes wrote:

Agra the one prob I see with the ground level El rail is how can sims can't get to the station and hence be functional since its seperated from the road by one of Pegs lots?

Very cool idea

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Well, if they were PEG's lots, they'd probably be transit-enabled, and the pedestrians wouldn't have a problem dashing out of their car, across the plaza, over the fence, and into the speeding well-train.

On the other hand, as Agra pointed out, the 'leveling' lots are really extraneous. Any foundation-building thing would work, including a busstop!

Agra, simply superb! Wowies. Your mini-tutorials are great too, even if they take several readings to get the message. I think most readers will find that if they just give it a try, it isn't that hard, it's just slow to get it right, and takes some experimenting. I'm looking forward to more tutorials, etc..

-Smack

[A Killer Ewok 2]

here's something i did just right now inspired by the picture. these are the possible ways you can to this...

 

you CAN to it highway style!...

 

with dire consequences.

 

a bit awkward for the underpasses...

 

looks kinda neat on the other side! you can see the pillers supporting the highway!

 

and yes! eltrains and monorails are level!

 

havent got time to do monorail to highway passes, i have to sleep now.

Enjoy!!!

[chunkymon24490 6]

Cool! What ppl r asking for is a supertram network, for local transport. Thats what the other rail sorta thing is. I think someones making it. I forgot who. http://www.maketradefair.com/img/english/logo.gif width=257 border=0>

[S.A.C 20]

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On 1/25/2004 2:00:41 AM Slybine wrote:How do you get those pedestrian walkways ?  They are very nice, but I can't figure out how to put them in my Cities.

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/23.gif border=0>

Thanks

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If you're referring to the lots themselves, they're custom-made!  There are several available on the LEX - although the ones showing up in my images are made by me! https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/1.gif>

Eangulus;

n74704 is right!  However, I don't use the rain tool so I can't answer if it

[fgottes 5]

So basically the rail station shown above sorounded by lot is nonfunctioning.  Visually its incredible and putting a road tile on it would disturb the effect.  Although the bus stop in front may seem like a good idea sims cannot pass from one transit enabled lot to another, so placing a bus stop would not be functional.

 

How do you solve the problem of road crossings?

 

P.S. there is a tutorial for transit enabling your lots out there.  Personally I haven't had the time to look at it and I don't know how to transit enable lots either.

[Smack Sim 0]

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On 1/25/2004 5:48:28 AM fgottes wrote:

So basically the rail station shown above sorounded by lot is nonfunctioning. Visually its incredible and putting a road tile on it would disturb the effect. Although the bus stop in front may seem like a good idea sims cannot pass from one transit enabled lot to another, so placing a bus stop would not be functional.

How do you solve the problem of road crossings?

P.S. there is a tutorial for transit enabling your lots out there. Personally I haven't had the time to look at it and I don't know how to transit enable lots either.

----------------

Sounds like you answered your own question! I don't make lots, but i know there are some transit enabled ones out there. Try PEGs latest fountain-plaza things. Should work as a lot to start with.

And Agra, I was kidding a bit, and your explanations are getting better as time goes by. I think you must be realizing that people are really interested and that it's not so easy for those of us not used to real 'fine-point' terraforming. Custom lots do help a bit, especially with the foundation trick.

-Smack

[S.A.C 20]

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On 1/25/2004 5:48:28 AM fgottes wrote:

So basically the rail station shown above sorounded by lot is nonfunctioning.  Visually its incredible and putting a road tile on it would disturb the effect.  Although the bus stop in front may seem like a good idea sims cannot pass from one transit enabled lot to another, so placing a bus stop would not be functional.

 

How do you solve the problem of road crossings?

 

P.S. there is a tutorial for transit enabling your lots out there.  Personally I haven't had the time to look at it and I don't know how to transit enable lots either.

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Hmm, I did some testing when I woke up!  I thought about this issue when I went to bed last night and tried to figure out different possible solutions - but that's in my bedtime imagination https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/9.gif>

Anyway, it turns out that you'll need a road connection for the station to be functional - which might be the same for the monorail ones as well. I have a monorail in my city with four stations, but these are connected to roads so I haven't really noticed whether these also will display no-road-connection if the roads weren't there.

Well, if doing like me with a subway-on-ground/at-ground-level, simply place a single road tile, (not street), in the middle tile in front of the station. Ensure the yellow road is levelled at ground before releasing the click, and it should be placed properly.

As a result of this I had to re-do my platform lots, so the result turned out like this;



It's a station near the harbor and a minor commercial area.  The railroad track behind the station is for freight trains only!  Well, as you can see I had to extend the previous platform into two ones, and I also added these ordinary subway entrances - which covers part of the street. Yes, after placing the road I deleted it and replaced it with a street instead for better appearances.  Still, I can live with this new platform.  If you think about it, there's a platform on the other side as well, and people obviously need a place to get from one side of the tracks to the other.  Imagine there could be stores below or even walkways to a real subway nearby https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/9.gif>

Now, if the railroad running behind the station were a passenger rail, I could have placed a station, maing it look like this;



Still looks kind of cool - and the subway entrances do fill their purposes even better now https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/3.gif>

Here's an image of the station from another angle, showing the subway entrances;



I think it looks kind of neat, don

[Smack Sim 0]

I wonder, would pedestrians cross over to a passenger rail like you have in your second picture? I bet they would. If you use the route query tool, maybe we can get a picture of them crossing from the street -> 'Well-train' -> passenger train. I'll see if I can manage it soon. Right now I'm too busy having fun with a huge park I'm making. Great new pics and angles Agra.

- Smack

[S.A.C 20]

They should be able to do that!  However, since my lots aren't transit enabled I don't think they'd walk over to the railroad station - which btw isn't functioning since this is a freight track only.  I just placed the railroad station for the visual effect https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/1.gif>

The lots placed at the sides of the e-train station are basically placed as sloped tiles, (is that a word?), although presenting a foundation.  The road is there and below the e-train station are the pedestrian walkway, (hidden right now of course), so why not., They should be able to cross just fine! https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/3.gif>  And that makes my subway stairs a lot more cool I'd think https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/9.gif>

[n74704 21]

well, when i did the el-trick i didn't really care if it was functional or not.  and to get rid of the zots, i just use SHFT+CTRL+ALT+X and type tastyzots.  The el-transit will be functional in other places, so i just leave a few areas with beautiful wasted space.

[eangulus 3]

Would you be able to compile all your Tutorials into one post?

Also it would be great if you could create a word and/or PDF version of your tutorials with pics so that we can download.

BTW: Awsome city and I am still trying to understand your instructions for making the elevated rail at ground level.

[fgottes 5]

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/1.gif> Nice solution Agra.  I like how you use the subways  as underpasses even if they really aren't functional for that.  At least the el rail works now, which was the point.

 

- Hope this answers your question fgottes.  -

Not entirely Agra - I was really wondering if you had any roads connecting underneath the lowered el line and if you have found any creative ways to with the problem of roads crossing it, and not getting the canyon effect as Ewok got in his post above? 

[S.A.C 20]

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On 1/25/2004 6:49:07 PM eangulus wrote:Would you be able to compile all your Tutorials into one post?

Also it would be great if you could create a word and/or PDF version of your tutorials with pics so that we can download.

BTW: Awsome city and I am still trying to understand your instructions for making the elevated rail at ground level.

----------------

I will try to make some sort of a compilation of all my tutorials later on - with images.  Meanwhile, making your own subway-on-ground/at-ground-level, (does anyone have a better name for this solution https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/1.gif>), isn't that hard.


1. Choose a spot and grab the terrain tool;

Focus on the terrain where you want the SOG/AGL, (yeah, let's call it that for now), and choose the lowering tool available from the Mayor God Mode.  You want a suitable size, therefor click SHIFT and 1 on your keyboard and the blue circle will get smaller.  Do this for whatever terrain tool you use!

2. Work with the terrain tool;

Place the blue circle on the spot of your choice and click once.  Notice what part of the tile this particular click affects.  If it's the right one, continue with 11 more clicks - on the same tile.  If you accidently clicked the wrong tile, choose the levelling tile instead and level it out.  If you clicked more than a total of 12 clicks, choose the raising tool, raise the terrain with one click.  Often this tool will raise the tile two steps, so you may want to adjust the raising click with one click with the lowering tool again!

3. Move on to the next tile;

Once done with the initial tile, continue with the tile next to it and make the same amount of clicks.  Move back to the first tile, but continue to the tile in front of it and click 12 times.  Once done, continue with the tile next to this one.  If done correctly you would now have ended up with a 1-tile square equally lowered on each 4 corners.

4. Switch tool;

Now is the time to make use of another tool - the levelling one.  Choose it and adjust the size to the smallest one.  Place the blue circle on the lowered tile, click - BUT DO NOT RELEASE IT - and start moving the blue circle to the next tile where the SOG/AGL is supposed to run.  Continue as long as you want - or have planned for your new trains.

If done correctly you should end up with a long row of lowered tiles, (1-tile wide), suitable for an elevated rail to be placed.

5. Let the construction workers make it to pay day;

Choose the subway-on-ground and lay it exactly on the lowered tiles, and let the construction team take care of the work. 

6. Hide the pillars

Now it's time to use the foundation trick!  Choose a suitable lot, (if un-certain whether it will create a foundation or not, view different lots in the Lot Editor.  The Elevation Change should be set to a high number - for these lots I usually set it to 90.0, and the Foundation Threshold set to 0, (Zero).  A lot for this purpose should be 1-tile wide, but can have a different length.

Place the lot on the sloping sides of the new railroad ssytem. Make sure the arrow on the lot points upwards towards the ground level - NOT DOWN, NOR AT LEFT OR RIGHT - JUST UP. Click and it should be placed with a foundation. Continue with the next slope until you're done all over.

7. I want a station;

...and probably also your sims.  Choose a preferred spot and place the station.  Choose the track laying tool again and drag through the station to ensure it's fully connected.

8. I'm imprisoned;

Yes, that will happen with your sims if you consider yourself done with the project at this time.  Your sims needs to be able to get on and off the station and continue to nearby areas. Therefor a good idea is to place a road connection.

Follow these steps properly;

A-  Demolish the foundation lot placed exactly on the middle tile in front of the station. The station has a length of three tiles, so it must be the second sloped tile facing the station.

B- Choose the road laying tool - NOT THE STREET. Place it on the tile where you recently demolished a lot, and click BUT DON'T RELEASE IT JUST YET!  First ensure that the yellow road is visually placed on the same level as your ground, IT MUST NOT BEND TOWARDS THE GROUND IN ANY WAY! 

C- If the yellow road shows up properly, release the click and it will raise the ground and place itself on it.  You won't see this since this is hidden by surrounding lots, but it's done.

D- You will now have a single road tile placed, but with no connection to the actual road or street running nearby.  This is the time to decide whether to change  from road to street. It's perfectly safe to demolish the road and replace it with a street if that's what you prefer.  Otherwise, connect the road or street with an existing structure nearby.

E- You will now have a functional station, connected to the ordinary infrastructure.

Tips;

If you want a busstop placed in the same manor, simply demolish a lot as described above and place the busstop WITH THE ARROW FACING UP TOWARDS THE GROUND LEVEL. Click and it's placed, ready to use! https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/3.gif> 

 

Good Luck!

If encountering any problems, don't hesitate to post them here https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/1.gif>

[S.A.C 20]

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On 1/25/2004 7:14:43 PM fgottes wrote:

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/1.gif> Nice solution Agra.  I like how you use the subways  as underpasses even if they really aren't functional for that.  At least the el rail works now, which was the point.

 

- Hope this answers your question fgottes.  -

Not entirely Agra - I was really wondering if you had any roads connecting underneath the lowered el line and if you have found any creative ways to with the problem of roads crossing it, and not getting the canyon effect as Ewok got in his post above? 

----------------

Thanks https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/1.gif>

I have roads and avenues going underneath the new railroad, but I don't use foundation lots where these underpasses are placed.  I usually demolish the ones right next to the underpass on both sides and replaces them with a tree lot or similar.  This solution hides the ugly edges on remaining foundation lots - apart from adding a touch of beautiful environment to it https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/9.gif> 

In the same manor do I hide the new railroad when it runs diagonally.  It isn't possible to use foundation lots there so a better solution is to use a tree-lot or something similar.  It hides the pillars just as well.

I hope this answers your question https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/3.gif>

UPDATE;

Ok, this is just a silly reflection but I just noticed there are almost 8000 views to this topic. I had no idea there was such an interest!  If I should consider this as some sort of a pressure to actually get on with the tutorials, I don't know yet https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/2.gif>https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/6.gif>https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/5.gif>

[n74704 21]

i learned from the best.  without your help, Agra, i wouldn't have evem thought to do things like this.  thanks a million.

 

BTW - sorry to clog up your thread, but there is a lot of things i want to show.  (about 20 pics)

 

here is my test city of Orangeview.

here is the nicely maintained marina.

here is the field

if you follow the road from the public parking, you can reach the scenic point gazebo

while building the city, i decided to do some tests on traffic.  i made this city to be a UDI dream.  every road is accessable.  there is a huge 8-lane avenue cutting through the middle of downtown.  bridges were created to ease off the stoplights in the avenue.  this works as a ground highway without the on and offramps.  and like i said before, a UDI dream!

here is my experiment in El-Highways and the foundation method.

and at night

here is a waterfront plaza

here is a simple step-down terrace-like plaza.  lit up at night.

a different angle

here is my custom university

a close-up

and at night

i expanded on Agra's idea a bit and decided to create my own station for my el-rail.

a close up

and (of course) at night

and here are the canals i created.  these flow from the fountain at the university down to the ocean.  they hit a series of waterfalls along the way.

here is the first fall

here is the second fall.  wouldn't it be cool to live in those blue apartments?

and the last fall to the ocean

and thats Orangeview!  what do you all think?

[pepperme 0]

wow that is so nice indeed, please if you have a little time and more pictures email me them all at epperme@ameritech.net>pepperme@ameritech.net

very sweet city, very impressive!

[nickrich 0]

This is my first post and I want to say this: While Pegasus is the Best Lot Maker... Agra, you are the Best City Builder!

I have been following this thread very closely and have been trying Agra's building techniques. However, I am still unsucessful when trying to place tunnels beside each other. Agra, can you please tell me how you did it?

Thanks in advance!

BTW, Agra, please post more pics... I love more pics from your city...

[S.A.C 20]

Beautiful work, n74704 https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/24.gif>https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/24.gif>https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/24.gif>  ...and I'm of course very happy to have been able to help you with new ideas https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/1.gif>    Needless to say I'm without any doubt honored to have a memorial plaza in that great city of yours https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/21.gif> You do deserve one yourself for spending some time, some patience, and some planning along with a healthy doze of imagination developing these things https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/3.gif>

And cool to see that you didn't satisfied with the terraforming only, but also made some lots for this specific project of yours! Very nice! https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/1.gif>  Very nice indeed!  I especially like that station, looks very different from any other I've seen! Very good job! https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/1.gif>  One question, is it connected to the infrastructure itself?  Can't see any road near the actual station, (the original stations in the middle).

Anyway, I must add that the transition from e-rail to subway with that foundation lots really look cool.  Have you noticed how perfect they work together?  If I could wish for anything it would be that the transition lot itself weren't so immediately steep, but that's nothing we can do about! https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/15.gif>

Keep up the good work! https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/3.gif>

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On 1/26/2004 3:15:57 AM nickrich wrote:This is my first post and I want to say this: 'While Pegasus is the Best Lot Maker... Agra, you are the Best City Builder!'

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/24.gif border=0>

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/24.gif border=0>

I have been following this thread very closely and have been trying Agra's building techniques. However, I am still unsucessful when trying to place  tunnels beside each other.

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/23.gif border=0> Agra, can you please tell me how you did it?

Thanks in advance!

BTW, Agra, please post more pics... I love more pics from your city...

----------------

Thanks!  I'm not sure how to teach out how to place tunnels next to each other.  The reason is that I've never experienced any problems or other difficulties when doing so - apart from a few occasions.

What I can tell is that it's highly important to ensure that both entrances - for both tunnels - are terraformed exactly the same. Not that it's always required, but it certainly makes it easier to build two tunnels. Since a tunnel entrance requires one tile, I usually raise these particular tiles where I want the tunnel to start/end a couple of clicks up and then level them out on top.  Then I place the tunnels! https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/1.gif>

Not sure how to describe this further.  It would certainly help if you could post an image of an area where you fail to place two tunnels.

And there will be more images!  Soon! https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/3.gif>

[n74704 21]

have anything to say iamrobk?

anyway, no - the station isn't connected to the road. this was just a clever way of using the no-zot cheat while taking pics. in fact the whole rail system is barely even used and it spreads all across the city. through the heart of downtown. but sims love thier cars and the city allows for a lot of traffic.

The city itself fell into a rut. as i was building it, it would develop the same buildings over and over again. needless to say there were a lot of buildings demolished! And even though the demand was sky-high, no other scrapers would develop. made me a little sad...

but thank you for the comments. they are very much appreciated. and what do you guys think? should i enter this city in that Photographic contest?

thanks again.

[Vatt3 8]

n747, you should make a city journal and enter the city in the contest. I like the waterfalls right after the bridges. I think about adding all these things to my city, but it's already developed and I can't bring myself to demolish anything (except dirty industry).

[+Guest]

Lol I don't know what happened....>Anyway, I think I meant to say great job N7!!!

[lzypngn 0]

Does anyone know where I can get those walkways with the foundations along the canal? All the walkways I've seen on the LEX lack the foundation.

It's probably an easy change in Lot Editor, but I can't seem to get it to run. So if someone could post one of those, or point me to one, I'd be most grateful.

Thanks!

[+Guest]

Is it some of Pegasus's work maybe? And N7, we need you at SimVent, like, not now, but soon, so I suggest you start visiting a bit more often. And I didn't want to both you by PM'ing you, so I am just posting this here.