Highways & Suburbs.

[DreamSong 0]

So I've been trying to get a highway winding through my suburbs but I can't really make it look nice.  Can somebody provide links/pictures of how to do this by providing pictures of the real world and SC4?

Also is there an Elevated Highway to Ground Level Highway piece anywhere?

And please don't tell me to go to GoogleEarth or anysuch nonsense.

[io_bg 249]

Have you got the NAM? If not, download it right now! In it you can find a smooth curve for the ground highway which looks much more realistic (but it also takes up a bit more space). About the El highway > ground highway transition, just drag one of the networks to the edge of the another one. Also there's a smooth transition between these types of highway which looks more realistic than the default one.

Hope this helps you!

[mayor_brando 8]

To make it more realistic, you could make it sunken, as many highways in suburbs are sunken (at least where I live). Or, you could put some highway walls or trees bordering it, to make sort of a sound barrier. Also, like io_bg said, make sure to get the NAM. Along with extra stuff for highways, you can make curved roads and diagonal streets, which look good in suburbs.

[Hawkeye9 0]

Hey DreamSong, I was wonderin if you could possibly post some pictures of your highway system so we can help by better suggesting ideas to make it more realistic. Anyway, both what io_bg and mayor_brando said is very true and you should definatly follow their sugestions. As for your question about the transition piece between ground and elevated highway pieces: all you have to do is drag the ground highway to the elevated highway and the game will automatically make the transition. Hope this helps and if you have any more questions please ask!

[doorknob60 11]

Also, using the RHW might make it look more realistic.

[Aro0w 1]

I like to make tunnels going under the suburbs

[dabadon5 295]

Downloading the NAM is one thing to do, but also try to do it the way you want to do it. dont copy or it will FAIL !

have fun with it !

[DreamSong 0]

Thanks for the help dudes and dudettes.

Eh so you want me to give you pictures? I might but mebee later, I'm too lazy. I was going to start up a CJ later.

Anyway after looking at a bunch of screens in the Show us your Suburbs! thread, I've got a lot of inspiration. But thanks lots guys!

And do trees actually work to reduce traffic noise? :/ Because my main gripe with highways is the destroying of residential buildings. Meh, I have sound walls though so I should be fine, right?

[Aro0w 1]

another thought.

create the highway first, build the suburbs around it...

[beebs 129]

If your going for realism, yes trees can help to reduce traffic noise. I'm uncertain if the game even worries about traffic noise when calculating desirability though. Most of the sound walls, etc. are really just for looks and a part of the creation of an accurate city.

[EmperorNero 0]

Originally posted by: Aro0w

I like to make tunnels going under the suburbs

quote>

Same here.

[Deathcat001 8]

This is The Suburb City.

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=-35.366796,149.073486&spn=0.066492,0.110207&t=p&z=13

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=-35.337394,149.070225&spn=0.066516,0.110207&t=p&z=13

Look at Satellite and terrain, it will show you the different highway types. (This is for low density residental devolpment) 

It has highways and avneues snakeing towards small commerical centers. And suburbs are grouped in 4 or more (each with local shops) to make larger commercial places with malls and stuff. 

[ROFLyoshi 1,760]

Cool! You're doing Canberra! I went there on a school excursion last year (I live in Melbourne) and as far as I remember, the highways are slightly sunken.

To make sunken highways, use Smoncries Hole Digging Lots and the NAM. It the NAM, there is a ground highway 45 degree curve piece, so this should help. And practice makes perfect!

Do you live in Canberra? If so, use your local knowledge to help you.

[DreamSong 0]

Originally posted by: io_bg

Have you got the NAM? If not, download it right now! In it you can find a smooth curve for the ground highway which looks much more realistic (but it also takes up a bit more space).quote>

Eh, I can't find that and I have NAM June installed.  I checked pretty much every box when I installed NAM, and there was no wide-radius ground highway.

Any help?

[Nuck97 0]

Goto:  Highways Menu > Custom interchanges > tab through until your find Ground Highway 45 curve.

[Deathcat001 8]

Originally posted by: ROFLyoshi

Cool! You're doing Canberra! I went there on a school excursion last year (I live in Melbourne) and as far as I remember, the highways are slightly sunken.

To make sunken highways, use Smoncries Hole Digging Lots and the NAM. It the NAM, there is a ground highway 45 degree curve piece, so this should help. And practice makes perfect!

Do you live in Canberra? If so, use your local knowledge to help you.quote>

Yes I do live in canberra and i try to base my suburbs on it. I am going to make a canberra soon but i need the map.

For Making suburbs look nice have sound walls if the highway is not sunnken. Some sound walls can be found here: https://www.simtropolis.com/stex/details.cfm?id=16556

[Mr G2987076 0]

Canberra is a fairly small place though but charming, i say small because i live in Brizzie which is like you know, at least 6 times Canberra's size

[DreamSong 0]

Still couldn't find it under Custom Interchanges. In fact, I found it under roundabouts. Still works though...

Odd eh? Or is this a bug?

[Neil-COFR 1]

Are you sure you are using 'highways' because it is usually avenues found under roundabouts...

[ROFLyoshi 1,760]

Canberra is kinda epic, but my bro didn't like it. Sorry.

Back on topic, it's normally the interchange after 'Trumpet Interchange'.

[Deathcat001 8]

Here is an example of a hihgway winding in a suburb with use of sound walls.

 

[ROFLyoshi 1,760]

I would combine those sound walls with the highway being sunken.