simmars-forum-threads Transportation Ideas

[The Great Chozo 34]

I'm glad yall like it.

 

I have to admit, I am actually having fun throwing out all these ideas, and believe me, I have more that are completed and that are in the works. I will post them when I feel the time is right. I don't need to post 10 - 15 pictures of different things at once.

 

Well that bridge really didn't take that long, only about 4 hours. However, I built the frame last night, and then added the road deck today. Adding the deck was the hardest thing, because I had to extend it through the bridge's length. There are over 9,000 objects in that bridge, so it was really bogging down my system. (I need a new one) Moving the pieces was a very jerky and sluggish process, but I got it done.

 

By the way, the highway deck is basically the ground highway version of the highway I posted earlier. I just deleted the supports, and added a concrete foundation.

 

I am very pleased with the bridge. I wish I could get a preview of it, but I think I screwed something on it up. I accidently grouped a preview camera handle, and the camera, in the bridge supports. Then I merged the bridge supports with the highway scene, and it brought that camera and it's handle into the scene. I don't know if that is really the problem , but I have a backup file from before I grouped the structure, that I will get into and see if I can get a preview out of it. (I would have to add some components to that scene that were added after that save. I have a lot of other stuff going on in the BAT, so I might just leave the screenshots as they are.)

 

I am also going to whip up a bridge for that rail tube I made, as well as elevate the rail tube (that will take a whole 20 mins.)

 

Well, now that it is up and people have seen the bridge, should I change it a bit? Keep in mind that this is only an idea, and I have no idea if it can, or will be used in the game. It is just something I came up with while bored.

 

TGC

[Vatt3 8]

If only we knew how to create new bridges... Mars would only need bridges for going over deep chasms, so they are neccessary. That is one of the best I've seen. Maybe sometime, we'll be able to get these into the game somehow.

I definately like the idea of set maglev tracks for everything. If that is the case, then there may have to be some control station. I really don't know though, since I don't know about the technology at all.

[+Guest]

I say we use hoverchairs!

[ruZhyo 0]

i still thing teleportation is the best..

but that leaves very little in terms of graphics..

[Daeley 46]

well there already exists a teleportation project... but whether it can be used for SimMars is discussable...

[GouRou 2]

we can make new bridges, it's just not easy. I doubt there are more than 2 people that can, and will ever do it.

[Daeley 46]

actually, to create new bridges you need to make a huge amount of S3D files, so I'd suggest to just make it a transit enabled lot that doesn't change the chape of the terrain it's built on

[Griff 0]

How about a Personalized Rapid Transit system (PRT)? They're always yapping about thier possibilities, why not creat a system like this for SimMars. Because when you compare the pricing, a PRT system is more efficient than a maglev, or high speed rail system because it provides more comfort, more spacious conditions, & can go to & depart from destinations quicker than any current rail or bus system. Mostly because of few passengers, & frequent stops by other cars. Tell me what you think...

[GouRou 2]

TGC! can you adapt that bridge to avenue style lanes? I want to do away with the incredibly hard to modify 3d transit and render it down to 2d, but since it's rendered, it still should look good

[The Great Chozo 34]

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On 3/7/2004 9:12:08 PM GouRou wrote:TGC! can you adapt that bridge to avenue style lanes? I want to do away with the incredibly hard to modify 3d transit and render it down to 2d, but since it's rendered, it still should look good

https://community.simtropolis.com/assets/emoticons/1.gif>

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Yeah, I guess it could be adapted fairly easily.

Actually, when I made that bridge, it was a picture that sort of evolved in my head, and I had envisioned it for not only the highways, but for avenues as well. (Though given its size and prominence, I thought it would look best as a highway.) The only reason I put the highway on it, is so people can see exactly how the transit network would fit on the bridge.

I guess I could delete the highway, and then throw down a concrete slab the length of the bridge and paint an avenue on it. If for some reason I didn't quite get the point of your post, or you were looking for something a little different than what I explained above, please PM me at your convenience and let me know exactly what you were looking for. Actually if you could PM me that would be great because I have a few other questions about what you posted.

I have some various other bridges that I have done and that are about to be done, for other types of networks. Would you like me to post some of them, for more ideas??

I didn't make this to put it up on the LEX, so it isn't transit enabled in the first place.

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Quote from Daeley:

actually, to create new bridges you need to make a huge amount of S3D files, so I'd suggest to just make it a transit enabled lot that doesn't change the chape of the terrain it's built on
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Daely, I could make it a transit enable lot, but I would have to re design the road to slope to the ground so it would connect. Also, I don't think I could make this a lot, that was able to span water. Otherwise, it would just be bridge on land for no reason. Obviously Mars has no water, but it has large chasms, so I don't think I could make it span a deep gourge either. I could be wrong though.

Well, I must thank everyone for their appreciation. I have done some small modification to the things that I have posted already, that I will put up shortly. If I am overstepping any already laid out plans, someone yell at me.

I'll be back (in a thick austrian accent)

Chozo, T. G.

[The Great Chozo 34]

Variations on a Theme:

 

Ok, I took some of my designs, (specifically the ones I posted here) and added some things.

 

I have seven images, so if you have a slow connection, I am sorry.

 

I don't think this will stay like this, but here is the Ground Highway version of the highway I posted earlier:

 

 

.... and it was mentioned that we needed to cover the highway and avenues, well here is the ground level highway encased in a tube:

 

 

this is the same tube that covers the high speed rail I posted. I did have to make some alteration to it, and added some more supports on the inside (the three pieces that form a V, this can be seen in the shot below.

 

Here is the elevated highway I posted on the first page, with the same covering over it:

 

 

 

Jcabassa this is for you, you asked for a super high elevated highway well here you go (by the way, I don't think that this will be able to be put in the game, actually I'm pretty sure of that, but it is pretty cool nonetheless) ask and ye shall receive:

 

 

Here is a shot which compares the height of the Super Elevated highway, or Skyway as you put Jcab., with the heigh of the normal elevated highway:

 

 

..... and the last bit of this post.

 

Here is the high speed rail that I posted, only this time it is elevated (someone mentioned this as well, though I forgot who https://community.simtropolis.com/assets/emoticons/23.gif>. Sorry about that whoever you are https://community.simtropolis.com/assets/emoticons/1.gif>.) :

 

 

 

 

Well that is it for now.

 

GouRou, I am working on the bridge, but something is wrong with the file. I have everything grouped as one, and for some reason I can't ungroup it all. I get a message that says, error cannot link, dependancy violation, or something like that I don't remember exactly (I am quite tired). Anyway, I may have to redo a few pieces of it on an earlier save, so I will get that ASAP.

 

Incidently, any of these designs can be changed if needed, they are obviously not final, nor have they even been decided on. At least to my knowledge. I was thinking of changing some little things, including the tube over the highway (maybe try a new design, or change up the color scheme), but decided not to right now because I need some sleep.

 

Any opinions on any of these concepts? I am all ears.

 

The Great Chozo

[Griff 0]

Chozo did you even look at my post about a PRT system?

[The Great Chozo 34]

 

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On 3/8/2004 7:41:19 AM Griff wrote: Chozo did you even look at my post about a PRT system?

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Yes I did.

I don't know how it will fit in though, because it would have to either replace something, or be created anew. I haven't seen the official list of what transportation elements will be included, but I'm sorry to say that I have a feeling this won't be.

I do like the idea, and I have been thinking of various designs for it. However, I honestly don't know how it could be integrated in the game. With all do respect though, I am not going to focus on it, because I don't want to use my time on something that I don't think will be included. If you can persuade the powers that be, then that is different, but for now I think it is a fantasy.

TGC

[DuskTrooper 316]

Interesting, but can we implement this into the game?  We will have to fix the cannot place transit enabled buildings too close bug

[Griff 0]

There are three ways a PRT system can be developed: As mini-monorails. As mini el-trains & As light rail (real light). Any PRT vehicle should not be much bigger than a large van & carry no more than 20 passengers.

EDIT:
PRT's can also be mini-maglevs too...

[lattyware 0]

I have thought up a new transport system - look here for more info...
I don't know how much help it is but take a look...
It's based apon the shape 'M'
Tell me what you think...

[the_new_simman 5]

Wow, transportation let me think a bit.......Here's an idea how about a Jet Pack. Sims can get to work by riding their Jet Packs. That would be cool. I like the telportation idea too. Hover Cars, Mind Traveling (I will go into detail later), ummm... Super Speed Cars, and how about cars that can fly around the city in highways in the air. Mind traveling would be like the Sim thinks where he/she wants to go and they will just appear there. Well thats my idea or ideas.

EDIT: WOW! I only said stuff about how the Sims will travel to get to work. Well here is some road ideas and other things. For roads the would have high tech signals and stuff. The roadfs would have 6 lanes and have lights as line dividers. For raidroads there won't be any. Highways will be in the sky. When you lay the highways you will be able to see the transparent outline of them. But, when you let go all that will be left are floating railings that have flashing lights for the night and transparent glowing line divider.

I hope you liked my input. Thank you Simtrop for keeping you members involved.

[The Great Chozo 34]

Simman,

 

Thanks for you sharing your ideas. The only one that I can see being workable is the high tech traffic signals. I don't think anything else can be done. Although someone could prove me wrong.

 

There will be railroads, they are the industry's lifeline. Trains can carry much more weight and cargo than any other transportation system in the game, well except maybe for super tankers, but there is no water on Mars, so that is out.

 

Chozo

[The Great Chozo 34]

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On 3/8/2004 7:59:16 AM DuskTrooper wrote:

Interesting, but can we implement this into the game?  We will have to fix the 'cannot place transit enabled buildings too close bug'

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That is exactly the problem I was explaining to someone, regarding making my bridge a transit enabled lot. If it can be overcom then someone please speak up and lets fix it. I know cannot do it, because I am not the worlds best modder, although with good guidance I am willing to learn anything that will help this project succeed.

T.G. Chozo

[Vatt3 8]

TGC, you keep amazing me with your 3D concepts. All of them are pretty much exactly what I've had in mind for all the transportation types from the beginning. There is one thing though. We only can have two highway types if we have them, and I think there is only need for one elevated highway so we either have to choose the higher or lower one. I also think that the ground highway may need a covering also since it is pretty much the same speed but closer to the dust (which could cause large dust clouds)

[GouRou 2]

TGC, it's very, very difficult right now to replace the '3d' networks (read highways), but it is super easy to replace the 2d ones, like roads and avenues, and we can even drop batted objects onto the 2d networks, so all of your designs will work, they just wont be used to replace highways... at least, unless we can get an s3d editor, but we are lacking in that kind of programming talent right now... maybe later, but not now we cant do it.

 

We can have a modder take your networks and transit enable them, in fact, it would probably simply be easier to let redlotus or gizmo do it for you, rather than learning how, because I think someone out there already knows how, just need to track them down. If you can hang onto what you have for a bit, I will give you a place to send the models and textures, and then I can pass them on to someone who can make them work.

 

Cheers, and keep up the great work! it's excellent stuff.

[Vatt3 8]

I was under the assumption that you couldn't place two transit enabled lots side by side and have them still function. Maybe that's how it used to be and there's a way around that now.

Yes, I guess 2D networks will be the first done. That includes roads, streets, avenues, and trains (freight) right?

[GouRou 2]

TGC: if your still getting that error, I think it has to do with what happens after you group, then apply a modifier to a group, you cant seperate them because the modifier binds across them all. but I cant remember for sure.

[GouRou 2]

I put transit enabled lots side by side quite often https://community.simtropolis.com/assets/emoticons/23.gif>

[the_new_simman 5]

Okay, i want to be in the transportation Team, but I don't know what the requirements are? Can someone please tell me. Thanks a lot.

[durcsaw 4]

I have started a thread for the Sim Mars, You Drive It missions.

 

It's call You drive it, Mars style!. We must consider this! It has a poll on what you dirve it type you would like to see more of. You sould also leave a message on what you think would make a worth wile You Dr. It mission.

[Vatt3 8]

I guess I just remember reading that somewhere. Since it apparently does work, then I guess everything is fine.

So how is plopping these sections on the road going to work? Will we have to do this all the time until a S3D editor is made?

[frogface 354]

we could use that futuristic highway texture (and maybe wall textures?) and replace the highway texture files instead of making s3d files? there is a process where editing the s3d is possible (look at trolca's trains or my subway)

but its no GMAX and editing all those highway peices would be VERY tedious (and practically impossible)

i think texturing is our best bet

[GouRou 2]

we can edit the textures for the networks, yes, in fact, it has been considered, and is still an open possiblity, but it will require a texture artist that knows how to modd.

[The Great Chozo 34]

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On 3/8/2004 4:42:58 PM Vatt3 wrote:TGC, you keep amazing me with your 3D concepts. All of them are pretty much exactly what I've had in mind for all the transportation types from the beginning. There is one thing though. We only can have two highway types if we have them, and I think there is only need for one elevated highway so we either have to choose the higher or lower one. I also think that the ground highway may need a covering also since it is pretty much the same speed but closer to the dust (which could cause large dust clouds)

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Thanks Vatt.

I actually keep amazing myself, because only 3 1/2 weeks ago I had never used Gmax. I am learning it very quickly so everything I post I have learned a new trick in making that particular model.

I know exactly what you mean about the dust clouds. That is what I said on page #1. Someone tried to give GouRou credit for that, grrrrrrrrrhttps://community.simtropolis.com/assets/emoticons/11.gif>. (much respect GouRou https://community.simtropolis.com/assets/emoticons/22.gif>). Due to Mars' thin atmosphere I would imagine that dust clouds caused by uncovered transit networks would be the same as smog and ozone, in a modern day city. Imagine instead of having an ozone action day, you have a dust awareness day https://community.simtropolis.com/assets/emoticons/23.gif>.

Go back up and look at my most recent post of concepts. The second picture is actually the ground highway with a cover. You can't tell though, because I had the model centered wrong when I previewed it, so all you can see is a close up of the tube. So your request has already been done, I have covered the ground highway.

About the elevated ones. I know that we can only have two types, and the ground highway with the cover will work, but we need to decide on which elevated type to use. Here is my opinion, The normal height elevated highway. I REALLY like the way the skyway came out, but I am already envisioning too many problems with working it into the game. Onramps, elevation changes, elevated to ground transitions, elevated to avenue transitions, bridges, etc.... Although if we wanted to try and use it, we could see if we could restrict onramps, and transitions to only the ground highway, and have the skyway as an express road with no onramps until it sloped back to ground level. That poses another problem though, how many tiles, and what angle would the slope be to get that sucker back to the ground. I think it would take up too much real estate (but hey we have an entire empty planet so who knows https://community.simtropolis.com/assets/emoticons/9.gif>)

It would be pretty cool to see the skyway in the game, so someone try and prove me wrong about what I said in the previous paragraph. (note to self - don't count it).

By the way I have some more bridges that I will post up later tonight, so you may yet again be amazed.

BTW : Welcome to the team Vatt3. I didn't know I was on the team until I read the Jobs thread. I have to admit I was surprised, but I am going to hold on to this position with all the skills I can muster. Feel free to PM me anytime for ideas or comments. I would also like to see if we could get the transportation team in a chat room so we can set out what we will and won't be able to do. As I understand it, this section is going to be one of the most difficult, and definately the most time consuming of the SimMars project. So this team above the rest should start meeting and talking.

GouRou:

I know about the the highway issue regarding s3d files. I also know that the 2d painted networks are easier too work with. In my quest to master Gmax I am creating these concepts and as I said earlier I have some other great bridge ideas, but I am not at home right now, so yall will see them later.

About the grouping issue. I didn't apply a modifier to it once I grouped them. I grouped them so I could easily move the entire bridge to the center of the map. I know why it is not rendering, it is because of the sheer amount of polygons that comprise the road deck. each of those magnetic panels is a seperate object. I wanted to ungroup them, because I made some very simple elongated boxes with the same textures on them, so I could get it to render. That is when I ran into the grouping problem. I have already redone the necessary pieces, and put it together. I just have to go home and preview render it.

Thanks for you interest in that problem though.

Let me know where to send some of these files when the time comes. There are also a lot of tutorials out there on how to transit enable a lot, so I will learn them. I am a very quick learner, and am willing to teach myself as well, so I should be able to do some of those tasks myself within the next week or so.

One thing concerns me about the bridges that would make it necessary for them to be simple transit enabled lots. I don't know if we will be able to make them elastic. That is when you draw a bridge in SC4 you can have it stretch for a certain distance, and in the case of the suspension bridges it will actually add more towers. I don't know if that is possible with what we are doing. Also, we need to be able to make the lots capable of spanning large depressions, without looking bad. That will need to be looked into as well.

Frogface:

That isn't actually a futureistic highway texture. It is completely 3D. All the magnetic panels are all 3D rendered objects. I will take some screenshots of it from the top, and make it a texture, and I will get the walls as well. As far as making the highway pieces, it isn't impossible. Nothing is impossible, the question is, is anyone willing to do it. I will, but I don't have a s3d editor, actually no one does right now. So if that gets done, then we could do it, otherwise I like your idea of basically re-painting the highways.

Wow, my fingers are tired, and I have to go type out a 12 page paper for school. AAGGHHH it never ends.

Such is life.

Peace Out,

The Great Chozo