This kind of mod isn't new, but I thought I'd post my own version of it, which isn't as radical as the BRF slope mod. This mod creates smoother roads and other transit networks. It smoothes the underlying terrain twice as much as the default Maxis values, and so eliminates the bumpy rails and highways when laying out your roads. It still allows for decent slopes for all transit lines, so you don't have to create nearly flat highways and rail systems. Gentle slopes are created, instead. The network types affected are streets, roads, one-way roads, avenues, ground highways, elevated highways, rail, elevated rail, monorail, and the ANT network. Tunnel limits have been modified as well, to account for the more gentle slopes created by this mod. (Note that elevated rail, streets, and the ANT network do not permit tunnels, as per Maxis design intent.) This mod was inspired by BRF's slope and tunnel mod. I found that BRF's mod limited the slope too much, especially with highways and rail. I didn't like the raised land created by that mod, when laying down rails and highways. I wanted to tone down the changes, so I created this mod with more moderate settings. However, for those times when you do want a very flat slope, you can use the ANT network that comes with the Network Addon Mod (NAM). I set the slope for the ANT network very small, and so you can lay out an ANT path and then overlay it with the network of your choice (such as rail) to create a very flat route, similar to BRF's settings for rail and highway. If you wish to use the ANT, then you must install the SlopeMod_v1.dat in a subdirectory under NAM, wherever you installed the NetworkAddonMod_ANT_Beta.dat file. This is because the NAM ANT plugin and the SlopeMod_v1 plugin both modify a common file. My modifications to the file do not alter NAM, except to modify the slope of the ANT network, and make its cost cheaper (since it's intended just to be used to lay out a flat path, and then be bulldozed or overlaid by rail or road or some other network). For example, if NetworkAddonMod_ANT_Beta.dat is located under
My Documents\SimCity 4\Plugins\NAM\Ant_Plugin_File\NetworkAddonMod_ANT_Beta.dat
then install the slope mod in
My Documents\SimCity 4\Plugins\NAM\Ant_Plugin_File\SlopeMod\SlopeMod_v1.dat See the readme for more details.