Show us Your Interchanges!

[asteconn 9]

All of the following is offered as constructive critique and suggestions for alteratives, because I'm nice like that :

Originally posted by: Larks2242
Yea, is something hidden? quote>

Originally posted by: ROFLyoshi
whats with the hole in the middle?quote>

Nope; I didn't screen cap it because I was only showing off the ringroad rather than the whole city.

Originally posted by: jdenm8
On the hole, asteconn probably just couldn't be bothered taking a screenshot of the middle bit. I know I couldn't be.
quote>

You'd be quite right, but mainly because of the reason above.

Originally posted by: Blue Lightning
Rebuilding the Destiny Loop...quote>

imho Your corners are far too tight. If I was aiming for the realism, I'd put a GSJ (Grade seperated junction) that only had 1 through route, rather than GSJing the whole lot, and have room for proper curves - RHW is supposed to be a fast road after all. I'd probably use either a roundabout or 3-level roundabout interchange there.

However, as an experiment, it'd be interesting to see what happens.

Originally posted by: silhouette saloon
I think this is a Y-Stack?quote>

Not bad at all. The lack of space on the left is a bit of a concern though. Looking at it, I think that the fullsized T-interchange tutorial I have on my youtube would fit in there relatively well. iirc it needs about 16 or so tiles on the spur to work.

If a free-flowing interchange wasn't needed (depending on traffic levels), I'd probably use a roundabout interchange, or maybe have a fork grade seperated and worry about the other movements with a diamond.

Originally posted by: fafalone

Craziness...

quote>

Your first image is a very interesting airport spur. I think it's a little over-engineered, but if the traffic volumes warrant it (and it does look like a big airport) then that's cool. My main critique is that you have your entrance and exit ramps very close together. Consider spacing them out some more.

You second image is a design I use occasionally, but only when the other road carries on past the half-cloverleaf. I think a trumpet would be much more useful to you as it will free up some land.

Originally posted by: timmie

These are some of my interchanges:

My biggest interchange ever (too big actually ), in the city of Suburbiajaja:

quote>

Very impressive. I like how you've made space enough for the full curves to be used. It does look much better as the cloverleaf that you have in it's place now though. Also, consider making those slopes gentler.

Originally posted by: timmie

Another interchange from the city of Eindergem:

quote>

That's an extremely well done compact cloverleaf. Which is the main route?

[timmie 988]

Yes, the slopes, I guess most of the slopes I build are 15-20% which is obviously too much.

The main route of the second interchange is the north-south route (so the one with the tunnel and the slopes). I know it would be better for the main route to be slope- and tunnelfree, but alas, you can't make curved tunnels in SC4...

[cacks 41]

I'll try and upload some pictures and maybe a movie (ooohh...(inspired by Haljackey)) but i've got the zoom 3 bug

- @Astecon: Mate! without your RHW videos I would of never had been able to make such good RHW networks without them! THANK YOU!

*ehm* Since I gave up trying to upload pictures on the STEX a month ago (got the hang of it now!), here is a link to the Picasa web album. feel free to post comments & *cough* constructive *cough* criticism:

http://picasaweb.google.com/i.burn.stuf/InterchangeHorsham#5443767316009604450

please work: (click on the pictures for full resolution - right click open in new tab or you will navigate away from this page)

From Interchange - Horsham

From Interchange - Horsham

From Interchange - Horsham

From Interchange - Horsham

From Interchange - Horsham

From Interchange - Horsham

From Interchange - Horsham

Edit: Yes it worked!

Edit of Edit: made thumbnails bigger

Edit of the Edited Edit: made first thumbnail bigger.

Edit of the Edited Edited Edit of the post: added some more blah to the top.

I will make a 1240p HD movie later, but now I have some calculus to do and then argue about something later.

[asteconn 9]

Originally posted by: timmie

Yes, the slopes, I guess most of the slopes I build are 15-20% which is obviously too much.quote>

Which slopemod do you use? Have you considered laying down rail first to flatten the land out to an acceptable gradient and then using the RHW over the top of it?

Originally posted by: timmie

The main route of the second interchange is the north-south route (so the one with the tunnel and the slopes). I know it would be better for the main route to be slope- and tunnelfree, but alas, you can't make curved tunnels in SC4...quote>

Gotcha. Yeah it's a pity.

However, as a suggestion - instead of lowering the through route, have you thought about raising the secondary route and having your more severe gradients on the sliproads?

Originally posted by: cacks

- @Astecon: Mate! without your RHW videos I would of never had been able to make such good RHW networks without them! THANK YOU!quote>

You're most welcome. I've got more in the pipeline.

Having a good look at your interchange, I can offer the following tips:

The red bit you don't need, you should be able to use the diagonal slip ramp following the path of the blue line.

The bit I have highlighted in green, your exits are far too close. Depending on where your eastern spur is going, I'd use a diamond interchange along that rather than try to have the exit on the mainline.

[MandelSoft 2,769]

Gosh, that's a bit overkill signage you have there. Please place them farther apart, about 10 tiles for every sign in the same direction (and 25 for speedcontrol signs). in tile is 16m long and your average distance between two signs seems to be about 35m. Pretty close, eh?

[cacks 41]

@asteconn - I also noticed that there is no direct link between GH3 (what goes east in the pic (pic orientation is east)) and the H31 which comes south off the junction, turns east, goes on the southern side of the town and then turns south again. I think that for the latter highway i will make it like junction 2 on the M1( exits to horsham from the H1 coming from the south

Also for the H31 i would have put curves on the RHW... but there was a mountain in the way.

Edit: for the route numbering go see the album on piccassa - the captions actually:

picasaweb.google.com/i.burn.stuf/InterchangeHorsham#5443767316009604450

@mrtnrln if i do that i'd have one sign for the whole junction, but thanks for the tip, I have doubled the distance between signs to 5 tiles (still a bit too close but but in future junctions i will give more room for signs), and for the speed control signs are primarily used to indicate merging of traffic and lane reduction (since there are no numbers on them), but in my cities and any future junctions they will be much further apart. I may post some pics, but now I've got some revision to do.

Here you go - this is what I have/ plan to do:

@mrtnrln - revised signage:

From Interchange - Horsham

@asteconn - revised junction:

From Interchange - Horsham

Edit: picasaweb.google.com/i.burn.stuf/InterchangeHorsham#5444076093329012370 click on the little magnifying glass on the top right hand side of the pic to see it in more detail.

@everyone: which option do you want from the above pic? option 1 or option 2?

[asteconn 9]

@cacks:

That's a difficult one. Are you *dead set* on having every movement freeflowing? If you're not, it could help you reduce the complexity a little. If you are though, personally I'd get rid of the second diamond you have for the little residential there and follow option 2. BUT! I would tunnel it under the the bottom highway rather than curve and go over it. To turn the corner I'd come out of a tunnel, corner and re-tunnel it upwards to meet up with your green route on the top left with a MIS-RHW4 merge

[cacks 41]

@astecon - you read my mind! Yes i do want it free flowing (although i have made it as a half-diamond interchange), and as for the tunneling - that is also exactly what i did!

Here's a picture of the final junction with a route from GH3 (westbound) to the H31 (southbound).

Heres a pick - my sim city went retarded and zoomed out till the city was a speck... i think it may have something to do

with the zoom 3 bug...

Edit: added second picture of the finished interchange (finally) I can't believe that some of my pics have got 200+ views! From Interchange - Horsham

[Vahr 341]

imho Your corners are far too tight. If I was aiming for the realism, I'd put a GSJ (Grade seperated junction) that only had 1 through route, rather than GSJing the whole lot, and have room for proper curves - RHW is supposed to be a fast road after all. I'd probably use either a roundabout or 3-level roundabout interchange there.

quote>

Thanks asteconn for your opinion, I do value yours quite a bit!

I think I might need to claify the reasons of my Destiny Loop.

This loop resides in the very center of my region (development wise) and the CBD. It is an urban area, and which I have limited room (terrain too; the river and the fact its on the edge of a tile). I have to move 2 million (yes, 2 million, and I'm not lying) sims streaming in from ~6 major radiating highways. On top of that, I need to compact it further to allow for some changes here and there. All the interchanges I've shown are at loop x highway (I cheated a bit in terms of splitting the highway; most of them are multiplexed RHW-8's and RHW-6's on the other side of the neighbor connections) In these cases, I couldn't settle for the standard interchange, plus I wanted to push the RHW as far as it can go in this (and maybe show FLEXFly off a tad )Which explains sometimes my odd choice of elevating in parts.

I do admit many of the ramps would have a speed of 35 MPH, but the mainlines can generally maintain 55 (at least if the traffic doesn't stop). Also, if you've noticed, I've had that one side highway in some of the pics; its a direct connection between two highways and to prevent the Eternal Commuter bug from manifesting itself too much.

Blue Lightning... I live in California .. known for its complex freeway systems ... and I think that the only interchange that would remotely look like the Real Highway Project is the Interstate 5 -580 & 205 near Stockton and Tracy , Ca... that thing stretches on for 12 miles in some parts

quote>

I've been to the San Fran area, and I can say plenty of it looks like RHW, and only remotely look like the maxis highway. But you'll see more of the CA type in future RHW versions. But around here in NE Ohio, our highways look like the RHW when its rural, suburban, and urban. I can safely say that only a few miles of the entire network are like maxis highway.

If anything seems unclear, I'll be glad to explain, as I always build everything on my region's highways with purpose (well, except for that one small test area, and when I try making the most complex interchange I can (not in my main region though, its in a testbed region where I test stuff)).

Anyhoo, bravo on the interchanges above me, they look pretty good/great!

[heitomat 156]

Great pictures, everyone!

I recently posted in the "RHW - Show us your pics!" thread, but I don't know if it's still active.. I won't put an identical post here, but still I wanted to share the overview picture of the East Rhysmouth Junction. Hope that's ok.

[asteconn 9]

Originally posted by: cacks

@astecon - you read my mind! Yes i do want it free flowing (although i have made it as a half-diamond interchange), and as for the tunneling - that is also exactly what i did!

Here's a picture of the final junction with a route from GH3 (westbound) to the H31 (southbound).

Heres a pick - my sim city went retarded and zoomed out till the city was a speck... i think it may have something to do with the zoom 3 bug...quote>

Very nice. You can probably also smooth out your topmost 360° corner by moving where it merges closer to the bridge.

Originally posted by: Blue Lightning

imho Your corners are far too tight. If I was aiming for the realism, I'd put a GSJ (Grade seperated junction) that only had 1 through route, rather than GSJing the whole lot, and have room for proper curves - RHW is supposed to be a fast road after all. I'd probably use either a roundabout or 3-level roundabout interchange there.

quote>

Thanks asteconn for your opinion, I do value yours quite a bit!

I think I might need to claify the reasons of my Destiny Loop.

This loop resides in the very center of my region (development wise) and the CBD. It is an urban area, and which I have limited room (terrain too; the river and the fact its on the edge of a tile). I have to move 2 million (yes, 2 million, and I'm not lying) sims streaming in from ~6 major radiating highways. On top of that, I need to compact it further to allow for some changes here and there. All the interchanges I've shown are at loop x highway (I cheated a bit in terms of splitting the highway; most of them are multiplexed RHW-8's and RHW-6's on the other side of the neighbor connections) In these cases, I couldn't settle for the standard interchange, plus I wanted to push the RHW as far as it can go in this (and maybe show FLEXFly off a tad )Which explains sometimes my odd choice of elevating in parts.

I do admit many of the ramps would have a speed of 35 MPH, but the mainlines can generally maintain 55 (at least if the traffic doesn't stop). Also, if you've noticed, I've had that one side highway in some of the pics; its a direct connection between two highways and to prevent the Eternal Commuter bug from manifesting itself too much.

quote>

2m in total or 2m just over that junction? O_o. I can see the need for some creative grade seperation now, but still enthrusting 90° single-tile corners on your commuters is rather harsh.

Originally posted by: heitomat

Great pictures, everyone!

I recently posted in the "RHW - Show us your pics!" thread, but I don't know if it's still active.. I won't put an identical post here, but still I wanted to share the overview picture of the East Rhysmouth Junction. Hope that's ok.quote>

Outstanding bit of engineering there. Would I be correct in assuming your main route is bottom-to-left?

[heitomat 156]

@Asteconn: Thank you, and yes: You assumption is correct, the bottom-to-left route is the main route. It's good to know that it actually shows. 

[cacks 41]

@ myslef: nice interchange cracks! Yeh I know thanks cracks. your welcome cracks.

@blue lightening: - That destiny loop thing is immense... maybe you should install some more public transport There already is lots, and lots and probably the whole underground map is a mass of subway lines!... It is a feat of RHW (4.0) engineering... now stop teasing us and gimmie! please? The complexity of destiny loop makes my head hurt - no it seriously does! How did you manage it, was it pre planned or was it made up on the spot (like my stuff; hence why it all ends up horribly wrong)? And if i said keep up the good work that would be patronizing so don't do any bad work!

I've never heard of the eternal commuter bug, how does it come about and what does it do?

@Asteconn: - What RHW tutorials have you got lodged up your sleeve if you would like to reveal that information.

Also if i moved my 360 degree loop I would have to demolish another suburb and farms, it would also just get to big and sims might drive through Horsham and use it as a shortcut. Now that I have my G/HSR I really cannot be bothered to change the RHW junction or I would have to do some major re-building and stuff...

@Heitomat: - I love the realism in your pictures and wow are they more free flowing than my... creation...

@timmie: I like your cloverleaf and clover leaf variant, although I would have to agree with Asteconn that that slope is very steep. Also I believe its your turn to post some mental RHW stuff...

@Vash: I have one word for you - unnecessary - but that is one hell of a junction - like the destiny loop it is so complex, i don't know how on earth you did that...

[asteconn 9]

Well; now that I'm getting into 4 way interchanges it is becoming quite hard to condense them into 10 minutes. I'll probably have to make the next lot 2 parters.

The ones I'm planning to make are Cloverleafs, Cloverstacks, Turbines and Haloes. For each I'll probably do two or three different variants for each.

heitomat: Well; given that your topmost route tapers off into an RHW2 rather than RHW4 route, I assumed that was the ancillary. It's a shame we can't yet do proper diagonal overpasses on the RHW, because at the moment your route priorities are a bit confuddled, although that's what I'd guess your signage is for. For probably the best realism, instead of merging down onto the RHW4 that comes out of the tunnel, I'd use the Style A inside splitters in a 2 tile wide central meridian, and then use the S curves to shift the main route of the highway together, giving a much more defined mainline. Failing that; plenty of RHW6 and RHW8 run up.

[MandelSoft 2,769]

May I introduce the Eastern Guilliano Freeway?

  Warning: massive picture (1800x4800)!

(A40 is the Imaginian route number, C42 is a international route number)

Best,

Maarten

[cacks 41]

@mrtnrln: that is a nice route... and those will be some awesome RHW 4.0 euro textures! That is realism in truth and wow is not adequate a compliment (remember - i am easily impressed)... and i must thank you for your sign pack which i think i have used! I also love the light pack (pity i'll never use them since i never leave enough room for them in my RHW networks)

[brenn21 86]

A few interchanges of mine from my first ever CJ called Anywhere's...

[fafalone 22]

RHW x  RHW. Anything besides a simple RHW4xRHW4 is extremely awkward. Click for full size.

[Citybuilder52 1]

This may not be as monstrous as Rionescu's, but it was a first attempt at really using RHW and I'm surprised it worked.

 

[Tarkus 6,932]

A couple pics of my latest creation . . .

And after a little residential development in the vicinity:

There's 4 new features hiding in those pics . . . one is really well disguised.

-Alex

[jdenm8 362]

OHMYGOD!OHMYGOD!!! DIagonal MIS diverges!!!!! OMG!OMG!

Better RHW-2 exits OMG!OMG!OMG!

The flyovers. Seen them already. Blue Lightning popped that bubble.

I like - No, love - the new RHW-2 textures. They are much nicer than the old ones. I might actually use RHW2 over road now.

AHHH!! I nearly missed the smooth RHW-2 curve. (I don't remember that one in V3.~)

It all looks very good. I can't wait until I stop drooling

Originally posted by Jdenm8

Drool mop please!quote>

and actually have these to use.

[ROFLyoshi 1,760]

1. RHW 2 Curve

2. B-Style RHW 2 Splitter

3. El-MIS Curve

4. New RHW 2 Texture

[jdenm8 362]

2. Orthagonal MIS merging into persisting Diagonal MIS.

It's easily seen in the first image, just on the left side

I just hope it also works the other way. It would be brilliant if it did.

EDIT: I checked the game again and we have actually had RHW-2 B Style splitters in V3.

[kingdiz_55 12]

Tarkus: Would you mind telling where you got those mods?

[jdenm8 362]

@kingdiz_55: That's the next version of the RHW that various members of the RHW team have been teasing us with for about a week.

[Korot 6]

1. RHW 2 smooth curve 4x4.

2. New RHW 2 texture, now you can't disguise them from roads.

3. Flex Fly, but already showed, so perhaps not considered new.

4. El-MIS over RHW 2. Perviously, only the RHW-4 and normal roads could be overpassed by EL-RHW/MIS

5. B-Style RHW 2 exists, if I remember correctly, only A existed until now.

I also happen to remember something about no teasers being showed for new RHW releases. What happened with that?

Regards,

Korot

[Larks2242 251]

Originally posted by: kingdiz_55

Tarkus: Would you mind telling where you got those mods?quote>

I believe they are unreleased and will be in the next NAM release.

[jdenm8 362]

Originally posted by: Korot

5. B-Style RHW 2 exists, if I remember correctly, only A existed until now.

quote>

I believe this shall suffice as proof:

[Tarkus 6,932]

Originally posted by: jdenm8

2. Orthagonal MIS merging into persisting Diagonal MIS.

I just hope it also works the other way. It would be brilliant if it did.

quote>

It does.

Originally posted by: jdenm8

EDIT: I checked the game again and we have actually had RHW-2 B Style splitters in V3.quote>

Actually, the RHW-2/Dual MIS Splitter there was one of the "charter features" from the introduction of the MIS in Version 2.0, back in 2008.

Originally posted by: kingdiz_55

Tarkus: Would you mind telling where you got those mods?quote>

My hard drive and the private NAM Team Exchange.

Originally posted by: Korot

1. RHW 2 smooth curve 4x4.

2. New RHW 2 texture, now you can't disguise them from roads.

3. Flex Fly, but already showed, so perhaps not considered new.

4. El-MIS over RHW 2. Perviously, only the RHW-4 and normal roads could be overpassed by EL-RHW/MIS

5. B-Style RHW 2 exists, if I remember correctly, only A existed until now.

I also happen to remember something about no teasers being showed for new RHW releases. What happened with that?

quote>

Yes on #1-3, though the smooth curve is actually a 5x5 and I hadn't included the new textures in my initial count.  #4 and #5 have been there since Version 3.0.

And as far as the teasers, we still show stuff from time to time, but we've cut down the frequency of them substantially.  This is the first thing I've shown in about a month.  But the business with that . . . "i-word" . . . is a thing of the past.

There's still one feature that no one's caught yet . . . it's very, very well hidden.

-Alex (Tarkus)

[Vahr 341]

Heh, Alex, teasing away are we?

And I agree, its very, very, very well hidden.