Buzzits (european) powerline project.

[buzzit 31]

hi there foks  


as you already quessed im constructing powerlines for simcity
mostely european styled(since metarvo is busy with american themed ones)

i already made a small list for some countries im constructing powerlines for
but this is not the complete list (i may add more countries later).

why am i doing all this?
well.. im a huge powerline fan.. they inspire me because of ther size and construction.

i allways disliked the default maxis one they are so unrealistic without deviation(corner)pylons and pylons2substations.
but thats not all i also disliked that you could only choose one type of pylon.
i mean look at RL ther are several pylon types wich includes diffrent voltages and circuits etc.
so  i though i make a change to that!
and that all started when is saw metarvo's work wich was a big reason for me to try it my self.

im pretty amazed how far i am now allready it gives me a promising feeling for the future
but i also have a pretty busy real life as i am following a music related coarse wich is really time consuming.

but i will work on it anyhow i allways have the sundays to work on it 

enjoy your stay!
Buzzit

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To do list
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currently beeing modeld:

Rural Telephonepole(with streetlight function) replacement set

european pylons:

1st pylon set completed:

specifications
country wich this pylon type is used in: France
type: double wired double circuit donau pylon
voltage:  380KV(or 380,000 volts)
Height: 48 meters
https://www.simtropolis.com/stex/details.cfm?id=25198

2nd pylon set completed:

specifications:
country wich this pylon type is used in: France, Belgium(french part and german part), Luxembourg and Spain
type: single circuit delta-like pylons
voltage: 20kV(or 20,000 volts)
height: 13 meters
https://www.simtropolis.com/stex/details.cfm?id=25321 << obsolete! check out my 6th improved set!

3rd set completed:

specifications:
country wich this pylon type is used in: the Netherlands
type: single wired double circuit donau Pylon
Height: +/- 30 meters
Voltage: 150KV (or 150,000 volts)
https://www.simtropolis.com/stex/details.cfm?id=25243

4th set completed:

specifications:
country wich this pylon type is used in: This type is seen in almost every country except for The Netherlands Belgium Germany and the UK(in terms of wide use)
type: multi wired single circuit delta type pylon
Height: 42 meters
Voltage: 400kV (or 400,000 volts)
link: https://www.simtropolis.com/stex/details.cfm?id=25576

5th set:
country wich this pylon type is used in: Germany
type: Double wired double-circuit single-level pylon.
Height: 32 RL (64 sim meters )meters
Voltage: 220kV (or 220,000 volts)
link: https://www.simtropolis.com/forum/files/file/26735-german-themed-220kv-high-voltage-pylons-hd

6th set: 
Country wich this set is used in: Various west european countries.
Type : multiple single circuit configurations are in this set.
Height: 12 RL (24 in simcity meters)
Voltage: 20kV (or 20.000 volts)
link: 

7th set:
Country wich this set is used in: Pretty much any country has a monopole/tubular pole variant. These are based on Dutch ones though.
Type : Double circuit in a barrel configuration.
Height: ~25/30 meters in real life. (~50  in simcity meters)
Voltage: 20kV (or 20.000 volts)
Link:

  Edited March 6, 2014 by buzzit  

[nathanthemayor 1,262]

Wow that looks awesome!

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

I'm really glad you have made a thread here as well. Keep it up Buzzit.

[quicksilver991 37]

Looking very nice.

[T Wrecks 10,209]

Originally posted by: Aaron Graham

I'm really glad you have made a thread here as well.quote>

Me too!

I already said it on the STEX, but I'll repeat it here: Something that's pretty high up on my wish list is a substation complete with overhanging cable ends that will attach to the default Maxis power poles. I like to stick to the default power poles because of their all-round functionality, but ending a power line is always really awkward because the final pole just stands around there, and the cables simply end. There are some substations you can plop next to it, but there's still no visual connection.

Anyway, I really like your projects, and I'll be following this thread for sure!

[buzzit 31]

hey

glad you all like it!

if you could give me the proper measurements (like height and the distance between the cables) i certainly will try that request but i can't do it without the proper measurments and i unfortunately don't have time to try diffrent things.

a little update

i completed the modeling of the delta pylon now and the straight piece is in game

pictures:

f

from the side angle

and with what i currently have in game(the black wired ones will be updated with better models and/or other small upgrades)

the delta one is now by far the best one i made! ^^

[DocRorlach 25]

While I do like these power lines, especially the Dutch version, they all have two inherent problems: one, they don't align - cable wise. No matter how careful and level you place them, they do end up slightly askance. The other is the fact that it takes two poles to turn a corner. That may be realistic, but in game terms that is a lot of real estate. Finally, there ought to be an end piece, covering two tiles, where the cables turn down vertically, ending in something like PEG's or SG's transformer piece. Having to always end in a substation generates way too much electrecity.

The obvious question, of course, is whether these could be made dragable as a replacement for the Maxis power poles. Someone has done this before, but currently that is the only replacement in existance.

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Love the power lines all together. Keep.

[buzzit 31]

hey doc

do you mean the cables do not connect visually? or like slightly?

because yeh thats a bit of a problem with the oldest ones but i then though people will not mind it that much

untill you said it. but now i was planning to recable them anyway so that will be fixed.

but what i dont understand it the part you talking about the end piece

could please be more specific with that? here in europe (especially with the big lines) they dont neccesarely go down virticually.

im using this kind of substation for most of my pylons : http://maps.google.nl/maps?hl=nl&ie=UTF8&ll=51.862,4.509791&spn=0.002369,0.004823&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=51.862152,4.510512&panoid=vBZ5SCd13Z4fjOAwazqr-Q&cbp=12,334.41,,0,-13.82

im working on a virtically one right now for the german one but thats because in germany they use that system more often( i assume)

about the cornering well i think thats because i didn't make 90 degree pylons but thats something you dont see alot in RL (atleast not in holland so i never seen int my self).

about the dragables thats as far as i know not possible due the fact that the pylons are hard-coded.

part from that i don't see an option to make them dragable with realistic diagonal corners and substations.

[DocRorlach 25]

Well, that is probably why I thought of it, I grew up in Germany. But even here in the UK, power lines tend to reminate somewhere - there is never simply a last pylon. When I first tried to use them in-game, I simply modified the substation to produce 0 electricity, but in the end the alignment issue and the size of the substation made me drop them altogether.

I know, 90 degree corner pylons are rare, but they do exist (I've seen some near Joure, up in Friesland).

I also have to apologize: they do line up if the ground is absolutely flat (as it would be in Holland). But using SimFox' DarkNight mod (which also brightens the day) brings up another problem:

The cables on the French pylons look like they are as thick as a birch trunk, perhaps a lighter colour might make all the difference. I do realise, you cannot control the shadows.

Incidentally, the pylons on the top are dragable, and they are not the Maxis default. The corner solution is the 90 or 45 degree pylon shown here.

In iedere geval, yours look so much better and far more realistic than the obviously North American ones I use now. Hence my wish for them to become dragable as well. You could always release both - dragable as a replacement for the current in-game version, plus your plopable version for all other situations.

Keep up the good work.

[buzzit 31]

the size of the substation?

is it to small? is that what you mean?

well this forum certainly brings up alot of new issues that need to be solved(wich is good! i need the critism it improves work drasticly!)

jep thats true

but the current french 'beaubourg' type power pylon aint that accurate compared to the real life counterpart so thats something im working one to fix(remodeling etc)

so that pylon will be fixed anway

the dutch one will get other wires aswell

if i know every measurment about the standard maxis pylons i certainly will make an dragable one as far as possible.

[DocRorlach 25]

It isn't really critic, buzzit. Merely observations & perchance suggestions. As for sizes, I tried to find the download I currently use but no luck (they might be from the French SC4 site). However, both your sizes will work just fine (the French is closest) - they do not (to my knowledge) need to be the exact size of the Maxis ones (in fact the original red Maxis pylons are smaller the those shown in my picture). But they would need to "generate" the wires as you drag them (which is why the wires do not cast a shadow). And I found the substations for both Dutch and French pylons too large - but don't listen to me - that is personal preference.

[metarvo 710]

Hey, Buzzit, it's good to see that you have a thread here, too.

As far as 90° corners go, they are rare in my area, but not completely unheard of.  The electric company that builds the poles on which I have based mine tends to avoid 90° turns, or at least it did in times past.  There wasn't as much development, and there was likely less NIMBY-type opposition to new power line construction.  Now, the new power lines are much more likely to pull 90° corners to follow fence lines or avoid development.  As you may have seen in my thread though, the 90° turns in my set are built on pairs of single-circuit pylons, rather than double-circuit pylons.  The same is true for my set's RL equivalent.  Ultimately, this takes up more space, but it increases the stability of the line.

Then again, I realize that 90° turns may not even be used in your area at all.  If this were the case, then there would indeed be no RL example for you to use as a 90° turning pylon in your set, and therefore one could not reasonably be included.  In any case, you're doing a good job.  Keep up the good work!

[buzzit 31]

hey people!

its been a while isn't it!

well i got an update on the delta line and the german line

since i got vacation i got much more time to work on it!

first the german update

i made a small  substation for it and i improved and increased the size of the model in general:

substation:

and this shot shows the improved model  next to maartens huge german themed line:

i may change the size of mine to fit better

but its currently on the RL measurement in height(not sure in width)

wich is about 30 meters in height.

the delta pylon update:

this one is one im really proud of! the substation turned out to look really great!

its not done yet as it has some small points that needs to be improved

i got 2 render shots and one 1 game:

render 1:

render shot 2:

and the ingame shot:

i probably will add some props to make it look better.

next thing to work on is the corner pylons and the diagonal straight piece.

buzzit

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Great job!!!! I love the sub power stations. Looking life like.

[buzzit 31]

my newest release!

the delta set is now done and online on the stex:

https://www.simtropolis.com/stex/details.cfm?id=25576

if there are any issues concerning these pylons please report!

have fun!

[buzzit 31]

wow its been an insanely long time ago since i posted something here.

this is due an incredible amount of time spent on things i real life including school divorce of parents and alot of other things.

but i didnt sit back!

as you all may have seen i released a set not so long ago

(for the people who don't know here's the link: https://www.simtropolis.com/forum/files/file/26735-german-themed-220kv-high-voltage-pylons-hd/ )

as they know on sc4d i currently working on the overhaul of my old and obsolete 20kV set.

im planning to create a wireless slope friendly set and a set wich is wired(this one will only contain the most common dragpylon.)

here's a picture of all the types wich will be included in the wireless set:

.

the only problem is that i can't seem to figure out on how to create them slope friendly

i know there's a tutorial somewhere but i forgot what it called and what simcity site it was.

if people can help me on the right track when its about slopefriendliness help is appriciated!

these pylons look really good in game!(i already had a couple wired for test purposes) so i want to share them with you guys!

[buzzit 31]

Hey fellow mayors! If you didn't notice yet my newest addition for your powergrids has been finished an released !

 

7th set:
Country wich this set is used in: Pretty much any country has a monopole/tubular pole variant. These are based on Dutch ones though.
Type : Double circuit in a barrel configuration.
Height: ~25/30 meters in real life. (~50  in simcity meters)
Voltage: 20kV (or 20.000 volts)
Link: 

 

And i'm already figuring out what to do next!

I'm busy creating a replacement set for rural/lowwealth streetlights.  
You see these kind of poles alot in european villages and rural areas. But i noticed you rarely see a pack containing these. (exept that Asian one wich is fantastic!)

The ones you see now are seen in holland but i'm planning to create some from other countries aswel (as these aren't hard to model at all!)

I only have to figure out how to give them a lightcone and how to make them replace the original maxis ones. But i think im on the right way with the t21 tutorial!

More updates soon!

Buzzit.