Bus Lane mod

[cammo2003 20]

Date: 9/5/2005 6:55:49 AM
Author: mikeyb66
Here are a couple more variations:

Hope you like them, I guess I can make them in any colour for different places. I haven't been able to render it to see what it looks like in game but it should be fine.

quote>

Looks good. I assume the little sign on the back is for a timetable?

You could also use the 'internal' advert space for a network map. Just an idea.

[mikeyb66 30]

Yeah cammo, thats the plan for the smaller sign. I could put a route map but I don't know how well it would show up. I figured with a pepsi bottle it would at least be distinguishable.

[cammo2003 20]

Date: 8/30/2005 8:33:21 AM
Author: edcase2k4-thugangel1983

about Bus-only roads.. i'm not too bothered about them myself either - we do get short stretches of it occasionally - but not usually a long road of 2-lane with bus-lanes each way - i also haven't ever seen more than one bus-lane is any given direction.......


there are those 'guided' bus-ways in Leeds (i think) which someone posted in the thread: but they only actually look like they are single-lane anyway in one direction. i think just using the H.O.V. lot is good enough (for now). Romford town centre doesn't allow any vehicles through a certain part except buses and taxis - but it isn't painted as a Bus Lane or anything. it just has the signs as you enter which prohibit motorcars and motorcycles (the red circle with white background and picture of a car and motorbike)


before delving into anything like 'guided bus ways' i would (personally) prefer to see the 2-lane road including bus lane finished.. and other possibilites like: 2-lane road including contraflow bus lane.. 3-lane road (two-way) including one bus lane.. 4-lane road (two-way) including one bus lane.. 4-lane road (two-way) including two bus lanes.. 6-lane road (two-way) including two bus lanes..... guess we should worry about getting the one-way 2-lane road with bus-lane finished first though, huh? which is why i think i need to be learning how to create more parts of it myself...

quote>

Hmm, I can confirm that bus-only roads do indeed exist. There's a few of them in Sydney, though they're generally called BusWAYS.

This is something I would like to see, as I eventually plan to simulate Sydney.

There's one through Moore Park (which has been there for decades) and there are a few in Western Sydney (most of these are designed with an eventual upgrade to Light Rail in mind).

[edcase2k4-thugangel1983 1]

Bus-Ways can already be placed using the H.O.V. Lot available on the Simptropolis Exchange! you should use those for now! but its impossible to make the game automatically re-texture the road to look like Busways in Sydney (or any other location)..

and i'm not sure that its really worth making puzzle-pieces which resemble the designs; when it is for something which can already be done entirely (except for the cosmetic appearance of the road)...

mikeyb those bus stops are looking good i say keep the Pepsi Ad for the external shell; you could add a network map immitation to the smaller inside sign but it probably wouldn't be visible with the game's viewing angles.. or it may be slightly viewable! when you are happy with the models let me know; i can render them, no problem! - plus there may be a few things added before rendering

[mikeyb66 30]

edcase - I have attached the gmax file and textures for you to give a test render too. I'm not sure how big it will be in game so it may need re-sizing. I've added a couple of pieces and put on a route map.

[tchaos713 5]

In addition to the busways mentioned in Sydney, I will add that Pittsburgh, PA has a system of busways. They radiate from downtown providing a light rail-type connection that can transition smoothly to normal streets. Check it out: www.portauthority.org.

On a related note: perhaps the ANT from NAM could be jiggered into some sort of a busway system.

Just my two cents.

[Tropod 144]

I have an idea, which may *possibly* overcome, or at least get around, some of the problems. Though while in the process creating some of its own maybe.......

Most of us know that the ANT does not allow for sustained building development directly along its tiles. So having this network running directly along anything that requires direct access like this is somewhat pointless. So keeping that in mind, one could possibly use a TransitEnabled Lot to trigger the Wealth/Density Dependant Textures of a network, in this case the ANT item. Currently the ANT item only has base textures for the network (i.e. no wealth textures). If Bus lane textures were to be made, & the 7th digit of InstanceIDs of the textures given a particular value; a TransitEnabled Lot for the network made that triggered these textures, well you may be able to have your cake & eat it.

It's only been recently that some additional discoveries have been made regarding Networks, Wealths & Densities. And as far as I'm aware, we still don't fully understand the underlying aspect of what triggers the 7th digit for a textured network (unless I've missed it, in which case anyone care point out where this info is, thanks). So it may very well be possible, to customize this in a way that bus only textures are shown when triggered by custom TEL for buses, with very little or no drawbacks.

[6underground 11]

Tropod that is fantastic news! (pretty revolutionary too) If that is combined with the Bus lane, in your words we could have our cake and eat it. Our Bus Land Mod would be vastly improved if that theory pans out!

[Tennismaster1 1]

hey 6underground i have sent you 2 pm's.

[edcase2k4-thugangel1983 1]

a teaser pic of the path's now working (albeit strangely rotated 180 degrees )



EDIT - or, they may in fact be using the paths backwards. it is hard to tell

[Tennismaster1 1]

wow that looks ready to put on the stex! accept when the bus lane panited on the road! exellent work ed!

[wallasey 8]

Forgive me for this question (I have only looked at this page) but, the arrow is pointing in the opposite direction to the bus lane. I know you get this in real life but are there any variations to the contraflow bus lane we have before us?

[choco1 4]

Wow this project is really coming along. This looks really good. Can't wait for more, great work guys.

[edcase2k4-thugangel1983 1]

Date: 9/10/2005 4:42:24 AM
Author: wallasey
Forgive me for this question (I have only looked at this page) but, the arrow is pointing in the opposite direction to the bus lane. I know you get this in real life but are there any variations to the contraflow bus lane we have before us?

quote>

just to clarify. that isn't the contraflow bus-lane.. there is still a problem with the Pathfinding which means either the paths are being rotated 180degrees; or the paths are being used backwards

just wanted to show it with buses on it

i'm trying to work out why the Paths are still giving trouble

[Tennismaster1 1]

hey ed where did u get the bed buses from? not the london ones.

[Tennismaster1 1]

hey ed where did u get the red buses from. not the london ones.

[6underground 11]

SCC (Simcity Central) http://www.simcitycentral.net

[edcase2k4-thugangel1983 1]

see 6underground's post for the buses tennismaster. they are in the Downloads section at SCC. Oppie created both red buses - the old london one, and a modern london bus modelled from the picturers i provided

[Tennismaster1 1]

ok thanks!  ed have u sorted out the problem with the cars driveing the other way?any pictures?

[AtkinsSJ_ 7]

Yay! The bus lanes work, kind-of! You just need to tell the drivers which way to drive...
I just had an idea. Maybe the game takes the paths set for transit networks for games with right-hand lane driving, and simply reverses the paths for left-hand games. So maybe you have to make the paths go backwards for them to go forewards.
I'm just guessing. I'm probably completely wrong.

[edcase2k4-thugangel1983 1]

i'm not sure Eskiman - it is a possibility. but its over-my-head right now

[nooneatall 6]

Well, the progress is really looking good!

And, Eskiman is exactly right: all paths for the game need to be for righthand drive, and if you have a lefthand drive game, it simply flips the paths.

I hope this clarifies a bit.

If there's anything else that I could possibly do to help, give me a shout and I'll do my best.

-noone

[Tennismaster1 1]

hello everyone!  just wanted to know if we are any closer to completeing the bus lane!

[6underground 11]

Hey Ed hows the work coming along?

[edcase2k4-thugangel1983 1]

no progress to report i still can't find out why traffic is travelling the wrong way along the path files

[6underground 11]

So nooneatall's comment didn't apply here?:

Well, the progress is really looking good!

And, Eskiman is exactly right: all paths for the game need to be for righthand drive, and if you have a lefthand drive game, it simply flips the paths.

I hope this clarifies a bit.

If there's anything else that I could possibly do to help, give me a shout and I'll do my best


I take it you've already flipped the path's for it?

[edcase2k4-thugangel1983 1]

it is right that the game automatically flips paths but this becomes a problem for one-way roads because then the paths will end up going in the opposite direction; so the way paths work in SC4 for one-way roads is slightly different to the paths for other networks.

however there is already something implemented into the NAM which makes the game use seperate path files automatically for Left-Hand Drive one-way puzzle-piece's to avoid any problems.

i've got that working fine now once i removed the erroneous AutoPathBase line in the RUL file where the puzzle-pieces are defined. so now: on my version of SC4 it uses the extra Left-Hand Drive pathfile rather than flipping the Right-Hand Drive pathfile. i tested this by using a completely incorrect pathfile for the RHD, and tried no pathfile for the RHD: and the game still used the LHD pathfile....

...but i cannot tell you why the buses are going the wrong way along the LHD pathfiles, i can't work it out and i don't really know if the problem is related to the RUL file defining the puzzle-pieces or is related to the SC4path files themself - because i don't know if the direction is determined by the paths or the RUL... i think i shoudl read up about how to create paths to determine/eliminate where the problem could be

EDIT: it may be true that
- if i get the game to rotate the paths 180degrees (and have the path layout created in the SC4PATH file taking the later rotation into account) then that may get the buses going in the right direction
OR
- if the SC4PATH files in themself can define which way the traffic is going then it would need to be reversed

[6underground 11]

The Very best of luck, and i hope that it'll be easy for you too correct, knowing full well how tricky the BAT is, i can only hope that you'll have an easier task with the Puzzle piecesKeep me posted

[Tennismaster1 1]

are you still nworking on this ed?

[edcase2k4-thugangel1983 1]

yep.. yesterday i taught myself how the pathfiles are created using the various articles i had - and what i have done for LeftHandDrive SC4PATHS is make the entry into the exit and vice versa; then reversed the order of all the co-ordinates for each path within the SC4PATHS.

the result is they use the roads in the correct direction, even though SC4 is being given data which plots the paths from end to start. the traffic seems to begin at the end and finish at the start...

weird, and i dont't know if its just a LHD flipping issue of some sort, or i have something wrong elsewhere. i dont care too much though 'cause i now have the desired result

heres a pic:


so now: i need to focus back on finishing the creation of all the puzzle-pieces INCLUDING pathfiles now that i know how to create them; and my work will be complete (for now)

however we will have to wait for Swamper77's TELs for this to be finished before it can be made available for download/testing. as the TransitEnabledLots are missing from the above picture, and as such: ANY traffic can use the bus-lanes at the moment