Real Highway (RHW) - Development and Support

[BigSlark 0]

Congratulations Tarkus, this is incredibly impressive. I'm at a loss for words! It seems that New Mississippi will have a major highway rebuilding project in the (hopefully) near future.

[MaybeMemories06 0]

@Tarkus: OMG someone actually answered! I was beginning to wonder if I was being ingnored. Thank you. Anyway, The ramps and that look BEAUTIFUL! Now, get to work on my SPUI! J/K, but um, on the subject of Sim City, I have reinstalled it twice. With no luck. Maybe I will just wait until I get taxes back, and get myself a new computer. That shouldn't be very long.

[Hutts 0]

@ Tarkus: is it going to be possible to have a sunken RHW with MIS ramps that would extend 2 tiles to the side of the RHW and conform to the slope of the sunken highway wall, something similar to the ramps that the NAM has for sunken highways?

[Ryan B 35]

Tarkus:  I just remembered - I've got some traffic signs made up for the RHW - MIS . . . a merge sign, a exit gore sign, a ramp speed sign . . . . if you'd like to use them, please give me a holler! 

[Shadow Assassin 336]

Looks great. I'd recommend having a mound of earth or something under the ramp. It just looks weird hovering in mid-air like that...

[BigSlark 0]

I don't know if any of the retaining wall BATers read this thread (cough BuddyBud, jeronji) but some embankments for the ramps would look amazing. Just a thought.

[tommiej 0]

looks awesome!! finally a on and off ramps with the RHW!! totally awesome!!

keep it up tarkus

[Tarkus 6,932]

@Everyone:  Thanks for the compliments!  I haven't had too much time the past day or so to really add anything onto this development, but I should have some time in the next few days to perhaps get some diagonals working--maybe some other surprises.  I might even get more done on the Elevated RHW as well . . .

To answer a few questions you raised:

Regarding supports:  My plan had been to add the supports in once I get closer to completing everything . . . though really, the pieces I used to make that basic interchange are basically done, so they'll probably be there in the next version I'll show.  And I concur with Shadow_Assassin and BigSlark about having some sort of embankment lots . . . most of the ramps around these parts do have some earth under them, though some are held up by supports.  So it is something that's definitely crossed my mind . . .

@It:  Are you referring to the at-grade intersections that qurlix posted back on page 51?

If so, then yes, and that will be included in v17 for certain. 

@rickmastfan67:  Well, as far as I know, the RHWMIS stuff probably won't be in v17, but it will likely be in the version after, and definitely by v20.  I should have a good portion of the MIS done by the end of the month, barring any unforeseen RL stuff or weird modding problems. 

@M1:  As far as the LHD issue goes, I'm not entirely certain, as I haven't tried it, but from what I know, the current RHW already works with LHD . . . qurlix would probably know more.  I may have to put in reversed paths to get the ramps to work, but rest assured, I'll find some way for it to work for the LHD crowd.  And yes, it will be possible to have the ramps be non-elevated . . . I just have to produce flat versions of some of the pieces at ground level, and then that will be done. 

@mapper:  Yes, I have noticed the pedestrian pathing, and I wondered about it as well.  It looks weirder than all get-out in UDI when you're driving along an RHW and there's crowds of pedestrians in the shoulder . . . it's not terribly hard, just the pedestrian paths need to be removed from the SC4Path files. 

@MaybeMemories06:  Yes, your SPUI is on its way . . . I'll probably need some sort of new traffic signal prop and Type21 to get everything looking/working right (a process I'm not terribly familiar with at the moment), but the SPUI is indeed coming to the MIS. 

@Hutts:  You'll be able to do something similar to that.  The ramps are set up a little differently than the ones for the NAM highway ramps, but it will be possible to build an MIS ramp 2 tiles away from an RHW next to a sunken highway wall.  Actually, you'll even be able to move the walls closer in and do it 1 tile away if you're so inclined as well.  Or 3 tiles, etc.

@ryanb_sc4:  Those signs would be an excellent addition!  The merge sign probably could be Type21-ed as a part of the Entrance Ramp piece, and the other ones would probably make excellent overhanging prop lots . . . I'd hesitate to Type21 those because they're more customizable (i.e. different ramp speed advisories, etc.).

 I'll have more MIS-related development to show everyone in the next couple days. 

-Tarkus

[BigSlark 0]

Just a clarification, Tarkus. The original RHW Elevated release will be 15m only, correct? If you add 30m and 45m pieces as well, I can only imagine the interchanges that I could come up with.

[SamJam 9]

Originally posted by: BigSlark I don't know if any of the retaining wall BATers read this thread (cough BuddyBud, jeronji) but some embankments for the ramps would look amazing. Just a thought.quote>

That would be swell, especially since this is supposed to be a rural freeway by nature.

Given that these interchanges will be modular, they will not only give a sense of realism (accel/decel distances) but also a lot of flexibility in how we'll be able to fit them into our already-populated areas. This is something that is far beyond what I could've hoped for in this game, so please don't mistake this post as being whiney or picky..... but will there be looped and curved ramps as well? The 400-series highways in Ontario specialize in the "Parclo A4" design and If I have the chance to recreate them with the MIS I'm gonna flip out!!

RJ_Airport_Tram_Terminal_3x3.zip

[JCarter 0]

I think I heard a while back that it would be possible but I dunno. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, TARKUS AND QUIRLX!!!!!!

[Haljackey 17,354]

SamJam, I do recall Tarkus has stated that parclo-class interchanges will be part of the RHWMIS several pages back. Using various jughandle or loop ramps as well as curved/diagional ramps will allow for the design and construction of these. If they are not ready for the first release, you can still use one ways to make the interchange, but to a lesser realistic and functional extent.

[Ryan B 35]

I'm definitely excited to see this come out.  According to what Tarkus has said, pretty much anything you can dream up or have seen somewhere will be possible.  That fact has me absolutely salivating.

[prucedorion 1]

Ok, i have an good idea to make RHW a very useful in urban areas (Ok, it is to be Rural, but just read that...).

Look, i spend my January on Brasilia (to who don't know, Brasilia is the Brazil's capital city [No, it isn't Buenos Aires!]). When in there, i realized, that the most of Brasilia highways (more the "Eixo Monumental" and "Eixo Estrutural" [translated somewhat like "Monumental Axis" and "Structural Axis"]) act like RHW! I take some links from google maps to show some of Brasilia's intersections, over/underpasses and another cool stuffs:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Brasilia,+Brazil&ie=UTF8&om=1&z=18&ll=-15.829891,-47.929648&spn=0.003556,0.006781&t=k&iwloc=addr

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Brasilia,+Brazil&ie=UTF8&om=1&z=17&ll=-15.835785,-47.926826&spn=0.007112,0.013561&t=k&iwloc=addr

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Brasilia,+Brazil&ie=UTF8&om=1&z=17&ll=-15.79149,-47.889469&spn=0.007113,0.013561&t=k

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Brasilia,+Brazil&ie=UTF8&om=1&z=17&ll=-15.800956,-47.877367&spn=0.007113,0.013561&t=k

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Brasilia,+Brazil&ie=UTF8&om=1&z=17&ll=-15.800471,-47.88331&spn=0.007113,0.013561&t=k

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Brasilia,+Brazil&ie=UTF8&om=1&z=17&ll=-15.788681,-47.880446&spn=0.007113,0.013561&t=k

There are many other good places, just look around in the google maps and see...

So, with all that, i have an idea, why, besides of building full intersections, don't build pieces of intersections that can be joint to make personalized intersections. It should be like the on/offramps in Maxis highways... you plug the off/onramp piece in your RHW, then it leave a piece of RHW in the end, and you plug the next piece of the intersect on that, and so on until you make a full intersection that accomplish your city design...

I will model something here at night, when i came back from the university... I'm in GMT -03:00 and in summer time (-1 hour), so, if you wish to talk with me, i will be back between 23:00 and 00:00 Brazilian time... Ok?!?

[Tarkus 6,932]

@BigSlark:  Yes, the Elevated RHW will just be 15m to start.  The MIS will probably incorporate the 30m (and possibly 45m) heights before the Elevated RHW, though, as 30m would be enough height to produce a decent stack interchange or flyover ramp.

@SamJam, JCarter, haljackey, and ryanb_sc4:  Yes, the Parclo-type interchanges (among many others) will definitely be doable, and I should have enough individual pieces modded to make a test one in the very near future . . . there will probably be some limits still (many of which will be overcome with time), but there will be a lot fewer of them than the current Maxis Highway setup allows.  I've almost got the additional level pieces done, so it will actually be possible to do a 28-tile accel/decel lane like the real world example I showed on the previous page.  (If you did that on both sides to connect to a Road, using the minimal 4 tile width, you'd have a 57x4 interchange).

@prucedorion:  Actually, I can save you some time.  The Modular Interchange System (MIS) I've already been working on involves doing exactly what you suggested, breaking things up into smaller pieces to build personalized/customized interchanges.  The ramp I showed toward the top of the page is built using it.  It's actually not a single, multi-tile piece like the standard Maxis interchanges as it may appear to be, but instead, it's actually made up of 22 separate pieces (24 if you count the two Road over RHW puzzle pieces), most of which are 1x1 like these:

I've got the models on all the pieces that will make up the system completed already, and I'm just working on texturing them and modding them (though I'm not entirely happy with the textures I've made).

@Everyone:  I'll have some more screens up in the next day or so--perhaps even a Parclo or the start of a SPUI. 

-Tarkus

[blahdy 21]

Looks awesome as usual, keep it up Tarkus.  BTW, I sent you a PM, if you have some time, let me know!

[Dexter 41]

Hi there, this project is looking great, but I was wondering, if possible, could you PM some of the new textures to I can make up some more Euro Textures.

Thanks.

[J0nnD0ugh 31]

Is there a RHW compatible w/the Jan '07 NAM yet?

[rickmastfan67 0]

Originally posted by: J0nnD0ugh Is there a RHW compatible w/the Jan '07 NAM yet?quote>

 

Nope.  But when v17 comes out, it should be.  However, nobody knows when v17 will be out.

[Tarkus 6,932]

Here's a teaser of what's to come.  This is a 15-tile long exit/entrance ramp setup--still currently confined to being a diamond-type interchange only one tile away from the RHW, but that's soon to change.  Should give you an idea of the "modularity", though.

@blahdy:  Thanks! 

@Dexter:  I can have the current RHWMIS textures up later this weekend--I'll probably just put them on Imageshack and post a direct link here so everyone can access them.  They're still very rough, as I'm terrible at texturing, but they'll at least give you a template to work with.  (The better looking ones above are by mjig_dudy). 

And everyone else, if you want to touch up the US ones I made when I upload them, you're more than welcome!  It would help me out a lot, and there's a good possibility they'll end up in the MIS mod when it is released.

-Tarkus

[rickmastfan67 0]

Hey Tarkus, little suggestion on where to upload your images. Try a site like Photobucket. Tonight, with the image in the post above this (which is hosted @ imageshack) took me about 6-8 tries to just get it to load fully. Now, I don't know if it's a problem on my end or imageshack's end, but I thought I would let you know about it. I personally have an account @ Photobucket and have had no problems with any images.

[Dexter 41]

@rickmastfan67:

Well I have been having trouble with ImageShack lately aswell. It seems very slow, and quite a few images don't load. This includes other sites that use ImageShack.

@Everyone:

I made a few textures up to see what grey concrete or low speed (light brown) concrete looked like, and I think that the blacktop looks better than the rest. I could post a picture if anyone would like to see it.

@Tarkus:

I could have ago at smoothing out the US diagonal to orthogonal sections as well, as they look very sharp!

Some of the euro interchanges I have to do are:

RHW <> Avenue (Single Access T Junction)

RHW <> Avenue (Cross Junction / Full Access T Junction)

RHW <> RHW (Single Access T Junction)

RHW <> RHW (Cross Junction / Full Access T Junction)

RHW <> One-Way (Single Access T Junction)

RHW <> One-Way (Cross Junction / Full Access T Junction)

Plus all of the above in diagonal interchanges as well.

BTW: That interchange looks great! Although I do admit that supports would make it look better. Many of the interchanges around here have dirt/grass mounds under the slip roads to hold them up, many of them with weeds and trees on them.

However, that interchange would look better with just support columns (the same as the overpass puzzle pieces use). Because the elevated road uses them, and it is not very common to have dirt mounds on the slip roads, and supports on the overpass. Also, the is not enough room between the slip-roads/off ramps to have dirt mounds.

EDIT 9:03pm GMT:

How difficult would it be to replace the ground highway model with something less "Chunky" that has break-down lanes (although they would have to end at diagonal sections. In the UK, it is quite rare to see concrete retaining walls. Most high speed roads just have a metal "Armco" barrier in the central strip, and at the edge of the carriageway only around interchanges and important objects, such as big signs or control pillars.

[Ryan B 35]

Tarkus:  That picture also gave me an idea of which traffic signs would work as type-21s.  I can think of maybe four or five right now:

1)  Exit Gore Sign

2)  Ramp Advisory Speed Sign

3)  Merge Sign

4)  Yield Sign

5)  Stop Sign

In any event, this keeps getting better and better!  I'm sure I'll have a crack at the American RHW - MIS textures when you upload them.

[J0nnD0ugh 31]

Originally posted by: rickmastfan67

Originally posted by: J0nnD0ugh Is there a RHW compatible w/the Jan '07 NAM yet?quote>

 

Nope.  But when v17 comes out, it should be.  However, nobody knows when v17 will be out.quote>

 

Ok. I know it was @ one time said it would be only a few days to make it compatible. So I kept coming into this thread. But I just saw new features. So I thought maybe I had missed it when it was announced .

[riponite 0]

Wow, I am so impressed with the recent development on this project.  Thanks Tarkus and crew for all of your improvements.  The recent examples that you have shown us are so elegant, not at all like the Maxis creations.  This project could arguably be considered the most significant addition to the game in the past 12 months.  Will we be able to create clover loops for Trumpet Interchanges using your modular system?  I am looking forward to the next update and RHW/NAM fix.  But rest assured, I am very patient - mostly due to RLS.  LOL.

Keep up the great work, and thanks again.

Riponite

[Tarkus 6,932]

@rickmastfan67:  Thanks for the advice on the image hosting.  I haven't had any problems with ImageShack yet, but I may look into Photobucket. 

@Dexter and ryanb_sc4:  At the bottom of the message is a .zip attachment with all the current (hideous) RHWMIS ramp textures.  Thanks for offering to update/Euro-ize them!  And, Dexter, as far as replacing the Ground Highway like you're talking about, it is possible, but there's a ton of models you'd have to replace.

@J0nnD0ugh:  I think the new features are why it's been delayed.  qurlix is going crazy adding some great new stuff in, though I think RL might have hit him a little.  When he does release it, it will be a significant improvement from v12. 

@riponite:  Thank you for the very kind words!  And yes, the Trumpet-type interchanges will definitely be possible with the modular system.  And thank qurlix as well, as he's the brilliant mind who started the whole thing.  What I've done wouldn't have been possible without him.

-Tarkus

RHWMIS Ramp Textures.zip

[owenluby 1]

Wow Tarkus, this is amazing! I can't wait to see those ramps in asphalt textures!

[rickmastfan67 0]

Originally posted by: ryanb_sc4 Tarkus:  That picture also gave me an idea of which traffic signs would work as type-21s.  I can think of maybe four or five right now:

1)  Exit Gore Sign

2)  Ramp Advisory Speed Sign

3)  Merge Sign

4)  Yield Sign

5)  Stop Sign

In any event, this keeps getting better and better!  I'm sure I'll have a crack at the American RHW - MIS textures when you upload them.

quote>

 

You can also add the "Eisenhower Interstate System" sign because they have one @ almost every on-ramp onto the Interstates.  I have a copy done of the base shield, don't know if anybody could use it.  But I also plan on making the 50th Anniversary version.  But I've only seen it once.  It was @ the NB I-95 South Carolina Welcome Center.  Wasn't able to get a picture, but the next time I stop there if it isn't gone yet, I'll get a picture of it so I can recreate it.

[J0nnD0ugh 31]

@J0nnD0ugh:  I think the new features are why it's been delayed.  qurlix is going crazy adding some great new stuff in, though I think RL might have hit him a little.  When he does release it, it will be a significant improvement from v12. 

-Tarkusquote>

[rickmastfan67 0]

You know Tarkus, I think I just may have come up with another neat little idea for this project. You know how sometimes when DOT's plan on extending an Interstate (or other limited access freeways) in the future from an Interchange, but have the current traffic exiting @ the last opened Interchange, would something like that be possible? Where (for example) the highway goes from 2 lanes down to 1, and then that one lane gets off @ the exit ramp with concrete dividers blocking off the unopened section of highway? Something like what is shown with FL-9A @ US-90 in Jacksonville, FL (now since fully opened) on the images below (also have a ground level picture of it from when I drove it while it was still in this configuration that I can post later if requested)?

If you want, I could possible make some textures (if you can provide me with the base exit ramp from the RHW plus a possible number of tiles (size in pixels as well) it would possibly need to be since this would be my first attempt at anything for SC4) for it if you think it might be a good idea, but I would need somebody else to add the concrete dividers to finish off the pieces since I don't know how to do that part.

Also, would something like the off-ramps onto US-90 from FL-9A be possible (last image numbered "6"), or will we only be able to do intersections with roads in the same fashion as the pictures you've shown so far?