NAM -- Traffic Simulator Configuration Tool?

[Danoz 0]

First off, I am running Sim City: Rush Hour for Mac. I essentially just plopped the extracted NAM folder into my SC4 plugin director and--- whoosh--- all of the pieces and new addons seem to be available and ploppable in my transit menu during gameplay. However, I want to make sure I didn't mess something up by just throwing such a massive folder of plugins and complicated DAT files there. For instance:

What is the Traffic Controller folder? There are five dats in there named "NetworkAddonMod_Traffic_Plugin_Z_" ...... .dat and then qualifiers for low, medium, high, ultra and classic. I have a feeling all of these should not exist here at the same time? What do these do?

Second, even though I downloaded and threw the Mac version into my plugins folder, this is a folder called "Traffic Simulator Configuration Tool" that includes an unusable EXE. I juiced it at the advice of the Readme, but that didn't really give me anything. Do I need this? Has it changed my settings at all by being in my plugins folder? A bit confused about this.

Any advice?

[CaptCity 4,789]

What is the Traffic Controller folder? There are five dats in there named "NetworkAddonMod_Traffic_Plugin_Z_" ...... .dat and then qualifiers for low, medium, high, ultra and classic. I have a feeling all of these should not exist here at the same time? What do these do?

This is the file that determines the characteristics of the various transit network capacities. You are correct - only one of these files is required. Just remove the ones you don't want to use. You can find more information here to help you decide.

In addition to the controller file, there are other things you need to chose in the Mac version. In the Data View folder, you also need to remove those files that don't match the controller you chose. In the Rail Textures folder, you need to select the files you wish for track appearance and remove the rest. Likewise with the Automata Controller folder. Finally, if you have a right-hand drive game, you'll need to remove the Z_Left Hand Plugin folder. You might want to check in the Documentation folder for more things that could be specific to Mac installations.

Second, even though I downloaded and threw the Mac version into my plugins folder, this is a folder called "Traffic Simulator Configuration Tool" that includes an unusable EXE. I juiced it at the advice of the Readme, but that didn't really give me anything. Do I need this? Has it changed my settings at all by being in my plugins folder? A bit confused about this.

You don't need this for NAM to function, and no, simply having it installed does not change any settings. It is a component of NAM that allows you to customize the traffic simulator by altering the various settings that permit modification. But only if you use it.

[Danoz 0]

Thanks this makes sense. I deleted all of those but "classic" because I find this particular part of my manual installation confusing. I have a number of different styles of cities, so I'm not sure which one is best to use. All of a sudden it seems that my transportation problems are "fixed," but now ALL of the commutes are listed as "short" instead of "medium" even when they go clear across the map! Granted I have a pretty intense transit system with multiple modes (and not a lot of traffic)-- and it's only a medium-sized map--- but before this would have been considered "long" by its distance alone. Was this is a fix?

[CaptCity 4,789]

All of a sudden it seems that my transportation problems are "fixed," but now ALL of the commutes are listed as "short" instead of "medium" even when they go clear across the map! Granted I have a pretty intense transit system with multiple modes (and not a lot of traffic)-- and it's only a medium-sized map--- but before this would have been considered "long" by its distance alone. Was this is a fix?

Yes, the pathfinding was improved to allow a more "real world" definition of long, medium, and short commute times.