Grid secrets: a tutorial CJ

[tungston 19]

Date: 10/27/2005 4:12:31 PM Author: thegrindre Ah, ha. I see things are still going as planned. Very good. I'm surprised everyone doesn't see it... There are a lot of doubters out there. I use 7 as my water pipes are layed. That's 15 across. (7 each side of center) Don't stop now, you're doing a fine job, here.

quote>

 

Well Geek, if that is the way you do it, you have two tiles that are not watered.

 

BTW: do you play the game at all?

[Voar Tok 4]

Date: 10/27/2005 5:09:50 PM Author: tungston

Date: 10/27/2005 4:12:31 PM Author: thegrindre Ah, ha. I see things are still going as planned. Very good. I'm surprised everyone doesn't see it... There are a lot of doubters out there. I use 7 as my water pipes are layed. That's 15 across. (7 each side of center) Don't stop now, you're doing a fine job, here.

Well Geek, if that is the way you do it, you have two tiles that are not watered.

BTW: do you play the game at all?

That would definitely leave two unwatered tiles.

 

As for all this stuff about 256's, computers are programmed according to powers of two.  Hence, they tend to work much better when powers of 2 are used for variables.  It makes life easier on the computer, and the person programming it too, for that matter.

 

PAGE 6

[tungston 19]

I am still lost on the powers of 2, when I studied math this is what I learned.  Since my keyboard won't type exponets I will have to do it this way:

 

Numbers to the power of 2:

 

1=1

2=4

3=9

4=16

5=25

6=36

7=49

8=64 etc.

[Voar Tok 4]

Date: 10/28/2005 2:33:26 AM Author: tungston

I am still lost on the powers of 2, when I studied math this is what I learned.  Since my keyboard won't type exponets I will have to do it this way:

Numbers to the power of 2:

1=1

2=4

3=9

4=16

5=25

6=36

7=49

8=64 etc.

quote>

No, not like that.

 

2^2=4

2^3=8

2^4=16

2^5=32

2^6=64

2^7=128

2^8=256

 

In computers, the numbers 8 and 256 are probably the most useful.  There are 8 bits in a byte, and it takes 256 bytes to represent all of the letters, numbers, and punctuation marks on the standard American keyboard.  Notice that 2^8=256.  That is one of the golden equations in computing.

[tungston 19]

I understand how code is written, and what a bit, and byte are, I wrote code while studying for my degree.  A byte is 8 bits denoted by either a 0, or a 1. 

 

How does that relate to the game other than the language used.  How does 2 tiles have any more significance than 1 tile, or 3 tiles.  Why would the programers bother using items that only used 1 tile.  The game is full of numbers that are not powers of 2.  More important to be sucessful at the game is to play by the rules.  The rules in this case are equations computed by the compiler.  A set of if's, then, that, determined by true, or false. [simplified version]

 

Those rules and equations are not based on the powers of 2, or numbers to the power of 2.  If you have x number of sims [residents], you can have Y number of commercial jobs, and z number of industrial jobs, if, they can get to work on time.  If not you have k number of NJZ's.  

[Dragonsbrethren 0]

Date: 10/28/2005 3:14:29 AM
Author: Voar Tok

Date: 10/28/2005 2:33:26 AM Author: tungston

In computers, the numbers 8 and 256 are probably the most useful. There are 8 bits in a byte, and it takes 256 bytes to represent all of the letters, numbers, and punctuation marks on the standard American keyboard. Notice that 2^8=256. That is one of the 'golden' equations in computing.

quote>

Don't forget that 256 is the maximum value one byte can represent.

[Bones1 96]

Date: 10/28/2005 6:12:23 AM Author: Dragonsbrethre

Don't forget that 256 is the maximum value one byte can represent.

quote>

 

On every computer processor I know, it's 255. (Or 127 if you're using signed numbers.)

[Voar Tok 4]

Date: 10/28/2005 1:29:33 PM Author: Bones1

Date: 10/28/2005 6:12:23 AM Author: Dragonsbrethre

Don't forget that 256 is the maximum value one byte can represent.

quote>

On every computer processor I know, it's 255. (Or 127 if you're using signed numbers.)

quote>

That would be because computers start counting at 0 and not 1 like people do.

[tungston 19]

WOW, are you guys talking about ASCII, or extended ASCII, or what about the language scripts that take 2 bytes to represent a character.  And what happened to the other 256 combinations of a byte?

I am sure this is all very useful information [not], but how does it relate to this experiment?

[Sproxxx 0]

Too...many...numbers
Head...going...to...explode


PS Keep up the good work!

[Bones1 96]

Date: 10/28/2005 2:53:51 PM Author: Voar Tok

Date: 10/28/2005 1:29:33 PM Author: Bones1

Date: 10/28/2005 6:12:23 AM Author: Dragonsbrethre

Don't forget that 256 is the maximum value one byte can represent.

quote>

On every computer processor I know, it's 255. (Or 127 if you're using signed numbers.)

quote>

That would be because computers start counting at 0 and not 1 like people do.

quote>

 

It's not just about counting, it's also about adding and subtracting. Whether you're a computer or a person, you'd have a hard time working in a number scheme that didn't include zero. About all you could do is increment things (or count, as you say). That's about the mathematical ability of a 2 year old.

[tungston 19]

Bones1:  I think you just contradicted yourself, with the zero you say you need, that makes 256 values.

Check you image editor for color depths.  They go from zero to 255, thats 256 values.

 

Every computer you use now, uses ASCII, 128 characters, 7 bits per byte are used, the 8th in the past was used as a parity check.

[Shadow Assassin 336]

And that's why a grid is 16m x 16m. 16x16 = 256.

[Bones1 96]

Date: 10/28/2005 10:40:44 PM Author: tungston

Bones1:  I think you just contradicted yourself, with the zero you say you need, that makes 256 values.

quote>

 

I know that a byte can represent 256 different values, but that's not what Dragon said. He said that the maximum value for a byte is 256. That's wrong. Normally, a byte has a minimum value of 0, and a maximum value of 255. (Or -128 to 127 for signed ints.)

[Dragonsbrethren 0]

Date: 10/29/2005 7:31:24 AM Author: Bones1

I know that a byte can represent 256 different values, but that's not what Dragon said. He said that the maximum value for a byte is 256. That's wrong. Normally, a byte has a minimum value of 0, and a maximum value of 255. (Or -128 to 127 for signed ints.)

quote>

I meant 256 different values, I just worded it wrong, as I often do.

[thegrindre 28]

Again I Bozoed in this thread and I am very sorry for doing so. Please forgive me.

Yes, I play the game and lay my pipes 13 tiles apart. 15 equals all tiles and pipes.
But, the two tiles that are unwatered are usually a two lane road or highway or whatever. Does that clear it up any?
This creates maximum water coverage with the least amount of monthly expense.

[tungston 19]

Date: 10/29/2005 11:28:04 PM Author: thegrindre Again I Bozoed in this thread and I am very sorry for doing so. Please forgive me. Yes, I play the game and lay my pipes 13 tiles apart. 15 equals all tiles and pipes. But, the two tiles that are unwatered are usually a two lane road or highway or whatever. Does that clear it up any? This creates maximum water coverage with the least amount of monthly expense.

quote>

That is understandable, anyway if you had said that I wouldn't have posted.  I also won't water a road if it works out that way, but it won't with Friendofyaweh's grid.  I use 6 tile zones in my industrial with single tile roads, so I can put a pipe under a road and skip the roads on both sides.

[Voar Tok 4]

Date: 10/29/2005 11:28:04 PM Author: thegrindre Again I Bozoed in this thread and I am very sorry for doing so. Please forgive me. Yes, I play the game and lay my pipes 13 tiles apart. 15 equals all tiles and pipes. But, the two tiles that are unwatered are usually a two lane road or highway or whatever. Does that clear it up any? This creates maximum water coverage with the least amount of monthly expense.

quote>

When you said that you ran pipes every seven tiles, I wondered if this was the reason why.  I've never worried about it, but it does save some money.

[Simworld 056132 1]

WOW! Ain't that somethin. Seems the grid works better on traffic than anything else.
Looks like a giant tic-tack-toe board to me. I cant wait untill what happens next!

[Voar Tok 4]

RLS seems to be able to affect Waffle World.  How's it going, frndofyaweh?

[tungston 19]

Date: 11/3/2005 1:28:03 AM Author: Voar Tok RLS seems to be able to affect Waffle World.  How's it going, frndofyaweh?

quote>

He must have taken a sabbatical, he hasn't posted since 10/26

[TheCrybKeeper 300]

Tungston: No more numbers, just the grids and what they can do for a city plan such as this. Why does the grid work? is my focal point.

 

DavidtotheJ: Welcome to WaffleWorld and most of all, welcome to Simtropolis!

 

No mods here David. just plain old SC Deluxe and a money cheat, to speed up the process. Buses are actually the best mode of transportation in SC4. No matter what the data says or does; buses most definitely, handle this grid design and it took very little amount of stations to do it. I could still double the amount and change everything..?

 

Highways are your second best way to curb traffic. I have none of those yet even!

 

Compromise: Yes, thank you. I will try and keep this on track from now on. Welcome back Compromise!

 

Sproxxx: Keepin' On, Keepin' On, I always say. Welcome back Sproxxx!

 

Bones1: Darn you Bones! Where's Spock when we need him?! Your right too; I might be missing a few things, but they're many different patterns to play with. Grids are not boring to me at all. Look for a third pattern coming soon! Yes, it will work also.

 

Dragons Brethren: Cool Name! Welcome to WW, friend!

 

Jacqulina: Thank you Jacqulina! Glad you like my little park and welcome back to WW!

 

TheGrindre: YES! you are correct again! using the third pattern I will be showing; water pipes are placed in that way! look below and see if you like this idea?

 

VoarTok: Welcome back friend! the numbers are  actually all over the place, in the game. I just know I put things where they work best and things work out.

 

SimWorld056132: Welcome to Waffle World, bud! TicTacToe is fairly close. Thank you for noticing my Experiment! Grids and everything balanced properly, definitely decreases traffic the best.

 

Sabbatical?! No. Just lost my internet connection for a week and now I am back!

 

How could I stay away? I thought I was going to have ST withdrawl!

 

 

Chapter 19: New Experimentation

 

 

Time to attempt to connect my Subway to neighbors. Lets see if this reduces my auto traffic?

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//subwyconn1.jpg align=baseline>

 

 

 Time to add the trees for pollution reduction

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//treetime2q3.jpg align=baseline>

 

17 police stations and 4 jails. That is all that is needed to keep your political vote. Actually you sweep the polls every term and no one ever complains about crime! over a million sitizens and always growing population for 35 years! Why build anymore police than this?

 

 Notice this is considered minor crime problem for a big city below.

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//crimmf454.jpg align=baseline>

 

Can a city of all avenues and Buses, make a profit? Absolutely!!

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//1119profit7.jpg align=baseline>

 

1,119,103 Sitizens! Can't seem to boost that mayor rating for long though.? Still some hope for that later.

 

Now for something new! How to make water pipes most efficient:

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//grind45rt6.jpg align=baseline>

 

Notice that I can save a small chunk of money on W. pipes with this design. here we see a new trffic grid in effect.

 

Still more coming?... and now Grindres Grid is born!? Governor Zyros at your service.

 

 

Almost forgot! Here is a mosaic of the region so far.

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//topprt18.jpg align=baseline>

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//bottprt18.jpg align=baseline>

 

 

 

[tungston 19]

Excuse me... you are the one who brought up the numbers not I.

Why are you changing the grid to put in the water pipes?

[Sproxxx 0]

Really cool CJ. Love how big your region is getting. Patterns are cool.

[TheCrybKeeper 300]

Tungston: I was admitting you are correct. There are no specific patterns to the numbers. Only numbers that computers like best.

The third Gridded city is my oldest one, friend. I posted this water pipe design many moons ago in the City Building Concepts Forum, only no one caught it. Here is the link to it.

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/view.asp?topicID=65410

 

Here is another even older link to my grid designs. 6/20/05.

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/view.asp?topicID=64780

 

I have been showing this stuff since I first became a member, but like I said in previous chapters here; been gridding since SC2000 always according to these same numbers. 12 plus 2 equals 14 tiles apart. 144 watered tiles, in 4 city blocks. 144 is divisable by 12.

 

Sproxxx: Glad your back bud. I too love your proverb sig. Hopefully you feel a bit envolved in this thread. I can only show you, but it's tough to envolve us all much. I will name a medium city after you next.

 

I had to start a third grid, so as to, envolve Grindre a bit more. TheGrindre seems to have jumped on nearly all the correct answers first.

 

 

 

[Voar Tok 4]

Are those water pipes in the new grid running under roads?

[thegrindre 28]

Why thank you, frndofyaweh.
I, too, have been folling around with SimCity for awhile myself but I only go back as far as SC3U. But my knowledge of computers goes way back to '88 where I first learned BASIC programing and all the numbers thingy you're sharing here.
Hey, computers love 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, etc., etc., etc. It's much easier for a stupid computer to calculate things.

(NOTE: If you check my lots you'll notice that I tweaked them that way, too)

Keep it comming, frndofyaweh, you will be successfull.

[Kwakelaar 92]

More than 1.000.000 sims and even in the black, keep going!

[Sproxxx 0]

I am honored that you would name a city after me.

I just found this CJ interesting because It's doing something that I tended to do in all the SimCity games - be very grid like when building a city. You just take it to the next level and I'm interested to see what happens. You're doing an excellent job in letting people know how you're doing things. Keep it up. And thanks again!

[TheCrybKeeper 300]

Voar Tok: yes, they are under a road. I am able to save a couple stretches of water pipe per large city. also saving a bit of cash on replacing some avenues with roads, in both directions.

 

TheGrindre: you're welcome. Your city will have some style to it, I hope. A city that thrives on water front shops and haunts. This will require some ambient or aesthetic BATs, put into my plug-ins folder.

 

Are your lots on the STEX? I love the ones that follow computer numbers, especially aesthetic BATs/LOTs. Pegs stuff, Deadwoods, etc.

 

Kwakelaar: Thanks for coming by. Your always welcome to the Governors mansion, here in WW.

 

I will be looking for that Monastary BAT of yours today, for my third grid design.

 

Sproxxx: Your welcome. City to the south, close to the regional abyss; Sproxxx Gate ? Gov. Cerberus.

 

Chapter 20

  Grindres Grid: Combining Efficiency With Aesthetics

 

This is just a short update. It will take some time, to finish the terraforming project.

 

I have noticed many sitizens of ST, wanting to know the secret to straight shorelines.

 

It just takes a steady hand and keeping the pulsating circles on the correct lines of the terrain grid. When setting your leveling tool in god-mode for F2 size, just for examples sake; look at where the green circles hit your gridded edges and practice dragging that tool diagonal with your mouse. Pretend you are trying to trim a perfectly square hedge, in your yard, for instance.

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Ggrdm111.jpg align=baseline>

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Ggrdm222.jpg align=baseline>

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Ggrdm333.jpg align=baseline>

 

This third design, will isolate the four quads with a crossing canal way, forcing them to stay put or travel across one of, 16 bridges. Each quad will have four mini quads, making a total of 16 neighborhoods.

 

Mosaic region of Grindres Grid.

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//toopww11.jpg align=baseline>

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//bootww11.jpg align=baseline>