SimCity: Transit and Roading Networks

[RoseCityAlive 9]

Im just very interested in how "Park N' Ride" lots will work. I think they said they would have them. I wonder if its simply just a parking lot/structure or if its a lot/structure that is transit enabled. Possibly with the modules. Adding a bus or street car terminal or a ferry dock would be a great option. Also I wonder how parking is going to work in general.

[Cartographer29 13]

I am hoping that all transit systems will have in depth detailed features. For example creating separate bus, train and tram timetables which change as in real life (weekdays, weekends and rush hours).

Special on board camera view of the above mentioned vehicles would be a very nice addition as well. I would love to get a first person in depth view and ride with my sims in trains, trams and buses.

If that's what you're looking for, look up "Cities in Motion 2" and you'll have another game to buy in February 2013.

  Edited October 17, 2012 by Cartographer29  

[Haljackey 17,385]

Im just very interested in how "Park N' Ride" lots will work. I think they said they would have them. I wonder if its simply just a parking lot/structure or if its a lot/structure that is transit enabled. Possibly with the modules. Adding a bus or street car terminal or a ferry dock would be a great option. Also I wonder how parking is going to work in general.

I would assume it will work in a similar way it does for SC4. Public Parking Garages or Passenger Rail Stations allow car traffic to commute there, and have the sims switch to another commute mode (tran for stations, pedestrian for parking garages).

Custom Content lots expand this, with facilities dedicated to transferring car traffic to subway traffic, for example.

  Edited October 18, 2012 by Haljackey  

[tornadonow16 6]

I didn't look back at all 15 pages of the topic, so maybe this has already been covered. I have noticed that every intersection in the new SimCity seems to be placed with a traffic signal. Do you know if there are other options for intersections besides traffic signals (ex. 2 way and 4 way stop signs)?

[grugor 60]

I didn't look back at all 15 pages of the topic, so maybe this has already been covered. I have noticed that every intersection in the new SimCity seems to be placed with a traffic signal. Do you know if there are other options for intersections besides traffic signals (ex. 2 way and 4 way stop signs)?

Good question. Guillaume said this but im not exactly sure what he means ...

That's something we're working on at the moment. The idea is that the transition between two networks with the same number of lanes would be seamless.

Could you elaborate on this pls^

.Do you mean traffic will merge without traffic lights on say a Y junction?

I

mean if you have an avenue go into an avenue with light rail, you won't get a 4-way intersection there.

[chrisnhl50 2]

I think that there will be subways in the sense that it will be light rail that just goes into a tunnel underground. This is what happens with all cities where the tracks are above ground until they hit the dense areas and then they dive underground. In the past simcity's light rail and subways have been two separate networks where this time around it will be one more flexible network. Do you guys agree? it wont be trench and cover but more of a boring style of subway.

[Haljackey 17,385]

No underground view has been revealed yet. Most assume that's the reason subway was taken out....

With no water pipes and no subway I doubt there will be a underground view.

[MaxisGuillaume 289]

I didn't look back at all 15 pages of the topic, so maybe this has already been covered. I have noticed that every intersection in the new SimCity seems to be placed with a traffic signal. Do you know if there are other options for intersections besides traffic signals (ex. 2 way and 4 way stop signs)?

There are stops signs (instead of lights) when a 2 lane street crosses another 2 lane street.

[cirugo 1,889]

I didn't look back at all 15 pages of the topic, so maybe this has already been covered. I have noticed that every intersection in the new SimCity seems to be placed with a traffic signal. Do you know if there are other options for intersections besides traffic signals (ex. 2 way and 4 way stop signs)?

There are stops signs (instead of lights) when a 2 lane street crosses another 2 lane street.

how about them subways? working on putting the tiles next to each other? letting us make our own regional connections? I won't even mention the elephant in the room...

[tornadonow16 6]

I've been playing every Simcity since the 1990s...I can honestly say, the last time I built a subway was in SimCity 2000 probably around 1997. I think i tried them once in SimCity 4, but never stayed with them. Guillaume, that was the answer I wanted to hear! I was afraid I'd have side residential streets with traffic signals. Thank you for the clarification!!!

[MegaCitySim 68]

No underground view has been revealed yet. Most assume that's the reason subway was taken out....

With no water pipes and no subway I doubt there will be a underground view.

I think underground view is just another info layer that can be easily added. Subway sim alone is a lot of design work so they probably make it an expansion. Disappointing though....I recall having to budget for subway station space 'just in case' the subway mod or expansion eventually materialize.

Another reason I think subway is cancelled, is...the new glass box may not be able to join rails between 2 x 2 tiles? Maybe that's the reason why the inter-city (or inter-town) connections are pre-placed?

  Edited October 22, 2012 by MegaCitySim  

[Hamish 1,370]

No underground view has been revealed yet. Most assume that's the reason subway was taken out....

With no water pipes and no subway I doubt there will be a underground view.

I think underground view is just another info layer that can be easily added. Subway sim alone is a lot of design work so they probably make it an expansion. Disappointing though....I recall having to budget for subway station space 'just in case' the subway mod or expansion eventually materialize.

Another reason I think subway is cancelled, is...the new glass box may not be able to join rails between 2 x 2 tiles? Maybe that's the reason why the inter-city (or inter-town) connections are pre-placed?

Here's why I think subway have been taken out:

Glassbox is all based on the visual side of simulating. Where as in previous versions of simcity, transportation has been simulated and shown using statistics that predict how many cars would be there at that specific point in time. Visual simulation works great for cars and trains, but not so well for the things you can't see. So instead of putting resources into a transportation option that will never, or hardly ever, be seen they decided that it was better and more practical to develop trams or light rail, something visual. Instead of having to hunt around for subway stops to see if people are using the network, you can just follow the trams.

Sure, if there were an underground view, or they decided to use the view to show resources like water or power to show the subway, that would somehow solve the issues mentioned above. But it would also mean that its harder to be able to view because every time you wanted to see how the subway was doing you would have to switch to a different view, then to be able to see the buildings around each station, or where to best put the station, you would have to switch the view back etc.

For glassbox, trams are better than subways.

[grugor 60]

No underground view has been revealed yet. Most assume that's the reason subway was taken out....

With no water pipes and no subway I doubt there will be a underground view.

I think underground view is just another info layer that can be easily added. Subway sim alone is a lot of design work so they probably make it an expansion. Disappointing though....I recall having to budget for subway station space 'just in case' the subway mod or expansion eventually materialize.

Another reason I think subway is cancelled, is...the new glass box may not be able to join rails between 2 x 2 tiles? Maybe that's the reason why the inter-city (or inter-town) connections are pre-placed?

Here's why I think subway have been taken out:

Glassbox is all based on the visual side of simulating. Where as in previous versions of simcity, transportation has been simulated and shown using statistics that predict how many cars would be there at that specific point in time. Visual simulation works great for cars and trains, but not so well for the things you can't see. So instead of putting resources into a transportation option that will never, or hardly ever, be seen they decided that it was better and more practical to develop trams or light rail, something visual. Instead of having to hunt around for subway stops to see if people are using the network, you can just follow the trams.

Sure, if there were an underground view, or they decided to use the view to show resources like water or power to show the subway, that would somehow solve the issues mentioned above. But it would also mean that its harder to be able to view because every time you wanted to see how the subway was doing you would have to switch to a different view, then to be able to see the buildings around each station, or where to best put the station, you would have to switch the view back etc.

For glassbox, trams are better than subways.

I tend to agree with this and if there was a choice between subway or trams, i would definatly go for trams. Even if subway was included , i would probably have more of it overground or elevated than underground. Perhaps the rumored monorail would be the best option of all.

I think people are forgetting though that this is an EA game and if its sucessful, there will be expansion packs and DLCs coming out their ass and there is only so many options that they can included in these expansions that will convince players to part with more cash.

[Haljackey 17,385]

In my opinion, the monorail network was not done the way I wanted it in SC4. First of all since it is the fastest transport network in the game (without NAM/other addons), sims flock to it. Low station capacities result in overcrowding and the trains themselves produce pollution when over-capacity. Monorails are purely electric so that doesn't make sense.

However the monorail network gave us a network to tinker with modding wise. We have turned it into something more practical (High Speed Rail [HSR] mod and Bullet Train Mod [bTM]).

I know I may be asking Maxis to look into a crystal ball here, but will we be able to mod our own transportation networks for this game? It would save a lot of trouble for the modders. The only reason the Real Highway (RHW) mod is allowed to exist in SC4 is because it was modded from the unfinished dirt road network in SC4... no new network was created from scratch by the NAM team.

One of the first new networks I could see is elevated rail networks for the tram/streetcar. It would also give our cities a 'Chicago style' theme.

[MaxisGuillaume 289]

how about them subways? working on putting the tiles next to each other? letting us make our own regional connections? I won't even mention the elephant in the room...

Are those rhetorical questions again? 'cause you know I don't answer those.

[cirugo 1,889]

how about them subways? working on putting the tiles next to each other? letting us make our own regional connections? I won't even mention the elephant in the room...

Are those rhetorical questions again? 'cause you know I don't answer those.

nope. where are the subways? why aren't you working on putting city tiles next to each other? why aren't you working on letting people make their own regional connections?

And here's a big new one...why on earth would you remove the option to turn off disasters???

[Porter 68]

MaxisGuillaume: Thank you for actually taking the time to look in here and getting feedback in the game. I know you must be busy and I know I for one really do appreciate you taking the time to actually talk to us and answer our questions. That and I know I for one look forward to seeing how the game evolves up to release time.

[London-b 90]

What's the point in even wanting subways? The towns are far far too small to ever need them.

[Saint Andrew 6]

No subways isn't the end of the world, but the fact that we can't build our own connections and have an elaborate inter-city transportation is the real problem, please change this Maxis I'm literally begging lol!

[jacksunny 741]

^Define "elaborate inter-city transportation."

[Porter 68]

Given the fact that they've pushed the release date back, and Guillaume is actively looking at the forums (especially the transportation forum) its obvious that they are trying to give us what we want. However, I imagine this is a rather difficult game to develop with a ton of stuff needed to be programmed in from the ground up.

Will I be upset if I can't build super highways or subways, or even EL-trains upon release of the game? Sure! However, I also realize that its not exactly an easy task top have ready by March. Do I have faith that Maxis is going to try? Yes, namely because they know we want it. But guess what, sometimes its simply impossible to please everyone.

I'd rather have something done right, and wait for it to be done that way, versus playing with something they didn't get to test. Would you want to step on a plane or ride in a car that had been rushed to the market and not fully tested? No. Would you eat raw steak or eggs or raw cake batter just because you are hungry right that second? No, you wait until its fully cooked.

I know we want some of the features, NOW, but this is a new game with a new engine running it.

So how about we try and look at this perspective.

Just my two cents worth...

[Ocram's Razr 964]

I like (though I don't love) the transit and roading networks currently in the new SimCity Online. I hope my opinion and concerns does not make me seem spoiled or bratty.

On the subject of cake vs cake batter. I like both. If I make too much batter, I often eat some of it raw. This is more common with waffle mix.

--Ocram

[MarjaSpaceOddity 14]

There is a new preview out on Click: http://www.clickonline.com/games/preview--simcity/14308/

Here's a quote relevant to this thread (bolding mine):

In one city that the development team had put time and effort into, we saw highways curving over and below other roads, tunnels connecting roads on one side of a hill to the other and magnificent bridges stretching over ravines and rivers. It is a magnificent sight to behold when you see how a city can evolve and progress, and what the end result could look like when everything is going to plan.

[Haljackey 17,385]

Is 'magnificent' really the best word to use? Features like this are 'standard' SimCity 4, 3000, heck all the way back to 2000 if you just imply bridges over water and tunnels.

Although I think I am going to like the ability to make curvy tunnels and overpasses/bridges, if that is a confirmed feature.

[MaxisGuillaume 289]

Is 'magnificent' really the best word to use? Features like this are 'standard' SimCity 4, 3000, heck all the way back to 2000 if you just imply bridges over water and tunnels.

Although I think I am going to like the ability to make curvy tunnels and overpasses/bridges, if that is a confirmed feature.

Bridges and tunnels are so much fun.

  Edited November 5, 2012 by MaxisGuillaume  

[Ocram's Razr 964]

I hope curvy bridges are not suspension bridges. Cable stayed bridges can curve, not suspension bridges. This was a major complaint about Cities XL. I don't really mind though cable stayed bridges look awesome.

--Ocram

[MaxisGuillaume 289]

I hope curvy bridges are not suspension bridges. Cable stayed bridges can curve, not suspension bridges. This was a major complaint about Cities XL. I don't really mind though cable stayed bridges look awesome.

--Ocram

I think that's something we'll leave in the player's hands.

[Haljackey 17,385]

Curvy bridges and tunnels are so much fun -- sometimes I make my tunnels do switchbacks inside a mountain just for the heck of it.

lol, awesome!

Do you know if the tunnels have to be level in SC2013? In SC4 you can make the entrance and exits at different elevations (the tunnel itself is sloped).

[MaxisGuillaume 289]

Do you know if the tunnels have to be level in SC2013? In SC4 you can make the entrance and exits at different elevations (the tunnel itself is sloped).

Can't talk about that yet.

  Edited November 5, 2012 by MaxisGuillaume  

[CaptCity 4,893]

Please remember, folks. The topic Transit. Please post comments about other game features in the appropriate pinned topics ....