Double-Deck Bridge Experiment

[mightygoose 92]

duude everyone is building bridges, awesome

[smoncrie 43]

Jeronij,   Thanks for telling us how you get rid of the glitches between bridge pieces.  I should have thought of that.

I would welcome your help in modding the bridges.

Your new bridge looks very good. Are you planning to make it so that only the end pieces of the bridge are supported by the cable stays?

All Modders, the addresses used by the bridge models are important because the way they are assigned affects the maximum number of models we can have. The possible addresses are restricted because:
1) All bridge models must have the same group ID.
2) The instance ID should be in the range reserved for the NAM (0x5#######).
3) There must be space for the other things in the NAM.
4) When B.A.T creates models, it will not allow the difference in address between models to be less than 65536!  It is possible to mod the addresses assigned by B.A.T. so that the difference is only 8192, but this is very tedious.

If I relax the convention of having the second digit of the address match the network number, we can have 2816 bridge models using B.A.T. generated IDs (This is a total of all the models in all the new bridges; each bridge uses several models.)  Exceeding this value would be a real pain, but I think it is large enough to allow us to avoid the tedious process of modding the models to use a smaller address range.  Comments?

Glenni, I normally would prefer that you design your own bridge, but I will make a suggestion to try to make things clear.   Currently your bridge has one-tile long end models and center+support models in 3-tile long groups.  These pieces can not be assembled to make all possible lengths.   A possible way to fix this would be make an extra model that can go between the end model and the 3-tile group.  You could make all lengths of 5 and up like this:
 5: [end][3-tile group][end]
 6: [end][extra][3-tile group][end]
 7: [end][extra][3-tile group][extra][end]
 8: [end][3-tile group][3-tile group][end]
 9: [end][extra][3-tile group][3-tile group][end]
10: [end][ extra][3-tile group][3-tile group][extra][end]
11: [end][3-tile group][3-tile group][3-tile group][end]
…

Swamper77, I have made test bridges that are not flat, and I agree with you that they are harder to make.

hamsterTK, your bridge is looking good.   I agree that it is better to add the wires to the bridge using props.  As prince_of_sims says, it is also possible to add wires to both elevated rail and GLR.  I have an unfinished mod that adds them to GLR.

BIWDC, it is possible to add better looking track textures by modding.  This also makes it much easier to adapt the bridge models to other traffic networks.   To do this, you must first remove the rail deck, and a small space below it, from your models.

BournID, I don’t know what could be causing you problem.  Try testing it with nothing but the NAM installed in the Plugins folder.  Don’t forget to check both the Plugins under “My Documents” and the Plugins under “Program Files/Maxis/SimCity 4”.

Vistla, the only way I can think of that would make a “draw bridge” move is to use the same mechanism that is used to animate the rail level-crossing gates.  That mechanism could only work (if it worked at all!) on ground rail, elevated rail, or possibly monorail bridges.   Unfortunately, I suspect that the train would arrive too quickly to let the animation be realistic.

Keiran Halcyon, hidden rail junctions should be possible, but I think that they would be hard to use in UDI.

SC4BOY, it would be harder to make the rail connections if the highway bent to one side to allow the rail connections to be straight.  Bent connector puzzle pieces would be needed and one would need to be very careful to make the highway bend in exactly the same way as the puzzle pieces.  Currently, it is possible to have GLR, ground rail, or no rail on each side of the bridge.  Twice as many bent connector puzzle pieces would be needed to do this.

GoaSkin, I am not sure if this answers your question, but I am not yet ready to release any more bridges.

Previously, you suggested a light rail version of the bridge.  This is not needed because all the double deck bridges are already pathed for both light rail and ground rail.

[Keiran Halcyon 0]

My thought was that the switch would be visible just as if it was obscured by a building. ~tests~ Hmm, I see. Looks like Maxis dropped the ball on that one. Or is it not normal to not be able to see train switches through buildings, or even when shadowed by one?

[choco1 4]

I must say Jeronij, your bridges are incredible! You have become one of the best batters around here!

Anyway, I loved the first round of bridges (they added so much to the game) and I look forward to the second!

Cheers, choco.

[jeronij 13]

Hello to all. 

First thanks for the lovely comments about the Capital bridge. I´ll probably reach the BAT poly´s limit with this one !!!

I did not had much time to continue with it, but enought to give some progress to the lower railtracks and support.  This time there are no windows or transparencies, because I found out that they dont allow to see the traffic going through. That means that the side trains in the Tsing Ma bridge will never be seen running behind the glasses  !!!

So I decided to make a "traditional" girders of steel bottom for this bridge. Wind shoulg pass through the bridge, but there are also some wind "deflectors" in the lower part of the bridge board.

A pic of the work in progress. ( IDK why, but it reminds me the Titanic....)

Smoncrie, yes the bridge will be a mix between a suspension and a cable-stayed bridge. I have designed it in a way that should allow the game´s suspension cables fit nicely with the BATted ones. The start/ending pieces will be cable stayed, and probably the pylons too  .... I dont find the Maxis Cable stayed engine very useful. It does not allow the cable distribution I made for this bridge ...

I have lots of work yet to do with that one !!!

I think 2816 models is not a bad number. Lets say a standard bridge would need five models ( including custom lights (which also need the BADB57F1 group)). One end piece, one repeat piece and one support piece, and two custom lights. that gives hundreds of posible bridges. Even using 10 pieces per bridge, 281 models are allowed !!! This is a more that enough number until SC5

Feel free to send me an email explaining me which will be the best way to help you modding the bridges.

EDIT: And please, reserve me nice a ID´s range for some incoming bridges... lets say 50 ID's ?¿

[mcarch 15]

You might wanna try blue on the red instead of red. Also what are the blue things on the towers. Its hard to tell the shape, Im not sure if thats a final texture, but if it is, you might wanna use something a little more 3D and not so flat of a color.

The rest of the bridge though looks wonderful!

[BIWDC 2,296]

jeronij excellent work.

smoncrie i will remove the track texture from the deck.

[U3D 6]

Thats awesome dude.

[hamsterTK 93]

heh. i will scrap the wires.

I figure i oughta get around to doing LOD's...

[owenluby 1]

Looks great!

[cogeo 960]

Looks really great, but I don't understand, is this bridge a double-decker one or not? Then what is the track on the same deck as the highway needed for?

As for the (semi) transparaency, i've carried-out some research, pls have a look at my thread, I could help if needed.

[Meastro444 1]

awesome work guys, just what we need.

@glenni or smoncrie: is it possible to make this one

9: [end][extra][3-tile group][3-tile group][end]

into this one

9: [end][3-tile group][extra][3-tile group][end]

becuase i think this looks better

Meastro444

i love all those bridges, cant wait for the release

EDIT: cqan you make a version for the asphalt texture mod?

[jeronij 13]

Cogeo, the bridge is double decker. But trains will run on boths decks. You can check the initial railtracks layout for this bridge ( which was also DD btw )some posts ago and which I have changed because some people did "escandalize" for a so "different" layout   !!! . I dont want to make all my bridges the same way, so I add some variation to the transit layout .

Also, thanks for the link to your thread, your solution is very clever  !!!. I´ll keep it in mind for my future transparency needs !!!

And All: Thanks for the nice compliments !!!. I´ll post some pics of work in progress asap !!!

[collgab 10]

woah...that looks awesome!!!, can't wait to see it in game =O

[justanothersim86 83]

I agree, I really am in anticipation for these bridges. Amazing work!

I would try a bridge out, but me and modding don't mix.

[Yoman3 5]

Jeronij I just cant think of words to saw how amazing this is. It is just I dont know!!!

[screamingman12 30]

WW *is blown back four feet then crashes into wall* That's actually more art than SC4 bridge.

also, anyone thought of doing a model of the Zakim Bridge (Boston BIg Dig):

front (faces land) 

Back (faces water)

back detail

side veiw

[bourneid 13]

Turnes out it was a conflict between the RHW (beta) and the bridges....removed it and the bridges functioned as they should.

[U3D 6]

Actually Blahdy has done(or nearly) the Zakim Bride, but its a ploppable and can't be dragged out like the maxis bridges

https://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=37&threadid=76463&STARTPAGE=14&FTVAR_FORUMVIEWTMP=Linear

[blahdy 21]

Originally posted by: screamingman12 WW *is blown back four feet then crashes into wall* That's actually more art than SC4 bridge.

also, anyone thought of doing a model of the Zakim Bridge (Boston BIg Dig):

front (faces land) 

Back (faces water)

back detail

side veiwquote>

Wha?  You haven't seen the famous Boston Big Dig project in Open BAT Discussion thread?!?! ;-)

Yes, Zakim Bridge is done.  It just needs nightlighting and LODing, which I reckon would take another month or two.

[mightygoose 92]

LOl pwnd $%&^!

{edit}

sorry i just saw his request for the zakim bridge and thought it was hilarious nah this is some great work, i may have to attempt a bridge myself, so am i correct in thinking i need two end pieces a centre piece and a filler piece???

[TinySim 4]

Not really sure why you posted that mightygoose, but whatever.

Anyway the bridges here are looking awesome! Keep it coming

[screamingman12 30]

Sorry, I noticed the Big Dig project, but didn't pay attention to is much before I got back from Boston last week.  But when I got back, posting that request was the first thing that I did. So I didn't know that you were already working on it. 

BTW all: I downloaded the bridge pack to test, and they don't show up on the bridge building menu, why?

[Meastro444 1]

have you installed it in a subfolder in the NAM folder? if you havent, that should do it

[Yoman3 5]

Looks great everyone. I have taken up BAT and I have been working on a little something last night and today

Still in its early stages and 1 of the toweres doesnt have wires. I will update here and in my new BAT thread.

EDIT by Andreas: Pic changed to link -I forgot about the fact that I posted here too...lol, well I changed it in teh thread....sry

[U3D 6]

O_O *oohs and awes* that looks cool

[ardecila 124]

Smoncrie - would it be possible to make a 2-tile-wide rail bridge, with no highway? I am considering modelling a real-world bridge with this configuration, but I don't know if it's possible.

The only way I can think of would be to use an approach like the Tsing Ma bridge - designate it as a highway bridge but have only rail paths on it. Then, put rail puzzle pieces over the highway stub on each end.

[Meastro444 1]

but, you make then a good looking en for the hwy, because it just wont look good

to bad glenni wont finish his bridge

[cateyes015984 0]

Hey, Hows it going? I was woundering if i could test out your bridge?

[BIWDC 2,296]

Yoman3 Nice Bridge