NAM: Development

[bwatterud 7]

@pilotdaryl-Well, Oslaz (???) was working on GLR in street, that could probably be "translated" into GLR in road pretty easily.

[Andreas Roth 607]

@pilotdaryl: There are lots of trams using the roads in Germany as well. But personally, I think dedicated rails for trams are better, since there's less clutter on the roads, and the trams can go faster than the cars. Also, we cannot really control the SC4 automata, so it's likely that the trams would visually "crash" into the cars all the time.

[japamala 0]

Here's an example of one way that a GLR station in an avenue could work:

http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&channel=s&q=&z=19&ll=37.401997,-121.939318&spn=0.00101,0.002167&t=k&om=1

basically, the platforms of the station are at either side of a crossing road, which, if it could be managed, would make the station fit a little bit better.

A little north:

http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&channel=s&q=&om=1&z=19&ll=37.409147,-121.944592&spn=0.00101,0.002167&t=k

is what the T crossing in an avenue should be textured like.

Also, if you scroll a bit to the east, you'll see a massive, 3-platform station. This is an awesome station. This is also a 3 tile wide station. this is the best design for a high capacity in-avenue station you can get.

And here:

http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&channel=s&q=&om=1&z=19&ll=37.414186,-122.025074&spn=0.00101,0.002167&t=k

is a nice way for the tram to exit the avenue.

[cogeo 960]

A possible bug with NAM's GLR.

The automata (el train) entering the diagonal right junction (IDs 0x580ee000 and 0x580ee000, image below) when entering the junction from the direction shown in the image immediately reverse direction and dissapear (this happens most of the times).

Could someone check the paths?

Q: Are these "stops" in the pathfile necessary? Are they the possible cause of the problem?

And something else I have noticed, the "right" and "left" designators in the exemplar names (for both the right and left diagonal junction) are wrong; the names in the LTEXTs are correct though (but this ain't cause any problem).

EDIT: The UDI mission works fine (but this rail-based AFAIK).

[sepsis 17]

This might be the wrong forum, but I would like to request a mod that changes the GLR base texture to the same as the Euro asphalt mod (https://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?id=17351)

Keep up the great work with the draggable GLR mod.. Can't wait to see it released!!

[memo 1,446]

@cogeo: I've just tested that puzzle piece in the game and the automata never disappeared when entering the junction. I also checked the paths and they seem to be correct. The stoppaths usually don't cause any problems. At least, I didn't notice any problems with this puzzle piece. Anyway, it's good if you report possible bugs because there could always be bugs in the NAM that haven't been noticed yet...

[Andreas Roth 607]

More news from the NAM lab! memo was working on diagonal GLR-in-avenue puzzle pieces, which should be quite a space-saver compared to two oneway roads with draggable GLR in between. The great news is that both systems are now interchangable as well! There are two puzzle pieces that will act as starter pieces for draggable GLR , but also feature connectors for (draggable) avenues. By using the "multi highway" trick that breaks the avenue lanes in individual lanes for both directions, you're now able to replace those oneway roads with avenues, getting rid of those pesky arrows almost entirely.

The straight conversion piece could be used for placing regular GLR stations within a stretch of GLR-in-avenue, however, it might look a bit odd to have the avenue widened to one side. In other news, draggable rural GLR is also finished now, using similar starter puzzle pieces. Apart from the el-rail/GLR ramp, a straight and a diagonal GLR piece, the GLR loop now serves as starter puzzle piece, too. Here are some more pics of the new items:

[LivingInThePast 364]

So my question was, have the GLR textures all changed? I kind of liked the old textures.

[Andreas Roth 607]

For the moment, yes, they have changed. But of course it would be possible to release a texture pack with the old textures as well. It's just more work.

[E.J.C 9]

that space-saving within diagonal avenues look great!!

wow, you guys surprise me all the time!! keep it going & go for it!!

almost there, we'll be waiting for a first release!!!!!

[Meastro444 1]

it might be an idea to update the NAM showcase

regards

Meastro444

[shinkansen1 84]

@ Meastro444: Nice job on the double-post!    Getting back on topic, why are the roads curving toward eachother in the top-center puzzle piece in the second image? Are they supposed to do that, or can they go straight? And is there a plop-to-drag GLR puzzle piece? If so, I cannot see it.

Sincerely, Mr. Big Chin  @ simtropolis.com

[Andreas Roth 607]

Double post removed. And yes, the pics are intended for the NAM showcase, but I assumed that this thread would get overflooded with comments like the ones posted above, so I decided to post them here.

@shinkansen1: That's only a graphics effect. Actually, these two curved pieces are the endings of a splitted avenue, and an avenue dead end curves like this. The avenue itself that connects to them goes straight, of course. The "plop to drag" puzzle pieces were shown in an earlier post, a couple of pages back.

[bwatterud 7]

On the textures. I kind of like the old ones too, but I also like the new ones. The old ones were better for GLR as an extention of an EL rail network, whereas the new ones are better for a dedicated GLR network.

[spa 968]

Wow. GLR continues to evolve. Looks like all we need is a puzzle piece with a station in the avenue median and we have a real winner.

[berkthomas 0]

Well - I have to say this is a wonderful addition and many thanks to all the talented people that have worked on it.

One idea I had while reading through the last 3 pages.  It was stated that the left-hand turn at avenue intersections would have go away.  Not sure if it would make things terrible complicated but it seems that you might be able to work around this.

Simply have a single rail line at intersections.  Since graphically there are two lines you could have the the two lines merge into one at the intersection allowing enough room for the left-turn lane.  Not sure how much chaos this would cause with the automa though.

This solution might be even more worthy of the In-Median station.  If the two lines merged to one into and out of the station there would be enough room graphically to have a small station on each side in the median itself.  

Would this be possible?  You would basically have to instruct the automa to wait if there is a station already on the single track, and wait for one train to move onto the double tracks before proceeding.

[david1314 44]

I've got a question with regards to RUL files.

With the GLR, making neighbor connections is possible, but not something that's included with NAM (any version).

Smoncrie made a file called z_connector.dat a few years back for old NAM, that allowed GLR to be placed over existing El-Rail straight section, and you could fool the game into a GLR neighbor connection.

I got curious as to how this was done, wishing for an update to the old one, and I finally started going through line by line trying to figure out what does this.

It appears the "Checktype = Z - lightrail: 0x00000000" controls the conditions for placement (being the only difference I can find in Z_connector.dat and the New and old NAM).

I'm guessing that changing it to 0x02000200 allows it to be placed along existing El-R that's oriented in the same direction?

But my question is, will changing this in the new NAM do what I'm thinking it will?

And is there any reason not to include this is the base NAM pack? It seems to have little effect on the usage of the network (I think there might be a buldoze issue where it converts the adjacent GLR tiles to El-R).

And can I get permission from the NAM team as smoncrie can't be reached any more to release a new Z_Connector.dat (assuming I'm correct on the above)?

[Andreas Roth 607]

@berkthomas: I'm not exactly a transit modding specialist, but I assume your suggestion could work. However, any special puzzle piece obviously requires additional work, and as said above, it's not always predictable what will happen with the automata if two systems share the same lanes. Merging the two GLR lines into one obviously would save some space, but personally, I think this is a bit unrealistic. On the contrary, usually you see one-line tracks splitting up into two lines at a station, so trains can pass along each other.

@david1314: If I'm not mistaken, that "z_connector.dat" was released by GoaSkin. I've never tried it, but looking at the file, I assume it contains a modified RUL file that has to be loaded last, and therefore, it's not compatible with the latest NAM. Adding it to the NAM itself would be the best solution - some of the tech guys should take care of that.

[japamala 0]

I have a question:

Is it posible to have a station where the trains in differend directions stop at completley different places?

[Meastro444 1]

did i double post??? didnt notice...

anyways, i are the avenues, on the diagonal pieces draggable or costumizable in some way? because i think that single diagonal puzzle piece isnt going to work to make a diagonal avenue - GLR, i think you would get gaps.

i know, im not understandeble right now, to much in my head, and im already tired

regards

Meastro444

[david1314 44]

hmmm, my post didn't go up....

Anyway, I tested it, it works.

If I can get permission, I can release an updated file that will do the same thing for both urban and rural GLR.

[BigSlark 0]

Cheers to the NAM Team!

[shinkansen1 84]

KAMPAI!!!

Sincerely, Mr. Big Chin  @ simtropolis.com.

P.S. Is that my chin, or my cleft?

[tommiej 0]

looks very nice!!

[Haljackey 17,313]

Sick... GLR in Ave, awesome idea!

[lakeyboy 12]

Great job using the "Multi-Highway" method to achieve these results. To complete the space-saving package, maybe some Avenue with GLR can be produced. Just scrap the flora in the median of the avenue and place the GLR tracks down the middle. But I think that OWR needs to be used to avoid the flora in the median. I also love the new textures for it. Much more Melbourne like than the other where the tracks are embedded into the concrete instead of being placed on top of it. Keep up the good work!

[bwatterud 7]

@lakeyboy-They already did that. There are some pics a few pages back.

[Lord Kronos 0]

Originally posted by: NAM Team

All GLR-in-avenue puzzle pieces that are currently available.

 

quote>

I'm sorry if I've miss read, but where are these pieces available? Or do you only mean that these are the pieces that have been produced so far, but are still to be released to a wider audience?

[DFire870 2]

Those haven't been released yet, they're still working on them (hopefully they'll come out around the same time as draggable GLR).

[Andreas Roth 607]

Yes, they will be included in the next NAM.