NAM: Development

[Shadow Assassin 336]

So sorry for double posting, but I seem to have completed this Y intersection.



I'm not going to do an elevated version where the flyover goes under, it's a b*tch to model. Current size is 6x11. Is that about right? I believe it's currently about 1/4 scale, according to SketchUp.

And maybe a road flyover would be in the works, definitely a lot smaller?

[helomoto 28]

Shadow Assasin, your ideas are very creative and i think would be perfect for NAM....sorry i dont know how to use GMAX all that well yet....but still i really hope someone will do this.

[Keiran Halcyon 0]

Wouldn't an elevated version of that be easy to do, just put what you have up on stilts? I know having the flyover ramp go under would be nice for symmetry's sake, but I would like to have both versions in usable form.

p.s., don't forget the mirror image of that as well (where the other road branches to the left instead of the right).

[Tropod 144]

Date: 6/17/2005 3:31:16 PM
Author: Keiran Halcyon

p.s., don't forget the mirror image of that as well (where the other road branches to the left instead of the right).

quote>


You don't actually need to worry about the mirror image as the specific network file that deals with interchange items handles this.

[Keiran Halcyon 0]

Really? Cool.

[cogeo 960]

Hi all,

I'm currently working on a set of MT stops, that I want to make seamlessly integrated with NAM's ped-mall tiles, both visually and functionally.

 

I face some problems with the subway station. While the station appears to be functionally OK, I can

[Keiran Halcyon 0]

Date: 5/15/2005 6:41:20 PM
Author: ardecila
First off, I'm also working on some stuff. I've seen many requests for these.





Additional Pieces for the El-Rail over Road. I managed to fit some reasonably-sized interchanges onto only road tiles, so they don't take up any outside tiles! These still need to be skinned and pathed.

quote>
I'd like to throw my support behind these. Finally, El-trains will be worth using! I would like to request, though, that multiple versions of those be included with various combinations of the roads beneath. (E.g., the T-juntion with a road T-intersection underneath, with just a road turn underneath, with a road 4-way intersection underneath, etc.) There are a lot of combinations, though; how many people out there would find them useful?

(Hopefully, when SC5 comes out, these networks will be built-in.)

[ardecila 124]

Alright, I should be able to make different versions, accessible through the Home/End keys.

I've recently come back to these to create new S3D models, to make them more closely resemble the ones in Chicago. I'm gonna release that as an Optional modd.

One thing about them, though - If you'll notice, they have a wider-radius curve, to make them more realistic. A tiny bit of the curve should stick out the corners. You'll still be able to plop stuff in those corners, but visually, under certain rare circumstances, the puzzle piece's model will stick into the building there.

Tropod - I designed them so the path file does not go into the corner tile, but the model does. I believe this configuration will work - correct me if I'm wrong.

[ZeramZeram 2]

Wow, Ardecila, if all you were waiting for was someone to express interest, let me just emphasize that I as well would absolutely love to have those dual network puzzle pieces. They are absolutely essential to a realistic network of on road el-train. Now we just need a station...

[ardecila 124]

Well, Swamper77 made a station for them. It's pretty nifty. Search his name on the STEX.

One of these days, I'm gonna get around to making a full Chicago-style one, to complete the Chicago look. Until then, Swamper's will have to do.

[Swamper77 90]

Cogeo,

If you remove the jobs from the subway station, it won't need to have road connection. Try this and see if it works.

-Swamper77

[palmgurl 1]

Date: 6/18/2005 2:04:56 PM Author: Keiran Halcyon

Date: 5/15/2005 6:41:20 PM Author: ardecila First off, I'm also working on some stuff.  I've seen many requests for these. Additional Pieces for the El-Rail over Road.  I managed to fit some reasonably-sized interchanges onto only road tiles, so they don't take up any outside tiles!  These still need to be skinned and pathed.

quote> I'd like to throw my support behind these.  Finally, El-trains will be worth using!  I would like to request, though, that multiple versions of those be included with various combinations of the roads beneath.  (E.g., the T-juntion with a road T-intersection underneath, with just a road turn underneath, with a road 4-way intersection underneath, etc.)  There are a lot of combinations, though; how many people out there would find them useful? (Hopefully, when SC5 comes out, these networks will be built-in.)

quote>

 

very awsome i can't wait intill this is out

[Tropod 144]

Just thought I'd post a little something I'd *experimented* with. This is nothing new really, except, the only tool I have used here is the Highway tool, nothing else at all.




The problem with this at the moment, is trying to get it to work properly, so that north & south sides can be differenitated code wise. As is, drawing on the north or south half is consdered the same by the game.

[Teirusu 38]

Say hello to L.A. Express Ways  ^_____^ 

-Teirusu

[Shadow Assassin 336]

Does anybody still want the Y-intersection? I can't create textures for it, lol, but I can send it as S3D for further editing if needed and that's about it.

[Tropod 144]

To any/all developers & other interested parties:
I thought it would be a good idea to raise & clarify the issue regarding file names, specifically when one of us releases something (usually for testing) in-between main NAM updates. I think it would be a wise idea if RUL files &/or unique system files were kept seperate from other files & named accordingly when/if released seperately (some of us already do this on some level).

Format guideline (suggestions welcomed):
#NAME#_#FILETYPE#_#INSTANCEID#_#DATE#.dat
Name = does not matter, but will affect the loading order of the file obviously. This part of the file name though should have some relationship to the project its related to for which it's being released, so use your own discretion.
FileType = Type of file contained in the *.dat
InstanceID = InstanceID of the file contained in the *.dat
Date = date in MMDDYY format. Additional versions on the same date simply MMDDYY_#.dat where # = number or letter (preferably letter).

If there is more than one unique system file, then they should each have their own seperate .dat file & named accordingly.

A simple readme or explanation when posting a released file containing these, explaining the FileType & InstanceID portion in the file name itself might be a good idea. Hopefully this can be used to increase help for users & ourselves considering the nature of some of these files.




Shadow_Assassin:
If you would like to post the file somehow (maybe try using www.yousendit.com ) that way at least someone else can take a look at it. And then perhaps take it from there.

[Shadow Assassin 336]

Here [secure Transfer]

Download the Y interchange. It hasn't been spliced or textured, but you can do that... Now, I'm not sure about size, but it should be about right.

[Tropod 144]

Well I don't really BAT myself, never have as I'm rather quite crap at it (I have trouble with 3D space with BAT). I've taken a look at the model you've done though. I've not looked at the dimensions but it looks very good. Being one big complete model though, may pose a problem. It is along the lines of what the Preview Model would be. The actual interchange itself needs to be in 16x16m pieces, with each 16x16m piece belonging to one tile (with a maximum of 256m in lenght & width for the whole thing). If you haven't read it already, I would suggest taking a read of the Interchange Tutorial Thread . In the mean time I will see what I can do, but someone else more atuned with the BAT would be better (& more preferable) with this.

[Tropod 144]

Well, I did a little more testing. This is something that has been raised before & thought not possible. This is something I stumbled on with the onewayroad puzzlepieces, with putting transparent arrows on them. At the time I did not follow this through, but now have decided to take a more thorough look at this;
Model files & Wealths; it does actually work.
These pictures involve only one actual item (PedMallTile as a test subject), so no tabbing is actually involved;





Technical aspects:
1. Model file: This is as per normal, except, the Texture the model file references: the part of the texture that is Transparent from what I can tell, is effectively used as a Mask for the wealths. This is pretty much the same with standard Textured network tiles. For clarity; model files are not needed for each of the different wealths (& that doesn't work actually), only a single model file (or 5 for each of the zooms) is needed for the base or generic & everything stems from there.
2. Wealths: Texture files for the different Wealths, follow the same conventions for normal network textures & is based on the IID of the model file itself, not the referenced texture. At this point, it doesn't look like textures are needed for all zoom levels, it does seem to depend on whether or not the there is just one model file for all zooms as opposed to 5 models (one of each zoom level~again).
3. The Models & the dislayed Wealths are actually dynamic, & will change & update based on the neighbouring tiles.

[smoncrie 43]

I thought I would try Tropod

[Tropod 144]

Interesting. So you've gone & done it that way. Slightly different to what I had done(0x######WZ), but interesting to see that it works using other IID methods/formats too.
EDIT: Plus, not to mention your picture/set-up looks better than my crappy mock-ups .

[Tunafish 48]

Sweet, awsome discovery, the normal textures look better too.

[Andreas Roth 607]

@smoncrie: As everytime, nice work! Now we only need some additions to the European Road Texture Mod to get zebra crossings instead of those yellow lines.

[smoncrie 43]

Tropod, Tunafish thanks for your kind comments. Edit: And  Andreas too!

 

Tropod, I didn

[Shadow Assassin 336]

Look at what I found lurking in simcity_4.dat. A two laned highway. Maybe it could be used for the ANT instead?

[Ryan B 35]

Shadow_Assasin:  I, too, have seen that texture lurking in the simcity_4.DAT file.  It's my theory that that was Maxis' early attempt at a highway texture before they decided on what they use now.

[Ryan B 35]

My fault for double-posting.  My Internet messed up yet again, so here is yet another useless post.

I apologize.

[taimaruko 0]

HI, Everybody, here is my first time to post in the fourms.

 

 Do anyone like 30m high highways??

I've try to make 4 puzzle pieces (highway <-> 30m highway,

30m x blank, 30m x support, 30m x highway) to show the effect.

I don't know if it is useful or not...

 

Please give advise for it~

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//taimaruko-200507020905.gif align=baseline>

[Ryan B 35]

taimaruko - Those 30-meter highways remind me of the Buffalo Skyway.  I don't know about anyone else, but I could definitely find a place for them in a few of my cities.

[Tropod 144]

smoncrie
Regarding IIDs for files Wealth-dependant Models; I think perhaps, for where there is only one tile involved, just use the current NAM IID formats. This would apply to both Interchange-Base items & non-interchange-Base items. For where a single Interchange-Base item spaning more than one tiles is involved; At the moment the current idea would be to still use the existing NAM IID formats, except for the referenced Model/FSH files use the non-Interchange-Base format (if that makes sense?). At this point in time I'm not sure if this'd be the best way to do it, but is what I have in mind at the moment.

taimaruko:
Personally, I am not quite sure I see the point with 30m high highway puzzlepieces myself. For starters there would obviously need to exist incremental highway puzzlepieces to reach that height (like road start/end puzzlepiece). It may help if you could perhaps elaborate a bit more as to the purpose/idea behind it considering the network involved considering (elevated) highways are already elevated.