Roundabout Facelift Mod - Now on the STEX.

[TPB 563]

Hello,

 

I'm happy to say I've finished version 1 of what I think I'll call TPB Roundabout Facelift Mod.

 

(Yes, I know what TP means, but these are my initials so there! Plus, who doesn't like a free giggle?)

 

This mod, for those who haven't been following, is a Fix/Addon to Rivit's excellent Urban Tarsealed Streets mod. (Which I highly recommend.)

 

There will be a version for normal maxis streets coming "soon", as well as for American road textures, but for now you'll have to download Rivit's TSR if you want to use my roundabouts. 

 

What this mod does is fix a handful of issues with roundabouts.

 

 

First, street roundabouts have been stripped of their baked-in sidewalk texture, allowing your own installed sidewalk to show through.

 

This is important to keep in mind when viewing the images throughout this topic. In them, you see my "Sandstone sidewalk" showing, because that's what I prefer and use.

 

If, once I upload this, you examine the .DAT files, you'll see that there is no trace of sandstone texture anywhere in the mod.

 

If you have normal white maxis sidewalks, grey concrete sidewalks, or any other custom sidewalks they will show through just like my sandstone does here.

 

This is the main point of this mod.

 

At least, I THINK it will work for maxis sidewalks, and really hope it does but I admit I haven't tested that... but I mean, I think if someone goes to the effort of changing street textures it's pretty evident they probably changed their sidewalks too, right?

 

Second, several little texture errors were "fixed"(sort of) where the roundabouts tiles didn't coincide with the road tiles, or tiles were missing the TSR texture, as seen in the image above.

 

Third, the center of street and road roundabouts have been revamped, each with 5 different options to pick from, and can be combined to have more variation.

 

Here's a preview of Yellow Daisies, those following will like to click and see the final result with road roundabouts, which I did last:

 

 

 

 

Fourth, full wealthification has been done for relevant tiles. Wealth-relevant grass will show around Low Density zone roundabouts, while only dirt will show on agricultural zone roundabout centers, and nothing at all when the area isn't zoned.

 

And last, um well, that's it, just short of a handful, heh!

 

The central parts of roundabouts can do with even more work to remove the last "texturing" effect, but this is the best I can do for now.

 

Version 2 will be better. If anyone notices any glaring eyesores I may have missed, please, don't be shy and let me know.

 

I'll be editing the main topic section with updated pictures and info soon.

 

The files are currently undergoing screening to  make sure everything is in order, after all I am new at all this and liable to make mistakes.

 

As soon as I get the  go-ahead you can bet they will be up on the exchange, half the reward of making this for me is knowing someone else might enjoy using it.

 

I am also trying to get in touch with Cycledogg to ask for his permission about the grass and flower textures I used, but he hasn't logged on in a long time.

 

Anyhow, hope you like my roundabouts as much as I liked making them!

 

 

Take care.

[vortext 573]

Congrats! The improvements will be nice to have for vanilla streets as well. 

 

 

I am also trying to get in touch with Cycledogg to ask for his permission about the grass and flower textures I used, but he hasn't logged on in a long time.

 

Probably better to contact him over at SC4D as he's more active there. Username at SC4D is c.p. and he's been online today. 

[rsc204 21,866]

Great work on the textures here  .

 

I wouldn't worry about the sidewalks, so long as you didn't add any custom sidewalk to the textures, the fact that your textures show Sandstone proves it would work for any sidewalk because the Alpha layers would have to be correct. If you ever want to quickly test this, simply move the sidewalk mod from your plugins folder temporarily and load SC4, textures will automatically update if changed, so there is no need to re-plop anything, and you can quickly test things. There really isn't much to go wrong with textures in a dat, either they work or there is an error somewhere, so you can be pretty confident everything is OK. I'd be happy to give them a once over if that's of help to you.

[SimCoug 5,976]

Super job!  Looking forward to seeing this on the STEX.

 

I don't want to speak for C.P., but I don't think he will have any issue with you using his textures - in fact he'll probably be flattered.  

But like Vortext said, hop on over to SC4D and hit him up with a quick PM, I'm sure you will hear back from him shortly.  

[TPB 563]

Ok change of plans, I'm going to go ahead and finish the Maxis Street version before I make the first release, this will allow me to include both versions as a single upload while also reaching a bigger audience.

 

Thanks for your patience if you are waiting... it wont be long, I've almost finished all the street tiles already.

It's going quicker now that I have the templates from the previous work : )

 

Teaser:

 

 

In other news, I've gotten permission from C.P. to use his textures and clearance from quality control : )

So just bear with me while I finish this real quick.

[Ganaram Inukshuk 906]

An addendum regarding on how to invoke high-density wealthification.

Turns out you can make high-density wealthification appear using the same methods I described for low-density zoning. It's just that if you're using something that make all of the sidewalk textures uniform across all three wealth levels, it's practically impossible to tell the difference.

So I guess it'd be a good idea to see how these fixes look under a uniform-wealth sidewalk texture set and multiple-wealth sidewalk texture set.

[TPB 563]

Alright folks, files are up!

 

Download, test, rate!

 

Thanks for following me through this creative process.

 

I've uploaded both Maxis Street and RVT TSR Version, but only for Euro NAM for now.

 

American will come soon!

 

I hope I got everything right

 

Edit: Oops, I forgot to set the right File Descriptor, lol.

 

Is it possible to edit the upload description and images after it has been uploaded?

[Cyclone Boom 17,031]

Great work, an excellent first upload!
 

Is it possible to edit the upload description and images after it has been uploaded?

 
Sure, at the bottom of your file there should be an "Edit file" link. Clicking this allows you to change quite a few things, including the description, images and file information.

[TPB 563]

Thanks Cyclone_Boom!

 

I noticed my file appears twice and sometimes even three times in a row in the STEX main page... and have no idea why... any tips? 

 

Edit: I think this is due to repeated edits of the upload description, there seems to be a problem where this causes multiple instances of the upload to show in the STEX main page.

  Edited February 8, 2015 by TPB  

[Tyberius06 12,267]

Hello!

 

I saw some youtube videos by Samgoogolplexian, he uses the Sidewalk New England Cobble which is part of the Gobias HD Sidewalks, and in that case around the OWR roundabout on any density there's no grass just the sidewalk texture (as You can see in the linked video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qt563Ic8zM&t=15m50s ) . He also uses some kind of diagonal beautification elements (I have that) next to the roundabouts (OWR) and those elements don't change the sidewalk texture to grass (after he ploped them), but when I use same beautifications (I use sandstone sidewalks), set grass around my OWR roundabout instead of standstone. Probably the Paeng sandstone mod causes that, and I like the sandstone sidewalks, but that grass is anoying me. I don't know how it works with the Gobias HD sidewalks to keep their own textures on any density (even on low, or any kind of beautification), but I'd like a similiar solution with the sandstone sidewalks if it's even possible.

 

 

Thank You for your patience and help.

[rsc204 21,866]

Paeng's mod doesn't alter a single transit network, I know, I've altered every transit network to add Paeng's sandstone onto it . If a texture is multi-wealth (one that can display either three types of grass or sidewalks) then the wealth level is determined by the lots which are next that tile. However, if every wealth variant had no grass textures, then so long as it is a developed tile, you should always get the full-sidewalk effect you are looking for. Whatever roundabout textures you have (the default nam ones are multi-wealth I think) that is what is behind the difference.

[TPB 563]

 

Hello!

 

I saw some youtube videos by Samgoogolplexian, he uses the Sidewalk New England Cobble which is part of the Gobias HD Sidewalks, and in that case around the OWR roundabout on any density there's no grass just the sidewalk texture (as You can see in the linked video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qt563Ic8zM&t=15m50s ) . He also uses some kind of diagonal beautification elements (I have that) next to the roundabouts (OWR) and those elements don't change the sidewalk texture to grass (after he ploped them), but when I use same beautifications (I use sandstone sidewalks), set grass around my OWR roundabout instead of standstone. Probably the Paeng sandstone mod causes that, and I like the sandstone sidewalks, but that grass is anoying me. I don't know how it works with the Gobias HD sidewalks to keep their own textures on any density (even on low, or any kind of beautification), but I'd like a similiar solution with the sandstone sidewalks if it's even possible.

 

 

Thank You for your patience and help.

 

 

 

I suspect you are using European NAM textures? You'll also notice Sam is using American textures in that video, hence I was able to quickly deduct where the problem lies, and it is indeed there, the euro override includes grass on OWR tiles as seen here:

 

 

Whereas the American version has no grass outside the roundabout:

 

 

As you know, I made a no-grass version for my Mod, which you are using, but it doesnt cover OWR tiles.

 

I'll do the same for the new Gobias SV version, except this time the OWR roundabout will be revamped too so it should take care of that problem : )

 

I hope this clears things out for you.

[Tyberius06 12,267]

 

I suspect you are using European NAM textures? You'll also notice Sam is using American textures in that video, hence I was able to quickly deduct where the problem lies, and it is indeed there, the euro override includes grass on OWR tiles as seen here:

 

As you know, I made a no-grass version for my Mod, which you are using, but it doesnt cover OWR tiles.

 

I'll do the same for the new Gobias SV version, except this time the OWR roundabout will be revamped too so it should take care of that problem : )

 

I hope this clears things out for you

 

Ups... So that's the problem, I see...!

Yes, I use the Euro NAM textures, I did't know, that causes the grass effect. I always learn some new stuff.

 

Thank you!

 

[TPB 563]

A little update:

 

I've become quite busy with real life as well as starting to work on my very own CJ lately so I'm sorry to say this roundabout thing will just have to wait for the time being.

 

Tyberius06, there is a new mod up on the STEX made by rsc204 which adds SV grass(or others too) to the whole of NAM, including roundabouts, I highly recommend it.

 

Anyhow, take it easy guys, and I'll see you around.

[T Wrecks 10,210]

RL goes first, of course. I wish you all the best, and have fun with your CJ! We won't run away anytime soon.