NAM General Support

[Anthracite 37]

Totally white FlexHT Flexible Height Transitions bug on Mac.

Wrote a title to help other users find the post if they have a similar issue. After Tarkus made clear that pieces should be cycled using CTRL + TAB when playing on Mac I come again with this:

Apart from being totally white, on slope and ramp transitions cannot be overridden with other networks, nor do their job of changing the height of the network upon building over them.

This time I have no idea of what to do. Maybe I'll create a topic concerning what I learned while using NAM on Mac to help other newcomers like me. Thank you!

[rsc204 21,806]

13 hours ago, Anthracite said:

Apart from being totally white, on slope and ramp transitions cannot be overridden with other networks, nor do their job of changing the height of the network upon building over them.

If they are not overriding correctly, check which NAM Controller option you used. If you used the 'lite' controller, it won't contain all the necessary code for RHW to function, you must have the Full NAM Controller to utilise RHW.

As for the white parts, place them and reload your cities or even the game itself, eventually it'll display correctly I suspect. I have the exact same issue with some El-Rail over Ave models, everything for them to work is there, but some graphics bug unique to the Mac version means it's more often white than not. It could also be a missing textures issue, but I'm pretty sure that's not the case here.

[Nero55 313]

Hello，everyone. I have a question about NAM41. There have abnormal display when the road pass through NRD-4 or diagonal road. How to unify road texture and the color of the grass next to the all road? No grass is best. pls tell me, Thank u very much！

 

[Tarkus 6,932]

The first issue on the left side of your first image . . . that's because the NRD-4 does not support diagonal T-intersections of any kind.  Technically, the NWM doesn't support diagonal intersections, period, though there's some unfinished/unsupported/"as-is" +-intersections that were left in following the abandonment of an earlier effort to add that functionality to the mod 10 years ago, as part of the NAM 30/NWM 2.0 cycle. 

Those unfinished/unsupported/"as-is" intersections will be disabled/broken with the upcoming NAM 42 release, as there's initial groundwork being laid for proper diagonal NWM intersections, which isn't compatible with the old "as-is" intersections, due to some issues with their original design.

The issue on the right of your first image looks like there's a mixture of a bunch of different texture mods sitting in your Plugins.  It looks like you have both the newer NAM EU Cosmetic and Retexture Mod by MandelSoft and riiga (the default as of NAM 37) in there, as well as pieces of the old SFBT Euro Texture Replacement Mod, and something else that's causing US textures to show up when there's lots/zones next to them.  Best way to fix that is to find and remove the offending mods/plugins.  It's possible there's pieces of an old NAM install and/or some third-party mods that are responsible.

As far as your second image goes, that looks like you have some sort of cosmetic barrier lot built in between the two stretches of RHW, which is activating the wealth textures (with grass) on the RHW-4.  Bulldozing it will return the RHW-4 stretches to normal, without grass.

-Tarkus

[Nero55 313]

@Tarkus Thank you indeed!  about the question in second image , i mean is there something way to clear  NAM grass and never appear again ？Or  consistent with my terrain  grass？

[EffTheGrid 3,665]

18 hours ago, Tarkus said:

Those unfinished/unsupported/"as-is" intersections will be disabled/broken with the upcoming NAM 42 release

Aww  I use these extensively in my networks. 

18 hours ago, Tarkus said:

there's initial groundwork being laid for proper diagonal NWM intersections

Yay! Thanks again NAM team! Will these improvements come in the next release? I know you don't like to disclose release cycles, and updates have been very frequent lately, but I do use single-tile diagonal NWM a lot in my cities. So losing functionality for those networks would mess a few of my tiles up. Should I wait to download? I'm very excited about the triple stack though!! Looks like a huge update for sure

[Tarkus 6,932]

3 hours ago, Nero55 said:

@Tarkus Thank you indeed!  about the question in second image , i mean is there something way to clear  NAM grass and never appear again ？Or  consistent with my terrain  grass？

You might be interested in @rsc204's "No Grass NAM" (NGN) mod, as well as his various "Terrain Grass NAM" (TGN) mods (here is a full list of all his uploads).

1 hour ago, EffTheGrid said:

Aww  I use these extensively in my networks. 

Yay! Thanks again NAM team! Will these improvements come in the next release? I know you don't like to disclose release cycles, and updates have been very frequent lately, but I do use single-tile diagonal NWM a lot in my cities. So losing functionality for those networks would mess a few of my tiles up. Should I wait to download? I'm very excited about the triple stack though!! Looks like a huge update for sure

In response to your concerns about the diagonal intersections in their current form being broken, I've just revised the code to temporarily reinstate the existing ones, so there should be no interruption of service for NAM 42 after all.  Getting the new ones on par with the old ones feature-wise is a bit too much for this release cycle, so we'll revisit it once the NWM diagonal intersections re-enter active development. 

There are some plain old ortho intersections for the NWM that did get re-rotated for the sake of consistency as part of that revamp (mostly ARD-3 intersections, since that network was a MESS, but some OWR-1 and OWR-3 as well), so some of those may need to simply get re-clicked in game to face the correct direction again.  It'll be the same for the old diag intersections once we revise them. 

We've only had some preliminary discussions among the dev team about what projects each of us are interested in pursuing for NAM 43, and we likely won't know until we've done at least a couple of internal builds for that cycle.  Trying to say upfront "hey, we're going to stick Feature X in NAM 44!" usually doesn't work (especially when it's particularly far in advance), and just ends up disappointing our userbase, so it's become team policy (particularly after NAM 37) to avoid making those sorts of statements to the public, unless we have a very high degree of certainty about them.

Under our current "Agile-like" developmental paradigm, we usually have a brief "playground" phase after a release (and some devs who aren't actively involved in the release assembly/finalization process may enter the "playground" early), where we experiment with some possible feature additions, and see what sparks our interest for that new cycle.  NAM development is often a surprisingly freewheeling endeavor on the inside.  We'll do a few internal builds toward the end of the "playground" phase (usually 2-3 builds--it ended up being 5 for NAM 42, because we had so much in the works).  Subsequently, we'll institute a "feature freeze", after which the maximum possible feature set is finalized, and shift focus on internal testing and bugfixing.  If something doesn't hold up in internal testing after this point, and we determine that it is not reasonably fixable within our maximum release window (which we've become very strict about since the NAM 37 debacle), we withdraw it from that release cycle.

-Tarkus

[EffTheGrid 3,665]

Thanks Tarkus! I appreciate your responsiveness and proclivity for helping the userbase. Retaining this functionality will be the cherry on top of a very cool update. A sincere thank you for the hours and the hard work.

[Anthracite 37]

On 8/13/2021 at 11:07 AM, rsc204 said:

If they are not overriding correctly, check which NAM Controller option you used. If you used the 'lite' controller, it won't contain all the necessary code for RHW to function, you must have the Full NAM Controller to utilise RHW.

Sure, I'm checking that! Thank you!

 

[Zerg_x 0]

I am having problems installing NAM. It says that it can not find the EXE for SC4. I have no idea how exactly to fix this issue. I even put the install program in the same folder and it still says it can't find the EXE.

[Tarkus 6,932]

Where did you get your current copy of the game (i.e. GOG, Steam, etc.), and what version of Windows are you running (and is it 64-bit or 32-bit)?

If it's not finding the .exe for SC4, then most likely, you don't have a valid Windows Registry entry for your SC4 installation.  The .bat file uses the Windows Registry to find the SC4 executable (not the location of the .bat file itself) in order to automatically apply the 4GB Patch to it, thereby preventing CTDs caused by trying to run the full version of the NAM Controller (the file that contains almost all of the code required for the NAM's network additions to function) without it.

If you're on a 64-bit version of Windows, then that would suggest something is wrong with your SC4 installation, in which case I'd recommend reinstalling SC4. 

If you're on a 32-bit version of Windows, the Registry entry would be in a different location than specified in the .bat file, and 4GB Patch has no effect, in any case, in which case you would need to begin installation with the .jar file instead of the .bat (similar to the Mac instructions), and select the "LowRAM/NoRHW" Controller option.  You would also want to unselect the "RealHighway" option, since the "LowRAM/NoRHW" Controller does not contain the code that the RealHighway (RHW) option requires.

-Tarkus

 

[Zerg_x 0]

On 14/09/2021 at 5:50 AM, Tarkus said:

Where did you get your current copy of the game (i.e. GOG, Steam, etc.), and what version of Windows are you running (and is it 64-bit or 32-bit)?

If it's not finding the .exe for SC4, then most likely, you don't have a valid Windows Registry entry for your SC4 installation.  The .bat file uses the Windows Registry to find the SC4 executable (not the location of the .bat file itself) in order to automatically apply the 4GB Patch to it, thereby preventing CTDs caused by trying to run the full version of the NAM Controller (the file that contains almost all of the code required for the NAM's network additions to function) without it.

If you're on a 64-bit version of Windows, then that would suggest something is wrong with your SC4 installation, in which case I'd recommend reinstalling SC4. 

If you're on a 32-bit version of Windows, the Registry entry would be in a different location than specified in the .bat file, and 4GB Patch has no effect, in any case, in which case you would need to begin installation with the .jar file instead of the .bat (similar to the Mac instructions), and select the "LowRAM/NoRHW" Controller option.  You would also want to unselect the "RealHighway" option, since the "LowRAM/NoRHW" Controller does not contain the code that the RealHighway (RHW) option requires.

-Tarkus

Using the jar file worked. thank you.

[Max4k 721]

I found 2 issues so far with Version-42.    Posted in other thread about Data Pack and error with the 4G file

 

Here is another issue, when I have Ave-2 Street laid out and then connect a Street to it, it breaks the whole design and defaults to the standard Street show in photo

 

[CaptCity 4,695]

22 minutes ago, Max4k said:

...Here is another issue, when I have Ave-2 Street laid out and then connect a Street to it, it breaks the whole design and defaults to the standard Street show in photo.

Probably due to the street splitting the Ave-2 stretch into short, unstable sections. You could try placing starter pieces in the short sections and re-dragging.

[Max4k 721]

I had it break a few other times just slightly north of photo since updating to NAM-42 update.

It could have been the starter piece I maybe hit and messed things up.   Was thinking it was maybe because there was another road connection in less than 3 tiles, but never had this issue before.

 

- Edit, actually no because it was an existing  Ave-2 Road that was laid out and just extended longer.   Even just dragging a different Street that was already present, extending Road just turned it automatic back to default Road.  Was few different weird scenarios that happened today

[CaptCity 4,695]

18 minutes ago, Max4k said:

I had it break a few other times just slightly north of photo since updating to NAM-42 update.

Another thought... It looks like you're using SAM Peg Gravel Roads...? I noticed when trying to duplicate your layout that using the standard streets was much more stable than SAM streets. 

[Max4k 721]

It's weird to say and figure out.  I just started using these Ave-2 a few weeks ago and did have some issues but it been a long while.

It just weird seeing few issues since update, but I rolled things back to previous version-41 and ran into similar issue doing things in that area... so it was not new version. 

[rsc204 21,806]

4 hours ago, Max4k said:

It could have been the starter piece I maybe hit and messed things up.   Was thinking it was maybe because there was another road connection in less than 3 tiles, but never had this issue before.

It's the nature of RUL code, here you are melding two override networks together, which can be unstable. There needs to be a minimum number of tiles for both the SAM and NWM overrides to take, too many junctions or non-straight segments will prevent this. That causes the overrides to revert to their standard networks.

Note how the sections on the Left and Right are stable, but have long segments of either override in place. Whereas the unstable section has just two tiles between intersections, that specific spot may require a starter to work full stop, I believe just three tiles would make this more likely to work, 4 should be reasonably stable.

Either put in starters, which stabilise everything, or you could try clicking around carefully, you might get everything back that way. Once you've got things right, be careful not to click near those sections, or you might have to start over. I would start by removing the SAM tile next to AVE-2 intersections, then stabilise the AVE-2 section. Then drag the street connections, if the SAM part is stable enough, it should be OK. But starters do a more permanent job, so are probably easier in the long run.

[Max4k 721]

Is there an updated manual that is like this ?

https://www.sc4devotion.com/namdoc/old/NAM Transit Stations Manual.pdf

 

Doing the install for 42, there is lot of stuff that I consider a bit bloated for a newbie and don't use any of the EL Rail or Ground Light Rail.  Down the road it looks great for more compact communities.

Actually this .pdf seems more of an embedded image inside and can't search words in the .pdf   It took me a while to find out what ESURE was and some other Rail Menu stations.

For the most part for now, I use the normal heavy double/single rail and the High Speed Monorail reskin, and have the stations I need.

[Naomi57 2,985]

13 minutes ago, Max4k said:

Is there an updated manual that is like this ?

https://www.sc4devotion.com/namdoc/old/NAM Transit Stations Manual.pdf

 

Doing the install for 42, there is lot of stuff that I consider a bit bloated for a newbie and don't use any of the EL Rail or Ground Light Rail.  Down the road it looks great for more compact communities.

If you're wanting to have smaller Rail and Miscellaneous Transportation menus at first, that can be a good reason to install fewer NAM features.

That PDF you linked is for NAM 31.2, but it is the most recent completed documentation on the NAM transit stations.  Despite it's age, that document does a good job, although yes, it doesn't allow text search, which is sometimes very awkward.

There is a bit of documentation started in the new NAM Wiki, but that, too, is very far from complete at the present time.  Keep coming back, as the documentation should be improving further over the next 12 months.

• https://www.NAM.sc4devotion.com/index.php?title=Transit_Stations

[junspud 1,066]

I've been curious, what's the 'Avenue90degCurve_AlternativeTextures.dat'? Someone mentioned that a few avenue curves had been updated with better geometry, is that what this file is?

 

Thanks.

[Tarkus 6,932]

7 hours ago, junspud said:

I've been curious, what's the 'Avenue90degCurve_AlternativeTextures.dat'? Someone mentioned that a few avenue curves had been updated with better geometry, is that what this file is?

 

Thanks.

Yes, that's exactly what that is.  We should probably go ahead and just merge it into the main .dat file, as it's been there since NAM 33, some 6 years ago.

-Tarkus

[monkeywater 910]

Do 2x2 road roundabouts like in this old NAM tutorial still exist?  I can't get them working with modern NAM

 

 

[Tarkus 6,932]

53 minutes ago, monkeywater said:

Do 2x2 road roundabouts like in this old NAM tutorial still exist?  I can't get them working with modern NAM

Yes.  They're actually a mandatory part of the install since NAM 37 (included in the "Base Features" set of the Road, One-Way Road, and Avenue category--this change was made to drastically simplify the file architecture, and in light of the fact that the Roundabouts are an extremely popular part of the NAM), and even underwent a significant expansion of functionality in NAM 42, courtesy of @Flann.

If they're not working for you, that would most likely suggest you have some sort of old Roundabout-less copy of the Advanced Road INRULs file (AKA INRUL-08) sitting somewhere in your Plugins, likely left over from NAM 36 or earlier.  Typically, in past versions, this would have been in the NetworkAddonMod_IndividualNetworkRULs.dat file, which, since NAM 37, has contained a version of INRUL-08 with the Road Roundabout code in it, instead of the more stock version that used to be located in there between NAM 21 and NAM 36.  If this theory is correct, some other newer INRUL-08-based features that now have code in the base version of the file (i.e. Draggable FAR, the NWM Multi-Radius Curves) would also not be working properly for you.

-Tarkus

[monkeywater 910]

7 hours ago, Tarkus said:

Yes.  They're actually a mandatory part of the install since NAM 37 (included in the "Base Features" set of the Road, One-Way Road, and Avenue category--this change was made to drastically simplify the file architecture, and in light of the fact that the Roundabouts are an extremely popular part of the NAM), and even underwent a significant expansion of functionality in NAM 42, courtesy of @Flann.

If they're not working for you, that would most likely suggest you have some sort of old Roundabout-less copy of the Advanced Road INRULs file (AKA INRUL-08) sitting somewhere in your Plugins, likely left over from NAM 36 or earlier.  Typically, in past versions, this would have been in the NetworkAddonMod_IndividualNetworkRULs.dat file, which, since NAM 37, has contained a version of INRUL-08 with the Road Roundabout code in it, instead of the more stock version that used to be located in there between NAM 21 and NAM 36.  If this theory is correct, some other newer INRUL-08-based features that now have code in the base version of the file (i.e. Draggable FAR, the NWM Multi-Radius Curves) would also not be working properly for you.

-Tarkus

Is there a way to check which version of the NAM I have?  I have not updated since 2018 or so.

[rsc204 21,806]

35 minutes ago, monkeywater said:

Is there a way to check which version of the NAM I have?  I have not updated since 2018 or so.

Since the recent NAM versions (37 onwards) only started last summer, almost certainly you have version 36 or older.

[Tarkus 6,932]

And if you’re running NAM 36, it’s possible you either didn’t install the roundabouts, or NAM 36’s broken installer failed to install the files necessary to use them.  That has been known to happen—I’ve observed it silently skipping the NAM Controller, and thus, all the code necessary for the mod’s added network features to run.
 

The main piece of advice we have for anyone still running NAM 36: upgrade. If anyone’s worried about breaking things in the process, consider that your NAM 36 install may well be broken already, and the NAM Team is happy to provide ample support to users looking to get our latest efforts up and running in their cities.

-Tarkus

[Sabretooth78 808]

Playing around with NAM42, encountered a weird instance of pathfinding.  If I delete the on-ramp, they use the bridge as you would generally expect:

 

Close-up of the neighbor connection drawpaths.  Assuming I set the thing up correctly - seems like it would be pretty difficult not to:

 

I initially had a right-turn slip on the on-ramp, but evidently there is a "missing" texture for such a configuration.  Otherwise works OK:

 

Finally, two questions about OWRs:

• is it possible to bridge RHW with a diagonal avenue without resorting to OWR in place of RHW4 (as I did here)
• I didn't see an option in the installer to reduce the frequency of OWR arrow textures.  In the past I believe I always used the "1/2" option.  Has this been removed, or did I just not look deeply enough?

[Peter N N 0]

hello guys

I installed NAM 42 to my SimCity 4 delux edition after installing the game carshes out to the desktop during loading my own city and 4GB Patch changes the date of the EXE file of the game which make it not working after using the patch . My PC is HP laptop G62 notebook OS is Windows 10 (64-bit)

[rogerpowell 6]

I see no vehicles in my game. I have installed the latest NAM. I have not had this problem before.