NAM General Support

[KevinPaul06 57]

Is there a curved and diagonal version of this road? 

 

[Tarkus 6,932]

That's the NRD-4.  It can go diagonal and curve (draggable functionality), but there are no wide-radius curve pieces for it.

 

-Tarkus

[KevinPaul06 57]

Oh. Weird, whenever I'm trying to make it diagonal the NRD-4 becomes a regular road. :/

 

And sorry about the picture if it is too big. I can't find the attached file icon.

[Slashback 136]

After updating my version of the NAM today, an elevated L1 RHW-2 over a RHW-4 and -6S makes the ground level RHW-4 and -6S turn into RHW-2 under the elevated L1 RHW-2. Also, there does not seem to be any L1 road, avenue, rail etc. over RHW pieces. Is that usual or is it a faliure in my installation?

Anyway, thank you for all your continious work with the huge project, and thank you in advance for answering my question.

[CaptCity 4,789]

Maybe I missed it, but couldn't find any reference to this...

 

The on ramp rotations for the Diagonal RHW-4 C1 FA Ramp pieces seem to have a texture issue.

 

 

This is with the standard default NAM installation.

 

Sorry if this is known...

[Tarkus 6,932]

Oh. Weird, whenever I'm trying to make it diagonal the NRD-4 becomes a regular road. :/

 

And sorry about the picture if it is too big. I can't find the attached file icon.

 

If you're using the sharper orth-to-diag bend, it will revert to Road.  There's a less sharp draggable one that does work with the NRD-4, however.  There should be a diagram in the NWM user's manual.

 

After updating my version of the NAM today, an elevated L1 RHW-2 over a RHW-4 and -6S makes the ground level RHW-4 and -6S turn into RHW-2 under the elevated L1 RHW-2. Also, there does not seem to be any L1 road, avenue, rail etc. over RHW pieces. Is that usual or is it a faliure in my installation?

Anyway, thank you for all your continious work with the huge project, and thank you in advance for answering my question.

 

You might have built a setup that isn't lacks adjacency stability on some end.  An image would help.  And there are indeed no L1 viaduct-over-RHW pieces at present.  The plan going forward will be to make the L1s of those draggable (complete with Flex transitions).

 

Maybe I missed it, but couldn't find any reference to this...

 

The on ramp rotations for the Diagonal RHW-4 C1 FA Ramp pieces seem to have a texture issue.

 

 

This is with the standard default NAM installation.

 

Sorry if this is known...

 

I believe Maarten's fixed it on our end.

 

-Tarkus

[Slashback 136]

Thank you for the information, Tarkus.

 

I have attached a picture describing the situation i tried to explain earlier on.

 

[Tarkus 6,932]

Looks like it's probably caused by the proximity of the On-Slopes.  There's still a fair bit of work to do on that functionality, particularly with close-in undercrossings.

 

-Tarkus

[Wiimeiser 444]

I've found plopping a starter next to the affected tile seems to fix it. Also, N-S overpasses seem to be more stable than E-W ones too.

[the_infarcer 1]

I'm having some trouble using the avenue over RHW pieces.  I've switched the piece to the correct RHW (6 lane in this case), but when I try to place it over the highway, it either switches to another direction for the traffic on the highway or it moves the avenue piece over another tile, which, well it really messes things up.  This is in the transparent stage before I plop the piece down. 

 

I'll probably build around it somehow, but for future reference, what would remedy this situation?

 

EDIT: Worked for some reason just now.  Odd, but now I've got my mainstreet put down now.

[Haljackey 17,325]

Try pressing tab... It rotates the pieces, even when placed above other networks.

 

You cannot place a overpass piece on top of a starter or ramp piece, so make sure the tiles you are plopping the overpass on are free of such things.

 

Hope this helps!

[the_infarcer 1]

 

 

You cannot place a overpass piece on top of a starter or ramp piece, so make sure the tiles you are plopping the overpass on are free of such things.

 

 

I did not know that.  That explains it after I bulldozed it and drug it back out.

[Metalpuritan 160]

Okay, funny, you got me, I see all of these 90 degree short MIS sections but I go through every menu I got with the RHW and I cannot find it.  I am guessing it is something I have to drag?  I also scanned the 106 page manual too and could not find reference to it, I found reference to the 90 degree large curve but nothing on the short curve.  I even saw just recently in the show us your interchanges thread where Nathanthemayor used the 90 degree short MIS curve inside of his northern interchange.

 

How can I recreate that?  Thanks a bunch!

 

[timmie 988]

Simply drag a corner of 90 degrees. It makes the curve show up.

[Metalpuritan 160]

Simply drag a corner of 90 degrees. It makes the curve show up.

Thanks a ton!  I was playing with it and found it, it was easy but takes some getting used to.

[Metalpuritan 160]

Is there a batter way to make a diagonal neighbor connection using the RHW-4 than the one found in this thread: https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=14090.0 ?

[lvx156 0]

Is there a good tutorial on how to build highways with NAM? I have tried over and over again, but I just can't figure out how to connect my avenues or roads to a highway. It's really frustrating, especially considering how easy it is to make on- and offramps with the standard highways.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

With RHW you have to use some transition pieces to join up to the ramps.  Remember with this system you have a limited access highway.  An RHW users manual is included with the NAM (pdf).  Have you tried it?

[Haljackey 17,325]

Yes the RHW User's manual is a excellent reference. There is also a RHW Interchange guide... You can find it via a link in my signature below.

[Metalpuritan 160]

Is there a good tutorial on how to build highways with NAM? I have tried over and over again, but I just can't figure out how to connect my avenues or roads to a highway. It's really frustrating, especially considering how easy it is to make on- and offramps with the standard highways.

The NAM package takes some getting used to.  When I first started using the RHW stuff, I had a really hard time.  I did not know what "starterless' meant and other terms.  I read bits and pieces for the NAM handbook from time to time, but all three books makes for a VERY long read so I do it piece by piece and often times just hunt down the informations I need. 

 

I saw all those fantastic "interchanges" here on the "show us your..." threads and I thought, "Wow, those look so cool"  Well, you don't have to make complex interchanges, nor complex on/off ramps. You can use a standard set of them actually.  There are actually only a limited number of real world interchanges and on/off ramps, they all work quite well actually, both in real life and in game.  I suggest Googling "four way highway interchanges"  I did that just the other day and got like 20 pictures of different on/off ramps, 4 way interchanges and 3 way interchanges.  It was quite helpful.  In this region I am building right now I will have no less than 25 different interchanges.

 

I wouldn't build anything too complex with the RWy, the more complex it is the less functional it becomes.  the bigger and twistier they are the less the rest of your map will be able to interact with it, you won't be able to go over it, through it or under it with any other infrastructure.  In my opinion the RHW is to be used sparingly, wisely, responsibly and logically to make sure that my highway system has the most amount of flexibility that can be afforded to it.

[MandelSoft 2,769]

Regarding the RHW interchange construction, as Metalpuritan mentioned that simple solution often work the best. You can even make a bit more advanced variants on simple interchanges. Here are a few examples from my own image archive.

For example, take a look at this:

This interchange has parallel lanes to separate weaving traffic and thru traffic, but in general this still remains a simple cloverleaf.

Another example:

This is a simple clover turbine. True, it was hard to build it this smooth, but you still see that this interchange is very orderly organised...

Or if you have Project Symphony / the Maxis Highway Override installed and don't have much space to build, you could always try this:

Though regarding realism, this is not the most efficient flowing interchange...

Three-way interchanges can also be quite simple. The most simple one is the Trumpet Interchange:

But if you want to go for a better connection, you should look for something in the fashion of a directional T-interchange:

For interchanges with other roads, I would recommend to build either diamond interchanges:

... or Parclo interchanges:

All of these interchange types have dozens of different variants and even hybrids, but their basic principle is the same...

Happy construction!

Best,

Maarten

[KevinPaul06 57]

About NRD-4, is it normal that the automata only using 1 lane on both side?

[Metalpuritan 160]

Hey, I have been using the MHW override(project symphony) tunnels a bunch and other tunnels, I cannot figure out what the new heights are.  Can you let us know what the heights are for the MHW, OWR, RD, and Avenue please?

 

Also, where are the STR/RAM to dual track interface pieces at?  I could swear I used to be able to make single track spurs off of the normal rail.  I really need to do that now.  I am making a main line through my region and I want my industry to be on a separate line but still connected to the network.  It would make zero sense to have to have them completely separate with no connection at all.

LOL, well that was stupid of me..as usual of course.  I found them.

 

And still from a post I made above, is there a better way to make diagonal neighbor connections using RHW4 than the tutorial seen here:   http://sc4devotion.c...p?topic=14090.0  , a way that does not include the road there to connect the two stretches of highway?  In my opinion that looks so ugly, it is prohibitive of that technique.

[JessiLaurn 184]

...

Or if you have Project Symphony / the Maxis Highway Override installed and don't have much space to build, you could always try this:

Though regarding realism, this is not the most efficient flowing interchange...

...

Best,

Maarten

 

Believe it or not, that one is more or less based on a real-world example:  the infamous Jefferson City Tri-Level:

https://www.google.com/maps/preview?hl=en&authuser=0#!data=!1m4!1m3!1d1805!2d-92.1837854!3d38.5811654!2m1!1e3&fid=7

 

And yes, it's something of a nightmare.

 

- Jess

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Remember this is a game.  Reality is abridged at best, and the model is very likely the Silicon Valley environment of around 2000.  Have fun, anyway, but don't be disappointed if you can't get reality as a goal.

[timmie 988]

Remember this is a game.  Reality is abridged at best, and the model is very likely the Silicon Valley environment of around 2000.  Have fun, anyway, but don't be disappointed if you can't get reality as a goal.

 

It's an interchange made by the NAM-team So it is probably not modelled after Silicon Valley

[Indiana Joe 1,750]

He meant SimCity 4 was modeled after Silicon Valley, not that interchange in particular.  

 

Anyway, I think the look that we try to achieve in modding is more of a combination of realism and what just looks cool.

[libellibicus 396]

I have just installed NAM 31.2.  I have Paeng's Sandstone Mod installed and everything is fine apart from the TULEP pieces...they just show up with the Maxis sidewalks.  Is there any way that I can have the sandstone textures for the TULEPs?

[GeometryMath Algebra 614]

I have just installed NAM 31.2.  I have Paeng's Sandstone Mod installed and everything is fine apart from the TULEP pieces...they just show up with the Maxis sidewalks.  Is there any way that I can have the sandstone textures for the TULEPs?

Are you using Euro or American textures? Probably the sandstone texture is compatible with only the American cosmetic mod.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Something very odd. 

 

I have a set of tiles connected by a Maxis highway and some interchanges that go from one tile to another via regular Maxis roads.  I noticed that the neighbour connection on one pair of tiles was really overloaded.  On investigation I found that the attractive nuisance was a ferry terminal in the smaller tile that was attracting more Sims than the population of the tile it was on via the neighbour connection.  So I demolished the ferry terminal and then ran all the connected tiles including the indirect ones a couple of tiles away.  Now the interesting thing about this is that there were no other ferry terminals in this entire region.  I have been under the impression that for any activity on ferries to take place, there had to be at least two somewhere on the same waterway, and I was planning a chain of ferries all down this long river in my region.  Anyway, the "ferry induced traffic" eventually cooled, but in the process I noticed another anomaly.

 

While checking out the effect of losing the ferry traffic, I noticed that there was a road connection from one tile leading directly to a connection to my cross-region Maxis highway that was loaded at over 100% heading out to another tile to the east.  I thought that this was odd, because things are pretty well balanced so I checked the connections very carefully indeed.  Something more than 2000 bus commuters were being exported by the tile on the south side of the road connection then forwarded down the highway to the east.  The only problem is that these buses are bogus.  They have no origin in the sending tile and appear only with the game running on the tile containing the road/highway ramp.  The southern connection shows only around 20 cars, no pedestrians and no buses when that tile is run.  I can't find these buses anywhere.

 

Is it possible that they were there once, but as a result of my disruption of a potential commuter loop, they are somehow stuck in the interface? 

 

I am not very excited about this considering all the things we know about the funny things that happen in this game, but there really only should be about 50 vehicles on that intersection and there are about 2500 according to the traffic flow graph and the route query as well.

 

I am running a custom install of NAM 31.2 without RHW or GLR but with the blacktop textures for the Maxis Highways.

 

As a further experiment, I dropped the ferry terminal onto the next tile downstream and it didn't cause a flood of commuters from the adjacent tile which happens to be the same one that flooded my other tile.