Lucario Boricua's Earthworks Tutorials

[Lucario Boricua 7,028]

Greetings to all fellow mayors and Simtropolitan citizens!

 

I want to present you a series of tutorials revolving around a very immersing part of the game: earthworks!

Why? Because it's a very fundamental aspect of any construction in real life and can add aesthetic and functional depth to your cities.  I came up with a series of tutorials I'll be developing for this purpose, ranging from the most fundamental aspects to highly demanding applications of in-game earthmoving to shape the destiny of your city.

Perhaps the biggest gain players can get from mastering earthworks is making rugged terrain regions all that much more enjoyable. It may be tempting to always go with a very flat region to make building easy, but that approach makes players miss the opportunity of a challenging terrain resulting in a thrilling and wonderful landscape. I'll be making these based on my main ongoing region, the Sinnoh Region, as the one fundamental geographic element that defines it are its mountains.

 

One favor I ask followers of this series is to avoid posting on the tutorial threads until they have been constructed. Their completion will be announced here and in the meantime, the corresponding comments can be made here.

Finally, before we start, I would like everyone's feedback on which category should I tackle next after completing the fundamentals tutorial.

 

ESSENTIAL TOOLS:

• Network Addon Mod, latest version (currently the 36, versions 34 and 35 will still be adequate). In particular, make sure to have the NAM hole digging lots, these are super important to do a lot of the required steps I'll be showing.

 

 

• Slope mode of your choice (in my case, the BRF Tunnel and Slope Mod). I recommend this one in particular because it's one of the most strict slope mods available for SimCity 4. I currently use an older version which still did not include a dedicated Real Highway (RHW) slope, but that isn't a problem for me as you'll all learn during the tutorials.

 

• Region with hilly, rolling and/or mountainous terrain--anything that isn't a super flat expanse of nothingness will do.

 

• God Terraforming in Mayor Mode (or if not your thing, use the cheat to activate God mode terraforming tools in Mayor Mode

 

 

T U T O R I A L   S E R I E S :

A. EARTHWORKS FUNDAMENTALS: (in the making)

1. Starting a town (Emeragrove): now available!
2. Main local road (Emeragrove): screenshots available, pending writing
    
3. Bridge across river (Emeragrove): upcoming
    
4. Power lines (Emeragrove): upcoming

 

B. EARTHWORKS APPLIED TO MAJOR TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS AND URBAN RENEWAL (future)

1. Rural Freeway Segment (Route 203)
    
2. Rural Freeway Interchanges (Route 203)
    
3. River Diversion (Jubilife)
    
4. Urban Freeway Retrofit (Jubilife)
    
5. Median Mass Transit (Jubilife)
    
6. Suburban Freeway Retrofit (Route 204)

 

C. MOUNTAIN MADNESS (future)

1.  Difficult mountain crossing (Oreburgh-Pal Park)
    
2. Mountain Railway (Oreburgh-Pal Park)
    
3. Dam and reservoir (Pal Park)
    
4. Mine expansion (Oreburgh)
    
5. Tunnels across mountains (Route 216)
    
6.  Wildlife crossings
   a. Cerviduct

 

         b.  Wildlife-friendly culverts

         c.  Viaducts
 

2.  Mountain roadway

         a.  Benched slopes

         b.  Viaducts over gorges

         c.  Tunnels

         d.  Freeway with separate carriageways/roadbeds

3.  Mountain railway

         a.  Horseshoe bend

         b.  Loop bend

         c.  Tunnels

         d.  Switchbacks

         e.  Viaducts on a gradient

 

4.  Dam and reservoir system (coming soon!)

         a.  Dam and reservoir proper

         b.  Spillways

         c.  Fish ladders

         d.  Penstocks
 

5.  Mine expansion

         a.  Open pit mine

         b.  Underground mine

         c. Mountaintop removal mine

 

6. Mountain streams

         a. Ploppable streams (basic)

         b. Ploppable streams (rapids and small waterfalls)

         c. MMP streams

         d. Waterfalls made with in-game terrain

         e. Beaver ponds

 

 

D. COASTAL CHALLENGE (future)

1. Seaport (Jubilife Port)
    
2. Power Plant (Jubilife Port)
    
3. Beaches (Hotel Grand Lake)
    
4. City straddling the sea (Sunyshore)
    
5. Building a linear breakwater (Seabreak Path)
    
6. Building an island (Flower Paradise)
    
7. Underwater tunnels (Jubilife)

 

E. Entertainment / recreational facilities

         1.  Stadium, coliseum or sports arena over scenic hill

         2.  Sunken sports park

         3.  Scenic lookover (coming soon!)

         4.  Large urban park (coming soon, early 2021!)

         5. Golf course

         6. Cycling path

         7. Mountain trail (coming soon!)

 

H. Historic and archaeological sites

         1.  Mound architecture

         2.  Castle moat

         3.  Ancient aqueduct (coming soon!)

         4. Archaeological dig (coming soon!)
 

R. Major transportation projects, Rural

1.  Rural freeway segment

         a.  Embankment layout

         b.  Sunken layout

         c.  Overpasses and underpasses
 

2.  Rural freeway interchange

         a.  Diamond

         b.  Partial cloverleaf

         c.  Cloverleaf

         d.  Trumpet

         e.  Directional Y / T
 

3.  Drainage and small stream crossings

         a.  Culverts

         b.  Detention ponds

         c.  Roadside ditches

         d.  Fords
 

4.  High speed rail across the landscape

         a.  Viaduct segments

         b.  Embankment segments

         c.  Soundproofing with soil embankments

         d.  Tunneling

 

S. Slope Mod Shoppe--future topic representing the various slope mods available for SimCity 4 so far, I've identified 8 main mods, 2 auxiliary mods and 22 variants in total!

1. Properties

         a.  Grade (percent, reciprocal, degrees) for each network

         b.  Use of vertical curvature

         c.  Minimum height for support structures (pillars, retaining walls)
 

2. Maxis (no mod)

3. BigRedFish (original)

4. 250458 & BigRedFish (modified variant)

5. CSX

6. Bones1

7. Xeno

8. NHP Ennedi

         a.  Smooth

         b.  Medium

         c.  Mounted

9. SCRT Slope Mod

         a.  Extremely smooth

         b.  Very smooth

         c.  Smooth

         d.  Average

         e.  Mounted

         f.  Very mounted

         g.  Extremely mounted

10. Alvinheriadi Slope Mod

         a.  More smooth

         b.  Smooth

         c.  Medium

         d.  Steep

         e.  More Steep

11. Auxiliary slope mods

         a.  Real Highway Mod

         b.  Bullet Train Mod / High Speed Rail

 

T. Major transportation projects, urban

1.  Sunken urban freeway

         a.  Segment

         b.  Diamond interchange

         c.  Collector-distributor
 

2.  Median mass transit

         a.  Bus Rapid Transit

         b.  Ground light rail

         c.  Elevated rail

         d.  High speed rail
 

3.  Urban freeway interchanges

         a.  Turbine

         b.  Stack

         c.  Cloverstack

         d.  Cloverleaf with separate weaving area

         e.  Basketweave
 

4.  Sunken railway

         a.  Segments

         b.  Stations

5.  Airport

         a.  Leveling large terrains

         b.  Airport drainage

         c.  Tunnel-based access

         d.  Clearing vertical topographic hazards
 

6.  Urban canal

         a.  Basic alignment

         b.  Bridge crossings

         c.  Pedestrian facilities

 

U. Utilities

1.  Thermal and nuclear power plants

         a.  Site preparation

         b.  Fuel storage

         c.  Cooling water channel

         d.  Flood defenses
 

2.  Power line

         a.  Overland alignment

         b.  Aquatic alignment

3.  Irrigation canal

         a.  Canal layout

         b.  Feeder dam or weir

         c.  Regulation ponds

         d.  Siphons

         e.  Canal crossings
 

4.  Refinery

         a.  Storage tanks

         b.  Tanker ship terminal

         c.  Oil pipelines
 

5.  Quarry

         a.  Excavation

         b.  Benching

         c.  Spoils area

         d.  Logistics
 

6.  Floodplain flood control

         a.  Levees

         b.  Channelized river

         c.  Emergency floodway

         d.  Bioswales

 

7. Landfill

         a. Landfill pit

         b. Landfill mound

         c.  Landfill drainage

 

  Edited November 28, 2020 by Lucario Boricua  
Content update

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

12 minutes ago, Dragonxander said:

One favor I ask followers of this series is to avoid posting on the tutorial threads until they have been constructed. Their completion will be announced here and in the meantime, the corresponding comments can be made here.

I take it you plan to write each tutorial in its own thread (which I believe it the best way).

So, if you post in BIG Type at the top of them that you'd prefer no comments while you are writing them and add a linky to this thread for said comments that'll prolly be enough. You'd edit out that part when it's finished. (And should anyone add a comment before you are ready we staff can just chop it off and tack it on to this thread.)

[Cyclone Boom 16,876]

This sounds like a really great prospective series to help with explaining a range of terrain-based concepts.

Just adding to what @CorinaMarie said above, should you wish inside each new tutorial as submitted, you're welcome to create a few additional back-to-back posts. These can be used as placeholders should you ever need extra info to be added in sequence. Should this be of benefit, feel free to reply as many times as needed, and just make it known they're to be held back in reserve. Then a staff member or yourself can hide them so they'd be publicly invisible (in the "Options" menu). From this point you won't see them shown in the thread since hidden posts are only visible to staff. So whenever you'd like them to be restored, simply let us know in here or via PM.

[Lucario Boricua 7,028]

First thread posted and linked in the index!

[Lucario Boricua 7,028]

Screenshots for all the Earthworks Fundamentals tutorials are available. I expect to post the remaining three tutorials by Wednesday at latest!

[Lucario Boricua 7,028]

Second entry now available!  Decided to change it to a video slideshow format because my image hosting website was not cooperating. Let me know if you guys like this way of showing content better!

 

[Lucario Boricua 7,028]

After a gazillion ages, I've finally added another chapter to the Earthworks Tutorial Series:

 

 

[Lucario Boricua 7,028]

Gonna be reorganizing the topic, and I'm having difficulty editing the text because of the poll. The new topic organization will use letters hinting at the topic for the most part, rather than a set order. I'm also expanding the number of topics for development, input about these is greatly appreciated!

 

To mods or administrators: If possible, move this post to be the second one of the topic, it will override the original opening post.

 

 

W. Which slope mod should I use? (Topic pending until restoration of SC4Devotion to operational status)

 

A. Fundamentals

1.  Starting a town

 

 

 

2.  Main local road across rolling terrain (pending revision to forum post format)

 

 

 

3.  Bridges

4.  Power lines

 

C. Coastal Challenge

1.  Seaport

 

2.  Navigable canal

3.  Power Plant

4.  Beaches

5.  City straddling the sea

6.  Linear breakwater

7.  Artificial island

8.  Land reclamation

 

E. Entertainment / recreational facilities

1.  Stadium, coliseum or sports arena over scenic hill

2.  Sunken sports park

3.  Scenic lookover

4.  Large urban park

5. Golf course

6. Cycling path

7. Mountain trail

 

H. Historic and archaeological sites

1.  Mound architecture

2.  Castle moat

3.  Ancient aqueduct

 

M. Mountain Madness

1.  Wildlife crossings

a.  Cerviduct

 

 

b.  Wildlife-friendly culverts

c.  Viaducts
 

2.  Mountain roadway

a.  Benched slopes

b.  Viaducts over gorges

c.  Tunnels

d.  Freeway with separate carriageways/roadbeds
 

3.  Mountain railway

a.  Horseshoe bend

b.  Loop bend

c.  Tunnels

d.  Switchbacks

e.  Viaducts on a gradient

 

4.  Dam and reservoir

a.  Lake and dam

b.  Spillways

c.  Fish ladders

d.  Penstock
 

5.  Mine expansion

a.  Open pit mine

b.  Underground mine

c. Mountaintop removal mine

 

6. Mountain streams

a. Ploppable streams (basic)

b. Ploppable streams (rapids and small waterfalls)

c. Waterfalls made with in-game terrain

d. Beaver ponds

 

R. Major transportation projects, Rural

1.  Rural freeway segment

a.  Embankment layout

b.  Sunken layout

c.  Overpasses and underpasses
 

2.  Rural freeway interchange

a.  Diamond

b.  Partial cloverleaf

c.  Cloverleaf

d.  Trumpet

e.  Directional Y / T

3.  Drainage and small stream crossings

a.  Culverts

b.  Detention ponds

c.  Roadside ditches

d.  Fords

4.  High speed rail across the landscape

a.  Viaduct segments

b.  Embankment segments

c.  Soundproofing with soil embankments

d.  Tunneling

 

S. Slope Mod Shoppe--future topic representing the various slope mods available for SimCity 4 so far, I've identified 8 main mods, 2 auxiliary mods and 22 variants in total!

1. Properties

a.  Grade (percent, reciprocal, degrees) for each network

b.  Use of vertical curvature

c.  Minimum height for support structures (pillars, retaining walls)

2. Maxis (no mod)

3. BigRedFish (original)

4. 250458 & BigRedFish (modified variant)

5. CSX

6. Bones1

7. Xeno

8. NHP Ennedi

a.  Smooth

b.  Medium

c.  Mounted

9. SCRT Slope Mod

a.  Extremely smooth

b.  Very smooth

c.  Smooth

d.  Average

e.  Mounted

f.  Very mounted

g.  Extremely mounted

10. Alvinheriadi Slope Mod

a.  More smooth

b.  Smooth

c.  Medium

d.  Steep

e.  More Steep

11. Auxiliary slope mods

a.  Real Highway Mod

b.  Bullet Train Mod

 

T. Major transportation projects, urban

1.  Sunken urban freeway

a.  Segment

b.  Diamond interchange

c.  Collector-distributor
 

2.  Median mass transit

a.  Bus Rapid Transit

b.  Ground light rail

c.  Elevated rail

d.  High speed rail
 

3.  Urban freeway interchanges

a.  Turbine

b.  Stack

c.  Cloverstack

d.  Cloverleaf with separate weaving area

e.  Basketweave
 

4.  Sunken railway

a.  Segments

b.  Stations
 

5.  Airport

a.  Leveling large terrains

b.  Airport drainage

c.  Tunnel-based access

d.  Clearing vertical topographic hazards
 

6.  Urban canal

a.  Basic alignment

b.  Bridge crossings

c.  Pedestrian facilities

 

U. Utilities

1.  Thermal and nuclear power plants

a.  Site preparation

b.  Fuel storage

c.  Cooling water channel

d.  Flood defenses
 

2.  Power line

a.  Overland alignment

b.  Aquatic alignment
 

3.  Irrigation canal

a.  Canal layout

b.  Feeder dam or weir

c.  Regulation ponds

d.  Siphons

e.  Canal crossings
 

4.  Refinery

a.  Storage tanks

b.  Tanker ship terminal

c.  Oil pipelines
 

5.  Quarry

a.  Excavation

b.  Benching

c.  Spoils area

d.  Logistics
 

6.  Floodplain flood control

a.  Levees

b.  Channelized river

c.  Emergency floodway

d.  Bioswales

 

7. Landfill

a. Landfill pit

b. Landfill mound

c.  Landfill drainage

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

4 minutes ago, Lucario Boricua said:

To mods or administrators: If possible, move this post to be the second one of the topic, it will override the original opening post.

@Cyclone Boom could prolly work some magic doing a direct database edit to the post date and time to move it, but it'd prolly be better if you just edit this into post one.

I'll ask him about it tho cause he knows more about the underlying mechanics of the site software. (He explores places the rest of us admins fear to tread.)

[Lucario Boricua 7,028]

I want to announce that the Slope Mod Shoppe begins development! Did some brainstorming and it seems that it will be a much bigger project than first anticipated! I'll work on it gradually, but expect it to be something which will surface during the Christmas vacations period. This is what I'll be covering with the shoppe:

 

Introduction to grades in land transportation networks

• Definition
• Notable examples
  • Major freeway systems: Interstate Highway System and Autobahn
  • Puerto Rico Highways and Transportation Authority geometric design standards (old but simple to follow)
  • Railways by type: freight railways, high speed railways, urban transit, mountain railways, non-adhesion railways
• The challenge of determining actual slopes for real networks
• The challenge of deciding between realism and ease of construction in SimCity 4

Slope mod properties:

• Gradient, expressed as percent (%), reciprocal (1 in ##), degrees (##°) and number of cells needed to climb the two main overpass elevations of the NAM (7.5m, 15m)
• Use of vertical curvature
• Minimum height for formation of pillars and retaining walls
• Other properties I may identify during the shoppe preparation method
   

0. Maxis (no mod)

1. BigRedFish (original)

2. 250458 & BigRedFish (modified variant)

3. CSX

4. Bones1

5. Xeno

6. NHP Ennedi

          a.  Smooth

          b.  Medium

          c.  Mounted

7. SCRT Slope Mod

          a.  Extremely smooth

          b.  Very smooth

          c.  Smooth

          d.  Average

          e.  Mounted

          f.  Very mounted

          g.  Extremely mounted

8. Alvinheriadi Slope Mod

          a.  More smooth

          b.  Smooth

          c.  Medium

          d.  Steep

          e.  More Steep

9. Auxiliary slope mods

          a.  Real Highway Mod

          b.  Bullet Train Mod

[City_Slider 2,716]

Hi there,

you stoped this Tutorial Serie? Sad...

[Lucario Boricua 7,028]

4 hours ago, City_Slider said:

Hi there,

you stoped this Tutorial Serie? Sad...

This one isn't scheduled, but I haven't stopped it. My SC4 activity has slowed down for the last 4 months of this year, but by no means does it mean that I've abandoned the tutorial series or any of my other active SC4 projects.

As for how I proceed with it, I tend to get extensive practice with the ideas I want to showcase before I actually develop a tutorial entry. Executing them requires having that practice, but also using suitable terrains to build examples at a manageable scale, usually smaller than how I'd do it for my main and side regions. Based on recent experience and conversation with other players, these are the likely short-term ideas I'll develop before 2020 ends:

• Dams and reservoirs
• Quarry
• Mountain trails and scenic look-overs
• Archaeological sites

[City_Slider 2,716]

Sounds like a Plan. It would be a great Idee to fix your Start posting with every Update. So we dont need to scroll/search,

Good Luck, Dirk

[Lucario Boricua 7,028]

I'm having technical problems with updating the opening post because of a glitch with the poll system, as it doesn't let me save changes to the opening post once the poll's original closing date arrived.

I'll be opening a new thread, properly organized and updated with all the content created so far, I'll link it in this message and then have the faulty thread closed. I'll also be linking the new thread through my forum signature.

Update: See new thread here:

 

[City_Slider 2,716]

Sounds like cool. Go for it. Good Luck ...

[Cyclone Boom 16,876]

@Lucario Boricua

Just to let you know how I've locked this thread, and edited your post with a link to the new one.

Then I added a message banner above as well to direct anyone who checks in here.