NAM 36 help with highway ramps please

[asr_1927 3]

Hey guys, I am a long time lurker, first time poster (I think).

I recently downloaded the NAM 36 mod, and installed it just fine, however I must be doing something wrong or have something missing because I cannot seem to complete any of the highway exit ramps and it is really frustrating me because I cannot continue building my cities at all with this mod now.

I've attached a picture of what's happening. I can't use any of the ramps, and I really don't like the other highways (the ones that have the starter pieces) because they look too much like avenues in my opinion. It's very frustrating and no videos online (that I've found) nor articles/forum topics (that I've read) have addressed this problem.

 

Any help or directions towards something that will help will be appreciated. I love all other aspects of the mod (although I haven't really experimented beyond the streets/highways because I've been stuck), but I really like the avenue pedestrian overpasses. I think that's a nice touch, especially since I've lived in cities that have many of those.

 

(sorry if there's a double post or if it's the wrong place to post this. I'm not too familiar with this forum)

 

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

2 hours ago, asr_1927 said:

Hey guys, I am a long time lurker, first time poster (I think).

Welcome to posting then!

 

2 hours ago, asr_1927 said:

I can't use any of the ramps,

This part I'll leave for the NAM experts. (I've only installed some basic stuff like SAM for my rural regions.)

 

2 hours ago, asr_1927 said:

(sorry if there's a double post or if it's the wrong place to post this. I'm not too familiar with this forum)

This's where I can help and with a couple of mouse clicks I'll move your topic into the NAM & Transit Networks forum. (No worries. It can get confuzzling what goes where.)

[jeffryfisher 2,176]

Highway in NAM is called "RHW", so you want to use that keyword with Google.

[Tarkus 6,932]

Actually, the highway system you appear to be showing in those screenshots is not the RHW (that's the one with the starter pieces), but the Maxis Highway Override (MHO--also sometimes referred to by its codename "Project Symphony"), a re-skin of the default Highway and Ground Highway networks that makes them look and operate more like the RHW.  Part of that changeover is that it operates on a different scale than the original Maxis Highways, and does not work with the original Maxis Highway interchanges.  Instead, it includes a couple of pre-fabs, and a few puzzle pieces designed to hook it in with the RHW's modular interchange construction capabilities.  Indeed, the RHW is really required to use the MHO properly.

If you are indeed interested in using the MHO system, the documentation is stored locally on your hard drive after NAM installation (My Documents\SimCity 4\NAM Auxiliary Files\Documentation) and can also be accessed online at https://www.sc4devotion.com/namdoc.  The MHO documentation (which says "NAM 35" on it, but hasn't changed since) is here.  There are actually a couple of videos on it from when it was still in development (prior to NAM 31), released by MandelSoft, one of the main developers of the project.  Here's the first one:

 

Now, if you decide you'd prefer to just use the stock Maxis Highways, you can still do that with the NAM--just re-install the mod and uncheck the box for the Maxis Highway Override, and you'll be back to the default.

I am going to take a guess that your issue with the RHW's appearance is due to a lack of median barriers on most of the networks (save for the RHW-6C and 8C).  If that is your only real concern with the RHW, this cosmetic mod might change your mind.  Being that it's from 2015 (around the time NAM 33 was released), there may be some newer RHW features it does not cover, but it'll at least give you an alternate option to consider.  We have looked at the prospect of having a barrier mod of our own, but the concept hasn't seen any further development as of yet.

-Tarkus

 

[asr_1927 3]

Oh man thanks so much for that clarification between the Symphony network and the RHW mod network, as well as for the namdoc link.

My NAM install somehow missed the additional files folder. I am starting to figure out the RHW mod now. I've been experimenting with simple entrance and exit ramps, and I think I have enough to at least continue building my current city. I attached below a picture of my test city so you can see just how much you've helped with this one post! I'm excited to keep building and I'm relieved my question has been clarified.

Well....one more question (which I'm sure I'll find an answer to in the namdoc file you linked me to) since we're chatting...

Is it possible to transition from an 8-lane highway to a regular Maxis 4-lane avenue? I like making these transitions when the highway ends and becomes part of the central city. I know an easy solution is to just have a T intersection that spreads into all the lanes, but I'd like to gradually transition into an avenue if at all possible.

Again, thanks for all your help everyone!

 

EDIT: Also, what is up with the cosmetic pieces?! They don't fit the described network types! The picture above is Level-1 8C type highway, but there's no cosmetic piece for it that fits...I still think I have files missing lol (sorry this must be very annoying to NAM experts)

[Tarkus 6,932]

You're most welcome--glad to hear (and see) I was able to help! 

As far as transitioning from the L1 RHW-8C to an Avenue, the best way I can think of to do so would be to transition first to an L0 RHW-6C (you'll need two transitions to do it, using a FLEXHeight transition to go from L1 to L0, plus a transition from 8C to 6C--the order doesn't matter, as the width transition can be done at L0 or L1).  After that, you can then transition from the RHW-6C to the Network Widening Mod's AVE-6 network, which can transition to a base Avenue.

To answer your question on the cosmetic pieces, none of the elevated RHW networks presently have cosmetic pieces.  Only the ground networks have them.  The cosmetic pieces mostly stopped being developed after NAM 30, and while there was some elevated networking available by that point (present-day L2 standard versions of the RHW-2, RHW-4, RHW-6S, and RHW-6C, which were very limited in functionality), it wasn't until NAM 31 that the elevated networks really started to be expanded, and that's when the L1, L3, and L4 networks were added.  The textures on the RHW were also adjusted slightly with NAM 31, so you might see some minor misalignment with the existing cosmetic pieces.

There's been some discussion of doing something akin to the FLEX Turn Lane system with the cosmetic pieces going forward, which would probably take care of that, but it hasn't gotten of the drawing board as of yet. 

-Tarkus

[asr_1927 3]

So basically what you're saying is don't use elevated networks because they look kinda bad with the misalignment and the lack of cosmetic pieces?

[rsc204 21,808]

2 hours ago, asr_1927 said:

So basically what you're saying is don't use elevated networks because they look kinda bad with the misalignment and the lack of cosmetic pieces?

No, merely pointing out they may not be perfect.and that there are some limitations. Now if that bothers you enough not to use them at all, that's your decision.

But I think the misalignment is specifically in relation to the L0 cosmetic pieces. As in, they were made with the old system and the textures were not updated to the new one. Since their continued development is unlikely, at least in the current form, it's highly unlikely we'd spend any time resolving these legacy problems. Of course the fact that none exist for elevated networks is another matter entirely, but once more, I wouldn't expect this to change any time soon.

Personally, having used RHW before the elevated networks we have now, especially before NAM33 when they became properly usable for the first time. I only see the progression of RHW and the amazing things that weren't possible just a few years back. In that context, it's not a negative IMHO.

[Noobville Mayor 62]

I stumbled on this thread and thought you might find this interesting:

Could possibly bring life to the MHO.