Ferry Traffic Data View - Open to further ideas for improvement

[Naomi57 2,985]

Ferry Traffic Data View

Before I start, please note that I just created this mod for my personal enjoyment, and have no plans to release it anywhere.  It has a number of downsides that make it look unfinished, and it modifies the Traffic Volume Data View which is very much the domain of the NAM TSCT.

For me, even if it is rough around the edges, this little mod is now a permanent part of my SC4 gameplay.  

I think I might have reached the built-in limits of the SC4 Data View features, but if anyone knows further ways to improve it, I'll be delighted to hear more.  
I have a software development background, but I'm still an utter newb at SC4 modding.  

This Data View replaces the Ferry Traffic Volume Data View, which I always felt never really helped me enough with my waterways and in my Passenger Ferry and Car Ferry gameplay.  I created this Data View for the specific purpose of making it easy to spot the Bus, Car, and Rail traffic resulting from Ferry passengers at Zoom 1 and Zoom 2, rather than the Ferry traffic itself.  As such, it's actually far more similar to the Maxis default "DataView: Subway tool" (rather than the "DataView: Traffic Volume - Ferry".

Click on the screenshots to zoom in and arrow around, comparing Route Query in the standard view to the same Route Query using my Ferry Traffic Data View.

   

Advantages:

• Hides buildings, zonings, props and trees, for minimal distractions to the use of the Route Query at broad view Zoom 1 and Zoom 2 levels.
• Fades out the roads, again for minimal distraction to the Route Query colours across the map.
• Shows buildings for just the subway, ferry, marina and port plops, making it easy to scan the shorelines for relevant buildings.
• It shows the Watercraft Automata, which is a cute touch and doesn't distract from the Route Query colours.
• X-ray vision to see the sea floor to a depth of 55 metres, exposing much of the continental shelf for review of shipping and ferry routes, and for terraforming the sea floor.  This is a distinct visual improvement on using the Water Pollution Data View to terraform underwater, and looks rather reminiscent of mud flats at low tide.  
• Same as the Water Pollution Data View, you can use God-mode or Mayor-mode terraforming tools at the same time as seeing the glowing Grid on the sea floor, by repeatedly pressing (or holding down) the G key.

Disadvantages:

1. Only the base of the Maxis Port is visible.  I haven't tested third party Port mods.
2. While the Ferry Terminal plops are fully visible at Zoom 1 and Zoom 2, they almost completely disappear at closer zoom levels.  
3. Some plops, such as Airport and Water Treatment Plant, appear as dark rectangles.  Some growable lots show up as dark rectangles, too.  
4. Although this replaces the Ferry Traffic Volume Data View, it doesn't actually show ferry traffic volumes on the main screen.  Ferry Traffic Volume remains visible on the popup map panel, which is good enough.
5. The mod requires amendment of the NAM's "NetworkAddonMod_Volume_Data_View_Z_Medium_Custom.dat", which is reset and customised by the TSCT.
6. Some of the NAM subway stations, such as the 1x2 Elevated Road Bus Stop and Subway Station, don't show up as subway buildings, though the subway portal tile is visible if you look closely.

While not really a disadvantage, it would be nice if it made all mass transit stations visible, while still hiding all the other buildings, lots, and plops.

I'm guessing most, if not all, of these disadvantages, have no solution.  Very happy to be wrong!  

If you want to have a play with your own "NetworkAddonMod_Volume_Data_View_Z_Medium_Custom.dat" (beware of the TSCT), here's the exemplar properties I changed:

NetworkAddonMod_Volume_Data_View_Z_Medium_Custom (Naomi-1a).dat
Exemplar Name          DataView: Traffic Volume - Ferry

DataView: Type filter  0x8A13918A,0xC772BF98,0x68FD0C69,0x2A183167,0x897F7EC2

DataView: Hide zones             0x01      (True)    ; Hide the empty zones
DataView: Custom view            0x4A19BDE3          ; Inherit the "Subway Tool" base functionality which ghosts the roads
DataView: View level             0x00000002          ; Look underwater
DataView: Network Visible Level  0x02                ; Expose the subway
DataView: Highlight mode         0x00000009          ; Highlight subway stations

Note that  DataView: Invert filter  property is not present, so the  DataView: Type filter  is specifying the occupant types to include, not exclude.  Here's what I've observed about those occupant types:

• 0x8A13918A  : Ingred.ini says this is a "Subway connection"
• 0xC772BF98  : Shows the subway lines ... cool!
• 0x68FD0C69  : Shows the Ferry plops at zoom 2, but only pieces of them at zoom 3.  Also shows the base platform of the Maxis Port and Marina.  Weirdly, it also shows dark holes for various landmark plops, and for lots adjacent to tunnels, and a few other lots, too.
• 0x2A183167  : Shows the Water Treatment spigot ... might as well include it.
• 0x897F7EC2  : Shows watercraft automata, speed boats, yachts, port ships.  Yep, that looks good!   

I discovered that occupant type 0x278128A0 shows Ferry Terminals perfectly at zoom 3, and parts of most transport lots, but it also shows most growable and ploppable buildings, too, which is too much information for what I wanted on this Data View.

For reference, here's an excerpt of occupant types from Ingred.ini.  (I've also got properties.xml for my iLive Reader v0.9.3)

Quote

Ingred.ini
;Occupant types (currently used by data view filter)
[Uint32ValueMap_0xea0b6d2d]
0x00000000=<Not used>
0x480e6151=Automata: Aircraft
0x496e5783=Automata: Pedestrian
0xc7cc75f1=Automata: Vehicle
0x897f7ec2=Automata: Watercraft
0x278128a0=Building
0xe829e9f7=City sign
0x096e763c=Construction
0x69d25c5f=Fire
0x74758926=Flora
0x497f6d9d=Lot base texture
0x68fd0c69=Lot foundation
0x895d1169=Lot retaining walls
0xc99dc225=Lot shadows
0xc772bf98=Network
0x2a183167=Pipe connection
0xa823821e=Prop
0x0990b2ea=Power line
0x2890d4de=Power pole
0xa9b6d7de=Pylon
0x8a13918a=Subway connection

In particular, 0x74758926 could be another good one to include, if wanting to use this view for underwater MMP decorating, but I prefer to leave out the flora.

I left other properties of the NAM Ferry Traffic Volume exemplar unchanged:

NetworkAddonMod_Volume_Data_View_Z_Medium_Custom.dat
Exemplar Name          DataView: Traffic Volume - Ferry

DataView: Colour ramp  

0x00000000,0x00FFFFFF,0x00000001,0x30E4E5FF,0x00000002,0x99D3D5FA,
0x00000003,0xBB999EF9,0x00000005,0xBB7B81F7,0x00000007,0xBB5D64F7,
0x0000003F,0x9900FF00,0x00000053,0x99FFFF00,0x00000069,0x99FFCC00,
0x00000080,0x99FF9900,0x00000097,0x99FF6600,0x000000AD,0x99FF3300,
0x000000C3,0x99FF0000

DataView: Maximum scale     0x00000FA0
DataView: Data source       0x0000004C
DataView: Interpolate data  0x00      (False)
DataView: Legends Colour    0x30E4E5FF,0xBB999EF9,0xBB5D64F7,0xBB06C6C1,0xBB03DC29,
                            0x9900FF00,0x99FFFF00,0x99FF8000,0x99FF0000
DataView: Legends Labels    0xFF0F6960,0xFF0F6961,0xFF0F6962,0xFF0F6963,0xFF0F6964,
                            0xFF0F6965,0xFF0F6966,0xFF0F6967,0xFF0F6968
DataView: Legends Header    0xCC22F6EC
DataView: Travel Types      0x00000004

The  DataView: Colour ramp , even though not visible in the main view, is still relevant and useful in the popup map panel.

 

Thoughts or ideas, anyone?  I'm very interested to know if there's some way to improve it further, or secret knowledge on the ways of DataView modding.  

[Propfam 2,295]

Looks cool. Defo check it out if I have enough time

[Propfam 2,295]

How do we fix the dark rectangle bug?