Lord Kronos

Hey, I was just thinking that a good tool to be added would be one that is similar to the smooth tool, but only smooths 2 opposite edges as opposed to all 4 (or 8 if using the round brush) edges. This is something that I've found I've needed as I've been shapping my coast and cliffs. It would also be an advantage if you're a person (like me) who likes to pre-form ramps that lead to bridges and the like for transport networks. Is such a tool do-able? regards LK

Well, it's been a hectic (looks at the date on my last post in here) 2 months. I've had exams last week, and leading up to it it seemed like I had concert after concert to get ready for. Then I decided to wait to see how Australia went in the world cup (We was robbed I tell ya! Robbed!!!) Well I've just opened gmax up and had a look at my models and I think I've worked out how I'm going to handle on and off ramps, but I'll leave that surprise for another post. I just thought you all would like to know that I am back working on these walls and I hope to have something that people can test/use in a week or two. I'll keep you posted. I'd still like some help with regards to possible textures to use for the plazas that cover the highway, or if someone can point me to a texturing tutorial, that would be fantastic. Oh, and sloppet, what is the deal with you and that emoticon? Thaks for dropping by though! Well back to it now. LK (stinking refs, FIFA hate us, I'm sure of it... mumble grumble)

Boom_box sunken highways are actually 15 meters, that is the height (depth) required for the NAM on-slope and various other puzzle pieces to be perfectly flat. So dig your ditches at 15 meters (or if done in game, use the hole digging lots) LK

I have that download but the only lots in it are the rail bridges. No walls at all the model files are there it seems (haven't looked closely at them, but my skills with the lot editor aren't up to par yet. So I shall wait with bated breath till Sunday. This set will be great, especially if you've made the under the T junction for highways and one under a clover leaf! LK

Hey Buddybud, The main download for this stuff at savefile is corrupted (I found the link in a quote as it is missing from your original post) Is the zip file meant to still be there? or have you taken it down until you release the final versions? LK

One thing that I would like to see in this program is a set of views that you can just click a button and have the camera move to that angle, i.e. Top Down, SC4 East, West etc. I think that would be very useful, and perhaps (if possible) when clicked again, the camera returns to the position it was before you clicked the change view button. This could also be used to quickly switch between to custom viewing angles. Just a thought! This really is a revolutionary tool for Simtropoolis and the SimCity Community as a whole. I hope to see this become as an essential download as The NAM now is! LK

What are the judges judging on? what's the yard stick as it were? One photo surely cannot do justice to a city's plan, most definately not the finer details that people have, like mass transit layouts etc. I'm just confused as to the point of this. It seems to be just some showboating for the judges to make themselves feel important. Apologies if that is not the case, but that's the way it comes across to me. LK

rocketoink, you need to upload the pictures to a place like imageshack instead of pointing the link to your local hard drive, else we cannot see them.

mightygoose: If you can make some rough sketches of what you mean, I'll definately look into it. I personally can't see it as being able to fit into an industrial area, you just wouldn't spend the extra money to cover it, although I could just make vertical walls with an industrialised texture... So, post a MSpaint or something similar sketch of what you mean, and I'll see if I can do it! Below are some screen shots of the current models taken straight prem the BAT preview renders. As you can see, compared to the image posted above, the openings are much thinner. The wals also sit closer to each other. This is so that the wall becomes the highway's actual wall. east north South West I need to finish 3 models, and then I'll place them on a simple lot and have a look at them in game, to make sure the LODs are acting properly (I solved the problem with my computer, one motherboard driver needed to be upgraded, a pain to ork out which one it was, let me tell you!). Well, what do you think of them smaller 'slits'? LK

Jerebannus XVI: These will not be modified into seawalls. Or at least I won't be making them. I can't see how they could be turned into seawalls, as they will have to lose the one thing that (will) make these unique (as far as I know), that is that they can cover the highway with a "plaza". That is a covering that looks like people can cross it, but unless someone here graciously mods them to be able to allow pedestrian crossings... But they won't be turned into a sea wall version, it's just not practical the way I see it. newyorkrunaway1: Yes these are offset props (and foundations). These will obviously have a very unique application, where you want to run a sunken highway through the middle of your downtown (I still need to give some thought as to how to handle the on-ramps) but you don't want to see the highway, but can't afford to tunnel, or in a CJ where youi want to say you can't afford to tunnel, but you don't want to be able to see the highway. I'll attach an image of the new models in half an hour, so check back for the edited post! regards, LK

Hi all, Just a little note to let people know that might be reading this thread, that I'll be unable to work on this project for the next few weeks. University has started last monday, and we are approaching the business end of the semester, so asignment after assignment is due. I will not abandon this project. As soon as my work load lightens and I get some time that is my own again, I'll work on it. I see these pieces as being finished by the end of July (start of semester 2) and I will do my best to have them done by then. Regards, LK

Master Plan Man, the only thing is the lines could not cross each other. You could have an elevated rail line coming in from the east, a monorail from the west, and passenger rail from the north crossing through to the south, as long as they do not cross, you're fine. LK

yes, as props, the wall, I was thinking as a foundation, and the cover a prop. Because when I was messing about before, and making the over hang a part of the foundation, the lods caused it to not show part the foundation of the lot next to it. Then my computer reset itself, so.... That's why, i'll make the cover a prop and the wall a foundation, rendered separately. I'll just havce to be careful with the placement of it on the lot. Unless I find a nice person here to make the lots. JayStimson: Thanks for droping by! I'll give your thread a thorough read through now and find what you are talking about. The seeing down into/onto the high way is exactly why I intend on making the covers separate props, that way the lods can be much more exact when I don't have to worry about covering the wall too. LK

OK! This is a quick screenshot of what I've done so in gmax. I'm not entirely happy with it, I might make the half size gap smaller still, to like a third of the total distance. But this is the general design of the pieces fitting together (no diagonals yet). The walls will be a separate model to the coverings, so as to allow the LODs to show all the required detail at the different zoom levels. I am currently working on a rough model for an end piece. I might even have it up here later tonight. LK

Thanks Buddybud, if I manage to get my problem fixed soon, I will do it myself (as I intended, because at least I'll have no one to blame but myself!). But I can't for the life of me work out what's going wrong and causing the restarts after a few seconds in the game. LK

Edit: Woops, should have checked to see if there was another page first! Voar Tok, That's why Keiran Halcyon said clever coding. You work out how many combinations of filters you have, and assign each one a set pattern of a byte (I can't remember how many 1s and 0s are in a byte? 8 isn't it?) there are only 7 categories on the stex, that can easily store the configuration of what you want to see and what you don't. I myself am all for the option of being able to filter OUT certain categories. I don't want to, when browsing the STEX, see texture files or model files. So, whilst I don't want a separte MEX, we could use the ability of an exclude filter, as well as an include filter. LK

Hi there Buddybud, Great work all round!!! I myself am currently creating similar pieces, based on images Barnatom posted on page one, post 2, of JayStimson's thread on sunken highway walls. As such, I'd love any help you can offer me ( I really don't want to reinvent the wheel!) Once again Great work, I can only hope my attemps can be comparable to these! regards, LK

And when you need to have neighbour connections for industry, either force them to use Rail, or use the no car lots that are available on the STEX (traffic control) then Industry still has short frieght trips, but you won't have sims going through the industry area to get to a job out of town. LK

What a shame that you cannot do tab circles. It would certainly have eased the clutter in the parks menu. In that case, just keep up the great work, I can't wait for the next pack to be released. LK

Originally posted by: buddybud no probthere in lies the problem....i lost my models so ill have to redo those....but why not...... ill make that my first task...bridges it be....im torn between using jeronij's new placement method alla a "transit enabled lot", or to go with the side placement like i had previously done.....quote> I'd suggest making 2 transit enabled versions (tabing though them). one with the lot right by the embankment, and another 2 tiles away. This way u can have as many bridges next to each other with out the problems caused by not being able to place transit enabled lots next to each other. If I am wrong on that, please correct me LK

Originally posted by: strangiatotheme Originally posted by: LP ...and I guess to let the drivers know if anything is in the track.quote> I think headlights take care of that.quote> BUt the lights could be there to aid cameras which would almost certainly stretch along any such network, so as to pinpoint obstructions before a high speed train gets to them. else the train won't have the time to slow down and stop before it hits the object. that way the cameras either feed to rail control, or to the train. of course there might just be sensors over the tracks, but then wildlife would interfere. but perhaps we're getting into to much realism?

It would be completely impractical for this high-speed rail network to conect to the subway system. Does this occur anywhere in the real world with high speed trains? We have elevated rail/GLR that conects with the subway. What you're talking about having is the bullet trains of Japan. These trains do not enter the subway system, they do not connect to any other transportatins system directly except at stations where passengers disembark and then alight on a bus, or the subway. I like the design posted above, the 2 tile wide thing will work, you run it straight into the heart of your city, and make it the centre of all your transportation systems. Passengers catch bus or local passenger train, to the centre then the high-speed to the next city. I hope that clarifies what I think everyone is wanting, and what I'd like to see. I'd like to offer my services, but i'll have to learn to BAT first. LK

Date: 2/21/2006 4:58:14 AM Author: teddyb4492 I guess this is were i should add my requests, i was reading a thred that was discussing ground monorail. that sounds very interesting. However, do not think that that it is possible in real life or in this sim world. As was mention before the monorail would just be running, in a ditch which is fine but when you had to cross roads, it would be under or over, as a draw bridge would not work and would delay traffic which you are trying to lighten by installing the mass transit system in the first place. So i would like to request that the idea of adding monorail over ave puzzle pieces sounds like a very good idea. Also with the GLR mod, it eliminates the elevated rail. However, I for one do not like that at all. If you could add GLR as an addition instead of a replacement it would see allot more use. Do not get me wrong I like monorail, but it is very limited. So 2 things to improve transportation. 1. more options for monorail (ave puzzle pecies for one) and 2. change GLR to an addition instead of a replacement. Have a good Sim day all, Teddyb4492 quote> Just to point out, that the GLR is an addition. It does not prevent you from using the normal elevated railway. It is an extension of it. GLR acts as the missing link between the subway and the elevated rail way LK