Voltaire
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Everything posted by Voltaire
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RMIP-2 Large Airport Edition Volume 1, currently slated to be a new set of Runway lots. I'm going for a completely modern look with this whole Edition, so these will be 200-ft. (60 m) wide concrete runways with wide, dark-painted shoulders & full-length centerline dashes. Touchdown Zone lighting, too.
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New MMLs are live on the STEX! Get them here.
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Mac users please use the DL link in this thread's opening post, it contains all the .sc4lot/desc/model files and the complete readme. Anybody requiring a tarball or gzip please PM with your e-mail address and preferred compression format.
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^ ^ ditto gotta love those triple-stacks, the shorter overpass height makes it look very realistic. Beautiful job on the nightlights too.
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Thank You everyone for the great comments... great to have another release with stars attached! I'll be on break from (civil) airport-making for awhile, but the Large Airport edition is indeed in development so keep an eye on the thread. @bwatterud: the old MMLs do not affect the Lots in this Volume, so I'll be making new ones shortly. @photomonkey: I'll see about getting file space somewhere for .zip and .tar.gz non-executables, then put a link in the top of the RMIP-2 thread.
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@running: for the ramp-side TWY set, I skipped the Tee junctions in favor of single corners in order to reduce the number of intersection Lots. The piece you want is called Taxiway Quarter-X for Ramps. After plopping it the first time, you can rotate it to make the other corners of an intersection. There are Quarter-X pieces for Apron and Turf also. @blackphoenix: as simzebu noted, that style of runway has been done twice already -- in asphalt and concrete, as part of SWAP and RMIP-1 More wide runways coming in the Large Airport Edition. @goldenkevin: thanks, I didn't expect the download count to rise that quickly either, even with being in the spotlight... must be more airport fans around here than I thought! @simzebu: nice to know somebody uses those readme pages I spend so much time on I've spent a week on each Volume's read-me, and I wonder if people ever really pay attention to them...
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That is a funky-looking set of markings. They're almost certainly done that way so the airport just barely qualifies to operate heavier/faster planes with a minimum of investment in runway upgrades. It appears to be a classic example of practical (economical) decisions made by owners to maximize potential business while minimizing costs. Obstructions in the glide path are not the only reason for displacing a threshold. If you really want to know the reason it was done, it is almost certainly a matter of public record and you could find out from the airport's engineering office. Often as not, it is done simply to move the other markings down the runway so the spacing works out nicely. Pavement behind the last taxiway (if any) is always treated as a Blast Pad. It can't be anything else, because planes are not expected to land on it or taxi across it. It is simply extra room so planes don't overrun the pavement entirely. The extra-wide pad is for making U-turns, in case a jet landing on RWY 30 can't slow down in time to turn at the taxiway. Runways often have different approach procedures (and therefore different markings) on each end, and that's exactly the case here: RWY 30 is a Precision Instrument runway because it has straight-in ILS and GPS approach procedures. As I wrote in the readme for Volume 1, you need a Precision runway to operate jets. Precision runways are required to have (at least) CAT I - certificated ALS lights and Precision runway markings -- exactly what RWY 30 has. All the TDZ markings belong to RWY 30. The other Aiming Point belongs to RWY 12. It is not a Precision Instrument runway, so it's not required to have any touchdown zone markings. It does have a VASI installed but no ALS. There isn't a true displaced threshold on this runway, it is simply an extension of the taxiway -- you can tell because the markings are yellow, not white.
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OK time for some replies: @TheOneThird - not quiiite possible, but you can get pretty close -- you'd need to substitute straight diagonals for those slightly-curved LAX rapid-exits. @BlackPhoenix - keep checking this thread, a completely new runway system is in development to be released in the first part of the Large Airport Edition. @simzebu - most RL airports do it that way, b/c like blahdy said it's really tough to build shallow tunnels which can take the stress. LAS has a street running under 2 runways and 3 taxiways -- but it's a deep tunnel which surfaces beyond the airside areas. Diagonal runways are on my wish-list, but there's substantial ground that has to be covered first before I can get to them. @bearmans - I think the C-130 comes with Maxis' Air Force Base plugin, which is over on the official site somewhere. @rodent - No, you only need the TDZ stripes on the Precision runway (the one with ALS). Nice pic frogface! Thank you tommiej & GoldenKevin. Everybody be sure to show your airport pics over in the Show Us Your Airport thread, it's been kinda quiet lately and I want to see what you serious airport-builders can do. I've been playing a bit since Tuesday, enjoying the power of my new C2D system... I've never been able to play large tiles without lag until now (due to my 300MB plugins load) so I thought I'd set everything to High and show off a bit: I'll be taking a break to get my files transferred, and maybe play a new game (haven't decided which yet -- FS X is looking like a real possibility though!)
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Volume 3 is live on the stex! Get it here
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Version 1.0
49,308 Downloads
RMIP-2: Not Just For Runways! The goal of RMIP-2 is to increase the realism of all paved areas in SimCity 4 airports. This final follow-up release of the Small Airport Edition features: - Diagonal Taxiways with authentic markings, signage, and lighting - Radio Navigation Aids by blahdy - Expanded passenger walkways kit - Diagonal apron & ramp lanes - New ramp-edged orthogonal taxiway pieces - All lots made accessible to U-Drive-It Aircraft - TE taxiway & runway approach crossings Dependencies RMIP-2 Small Airport Edition Volume 1 RMIP-2 Small Airport Edition Volume 2 These Lots will appear toward the bottom of the Airports menu, interspersed with icons from the previous RMIP-2 releases. I've modded them with custom names, icons, and captions. For placement instructions and further details, please consult the included readme file. -
Some previews of what's in the works for the 747-400 version of this prop: There are more, but we're keeping them a surprise
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You're running into exactly the same problem that real airports had 35 years ago bearmans... nobody had facilities big enough for the 747, so a lot of new construction was undertaken to keep terminals and runways up-to-date. Fortunately, re-building SC4 airports is a whole lot more fun! The street pieces are just like I want them dadyrghluv -- the curbs are gone (no bumps in the taxiway allowed ) and the sidewalk pavement meshes perfectly with RMIP taxiway concrete. The markings are the same as required by FAA regulation in the real world. UDI planes have always been able to cross road networks, so if you'd rather have plain streets go right ahead. No more hints on what's going into the large airport edition... you'll all just have to wait for the pics next month... This'll be the second-last update before release, a preview of how nice this looks at night: ::Edit:: just realized this pic is smaller than the 800x600 limit... no need for a linking thumbnail this time
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Indeed. Also, judicious use of the Delete button would be a good idea. It's one of the nicest features of the new Simtropolis. GoldenKevin I addressed both your questions in earlier posts, please see the last page or two. allan_kuan I understand what you're saying about the aircraft types available so far -- all the Maxis planes are at least 30 years old, and only the 767 and 747 are still in production today. I don't BAT well enough to do planes yet, maybe after the Large Airport Edition is done I can take time out to do some post-millenium types. Thanks for the nice comments tommiej, dadyrghluv, bearmans, Yoman3, and ilikehotdogsalot. More content from BLP on the way in future releases! <Homer Simpson> mmmm... hot dogs.... </Homer Simpson> Now, a new screenie to keep things moving: A closeup of what you can do with the new walkway Lots in this release. You can now make "concourses" and "gates" entirely at ground level, recreating an old-school aesthetic missing from todays mega-airports: more pics to follow as I get closer to finalizing various groups of Lots.
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Thanks tommiej, release by the end of this month is looking like a pretty safe bet. GMT, I think you'll be happy to hear that concept art is (slowly) coming together for the next edition of RMIP, and the first thing released will be the revised 3-tile-wide concrete runways. Sorry the MMLs don't work for you -- have you had better luck with other MMLs like Maxis Landmarks or Peg's Trail Park set? Here's some closeups of the roadway crossings, they look pretty sharp IMO: One thing you never ever EVER do while driving in an airport is cross the runway OFZ without direct approval from the tower. There is a real danger of vehicle-aircraft collisions on roads near the threshold, especially trucks/vans with high rooftops. Also the exhaust and wingtip vortices of heavy jets can knock cars off the road. The taxiway crossings are basically the same except that approvals to cross would come from ground control. There are crossings in this Volume for both diagonal and orthogonal taxiways. Presenting the brand-new NAVAIDS provided to RMIP by blahdy's BLP Heavy Industries. The best radio transmitters in SC4... Ever.
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Attempting to mix prop-pavement with true ground textures would never look right. SC4 ground textures are rendered at much higher resolution than props & buildings (compare any ground texture with any prop/building at zoom 6 to see what I mean). This fact caused me to choose ground textures from the beginning, because I wanted only the best quality images to appear on my Lots. And btw I have been using transparent texturing in BAT since January, I couldn't have done the ALS lamps without it. Why make useless fake streets when you can have the real thing? The TE lots allow car and plane traffic to cross the same Lot -- now, placing streets through the airport won't stop you from driving UDI planes wherever you want. Simgoober has made a Heliport building already, though it is in extended compatibility testing at the moment. I have it and it looks really nice.
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More liveries of current 744 operators are in progress. I have enough time to complete about 1 per week while I am working on RMIP.
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Umm... already answered that one daryl, in some detail as I recall. Do I need to reiterate that I will be the one answering questions about my content in this thread? bearmans that is a Boeing 742 retrofitted with an extended upper deck. TWA never operated that flavor of 747 (their fleet was entirely 741 variants), but I like the livery so much I did it anyway. The exit taxiways will need to be in-between markings, like before -- if I were to make them with markings included it would add twenty pieces to this volume. That's just too big an impact on menu length even with MMLs. Thanks kack and jacqulina! Next update will have night pics too, stay tuned
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Unfortunately no, it's ace_bovenopdeberg's bailiwick and that 742 in the pic is just an incomplete testing Lot. He is going to make jetways and then I'll make ground textures, after that he will release the Lots. In case you want to get a jumpstart on making room for it: the aircraft itself is 5x5 tiles, and the final lot dimensions will be around 5x7 or 6x8, in order to accomodate the jetways.
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Almost there.... This pic shows pieces from all the categories I outlined earlier except apron lanes. Most of the possible intersection types are represented here. Closeups to follow as final texture tweaks are completed. Also to be included in this release are two excellent radio navigation aids by BLP Heavy Industries, I am working on the Lots now and will have pics for the next update. TheOneThird, dadyrghluv: A full complement of Taxiways for Ramps pieces will be included, both orthogonal and diagonal. Twenty-one pieces, actually. You can see about 10 of them in use above; the one you're asking about is entitled "Taxiway Quarter-X for Ramps". Weird, bearmans: you're welcome, just a couple more weeks of waiting... hopefully... Right now I am making icons for the Lots and performing in-game testing. Next will be the MML, then the readme.
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Volume 3 is approaching completion. I have re-worked the ortho-to-diagonal pieces (again!) to make them smaller & simpler to use. There's fewer of them now, too. I am ready to announce the final lineup of Lots to be included: - diagonal taxiways (5 months in the making ) for turf, ramps, and aprons - signs for diagonal taxiways - diagonal apron lanes incl. ortho-to-diagonal adapter - taxiway-to-apron lane junctions, both orthogonal and diagonal - othogonal taxiway pieces for ramps - orthogonal taxiway dead-ends for turf, aprons, and ramps - full set of passenger walkway pieces - Transit-Enabled Roadways for crossing taxiways and runway approach areas Pics Soon. I am still working on SNM and ace's 747, but this should be released in mid-October. Goldfish the apperance of the grass has always been an issue, but I (and others) have so much done with this turf style that I can't change now. Also it's technically impossible to use Columbus (or any terrain) textures because they change with elevation -- something that Lot textures cannot do. thanks surumi and tommiej. That's a nice terminal there -- blahdy and kaji were working on something along those lines, I do not know the present status of that though. The wide runways are next after Volume 3 is finished jasperdeman.nl. I am going to move away from the "mega-pack" content in the future, so there will be less wait time between releases. For example the new wide runways will be a separate release from the new large-turn-radius taxiways. Any new passenger gates will be released separately as well.
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Project Update Initial grass lots are functional and are completely modded except for icons. Apron and Ramp lot sets are virtually complete, and I am going to do the runway entrances soon. I have decided to roll the Lots planned for volume 4 into vol.3, more news on them as the diagonal taxiways near completion. Volume 3 will be the final release within the Small Airport Edition. I replied to steak knife's question via PM, but I want to write it for everybody else too: diagonal runways are hard to do, and it will be months before I can get to them. I have to remake the wide runways and all the taxiways first, which will require most of this year. The nomenclature I use is RMIP-[version] [Edition] [Volume]. There are three versions so far (0.5, 1, and 2) and two planned Editions of RMIP-2 (Small Airports and Large Airports). All the Lots within a Version are intended to work together, both visually and modding-wise. I am not changing the basic modding or visual styles on the upcoming releases, so they remain a part of RMIP-2. I highly doubt I'll be doing this long enough to change visual themes, so there will probably never be an RMIP-3 or -4. I don't have the planning done for the next Edition yet bearmans. At a minimum, it will contain wide runways with new shoulders, pavement, and markings. Also the taxiway intersections will be redone with wide-radius turns. There will be new ALS systems. I have a few ideas for new features too; there will be plenty of fresh stuff that's never been done before. Sorry about the lack of pics and updates lately folks, but just remember the less time I spend posting updates, the more time I spend on actually making content. So don't take my relative absence as a sign this project is slowing down -- I'm just not into preparing screenies as much as I used to be
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Slye_Fox: If you're still having a problem, please be more specific so we can help you out -- are the Lots themselves invisible when you plop them? Are the menu icons not [in the bottom of] the airports menu? If you mean the icons are gone from the menu, I believe GMT had the same problem -- how'd you fix it GMT? Also, if you're using the Startup Manager, make sure the files are in a folder that does get loaded. I psyched myself out with that one a couple times. RMIP-2 lots don't function as airports Super- Timio, partly because I don't make terminal buildings. Also, earlier this year the SWAP team got into trouble while modding functional airports. Thanks jacqulina! The stex search is working again Infinitum, just search for "flag". I had to rebuild the taxiway lots due to a modding snafu, it'll set me back a few days but all the artwork was saved so it's not too bad. I've also got several things going at once, collaborating with a half-dozen people on different projects. If I can get a couple hours free this week I'll be able to finish one or both additional sets of pavement-edged lots and begin modding next week.
