TPB's Asset Studio - Modular Avenue, now with menu icons, and easy to use!

[TPB 563]

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Hi, thanks for stopping by : )
 
In this thread I'll be posting about my journey into the world of C:SL Modding and Asset building, and why not, hopefully Modelling too once I learn the ropes.
 
I've decided to start a "career" as an Asset maker. I'll be making intersections for the time being. Working on parks and other stuff now too.
 
It would be awesome if you as a visitor could take the time to give me critical feedback, suggestions, tips on how to do things better, and anything else you might think of when looking at my work.
 
Thanks!
 

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 ROADS AND HIGHWAYS

 

INTERCHANGE INDEX

 

 
1. - ([sTEX=30255]Download)
 
2. El Toro Y-Stack + Parclo - In Progress - Delayed (I accidentally saved something else over it )
 
3. -  ([sTEX=30274]Download)
4. - ([sTEX=30279]Download)
5. - ([sTEX=30284]Download)

6. Diverging Diamond - ([sTEX=30291]Download)

7. 3-Level Roundabout  - ([sTEX=30296]Download)

8. The Turtle Highway Exit - ([sTEX=30313]Download)

9. Highway to 6-Lane Roundabout - ([sTEX=30414]Download)
 

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PUZZLE PIECES
 

1.  3 Ramp Highway Splitter puzzle pieces - ([stex=30271]Download)

2. Two-way splitters - ([sTEX=30346]Download)

3. Three-way splitters - ([sTEX=30347]Download)

 

 

RAILROADS

 

INTERCHANGES

 

1. Rail-Road T (2 versions) - ([sTEX=30355]Download)

2. 4-way Train Intersection - ([sTEX=30361]Download)

 

PUZZLE PIECES

 

1. Train-Track splitters - ([sTEX=30358]Download)

 

 

OTHER PROJECTS

 

 

Modular Avenue v1  - ([sTEX=30398]Download)

 

This project is ongoing and I am currently working on an improved version, advice is to wait before downloading :- )

 

 

 

Bear with me while I format this post, so many things to do... index currently not linking to respective entries.

  Edited April 11, 2015 by TPB  

[TPB 563]

1.

 

 

 

 

03/16/2015 11:00 

 

 

Yesterday I decided to try my hand at building this:

 

 

Initially I thought it impossible to make this into an asset, due to the limited size of the Asset Editor.

But then I had an idea to build in diagonal. It saves some space. So I got to work on it.

 

After some hours I came up with this:

 

 

That's decent, but I like symmetry. So I got back to work, and after few more hours in the Editor:

 

 

That's already looking much much better, don't you agree?

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you carefully observe this last image, you might notice a peculiarity. Can anyone tell me whan I am referring too? 

 

 

 

 

03/16/2015 12:56

 

I remade the viaduct ramps to make them as smooth a slope as possible. I also relocated the inner lane ramps so that they line up with the loop ramps, thus getting rid of those ugly double signposts that were one right after the other, yuck. Finally, I tweaked the flora positions a little bit.

 

Asset Editor images

 

 

 

 

 

Section view shots

 

 

 

 

 

Nice middle support pillar, huh? I discovered a trick to get them to appear there even if there is no space in theory.

 

 

Loop ramps

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aerial perspectives

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know I know, I already showed these in the Interchange thread, but to be honest it got quickly buried by, of all things, off-topic text. Since I'd like some feedback, I decided to make my very own Studio : ) 

 

03/16/2015 15:51

 

To give you an idea of the amount of symmetry I am aiming for, here is the last tweak I've made

 

 

 

[Feindbold 1,190]

Thank you for sharing, I love the symmetry after your fix , looks perfect to me.

[TPB 563]

I haven't uploaded the Cloverleaf yet. As mentioned, has to be as near to perfection as possible before I'll consider sharing it : )

 

Will go over it later and make sure everything is satisfactory. Keep an eye out on STEX

 

Meanwhile in the Studio...

 

2.1 El Toro - Parclo

 

03/16/2015 - 19:44

 

Some progress on El Toro modular, Parclo section.

 

 

[TPB 563]

2.2 El Toro - Y-Stack

 

 

03/17/2015 - 00:27

 

Started work on the Y-Stack section

 

 

 

03/17/2015 - 16:29

 

Some intermediate stages I tried before the final result

 

 

 

 

03/17/2015 - 16:29

 

After many hours of fiddling, destroying, remaking, yelling at screen, etc. Here is a semi-final version of the El Toro Y. Hope you like it. It was super fun making this.

 

I know, I know, El Toro doesnt have those loops! But I like loops, so there. El TPBoro... lol.

 

 

[TPB 563]

3.

 

Hey guys, forgot to post progress of this on here but here is the final result. 

I'm very pleased with how this came out. Notice I avoided the normal angles for symmetric Y but this is on purpose for a more organic feel.

Hope you like it.

 

 

 

 

[TPB 563]

4.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TPB 563]

6.

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.

 

 

8.

 

[TPB 563]

Hi, here's my latest work.. 

 

I've now added my whole collection to Steam Workshop and am slowly updating all my assets to be made entirely of highways and highway ramps.

 

I was aiming for more lane realism by using OWR but this results in several problems so I'll just wait until we get more lane options.

 

9.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10. 

 

 

 

[Feindbold 1,190]

Wow, some nice intersections, once again, your level of detail and perfections is just awesome How did you do these circleshaped citys? is there a mod to do bigger circles?

[TPB 563]

Wow, some nice intersections, once again, your level of detail and perfections is just awesome How did you do these circleshaped citys? is there a mod to do bigger circles?

 

Woohoo, I got another comment! Thanks for helping me not seem like a total and complete lunatic by talking only to myself lol.

 

Anyway, I made them with my Circular Town Modular Asset, number 8 a couple of replies back. 1/4 of the circle takes up the whole asset editor space. Once assambled they would be 128x128, more than 16k tiles.

[TPB 563]

Soooo. Need a break from intersections..

 

Modular park anyone? : - )

 

 

 

 

Working on a theme and possibly what will be the first piece, thoughts, ideas, suggestions welcome.. I'm thinking of making it a huge 12 piece 28x58 monster modular but maybe thats too ambitious... Also the 64 prop limit is kind of lame, might have to make many more smaller pieces to achieve the results I´m after.

 

Some rocks and other props would be nice, wish I knew how to make them!

[chio3846 4]

the  El TPBoro will become badass... it's damn good bro

can't wait for that

[TPB 563]

The sad news is, I learned a terrible lessons while working on El Toro

 

Basically, I accidentally saved something else over it... UGH.

 

Lost over 20 hours of work on that. I have a backup but of an old version Still, I learned a lot making that one, and why not I'll have another go at it but maybe being more faithful to the real thing, mine had evolved into a monstrosity compared to real El Toro Y

 

Thank you for your comment : )

[rpc180 9]

Not sure if it fits in here but its related to placing interchange assets on pre-existing highways.

 

How do you set it to align to the highway direction?  I've only been able to get items to rotate in 45 degree increments which limits their "flow" with the original highway.  Is there a secret to this that I have yet to discover?

[TPB 563]

Not sure if it fits in here but its related to placing interchange assets on pre-existing highways.

 

How do you set it to align to the highway direction?  I've only been able to get items to rotate in 45 degree increments which limits their "flow" with the original highway.  Is there a secret to this that I have yet to discover?

 

You hold down right-click and move mouse sideways, this will slowly rotate the asset. You can rotate to any angle.

 

 

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In other news, all images in this thread are currently not working due to issues with my server. They will be up again tomorrow, sorry for the inconvenience.

[TPB 563]

So change of plans guys, instead of modular park, I'm going one notch further and making a modular avenue! With park effect!

 

 

 

You can zone next to them, and they can be placed anywhere without needing a road adjacent.

 

 

In order for them to align correctly, I had to make a separate intersection asset with little stubs at regular intervals to fit the Avenue pieces between, because they dont seem to snap to eachother. Those are the stubs you see on the top of the image.

 

Most pieces will be 6x10 to fit inside those gaps, with certain pieces which you wouldnt use too regularly being larger, so you can use them as connectors between Guide sections. 

 

The way it works is you place the Avenue Guides intersection asset, and then you grab the avenue park pieces and very very carefully fit them in, you have to aim for the exact middle between stubs, its hard to get but there is a sweet spot where the asset will turn green:

 

 

To create intersections you can only do it at the end of each "guide" section". But thats ok because who wants a ton of intersections anyway, right?

 

Houses grow, cars use the "park" roads, and well, you have a nice park effect incorporated into your roadways, plus personalization.

 

 

Right now I've got a fountains piece, a billboard and kiosk piece, and a pedestrian crossing piece, I'm planning to make maybe one or two more pieces and then publish a first version!

 

Hopefully I can start making some custom models to use as well and make something cooler or even incorporate buildings into them. Just think of the applications!

 

Any thoughts and all that are welcome, as usual. It's still early and got lots of testing to do, but I'm excited by the possibilities.

 

EDIT:

 

Can make intersections too, this is so sweet.

 

each of those intersections is a park too

[chio3846 4]

with El TPBoro it will be epic..   

[TPB 563]

Lol you didnt read my previous reply huh. El Toro is sort of dead. I lost it!

[chio3846 4]

Lol you didnt read my previous reply huh. El Toro is sort of dead. I lost it!

just make sure if it's not my dream, but now El Toro it's really a dream..

 

 

  

[TPB 563]

Alright, I'm getting there, I got them to snap much easier now, without having to play a nasty mouse-sensitivity game. Although there is still the little issue of it not working very well unless the terrain is very flat.

 

 

Got 28 pieces so far, including most types of intersections and overpasses, plus a few filler pieces. Not all shown in images but you get the idea. Nice thing is, there are spots between the pieces where you can zone inside the medians for shops and things, so Cims will actually use the avenue median!

 

Each piece, as mentioned before, counts as a park which is cool. low cost and maintenance, large radius and effect, tiny garbage production, and small tourism attraction. You can not only zone but also build services adjacent to these avenue parks.

 

 

Time for me to rest but tomorrow I'll post more pictures with some houses in it

[rsc204 21,859]

The modular avenue idea is pretty good, I certainly like how the flora and little details bring a bit more character to the surrounding areas and park effects are useful too, so fed up of placing parks everything, damn cims are never happy!

 

I do hope that bug for displaying icons/previews for assets is resolved before too long, plus there needs to be a better system of sub menus, we've suffered packed-full menus in SC4 for too long, I really hope a good solution to the problem can be implemented in Skylines, a project like this could seriously benefit from being grouped together somehow.

[TPB 563]

The modular avenue idea is pretty good, I certainly like how the flora and little details bring a bit more character to the surrounding areas and park effects are useful too, so fed up of placing parks everything, damn cims are never happy!

 

I do hope that bug for displaying icons/previews for assets is resolved before too long, plus there needs to be a better system of sub menus, we've suffered packed-full menus in SC4 for too long, I really hope a good solution to the problem can be implemented in Skylines, a project like this could seriously benefit from being grouped together somehow.

 

After some testing I can confidently say that this system really does bring the avenues to life, not only through the props, but mainly due to the fact that cims actually use them, they sit on benches, on the fountains, they walk down the median with their dogs, etc. It's so fun to watch. I've also placed crowd props at certain spots for even more liveliness.

 

And yes, having a massive network of parks incorporated into the transit network is just plain awesome, no more having to place parks everywhere, cims will go for a stroll down the landscaped avenue instead, visit some shops, and all that. They have a huge radius and effect too! : - )

 

I definitely agree that we need a better menu system, especially for sets like this one. In the meantime though you can organize your assets and one trick I use is to visit the Content Manager before each session, and disable all assets except the ones I intend to use, this way my menu will have at most 10-15 items in it and it makes it much easier.

 

As for the menu icons, I've discovered how to do it, but the trick is you need to import a model for it to work, that would add quite some work to the process so I'll just wait until they fix it in-game.

 

-

 

So further developments.

*Outdated stuff in spoiler*

 

It turns out that since they are parks, the avenues also act as Electric Grid transmitters, so you can create a layout with them then build anywhere you want and only connect one powerline to any point in the avenue. Sweet.

 

The fact of having to lay out a grid of road stubs as guides (assets provided) is a bit lame, but it does have it's unexpected benefits!

 

First, it creates 4-tile gaps between avenue pieces, which are perfect places to zone small sections of low-density commercial, or whatever you prefer, inside the medians! Shops, restaurants, cafes, along the avenue median? Yes please. These spaces can also be filled with 4x2 parks that you can make a variety of yourself very easily in the editor, allowing for infinite customization options. Think playgrounds, tables, gazebos, custom buildings, whatever. Three such fillers that follow the main theme will be included in the Essentials pack.

 

Second, it provides space between avenue segments where you can place bus-stops. Awesome.

 

I've made some slides that briefly explain things, and a video of how to assemble is in the works.

 

 

 

I also made a couple of videos

 

 

Time-Lapse looking down an avenue from 0 to 10k Cims

 

 

 

A walk down the avenue in first person view

 

 

And finally, some still shots

 

 

 

I'm currently making a video tutorial of how to use it then I'll upload this first version to Steam and STEX. Probably later tonight.

 

I'd like to add, before someone mentions it, that yes I am aware I could do away with the road part and just make a bunch of median fillers, then manually create the avenues, and plop 2tile wide parks between. But that's not the point. The point is that this is just a first version, the results of my experiments. The real idea is to have the pieces extend to the outside too, and have props, trees, bicycle paths, etc, not only in the median but also on the sides of the roads.

It also allows for crowd props to be placed directly on the corners near the road, and more tricks.

I have several ideas, for example, industrial alleys, farm lanes, etc.

[poilbrun 0]

Hi there TPB, thanks for the great assets!

I'm coming here with a small request: I love the turtle, but I don't only use it at the end of an highway, but also in the middle, to create a sort of highway-6 lane interchange. To do that, however, I need to break the U part at the end, where you normally start the 3rd 6 lane street, replace it with two highway lanes that connect to the rest of my highway. That's no big deal at all. However, I also need to add two ramps, an entry for the bottom lane and an exit for the top lane. And I can't seem to make those ramps symmetrical with yours, I can't seem to make them as tight and compact.

If it's something you'd have time for, do you think you could whip up a modification of your design and put it up on the workshop?

Thanks!

[TPB 563]

Hi there TPB, thanks for the great assets!

I'm coming here with a small request: I love the turtle, but I don't only use it at the end of an highway, but also in the middle, to create a sort of highway-6 lane interchange. To do that, however, I need to break the U part at the end, where you normally start the 3rd 6 lane street, replace it with two highway lanes that connect to the rest of my highway. That's no big deal at all. However, I also need to add two ramps, an entry for the bottom lane and an exit for the top lane. And I can't seem to make those ramps symmetrical with yours, I can't seem to make them as tight and compact.

If it's something you'd have time for, do you think you could whip up a modification of your design and put it up on the workshop?

Thanks!

 

You're very welcome, and thank you for downloading

 

I'll see what I can do, currently working on a video but I'll get on it asap : ) vSo what you want is a roundabout interchange between 6-lane road and highway?

[poilbrun 0]

Thanks!

 

Here's the closest I've come, but as you can see it's not symmetrical :-(

 

[TPB 563]

Thanks!

 

Here's the closest I've come, but as you can see it's not symmetrical :-(

 

 

Here you go mate. It's on STEX.

 

Is this what you wanted? I added some flora as a bonus, and this one has 9 meter overpasses for added realism and slope smoothness.

 

 

 

EDIT: There turns out to be a little glitch with these nice low 9m overpasses:

 

 

Shame because I really like those smooth ramps

[Sims firehouse 198]

I have the same clipping problem too. A workaround of this is to displace the nodes to displace the props, like this:

 

[TPB 563]

Sweet, I'll try that, thank you Sims firehouse.

[TPB 563]

A little update on progress with the avenue system.

 

You might have noticed I actually released the first set already... it's not perfect but I think most people have been able to use it already... judging by the lack of negative feedback.

 

In any case I've played with them for a few days and several improvements have been made to the set. 

 

1. No more silly "Guide Grids", instead, you'll place an avenue piece, then drag 6 (or 4 cells, depending how you count them, easier to look at the cost, has to hit 300) tile pieces of OWR in and out of the stubs, and attach your next piece to that, so on and so forth.

 

 

This is a much better and flexible method, as you don't get the nasty flat terrain issue and inability to snap, nor do you have to fiddle with centering the pieces precisely or they won't turn green... so the "filler parks" now need to be 6x2 to fill these gaps instead of 4x2.

 

Now you can build on slopes:

 

I also made all the pieces 2 tiles longer at 6x12 and redistributed the props, spacing them out, reduced number of fountains, pots, and trees. The result looks much nicer I think and more realistic..

 

2. Some pieces have been unified into one, as I discovered you can drag roads from pieces that have road "nodes" in them. This eliminates the need to have two separate pieces for intersections and u-turns for example, among others.

 

 

3. There will be many more types of intersections included for more flexibility.

 

4. I am currently testing the effect of the "crowd props" that make people hang out in certain areas. I thought this could add some extra life to the avenues but as of right now I'm not so convinced by the results. Basically they just stand there in groups of 4-8, repeatedly doing whatever it is their character does, like too repetitively, imo. I'm curious to see what other people think though. I guess they can be thought of as friends hanging out and chatting around a bench or a fountain, which works, but their behaviour leaves a lot to be desired. Any thoughts on this?

 

Here's one of those crowd prop's effect in action:

 

 

 

 

See how they just stand there? Not convinced.

 

5. I also think the park effect of the pieces needs to be more balanced perhaps but I am unsure at the correct syntax for getting a certain result in game, the values I set in the editor don't reflect in-game. For now they have 150 accumulation and 800 radius.

I read somewhere of problems with parking-lot type parks where they were creating traffic due to people trying to go to them for leisure. I have to say I have not noticed this at all in the avenue pieces, maybe because the are located *inside* the parks? Not sure, in any case, I haven not seen anything of the sort yet.

 

Also need to learn how to make the pieces increase other effects, like demand, land value etc.

 

6. Removing the highway-type intersections as they cause too much noise pollution, replacing with normal one-way road instead.

 

7. Added Menu Icons! Man I'm so happy I managed to get this working... no more boring scrolling and waiting for pop-up bubble!

 

Big thank you to Ratonces, who helped me learn how to do this.

 

 

So, at the moment I'm giving it a final test run, then I'll make a quick video of how to use the new set, even though it's very intuitive now. And then they'll be up.

 

Feedback is greatly needed, if you have any observations, please let me know