RHW (RealHighway) - Development and Support

[pagenotfound]

ive been looking around on this thread and i saw an rhw roundabout interchange?! Is this gonna be in the next RHW?

Hard to say, because it ISN'T RHW. It's MHW.

My guess: It's not gonna be part of the RHW, but part of something that's remotely related: The MHW to RHW mod.

I see! Ive been away from sc4 for so long. I need to get up to date with everything.

[Haljackey]

I see! Ive been away from sc4 for so long. I need to get up to date with everything.

404! Nice to see you back here.

Best way to catch up is to read this: http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=990.0#post_Project0E

That basically explains 'Project 57' which has been the focus for RHW development for the past little while. In a nutshell it will add a new level of stability, flexibility and compatibility to the RHW network.

[Tarkus]

Jumped ahead to some DxD crossings.  Still not totally stable, but it's almost there.



-Alex

[noahclem]

Looks good Alex, it's great you've progressed to DxD 

I see! Ive been away from sc4 for so long. I need to get up to date with everything.

404! Nice to see you back here.

Best way to catch up is to read this: http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=990.0#post_Project0E

That basically explains 'Project 57' which has been the focus for RHW development for the past little while. In a nutshell it will add a new level of stability, flexibility and compatibility to the RHW network.

Unable to resist a bad pun opportunity (and noting the subject wasn't really covered in the above link) I'll add that in addition to a new level of stability, flexibility and compatibility we'll be getting a more "concrete" set of new levels--specifically 7.5m, 22.5m, and 30m (AKA L1, L3, and L4) for MIS, RHW-4 and RHW-6S, as well as 7.5m and 15m levels for for the other networks. Additionally, the ground is being laid for 10C and 12S though they won't necessarily be involved in the next release.

[Tarkus]

Looks good Alex, it's great you've progressed to DxD 

Thanks, though actually, I skipped over the multi-tile OxD setups to get a head start on the single-tile DxD setups.   I've gone back to the former, however:



That just needs to be ported over to the RHW-10S (and 12S), then the C-types are the only thing left OxD-wise.  Then, with the single-tile DxD setups basically finished now (just need to port some code around), the Wider S and C-types are the only things left on that side.  And after that, all the L1 RHW-2 x L0 RHW crossings will be done.

Aside from those, the only things that aren't crosslinked at this point are puzzle-based items (e.g. Tram-in-Avenue, etc.).

-Alex

[GDO29Anagram]

Let's see,...

Tram-in-Road (Tram AVE-2), Tram-on-Road (Tram NRD-4), Tram-on-Street, Tram-in-AVE (Tram AVE-4), ELR over RD (would be rather bizzare...), Rail under Road, puzzle-based Tram (not necessary), Pedmalls, L4 ELR, L4 Monorail, FLUPs (It's more of a misnomer to me), Can-AM.

Quick question: If DDRHWs are being converted to a Flex-Helper setup, how would neighbour connections work if DDRHW-4 can't be draggable? Momentary conversion to RHW and use an RHW+MHW-based connector?

[Durfsurn]

This is amazing Alex! What is left to do as far as the RHW side of the NAM 31? Is it just the things you listed? It's really incredible what will be possible!

[GDO29Anagram]

What is left to do as far as the RHW side of the NAM 31? Is it just the things you listed?

Aside from the stuff listed above (more diagonal crossings), that should be everything that RHW-2 needs, after which all other networks will have the L1 RHW-2 RUL-2 code copied over to each. That's the proverbial meat on the bone, in my opinion.

That then leaves, well, everything else, such as height transitions, ramp interfaces, and FARHW.

And if I'm lucky, a few more width transitions and some more holes to fill in the RHW PToRI, assuming I don't fall into any more depressions, that I actually get my new computer up and running by the end of the year or earlier, and that I get caught up to what Jondor's making for the new S3D standard.

Quick question: How would you like to have one of these babies in RHW?

[Haljackey]

I like the dual exit lanes, but reversing it to make dual entry lanes makes me cringe. Having them merge beforehand to into 1 lane before joining the 6C would be better, or have them both enter for a 8C setup on that side with the right lane ending eventually if you want.

Just personal preference though, the piece itself looks great! Very smooth and gradual and cool chevron markings.

(Got nitpicked on the SimCity Reddit for a similar design: http://www.reddit.com/r/SimCity/comments/zr522/the_entrance/c678sdg)



Nice to see progress with diagonal functionality! Will the need for the Diagonal elevated MIS over MIS/RHW-4 puzzle pieces still be needed in the next release?

[GDO29Anagram]

I like the dual exit lanes, but reversing it to make dual entry lanes makes me cringe. Having them merge beforehand to into 1 lane before joining the 6C would be better, or have them both enter for a 8C setup on that side with the right lane ending eventually if you want.

I had an 8C D2 in mind, but never gotten to texturing it; It'd clearly be more to your taste, and would make for another hole to fill. There is a mirror image of the same piece, which would also make sense for half of the piece... I see the validity of having a merge zone before or further down the line, but...

The most obvious problem with "Shiftling" ramps is that they're hard to modularise to achieve half-and-half setups (half and half 6C A2 Half-Shift and 8C D2 Half-Shift, 6C D1 Half-Shift and 6C A2 Half-Shift). Compared to its S-network brothers, 6S ramps accompanied with 8S ramps are infinitely modular. Currently, there's two Shift-type Ramps available: The 6C D1 Shift and 6C D1 Inner Shift, both of which are perfectly symmetrical in regards of lane count.

To make it all modular, you'd need to "cut up" a bunch of different ramp interfaces, which would quickly lead to the old-school MIS all over again. Of course, if it were a Flex setup, it would be more or less of a cakewalk to modularise and ease the burden of having an excessively large tab ring, but it exceeds the 5x5 INRUL footprint, and would need a lot of RUL-2 code. At best, it's more theoretical than doable right now.

And by the time all of this diagonalisation is done, diagonal crossing puzzle pieces will be totally obsolete. Another tab ring gone.

-----

There is something else I wanna point out about the idea of having an RHW-(X)S A2 exit ramp and an accompanying RHW-(X+2) A2 entrance ramps. Disregarding the current complications with C-networks, if you take that idea further to apply to every width of RHW, you'll get the following pairs:

- RHW-4 and MIS
- RHW-6S and RHW-4
- 8S and 6S
- 8S and 10S
- 10S and 12S

However, if you tried to make it so that the 12S has an accompanying RHW-(X+2) network, that would mean a 14S. An Ultra-wide. It almost seems that this is why the "oldspeak" RHW-4 C-ramp was named as an RHW-4 ramp, despite it having a 6S mainline network.

Regarding an Ultra-wide the same way a TuLEP would be, it doesn't sound impossible to integrate, but there would need to be further discussions regarding all other Ultra-wides.

Though if you follow the new PToRI (Periodic Table of Ramp Interfaces), the idea of having the two lanes merge into one lane before it merges with everything else is perfect for the one-lane ramps, which would make setups like this make more sense now.

[Tarkus]

Inching ever closer . . . still one little instability to fix with this, but we're almost there.



-Alex

Edit: But wait, there's more . . .

[MandelSoft]

I like the dual exit lanes, but reversing it to make dual entry lanes makes me cringe. Having them merge beforehand to into 1 lane before joining the 6C would be better, or have them both enter for a 8C setup on that side with the right lane ending eventually if you want.

Just personal preference though, the piece itself looks great! Very smooth and gradual and cool chevron markings.

(Got nitpicked on the SimCity Reddit for a similar design: http://www.reddit.com/r/SimCity/comments/zr522/the_entrance/c678sdg)

We see this sort of setups here, but not in that great extend. When I come across one during my driving lessons, I just stick to the right lane. However, there are more setups in the RHW which I consider unsafe, mainly the Type A, B and C style ramps. All of them. Since there is no accelleration lane, you just need to be lucky that nobody is crossing you when merging, or in some setups, you really need to brake fast and you have no buffer capacity if the ramp gets clogged up...

[Haljackey]

However, there are more setups in the RHW which I consider unsafe, mainly the Type A, B and C style ramps. All of them. Since there is no accelleration lane, you just need to be lucky that nobody is crossing you when merging, or in some setups, you really need to brake fast and you have no buffer capacity if the ramp gets clogged up...

Actually these short ramps appear quite often in RL. Some of the older freeways in the United states are loaded with these short ramps that just dump you on the mainline.

Although I don't really have much beef with these as they (at least originally) aim to mimic/replace the ramps for the Maxis highway. Its good for tight setups as well. After all this is a game and you don't have to be super realistic, but the RHW mod enables that if you want to be.

[wallasey]

Quick question: How would you like to have one of these babies in RHW?

That would be great! Well done with your work there!

[Patricius Maximus]

Quick question: How would you like to have one of these babies in RHW?

I can think of quite a few uses for such a piece.

However, there are more setups in the RHW which I consider unsafe, mainly the Type A, B and C style ramps. All of them. Since there is no accelleration lane, you just need to be lucky that nobody is crossing you when merging, or in some setups, you really need to brake fast and you have no buffer capacity if the ramp gets clogged up...

Actually these short ramps appear quite often in RL. Some of the older freeways in the United states are loaded with these short ramps that just dump you on the mainline.

Although I don't really have much beef with these as they (at least originally) aim to mimic/replace the ramps for the Maxis highway. Its good for tight setups as well. After all this is a game and you don't have to be super realistic, but the RHW mod enables that if you want to be.

Exactly. I've encountered quite a few of these "instant-merge" setups in my travels, and it's a common setup in real-life that should remain an option in SC4. I usually prefer acceleration/deceleration lanes, but there are some situations, especially in lower-end arterial and expressway routes, where such ramps are warranted. Tight setups also sometimes necessitate them. I'll also say that although an extended lane is always better, it won't make much of a difference on a very rural freeway where there usually isn't any traffic.

[Shadow Assassin]

And by the time all of this diagonalisation is done, diagonal crossing puzzle pieces will be totally obsolete. Another tab ring gone.

I wouldn't call them totally obsolete. They would still have use in situations involving diagonal on-slopes since there aren't as many false intersections for the diagonal networks. And they're still useful for compact setups.

[Wiimeiser]

I wouldn't call them totally obsolete. They would still have use in situations involving diagonal on-slopes since there aren't as many false intersections for the diagonal networks. And they're still useful for compact setups.

That's why Filler pieces should have their own button as I suggested at ST, it would keep all that clutter out of the starters ring which will be used more often now that we have disruptors, and will help categorize pieces that are just for filler (on a related note how about you bring back the intersection puzzle pieces from when MIS wasn't draggable so they can be used with the starterless ramps?)

[Tarkus]

(on a related note how about you bring back the intersection puzzle pieces from when MIS wasn't draggable so they can be used with the starterless ramps?)

That's basically what a Signalized Intersection Piece (SIP) will be.

-Alex

[Gugu3]

Something new to shoe Alex? ;Dor anyway is everything proceeding in the right way?

[jdenm8]

If we had something to show that wasn't set aside for unveiling closer to release (we want to make sure it it actually works properly first) and therefore drool moppingly awesome, we'd show it pretty quick. We'll have something plain awesome to show off again soon.