Fixing Maxis Bridges

[KoV Liberty]

When will this be released? I can't wait! Could you maybe re-vamp the NAM Ave bridge w/the hump in the middle? It looks hideous but I use it A LOT!

[threestooges]

-Driftmaster: As smoncrie said, it's a slow process, so I don't think there is a definative date set yet. Along the lines of the NAM, it will be ready when it's ready. As for the NAM avenue thing, would you mind posting a pic of the issue you're referring to?
-Matt

[sithlrd98]

I think he's referring to the raised avenue bridge  , which I also use a lot , but don't really think it would fit into needing to be addressed like the others.

Jayson

[SC4BOY]

smoncrie.. I love that shot with the expansion joint artwork.. excellent!

[KoV Liberty]

Yeah the Raised avenue bridge. It has OWR texture on it and it looks hideos!

[smoncrie]

Driftmaster07, yes the raised avenue bridge can be done, but it is likely this mod will take months.

SC4BOY, the expansion joint shown is part of the original Maxis bridge; it is not my work.

Here is a picture of the ground highway Level Bridge.  This bridge has always used whatever highway texture mod is installed on its bridge deck.  No mod is required by me or anyone else is required for this.  This means that no more work is needed beyond that done in my earlier mod: Adjusting the bridge height and increasing the height of the sides to match the height used in ground highways.

Also shown is a one-way bridge.  I did just enough work to get it to show at that zoom and angle.

The one-way bridge uses the translucent one-way arrow texture I have developed.  The arrow texture is independent from the texture of the bridge deck.  If desired, the arrows can be removed with a simple mod that makes the arrow texture 100% transparent.

Is adding the arrows worthwhile?

[MandelSoft]

For some people not (like me), but for other people, this can be usefull.

[JoeST]

will this not be integrated into the NAM. if so, wont it beable to depend on the NAM arrow reduction mod?

[RadicalOne]

Is it worth doing this kind of thing?

Oh yes, definitely. I love that lit cable stayed. Does the lighting come in "Argon Blue"? (Sample below)

[Monorail Master]

I wish that it can come in multiple colors.

[dragonshardz]

Generally I dislike gravedigging, but this is just too awesome to not comment on. smoncrie, wherever you've gone, best of luck to you modding the bridges!

[GOldhell]

I can't wait to see this finished, I can't stand the normal highways, and this will compliment my HRS sytems very well.

[smoncrie]

I have been away from SimCity 4 for nearly 1 ½ years.  But I have done some work...



It is very slow work, so a final release is not near, but I could release the bridges I have done.

The picture also shows a Flat tunnel under the bridges.  I had thought that flat tunnels would now be common, but I don't see any reference in the LEX.  If people don't  know about flat tunnels, I shall say more.

[kassarc16]

Is a "flat tunnel" the same as using overhanging subway lots? If not, I think it's new (and please be fully functional).

[smoncrie]

The flat tunnel is fully functional and does not have the problems you get with using a subway.  It is literally a "flat or flattened tunnel" and works like any tunnel, except that traffic stays on the surface.  The vehicles do tend to fade out, though. Like any tunnel it can go under bridges, puzzle pieces and lots.  Streets and RHW are more difficult because they don't have tunnels.

It comes in two parts: a permanent part, and a temporary part.  To make a flat tunnel, you install the temporary part and then create the tunnel.  The tunnel entrances are overhanging models that look like the transit network.   You then save the city and remove the temporary part.  When you reload the city the flat tunnel will still be there.
The biggest problems seem to be getting the ground leveled just right, and getting the models to match the grass near the tunnel entrances.  With the models I made, the tunnels can be from 3 to 8 tiles long (excluding the entrances).

I heard about flat tunnels about 1 ½ years ago.  If I remember correctly they were invented by dedgrin.

An interesting side effect is that animals can wander across the tunnel part of the road.

[Dominik15]

Hello where is download link ?

[Tarkus]

There is no download link, because this was never released.

-Alex

[Tyberius06]

Well... It was an interesting topic... specially these flat tunnels, because as I see, with this way functional under bridge roads can be made. Was this method something similiar to the DBE? I mean it used temporary files too like the DBE...
Hm... it's so sad, that this project is dead... I guess there is no plan for this (would be way to much work and the Team is so shorthanded.... )
Bumping up old topics is usually not so nice, but at least sometimes it enlightens stuffs which has been never known...

- Tyberius

[Tarkus]

Tunnel placement is controlled by the Network Tuning Parameters Exemplars (one of which exists for each network).  The DBE also modifies these same exemplars to get the flat slopes as part of its temporary files.  Based on smoncrie's description, the file architecture was essentially the same.  I believe dedgren's initial research into the flat tunnels is probably tucked away in Three Rivers Region somewhere.

These exact files are probably unlikely to be recovered, given that smoncrie hasn't logged into the site in 6 years.  Given that the information about how to do the flat tunnels is still out there (albeit buried), that sort of project like this could be resurrected, but as you rightly pointed out, the team's current staffing situation makes it difficult to juggle multiple projects.  Heck, we still haven't dusted off that infamous "new implementation" for the FLUPs, and it's been around about as long.

-Alex