RHW (RealHighway) - Development and Support

[Gugu3]

Perfectly agree with you Metarvo!Expanding the actual network stability and flexibility is a much better idea!

[Indiana Joe]

I second...or third I guess.

[Wiimeiser]

I meant, implement the 12S exclusively as Cosmetic Pieces for accel/decel lanes, that could actually be useful, and would probably fall under CPs anyway.

[Geometry123]

^^ Interesting idea, that could be also implemented for the RHW-14S and RHW-12C once the RHW-12S and 10C become real draggable networks...

[GDO29Anagram]

Except for the part where 12S and 10C will not be implemented at all for the issues stated on the previous page, and that the higher priority right now is expansion of functionality on what already exists, IE, FlexRamps and FlexTransitions, and not just adding things willy-nilly.

[Tarkus]

I meant, implement the 12S exclusively as Cosmetic Pieces for accel/decel lanes, that could actually be useful, and would probably fall under CPs anyway.

People will be satisfied with that for about 5 minutes, before they start requesting overpasses and ramp interfaces out the wazoo, defeating the entire purpose of doing it in the first place.

We're not going to open that can of worms.

-Alex

[Haljackey]

I meant, implement the 12S exclusively as Cosmetic Pieces for accel/decel lanes, that could actually be useful, and would probably fall under CPs anyway.

People will be satisfied with that for about 5 minutes, before they start requesting overpasses and ramp interfaces out the wazoo, defeating the entire purpose of doing it in the first place.

We're not going to open that can of worms.

-Alex

If you're going to do something, you may as well do it right. While we all see the benefits of 10C and 12S, they would be big undertakings while other networks could have their capability expanded.

In the meantime, there was a addition in NAM 31.1 (also in 31.2) that allows your RHW 10S to split into two 6S networks, giving the illusion of the 12S. I believe it is the single largest RHW piece, where the the middle lane of the 10S can either exit right or go straight. It is found in the FARHW ramps menu.

[GDO29Anagram]

In the meantime, there was a addition in NAM 31.1 (also in 31.2) that allows your RHW 10S to split into two 6S networks, giving the illusion of the 12S. I believe it is the single largest RHW piece, where the the middle lane of the 10S can either exit right or go straight. It is found in the FARHW ramps menu.

Largest ramp piece? Yes in terms of lane count. Largest RHW piece of all? There are other candidates, actually...

[Patricius Maximus]

The 10C and 12S would be most useful - why shouldn't we be able to merge a 3-lane ramp with a 3-lane mainline without lane drops? 12-lane freeways are a dime a dozen in the real world. However, I agree with the notion that other aspects of the RHW should be prioritized in the near future.

[epicblunder]

Re: 10C and 12S-

I realize that creative licence is entirely up to you guys doing the actual work, but i just wanted to add my $.02:     Although these larger networks might be useful, i would much, much rather see other features, like full stability for the L0&L2 MIS flexfly curves, and those same flexfly curves for L1,3,4, shinkansen skinned monorail being able to cross RHW, flexramps extended to L1,3,4, etc., than i would the implementation of any additional RHW networks.  Hands down, in a nanosecond, any day of the week and twice on sundays.

[Geometry123]

A pathing bug at the 8C cosmetic pieces:

Will this affect traffic or that's just added by mistake and is still functional? 

[Kuewr665]

Are there S-curves existing or planned for networks larger than RHW-4? These would be especially useful for bridges.

[Tarkus]

A pathing bug at the 8C cosmetic pieces:

Will this affect traffic or that's just added by mistake and is still functional? 

It looks like one of the crossover paths is disfigured there (likely there's a -8 instead of a +8 on the path file), so it's not likely to function correctly. 

Are there S-curves existing or planned for networks larger than RHW-4? These would be especially useful for bridges.

They don't exist yet.  S-Curves are more difficult to make than other varieties.  They're certainly planned for the future, but I don't know when.  NAM 32 will have a few small additions/improvements on the RHW side, but it's not been a particularly RHW-centric release cycle.

-Alex

[Kuewr665]

Oh, okay. Meanwhile I will stick to using S-network and C-network transitions.

[droric]

Since the DAMN-NAM project is getting close to completion I wanted to look into making other content for the NAM.  So i was looking into making a lane shift piece if possible and started some renders of a 6S lane shift piece.  How difficult on a scale of 1-10 is something like this to actually produce?  I did some initial testing of making puzzle pieces but am not sure if it should be 4 tiles wide or exactly how the 6S networks work with with the overlap tile.  Is this something too advanced for a beginner to attempt?  I think i have the textures lined up properly for the median and overlap given a 4 piece wide puzzle piece.

[GDO29Anagram]

So i was looking into making a lane shift piece if possible and started some renders of a 6S lane shift piece.  How difficult on a scale of 1-10 is something like this to actually produce?

When I made my first puzzle piece, I used overhangs right off the bat. Since at the time, overhangs were just beginning to be a commonplace thing, I decided to use them. They're great for filling in blank spaces where paths aren't even needed and it also reduces the overall footprint.

The whole of a dual RHW-6S Lane Shift (or S-Curve, as I keep calling it) would need to be, at most, 3 tiles wide if you exclude overhangs.

I guess at this point right now, attaining some sort of rotational symmetry is needed for the textures, though the textures can be revised at any point (so long as the paths they associate with still make sense). Actually, there are two ways of creating the textural aspect of puzzle pieces:
- Creating the textures, tile by tile. Easier to do if you're skilled enough, though it requires more textures to be made.
- Using Morph Models. These use only one texture and it morphs it to the desired shape. Typically more complicated because different models are needed to be made (and I don't know how to use Blender).

If we're sticking to the traditional method (making the individual textures tile-by-tile), then it would be easier to do, though if desired, they can be revised to use Morph models later on.

I find the textural part to be the easiest. Pathing, for me, comes second, followed by the RUL-0 entries, and the creation of the actual PP files (S3Ds, exemplars, Effdirs, Ltext) being last, as that's the part where the piece itself comes to life.

That's all I have right now.

[droric]

So i was looking into making a lane shift piece if possible and started some renders of a 6S lane shift piece.  How difficult on a scale of 1-10 is something like this to actually produce?

When I made my first puzzle piece, I used overhangs right off the bat. Since at the time, overhangs were just beginning to be a commonplace thing, I decided to use them. They're great for filling in blank spaces where paths aren't even needed and it also reduces the overall footprint.

The whole of a dual RHW-6S Lane Shift (or S-Curve, as I keep calling it) would need to be, at most, 3 tiles wide if you exclude overhangs.

I guess at this point right now, attaining some sort of rotational symmetry is needed for the textures, though the textures can be revised at any point (so long as the paths they associate with still make sense). Actually, there are two ways of creating the textural aspect of puzzle pieces:
- Creating the textures, tile by tile. Easier to do if you're skilled enough, though it requires more textures to be made.
- Using Morph Models. These use only one texture and it morphs it to the desired shape. Typically more complicated because different models are needed to be made (and I don't know how to use Blender).

If we're sticking to the traditional method (making the individual textures tile-by-tile), then it would be easier to do, though if desired, they can be revised to use Morph models later on.

I find the textural part to be the easiest. Pathing, for me, comes second, followed by the RUL-0 entries, and the creation of the actual PP files (S3Ds, exemplars, Effdirs, Ltext) being last, as that's the part where the piece itself comes to life.

That's all I have right now.

Is the attached image close for a suitable texture?  I made a lane shift or s curve before but I clicked off the DAT at the end and it didn't save when I came back to it.  Lesson learned.  How is the overhanging texture approach done as I think my image is ready to be split into the grid with the image cutter.  (Or maybe not I guess I'll see when I get it in game.)

[GDO29Anagram]

Is the attached image close for a suitable texture?

I think the only thing that some people will say is that the yellow lines aren't equidistant, but I think that's because two single 6S curves instead of using a singul Dual 6S piece. (Circles are weird...)

As for the overhangs, that can be determined when the pathing process begins.

Question: What are the dimensions of the curve, including the potential overhangs?

[droric]

Is the attached image close for a suitable texture?

I think the only thing that some people will say is that the yellow lines aren't equidistant, but I think that's because two single 6S curves instead of using a singul Dual 6S piece. (Circles are weird...)

As for the overhangs, that can be determined when the pathing process begins.

Question: What are the dimensions of the curve, including the potential overhangs?

Bars are calling my name.  Ilk see what I can do tomorrow about the yellow lines good catch.  Also I'll get you the dimensions in tiles as well.

[memo]

Since the DAMN-NAM project is getting close to completion I wanted to look into making other content for the NAM.  So i was looking into making a lane shift piece if possible and started some renders of a 6S lane shift piece.  How difficult on a scale of 1-10 is something like this to actually produce?

It is not super-difficult, but it's probably going to be quite a tedious task, especially writing the sc4-paths, and especially as a first puzzle piece. The first puzzle piece of mine happens to be 3x7 tiles and I would generally recommend starting with something smaller, as it didn't turn out to be all that easy. That said, considering you cope with NAM-DAMN imperturbably, I am confident you will tackle this equally fine.

The textures already look great, by the way.