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RealRailway (RRW) - Development and Support

Started by Swordmaster, June 14, 2013, 08:42:19 AM

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dragonshardz

Posting to watch, though I do look forward to the release of this mod.

Simcoug


Swordmaster

Quote from: Flatron on September 09, 2013, 02:35:29 PM
Well, I was not talking about four tracks on one tile, but about placing two 45° curves adjacent to each other in a way that makes it possible to run 2 double track lines parallel and directly next to each other. just like the 45° curves that are possible with the RHW.

Good news--




This is the regular 45 degree curve puzzle piece, twice. I've converted some of its tiles to overhangs. Technically this isn't even RRW modding: it also works for the regular wide curves should you prefer those.


Cheers
Willy

Kuewr665



art128

Aaah this is going to save so much tiles. My dual tracks main railway is going to be more beautiful that way!
I'll take a quiet life... A handshake of carbon monoxide.

Props & Texture Catalog

agunter999

Removed sig, as it linked to a site that promotes unauthorized "modpacks" (see #10 on Site Rules). -Admin

MTT9

That's awesome Willy! I've been needing something like this for quite some time :)
You can call me Matt

gn_leugim


Swordmaster

It sounds more complicated than it is, Carlos. It is basically a set of identifiers the game places on the map by way of any transit tool you use. Which flags are placed is hardcoded in the EXE, but what we do with the flags is customizable through the RUL code.

Practically speaking, the flags are located on the borders between two tiles, making each tile identifiable by four flags. In the INRUL code, their orientation is listed as west, north, east, south. With "0" being the flag for no connection, and "2" for an orthogonal connection, this would identify the straight orthogonal tile as 0,2,0,2. The northward pointing orthogonal stub would be 0,0,0,2. The southward stub 0,2,0,0. (Note that the points of the compass are relative here, not related to map rotation.)

Visualize it like this:




If you had INRUL files where these flags were the only one defined, then the above setup would be the only possible one; every other action with the network tool would give the red dragging footprint.




Let me take this opportunity to announce a design decision we took for recoded rail tool.

If you ever read this post, I mention that rails have two different flag sets for the 45° curves, whereas roads have only one. I have cut a Gordian knot and disabled on set, to make life easier on myself and everyone who is constantly being pestered by my questions (you know who you are ;)).

Observe the differences:
 

 


If this doesn't say much, you'll notice it instantly once you use the rail tool again.

The consequences are that the conversion to RRW in your cities will be less than trivial. There will be quite a bunch of your curves and switches that if you click on them, they'll show red drag and they won't convert. You'll need to bulldoze them and redraw them. This is not a perfect solution, but it is a solution. Additionally, you may need some time adjusting to the tool, but in the long term it will be beneficial to the uniformity of the above mentioned network flags.

Most of all, this has saved me a great deal of coding so that I can actually work towards covering more setups instead of making sure I have every variation of every setup covered. (And these variations are, if you're following, exponential. Every curve next to a curve, switch next to a switch, switch next to a curve, wye next to a curve, etc. would require coding in two flag sets for every element.)


Cheers
Willy

Wthrwyz

Quote from: Swordmaster on November 01, 2013, 07:21:32 AM
The consequences are that the conversion to RRW in your cities will be less than trivial. There will be quite a bunch of your curves and switches that if you click on them, they'll show red drag and they won't convert. You'll need to bulldoze them and redraw them. This is not a perfect solution, but it is a solution. Additionally, you may need some time adjusting to the tool, but in the long term it will be beneficial to the uniformity of the above mentioned network flags.

Most of all, this has saved me a great deal of coding so that I can actually work towards covering more setups instead of making sure I have every variation of every setup covered. (And these variations are, if you're following, exponential. Every curve next to a curve, switch next to a switch, switch next to a curve, wye next to a curve, etc. would require coding in two flag sets for every element.)

Makes total sense, Willy. Based on what I've read so far and doing a bit of math in my head, I wouldn't want to take on the duplicate flag scenario without an army of minion coders and a trained QA staff at my disposal. You are one guy, and you've got to draw a line at what you can and can not support. Only coding for one set of flags does cause a minor inconvenience, but the flip side of that is a more stable and reliable product with fewer chances for error. It's a reasonable decision.
Wthrwyz: It's "weather wise." You see, it has to fit on a license plate...
Oh, just call me Nathan.

Swordmaster

Thanks, Wthrwyz. Don't get me wrong, INRULing is fun!


Meanwhile I'm spending some time on this. . .




I have another version where the stopline doesn't extend into the turning lane. Still scouring Google maps for a decent example of this.


Automata engine courtesy of vester.


Cheers
Willy


Tarkus

#333
Finding a few more in my local vicinity . . . [1] [2] [3]

It appears the stop line doesn't extend across the center lane at any of these crossings, just as in Kuewr's example.  (And in #3, just to the north is the DMV where I got my driver's license.)

-Alex

H2Odk

Does it matter that it is double yellow before and after the crossings?

Tarkus

Quote from: H2Odk on November 03, 2013, 07:22:41 PM
Does it matter that it is double yellow before and after the crossings?

I'd be inclined to say no, for stability purposes, at least at present.

-Alex

Kuewr665


epicblunder

I think whether or not the stopline goes across the median/turn lanes depends on the nature of the turn lane.  It seems that if it's a dedicated turn lane for one direction of traffic the line extends across it, but the line doesn't if it's an either-way 'suicide' turn lane (Tarkus' 2nd pic) or just a painted off median (Tarkus' 1st pic).  In my town (my drug ridden, stinky, cancer-causing mill town) an hour north of Tarkus here's an example of case 1, and just down the street here's an example of case 2.  The line appears dashed instead of solid because it's older and the heavy freight here wears hard on the road.

Kuewr665

The first one looks like a high capacity turning lane than a  turning lane median. In game terms, that would be an Avenue TULEP railroad crossing.

rooker1

Call me Robin, please.