RHW (RealHighway) - Development and Support

[Original]

Hey everyone,

I've been following RHW for quite a bit now, I've seen it transform over time and become one of the top three best things in Simcity 4!
Since there will no likely be 12 lane-wide highways in Simcity 4, I propose a transition piece that hasn't crossed my city... Yet.

This transition piece will enable highways to elaborate on the puzzle pieces considering that there will be no expanding lanes past 10. I've always run into this problem while building my highways, I really hope this transition/exit/entrance piece is taken into consideration.

Here is a hand sketch of the transition/exit/entrance piece i am talking about:


I know there isn't a 10C, but maybe concluding a RHW-4 Exit/Entrance connecting 6C while making a 10S transition would be helpful? This will definitley make the RHW larger looking (transition wise) rathar than MIS ramps everywhere.

Here's where it would deem useful:



Also, Will we ever see a ERHW-6 C/S?

Thank You, Original.


ps; Haljackey, I love your videos! It's not surprising how we both live in the same city and love highways. 401 FTW!

[Tarkus]

Also, Will we ever see a ERHW-6 C/S?

Absolutely.   Every RHW network is planned to have an elevated version at some point in the not-too-distant future--RHW-2, 3, 6C, 6S, 8S, 8C and 10S included.  The main reason we don't have them now is because of the difficulty of making elevated ramp interfaces--getting the barriers lined up just right is the tricky part.

Since there will no likely be 12 lane-wide highways in Simcity 4

If you mean 12 lanes total (not 12 per direction), I wouldn't say it's unlikely--in fact, it's been in discussion for some time now.

I know there isn't a 10C

One has been proposed (with a prototype shown here by Blue Lightning back in July) and will likely make it in at some point.  The ramp interface type setup you've proposed (nice sketch, too, btw ) would make a perfect addition for the 10C as well. 

-Alex

[MandelSoft]

...
Since there will no likely be 12 lane-wide highways in Simcity 4, I propose a transition piece that hasn't crossed my city... Yet.

This transition piece will enable highways to elaborate on the puzzle pieces considering that there will be no expanding lanes past 10. I've always run into this problem while building my highways, I really hope this transition/exit/entrance piece is taken into consideration.

Here is a hand sketch of the transition/exit/entrance piece i am talking about:


I know there isn't a 10C, but maybe concluding a RHW-4 Exit/Entrance connecting 6C while making a 10S transition would be helpful? This will definitley make the RHW larger looking (transition wise) rathar than MIS ramps everywhere.
...

One has been proposed (with a prototype shown here by Blue Lightning back in July) and will likely make it in at some point.  The ramp interface type setup you've proposed (nice sketch, too, btw ) would make a perfect addition for the 10C as well. 

-Alex

Actually, I made these pieces a while ago for the RHW-10S:

mrtnrln: Question for you. If plus lanes are just general lanes, why not just keep them open 24 hours a day like a regular lane? Is it because there's no inner shoulder or something?

I was asking the same question before. During college this matter was explained to me and it has to do with juridical reasons. There are certain limits e.g. noise and air pollution for freeways. Every extra lane contributes to these effects. However, plus lanes don't contribute that much to the effects, since it's not opened 24 hours a day, and therefore it's juridically easier to gain permission to build plus lanes than a regular lane But as far as I've seen, the number of plus lanes is never more than one plus lane in each direction.

Best,
Maarten

[Nego]

It's nice to see that the progress on the RHW has really started to pick up again!
I personally think it would be a good idea to have HOV and/or bus lane cosmetic pieces. Even if the HOV lanes weren't functional, at least the bus lanes could be.

@Tarkus: That's very interesting (about the road markings in South Africa), though again, I'm not so sure about the yellow tint on the shoulders. I'm sure that can be fixed, though. Keep up the great work and I can't wait to see more!


FYI: HOV Lane=High Occupancy Vehicle Lane
       HOT Lane=High Occupancy/Toll Lane

[Tarkus]

I'm not so sure about the yellow tint on the shoulders. I'm sure that can be fixed, though. Keep up the great work and I can't wait to see more!

The yellow used on the new textures is actually the same yellow used on Maxis textures and on the NWM.  It's considerably less saturated than the yellow on the current default RHW texture set.  The RHW-2/Road transition is used below as an example.

Here's the existing Version 4.1 transition, between the default Road and the new RHW-2 textures:



Here's a rough draft of the revamp (in particular, the placement on the white lines/curbing is subject to change):



As you can see, the new yellow blends very well, and for that reason, it is unlikely it will be changed.

And before I close out this post, a look at some initial ramp interface revamping:



As with the existing set, the new default will most likely not have chevrons, but chevrons will be available as a separate option.

-Alex

[GDO29Anagram]

@Tarkus: The dark textures look nice, though the shoulders look like there is too much yellow...

The yellow used on the new textures is actually the same yellow used on Maxis textures and on the NWM.  It's considerably less saturated than the yellow on the current default RHW texture set.

Actually Tarkus,... I believe Nego's referring to the colour of the shoulder in here, not the yellow lines:

I did a chromatic analysis on the shoulder and found that there is yellow in it:


_{(Analysed using Inkscape. Ignore the "FF" part. That's the alpha value.)}

For a closer look of the colour, here (And colour-coded accordingly): 1D1D15. It's the blue value being less than the red and green values that made it all yellow. Yes Nego, you're not the only one who's seeing yellow...

Other than that,... Now the yellow lines REALLY match. I'd imagine the textures for the Ave-4/OWR-2 to RHW-4 transition matching perfectly as well...

As for the new RHW-2 to Road transition, I don't think the curb and white line should be crammed together like that. That's just a suggestion.

[Blue Lightning]

I'm drooling here...lol. Those textures look fantastic Alex!

Though on the note of dual A ramps...


Something for the future, maybe 4.2 or 4.3.

[Tarkus]

Actually Tarkus,... I believe Nego's referring to the colour of the shoulder in here, not the yellow lines:

I did a chromatic analysis on the shoulder and found that there is yellow in it:

Ah, so the dark asphalt texture prototypes are looking yellow-y.   Yes, that'll definitely get corrected. 

As for the new RHW-2 to Road transition, I don't think the curb and white line should be crammed together like that. That's just a suggestion.

I'd agree with you there.  I've actually gone through several drafts on that one, trying to make the transition as "transitional" as possible and get just the right look for it.  I'll definitely be retweaking that one.  And the RHW/Road intersections, which I just started.

I'm drooling here...lol. Those textures look fantastic Alex!

Thanks for the kind words, Vince!     That interface looks interesting as well.

-Alex

[Monorail Master]

Tarkus, about those road - RHW-2 conversions. For the OWR-2 to RHW-4, or the Maxis Avenue to RHW-4, for the sidewalks, what about adding some form of small barrier at the sidewalk ending? Because it's a law and common sense to not walk on a freeway.

EDIT:

Hmmm.....I've started page 365. And 365 is my parking space number at my workplace.........interesting.....

[MandelSoft]

... and it's the number of days in a normal year ...

[Biriali]

... unless its a leap year...

[Nego]

Well this year isn't a leap year so... Let's get back on topic, shall we?

* * * * * * * *

Thanks for pointing that out for me, GDO29Anagram. Yes, it was the shoulders, not the striping, that had the yellow tint that seemed unappealing. Anyway, the new line color looks really nice, and so do the new curves,and ramp interfaces,etc., Tarkus. It's all great work! I can't wait for more.

It's nice to see some more progress on the Darkphalt textures. Keep up the great work!

[Tarkus]

Tweaked things a little bit on my dark asphalt pavement . . . does this appear to be an improvement?



-Alex

[superhands]

looking nice

i just found a good real life example of new and old rhw.

http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=33.904711,-116.54504&z=17&t=h&hl=en

[GDO29Anagram]

@Tarkus: Looks better, Tarkus. 

@Blue Lightning: To be honest, that ramp setup is rather uncommon, simply because I never that before...  Here's something to wrap your head around: We got RHW-2 dual A-Ramps and dual B-Ramps. How about dual AB Ramps? (Now this sounds more like Haematology...)

@Original: I got a ramp proposal that's similar to yours: An RHW-8 ramp that splits off into an RHW-4 and RHW-6, and an RHW-10 ramp that splits into two RHW-6's. I already drew out the first one here http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=990.msg345116#msg345116 , but it would obviously be a C-highway version of the ramp. I'm gonna update my "Periodic Table" of RHW Ramps... But I'm probably gonna propose another way of organising these ramps...

@mrtnrln: I once saw a Modern Marvels documentary on the History Channel about the Autobahn. Apparently, they do a similar thing to plus lanes with the outer shoulder to alleviate traffic during rush hour.

@Superhands: What a coincidence. I remember driving down that highway (Actually, I was a passenger) and my comment was that it looked exactly like RHW. Maybe more like a DarkPhalt version of it. It's the the perfect real-life example of an RHW-8S in action, and the closest US Interstate highway in my not-so-immediate vicinity...

(@Haljackey: Hal, you're just lucky that you get to live in a more immediate vicinity to an insanely busy highway... At least I get to watch videos of it...)

@Superhands again: ... And also the perfect real-life example of FAMIS in action, which got me thinking about a new RHW-TuLEP-SIP piece idea: See how the "FAMIS" part of that diamond interchange meet with the road? That would be a great SIP/TuLEP piece. That would allow for greater realism for diamond interchanges; No need to transition FAMIS to ortho MIS when you could go directly to an intersection. That way, diamond interchanges would look more like a real diamond, and less of a rounded one.

[jdenm8]

Hm... I like the last idea about the angled intersection. That'd help to greatly reduce the footprint of FAMIS diamond intersections.

[Blue Lightning]

Alex, if you put chevrons and hatchings on ramps for that dark asphalt, I'll have to stop making Darkphalt That just looks amazing!! (And if you don't add hatchings, I'll settle for adding them in afterwards )

[Nego]

The dark asphalt textures look great, Tarkus! And the shoulders look much better.

[Monorail Master]

Tarkus: I love those new American RHW textures! It looks just like I-75 from Knoxville, TN (Knox County) up to the Anderson County (Oak Ridge, TN) and Knox County line after they repaved that stretch.

[Tarkus]

Thanks for the feedback and kind words on the Dark Asphalt shading!   I may require your keen eyes again, too, as I've started playing around some more with concrete:



Tricky to get the shade just right on it before I plow through and work up some more of those.

Hm... I like the last idea about the angled intersection. That'd help to greatly reduce the footprint of FAMIS diamond intersections.

I do, too--I'm thinking up the logistics of just how to orient everything on that end. 

And another interesting new development that's coming out of the retexture project . . . this is right now set up as an IID replacement on the RHW-8 diagonals just to check the alignment, but it'll be going draggable before long:



-Alex

Edit: And before I forget, as promised, some samples of the new textures, current as of 11/28/2010:

MIS


RHW-2


RHW-3


RHW-4


RHW-4 DarkAsphalt


RHW-4 Euro DarkAsphalt


RHW-6C


RHW-6S


RHW-8C


RHW-8S


RHW-10C


RHW-10S


RHW-12S


Enjoy!