RHW (RealHighway) - Development and Support

[mightygoose]

It should be possible, but the amount of work for multiple texture sets is rather enormous...

well im just saying as shadow has nearly finished euro, i certainly wouldnt mind having the choice.... i mean in RL when ever are all the highways the same colour?

[Haljackey]

Okay, time for a long, detailed post.  Prepare yourselves!

I think te Space/Paint ratio shoud be 2:1... instead of 3:1.. is just too much space.

I agree.  From a SC4 perspective, there is just too much space between the lane markings.  Making this gap shorter would make the RHW look much better IMO.

About the RHW-6, we all know now with the release of version 20 that this lane discontinues with exits/entrances unlike the inner two lanes.  This would classify it as a "acceleration/deceleration lane".  In most places in the world, this type of lane has line spacing much closer together than the "thru" lanes.  With the current release, it looks just like the others, which is perfectly fine.  But, to make the RHW look more appealing, it could have markings similar to the markings in the RHW 4-2 transition.  A real life example follows:



Anyways, if this could be done, that would be fantastic!  If not, I understand why.  I am assuming that it looks like the others because future versions will have more lanes as well (RHW-8/10, right?).  Anyways, just a request.  Let me know what you think of it.

EDIT:  I know this already occurs for all the entrances/exits, but could it also occur for the accel/decel lane?



Moving along...

While I am here I have another texture conflict to post.  It involves dragging el-rails/monorails over the MIS pieces.  The actual RHW looks fine, but the MIS defaults to the RHW-2, both orthogonally and diagonally.  Example follows below.

Please ignore the bullet train texture.  What I am mentioning has do with the actual network (monorail), and not the texture.


While I am talking about textures, do you know if this (the RHW-one way transition) will be fixed in the next release? 


And I have a request.  It involves a diagonal MIS intersecting with a orthogonal avenue.  This is common in Real life.  A quick example of what I am asking follows below:


Anyways, thanks for taking the time to read my post and best of luck with the next release!
(I hope this post made sense to you )
-Haljackey

[Tarkus]

Regarding the "stripeyness" issue, the reason why it seems the exact opposite of the standard "oil slick" pattern is because the textures are designed to emulate fresher pavement, so actually, the dark areas are the areas that haven't really been driven over as much (between lanes and tire tracks, where the new pavement has lost some of its "sheen").  Here is an example of this phenomenon. 

Haljackey, to answer your questions:

Dashed lines for accel/decel lanes:  I have toyed around with this idea a little bit, even going as far as to work up a draggable prototype, and the main issue that there's no truly reliable way to do it, at least in draggable form, as there's deconversion issues, particularly when you get it near Wider Non-Dashed RHWs.  Awhile ago, simzebu suggested making a special 1x2 puzzle piece with the dashed lines--this is probably the best way to implement such a thing, just as long as people are smart enough not to go around plopping TE Lots everywhere.  

Monorail/MIS Texture Deconversion:  Both of these issues can be fixed, and it's just a matter of writing some RULs (the diagonal ones will, naturally, be harder).  I can add them to my list of things to add for Version 21, but it will not be fixed by Version 20a.

MIS/OWR Transition:  I actually have this piece nearly ready to go (as well as an MIS/RHW-4 transition), and they will both be included in Version 21. 

Diagonal MIS/Orthogonal Avenue intersection:  It's in the plans for Version 21.  The next few releases will focus on expanding the diagonal functionality of the system.

And thanks again to videosean for pointing out that issue with the Diagonal Road intersection--I have now fixed that issue, and it will no longer be present in Version 20a.

Back with more later . . .

-Alex (Tarkus)

[the7train]

Hello,

I just want to first say how much I enjoy playing SC4 with the NAM and RHW.  As someone who spends lots of time in the car, I notice highway designs and transportation networks and these mods really let me build transportation networks as close to real life as possible.  So one of the things I've noticed about the RHW is the size and space of on-ramps, which take up LOTS of space.  I'm just wondering if you've considered or are currently working on a piece similar to the European Lateral on-ramp for the ground high ways?  This would basically be two RHW entrance/exit style B next to each other merging into a RHW2 which could then go into a road.  I've tried my best to illustrate below, hopefully you know what I'm talking about.

Thanks!

----------------------------------RHW
----------------------------------RHW
Exit\\\\\\         //////Entrance
           \\\     /// 
             \\\ ///
                ||
                ||
              ROAD

[Tarkus]

Hi everyone-

Back with another peek at the textures.  This is what RHW-4+MIS Ramp Style A looks like.  I managed to get a good "color shift" formula for these textures on puzzle pieces (Brightness -22, Hue -6, in case anyone was wondering).  I've included a little "runoff" area as part of the piece, though I'm not sure on it.



the7train:  Thanks!  I'm glad to hear you're enjoying the RHW.  As far as what you've suggested, while a Lateral on-ramp like that is not in the works, I do have another type of RHW-2 splitter in the works, which is vaguely Y-shaped has two diagonal MIS ramps on the end (which I've tentatively called "Splitter B").  Splitter B is slated for inclusion in Version 21, and you'll be able to build something similar to the lateral ramp with two Ramp B pieces and one Splitter B.  It will take up a little bit more room than the lateral ramps, but it shouldn't be terribly prohibitive. 

Hope that answers your question!

-Alex (Tarkus)

[kassarc16]

Great work on those textures! I was a bit worried at first since I preferred the lighter concrete, but the striping change makes up for it (though I'd like to see the light textures include the change too!). I also like the "runoff" area since most ramps I see seem to include something like it. Looks like great things are "rolling down the highway"!

[videosean]

Here is an example of this phenomenon. 

I appreciate that explanation... doesn't mean I like the look any better but I at least understand it now   I've had a theory in my head of how the dark patches under the car paths on busy roads come to be since I was a very small, bored child being driven all over the place for vacations... oil and gunk from cars is only half of it - the other part being a sun bleaching effect.  New pavement hasn't had enough time to be bleached yet so it works in that respect
I can still take issue with this image of the 4to6 transition comapring it with this stretch of highway 26   Your dark pavement in the new lane under the centerline starts too abruptley... it should gradually fade in.  Maybe it can't be as gradual as the RL roadway due to length and sanity restrictions but I think it could be better.  Also... by making the dark pavement under the car paths a continuous line I'm drawn to the conclusion that 50 cars drive down the lane every minute and 50 of those cars go straight and 50 of those cars go into the new lane (because the lines are continuous and the same shade of grey) and that doesn't work in my mind   There should be a lightening of the dark patch under the car path where the lane splits since all 50 cars can't take the path down both lanes... it can get darker further down the lane of course but it should be somewhat gradual too I think.

I notice highway 26 doesn't use the diagonal or chevron lines in the triangular area of pavement you aren't supposed to drive on (I think I'd like to see those types of markings but not a big deal) but for the dashed lines on the decel lane I was thinking they'd just be implemented into the ramp pieces and if you wanted longer decel lanes you'd have to make a longer ramp piece.  I can imagine the 1x2 piece option working very nice for those who want a dashed line on a decel lane instead of dragging out the 2ndary piece of the RHW6 (if the extra lane line is added by the 2ndary piece) or longer ramp pieces.

[dragonshardz]

Tarkus, I have tested this: hovering a puzzle piece over a TE lot will cause a CTD, but hovering a TE lot over a puzzle piece will not. Strange eh?

~~Dragonshardz~~

[Shadow Assassin]

Get your copy of the RHW Euro Mod here!!

Enjoy. And please read the read-me!

For Mac users: there will be a .zip version of the file up on the LEX shortly...

[Andreas]

Yay, it's here! Thanks for the work, now I can start using the RHW finally.

[kbieniu7]

Awesome work!  NOw I can build network in my country because i was waiting for it

[Ennedi]

Thanks a lot SA, I appreciate your work even more I know you are very busy now!

I will test it immediately...

Adam

[MandelSoft]

FINALLY!

This is what i've been waiting for! Thank you very much SA

MRTNRLN

[MandelSoft]

I've been messing around with the T21-Exemplars for the RHW. Here's the result:




As you can see, streetlights are added to the RHW. The lights that you see, are the new styled American lights (that are included in my LRP). There's an attachement with a .dat file which includes the exit sign and the placement of lights along the RHW (Place it in the RHW-folder). This file can be used also when you haven't installed the LRP. Then the normal highwaylights appear.

Hope you enjoy it!
MRTNRLN

[Andreas]

Streetlights along highways are very uncommon in Germany, but I must admit it looks great in your pic.

[Lollo]

YES! Thank you SA! Great work!

[Haljackey]

This is Sick!  I gotta try this out! 

Thanks so much for your hard work SA!  The textures look amazing!

EDIT:
mrtnrln: Is there any way we can have the exit signs and NOT the lighting?  That would be awesome!

[kassarc16]

Streetlights along highways are very uncommon in Germany, but I must admit it looks great in your pic.

Except on urban areas, the only lights I see are usually at on/off-ramps and interchanges. Nice to see a proof-of-concept though.

[CasperVg]

Thank you for all the work you have put into this, Shadow Assassin, it came out wonderful!

[mightygoose]

SA we love you.