I had originally created this tutorial over on Simtropolis, so I thought I'd show it to the great community over here on SC4D (cheers arise from the background).
To begin, you'll need smoncrie's Hole Digging Lots (http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?id=3599), as well as the latest NAM installed.
Step 1
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi238.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fff177%2Fdsrwhat316%2FTutorialStep1.jpg&hash=f77d4af4198cfacb5a2a166508fb17460bb8b220)
Plop two sunken highway hole digging lots like so.
Step 2
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi238.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fff177%2Fdsrwhat316%2FTutorialStep2.jpg&hash=abb25f9b5393eb9556209a666119a5a57d6d5481)
Drag a road through the two lots to create the trench.
Step 3
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi238.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fff177%2Fdsrwhat316%2FTutorialStep3.jpg&hash=74b9c1706aaebac54f89c2d783eff0aa2515e1aa)
Demolish those lots and put a single-tile road in the bottom of the trench, and another parallel to it.
Step 4
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi238.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fff177%2Fdsrwhat316%2FTutorialStep4.jpg&hash=51812b15f1beb0d1f2feeea6ce22e7c1a5793b94)
Demolish those two tiles and drag a ground highway starting from the bottom of the trench out left until the highway becomes level with the ground. Repeat for the right side.
Step 5
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi238.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fff177%2Fdsrwhat316%2FTutorialStep5.jpg&hash=3c798b45e0223e4a5348edd54f15fc5b38104687)
Demolish the highway. Then, using the single-tile road flattening method, narrow the trench so that it is one tile wide.
Step 6
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi238.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fff177%2Fdsrwhat316%2FTutorialStep6.jpg&hash=1b5f482d7a5ad3e2abeb07d757a336201a993ad5)
Now, using the road puzzle pieces included in the NAM, place a tile like so (I used a road-over-GLR piece, but it can be anything that is one-tile wide. If you want to use two-tile wide pieces like a ground highway or avenue, don't narrow the trench as indicated in step 5).
Step 7
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi238.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fff177%2Fdsrwhat316%2FTutorialStep7.jpg&hash=5fb801adca836f223712c96464239d084c2009f3)
Fill the trench with the GLR pieces (or drag your road, etc.).
Step 8
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi238.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fff177%2Fdsrwhat316%2FTutorialStep8.jpg&hash=ea332052420848cd18c8266cb19f289315c4eadd)
Drag out the road (or whatever you used) on the top level.
Now, you can leave it like this and use regular walls, but if you want to have something that looks like this:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg521.imageshack.us%2Fimg521%2F7755%2Fcityofbevelletreasurylf3.jpg&hash=eee33fa9e8e4caf2d57e7a22d7a5904bbd6e6fea)
Step 9
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi238.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fff177%2Fdsrwhat316%2FTutorialStep9.jpg&hash=7ae66149d45b8793bdc432207db2bb7ecf01de19)
Lay out single-tile roads like so.
Step 10
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi238.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fff177%2Fdsrwhat316%2FTutorialStep10.jpg&hash=5d0a81e8027d1eb09f4ffb56d166f2aa0af5fb50)
Using a lot that creates a foundation will give you this look. I used the European Style Sidewalk Package (http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?id=1274) and used the lot editor to create a foundation.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi238.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fff177%2Fdsrwhat316%2FLotEditor.jpg&hash=3bd31fca3d0d101f54466f7445bf645941e30193)
In the lot editor, just change the threshold number to 0.00, the LotMax number to 90.0, and the LotMin number to 0.00. This should create a foundation. Click the Lot Foundation button to change the look of the foundation (mine is the concrete something or other, I kinda forgot ::)). When plopping the lot, make sure the arrow when the lot is about to be plopped is facing AWAY from the trench.
Step 11
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi238.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fff177%2Fdsrwhat316%2FTutorialStep11.jpg&hash=b1ff31e61312d16759accfc5625dcb9d1c52288f)
Demolish the road tiles, and that is what you'll get!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi238.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fff177%2Fdsrwhat316%2FTutorialStep12.jpg&hash=cad87cf169a0af436c4d78d35c0361d6527c2734)
There is an ugly little space underneath the road, but I used one of BuddyBud's lots and changed the appearance in the Lot Editor to create a solution like this:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi238.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fff177%2Fdsrwhat316%2Ftutorial13.jpg&hash=f7c219be02fe9647a932b634194af00f31f83221)
Well, there you have it: my first tutorial is now out on SC4D! Most of my inspiration comes from the great mind of SAC, whose original thread over on Simtropolis helped me make this tutorial. Thanks for reading and I hope this helps some people out!
~ Dan
thats pretty clever using the games retaining wall as the sunken highway wall dsrwhat...i gotta try that myself sometimes :thumbsup: good job!
Very well done tutorial. The lot editor retaining walls should provide some interesting options for wall colors. A good addition.
That's a great tutorial of this there!! :thumbsup:
Super work on the tutorial. We can never have enough of these.
&apls &apls
Robin :thumbsup:
There are other ways you can utilize this technique:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg381.imageshack.us%2Fimg381%2F2492%2Fcityofbevellerailtunnelex1.jpg&hash=1c9ff423ea917b77108561393f75b078c9d8d198)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg207.imageshack.us%2Fimg207%2F2369%2Fcityofbevelleentranceviul9.jpg&hash=1dcaff3a8d329c95b6b14f0b0776dc1a91fdc167)
I'll be putting out a couple more tutorials in the future, when I have time...
If anyone has any questions, feel free to PM me. I'd be happy to help!
~ Dan
This is an excellent tutorial! I'm using it in my cities right now. Not only is that last one a good example of further uses for this, but the city looks great as well. Thank you so much for doing this. I greatly appreciate this.
Whoa. Think you could send me the lot you're using? I seem to be missing the LE (stupid mistake)
email would be perfect...
Some more examples; this time, the lots are used for sunken highways, paired with BuddyBud's sunken highway walls:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi238.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fff177%2Fdsrwhat316%2FAurora%2FAurora-SideInterchange.jpg&hash=592a94b0d81c338f56725b0a1d886552a5e2f55c)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi238.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fff177%2Fdsrwhat316%2FAurora%2FAurora-SunkenHighway.jpg&hash=47dd717e48e80792e21f8b737341c1856a0f3a5f)
This is a new city I've been working on. I'm going back to my roots: custom lots galore!
~ Dan
sorry for the double posting, but i have a new pic that shows the different types of foundations you can use for those lots:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi238.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fff177%2Fdsrwhat316%2FTutorialStep13.jpg&hash=6d3e619a0ebfeb15aafcce8179f2bff7c09e51b0)
they are found by clicking on the lot foundation button (see below):
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi238.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fff177%2Fdsrwhat316%2FLotEditor.jpg&hash=3bd31fca3d0d101f54466f7445bf645941e30193)
here are their names:
1 (the one without a number). the original one i showcased "concrete horiz."
2. "cream brick"
3. "red brick"
4. "roman tile"
5. "slate brick"
6. "tank tread"
7. "tile grid"
this should help you get started on your own creations. PM me if anyone needs further explanation!
~ Dan
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: WOW Love the tut Dan, great job here!!!
how come it doesnt work for me..
every time I try to do step 7, it doesnt let me drag over the puzzle piece
even if i get past that (by dragging road first and then putting puzzle piece over it) i still cant do step 8 since it would let me drag it out
Quote from: lifeless on February 26, 2008, 06:36:21 PM
how come it doesnt work for me..
every time I try to do step 7, it doesnt let me drag over the puzzle piece
even if i get past that (by dragging road first and then putting puzzle piece over it) i still cant do step 8 since it would let me drag it out
A picture of what you are trying to do would be most helpful.
Quote from: lifeless on February 26, 2008, 06:36:21 PM
every time I try to do step 7, it doesnt let me drag over the puzzle piece
even if i get past that (by dragging road first and then putting puzzle piece over it) i still cant do step 8 since it would let me drag it out
i think i understand the problem: to get the road on top, you have to use the on-slope road puzzle pieces to get the road to stretch onto the ground.
then you can drag out the road on either side. hopefully that clarifies things!
~ Dan
ah ha it works! thanks a bundle! ;D
how do you edit the on-slope puzzlepiece??
I have this piece of grass under my tunnel that shouldn't be there
Great tut BTW
That is explained at the end of the first message.. its the "wall" section, not the on-slope piece, that gets modified. .. its an "overhang" piece.
got it, thanx
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi291.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fll299%2Fsmoncrie%2FGLRunderpass.jpg&hash=0a7c369b7e90aa5d7e05f919f317f4b2aa9e2bd9)
Here is how I make underpasses. In step 5, I drag GLR to create the slopes.
This underpass procedure will work correctly, even if the ground is far from flat.
Using ground highways makes slopes that are a bit better than GLR, but a good slope mod is even better. If I wanted to use ground highways to create the slope, I would place an OnSlope on only one side, drag the ground highway past it, and then I would restore the slope for the other OnSlope to sit on using the Ground Lifter Hole Digging lot.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi291.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fll299%2Fsmoncrie%2FAve-over-sunken.jpg&hash=8e77284e827e3e4546eb4be74b8fd277dceb3ea1)
Here is how I make an avenue cross over a sunken highway. I use the Ground Lifter Hole Digging lot to make sure the slope is perfect. Once I have the correct slope, I make sure it does not shift by putting a Ped Mall puzzle piece on it. The Ped Mall is removed just before the OnSlope piece is placed.