Rural Renewal Project

[Chrisadams3997]

OMG!!

That is just showing off!!

No, that was just me playing around, you don't want to see me when I'm showing off.  But just in case you did...





If There are no objections within the next couple of days, I'm going to call this model finished.  Then there's the issue of the diagonal... but I think it should work just fine.  Oh yeah, the rocks are added afterwards, just so there's no confusion-that's my Jeronij Maxis Rock tweak in action

Looking really good there, I really like that *can't think of the name*.
Dependending on what the task exactly is, I could perhaps help on the texturing.

Culvert maybe?  .  I've got a number of textures I'd like to fix or add to the gravel paths(lotted ones of course) that I just don't have much time to get to.  If you'd like to help, just PM me and I'll fill you in more.  If not, no biggy.

And thanks everyone else.  Now I'm off to bed.

Chris

[threestooges]

Excellent work with the culvert (and generally the whole rural renewal project). Blending it in with the rocks is a great realistic touch and this sort of thing is just what I have been looking for. Have you considered doing a double-barreled version as well? If not, no worries, just glad to have the current version. Well done.
-Matt

[girlfromverona]

That is SO perfect!!! Cannot wait to get it into my rural areas. 

[Ennedi]

Thank you for so detailed answer Chris! Everything clear 
Maxis rocks downloaded, testing in progress.
The culvert looks very good - no objections! In fact it's very good you made only a pipe without any concrete structures. It will be less aggressive and more flexible.
And I must say your work with your own flora is more and more advanced - the first picture in your first post is perfect!
(Closeups are very good too, it's a pity that we have so poor quality in this zoom level).

Adam

Edit: Maybe one thing can be changed in the culvert: you could make a bit deeper shadow inside the pipe. This way the ploppable water edge will be less visible. But the shadow shouldn't be too dark too 

[Andreas]

I don't mind the "poor" quality - apart from the pixelized view, it looks almost photorealistic. The culvert is a great idea, and the muddy water texture works perfectly in this case. I wonder if we can continue calling this SimCity...

[Ennedi]

Of course you are right Andreas! This pixelized view is the only problem - it's my dream to do something with it, but I'm afraid there is no good solution 
Not SimCity - so maybe SimWorld? 

[FrankU]

Chris,
How fantastic this work is!
I just can't wait to try it out myself, but, where do I find the latest versions of your flowers, paths and greenery?
Would it be possible to add links to the most recent versions in the sticky post?
I would be greatly pleased.

Thank you for everything.

[Chrisadams3997]

ThreeStooges:  A double barrel arrangement had already crossed my mind, and the size of the model allows for two on one tile even, but I'm not sure about the correct spacing.  Should they be right up against each other, or should there be some distance?

GirlfromVerona:  Thank you.

Ennedi:  Thank you Adam, I hope you find the rocks more useful now.  If anything, more versatile.

I'm not sure about a good way to extend the shadow, or if it would help much anyway.  You might notice I cut the top of the culvert back at an angle near the end from the original.  This is not only realistic for a culvert this size in many cases, but I think gives it a move distictive and interesting appearance in game.  But even in the original pictures where this is not done, and therefore there is more of a shadow near the lip, the ploppable water edge is still just as visible.

The only way to completely circumvent this issue(or at least mostly) would be to render three more models of the culvert, each with 'TPW' rendered into the model itself(which would take some research on my part to match it up just right) in each of the three colors.  As it stands it gives the impression the the water isn't 'flowing' through it at the moment due to the water level being too low.  But for the moment I'm going to stick with just this to keep it simple--and avoid the hassle of matching the TPW .

Andreas:  Ah yes, pixelation.  I'd hate to be a sim, must be hard as heck to read anything down there .

FrankU:  I'm planning on it this week, just one more thing to get around to.

Thanks for your comments everyone,
Chris

[Pat]

Chris you are so wonderful!!! Dannnnnng that is stunning work there!!!!

[pvarcoe]

The culvert is to die for (well, you know what I mean).
Unbelievable realism. Super work Chris!

Phil

[Heblem]

wow!! looking at these pictures changes absolute the apparency of simcity 4, now this game would be funnier to make farms and natural areas than a city!

Thank you for sharing! absolute realistic 

Again I repeat that, and of course you did it!! cant wait to try out with a few new ideas i got in mind  You get a karma from me 

[TheTeaCat]

Ha This time I had a spill proof mug when I clicked on your thread.
Boy was I glad - no spilled tea this time 

Those culverts - wow I am amazed at how good these look 

I'd be happy to test anything you would like tested


TTC

[Chrisadams3997]

Thanks everyone, and TTC, glad to see you've come prepared .

Just business this time, I've got the diagonals made, and both lots finished.  They are overhanging so that the lot is a space from the road(e.i. there'll be no sidewalks).




Notice the needed slope here for the diagonal to appear correctly, it's somewhat specific.  It has to be a cliff face with the flat part at the top of the tile.  The height required to get a cliff here(at all angles) of course depends on your JDEM mod, but using Ennedi's (MaxNormalYForCliff = .77) it needs to be somewhere just greater than 10 meters difference I think.  It's shown at 12 meters here.

I could make a lot that will work where the cliff face is at the top of the tile, and the flat part at the bottom(like the corner between the two culverts), all I've got to do is move the prop.  If there is interest, it just means an extra lot.

Chris

[Pat]

Ooooh my god Chris this is simply breath takin!!!  I truly love how the culverts are turning out... So these are set to what Adam has done with slopes right??? I guess now IM a tad bit confussed... 

[Chrisadams3997]

Hmm, now I'm confused, lol.  It depends on what "Adam has done with slopes" you're talking about.  If you mean the transport networks slope mod, then, no.  If you mean the new 'MaxNormalYForCliff' values he's come up with in his new DJEM (more on that property In this Post), then, only in a way.  The normal Maxis settings require a greater height difference before a 'cliff' appears.  DJEM's change that value to allow cliffs to appear at lower hieght differences. 

If you use PJot's original, then you'll get cliffs at even lower height differences than Ennedi's.  Sooo.... The height difference required for the diagonal culverts to display as intended(which is to say, to get a cliff) does depend on which of these your using(Maxis MaxY=.675, Ennedi's DJEM MaxY=.77, PJot's DJEM MaxY=.85.)  I haven't tested to see just where cliffs appear in each, but I'm sure Ennedi will know more precisely.

No matter what, the culvert is just over 8 meters tall, so a little more than that is a bare minimum no matter if you have a cliff or not.

Now, with any luck I haven't confused you more .

Chris


p.s.  for anyone who doesn't know what DJEM is, that's "Diagonal Jagged Edges Mod"

[rushman5]

Oooo, overhanding props for less sidewalkage? Crafty indeed.  Keep it up

[Pat]

Ahhh thats the answer I was looking for here Chris!!! Thank you and that cleared it up 100%.... I had to cut my post short as I gotten a fire call while I was in my train of though lol sowwie about that...

[CasperVg]

Innovative idea to overhang it to overcome the sidewalk problem. I'm not that good in modding, but doesn't setting the lot's wealth to "None", make no sidewalks appear? Great textures and model tho, very realistic. Perhaps I concrete one would make the set complete 

[Chrisadams3997]

Oooo, overhanding props for less sidewalkage? Crafty indeed.  Keep it up

Yesss, yess.  Doing what I can.

Ahhh thats the answer I was looking for here Chris!!! Thank you and that cleared it up 100%.... I had to cut my post short as I gotten a fire call while I was in my train of though lol sowwie about that...

Glad to hear it Pat.  Not the fire of course, but that I cleared up your question .

Innovative idea to overhang it to overcome the sidewalk problem. I'm not that good in modding, but doesn't setting the lot's wealth to "None", make no sidewalks appear? Great textures and model tho, very realistic. Perhaps I concrete one would make the set complete 

Oh, I so wish it would make the sidewalks go away, but...  Instead, the game assumes low wealth unless a higher wealth(or interestingly lower wealth, meaning Ag) lot supersedes it. The only way to avoid sidewalks altogether is to change the actual textures the game uses for the wealth level in question.  Since I use PEG's RR facelift mod that removes the dirt under railroads and  streets/roads bordering Ag zone, the area next to ag zoning is indeed sidewalkless/textureless.  Unfortunately, we can't make ploppables Ag, and trust me, I tried.  A lot of things.  Removing sidewalks from low wealth roads and streets works(look at my early pictures in this thread), but... you don't have any sidewalks next to low wealth zones in urban areas either.

Also, I've already started thinking about how to do a concrete culvert, but it will have to be built for a specific slope, much like an overpass prop.  Thus it will require more precise terraforming, but it's doable.


Updated Pasture Flora and Draggable Paths:

I've placed updated releases for both pasture flora and draggable paths on the sticky post.  For those who already have all the previous  releases these replace, the changes are minor, it's more for those who missed the previous links(the old links have been deactivated by the way.)  If you update, just make sure to delete the old folder containing that mod before unzipping the new one.  Won't hurt anything if you don't, but you'll be sitting on a few outdated model files just taking up space.

Chris

[klaascornelis]

Thats quite the sticky you got there 

Good work on the diagonal pipes b.t.w., really nice.
Any idea when this week your going to update the beta?

Greetings
KC