RHW (RealHighway) - Development and Support

[A200]

^^ You can't have traffic lights on major highways either! 

Oh thats right... its already been done on the Gold Coast. Ooops. 

[ACEfanatic02]

The roundabout looks great but for me the GLR crossing isn't a good idea. I don't think you can find something like this in the real world. What would happen if you drive with 100 kph and then suddenly a tram appears in front of you?

Two reasons to add it anyway:
1 - Functionality for people who don't care about realism.
2 - Functionality for people who don't use RHW exclusively for freeways.

-ACE

[deathtopumpkins]

I'll probably use the GLR/RHW crossing... in fact, I already have a few times. Not all of us use the RHW exclusively for Limited Access Highways.

[BigSlark]

Here in Mississippi, we have an extensive (3000+ miles) system of four-lane expressways. Not freeways, but expressways. An expressway is defined as controlled access, which means that the DOT in charge of it controls where other roads and driveways intersect the main highway. At all U.S. and major State Highway junctions you'll find an Interstate-grade fully limited access interchange, which range from your usual diamonds in rural areas to full-on trumpets and cloverleafs for major highway intersections. Most people would call them divided highways, but that's not the technical term used by the Mississippi Department of Transportation, of course...

What's the point of my description? These are recreated PERFECTLY by the RHW and MIS with broad curves, MUTCD accurate markings, and the ability for at-grade interchanges. So that's why the GLR-RHW draggable crossing is useful (of course, we don't have any light rail in Mississippi yet, but that's beyond the point, right?).

And if you're curious to see what I'm talking about, here's a link (http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=33.474945~-88.827724&style=h&lvl=14&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=13391949&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1) to the satellite view of Starkville, Mississippi, which features both freeway and expressway bypasses. Follow Highway 25 for a perfect example of what I've just described, it took 30 years to build construct this 4-lane expressway from Jackson, the State Capital, to Starkville (a grand total of 120 miles, I might add) due to good 'ol boy politics...

Cheers,
Kevin

[Haljackey]

Not freeways, but expressways. An expressway is defined as controlled access, which means that the DOT in charge of it controls where other roads and driveways intersect the main highway. At all U.S. and major State Highway junctions you'll find an Interstate-grade fully limited access interchange, which range from your usual diamonds in rural areas to full-on trumpets and cloverleafs for major highway intersections.

Exactly, highways are defined differently all around the world, even within national boarders.  I sometimes use intersections and at grade rail/GLR crossings when I am building a RHW as a major artery (could be classified as an expressway by US standards?) because either I don't have enough room to create a grade-separated highway (freeway by US standards?) or traffic volumes don't warrant it.

What's so great about SC4 is that we all play it our own way, and no two cities are alike.  This is why I love RHW, because it provides an amazing amount of possibilities, allowing us to create our own unique highways and interchanges (the Maxis highway interchanges are fixed for the most part).

I hope that makes some sense.

Best,
-Haljackey

[darraghf]

I hope it comes out soon. All this stuff looks great!!!

[choco]

j/c....

anyone have any suggestions for some RHW bridges?

i had an idea for a rhw4 and rhw6 bridge, which could join in the tile separating the road surface by overhanging the models with a complex LOD.  in effect, it would look like a single bridge, but would actually be 2 bridges drug in opposite directions.  one limitation would be that they would each have to be the same exact lentgh for the models to match up....

[Haljackey]

choco:  There will be bridges for the RHW-2 and RHW-4 included in 3.0. 



Here's a couple teasers from the GTR's 100th update special:

Expanded MIS connectivity:


A series of connections:


If you like what you see, why not head on over to the GTR for full resolution and some more pics? 
Direct links:
-SC4D
-Simtropolis

I hope you enjoy them!  RHW 3.0 is going to change everything!

Best,
-Haljackey

[A200]

OMG that is simply wonderful 

[Kitsune]

That MIS to MIS, thats gonna make turbines easier to build......

[wes.janson]

Wednesday is my b-day. v3.0 would make a good present. Make it happen!   

On a serious note.. those MIS splitters are exactly what I've always wanted when using v2.0 and they look soooo purdy.

[bob56]

My b-day is Tuesday, but Wed. Is fine with me!

(Hint,Hint)

[metarvo]

Actually, Wednesday is the start of a significant weekend in the United States.  So, it's a good day.  Of course, any day's a good day for 3.0.

[bakerton]

Everything looks great. I am screaming for v3.0 to come out so I can make some custom interchanges based off of real world ones. I do hope it comes out real soon. If not, oh well. JKB

PS: This is the best mod (project) eve concieved.

[pagenotfound]

One word- stunning! 

[Tarkus]

Of course, any day's a good day for 3.0.

Indeedo.  And in case anyone is wondering when it's getting released, I can tell you: RHW Day.  When's RHW Day?  I don't even know myself.  But I'll know it when I see it.

-Alex (Tarkus)

[j-dub]

Heres the possibility of a 4 lane crossing a 2 lane intersection by using ramps for turn lanes on each side with version 3.0.

[metarvo]

Oh, wow!  So the RHW-2 can cross the RHW-4 now?  I wonder how that's possible, though.  To me, that would seem almost as impossible as two differently-textured SAM streets crossing each other smoothly.  Of course, I am also a fan of slip lanes of any sort, so that makes this picture even more impressive, j-dub.  By the way, those traffic lights also look realistic, even if they are plopped.

[jplumbley]

Oh, wow!  So the RHW-2 can cross the RHW-4 now?  I wonder how that's possible, though.  To me, that would seem almost as impossible as two differently-textured SAM streets crossing each other smoothly.  Of course, I am also a fan of slip lanes of any sort, so that makes this picture even more impressive, j-dub.  By the way, those traffic lights also look realistic, even if they are plopped.

Actually... It is possible.  For SAM it is *possible* but not feasible.  It is possible to have two straight through SAM sets crossing each other (not implemented in the release), but you wouldnt be able to have 3 sets at a T or one set ending at a 4way, type thing.  But the problem with that is the number of SAM sets, currently there are 8 sets of textures.  That would be 36 textures for each intersection or 108 textures in total.  Two sets of 36 for Ts and one set of 36 for 4ways, the RULs wouldhave to be adjusted from what they currently are right now and that wouldtake a little bit of time but not too bad and we would need to write a good chunk of new RULs to accomodate the new intersection construction method within the RULs.  The new method would make it a little less userfriendly in the way that 4ways and T would revert textures to originals on the 90 and 270 degree sides of the network.  This would force your to plop a second starter piece to create the perpendicular street to continue the texture or it would give you the option of plopping a different texture set for the perpendicular street.

I know that was probably confusing as h-ll but its possible just a lot of work and a little less user friendly for SAM but workable for the situation that j-dub just showed.

[j-dub]

Furthering Jason, despite the RHW being the same thing, I think the difference between the two networks is, SAM is all street, with the same pathes repeated, versus the RHW is configured to have different lanes, so it almost is multiple networks. As for the signals, glad you like them, but their not in the RHW bandwagon. I had to put some sort of saftey measure for the cross, but I'm glad all of the RHW's 4 ways are not exemplared already. I don't think these signals went to an exchange, but you can get them courtesy from ehbk's traffic related bat projects, http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=5077.40
and also the fact they can turn red with out a stop point, is good for the crossroad above.