RHW (RealHighway) - Development and Support

[Tarkus]

...The purpose of the image is to demonstrate the stability code that is working behind the scenes and ensuring that the flyover doesn't deconvert when a setup like that is constructed...

So...when would a setup like that ever be constucted? 

By developers like myself, to test and show stability.

-Alex

[Shadow Assassin]

...The purpose of the image is to demonstrate the stability code that is working behind the scenes and ensuring that the flyover doesn't deconvert when a setup like that is constructed...

So...when would a setup like that ever be constucted? 

By developers like myself, to test and show stability.

-Alex

It isn't exactly representative of a "real world" situation, so might want to test it in a variety of environments. That's what beta testing is for to an extent, though...

[GDO29Anagram]

It should also be worth noting that once the code for one "thing" has been set, it's possible to copy it almost directly over for other networks. Code such as the one shown below (this is code for an RHW-6S Type D1 Inside Ramp) can be copied 8 more times, and by finding and replacing specific IIDs, it can cover an L1, L2, L3, and L4 RHW-4 Type D1 Inside Ramp and L1, L2, L3, and L4 RHW-6S Type D1 Inside Ramp.

Code Select Expand

;for rhw-6s d1 inside ramp
;branch
0x57843a00,3,0,0x57000000,1,0=0x57843a00,3,0,0x57020000,1,0
0x57843a00,3,0,0x57000000,3,0=0x57843a00,3,0,0x57020000,1,0
0x57843a80,1,1,0x57000000,1,0=0x57843a80,1,1,0x57020000,3,0
0x57843a80,1,1,0x57000000,3,0=0x57843a80,1,1,0x57020000,3,0
;main override
;Orth (RHW-6S) to 37, override from top
0x57833700,1,0,0x57040000,3,0=0x57843700,1,0,0x57040000,3,0
0x57833780,3,1,0x57040000,1,0=0x57843780,3,1,0x57040000,1,0
;Orth (RHW-4) to 3b, override from bottom
0x57833b00,3,0,0x57030000,1,0=0x57843b00,3,0,0x57030000,1,0
0x57833b80,1,1,0x57030000,3,0=0x57843b80,1,1,0x57030000,3,0
;Orth (RHW-6S) from 37, extend from top
0x57843700,1,0,0x57030000,3,0=0x57843700,1,0,0x57040000,3,0
0x57843780,3,1,0x57030000,1,0=0x57843780,3,1,0x57040000,1,0
;Stabilise RHW-6S from 37, may be omitted
0x57843700,1,0,0x57000000,1,0=0x57843700,1,0,0x57040000,3,0
0x57843700,1,0,0x57000000,3,0=0x57843700,1,0,0x57040000,3,0
0x57843780,3,1,0x57000000,1,0=0x57843780,3,1,0x57040000,1,0
0x57843780,3,1,0x57000000,3,0=0x57843780,3,1,0x57040000,1,0
;Orth (RHW-4) from 3b, extend from bottom
0x57843b00,3,0,0x57020000,1,0=0x57843b00,3,0,0x57030000,1,0
0x57843b80,1,1,0x57020000,3,0=0x57843b80,1,1,0x57030000,3,0
;Stabilise RHW-4 from 3b, may be omitted
0x57843b00,3,0,0x57000000,1,0=0x57843b00,3,0,0x57030000,1,0
0x57843b00,3,0,0x57000000,3,0=0x57843b00,3,0,0x57030000,1,0
0x57843b80,1,1,0x57000000,1,0=0x57843b80,1,1,0x57030000,3,0
0x57843b80,1,1,0x57000000,3,0=0x57843b80,1,1,0x57030000,3,0
;37-39, overridden from top
0x57843700,3,0,0x57833900,3,0=0x57843700,3,0,0x57843900,3,0
0x57843780,1,1,0x57833980,1,1=0x57843780,1,1,0x57843980,1,1
;39-3b, overridden from top
0x57843900,3,0,0x57833b00,3,0=0x57843900,3,0,0x57843b00,3,0
0x57843980,1,1,0x57833b80,1,1=0x57843980,1,1,0x57843b80,1,1
;3b-39, overridden from bottom
0x57843b00,1,0,0x57833900,1,0=0x57843b00,1,0,0x57843900,1,0
0x57843b80,3,1,0x57833980,3,1=0x57843b80,3,1,0x57843980,3,1
;39-37, overridden from bottom
0x57843900,1,0,0x57833700,1,0=0x57843900,1,0,0x57843700,1,0
0x57843980,3,1,0x57833780,3,1=0x57843980,3,1,0x57843780,3,1
;39 to 38
0x57843900,2,0,0x57833800,2,0=0x57843900,2,0,0x57843800,2,0
0x57843980,0,1,0x57833880,0,1=0x57843980,0,1,0x57843880,0,1
;3b to 3a
0x57843b00,2,0,0x57833a00,2,0=0x57843b00,2,0,0x57843a00,2,0
0x57843b80,0,1,0x57833a80,0,1=0x57843b80,0,1,0x57843a80,0,1


This concept has also made it possible to make these four ramps, shown below, within a fairly short timespan, even though their code looks less of what's shown above and more like this:

Code Select Expand

;---RHW-4/Global Type D1 Inside---
;00
1,11,2,0,2
2,1,0,0,11,13
2,3,0,2,0,2
2,7,0,2,0,2
2,8,0,13,2,2
3,0,0x57833900,0,0
3,1,0x57833800,0,0
3,3,0x57833700,0,0
3,7,0x57833b00,0,0
3,8,0x57833a00,0,0


http://www.youtube.com/v/mjgQqEZ87A4

And now that I've exposed my super-but-not-necessarily-secret project, it's now impossible for me to make it such that I can build these things in-game in a certain way and fool people into thinking they're puzzle pieces.

[APSMS]

Mind. Blown. 

[eyelevel]

I like the disconnect tool

[compdude787]

 

What?? That is amazing!! Great job on making this new feature. 

Now I want NAM 33 even more! (but do take your time to get it working smoothly )

[Tarkus]

Ganaram, you are the man!

Another thing that's stewing behind the scenes . . . obviously, still needs color correction on the textures, but I've managed to repurpose the elevated RHW-4 Type A1 and B1 ramp interfaces for use with the elevated RHW-8C networks.  The geometry on the barriers was close enough that it was an easy tweak.  They're set up as DRIs and FLEXRamps--no static puzzle piece version will be made.



-Alex

[Durfsurn]

:drool:

Wow. I thought P57 was good... then I thought the FLEX stuff was great... now I think the RHW has reached a level of which I have no words for!

Amazing work guys and keep on truckin!

[GDO29Anagram]

Speaking of levels...



Which is a stark improvement from this:



I'll handle the textures later. Weirdly, I started with the 6S ramp instead of the RHW-4 ramp; I copied the models from the Maxis Highway Override D1 ramp and although I did tweak it so that it would be a solid barrier and not half a barrier, there's still a hole on the side of the barrier. Also, this is a new height for modelling work for me since I just started figuring out Blender and SC4 Model Tweaker.

Best part is that with more cut-and-paste, this can cover seven more ramp interfaces. Can you guess what they are?

[dyoungyn]

Tarkus,

Is it possible for the next update to make the intersections for a TRUE Diamond for AVE6/7 for the attached interchange?  The reason I am asking is I love this type of interchange and just discovered it capability and it restricts me to only AVE4/5.

dyoungyn

[Tarkus]

Tarkus,

Is it possible for the next update to make the intersections for a TRUE Diamond for AVE6/7 for the attached interchange?  The reason I am asking is I love this type of interchange and just discovered it capability and it restricts me to only AVE4/5.

dyoungyn

I haven't been involved in the development on those particular pieces, but it seems like it would be a reasonable and useful addition.

And in other development news, credit for the modeling on this one goes to MandelSoft.  Still a bit of texture cleanup needed, but after a long period of very few elevated ramp interfaces, I'd call this newsworthy.



There's a few that probably won't be made for some time, due to overhangs for which we haven't figured out a solution (i.e. RHW-6S Type A1, RHW-8S Type D1)--those get really ugly if you try to make a height transition out of there.

-Alex

[GDO29Anagram]

Tarkus,

Is it possible for the next update to make the intersections for a TRUE Diamond for AVE6/7 for the attached interchange?  The reason I am asking is I love this type of interchange and just discovered it capability and it restricts me to only AVE4/5.

You'd be asking the wrong person for that since I'm the one who worked on those pieces. I'm actually not gonna continue on those pieces until enough FARHW development has been reached where I can reimplement those as being draggable or Flex crossings.

I might make ONE (technically three) interim piece for that once my work with ramp interfaces is completed, but that depends on what time I have.

Also, there are actually two completely different developmental fronts for RHW Ramp Interfaces; Alex and Maarten working on missing Type A1 and B1 Ramp Interfaces and myself working on inside D1, E1, and draggable variants for both.

Behold.



I'm gonna emphasise this once more: this was the only "secret" project I was working on; I have nothing else up my sleeves.

[Tarkus]

I'm actually not gonna continue on those pieces until enough FARHW development has been reached where I can reimplement those as being draggable or Flex crossings.

To further this, we're generally trying to avoid making new static puzzle pieces altogether.  To my knowledge, there have been exactly zero static puzzle pieces developed so far during this NAM cycle.  That's right.  Zero. Zilch. Nil. Bagel.  All the ramp interface stuff you're seeing is FLEX or draggable.

FARHW is the one spot where we haven't made much progress yet, which is why FARHW development is not really active at present, though the idea of FLEX-FARHW is definitely on the drawing board.  I wouldn't anticipate it to be part of NAM 33 at this point, however.

-Alex

[dyoungyn]

Tarkus/CDO29Anagram,

I just want to say what every thing you guys are working is sooo greatly appreciated and the things today that we can do with SC4 are beyond reproach and are in dearly need a round of applause.

I am going through and re-doing all my maps as RHW and the new NAM stuff had really made the game more appealing and realistic. 

With a FARHW, I absolutely love the FARHW ramp intersections traffic lights.  Again, only wish we could use them for RHW6/7.  I am the one who has been wanting for years traffc lights for ramp interchanges; FARHW is the closest thus far. Regardless, I and am sure others, are forever in your debt and much appreciated for all the hard work you all are doing each and every day. 

Keep up the great work and because of folks such as your self keeps are interest with SC4 and I hate to ever see the game die.

dyoungyn

[Shadow Assassin]

I'm actually not gonna continue on those pieces until enough FARHW development has been reached where I can reimplement those as being draggable or Flex crossings.

To further this, we're generally trying to avoid making new static puzzle pieces altogether.  To my knowledge, there have been exactly zero static puzzle pieces developed so far during this NAM cycle.  That's right.  Zero. Zilch. Nil. Bagel.  All the ramp interface stuff you're seeing is FLEX or draggable.

FARHW is the one spot where we haven't made much progress yet, which is why FARHW development is not really active at present, though the idea of FLEX-FARHW is definitely on the drawing board.  I wouldn't anticipate it to be part of NAM 33 at this point, however.

-Alex

Yeah... 

I've had no time to work on FARHW and not really had motivation. The code is available though, just haven't had time.

FlexFARHW is quite robust at the moment but needs more intersection work.

This is what I was working on before I had RL issues to deal with:

[droric]

To my knowledge, there have been exactly zero static puzzle pieces developed so far during this NAM cycle.  That's right.  Zero. Zilch. Nil. Bagel.

I made 2 puzzle pieces for the new El-Rail over Avenue network.  But aside from those

I like what I am seeing with the FARHW, looks great!!

[Geometry123]

HOLY LEVELS AND BENDS BATMAN! :O

[Wiimeiser]

That looks good enough to include as-is, or whatever you guys call it...

[GDO29Anagram]

So, uhh, yeah.



Once again, some more of Maarten's modelwork at play here; this is the RHW-6S Type A2 Ramp, but you'll notice one thing about it...



It's one tile longer. This is gonna replace entirely the puzzle-based version of the 6S A2 Ramp, and also the 3-tile long Flex version. If you have the 3-tile FlexRamp, you're gonna have to click to update it, but it works best if you have an extra free tile extending out of the top (the RHW-6S end) of the ramp.

There are a couple of advantages of making the RHW-6S Type A2 Ramp one tile longer:
- It provides more space for chevrons
- In real life at least, you needn't have to brake as much because the curve is not as sharp
- It makes it more consistent with other ramps with X2 branches; the RHW-8S and RHW-10S Type D2 Ramps, for example, are 4 tiles long
- It just looks a lot nicer than the 3-tile one

And there are advantages of making a 4-tile long 6S A2 Ramp that's also draggable:
- You don't even need to find the puzzle-based version.

Keep in mind, the Flex version is still gonna exist; just because I'm making draggable equivalents doesn't mean it's slope-friendly or easy-to-memorise (even though it is); that's the purpose of FlexRamps.

[fefenc]

When I think you've done everything to RHW, then you show this awesome stuff, I think I won't have more hardtime by pressing tab 971493 times to plop the wrong puzzle piece again :O