RHW (RealHighway) - Development and Support

[MandelSoft]

You could also use my S3D based animated signal models and stoplight arm poles from the SRM. It also contains practically every signalised intersection in-game

[memo]

As for the T21 exemplar file I could make it available since it is using props from the NAM and a vanilla SimCity 4 Deluxe version of the game. Would this interest any of the NAM team?

Yes, of couse!

By the way, I can confirm that there is at least a mirrored instance of the two-signal arm, somewhere in the NAM, as the RHD one mirrors properly on mirrored T21s. I can look for the IDs, if you want.

[wallasey]

I'm not sure if we even have LHD stalks in the NAM.  I think there might be one mirrored item (a version of the 2-lighter), but that's about it.

LHD is kind of an odd beast, in the way the game handles it.  The only thing the game does automatically when put into LHD mode is flip the paths on most Road items so they're going the correct direction.  However, for whatever reason, Maxis didn't set up the game to automatically do this with any non-Road items (Railroads, Light Rail, Monorail), and there are certain situations where the auto-flip becomes problematic on Roads--situations involving turning lanes and other asymmetries.  Those have to be manually done, and they require thinking the reverse of backwards (which isn't the same as forward  ) in order to do properly.  It's really a mind warp.  Took me about 3 days to take care of Issue #200, which pertained to the LHD pathing on those FARHW diamond pieces.  (The stop points may still require a little tweaking.)

In order to specify a non-default path setup for LHD mode, there's a section of the Network INI file (which is contained in the NAM Bridge Controller, as that INI also tells the game where to find bridge exemplars, in addition to powerline placement and other odds and ends) which allows us to turn on manual path localization for certain IIDs or ranges of IIDs. 

Textures, models and T21s are not automatically flipped, and in order to fully localize them, it requires making separate LHD versions, which isn't always easy.

I've recently begun thinking it may be high time for a tutorial on LHDification.  It's kind of become a lost art, considering there's a number of people in the transit modding community who have no experience with it, and we've been hurting for awhile in that department.

-Alex

I always thought LHD was more of an afterthought someone in Maxis had while stood round the watercooler a week before the release date. It works...but things like traffic lights never fully functioned, especially on avenues. Anything would be an improvement, but to be honest it's something which potentially many of us have gotten used to.

There was a similar project many moons ago to signalise the slips on the old Maxis Highways...forget who it was. I always thought this couldn't be done due to all the coding inside the game. It's great to see something like this finally come into fruition!

[eggman121]

Yes, of couse!

By the way, I can confirm that there is at least a mirrored instance of the two-signal arm, somewhere in the NAM, as the RHD one mirrors properly on mirrored T21s. I can look for the IDs, if you want.

Awesome. How should I post it? Just attach it to a post or place in the somewhere else? its only 8 kb

And if you can find the IDs for the mirrored instances for the two signal arm I will use them an get to work. I will look as well if it is in the NAM installation

-eggman121

[jdenm8]

I always thought LHD was more of an afterthought someone in Maxis had while stood round the watercooler a week before the release date. It works...but things like traffic lights never fully functioned, especially on avenues. Anything would be an improvement, but to be honest it's something which potentially many of us have gotten used to.

There appears to have been somewhat of a considerable effort by Maxis to support LHD. The Automatic Path Flipping and dedicated LHD Stop Points in path files is are examples of that. The traffic lights work perfectly fine in LHD, the actual problem is that Maxis never developed an LHD Traffic Light set. All lights and signs are on the wrong side of the road.

[wasso38]

i got something in the network name. if the network named "Real Highway". so they need to add metal barriers, and streetlights, because that's like a "Real" highway in the real life. if the highway is rural. so. no metal barriers, and streetlights. so i'm still calling this as "Rural Highway Mod". instead of "Real Highway Mod". 

[Durfsurn]

I'm sure this has been mentioned a thousand times but will the RHW-2 cosmetic pieces dashed lines ever become draggable? I say this because sometimes it becomes annoying to place so many of those 1x1 pieces. I know that they are "cosmetic" pieces but maybe a longer piece could be made as a compromise? Such as 1x3 or 1x4 or 1x5?

EDIT: On a side note could the NAM installer be made to "maximize" to fill the whole screen so the checklist is easier to navigate?

[Tarkus]

so i'm still calling this as "Rural Highway Mod". instead of "Real Highway Mod". 

Sorry, but the name of the project is RealHighway.  The use of the term "Real" does not mean that the highway has to be an exact replica of an RL highway, but is more intended to refer to the fact that the system is much more realistically scaled than the default Maxis Highway system.  Many of the networks do in fact have concrete barriers (all the C-type and elevated networks), and we left them off the other ground ones mainly for the purposes of flexibility.  There's nothing stopping anyone from creating custom barrier lots/T21 mods to dial it in to their ideal vision.  Our primary purpose in RHW development is functionality, allowing the networks to exist in the first place.

I'm sure this has been mentioned a thousand times but will the RHW-2 cosmetic pieces dashed lines ever become draggable? I say this because sometimes it becomes annoying to place so many of those 1x1 pieces. I know that they are "cosmetic" pieces but maybe a longer piece could be made as a compromise? Such as 1x3 or 1x4 or 1x5?

It's something I've considered, but being cosmetic, it's not a high priority at this juncture.

-Alex

[memo]

Awesome. How should I post it? Just attach it to a post or place in the somewhere else? its only 8 kb

And if you can find the IDs for the mirrored instances for the two signal arm I will use them an get to work. I will look as well if it is in the NAM installation

Maybe simply upload it into the Dropbox folder.

The ID for the mirrored prop is 0x2C420000 and is contained in the NetworkAddonMod_Props.dat file. The IID of the non-mirrored prop is 0x2C410000 in SimCity_1.dat. Maxis created the models for the mirrored version, too – they just didn't include a prop exemplar for the LHD version.

I always thought LHD was more of an afterthought someone in Maxis had while stood round the watercooler a week before the release date. It works...but things like traffic lights never fully functioned, especially on avenues. Anything would be an improvement, but to be honest it's something which potentially many of us have gotten used to.

There appears to have been somewhat of a considerable effort by Maxis to support LHD. The Automatic Path Flipping and dedicated LHD Stop Points in path files is are examples of that. The traffic lights work perfectly fine in LHD, the actual problem is that Maxis never developed an LHD Traffic Light set. All lights and signs are on the wrong side of the road.

I don't think they have put much thought into LHD stop paths. If they had, they would have noticed that they have done it wrong because RHD and LHD stop points need to be swapped on mirrored tiles. Now, you have to include duplicates of all the stop points in this case, one for LHD and RHD each, which makes the LHD stop points completely useless.

[Geometry123]

Well, I hope you still have time to get this fix in before the final NAM 32 gets released, with the Single Barriers option installed, the 3 tile center tile CPs display a single barrier in the preview, but display double barriers instead when plopped... D:

[kanttuvei]

Are the L1 (or higher) exits working for anything other than RWH4? Dragging an exit as well as plopping the flexible ramp displays an empty square. Also the QC piece produces the same result.

[Tarkus]

Besides the RHW-2 and the RHW-4, there are no other elevated exit/entrance ramps.  The models have not been made.

-Alex

[vinlabsc3k]

Fantastic work with the new NAM!!

Few bugs:

• A texture glitch with FLEXRamp B1 Inside when use RHW 6S
  
• A problem with FLEXRamp A1 Inside when use RHW 6-8-10S
  
• A couple of bug in QC ramps: missing description in main button and in parclo entrance piece all rotation and level (the exit it's ok)
• And 3 missing stop placeholder in the RHW-3 x RHW-3 + intersection piece
  

When open, move this in the bug thread.

[Tarkus]

When open, move this in the bug thread.

Thanks for the report.  Looks like those are all relatively minor issues--had you spotted them just a little bit sooner, we could have at least attempted to fix them for NAM 32.  We're not planning on opening a separate bug thread this go around.

-Alex

[Geometry123]

Well, I'm not sure about this, but I guess a patch file would be nice to enjoy that particular FlexRamp without any issue without waiting 4-6 months for a new NAM.

[jdenm8]

And 3 missing stop placeholder in the RHW-3 x RHW-3 + intersection piece

There's no real point in fixing this as they won't work anyway. The only piece that has functional stop points (Volleyball SCPs) have special tile assignments to make them work that require breaking over-plopping. These pieces are compatible with over-plopping so they can't have working stop points.

If memory serves correctly, the capacity of the intersections themselves in the Volleyball SCPs are also lower than that of the rest of the RHW.

[vinlabsc3k]

Another two:




Edit:
I have a strange behavior with NAM 32, in some cities at zoom 3-4 in every orientation the game close to desktop when I move versus some zones of the map.
In the reference city, I noticed that in the view there are an ortho RHW L1 over ortho PS HWY L0, a PS HWY tunnel, 4 PS HWY Ramps B1, a RHW FLUP Ramp, a RHW-2 18° and 45° Curve and other hundred things that don't remember, because of the CTD.
I've installed all the components except the BTM and other mod are: CAM, Industry 4x, Diagonal Bridge, Extra Terrain Tool, Extra Cheat, HWY Light Mod, Rivit's Tunnel and Bigger News Window.

[Kitsune]

I have two suggestions: .. first is that the 6S flup piece is two tiles... is it possible to add mis to the second tile? This would allow for some tighter interchanges as the road flup ramp is only 3 tiles vs 4 for the elevated model. The second is on the 12S.. and maybe even 10C .. why not create these as a cosmetic piece, much like WRHW-2 is. This would allow for some ultra high capacity interchanges to be built.

[Ryan B.]

Somewhere, I actually have animated S3Ds and some mast arms Ryan B. made, which have been modified for such purposes.  I'll have to see if I can locate them.  It's a project I've kind of wanted to undertake for awhile now.

-Alex

Obligatory "my ears are burning" post.  Friends, it's been too long since I've started SC4 up.  Alex & eggman, I'd be happy to help further with the signals & your signage mod.  I know you've got a lot of North American stuff already BATed, but I may be able to help further. 

[Allein]

Hello,

It seems that L2 to L4 RHW on slope transition aren't avaible in NAM, aren't they ?

http://image.noelshack.com/fichiers/2014/04/1390601691-l2l4.jpg

Are such transition planed in a future release of NAM ?