NWM (Network Widening Mod) - Development and Support

[compdude787]

Nice 6-lane overpass! Why won't it be released in NAM 33, though?

OTOH, does that mean we can expect NAM 33 soon? Hmmm....

Not necessarily. We still haven't decided on a new NWM range since we're giving the NWM a P57-esque treatment (possibly dubbed P51, moving the NWM from the current 0x5100####-0x5120#### to a higher range), so a lot of stuff would end up shifting around still.

Plus, we're missing one key developer: Alex. From what I know, he's really busy and it could be that way for a while.

As it stands, we're down to just me, Daniel, Markus, Stephen, and a few others popping in and out taking the brunt of the immediate devwork for what is already slated for NAM Thirty-Three. What's known for sure is that it's almost all RHWdev. If you think that we're leaving out everything else, please realise that RHW is our testbed for implementing new dev strategies, and once it's shown to work for RHW, it becomes applicable to everything else. The only reason we have elevated Road, One Way Road, and Avenue viaducts that are draggable is because they were based off of RHW, both by models and by code.

- Ganaram I.

Oh, I see how RHW is the cutting edge for NAM developments. You start with the most complicated NAM component first and then bring it all over to other parts of the NAM. Either way, the work you've done with making more ramps draggable (and adding some new ones in the process) and re-doing the FlexFlys is enough to make me be really looking forward to NAM 33.

[Durfsurn]

I'll just clarify why I put the "won't be released in 33" stuff. Currently that is the only working set of pieces across the board in terms of EL-NWM. Even with my plan of doing 6 networks (AVE-2, ARD-3, NRD-4, RD-4, RD-6 & AVE-6) I haven't even done more than about 6 pieces, still in static puzzle piece form. While I don't have to create new models, I do have to switch out textures, sometimes fool with the s3d's in the reader, and then place them in the right IID range. Also I am currently the only one working on this (everyone is busier with much harder stuff ) and to do 6 networks across two levels with full cross links? That's gonna take me a long time to do and while I don't know when the next release is unless it's more than about 6 months, this won't make it in (yes even us NAMites hope don't know when we release it). My current timeframe that I estimate is about 7-8 months (unless RL shows up with something especially big) because I have school for 4-5 of those months where my output is severely limited.

Thanks for reading that block of text,
-Billy

[compdude787]

Ah, I see. Take your time. For now, it's not a big deal to convert to RHW in order to make a 6-lane overpass...

[Tarkus]

Oh, I see how RHW is the cutting edge for NAM developments. You start with the most complicated NAM component first and then bring it all over to other parts of the NAM. Either way, the work you've done with making more ramps draggable (and adding some new ones in the process) and re-doing the FlexFlys is enough to make me be really looking forward to NAM 33.

Starting with the RHW and using it as the "test market" for new concepts has worked out quite well, especially as it has a reputation as a component for more advanced users.  Many of the NAM projects everyone knows and loves today are the result of solutions to challenges faced by the RHW project--the NWM and RAM/RHW are a couple examples, and TuLEPs originated as a by-product of trying to add SPUI functionality to the RHW.

The FLEXFlys, unfortunately, only have a slim chance of making it into NAM 33.  We're looking at a couple options that would massively optimize the whole system (and substantially shrink the required amount of code), but it's going to require scrapping what's been done so far (the models, which we originally script-generated, and a small amount of prototype code I did), and with our current RL loads (mine especially--just started a second adjunct professor gig, and am running for office), it's not likely to happen until at least NAM 34.

-Alex

[joshua43214]

... and I am running for the office of the president of the United States

Fixed!

Run Tarkus Run!

[compdude787]

... and I am running for the office of the president of the United States

Fixed!

Run Tarkus Run!

In all seriousness, which public office are you running for? Usually, presidential candidates are people who have been in politics for quite a while already. I hope you can continue to be active in the community and being on the NAM team.

[GDO29Anagram]

... and I am running for the office of the president of the United States

Fixed!

Run Tarkus Run!

You're off by 7-12+ years; the minimum age for US president is 35, and the youngest presidents ever were only in their 40s.

[metarvo]

Congratulations and good luck on your RL endeavors, Alex, even though it will be hard to see your presence here diminished.    Whatever you do run for, maybe you'll get a chance to improve the transportation infrastructure in your area.  My area's roads aren't too bad, but I've seen quite a few places that could use some help from the NAM Team.

[Tarkus]

In all seriousness, which public office are you running for? Usually, presidential candidates are people who have been in politics for quite a while already. I hope you can continue to be active in the community and being on the NAM team.

I'm running for city council in my hometown (population approaching 25,000).  I'm one of 7 candidates (including 2 three-term incumbents) going for 3 seats.  I have no interest in a presidential run or any involvement in federal-level politics, though.

With respect to my future NAM activities, I'd like to keep at it in some capacity, but I don't know that I'll ever be back to the same level of activity I was from the NAM 21-32 era.  Currently, my modding time is pretty much restricted to late at night, and as busy as RL has been keeping me, I've often been too exhausted to wrangle RULs and the like when I have had the time.

Whatever you do run for, maybe you'll get a chance to improve the transportation infrastructure in your area.  My area's roads aren't too bad, but I've seen quite a few places that could use some help from the NAM Team.

As you might guess, that's a huge part of my platform.   Our road network here is a mess, and the state DOT and county road department have some dubious ideas for improving the main north-south highway through town.

-Alex

[j-dub]

Finally, a real traffic engineer on the council, I hope. Best wishes.

[Nosimx]

Regarding NWM transitions: I've found Road to ARD-3 and Road to NDR-4 . Is there one of AVE-4 to ARD-3 / RD4 to ARD-3 / NDR-4 to ARD-3 ? (Planned?) These would be very useful to connect to the NWM-roundabouts.

The only transition to NDR-4 I could find is from road; AVE-4 to NDR-4 or RD-4 to NDR-4 would certainly be helpful. Could it be a planned surprise for the next NAM?

[vinlabsc3k]

Greetings for your entrance in politics, Alex!! 
I hope you should not make too many compromises to improve roads in your area or extricate yourself from the palace intrigues or bureaucracy and obviously that you could spend some time with your friends in and out of the SimCity community!



PS.: Happy birthday for the last October 15th

[roadgeek]

In all seriousness, which public office are you running for? Usually, presidential candidates are people who have been in politics for quite a while already. I hope you can continue to be active in the community and being on the NAM team.

I'm running for city council in my hometown (population approaching 25,000).  I'm one of 7 candidates (including 2 three-term incumbents) going for 3 seats.  I have no interest in a presidential run or any involvement in federal-level politics, though.

With respect to my future NAM activities, I'd like to keep at it in some capacity, but I don't know that I'll ever be back to the same level of activity I was from the NAM 21-32 era.  Currently, my modding time is pretty much restricted to late at night, and as busy as RL has been keeping me, I've often been too exhausted to wrangle RULs and the like when I have had the time.

Whatever you do run for, maybe you'll get a chance to improve the transportation infrastructure in your area.  My area's roads aren't too bad, but I've seen quite a few places that could use some help from the NAM Team.

As you might guess, that's a huge part of my platform.   Our road network here is a mess, and the state DOT and county road department have some dubious ideas for improving the main north-south highway through town.

-Alex

Have all the votes been counted?

[Tarkus]

Have all the votes been counted?

Most of them have.  Oregon's a vote-by-mail state, and quite a few folks (particularly in the more populous counties) will wait until the last minute, quite literally.  Unfortunately, I'm not going to be on city council this election.  The two incumbents and the well-connected middle school teacher appear to have won the three seats.  They did not get a mandate, however, as I did manage to get a tick more than 10% of the vote, and no one got more than about 17%.  I did, however, raise considerable attention to some serious issues facing the city.  And as I'm not on council but gained name recognition, I don't have to bite my tongue, and can be really outspoken now.  

My two adjunct professor gigs are going to keep me pretty busy with RL, though I am easing back into SC4.

-Alex

[roadgeek]

Most of them have.  Oregon's a vote-by-mail state, and quite a few folks (particularly in the more populous counties) will wait until the last minute, quite literally.  Unfortunately, I'm not going to be on city council this election.  The two incumbents and the well-connected middle school teacher appear to have won the three seats.  They did not get a mandate, however, as I did manage to get a tick more than 10% of the vote, and no one got more than about 17%.  I did, however, raise considerable attention to some serious issues facing the city.  And as I'm not on council but gained name recognition, I don't have to bite my tongue, and can be really outspoken now.  

My two adjunct professor gigs are going to keep me pretty busy with RL, though I am easing back into SC4.

-Alex

Well, that figures. I suppose there is a silver lining in all that. Their loss is our gain. I was getting a little worried that we might never see v33  . Good luck on addressing all those issues facing your city!

Dan

[roadgeek]

I was wondering how many curves and FA transitions from RHW 6-C, 6-S, and 8-S, and 10-S, will be converted to curves and FA transitions for AVE-6, OWR-3, OWR-4, and OWR-5, in NAM 33.

[compdude787]

I was wondering how many curves and FA transitions from RHW 6-C, 6-S, and 8-S, and 10-S, will be converted to curves and FA transitions for AVE-6, OWR-3, OWR-4, and OWR-5, in NAM 33.

Well, that's easier said than done, because the NWM networks don't really line up exactly with the corresponding RHW networks. Plus, the OWR networks don't have shoulders like the RHW does.

[Tarkus]

I was wondering how many curves and FA transitions from RHW 6-C, 6-S, and 8-S, and 10-S, will be converted to curves and FA transitions for AVE-6, OWR-3, OWR-4, and OWR-5, in NAM 33.

Zero.  Fractional Angle NWM stuff has been discussed, but the NWM plans in general are in flux right now, and compdude787 also brings up another issue.

-Alex

[MandelSoft]

FA width transitions also bring up two other problems:
- The sheer amount of them. You need TWICE the number of transitions to cover all FARHW setups compared to the orthagonal width transitions (diagonal would require the same amount.
- We don't have diagonal transitions yet. Why even bother with fractional angled transitions then?

[roadgeek]

FA width transitions also bring up two other problems:
- The sheer amount of them. You need TWICE the number of transitions to cover all FARHW setups compared to the orthagonal width transitions (diagonal would require the same amount.
- We don't have diagonal transitions yet. Why even bother with fractional angled transitions then?

Perhaps I should have said FA curves. I am not aware of any existing RHW FA width transitions. One can only dream. 

Dan