• Welcome to SC4 Devotion Forum Archives.

NAM: Development

Started by memo, April 29, 2007, 06:33:33 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Tarkus

Shiftred, that's an interesting idea there.  That looks like it may make the most sense to do as a draggable thing, judging by the layout.

andreharv, to answer your question, the file you'll be looking for has an Instance ID (IID) of 0x10000000.  The most recent public build of the file (from the April 2008 NAM) can be found in the NetworkAddonMod_Controller.dat file, which will be in your NAM folder.  The Reader actually has a character limit, so in order to add to the file, you'll have to export it (right-click the file and select "Save decoded file" from the menu that appears) and edit it in Wordpad or Notepad. 

(To import it back in with the Reader, simply right click in the area where the internal files are shown and select "Insert & compress file")

The 4-digit values are internal reference points in the file, which associate the pieces and their rotations/mirrors with the TAB Loops and Rotation Rings.  The first RotationRing in a TAB Loop is always marked "RotationRing", while further ones are marked "AddTypes".  I'd recommend using the range IntersectionInfo range E8A0-E8AF for your interchange, as the E8##-EB## has been designated for use for Custom Interchanges, and the E8## range still has room left and is where the existing NAM custom interchanges are, while E9## has been used for other non-interchange highway puzzle pieces (On-Slopes, etc.).

Hope that helps!

-Alex (Tarkus)

nerdly_dood

@ Shiftred: I'm absolutely certain that what you mentioned is already available with the current version of the NAM...but only as a diagonal. As an orthogonal, I'm reasonably sure that unless someone makes what you asked you will just ahve to improvise and have crosswalks and a square intersection where you don't necessarily want it. But I agree with you, and it is a great idea.
My days here are numbered. It's been great and I've had a lot of fun, but I've moved on to bigger and better things.
—   EGO  VOBIS  VADELICO   —
Glory be unto the modder and unto the fun and unto the city game!

Shiftred

Nerdly,
I am aware that the junction of one-way and avenue functions but it looks bad so I have requested a smooth or merging lanes version. ;)

andreharv

I decided to postpone modifying the RUL file until the end (if possible).  Other than the 0x10000000, is there anything else that is supposed to be altered in the RUL?  My other question is if you know the whereabouts of the EffDir_Trans_Template.txt file?  Redlotus said that it was attached to the zip but it is nowhere to be found and I got this version of the tutorial from his yahoo briefcase.  If you do not know the whereabouts, do you know of any other way that I could otherwise make the effects dir?

Tarkus

andreharv, that's probably a good idea with the RULs--they're usually the last thing I do when assembling a puzzle piece, though that varies from time to time.  The only RUL you'll need to alter is 0x10000000, as its the only one that deals with ploppable network items (all the others deal with draggable ones). 

As far as the EffDir stuff, it disappeared some time ago--the only place it is available at the moment is the private NAM exchange.  However, it's quite outdated, and there are far easier ways to do it now.  I've been meaning to write up a tutorial on it for some time now, since there's pretty much no documentation out there publicly right now, so this may be a good time to do it.  Keep an eye on the NAM How-tos and Tutorials board. ;)

-Alex (Tarkus)

andreharv

Thanks Tarkus.  I am really anxious since I already spent roughly 300-500 hours working on this project and am seeing light at the end of the tunnel.  This is my first bat project that I have intended to bring to completion and if it works, I am gonna be mega thrilled.  With that being said, I will be looking forward to this tutorial.  With this being said, is there anything else that you can think of in Redlotus's tutorial which is obsolete or otherwise would interfere with the game or the NAM?  The only thing that I did differently from the tutorial was render my pieces in gmax rather than bat.

Tarkus

No problem, andreharv.  I've also finished an EffDir Tutorial, and you can find it here.

As far as redlotus' tutorial goes, there are a few things that could be explained a little better.  I have been working on trying to get an updated tutorial on RUL 0x10000000 done as well--that's probably the biggest thing missing from the tutorial.

With regards to rendering the pieces, when you're ultimately ready to get them all into a game-readable format, you'll want to export them using the BAT, but with the replacement BuildingMill.ms script, which you can find attached to the bottom of my Transit Model Guideline thread. It'll render the pieces in Full-3D as opposed to reducing them to isometric faces like the normal BAT export.  When you export the actual preview model, though, it won't matter if you use the script or just use normal BAT export.

Hope that helps!

-Alex (Tarkus)

andreharv

Hey thanks for everything, Tarkus!  I will soon reward you with a fully functional interchange lol.  Well it's almost done.  I plopped it yesterday for the first time and so far, I have gotten 3 of the 4 ramps to work.  One of the ramps was under z=0.842 so it is essentially underground and must be redone from scratch...well almost from scratch.  My last (or second to last) question is, is there any way to improve the texture quality of the pieces so that they fit more uniformly with the rest of the highway?  Again thanks for your help and timely responses   &apls

dedgren

#528
andreharv- wow!  It would be so great to have someone back into creating interchanges for the "game" highways.  I presume the one that you are completing work on now is the interchange you showed us in this post [linkie].



This one, eh?  A karma point for you up front, and there's many more where that one came from.

Thanks again.


David
D. Edgren

Please call me David...

Three Rivers Region- A collaborative development of the SC4 community
The 3RR Quick Finder [linkie]


I aten't dead.  —  R.I.P. Granny Weatherwax

Skype: davidredgren

nerdly_dood

I definitely think taht a new intersection like that is worth a karma point - it can be made one way or another with RHW/MIS, but the current setup with the Maxis highways is very rigid and doesn't allow for much flexibility - this interchange will definitely add some much-desired flexibility.
My days here are numbered. It's been great and I've had a lot of fun, but I've moved on to bigger and better things.
—   EGO  VOBIS  VADELICO   —
Glory be unto the modder and unto the fun and unto the city game!

andreharv

Hey, thanks guys.  It was a long time in the making.  Once I get this last onramp working, I'll humor you guys with a couple pics.  Be warned, it needs to be reskinned.

Tarkus

#531
Quote from: andreharv on September 04, 2008, 01:59:25 PM
Be warned, it needs to be reskinned.

Hey, that's perfectly fine.  :)  You've done an amazing job here, and I'm glad I could help out.

As far as the texture quality, I think it's mostly just a matter of being careful with the UV Mapping on it.  It can take awhile to get that adjusted just right.

Oh, and another Karma point.

-Alex (Tarkus)

andreharv

#532
Thought I might show you my current progress before taking a much needed break (about 40 of the past 48 hours were spent working on this).  To the left is a second interchange that was flipped 180...just so you know.


Here is the trouble spot.  Suggestions would be highly welcomed.  Please don't tell me it has something to do with the mirror tool.  That is probably the problem though.  If that is the problem, it will take me a few more days to fix.

Otherwise, the paths are good.  Even on the broken ramp, the automata will drive through mid air to get to the other side of the ramp.  Obviously UDI can't drive across it but it has no problem traversing the rest of the interchange.

JoeST

andreharv, looks FANTASTIC

wow, cant wait to use this in game

Joe
Copperminds and Cuddleswarms

nerdly_dood

That's AMAZING dude! It may not quite be release quality, but you sure are getting it done!
My days here are numbered. It's been great and I've had a lot of fun, but I've moved on to bigger and better things.
—   EGO  VOBIS  VADELICO   —
Glory be unto the modder and unto the fun and unto the city game!

wes.janson

First I see the RHW-8 and I decide that I will soon have to toss maxis highways out the window and now I see this interchange.

Thanks for changing my mind!

Tyerel (wes.janson)


Henrik Sedin: 82gp 29g 83a 112p - 2009/2010 Art Ross/Hart Trophy winner!

Godzillaman

That looks sexy even with the gap on the ramp...:P
"With a purposeful grimace and a terrible sound he pulls the spitting high-tension wires down..."


dsrwhat316

I must say that look awesome  :thumbsup: &apls. I wish I could help you with your problem, but I know nothing about modding and things like that. Hopefully some of our more astute members will be able to help!

~ Dan
Custom Lotting at its Finest:

Last updated: 2/9- I'm Back! +  A Teaser (of course...)

Tarkus

andreharv, that's looking fantastic!  40 of 48 hours . . . I know that feeling myself.  :D

As far as the Mirror tool in the BAT goes, unfortunately, it can have cause issues on occasion--I believe redlotus recommended against using it.

-Alex (Tarkus)

MandelSoft

Lurk mode: ACTIVE