NAM Version 30 Is Here!

[wj_119]

thank you so much for all the hard work done!

[dhuffer]

 

Thanks guys for all the hard work!

[Swordmaster]

To be honest, I feel like a ten-year old kid again who just got that big Lego box he'd been wanting all the time... Do you remember how perfectly happy you could be back then? Well, thanks to all the people of this great team, I just re-discovered that feeling.

Awesomeness incarnate.

[simlove]

Fantastic work, NAM Team!  Thank you Thank you Thank you  for your hard work.   

[DanniBee]

RUL updates for the RealHighway Mod (RHW), Network Widening Mod (NWM), Street Addon Mod (SAM) and soon-to-be-released Diagonal Bridge Enabler (DBE), all downloaded separately.

Can't wait, great work on this release guys, your work does go appreciated by the community.

[Aaron Graham]

Great Job NAM Team, your the guys they really help keep the game alive.

[twist2172]

Just wanted to show my appreciation as well, I downloaded the NAM content into my game last night, so far everything looks and works great!  Haven't gotten to the new RHW or NWM yet, but I suppose I will probably import those sometime soon as well.  Thanks again to everyone involved!

- twist2172

[packersfan]

There is no way to even play this game without NAM and all the incredible realistic additions and options you guys have given to a SC4 player.  And great job upgrading the road/avenue/etc bridges/viaducts, finally they look realistic and great!  GREAT JOB!

[FrankU]

I second everything that has been posted here already.
Now all I need is time to play the game again....

[CahosRahneVeloza]

There is no way to even play this game without NAM and all the incredible realistic additions and options you guys have given to a SC4 player.  And great job upgrading the road/avenue/etc bridges/viaducts, finally they look realistic and great!  GREAT JOB!

Although I agree that the NAM & it's other add-on mods like the RHW, NWM, SAM, HSRP & STR have breathed new life to the game, THERE ARE still die hard purists out there like this dude:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMzz2LPYYsY

This guy REFUSES to use Mods & he says it's like cheating 0_o

[kbieniu7]

Great "thank you" for whole work you have made 

[Kevin1a]

There is no way I can express the awesomeness of this moment without breaking forum rules, so a simple and insufficient "thank you" must suffice.    I'm not leaving my computer desk for a week. 

[jdenm8]

This guy REFUSES to use Mods & he says it's like cheating 0_o

Yes, people like that exist and it's disappointing. Although, the biggest problem with them is is that they tend to be VERY VERY noisy and make a point of accusing mods of being cheats (to them, they can only think of the Money Tree).

[kassarc16]

This guy REFUSES to use Mods & he says it's like cheating 0_o

Yes, people like that exist and it's disappointing. Although, the biggest problem with them is is that they tend to be VERY VERY noisy and make a point of accusing mods of being cheats (to them, they can only think of the Money Tree).

Cheating's only an issue when you think of it as a normal game. There's no cheating in a sandbox!

[CahosRahneVeloza]

Yes, people like that exist and it's disappointing. Although, the biggest problem with them is is that they tend to be VERY VERY noisy and make a point of accusing mods of being cheats (to them, they can only think of the Money Tree).

What I don't understand is their "idea" that YOU CAN WIN in SC4 much like you could back in the first three games when SC4 is practically a sandbox game. What I wanted to point out to him is that there are a majority of SC4 players who are in it as an art piece, that is why there are folks who make beautiful CJs. And in order to do that, you do need custom content & in a way, mods such as the NAM to approximate real life.

As for the money tree.... why is it more popular than the safer "moolah" or Cousin Vinnie mod anyway? And yes, I admit to using the Cousin Vinnie cheat, but not to overshoot my city funds, it is so I can use this facility to its optimal:

http://www.simtropolis.com/forum/files/file/25952-city-facilities-central-v3/

This modular set is my answer for wasted City space from plopping separate Civics buildings. But to do so comes with a very hefty price.... if you max out the funding for every civic services this baby eats up to 100k per month & there's no way I can have that amount at the start of a young village.

Cheating's only an issue when you think of it as a normal game. There's no cheating in a sandbox!

And in some cases, several cheats like the setsealevel cheat is important when it comes to terraforming 

[GDO29Anagram]

You inevitably have to cheat when you're testing plugins; I've drained my funds many times over while toying with uber-expensive landmark lots...

Plus, plopping hundreds of puzzle pieces and drawing countless network tiles and demolishing them all many times over also takes a toll on your funding. Then you have to check the path integrity...

And playing SC4 without any cheats, addons, or mods?

http://www.youtube.com/v/8mG2I-o3yUA

And also,...

Cheat - An unfair advantage or exploit. Bug abuse falls under this category.
Addon - Something that adds something else to the game, usually without modifying the in-game files/features. Additional bus stop designs are one example.
Mod - Something that modifies the default values/settings of an in-game feature. CAM is a great example; It adds more growth stages.

They call it "Network Addon Mod" for a reason, people. It modifies the original traffic simulator and RULs, and adds many new features. The traffic simulator's capacity numbers are probably the closest thing to a cheat, but then again, the default numbers are just ridiculous and in some cases, unrealistic.

-----
But enough of that. Even still it amazes how far the NAM has come, and there are two ways to judge its awesomeness:

- By what it has now.
- By what it didn't have back then.

[j-dub]

What the heck just Flashed Me!

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

Unlike those horse, this is 3D. Before anyone goes "Why do you have that black box around there?" All I can tell you is, you would not believe the trouble I had to go through to get that, but you know what, it was worth it. (Working West at F and ending with X is not so great.)

[CahosRahneVeloza]

@j-dub: That is just gorgeous 

[H4tchetman]

  This is so freaking awesome  Thankyou to all the NAM team, THANKYOU!!

[Tarkus]

The NAM Team is pleased to announce the release of:

The NAM Diagonal Bridge Enabler is a mod intended for advanced users, containing a special "temporary" file, modifying the game's transit network slope and terrain parameters to allow for the construction of otherwise impossible diagonal bridges, coupled with starter pieces enabling several different styles of diagonal bridges.

The Diagonal Bridge Enabler contains just two file: the main file DiagonalBridgeEnabler.dat, and DiagonalBridgeEnabler_Locale_english.dat (which contains description strings for pieces and menu icons).
There are temporary files designed only to be used when you wish to construct diagonal bridges--it is recommended you take the entire ~Diagonal Bridge Enabler folder and drop it into your Plugins, and remove the folder when you are finished constructing your diagonal bridges. 

The file does the following:    

• Lowers the sea level to 0, effectively draining any in-game bodies of water in an opened city.
• Forces the Road, One-Way Road, Rail and RealHighway networks to be completely level, allowing them to be dragged across the drained bodies of water.
• Enables buttons in the Roads and Rails menus containing draggable Diagonal Bridge starter pieces and Waterbridge Viaduct puzzle pieces.
• Adds pylon exemplars to the Rail and RealHighway networks.

       
       
Upon opening your city tile with the ~Diagonal Bridge Enabler folder installed, you will notice all game water has been drained from the map, and your terrain will have dramatically shifted color (with default Maxis terrain, it will appear that your city is now in a desert).  If you attempt to drag the Road, One-Way Road, Rail or RealHighway networks, you will notice that they stay on a level plane and can be dragged across the chasms where the waterways once were in your city.  You can use this to create diagonal, curving and even neighbor connecting bridges with these networks with Maxis' default pylons (see here for more information).

Removing the temporary files when you are done will restore the terrain, refill your bodies of water, and return network slopes to their regular setting (either the defaults or whatever slope mod you may have installed).
      

      
However, these default pylon bridges may leave something to be desired from a visual, aesthetic standpoint.  Thus, the DBE also enables a set of options, designed to emulate the look and feel of traditional SC4 water bridges.
      
The options available include the following:
      
Diagonal Bridges (under the Roads Menu)

• Road Level Bridge (drag with Road network)
• Road Lars Bridge (drag with Road network)
• Road Undertruss Bridge (drag with Road network)
• One-Way Road Level Bridge (drag with One-Way Road network)
• One-Way Road Lars Bridge (drag with One-Way Road network)
• One-Way Road Undertruss Bridge (drag with One-Way Road network)
• Avenue Level Bridge (drag with RealHighway network)
• Avenue Undertruss Bridge (drag with RealHighway network)
• Rail Level Bridge (drag with Rail network)
• Rail Undertruss Bridge (drag with Rail network)
• Ground Highway Bridge Standard (drag with RealHighway network)

      
These items under this button are all starter piece items, from which one drags the network listed above from the end of a puzzle piece. 
      
First, you'll want to drag your network across the drained waterway as shown below:
      

      
      
For the continuation of the ground roadway, you'll want to have a space between the bridge and the ground roadway as follows, and place the starter piece you wish to use on top in the following manner (with the arrows facing toward the bridge:
      

      
This will convert part of the default pylon bridge.
      

      
To continue converting the rest, simply click the network tool every few tiles along the path of the bridge, and it'll convert (tip: follow the pylons--it may be rather tricky at times because of the height of the pylons).
      

      
Once you get to the other side, use a starter piece and place a gap between your bridge and ground roadway, and plop another starter piece.  This will seal in the override and prevent the ground roadway on the other side from turning into a bridge as well.
      

      
Now that you've built your bridge, you can now close the game, take the ~Diagonal Bridge Enabler (Temporary Files) folder out of your Plugins, and reopen the game.  Your terrain and slope settings will be restored back to their previous settings, and the water will return:
      

      
Since the techniques involved here do not support dual-tile networks, the Avenue and Ground Highway bridges are based off the RealHighway network, to keep the capacities up.  Dragging a "shared tile" RealHighway setup is necessary in order for these to work.
      



      
While the pylon techniques do allow for curving, intersecting and neighbor connecting functionality, these draggable bridge items are currently intended for strictly diagonal usage--no curving or intersecting.  Attempting to curve or intersect one of these bridges from their intended diagonal trajectory will result in the override breaking, leaving behind a default pylon bridge.
      
Diagonal Viaduct Rail Waterbridges (under the Rails menu)

• Diagonal Railroad Viaduct with Long Support
• Diagonal Railroad Viaduct Truss Bridge Start/End
• Diagonal Railroad Viaduct Truss Bridge (without supports)
• Diagonal Railroad Viaduct Truss Bridge with Long Support

These pieces allow for the construction of modular, puzzle piece-based Elevated Heavy Rail Viaduct Truss Bridges, designed to work with the NAM's Elevated Heavy Rail Viaducts.  Their appearance will conform to whatever texture style you chose for the Rail Viaducts (Gray Brick, Brown Brick, or Red Brick) when you installed the NAM.

To use these, simply drag out a diagonal default pylon bridge with the Rail network over your drained waterway, and plop the puzzle pieces over top.
      

      
A finished product:
      

      
   
Dependencies   
   
The following files are required in order for the Diagonal Bridge Enabler to function.

• Network Addon Mod (Windows), Version 30 with Essentials r132 (or later)
• RealHighway (Windows), Version 5.0 (or later)

       
Versions of these files are also availablewithout .exe installers for Mac Users:

• Network Addon Mod (MacOS), Version 30 with Essentials r132 (or later)
• RealHighway (MacOS), Version 5.0 (or later)

NAM Essentials is not required.  As this plugin involves the use of temporary files to be added and removed from the Plugins folder, the DBE is a manual-install plugin, with no installer included. The same file works for both Windows and MacOS systems (as well as Linux).