RHW (RealHighway) - Development and Support

MandelSoft · September 01, 2011, 10:17:39 AM

You can use PhotoShop or GIMP (both can do about the same, but GIMP is for free). Paint.NET might be doing the trick too (but I have no experience with that program) and sometimes I use InkScape and even good ol' basic MS Paint! But you can also use a combination of two or more of these programs.

Elydion · September 01, 2011, 10:20:48 AM

Quote from: j-dub on August 31, 2011, 09:13:02 PM

Great choice of music for automotive touring. What are those songs by the way?

Those songs are the in-game music for cities XL

GDO29Anagram · September 01, 2011, 10:27:21 AM

Quote from: art128 on September 01, 2011, 09:57:38 AM
Photoshop, or other image manipulation program such as GIMP, ms Paint etc .. And I think you need one other specifically for SC4 but I don't remember..

MS Paint is not recommended since it doesn't handle transparencies (unless you want to do some fine tuning). And depending on whether you're editing an existing texture or creating a whole new texture, you might need up to three more programs, but the most important tool you need is the Batch PNG to FSH program. (I believe that's what you're referring to, Art?)

http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=2255

PS Maarten, I create/edit most of my textures using Paint.NET.

drjumbajookiba · September 01, 2011, 12:16:52 PM

Interesting, reflectors instead of lines.

I frame code <> does not work, at least for me; that I have to view it like this:

Great choice of music for automotive touring. What are those songs by the way?

I also got to say, those screens, with all the textures now, especially with that new hud, really does not look even look like

Cities Xl 2011 OST

Architect_1077 · September 02, 2011, 04:17:39 AM

What about RHW bridges?? What are the problems to overcome in making them? There is only one bridge that I know of specifically for RHW.
I have some skills in 3DS Max, maybe I could help in making some bridges...

DAB_City · September 02, 2011, 07:02:39 AM

Quote from: Architect_1077 on September 02, 2011, 04:17:39 AM
What about RHW bridges?? What are the problems to overcome in making them? There is only one bridge that I know of specifically for RHW.
I have some skills in 3DS Max, maybe I could help in making some bridges...

I know there's been one bridge at least, for RHW-4... shouldn't be too hard, I'd guess

http://www.simtropolis.com/forum/files/file/24543-rhw-4-compact-suspension-bridge/

jdenm8 · September 02, 2011, 07:45:33 AM

Creating bridges for the RHW is no harder than creating bridges for any other network, they just need a little more work to allow for the texture mods and such (and it's a really easy thing to do anyway).

Architect_1077 · September 02, 2011, 08:43:20 AM

Quote from: jdenm8 on September 02, 2011, 07:45:33 AM
Creating bridges for the RHW is no harder than creating bridges for any other network, they just need a little more work to allow for the texture mods and such (and it's a really easy thing to do anyway).

Alright then. Where exactly can I get a copy of the RHW road textures so I can get started? I'm not really experienced at actually creating content for SC4, but I'd like to contribute instead of just downloading.

(Oh, and I also have experience at Photoshop)

Tarkus · September 02, 2011, 10:31:34 AM

Because we're approaching the Version 5.0 release and it includes a major change to the textures (including substantial changes to dimensions/alignment), I'd recommend waiting until after the release before developing any RHW-related content. Since I get asked regularly, I'll include a folder with the orthogonal network textures in PNG format in the release.

-Alex

Architect_1077 · September 02, 2011, 10:40:40 AM

Cool!

drjumbajookiba · September 02, 2011, 11:38:07 AM

SWEET Can't Wait

drjumbajookiba · September 02, 2011, 06:36:06 PM

Quote from: Tarkus on September 02, 2011, 10:31:34 AM
Because we're approaching the Version 5.0 release and it includes a major change to the textures (including substantial changes to dimensions/alignment), I'd recommend waiting until after the release before developing any RHW-related content. Since I get asked regularly, I'll include a folder with the orthogonal network textures in PNG format in the release.

-Alex

Dose it mean all textures?

Shadow Assassin · September 02, 2011, 08:39:48 PM

Quote
QuoteBecause we're approaching the Version 5.0 release and it includes a major change to the textures (including substantial changes to dimensions/alignment)
Dose it mean all textures?

All the textures have been replaced with new ones, yes. Alex is providing only the orthogonal textures (alternatively you can grab them directly from the Reader and drop them into Photoshop as FSHs using null45's FSH plugin for Photoshop (or, for non-Photoshop users: here.

To create the majority of textures for the RHW mod, we use the BAT script written by superhands, located here... and you're all good to go.

Note that it's always good to have some experience with Photoshop and the BAT for this.

citybuilderx · September 03, 2011, 10:59:19 AM

http://www.youtube.com/embed/WYeO1dqNmdg Found this a while back. Any info?

MandelSoft · September 03, 2011, 02:21:12 PM

Ah, the whole fuzz about "Freeway Experts"...

FE planned to release their own mods, but we haven't heard anything in over more than a year ago. The large part was existing out of ex-NAM-members, for example Blahdy, creator of the Boston Big Dig tunnels and the texture creator (can't recall his name) of the very first RHW versions. They thought that the NAM policy was too limited and therefore they tried to compete with the NAM. This would mean releasing their own mods with their own controllers, which would be incompatible with the NAM. Communictation was quite closed and one-way (if there was any) and their developments we all behind doors (baaaaad PR). Therefore we didn't know what happened, what they have achieved and moreover what they were planning to release. The only thing they have achieved is a small hype...

It's a shame, so many talent was lost here, but on the other hand, we now have less to worry about incompatible transit-related content. I've seen some wonderfull creations come and go. Over at SimTropolis there were two threads (nowadays deleted) by She Who Will Not Be Named (funny enough it looks like the forum software wouldn't let me write her name, so that looks like a rough backstory...) with wonderfull creations. These would involve changeing the look of the MHW (part of the M25 project, which was somehow cancelled) and the streetlights. Especially the revamped MHW look totally excellent (a shame I can't get any pictures of it, because it was pure awesomeness). Both projects suddenly stopped and got deleted. Now, I restarted both projects on my own, which resulted into the HRS-mod (although I can't top with what She Who Will Not Be Named did) and the LRM (which is still ongoing). Who knows, we might pick up some things from FE (well, the little they have shown) down the road...

Best,
Maarten

P.S. I hope I didn't croos the line with explaining the whole situation here

ivo_su · September 03, 2011, 02:44:33 PM

Maarten forgive me for questions but I'm not really familiar with the past and could you tell me who the FA and what is unknown. For the first time I hear that there is a group of people who try to compete with NAM. There is nothing wrong with that as long as they can cause you to show something better to raise the level. The right choice is motive in any democracy and that the world moves towards prosperity, but I'm really very surprised by all that I knew.

Best,
Ivo

MandelSoft · September 03, 2011, 02:56:05 PM

Quote from: ivo_su on September 03, 2011, 02:44:33 PM
Maarten forgive me for questions but I'm not really familiar with the past and could you tell me who the FA and what is unknown.

Well, pretty much everything. Very little is known about this group and their content. This happened a while ago, and I've been member of ST since 2007 and of SC4D since SC4D, and I have seen a lot of stuff, including projects that died here and there...

Quote from: ivo_su on September 03, 2011, 02:44:33 PM
For the first time I hear that there is a group of people who try to compete with NAM. There is nothing wrong with that as long as they can cause you to show something better to raise the level. The right choice is motive in any democracy and that the world moves towards prosperity, but I'm really very surprised by all that I knew.

Well, democracy work good in the real world, but from a programmers point of view, this is not really usefull when it comes to transit modding. Imagine there are two RealHighWay mods. Both have awesome content, but there's no way to combine the two. Or what if the NWM, the RHW and the SAM were incompatible with each other? I guess this would lead to lots of unhappy players and lots of questions why these mods couldn't be made compatible. So, if there would be a strong, competiting modding group besides the NAM, they would do more harm than good...

ivo_su · September 03, 2011, 03:48:23 PM

Maartin you know that I have infinite respect, but this time allow me to disagree with you. The competition between different teams either in engineering, physics, sports, or programming is always worsen. He thought only on the facts:
competition for space programs of the United States and the Soviet Union led to unprecedented human progress, Linux and Microsoft and Google recently made software is as important as electricity. Because I am a football fan, I can not help but give you an example with your country and competition between Ajax, PSV and FC Twente to lead your country to World Cup final. My thought is that if there is an alternative that is good enough everyone would choose which to use. That would be incentive for us, and for others to do better things for a short time.

jdenm8 · September 03, 2011, 05:16:14 PM

Working in separate groups works okay when we have the amount of talent they do. But we don't have that amount of talent in the community.
For example, I can only think of four or five people in the community who can write RUL2, and only two to the extent of WaveRIDE. We just don't have the number of people necessary to have multiple teams, and gamers aren't like governments.

They want all of their mods to magically work together.

ivo_su · September 03, 2011, 05:46:23 PM

Obviously you do not divide the work of departments and sub-teams. If 5 people can do RUL2 it would not take more than 1-2 weeks for 20 000 lines (provided it is coordinated and not chaotic) NAM have huge capacity, because this is the team with the most members and if each of you has specific purpose and task and timescale would be easier. Column, and I hate to say it, all of you, and we rely too much just Alex. But he is also human and need privacy. I really feel sorry for him and how much work falls on poor Alex. Most of you are quite young and do not know what it is to have a management company and everyone knows their targets and timetables for them, but believe me it would help a lot. Maybe a few groups:
-textures
- pats
BAT-models
S3D-files, etc. everything would have gone more smoothly and when each specializes in a particular area will do better work.

Do not be angry with me it's positive criticism and I appreciate they do work. Just can always be better and there should be any optimization process.

- Ivo