RHW (RealHighway) - Development and Support

[GDO29Anagram]

It starts as an F1 off an RHW-10S, becomes 2 lanes part way down, then eventually widens out to a five-lane turn lane setup.  Looks like a job for TuLEPs to me--and a mighty fun one at that!

Where does one draw the line between RHW/MIS TuLEP and RHW CP, anyway? Should a MIS TuLEP have its lanes centred about the MIS's own lane (like a MIS-3 TuLEP whose lanes are centred like that of the OWR-3), or would it be in line with all other RHWs?

Right now, CPs are called CPs, but their functionality can be comparable to TuLEPs, and it's possible to mistake them as a TuLEP. Should a more general term be used to describe TuLEP-like CPs? Or would there be a dedicated set of pieces separate from the TuLEP-like CPs?

Given the structure of the MIS network in general, I think the distinguishing feature between RHW LDPs (Lane Division Pieces) and RHW MIS TuLEPs is the absence of the broad shoulder found on most other RHWs.

Worth discussing, too.

[mike3775]

Affirmative.  The trick has been getting them to work correctly as FLEXRamps.

-Alex

Sweet.  Thanks. 

[Indiana Joe]

Actually, if you have a legitimate concern or bug report or actual question pertaining to development or usage, one can ask all they'd like.

The intention of 30 meter overpasses should be quite obvious: Multi-level interchanging for up to five levels, with height levels of L3 and L4 being more for going over L0, L1, and L2 networks.

And describe by what you mean by "oddball RHW-4 ramps". Do you mean the ones that are already on my chart or do you mean something that's not even available?

I doubt I'd have to report anything; you guys are usually on top of things as far as double checking and avoiding bugs.  SimCity 4 itself suffers from more bugs than your mods.  Anyway, I was just thinking that 30 meters--100 feet!--is awfully tall; there must be very few real life examples.  With tunnels, you can make 6 level interchanges.  That's a bit ridiculous to me, but I guess it must not have been to hard if you're doing it already...

As for 'oddball': diagonal ramps, ramps that are integrated into curves, FAR ramps, ramps that somehow include tunnels, crossover pieces, cool stuff, and the like...

[GDO29Anagram]

Anyway, I was just thinking that 30 meters--100 feet!--is awfully tall; there must be very few real life examples.

It's called the Dallas High-Five. Highest level is about 120 feet.

[Tarkus]

If you consider that the game's trimetric orthographic projection graphics have a tendency to make the z-axis seem "squashed", many BATers have a general rule of thumb that the height of game buildings should be multiplied by a factor of 1.3, if you wanted a spot-on replica of the tallest High Five ramps, they'd actually need to be 156ft. above ground (~47.5m).  And if you were to consider the bottom level (US-75) to be a sunken highway, you'd actually have to add another 26 feet/8m.

-Alex

[GMT]

If you consider that the game's trimetric orthographic projection graphics have a tendency to make the z-axis seem "squashed", many BATers have a general rule of thumb that the height of game buildings should be multiplied by a factor of 1.3
-Alex

something I'll never understand... always looks wrong to me

[Monorail Master]

WRHW-2 is not missing anything. WRHW-2 is not a draggable network (It's actually not even considered to be a network in its own right, but merely a filler between RHW-3 and either more RHW-3 or a WRHW-2 to RHW-2 transition) and this is reflected in the capacity tables {It's not listed}) as it's only intended for short sections.

There is a bug with it though, last time I checked, there was a filler piece for it in the tab loops for one of the transitions.

Thanks for the help, didn't know that it's not a draggable network and it's only a filler. Amazing what stuff you can forget while you're busy with college.


Anyways, I'm just wondering about future transitions. Will there be RHW transitions into OWR-3, OWR-4, OWR-5, or TLA-7/AVE-6 in the future versions? Transitions for freeway endings, not MIS exits/enterances. Freeway endings such as this: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=36.847382,-75.985883&spn=0.001116,0.001737&t=h&z=20&layer=t
This is the Interstate-264 ending/start in my hometown of Virginia Beach, Virginia. This transition in RHW-terms is a RHW-10 transitioning into RHW-6S, then the RHW-6S transitioning into OWR-3.

Or in simpler terms, will there transitions such as: RHW-6S > OWR-3, RHW-6C > AVE-6/TLA-7, or RHW-8S > OWR-4? About the RHW-8S > OWR-4 conversion, will there be a future transition for that; or do we have to stick with placing a RHW-8S > 2RHW-4 splitter, then convert the 2 RHW-4s into OWR-2, then the OWR-2 back into OWR-4?

Are there any plans to have left handed exits for any of the other RHW lanes besides the RHW-4?

I was wondering about that as well, will there be any left-sided RHW-6S>2 RHW-4 splitters? I'd like to have some of those while building Y-interchanges or T-interchanges.

[jdenm8]

Or in simpler terms, will there transitions such as: RHW-6S > OWR-3, RHW-6C > AVE-6/TLA-7,

Try dragging Road out of the end of RHW-6C or OWR out of the end of RHW-6S.

[Monorail Master]

Or in simpler terms, will there transitions such as: RHW-6S > OWR-3, RHW-6C > AVE-6/TLA-7,

Try dragging Road out of the end of RHW-6C or OWR out of the end of RHW-6S.

Ok, I'll try that when I get finished with my classes today.

[Indiana Joe]

If you consider that the game's trimetric orthographic projection graphics have a tendency to make the z-axis seem "squashed", many BATers have a general rule of thumb that the height of game buildings should be multiplied by a factor of 1.3

Never knew that.  Suddenly a lot of things make sense now.  Ty for the education!

While I'm on the topic of overpasses, I'd like to know: what's the planned extent of functionality of the L1 level?  Will it be possible to do all of the crossings that are possible with 15 meters in 4.0?  I would like to be able to use it for all normal 1 level overpasses since I feel that it better represents the average height of overpasses in RL (18 feet using the 1.3 rule).

[Tarkus]

L1 will indeed be able to do everything L2 can do.

-Alex

[GDO29Anagram]

I would like to be able to use it for all normal 1 level overpasses since I feel that it better represents the average height of overpasses in RL (18 feet using the 1.3 rule).

There's a difference between the height between the ground and the bottom of the elevated network's substructure and the ground to the top of the substructure. In other words, you need to account for the thickness of the elevated network's road deck.

In the case of RHW, the deck is 1 meter thick, so the clearance underneath the deck is 6.5 meters. The 7.5 refers to the clearance plus the thickness of the deck, so when we say 7.5 meter height, that's the height from the ground to the top of the deck. The clearance is the gap between the bottom of the deck and the ground.

If you're walking or driving on an overpass that has a 15 foot clearance underneath, are you really 15 feet above the ground? Not likely. You're more like 18-20 feet off the ground, because the thickness of the deck you're on is added to the height of the clearance.

If it really were 15 feet from the ground to the top of the deck, you'd have this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYLKrsmn4Nc Either that, or that overpass would need to be paper-thin.

[Indiana Joe]

L1 will indeed be able to do everything L2 can do.

-Alex

Excellent to hear.

There's a difference between the height between the ground and the bottom of the elevated network's substructure and the ground to the top of the substructure. In other words, you need to account for the thickness of the elevated network's road deck.

In the case of RHW, the deck is 1 meter thick, so the clearance underneath the deck is 6.5 meters. The 7.5 refers to the clearance plus the thickness of the deck, so when we say 7.5 meter height, that's the height from the ground to the top of the deck. The clearance is the gap between the bottom of the deck and the ground.

If you're walking or driving on an overpass that has a 15 foot clearance underneath, are you really 15 feet above the ground? Not likely. You're more like 18-20 feet off the ground, because the thickness of the deck you're on is added to the height of the clearance.

If it really were 15 feet from the ground to the top of the deck, you'd have this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYLKrsmn4Nc Either that, or that overpass would need to be paper-thin.

I always assumed that the height listed was the height to the bottom of the overpass.  Once again, things make a lot more sense now.

But 6.5 meters is 5 meters using that 1.3 distortion rule; which is a 16 foot clearance.  Which seems pretty reasonable for the average overpass.  Not sure if it's different elsewhere in the US (or world), but here on the east coast I've noticed they only post the clearance warning signs if it's under 16 feet.  I still plan on using L1 for most overpasses.

[MandelSoft]

Here we have special warnings from under 4.0m. Between 4.0m and 4.5m it's only notified and above that it's not even notified.

We came to a level of 7.5m when we looked at the tallest automata, and it turned out to be one of jestarr's train carts, which fit just under a 6.5m clearance....

[Swordmaster]

Apparently, the hightest doublestacking standards in the US are 20ft 2in (6.1m), so 6.5m is as good as spot on for modern, high standard overpasses for rail. However, I've always wanted some way to build older, lower standard overpasses like on the NY parkway system. But then I could use L1 to represent that and use L2 to "upgrade" them.

Cheers
Willy

[Tarkus]

In honor of the 6th anniversary of SimCity 4 Devotion, and the 7th anniversary of the first RHW release, the NAM Team will be having a special showcase in the "Of Special Interest This Month" section of the forums, for the whole month of November 2012.  No doubt you'll get to see some fun RHW stuff over there . . . come check it out!

-Alex

[AngryBirdsFan436]

Are there any plans for an RHW-8S to OWR-4 transition?

[Tarkus]

Yes.  But we're not in a stage of development where we're thinking about it.

-Alex

[kbieniu7]

Hi guys.  Sorry if it has been already asked, but are there any plans for:
1. Diagonal dashed line cosmetic piece for RHW-2?
2. Junction: RHW-3 -> RHW-2 + MIS? Something like that:
http://wikimapia.org/#lat=50.9076802&lon=20.5758663&z=19&l=28&m=h

[Tarkus]

Yes and yes.  The latter's been mostly implemented.

-Alex