Other Maxis Highway Textures?

[deathtopumpkins]

I believe this was mentioned in some thread previously, but I can't seem to find it.

While working on my Transit Retexturing Project (TRP), I came across some textures grouped with the Maxis highway textures that don't even resemble anything I can think of in the game.

Here's an example:

Did Maxis originally intend to make the highways 2-lane like this? There are almost enough textures in there for the whole network, and even some basic orthagonal and diagonal ones resembling the MIS. Does anyone know the story behind these?

[Tarkus]

I had noticed a few of those in there as well, and from what I have heard, Maxis had indeed originally intended to have the Maxis Highways be 2-lanes.  That may be some sort of prototype texture from the original design, that was never removed from the game's files. 

-Alex (Tarkus)

[deathtopumpkins]

Alex: Hmm...  I guess I was right then. I, personally,am glad they changed the textures, as the ones they ended up using actually look good compared to these.
I've always wondered why they leave stuff like this in games. I would think they would take out stuff they don't end up using to try and get the size of the files smaller.
Thanks for your answer.

[Tarkus]

I've always wondered why they leave stuff like this in games. I would think they would take out stuff they don't end up using to try and get the size of the files smaller.

Knowing what I know about the development process for SC4, it was somewhat of a rush job.  Maxis wanted to spend more time with it and add more features, but EA wanted a quicker turnaround.  It's possible they didn't have enough time to take it all out.  I speak from experience there--there's a little bit of stuff stashed away in RHW Version 20, more or less for that very reason.  I know there at least had been some experimental files that Tropod was working with that were floating around in the October 2005 NAM, albeit disabled.

And ultimately, it worked out that them leaving stuff in allowed us a lot of room on the modding end.  Namely that extra network they left dangling around in there, which eventually got turned into the RHW.

-Alex (Tarkus)

[deathtopumpkins]

Well that makes sense as we all know what a crappy publisher EA is. 
I've seen some of the stuff in RHW v.20, namely the MIS-split textures.  I guess it makes it easier to just stick it in there if something's partially finished so it can easily be finished later.

I'm REALLY glad they left that in there. Maybe they guessed that a couple years down the road we'd be able to make our own network. I don't know what we'd have done without it!