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SimCity 4 Devotion Custom Content Showcase => Network Addon Mod (NAM) => NAM How-Tos and Tutorials => Topic started by: j-dub on September 04, 2008, 08:43:02 PM

Title: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: j-dub on September 04, 2008, 08:43:02 PM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg508.imageshack.us%2Fimg508%2F769%2Fvideotapeah3.jpg&hash=59f4c3398767f33b853a25627708dcc7ae1e131f)

Explanation only does so much. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, videos can do so much more. Here is my collection of some video tutorials, on NAM features, which include some not so beginner "secrets" of the NAM.

This beginner tutorial will show you how to build SAM
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/xCGxve_-CXY&fmt=18

The following is intermediate stuff.

These videos show you how to split avenues, and how they can be of use, which can make some different types of draggable intersections. In example, 4 lane avenue crossing a 6 lane avenue, see below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/emiZhdZLwPg&fmt=18

http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/hFYJSKINhP0&fmt=18

This will show you what you can do by leaving avenue stubs. Avenue stubs, can be used in conjunction with puzzle pieces, and can have other networks like OneWayRoad drawn through. You now have the option to avoid transitions, which take up an unneeded amount of room good for tight spots. This is even more challenging network building. Here you will see a 2 lane Avenue, not 4 lane Avenue intersection crossing a road with a light, and other possibilities.
http://www.youtube.com/v/HcNRnqXDSSc&fmt=18

Quick Fix to OWRxRoad Intersection Traffic Lights
http://www.youtube.com/v/jBA1z3hyQH4&fmt=18

http://www.youtube.com/v/NrtTQ6-ZG9g&fmt=18
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: jplumbley on September 04, 2008, 08:51:57 PM
Those are great J-Dub!!  :thumbsup: Thanks for the SAM Tutorial one, I love it!  &apls  &apls  &apls
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: j-dub on September 04, 2008, 10:29:56 PM
Thats great, at least the tube is doing something right.
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: z on September 07, 2008, 09:20:47 PM
That's some amazing stuff there, j-dub!  And very well produced, too.   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: buckbeach on September 25, 2008, 06:38:28 AM
I'm going to show my ignorance here!  The images above just show a little x in the upper right hand quarter.  How do I see the examples? ()what()
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: j-dub on September 25, 2008, 03:15:35 PM
Those are videos from YouTube. Whatever requirements are on that site, you need to watch the videos. Also, supposedly that site has been changed to this HD thing, so those requirements are beyond me.
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: j-dub on November 18, 2008, 06:40:47 PM
New Found Trick, video added to bottom of top post.
Quick Fix to OWRxRoad Intersection Trafficlights.
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: nerdly_dood on November 24, 2008, 02:01:04 PM
Great update with these tutorials! I'll probably find some use for this latest one you added. My one objection is that with your way, there is a crosswalk on only 3 sides of the intersection, not the 4 I'm used to, but I'm sure I'll be able to find a way to fit that in anyway. ;) You really do put a lot of effort into finding ways to do even more things than we usually are familiar with... :thumbsup:
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: aaaling on April 24, 2009, 04:39:29 PM
Hey j-dub, I've managed to make a RHW 6S 90 degree curve:

(sorry, no pic)
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: aaaling on April 25, 2009, 05:00:06 AM
j-dub, can you use the same technique to make a RHW 8 90 degree curve?

(I'll try it myself)
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: j-dub on April 26, 2009, 09:30:53 AM
I actually did try that first, traffic used it, it seemed trickier to build then the 6s one, but it didn't look as right to me, that's why I didn't show it.
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: aaaling on May 18, 2009, 01:51:19 PM
Quote from: j-dub on April 26, 2009, 09:30:53 AM
I actually did try that first, traffic used it, it seemed trickier to build then the 6s one, but it didn't look as right to me, that's why I didn't show it.

No it doesnt!
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: Blue Lightning on May 18, 2009, 01:52:44 PM
Traffic does use the RHW8 OWR patch. It was a bit difficult, but I used the stubs left behind as a sort of "starter" that I dragged OWR from. You HAVE to drag the OWR over each tile to direct it in the right direction. I can confirm it, but I do not have a pic of it yet due to the tiny size of my laptop screen.
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: cynicism on June 18, 2009, 11:59:27 PM
Thats great.
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: Amtrak7 on June 26, 2009, 05:02:04 PM
What mod is used here to alter the GUI of the game (RCI bar on bottom)?
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: j-dub on June 26, 2009, 06:24:32 PM
I think it has something to do with screen resolution that causes the GUI's appearance to be different. Initially when I had a regular monitor, my GUI did not look like how you see it now. Even though FRAPs makes my screen only look like its 4:3, my monitor is 16:9, and that alters the GUI completely different on my computer for some reason.
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: Andreas on June 27, 2009, 05:51:57 AM
Maxis designed a different GUI for those who still use 800x600 as screen resolution. Since most of the players have larger screens, the 800x600 version is rarely seen.
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: Haljackey on June 27, 2009, 08:48:07 AM
An easy workaround is to set SC4 at a true widescreen resolution (16:9, not 16:10) when making a video.

For example, if you run SC4 at 1920x1200 (16:9), set it to 1920x1080 (16:9) when making a video so it uploads undistorted.
-Same goes for 1280x800.  Change it to 1280x720.

As always, great videos!
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: j-dub on March 05, 2010, 09:46:53 PM
Wider RHW 6s and 4 Connection NO looping needed!:
http://www.youtube.com/v/D2g_mcR_iUU

RHW 6c and Proof of Commuting Traffic
http://www.youtube.com/v/Z0w9RtNW_Ug
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: cwhtly on March 12, 2010, 06:57:27 PM
j-dub:

RE your solution to RHW connections: THANK YOU!   &apls

This whole thread is cool in fact.


Thanks Again,

cwhtly
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: Danthe on March 13, 2010, 01:47:55 AM
j-dub: brilliant idea, thanks for tutorial &apls
And one question: it can for RHW-8 was something like this make also?
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: j-dub on March 13, 2010, 10:33:27 PM
I actually was able to do just that, one city, but I never got around to filming it because WMV, seriously messed up. So yeah, I can confirm RHW-8 is also possible.
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: MOREOPTIONS on May 20, 2010, 01:48:21 PM
 &hlp  Hi,  kind of new at this,  I have trying your ida from the vid. but only get outgoing arrows on north/south or east/west connections.  The only road i get to have two ways arrows are the Highways.  but would really like to be able to use Urban highways. as there more commen.  I also might like to ask...   DO you know why i only have black when running highways threw a mountain?  the opening is not giving me anything but black when the tunnel would go in or out...  would you be able to help?   Thank you. God Bless
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: j-dub on May 20, 2010, 05:03:00 PM
Hello MoreOptions, hopefully these answer your questions:

Tunnels and Black Holes:
Unfortunately, SimCity's original developers did not allow access to the game's exe coding to allow street and RHW traffic proceed through the mountain tunnels. So the result is black holes and no tunnel. But tunnels for Road, Avenue, Ground Highway, and Elevated Highway are okay to build through mountains because Maxis enabled traffic to pass through them.

Neighbor Connection Arrows:
Road and RHW-2 will only display a neighbor connection arrow facing out, however traffic should be allowed to come in and go out both ways without the in arrow, street on the other hand does not have neighbor connection enabled by default at all.

2 tile networks involving Avenue, Ground Highway, and Maxis Highway should display the arrows both directions. These you can just click and drag to the edge of your city and should give you access to connect traffic to your neighbors easily, where as urban RHW networks do not connect the same.

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.picvalley.net%2Fu%2F2617%2F72270820212630440781267759075Ms37X1JxdSdXnWaUocST.JPG&hash=0b78715e56560204fbe96ddf4f2a5e5d9d7fdb62)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.picvalley.net%2Fu%2F2139%2F1492708665352176112677382841Ka2KcL9b7FLfJmAa0Tv.JPG&hash=6f8dc18328792f4dea7d823f5ec2ddd026437fd4)

MoreOptions, if you need more help, Alex (Tarkus) can give you more precise answers then me because he created the Real Highways System (RHW)
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: rodhunt on May 27, 2010, 01:31:36 AM
Hi, I've just downloaded the RHW version 4.X that comes with the neighbour connector pieces, never having really used it before. The readme is very vague on creating connections with the NCPs ("build a Neighbor Connection through the normal draggable means, and then place the appropriate Network Piece over the tile with the Neighbor Connection arrow" - since I'm new to the RHW - normal means - this doesn't mean much to me).

I've seen you're video tutorials but they appear to be prior to the creation of NCPs. Maybe this has been answered elsewhere - so can anyone point me in the right direction to learn how to use these properly? Would I have to created connections as in your tutorial and place the puzzle pieces? I've tried placing them after dragging the rhw but I just get results that just don't look right...
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: j-dub on May 28, 2010, 08:25:37 AM
Rod, you are right, and hopefully I can explain the NCP's properly. You see, the videos were in fact made before the RHWv4 came out. I did not even expect Alex to get RHWv4 out when he did, seems it came out faster then the last RHW, which back then, there were no RHW neighbor connector pieces, and the videos were made without knowledge of the NCP's.

Unlike the 2 videos, the NCP's are intended so you can drag the RHW to the edge of your city tile, and after it is connected to the neighboring city, you then place the NCP over the neigbhor connection arrow. Now, the way those pieces were made, and yes, it does look akward, but it is considered normal to see the traffic query route arrows fall below the piece, even though it may not look right, but I don't think Alex had any other choice. Now, there have been reports about certain instances of the RHW NCP's not working on the East side of the city, in that case you would have to use the neighbor connection method demonstrated in the 2 videos.

That said, nothing should stop you from placing NCP's over the methods demonstrated on video, although I have not tried the NCP's in that way myself, as I rather like to see the cars drive straight out to be honest.

I do have to ask you though Rod, did you happen to see car traffic take the NCP's down and out?
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: rodhunt on May 29, 2010, 01:22:17 AM
Thx for your reply.

I've actually opted to do my neighbour connections as per your video tutorials, I prefer the visual results - rather than seeing arrows jumping over 3 tiles. The only thing is, I am not seeing any traffic other than freight on the RHW leaving the city (my neighbour connection is 6S) or in fact using the RHW. It's just occurred to me that this could be a problem when placing the train over rhw 4 puzzle piece to create the connection, I have the Euro texture mod, so I have no real way of knowing if I'm placing them in the right direction as they have white lines on both edges....  &Thk/( I'll experiment with that. But the other traffic does appear to have an aversion to using the RHW - they don't even cross the bridge over it....

On another note - which I've asked elsewhere and had no answer yet. On my normal traffic view, my RHW6S is showing up red as if it had high congestion from the on ramp where traffic is currently joining to the neighbour connection, but only has about 30 freight trucks on it, in the detail view this is fine... is this normal or have I got/done something wrong? FYI I am using a custom traffic simulator created with the Traffic Simulator Configuration tool and using medium setting.
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: j-dub on May 29, 2010, 09:41:38 AM
Maybe cars don't want to use it because those 30 freight trucks are a safety hazard? Nah, maybe if you post some pictures of your city, I may get a better idea of whats going on here.

As for the custom simulator, I have not touched that because I feel safer using Z's Traffic Simulator on Ultra because the new networks have always behaved the best for me on that especially because capacity and speed is beefed up quite a notch. In your case I think getting yourself high might work better then medium, which may explain you getting the red light, but Z probably would be the best to explain the traffic simulator.

The only way you will know for sure Rod is to have a city for testing purposes that only has RHW connections, and if the cars do use it,  it may just be a matter of the closest route versus the highways, because even when I have built Maxis highways, before Real Highways existed, if there was a closer way out, they all took that instead of the highway, but again the RHW needs proper simulators to work, after all the RHW was built off an unfinished network the developers left behind that maybe Maxis did not plan to actually be a highway.
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: z on May 29, 2010, 02:14:27 PM
Quote from: rodhunt on May 29, 2010, 01:22:17 AM
On another note - which I've asked elsewhere and had no answer yet. On my normal traffic view, my RHW6S is showing up red as if it had high congestion from the on ramp where traffic is currently joining to the neighbour connection, but only has about 30 freight trucks on it, in the detail view this is fine... is this normal or have I got/done something wrong? FYI I am using a custom traffic simulator created with the Traffic Simulator Configuration tool and using medium setting.

Could you please post some close-up pictures of the area (probably Zoom 4 is best) using the Traffic Congestion Data View?  If you could post those in the NAM Unified Traffic Simulator and Data View Help (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=6812.0) thread, that would probably be best, and I can probably tell you what's happening in your city.  Thanks! :)
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: rodhunt on May 30, 2010, 04:45:06 PM
I've definitely got a problem with my RHW, but damned if I know what. If I should continue posting somewhere else please let me know, but for the time being...

The only vehicles that will use the RHW are the freight trucks...

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1002.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faf141%2Frodhunt%2FRHW1.jpg&hash=59d3ae13a03afb035518298454adf7bb93bc433d)

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1002.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faf141%2Frodhunt%2FRHW2.jpg&hash=1c5212a7fdd4813149691aa7536cd6aa04b5a737)

In this small zone of my city (mostly res) I cut off their access to the city to the west and a normal road connection to the rest of the city... cars and buses would not even use the bridges crossing over the RHW to the rest of the city. It went from full employment to a lot of abandonment and lack of jobs... I also created a city to the south only connecting via RHW... and nothing.

Could it be some other plugin conflicting? My NAM and RHW are clean installations with the latest releases, so that's not the problem... oh and drawpaths shows me that my paths are fine...
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: rodhunt on May 31, 2010, 03:16:31 PM
Hi,

I have sorted out my problem with the congestion and usage. I imagined that something was conflicting, giving me false congestion readings and meaning that my cars wouldn't use my RHW. On a hunch I removed a plugin for variable bus routes (meaning that a bus stop wasn't necessary for passengers to get off) and its sorted out both the congestion and use problem.  ;D RHW is going to get a lot more use now!!
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: j-dub on May 31, 2010, 04:44:08 PM
Really Rod, you managed to resolve the situation before I could get back? Thats great news!
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: rodhunt on May 31, 2010, 11:01:55 PM
Yup, all on my own!  :D

When I realised it had to be a conflicting plugin, it was the first and only culprit that came to mind. For the record, it's this file on the stex http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/details.cfm?id=23000 (http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/details.cfm?id=23000) just in case anyone else is having problems.
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: z on June 01, 2010, 12:41:26 AM
Yes, this plugin is incompatible with the NAM; I have given full details in this post (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=6812.msg328639#msg328639).
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: MOREOPTIONS on June 01, 2010, 04:12:27 AM
Thank you kindly for the reply j-dub . :-)  never seing trafic coming into a city, not sure as things were working so.  them arows I was thinking may of had something to do with it..  have had to totelly re install everything on a new drive. so hopefully will be good to go with all the new NAM plugins...  by the way.. do you know if thers a list of all bridges and such that are compatible to the NAM.. as I may go with the NAM and CAM to start with. and add as I go. to be sure i am seing everything working well...  this way if something starts acting up. will know where it went wrong and rem back to where it all ran smothlly...
"I do wonder thow.. I had before installed some bridges, anbd in the read me said to update the controller.. but I dont know if opening it and then saving is doing anything with the bridges, as i dont see anything related to them,. but i do remember some that i installed were missing... well.. I will have to wait and see what i can locate on here about that. as I am still kind of new with all this adding on to sc4d ..   am surelly enjoying all this... 
Thank you and God bless...  ()stsfd()   
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: z on June 01, 2010, 01:20:58 PM
All the bridges on the LEX are compatible with the NAM; more generally, everything on the LEX should be compatible with the NAM.  All the LEX downloads are heavily screened, and you should be quite comfortable about downloading any of them.
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: six9nc on July 01, 2010, 09:57:03 AM
OK I watched both vids and yes I think I could do that method.  However is there a vid showing the 4.0 neighbor connections.  I would like to know cause I cant figure it out.
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: j-dub on July 01, 2010, 08:57:49 PM
Sorry dude, I have not been able to get around to that, and because I can't find video, I want to say they either are in the starter RHW icon tab ring or have their own icon tab ring, just for neighbor connections. Its one of the two, but not both.

If you use the version 4 method of connection, and you find the connector pieces, it involves you building RHW all the way to the edge of the city, and placing the appropriate neighbor connection piece after the exiting arrow is already there. You then should see cars falling to the ground at the edge. Alex said that building underground was the only way to get the new highways to work.

However, I still like the method without pieces, but if you build at a corner edge of a city, you have no choice but to use the connection pieces for the highway instead.
Title: Re: NAM Video Tutorials
Post by: six9nc on July 05, 2010, 05:27:47 AM
Hey j-dub dont worry I just now used your instructions and they look and work great &apls