SC4 Devotion Forum Archives

Originally begun under DTP Productions, the Transit Retexturing Project is now being worked on under SCRT, by me, (DTP) and un1, with road textures contributed by Heblem.

The TRP is a mod that cosmetically changes the textures of most transit networks, adding a yellow line to the left side and modifying some intersection textures to make them more prototypically accurate. The first phase of the project covers avenues, and is almost halfway completed. The second phase will cover highways, and is just being started, and then later phases will cover roads, one-way roads, etc. The mod should be NAM-patible, though initially will not modify NAM textures. A second release will cover those.

Phase I (Avenues) examples:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi188.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz194%2Fdeathtopumpkins%2FSimCity%25204%2F0x04004404before.jpg&hash=d1ecacf49a8734794799aaa1ab794d1afdf6bce4) TO (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi188.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz194%2Fdeathtopumpkins%2FSimCity%25204%2F0x04004404after.jpg&hash=0e825641e55025a2d3b1026112f6c4d45238344b)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi188.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz194%2Fdeathtopumpkins%2FSimCity%25204%2F0x04001604before.jpg&hash=9b4a4a6c60fe9b7cea0929bf3a9dfe38b46bc79e) TO (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi188.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz194%2Fdeathtopumpkins%2FSimCity%25204%2F0x04001604after.jpg&hash=52f4747dd68d36105d843693bf5ed222592a6089)
Those basically sum up the changes made to avenues, as due to the limitations of how the game mirrors instead of rotating tiles at intersections, I cannot change most of their textures... Trust me, I've tried...  $%Grinno$%
The only thing added to most is a yellow line along the left curb.

With permission from Maarten (mrtnrln), I'm also in the process of modifying his HRS textures to add a yellow line to them, as well as shorten the lines between lanes a bit, by request of Haljackey. Phase II is still in its infancy, however, so there is not much to show.

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Phase II (FHW) examples:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi188.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz194%2Fdeathtopumpkins%2Ffile_dec00000001-1.jpg&hash=02052c6d813f755799c493d7238d2740c90131a1) Here's the orthogonal FHW texture, with shoulder. I'm going to try to make a version without as well. Any comments on the line spacing?

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Phase III is also in its infancy at this point, and nothing can be shown at this time, but un1, and LBT member Heblem, are working on Roads.

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There is NO expected release date for any phase of this mod, and so taking up the favorite NAM team quote, it will be done when it's done.

This thread is for feedback and suggestions, which are highly encouraged!

Okay, well I could show you some of the road textures I have been doing...

Well only one, I guess.  :P

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi291.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fll316%2Fun1_2008%2FUDP%2F0x00AA0A34.jpg&hash=55b2c6e77a0c6cc905bbdc3b2e56d6dd672bc22e)

-un1

Going Canadian on me...  $%Grinno$%

Concerns addressed in chat, but otherwise  :thumbsup:

this looks interesting... i really like the avenue textures so far  :thumbsup:
concerning the road textures- any thought of a concrete texture versus the standard asphalt? i don't think I've seen any discussion about new road textures so I am looking forward to following this....

I would love to be able to say "can I help you with this project?" but considering I'm lacking in both modding and texturing/photoshopping skills, I just stay with lotting.  %wrd

Hey DTP looking good so far there!!

hey... someone might want to call videosean over from the NAM board.

He's got something very similar going on with the road textures, and that might save you people a lot of time.

- Allan Kuan

Great idea, you might want to try and resolve the 1px offset bug? That would just be amazing.

Jonathan

EDGE4194: Thanks! Hmmm... We might try that in a later version, as an option, though initially I think we'll stick with asphalt. That got me thinking though... I wonder about the possibility of there being a SAM for Roads? In that case a concrete texture'd be great! I can think of a few other ones that would be good too.
I'll look into concrete textures.

sim-Al2: heh, thanks anyway!  :)

Pat: Thank you!

allan_kuan1992: Yeah, I've seen his, and that was one reason I wasn't originally planning to do road textures, as we use the same shade of yellow and everything, but un1 wanted to go ahead and do ours anyway. Besides, isn't videosean completely redoing everything about roads? I think we'll just stick with our yellow lines and intersections.

Warrior: That's a good idea... I'll see what I can do. I think it's a problem with how the game displays the textures though, right?

Hey, it's good to see you around here. I'll keep an eye on this thread.

it would be nice to see those rail-avenues dressed up a bit so that the concrete is not on the road :D
otherwise looking forward to watching this project develop.

mrtnrln: Thanks.

bighead99: Hmmm... I dint think the concrete crossing was that bad. They use that around here, though I might be able to come up with something else. It'll be kinda difficult though.
Thanks!

I recommend brightening the white dashed lines down the avenues, other than that it looks great

I am very much looking forward to watching the development of this. So much of my dislike of SC4 has to do with the tranist textures and this is something that will make that dislike factor go down.

Good luck  :thumbsup:

A little teaser...

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi291.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fll316%2Fun1_2008%2FUDP%2F0x00AA0304.jpg&hash=03e0fef44e6043ced4ac6a21ea16152614dfe905)

-un1

I've never attempted to bat a road or the ground before. Do you start off with a plain and texture or recolor it in GMAX, if so maybe you could take a picture of it in it's GMAX state and post it for all to see.

DHS

Modeling??? No, you don't have to model this. It's just a texture replacement, and therefore you can edit the textures in this way:

Quote from: mrtnrln on ST1.  Open the reader.
   2. Open the file with the original texures (or textures from a highway texture mod.
   3. Select the FSH files
   4. Right-click with your mouse and select the option "Save decoded file". The reader should export the an .FSH- and .FSH.TGI-file somewhere in your plugins or in the iLive's Reader directory.
   5. Open the FiSHman.
   6. Open the FSH-file
   7. Delete the original texture (if yes, goto step 9) or save the texture as Windows bitmap.
   8. Edit the texture with a bitmap editor (for example, MSpaint) and after that, goto step 7 again.
   9. Import the bitmap file into the FiSHman. Click "Save as" (IMPORTANT!) and save the FSH file.
  10. Import the file in the reader.
  11. Tadaa! There you have it!

Best,
Maarten

Thanks for the turorial, I probably won't try this for a while as I have other projects that I am working on. I do look foreward to seeing your finished work.

DHS

This seems like a worthwhile project, and it's all good so far.  :thumbsup:  I always wondered what kind of remodeling the SCRT would do.

Well after some discussion with haljackey in chat, I've got an updated orthogonal texture for FHW:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi188.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz194%2Fdeathtopumpkins%2Ffile_dec00000001-1.jpg&hash=02052c6d813f755799c493d7238d2740c90131a1)
The line spacing is based off of photos of the 401 in Ontario.
The final version should be available with or without the shoulder, if I can manage it.

metarvo: Thank you.

Nice work on the texture deathtopumpkins!  :thumbsup:

-un1

Page 2!

Quote from: un1 on October 21, 2008, 06:11:53 PM
A little teaser...

(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi291.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fll316%2Fun1_2008%2FUDP%2F0x00AA0304.jpg&hash=03e0fef44e6043ced4ac6a21ea16152614dfe905)

-un1

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but directional transit textures like this are a problem because the game will flip it it to suit it's needs, leaving the road markings on the wrong side of the road.  Check out the diagonal rail crossing street (I think it is) for the maxis streets to see what I mean/  Draw it with the diagonal going both ways and it flips the texture.

I should have caught that un1. That's why with the avenues I said to let me do the textures.  ;)
And thanks.

Well I did some retexturing while ago, you count with my help for re-styling it... already i did something like that sometime ago with LBT...

Hope is not a problem posting this...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdescargas.capitalsim.net%2Fimages%2Fbat%2F882_2.jpg&hash=fceb62208a3f37e1912910f37ca27cd106b3362b)

Btw you can download it at LEX and use this for help or to your set, just avoid doing the same work that someone already did...

Heblem: No problem at all! :) Those are great textures, and so I'd love to have your help on this... un1's the one doing roads, so I'd wait and see what he says though.
And if we used them, would you mind if we did a little tweaking, such as the yellow color for the lines?


STATUS UPDATE: I have completed a few random textures, and have fixed a few problems I found with the ortho textures, but nothing major to report.

Quote from: deathtopumpkins on November 10, 2008, 03:21:27 PM
Heblem: No problem at all! :) Those are great textures, and so I'd love to have your help on this... un1's the one doing roads, so I'd wait and see what he says though.

I say...

Welcome!  :thumbsup:

-un1

Yes you can modify them  :thumbsup: so you earn the job for it... just remmeber give me some credit, if this project gets done, ill try to lock the current download and set as a "update" your new set ;)

Just a suggestion, make as separate dats the avenue, road, street, and FHW re-styling so people can pick which they want...

Heblem: Thanks a lot! Of course you'll get credit! And I already have the dats seperate... makes it easier for us.  ;)

Finally made my way over here.

Quote from: deathtopumpkins on November 02, 2008, 06:48:40 PM
Well after some discussion with haljackey in chat, I've got an updated orthogonal texture for FHW:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi188.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz194%2Fdeathtopumpkins%2Ffile_dec00000001-1.jpg&hash=02052c6d813f755799c493d7238d2740c90131a1)
The line spacing is based off of photos of the 401 in Ontario.
The final version should be available with or without the shoulder, if I can manage it.

Excellent, glad you considered my suggestion.  Going "shoulderless" should make it more uniform (I.e. overpasses, curves, transitions, etc), but having shoulders can be more realistic.  Glad you are giving us a choice!  I personally use the RHW when I want shoulders.

Good luck with your endeavors!  I'll be watching this thread from now on.

Best,
-Haljackey

Haljackey: Ehh... having a few problems with the shoulderless version, but the shouldered appears to be working fine. I only have ortho textures done right now, but they're in-game. I'll keep you posted.

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OK, I know it's been a while, but I've made some progress:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi188.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz194%2Fdeathtopumpkins%2Fcurvetemplate.png&hash=caeb4754d770561aeef1471af0e98d30c084c1ae) (http://s188.photobucket.com/albums/z194/deathtopumpkins/?action=view&current=curvetemplate.png)

With the greatly appreciated assistance of Alex (Tarkus) in ST chat tonight, I managed to finally get the corners sorted out. Over the holidays I plan to copy that over to all the other wealth textures, and work on a mod requested by newyorkrunaway1 at Simtropolis.

Announcement: I am going to do a small alpha release when the rest of the curve textures are completed, so I can see what other people think after seeing the textures in-game, so drop me a PM or email if you want a copy. They should be out by January 5th at the latest.

DTP, I'm glad I was able to assist--that Avenue curve is looking quite nice with the new line there!  I'm looking forward to seeing what else you come up with. :thumbsup:

-Alex (Tarkus)

A test version eh?  Count me in, sounds great!

Oh, and have yourself a Merry Christmas DTP!

All the best,
-Haljackey

I've got as few network-related beta tests on my platter, so go ahead and count me in too. ;)

OK, I worked a little bit more setting up the textures for the outer part of that curve tonight, but nothing significant to report.

Alex, Hal, and sim-al2, I'll add you to the list.

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Thanks again Alex!

And you too Haljackey!

Add me, too, please, dtp.  This looks pretty interesting.  I sure know how how much work is involved and don't envy you and the other folks working on this.


David

HEY DTP I would be more then willing to test out for ya's as well!!!

Ohh grrr...

I recently had some frustration doing this (I couldn't find the .fsh I needed to finish the curve, so I'm converting ALL the .fsh ), so it will, as you've all probably noticed, take a bit longer than originally planned... I do still hope to have an alpha out to all of you who've requested here or at ST soon, I just need to finish a few more textures first.

If anyone would like to help speed up the .fsh conversion, send me a PM, please.  :)

David and Pat, I'll be sure to send you guys a copy.  ;)

DTP take your time its better to have quality over quanity!!! I wish I knew what I was doing to give a hand here but when it comes to textures I dont know jack....

I'm currently sitting on a folder full of GLR pngs retextured to the sandstone texture. Been waiting for some instruction from NAM for 2 months now...

Quote from: Toichus Maximus on January 26, 2009, 09:00:37 AM
I'm currently sitting on a folder full of GLR pngs retextured to the sandstone texture. Been waiting for some instruction from NAM for 2 months now...

What exactly do you need to know?

I was talking to diggis about getting them set up in an SAM oriented override set. I needed the texture ranges from you guys, for starts.

I wondered what was going on with your project! I thought these were just texture overides for the GLR ,which means just copying the instances.
Jayson

No offense, but didn't you have your own thread?  ??? Just wondering how this pertains to my TRP thread...  ;)

Oh, and I'm still sitting here converting .fsh files, in the little bits of time I haven't spent on other stuff. I just haven't had much time lately, sorry.

Oh, I was offering to send you the files since they are just collecting dust in my project.

Oh! :D sure, just send me a PM with what exactly you were doing and I'll see if I can work on it.  :)

Hey DTP since your active here once again may I ask how this is coming along?

Quote from: deathtopumpkins on November 02, 2008, 06:48:40 PM
Well after some discussion with haljackey in chat, I've got an updated orthogonal texture for FHW:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi188.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fz194%2Fdeathtopumpkins%2Ffile_dec00000001-1.jpg&hash=02052c6d813f755799c493d7238d2740c90131a1)
The line spacing is based off of photos of the 401 in Ontario.
The final version should be available with or without the shoulder, if I can manage it.

Also, have you thought about reskinning the two new NAM highway interchanges with the asphalt highway mod? 

Sorry for all the questions, just wondering how you've been progressing.  :P

Best,
-Haljackey

I actually had a sudden realisation of what I was doing wrong yesterday, and should have an ortho version of your shouldered one working soon.  ;)
As for reskinning the new interchanges with the asphalt highway mod, I'll see what I can do. I do believe I might need its creator's permission to distribute it though.

Quote from: deathtopumpkins on January 28, 2009, 03:30:57 PM
I do believe I might need its creator's permission to distribute it though.

Trovin?  He hasn't been active in years, so I don't think you'll get his permission.  I'm sure he wouldn't care, or you could just list the mod as a dependency.
-Then again, I don't know a lot about this stuff :P

Best,
-Haljackey

Yeah, listing it as a dependency would probably do it.

And he is still reachable. When we were debating the HAM recently un1 contacted him about incorporating his textures and we got a quick response in the affirmative.

For elevated MAxis Hiway IMO there should be lighter concrete textures than ground networks, because I havent seen  blacktop pavement on bridges. Just my input. ;)

Leo,

For that to work, the models for the Elevated Highway would have to be edited to point to the lighter set of textures. Maxis used the one set of highway textures on both their Elevated and Ground Highway models.

-Swamper

That's an interesting idea, but around here they do often pave elevated highways with asphalt, and then there's the slight complication Swamper mentioned...  ;)

Stupid question, but where are the models for the EL-FHW stored anyway? :-[

In "SimCity_1.dat", along with all the other game models. There's only building models in "EP1.dat" for the Rush Hour buildings. The other SimCity DAT files only have images stored in them.

-Swamper

 ::) I figured that, but I've never actually seen them in there. I guess I haven't looked hard enough.

Quote from: sim-al2 on January 31, 2009, 05:19:30 AM
::) I figured that, but I've never actually seen them in there. I guess I haven't looked hard enough.

To easily get the ID's:
- Open SimCity_1 in the Reader
- Click the "Exemplar Analyzer" at the top
- Once the tool loads, go to "Filter" and deselect all but "0x0B Highway"
- Close that window and then click "Search". It should fill the Exemplar Analyzer with entries.
- Go browsing.

Ground Highway models start with 0x0A######
Elevated Highway models start with 0x0C######

Most of them are simply labeled "Highway Piece" so you will need to look at the models being referenced by the exemplars to see what they actually look like. Some are parts of the interchanges, such as the game's T-Interchanges, while others are just straights or curves.

-Swamper

He he he...  now my memory returns. :-[ I really open SC1.dat to find the ID's for making custom building exemplars, not finding and messing with highway stuff. Transit modding is not really my forte anyway. ::)

OK, I'm back to actually modding tonight, but not exactly the TRP. Just working on Toichus Maximus's GLR textures... and am about 4% done.

When I'm done with these, I want to try to learn t21 exemplars, and continue working on-and-off on the TRP, as I would like to see it done, but it's really got me frustrated because I keep finding stupid, just like myself ways the game rotates textures at intersections that means I have to redo most of the textures now...

DTP that bites that you keep hitting a snag and believe me I understand what you are going threw about the textures being scewed... I am still having my own problems with an overlay I made... So are you going to show anything on what you are doing for Toichus Maximus's GLR textures???

Well I would probably leave it to him to show pics of the textures, as I take no credit for them, but I'll probably post a few screenies of me testing them out after I add a bunch to the dat.
Basically he just took the GLR and GLR-in-ave and replaced the concrete with a sandstone texture (like one of the pedmalls). A very nice idea if you ask me. And I'm just putting the textures into a dat for him, as he has vista problems.

Small update: I am now 8% done.