hi, some time ago i stumbled over a thread regarding the fact that the automata are not shown for the whole distance (start to end of journey) but instead dissappear after some time. I also remeber that within that thread there was a modified NAM automata available as download that made the automata appear during the whole route. However, I lost that file (possibly) and also lost the information what exactly to do with that file. To mess things up, I also forgot about where I found that thread. :'( Anybody out there with an idea? I'm using NAM Z traffic controler.
First you need to find out which automata plugin you've got in the NAM folder (
Network Addon Mod).
If you have the latest NAM version, it should be one of the following:
- NetworkAddonMod_Automata_Plugin_Standard.dat
- NetworkAddonMod_Automata_Plugin_Automata24.dat
- NetworkAddonMod_Automata_Plugin_Radical.dat
- NetworkAddonMod_Automata_Plugin_Radical_Automata24.dat
In order to change the distance cars drive, you need to open that file in Reader.
(Do remember to make a backup copy of the file before starting though).
The 16th property in that exemplar is called
Vehicle Lifespan Range.
If you have one of the standard plugins, it is set to 0x0A,0x14 which is hex for 10,20.
If you have one of the radical plugins, it is set to 0x32,0x7C which is hex for 50,124.
In other words, with the standard plugin, cars drive 10 to 20 tiles, then disappear,
with the radical plugin, cars drive 50 to 124 tiles, then disappear.
If 50 to 124 sounds alright, and you currently have the standard automata plugin,
then you might just want to reinstall NAM and select the radical automata plugin instead.
Otherwise, feel free to experiment by changing the values yourself.
If you are sure you could never use Reader, then just tell me which plugin you're using,
and what you want the vehicle lifespan to be, and I'll make the changes for you.
So if a sim's residency is located, for example, 30 tiles from his or her place of employment, be that an Industrial lot or a Commercial lot or another type, and you have the Radical automata controller installed, the vehicle would continue from the Residential lot past the I, C or other lot until it had driven 50 tiles?
(This is with the understanding that with a commute distance that is greater than the maximum drive distance allowed by the automata controller, the vehicle will vanish when it reaches the maximum commute distance)
Automata don't follow the routes of individual sims, they just start in a residential district in the morning and drive for said number of tiles in the direction towards the jobs, and the other way around in the evening.
The starting point and finishing point are just random.
Since they do drive in the direction of the main flow of traffic, they do simulate morning and evening commute pretty well though.
I don't know how old this thread is because I keep bookmarks forever, but I came across it again today and here's what you're looking for:
http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/details.cfm?id=23362
And here's the original thread:
http://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=22&threadid=102779
-Jeiman