choco's attempts at BATing bridges

[threestooges]

Sounds like a plan there choco. I didn't know that offset would remove the glitches, but that'll make a (reasonably) quick fix for things.

hehe.....well, it is my job to clog those menus.....

That's the spirit, and that right there is why you deserve that little CML thingy.

[choco]

this one was too easy.....

[threestooges]

Just pass along the exemplars you used, I'll update the files. Need any help altering any more (or would you mind passing along how it's done)?
-Matt

[choco]

Will do......only need to reserve exemplar ID's......as I just used the changed the 5th value of the IIDs for the model to make each unique.....hence why i said this one was too easy. 


its a fairly simple process.....

in making them usable with each other, i simply made copies of the existing rural bridge and changed the texture value in the reader.



here, we would need to change the group 1 texture (above, 0x58450304) to the SAM texture we want, according to:

0x5E54Bx0y, where x = SAM texture # (2 herringbone, 4 gravel, etc.) and y = zoom level (0-4, 4 being 128x128).  its very tedious though, as this must be dont for every s3d file, all rotation and all zooms. 

the rest of the modding is just changing the IID's for the models, path files, T21's, and exemplar to make them unique, as well as pointing to the correct pieces.  here i just changed the 5th digit to make the modding quick and easy....another benefit by using this method is that we only need one set of FSH files for all the bridges since the s3d's are all copied from the same file (thus, the texture ID for Group 0 will always be the same).  this means that these bridges are lighter than the original, 145kB to ~750KB respectively, but have the original bridge as a dependency.

i can be more specific about all the steps if ya like.....

haven't came up with a solution for the auto-override-texture.....or how ever ya wanna say it.   

[choco]

i need to fix the double-stacked flat model, but it otherwise turned out fairly well.....

[Pat]

choco wow simply stunning what more can I say???

[threestooges]

Splendid choco. I'll have the lists updated with these soon enough. I'll try to work through the process myself on my covered bridge (seems simple enough, yet grusomely repetitive, heh heh) and if I have any questions I'll shoot them your way. Do you happen to use MSN Messenger?
-Matt

[KoV Liberty]

AMAZING!!!!!!!

[choco]

im going to have to spend some more time with the color correction here.....

[JoeST]

that is awesome, and the efect is strange, probably due to the terain texture changing, it sems that the road nearer the bridges is darker.....especially on the lighter textures

Joe

[mike3775]

absolutely stunning

Pretty soon, this game is going to look like nothing compared to the original

[KoV Liberty]

Pretty soon, this game is going to look like nothing compared to the original

EXACTLY! You know I really wonder what EA thinks about what has happend to this game. Also here are a few pics (examples) of a few bridge requests for the RHW 2 (if you accept requests of course).
7 Mile bridge hump. (For a straight bridge.)


Old 7 Mile bridge. With way different truss underneath than Maxis one (completely hollow).


Bahia Honda bridge. Rail truss with top converted for vehicle traffic. Also the truss undernath terminates at embankment. NOTE: Bridge must have a pre-set elevation for correct termination of unused rail lines underneath. I could not find one good image so here are three that demonstrate what the bridge is. Also if you decide to make the bridge, ingnore the gaps!   

[choco]

Driftmaster07: i have looked into variable deck heights a bit, and really have only one reservation when constructing one.....

as with the current raised bridges, it takes a large number of models.....RHW2 would be better since the pieces could be rotated, but even then i figure 9 models for that bridge.....and it would look rather boxy unless more pieces were used.   

it may be much easier to write a RUL, though....i haven't yet used the syntax, but there's additional arguments that maybe allow a Z-offset for models, which would reduce the number of models needed.  i have another bridge ready to test the theory, so lets see how that goes.

in writing this post though, i might have a much quicker (and simpler) solution....

[KoV Liberty]

Actually the rail underneath was abandoned to build road on top of it after the 35' Hurricane so that would not be so tough of an issue for having two networks on top of each other. Just the bottom half would be sort of eycandy I guess.

[choco]

a little something new....remodeled from around page 4 or 5, and not even close to done....



and the visual difference of an HD bridge piece....just the pillar model here was over 2.5MB.....so its not very practical....

[io_bg]

OMG this is awesome although it's large in size!

[KoV Liberty]

Wow! That is awesome! It kinda looks like Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Great work! 

[choco]

here's one for the guru's.....

i know very little about the lighting engine.  the problems obvious.....the solution, not so much.



what really bothers me is there is no power supplied to the bridge.....

[Nexis4Jersey]

Whoa , my eyeballs jumped out and ran over to your Bridge creation on your computer to see if its real , lol 
That lighting on ur Smart bridge looks futuristic in a sense 

[threestooges]

I haven't actually experimented with it, but I don't think bridges need power to be lit. Either way, did you add the lights in the BAT or via some other method? If it was in the BAT, mind posting a shot from it showing the light cones and such?
-Matt