off-set lots under elevated rail

[Andreas]

I think that for the convenience of the basic user, an installer (and yes... this can be taken as a polite request for a certain German Lisa Simpson -fan who is known for making such things ) with installation options would be a nice feature.

I was thinking along these lines. Depending on the complexity of your mod, I can create a NAM-like installer with optional components etc. I also think that the NAM introduces some new el-rail configurations; maybe one of the transit gurus can shed some light onto this issue. It's probably only intersections with roads etc., so maybe there's no need to cover empty tiles after all, though.

As for the NAM branding, that's obviously up to you. We could add the NAM label in order to indicate that it's a transit-related mod, and I could upload it under the NAM team account, so it's easier to find at the LEX. Obviously, it doesn't have to be integrated into the NAM, but would work fine as a separate download.

[MIncroabl]

I was thinking along these lines. Depending on the complexity of your mod, I can create a NAM-like installer with optional components etc. I also think that the NAM introduces some new el-rail configurations; maybe one of the transit gurus can shed some light onto this issue. It's probably only intersections with roads etc., so maybe there's no need to cover empty tiles after all, though.

As for the NAM branding, that's obviously up to you. We could add the NAM label in order to indicate that it's a transit-related mod, and I could upload it under the NAM team account, so it's easier to find at the LEX. Obviously, it doesn't have to be integrated into the NAM, but would work fine as a separate download.

The installer sounds good. I was planning on making a couple of different resource files for each of the most popular road base texture sets that are out there (JRJ, SMP, Euro etc.), so that people could select which style they want to install. An installer with that option would be a simpler choice than having people replace files manually.

As for the NAM branding, that sounds good aswell. I'd only like to request that I get some credit in the description, if you upload it under the NAM team.


In related news, I wasn't completely happy with how the avenues turned out originally, so I revamped them a bit:

Original:


New:


Now, I know that some people will complain about those jagged edges, but here's the reasons I changed them:





#1: I hadn't originally planned on that the T21s would follow the state of the avenue, and not the immediate surrounding wealth/zoning. This leads to the situation described in picture #1. With the new mod, the T21s reflect the state of the avenue better, and there won't be any out of place textures like in the picture.

#2: With the new design, those little spots of different texture in the corners of the avenue median are gone. And there are sidewalks..!

Unfortunately, these advantages come with a cost. The end result is a bit more jaggier, but IMO it isn't as much of an eysore after development takes place. This also leaves those players (including myself) who deal with jagged edges by using diagonal lots in a better situation.

These changes affect only low density residential/commercial and industrial zones. Medium/high density and farms/landfills remain as they were. I'm open to opinions at this point, as I haven't deleted the original mod yet.

[snorrelli]

Well... I must say I liked the original better, but it's your mod - do what works best for you...

[Diggis]

This is looking great.  What would be involved in getting the SAM textures working with this?

[MIncroabl]

Well... I must say I liked the original better, but it's your mod - do what works best for you...

Yes, the original has its advantages. I'm not entirely sure which direction I should choose. I'll probably wait for the general opinion on the matter, or this could be made into another option in the installer  .

This is looking great.  What would be involved in getting the SAM textures working with this?

I'm not sure. All I can say that if a T21 can be made of the intersection, then it can be done.

[Diggis]

I like the one with the footpaths showing up properly personally.

On the SAM note, I think the issue will be getting it to swap between the SAM texture and the regular street texture, although it might be being done by JP

[rushman5]

I second diggis's post, but wheterver, this is still looking great!

[MIncroabl]

I've finished the low wealth MD/HD extra lots:



All other prop lots are more or less done aswell. I just need to add some to the I-ht set, and fix a simple issue with one flipped T21.

After that, I'll create the alternative props and overriding .desc files for those who use the SMP sandstone sidewalk mod, euro asphalt mod and a matching set for Jeronij's street side mod. Those are the most popular texture mods, I guess.

Before I continue with those, please, voice out your opinion about which style I should pick for the avenues. To avoid unnecessary work, I'll need to know. If I understood correctly, it's 2 against 1 for the new style now? I personally can go either way, I think the new set fits in better but the old one is (a little) less work to adapt to the alternative textures.

EDIT:
Pictures of the different avenues can be found in my previous post, at the top of this page. Thanks for pointing that out, snorrelli!

[RippleJet]

Looking better all the time!
Make that 3-1 in favour of the new style!

[snorrelli]

you might provide a reminder of what the old and new choices are...

[Andreas]

I must admit that I don't really understand the issue that you pointed out with those four pics. The first one ("Original") looks good, while the jagged edges in the second one ("New") are not that great. However, both the third and fourth pic look good again, so I'm not sure what they are inteded to show actually. The design of the low wealth MD/HD tiles is excellent again.

[RippleJet]

Patrick and Andreas, look at the sidewalk along the diagonal avenue going under the ortogonal/diagonal elevated lightrails.

[snorrelli]

I understand what the choice is - I just thought it might not be clear to others...

Pics 1,3 and 4 are the original style. Pic 2 is the new version.

[MIncroabl]

@Andreas:
Would that mean that I'm just too picky? 

Well, I'll explain my view again. Avenues pick the T21 they show under the el-rail based on the state of the avenue, and not by what is right next to the intersection. This leads to the situation in the 3rd picture:



The avenue is industrial/low wealth, so the gray asphalt texture is dispayed at the intersection. This would be fine, but what if you have something else zoned next to the actual intersection? The rest of the elevated rail displays a different texture (in this case, the LD low wealth residential), so the texture at the intersection matches neither the avenue, or the elevated rail. This, IMO, looks worse than the jagged edges of the newer design.

The second issue I have is just my annoying selective perfectionism. I just can't stand these little patches of mismatching textures in the median of the avenue:



I'm starting to lean more towards the new design. Allthough it requires a bit more work to create the new props for the alternative texture sets, the end result is more aligned with the default look of the avenues and other networks in general.

EDIT:
And to make it absolutely clear, the choice is between:

OLD:


NEW:

[Pat]

sweeeeet niblets this is looking better and better every time i come around...  MIncroabl you are doing a great job keep up the hard work - pat

[Andreas]

Ah, I think I understand what you mean now. Well, personally, I don't mind if there's a grey concrete texture, like you showed in the third picture (of your original posting), and those tiny spots on the median aren't that worse either. Avenues are somewhat picky with the adjacent textures anyway. From what I've seen, it depends on how many tiles of a particular zone and/or wealth level you placed along a stretch of avenue (typically between two intersections) - the avenue counts the different types and displays the texture that reflects the value of the most common tile. Place just one more park (or whatever), and the whole stretch will change.

[MIncroabl]

I have finished all the extra lots and fixed the issue with the flipped T21s. I also began work on the alternative textures. Now, unless I get an overwhelmingly huge amount of responses to do otherwise, I'm going to proceed with the new avenue design tomorrow. The mod should be ready for beta testing by Sunday.

That said, here is a little teaser to those using the SMP sandstone sidewalks: (filasimo, you out there?  )

[mightygoose]

maye once you have a release on this project you could write a tutorial on how to edit t21 exemplars and stuff. because i really want to make an avenue median mod....

[mjig_dudy]

mightygoose :http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=70.0

MIncroabl: these look very good, will be very useful

[Filasimo]

  u just caught me mincroabl that looks damn sexy! (excuse my french) im sure people who use the sandstone mod will love you for that.....btw im sure after this version of the mod is completed and out of the way i would suggest seeing what u can do with ardecila's EL rail mod he is working on link here: http://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=124&threadid=89836&STARTPAGE=2 its in beta and was a limited download...if youre interested pm him on ST or here to see if u can tinker with it