RHW (RealHighway) - Development and Support

[APSMS]

Connections to RHW are mostly limited to the game's base networks, like Road and OWR base. Again, NWM interfaces are probably not supported (like OWR-1), and anything you get should be considered a bonus. All the ones from the past are still supported, like Avenue into adjacent RHW-4 stretches, and OWR-2 into MIS, etc. No new ones have been added that I am aware of.

There's also the RHW-4 to TLA-5 and RD-4 transitions, the RHW-6S to RD-6 and OWR-3 transitions, the RHW-6C to TLA-7 and AVE-6 transitions, and RHW-2 to NRD-4 transitions, and all of those have been around even before the Monolithic NAM.

Ah, yes, I thought I was forgetting some.

Anyways, the point still stands that generally speaking NWM compatibility with RHW, and in fact, advanced NWM features period should be considered a bonus, not a standard feature, until there is further NWM development, which I understand is currently on hiatus following a potential code realignment/rethink.

So just don't expect miracles from the NWM is what I'm trying to say.

[GDO29Anagram]

Anyways, the point still stands that generally speaking NWM compatibility with RHW, and in fact, advanced NWM features period should be considered a bonus, not a standard feature, until there is further NWM development, which I understand is currently on hiatus following a potential code realignment/rethink.

Actually, since RHW×NWM crossings fall under the RHW IID range, that makes it more of an RHW feature than an NWM feature. It also makes RHW×NWM features independent of the NWM, regardless of whatever new NWM IID scheme we ever come up with. (Still, just don't expect anything to happen soon.)

This also includes RHW×TRAM, RHW×RRW, RHW×HSR, and RHW×GLR, all under the RHW IID range and not their respective projects.

For those wondering, this is the primary IID allocation scheme for the entire RHW; note that RHW×NWM, RHW×HSR, RHW×GLR, RHW×Symphony, and RHW×TRAM is all accounted for in here. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1zSeFMOuGVcT4Y1XAZpls3aOhkLjZeCfWhTEQWzxQ9jk/edit#gid=0

This excludes RHW×SAM, since it's got its own IID range somewhere else as an extension to the SAM range.

[Tarkus]

This excludes RHW×SAM, since it's got its own IID range somewhere else as an extension to the SAM range.

And if anyone is wondering what happened to RHWxSAM, there had been some code for it at one point, but I believe most of it was cut during the controller size crisis during the NAM 31.x era.

Also, it's my understanding that the lack of L0 RHW-2 support for the new FLEXFly is intentional, as it was a lesser-used crossing, and its omission made the support for all the other RHW networks vastly more stable.  So that's not a bug--it's intentional.

-Alex

[Tarkus]

As has been well-known for some time with the NAM 33 Pre-Release, there's some issues with the Euro and Ontario texture sets, with some of the new overhangs and the myriad of new ramp interfaces that have been added.  With MandelSoft's retirement from SC4 modding, we've also been left without anyone to continue his work--which also happens to have been based on RHW 4.0 specifications, with substantially different lane and shoulder widths compared to the current default texture specs used since the NAM 30/RHW 5.0 release in 2011.  This means that updating his sets would entail adding even more overhangs, and a considerable amount of work compensating for the different lane and shoulder geometry for dozens of new RHW items, a maintenance load that is already unsustainable, and would increase each NAM update.

To get around this, and be able to offer Euro users a working set that encompasses all of NAM 33's new features (and updates in subsequent NAM releases), we're going back to a plan that had originated when the current default North American set was developed, during the NAM 30/RHW 5.0 release cycle--using a unified texture set spec, with modifications done via batch processing and scripting.  Here's a couple samples:





The at-grade intersections between the RHW and non-RHW networks are having to be produced with light manual adjustment, but the other RHW features (including all those ramp interfaces) can be handled through automation.  The result is that we'll be much better able to produce Euro textures on the fly, when new RHW features are added.

-Alex

[APSMS]

Perhaps not the most appealing solution to long-time users of MandelSoft's Euro Textures, but certainly one that should provide a satisfactory solution until someone decides they want to make a better set.

[Tarkus]

Indeed--MandelSoft's efforts were truly superhuman . . . unfortunately, he started getting burnt out with doing all that texture work on his own (having done three revisions of the default US RHW set, I understand completely), and the active developers on the team already have a pretty full plate, between our normal development activities and real life.  If there is anyone out there who is interested in carrying his efforts on and updating those sets for future releases, and has the time and dedication to do it justice, we'd definitely be interested. 

This unified texture project is basically just to ensure we'll always have at least something for the Euro users each release.  The plan presently is to cover at least standard and dark asphalt versions of the US and general Euro RHW textures, and those four will probably be what's available out of the box in the installer.  If time/interest permits, we may do some more regionalized variations of the unified textures, probably as a separate package, though those are a lower priority right now.

-Alex

[binnsbre]

These four three ramp pieces are deprecated and obsolete, but currently have no DRI or flexramp alternatives. Also, the 6S A2 flexramp is broken to the point of being completely unusable.

All four of them have draggable equivalents; if you remember from the dev videos I have from many posts back (and from Teaservid 1; link above), you'll basically find the patterns for... three of the four ramps.

And from other posts back...

ave been unsuccessful. Can you tell me if they are already included in the pre release.
http://www.youtube.com/v/Vhcj2I_z76s

I think I just simplified the D1 and E1 ramp patterns by 70 billion light years...

If you wanna compare it with the pattern I had for it before...

http://www.youtube.com/v/xVK19zljqfE

That video also shows some of the patterns I had planned for the Type X2 ramps as well, but with that newfound innovation, it means that I can recycle some of the old patterns and even remove the need of that stub remover method thingamabob doohickey.

All of the old prototype D1 and E1 patterns are basically now the D2 and E2 patterns.

You can drag the 6S A2 DRI by following the drag pattern in the top right of the following diagram (it doesn't matter what order or direction you actually drag the different parts in):

I had to edit your diagram to help illustrate the 8S-specific DeDRIs (Dedicated DRIs), which are set apart from the RHW-2 OrDRIs (Overridable DRIs), RHW-4 DOrDRIs (Dedicated+Overridable DRIs), and RHW-6S DOrDRIs. Red arrows indicate what you need to do to get X2 variants of X1 ramps; blue arrows indicate connections needed for connecting these ramps (not AB1) to RHW-8S (the 8S E1 is the biggest oddball since it defies all prescribed patterns; it only uses the blue arrows as shown and none of the black arrows).



If this is still too confusing, then you're gonna have to wait for teaservid 8; I got delayed by a thunderstorm in starting it, so you're gonna have to wait a bit.

Hi

I have been trying to recreate these intersections unsuccessfully. Can you tell me if they are included in the pre release.

[Haljackey]

Thought I'd play around with the new NAM for a little bit, next thing I know I'm up to the wee hours of the morning making stuff like this.

_{Click for full size}


SC4ever.



Edit: see what this turned into here.

[Tarkus]

Hal, great to see you working your interchange magic with the new version.

binnsbre, to answer your question, all of those ramp interfaces with those patterns are indeed included in the NAM 33 Pre-Release.  Make sure you've dragged out a tile on each side beyond what is shown with the pattern to ensure the override kicks in as intended.

-Alex

[Haljackey]

Built my first RHW exchange with the NAM 33 pre release. Gotta say I am loving the relative ease of utilizing all the new connections and the revamp of existing content.

Here it is with a cityscape around it. Click for full size if you want.


High res picture:
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5758/21221733605_bd2cbbb7cf_o.jpg

I also did a UDI tour of it if interested:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk1w38-x1gA

As you can see, it works great! No broken pathing in it, in fact I'm noticing some fixes to existing pathing bugs in UDI mode (namely FAR pieces)

[Bipin]

Awesome work Haljackey, you've inspired me to download NAM 33 and give it a spin, as I have been for the past few hours. 

[vinlabsc3k]

I can't wait for the final release!!

I love all the new feature!!

[roadgeek]

Hi

I have been trying to recreate these intersections unsuccessfully. Can you tell me if they are included in the pre release.

I can. They are.

I watched the videos on my laptop, while playing the game on my PC, just to get practice.

[Tarkus]

Ten years ago, on November 16, 2005, the first ever public build of what was then called the Rural Highway Mod, or RHW, was unleashed.  It was a simple proof of concept, for a new, modular highway system, with a limited set of features.  Based on initial ideas from modding pioneer Teirusu, it was ultimately seen through by qurlix, with texture work by nooneatall and Zeddic. 



It couldn't even really do interchanges then.  There were two puzzle pieces, and only Rails and Streets could intersect it at-grade.  (This was my personal first interchange that attempted to use the RHW . . . complete with lack of slope mod.)



From that limited set of features, some of us who tried out the mod in its early days saw a glimmer of amazing potential, for a new modular highway system, and the ability to cause the game's default networks to behave in new ways, helping bring about the draggable revolution that has changed the landscape of SC4 transit mods.

Ten years later, the RHW--now RealHighway, as it has long surpassed merely being "rural"--is still going. 

It's been an amazing ride--thanks to everyone who has supported this project over the past decade, and to all the other developers and contributors I've had the pleasure of working with, who have helped pave this road.  Here's to many more years of the highway revolution.



-Alex

[JoeST]

Gosh dang ten years congratulations to you all, you've made this game something more than what it was, and it is beautiful

[art128]

Ten years of absolutely incredible effort made by a team of devoted players. This is really one of the most game changing mod of all time.

[Gugu3]

Absolutely incredible development!
RHW has been and still is a real gmae changer!

Thanks NAM team for the effort

[fefenc]

This was arguably the most important project ever made for SC4

[compdude787]

Ten years. Wow! I bet back in 2005, nobody thought that the RHW, or even SC4, would end up being around for this long.

[dyoungyn]

NAM Team,

Ditto on the Real Highway mod.  SC4 would truly not be what it is today if it wasn't for creative imaginative thinkers as your selves.  Keep em coming!