NWM (Network Widening Mod) - Development and Support

[jdenm8]

That's a tidy looking transition, but you're right. The transition is a 3D model and I think that's partly why the pick-up on custom MHW transitions like those has been slow (though there has been work on some recently).

And a suggestion, could we have some kind of RTL-esque plugin for smooth lead-ups for avenue roundabouts (for the MAVEs)? The abrupt entry to the roundabout on AVE-4s just... doesn't look quite right and I think there is the space on the tiles (for MAVE-4 and AVE-4 anyway) for the textures. I could probably even make some textures up if needed.
If it's not possible (or not in the foreseeable future) that's okay.

I have holidays coming up so anything is possible  

[zakuten]

My two cents here-- I feel the Maxis Highway is a great network, even if the community's abandoned it, as to me, it's best for representing older urban highways in the cores, such as Chicago's Dan Ryan pre-reconstruction, with all the terribly short ramps and tight spaces. Beyond that, I feel that the RHW represents modern highways, so I tend to use conversions between the two, as it gets into the urban core. For me, siuch a transition would be great, as I could make more European style downtowns, where the highway transforms into a regular road. In addition, it would make separated MHWs, especially the elevated ones, more usable, as one could convert an arterial OWR 3 or such into a viaduct for some downtown construction uses. I'd really love to see this piece be considered, even though I have no skill for these moddings. I'd love to learn, but... I'm kinda dense with this stuff.

[michi_cc]

Some ideas for OWR-4 and OWR-5 joins and splits (Pics still include unmodified OWR around):






EDIT: Didn't really like the OWR-4 to OWR-3 / OWR-1 transition. The two diagonal OWR-1 pieces are unmodified (as well as the straight OWR on both sides).

[Monorail Master]

michi_cc:  That OWR-4 split into 2 OWR-2 is EXACTLY what I need for most of my RHW+NWM Interchanges!

[Tarkus]

Wow . . .    That is some absolutely fantastic work, michi_cc--and fast, too!  I'm really very impressed.

-Alex

[MandelSoft]

That is.... very impressive!   It seems like you're doing it for years!

[michi_cc]

Wow . . .    That is some absolutely fantastic work, michi_cc--and fast, too!  I'm really very impressed.

Well, thanks to copypasta and Photoshop's freeform transform and the stamp tool, creating those s-bends is totally easy.

Slightly improved OWR-5 to OWR-4/OWR-1 and a different OWR-5 to OWR-3/OWR-2 following:

[Nego]

Those look like some of the RHW ramps. But yes, they are amazing!

[samerton]

Yep.. very nice work! 

[Paul 999]

Very useful for roads in city centers!

[Shadow Assassin]

And a suggestion, could we have some kind of RTL-esque plugin for smooth lead-ups for avenue roundabouts (for the MAVEs)? The abrupt entry to the roundabout on AVE-4s just... doesn't look quite right and I think there is the space on the tiles (for MAVE-4 and AVE-4 anyway) for the textures. I could probably even make some textures up if needed.
If it's not possible (or not in the foreseeable future) that's okay.

Oh, it is possible. And it can be done quite easily, in fact. Feel free to work on some textures for it. However, it's probably best if they do mirror each other, it makes it easier to RUL.

[jdenm8]

I'm working on it 

I've already done a leadup, but I don't know if it'll be sharp enough. I also can't find the texture where AVE-4 joins the the roundabout to use as a basis.

This is it so far anyway:



The only real modifications I've made are on the two top thirds (128x128). The bottom third should be straight, but may not be.

[GDO29Anagram]

With all this talk about roundabouts (Which I'll abbreviate as RAs), I want to say a few things:

- How are we gonna connect the AVE-6, TLA-6 or MAVE-6 to an RA? Are we gonna have to make a supersized RA?
- iKnow a little secret... It is currently possible, with the current version of the NAM and NWM, to get a TLA-5 and an OWR-2 to connect to an AVE RA. And when I say OWR-2, I mean get it connected with the area that's normally supposed to orthogonally connect with an AVE-4... With some limitations... The trick involves a little bit of lightrail in the RA.

I might as well explain the method right now, since I just moved to a new computer (And haven't DL'd CamStudio yet, and therefore can't make a video demo): Simply use any of the RAs that have GLR in it. Destroy the GLR parts INSIDE the RA, as you would with the "grassy" parts of a normal RA. There's likely to be some more GLR left where the GLR-AVE-4's usually connect, and to remove those, just drag some El Rail clear across those bits, then remove the El Rail stubs.

If this confuses you, I'll go ahead and make the video later on...

I wish I could get in on this recent surge of texture creation for proposed NWM transitions, but I don't have the textures (Yes you do, just raid all the DAT files...) or the tools to modify them (Yes you do, you got Paint.NET, Inkscape, and GIMP...). What do you use anyway, Photoshop?!!

And one thing, jdemn8, those RA textures are likely in the DAT file for the AVE RAs (It ends with Roundabouts Avenue), found in the plugins subfolder of the NAM folder. Is that where you searched for the textures? Or what it somewhere else?

[jdenm8]

Duh... *facepalm*

I completely forgot that they were in their own DATs...

Yeowtch... There is very little room on this texture...

[vitorhnn]

Nice! NWM can be turned in somewhat a compact RHW for dense areas

[firefighter57]

Slightly improved OWR-5 to OWR-4/OWR-1 and a different OWR-5 to OWR-3/OWR-2 following:

I like it but I would just rather see it incorperated into the TuLEPs.   It would basically be the same but the single (or double) OW would intersect the four (or Three or Five) OW and the lanes that would be turning would basically be turn only lanes.  Basically you go into the intersection with 5 lanes, the two left most lanes are turn only, and you leave the intersection with only 3 lanes. 

EDIT:  Found a picture.  This is in the City of White Plains which is just north of NYC in Westchester county.  As you can see, you are looking down a six lane OWR.  The intersecting rd is a 2 directional rd.  You can see, the left most lane is a turn left only and the right most lane is a turn right only.  This narrows the OWR down to four lanes after the intersection.   

[j-dub]

Firefighter, I could also envision what you just showed happening with TuLEP's, at least the arrows, but if that NY one you posted, where the lanes narrow right after is even considered, a special intersection piece would need to be made in order for that to work, which I did not think off-set straight a way OWR traffic light intersections were planned.

In either case of development, whether splits or TuLEPs, you know are going to take a long time to get going anyway. Regular Maxis wide OWR TuLEP's still have yet to be finalized. Its just I don't think splits should be in the same tab ring as ortho TuLEPs, and deserve their own tab ring, IF later in production.

[michi_cc]

MAVE-compatible roundabout:



The roundabout still fits inside the 4-by-4 squares of the standard avenue RA and the inside is almost the same as well. This does mean that it is not possible to have three lanes going a complete half-circle. Either two additional tiles outside the square would be needed for that, or the RA itself needs to have a smaller diameter which would not leave any space for a statue/park in the middle.

If I didn't mess up somewhere, all the different exits should be freely combinable.

Would it be possible to have lane-change paths in the RA, or is that something the automata don't really support. (Incidentally, some extra lane change paths every few tiles would also be very nice for MAVE-6 and OWR-3, the middle lane is quite often totally empty even if the outer lanes are jammed.)

[Haljackey]

Cool!

Nice design michi_cc! I like your OWR connections too. Great work! 

[jdenm8]

I've done a bit more, but it seems the job of making textures has been hijacked somewhat.
I still don't know how it'd look in-game and if it (the angle) would be sharp enough.



And this is how it looks mirrored: