Creating Transit-Enabled Roadtop Parallel Parking Stalls

[dsrwhat316]

This will be a step-by-step tutorial on how to make your roads a bit more "realistic". Here's a pic of what we are hoping to create:



What I'm referring to is the road between the opera house (bottom) and the arena. In many urban areas, roads feature parallel parking spaces. With jeronij's Street Side Mod, this is achieved on residential streets. What this tutorial is about is how to create that effect on roads, one-way roads, etc.

What you'll need to accomplish this is:

The Lot Editor (obviously )

SC4 Tool (for transit-enabling)

I'll be using mainly Maxis props so that this can be accomplished by anyone. Let's get started!

Step 1



Start with a blank lot (I chose to use the sandstone texture, since it matches my sidewalk mod; you can use whatever you like).

Step 2



Extend the lot (width-wise or depth wise; it doesn't matter) to the size you desire.

Step 3



Fill the void with the same texture (for continuity).

Step 4



Choose a road overlay (shown here are the overlays for avenues, roads, and one-way roads, in that order).

Step 5



Choose this texture for the parking stalls (this is a Maxis overlay texture). To plop this overlay on the square without deleting the road overlay underneath, hold the D key after selecting the overlay and click on the square you wish to place it on (hope I explained that well-enough  )

Step 6



Select some car props to place in the parking stalls (these are Maxis props).

Step 7



Now let's place some trees! Select this prop (since we all know that trees don't grow through pavement  ) and place it on the edge of the lot as shown.

Step 8



Select a tree prop to plop (I chose the ones provided by jeronij's Street Side Mod, but you can use whatever you desire).

Step 9



But what happens when Sims want to park their vehicles at night? Let's give them light! Add streetlights (again place them on the edge so that they aren't stuck in the middle of the parking stall).

Step 10



Now, we can't have those crazy Sims wherever they please! Let's put some aesthetically-pleasing railings to prevent that from happening. [cheap plug]I'm using these great props BLaM props by Glenni.[/cheap plug]

Step 11



Now to beautify the other side of the road. I added some benches here...

Step 12



...and a mail box here. These are all Maxis props as well. You can add newspaper machines, more railings, phone booths, etc.; it's all up to you  .

Step 13



Here's our finished product. Click Save As and name it something you'll remember. Exit out of the Lot Editor.

Step 14



Start up the SC4 Tool. Click on the button circled in the above pic to begin transit-enabling.

Step 15



Click the open button and locate the lot you just created.

Step 16



On the right-hand side, select the transit network you wish to use (black circle). Using the directional tool (green circle), select the direction(s) in which you want the traffic to flow.

Step 17



Click and drag the tile onto the actual lot. Repeat for the other squares. You should get what is shown above. Save your progress and exit out of the SC4 Tool.

Step 18



After opening SC4 and loading a city, locate the lot you created (mine being based off of the Maxis plaza, it would be located in the parks menu). Plop it to make sure it has the look you desire.

Step 19



Drag the network outwards from the lot to check if you TE'd the lot correctly.

Step 20



Plop the lot in the desired location. I have placed it in front of these two residential towers to show that the pathfinding does work with the new lot.

There you have it; one of my more in-depth tutorials. I have to thank Badsim, because his tutorial featured in his MD gave me the inspiration for this tutorial. Feel free to show your creations and/or problems here in this thread. If anyone needs any clarification or help, feel free to PM me; I'm always willing to help!

~ Dan

[nerdly_dood]

Awesome dude! Now I know how to have more than one overlay texture on my lots... 

[jplumbley]

This is something that has its pros and cons.

It is something good when you are looking for the looks for a CJ or MD or something like that.  But when you look at the technicalities behind it, this is not a good thing for the way your Traffic Simulation works.  Transit Enabled Lots are not intended nor should they be used as a network tile.

The best possible way to make something in this fashion is via "Network Enabling", not "Tranist Enabling"...  Here is a post by Ripplejet that discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each:

http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=539.msg134578#msg134578

[wes.janson]

Excellent tutorial!

I use similar lots quite a bit (I actually got the idea from one of your lots), though using the 'D' key for multiple overlay textures is news to me, and news that I greatly appreciate.

I was going to make a mention of network enabling (though I noticed I was beaten to it before I could click the post button) because I have read far too many posts by jplumbley to ever use transit enabled lots as network tiles.

[dsrwhat316]

Yeah, this is merely eye-candy for one or two spots in my city; I don't intend to have these everywhere. I do appreciate the suggestion; one day when I figure out how to network-enable (I have to read that thread a bit more thoroughly), I'll give it a try. I appreciate your critiques; it's the only way I'll learn 

~ Dan

[wes.janson]

From what I remember, network enabling is exactly the same as transist enabling with just a little bit of tweaking in the reader.

1. Tranist enable as you have shown here
2. Open reader
3. Delete the transit switch point/entry cost/capacity
4. Reindex and save

I could be wrong, I haven't read the tutorial in a quite awhile.

[girlfromverona]

To plop this overlay on the square without deleting the road overlay underneath, hold the D key after selecting the overlay and click on the square you wish to place it on

Nice tutorial! I didn't know you could have more than one overlay texture - guess that's my new thing learned for today. 

[metasmurf]

Nice tutorial! I didn't know you could have more than one overlay texture - guess that's my new thing learned for today. 

I second that

[danielra96]

my only problem is that on step sixteen when i go to transit enable it, it says not found in the boxes

[Luke09]

wow amazing job!