GLR & Tram-Avenues - Help and Development

[Chrisim]

Please use this thread to ask for GLR help and support, and to propose new GLR related functionalities.
Before asking for support, please check this thread "GLR & Tram-Avenues Gameplay: Basics & Tricks".

GoaSkin moderated a similar GLR help thread at ST until about a year ago. Although he is still active, he is now more interested by other topics (unfortunately for the GLR & Tram-Avenues). I will try to give GLR related support here at SC4D. For those who do not know about me: I did learn about creating Tram-Avenue puzzle pieces early this year and prepared some new pieces for the NAM April 2008, thanks also to much help by "memo" who had created the draggable GLR and tram-avenue in 2007. I am SFBT and NAM team member. I will try to reply on a regular (not daily) basis and I hope that this thread will accomodate useful and interesting postings and discussions, as GoaSkin's GLR help thread did in the past.

Frequently Asked Questions - FAQs

How can I install GLR and Tram-Avenues?
You need Rush Hour or Sim City 4 Deluxe. Simply install the Network Addon Mod (NAM) in it's latest version, GLR and Tram-avenues are included.

GLR starter pieces and tram-avenue puzzle pieces are always red
You have an old NAM or a conflicting traffic mod installed. De-install it and install the latest NAM version.

Is there a tutorial for beginners?
Yes, see the thread "GLR & Tram-Avenues Gameplay: Basics & Tricks"

The game crashes often when I try to place puzzle pieces.
There is a bug in SimCity. Prevent the mouse cursor from hovering it over station lots (including GLR stations, bus stops and railway stations) and save your city regularly and before placing GLR puzzle pieces!

The game crashes sporadically, not when handling puzzle pieces
If you installed the BSC SFBT GLR Tram Mod (with the four colored tram stations), you certainly read the Readme: it has to load after the NAM - otherwise the game may crash regularly after several minutes. If you leave the "GLR Tram Mod" folder inside the Plugins\SFBT folder, it's fine. If you moved it to the Plugins folder or into a folder alphabetically above the NAM, you may experience this CTD when using GLR or elevated rail. 

When I plopped a station on dragged GLR track, it reverts to elevated rail.
This happens when the track segment gets too short. Simply insert a GLR starter piece as described in the thread "GLR & Tram-Avenues Gameplay: Basics & Tricks"

Stations are not UDI compatible and I can't see any trams passing it.
Stations need to be activated to ensure that tram automata and UDI can pass the lot.
GLR stations plopped on dragged GLR tracks: these are already activated - no activation necessary.
GLR stations not plopped on dragged GLR tracks: use the el-rail tool and draw it "through" the station (along all tiles of the station)
Tram-avenue stations (incl. roundabout): use the oneway tool and draw it "through" the station (along all tiles of the station)
Alternatively, save the city and exit it (to region), after re-start the tram automata will work.
The thread "GLR & Tram-Avenues Gameplay: Basics & Tricks" shows in pictures how to do it.
GLR tracks do not need to be activated.

Why do Sims don't use the tram of the tram-avenue, but prefer to drive by car?
Since the distance is the same for cars and trams along tram-avenues, Sims prefer to drive their own car.
Trick: Plan your network in such a way that tram distances will be shorter than car distances, then Sims will start using the tram when there is enough demand.

How much work is it to include a new tram-avenue puzzle piece?
If you can provide a texture for a new puzzle piece to us, it is 1-4 hours work for us, depending on the complexity of paths and T21 exemplars (for automatic props). If you want to create textures, they have optically to fit with the others.

Big thanks to GoaSkin, several of the FAQ were copied from his old thread at ST.

[z]

Many puzzle pieces in the NAM deal with various types of diagonals.  One that I think would be extremely useful would be a GLR-in-avenue puzzle piece crossed by a diagonal road.  There would need to be two versions of the piece, depending on the orientation of the diagonal.  What do people think?

[toxicpiano]

Was this station ever released?

[Andreas]

Was this station ever released?

Not yet. It got buried under a huge pile of RL stuff, but I resurrected it last weekend, so it'll finally see the light very soon.

[shanghai kid]

Great, can hardly wait to test it in the game

[allan_kuan1992]

hmm... is there any progress on those stations yet? They haven't really appeared on the LEX yet.

- Allan Kuan

[Chrisim]

Was this station ever released?

Yes, these stations and also the normal Tram-in-Avenue stations are part of the updated BSC SFBT GLR Tram Mod on the LEX (link).

[FrankU]

Is there a possibility to run the GLR-in-avenue to another city?

- Just plopping a puzzle piece would not work.
- And one way streets with a draggable GLR in the center also does not work, because one way streets don't cross the border.

Does this mean the only possibility is to get het GLR out of the avenue and then let it cross the cityboreder as separate GLR and avenue? Or did you find some other solution?

[z]

Is there a possibility to run the GLR-in-avenue to another city?

No, for exactly the reasons you mention.

Does this mean the only possibility is to get het GLR out of the avenue and then let it cross the cityboreder as separate GLR and avenue? Or did you find some other solution?

This is the best solution I know of.

[Shiftred]

You could also split the avenue and transition the GLR to Subway for your city-to-city connection. This method will still allow building along your avenue.

[sim-al2]

Good solution! Could be useful.

[Kitsune]

speaking of which, a GLR to subway conversion without having to split the avenue would be a mighty nice feature to have...

[FrankU]

Thanks Z and Shiftred,

I know what to do. A good solution!

[Xyloxadoria]

speaking of which, a GLR to subway conversion without having to split the avenue would be a mighty nice feature to have...

Something like this?:

I have been working on a transistion from ave glr to subway that just takes up the avenue itself. It is fully modled and modded, the only thing i can get right is mathung transit textures. (due to the slope in the models the textures have to be part of the BAT itself) I did the general color correction that was needed for normal textures, that were direct from the NAM and that  did not work. What else needs to be done to get the NAM textures to render correctly?

EDIT: Found a SC4 pic of it Apprently someone has the beta model already:

[rooker1]

I think that looks fantastic.
I am super glad that someone has started more developement on the GLR.

Robin 

[vester]

Yes indeed, that looks fantastic. 

[shanghai kid]

wow, are you sure this isn't a real picture

[Chrisim]

EDIT: Found a SC4 pic of it Apprently someone has the beta model already:

Don't worry, Xyloxadoria, the model is just with you and me. I created the picture to raise more interest into your transition (hoping that it motivates you to work on it again  )
The transition is functioning and it would be a pity to stop being so close to it.
For the color, I checked again and noticed that the model looks fine inside the Reader. The slightly purple tint does only appear in the game. Hmmh, strange. I'll try out some different modding of the lot ...
Pegasus gave a nice description of using a flat LOD for an apparent underground BAT - link - this would help to avoid the green shining through artefact

[FrankU]

No need to say, but I do it anyway: this is a fantastic addition tot the GLR!
I hope you will solve the problem and release the lot as soon as possible.

Thanks in advance.

--- Edit ---

Forgot to say: even if you don't solve it, I am eager to use it.
Sometimes function is more important than beauty.

[Diggis]

Pegasus gave a nice description of using a flat LOD for an apparent underground BAT - link - this would help to avoid the green shining through artefact

After some serious experimentation, and then being told by chris adams  , the lowest LOD that will avoid ground issues is .55m high.

To get your textures right, try using the calibrating photoshop tutorial by gas cooker to modify the colours to what you want.  BAT will change them.

Also make sure is ground model is unchecked in the properties of the model.