T-RAM

[majorjet]

wow, I just discovered this forum!  I love the work you guys are doing!  Can't wait for the T-RAM stations to come out!  I personally don't think benches are necessary in the middle.  Here in Toronto, people just stand and stand and stand and wait.  If we can do it here, I'm sure my Sims can do it too 

[j-dub]

Warrior, after testing we found cars don't want to take the GLR in Avenue out to the border so far. I will have to show you the results of the traffic simulator routes later.

[z]

Question, is this in the master plans?

The piece on the left is an example of a pathed GLR in Avenue neighbor connection only puzzle piece.

No; is this something that RTMT should be concerned about?

Since nobody liked the benches in the middle, I got rid of them.  Also, I put in some lights, as j-dub suggested.  So here's the night view:



I also took of the zebra stripes so you can see what the station looks like without them.  As you can see, the station itself has its own lighting.  I think the overall effect is pretty nice.

All the tram stations take two squares, so there's no overhang in any of the above pictures.  For those of you with really long trams, though, we've got just the station for you:



That's a two-square station with two squares of overhang.  I should mention that all versions of this tram shelter were created from scratch by Cogeo, and all credit is due to him for them.  As for me, right now I couldn't BAT my way out of a paper bag.

As for those who don't like the outer platforms, I'm afraid that's the way this station comes; the gmax models no longer exist.  As I mentioned earlier, though, the striping can be removed simply by removing one file.  But we have other tram shelters on our shelves.  Here's a station built around Antoine's TSC shelter:



And here's a version built around GShmails'.  Note that this one has a slightly overhanging platform:



Both of these gentlemen have kindly consented to letting the RTMT team incorporate their models in its distributions, so there are no dependencies involved here.  Between these various stations, I would think there's something for everyone.  And there's no need to decide which I should build; due to the magic of Cogeo's customization system, you can choose which one you want when you install the station.  And if you change your mind, all you have to do is swap in a different file, and all the stations change to the newly selected shelter.  More customization options will be available when this is integrated with the next release of RTMT, and they will all be automated.

I figure that if I'm building one station, it's not much more work at all to create all three:  a tram station, a bus stop, and a combo tram station/bus stop (which is what the pictures show).  Furthermore, unless there's some magic that I don't know about, it would be quite trivial to create tram-on-road versions of these as well.  Someone please let me know if I'm wrong here.

So that comes out to six stations, four of which can have any of four different tram shelters.  It shouldn't take more than a few days to get this all up and running.  In the mean time, if there are any other prop suggestions, please let me know.

[Sciurus]

That's very nice, but when will we have those stations? 

[io_bg]

Great work. I love the last one (I've been thinking about doing it by myself but I couldn't find the ground textures for it). Cogeo's station is also good but maybe it looks a bit oversized. Antoine's station is the one I least like, it's too big. I can't wait to see these stations released, they're really useful.

[z]

That's very nice, but when will we have those stations? 

As I mentioned above, I'm going to try to get them all out within a few days, RL permitting.

I've just posted in the New Additions to RTMT thread describing what's going on here, along with a picture of what the stations look like with the Maxis yellow-and-blue phone booth that I managed to squeeze on the sidewalk with a little room for Sims to walk by.  At this point, it would probably be good for conversations about details of these stations to continue in the RTMT thread; it still might be useful to post here anything that relates specifically to T-RAM that would be useful for the construction of other stations.

[Antica]

Nice that I can build T-RAM now, but there are no stations yet 

[deathtopumpkins]

Nice, Z! I like that station a lot more now, and the others are pretty cool too! Though I think I'd be a little bit nervous driving by the one with Antoine's model... 

[TRD121]

Just a few pictures to show what we are working on ...

One tile short with overhang (left), two tiles with overhang (mid) or three tiles (right). Puzzle pieces were plopped in front and behind in the picture.
If you use short trams (BSC SFBT GLR Tram Mod), you'll be more interested in the short version. Other users will install a longer version.
Link to the real life example for this station


... still in development, will be improved, would you like it (it's big, 3x2 tiles)? ...

... and a few more ...

Very good work!
Is how much absent in order that they could downloaded?¿
Thanks

[newsimaddict]

The original stations (1st pic in last post) looks the most 'blended' if that's such a description (?) With less props and a smaller platform, it doesn't extend into the traffic as much as the newer ones...though that probably an easy change to make.

I do like the gshmails shelter though. It's quite old school and has a nice rustic feel about it. Great work and can't wait for these to be released!

[Erzei]

As i've said on the RTMT theme:

...  The problem is that there are currently no stations for the T-RAM, so Sims who manage to get on the train at an avenue, for example, can't get off once it switches to the T-RAM ...

That's not true.

I'm using BriPizza overhanging El-Rail stations for the T-RAM. I plop one station next to the TramOverRoad piece, and the sims can use or get out of the stations. Of course, it don't look aesthetic, but at least it works.

So, i'm planning to do some overhanging stations. I'll post a picture later showing it.

[z]

Just one more picture to tempt you:



EDIT:  I couldn't resist.  Here's Andreas's Historic Tram Station, modified to work with T-RAM.  It fits very well in older sections of your cities, where some of the other stations may appear too modern.  It will appear in the first release of the RTMT T-RAM stations.  Thanks to Andreas for permission to use his station, as well as for his help in general.  This station will also be available for GLR-in-Avenue in the next full release of RTMT.  (It is currently available as a standalone GLR-in-Avenue station on the LEX, complete with its own props.)



As you can see, these stations work equally well on either type of T-RAM.  And they're almost ready.  Testing has been successfully completed on the top station, which is a combo bus/GLR station.  With the combo capability, volume has been as high as 41,000 Sims.    And the T-RAM-on-Road is really just a texture variation.  Standard NAM T-RAM paths are used in both cases.  All that remains is some dumbing down of these stations to provide a simple bus stop and a plain GLR station; additionally, various things like power and water consumption, capacity, etc. need to to be done for each station.  But that's it; these stations have already been made compatible with the rest of RTMT, so they neither require it nor interfere with it.  And the type of shelter you use for T-RAM can be different from what you use for GLR-in-avenue.  So it won't be much longer at all... 

[b22rian]

Just fabulous work on these Z !!!

I think most of us know how busy you are with various projects at devotion.. So this is much
appreciated by many gamers everywhere, i can assure you..
Thanks for your hard work in creating some highly wanted stations !!

Thanks, Brian

[Chrisim]

As you can see, these stations work equally well on either type of T-RAM.  And they're almost ready.  ... And the T-RAM-on-Road is really just a texture variation. 

Z, it is a pity that you have never been involved in the discussions of the T-RAM developers for stations. A simple modification of existing tram or tram-avenue stations for tram-in-road is, as you say, simple and quick. I created and used a similar station half a year ago when developing the T-RAM puzzle pieces for the NAM. But I would not publish such a functional station that looks unreal.

In Europe and in particular in Germany, there are many tram-in-roads and tram-on-roads. We wish to build stations that look real. So, we had discussions how to create stations that fit technically into the game and that also look somehow real. It is a real challenge because of the narrow width of the tram-in-road / tram-on-road. I assure you that these discussions (at Simforum) were not always easy. No early draft of a station survived. So please, do not feel offended to also receive some harsh arguments on your images (the echo at Simforum has been pretty negative):

Last image: model has three platforms (one in the middle and two on the sides). These platforms are much too narrow. The masts on the center platform and the props on the sidewalk block pedestrian paths. You need to widen such a station to two tiles, otherwise you have no chance to get a realistic view.

Second last image, same model for tram-on-road: when you have two car lanes, you would not let them pass through a tram station. Too dangerous.

Image of Andreas's Historic Tram Station model: it shows a roof construction on masts in the middle of the tracks - no platform. That's not realistic. Although the model is by SFBT, we did not proceed using it as T-RAM station.

Image of Antoine's TSC shelter model: one tile is too narrow for this model. A two tiles wide station would look good. Needs adapted textures and paths, and maybe adapted props to be created.

Your image of GShmails' tram station model: it shows a roof construction on masts on a platform in the middle of the tracks. Although it is narrow, this model can be used because of its optimised platform (why did you move the platform below the surface?). We have a T-RAM station with the same model in preparation, but different props and improved textures.

Z, I hope that we got your attention for the quest for quality and realism. From the previous Simforum discussions, the conclusion for T-RAM stations was:
a) a simple one-tile wide tram stop (a stop, not station!) without roofs and limited props (as depicted in my previous posting), because such tram stops exist in real towns.
b) tram-stations need two (or more) tiles width and require adapted textures, paths and props.

The best design for a tram-on-road station that I have seen is by Schleicher68 (I hope that he does not mind that I show it here in a public forum):

This can be implemented either as one lot or as a combination of NAM puzzle pieces and a normal GLR/tram station. The latter solution has the advantages that you may put any tram station in the middle and that no residential area is blocked.

[j-dub]

What is that oneway/GLR in Road transition at the ends of the station? I think that would be a great puzzle piece for the T-RAM!

[Kitsune]

How about a transition station, dont know if this is possible though....

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=43.657803,-79.399915&spn=0.001374,0.003487&t=k&z=19

Notice on how traffic on the GLR in Road can go on eithier side of the platform, and the platform is only one side, with each side of the platform being on the other side of the intersection. Same goes with the platforms on the dedicated ROW.

[deathtopumpkins]

I have never tried to make a station, but I must disagree with those somewhat harsh remarks against z's stations. They, for the most part, look fairly realistic to me. They don't seem any less realistic than many other things in this game, and I would love to use them.
Regardless of your opinions, as that's simply what they are, I say z should go ahead and release them.

[Xyloxadoria]

I have a picture to tempt you too:


If you think the model looks good ill render it out. I know how to do the transit switches and such form the last version. Not sure on the pathing but i might be able to do it. Oh and the road part is just there so you can get an idea of what it will look like. Ill take it out so it can be replaced with base textures for the actual render.

Any word on the AVE version? If you have other stuff you're working on its fine, (base textures?) I just haven't heard anything about it recently.

[cogeo]

Xylo, could you please model only the ramp, and use textures for the road surface? Underground LODs shouldn't be needed.

[majorjet]

What's the difference between T-ram in road and T-ram on road?  They both look the same to me.  Either way, great work Z!  I can't wait for you to release your stations 'cause my sims need them!

Thanks again for your great work!