FLexible UnderPasses (FLUPs)

[Dexist]

okay is that on the plan for future updates?


and Isnt is possible to make something like an a road under a invisible texture, so you can place anything on top of it?

[jdenm8]

I believe it is planned for eventual inclusion, yes.

For many other things, that is indeed very possible, but any puzzle piece that has anything below ground level must be a Ground-Level BAT for it to appear correctly, therefore it's much harder to do.

[noahclem]

I'm not quite sure I understand your other question but I'll try to answer (what jdenm8 hasn't answered already). You can have buildings overhanging to hide another network so it appears as an underpass. Tunnels would allow you the most flexibility to build whatever you want above and avenue tunnels integrate very well visually with RHW, though they lack its capacity and speed. They can also be placed on 8 meter slopes which is very close to the same depth as most FLUPs. Highway tunnels would keep approximately the same capacity and speed but don't mesh well visually with RHW--though it's possible to hide the transition and tunnel entrance with some kind of overhanging object similar to what I mentioned above.

Another note on using tunnels in similar situations as FLUPS would normally be used:  If you have the patience, it's possible to place transit networks directly adjacent to the top of a tunnel entrance. The technique involves placing a lot on top of the entrance that flattens the terrain but it's finicky. You can find a tutorial on it somewhere here on SC4D. Ploppable GLR and Tram-in-Avenue can be placed on top of a tunnel entrance without that trick. The limitation is that the minimum length of tunnels is 3 tiles.

Hope that answers your question/helps.

[fredskronk]

Hi,

First of all a really big thank you for all the hard work that you all have done with FLUPs. I love them!

There's one thing I've been thinking of though. Would it be possible to make on-slope entrances for road, avenue and for GLR? The one I'm missing the most is GLR since it would be nice for a sunken station I have and for the sunken GLR pieces.

Is this perhaps in the plans?

[strucka]

Another really cool thing would be open FLUPs, like sunken FLUPs, so you could make longer approaches, to the overpass, or a hole between two overpasses. That way, you'd get 2 overpasses instead of one ''tunnel''. That would be awesome. And yes, priority now should be an on-slope set of pieces.

[Kevin1a]

@Strucka:  I've been thinking about that a lot too.  I was in Juarez, Mexico a few years back, and I remember seeing that they use the spillways as sunken roads when they aren't full of water (it only rains a few days a year).  Open FLUPS, like sunken plazas except with roads at the bottom, would help me recreate scenes like that, or like the new bypass by the train station in Aschaffenburg Germany where a sunken road runs under the tracks as they are coming together outside the station, and numerous sunken intersections are encountered while on this sunken road.

[GDO29Anagram]

@strucka and Kevin1a: Open FLUP pieces are merely cosmetic variations of the pre-existing versions.

All would be quite possible, if one had the time to make models. I HIGHLY doubt it would be a part of the NAM, so it would have to be a third-party aesthetic addon. Luckily, there are blank FLUPs for people who wanted to make their own textures, or T21 specific props to them. (In case you were wondering, only one set of such has ever been made.)

I would personally imagine that in order to make such a FLUP variation, you would need to make the model into a prop to be T21'd onto the blank FLUP. I guess the key is to know what the IID for one of the blank FLUPs is, if you can get around figuring out how to BAT and T21 something.

@fredskronk: Sorry if it took so long to respond. On-slope FLUPs are something that even I would want. Once again, the limiting factor is making the models needed for such.

[jdenm8]

Open-cut FLUPs are indeed possible, however it will look terrible over uneven surfaces and traffic will not be visible.
This is because no matter what you do, you cannot make 3D meshes that are visible below ground level in SC4. The existing underpass portals are actually BATs that don't intersect the ground at all.

[strucka]

But then how is the sunken GLR made? Because you can see the train there. And if that knowledge, could be somehow implemented into FLUPS we'd get nicer FLUP's, where cars wouldn't just disappear in to the asphalt.

[jondor]

But then how is the sunken GLR made? Because you can see the train there. And if that knowledge, could be somehow implemented into FLUPS we'd get nicer FLUP's, where cars wouldn't just disappear in to the asphalt.

Unlike the FLUPs which are puzzle pieces, the sunken GLR are TE lots.

SC4 handles them very differently.

Network tiles, whether plopped or dragged, cannot display beneath the ground, the ground texture will cover it up.

The FLUPs ramps are actually flat models (like many other puzzle pieces) but with forced perspective textures that make it look like the road dips underground.

If viewed from the wrong angle, this can be seen. (Try rotating any of the ramp previews and watch it, it only looks correct from one angle because the preview uses a single texture rather than four different ones)

Lots are able to display underground sections which is why the sunken GLR lots work.

[jdenm8]

Exactly as Jondor said.

TE'd LOT meshes work properly, because Maxis wanted that functionality (Elevated Rail to Subway transition) whereas it was unnecessary on Puzzle Pieces as they were only meant to be used for Intersections.

[Wiimeiser]

In fact, puzzle pieces were only meant to be used for highway interchanges. Still, the vanilla toll booth poses a problem. With that glitch in mind it sems that the toll booth was a last second addition.

[speed285]

Hello everyone.

I wonder if you plan to make tunnels for avenues, roads and highways and in the images.

I've seen in some post that already exist.
Know if you have thought upa package with of these tunnels ?

Thanks.

[GDO29Anagram]

@speed285: It would be possible to make on-slope FLUP entrances for all the other networks, but, once again, the limiting factor is making the models needed for them. And no; None have been planned as of yet.

It is official: This thread needs a FAQ section, because the request for more FLUP entrances, especially on-slope pieces, is becoming frequently asked.

[io_bg]

Hello everyone.

I wonder if you plan to make tunnels for avenues, roads and highways and in the images.

I've seen in some post that already exist.
Know if you have thought upa package with of these tunnels ?

Thanks.

You can use Buddybud's underpasses for roads and one-ways

[GDO29Anagram]

@io-bg: Could you provide a link? I'm curious about this as well.

[Twyla]

@io-bg: Could you provide a link? I'm curious about this as well.

The link I have for it is this one.

[ps2owner]

About on slope pieces:
Couldn't you guys just make a rough model and release the puzzle piece as a separate download?
I would much rater prefer a rough model then no piece at all.
Oh and BTW, FLUP's are pretty awesome.

EDIT: I would like to request an on-slope Underground rail entrance.

[Tarkus]

About on slope pieces:
Couldn't you guys just make a rough model and release the puzzle piece as a separate download?
I would much rater prefer a rough model then no piece at all.
Oh and BTW, FLUP's are pretty awesome.

EDIT: I would like to request an on-slope Underground rail entrance.

Even a rough model would take a fair bit of time and requires special techniques--might as well just finish the job at that point.  Due to how the logistics of controller files work, we can't release puzzle pieces individually. 

-Alex

[ps2owner]

Well, okay.
Just wondering, whats the typical process for making a FLUP ramp?