Topic: SNT - V. 2.0 available for download! (Read 32529 times)

Akallan · « **on:** June 25, 2017, 03:19:41 PM »

Welcome to the Swiss Network Textures page, or simply SNT!

The SNT is a project that aims to create overlay textures that can then be used in the Lot Editor. The textures imitate as much as possible the road markings that can be found in Switzerland and the rest of Europe, which is why there are two different colors for pedestrian crossings in the textures: yellow for Switzerland and white for Europe. The aim of the SNT is ultimately to cover all road networks, be they those of Maxis or NAM, except the Maxis highway and NAM RHW.

The SNT is available on the exchanges of SimCity4 Devotion, Simtropolis and ToutSimCities. There is also a short introductory video of the texture pack available on YouTube.

Attention, this pack of textures does not change the appearance of road networks in your city! It is limited for use in the Lot Editor which can be downloaded on SC4 Devotion or Simtropolis. You are free to use the textures as you see fit, if you want to create a mod or modify these textures you can do it without my permission as long as my name is credited in the download.

If you have suggestions or problems with the texture pack please leave a comment here, I will answer as soon as possible.

Below, the table that shows which network are covered by the SNT, those that are planned or not with the images of the created textures:

Code	Type	Description	Orthogonal	Diagonal	Textures	Picture
M01.01	Road	With marking	Finished	Finished	486	Click here
M01.02	Road	Without marking	Finished	Finished	330	Click here
M02.01	Street	With marking	Finished	Finished	417	Click here
M02.02	Street	Without marking	Finished	Finished	280	Click here
M03	OWR-2		Finished	In project (v 4.0)	306	Click here
M04	AVE-4		Finished	In project (v 4.0)	381	Click here
--------------------	--------------------	-----------------------------------	------------------------	------------------------	-------------	-----------------
N05	TLA-3		Finished	Not in project	262	Click here
N06	TLA-5		In project (v 3.0)	Not in project	n/a	n/a
N07	TLA-7		In project (v 3.0)	Not in project	n/a	n/a
N08	AVE-2		Finished	Not in project	238	Click here
N09	AVE-6		In project (v 3.0)	Not in project	n/a	n/a
N10	ARD-3		Finished	Not in project	459	Click here
N11	NRD-4		In project (v 3.0)	Not in project	n/a	n/a
N12	RD-4		In project (v 3.0)	Not in project	n/a	n/a
N13	RD-6		In project (v 3.0)	Not in project	n/a	n/a
N14	OWR-1		Finished	Not in project	193	Click here
N15	OWR-3		Finished	Not in project	236	Click here
N16	OWR-4		In project (v 3.0)	Not in project	n/a	n/a
N17	OWR-5		In project (v 3.0)	Not in project	n/a	n/a
N18	GLR		In project (v 3.0)	Not in project	n/a	n/a
N19.01	SAM	Parking Lots	In project (v 3.0)	Not in project	n/a	n/a
N19.02	SAM	Herringbone	Finished	Not in project	200	Click here
N19.03	SAM	Dirt Roads	In project (v 3.0)	Not in project	n/a	n/a
N19.04	SAM	Gravel Streets	In project (v 3.0)	Not in project	n/a	n/a
N19.05	SAM	Trolcas Dirt Streets	In project (v 3.0)	Not in project	n/a	n/a
N19.06	SAM	Klinker Streets	In project (v 3.0)	Not in project	n/a	n/a
N19.07	SAM	Asphalt Streets	Finished	Not in project	198	Click here
N19.08	SAM	Cobblestone Streets	Finished	Not in project	196	Click here
N19.09	SAM	Brick Streets	In project (v 3.0)	Not in project	n/a	n/a
N19.10	SAM	Japanese Streets	In project (v 3.0)	Not in project	n/a	n/a
N19.11	SAM	IndustrieSAM	Finished	Not in project	194	Click here
N20	RRW		In project (v 3.0)	Not in project	n/a	n/a
N21	Roundabout		Finished	Not in project	75	Click here
N22	RHW		Not in project	Not in project	n/a	n/a
--------------------	--------------------	-----------------------------------	------------------------	------------------------	-------------	-----------------
P23	OWS-1		Finished	Not in project	191	Click here
P24	OWS-2		Finished	Not in project	280	Click here
--------------------	--------------------	-----------------------------------	------------------------	------------------------	-------------	-----------------
		Total Textures :	4'922
		Last Update :	24.09.2019

Legend

M = Maxis network / N = NAM network / P = Personal network

Golhbul · « **Reply #1 on:** June 25, 2017, 03:44:36 PM »

Gorgeous.

But I'm not in favor of the Yellow crosswalk .... A possible option in white?

Good work

Quote

Magnifique.

Mais je ne suis pas favorable au passage pièton jaune.... Une option possible en blanc?

Bon travail

G.

eggman121 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 25, 2017, 04:43:32 PM »

Top work Akallan

Road texturing is hard too get the hang of so my metaphorical hat is off to you

You where even able to find the IIDs. Something that is hard to do given the sheer amount of Textures in the NAM.

If you need any assistance please don't hesitate to ask

-eggman121

Tyberius06 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 25, 2017, 05:42:49 PM »

Hi!

Well-well, it's a very nice project. I like it!
Keep up the good work!

- Tyberius

mgb204 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 25, 2017, 06:38:26 PM »

Would I be correct in assuming these textures are Lot Textures? If so, what are your plans for them, to place TE lots to add these details? Because network textures have some limitations that you may struggle with with some of the pieces I'm seeing here. That's because the way the game works, it has no way of defining for example the AVE-2 piece with a zebra crossing. All tiles which are straight use the same texture, so either all can have a crossing or none of them. It's a similar story with the roundabout textures, if you keep the crossing on the roundabout tile, it will all be fine, but otherwise the next tile away from it will be a generic straight piece.

Of course you can use TE lots, but there are some limitations there too, mostly that two placed together will never be truly functional. In fact, without the SC4Fix.DLL file, you simply can't place two together in the first place. But that hasn't stopped others from using this solution to get the look they are after in-game, you should simply be aware of what will and won't work functionally. If it's just visuals you are after, then this need not be a problem. With networks there is a possible workaround by adding some new RUL code for these situations, but that's not a perfect solution either.

Regarding distribution, if it's in the NAM, you are probably fine to re-release modified versions of the textures. Generally speaking the NAM contributors are happy for people to be able to re-use their work. However I see Rivit's TSR streets there too, for those you probably want to ask Rivit for permission.

Akallan · « **Reply #5 on:** June 26, 2017, 01:29:15 PM »

Golhbul :
Thank you Gohlbul, yes I can also do in white this is not a problem.
Merci Golhbul, oui je peux aussi faire en blanc ce n'est pas un problème.

eggman121 :
Thank you so much for your support, I would certainly call you if I need you, thank you!

Tyberius06 :
Thank you!

mgb204 :
Yes I understand, I know that my textures can not be used directly for the application of draggable networks. I must admit that I did not really think about this option because for me my goal is simply to give a pack of textures of roads so that people can use them LotEditor. People can also modify them if they want to use the .jpeg images and create new textures in addition to mine.

But now that you talk about draggable network, you make me think of something: tells you that it is complicated to apply these textures on the draggable network, so why not create batches as it exists in the NAM, the "fillers", like this one:

This will make it possible to have the choice of its road texture, and in addition to having a road network that really works. I do not know the time it takes to create this type of lot, you know it better than I if it is feasible or not. I think that this is the best solution for my textures to be usable outside the eye-candy.

Indeed, I had forgotten that the streets were those of Rivit, I will make the request and I will make a more formal request for the part of the NAM. Thank you for this precision and time to write to me.

Terring7 · « **Reply #6 on:** June 27, 2017, 11:16:39 AM »

Yeah, having those textures available as decorative puzzle pieces would be create for anyone who wants to make her/his road system a bit more interesting, by adding lovely details and customizing the city even more, without the need of TE lots. Great work

Akallan · « **Reply #7 on:** July 05, 2017, 01:12:43 PM »

Quote from: Terring7 on June 27, 2017, 11:16:39 AM

Yeah, having those textures available as decorative puzzle pieces would be create for anyone who wants to make her/his road system a bit more interesting, by adding lovely details and customizing the city even more, without the need of TE lots. Great work

I hope that this solution can be possible, I can do it myself provided that I am taught how to do it.

Tonight, a little update with all the work done. For roads and streets, I made two versions each: with brands and without. I also intend to make roads and streets on a lane, but before that I will always work with AVE-2.

What do you think?

Is it possible to create roads with puzzle pieces like NAM?

Thank you and see you soon.

Road with marking

Road without marking

Street with marking

Street without marking

korver · « **Reply #8 on:** July 05, 2017, 11:10:48 PM »

Coming together quite nicely! Great work so far on this set

reddonquixote · « **Reply #9 on:** July 06, 2017, 12:10:46 AM »

So much work.. amazing

Tyberius06 · « **Reply #10 on:** July 06, 2017, 04:23:22 AM »

Wow nice work over here!

I know the standard NAM Team policy is not to make new Puzzle Pieces, but while is not a NAM project I like the idea of new Puzzle Pieces. I think there are areas, at least ground level, where they can be useful and nice additions. Like here with these pedestrian crossings.

- Tyberius

matias93 · « **Reply #11 on:** July 06, 2017, 08:10:08 AM »

I haven't seen this kind of quality and productivity on road texturing since the long gone times of Mandelsoft!

I have literally no idea abour the right way to integrate this to the overall mod scheme, but I know it deserves a place there.

Tarkus · « **Reply #12 on:** July 06, 2017, 09:41:14 PM »

As I mentioned over PM, this is some impressive texture work here--nicely done!

Generally speaking, if a texture is included in the NAM, we're more than happy to see folks modify them to produce regional variants or textures that could be used for expansions to our existing content.

Regarding the implementation side of things, the traditional way to handle this would indeed have been a set of "Cosmetic Pieces"--essentially, conventional Static Puzzle Pieces (SPPs) used for aesthetic reasons, along the lines of what dedgren did with the Rural Roads Plugin (RuRP), and later, what MandelSoft did on the RHW side.

As a few users have pointed out, the NAM Team has generally been trying to avoid further proliferation of conventional static puzzle pieces, mostly because of significant ease-of-use issues that our prior modus operandi of cranking out hundreds of puzzle pieces per release created. Since each conventional static puzzle piece can only serve a single purpose, and there are so many components in the NAM now, there's no way to accommodate future expansion except to create more SPPs, and it basically turns into "rabbit breeding".

SPPs are okay when one is dealing with something that isn't intended to exist in parallel on other base or override networks, and/or don't seem particularly conducive to a draggable or FLEX solution, and they're certainly preferable to TE Lots or things like the old "automatic" version of the Road Turning Lanes plugin, which nearly killed the Network Widening Mod, Draggable Fractional Angle Roads, and the Draggable Elevated Road Viaducts.

Based on the initial prototype, that probably could have been safe SPP territory. Once things started expanding, however, to plain Roads and Streets, plus Roads and Streets without markings, it reached the point where SPPs become unmanageable--on my count, you'd need just over 100 pieces to cover everything shown so far.

Given the types of designs here, they actually fit with some existing NAM expansion plans that have been on the backburner, namely with intersection control variants (related to the SITAP project with the One-Way Road network), with plans to make the PedMalls/paths draggable, and with NWM/Roundabout crosslinking. The only thing not really covered in those previous plans are the zigzag setups approaching the crosswalks, but those could easily be handled in a manner similar to what we're doing with the FLEX Turn Lanes, which would allow us to expand that functionality to other networks (i.e. NWM and SAM) without really needing to create any new pieces beyond the initial offering.

Hope that gives some insight into the NAM thought process.

-Alex

Akallan · « **Reply #13 on:** July 07, 2017, 11:09:42 AM »

Thank you very much for your comments.

korver :
Thank you.

reddonquixote :
It's not over yet, I still have a lot to do. To be honest, I do not know if one day the work will be 100% finished, there are so many different textures and possibilities that it scares!

Tyberius06 :
I do not want to work with the NAM team, I do not have the skills to do this and I do not know if one day my textures will actually be applied in the game for the actual traffic, but I hope so.

matias93 :
Thank you very much for your support, the comparison to Mandelsoft is flattering!

Tarkus :
Yes I understand the problem of the parts SPP. In my opinion, I do not necessarily want to work with NAM because I do not have the skills to do this, I'm bad in computer science.

Since the beginning of my project, I only want to make textures so that other users can use them in the LotEditor or modify them as they like as for example a mod. The only thought I had since the beginning is to create his famous pieces "SPP", but outside the NAM, I do not wish to bore you with my project. The problem is that I do not know how to create a lot with several lots as you do for road or rail viaducts for example. If I am told how to make this type of lot, I can make a lot with several SPP parts and this would greatly simplify the list of lots in the SC4 menu.

mgb204 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 07, 2017, 01:30:37 PM »

The way I see it, and of course this is only one way of looking at it, a hybrid approach should work well here.

Parts of this would make a nice texture override, replacing some of the current NAM textures to add the little details you have made. But the potential problem with that is that it's an all or nothing change for those pieces, although that's not necessarily a bad thing. This is simple to do, you just need to give the texture the same ID as the one used in the NAM and load it after to override it.

Other parts would be best suited for TE lots, like the Zebra crossings/road markings, since there is realistically no good way to place those using a flex approach. The other solution, puzzle pieces, are no fun to make however, especially if you don't know how. I don't think the objection from the team is that no puzzle pieces can be added to the NAM, but certainly you would have to create them yourself. But without code for them in the NAM, no one would be able to use them. So unless you want to get into that, TE lots becomes the simplest solution to that problem. That's pretty much what I did for my Zebra crossings and it works fine. In fact, you could take my lots and override the textures to save you the effort of modding them. Currently that's only for the road network, but eventually I do plan NWM support and some other networks.

Similarly, there is nothing wrong with making some lot textures people can use to spruce up the look of certain areas with non-functioning eye candy too. Plenty of MDs have such details, because it's really the best way to add them for technical reasons.

One thing's for sure, the textures themselves are great and it would be nice to see them used well.

eggman121 · « **Reply #15 on:** July 08, 2017, 05:41:07 PM »

With the T21 method you could make some details change depending on the zoning so if implemented correctly you could have much more situation based scenarios. I am more than happy to work with you if you like

This would tie in nicely with my Misc Modding thread and if you want we can work together on making a mod for the road markings.

-eggman121

manga rivotra · « **Reply #16 on:** July 09, 2017, 02:38:03 PM »

Great and huge work here !

I like a lot this european feeling you put on this overlays, especially on the street/road transition.
I see you have put some tires mark on the yellow pedestrian crossing, but yellow make a big contrast with the black maxis asphalt, maybe to try to desaturate them a little ? ( just my advise ).

Akallan · « **Reply #17 on:** July 16, 2017, 05:41:18 PM »

Hello everyone,

Thank you for your comments, it gives me great pleasure!

mgb204 :
I would be happy to see these textures used in the NAM, but this is not the primary goal. If someone wants to take them and make a mod, he can do it without any problems. I'm very bad for that stuff! Textures are very easy to make, but not modding ...

eggman121 :
The answer is yes as you already know. Help on your part does not refuse, thank you again! :thumbsup

manga rivotra :
Sure enough you are right, the yellow is a little too "flashy", I will see to mitigate a little colors soon, thank you for your comment!

Tonight I show you the extent of my work, this represents a total of 496 files and therefore 248 textures. I have for the moment finished working with these types of textures (temporarily), I have to do the textures of the street on the roundabout and then I will start the roads to one lane and streets to one lanes.

If you see defects or things to say about textures, I'm listening.

See you soon and good evening.

Tyberius06 · « **Reply #18 on:** July 16, 2017, 07:21:42 PM »

Hi Akallan!

These are looking good again! The zebra crossing with the "island" is something very familiar from Hungary and I love it. Many ped crossings have the same method. So I can see some TE lots (however I don't know about modding stuff like this), well Puzzle pieces (as a separate cosmetic Addon) would be nice and useful.
By the way the Ave2 to Roundabout texture is something what I would like to see once somehow as part of the NAM.

Great job! Thanks for this!

- Tyberius

Akallan · « **Reply #19 on:** July 23, 2017, 06:27:44 PM »

Thank you for your comment Tyberius06, I hope this can be useful someday!

Tonight I have provisionally finished the textures of the OWR-1 (code "N13"), now I will do the same network but with textures of streets, OWS-1 -> One-way street (code "P22").

I did about a week ago a non exhaustive list of all the road networks to classify each textures correctly and never have problems among the hundreds of textures, here is the list (for those who wonder what is it All these numbers below the texture images):

------------------------------------------------------------------

M = Maxis
N = NAM
P = Personal Textures

   A00-xxx = Base of the current texture (only for textures)

   M01-xxx = Road
   M02-xxx = Street
   M03-xxx = One way road
   M04-xxx = Avenue

   N05-xxx = TLA-3
   N06-xxx = TLA-4
   N07-xxx = AVE-2
   N08-xxx = AVE-6
   N09-xxx = ARD-3
   N10-xxx = NRD-4
   N11-xxx = RD-4
   N12-xxx = RD-6
   N13-xxx = OWR-1
   N14-xxx = OWR-3
   N15-xxx = OWR-4
   N16-xxx = OWR-5

   N17-xxx = GLR
   N18-xxx = SAM
   N19-xxx = RRW
   N20-xxx = Roundabout
   N21-xxx = RHW

   P22-xxx = OWS-1

------------------------------------------------------------------

Here are the new textures of the OWR-1:

For this type of network, I did not create the intersections with the "stop" and the signal lights. For the sole reason that this will create the triple textures compared to the actual number, and that's way too much. The textures for the traffic lights are very easy to do, but the intersections "stop" take up a lot of space and this will create problems because I have to write "stop" on the road (on two squares of different textures, it depends of network. For example AVE-2 / OWR-1) and to add direction arrows. For this reason, I have to create textures much too specific and it would become a puzzle.

I can always create them in the future if people ask for it, but put them next to the main pack, as an add-on.

I am obviously open to criticisms or proposals of any kind.

See you soon!

Edit:New image, I forgot to put the textures OWR-1 / Street.

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Author Topic: SNT - V. 2.0 available for download! (Read 32529 times)