[SA] Myriad Islands

[Cran.]

Wow guys, this sounds great! You guys must have had a HUGE conversation on MSN, must have been the reason why Jason wasn't talking much, lol

[steve-m]

over the next week or two

Cerb, it's fine that you're trying to do it as perfect as possible, but making tons of high quality maps and plans doesn't help much, since it isn't built after an original island, so whether the layout is up to your imagination or that of the person who models it doesn't matter much, and the latter would certainly be much faster. This railway is being discussed since months, we don't have the time to sketch and discuss every millimeter of it. The Northern Islands are finished since weeks, people are waiting for it, so we really have to get the tracks done ASAP.

 

Your "illSTA" island isn't connected to the main land, right? If yes, we don't have to plan and model it right now, since it doesn't cast shadows or influences the other islands somehow, so it could be prelighted separately (with the same lighting settings). Also, I doubt someone started working on importing and optimizing the illcom lots already, what's very time-consuming, so we'd only prelight and release illurb and illres anyway. That means planning and building the tracks on those 2 islands has the highest priority for now, illcom/illsta can wait, IMHO.

[Mark]

 

if thats the case can't one person (or maybe a team of people) crack on with getting the rails done in the 2 northern islands and someone else can work on illSTA either at the same time or a bit later in the future? After all it doesn't need to be just one person. Most of illSTA can be made without laying the track down thus the track made by the author of the rails in the northern islands can be added later, meaning the rails are identical all the way though. As long as who models it knows where it's meant to go, as it can just be chucked onto the island later. - GTAuron

 

[BenMillard]

Steve, the only way to know how the railway will connect into the Northern islands is to plan the route for illCOM. If we run the railway through a nice route on the Northern islands only to find there's no way to connect it sensibly to illCOM, all that work will be wasted. I was being pessimistic about the timescale for the plans, I drew out a new approach for the illCOM-illURB islands last night, incorporating illSTA.

 

You're right about the prelighting, though. Now that I know the schedule is focused on the Northern islands more than the Southern islands, I won't bother planning the inside of illSTA or any surface details yet. Running the railway up the East coast of illURB was illspirit's idea and I think it makes more sense. If this approach route is alright, I'll design a new route across the Northern islands from this entrance line, starting with a curved tunnel through Black Mesa.

 

The railway runs pretty straight off the East coast of illCOM so that the exact position of illSTA can move up or down. This is because I'm not sure which the bridge from illCOM to illSTA will use on illCOM. It would have an effect on the illCOM land lighting, so that would need to be sorted out before illCOM can be lit up. I've drawn illSTA on a North-south axis because it was too difficult drawing it with the slight NNE rotation.

 

 

Anyway, here's the new idea:

1500 x 1500, 221kB.

 

The freeway of illSTA could be the other way around, so that the bridge to illCOM went to a North-eastern lot instead of an Eastern lot. This would spread the two bridges out a bit, which would be more realistic since two big bridges next to each other would cause gridlock. I'm not sure if there are any free lots in the North-east of illCOM, though.

 

The railway curves into the South-east of illCOM, where JB's docklands are. It will run over the top of them on a flyover like the flat parts of Portland in GTA3 have. There will be a fairly small, raised platform like there is outside the Portland safehouse. I've added the island names on to make it easier to understand what parts are what...I hope I got them right!

 

(EDIT) I tried to download the Northern islands from the GTAVC Alpha Release but the link failed. If I could download those islands I would be able to fly around them in MooMapper or KeD to get a really good feel for the shapes of the land. Cuttings and embankments would be nice features but they shouldn't be at silly heights or depths.

Edited October 14, 2005 by Cerbera

[JasonB]

Cerb and I have been discussing this over MSN, and we have come to agree over how the rail will go on the southern islands. Basically what Cerb has already outlined here will be the path the track takes, unless someone has a serious objection, but from the general reaction everyone seems happy with it. Once we get a few things finalised for these islands we will discuss and draw up plans for the northern islands, and hopefully with Respawns input we can create a viable path to cut through Necrosis. Although I was hoping for the track to actually cross through my island, and the heartland of illcom, I feel we have accomplished something, that when finished, will be one of the highlights and key points of Myriad.

 

When we get to the construction of the track, who will actually be doing it? I assume illy will be handling the northern islands and Respawn would want to handle things on his end, but who will be doing the trackwork (and the modelling of illSTA)? Since I have to model a station for my Pacific Bay lot it might be easier for me if I were to design the track, but who wants to tackle illSTA. I would, but I still have a lot of things that need to be done. Whoever does it will have to follow the plans pretty well, and also make sure the island can properly accomodate the track as well as the tunnel coming from my island.

 

Perhaps we could even divide illSTA into a few small lots, so that people can build shops and stuff on it. One person could create the base land, and then the surface would be carved up into small sections (barring the actual platforms and ticket booths and such) and then a lot of people could contribute a bit to the construction of illSTA.

 

Now the balls really started rolling fellas, lets get too it.

[Knife]

Could we give illSTA a better name straight away. Maby the person who makes the baseland can just give it any name they like

[Mark]

cockface island ...wha? You no like? Well I guess I'm not making it lol.

 

I got summin else in the pipeline so I cannae help out lol. (I always say that but turn up with nothing cause summin always goes wrong! lol) - GTAuron

[Cran.]

I'd volenteer to help out with illSTA, but I don't think i'm quite good enough, lol. Great plains guys, but wouldn't it be better for Jason's island to be positioned under illCOM and Necrosis, and then the track could bend over to his island. It could either just have one stop at the docks, or it could go though the center or it.

 

[BenMillard]

He wants a big GTA3-like bridge to his island, so it would need to be a long way to the South, East or South-East. That would still make it difficult for the railway to get at because it would need to do a huge curve from Necrosis across the sea to JB's island, then a huge curve to get around to illCOM. The only lots he has control over in the South are for his docks, so a bridge could not meet the land there anyway as it would block the ships from using the docks.

 

It would be nice to include his island in the railway but it is not absolutely necessary, imho. His island could be like the island where illCOM expanded to after it got too big for that island, after the railway was built.

[g4mer]

Lot: illcom_c3_r1

Pics:Link to picture.

Description:a tall building. with a rotating way to go up.

i know it it is the wtc mod but im going to change some thing's and texture's .

i also fit's on it an i think of creating a elevator

and some other idea what i will work out.

Message:I hope that lot is stil avaible. thanks in advance.

 

PS. MI mod is really good.

Edited October 14, 2005 by g4mer

[Knife]

So when the train tracks are done do we get a release? And where is Respawn?

[JasonB]

Again, Cerb is right. Apart from moving my island down south being a pain in the ass, it wouldn't really help the train anyway. The track would need to make 2 big curves to get onto and away from my island, and my island isn't exactly suited for that sort of thing, namely because my island is hilly and covered in large buildings, not exactly the greatest terrain to be building an over-head track. And moving my island gets rid of the opportunity for the cool underground freeway tunnel thing.

Plus Myriad has moved all across the workable area on SA because of my island, and I don't want to annoy illy and Steve and such by saying I want to move my island somewhere else now. I'm confident that my island won't be moving anytime soon.

 

@Knife:

I think the plan is for the tracks to be built onto the northern islands, and then they will be released for the SA engine, then illcom gets tracks and it gets released. I think thats the general plan.

[mickarrow]

@ Alexxx: The overall look of it is good, though you might want to work a bit more on the textures.

 

@ Black-Hawk: does to . That interior looks nice. A bit high poly though...nah, just kidding. It's looking really well. I'd love to see some textures on it. Now it reminds me of VC for some reason. Don't now why.

 

Oh, and that thing you said to Alexxx, was that russian? 'Cause I tried to translate it with Babelfish, but it didn't work.

[AleXXX]

 

Alex: Kruto, no lishnih kustov i derevjev ne pomeshalo bi.

Kuste e derevjya (a takje basseine) bydyt skoro. Poka ya tolko rasstavlyayou modeli DOMOV.

 

Oh, and that thing you said to Alexxx, was that russian? 'Cause I tried to translate it with Babelfish, but it didn't work.

Ye, on Russian. Learn Russian . Ok, he has told, that there are no trees and bushes. I've answered, that it will be SOON.

 

The overall look of it is good, though you might want to work a bit more on the textures.

Ok.

[Black-hawk]

 

Oh, and that thing you said to Alexxx, was that russian?  'Cause I tried to translate it with Babelfish, but it didn't work.

 

Aye, it was in russian but typed in english letters.

And Alex said that he'll add some vegetation and a pool soon, after he's done placing teh houses.

[Cran.]

Weeee.

 

I need to get a fence texture, someone send me one if you could. Thanks to anyone who does. I also need to texture other stuff

[Knife]

Knife likes everyones work

 

Knife claps

 

Knife walks out of room

 

 

Nice work guys

[aad]

@Cran good looking models but are those windows textures not a bit to big in comparing with the rest they look huge.

[JasonB]

Looking good Cran, except your road looks a little too small. If 2 cars were driving on either sides of the road they would scrape the crap out of each other when they go past each other.

[Taekwon-joe]

I said i would try a lot filler and i did.

 

 

 

Its somewhere around 550 polys.

[BenMillard]

JB, that's the order of events as I understand them, too.

 

I think I've figured out a route which includes all the features we want in the Northern stretch of the railway:

1500 x 1500, 241kB.

 

Basically, these are the things I've tried to accomplish:-

1. No steep slopes by using tunnels, cuttings and embankments.
2. No sharp turns or unecessary wibbles.
3. A couple of road crossings will allow level crossings, tunnels and/or bridges.
4. Long, curved tunnel through Black Mesa.
5. Long, curved tunnel through the illRES crater.
6. Ground-level railway up the East coast of illURB.
7. Straight section of railway between illCOM and illURB for a swing bridge. This allows shipping access to docks inside the railway route.
8. South-west section of illRES railway can be curved to approach Necrosis from any required angle.
9. South-west section of illURB railway can be curved to approach Necrosis from any required angle.
10. The illSTA island can be flipped vertically to use a North-west or South-west approach from illCOM.
11. Two railway stations serving illCOM.
12. A railway station indirectly serving JB's island via the underground freeway.
13. Several potential locations for Northern railway stations:-
    1. East coast of illURB.
    2. Immediatley South-west of Black Mesa.
    3. South of the illURB freeway.
    4. East of illRES
    5. Inside the illRES crater wall, like a subway.

 

Details of Northern Route

The illSTA island will be rotated slightly clockwise when actually built to ensure the railway is straight. The island might be made wider to allow for gentler curves on the underground freeway and more buildings on the surface. It may be made longer for more buildings, too.

 

The railway approaches from the South-east of illURB, running at ground level along its East coast. It will use slight embankments and cuttings to get through the undulations. It enters a tunnel to the South-east of the Black Mesa mountain and this curves around to the West. The tunnel exits from the West side of Black Mesa and passes under or over the road. A small railway station could be built here for tourists visiting the mountain, perhaps.

 

The railway then heads South-west, going over or under the freeway and curving to the West. A large railway station could be built somewhere on this section. The railway passes over a slightly curved bridge onto the East coast of illRES. A station could be built to the South of the railway here. As the railway heads West towards the crater, it will go into a slowly deepening cutting which becomes a tunnel inside the crater wall.

 

The railway curves to the South-west, passing underneath the road which runs on top of the crater wall. An semi-underground railway station could be built here with the car park and primary access coming from inside the crater, South-east of the freeway. There could be pedestrian tunnels exiting from the South-east face of the crater all. There could be stairs and an elevator allowing access to the top of the crater; another tourist attraction.

 

I have not drawn the way the railway will cross the South-west of illRES. It could curve South and run down the West coast of Necrosis, or it could curve more and run along the North coast instead. It could even curve to an angle in between these extremes and run across the Necrosis mainland if a sensible route is available. We really need Respawn's input on this part of the design as he's the only guy with a good idea of what stuff is/will be where on the the Necrosis island.

 

 

Time to Build It?

If the Northern plan seems alright, someone could start work on the East coast. I would hope that illspirit does it himself. I think he's the only moddeler who has the experience, the attention to detail and sufficient knowledge about the landscape of Myriad Islands to do it justice. Steve-M shares a lot of that as well, so either man would be a good choice imho.

Edited October 17, 2005 by Cerbera

[GT-1]

Whilst I agree that a train would be a nice addition to Myriad there are a few things that have caught my attention throughout this discussion. Will the complexity of the ideas/planning amount to the same satisfaction/amusement you would get from using the railway?

 

The ideas are all there but some things with Myriad have become too complex and interest has been lost down the line. It would be a shame to see this happen with the current set of ideas. How well would the road crossings work in Myriad? SA is fairly flat and large in scale compared to Myriad which gives them a fair bit of room for the track to run at road level.

 

You would have problems with the track running around the southern edge of illcom from the map you posted. There are already a couple of lots down there where a railway would not fit. It would be difficult to fit the railway in with the dynamics of the lots which are currently placed there.

 

Overall I like the concepts discussed, just try not to make the railway too complex when there are possibly other areas of more importance yet to be created. It will be a nice addition when/if finished though.

[Gforce]

got back to work on the pizza slut lot again........

 

 

 

 

 

as usual everything is subject to change.............

[jeffery818]

Is there any way to take the vigilante script and put it in the regular vice city? everything works until I do the cop missions, or are there any solutions to the problem with the cop missions crashing?

[mickarrow]

@ Gforce: Damn that looks sweet. But stop making screenshots in Zmod. With this lot, it makes me wanna click and rotate on a jpg.

@ TJ: You said you would try. I'd say: mission accomplished. Looking good.

@ Cran: It's becoming one bigass lot . I like what you've done so far. I must agree with JasonB and aad though. Keep at it and improving things. When this will be done, you will have made a killer lot.

[Cran.]

@ Cran: It's becoming one bigass lot . I like what you've done so far. I must agree with JasonB and aad though. Keep at it and improving things. When this will be done, you will have made a killer lot.

Ummm, thanks

 

Yeah, I know about the road, i'll either get rid of the lines or make it bigger.

[Knife]

@Gforce - that's still a very nice lot I still have that pizza slut ant parked in the middle of no where waiting

 

EDIT: Damn I had some bad typos their

Edited October 24, 2005 by Knife

[Knife]

Download the latest mission script and the cop missions should be working ok.

[BenMillard]

Complexity of planning cannot be compared to amusement in the game, really. However, if you add up the amount of time each person has spent on planning, it will be a tiny fraction of amount how long all the players will spend seeing or using the railway in-game. It will be a major feature of Myriad Islands, so it should be done well and look believable. The embankments, cuttings, tunnels and bridges will add variety to the landscape and provide locations for stunts.

 

It should be pretty high speed when you are driving the trains. The curves around South-east illCOM will provide an exciting challenge to avoid derailing into the ocean, though.

 

 

I have been speaking with Respawn via Email while the forums were down, discussing how the route could traverse Necrosis. He had already made some railway sections but never made the plans public, so I'm not sure how much of what he's made could be used.

 

He put together this image to roughly show where his existing railway sections are:

1500 x 1500, 245kB.

 

The railway appears to do a pin sharp, right angle turn in the middle of Necrosis. It joins onto illCOM and illRES at points where it would be difficult (perhaps impossible) to run a railway across those islands - particularly for illCOM. He has not completed the coastline of this island, so an unhappy alternative might be to run the railway around the outside of Necrosis. The central railway system could be turned into an overgrown and derelict freight track, perhaps.

 

The good news is that his road network hasn't changed since the render illspirit made which all the MI Train plans have been based on.

[Platinum Card]

 

I love this Myriad Mod and all thats going on with it. I saw a story too. How is the charcater developement going? Is there a model yet?