[WIP] Modular Canal Asset - ALPHA - Bad Peanut

[BadPeanut]

So I wanted to try and implement a way for canals to be plopped (aside from using the terrain mod) so I'm playing around with placing assets along roads that form a canal network... having a smalll amount of success, but not everything is as good as i want, nor is it the exact look i want for the model. This would only be for people who can be assed putting together roads and placing assets to do it - not for people who want an instant canal tool...

here's some images of what I've got so far, BARE IN MIND this is very early stages for both model and mechanics but they both seem to work

placed assets - waiting for water to fill up:

water starts to fill in:

filling up (i does take a while, just like any ingame terrain modification around water)

got a bit of flooding from the force of the water filling

and it calms down to this so people can visit the canals and enjoy them.

Can you let me know what you think and if you'd actually want a modular asset for canals? I'd be happy with it so i'm definitely going to make it, but if no-one wants it i won't bother uploading to the workshop

 

[V10lator]

Upload right now!

No, seriously, looks good so far.

 

[ivmichael]

Living in a city with many canals (Gold Coast, Australia) I like the idea I guess my questions/desires would be:
Can they curve alongside curved roads ?
Can you set the texture to grey or brown so they look more realistic when filled ?
Can you adjust the size/width of the canals ? (like a two-lane road through to 6-lane)

 

[BadPeanut]

@ivmichael because they're an asset they would only be square (probably not even diagonal unless i model a diagonal mesh insidea square asset. You wouldn't be able to adjust the size either due to the same problem. I'd have to individually model each asset and that would add up to a lot of assets and i just want to keep it simple. Probably 1 long straight, 1 short straight, 1 corner, 1 T intersection, 1 end.

I was originally going of splitting it into a side | empty middle | side system but i don't think i could get that to work with the current game system. However i did think of a way some modder (who i am not) might be able to implement it in the Future if we can ever implement vehicle changes: create a new road tool (like the traffic++ mod does) except the texture/mesh would be in the shape of a canal, an intersection mesh would be needed too, have a new class of vehicles and set the road to only them on it. The new vehicles would have boat meshes and be able to "drive" along the canals "parking" on the side of the canals looking as if they had pulled up alongside. I suppose you could have that road type spawn grid to zone on but then you'd have to create individual assets for all necessary services so they'd be docked on a canal and have boats instead of fire trucks/ambulances etc. Oh and i forgot to say that the road tool for the canal would need to when drawn level the terrain to a specific height below the current height. I suppose that would mean you'd need to have a completely flat space but you would anyway... If any modder passing by thinks they could do that be my guest and get cracking haha but in the meantime I'm going to try assets

 

[BadPeanut]

Oh and when i do my textures the canals will get visibly darker as you go from top to bottom inside the canal

 

[Kedryn]

I would love something like this.

Looks fantastic (I know it has no textures yet but I imagine them when I say it looks fantastic).

 

[Enzo]

very good idea and nice achievement I will follow this

 

[ivmichael]

@StephenR Thanks for the detailed reply and I understand why curves and widths can't happen with this approach, darker textures would be cool.

 

[Shroomblaze]

How do you get the object to go below the water line? I'm trying to upload a boat and have it sit in the water... but I can only seem to get it to float slightly above water floating in the air at the moment. BTW Fantastic Work, I will be subscribing!

 

[BadPeanut]

@Shroomblaze when youre in your 3d modelling software, you have a plane (the x,y plane i think - the horizontal one anyway) when you're at x=0 on that plane that is the plane of the earth in cities skylines. so move/build your 3d model below this plane by however much you want it to be below the water (although you may have to play around with how deep you have to go for the model to be touching but not submerged in water).

 

[soldyne]

dang it! there goes my canal project...nice work though.

 

[BadPeanut]

dang it! there goes my canal project...nice work though.

noooo don't let me stop you! plus at the rate I'm going you'll be long finished by the time uni is over and i can work on it haha!

 

[soldyne]

nah, I haven't even started on mine yet and I never thought to experiment with the in game water. I was just going to fake it with a water texture.

I am curious though, what default building are you using to import your model with? will this pack be found in the parks menu or the water menu?

 

[BadPeanut]

it is found in the parks menu, but I'm using the model of that waterfront asset that was featured on the fb site as a template because it keeps a fixed point for the model (it doesn't conform to terrain level) and it does have a foundation if i want it (but the canals above don't utilise that - it will be only for if a canal has a jetty or something on it i think and even then i would probably model it myself)

 

[lex-kravetski]

Canals with real water it is superb asset. I really missed them in Cities XXL. Please, upload this mod in the workshop.

 

[leobraga_]

I'm really excited about the canals... It's a GREAT idea.

 

[aubergine18]

This looks utterly amazing, I tried doing something similar but failed miserably, so can't wait to get my hands on this as I desperately need this sort of thing for my city. I assume you will also be adding some end pieces to avoid canal just hitting terrain at ends?

In terms of visual design, there are some useful ideas in the seawall asset: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=425073656 - I particularly like the corrugated steal sides on that prop, looks great in industrialised areas. An alternate might be large stonework for more touristy locations. Looking at photos of venice would certainly give some inspiration on things that might appear near canals, for example pedestrian bridges, etc. Other things to ponder are "locks" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lock_(water_transport)

I really hope you manage to finish this set of assets, I certainly can't wait to get to use them!

 

[aubergine18]

Some more assets for inspiration:

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=426140797

http://steamcommunity.com/workshop/filedetails/?id=426520625

 

[BaskB]

Excellent work, will watch this one for sure

 

[Loperaster09]

This looks amazing. Where can I download it?