Cities: Skylines

Cities: Skylines

[Obsolete] Multi-Track Station Enabler
Orchid  [developer] May 20, 2015 @ 6:37am
Transport Stations: Guide to Connector Paths
Introduction
First of all, transport stations use hidden paths to define how Cims can move in them.
For example, the passenger train station uses them to create a connection between the sidewalks and the platforms, otherwise the platforms are inaccessible to your cims.

These paths are by default inherited from the template that your asset uses. The tracks, the platforms, and the connection paths are ready-made, so you just need to follow the specifications to make your custom model and it will always work.

But this restricts our creativity. Why can't we move the tracks, platforms, and connection paths around to fit our styles? In fact we can, but we need some tools.

There is a mod that allows you to place anything, the Advanced Building mod [1]. We can use it to place a second station track, for example, or the connection paths required for the station to function. However, many objects placed using this tool are not removable with the bulldozer, which you should be very careful with.

The other tool is the HxD [2], or any hex editor. We can use it to edit the existing tracks, connections, roads, and anything that is stored as a path. However, we must not change the file size or structure because the file has to be validated against checksums.

[1]: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=422797220
[2]: http://mh-nexus.de/en/hxd/

Table 1: Default connection paths of the transport assets
Name
Used in
Characteristics
PC*
Harbor and Airport
PC* Inside
Train station
Cims are hidden when they walk on this path.
PC* Surface
Metro entrance
PC* Underground
Metro entrance
* PC = Pedestrian Connection

Removing default connection paths
To demonstrate how to remove the default connection paths from a transport asset, we take the train station as an example.

The train station has some PC Inside paths inherited from the template. They hide your cims when they walk on them. It appears as if your cims are teleported from the entrance to the platforms. We want to replace them with either PC or PC Surface to avoid this quirk.

But remember, we must not change the file size or structure or the file will fail to validate.
That is to say, in the hex editor, we cannot directly replace the PC Inside with PC or PC Surface, since their names have different lengths. We have to replace it with something that matches it in the length. Fortunately, we've found one -

To remove the PC Inside paths, open your file with the HxD hex editor and use the Replace All function to execute the following conversion:
Pedestrian Connection Inside -> Medium Road Decoration Grass Both are 28 characters long.
After you save the file, return to the asset editor to bulldoze them.

Here is a table listing other possible conversions:

Table 2: Possible conversions from Transport connection paths
Full name
Length
Possible matches
Pedestrian Connection
21
Large Oneway Elevated
Pedestrian Connection Inside
28
Oneway Road Decoration Grass
Oneway Road Decoration Trees
Medium Road Decoration Grass
Medium Road Decoration Trees
Pedestrian Connection Surface
29
Large Oneway Decoration Grass
Large Oneway Decoration Trees
Pedestrian Connection Underground
33
None*
* There isn't a match for PC Underground, so it isn't removable.

Connecting to the platforms
For your connector paths to function normally, you must hook it to the sides of the station track, where the conceptual platforms are located. To do so correctly, end the connector paths within 1-cell's distance from the center line of the station track. Technically, the platforms are pedestrian "lanes" of the station track, similar to the sidewalks of a road.

Important: if you are going to lay out your connector paths in a line, like what I have done for the Holstebro Double-track Train Station, please branch it at the platforms to prevent the paths from merging into one piece. You need at least one connector path ending at each platform for it to be accessible. If they were to merge into one piece, your cims will never be able to stop in the middle, and they will only go to the farthest platform.

Connecting to the sidewalks
This is a bit different. Your connector paths can start from as much as 1 cell away from the sidewalks.

Trobleshooting
Any further questions you want to ask? Please reply below.
Last edited by Orchid; May 27, 2015 @ 11:59am
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Showing 1-6 of 6 comments
YpsilonEule May 22, 2015 @ 4:20pm 
I don't really get the part "Connecting to the platforms" and "Connecting to the sidewalks". Also the current status of Advanced building mod doesn't really allow me to make underground connections. The railtracks are limited to the grid system. But doing the necessary changes to my model would screw it up from it's original proportions.
kelmenwong May 26, 2015 @ 2:40am 
does this work for cargo train station about the vehicles entry and exit points?
Orchid  [developer] May 26, 2015 @ 3:35am 
for cargo train station, the path is called Cargo Connection (16 characters), though I have only tested it once. It seems that trucks actually reach the cargo track if I fiddle around with the modtool
Last edited by Orchid; May 26, 2015 @ 3:38am
Drosovila May 27, 2015 @ 7:52am 
After rereading it like 3 times, I was able to recreate the process using your station. Thanks a lot for this! Looking forward to creating a station now :)
Flint Jun 9, 2015 @ 12:47pm 
Hi, first of all thank you for the guide :)
I'm having a problem with the pedestrian connections for the metro station: it allows me to create a PC that is linked to the existing one, but I can't make it that goes underground ( page up and down doesn't seem to work and I double checked that I had "Pedestrian Connection Underground" in the Advance building Panel. What am I missing?
Orchid  [developer] Jun 9, 2015 @ 6:05pm 
@Flint,
Unfortunately, underground PC does not go underground. In fact, with the Advanced Building mod, all PC's can only be placed above ground. Then, you need to tweak the hex values individually, to move the paths below the ground.
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Showing 1-6 of 6 comments
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