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BigSandy attenuator Medium v1.20

Dedication: Firstly, to an uncle and the brother of a friend whose lives ended running into unprotected highway bridge piers and abutments. Secondly, to the wondefully supportive communities surrounding the game Cities:Skylines and design software by Autodesk (Fusion 360, 3ds Max)

136 KB: ACTUAL size of FBX + textures that comprise this asset (workshop asset size is counting the handy screenshots & documentaton above, which are not loaded at game runtime).

Index of versions:
v. 1.19 Initial upload to STEAM workshop
v. 1.20 CHANGES:
(I) Decreased LUT tris something less than 70 for snappy performace while zoomed out.
(II) Revised texture to accentuate shaddow in the middle of the attenuator.

Introduction.

Sometime in the 1960s the powers-that-be came to realize that we had to do something about traffic fatalities due to distracted drivers and disabled vehicles striking highway barriers.

The solution that they arrived at, and has saved many lives over the past 50 years are, is as follows. A crash attenuator, a thick, fat plastic crash barrel with plastic lids is filled with sand and gives way when something runs into it. They quickly and effectively, but gently stop vehicles.

Unique purpose.

These are to be distinguished and are NOT THE SAME as the bright orange traffic barrels whose purpose is primarily visual: to warn motorists, and are not designed to stop or physically protect anyone. Both have their own purpose.

Technical specifications.

TrafFix Devices "BigSandy" 48000 Series is a commonly found variety of these barrels, and are marketed in several countries. The Medium sized model (which this asset represents) is filled with 640kg (1,400 lb) of sand.

Dimensions: They are about 1 meter (3.3 ft) high and 1 meter (3.3 ft) wide (diameter) at the top, tapered slightly to the bottom.

Weight (in real life):
BARREL: 23 lb. ± 1 lb. (10.4 kg. ± 0.5 kg)
SAND THAT IT CONTAINS: 640kg (1,400 lb) per barrel

Use in C:S game.

HOW TO USE: Don't use just one! These are arranged in formations as in the pictures shared above. Usually at offramps of dangerous high speed highway interchanges like the one pictured. They go about 6" apart, although if you study the proposed diagrams you'll find that varies according to WHAT you're protecting motorists from.

MODEL DETAILS:

346 vertices, 70 vertices for the LOD.
Textures: A 256 x 256 png image (36 KB), and a 64 x 64 png image (7 KB) for the LOD.

The black attenuator cover in the texture is from a photo I took of the dirty rubber bottom of a coffee scale at the local cafe.

INDEX OF SHARED PICTURES:
(1) In-game attenuators set up for about 60MPH / 100KPH drivers who ...ahem, text while driving.
(2) My AutoDesk Fusion 360 drawing underlying the model. Copied as closely as possible from the original.
(3) Real life prototype of the exact attenuator model I copied.
(4) Solid model
(5) Derived mesh model
(6) (35 MPH) Recommended formation of attenuators. I have lots of these for different common speed limits, at common MPH and KPH, I'd be happy to share them if you ask.
(7) (60 MPH) another formation
(8) (70 MPH) this is the maximum size formation proposed publically by the manufacturer IRL.

DEPENDENCIES: None
CONFLICTS: None

Where to find in the game: Park props (the brown bench). Or just search for "attenuator" if you have an Asset Search mod installed.

Future plans:
- I'm still adjusting the color so there may be a color update soon. Please help with this effort by contributing HEX color codes and tips on the right hue/saturation and brightness/contrast adjustments in PhotoShop to work with the game.
- More attenuators. Still need to model the tall version.
- Someday maybe portable attenuator trailers with lit up arrow like this: http://www.gregorycorp.com/highway_attenuator.cfm.
- Potentially release asset(s) with groups of attenuators already set up in the manufacturer-recommended formations (if desired by the community)

Attributions: Thanks to AutoDesk and Adobe for offering student or lowered cost versions of their development tools for purposes such as this. Thanks to TheCurb coffee shop for tolerating my taking photos of their equipment to create textures. Thanks to the Cities:Skylines community for blog posts, tutorials, etc. explaining to to make my 1st asset and fixing problems in Asset Editor. Thanks to the Autodesk online community for answering my questions and sending me on my way. Thanks to helpful Autodesk employees.

FEEDBACK: I am actively revising and updating this model as of 3/1/2017. Adjusting color and design details. All feedback is welcomed, Please post your feedback in the comments and I'll get back to you!