This project took me about 2 years to complete, and I wish I could say that was spent on this single version, but there have been other versions built before this one. Interstate 420-B was released on this forum for other modders to continue, work was done but in the end it was found the highway took up too much memory, ran into too many limits, and thus could not be completed without some major memory work on Vice City. This was April of 2004. 420-B ended with me due to lack of time, I spent a good month working on that project. This project roughly took me 3 weeks to complete, and ithis is the first true version of Interstate 420 for Vice City.
Features scratched made models creating an interstate “loop” around the first island of Vice City, with exits to both islands. A second loop was looked into, but found it would take up too much space and memory, and the backside of the second island had little to no spots for good on/off ramps.
There are 15 exits off the interstate leading to various places, including giving you access to Starfish Island, Leaf Links and the 2nd Island went starting new games. The exits appear in the left lane, and are NOT continious, meaning more or less you pull onto the ramp, stop at a mini-intersection and then turn off the ramp. To get by the ramp you stay in the right lane. I’ve found these ramps to be fun, cars make good jumps and you could drive around the entire interstate jumping them getting 400 stunt bonus dollars for a 233 ft jump.
There are plenty of signs, including Speed Limit, Ramp Speed, Do Not Enter, I-420 Markers, and large overhead exit signs. Backsides of these signs for the opposite lane are billboards.
The mod is not perfectt as so many, but you will notice very little. The biggest problem that might appear are the posts of the overhead billboards, and one light on the turns that’s sort of out of the wall by against it. I find them fun, hit one doing 300 and see how many 360s you can pull before exploding.
I’ve driven plenty of vehicles around this highway and found little to no problems. The turns seem to be fine with fast cars, I have found nothing odd while riding the bikes (except hitting the wall and flying off 100 feet into the ocean)..
There are areas that need to repair, but I need a good break from this project, and its basically done. The ramps more or less “disappear” into the ground, a couple stick into the road a little, which was a flaw created when I redid the roadbeds. It doesn’t distract the flow of traffic or players, and once again are fun to hit. No major problems found in this mod.
This mod has been tested with a completely fresh installation of GTA:VC without any other modifications, and no problems were found.
[ The Future ]
Hopefully there will be future versions, including such things as replace images for your map, to show the interstate in game, and VEHICLES driving down it, currently there is no other traffic on this highway, but with todays modders and programs, something will be done. And yes I plan on doing (or importing these pieces) into San Andreas, and making an interstate there, if it can be done of course, SA is massive. We can all hope.
And of course as I’m sure everyone will want, this in some sort of installer. If someone puts it into one, send me a link and I’ll download it and place it on my web site.
Credits:
DeathSquad
Direct Download Links
