FinnKuhnHow Pizza Tycoon simulated traffic on a 25 MHz CPU
The third image showing the arrows for traffic direction gave me a tiny eureka moment. You don't need complex rules for what cars can do at an intersection. You don't reason about the intersection at all. You reason about the lanes!
At each choice cell, you just weigh the turn lower than going straight when randomly deciding. And if you don't want U-turns, you set a rule like it describes, or any sort of "cooldown" on turning.
Someone hasn't been watching their Biffa!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGCoLh3NL7g
It's all about the lanes and the flow.
What is Lane Mathematics & How to Control Traffic in Cities Skylines!
Had no idea about this channel. 100% down my alley. Thanks for sharing!
It's amazing how "bad/inaccurate" the traffic simulators are in those games, even with great mods, and yet how informative they are about real traffic patterns.