Barsalargonia - Update 23 - August 23 2009

Splime · June 17, 2009, 08:18:29 AM

Replies:

Arthur (art128): Thanks! I would hope the fields are good, since they take up half of my work.

Luke09: Thanks! I'm sure I can include some sort of Transportation image. Would you prefer an in-game pic, or a hand-made map?

Battlecat: Thanks! It does seem like as the custom content gets more and more advanced, more small glitches will appear. It's all for the best though.

FrankU: Thanks, I do enjoy simple things that look nice.

And some news about the status of this MD:
So yesterday, my computer with SC4 on it decided to stop functioning. I describe it as a coma: the power button works, and the fan turns on, but nothing else happens. It just sits there, idling, with none of the start-up sounds being made (and no video output whatsoever). It seems like this is a problem with the processor (a 4 1/2 year old Pentium 4), and this would only mean a delay of a few days to fix the problem if it weren't for the fact that I'll be away on vacation in Florida for about 10 days starting on the 22nd, which means we won't be doing anything to fix the computer until we get back.

So, this MD will be delayed for about 3 weeks. I am fairly certain that the hard drive is still fine (though I can't be 100% sure yet), so there won't be problems there. If the hard drive is compromised, however, I have back-ups of my SC4 stuff from May 31 (Update 0) but nothing afterward, so there would be a bit of a loss.

I'll still be around to give replies, but I'm afraid there won't be any new SC4 material for at least 3 weeks.

calibanX · June 17, 2009, 08:31:38 AM

Say it isn't so Splime! I'll be looking forward to your return, and to the return of Barsalargonia. Enjoy the vacation.

Geoff

Luke09 · June 17, 2009, 09:51:06 AM

I love hand made maps,but you have a GRVII region to care about,so make an ingame mape,i would like it

,and gl with your GRV II region

FrankU · June 18, 2009, 01:09:12 AM

I hope there wasn't a thunderstorm last night?
It's frustrating to do things over again. On the other hand: you can do new things that will be as interesting as you showed us up to now.
Anyway, usually the HD is ok, an you will be able to work on after your vacation.
If the computer is useless, you finally have a good reason to buy a quick new one!
My computer is almost as old as yours and I must admit that the long delays in loading the game and rendering the screen give some irritation. It's just a question of money... I hope you have enough of it.

And everybody deserves some vacation, so how could I not agree with a short stop?
Have a good time.

Swesim · June 18, 2009, 02:55:54 AM

I´m sorry to hear about Your computerproblems, I have a computer about the same age as Yours and it works although being extremly slow at startup (15-20mins from boot to being able to actually use the computer).
I have given the computer a massive upgrade over time with a new graphicsboard and more RAM, but it seems the single processor have a tough job with the game anyways.
Hencely I hope that You get the computer up and running again, but if You can afford it I would suggest buying a new computer to get the advantage of the twin processors capacity.
I have noted that it make quite a difference when playing on my wife's computer which has double processors.
Regardless of which option You choose I look forward to seeing what this MD will give us in the future.

Splime · June 18, 2009, 08:28:27 AM

Replies:

Geoff (calibanX): Thanks, hopefully I should be back with Barsalargonia a few days after my vacation.

Luke09: I'll probably go hand-made then, because it's not that hard to make a hand-drawn map.

FrankU:It wasn't a thunderstorm or anything, just a somewhat random decision by the computer to stop functioning. The hard drive is most likely fine though, so I won't have to redo anything or redownload half a month of custom content. It's not the redoing of the city that I dislike a lot, but redownloading custom content will be annoying, if I have to do that. The computer isn't useless, but the university I'm going to has a laptop program that I'm getting my next computer from. The timing of this isn't especially good, since I'll only be using the SC4 computer for two more months.

Swesim: My computer is actually pretty good, besides the processor. Then again, that's because all of its components, short of the processor, have been upgraded since I got this computer 4 1/2 years ago. And as I said above, It wouldn't be wise for me to get a new computer, since I'll be getting one at the end of August anyway.

Splime · June 19, 2009, 01:30:28 PM

Just a quick update on the situation: The source of the problem has been found! It wasn't the processor, which is good since neither I nor my father have much experience with processor problems. Interestingly, the video card was preventing the computer from going through the start-up sequence. Now, without the video card I won't be doing anything with SC4, so there's still going to be about 2 1/2 weeks until another update, but we are closer to fixing the problem.

Luke09 · June 19, 2009, 02:58:18 PM

This is great to know,but is a mess because your MD/GRV II region are going to have some delay...

Splime · June 21, 2009, 12:50:11 PM

Reply:

Luke09: Well, time flies by pretty quickly, so it wouldn't be too hard to wait. However...

The computer has been fixed! There would have been more delays, but I've taken my dad's video card, and he's going to upgrade his after the vacation. I managed to squeeze this small update before I leave tomorrow, but there will still be a 10+ day wait for the next update.

Update 4: Modifying the North End

Back in Update 2, I made this residential area on a cul-de-sac here. However, I wasn't sure it fir so well there, as there was a lot of open space, and it didn't seem right to have a small village at the end of a road, rather than having some farms at the end instead.

So, I redesigned the residential section to fit a farm at the end. Only three houses were saved from the bulldozer.

Using Steamrobin's Rural Set on the STEX, I made a small farm. There's also a trail that goes north of the farm to give easy access to the crops that will be grown there.

Next come ploppable corn fields from the 3RREX. The growable version is SimGoober's, and is in the SW corner of the pic.

Here are the results of the development, with some new housing and the corn growing tall.

And here's everything in context.

I know I said that this update would be the other side of the mountains, but I felt that I needed to fix this area first. Next update will start over there, and I should also have a road map made by then. Of course, you'll have to wait at least 10 days for it.

art128 · June 21, 2009, 01:10:30 PM

Oh yes, that new structure is sure better that the old one. Great work on it with the farms and the cul-de-sac residential zone.
Take care,
-Arthur.

Nexis4Jersey · June 21, 2009, 04:00:40 PM

terrific update , reminds me of the rolling rural hills of PA

calibanX · June 21, 2009, 04:03:49 PM

Congratulations on the computer fix Splime. That little hamlet looks great. We'll be waiting here ten days from now for the next installment.

Geoff

Luke09 · June 21, 2009, 04:28:27 PM

Its good to know that your pc is fixed!And nice pics,and i will get that farm...

evertonforever1 · June 21, 2009, 05:39:52 PM

Very nice custom farm!

FrankU · June 22, 2009, 07:13:25 AM

Beautiful details. Much better indeed!

Battlecat · June 22, 2009, 01:47:07 PM

Good choice on that small change, I think the end result looks pretty good! Looking forward to seeing the next location.

Splime · June 22, 2009, 06:39:06 PM

Replies:

Arthur (art128): Thanks, the area was just bugging me so it had to be changed, and I'm glad you like the new part.

Corey (Nexis4Jersey): First someone says this is like BC, Canada, and now you say it looks like rural PA! Well, that's an area I have actually been through, and I can see some similarity.

Geoff (calibanX): Thanks! I really am glad to have the computer fixed up.

Luke09: Thanks! When I saw the farm kit, I knew I had to use it somewhere.

evertonforever1: Thanks, I'm glad you liked the farm.

FrankU: Thanks, I'm glad you like the improvement.

Battlecat: Thanks, I've been slightly bothered by that area, and I'm glad it turned out well.

Also, I failed to notice that we have passed 1000 views! In fact, we're over 1200! So thanks everyone!

KoV Liberty · June 23, 2009, 07:09:19 PM

Good job so far Splime! And congratulations!

Tomas Neto · June 25, 2009, 07:05:22 AM

What a beautiful rural area, very well constructed!

Splime · July 01, 2009, 06:01:56 AM

Replies:

Driftmaster07: Thanks! Your MD is going really well too!

Tomas Neto: Thanks, there should be more rural areas coming soon.

So, I just looked at the MD Statistics for June, and found that even though I've been unable to update for almost two weeks, Barsalargonia is 5th in Growth for the month! Thanks guys!

Anyway, late tomorrow I should have a new update about this vacation and the observations I've made about city building. The next update with SC4 in it will come a bit later.