Some of you may recall the MD Hayden Sound (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=796.0) that I started about 2 years ago. It was rather short-lived. I abandoned it for several reasons, many of which were personal. No, it wasn't because of any one on this site. It was mainly due to how I was running the MD and the CAM. Shortly after July in 2007, I got busy with work and other things that left me with no time to run the MD.
Why am I not reviving the old one? Quite simply, it's dead to me and my system. The Plugins have changed considerably since then. There have been countless restarts and re-renders of the region, all due to my perfectionism and wanting a perfect game. I've decided that enough is enough, and I'm not going to worry about having things perfect.
I'm trying again, with more experience in modding and playing the game. If there are lulls in gameplay here, it's because of real life or I'm modifying things for the next update(s), not restarts or re-renders. I will try hard to not abandon this one.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg207.imageshack.us%2Fimg207%2F2262%2Fverdantsoundoverviewth.jpg&hash=4f82588dc8be38a64008cc69c90d435c7587697a) (http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/7210/verdantsoundoverview.jpg)
Verdant Sound is a region on the planet Athair. The planet is Earth-like with various terrain types and vast oceans separating them. Verdant Sound is in one of the more wetter and forested areas of the Athair, and very similar to the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. A temperate rain forest covers most of the region and the surrounding areas. The waters are a bit dark due to the sediments washed into them from the surrounding landscapes, which are very rich in nutrients.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg208.imageshack.us%2Fimg208%2F9463%2Findependenceoverview.th.jpg&hash=27a123e62961c155c9d2e1a6022b62bee68c1942) (http://img208.imageshack.us/my.php?image=independenceoverview.jpg)
Here's an overview of the Independence Township. Lots of forests cover across the entire township and the island. The southeast corner of the township is occupied largely by a mountain that dominates the center of the island. The island and the surroundings haven't been named yet.
Researchers of the Athair government discovered this region relatively recently. There are various teams across the world, mapping it out and extensively documenting the newly discovered regions. After discovering Verdant Sound, the Athair government sent out a settlement team to found the capital of the region. They named the capital Independence as this region's control would be independent of the main government, apart from any military decisions that will need to be made, if necessary. The government of Verdant Sound will use Independence as a starting point to develop the region. Later, another city may be designated the capital, but Independence will still be the capital of the island.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg242.imageshack.us%2Fimg242%2F2151%2Fiindustrialoverview.jpg&hash=8c9955449341f0e8bd930fed934d1fa64a9cc3dd)
Upon arrival, the settlement team started laying out the basic zones and initial roadways. Extreme care was taken in preserving as many trees as possible. Any trees destroyed by developments will be offset by having new trees planted elsewhere. The trees will help contain the pollution created by the industries.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg242.imageshack.us%2Fimg242%2F5422%2Filivingoverview.jpg&hash=168bdb3ed7aaa8286873da4ecb035af3f5c906e8)
West of the industrial zone, the start of downtown Independence is being laid out. Off the backside of the downtown corridor, a residential neighborhood is being laid out. The plots closest to downtown will have pathways between the backsides of their properties and the backsides of the commercial plots. The pathways will be for the residents to walk to work instead of using their cars. Why use your own car if your job is just behind your house?
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg5.imageshack.us%2Fimg5%2F5354%2Fiforestsnake.jpg&hash=b0081247cc3eabedd89a49687cff894233fe6fe4)
Outside of the industrial park, the settlement team has laid the groundwork for the highway system that will connect the 4 townships that sit at the base of the mountain. The bend in the roadway is the team's attempt to fix an error in their surveying. Two survey teams didn't communicate properly before giving the maps to the road construction teams. So the S-curve connects the two sections of roadway. It's a bit rough, hence the dirt edges. The surface of it is chip-sealed (tar with gravel on top) to make a firm surface.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg5.imageshack.us%2Fimg5%2F404%2Fiforestbend.jpg&hash=46981f5d73ae7c3890b1965d46435320bb40a6ef)
This is the turn into downtown Independence. The original layout was a tight 90 degree bend. The road crews smoothed it out by making the turn with a bigger radius. The same surface treatment as the S-curve was used here. Later, the road crews will return with asphalt to repave them. The chip-sealing is just a temporary measure as they had to quickly alter the roadway alignments.
On the next visit, we'll see how Independence grows...
-Swamper
Welcome back to the MD world, Jan! It's so great to see you here again, my friend!
Your overview map is outstanding--I can't wait to see how you develop things! Oh, and of course your use of the SAM curves is wonderful!
I'll definitely be following along here, Jan!
Take care!
Dustin
What a beautifully conceived map, Jan! And this is way cool...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg18.imageshack.us%2Fimg18%2F4333%2Fverdantsoundman090321a.jpg&hash=f76869f9f597179250d5979333acefe413677bd1)
I like stuff you can only pick up from the air.
Good luck!
David
This will be really good MD, I'm sure :)
I like first pics and the idea of the nature preservation, and the map is really great - and very playable (I'm sure the future development is very well thought ;))
Adam
Have to agree with Dave the Elder, very nice map. But just what is buried in those hills ()what()
Looking forward to see what you do with this.
Cheers
Dave
Jan, it's great to see you back in the world of MDing! I really like what you've done to start off here with Verdant Sound--it looks like a very nice region! The name is also extremely fitting, I must say. I also concur with Dustin that your use of the new SAM/Rural Roads curves is fantastic!
I'm looking forward to seeing more!
-Alex
Ha, it's the Digby map! That brings back memories... It looks great here too. I can't wait to see how this develops.
Quote from: dedgren on March 21, 2009, 11:56:59 PM
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg18.imageshack.us%2Fimg18%2F4333%2Fverdantsoundman090321a.jpg&hash=f76869f9f597179250d5979333acefe413677bd1)
You absolutely must call this formation the Green Giant
EDIT:
The map as a whole looks very Digby-esque. Was this intentional? Or am I stupidly missing something obvious (like it being the same map or something)? EDIT2: Looking above, I am indeed stupidly missing the obvious. ::)
Quote from: thundercrack83 on March 21, 2009, 11:28:54 PM
Welcome back to the MD world, Jan! It's so great to see you here again, my friend!
Your overview map is outstanding--I can't wait to see how you develop things! Oh, and of course your use of the SAM curves is wonderful!
Thanks. So far this attempt is turning out better than the rest of my past ones.
Quote from: dedgren on March 21, 2009, 11:56:59 PM
What a beautifully conceived map, Jan! And this is way cool...
*image snipped*
I like stuff you can only pick up from the air.
That "person" was completely unintentional. I simply had the game render the region using the terrain plugins I have installed.
Quote from: Ennedi on March 22, 2009, 01:07:16 AM
This will be really good MD, I'm sure :)
I like first pics and the idea of the nature preservation, and the map is really great - and very playable (I'm sure the future development is very well thought ;))
Adam
Nature preservation is one of my personal core values in the real world. Naturally, my beliefs and values from the real world get into my virtual projects, such as this one. You'll be seeing more of an imprint of myself later on in this MD.
Quote from: tooheys on March 22, 2009, 01:19:56 AM
Have to agree with Dave the Elder, very nice map. But just what is buried in those hills ()what()
Nothing is buried in those hills. They are simply a land formation at this point. I may work them into a storyline later, but I won't know until I get to the point of developing the tiles in that area.
Quote from: Tarkus on March 22, 2009, 06:25:10 AM
Jan, it's great to see you back in the world of MDing! I really like what you've done to start off here with Verdant Sound--it looks like a very nice region! The name is also extremely fitting, I must say. I also concur with Dustin that your use of the new SAM/Rural Roads curves is fantastic!
The SAM curves are only being used as there aren't versions of them for the default street texture. The road versions would look out of place with cars zooming around the curves, only to slow down after them. It's all streets right now except for the border connections.
Quote from: Splime on March 22, 2009, 10:14:27 AM
Ha, it's the Digby map! That brings back memories... It looks great here too. I can't wait to see how this develops.
I hope it brings back good memories.
Quote from: flame1396 on March 22, 2009, 11:15:27 AM
You absolutely must call this formation the Green Giant
EDIT: The map as a whole looks very Digby-esque. Was this intentional? Or am I stupidly missing something obvious (like it being the same map or something)? EDIT2: Looking above, I am indeed stupidly missing the obvious. ::)
As I said in the introductory post, this region has only been recently discovered so most of it is unnamed. I've got a set storyline laid out, so it will be awhile before I even get over to that hill that seems to be drawing a lot of interest. I don't mind people making speculations about it, but please don't get carried away with the speculations. I'll reveal everything in due time.
And don't worry about missing something obvious. I do that a lot myself. ;)
We're taking another trip to Independence to see how the town is starting to grow. Let's have a look.....
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg5.imageshack.us%2Fimg5%2F6026%2Fifirstindustries.jpg&hash=44cee563daee48d460e698f1896f79941ff8aebf)
The first industries have started making products to run the development of Independence. The buildings are constructed using local materials. Wood comes from the trees that are cleared from the plots, clay roof tiles are made from one of the nearby slopes of the mountain, and the rest of the materials are imported in by the Athair government. During the initial setup, there were flocks of helicopters flying in to drop off building materials and machinery to produce the required products.
The most important building here is the foundry that is across from the local power plant. This is where all the metals are produced. The warehouse and enclosed shed buildings store all the extra products for later use. Various other building materials are stored here in this industrial park. Some of the buildings also house the machines for cutting lumber and making clay bricks and tiles. The bigger buildings contain several small companies in addition to storage space.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg208.imageshack.us%2Fimg208%2F1024%2Fihousingboom.jpg&hash=2f1f8001cc06baaf125f6014950e3e1cecb80576)
Off to the west, the housing boom has started. Most of the residents are the settlement team that was sent out here to develop this region. Some are teams that have been flown in to do research and documentation. The rest are people that wanted to start a new life out here in Independence.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg208.imageshack.us%2Fimg208%2F2453%2Ficardealers.jpg&hash=43e2592cae18a787b393acf282ba63ad40859644)
To support the new residents, a couple of car dealers have set up shop in what will be downtown. The current car choices are Toyota or Diahatsu. Any other car choices have to be imported via helicopter. Surprisingly, it doesn't cost much to do that. The cars carry the same name as Earth's, but they don't have the pollution that Earth's cars do. Athair has the technology to make vehicles relatively non-polluting, including large freight trucks. The result is a much cleaner environment.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg208.imageshack.us%2Fimg208%2F4630%2Filonemixer.jpg&hash=78c99d54fe50c3e1f500bcd8f46146a9075872ac)
Here's a look at some of the houses that have been built so far. Most are small single family homes with good sized yards. Some are built using plans of 19th Century houses from Earth. The Athair government has a large information database which they scan all paper-based plans into. The nickname of the group that does these scans is "Athair Archivers". It is considered an honor to have this nickname, as there is lots of information to scan.
After several complaints about rock chips in vehicle windshields, the road crews have gone back out to the curves to repave them with black asphalt. Here's how they look now:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg208.imageshack.us%2Fimg208%2F6388%2Fiforestbendnew.jpg&hash=1c12a5418ed1adcb1422b1b1cc78820264fccd47)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg208.imageshack.us%2Fimg208%2F536%2Fiforestsnakenew.jpg&hash=30bfa74484b202284abf44d395ddd515866935b0)
The road signs are provided by Swamper Signs Company. They operate out of a building in the industrial park. We'll see more of the company later when they get their own building.
A couple of random shots from around Independence:(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg208.imageshack.us%2Fimg208%2F9548%2Ficphouses.jpg&hash=6f445966896a3722d28ad0f086f2ebb8b6e3c793)
Here are some more of Earth's 19th Century houses. The entire block was developed this way.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg3.imageshack.us%2Fimg3%2F6625%2Finightshift.jpg&hash=42cb424bbe751b4bc742a02e7ab99b802dce2c9e)
The Independence Industrial Park by night.
Building some more:(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg3.imageshack.us%2Fimg3%2F2389%2Finightconstruction.jpg&hash=2695f177663db36cccfdd8f96500a672b0df4b7a)
The construction doesn't stop at night around here. A small store is getting assembled long into the night.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg3.imageshack.us%2Fimg3%2F1701%2Fifalltrees.jpg&hash=44c56073247c9743eb163e8640c254bf4e895c55)
This is why the residents like the 19th Century houses so much: Fall colors.
This neighborhood is almost finished. There are a few more houses to be build west of here, but not too many.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg3.imageshack.us%2Fimg3%2F6769%2Fiaprilcabin.jpg&hash=735248f7e02f0116da449775d0426b474f8c10db)
One of the 19th Century plots has been bought up to build a big log cabin. During redevelopments like this, the House Builders Guild reuses whatever they can from the previous buildings. The buildings are methodically deconstructed before the new building can even be built. This saves on the number of trees that have to be chopped down for wood and the destruction of the environment for getting the materials to make metals.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg26.imageshack.us%2Fimg26%2F2766%2Fioldplant.jpg&hash=2245ce684f570694ed2dbaced541175b7f80189e)
With all of the new developments, this old power plant can't provide enough power to them all. It was intended to only be a "startup" plant, not a permanent installation. A new power plant has been designed to replace it.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg26.imageshack.us%2Fimg26%2F3949%2Finewplant.jpg&hash=eac89b5bcd2f35181e59077631e4da2befadfc9d)
After two weeks, this new natural gas plant has finished construction and is switched to online status. The entire town of Independence helped in the construction of the power plant. The construction was fast tracked so their would be minimal impact on the town. Most buildings were without power except for the industrial buildings that had the construction machinery during those two weeks that were spent building the power plant. The construction was done early enough in the fall so the residents weren't too cold at night while being without power.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg26.imageshack.us%2Fimg26%2F8586%2Finewindustyplot.jpg&hash=5056fdf1565ce874c2d0208d770c1a98952ddbe8)
With more power to spare, more industries were looking to set up shop. A new plot of industrial zone has been laid out with the aid of surveyors and a new side street has been built for the new plot.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg26.imageshack.us%2Fimg26%2F4859%2Fibuildingnewindustries.jpg&hash=c016f8f20ddd5a946211f8f759efcd4ba3df0e3a)
A week later, a flurry of construction ensued.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg403.imageshack.us%2Fimg403%2F9108%2Fiblockhousing.jpg&hash=3558aa1e5f398b5541d03c08cd523d69bd5ddf76)
Taking advantage of the extra power, a residential block is being built. This lot will have three structures for the residents and a small green space between them. Parking will be provided on site for the residents
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg26.imageshack.us%2Fimg26%2F1467%2Finewindustries.jpg&hash=7ea938bb20c1b4141530b86dde284b10d0bcaf3e)
Here are the new industries. There's still room for them to expand their operations as needed with out buildings.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg26.imageshack.us%2Fimg26%2F2170%2Fimorecommerce.jpg&hash=738ca744bba0e0466ba53d4a6fa45f33246ba48d)
Another commercial business joins Main Street.....
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg403.imageshack.us%2Fimg403%2F8016%2Filaundromat.jpg&hash=5048ae31d3b0333556597deacca495614116519f)
....followed by another. This one will be a laundromat.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg403.imageshack.us%2Fimg403%2F7624%2Fimixedcommerce.jpg&hash=b47a57cfe4e00d2ba62385a29b0b4f750eb71d76)
The initial commercial block of downtown today. There's a variety of businesses due to the local government law that "there shall not be two businesses that provide the exact same product or service". So two car dealers with different cars can be built, but not two cafes. This rule will most likely be relaxed when Independence gets bigger.
See you next time....
-Swamper
QuoteThe SAM curves are only being used as there aren't versions of them for the default street texture.
Not for long, Jan!
David
Jan wow I am soo extremely happy to see you MD'ing again!!! I am impressed with the last two updates here and of course your style is as wonderful as it was before!!!
I see David has dropped a hint about something oooh boy lol.... I cant wait for more development here in Verdant Sound and you can guarantee Jan I will back in for more - Pat
This is a very detailed area I like it alot! ;D
PS Where to get the 19 century houses?
Development's coming along quite nicely here, Jan!
Keep it up!
Dustin
Quote from: dedgren on March 22, 2009, 08:55:41 PM
Not for long, Jan!
David
Good to hear David. I'll look forward to using them when they are available ;)
Quote from: Pat on March 22, 2009, 11:49:21 PM
Jan wow I am soo extremely happy to see you MD'ing again!!! I am impressed with the last two updates here and of course your style is as wonderful as it was before!!!
I see David has dropped a hint about something oooh boy lol.... I cant wait for more development here in Verdant Sound and you can guarantee Jan I will back in for more - Pat
Thanks for the words of encouragement, Pat. Things should work out better this time as I know how I want to run it and I can modify Lots to my liking. I didn't have the skills to do so when I made my last MD.
Quote from: LE0 on March 23, 2009, 02:58:40 PM
This is a very detailed area I like it alot! ;D
PS Where to get the 19 century houses?
Leo, I got them off the LEX. C.P. is the author of the 19th Century housing. This is the download the ones I have shown are from: CP Early 19th Century Small $ Houses (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=241).
Quote from: thundercrack83 on March 23, 2009, 04:21:58 PM
Development's coming along quite nicely here, Jan!
Keep it up!
Dustin
Thanks for dropping in again. I've been following your MD for awhile, even if I haven't been posting in it ;)
The next update is on hold for a slight bit (1-2 days). I'm letting the Admins/Moderators review what I plan to be posting before I actually post it. I just want to make sure I'm not breaking any Rules with the content of my update. The update is nonviolent and clean, but the subject matter of 4 specific pictures may conflict with the Rules. So please be patient while I let them review the pictures.
-Swamper
Very cool, can't believe I missed you starting this! Very beautiful city you've got started there, love the greenery. I also like how you seem to be planning ahead for the future with double wide streets in some areas. I'm looking forward to seeing what else you've got coming up!
Quote from: Battlecat on March 24, 2009, 01:25:56 PM
Very cool, can't believe I missed you starting this! Very beautiful city you've got started there, love the greenery. I also like how you seem to be planning ahead for the future with double wide streets in some areas. I'm looking forward to seeing what else you've got coming up!
I do plan ahead on the layout of the transportation networks. This is to avoid costly redevelopments later when I run one-way roads or avenues to replace the congested roads. The parallel side streets add some extra intersections, but they will provide access until I widen the roadways to paired one-way roads or avenues.
I've gotten the "go ahead" from the admins in regards to what I will be posting in this update. With the way I intend to post it, they have seen no problems with it.
Also, most of the future posts will be done from the viewpoint of the Mayor since they will be moving in during this update.
There was some unfinished business when we left off last time. Here is the finished housing block that was being built in the last update:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg242.imageshack.us%2Fimg242%2F5438%2Ficompletedhousingblock.jpg&hash=3215ad3fdcf6b023d9024fc6ec997e0a88396306)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg242.imageshack.us%2Fimg242%2F2174%2Ficleanairordinancereque.jpg&hash=3f87f41384d4b2ec098ef1c47088fe43db509dd7)
With all the industries moving in, the local government has been approached by the Athair Environment Monitoring Board to keep the air breathable for the locals. While the trees are containing the majority of the pollution to the industrial park, some of it still filters over to downtown Independence. At the AEMB's request, Independence has enacted the Clean Air ordinance to force the industries to clean up their act. A program is being created to provide incentives to the industries that do their share to help maintain the environment. This program is still in the drafting stages.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg242.imageshack.us%2Fimg242%2F499%2Fifinalresidentialexpans.jpg&hash=30e551aae42107bb8d16ba7f2e779f3f715df5cb)
The final westward expansion of the neighborhood is under way. As part of the expansion, several available plots have been set aside for government use instead of housing. They appear as blank areas in the zoning layout. One of these government plots is already starting construction. Let's have a closer look.....
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg6.imageshack.us%2Fimg6%2F5817%2Fimayorshouseconstructio.jpg&hash=e697cc0689f7b96c6ce80462f355fe09be08828a)
The Athair government and the locals of Independence have pooled together the money to build a mayoral residence in Independence. The plans call for a colonial style house, a backyard pond, and yard bordered by hedges. The housing plans were chosen from SimGoober's legendary housing blueprints, but the lot design was done by Swamper Industries. It seems that company wants to expand in all sorts of directions. First signs and now residential development....
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg6.imageshack.us%2Fimg6%2F3875%2Fimayorshouse.jpg&hash=90d387fe9f5cf61d8adf273dbdcf14690654c298)
This is the completed lot. It took a few weeks to construct it, but it is now done. The mayor Jan Haskins and his family have already moved in. Instead of the government issue black limousine, Jan has opted for a economical Honda CRV. The vehicle gets excellent gas mileage due to being smaller than most SUVs.
The Athair government has selected Jan Haskins to lead the local government that will run this region. He was chosen from among dozens of nominees that the government hand-selected. Jan has quite a bit of experience in running a few rural towns across Athair and is proactive at protecting the environment. Many developers don't like working with him because he prefers the environment over suburban sprawl and he is quite strict on the rules for developments near sensitive areas. The Athair government has seen great things come from his work in protecting the environment, so they chose him to protect the environment of Verdant Sound while making it prosper and grow.
From Jan's Journal:I've finally arrived in Independence with my wife and 2 kids. They were sad to leave their friends, but some of them will be moving out here with their parents when they can. The mayoral mansion fits in quite nicely and doesn't stick out like the usual Maxoid style ones that I have lived in. The residents threw a nice house warming party for my family shortly after we got settled in. It was such a grand party that it made headlines:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg6.imageshack.us%2Fimg6%2F5333%2Fimayorshousenewsticker.jpg&hash=0cfa2f86c48870597a265ad32e1ca772d0e0ffa8)
I've been given a tour of the town and the outlying areas, and I like what I see so far. The local government has run things very much the same way I will, so it shouldn't be too hard to get started here. Independence is living up to its name quite well as they have been largely self-sufficient with management of resources. There has been little destruction of the surrounding landscape for raw materials. They use as much as they can of the trees, and recover almost everything from buildings before they are demolished to make way for new developments. That's almost unheard of elsewhere!
To make Independence truly independent, I will be opening up some areas to farming. To the west of town, I'm planning to allow farmers to develop some of the terrain to provide food to Independence and, later, the surrounding areas. To the east of the Independence Industrial Park, I will add some more zoning for housing and more farms. Right now, all food is imported by helicopters and the cargo containers that they drop off. By allowing local farming, we'll rely less on the Athair government for food and be more self-sufficient on that front.
I'll write more later, as there is a vast landscape to explore around Independence.(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg6.imageshack.us%2Fimg6%2F4280%2Ficompletedexpansion.jpg&hash=1ff13c8f5d23faf09ce98dd76fba8e68ddbcea49)
Here's an overview of the new residential expansion. As money becomes available, a school will be added along with some parks to fill in the corners between the rows of houses. I'm reviewing all the proposals and paperwork that are coming in daily for the town's projects. Among the proposals is a project to build a cemetery. Looking over the town's master plan, the locals have left a large space just up the street with a simple drawing of a tombstone in the space. While I am coming up with a plan for that, I will be trying to get a school built. I intend to build it off the cul de sac that is next to my property. The school will go on the side close to the woodlands and will service kids from elementary to high school. I'm still waiting for contractors to bid on the proposal for the school.
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With the influx of new residents, more businesses wanted to open up shop to serve them. I added another service road and a block of commercial zoning to meet their requests. With the west side of Main Street almost zoned in, I'll have to start placing commercial zones on the east side of Main soon. There's only one more commercial block available on the west side in the master plan. The rest of the downtown master plan shows development on the east side of Main.
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While going through the proposed projects, I heard a knock at my front door. Yes, I work from an office in my own home. I answered the door and was met by 5 of my neighbors. They had a petition with them that wanted to discuss with me. I lead them into my office to discuss it with them. They are members of a local Pagan group and wanted to have a safe place to practice outdoors. "Other towns and cities had places for their local religions to practice, so why couldn't this group have a place to do so?" I thought to myself.
Originally, I planned to have a forested park next door to my house. With a few alterations, I came up with a plan that they found acceptable. Instead of being entirely covered with a dense woodland, an area will to be kept clear of trees for them to use. It would give them some privacy while they did their practices and still keep the dense woodland look.
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A week later, ground was broken on the Pagan Sanctuary project. A small cottage at the front will provide a place for them to practice during inclement weather and a place for them to store their supplies that they will need. A small parking area will also be provided on site. A large crowd came to celebrate the construction of the Pagan Sanctuary. It turns out there a quite a few Pagans in Independence, just most of them keep to themselves.
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As usual, news carries fast in this town. Just a couple of days later, the new Sanctuary made headlines.
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A few weeks later, the local Pagan group held their first meet at the Sanctuary. A public gathering will be held sometime soon. They welcome people from all faiths and backgrounds to attend. They are still getting information together and stocking the cottage with what they will need for that.
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Finally, Independence has a school! I've received a bid on the school project. CSX produced a plan that matches the town's needs and for a very low cost. The school provides education to children of all ages right up to college. For a college education, I'll have to build either a community college or an university. An university will the hardest to plan for as they require a lot of space for later expansions as the student population grows. A community college would probably serve this town the best.
I hope to see you again in Independence. My door is always open to visitors, so feel free to visit anytime.
-Jan
No comments? That's a shocker $%Grinno$%
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After setting up the Pagan Sanctuary, my next focus was a proper burial ground for the deceased. The town's master plan shows this section of the neighborhood as being set aside for one. Lots of fine douglas fir trees cover the site. It is a shame that they will have to be cut down for this project.
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Breaking ground on the new cemetery. The Althair government provided all the funds for this project. The basic Maxoidian plan for the cemetery has been altered a bit. It will look more like a tranquil resting place for the deceased instead of a park like the original plans did.
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Here's how the cemetery looks after construction. The wide paths are paved, but too narrow for a car to travel on. The narrow paths are made of stone which should make it easier to visit a loved one's grave when it is raining or the ground is soft. The walls are taller than the Maxoid standard to discourage vandals from entering.
During the construction, a strange type of fertilizer was delivered to the site. One of the workers found it suspicious and notified his supervisor. It was sent off to be analyzed and it was determined to be "zombie dust". The only person known to have this stuff in large supply is Dr. Vu. The zombie dust was confiscated and real fertilizer was brought in to finish the job. Dr. Vu is probably now fuming over his foiled plot to have zombies crawling out of Independence's cemetery.
Every October, ghosts appear in and around the cemetery. The ghosts are of the people who are buried within the cemetery. Some families hold special family traditions to honor their deceased loved ones, so it is assumed that the ghosts come to reunite with their families for a short time each year.
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Some occult stores have opened their doors shortly after hearing about the local Sanctuary. One is a restaurant of sorts and the other sells metaphysical supplies, such as herbs and books. The Mad Hatter Batter company constructed these two businesses in the southwestern block of downtown. This block is the last block of commercial zoning on the west side of Main Street. All further development will be on the east side of Main Street.
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At the north end of downtown, the first block on the east side of Main Street has added a few more businesses, including a Hyundai dealership. The Hyundai dealership brings the total number of car dealers operating in the region to 3. Just off to the right, you can see the end of the transmission lines that come from the industrial park that is east of here.
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On my way to downtown to meet with some shop keepers, I saw a rather peculiar sight. These are rather small and economical cars. The blue one is a Peel P50 and the other is a Kewet Buddy. The Kewet is an electric car while the P50 is powered by a small gasoline engine. I just hope that the other drivers will see them.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg17.imageshack.us%2Fimg17%2F4711%2Fifirstaccident.jpg&hash=4e6b5dc249f1d0d140a9bf5e5277e104d88c1222)
While I was driving down Main Street, a few cars got into an accident at the other major intersection on Main. There's about 3,000 residents in Independence, so it was bound to happen eventually. However, this isn't the busiest roadway in Independence. It took a couple of hours to get accident reports taken down and to get the cars moving again. No injuries or deaths were reported, just a lot of smashed bumpers.
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This section of Aurora Avenue got an upgrade. Traffic was getting backed up at each end of this segment. As soon as some more money comes in, the intersections themselves will get upgraded. At some point in the near future, the roadway to the industrial park will be expanded all the way from Main & Aurora to the first intersection inside the industrial park. This will make the commute quicker as the wider roadway will have a higher speed limit.
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In preparation for the coming farms, a short segment of power poles has been extended from west edge of the residential area to the new farm roads. Power runs underground through most of Independence. It only goes above ground for distances greater than 32 meters between zones/buildings.
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With the new farmland being laid out, the highway system has gotten expanded. The north-south segment will connect the future north and south neighbors. The proposed highway system for this island makes a C shape around the central mountain. The township east of Independence is one end of this "loop". The other end is in the township south of that one. There won't be any connections between them except for power/water connections. The landscape between them is the reason why the road won't make a complete loop.
I'll look forward to seeing you again, when you return to visit Verdant Sound.
-Jan
Hey Jan sorry I didnt make in last time for the other update!!!
That was cool how you changed the script there for the local Sim Pagan group!!! I also liked the new school that Verdant Sound gotten to that has K-Collage course right there, now talk about multipurpose!!!
heheeh that is a nice touch there about the Maxoidian cementary plans and Dr Vu!!! I love the new cementary and how the ghost due come back to see their families that is cool!! Daang a couple of hours to clear an accident geesh talk about small town... OK at least it wasnt high speed crash as you said where it could have caused death or injuries!!
Jan I cant wait till the next update of Verdant Sound!!!
Patrick
@Pat: Thanks for the comments. Most of the backstories are just to cover the fact that I have been editing Lots for my own purposes. I prefer to have a reason for them to be there, other than they are simply "there".
As for the time it took to clear the accident, Independence doesn't have any tow trucks so it takes a bit of time to remove vehicles with other vehicles and manpower.
Thanks for taking the time to visit again. Today, we will be heading east to the Coastal Heights township....
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg242.imageshack.us%2Fimg242%2F4084%2Fcoastalheightsoverview.th.jpg&hash=9ae0653511284ec64e5f73b2e822adf872795e01) (http://img242.imageshack.us/my.php?image=coastalheightsoverview.jpg)
The Coastal Heights township doesn't really have a defined town or central location. It consists of mostly housing for workers that commute to the industrial park in Independence. Along the southern part of the coast, there will be some small farms tucked into the shallow valley formed by the mountain and the coastline.
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Coming in on the highway from Independence, you see a tunnel cutting through the hillside directly ahead of you. The side road on the left is a gravel logging road. The highway is flanked by magnificent douglas firs and a clumps of smaller deciduous trees. Between the stands of douglas firs, small groups of spruce trees cover the landscape. Some small clusters of flowers can be found here and there across the landscape, usually near hills.
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Here's a better view of the logging road. It connects the highway to the Independence Industrial Park. No one really uses this road at all. A few outdoors type folks travel it on the weekends to walk among the trees and do photography. The areas that were harvested for lumber have been replanted and are starting to recover. The power lines from Independence cut across this area to developments to the east.
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Unless you have a good offroad vehicle or one equipped with 4WD, it's not recommended that you take your car down the logging road. The road is rough and is rarely maintained. It's not really high on the priority list for maintenance as few people use it.
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Heading east, we pop out of the tunnel on the other side of the hill. There was only two choices for getting the highway out this way, go over the hill or tunnel through it. The tunnel was chosen to minimize the impact on the scenery and to eliminate the grading requirements for going over the hill.
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A profile view of the east entrance to the tunnel. The tunnel is a bit lower than the surrounding landscape, but the highway was contoured to meet it and connect to the level of the rest of the highway. Plans are underway to place signs warning of the tunnel and its clearance, but most vehicles are well below the tunnel clearance. The only concern will be tall trucks when the farmers begin operation out here.
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Just to the north of the tunnel, a new neighborhood has been laid out in a clear cut area. The tree stumps and small trees have been cleared off the plots to make way for housing. The substation is the end of the line for the power lines, for now. Later, they will head southeast from here. The cable truck contains extra cable to make repairs as necessary to the transmission lines and the substation itself.
These pictures show the development of the neighborhood of Spruce Slopes:
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The neighborhood gets its name from the rolling hillside it is built on. It used to be covered with small spruce trees, like the rest of the surrounding landscape. On southeast part of the neighborhood, it is framed in by douglas firs which cut down the traffic noise a bit.
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Close up of the substation. It's not pretty, but the power has to come in somehow and be brought down to the correct voltage for the households to use. Power is run underground, usually following the roadway network. This way, no one gets their yards torn up unless it is to fix a line going to a household. Most major repairs only take a few hours and the work doesn't hamper the commutes much as there is light traffic from the commuters.
Next time, we'll see how the rest of this township gets developed.
-Jan
Excellent stuff here as always, Jan! You really do seem to have a very unique style of MDing here, and I rather like it. "Verdant" is definitely an apt description. The logging road there definitely looks "Primitive" . . . I've always gotten a kick out of those signs up in WA. The neighborhood there looks quite realistic as well, and hopefully, the substation won't bother anyone too much. I've always found the slight hum coming out of them rather soothing. ::)
-Alex
I like how you're starting this off as a well-structured beginning of a community, and also you've done a bit of minor photoshopping here and there (such as car's lights) that make it just that much better. Great job!
I do have two questions:
- Have you modified [someone]'s U-Haul trucks to operate as in-game moving trucks? (They normally operate as low-wealth sims' cars i think)
- Have I seen new vehicles other than those by MikeSeith that I haven't seen in your development thread such as your CRV? I think I've seen a late-model Honda Civic in there but I can't be sure. (Later than MikeSeith's automata)
Wow, Jan! I wish I had known sooner about Verdant Sound!
I'm curious - how did you choose the name?
Looking good! Sorry it took so long to drop in again. I like your use of the new wide angle street curves on that gravel road, they look great.
@Alex: Nice to see the highway king visiting this rural region. Thanks for the comments on the MD. I probably won't ever get to the point of building multi-lane RHWs, but your efforts on the RHW2 are much appreciated. RHW2 will probably be the only highways I will be building on this island due to space limitations.
@Nerdly: The U-Hauls came with the U-Haul Storage Center (http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/details.cfm?id=16226) from the STEX. I've modified them to behave like the normal moving trucks and to add the missing chassis and shadow planes. I also have a couple of German moving trucks that I have altered from the original STEX releases to be additional moving trucks instead of replacements. Because I have modified these vehicles, I can't release these modified files to the public.
I also have various European and American cars from Mike Seith in my Plugins. Among them is a Honda S2000, which you might be mistaking for a later model Honda Civic. If you point out the picture, I might be able to tell you what the car(s) is/are. The CRV is yet to be released as I am still trying to get icons made from screenshots of them from the game. They don't show up very often except for that one that is replacing the Mayor's Limo.
As for the photoshopping of the pictures, the lights on the cars are the most noticeable indications that I have altered the images. There are other subtle changes in some of the pictures. You will have to look closer to see them, particularly in the night shots.
@Ryan: For the name of the region, I dug through a thesaurus looking for words that mean green. Green is my favorite color. CycleDogg made it easier to make this region green by providing his Olympic Terrain Mod and Olympic Coastal Tree Controller.
@Battlecat: Don't worry about how long it took you to drop in again. There were probably better looking MDs that had your attention.
Sorry for not posting in a long while. I haven't had much time to play the game lately. Free time is a bit of a rarity sometimes. I played the game for a bit more tonight to make a fuller update than I was going to. Several pictures can make the difference between a small update and a good one.
When we left last time, we had watched the neighborhood of Spruce Slopes develop in an old clearcut section of forest land. Today, we will see how the rest of the township has been developing....
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg5.imageshack.us%2Fimg5%2F7725%2Fchdouglasbluffs2.jpg&hash=4ac5978452dfd46d319273d83f68b0aa05495d47)
Southeast of Spruce Slopes and the tunnel, another neighborhood has been built on a hillside near the coast. Called Douglas Bluffs, it is draped across the hillside from the coastal bluffs towards the mountain. While building the road out to this area, the construction crew uncovered green gemstones. After being sent to the local geologist team, the gemstones were determined to be jades. Some further investigation around the mountain revealed more surface deposits. The mountain has been named Jade Mountain after the gemstones. The tunnel has been name Jade Tunnel after these new discoveries.
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An overview of the Douglas Bluffs neighborhood. The substation is the end of the line for the transmission lines coming in from Independence. From there, the power lines have been run under the roads and connect to the houses.
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Alongside the road to Douglas Bluffs, a small commercial development called "The Village" has been started. A local substation pulls power from the transmission lines and routes it to The Village. The gravel road is just an access road for the utility company to reach the substation. Half of the available commercial plots have been developed already. A general store and a small family restaurant are the current businesses.
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Overview of Coastal Heights at this point. You can see how the power lines cross the landscape from Spruce Slopes to Douglas Bluffs. You can also see the smooth curves of the road as it cuts through the forest to Douglas Bluffs.
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Recently, a new road has been run south through the woods past Douglas Bluffs. It will provide access to farms along the coast. The buffer of trees between it and Douglas Bluffs is to help cut down the noise from the freight trucks that will be using this road. As it is a rural road and will have light traffic, it is a gravel road along its entire length. Gravel roads are more firmer than dirt roads so they hold together better and trucks are less likely to get stuck when it rains.
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This is the end of the farm road. There is some discussion about extending it to the west (right side of the picture) a bit and building a trail head for a trail that goes out to the coast. I'm still reviewing all the paperwork for the proposals. If approved, this will be the first nature park in Verdant Sound. The trail would head south from the trail head, wrap around the hill, and then go along the coast.
While most of the locals aren't opposed to having such a trail, the coast is a fragile ecosystem which needs to be protected. The trail will most likely be open only to hiking and horses. No camping will be allowed and motor vehicles will most certainly not be allowed on the trail. Bicycles may be allowed, though. Designating the nature park is the first priority with the proposals. Later, the details of how it will be managed and used by the public will be worked out.
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The first farms have been developed on the hills above the coastline. Seen here is a wheat farm, a nature preserve farm, and a flower farm. The lattices at the flower farm are to protect the plants from falling tree branches. The nature preserve farm has a special oak species Oakus Vlakhus growing around it. They are an interesting deciduous tree. They have green leaves during spring and summer, but have brown leaves during fall and winter. I find them rather interesting to look at. The trees don't pose a threat to the local ecosystems as they are not an invasive species. The seedlings from them are usually sold to homeowners that have very nice looking homes, such as the middle and upper class folks. These seedlings are one of the current exports from this region.
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Nearby, a horse ranch has started operations. The Paladin only has a handful of horses in their stable to prevent overgrazing of the pasture land surrounding the ranch. If the trail system gets approved and built, then The Paladin is a good position to rent horses to the public for riding on the trail.
Uh-oh, it looks like one of their horses got loose again. Even if they get out of the pen, they don't stray very far from the ranch itself. Eventually, the horses return to the stable. The strange thing, The Paladin's owners tell me, is that they never trained the horses to stick close to the ranch.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg151.imageshack.us%2Fimg151%2F2200%2Fchaprilscabin.jpg&hash=237976192c1992747e1171aa76b040164fd110d7)
Next door to The Paladin, a nice lady named April has started a forestry farm. The farm has spruce trees and practices sustainable forestry. April has told main objective of this farm is help prevent excessive clearcutting and to provide a renewable resource for wood products. I hope she will open more such farms across Verdant Sound as it gets developed.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg391.imageshack.us%2Fimg391%2F4269%2Fchfinishedvillage.jpg&hash=608ab6cd1d5cad748ba32351211d48d27dc45808)
It's getting late, so dinner is on me at the local cafe. It was a general store shortly after construction, but there was a bit of an argument with the existing general store. An agreement was worked out and the new one was converted into a restaurant. It still has the original general store front and lots of room for parking.
See you next time when we revisit Independence and head southward on this island.
-Jan
great update , i love the Country Woods feel to it! :thumbsup:
Nice country, but at your place, I wait more devloppment to show us images ;)
Guillaume :thumbsup:
Ahh you did update Jan sweetness I just had to get threw a few pages of replies to find ya's!!! March 31st update and April 7th update was also another grand of updates here Jan and I enjoyed them both with the stories....
About the U-Haul trucks: I was already aware of where to get them because thats where I got them in the first place.
The car that looked like a recent Honda Civic is the tan car with the huge skylight in this (http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/8016/ilaundromat.jpg) picture, and I dont recognize the red SUV (the blue vehicle is certainly from MikeSeith's Japanese vehicles pack). And in this (http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/5448/isanctuaryconstruction.jpg) picture I'm not familiar with the orange truck - its shading seems a bit too shiny for it to be one of MikeSeith's vehicles, but IDK.
Apart from the automata that I clearly pay way too much attention to, the development of your town is coming along very nicely, and I like how you've thought up a creative way to conceal the fact that Dedgren isn't quite done with the wide-radius street curves for Maxis textures yet. Great MD overall!
@Nexis: I'm glad you like the woodland feel to it. Hopefully, these trees will stay for many generations.
@Sciurus: There isn't much development this time. I hope you won't be too disappointed.
@Pat: I'm glad you're enjoying this MD. I hope to see you around again. ;)
@Nerdly: I've done a little research and was able to identify the cars you mentioned. The tan car is a Renault Twingo, the red SUV is a Toyota Sequoia, the blue vehicle is a Daihatsu that came with Mike's Daihatsu dealership, and the orange pickup truck is a Chevy Silverado pickup truck. I got the Silverados through a private BSC file and can't release them. Sorry :(
Regarding my MD, I'm glad you like it so far. If I can't have what I want, I make do with what I have and explain it away with a logical story. Creating backstories for stuff that occurs in my MD is one way of explaining why I do things the way that I have. Minor imperfections then have a reason to exist and add to the depth of the MD.
This update doesn't have any story updates, sorry. Instead, it contains some pictures of what I have been doing to add features to my MD. I don't have enough development to continue the story, but what I have done is helping with the future developments.
When I started this MD, I wanted to have some natural features such as streams in my tiles. I tried several times before laying out Independence, but I simply gave up and built the town. Last night, I decided to revisit the idea of having a stream running through a part of this township, down the slopes of Jade Mountain. This is a work in progress, so this is by no means complete.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg403.imageshack.us%2Fimg403%2F5757%2Fijadecreek.jpg&hash=bdf683ca146be8f771e25e25f39c16426ef5d4d0)
To layout the stream, I used the Wave3 FreeFlowing Stream Mod (http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/details.cfm?id=14707) made by Qurlix. At first, it flowed straight down the side of Jade Mountain and going up over a hill while doing so. Using the God Mode terrain tools, I reshaped its path so it looked somewhat natural. I bulldozed the trees that were in the path of the stream and raised the roadway a bit to use puzzle pieces to build a bridge over the stream. This was just the preliminary terraforming and design of this water feature.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg403.imageshack.us%2Fimg403%2F5629%2Fijadecreektpw.jpg&hash=a8eb50c2ae8dd841265b31fd180b1d3d5bf849f4)
Using the stream effect as a guide, I placed transparent ploppable water along its path. I used Jeronij's JRJ Transparent Plopable Water (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1227) for this stream. Some sections still need a little work yet. I'd also like to add a fork heading towards the west (bottom of this image) into that township. I'm still considering widening the stream where the bridge is located. It's too narrow compared to the rest of the stream. It should be at least as wide as the sections on either side of it.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg403.imageshack.us%2Fimg403%2F7959%2Fijadecreekbridge.jpg&hash=7c1c61448aae2d0402d82faad66056b9ffe384a3)
This is the bridge that currently crosses the stream. I used the Rain Tool that was created by Teirusu long ago. There is a slight indent under the bridge from where the rain water used to sit. I had to carve back the slopes a bit on each side to allow the construction of the bridge. 5 tiles is the minimum allowed length of a crossing to build a bridge, apparently. I may be widening this spot soon to make the stream wider to match the wider stream sections on either side of this crossing. I chose this plain bridge model because the RHW2 bridge is the same style. When I upgrade the roadway to RHW2 later, it will be as if the road bridge got resurfaced with the RHW2.
I hope to have the detailing of this stream finished for the next update.
-Jan
That's great work, Jan!
Yes, great work. You know it doesn't matter it's not so developped, but it's better when it is ;) You know, I like the country too, but the european country not the american, however, the american country is nice to :thumbsup:
Guillaume :thumbsup:
@Ryan: Thanks.
@Guillaume: Thanks for the feedback.
To the readers:
If you're expecting to see the townships (city tiles) of my region covered with developments from edge to edge, you will be rather disappointed by this MD. If you are looking for big skyscrapers and wall-to-wall developments, you won't find them here for a long while and probably not until long after I start developing the mainland to the west of the island. This island that I am developing in my region is going to stay rural, meaning developments will be in specific locations and will not cover the tiles completely. At best, the development will be in large blocks like Independence.
While I do enjoy looking at others' MD's of large cities, it is not my style. Having grown up in rural environments for most of my life, I enjoy trying to recreate them. Yes, it's harder than building a big city, but that is why I like the challenge. It's harder to build around natural elements such as streams and lakes instead of just filling them in to build development over them. While I haven't thoroughly read my state's regulations on developments near sensitive areas, I have a basic understanding of them and try my best to follow to them. So buffers of forests and grass between water sources and developments are considered normal for this MD, not exceptions.
Earlier this evening, I finished the detailing of Jade Creek. I've made a mosaic of the lower portion of the creek:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg228.imageshack.us%2Fimg228%2F3742%2Fijadecreektop.jpg&hash=08393134d3fcd2b0ded75a7558e0f657cf3fadf7)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg228.imageshack.us%2Fimg228%2F7753%2Fijadecreekbottom.jpg&hash=7c3a36726c6df49e65a389f209b414553a3a3821)
The small shed near the bridge contains a generator to power the street lights on the bridge. It gets foggy occasionally around the bridge, so the street lights were installed for safety. The generator shed is less of an eyesore than having a bunch of high tension lines running across the landscape. If power gets close enough via underground powerlines, then the shed will be removed.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg228.imageshack.us%2Fimg228%2F4466%2Fijadelake.jpg&hash=c70169928a10a8a2f48391d863db1ee31159a2cf)
Jade Lake, the start of Jade Creek. Jade Lake is fed by underground spring, somewhere in the middle of the lake. Around the lake, various types of trees are growing near its shores including some temperate rain forest types. The slopes are a little bare in places, but that is how the trees grew on this portion of Jade Mountain. Maybe at a future date, a trail will be built up to the lake from the farmlands below.
Next time, I should have more pictures of the developments in Independence.
-Jan
Jan, this is very good work! Jade Lake, Creek, and its surrounding areas all look like they're real . . . . right down to the shed.
:thumbsup: &apls
Can't wait for the next update!
Very nice, but it's desert :( $%Grinno$%
Guillaume :thumbsup:
Hello Jan,
Your MD is very interesting! :thumbsup: I would like to strongly encourage you to continue it, even if you don't have too much comments yet. I'm sure it will change with time :)
I like your manner of explaining your actions, your comments are well thought and very instructive. They can be a good source for your readers' imagination.
Very nice nature shots! I like your idea to let the stream flow and then to place ploppable water. I also think that 3Wave freestream forced you to smooth the stream line here and there, so it have a very natural look now :)
A little tip about the streamside flora: It is obvious that we can see another plants at the riverside than away from it. But the border beteween riverside and land flora shouldn't be too sharp. It is sometimes good to plop the same flora which was used at the riverside also a bit away, and blend it with another plants typical for land/forest. This way you can achieve smoother transitions between various types of plants.
Sometimes I have (ploppable or growable) lot with some tree props surrounded by forest, and trees on the lot are different from these in the forest. So I try to place some trees identical as on the lot in its surrounding too and this way I can harmonize the lot with its surrounding. This is the same thing.
I will look at your MD development with pleasure!
Adam
@Ryan: Thanks. Realism is what I am going for, with a pinch of utopia thrown in for my liking. Real world mayors probably wouldn't be taking as much care as I am with protecting the environment around my towns.
@Guillaume: I assume you mean deserted as there isn't any development around Jade Creek. There won't be any development around Jade Creek except to possibly build a hiking trail along it or the installation of a water monitoring station near the bridge.
@Ennedi: Thanks for the feedback about the flora around Jade Creek. I'm not done with the detailing of it yet. The grass is just to hide the edges of the ploppable water. Later, I will add more plants behind them to soften the transition to the forest.
As promised, we are visiting Independence again to see how it has developed. The presence of Jade Creek has been attracting new residents to the area. The promises of protected wilderness areas and new hiking trails are also factors in the influx of new residents. Let's take a look around Independence at the new developments:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg95.imageshack.us%2Fimg95%2F680%2Finorthsubstation.jpg&hash=b4fedd7a833d7181f2a8853b525b8279cd0b54c7)
You remember the power lines to "nowhere" that extended from the western edge of the neighborhood? The lines have been run underground to this substation. From here, high tension lines have been run south to the other side of the "highway" that runs across the region. South of here, another area is being set aside for agriculture.
"Highway" is actually a really loose term for the network of roadways that will connect all the townships of the island together. It is currently built of low-speed streets, but there are plans to make it a 2-lane highway system. This is a minimum requirement of the highway system. The majority of the route will just be two lanes with a speed limit of 60-70 mph. Depending on traffic requirements, some sections may be 4 lanes wide (2 lanes each direction). But such a system is still a long ways off. For the time being, local roads will follow the proposed path of the highway system.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg106.imageshack.us%2Fimg106%2F1023%2Fimorefarms.jpg&hash=1415cbd37d1f9a046c203dfb8f695bb64a7a1044)
The new farms and the southern substation of the new high tension lines. The farm on the top right is a horse ranch with larger stables. The main farm house was built using plans from an old coach house. Coach houses were used in the past on busy stagecoach runs. The coach houses acted like a station for the travelers to switch to different runs and to rest between trips. They have a certain charm with people that run horse ranches.
The other three farms are forestry operations, geared towards sustainable forestry and nature preservation. These forest lands are carefully managed to minimize disruption of the local ecosystem. The trees are non-invasive species so there is no risk of them quickly spreading across the landscape. The bottom left farm has eucalyptus trees which are used for many purposes.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg106.imageshack.us%2Fimg106%2F3893%2Fiwestside.jpg&hash=8ecf8e8b74f06245db78057988a2ae05c44f6d83)
Off to the west and the south of the farms, there is a wide swath of forest and undeveloped land. I've got all sorts of proposed developments from various developers. Some want to build sprawling subdivisions up against Jade Mountain. Others want to create more farms, just south of the existing southern farms. A few proposals are for parks, trails, and other nature areas. I'm strongly considering these ones despite I'm still working with the regional council to get a parks department and a forest service department created.
The Parks Department would oversee the creation and maintenance of parks within developed areas, such as Independence. The Forest Service would oversee the management of parks and wilderness areas outside of the developed areas. The Forest Service would be the ones that create the trails, such as the proposed Jade Creek and Douglas Bluff Trails. The Jade Creek Trail would go up to Jade Lake alongside the canyon of Jade Creek. The Douglas Bluff Trail would go along the coast of Coastal Heights, below the farms and housing that sit on the bluffs themselves. Once these two Departments are created and funded, then the construction of the trails can be started.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg106.imageshack.us%2Fimg106%2F6136%2Fidevelopmentsite1.jpg&hash=fce058f6a73e5fe8e907077fcc8c5d47c02b4764)
This is one of the proposed areas for development. The agriculture and housing developers are hotly contesting over this site. Farm developers want to add some small homestead type farms between the roadways and the western slope. Residential developers want to build a small subdivision instead. Until things cool off between the two groups, I won't be making any decisions on this site.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg410.imageshack.us%2Fimg410%2F9694%2Fidevelopmentsite2.jpg&hash=8fecddf208b8a9c2a6a2cf379eed4e87281b8a1b)
This is the other site. Given the close proximity to the current farms and Jade Creek, I'm considering letting a couple more farms be built in this area. Two would be just behind the two existing southern farms and the other would be across a newly built street and slightly west of Jade Creek. The street would also serve as a route to the proposed Jade Creek Trail parking lot and trail head.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg410.imageshack.us%2Fimg410%2F8848%2Fifirstwatertower.jpg&hash=96fadaa67f16481dec8d17ed3649e20e12ac80ea)
Inside the Independence town limits, there have been various upgrades to accommodate the new and future growth of the town. A new water tower has been constructed and connects to a deep underground aquifer. The tower currently stores 5000 gallons of water and is the first part of a two-phase plan. The second phase will build a second tower behind it, in the shape of a tea cup. Together, they will provide 10,000 gallons to Independence.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg410.imageshack.us%2Fimg410%2F6581%2Fifirestation.jpg&hash=566920646793f8e1f27cd1329926566fb26df269)
With water facilities in place, fire hydrants have been installed across town. In the middle of what will be the downtown core, a fire station has been built. The fire station provides coverage for the entire township. As with all new facilities, I was on site to do the ribbon cutting ceremony. There have been some talks of building a rural airstrip to handle a fire plane, which would reach areas where the fire trucks can't get to. No proposals have been presented to me yet for such an airstrip.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg144.imageshack.us%2Fimg144%2F2774%2Ficlinic.jpg&hash=c76a682858889fe714222d4f9c1333fd2ee92c6a)
Off the cul-de-sac behind my house, a new medical clinic has opened its doors to the public. They handle everything from bumps and bruises to critical surgeries. Their doors are open 24/7 for all emergencies, which works well for the industries since they have workers at work on 3 different shifts. There have been few emergencies since the clinic opened, but they are there if they occur. Plans are in the works for a slightly bigger facility and to have at least 2 ambulances on duty. The plans and the budget are still being worked out for this proposal.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg144.imageshack.us%2Fimg144%2F8247%2Fitrashpit.jpg&hash=1a421874a44189cbaa8555b362239cb3eff8d720)
To handle the growing garbage problem, a new garbage facility has been constructed. Using environmentally friendly chemicals, the garbage is broken down in the central pit. However, the Pit has drawn quite a bit of criticism, so a new facility is being designed to replace it. The new facility will also function as a recycling center which will cut down on the amount of garbage.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg178.imageshack.us%2Fimg178%2F2048%2Fiindustrialredevelopmen.jpg&hash=18ea7e1328c01a9b7ad13004cabcba29ceeb4f3a)
With all the new facilities in town, some of the industries are getting replaced by bigger companies and industrial facilities. Simmons Industrials is building a second factory here in Independence. The company works with metals so each of the two factories will work with a specific type. The one over by the Pit specializes in steel and this one will specialize in aluminum.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg235.imageshack.us%2Fimg235%2F871%2Fiboardinghouse.jpg&hash=826cad25925382e54c7fc3f1763aa13a9772dfc2)
To accommodate the new residents, a couple of houses were demolished and replaced with a well-kept boarding house. The displaced families got first pick on units in the new boarding house. The boarding house has a rustic charm about it with the log siding and stone chimneys.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg235.imageshack.us%2Fimg235%2F6539%2Firuralbusinesses.jpg&hash=732467b9829df26d9590f546573a3baafb16af83)
Down on Main Street, I approved two more parcels of commercial development. A department store and a bed and breakfast opened up shortly there after. Looks like the architects are coming up with some nice looking buildings instead of having the developers using Maxoid plans. It makes me wonder what other designs will come in the future.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg111.imageshack.us%2Fimg111%2F2403%2Fihexhome.jpg&hash=bd4b2e9c8972b4256bd214f11953a3f084b4216b)
Next door to the clinic, a hexagonal log home has been built. I like the shape of the house and the open yard. It seems that log buildings are the current style as many of the new development proposals are featuring log construction. Jen P. Designs is providing most of the residential log home designs that I've been reviewing.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg511.imageshack.us%2Fimg511%2F2639%2Fijenranchhome.jpg&hash=88067fb3915aeb81175df55c9da511503e1bcdb9)
And her company doesn't do just log houses. Her company also makes nice brick houses. This ranch house was done for a wealthy resident of Independence. This is the first wealthy resident of the town, too. This is next door to the hexagon log home.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg111.imageshack.us%2Fimg111%2F3%2Finewpark.jpg&hash=e3e9f2371bdd1714a2f8d403f4ca7965f2b28ea1)
Remember the tall stand of trees in the middle of the loop in this corner of the neighborhood? They have been replaced by a small park. Volunteers planned and constructed this park. They are also overseeing the upkeep of it until the Parks Department is created. Even then, the residents will most likely be doing the maintenance work and care of the park. They will just have a group overseeing them and will have a bigger budget.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg511.imageshack.us%2Fimg511%2F3972%2Fiparkatdawn.jpg&hash=63775277b85191549a832274ea30bedb685478eb)
The kids in Independence are quite energetic. The sun is still rising and they are already playing at the corner playground. This playground is in the corner between 3 rows of houses and the Sanctuary. I hope they will still have energy to stay awake in class later today.
Today's update sponsored by: Wanda's Wiccan Wonders
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg511.imageshack.us%2Fimg511%2F1655%2Ficovenclass.jpg&hash=b06f0171b281e2061be0d0ccb17b6a25d9eab1f7)
Wanda's Wiccan Wonders is now hosting classes on various topics, including coven leadership.
Classes are held 7 days a week between 8 am and 8 pm. Come visit us at 333 South Main Street in Independence.
See you next time in Verdant Sound.
-Jan
Jan- a truly excellent update. The lengths you've gone to in literally hand-picking what goes where are apparent.
Don't give up on those wide road curves. Help may be on the way sooner than you think.
David
It's excellent, and thanks for your explanation ;)
But I didn't read all the text, I understand nothing $%Grinno$%
Guillaume :thumbsup:
Congratulations, Jan!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi119.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fo134%2Fthundercrack83%2FOSITM%2F2009-05-Verdant.jpg&hash=796f9b3da8987655dbec1fbcce851cc3b457f1fa)
- The Staff
@David: I'm still waiting for the gray wide radius street curves, but I am making do with the asphalt ones in the mean time. As for the placement of things, the growables grew exactly where they did, but I did some selective bulldozing in some cases to get things to grow how I wanted them to. The network layout is done by counting tiles and using single-tile water pipe sections as "dots" on the map.
@Dustin: This was unexpected. Given the lack of replies, I figured it was just going to be me and a handful of people. In other words, nothing worth being noticed. I see the staff thinks otherwise.
Welcome back to Verdant Sound. Today, we will be looking at another new township being started. With the growing demand for housing, businesses, and industries, a new township is being developed to hold them. There isn't much room with Independence's Master Development Plan (MDP) to accommodate any further development. Independence's MDP was designed with rural developments in mind and to avoid suburban sprawl. The only allowable developments are now farms, civic services, and parklands. Until the Parks Service is created, the designation of parklands is on hold.
Let's take a look at the newest township of Misty Plains:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg102.imageshack.us%2Fimg102%2F3216%2Fmpoverview.jpg&hash=d417139661e396112126499f8d65a89c0a78d661)
The township of Misty Plains occupies the southwestern quadrant of Jade Mountain. It is bordered by ocean on the west and south edges. To the south, there is a point of land that continues off the southeastern portion of the township. This area of the island has been largely untouched by the loggers and other groups looking for construction materials.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg102.imageshack.us%2Fimg102%2F2716%2Fmpfog.jpg&hash=2b6828908cbc4778ed8fd7e9285c5d192e915026)
The namesake of this township, the fog. The air is cooler here due to the proximity to the water and the fog banks that roll across it to Stone Valley in the east. The fog has a constant presence in this area and its mist-like appearance is why this township has the name it does. The landscape is a wide plain that wraps around Jade Mountain like a scarf, which allows the fog to roll freely across it.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg102.imageshack.us%2Fimg102%2F4326%2Fmpswjademountain.jpg&hash=ed489c1afb481d71582afdcb1e8117c8712e199c)
The southwestern slopes of Jade Mountain. The fog sometimes gets caught in the valley on the right side of this picture. The valley is a hot issue at the moment. Developers want to build houses in it right up to the base of the mountain. The local residents would rather that the valley remains untouched and turned into a wilderness area to protect it from developers. We'll revisit this area later on to see who wins the battle.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg102.imageshack.us%2Fimg102%2F3541%2Fmphighwayrouteh.jpg&hash=9d08f406ef15ff83715bf83a730d3d12ffeccd58)
Another segment of the Jade Mountain Loop Highway has been routed across Misty Plains. Determining the route took a little more work than the other sections. There were some other suggested routes for this segment. One suggested route ran directly along the coast for a short while before heading east. This route was abandoned after being determined to be too expensive. Most of the expenses were for erosion control to prevent the ocean from washing away the highway. The other suggested route hugged the mountain rater closely. This one was also quite expensive due to the amount of terraforming that would be required to make the route smooth for travelers.
The current route was a compromise of both of the suggested routes. The highway runs near the shore, but avoids damaging the sensitive habitats of the coastline and being washed away. Even if the ocean erodes the coastline, it will be long time before it starts affecting travelers. The highway route also avoids cutting through the hills at the base of Jade Mountain, as such cuts may have caused landslides from the exposed rocks.
The route is fairly smooth with a bit of a hill on the west section as it heads north. All the curves are wide radius curves which make the highway more navigable for longer vehicles. The longer vehicles won't have to slow down quite so much to go around the curves.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg102.imageshack.us%2Fimg102%2F7268%2Fmpnorthborder.jpg&hash=39299cbd20e3af42c08cb796dfffabc2bca3bf9e)
The northern border of Misty Plains. The "kink" in the highway will be smoothed out once some money is acquired to realign the roadway slightly. Ideally, this would have been a S-curve, but the only kind that is available is for a wider roadway than what is seen here.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg102.imageshack.us%2Fimg102%2F9969%2Fmpcoastalcurve.jpg&hash=a6246b6067dafbf6179aa3b9b09c5b9232ca7b1a)
The curve towards the east. Here, the highway goes in a straight diagonal towards where town will be.
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It seems the road builders enjoy making these odd jogs through the woods. I guess they want to have as many smooth curves as they can get in the roadway.
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The eastern border of Misty Plains. To the east is Stone Valley, which will be another farming community. A new industrial park is being built near this connection for easy access for Stone Valley's future residents. There is no development in Stone Valley yet.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg160.imageshack.us%2Fimg160%2F4011%2Fmpindustrystart.jpg&hash=6f9b4bef1ed7874d8558b61af0a080927eba53cc)
The Misty Plains Industrial Park. A new power station has been constructed here to provide power to Misty Plains and Stone Valley. A few advertisers have erected billboards to help offset the town's initial expenses until Misty Plains starts collecting taxes. Then, the billboards will come down.
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The road crews came back out and changed the alignment of the highway through the woods. The highway now makes a straight line between the "coastal" curve and this one. After removing the old alignment, the road crews said they couldn't find where it once ran. They said the forest closed back in over the old alignment's route. One moment they saw the old alignment and then it was replaced by trees as soon as they blinked. I guess Mother Nature wanted her land back and reclaimed it with forest.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg160.imageshack.us%2Fimg160%2F9531%2Fmpmainstreet.jpg&hash=07ebe1f7dfe7596e2f335b3657d74c04ca9bdf8b)
Main Street is seen here, crossing the highway. Two substations have been constructed to step the voltages from the power station to what the buildings can use. The residential one has a gravel access road which connects to the residential street grid. The northern section of road is proposed to go further north to future residential developments, if the developers get their way.
On our next visit, we'll see how Misty Plains develops....
-Jan
Congratulations on your promotion, Jan! You're doing a great job on Verdant Sound, and this latest update holds much promise for more good things to come.
Looking forward to seeing what you have in store for us this month...
Joan
I like your MD very much. Especially all the technical background information. Keep it up! :thumbsup:
Congrats on your award for this great MD, Swamper77!
A lot of fantastic updates with a lot of fantastic pictures there! Wonderful work on your city and region! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Sorry for the delay on updating, but real life is getting busy these days. With the warmer weather, the construction companies are trying to finish their projects, which means my workplace is getting more work that needs to be done ASAP. I'm also planning for my summer road trip to visit a friend over in Eastern Washington. I've been busy lately working out the details of that too. Hopefully things will smooth out soon.
@Joan: Thanks for the feedback.
@Rick: I'm surprised that you liked the technical information. I figured most people won't care for it, but I post it anyways for reference purposes.
@Bat: Thanks!
Today, we are revisiting Misty Plains to see how it is developing. Last time, we saw that things were laid out and just getting started....
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The first developments are the industries. Without a source of jobs, the people won't move in. Underground, there is a small oil deposit at this location. More derricks could be built, but then there would be the risk of depleting the deposit too quickly. Currently, the oil is stored in the onsite towers and is later shipped to a refinery that is outside of the region. Later, products made from that oil are shipped here. These products are slightly more expensive due to the transportation costs. A developer would like to build a refinery in Verdant Sound. I'm still looking for a suitable location as refineries are noisy and produce more pollution than the total of the buildings seen here.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg136.imageshack.us%2Fimg136%2F5407%2Fmphousingwest.jpg&hash=5a65b6eb60cb766c3f64c4bf14f7ceb8e144cf2c)
With the security of having a job, residents have started to move to Misty Plains. The neighborhood has expanded beyond the initial layout considerably. The roadway heading north goes to the contested valley at the base of Jade Mountain. The developers are still fighting the government to build housing in the valley above these houses.
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This is the eastern portion of the neighborhood. The gap between houses is for a future footpath to a park that will be built in the future. The housing plots were laid out like this to avoid building on the hillside here. The park will be built where the trees stand between houses on the right side of the top street and the houses on the lower street.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg149.imageshack.us%2Fimg149%2F4621%2Fmpdowntown.jpg&hash=1e7eae23eb270ed98b2b1fe696a72aedb0b50067)
Downtown Misty Plains, which is currently home to a Citroen dealership and several small businesses. This is the current length of downtown. With future demand, it will expand southwards a block or two and also expand westwards. The roadway heading to the east is a "dead end".
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg149.imageshack.us%2Fimg149%2F4610%2Fmpindustgate.jpg&hash=53a13bf73883fb9e322c7be902701026bbeb30ab)
And this is why the roadway is a "dead end". It is a gated gravel access road. This gate is on the industrial side. There is an identical one on the downtown side. This access road is for emergency access only. Now, there aren't any emergency services in Misty Plains yet, but this access road was built in anticipation of them. The road is closed to motor vehicles except for emergency vehicles and maintenance crews.
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The access road to the residential substation has been gated off. Only emergency vehicles and maintenance crews have full access to this road. Like the other access road, non-motorized access is still possible so pedestrians and bicyclists can still enjoy the road without fears of being run over.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg149.imageshack.us%2Fimg149%2F3601%2Fmpproposedvalleyexpansi.jpg&hash=2e44b77c2aa31a978c21f9fd7d75f809f87a87bb)
This is the contested valley. Developers want to build houses up to the base of Jade Mountain. Environmentalists want it to be protected from developers and turned over to the Forest Service for protection. While I would normally side with the environmentalists, I may come up with a compromise between them. The compromise would allow residential development, but would set a limit as to how far they are allowed to do so. The developers would be allowed to build on the flatter section of the valley and would have to stay a certain distance from the mountain's slopes. It's a broad valley floor up there, so they would have to develop sideways across it instead of deep into the valley. The meeting between the developers, environmentalists, and the regional council is next week, so we will have to see how things go at the meeting.
-Jan
Not bad, i'm looking forward to seeing the industrial development and what happens with the debate between the developers and the treehuggers... I assume the double-street downtown will be expanded into an avenue in due time?
Jan, I'm sorry I haven't been following here that much lately . . . it seems I've missed quite a bit. First of all, congrats on the OSITM--I'd say you definitely deserved it! I'm absolutely impressed by how meticulously you've put everything together here.
Misty Plains is looking like a nice little town thus far, too. You have a flair for building in heavily forested areas. The discussion of environment vs. development is also one that is a very real and present one, and I think you've done a great job of presenting that here. The gated emergency access route was also very nice touch in particular in this latest update.
-Alex
Excellent country, I love it, it's very good realized, I love &apls
Guillaume :thumbsup:
Jan, congratulations on your OSITM nomination! This is one of the best-planned MDs I've ever seen.
&apls Ten bells to you, good sir.
Jan looking real sweet here and I cant wait to see Emergency Services finally use that Road ;).... Also a wee bit late but a congrats on going OSITM!!!!
Misty Plains looks really nice! Wonderful work on it! Looking forward to more...
@Nerdly: The parallel streets will be upgraded to an avenue once traffic conditions warrant such upgrades. Right now, I'm having trouble getting enough traffic to upgrade my network of streets to roads. I have way more streets than roads.
@Alex: Thanks for the feedback. I pay close attention to laws and regulations regarding the environment when they make the news. I also monitor news regarding environmental incidents to see if there is anything I can use for my purposes.
@Guillaume: Thanks.
@Ryan: I wouldn't know about the planning part. I have a general idea of what I want to do, but most of this is done on the fly.
@Pat: You'll may never see that with all the trees surrounding that access road. The access road's main purpose is to provide access to the industrial park in case the main roads leading there are blocked by traffic or accidents. It will most likely never be paved because it won't get much traffic.
@Bat: Thanks for the comments.
I'd like to apologize for the lack of updates this month. I've been sick lately and it has been affecting everything that I do or want to do. My body prefers to sleep when I'm sick and that makes it hard to do anything. Sunny days also affect things, as I rather be out in the sun instead of inside in front of this screen. So I'm sorry this hasn't been the best OSITM for this MD. Hopefully, the next one will be better, if it ever gets the award again.
When we left Misty Plains last time, we had taken a look around and saw contested territory that developers and the government were fighting over. Unlike other governments, the Athair government tends to work closely with the environmentalists. The Athair government has seen the effects of developers when the laws are not enforced, and some of the effects are devastating. Something as simple as removing trees for a better view can cause bigger problems such as a landslide after a heavy rainstorm.
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The northern stub of road in the neighborhood has been run up the hill to the new housing development. Houses will not be built on the slopes between the existing and new developments. The developers have named the new neighborhood "Jade Glade" for the forest on this section of Jade Mountain.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg29.imageshack.us%2Fimg29%2F3788%2Fmpjadegladelayout.jpg&hash=3215750dab18a4542975b9ec14a56cc7acda54b4)
This is the current layout of Jade Glade. The developers reached an agreement with the local government and this is as far as they are allowed to build roads up the side of Jade Mountain. They can add another strip of housing on the empty edge of the northern street, but they cannot go further up Jade Mountain. Housing can also be added to the each side of the current layout, but the streets must run parallel to the main road if the developers decide to add them. The final street layout will probably look like a big digital number 8 when they are done building houses.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg29.imageshack.us%2Fimg29%2F9228%2Fmpjadegladeconduit.jpg&hash=0cec993517e7eaa98c5603a4ee60f41e538176f5)
To get power up to Jade Glade, an underground conduit has been run up the hill to it. This eliminates the eyesore of high tension lines and another substation from spoiling the scenery up there. Access paths will be added later to these vaults. The red light indicates that the vault is powered. If the light is not lit, then there is an electrical problem within the conduit.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg29.imageshack.us%2Fimg29%2F1782%2Fmpjadegladedeveloped.jpg&hash=4b8ea67e55d4d839a1223f2440207c122b72b017)
Months later, the housing plots are filled in with new houses and residents. In the northeastern corner of Jade Glade, I've had a new residence built. My primary residence is Independence, so I will only use this one if I have to be in town for a few days for meetings and such. Quite a few of the plots up here are built with small cabins and large lots. They seem to do well on uneven landscapes such as where Jade Glade has been constructed.
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With the influx of new residents, a few more shops have opened up in downtown Misty Plains. I'm a little nervous about the fireworks shop being built, but I will allow it to remain as long as the shop keepers are responsible with their storage and sale of their products. Just to the north of downtown, you can see the new high tension poles that have been installed. Power was offline for several hours while the local utility company removed the old high tension towers and installed these ones.
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A handful of new industries have opened their doors for business. There isn't much demand for industry right now, but the large block of zoning will remain to await future increase in industrial demand. The trees are being left alone for the time being, despite the developers wanting to cut them down for money. Due to all the trees around the industrial park, the air pollution is quite low which is a good thing.
Speaking of nature, let's head out to the west....
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The south fork of Jade Creek ends in Misty Plains and empties into the sea.
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Mouth of South Fork Jade Creek. The rocks are remnants of the hill that the creek carved through.
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If you thought that some trees were missing just to the left of Jade Creek, they aren't missing. They are just rather short spruce trees and sparsely spread out on the landscape. It's just how this part of the forests turned out.
I hope to see you around next time....
-Jan
Great work as always. I really like your treatment of that forest in the last picture. Great natural terrain around here!
Also, congratulations on the OSITM award! &apls
Fantastic work on the pictures there! The nature looks very nice! :thumbsup:
How did I manage to miss this? Congratulations on OSITM, Jan. The forests look great, and it really does look like you've worked with the surroundings as opposed to bullying them. Nice work!
:thumbsup:
I am so bad to just look and get ideas and never post, so I will try to turn over a new leaf starting with you. First thanks for all the cool stuff you have given me to make this game more enjoyable. Second it's nice to see rural areas as that is how I mainly play.
Very nice beginning, keep up the good work. Hope to drop in more.
It's been awhile, hasn't it? The long wait has been caused by various factors, and most of them are outside the realm SC4. Mainly, work and other interests are to be blamed for the wait. Things will be changing a bit in regards to updates. I will no longer be posting big updates like I was unless I really need to. My region grows slow due to its rural nature. Smaller updates will allow me to continue developing at my slow rate and not feel rushed to expand to other tiles ASAP just for updating purposes.
Replies:
@Battlecat: Thanks for your comments. The forests will remain for future generations as long as the developers and loggers are kept away from them.
@Bat: Thanks.
@Metarvo: You probably missed it because there hasn't been a whole lot of activity in this MD. I prefer to keep the forests intact. They make it more of a challenge to develop that way.
@Petercintn: I hope you enjoy what you have downloaded and maybe you can get some ideas from this MD for your cities.
The Athair government has been working with the local government during the past few months to create a system to manage the parks and forest lands in Verdant Sound. Recently, the Athair government has given the okay to create both the Parks Service and the Forest Service. The Parks Service oversees the local parks in developed areas and the county parks outside developed areas. The Forest Service oversees the management of the forests, beaches, and other natural areas in the region.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg19.imageshack.us%2Fimg19%2F848%2Fijaderangerofficesite.jpg&hash=e1b5517c316d28d684923b169640bd4445cc793f)
The Regional Ranger Office for Jade Island has been located in Downtown, next door to the fire department.
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A couple of months later, the office is open for business. The Parks Service offices are also housed in this building. There's ample parking for visitors and the office staff, as well as the Forest Service Patrols. Several Jeeps are parked on site and the rangers go out on rotating patrols.
The following photos show the newly created Jade Lake Trail as it traverses the hillside alongside Jade Creek. The pictures are in order from Jade Lake to the trailhead parking lot:
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(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg41.imageshack.us%2Fimg41%2F7722%2Fijadelaketrail3.jpg&hash=e4aba717bb390e17d00c24bb6bd1dcff54e8f73e)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg41.imageshack.us%2Fimg41%2F9312%2Fijadelaketrail2.jpg&hash=230d8d715534f0588ed4db4683d7cf52fb4339b6)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg41.imageshack.us%2Fimg41%2F5096%2Fijadelaketrail1.jpg&hash=ba371bc8c41c9929ebfe117ca3ad4c4f8108e536)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg41.imageshack.us%2Fimg41%2F3708%2Fijadelaketrailhead.jpg&hash=b079a71e290a7dc07a868aadee360fd69c2391d9)
The trail wanders through the trees alongside Jade Creek. It is open only to hiking and closed to all other uses, which means no mountain bikes or horses on this trail. The trail ends near the lake shore and future plans call for picnic and camp sites near Jade Lake. This trail is a pilot to see how the Forest Service handles maintaining a trail on Forest lands. Once the rangers get a feel for monitoring this trail, other trails and recreation sites will be created.
I'll see you again next time. In the meantime, why don't you try hiking up to Jade Lake?
-Jan
Nice trail. The fifth pic is my favorite one. It is very realistic how the river cuts through the terrain and forms the small cliffs.
A nice MD, Jan.
More comment when there is more time on my side of the clock.
Nice update! That office complex in the second shot looks quite cool!
very nice... but might i recommend some logs stuck at the top and in the waterfalls?