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Greenacre

Started by threestooges, December 24, 2008, 03:13:48 PM

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Jmouse

I've decided the best way to describe Greenacre is "natural." Structural elements fit well together, but equally important is the fact that things fit well within the terrain.

3.05, which appears to be a mini-mosaic,
looks great. It's no easy task to climb a hill like that with a road without invoking a bunch of the dreaded Maxis fillers. Clever story about the monument, too - you have quite an imagination. :thumbsup:

Once again, you seem to have the rural feeling down pat. 3.08 and 3.09 especially caught my eye - love the dawn/dusk photos. I like the way you've used trees around the fields, too. That RL photo of American farmland is pretty much true to form - and pretty boring in game IMO. I think there's room for some artistic license here.

Overall, an excellent update - and a nice birthday gift for us! ;)
Joan


paroch

Hi Matt,

What a great update you've given us.  Thanks for the pic of the farms near to you - yes, so different from the layouts near to where I live!!

I do like the overview - in hindsight I wish West End was an island.  Maybe in four years time (that's how long I reckon it'll take to complete the map!!) I'll start an isalnd map!

I like the way you procude banners/posters for use in Greenacre, certainly adds to it.  The tour of the valley has been very relaxing and enjoying I have to say.  If I had one suggestion / observation, I think I'd say that your choice of Residential houses could have been more, interesting.  I think there are just so many more imaginative sets out there and I could suggest that a certain series of Mouse Houses would sit in the valley beautifully!!

In 3.04 that is an interesting lot there for the marina/dockside.  Can I ask what it is??

3.05 is without doubt the pick of the bunch here.  What a great road you've built there, winding down the hillside.  I do worry about the kids in that little school house though!!

I really like the details you put into your farms - very nice indeed.  And there is a nice mix of different farm types to keep it looking interesting.

Thanks for the tour Matt - rest assured I'll be back for more.

Paul





kant01

another great update! I love the maps. I think you did a really nice job with this. I also particularly like the way you have built using the terrain, particular that one little road that winds down and goes through the tunnel. Can't wait to see more!  &apls

dedgren

You snuck this one in here, Matt- shame on you!

But I've found Greenacre now.  I'm tempted to start an MD called Blackacre, then we can make everyone's eyes glaze over posting about subsidence and the rule against perpetuities.

...sorry, folks, lame inside joke among certain professionals- move along, nothing to see here...

I have seen the future, and it is pic 3.09.

I'll be back, my friend, and soon.


David
D. Edgren

Please call me David...

Three Rivers Region- A collaborative development of the SC4 community
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I aten't dead.  —  R.I.P. Granny Weatherwax

Skype: davidredgren

Pat

David that may be lame and all but a darn good laugh though as I caught it!!!! hehehehehehe Speaking of lame besides you cant run 2 MD's at once, you know the rules  :D :D oooh wait I guess you can since 3RR aint a MD its a well hmmm what truly is 3RR?? I know to me its home away from home!!!

Matt fantastic update here and wow I am impressed here with Greenacre for sure!!!  I do like the local area of your farming area there thats for sure...  Also that port is very good there too!!! Where did that come from the new SPD stuff???

anywho Matt see you soon and I cant wait to see what you do next!!!!


Patrick

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Tarkus

Matt, sorry I haven't kept up on the past couple updates--they are really something to behold.  It goes without saying you're an absolute master of the agricultural domain in SC4.  I rather like that ultra-curvy road up there as well--they're always really fun to build, too.  Great use of Chrisadams' Flora, too. 

I can't wait to see what you have for us next. 

-Alex (Tarkus)

Albus of Garaway

Uh oh, I'm late for the update! ;)

That's great that the GVRR rails will be used for years to come. It's really sad to see abandoned tracks, especially being a train lover like myself. You're really lucky to have two great lines running through your area (In real life, that is). BNSF is one of my favorites, although it doesn't even compete with New York Central (I'm biased... :D).

I love your farms. Great use of the classic Maxis! I do the same...what can I say, I like Maxis! Again, I have to comment on how each area has it's own little story, and everything is so lively and upbeat. I love that in an MD!

Until next time! :)


art128

Matt, I've missed some update here my friend, I'm very sorry  &ops
The mosaic is really awesome !
And the last update is really fantastic !  &apls &apls

Keep up this great job Matt,

Arthur.  :thumbsup:
I'll take a quiet life... A handshake of carbon monoxide.

Props & Texture Catalog

sim_link

You're doing a great job with Greenacre! It's always really interesting to see what you come up with. The writing style is still awesome, like how your tour us though the region, it adds a very nice touch. Can't wait to see more! :)

threestooges

#49
Replies:

-Nexis: If I am able to give someone making a Farming Region ideas, the I take that as quite a compliment. Glad you're enjoying it.



-Joan (Jmouse): I do level out a few areas here and there, but I wanted to try to work with the terrain I had created. It can be challenging sometimes, especially when the slope mod says an extra 1/10 degree is too much (but those are the rules set by the transit department, and I'm not about to set up a meeting to change that, no sir, at least not yet) but the results are worth it. I tried to give the update a feeling of progression in time (the later pics are getting darker), and it seems to have worked well. 3.05 is in fact a mini-mosaic. I couldn't get all I wanted into a single shot, so I did the next best thing. As for the US farm pic being true to RL, and boring in-game, I think it goes without saying that it can be boring in RL as well, particularly when it's straight, flat, and hot for 100+miles (avoid that section of I-5 from LA to Sacramento if you can). Thanks for the birthday thing too by the way, that was a great pic.



Paul (paroch): Not sure why I decided to make it an island, but it's kind of fun. West End has a great landmass though (and technically it's on an island... just a really big one). I'll look forward to the journey there, however long it takes.

The Mouse House and some other variations will be making there way in. The farms in the valley are some of the oldest spots in the region and had very little in the way of non-ploppable stuff when they were made. The pics you have seen, aside from adding a few things like the wildflowers, flora on the farms, and the rail curves/STR and the like, most of the pics looked as they did back when the tiles were developed over a year ago. I just tinkered with a few aspects to bring them up to standard.

The lot for the marina is actually the CdS Airport by Ripptide. Unfortunately is is locked on the LEX. Details about that are a bit further down the page here.

Glad you liked the road up the hill. That open area just called for some wildflowers when I went back in to touch up a few areas. I wouldn't worry about the kids in the school too much... if anyone does go over the edge there, they're likely speeding, so they'll usually clear the school... some of those houses on the other hand...



-kant01: Thank you very much. The map will certainly be a recurring part of things around here. It's a good way to lay out the travel plans for the update. If you can't wait to see more... well, more is on it's way.



-David (dedgren): It's great to see you here. I admit I did start this thing rather quietly, but I am really impressed by the response it has received.
Quote from: dedgren on January 15, 2009, 06:53:04 PM
I'm tempted to start an MD called Blackacre, then we can make everyone's eyes glaze over posting about subsidence and the rule against perpetuities.
Heh heh, where do you think the name came from? I didn't want to copy it directly though so I went with an adaptation of the secondary property (Whiteacre just didn't have quite the same ring to it). Almost sounds like I planned this out doesn't it? Fortunately Greenacre subscribes to the USRAP, or at least copied it, so it makes things a bit easier to handle. Speaking of seeing the future in 3.09... see that switch at the bottom, and how it crosses the road right there? I'm wondering if there might be something that might do something similar... just drag STR into dual... hmm, I haven't tested that yet. Ah well, something for another time. In the meantime, welcome to Greenacre.



-Pat: The port is a mix of things from the Casa de Soliel (CdS) stuff by Ripptide, and can be found on your local neighborhood LEX. Always good to see you.



-Alex (Tarkus): No need to apologize at all (have you seen the way I keep up with Tarkusian Cities?) The farms are just fun to build, and Chrisadams' flora just fits so nicely. The curvy road, well let's just say that when you have the best tools, success is easier.



-Albus of Garaway: No such thing as late for the update. It'll be there when you're ready (though it's good to see you now).  Rest assured, the GVRR is running strong. They stick to what they're good at, and they do it well. I have a soft spot for Santa Fe (and its Super Chief) as well as the Southern Pacific and the Daylight... that was a classic style. Frankly I'm a fan of any trains running these days. There's just something graceful about them. There is a fair bit of Maxis, and they did a pretty darn good job when they made things the first time through. I've been working with custom growables more and more, so there will start to be a bit of a mix in the future. Enjoy the update.



-art128: Good to see you again Arthur, and there's no reason to apologize for missing any updates, you're here now, and it seems you've enjoyed them. Glad to see you around.



-sim_link: Welcome back, and I'm glad you're enjoying the story (or whatever it is exactly). It's fun to write, and I'm always curious what people find interesting about it. Thanks for stopping by.




Bit of an odd week, and a short little update, but I'll try to add to it this weekend. Before we get into today's update, a few people have asked about the port from the last update. The main structure and lot is the CdS Airport by Ripptide. This lot was made some time ago, and as I understand it had some problems with proper functionality (CTDs and such). It has since been locked on the LEX. I love the lot though, and it never seemed to have any functionality issues. Partly because I think I never installed an airport controller or something, so as far as I'm aware it has functioned solely as eyecandy. That being said, I don't know enough about the issues to even want to try messing with it. If anyone happens to know more details about the lot, I'd be interested to know. Now then, back to the update.

For a while, Greenacre hasn't been on many maps, but recently cartographers have started to take notice. We're number 8 for the Many Regions of SC4D. The tourism bureau had a good idea when they listed us there. The first post seems to be under a bit of construction now (1/21/09) but it seems that big things are in the works. In the meantime, look a bit down the page and you'll see Greenacre there just off the coast of Southern California. Thanks to everyone who is keeping all that up-to-date.

No really big trips planned for today, but there is still something to see. Greenacre may its own region, but what with the recent inauguration of a new US president, I thought it might be a good time to show you a bit of the government center. The area has been growing significantly and they are expanding and modernizign the facilities. Not much to show you there, but here's the old area which will become the national archives when the construction is done.

The round building at the end of the walk is the Congressional Hall. It's bicameral, hosting 2 members from each city for the Senate and one member for every 2000 citizens in a city (they will all get at least one) in the House of representatives. The hall itself has a number of meeting rooms for both the legislative branch and the executive council. We share the same separation of powers as the US, but the facilites are largely shared. The offices are in the two similar buildings just south of the Hall. The one on the left is the Executive and the one on the right is the Legislative.



Across the street is the Central Court. Home to the region's Surpeme Court, it also provides facilities for some of the smaller districts too who haven't constructed their own courthouses. The region is small enough that it's not too difficult to get to it from anywhere on the island, and the park is a popular spot for a picnic. It's kind of interesting to see people playing frisbee while people in suits walk past. The park is situated on the edge of the Glacier Valley Bluffs, and provides an amazing view out over the major urban centers, all the way out Northeast to the Pacific Ocean.



The construction is moving along nicely on the new facilities. They are just to the north down the bluffs, and we'll hopefully see them next time. The view might not be as panoramic, but there will be much more space to work. Besides, the park is just up the hill and over the bridge for a quick lunch. Hope you enjoyed this trip through our government facilities.

metarvo

#50
As if it weren't already known, it is made clear by this update that RCI, parks, utilities, schools, and roads are not the only components of a city or region.  It is good that you've elaborated on the government of Greenacre, Matt.  The government buildings are chosen well, if I do say so myself, and the green areas around them have also been placed in a pleasing manner.

:thumbsup:
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bat

Wonderful great new update there! Nice pictures of Greenacre! :thumbsup:

Albus of Garaway

Woo, Greenacre update!

First, I have to talk about trains (How can I resist?). The Super Chief is a wonderful, wonderful locomotive. In fact, on my model train layout, the main loco is the gorgeous Chief. It's just so much fun to watch it curve around the tracks and through tunnels...Uh oh...I need to talk about your update, don't I!

Your governmental center was really fascinating. I love how it's realistically sized. Whenever MD's show political areas, they tend to be extremely overdone. This one is perfect. Again, I have to compliment on how you use Maxis buildings. You put them in the perfect setting, and they look fantastic. The key to making an area aesthetically pleasing is to put things in the right spot, and that's what you do best. I don't like when people just put things wherever they want to. I think very hard before I put anything in my region, and it shows that you do too.

Amazing work. Keep it up!

Jmouse

How fitting it is for a student currently studying constitutional law (among other things ;) ) to create a beautiful government center to celebrate the inauguration of a new U.S. President. You've done an excellent job on the brick walkways to create a picturesque jewel-like setting for these lovely buildings. The Central court is especially attractive. Assuming you did all or most of the lotting yourself, I congratulate you on a job well done.

Where on the region map is this complex located? Guess you know I'm going to bug you about where stuff is now, but it's your own fault - you should have never showed me the overview! :D

You're doing some really good and thoughtful work in Greenacre, and I'm looking forward to seeing what's next!
Joan


Pat

Matt fantastic update this last one was!!!  :thumbsup:  I cant better explain it and I just run out of words lol....

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Tarkus

Matt, this latest update was fantastic--as usual.  You've picked up the MDing thing quickly.  The government center you have there is breathtaking, particularly with that fine park you've built around it.  I can't wait to see what you have in store next!

-Alex (Tarkus)

threestooges

#56
Replies:

-metarvo: Thank you very much. The game landmarks do a fine job when used right. I wanted something DC-ish, and, well, they're from DC, so I think it worked. The BSC parks did a fine job filling in too. I'll expand more on the government when the new sector is finished.



-bat: Thank you very much. If you ever see an area you'd like to know more about, just ask.



-Albus of Garaway: The Super Chief was amazing with its Warbonnet paint scheme (wonder what they'd call it today?) but I think one of my favorite schemes is the SP Daylight. On that engine/train, it's just beautful. Part of me wants to see steam running again, even with the expense. Oh right, there's an update there, wasn't there? The new political area will encompass more space, but it should still be reasonably small, I hope. It is for the central government after all (and the embassies and the like). Glad you enjoy how things are laid out. Truth be told, practically everything that is RCI has grown where you see it, save for a few things that were plopped for a certain look.



-Joan (Jmouse): Funny how that worked with the timing and all, isn't it? I was sitting there watching the inauguration parade and thought "This would be a good time to show that part of Greenacre too." I'll take the credit for the look, but all of the lotting was done by the BSC for the parks, and the structures are game landmarks (though I could probably stand to alter the base textures to blend with the park set a bit better). The region map will be here for this update. I've circled the government area for you. At least the region overview might distract you from the traffic data I haven't shown you yet, heh heh. Off to an older part of Greenacre this time. Hope you enjoy.



-Pat: Thank you very much. If I can keep that standard going I might have something going here.



-Alex (Tarkus): Glad you enjoyed it. I know it was a short update, but it's a fairly compact area. I may have picked up the MD thing, I just hope I don't drop it, heh heh. It's been fun so far. Hope you enjoy this next part.




I hope you all enjoyed that little educational trip through the government center. If you get the chance, swing back by there at sunrise. The sun coming up over the ports and naval base is always a neat sight. At any rate, we'll be heading down to Westport this time around. There's no actual port there (it's a bit to the north), but it is on the west coast, so that counts for something. Here's the map of today's travel. The government area, for those who were wondering about our last stop is also circled here on the map.

4.01


The town of westport is known for its canals. Though the city has grown away from them, they are still a big focal point of the town. There was a stream that ran down from the hills, but it would occasionally flood, and summers could leave water in short supply. As a result, the canals were built. They act as a giant reservoir for the town.

4.02


Here is the actual pumping station for the town. Conveniently located out in the middle of the water itself. It makes maintenance interesting when you have to fit all your tools and supplies on a boat. Despite the industry just above it, there is little to no contamination in the water. Part of the trick to that are the number of filters that line the canal walls throughout the city.

4.03


Let's head over and take a look at that indutrial area. Here's a pic of the area some time ago. I really liked that big old factory.

4.04


This is it today. Note that the factory is now gone. Sad story that... they were doing some work on the canal, and some fool using the bulldozer got careless and plowed right through the thing. Levelled it to the ground. For whatever reason, the developers thought it would be better used for other purposes, so they built up whatever it is they have there now.

4.05


We'll work our way down to the beach from here. We're passing through one of the bigger comercial areas here. It has a few offices, but still has a few houses mixed in, a common sight in Westport.

4.06


The canals wind their way in and around the various properties. This one, called the Erie Canal of all things, shows the variety of the city. A few small houses, a few mansions, the odd office building, etc.

4.07


Here is one of the other focal points of Westport. What could be a bigger draw than canals and pumping systems you ask? The Westport beach is one of the finest in Greenacre. It came in at #2 on the list of Greenacre's Best Beaches as reported by the Greenacre Times (one of the widest circulated papers in the area). You'll note that the canals extend into the beach. They serve as an important feature of the whole canal resevoir system. There are two spillways that prevent flooding. Since the canals are somewhat shallower than the ocean, the water heats up a bit on its path to the spillway. This makes the water around the spillways a bit warmer, and a popular spot for locals and tourists alike.

4.08


One last spot for this part of our tour today, is the J.B.S. High School. It boasts one of the more unique locations. Students have an excellent view during lunch, or during class, but hopefully they're focusing on their studies. The sports facilities here were generously donated by a group of concerned citizens. A number of them were tired of finding tennis balls in their backyards and living rooms. Actually, before the fences were installed, a couple tennis balls got stuck in one of the filter pipes. The thing was just the right size that the pressure built up and fired it a good 200 yards. Almost caused a pileup down the street.

4.09


There is certainly more of Westport to see, but I figure since we're around here now we might as well enjoy the beach and relax here for a bit. Feel free to wander around, and I'll see you back here later.

Simpson

Hi
Very good update there, the region is looking super, great work on it  &apls
Also the city is incredible, I'm looking forward to the next update  :)

Take care,
David
My new city is now here
The région of Kaikoura

Teaser of Lopsas[+ How did I do it?]:Lopsas

Jmouse

You've done a great job on the canals, Matt. Another advantage of the water is its slight cooling effect, but in RL there's a down side, too – mosquitos! Since I've never seen a Sim slap him/herself, though, maybe they're not plagued by the thorns of Mother Nature. I like the windmill farm in 4.02, and overall you've achieved a simple but effective layout without getting too griddy. Nice transition on the beach, too.

Well done on the industrial placement
– separated from the neighborhoods but still accessible. Commercial looks good, too, and the RC mixture is getting more and more common in RL.  I especially like 4.07 – maybe it's the "Florida" look of palm trees which make a nice lead-in to the beach scene. Or maybe it stirs memories of Galveston.

And you did an especially good job on the beach – thanks for providing parking! – and the mosaic is excellent. The only thing I might add would be a ped bridge across the beach canal, but it looks great just the way it is, too.

JB's schools look good no matter where you put them, and you've created a nice campus there. Pretty little church to the right, also.

Another good update – you're getting pretty good at this! :thumbsup:

Later...
Joan

just_a_guy

Amazing use of the canals there. They look very well with the town and makes it look unique.

Somehow, i really liked the ped bridge over the canal on the left side of 4.08. It just really caught my eye.

And just a small question, do you happen to have a link or something to that beach set you have in the mosaic. It looks great.

I'll be back for your next great update!
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