The Big Country

[Toichus Maximus]

Hey guys, sorry it's been a while. I've been having some more trouble than usual with game crashing, and the site's been down and all. Anyway, I'll have an update and replies ready for you for my birthday on Thursday! I'll see what I can do with the transportation networks, sebes

Also, welcome to page three 

[porter66083]

Wow! Fully understandable if you need some time to update.

Those pictures are truly amazing, and I love how you're tying in songs to your updates~

Looking forward to more, and if I don't catch you on Thursday, happy birthday!

Jacob

[Simpson]

Very beautiful city and good job

Happy birthday

[Pat]

Happy Birthday Toichus and Im awaiting that update!!!!

[porter66083]

Happy birthday!

[Toichus Maximus]

Thanks to everyone for wishing me a happy birthday!
I'll be in Mexico this coming weekend and the subsequent, hence the early update.
This week we'll be focusing on the highway network yet-so-far. There were a lot of highway/road-themed songs to choose from, but Bruce Springsteen won this one with Thunder Road. It was a hard battle. Simon and Garfunkel almost beat him out, but this song was much more applicable than Somewhere They Can't Find me or Homeward Bound. Don't worry, I'll get in plenty more artists



d1

The screen door slams
Mary' dress waves
Like a vision she dances across the porch
As the radio plays
Roy Orbison singing for the lonely
Hey that's me and I want you only
Don't turn me home again
I just can't face myself alone again
Don't run back inside
Darling you know just what I'm here for
So you're scared and you're thinking
That maybe we ain't that young anymore
Show a little faith there's magic in the night

d2
You ain't a beauty but hey you're alright
Oh and that's alright with me

You can hide 'neath your covers
And study your pain
Make crosses from your lovers
Throw roses in the rain
Waste your summer praying in vain
For a saviour to rise from these streets

d3
Well now I'm no hero
That's understood
All the redemption I can offer girl
Is beneath this dirty hood
With a chance to make it good somehow
Hey what else can we do now ?
Except roll down the window
And let the wind blow
Back your hair

d4
Well the night's busting open
These two lanes will take us anywhere
We got one last chance to make it real
To trade in these wings on some wheels
Climb in back
Heaven's waiting on down the tracks
Oh-oh come take my hand
We're riding out tonight to case the promised land
Oh-oh Thunder Road oh Thunder Road

d5
Lying out there like a killer in the sun
Hey I know it's late we can make it if we run
Oh Thunder Road sit tight take hold
Thunder Road

Well I got this guitar
And I learned how to make it talk
And my car's out back
If you're ready to take that long walk
From your front porch to my front seat
The door's open but the ride it ain't free
And I know you're lonely
For words that I ain't spoken
But tonight we'll be free
All the promises'll be broken
There were ghosts in the eyes
Of all the boys you sent away

d6
They haunt this dusty beach road
In the skeleton frames of burned out Chevrolets
They scream your name at night in the street
Your graduation gown lies in rags at their feet
And in the lonely cool before dawn
You hear their engines roaring on

d7
But when you get to the porch they're gone
On the wind so Mary climb in
It's town full of losers
And I'm pulling out of here to win


Also, I have two regional overviews! The first is, to stay in theme, showing the highways and planned highways. 'Course, the RHW doesn't show up in transport view, so I painted them in. Note the Ferry link between Arguin and Polydor Peninsula.

d8
And the other is just a big overview.  The empty spot in those pics is where I'm building a highway and a massive port, and since they're each half finished, they look rather poor. As you can tell, I still need to work on the edges in some of the city tiles on the north side of the river with all the trees making nasty lines.

d9

d1-The south end of a T intersection just past the Upriver Bridge. It gets alot of traffic to and from Ammersé, both commuter and vacationers.
d2-La Coste Memorial bridge at the opening to the Laforey River. This bridge, though more majestic than the Upriver Bridge, gets far less traffic, partially because of less people in the are and partially because the two populations are relatively balanced on each side of the river.
d3-Highway near Canon Rojo, where the highway skirts Red Gorge National Park. The plaza is the base of La Coste tower, a lone corporate tower overlooking Red Gorge.
d4-Here is the same T intersection at the Upriver Bridge. The fields are a great place for wildflowers, and are actually mown to prevent forest encroachment because people find it pretty and inviting when reaching the north shore.
d5-Another shot of La Coste Memorial Bridge. On the North Side, it crosses over a mid-size fishing harbor.
d6-The only full cloverleaf in the region, found in Arguin on the North Side. The least amount of traffic is generally from the east side, where a ferry link exists instead of a direct highway system.
d7-Just entering Canon Rojo. The West Highway, as it's called, brings lots of tourists from Ammersé, and so is used fairly constantly. It may need either expansion or renovation one day soon.
Anyway, thats it! Have a good one!
Toichus

Some interesting contrast you have between buildings, makes an interesting picture.

Thanks! I wanted to make the contrast obvious but still make it plausible by keeping the buildings modernish so it wasn't like Art Deco next to the Mediterranean stuff.

These new pictures are fantastic! And wonderful work there with the RHW! The lake in c4 looks beautiful!
Great mosaic of that very great area!

Thanks Bat!

Toichus wonderful update and the song a good choice too!!! I simply loved the mosiac and the same lake as Bat!!!

Heh, the lake was a complete accident that i needed to make because of where I put the T intersection. Just goes to show that sometimes accidents can be really good if you use your imagination ^^

What a magnificent mosaïc did you put in this update    Now that is what i call a pleasant town. I full undertand the big foreigh companies build their towers there, but if I sure hope the city council will protect the cities historical buildings that fit the landscape so well.
I also love picture C4 with the intersection. Would be great to see some more shots of the transportation layout in the region (hint hint)

Lol, yes, the council isn't going to demolish most of the new neighborhoods. The population level is relatively stable now, so there hasn't been need for more development recently. Check out this update for highways, too

Here in the Netherlands we have a discussion about skyscrapers every two weeks. Half of our population would go on the streets if someone would have the guts to plan such large towers next to a historical city.
And I must say: sometimes they have a point.

But hey, this is SC4. The mosaic is great.

I also love your parliament with the monastery and your harbour pic and, well, in fact all of them.

Thanks lol. Well, before the companies were allowed in, there was alot of poverty in the bigger cities. The people caught on quickly. They brought alot of wealth to the area and really cleaned the place up, so the opposition is minimal now ^^

That was a great update.  I'm not sure how I missed it.  I like the train station and all the rail lines you added in.  Great job.

Robin 

Thanks, robin!

Looks very nice, like the enviormental details...the trees and streams and all cant wait for more

Well, here's some more then! Enjoy!

Wow! Fully understandable if you need some time to update.

Those pictures are truly amazing, and I love how you're tying in songs to your updates~

Looking forward to more, and if I don't catch you on Thursday, happy birthday!

Jacob

Thanks, Jacob!

Very beautiful city and good job

Happy birthday

Yay! Elephants lol! Thanks, Simpson! it was your birthday too, the other day, right? Happy Birthday again!

Happy Birthday Toichus and Im awaiting that update!!!!

Not anymore, you're not Thanks!

Happy birthday!

Thanks, Porter!

[Nardo69]

Great idea, good choice of songs, great pictures!

I really do enjoy your RHW layout. I have to confess I only tried it once or twice but never really used ... 

Nice regional shot, too!

Take care and don't forget to make backups!

Bernhard 

[bribri]

great work on the clover leaf, I bet that took a while!

[bat]

That newest update is wonderful there!! And the region overviews are also looking fantastic! Great development on it!

Looking forward to the e pictures...

[rooker1]

Awesome update and great work on the layout of the RHW and that clover leaf.  I haven't tried to use it too much as of yet, but after looking at your pics, I may have to sit down and really give it a go.
Robin 

[sebes]

Exelent update friend, enjoyed watching your RHW network. I especially like the flows of cars shown on the pictures, making it looks so realistic. This is one of the few MD updates where I really every single picture is very much to my likings!

The only thing that bothers me is the rock in the top left corner of the region. What extra terrestial power did cause that

[Toichus Maximus]

sebes: the same ones that made this  :




it's the remains of a once subterranean volcanic neck that has been exposed because of erosion of the sedimentary rocks around it. Hopefully that explains it's idiosyncrasy a bit

[Pat]

Toichus grand update here!!! Aint that the devil's head by a chance? I cant remember my geography lol.....  Are you using traffice generators by a chance on the RHW? I love that interchange area!!!

[Yoman]

Woah, thats an odd rock, update, was fabulous, perhaps the rock is the stairway to heaven

[thundercrack83]

WOW!

You're doing some magnificent things here, my friend! Sorry it's taken me so long to comment here, but I will definitely be around to see what you've got for us next!

Can't wait to see more!

Dustin

[Toichus Maximus]

Update Time!

Hi guys, sorry it's been a while. It's been crazy over here with AP exams getting nearer, me looking for a job, vacation for a week, and my internship coming up. But I am still on my schedule. Today we'll be going to the rhyme of:

Eight Miles High by the Byrds. It's rather short, but i'll get all I can from it. Here we go!



e1
Eight miles high, and when you touch down
You'll find that it's stranger than known

e2
Signs in the street that say where you're going
Are somewhere, just being their own

e3
Nowhere is there warmth to be found
Among those afraid of losing their ground

e4
Rain gray town, known for its sound
In places, small faces unbound
Round the squares, huddled in storms

e5
Some laughing, some just shapeless forms
Sidewalk scenes and black limousines
Some living, some standing alone

e1: Statue at Alekus marina. It commemorates the famous river crossing of General Buendia, who led his men across from the hills west of Lindenshore under cover of dark to take the town. You can see the craggy bit on the river in the region photo from the previous update. This is where his camp was located.
e2: Development on Calpagi Hill takes a lot of engineering. Still, it is popular, offering semi-rural environment close to Ammersé and beautiful river views uninterrupted due to the steep incline.
e3: The Lindenshore Marina, just across from Ammersé. One of the most picturesque recreational marinas in the area.
e4: San Martin Cathedral in Alekus. Noteworthy for its great length and out-of-the-way location for a church of its size. Many patrons actually come from Ammersé, bringing some heavy traffic on the roads through Alekus and Calpagi Hill on Sundays.
e5:Another Shot of the Lindenshore Marina. Some passenger ferry traffic comes direct from Ammersé--it is a popular route.

I should also say that it's becoming increasingly difficult to match songs and work. I'll keep it as consistent as possible, but I may throw in a few non-musical updates for the sake of keeping everything coherent, as it gets a bit disjointed this way.

Sorry, guys, I'll do replies for the last update tommorrow--it's late now.

Anyway, hope you enjoy it, and see you soon!
Toich

also, this post was made on the 1100th view of the thread Thanks for your support!

[TopCliff]

Your marina looks great, but I have to say something about the update before last. Bruce Springsteen is truly the greatest ever in my opinion. Good song to have chosen. Back to this update: great marina, the terrain mod you're using looks great for this area.

[thundercrack83]

Your marina looks great, but I have to say something about the update before last. Bruce Springsteen is truly the greatest ever in my opinion. Good song to have chosen. Back to this update: great marina, the terrain mod you're using looks great for this area.

Must agree, I've seen him live 26 times, the last two being two weeks ago in Dallas and Houston. But anyway...I also agree with the comment about the marina, it does look great! The water looks amazing!

Keep up the great work!

Dustin

[bat]

Like that new update there! And great new night shots and pictures of The Big Country! Great work!

[Pat]

WoW!!! Toichus you simply amaze me with your mad skills!!!!  Great update and I looking forward to the next one!!!