Siilijoki

[bat]

Congrats on the OSITM-award!!!

And two great new updates. Nice picture with the rain and forest.

[rambuckel]

Wow ... another of those brilliant pictures ... I can just second what's all ready been said: Great atmosphere!

Although your picture really brings me in the mood for winter I still hope winter will not come too early this year

[Schulmanator]

Great interview. I listened and learned. 

[vortext]

Great couple of updates; the winter season certainly has it charm though I prefer it to remain virtual since my hands have chillblains very easily, even despite gloves! (not sure if this is the correct way to put it, had to google the actual word for it.)

Anyhow, great to see a region shot though it made me wonder what the current population count is. The beachfront is an unique idea and I for one wouldn't mind living there.   
Though maybe you want to create some back alleys with parking space and such since it's uncommon to have 'nature' right up to the buildings, especially when it's a highrise. 

That said, it seems to be a very decent neighbourhood and I might steal one or two ideas. 
The interview was fun to listen to as well. Keep it up! 

[noahclem]

Hello again everyone! For today we'll have our first look at the city of Madison.











I'm a little bit behind where I wanted to be by this time of the week due to the loss of a lot of my work a couple days ago. Because I lost several hours of work, replaced it, and then lost it all over again I think I'll avoid that tile (Igelstadt) until I'm not so frustrated--though I wouldn't rule it out before the end of my 4-in-1 

Very special thanks to all who have supported Siilijoki on its way to the Hall of Fame over the last two years! You all made this possible and I'm extremely grateful.

Noah, I think you just pinpointed something about your astonishing photos that has eluded me. It's "atmosphere!" You do, indeed, create a mood using everything at your disposal – mods, custom content, light, shadows and a host of other elements I'm sure. Today's photo is one I could sit and stare at for hours, just soaking up the quiet and peaceful beauty of a lovely scene which would be right at home on a Christmas card.

Excellence at its finest...
-Joan

Always a pleasure to hear from you Joan! It's very interesting the inspiration one can get for SC4 just from looking around and it is a very fun medium to create with. Glad you liked the picture and an early Merry Christmas to you 

Hmmm, I think you'll get a lot of votes. . . 

I agree with Joan. I've been singing White Christmas all day at work (don't worry, I'm on my own there), and you keep me in the mood. Great picture.

Cheers
Willy

Thanks Willy! Indeed I was lucky enough to get a number of votes--truly a proud day for Siilijoki    Glad I'm contributing a bit of holiday spirit and sing a round for me if you coworkers haven't been driven completely crazy yet 

What's the flora covered with snow would you like to have?

it's not plan for future, but if you need some models, and there are quick to do I could export them fastly

The most important to have would be birches, which is what our snowy forests have here besides coniferous trees. Next most important would be cattails, then maples, Norway maples, oaks, and bushes. Having even a few would help me create much more varied and realistic winter scenes. Thank you very much for offering!

I've been singing White Christmas all day at work (don't worry, I'm on my own there)

Oh man I can't stop laughing.   


Very nice picture Noah! As Joan I just love the atmosphere you create in each pictures. That one is yet another perfect example. The people walking in the evening rain [even the baby!  ] the light pole lighting the end of the bridge in a warm orange light while the rest of the picture is composed of dark wood and snow... Man that's excellent.

Thanks a lot Arthur! Glad you liked the picture and good luck getting that song out of your head 

Congrats on the OSITM-award!!!

And two great new updates. Nice picture with the rain and forest.

Thank you very much Bat! Glad you liked the pics and thank for the congratulations!

Wow ... another of those brilliant pictures ... I can just second what's all ready been said: Great atmosphere!

Although your picture really brings me in the mood for winter I still hope winter will not come too early this year

Thanks Theresa, glad you liked it! Winter is great but around here it is a bit too long 

Great interview. I listened and learned. 

Thanks Sculmanator, glad you liked the video 

Great couple of updates; the winter season certainly has it charm though I prefer it to remain virtual since my hands have chillblains very easily, even despite gloves! (not sure if this is the correct way to put it, had to google the actual word for it.)

Anyhow, great to see a region shot though it made me wonder what the current population count is. The beachfront is an unique idea and I for one wouldn't mind living there.   
Though maybe you want to create some back alleys with parking space and such since it's uncommon to have 'nature' right up to the buildings, especially when it's a highrise. 

That said, it seems to be a very decent neighbourhood and I might steal one or two ideas. 
The interview was fun to listen to as well. Keep it up! 

Thanks Erik and try to stay warm    Region population is a little over 700k now. Glad you liked the beach. The idea was to have a line of buildings right next to the beach to make them more desirable to tourists and tenants. I provided underground parking but realistically it wouldn't probably be enough for so many buildings. There are a couple narrow alleys for people wanting to hike up the hill and for access to doors a little further from the beach but there's no space for cars. Glad if I can inspire an idea or two and thanks for checking out the interview 

[rooker1]

Madison looks like a nice low wealth place to live.  The buildings are slightly crowded, but all uniform and look like they might be in real life.  These models even have great night lights.  I sometimes forget to switch my game to night as I mostly play it in day mode.
Graet work!!

Robin

[art128]

Oooh, a commie blocks area..

I like it, good job managing Todd's blocks.

[Gugu3]

Very nice Noah!looking forward to see more
Are you doing something with that famous TLA7 tram project?
cheers
Gugu3

[Swordmaster]

Mmm, Madison. . . I had a town of that name in PSC but I wasn't pleased with it anyway.   

Great pictures! From the first looks of it, I'd say maybe a tad too clean and nice to be low wealth, but you can't really judge that from one view.

Also, thanks to your post in the weather topic, I found out what map you're using. Somehow I read over that when you mentioned it in your first or second post. Your treatment of geography is so well done that all this time I never even wondered about what map this is. Strange. . . Looks like a re-read is in order!

I'm a little bit behind where I wanted to be by this time of the week due to the loss of a lot of my work a couple days ago. Because I lost several hours of work, replaced it, and then lost it all over again I think I'll avoid that tile (Igelstadt) until I'm not so frustrated--though I wouldn't rule it out before the end of my 4-in-1 

Oh, too bad. I wonder what happened.

Thanks Willy! Indeed I was lucky enough to get a number of votes--truly a proud day for Siilijoki    Glad I'm contributing a bit of holiday spirit and sing a round for me if you coworkers haven't been driven completely crazy yet 

Hey, I'm a good singer! Okay, whatever. I'm all alone in my cab, so no problem there


Cheers
Willy

[rambuckel]

Great shots! And Congratulations on HoF!!!!!!!  Really really well deserved! 

[nas-t]

great low wealth area! 

[Ol.S / Benoit]

Madison looks very nice !
Congratz on the HoF sir, very well deserved

[Jmouse]

This area of Madison is a departure from your usual fare, Noah. I'm more accustomed to stunning rural scenes and classy urban settings which actually won me over and convinced me that big cities in SC4 can be attractive.

Of course, everyone has to have a place to live including the less-affluent Sims. I have very different ideas about R$ housing, but our playing styles are poles apart. Nevertheless, I love the way you've incorporated your trademark tree placement into the scene. And as always, I'm a sucker for night shots!

I was saddened to hear of your data losses in Inglestadt, and I feel your pain. You should have a backup HD of some sort. Last year, I bought Julie a 1TB WD external HD for her birthday so she would have a place to store her photos. You might even save your work to CDs, but one way or another, make plenty of backups.

I'm really enjoying your week in OSITM...
-Joan

[RickD]

I would not want to live in this part of town but it looks good in SC4. 

[noahclem]

An update of several random pictures for today. Tomorrow will be the "polished" and full update for Madison and then my time to relinquish the OSITM spotlight will come 


My favorite part of the game is RHW and so far this OSITM I've left that part out. Not today! How about not one, but three and a half brand new, never before seen Siilijoki interchanges?! I hope my transit fans see something they like 


First, let's go back to the last region view picture but add in existing and planned motorways (blue). Major, non-motorway roads are shown in red.



The first interchange is relatively basic. Igelstadt is at the bottom where the motorway becomes a regular artery. Tram-in-avenue passes under the highway and the highway widens to speed traffic through this municipality.



The next junction heading away from Igelstadt is on another edge of the Madison tile, this time bordering Pohjanmaa. The idea here was to make the most compact junction possible with smooth curves and merging lanes. In the future the tram line will be extended to the top (east) but it doesn't yet because there are no RHW8C flups or TIA overpasses.



An overview of Madison taken yesterday to give you an idea of how the highway runs through Madison:



The next 1 1/2 junction(s) are in a brand new tile, Ranua. Ranua is the furthest away from the center of any area of yet shown and is planned to have a very suburban character. Just south of this interchange will be the junction the the 2nd ring road which is the first ring road that is wholly up to motorway standards. It is most likely to consist of two separate "T" junctions, allowing the motorway to jog to the east across the river. Local access is planned as well and it should be a very complicated interchange.

This junction in Ranua is a half diamond combined with a hybrid parclo, part A4 and part B2. It is loosely based on this interchange in Oulu, Finland, a couple hours from where I live.



An unreleased picture from the riverwalk in North Pohjanmaa



One of my favorite parts of Madison



I hope you enjoyed this update. Polished pictures of all these interchanges will be published in the future 

Madison looks like a nice low wealth place to live.  The buildings are slightly crowded, but all uniform and look like they might be in real life.  These models even have great night lights.  I sometimes forget to switch my game to night as I mostly play it in day mode.
Graet work!!

Robin

Thanks Robin! A lot of the same type of buildings but I it's a great low-wealth style. I actually fell in love with these BATs because of the great nightlights. I actually think these look too clean for low-wealth and may someday get around to modding them into R$$--grittier looking versions of the same buildings exist on the LEX from SFBT. Be sure to remember night in the future 

Oooh, a commie blocks area..

I like it, good job managing Todd's blocks.

Thanks Arthur! I love Todd's blocks and the commie style that you've done so well in the past!

Very nice Noah!looking forward to see more
Are you doing something with that famous TLA7 tram project?
cheers
Gugu3

Thanks a lot! I haven't been very active on the TIA project recently but hope to get back into it soon. I'm hoping I can sneak it into the next NAM 

Mmm, Madison. . . I had a town of that name in PSC but I wasn't pleased with it anyway.   

Great pictures! From the first looks of it, I'd say maybe a tad too clean and nice to be low wealth, but you can't really judge that from one view.

Also, thanks to your post in the weather topic, I found out what map you're using. Somehow I read over that when you mentioned it in your first or second post. Your treatment of geography is so well done that all this time I never even wondered about what map this is. Strange. . . Looks like a re-read is in order!

I'm a little bit behind where I wanted to be by this time of the week due to the loss of a lot of my work a couple days ago. Because I lost several hours of work, replaced it, and then lost it all over again I think I'll avoid that tile (Igelstadt) until I'm not so frustrated--though I wouldn't rule it out before the end of my 4-in-1 

Oh, too bad. I wonder what happened.

Thanks Willy! Indeed I was lucky enough to get a number of votes--truly a proud day for Siilijoki    Glad I'm contributing a bit of holiday spirit and sing a round for me if you coworkers haven't been driven completely crazy yet 

Hey, I'm a good singer! Okay, whatever. I'm all alone in my cab, so no problem there


Cheers
Willy

Thanks Willy! The origin of the name is the town/lake that my Mom lives on in America and where I learned to waterski. My version of the town doesn't really have anything to do with my Mom's place but it's a name I gave it a year or so ago and it stuck. Glad you liked the weather comment and I hope you enjoy the re-read! I'm hoping that Igelstadt's problems are better now (it can't be the pox at least) but I haven't made it back there yet. Kindof a shame because I had a 3-tile mosaic planned :/  Keep on singing 

Great shots! And Congratulations on HoF!!!!!!!  Really really well deserved! 

Thank you very much Theresa!!

great low wealth area! 

Thanks a lot! Nice to see you here 

Madison looks very nice !
Congratz on the HoF sir, very well deserved

Thanks a lot Benoit!

This area of Madison is a departure from your usual fare, Noah. I'm more accustomed to stunning rural scenes and classy urban settings which actually won me over and convinced me that big cities in SC4 can be attractive.

Of course, everyone has to have a place to live including the less-affluent Sims. I have very different ideas about R$ housing, but our playing styles are poles apart. Nevertheless, I love the way you've incorporated your trademark tree placement into the scene. And as always, I'm a sucker for night shots!

I was saddened to hear of your data losses in Inglestadt, and I feel your pain. You should have a backup HD of some sort. Last year, I bought Julie a 1TB WD external HD for her birthday so she would have a place to store her photos. You might even save your work to CDs, but one way or another, make plenty of backups.

I'm really enjoying your week in OSITM...
-Joan

[Swordmaster]

The 6C is such a nice one to work with, and you're proving that again. The last two pictures are real gems, too. I'm wondering what kind of building is next to the ped overpass - not a hotel I hope 'cause everyone's looking inside

That reminds me, by the way, of a building next to the railroad here in Antwerp where folks don't understand they can be watched by people in the trains. If you know what I mean .

Cheers
Willy

[Gugu3]

Very nice Noah!!!!love the half diamond combined with hybrid parclo!
Great development!!and as always nice to see how you layout your cities before adding buildings and diffferent zones
Very nice ring road!curious about the name
cheers
Gugu3

[kj3400]

Interchanges are the thing I love most about this game and yours are very graceful indeed! I focus more on the functionality as opposed to the aesthetics so mine tend to lack smooth curves, but seeing yours in action makes me think that maybe looking good might help them too.
Also congrats on the Hall of Fame. Well deserved indeed.

[io_bg]

Some fantastic pics! I'm loving the seaside trail! Also, congrats on the OSITM

[art128]

Very nice pictures Noah! These new ares are interesting, and I like a lot your interchanges which are well made.

Can't wait to see more of Madison near the Soviet monumental building.