The Heartland - Random Images
A Mayor's Diary by Meinhosen
Welcome again! I'd like to invite you to sit down and enjoy a ride through the American heartland, and enjoy a few screenshots from different regions that I've been working on over the past few years (and slowly updating over the past few months).
Enjoy, friends!
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Welcome to Holyoak, Nebraska. It's a small city of about 2,200 residents in East-Central Nebraska.
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A view looking south.
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Same view, slightly different angle.
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Quiet shops and businesses line downtown streets.
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A small town hall represents the pride and joy of the city, although the state champion wrestlers at the high school may lay claims to that title next fall...
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My great love of SC4 is the railroads. Please excuse my obsession- :P
But seriously, Holyoak, like any small US town, is bisected by rails (in this case, former St. Louis & San Francisco RR, now Union Pacific RR). On any given day you're likely to get stopped by several freight trains moving both east and west. SC4 trainspotting is a hobby of mine that I hope you all will enjoy as much as I.
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The moderately sized farms of Eastern Nebraska are nothing in comparison to the massive 'bonanza' farms found further to the west and northwest.
Thanks for the visit.
Ah, America. I really think the European cities are much more beautiful than American cities, and the farms, if SC4 is realistic cuz I've never seen Europe in person. But America has that ... rustic... feel in the rural areas that I grew up to love. I'm not a big fan of our RL cities though. That might be cuz I'm from rural America.
Hope to see more of Nebraska. And I've seen from ESPN that wrestling is big there. But you know, I just had the crazy idea you were from Germany, meinhosen.
First, very realistic presentation of a small/farm town. I like how it blends into the surrounding land, and it shows a slow, periodic development. The railroad going through town is good too: a freight loading/unloading spur and the passenger station spur. Very nice. JBSimio's bats work wuite well as you have used them too; especially the 1st downtown pic at night. The farmland looks realistic, but what I enjoyed the most, is the train pic. I share a similar train-spotting obsession (call it a hobby). I have one question for you though. I have played the game for a while but have never seen a train quite that long (or anywhere close for that matter) but have seen similar in other MDs... I was wondering if you could tell me how you got it to that length (a mod or what)? Good luck with this, and I'll be back for more.
Hi!
Very nice pictures. But I must say that that one with train would be the best from them all. Lovely work you have done. &apls
It might be rolling terrain, but this MD rocks!
Those are beautiful midwestern pics, mh. The commercial building selection and placement is just stunning.
...and I just about passed out when I saw the train shot...
Best. Train. Pic. Ever.
That's my opinion, and I'm stickin' to it!
Good luck!
David
These are great images form a very well made Simcity small rural town.
Yes, I agree with the other above, that's a very nice and well done rural little town. The downtown little shops along the main street, the train going through the town, very good. And the picture of the mile long train (modded) ;) :thumbsup:
Great job Meinhosen. The town and the fields indeed look very realistic and rustic. I almost dropped my pants for that train :P
Yup! That's a great job. &apls
Wonderfull rolling landscape. The picture with the train is unbelievable!
Fantastic rural area! and great town! Fantastic start! :thumbsup:
Wow! Holyoak is a very picturesque Midwestern town. I love how the railroad divides the town in half, and how the small town is surrounded by all the farms. Great work!
wow, nice images. it reminds me of the town i go to school in with similarities and differences. keep it up!
:thumbsup: Great farming zone . And your forest is very well done . Keep it up. :thumbsup:
Great town! I spent a year in Nebraska back in 1969 at Doane College in Crete. It looked just like than, train and all. Well done.
Very pretty rural area. :thumbsup:
Great start, the pictures look very as well. :thumbsup:
I HAVE to ask...how did you do the train?!? Awesome!
Joel
Amazing work. I love rural towns, but with the nature of this game it is usually much easier creating a functioning large city than a town. Great job and I am looking forward to more. Hooah!
Quote from: joelevan on February 27, 2007, 10:34:04 AM
I HAVE to ask...how did you do the train?!? Awesome!
Okay, okay, here's the secret to the long trains:
A long, long time ago I ran across a nifty little mod by BRF (
BigRedFish) that increased not only the maximum length of freight trains, but also permanantly kept them no less than 16 cars in length (with a max of 32, depending on freight traffic). For the life of me, I've searched and searched on the ST forums, and I cannot find the link to the mod (it was attached to a post by BRF).
The actual mod itself is entitled "
Plugin_BRF_TransitSupermod_Automata_Crime10_LongTrains_v2_0.dat"
Pending my ability to hunt down the mod and provide a link, I'll probably just mod my own and post it in a zip file. A similar file from the transit supermod (available on ST) will also produce similar results, but isn't as nice or as regular as the one by BRF.
Hope that answers some of the questions.
---
My sneaky little secret about the pic featured in the first post is that you're seeing two trains back to back. Look midway between the curves and you can spot a Santa Fe (Red & Silver) engine. It was too good a photo opportunity to pass up. ;D
Quote from: petercintn on February 23, 2007, 06:33:02 PM
But you know, I just had the crazy idea you were from Germany, meinhosen.
Not even close. But I speak pretty good "pidgen" Deutsch, thanks to four years of language training and 5 years of lapsing my skills.
I plan on posting some more screenshots later this week, and with that I'll get up to speed with personal replies.
MH..
Marvellous rolling hills. That street train crossing is superb!
It's just a gentile, quite town. Good atmosphere.
Nik-Nik
Personal Replies:
petercintn - I agree with you 100% about urban Europe being more picturesque than the US. I'm pretty sure that more of Nebraska is on the way... along with some shots of Illinois (yeah, homestate!) and Iowa, too.
threestooges - I hope my previous post answered your question about the long freight train(s). Getting a town to blend into farmland has always been tricky for me... and having grown up in a farm town, you'd think I'd have a pretty good idea of how things look. ;)
Naryanna - Thanks!
dedgren - Glad you enjoyed the train pic :) And the comment on the terrain, coming from you (one of SC4D's terrain masters), means a lot!
kwakelaar - Thank you!
Rayden - Thanks!
sebes - Ooh, I wouldn't go so far as to drop your pants for the train (engineers get kinda leery when someone moons them). :P
emilin - Thanks!
bat - Thanks, I hope things continue as well as they began.
thundercrack83 - Thanks - in case you're curious, Holyoak is modeled after a city near where I grew up (Elburn, IL).
goin2chicago - Reminds you of the town you're attending school in, eh? I'll have to do some more work on a small college town that's just east of Holyoak and post those pics...
kimcar - Thanks.
Kokopelli - Crete, NE? Hmm, if the region I'm about to show was bigger I might have been able to include Crete.
Flipside and
rooker1 - Thanks!
joelevan - Hope the previous post answered that question for you.
ryalmighty1 - Would you believe me if I said that the small town(s) function extremely well once a region starts developing as a whole? Once Stage 3 farms begin growing, farm towns can actually profit quite nicely (which makes expensive eye-candy a lot easier on the town's wallet).
NikNik - Thanks.
Quote from: NikNik
It's just a gentile, quite town.
Hmm, I'll have to put the synogogue by SG in the next small town I show so it isn't so gentile. :P
Since this MD will hover around two new, relatively small regions I'm throwing together, I thought I'd show you what it looks like. While it's nowhere near finished, the following screenshots should give you a rough idea of how things look.
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Cedarville, NE is based, roughly, off of Lincoln, NE. It still functions as Nebraska's state capital, and it also functions as a college town (RL it's the home of the University of Nebraska). The city itself much like what you saw with Holyoak, only writ large. While the current regional population hovers near 190,000 my expectations are that it won't surpass 225k-250k, which would put it right around the RL location.
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Here you can get a view of the city's transit map. Running east to west is I-80, with I-180 running south across the river into downtown. Capitol Parkway is the other visible freeway, running west into some small suburbs. Cedarville is also home to the crossroads of three major US highways: US 6, US 34, and US 77.
Bisecting the city are two of America's largest railways: the Union Pacific, and the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe (BNSF). BNSF maintains a sizable railyard just west of downtown, while UP has a smaller sorting yard just east of the creek.
I'll devote future posts to the transportation network in and around Cedarville.
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Finally, I'll leave you with a quick shot of downtown Cedarville. No mega towers here (its Nebraska, for crying out loud), which gives me the chance to play around with all the great low-rise BATs and lots available. Downtown has quite a bit of detailing that needs to happen before I'm confident to show it again, but that's coming.
Those region shots look fantastic! I love all the farms that you've made, and the downtown of Cedarville looks great, too! Keep up the good work!
Wonderful regionoverviews! Fantastic work! :thumbsup:
&apls Wow , that' s avery nice region view. Thanks for sharing.
Amazing region view, it looks so realistic it's awesome. :thumbsup:
The region view could almost be taken from google earth, very well made. Also your downtown Cedarville seems to be coming together quite nicely.
Hmm... I suppose I never had the foresight or the patience to wait for all stage 3 farms. For some reason, I can usually only develop super low-wealth or super high-wealth. Probably just my playing style. But, if you don't mind, I would like to use your MD as inspiration as to how I would rather play. Any tips would be much appreciated. BTW amazing region shot!!
Man, that is a great region view. I think David has a tutorial on getting them that way, but you just inspired me to figure it out. The sheer amount of farms, boggles the mind... ???
Replies
thundercrack83 - Thanks! I hope to show more of downtown Cedarville soon, but not today... ;)
bat - Thanks!
kimcar - Thanks for the encouraging comment!
rooker - The region is an adaptation of central Iowa, hence the quilt-like/realistic appearance to the farms.
kwakelaar - Thanks for the compliment! Actually, as I hinted above, the region view was meant to look like a Google-Earth shot as it's based off of one. ;D
ryalmighty1 - Thanks for the comment, and glad that I could be an inspiration for someone. I guess the most concise advice I can give you is simply to play your own style. Of course, I'll be the first to admit that I've copied a lot of stuff from such CJ/MD greats as paletexan, Dedgren, jeronij, Darmok (and the list goes on).
Posting some of your work on the "Show us your..." board and getting feedback is a good way to compare yourself without actually starting a MD (that's how I started on ST).
What I really want to share is this: if you love building and get satisfaction from what you create, share it. Other folks around here love to see what others are doing (or else we wouldn't have the MD section ;) ). Highlight some of the cool areas of your towns and regions. I know you have them... :) ... they're those spots you center on when you're tired of building but not tired enough to shut the game down... those spots where you just sit and watch the city... that's where about 90% of my screenshots come from are those small areas.
Hope that helps!
petercintn - Actually, I used David's/dedgren's tutorial to make those... I used to eyeball it (which is why my previous attempts were all crooked ???).
We head west today. Far west. Colorado west. I did some trainspotting in Bearclaw Pass, CO (it's on the left side of the region-shot below).
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A quick note on the region: this is just a quickie region I'm making to experiment building in the mountains. I'll incorporate it more into this MD as it develops. :)
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Thanks for stopping by!
That's putting those new relaxed NAM rail curves to good use. I'm wondering, though, and will check back through my experiments with them, why you didn't get the brown ballast texture through the curves- I recollect I did.
Back to you here when I find out...probably over the weekend.
Super pics!
David
I find it quite amazing that you can take a simple concept like a train crossing a road and make look so great! And your mountainous Colorado region looks beautiful, too. Keep up the great work!
First, thank you for answering that train length question. It has been bugging me mildly for some time now. Cedarville looks great. You have used open spaces/plazas to a nice effect; something I have never done. (I play the game with a budget, and if I'm plopping that school, etc, I'm going to get every penny out of its transportation radius). Now then, onto the most recent pics. Both are great (as I'll say again, I love trains), Amtrak, and BNSF (or BN?) if I recognize them right. It seems like, though, the gates are still up on the first pic (call the transportation dept, they're probably the same people that work in my region, as the train has usually passed by the time the gates lower).
Good luck with the new region. It looks like it will present some interesting building opportunities and will undobtedly offer plenty of room to do so.
Love Bearclaw Pass, meinhosen. ()stsfd() Your forests look really natural.
Great region and fantastic pass! :thumbsup:
God: another incredible map !... I will follow the development on this beauty .
Love your trains scenes . :thumbsup:
I've had the same reflex than David about ballast textures ...I don't know so far if there's a way to solve this . &Thk/(
Dedgren and Badsim -
I did some checking on the rail curve, and it's basically an off-ramp for trains (it's the same idea as a highway interchange, too), so to get the rail dirt I'd have to rebuild the pieces that make up the curve.
I guess for the time being there's always Photoshop (not that I would ever do something like that ;) )
That's an amazing region shot. I like how you have used the peg streams, i have looked at the us in google earth a few times and on those images you can also see green lines trough the farm fields indicating little streams.
Here's the rest of the screenshots from Bearclaw Pass... but first:
Replies
dedgren - Thanks for the comment, David. I'll search around a bit on ST... I could have sworn I saw a thread somewhere dedicated to adding PEGs raildirt to the NAM pieces (underbridge, curve, etc). Since I was never any good at searching the ST forums that'll probably take a while. ;)
thundercrack83 - I think the little things like a train crossing a road are some of those little things that make SC4 great (and make a MD a bit unique). Thanks for the comment!
threestooges - You're right, those gates are up... it's in the Colorado mountains, perhaps no one noticed because no one's driven on the road for a few months... $%Grinno$% Actually, my gates usually don't go down at all when I'm trying to take screenshots.
I can echo you on playing the game with a budget. All of my cities run quite nicely in the black- Cedarville is no exception, although it is just barely making it's budget. I think a lot of that is the fact that my computer can't handle a huge plugins folder, so I'm real limited on the eye-candy I can put into any give city; that really helps a lot with maintaining a functioning budget.
Flipside - Thanks for the compliment... but we ought to thank Cycledogg for his work at putting together a stellar terrain mod.
bat - Thank you!
Badsim - Thanks for the compliment! I hope you enjoy the pictures on this post as much as you enjoyed the last one.
DarkLoki - GoogleEarth is a great tool for making a realistic region shot- it gives you a good foundation to work with. Glad you liked the region shot, and thanks for stopping by!
I think in all reality I ought to rename this MD "How to do Eyecandy on a Budget Plugins Folder". Since my poor old computer cries for mercy when I load up big/developed maps, my goal is to keep my plugins below 700mb (which means I can load a city in less than a half hour). Currently, I have 722mb of quality packed/crammed/shoved into the plugins, a lot of which you've seen over the past few updates.
We'll revisit Bearclaw today, and then head back east to another town I've been slowly developing over the past week.
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Above and below - Bearclaw pass, a little bit closer up, along with a transportation view so you can get an idea of how the road and railroad weave through the pass to reach the town.
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At the zoom levels you see above, it almost looks like you're sitting on top of the ridge looking down at the town. It reminds me a lot of actually sitting on top of a mountain looking down at a town.
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As you can see, not a lot has changed in the town over the past 46 years.
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I love the look of the rails and the road winding through the pass. It's very hard to tell in the pic, but both of them are actually passing on the lowest point of the valley (which I think was intended to be a stream by the mapmakers, but is a handy right-of-way for man-made transportation).
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I'll remark again about the streambed... you can see it a bit better in the above screenshot.
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Moving east, we find the city of Boseridge, CO. Seen above is Bose Island, just south of the town. (It's amazing that when you're strapped for city names what you can come up with when you look around your desktop... soon to come are the cities of Dell, Inspiron, Bic, and Laserjet :P )
(And no, I was not eating a bear claw when I made Bearclaw Pass)
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You can see my experiments with Sorchin's rocks... I like the dark ones, but the light gray ones are probably going to have to go... they stand out too much.
That is a great looking region, "Budget Plugins Folder" or not! You've really set the standard for the NAM rail curves, too. Every one you've used looks fantastic. And the plopplable streams look beautiful, too, especially the waterfalls. Great job, my friend!
I second thundercrack's remark about the rail curves. I especially like the first train pic in the streambed (you and your incredible long trains... boy I love them) and I would also love to get that part of the mod you use to get that effect. The train looks so good winding through the s-curve. Those dark rocks on the creek are a great way to break up the uniformity of pegs ponds (though you've done a fine job of that anyway). Keep it up, this is great.
This is a great looking region! Thanks again for finally explaining how some MJ's have long trains.
Also, what plugins are you using for your locomotives?
Quote from: meinhosen on March 10, 2007, 07:17:40 PM
I think in all reality I ought to rename this MD "How to do Eyecandy on a Budget Plugins Folder". Since my poor old computer cries for mercy when I load up big/developed maps, my goal is to keep my plugins below 700mb (which means I can load a city in less than a half hour). Currently, I have 722mb of quality packed/crammed/shoved into the plugins, a lot of which you've seen over the past few updates.
It's a capital information ... I congratulate you for this result with these limitations ! :thumbsup:
Notable work with Peg's pond kit . That's requesting such patience ... I agree about Sorchin's rocks , the dark ones fit better with your landscape .
And I get leery from your pictures. Man, the Google-Earth like region view of Cedarville is awesome, but for the pictures from Bearclaw Pass I have no words.. &dance &dance &dance
&apls Great region view that you show to us . I like the train scenery very much. Good use of the Peg pound too.
Keep goig. :thumbsup:
I've never comment this MD, The railway layout is outstanding ! The pic of the countryside with the fild on the hill, the canyon in colorado, everything is WOW-ing !
hello. drove into heartland today and i just had to say something. the Philippines, i believe, is mostly an agricultural country. save for maybe a handful of cities, everywhere you look there would be a farm of some sort. and wow, man. cedarville just blew me away. your md is so in touch with the soul. mine, at the very least. nothing like living with nature. awe inspiring work. your patience will be a benchmark of mine.
Fantastic updates. I missed a view I guess. Great pictures, those from the region from above.
Those new NAM curves are well used!
Bearclaw pass must be a lumber's village, oh no some mining activity I would presume, judging from the big plant in the middle of the town.
Boseridge: What a great river you've made. No use of ploppable water, just good 'ol PEG pieces. &apls
Nik-Nik
Quote from: meinhosen on March 10, 2007, 07:17:40 PM
Moving east, we find the city of Boseridge, CO. Seen above is Bose Island, just south of the town. (It's amazing that when you're strapped for city names what you can come up with when you look around your desktop... soon to come are the cities of Dell, Inspiron, Bic, and Laserjet :P )
(And no, I was not eating a bear claw when I made Bearclaw Pass)
Hahaha! I totally know what you mean! Thats exactly what I do. I was looking for a name for my city back in the fall and I saw my "Finding Nemo" dvd lying around and so "Nemonos" became my city. haha. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who does that. :D
Also, fantastic cities by the way. You've really perfected the midwest style town. Great work
I have several cities named for my cat. Bunches Bottom, Sleepy Kitty, Litter Valley, etc. LOL She always likes to lay across my arm while I play and while I am at Devotion as well. Yup she is asleep on my arm right now. I have gotten pretty good at typing with only my right hand so I don't disturb her. LOL
---Gaston
wow total awsome MD here great work, i loved the rails awsome, looks sooooooo real
looking forward to the next update - pat
i agree with pat, awesome pics ,can't wait to see more :)
I very much liked this small town of Bearclaw and the railway and road leading there through the valley, and you have also done a very good job with pegs streams, nice!
Why, why, WHY cant we have the surface qualities of PEG's ploppable water AND realistic shorelines?
Nice update, my friend. The town of Bearclaw Pass reminds me of pre I-70 Idaho Springs [linkie] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaho_Springs,_Colorado).
You've got a great start here!
David
Hello my friend - remember me from st?
I must confess this is my first post in a MD here on SC4D and I must say ... this railway line is yummy! For a European RR a tad too much crossings but AFAIK American Railways have still some due to their lower train frequency and speed.
Anyway ... that S-curve in the small town with the industry next to it is just superb - love that one! &apls
I guess I have to show up here more often ...
Bernhard :thumbsup:
Bearclaw pass looks great. I really like the winding train line with the use of the curve piece!
:thumbsup:
Hello Meinhosen . . . I just spotted this diary. I enjoyed looking at all of your pictures. You have a nice plugins folder. I especially like your Bear Claw Pass pictures. The small town you depicted in your reply #37 is wonderful. Most people place industry way away from their commercial and residential zones. You'll need to place a small church in the town center.
I think that you are using Cycledogs Meadowshire terrain textures? I like how it puts brownish reddish spots on the hillsides.
I'll stop by occasionally to see what you're up to. Good Luck.
Beautiful screen !
Your latest updates look just as amazing as your urban pictures, which is rarely seen. Most people playing this game seem to be either/or types when it comes to rural vs urban development. You are among the few that really know how to work both environments. &apls
Holy smokes, what a response... I think I'll have to stick around in the mountains a bit longer. ;D
thundercrack83 - Thanks for the comments. Actually, you should thank Dedgren/David, since 3RR was the first place I saw the railcurves used (I wouldn't have known about them otherwise, since the Readme made no mention of them)
threestooges - Thanks for the kind comments. It was good to see some affirmation of my use of sorchin's rocks- I've taken them out since that last post so I can rethink how I can best use them. On a second note, I'm working on putting out my own "Long Trains" mod file. I'll attach it to a post in my Automata thread once it's completed.
BigSlark - I sent you a PM about the locomotives. To anyone else interested, you can find them on the STEX if you search for Dearnan.
Badsim - Thanks for the compliment!
sebes - Leery? lol, that's a new one. Thanks!
kimcar - Great to see you back, and thank you for the comment!
nova vesfalo - Cool, another first time commenter, thanks for stopping by. I hope you find more stuff worth commenting on!
zniehadajet - Thanks for the visit. I'll have to highlight the Greene County Tourism Bureau (Cedarville) for you so you can find all the sights and attractions.
NikNik - Boseridge is going to be a mining town once I can get the silly mines to play along with the landscape. I've got a couple of nice ones that I'm eager to use...
Giligone - I never would have guessed that about Nemonos :D Thanks for the compliments!
Gaston - Cat, eh? I don't think a city named "Tigger" would really fit in... doesn't have that backwoods ring. I know about the cat on the arm, though, mine has gotten good at sleeping on the mouse cord in order to politely inform me that it's time for me to stop playing at start petting her.
patfirefghtr - thanks for the compliments. I've enjoyed seeing your MD (I'm looking at working a few of your ideas into mine). Thanks for stopping by.
Cali - Thank you!
Kwakelaar - Thank you!
dedgren - Bearclaw Pass is actually modeled after the upstate NY town of Saranac Lake, but I agree, it could be a near-copy of Idaho Springs
Nardo - Nardo/Bernhard! How could I forget! I was wondering how long it would take you to wander over this way. Glad that you liked the railway, and glad to see you again.
rooker1 - Thanks for the comment!
jmyers - Thanks for the sharp eye... I didn't even think to put a church in Bearclaw, and that must have been the small nagging I had that something was missing. Good spot on the Meadowshire Mod, too. I had the original Cycledogg mod in, but switched to the Meadowshire because it looks a lot better at more elevations.
Ralph - Thanks!
emilin - as irony would have it, I'm actually one of those either/or types (my either/or is Rural). I've had to work really hard at making urban areas look good... but then again there are some good examples to follow here at SC4D
Oh crud, I just noticed that I'm late for work (good thing I'm in charge...)
Hmm, looks like the pictures will have to get posted later tonight, but at least I'll give you a taste:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg92.imageshack.us%2Fimg92%2F4893%2Fclarkburghpark1vf8.jpg&hash=db9e6e1619ecedccfade7e7515e4ac97d16f68c9)
Meinhosen, the "Bearclaw Pass" update is simply beautiful! the gradual zooming with the first four pictures is a well thought intro!
I notice that you're using the NAM railroad "long curves", could you tell me where in the menus do you find them??? I've reinstalled the New NAM twice, and still can't find them anywhere!!! I'd love to use 'em they look fantastic!
I also like very much the road layout, and the way it's looks just a bit "bumpy" like it is in those place in RL, IMO it's even harder to leave them with small, but credible, bumps than to terraform them flat. Good choice there.
First pic of Boseridge, it must have taken you forever to plop these PEG's stream tile and avoiding their straight edges... hat's off!
You always had the knack to make great train setup, and it still shows!
**back to lurking...**
Take care
Quote from: meinhosen on March 19, 2007, 09:40:57 AM
Oh crud, I just noticed that I'm late for work (good thing I'm in charge...)
Late fore work... in the army? Sounds like trouble. :-[ Looking forward to that update. That teaser is really good!
John (Darmok), If I recall correctly, (and I'm sure he'll correct me if not) the curves are found in the rail puzzle piece selection. Just keep hitting tab (they are close to the end of the group).
Meinhosen: Nice little pic you have there. Did you make the park yourself or is it from a pack? Either way, it looks great and fits in very well with the downtown area. You've used jbsimio's stuff really well. It all blends together so well to show age and growth over time. I'll look forward to the rest of the update.
Personal Replies:
Darmok - Nice to see you here, and thank you for the kind words. threestooges gave a pretty good response about the railcurves- I'll add that if you hit [SHIFT] + [TAB] you'll find the curves a lot quicker. Just make sure that you have the RHW uninstalled, and you'll find the curves no prob. ;D
On a side note, about PEGs streams - those took about an hour to plop... the longest part was transitioning between all the different lots and pieces. I think it was worth it. :)
Giligone - Late, yes. In trouble, double yes. Lotsa pushups... yes- my arms hurt. Was it worth it, yes. ()stsfd()
threestooges - The park is one of my own- it's actually Barby's Rosewalk with a SimGoober pond (and a few extra tiles) added. If you like it I can type of a list of dependancies and attach it in a zip file to one of my posts here.
I've been using this small town as a testbed for a bunch of new lots I cooked up over the past month. You've already seen the small park, I'll point the rest out as we go along:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg457.imageshack.us%2Fimg457%2F8524%2Fdowntownclarkburgh1ai5.jpg&hash=c0306cd7a1d62159c6a8b904579a646e4b9bac99)
Seen above is a series of 2x5 and 2x6 lots I made in order to mass-grow/mass-plop smalltown CBDs. Obviously JB's work is prominent, but I've also used a couple of Maxis buildings, too. Spa has some nice buildings that I'm working with, so hopefully those will work their way into circulation.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg92.imageshack.us%2Fimg92%2F7254%2Fdowntownclarkburgh2cn3.jpg&hash=86fad8515159eb772d9666565e57721c446d73ff)
I liked this mix of buildings a lot, and with the addition of a few storefronts to JB's stuff, there is a nice breakup to the monotony of having several of the same building in and around the city. I'm very impressed that his (JB) stores accomodate the Maxis storefronts as well as they do, and as I said, it creates a nice look to the front of the buildings.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg457.imageshack.us%2Fimg457%2F2547%2Fdowntownclarkburgh3oj5.jpg&hash=8a91f134232fb4af063daac6b61f2f85f839ceb4)
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These lots are an old discovery of mine- 4x5 and 4x6 R$$$. These large lots almost guarantee that if there's demand, only the specifically sized lot will fit on a properly sized zone, meaning that you can always get the lot you want. I took some time and tinkered-with/added-in a few of SimGoober's fantastic mansions (replacing the so-so Maxis ones), changed a few props (CP seasonal trees, not seen above), and began testing. I like the look.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg457.imageshack.us%2Fimg457%2F2038%2Fclarkburghmansions2hh2.jpg&hash=b67e6ffa8ffac64d3d62f04b05fc0ce45bfdcf9c)
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The football field you see is a blend of two lots I picked up off the STEX a long time ago- a nice football field by a BATter whose name I forget, and a small soccer stadium that's been on the STEX forever (stat-wise, it's just a smaller version of the minor league stadium).
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg92.imageshack.us%2Fimg92%2F3290%2Fclarkburgh2vo4.jpg&hash=0a2e2e800b47c533ff021cca8ac12343d4534dcf)
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Enjoy!
It makes me happy to see people enjoying the new freight truck automata I assembled ;D I like the look of your region so far. Keep up the good work.
-Jan
awesome pics, very detailed.it has a suburban feel to it &apls
Clarkburgh is a very beautiful little town, meinhosen! You have definitely managed to capture the essence of a small American town! Great job!
You rock! Is there something you can't do with SC4? &apls
I like Clarksburg. Even though I am more into Gascooker's BAT's right now (lot of bulldoze work as they are 2x2 and 2x3 ... &mmm ) I must say these huge mansions together with your streetsıde mod do look good!
Great work with JB's BATs - I like them even though they are a bit too "american" for my "european" style.
Mz favourite one is the pic before the last pic. I love the natural flow of residentialş to commercial to industrial - all low rise, all fit together.
I enjoyed it a lot!
Take care my friend!
Bernhard :thumbsup:
Quotezniehadajet - Thanks for the visit. I'll have to highlight the Greene County Tourism Bureau (Cedarville) for you so you can find all the sights and attractions.
i don't know what you mean with "highlight"-ing, but it sounds like it will be good. :P :thumbsup: everything you put up here is a delight. :thumbsup:
your cities, they are all functional? how's traffic? doing well? it's one of the roadblocks i often hit in developing. my networking is a D or worse. :'(
urban-suburban-rural... you do amazing things. definitely will drive to the heartland for those inspiring updates
hen
Spectacular! What a pituresque little town. Those downtown lots you put together are really nice! I never would have known you mixed maxis buildings with someone elses, they just work so well. :thumbsup:
Lol, Its good that it was worth it to be late, but you probably don't want to get on your CO's bad side... $%Grinno$%
Sorry to hear about the results of your slight delay (but it's good that you are at least satisfied with the choice). Although the park looks great, it is a special piece of your city and was made for that spot. I doubt I could do it sufficient justice (though I could try). If I feel the urge to get one, I'll do it by biting the bullet and learning how to make a good lot (something I've been trying to get around to). However, if you do feel like sharing something, I wouldn't say no to that automata mod that you were mentioning (to get my trains hauling a bit more freight). It may just be that I like trains, but the 4th pic is a great small town shot. With the transition from industry to commercial, coupled with the age of the buildings and the train rolling through the center of town (as many old towns grew around their lines), this pic is not only well shot, but also well designed. Lastly, what automata do you use for the santa fe SD-40 (at least I think that's the name of the locomotive)?
&apls Nice work you done . I like what you did with JB lots. Great pics too. :thumbsup:
Wonderful pictures and great overview of this area! :thumbsup:
This MD has a great feel to it, and I really like the way you have layed out the city.
i like the neighborhood layout, about 8-10 houses ber block. it seems realistic. :thumbsup:
Another interesting update, great work.
()stsfd()
Lovely pictures again!
I do'nt like griddy towns in general, but will glady make an exception for Clarksburg CO, although I think the road along the coast should be a little more curvy... and follow the coastline.
The stores and mansion are fabulous. &apls
Quote from: thundercrack83 on March 19, 2007, 09:18:39 PM
Clarkburgh is a very beautiful little town, meinhosen! You have definitely managed to capture the essence of a small American town! Great job!
I'm trusting this opinion . So thanks and congratulations for that . :thumbsup:
Myself trying to capture the essence of something else ... it's a very pleasant travel .
Quotepatfirefghtr - thanks for the compliments. I've enjoyed seeing your MD (I'm looking at working a few of your ideas into mine). Thanks for stopping by.
awwwwwwwww shucks lol wow to think i've inspired ya's thats sooooooo cool.
well with that i cant wait to see what you work in and btw are you active?
that teaser was just mean btw and i want to see more - pat
You're doing a great job creating realistic Middle American small towns. I like the ideas you have about lotting (the 6x4 mansions and the CBDs); even more because I suck at the lot editor and have only created one successful lot with it.
-aaron
EDIT: Welcome to page 5 and my 100th post.
I really want to take the time to thank all of you who have replied; once I have time for a proper post, I'll thank each of you individually. :) RL is hitting pretty hard right now, so the big "100th Post" update I had planned is going to be put on hold until things quiet down.
Here's a quick look at some of the stuff coming:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg250.imageshack.us%2Fimg250%2F6622%2Fralstonmorningac7.jpg&hash=b74a6cf3e4fa17f789a4a14a5e89889e3f718e3c)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg250.imageshack.us%2Fimg250%2F6162%2Fpassingfv9.jpg&hash=4897eba4ab4ca7d4339243a88a048129b153fa03)
(Another custom lot, for those of you who are curious how this happened)
Nice teasers. Those appartments look like a tough neighbourhood. Too bad about RL... I've been having a touch of that myself as of late, aha. Looking forward to more.
I like the train hauling coal that is sitting on the siding. Makes for a very nice picture when combined with the row houses. You've a pretty good eye for what makes a [picture pleasant to look at. Thanks.
Great! I was a fan of Ralston over at ST, I'm glad to see that you'll be showing us more here. Sorry to hear about real life, I hope everything works out, OK!
Very nice pictures... looking forward to the once that will come later :thumbsup:
Great teasers - I am still impressed by your faithfulness to realism in this MD.
-aaron
such a tease! RL goes first(so uncool... we want more sc4) so we understand. more trains, huh? more farms, too? $%Grinno$%
Meinhosen,
I'd been lurking for a bit, but I couldn't keep hiding after an update like that! First of all, I should say thank-you! You took my stuff to a whole new level that works really well. I'm glad the storefronts fit so well, but I have to be honest and say that was probably more luck than anything. I know most of Spa's things use the same setbacks that I used, so blending those should work quite well for you. Things by Nofunk and Jasoncw, although most are taller, also seem to match up pretty well.
I really like the pictures you've been showing. Your railroads are excellent. I'm definitely looking forward to more of Ralston. :thumbsup:
JB
Looking forward to more from you, Meinhosen.
---Gaston
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg239.imageshack.us%2Fimg239%2F8031%2Fsir0704theheartlandsy0.png&hash=9322809cd43ade7b28d8cd06e83822a1b3046d1d)
Congrats, meinhosen! The Heartland- small town middle America captured in perfect detail.
congratulations on winning the award! &apls hoping for more more more heartland $%Grinno$%
&apls Congrats . It`s well deserved . Can`t wait for an update :thumbsup:
Congrats! Looking forward to more of your small town america. ::)
&apls very well done.
Good looking town. Now where is that promised synagogue...... ;)
good luck with battling RL.
Nik-Nik
Congratulations on "Special Interest this Month" status, meinhosen! Can't wait for the next update!
Great pics meinhosen , and excellent custom Lot ... I'm wanting more ! $%Grinno$% (sorry about RL excuse , I've already taken it for the 6 next months , you have to find another one :P )
;)
Congratsm neubgiseb! (sorry I mean:) Congrats meinhosen! Wonderful pictures! :thumbsup:
QuoteCongratsm neubgiseb!
Yeah! What bat said!
...don't worry about it, my friend- we've all had those neubgiseb kind of days...
Anyway, it's nice to observe that this MD will return at the end of the month having moved up a notch to the Best Seller category. Meinhosen, mein friend, you should come on by and take a bow- your public is waiting.
David
very nice &apls :thumbsup:
These updates are excellent - I really like what you've done with the zones of the larger sized mansions &apls
Some excellent looking images from Ralston and congratulatons on your promotion this month :thumbsup:
I look forward to the follow up on the teaser pictures.
WOW is all i can say here just wow. &apls &apls
looking forward to the next update - pat
I can't believe I've missed six pages of this beauty! Still have to get used to this chaotic CJ categorization. But other than that, the scenery and the sweeping railroads give that sense of American grandeur! *toots horn*
you've hit 100! congratulations! any updates cooking? :P
Congratulations on your 100th post, my friend! I'll be looking forward to the next update!
Guys, I wanted to pop on and let you all know I'm still around- I'm just swamped with some major RL issues (military deployment). EDIT - I should add that I'm not going overseas for this one.
That having been said, my free time has also been severely strained/non-existant. That having been said, enjoy the following pics, but not after I take a moment to thank each and every one of you who have taken the time to reply (several of you more than once).
To: swamper, cali, thundercrack, emilin, Nardo, Heinz, Giligone, threestooges, kimcar, bat, kwakelaar, rooker, sebes, Badsim, patfirefghtr, pickled_pig, jmyers & JBSimio (your BATs rule), Gaston, dedgren, NikNik, sc4portugal, mattb, and, last but not least, Eddie- Thank you all!
Trainspotting at Maranatha Pass
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New Zion, CO, 8 miles west of Maranatha Pass.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg362.imageshack.us%2Fimg362%2F9216%2Fnewzion1gm3.jpg&hash=0a431ca22b12fd7f4437c3e97a62e0e91e896d0a)
Downtown Ralston, KY - The region is currently undergoing major urban renewal.
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Guardian Park.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg485.imageshack.us%2Fimg485%2F1167%2Fralston3qh1.jpg&hash=da388a02a3337aeb30da051de3139cd60d2b3f46)
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Federal Plaza, buildings 1, 2, & 3, along with Ralston's City Hall.
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Skyline at dusk.
Images from around rural America.
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Suburban Cedarville, NE - new development in the cow pastures.
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(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg401.imageshack.us%2Fimg401%2F8830%2Fruralin2cf0.jpg&hash=c713db56233e2568d1bcf1c8c80cb710b7fb5752)
Two older images from Christianson, in southern Indiana.
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Finally, a small rural church and cemetary in St. Clair, NE.
Thanks again for stopping by.
Wow, what a fantastic update, my friend! I loved every single picture. You do such a great job capturing the trains going through the towns and passed the farms. Great work! Also, I see that you're being deployed, and I hope that everything goes OK. Stay safe, wherever you're going, my friend!
Wonderful imagies indeed and a must see for every MD lover. Great job and I am looking forward to much more from the Heartland.
Great update, meinhosen. I love your mountainous railroads, reminds me of the Rio Grande over Tennessee Pass, which is the only partially double tracked route over the heart of the Rockies, if I remember correctly.
Keep up the great work and hope your deployment goes well and you get back to civilian life soon.
Good to hear you are still around. I hope everything goes well with the deployment (not sure if you are able to/should say where, but good luck with it). Two quick questions for you: Could you tell me what automata things you use for the trains, the game stuff is decent, but yours are downright spiffy. Secondly, though I have looked, I can't seem to find anything decent to alter tains lengths with (perhaps I haven't looked in the right spots yet), but I was wondering if you would be willing to share yours?
The update is very nice, and it is good to see your take on urban development. I like the contrast of the old and new in the pics. It gives them an historical feel (particularly the building with the coke advertisment on the side). Congratulations btw on the hall of fame nomination in the picture competition, with pictures like you have here, there is little doubt that you would make it. Excellent as always, and I'll be waiting to see what you have coming up next.
I will miss your updates so much. You can build, you can terraform, you can photoedit - all to perfection. That last update was altogether just as good as everything else in this journal - I especially like the Maranatha pass (I would like to ask about the religous context of some of your naming, but you can explain that whenever you have time to do so).
As always: &apls
These railway shots are just great! &apls
It is always amazing how these new NAM - curves do change railway layout to the better, isn't it?
Great skyline pics during dusk, and I love how you arrangd those malltown BATs.
I am not a big fan of those BATs you show in McChesney, as they are too big for european seddlements IMHO but there they look great.
And that church with the cemetary sure looks good!
Bernhard :thumbsup:
What a wonderful update again - every single picture is a feast! The Maranatha railway pass and curved track is gorgeous again &apls
Wow, what a supre update. The curved rail peices look perfect the way you have them laid down. I tdoes give a totally different feel as Nardo said. Your DT core look great as well. Will we get a chance to see more of it? Great job.
Robin :thumbsup: &apls
Splendid work once again! Best if luck with your non-overseas delpoyment. I love how you have bats of iconic buildings from previous sim city versions. The federal buildings from sc3k and that Ksim building looks just like the 'corporate plaza' from sc2k. ;D And your trains are, as always, very nice. :thumbsup:
looking good! looking very very good! great shots of those new small towns. i'm feeling lighter because of them. good to have you back, too. see you around
&apls Nice trip in train we had with your update. Thanks for sharing
Wonderful pictures of the pass and great pictures of your city! Fantastic work! :thumbsup:
Brill! :D
I love your Colorado references. You have captured the feel of that region quite well.
Quote from: dedgren on March 15, 2007, 09:03:41 AM
Why, why, WHY cant we have the surface qualities of PEG's ploppable water AND realistic shorelines?
Nice update, my friend. The town of Bearclaw Pass reminds me of pre I-70 Idaho Springs [linkie] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idaho_Springs,_Colorado).
You've got a great start here!
David
David,
It's amazing the places you know. I went to high school in Idaho Springs, and you are correct, although I-70 was in at that time.
so choice! what an awesome md you have dude.
meinhosen I loved the train spotting, them shot where great and i was hoping for more but hey
i guess we cant just have all train update lol. Looking forward to the next update when you get
the time to get away - pat
&apls &apls &apls meinhosen- fantastic pictures-i'm in awe :o. the railroads are incredibly realistic, and great use of JB's small town buildings. Looking forward to more- when RL premits.
Hi Meinhosen,
I really like your region. You have the skill to embed a town into the landscape in a pleasant way. nothing is overcurved, and yet it does not look like the built areas take over nature as sometime happens.
sorry, i always need a lot of words to say what I like.
anyway, I look forward to your next update.
Strech.
Great looking images, especially the small-town-Main-street are so well done.
Short update today: I finally got to messing with the new and compatible RHW.
But first :)
thundercrack - well, since it's now public knowledge, I'll be at West Point for the summer. I'm not sure how it worked out to be a deployment, but, well, that's the Army for ya.
Serkanner - Ooh, a must see? :) Thank you!
BigSlark - The Rio Grande was my inspiration for that. I can't remember the name of the tunnel that goes through the Continental Divide, but pictures of that area inspired me to build this region.
threestooges - See above for where I'll be... at least it's still in the US! About the train automata: here's a quick rundown of the list:
Trolca's set - should still be available on the Mod section on ST
Dearnan's locomotives - They're available on the STEX, but were uploaded by Espee
i-photon's locomotives - another great locomotive set available on the STEX
BRF's passenger set - also off the STEX
Miscellaneous Trolca trains that I downloaded off of his old thread on ST. Sadly, all of those links are gone.
My own stuff - a few knicknacks here and there that I opened with Ilive's reader and FiSHman and edited (particularly the UP engine and a few others that I'm still "painting"). All of the edited stuff is just that- edited (I'm so worthless when it comes to the BAT)
Thanks for the comment and the question!
emilin - Ah, religious context. I noticed that after I put the pics together. Some of it is coincidence, some of it was deliberate. Names like Maranatha and New Zion are were done overtly- you can think of it like this: when settlers moved west, they tended to name places after themselves, people of fame (presidents, generals, etc), or a religious context. Christianson and St Clair, well, like I said are just coincidence to have ended up in the same set of pics. Suprisingly, very few of my cities are named as such (see a few updates ago with "Boseridge" and "Clarkburgh").
Nardo - Yep, those curves really help the with realism. I don't know about you, but I'm keeping a close eye on dedgren's road curves thread... I want to see those, too. Shame that you don't like suburban American sprawl... looks like we think alike (although I can't make the European comparison, as my only impression of Europe is a few airports). But it wouldn't be the US without suburban sprawl.
sebes - Thank you!
rooker1 - Downtown, sure thing! It's being rebuilt, so give it a little bit... but it's coming.
Giligone - I love the older SC buildings. There are still a few from SC3K that I'd like to see, but I'm content with what I've got :)
Heinz - Thanks!
kimcar - If you enjoyed the rail trip, you'll like the roadtrip I'm working out ()stsfd()
bat &
jayo - Thank you!
glepet -
Quote from: glepet
I love your Colorado references. You have captured the feel of that region quite well.
That's a nice compliment, especially since I've never been to CO
AK - Thanks!
patfirefghter - An all train update? You know I have to mix it up a little bit... sometimes I even remember to put the eye-candy away from the railroads :P
EDGE4149 - Welcome to the Heartland! Thanks for the comment!
Strechnitz - Thanks for the compliments! Never worry about being wordy - you gave me a good idea of what I'm doing well. :)
kwakelaar - Thanks!
This is a quickie update on my adventures in roadbuilding. Consulting Google Earth to see RL highways from above helped out a lot while building these.
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I'd like to thank Darmok and Travis for the inspiration for this overpass. The slight terraforming looks a lot better than a straight NAM overpass.
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Here's the town just to the west, where the RHW connects in with the beltway that encircle's Ralston.
Thanks for stopping by!
I like the road update. I need to work on my overpass terraforming...
Keep up the good work!
Great Pictures, Meinhosen. I like the overpass and the RHW integration. :thumbsup:
I look forward to your updates.
Looks really good! Reminds me of my trip through Arkansas, very realistic!
great results with your network development. the farms look great too. hildebrandt should benefit much from the networking you have there
Those are really good highways! How I love seeing that RHW mod. So much more realistic than the maxis highways, haha. Someday I'll have to get that download. Looking forward to more! :thumbsup:
Beautiful job, meinhosen! Your use of the RHW is fantastic! It looks very realistic. Can't wait to see more!
Nice looking region here. I like the overpass too, except for the deadly 90-degree turn at the end! :D
I'd hate to encounter that thing at night going either direction! You should scatter some car props around the farm and the forest below it to represent all the unfortunate drivers that have failed to make the turn and launched themselves off into oblivion! :o
Quote from: snorrelli on April 18, 2007, 10:48:21 AM
You should scatter some car props around the farm and the forest below it to represent all the unfortunate drivers that have failed to make the turn and launched themselves off into oblivion! :o
I like that thought. But more practical, you could place near the 90-degree turn a speed limit sign from here (http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/details.cfm?id=15697&v=1). They go as low as ten MPH and as high as 90, I believe.
It's always a good idea to look at Google Earth once in a while - it certainly paid off here.
-aaron
Another fantastic update, the rural highway looks very good. I can't wait to try it out again. I had not had the time before to try it out very much.
Robin :thumbsup:
wonderful update and great using with the RHW! :thumbsup:
Hi, meinhosen,
Nice pants... :D. Me lurkey long time, but me likey long time. I found your chronicle of mid America towards the beginning, now I couldn't keep still any longer. I have savored the trip from tiny mountain "burgs" to the cities of the prairies, Great Plains and South. I just finished a second round. I can't exactly put my finger on what makes your composition so authentic, but I am trying to imitate it. Perhaps it stems from an observant eye. Being in the service might develop that, and you must have been everywhere. Johnny Cash would have been proud, and would have written a song about meinhosen's Heartland. The map was sublime, and the trains, well...words lack. Did you ever find the BRF mod? I need to go looking for that, I think I've seen it somewhere. Your custom lots add imagination, IMO, they are what make the difference in any diary.
Many kudos,
--Liv
One of the better overpasses I have seen, very well put together. I also like the transition from the farmfields into the edge of town.
I've finally dropped in to have a look at your MD, and I'm quite impressed! And about that overpass, I'm glad I was able to inspire someone. :thumbsup:
Those rural areas look real good. I must get back to those soon. From what I've seen, you have a talent for those
mid-sized urban areas as well.
I'll be sticking around...
Well, looks like my month in the "Of Special Interest this Month" forum is nearly over... and just in time for a nice Plugins Folder malfunction. Nothing major was lost, but after a small cleaning session, I realized that the cardinal rule of "bulldoze all instances" is something that you can't skirt around.
That brings me to a second point: has anyone ever annihilated one of their cities and had stuff remain on the map (parks, empty zones, etc)? Because that happened to me this afternoon after all of the above-mentioned mess.
BigSlark & glepet - Thanks!
Frankie - Arkansas? Hmm, I've never thought of doing any regions there... and it is part of the Midwest...
Heinz - Thank you!
Giligone - Hope you enjoy this update, too :)
thundercrack83 - Thank you!
snorelli - I should scatter some car props there... actually, I saw a "Cadillac Ranch" on the STEX; that ought to go at the bottom of that turn. :P
pickled_pig, rooker & bat - Thanks!
Livin in Sim - Glad I was able to bring out another lurker :) What might make my cities so "authentic"? I call it stylized reality- I take something real, adapt it to SC4, and then adapt it to my own likes, dislikes, as well as the capacity of my plugins.
kwakelaar - Thanks for the compliment on the overpass.
Travis - Thanks!
On a bright note, having to rebuild stuff always means that I get a second-chance at doing things right in cities that I wasn't totally pleased with. Here's some examples:
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Rebuilding a few rural areas to fit with the Rural Highway.
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Trying my hand at interchanges and overpasses.
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Fiddling with my favorite parts of the game (trains and now the RHW). About this overpass: I spent 35 minutes trying to get the same stinking bridge to plop on both sides of this rail bridge... obviously you can see that didn't happen :P
Hey, meinhosen!
Sorry to hear about your plugin troubles, my friend. I've never had that problem you were talking about happen to me, but I'm sure someone else has.
As for the new pictures, the RHW looks great in you region! That first picture looks like the quintessential rural highway shot for me--absolutely stunning! Great job!
this update is amazing! I love the fields of crop and the trains...very cool! :thumbsup:
Niiiiiice The RHW looks amazing like this! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Great update, it would be neat if you did a RHW tutorial one of these days...*nudge nudge*
What bridge pieces are you using for the rail overpass in the last photo?
Cheers,
Kevin
meinhosen, wow just omg wow the last two updates was just simply amazing. hehehe awsome train bridge shot, i think it turned out ok. RHW seems to turn out really good for you. im looking forward to next update - pat
Though the plugin issue is something rather annoying, I'm glad it hasn't stifled your interest in the game. The new stuff looks great and the bridges in the last pic look great (even if they aren't of the same type...chalk it up to a fresh coat of paint of something). Regarding the annihalaition remains, one possible explaination would be that the remaining features were flora items (though that would be odd for parks etc) as the obliterate city option leaves the trees and terraforming alone (unless you just bulldozed everything, in which case I'm stumped). Glad to see everything has been shaping up nicely.
&apls great update. the rail bridge is a nice touch, and you really do show off the RHW.
You do good work! ;D :thumbsup:
Sweet, I made the best-seller's list... move over New York Times, here comes SC4Devotion :P
Many thanks to everyone who replied:
thundercrack83 - Thanks for the compliment!
Frankie - Thanks!
Glenni - Thank you, and welcome as a first-time commenter here.
BigSlark - Tutorial... I can do that... actually it'll be more of a run-through of all the tricks I use. ;) About those overpasses, they're available on the STEX, and can be found: here (http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?id=13869). They're made by buddybud, and are an essential download if you extensively use sunken networks (like I do).
pat - Thank you! The RHW is working well for me now that I've had a chance to enjoy it ;D
threestooges - Bah, plugin troubles happened to me before (in Iraq, where I couldn't rebuild my plugins folder), and I'm still here. I did figure out that obliteration issue- the city tile I obliterated got corrupted prior to the obliteration. But thankfully it's not a worry anymore.
EDGE4194 - Thanks!
Sometimes work gets to you and you need a place to relax. This was the place where I relaxed this afternoon :)
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My apologies for such a miniscule update... I'm busy rebuilding a bunch of cities and many of them aren't quite ready for public presentation. But, as requested by BigSlark I'll be highlighting some of the tricks I use to blend the RHW into the scenery of my regions. Stay tuned.
That park looks great, meinhosen! Good luck with the great rebuilding project and I'll be looking forward to seeing more!
Meinhosen you defintly got me captured and tunning inn.
I love that park that is sweet with the cresent moon pond
it seems to draw you right to the middle. see you next
update - pat
Now that is truly mastery of the BSC Park set. It reminds me of the Boston Commons in some ways - it's compact, yet spacious, and it's a good refuge from the surrounding urban jungle.
-aaron
That is a great looking park you have made. :thumbsup:
This is an awesome CJ. One of the best I've seen in a very long time :thumbsup:
Some beautiful stuff here, meinhosen. :)
That park is looking stunning! Is is custom made or did you download it?
That's a beautiful park, meinhosen! :thumbsup: &apls
Exquisitely done. The symmetry of the park is very nice. It seems like a perfect place to go to spend a lunch hour, or just to stroll through. I also like how the line of sight from the top and bottom (of the pic) entrances allow people to see through to the fountain, but overall the park maintains a very secluded feel.
Amazing park. It looks like something out of roller coaster tycoon. haha. Very well done. Those highways are stellar as well!
Hello my friend!
back again ... changed my work to a way better job - with the disadvantage that the new job consumes more of my time and the energy at the moment ... but I don't complain - It was like the chance you get once in your live!
now back to the basics! ;D
Yes, those terraformed overpasses do look good - especially in rural environments butr I would think about not totally plastering them with retaining walls - for this their slopes are too big. A grass lot looks better there - even better as cycledogs ground textures as these greens are artifical.
Good work with the BuddyBud overpass. And 35 min is not too bad ... I have the same problems from time to time!
That park is great arranged with these concentric ways! reminds me of Damrok's great parks (I guess you know what I mean! ;) )
Take care my friend!
Bernhard :thumbsup:
Chalk it up to being busy, but I had an update all ready and planned and I totally forgot about it for 2 weeks. Oh well, at least I didn't lose it :P
Thanks for your kind comments (thundercrack, pat, pickled_pig, kwakelaar, Metasmurf, Mulefisk, bat, threestooges, Giligone, & Nardo)
@Mulefisk - That's a combination of a bunch of lots from the BSC park set.
@Nardo - I agree about the retaining walls... they don't fit well on the terraformed overpasses. That was one of the first I did- subsequent overpasses are bare or have wildflowers and trees.
And now for the *forgotten* update
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A couple close-ups of the horse farms and stables surrounding Grantville.
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I'm still keeping the theme of symmetrical parks... it makes it a lot easier to plan them ;D
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Typical cookie-cutter suburban housing. It makes you wonder how often residents of the neighborhood accidently walk into the wrong house...
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The Grantville Micro-Brewery (one of my favorite industrial buildings... even though it's a reward)
I love lose farm fields. Could you tell me where you got those fences in the middle of the pastures? I like the High school complex too- they're
often forgotten in SC4. I'll be watching for more. :thumbsup:
Outstanding, my friend. Simply outstanding! I love the farms and the industries and the residential neighborhoods, fantastic work! Keep it up!
Great update! I like all the farm screenies, they look good! My favorite picture has to be the last one, something about the brewery just grabs my attention :P
meinhosen that was a fantastic update, i loved the rural feel to Grantville. - pat
Hi meinhosen ,
These farms surrounded by trees are outstanding , indeed ... sunflower fields ... Ha , I love them so much in RL .... ::)
I enjoy other pictures too ; you're skilled about small/middle towns ... :thumbsup:
Excellent looking farms, and the school with the sportsfields also very nice.
Hi,
I've been away too lng, but your updates make the visit worthwhile :)
That's a lovely update meinhosen. I think I could live in Grantville. no problem. And indeed, it is said before but those farms look good. Damn good.
Strech.
I love the midwestern feel to your MD. You've done a very nice job at capturing the essence of small town living...as always your farms are outstanding.
Fantastic pictures of the farms! Also great ones from the city! :thumbsup:
You have nailed american suburbs and have taken farmland to a new level. I like the way you've divided certain farms with fences. It gives them an extra sense of depth. I think, for me, the most impressive shot of this update is the train rolling by the school. It has a bit of everything, and appears to be quite well thought out. Excellently done.
Great lookin' picks meinhosen! Your feel for the heartland is right on. &apls
Hello Meinhosen - I like the Brewery. I think I'll spend some time this evening and hunt it down. Amazing how many nice things are available for download. I am glad for these MD's because I spot things that I've missed.
Also a good idea extending the farm fences. Why have I not thought of doing that ::)
So, two good ideas from your last update. Thanks!
ive been following your MD for a while, and I must say this is AMAZING!!
It is very real and beautiful. :thumbsup: Will definately keep following it
You've certainly captured the small town USA feel with those last shots, Meinhosen - excellent stuff indeed
I'm not going to go so far as to say this might be my last update for a few months, but I definitely won't rule out the possibility that it very well might be...
*makes mental note to self to see if there's internet access at Camp Godforsakenandlostinthewoods*
Thanks to all for a lot of great comments.
Travis - I think I answered the question of the fences in a PM, but for the sake of sharing it with the group: they can be found here. (http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?id=4585) I would go so far as to say they're a must-have for all rural-loving SC4 players. :) The high school complex is yet another idea I got from a fellow MDer/CJer... one who I can't remember at the moment. &mmm
thundercrack - Thank you!
Frankie, pat, kwakelaar - Thanks!
Badsim - Sunflower fields are great in RL, and they're so stinking hard to find here in the US (at least the parts I'm familiar with). At least I can find them in SC ;D
Strechnitz - I'm glad I could make a once-in-a-while visit worthwhile :) And I'm sure I could set you up with a palatial home in Grantville if you plan on moving ;) :P
Yoder, bat & glepet - Thanks for the great comments!
threestooges - Actually, those fences through the fields are an idea taken from Darmok. A LONG time ago I saw it in his CJ at SimTrop (he hasn't done it since), so I copied the idea.
jmyers - Hope the PM helped in the hunt for the brewery. I'm glad to see that I can provide some inspiration to the BATter whose work comprises about 99% of my farms.
guurgkud - Glad to see you here! Thanks for joining along in the journey. :)
mattb325 - Thanks!
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More fun with the Lot Editor and with Ilive's Reader.
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The Cedarville dump. You can never have enough rats in a city. :shocked2:
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The plaza and fountains outside of the Nebraska Statehouse (seen in the lower middle).
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Interstate 180 winds through central Cedarville, eventually merging with Capitol Parkway and heading out to the industrial suburbs southwest of Cedarville. Here you see it winding through an older section of the city.
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Directly west of the previous picture is Cedarville's commercial core. Lots of low-rise and brick-urban structures make up Cedarville, although many of these are abandoned and being torn down to make way for newer businesses and residences.
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Just west of Cedarville's historic railroad station (former Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, now BNSF, now maintained by Amtrak) is this stand of buildings. Known as Station Square, these are Cedarville's oldest highrises.
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Here's another view of Station Square, with the station visible to the right.
This might be my last update for a while, so I hope you have enjoyed it.
For those interested, I'll be at West Point for the duration of the summer. I'm not sure yet if I'll have regular 'net access, but I'll keep my fingers crossed that there's a good place down there to get connected.
Thanks for stopping by! :)
EDIT
About the West Point thing (aka the US Military Academy): my unit will be running cadets through a summer "Basic Training" program. I guess "camp" is a misleading term... it's simply the name of the place we'll be staying (similar in concept to, say, Camp Pendelton... which belongs to the Marines) and not so much like, say, band camp.
Hope that clarifies things a bit.
Your attention to detail is stunning, my friend! I love the sunken highways and the station square, it's magnificent work. Good luck at West Point!
Yeah, I visit AVR quite a bit myself. Darmok's AVR (Anduin River Valley Revisited, for those who were wondering) is a great place to steal... I mean... get inspiration... for new ideas.
Now then, about your camping trip (if you can necessarily call it that), I hope for the sake of wear and tear on the body that you will be instructing rather than being instructed. Will this "camp" be Westpoint as described at the end of your post, or something more rustic? Also, if you don't mind my asking, what are the nature of your duties at Westpoint?
You are really getting good with your park layouts (and use of the LE as well...that house in the first pic... so simple and so good). The dump is a nice touch too. You don't often see those in MDs too often (much less garbage disposal facilities). I might suggest though, unless it is the look you are going for, you might remove the row effect of the garbage heaps by moving around the trash props. That however, is the only thing I could suggest to make this update better. As I have said before, your attention to detail is amazing: the highway, and downtown Cedarville come to mind. Your selection of structures also adds a nice variety to the mix.
I hope your stay at Westpoint is enjoyable, and that you are able to find some internet access somewhere.
Looks great! I like the sloped "downtown" street best. :thumbsup:
Great pictures! Fantastic picture of the highway!! :thumbsup:
well this one time at band camp..... :D :D :D
hope you'll have some time to play SC4 and be able to upload your images here...this last update is really great. I love the sunken highway at night and the downtown shot with the street changing elevation. &apls
Love the last few updates, great work, excellent pictures. I like the use of buddybud's sunken highway walls. I use those lots alot, I think they are great, hopefully he can get back to making some more stuff for us. Your DT looks very nice as well, very good choice of buildings.
Robin :thumbsup:
The sunken highway is a fantastic looking picture, and futher nice looking images from Cedarville.
really nice, as kwakelaar I like the sunken highway , and Cedarville looks nice :) (love your previous update too, may I ask the name of your favourite industrial building, even if it's a rewarrd ?)
Meinhosen wow that update is just awsome... What about the Jarheads LoL my dad was at Camp Pendleton... Well i hope you are safe during this summer and take care my friend and be safe with the kiddies LoL....
Hi, meinhosen,
Cedarville and Grantville are looking quite credible. This diary always was a nice mix of town and country. The inner city park was a nice lunch hour getaway. I'm an ol' farm fence-r from way back--time consuming (however not as time consuming as the days I spent helping my dad fix real fence), but what farm doesn't have them? Do you get the brewery as a reward when you grow enough hops?
I always wanted to try those highway wall, and I have that Simgoober station but haven't used it yet. Does the clock really keep game time?
Thanks for sharing, and bye for now
--Liv
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg409.imageshack.us%2Fimg409%2F7537%2Fheartlandsplashpu1.jpg&hash=ae87233a0af37bc5def31da5e77d5cb84d8677f5)
Well friends, this will probably be my last post until August. Before I say "Adieu" to you all for the summer, I'll leave you with a few classic screenshots, and the rarest of the rare- my cities during their planning and building stages. But first, thanks to whom thanks belongs: :)
thundercrack - Thank you for the kind compliment and the wishes.
threestooges - Ah, let me clarify a bit: I'll be teaching college students how to be Soldiers. Nothing too rustic... the Army never does rustic $%Grinno$% As for the dump: I agree about the symmetry of the trash. The lot(s) in question are actually a very nice set done by North Country Dude and modeled on a vehicle dump. They can be found here. (http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?id=15384)
emilin - Thanks! I honestly didn't see it was sloped... but it makes for a nice touch now that you mention it.
bat - Thank you!
Yoder - I'm not going to make any promises on uploads/updates until I can actually make one. On the bright side, when I came back from Iraq I had two brand new regions... so two months away might bring a lot of fun new stuff.
rooker - Thanks! I've seen those rural walls used a lot recently in urban settings and liked the look (thanks to Marcszar for the inspiration). I think it turned out well. There's also been a rash of nice, old urban American structures hitting the STEX recently... which inspired me to start redoing my urban areas.
kwakelaar - Thank you!
novo vesfalo - Ah yes, that building is SimGoober's Yuengling Brewery. (http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?id=13213) Make sure you read the readme (learn from my mistake &ops) and pick up the regional tracking mod... else you'll never get offered the reward.
pat - LOL! I have nothing against
blockheads, erm Jarheads.
Livin in Sim - The brewery has two different requirements:
Mayor Rating over 85 -or- 50 Hop Farm Fields in Region OR 8 Pubs in the city. I think that small city actually met both requirements. And yes, that clock does indeed keep game time. It's a cool set of props that SG put together, and makes for a nice effect on the building.
Before I share, let me say this: I do my building and eye-candy on a budget... i.e. everything runs within the city's budget (SC4 farm towns make fantastic cash... it's true) The town itself isn't quite ready for it's eye-candy coating yet, but the already-developed farms and landscape was...
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg49.imageshack.us%2Fimg49%2F7830%2Fbrockton1hk4.jpg&hash=63d3602df343bf5622ecba8afe2d59750320179b)
What you see is this: farmfields awaiting the inevitable sprawl of suburbia (the yet-to-be-built empty quarter in the upper left). The RR tracks and dark trees are placeholders for a series of streams I've not yet plopped at the time of the screenshot.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg407.imageshack.us%2Fimg407%2F1774%2Fbrockton2cu4.jpg&hash=7e0c2a0e8f9fb5513e36b7f724b42ce95d0da24d)
Here you see the early of developing a crossing for my stream(s). This was mainly my chance to see if the combination of the trees, stream, bridge, and farms would work well together.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg409.imageshack.us%2Fimg409%2F3863%2Fbrockton3ek1.jpg&hash=f93edae070855cb1cc84996f6281b008d9ae627b)
Laying roads and putting down zones. The beauty of suburban neighborhoods is that you can use your imagination with the streets and still make it look realistic ;D
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg409.imageshack.us%2Fimg409%2F1287%2Fbrockton4dq2.jpg&hash=c1e8f464a804b6ad1772408500d5f2b87db60b9b)
Prior to sprawl, every small town starts out with a small, gridded area. Brockton, being no different, has a small residential grid that is surrounded by farms and soon-to-be upscale housing.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg49.imageshack.us%2Fimg49%2F7933%2Fbrockton5vh8.jpg&hash=3040caab9f337f7b5cdd0029841360963b117aba)
Here's where we leave the concept pics and move into the finished product (excuse the gridlines). Actually, I got so engrossed in building the city I forgot to continue to take screenshots until this pic and the two that follow.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg409.imageshack.us%2Fimg409%2F6813%2Fbrockton6mv7.jpg&hash=4f58c645e52a05789c8001319831b1db1d2a5fba)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg409.imageshack.us%2Fimg409%2F4629%2Fbrockton7lt4.jpg&hash=d6ed4cfb72e1b9e93d0c86846c414e95170484f1)
Two pics of the finished rural side of town. I'm fairly certain that once I return you'll see the completed town of Brockton, Nebraska.
If I don't get a chance to visit during June or July, I'll definitely be seeing you in August!
EDIT David/Dedgren - Please, please, please, please, please, please, please (have I made my point :P) don't move this to the "Completed MD" Section. I know I'll most likely not get a chance to update within the next 60 days... but some time around August 15 I'll be back and ready to update this MD again.
Nice update. I like to see how others plan their regions. Have a good summer and looking forward to August.
Wonderful update, meinhosen!
Like the "river" and especially the 5th picture! :thumbsup:
The fth picture will be a sure winner. I would like to know how you did that.
Wonderful :o
I love your fields &apls
More great work. Have a great summer!
Interesting - not so much different from me ... ;)
Just one thing: Which Street Side mod du you use? I ask because you have the PEG dirt shoulders only on the empty areas and next to farms - just as I want but didn't get by now ...
Take care and make Backups!
Bernhard :thumbsup:
&apls &apls Like the others i really enjoy the fifth picture. :thumbsup: Really well done.
LoL Meinhosen Blockheads hmmmm what would i say here to that about the army hmmm?
But anyways im a greeeeeeeeeat guy LoL and we are friends so anyways i hope you are having
a blast with the kiddies LoL and cant wait to see the next update in August - pat
Your farms are tremendous. I'll be counting the days until August 15...59 more to go!
Consider this space reserved for an update sometime soon. ;)
And yes, I'm alive, well, and I have internet access for an extended weekend. ;D
&apls &apls &apls
Woohooo Meinhosen great to see you got some ferlow cant wait to see your update
space reserved for final comment LoL
Pic 5 is very appealing!
LOL! Almsot wrote "apalling"
Wow... I go away for two and a half months and look what happens to SC4... the CAM, a mess of new plugins, and me with a lot of fun new stuff to sort through.
Turns out that West Point was a busy time for me. I had little time to play, and it looks like that trend will be continuing until November when I head back to Iraq. As far as a commitment to a MD goes, I'm unsure of my ability to adequately update it to satisfy both myself and my readers.
I want to extend a special thanks to all of you who have read and replied over this busy summer. Here's something to look forward to... assuming I ever get to finish it.
EDIT
Cheers to my not reading the replies close enough. Here are a few answers:
kwakelaar- I used buddybud's rural highway walls and the NAM to bridge that PEG canal.
Nardo- Swamper has a "suburban addition" to the dirt-shoulder's mod on PEG's website that addresses some of the issues that plague the original mod. It works pretty well for mixed areas (as seen in the previous update).
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg504.imageshack.us%2Fimg504%2F9195%2Fprogress1mj7.jpg&hash=b13b7b9eefaea1a4f746034b4ee5c838ec1d21b7)
You're back! Good to hear the West Point went well. Don't worry about trying to crank out updates, a pic here and there is just as good. Especially so when they are like the one you've just shown (you should enter that in the photo competition... it should go pretty far if not all the way). The train rolling through downtown just looks so real (perhaps because I saw somthing similar today in a slightly less dense area of Los Angeles). If I may ask, what are the buildings on the lower left side of the pic? At any rate, please continue to showcase your work. Something is better than nothing. Pics like your last one, and the 5th of the previous really add insight to what the game can do and (at least for me) provide good sources of inspiration (theft) for things to do in the game. Good to know you are well. Take it easy.
Meinhosen welcome back from West Point.... I do belive this update was a real master peice and awsome.... :thumbsup: :thumbsup: Im soo happy to see you back and yes alot has changed since you left us for the summer alot of good changes at that too.... CAM is a very good asset to the game its anther stepup from Deluxe edition.... I see you are heading out to Iraq... I see you are due for deployment in November man that bites the biiiiig one... I hope you are gonna be able to play some, in between dodging bullets and mortar shells...
Nice to see you back here, although it might be for just a short period.
Look forward to a new update.
Very good to hear that you are back and that everything went well. Now when do we get some new pics....lol. Soon I hope. ::)
Robin ()stsfd()
Glad to see you back - even if briefly. You do fantastic work! :thumbsup:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg504.imageshack.us%2Fimg504%2F9195%2Fprogress1mj7.jpg&hash=b13b7b9eefaea1a4f746034b4ee5c838ec1d21b7)
The traffic is great in this picture--gives it that busy feel. I have a feeling it's from your generator... $%Grinno$%
Wonderful choice of BATs as well. Nofunk's w2w buildings are a personal favorite of mine and your placement of them in your city does it justice. :thumbsup:
oh wow! i remember this gem from several months ago, haven't visited in quite a bit, but i can still tell your work is still excellent :D like eddie, i really enjoy that 'busy traffic' pictures, i also like the train passing by with the gates close, just a small detail that looks great! nice job :)
Welcome back, my friend! Glad to hear that everything at West Point went well! Beautiful picture, too! I'll be looking forward to seeing what you have in store for us, whenever it is!
Well I am glad to see your most recent update, but I want to wish you good luck on your deployment. Lord knows us soldiers need all the luck we can get. Hope all goes well and who knows, I may run into ya over there in '09 when my unit is slated to go.
I'd like to thank everyone who has posted kind comments, questions, and suggestions over the past few months. I regret to say that with an increasing amount of responsibility with work (and an increasing amount of work) I'm unable to continue this MD. Thankfully, I won't be dropping entirely off the forums and will at least have some time to post here and there. Perhaps I will occasionally be able to post here and there on the "Show us your..." forums, too.
threestooges, to answer your question about the building(s) featured in the last picture: they're by nofunk, and can be found on the STEX.
Eddie, ah yes... that's traffic from the generator... but they're new [read: unreleased] lots (check out the avenue in the lower middle of the pic... the generator lot is slightly visible and marked with a high-wealth streetlight).
ryalmighty1, yeah, it'd be crazy to meet someone from SC4D in Iraq. What'd be a real trip is if your unit relieved mine...
For one last hurrah, here's region shots of all 4 regions I've grabbed screenshots from:
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg165.imageshack.us%2Fimg165%2F9190%2Fcedarvilleneaj8.jpg&hash=3a40e8c60070bce529b41d8330cbd1d788f424ec)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg204.imageshack.us%2Fimg204%2F2927%2Fclarkcountycotz5.jpg&hash=b6e93fde034e05cc40d793deab49e15616d02ad8)
Next is the Quad Cities Region- something I began work on prior to leaving for West Point. It remains unfinished.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg204.imageshack.us%2Fimg204%2F3544%2Fquadcitiesareafg3.jpg&hash=06e15d648a06590f06778d69e7d84a0572711e86)
Finally, the city that started it all... Ralston, KY.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg204.imageshack.us%2Fimg204%2F9581%2Fralstonkyti1.jpg&hash=ef4956cc84774bd13420092a492144e4143af780)
Thank you!
Your work is always a treat to behold. We will miss your regular updates, but glad you will not be a stranger. Your region views are great, great stuff. Take care and hope to see you again soon!
:)
meinhosen i have to say for the last Hurrahhhhhhhhhhh it was a blast my friend and thank you so very much for sharing when have been able to :thumbsup: :thumbsup: Remember each day is a special day since you are around for anther day to see a sunset.... Heres something for ya's to close out this wonderful MD and the reason you do your JOB!!! see you around the forums - pat
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg530.imageshack.us%2Fimg530%2F6654%2Feagleandfladyt4.png&hash=2688f266b8b3705f0d73782220296f13150502e3)
Sorry to hear that you won't be updating anymore, my friend, but it's truly been a pleasure viewing your work! I hope all is well!
Meinhosen, it is us who should be thanking you for making such a well presented MD. I don't think I could express it any better than pat has. I'm glad it has lasted as long as it has, and that you won't be a complete stranger around here. Just make sure you at lest show some pics every now and then, they look great. Good luck in your future endeavors, and keep in touch.
-Matt (threestooges)
Sorry to hear that, but wonderful region overviews of that great looking four regions! :thumbsup:
Your regional shot is so incredibly realistic. Perfectly done!!
&apls &apls &apls
Robin :thumbsup:
Perhaps I was premature in saying that last update was my final one... It's fall again... and it's time for me to do what I do best.
Schulmanator, pat, thundercrack, Matt (threestooges), bat, and Robin (rooker) - Thanks!
Enjoy these dabbles in 1024x768. I think it's a nice diversion from my usual 800x600
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg295.imageshack.us%2Fimg295%2F3870%2Fmorningfogym2.jpg&hash=d9e971328c54d6fbff7929daffef86eeefefefba)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg511.imageshack.us%2Fimg511%2F4773%2Fcolorfulseptemberjx0.jpg&hash=0f40540d6ab3621aaa4e04a783ee15ef162c283a)
Hi, meinhosen,
What a treat to see those last two big, beautiful pics, and all the fine details of those regions. I think my favorite was Clark County, Colorado, with its deep valleys and quaint mountain towns. But they were all good. You really have an exceptionally realistic way of blending countryside with the towns, farms, and landscape features. I never tire of seeing your rolling cropland, winding roads and tracks, and scenic rural vistas.
I will keep an eye out for your work; please do throw up a few pics here and there? You must always know that you, as one of the brave men and women who serve in our armed forces, have our undying respect and gratitude for keeping our Heartland, and the rest of the country, safe. Keep "your pants" :D (and the rest of you) in one piece over there, OK? :thumbsup:
Bye for now.
--Liv
Ah, do those train pics bring me back to the ones you posted way back at ST. *nostalgic*
They've obviously been improved upon with better custom content and different lighting, and it's never looked more gorgeous. :thumbsup:
Submit the first one to the picture thread, then after that goes to the Hall of Fame, try the second one!
Amazing. Absolutely amazing, my friend! You are truly an artist!
I agree with thundercrack83, very artistic. Wanderful picture, very realsitic and your skills in photoshop are very good. Great job on the fog.
&apls &apls &apls
Robin :thumbsup:
I am glad that you decided to have another update as I enjoy looking at your pictures.
Great Detail shots ... glad that you did not stop, too!
Bernhard :thumbsup:
nice sunset or is it a sunrise? :)
WOW meinhosen i go away for a bit and to see you updated wow and im glad you are not giving up totaly yet thank you for still sharing your awsome country shots - pat
Well meinhosen, every update keeps getting better and better. I don't think that smalltown MD's get any better than this. Keep up the good work. Yeah, it would be odd if my unit relieved yours. You wouldn't happen to be in an MP unit would you...?
The unsinkable Heartland. I was hoping there would be more posts here... even if there can't be regular updates, periodic ones are still good too.
&apls &apls Super pics you got . It`s a real postal card. Great fog effect and lovely color :thumbsup: :thumbsup:, even if that remember us that the winter comming ;D
Quote from: ryalmighty1 on September 18, 2007, 10:04:02 AM
You wouldn't happen to be in an MP unit would you...?
Yeah, I would be an MP in a line MP unit...
Quote from: Madeira on September 17, 2007, 11:28:28 AM
nice sunset or is it a sunrise? :)
It's a sunrise... but they do look pretty similar in-game.
More to follow on the weekend.
Good to see you are still around- can't wait for those pics this weekend. Those last two pictures are great,
they look so, what's the word I'm looking for, Midwestern? :) Not that I've ever been out there, but you get the idea. :P
Wonderful pictures of that railway! Great work! :thumbsup:
Meinhoses - I am soooo glad you decided to get back here! Looking forward to more of your great updates at this place :thumbsup:
One of the things I like the most is hearing feedback from you all, and one of the things I like the most is providing you all with a bit of my own: :)
Livin in Sim- I think I can manage to throw up a few pics once in a while... hope you enjoy the ones that follow :)
Eddie - Thanks for the tip on the Picture Competition... Looks like you were right on in recommending a good pic ;D
thundercrack - Thank you! I guess SC4 is my artistic medium...
rooker - I'm still working on minimum photoshopping... that fog is an in-game lot (found here) (http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?id=17898) It's a lot designed for those who really love to create specific images in their CJs/MDs... I'm glad mjig shared it with us.
jmyers - Thank you!
Bernhard/Nardo - Thank you again, my friend!
Madeira - lol, again, it's sunrise... hopefully with the new mod by Gizmo it'll be able to distinguish dawn from dusk easier in the screenshots. :)
pat - I never intended on giving up SC4... RL just hit me hard enough to make me reconsider being constant and consistent with updates here on SC4D.
ryalmighty - "better and better"... I try. It should be more along the lines of "Doing the same thing again and again without repeating myself" $%Grinno$%
threestooges - Periodic... that works :P I'll be happy enough to be able to produce weekly updates.
kimcar - Yes... fall is a sad reminder of winter... but winter means skiing and interesting (read: cold) hiking.
Travis - Thanks for posting pics of Gizmo's mod! I was glad I could steal borrow the idea from a fellow MD-er. Never been to the Midwest, eh... consider this your tour through :)
bat - Thank you!
sebes - I'm glad I could make available time to play and time to share, and I appreciate the kind comments!
Courtesy of the Day/Night mod by Gizmo (found here) (http://gizmo.lunarpages.com/), I've been fiddling with the *new* darker nights and better sunrises and sunsets (nothing's radically different except a time and lighting change, but it seems a lot better).
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg292.imageshack.us%2Fimg292%2F3230%2Fmillfordnightuw1.jpg&hash=005a0696fc9bca133109dbd50da75596b4f917f4)
Dark nights in Millford, IN. If we were on the ground we'd see every constellation :)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg520.imageshack.us%2Fimg520%2F2236%2Fsouthboundfreightky5.jpg&hash=97853e4c1aaf1f28fde43b9cf83b023ee02a69c1)
A morning freight train glidding south amongst the farm fields enroute to the Ohio River.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg520.imageshack.us%2Fimg520%2F2420%2Fmillfordmorninghq0.jpg&hash=d4bb5555535c227360136fccae268b3d2d098bb0)
Saturday morning in downtown Millford. Local farmers are going to be the only traffic on Main Street for a couple of hours.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg292.imageshack.us%2Fimg292%2F8656%2Fmillfordcoopuj6.jpg&hash=6becac3572deaa0f1dbc1a7c716998e030dec12f)
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg292.imageshack.us%2Fimg292%2F1707%2Fautumnappleslg4.jpg&hash=95d57cd686d4aa17cf0343450521f8e668812baf)
Seeing an apple orchard in the fall brings memories of cold mornings, fresh apples, fresh cider, and fresh doughnuts. I can't even begin to explain how much I love all four of those.
Great new pictures, meinhosen! :thumbsup: Fantastic work!
Personallly i found the Gizmo`s mod a bit too dark . I know it`s not easy to do it and i know a lot of people gonna prefer it , but i think we miss too much city details . but it`s only my choice . As for the rest of your pics , there still very nice to look at it &apls &apls. Super job you have done. Take care. :thumbsup:
Quote from: meinhosen on September 24, 2007, 08:15:45 PM
Eddie - Thanks for the tip on the Picture Competition... Looks like you were right on in recommending a good pic ;D
I just saw it in the Hall of Fame. You sly, you... $%Grinno$%
Once again, great update and some fantastic railroad scenery.
Great update and awesome pics. I not too sure about the new night modd. It looks very, very dark. I know that's exactly how night is. But you can't play the game like this, it can only be used for picture taking and even than it looks very dark. But on the other hand that dawn picture is incredible. I love the colour and shadows. That maybe worth it, right there.
Secondly, your use of the seasonal trees is perfect. I really like your pictures, great work.
&apls &apls
Robin :thumbsup:
Quickie-midweek update! ;D
bat - Thanks!
kimcar - I agree about Gizmo's mod making the night too dark... what his mod really does well is move dawn and dusk to a more appropriate time (5-7 AM for dawn; 6-8 PM for dusk, with complete darkness coming at 9PM). Thank you, too, for the compliments!
Eddie - Thanks!
Robin a.k.a. rooker - I only use the night mode on Gizmo's mod when I'm not building... it's too dark to actually use to build or "eye-candy" your cities. Like I said, the mod shows its usefulness with dawn and dusk, which is why I downloaded it.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg487.imageshack.us%2Fimg487%2F4690%2Fpumpkinfieldzc1.jpg&hash=9342f9e74a73b7d6ddac479230eb10881f1eb16f)
One of my favorite BSC farmfields- it also happens to be very seasonal.
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Cycledogg/Cyclepuppy's new prop pack has really improved the look of his seasonal trees. They have a lot more color variation. I'd highly recommend downloading it if you like fall color. :thumbsup:
With the upcoming weekend, I'll try to include some RL pics of the leaves here in Upstate New York (they're spectacular) so you can get some contrast of the Heartland with the real world :)
Great new picture(s), meinhosen! That's looks beautiful with the seasonal trees and farmfields! :thumbsup:
Those are very beautiful farms. I love the train picture best. Does using the seasonal trees slow down your computer?
&apls
Robin :thumbsup:
Quote from: patfirefghtr on September 17, 2007, 10:05:38 PM
WOW meinhosen i go away for a bit and to see you updated wow and im glad you are not giving up totaly yet thank you for still sharing your awsome country shots - pat
LoL Meinhosen what i meant in this comment was I'm glad you didn't give up your MD for good as i love it and love following along with your trains and country side shots as you are the master of Beauty and i will see you at the next update - pat
Hi, meinhosen,
Yes, I am enjoying the fall season of the Heartland, and I may try that night mod. I kinda like the realistic darkness. I must confess, sometimes I just let the game cycle and observe it. Or have you ever queried a udriveit and "driven" around your city on autopilot without having to use those pesky controls? It's fun, but sometimes the Sim driver starts circling around like a cruising adolescent. $%Grinno$% I love the variance in color of those trees, but didn't know c.p. had a new pack. I have searched but can't see a new one. Is it on the Lex?
Well, I'm off for some pumpkin pie.
Bye for now.
--Liv
As always, your pictures are absolutely amazing, my friend! So realistic looking and colorful! It's always a pleasure to see an update here!
Thanks for the explanation about the Gizmo`s mod . As for the pics you just show, they are gorgious. &apls &apls :thumbsup:
Part 1 of a 2-part update: mixing the real-world with the sim-world.
bat - Thank you for the kind comment, and you've got excellent timing... I think this is the second or third update you've had the first reply too. :thumbsup:
Robin/rooker - Using the seasonal trees isn't very taxing on my computer... and I should know best, since it's very slow. Actually seasonal props don't seem to make any noticable difference in game slowdowns- those only come on large city tiles or when a lot of stuff develops at one time.
Pat - Thanks Pat! Heard on the news that N. Wisconsin had a rough weekend with that shooting. &mmm
I'm sure the Packers loss to the Bears didn't improve moods much, either.
Liv - Thanks for the comments! And no, I've never queried a U-Driveit. I usually turn those off shortly after starting a new city... come to think of it, I've never used that part of the game. Check out the LEX for CP Mega Props Volume 1. It has all the upgraded tree props, and should be one of his newest contributions to the exchange.
thundercrack - Thanks! I'm trying a new experiment with realism by attempting to model something after a picture I snapped this afternoon... we'll see how it works out later in the week.
kimcar - Thanks for the comments. I'm always happy to explain mods I use... especially the new ones that not a lot of folks use.
Here's a bit of the real-life inspiration I use. If anyone is curious, the photo was taken in La Fox, IL- very close to where I grew up. If you can't tell that the rail-fascination extends past Sim City, I hope this is evidence enough for you ;D
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I'm hoping to re-create this scene in Sim City, so we'll all find out together how well it works out. I'm planning on having it ready to go soon (this weekend), but work and other commitments will most likely be the final factor on how quickly I can actually do this. ;) This also ought to give me excuse enough to do some straight eye-candy work, without such trivial distractions as: "does this city actually function?" or, "why are the stinking farms not growing anymore!?!" or, "stupid sugarcane farm, you don't grow in temperate climates!" :P
meinhosen thank you for your thoughts.... its very scary to think that Crandon is in my backyard about only 15 miles from me.... Naw im happy Da Bears won but yea for the packer fans that didnt help any.... That pic should prove a good challenge for you to recreate and you know what i have faith and confidence that you will do it justice....
Hello, meinhosen! Beautiful picture of the train, my friend! I'm definitely interested in seeing how you capture this scene in-game. If it's anything like the rest of your work, I'm sure it will be amazing! I'll be looking forward to it!
Yes, Nice picture of that train! Also looking forward to the recration. ;)
woooohaaa a picture of a train and an announcement of an update replicating the picture....
I am exicted looking forward to that .. %BUd% %BUd% %BUd%
Ist it a Dash 9 ? I think that`s the only locomotive I know from U.S.A. :D
I like german locomotives, or their freight waggons :D
Years ago the TCDD important some machines that looked almost the same - the class DE21.5. I don't know if they are still in service.
The standard Diesel is the DE24, if their power isn't enough, there is the DE33, too. I saw a lot of them when I did a weekend - railway trip to Western Anatolia in August. As you can see in this http://www.trainsofturkey.com/ (http://linkie) Turkish Diesel are quite similar to Americans.
Nice pic anyway. I would love to here their sound - only the sound of a heavy freight steam engine beats the sound of a great Diesel engines ....
Take care
Bernhard :thumbsup:
Royal, Nardo, and anyone else who isn't an American Railfan,
I believe those are EMD-built SD40-2T's. The "SD" stands for Special Duty which equates to six axle trucks, its in the 40 model series (which doesn't mean its the 40th SD locomotive model that EMD produced), the "-2" refers to the updated electrical system, and the "T" stands for Tunnel Motor. The Southern Pacific and Denver & Rio Grande Western both had numerous tunnels on their routes and therefore the standard high air intakes would pull in hot, dirty air from the top of the tunnels, reducing the power output of the locomotive. As a result, EMD designed Tunnel Motors that have lower air intakes. The locomotives they built were the SD40-2T (3000 hp) and the SD45-2T (3600 hp). The Southern Pacific and Rio Grande purchased SD40-2T's and only the Southern Pacific purchased SD45-2T's. In the 1990's the D&RGW and SP merged and in 1996 the SP was bought by the Union Pacific, which is why these locomotives wear Armour Yellow today.
Cheers,
Kevin
Hello, meinhosen!
It's with great pleasure that I can inform you that, with this post, I'll be moving your MD to the Classics section! Congratulations, my friend! You've definitely earned it!
Now that is a well deserved category for this MD. Congratulations meinhosen, you've earned it.
A classic at last. &apls
The region view is amazing and I'm looking forward to seeing how you bring the picture into simcity :thumbsup:
Quote from: BigSlark on October 15, 2007, 04:28:56 PM
Royal, Nardo, and anyone else who isn't an American Railfan,
I believe those are EMD-built SD40-2T's. The "SD" stands for Special Duty which equates to six axle trucks, its in the 40 model series (which doesn't mean its the 40th SD locomotive model that EMD produced), the "-2" refers to the updated electrical system, and the "T" stands for Tunnel Motor. The Southern Pacific and Denver & Rio Grande Western both had numerous tunnels on their routes and therefore the standard high air intakes would pull in hot, dirty air from the top of the tunnels, reducing the power output of the locomotive. As a result, EMD designed Tunnel Motors that have lower air intakes. The locomotives they built were the SD40-2T (3000 hp) and the SD45-2T (3600 hp). The Southern Pacific and Rio Grande purchased SD40-2T's and only the Southern Pacific purchased SD45-2T's. In the 1990's the D&RGW and SP merged and in 1996 the SP was bought by the Union Pacific, which is why these locomotives wear Armour Yellow today.
Cheers,
Kevin
Thanks for the explanation to a railwayfan outside the US who mainly knew American Diesel machines because of RRT2 (never was a big fan of RRT3)
Actually the TCDD (Turkish Railways) uses a lot of American style machines (made under license in Europe AFAIK) and especially the DE33 (which means
Diesel -
Electric machine wit
3300 hp) looks rather similiar to the SD40
Bernhard :thumbsup:
PS:
Railwayfans of the world - Unite Unite! :D
Indeed a true classic.... I am glad with you that Heartland made it here! The region view is indeed excellent &apls
Double Engines in sc4? I got that. I used the train generators.
Sweeeeeeeet Congrats going classic on us meinhosen and i cant see that pic you posted at all siiiiiiigh, the one for your inspriation....
I just recogniced - it's your birthday ...
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Happy Birthday to You,
Happy Birthday to You,
Happy Birthday
dear Meinhosen,
Happy Birthday to You
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Bernhard :thumbsup:
Hey, amazing stuff! I haven't been around sc4devotion the past little while. I see I missed lots of your great work. Hope your next tour of Iraq goes well. My cousin (in the Marines) is going back soon too. January I think maybe... hmmm. Godspeed. :thumbsup:
About a month ago I planned an update that, sadly, I wasn't able to follow through on. My sincerest apologies for (once again) not keeping my word.
I wanted to take this time to thank all of you one final time for your support, kind comments, kind feedback, and all the great ideas and inspiration that I have received and taken from everyone. Tomorrow morning I will be turning in my internet router and will be without internet access for a substantial amount of time while I deploy to the Middle East. As this will be my last update with a MD until we all start playing SC Societies I had hoped to have a going-away gift for all of you, but alas real life has had a monopoly on my time since early October.
I've enjoyed my stay here, and will miss the fun that posting and reading comments on the forums brings. While I'm hesitant to say that I'll be around regularly, I will certainly attempt to drop by as time and mission allow.
Best of wishes to all of you, and a special thanks to all the regulars who helped bring this MD from the ground all the way up to a SC4D classic.
See you (at the very least) in 2009!
meinhosen.. a.k.a. Sgt K.. a.k.a. Chris..
It wouldn't be right to leave without responding the comments prior to this post...
pat - Thanks for all the great comments, jokes, and inspiration (from your MD). I do owe you a bigger thanks than I have time to type...
thundercrack - I'm sorry to disappoint... RL has been unkind. Thank you for the great comments, and a special thanks for making the post that bumped Heartland from a Best Seller to a Classic! ;D
bat & sebes - Thanks for the comment about the RL photo, and again, my apologies on not following through.
royal - No, unfortunately it's not a Dash 9. The lettering on the locomotive (not visible in that particular pic) identifies the engines as GP15's... really really old US freight engines.
Nardo (x3!) - I agree on the sound of the freight engines... when I heard/saw these coming I ended up racing my car to the bridge where the pic was snapped... I think it worked out well. And I do agree... railway fans of the world- Unite!
BigSlark - Close call on the locomotive type... like I told royal, they're GP15's. Former CNW if I had to take a guess. As for the SD40-2's, here's a link (http://photo.xanga.com/cl_kelleher/4618e151267573/photo.html) to a picture I snapped about an hour after the one I've already shown.
threestooges & Eddie - Thank you!
marcszar - Thanks marc! And yes, I am a model railroader, HO scale to be exact. I have a humble 4'x8' layout which is (suprise) rural in it's scenery.
urban & sebes - Thank you!
Godzillaman - I'm not sure how you managed double engines in SC4... but if you have a secret please share... ;) No, the only way I've been able to do that is by using static props or by adding extra engines in Adobe Photoshop.
Giligone - Thank you! I'll keep my eyes out for Marines... I'm sure that I'll run into more than a few if this time is anything like last time.
Thanks to all of you!
Chris,
It is us, not you, who should be doing the thanking. A MD doesn't become a classic without substantial dedication and passion for the work. That is, after all, why people post. I am certainly going to miss this MD, but I enjoyed the ride. I will be keeping an eye out just in case you're able to post a pic or two. While you may not be around regularly, you are always welcome around these parts, and it would be good to hear how things continue to go for you (as circumstances allow). Take it easy, we'll be here when you swing by.
-Matt (threestooges)
Wow. I can't believe I missed that one, Chris. Looking again I notice the lack of dynamic brakes and the 2-axle trucks. Ah well, living next to a constant stream of Illinois Central GP's, SD-70's, and SD-40-2's for the last couple of years have really dampened my spotting skills. I used to live near the Norfolk Southern's Alabama Great Southern line from Birmingham to New Orleans that was complete with Kansas City Southern trackage rights, back when they had an odd mix of leased and used power, ranging from ex-CN wide-body SD-40-2F's to leased Conrail GE's to the odd old MidSouth, previously ICG, nee Gulf, Mobile, and Ohio GP-35's and 30's, and not run through UP and BNSF motive power before repainting of BN/AT&SF/SP/Rio Grande units had really began in earnest. Not to mention the often 14-car strong Amtrak Crescent. Talk about train watching paradise...
Anyway, could you post some photos of your layout? I used to be an HO-scaler myself until time, money, and space conspired against me. I prefer Southern steam from the interwar years, I recently acquired the plans for a New Orleans & Great Northern 2-8-0 built in 1915 and my first major project once I get the time, space, and money back next year is to recreate this little jewel.
Okay, okay, enough railfanning on SC4D, and in your MD no less!
Cheers,
Kevin
Chris, my friend you have it all so wrong... It is I that owe you a biiiiiiiiiiig thanks to you.... &apls &apls &apls
You are serving our country and going back to Iraq.... That is a great sacrifice my friend,
one that i cant do for my country.... I'm glad to have been an inspiration to you and I'm
really sadden to see you sign off...
Chris i don't say this much but if its not a problem to the community at large, I would love to leave a little prayer for you...
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A Soldier's Prayer
Almighty Father, Whose Command is over all and Whose Love never faileth,
let me be aware of Thy presence and obedient to Thy will.
Keep me true to my best self, guarding me against dishonesty
in purpose and in deed, and helping me so to soldier and to live
so as to stand unashamed and unafraid before my fellow soldiers,
my loved ones, and Thee.
Protect those in whose love I live.
Give me the will to do the work of a man and to accept my share
of responsibilities with a strong heart and a cheerful mind.
Make me considerate of those entrusted to my leadership
and faithful to the duties my country has entrusted to me.
Let my uniform remind me daily of the traditions
of the Service of which I am a part.
If I am inclined to doubt, steady my faith;
if I am tempted, make me strong to resist;
if I should miss the mark, bestow upon me courage to try again.
Guide me with the light of Thy truth ~ and keep before me the life of
Him in Whose example and deliverance I trust.
In the name of my Lord,
Amen.
~ Authored by an unknown World War II U.S. Navy Serviceman
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Father god I want to ask that you protect Chris as he goes and serves his country with great pride an honor.... Send him the guardian's angels to watch over him and help him return safely to his family, his loved one's, his friends and to us on Devotions his online friends.... Your holy name i pray amen.................
Any one wishing to view A Soldier's Prayer [linkie] (http://www.geocities.com/kellyspace2/SoldiersPrayer/SoldiersPrayer.html) Please do so as that link was sent to me looooooong time ago and now i know why.... OK i thread jacked long enough god bless Chris and safe return - your Northwoods friend and FF/First Responder - Pat (PL-648)
Hello, my good friend!
I hope that all goes well for you in the Middle East and that you and your unit all stay safe! Your work, not only here, but more importantly as a member of our armed forces, will always be an inspiration to me!
Take care!
Dustin
Meinhosen, I will the updates and especially the great pictures that you took in the game, showing shamelessly to us all how skilled you are in the game.
I hope you will return safe back in the USA, and looking forward to see some more of excellent gameplaying after your returned.
Take care my friend.
Sebes.
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