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Building Collanden (With Port Icewater and other various projects)

Started by Albus of Garaway, August 27, 2008, 09:37:12 AM

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Albus of Garaway



Hello everyone, and welcome to my second MD. This one will not only house my current region, Port Icewater, but all my regions after that, and my LE works, map works, and maybe, just maybe, some BATs! (Did he really just say that?!) ()meeting()




The map I'll be using for Port Icewater is the absolutely amazing NHP Pacific Rim National Park by beskhu3epnm which can be found here:

http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?id=17661

In my fictional SimCity world, I imagine that Port Icewater is a province of a larger nation, and that they largely depend on their mother nation to provide them with food and other resources, considering much of the terrain is desolate and mountainous.

And now onto the first project of the region! :)

This first endeavor is Port Icewater City, and I would guess that it's probably the capital of Port Icewater (the provincial capital, anyway). Smashed between two mountains and a deep, skinny inlet, the city doesn't have much extra space. I'm trying to go for a look that screams 'Possible tourist destination', but yet the city hasn't quite been discovered yet by travelers.

As you can see, I think I'm almost done with the plopping (also note the grid has been turned on so that you can see the contours of the mountains better):






I can't wait to be able to put some flora/fauna/rocks around this little winding road.

I'm hoping to create some custom W2W growables for the downtown area, then a whole lot of typical suburban houses squished together on the valley, and finally some poorer citizens on some of the less-steep mountainsides.

I'm looking forward to build this region. Remember, your shaping the region as much as I am, so please, pitch in some suggestions! Honestly, if every comment had even the slightest suggestion, I would be the happiest man in the world.

Goodbye for now! Next time I think I'll explore custom growables.  ()testing()

art128

Hello Albus of Garaway very nice start here on your MD  &apls beautiful pictures
looking foward to more :thumbsup:
I'll take a quiet life... A handshake of carbon monoxide.

Props & Texture Catalog

oceanmariner

Hey I really like the sound of this!!!  You have an EXCELLENT start.  I love how it looks like a fjord, and I am especially looking forward to the terraced buildings along the fjord!  I love terraces!
Just make sure that you place a lot of forests and utilize the lovely waterfront!

Pat

Hey Albus you got a good start here to Port Icewater!!!  I would suggest to kill the grid by hitting G on your keyboard then take pics as it will give a better pic without the grid...  Also if you didnt know that in the newest NAM there are winding roads that would give a smoother transition there along the bank, just an FYI.... I cant wait to see how you further devolp Port Icewater!!!

Don't forget the SC4D Podcast is back and live on Saturdays @ 12 noon CST!! -- The Podcast soon to Return Here Linkie

Sheep49

Albus, nice job with plopping! I can't wait to see the 'growy' part.  ;)

Great job with a road on the last picture, but indeed it would look better with NAM smooth curves. ;D

I will definitely follow this MD!

Keep up the good work!  &apls
Piotr
Polish support forum - Cafe Poland * SC4Wiki! * My BATting thread

I am he, as you are he, as you are me and we are all together... - I Am The Walrus, The Beatles

Albus of Garaway



Well, I've had some problems with Port Icewater City in the past couple of days...:

1. Although the very strict terrain was a blast to build on in this tile, it forced an unrealistic population considering the size of the downtown. This may seem to be easily fixable at first, by simply making the downtown smaller, but that made the city look strangely disproportional.

2. While building the city (mostly in the zoning phase), I did almost all my work at a high zoom level. I was building the city to look good from above, but not from below. This is something I do sometimes, even though it's in my nature to nitpick every little detail. I really need to work on switching zoom levels and staying close to the ground.

3. I'm sure you remember my custom growables idea in the first update. Well... ()testing()

That's right, not only did they look horrible, but they wouldn't grow! I tried twice, but with no success. I'm very disappointed with this, because they were going to be one of the highlights of the city.

So, those are my excuses. I have a very good feeling I'll come back to this city and mess around with it some more in a (very far in the) future update.

I suppose you deserve the right to see at least one overview image of how this place turned out. Remember, I've turned the grid on for a reason, just as in the last update! It seems some people don't like to read the text...*COUGH* Pat *COUGH* Ha ha, only joking with you.


Just look at those repeating W2W's....shudders

Well, in my next update (coming very soon), I'll introduce the next city in this gorgeous region. This one will definitely take a lot longer, I have a feeling...

Until next time! I apologize for such a word-intensive update. I doubt I'll be getting many replies, since this was a status report more than anything. But thanks for viewing!




Replies

art128: Thanks! I apologize that this wasn't really a 'beautiful picture' update, but hopefully the next one...!

oceanmariner: I'm really sorry to disappoint you, Alex. I'm sure you would've liked me to spend much more time on the city...But do not despair, my friend! This next city should be much more detailed...!

Pat: As I already said in the text of the first and second updates, I've turned the grid on on purpose in this particular city. You naughty anti-text reader! :D

And thanks for the NAM suggestion. I tried it, and it definitely looks nice. I'll use it more in my rural areas from now on!

Sheep49: Yes, plopping is one of my specialties...! :D I'm sorry you couldn't really see much of the 'growy' part...

I tried the NAM curves, as I said to Pat, and I think they look great! Thanks for following this MD, I'm going to need some loyal followers to start me off! See you soon, Piotr!  :)

art128

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

Props & Texture Catalog

Yoman

Very interesting setting for the city, I like it how you haven't destroyed the terrain. The only thing is those ploped buildings may be a bit tall for the rest of the city, if you expand it they should be fine though.

Pat

LoL So I like pretty pictures hehehehe I know I am bad at not reading everything I should.... Anywho looking nice and I cant wait to see what you do next with the following city....

Don't forget the SC4D Podcast is back and live on Saturdays @ 12 noon CST!! -- The Podcast soon to Return Here Linkie

paroch

Hi Albus,

You ask for some suggestions.......I've not really tackled such steep terrain, so it's difficult for me to appreciate the fact that you have to adapt building styles.  I'd agree with Yoman that the plopped high buildings look a bit out of place. 

The view from the top of the mountain looking down is a really nice perspective - I would have liked to have seen the town after the development from that angle.

And as for saying your town is disproportionate - I disagree.  I think the large plopped buildings look too big , but the town itself is fine.  On that terrain it's bound to be that the town takes an odd shape.  Personally, I like the three orange towers on the hill overlooking the lake - can imagine them being popular places to live with great views.

I think I'd also build along the left hand bank of the lake.  Maybe some commercial next to the lake and then some 2x3 or 3x3 sized low density residential plots stretching back to where the hill starts to steepen.  And any of the houses by MattB would work well there (IMHO).

Don't give up on this city - I like it, and I think with some more low rise residentials it will look more "rounded".  And depending upon how much room there is to grow this city those big plopped building may just start to look at home there.

Good luck with your next phase.

Paul

NASCAR_Guy

Albus your city is Perfect. Looks like Alaska. &apls &apls &apls &apls
Show us what you look like http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=1142.0

Just call me Dave

oceanmariner

I love it!  I simply love it!  The slope-mod makes all the buildings on the terrain look quite realistic.

I look forward to when you come back to this city... ;)

Sheep49

The update is great! It really looks like the city in mountains!  &apls

Everything looks nice, clean and well-planned. Oh, and there's nothing wrong with repeating W2W buildings here. I think that every SC4 city with those will suffer from repeating some.  ;)

And I would suggest developing by the left shore of lake. (The one with some commercial buildings) It would be nice to see the medium-sized seaport there!  ;D
Piotr
Polish support forum - Cafe Poland * SC4Wiki! * My BATting thread

I am he, as you are he, as you are me and we are all together... - I Am The Walrus, The Beatles

Albus of Garaway

#13


Wow! I can honestly say that I am touched by such wonderful and, most importantly, helpful comments! Unfortunately, I do need a break from this city, but I promise that I'll come back to it and add all of your fantastic suggestions. :)

Anyway, I've started work on this next project. This city has much flatter land, which usually isn't my style, but I've been wanting to experiment with level land for a while now (How strange does that sound?). This city, called Manteca, will have much more opportunity for sprawl, which ought to be fun!

I've only started terraforming the land as I want it, so there's nothing too special yet. I also started adding an industrial seaport. While building this I was listening to Full House in the background, so you never know what I might have done here...


An overview of the terrain I'm working with. I'm almost positive the city will spill over in the neighboring tiles, but this is where the main city center will be.


The port will be my first endeavor.


Looking good!


That's looking great!

For the port, I think I'll have to use ploppable industrials. It'll be largely experimental, because I've never really dealt with industry before, but I'm looking forward to it.

Replies

art128: Thanks! Sorry I only had one picture, I should probably have had more...

Yoman: Yes, when I get back to the city in a few weeks, I'm planning to expand the city more to the western (left) bank of the fjord. Thanks for the suggestion, I really appreciate it!

Pat: I know, I completely understand. I almost never read the full text unless I have the time. I forgive you even more since my updates tend to be word-intensive... ???

paroch: Yes, the plopped buildings look strange as of now, but I'm planning to expand more to the western (left) bank of the fjord when I get back to the city in a few weeks, so that should make it look more natural. I'll also be sure to include that view for you when I get back to the city! And yes, I love the orange towers up on the hill. I was thinking the same thing about the western bank. Mattb's houses would work wonderfully there, wouldn't they? Thanks for such a wonderful comment! You deserve **Best Comment Award!**

NASCAR_Guy: Wow, perfect? He he, that's great! I suppose it does look a bit like Alaska, doesn't it?

Oceanmariner: Yes, I love **Ennedi's Slope Mod: The Greatest Slope Mod in the Sim-city Sphere!** (Shameless advertising...)

Sheep49: Thank you! I'm glad to have such a loyal customer here at Port Icewater. And yes, the left shore will be developed when I get back to this city! Thanks Piotr!




Wow, I'm proud to have such helpful comments. Many MD's have meaningless comments, and I'm so happy to have a crowd that really cares about how my cities look. As I said in the first update...

Remember, you're shaping the region as much as I am!

Until next time! :)


Yoman

If that body of water leads out to a big bay, you'll probably want to put in a break water. Looks good otherwise though.

oceanmariner

Very good port!  As much as I make coastal cities, even I have a hard time with getting the shore straight, so excellent job with that especially!!!  No real suggestions at this point.  You are doing a awesome job!

art128

Very nice shoreline  Albus of Garaway
&apls &apls
I'll take a quiet life... A handshake of carbon monoxide.

Props & Texture Catalog

Sheep49

Albus, that update was great! I can't wait for that area to develop! :thumbsup:

I'm not really good at sea ports and industrial areas (everytime I try to make a wasteland, I end up with botanical gardens with power plant and a factory in the middle :D), so I can't have any suggestions to that part.

But for the city core: If you're looking for some nice W2W buildings (I know you like them), there's a great Polish site that have plenty of'em. It's called SimCityPolska. Just in case you didn't know about it... ;)
here's a link: www.simcitypolska.pl

Anyways, I hope that this city will turn out very well!
Piotr
Polish support forum - Cafe Poland * SC4Wiki! * My BATting thread

I am he, as you are he, as you are me and we are all together... - I Am The Walrus, The Beatles

Pat

Albus I do have to say you got a nice port going there!! Cant wait to see more...

Don't forget the SC4D Podcast is back and live on Saturdays @ 12 noon CST!! -- The Podcast soon to Return Here Linkie

paroch

Hey Albus,

An update so soon.  Glad to hear you've not abandoned the lake city.  As for comments...... don't be too worried if an update doesn't draw too many - it doesn't always make sense as to when you get a lot of comments or not.

And on your new city....... It's good to see a development from level ground upwards.  I'd like to see zoomed in a level if possible on the last picture as I am not sure which walls you are using there.  The overall shape looks good though.

I'm not sure how your plugins folder looks regarding seaports..... are you going for functional or eye-candy ports?  If eye-candy I suggest you check out Somy's port bats/lots.  If you look on the Japanese section here you'll find the link.  They look great but are just landmark lots with no functionality.  If you're going to go for functional ports - check out the BSC ones - again there is a thread here with details - plus they are on the LEX here.

I'll make sure I come back to see what happens next.