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The English alphabet is something that we are familiar with, but how are those same letters still recognisable to us after the process of design? Typefaces (or more commonly referred to as fonts) is more than a means of simplifying the task of writing. Each letter of an alphabet is specifically drawn to convey an aesthetic and in some cases, made to be medium specific so that it performs under certain conditions.
In this Journal, I intend to showcase through each city, the qualities that define each typeface. This may range from the function of the city, its inhabitants to the layout of the roads and whether it is dominated by straight roads or winding streets. Throughout, there may be type-related technical terms, I will attempt to include concise explanations. But if readers are interested, Wikipedia has an excellent article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typography) detailing all such nuances of typefaces and type design in general.
I began my foray into documenting cities at Simtropolis with this same, exact idea, the Journal was still in its relative infancy (around 10 updates) when the events of the past week (from 24/05/2008) occurred. This is by no means an end of Typographia at ST, but is simply a way for me to continue with this project of mine and in effect seek out a new audience who might come to appreciate type in a new light. Differences between these two homes of Typographia will be more pronounced later on in its life, not so much to include or exclude either community as widening the platform on which I can indulge in creativity.
Index
P01 Introduction of Typographia + the City of Garamond + the City of Didot + the City of Lucida + the City of Grotesque
Direct Links
Garamond 001 (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=4773.msg152176#msg152176)
Didot 001 (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=4773.msg153394#msg153394)
Lucida 001 (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=4773.msg154957#msg154957)
Grotesque 001 (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=4773.msg157273#msg157273)
Credits
Mods
Columbus Terrain Mod & Meadowshire Terrain Mod by cycledogg (aka c.p.)
SFBT Street Tree Mod by Andreas
PEG Rock Mods by pegasus
NAM, SAM & RHW
El-Rail Facelift Mod by the NAM Team
Lots
Seasonal trees from SFBT Cycledogg Random Seasonal Woods & Rural Development Kit by Kant01
Bike paths are SA Cycleways by shadow_assassin
Retaining walls are JRJ New Modern Concrete Walls by jeronij
Medians and roadside eye candy are Marrast Avenue Dividers and Roadside Kit by Marrast (aka Criquette)
Others
Typographia is set on the Map of St Louis by Beskhu3epnm of NHP
Assortment of civic buildings by anubis89, gshmails, mattb325, SBSimio, Simgoober & vicgon
Assortment of residential buildings by c.p., mattb325 & Simgoober
Lucida CBD Parking Garage is Downtown Parking Garage by Simgoober
Interesting Idea, will be keeping an eye on this MD..
Joe
Welcome!
And wonderful start there of Typographia!
Looking forward to more...
Very interesting way to present a new MD! And the pictures show a very pleasant town. :thumbsup:
I like the start here of Typographia!! Etherian I can't wait to see more and how this will devolp further...
Great pics and an unusual way to present your MD &apls &apls
Lots of greenery and Bike paths - Yeah :thumbsup: I like :D :D
Will pop back to see how your doing :thumbsup:
:satisfied:
TTC
Hello, etherian!
This has got to be one of the most creative and interesting themes for an MD that I've ever seen!
And if the typeface theme isn't enough, your work in the game is just as wonderful! Garamond looks beautiful with all the seasonal trees and the neighborhoods.
Typographia is off to a splendid start here, my friend! You're onto something and I'll be following along every step of the way!
Dustin
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg118.imageshack.us%2Fimg118%2F5263%2Ftypographiaanotesheadliwh9.jpg&hash=015c8deab77bb0cd937a839f194050e7569468a7)
Thank you to everyone for a very warm welcome, hopefully I can continue to keep this amount of interest with each update! For the next few updates, I will be posting what was seen at ST, however, it will give me a chance to repair some of the truncated posts and fix up the odd typo now and then. I had thought about switching around some of the order in which the typefaces were revealed, it seems to be a novel idea and could be a point of difference between its home here and the one at ST.
As mentioned, the post below is NOT a new update, its simply to keep the very first post clean and tidy for the all important credits and index.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg156.imageshack.us%2Fimg156%2F9017%2Fgaramondheadlinela1.jpg&hash=4f648d52c39394144ed91f5597bb833703dfef8c)
The first city of Typographia is Garamond.
This is a serif typeface that has extended ascenders (example letters: b, d, h) and descenders (example letters: p, q, y). Its curves are quite organic and rarely features ruled straight lines.
As such, Garamond will be a rural town, however, its residents would be of mid to high income families and the landscape filled with grass, bushes and trees. The land is to be sparsely populated, with small to medium neighbourhoods dotted around the expanding city. It will also have a developed town centre, complete with bureaucratic agencies and commercial service in accordance to the wealth of its residents.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg515.imageshack.us%2Fimg515%2F810%2Fgaramondme5.jpg&hash=3de25d84b5319d7a959109efd20e887ab7786f90)
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A scenic drive with towering trees sheltering nearby residential areas.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg156.imageshack.us%2Fimg156%2F1797%2F20150604ee1.jpg&hash=4123d5223c16f7d1f5e5f85042d5ff8223cc8b76)
Higher education is a priority of Garamond, this local college services a wide range of student from surrounding neighbourhoods.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg153.imageshack.us%2Fimg153%2F1836%2F20250924cf1.jpg&hash=264160f931ad23147dc70407565c2d62671f58bc)
The Mayor's Residence
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A small local church to service out of town families.
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A well-to-do cluster of residents who own several farms and businesses within the town.
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A cross section of Garamond, from North to South. The new elementary school is near the top, also notice the rural highway creeping into view in the lower right corner.
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In its most basic sense Didot was made as a high contrast typeface, with great exaggeration on the width of its vertical strokes compared with the hairline delicacy of its horizontals. Like Grotesque, Didot is also used as a classification for a group of typefaces that have similar characteristics - most notably its Italian cousin Bodoni.
Didot's most interesting aspect is that it defined modern society in the era when it was widely used in printed publications, however, fast-forward two, three hundred years and its now described as classical, or neoclassical. But the amazing thing is that these descriptions can be used in conjunction with each other, as Didot is both classical in its use of serifs, as well as the overall aesthetics being modern with its clean edges and straight lines.
One ideal that was relevant then - and still is now - was its undoubted relation to the Age of Enlightenment. In a condensed and concise manner, the Age of Enlightenment can be explained as the turning point in which reasoning was prized as a basis for guiding the development of European and some Eurasian countries. This philosophy, in part, was to undermine the class-divide and the power of the churches, some of these ideas carry over to a majority of Western cultures in the form of democracy and equal rights for all.
For today's digital world, Didot was most successfully revived by Adrian Frutiger, someone who we will begin to know very well in the course of this Journal.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg338.imageshack.us%2Fimg338%2F3241%2Fdidotzu8.jpg&hash=7ebb9bc70fbbf722003608a7a4d4ef1b3e511f09)
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Didot's Town Hall, built on the outskirts of its main commercial district, it is surrounded by parklands that allow its residents to transverse to work without criss-crossing traffic on the city's major roads.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg177.imageshack.us%2Fimg177%2F7808%2F20251225ry9.jpg&hash=0c37defd220cdd068ce1cd359244bef0750acc92)
The upper-class living within walking distance of the commercial district, yet its surroundings quiet enough for relatively low density housing.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg91.imageshack.us%2Fimg91%2F9666%2F20251231wx6.jpg&hash=0fbc05a46c6d5375eab7be79a8d71c44e092774f)
The local aged care facility, close to Didot's youngest citizens - this allows a successful community service program where the children will take time each week to visit the city's older and wiser population for some fantastic story-telling and less rigourous sporting activities.
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François Heights is a prime location in Didot, with exceptional views of the city's surroundings and within walking distance to a thriving commerce centre. Nearby is Pierre Station, a beautifully constructed TransContinent Rail terminal.
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A relatively new suburb located near Didot's connection to its rural counterparts.
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A cross-section of Didot's most developed areas, from East to West
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Due to the increasing population and relentless demand for commercial services, parts of the old city centre has been rezoned for their development. Tarmac roads have simultaineously sprung up to meet the changing traffic conditions.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg91.imageshack.us%2Fimg91%2F2322%2F20360424dt3.jpg&hash=db46b3464696e649ab5b3518a45556e0fce0138b)
The new city centre as a corporate world.
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Residents of the urban sprawl spreading along the arterial roads has asked for new educational facilities away from the busy city centre, the construction of this large capacity primary school is phase one of a new major civil project.
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Tightly packed residential zone just outside of the commercial centre.
etherian, this is gorgeous work here. Very clean and stylized, yet in a way that retains an overwhelming sense of the natural (versus built) environment.
We are fortunate to have you grace our MD section with Typographia.
David
I can see the evolution ofyour plugins folder throughout this MD, and it is an excellent MD all the way. Your first posts show a lot of Maxis content, but very well-done, and your later images show a lot more BATs, along with a new road-line style, and it all works out very well. In addition, you have uniquely planned your suburbs in an way that I haven't seen, in a CJ or in real life, and I like it.
And may I recommend THIS (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1589)? ;D It would make your rural highways blend much more smoothly with your roads, but I should mention that it was made for right-hand drive setup. (You can still use it with lef-hand drive, but some of the highway markings will be on the wrong side or pointing the wrong way)
EDIT: Now I read your first post, and I am starting to understand the premises of thsi MD. It is very unique, i don't think anyone has thought of basing a MD on various fonts! I like it!
Didot has certainly picked up where Garamond has left off, my friend--lovely work!
One little suggestion, though: What about giving us an example of the typeface your presenting with each update? I believe you have it in the each picture, but perhaps a larger example? Just an idea, completely up to you!
Can't wait to see more!
Dustin
Looks interesting, I'll be back on this one fo' sho'
This is a very different MD compared to what I have seen, there seems to be an atmosphere in here, a nice one. Oh well, it must be the realism coming from your perfect pictures. Your transportation network is so smooth and curvy - I love it! Keep up the gorgeous work my friend.
Alex
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dedgren: Hi David, thank you dropping by with your kind words, you give me too much credit.
nerdly_dood: Hey, thanks for the link, they are great textures - I've been using them for a while already - those pictures are almost two months old now so they don't show every plugin that I currently have :P I hope Typographia will become a regular destination for you ;D
thundercrack83: Hello Dustin, thanks for the support right from the start! I've taken your suggestion and came up with a simple visual showcase of the typefaces, gave me a chance to chip off some of my design rust. I hope Lucida does not disappoint ;)
rushman5: fo' shizzle man, thanks for hanging. ;)
warszawa: Thank you Alex, your comment will no doubt encourage me to keep on improving this Diary and the cities that are to come!
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg162.imageshack.us%2Fimg162%2F6676%2Flucidaheadlinezm4.jpg&hash=116f6a0002c431f5644833e2831b9c9dedac376a)
Lucida is a rather large family of typefaces that encompass a majority of styles we are familiar with. The particular focus of this city is Lucida Grande - Mac users will no doubt be very, very fond of this (although it is a PC I am currently typing on, with design being my trade, I am also quite comfortable dealing with OS X). But PC's are also not forgotten, with our old friend, the Blue Screen of Death! That particular typeface is Lucida Console.
As such, the connection between Lucida and High Tech industries within SC4 was a no-brainer, and just in time as well, as I have refrained from allowing these to develop in the cities already presented here. Its come to the point where they spring up as soon as I zone the land for their development.
This typeface was designed in 1985 by Charles Bigelow and Kris Holmes - also credited with the creation of Wingdings (don't expect to see that in this Journal ) - and is one of a few families of fonts that has a complete set of mathematically related symbols and correct spacings.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg384.imageshack.us%2Fimg384%2F6927%2Flucidakv9.jpg&hash=d3b7de441358453522bfee2b0cd2d8365315be62)
With the technological advancement of the city driving an almost unsustainable growth rate, a minor problem could suddenly become a catastrophe. As is often the case, a city's external appearance may be pleasant, but underneath this lies a less than enviable layer of society.
One problem leads to another, first to surface was the almost stagnant traffic that (tried to) move through the Central Business District during peak times. This was due to poor, early city planning, and the residents were paying the price. Next was the failing health of Lucida's general population, largely due to the frustrated drivers and the city's continual reliance on the car. Compound this with the steady rise of petty crimes and no real response from the police - except a pay rise or two for the few senior figures.
A major proposal was ordered by the mayor to combat these issues, it required a big response and the result was nothing less than dramatic. Although unpopular as soon as it was released for public comment, the mayor knew that unless it was put into action soon, Lucida would descend into an unlivable and unwanted city loved by none.
In the year 33, the CBD was almost completely demolished. Residents were relocated, businesses were paid to move to another city temporarily, old roads were dug up and new tarmac laid. It was a hard few years as Lucida continued its slide towards anarchy, but as fortune favours the bold, the fruits of the mayor's labour was realised when the new CBD was opened for business. First a trickle of the businesses returned, then it became a flood as the new and old came to carve out a place for themselves.
Coinciding with this major project was the expansion of the Intercity Rail, with two new lines and five new stations commissioned. One of the most important features is its focus on line flexibility, loops were constructed throughout the network to allow effective and efficient looping services that would stop only at selected stations.
As of the year 45, Lucida is on its way to a milestone of 20,000 residents. taking the mantle of the most-populous, and arguably most livable, city in Typographia.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg230.imageshack.us%2Fimg230%2F3831%2F20310623adn8.jpg&hash=8b68b84ddb2ed9513340cdd748b859a84e0d0926)
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Although most suburbs were not included in the proposal, the dense residential zone around the Intercity Rail terminal was partly reconfigured due to its close proximity to the CBD.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg139.imageshack.us%2Fimg139%2F3043%2F20310718rq0.jpg&hash=4f77dc306a3b921235fd541a53a11d2e2a7b60a5)
The old location of the city hospital, deemed to be taking up valuable real estate better suited to commercial services. Also note the layout of roads and small commercial blocks of the old CBD.
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One of the most problematic areas in Lucida included the residential areas along the Intercity Rail line. The straight roads and dense housing combined to create hazards for pedestrians and drivers alike. Although public housing was offered to these residents in the proposal, they expressed their displeasure at having to forfeit their houses and having to leave the neighbourhood.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg401.imageshack.us%2Fimg401%2F6168%2F20380902mf1.jpg&hash=1dd1bea8b3c52dadb12077640adc7a1bcf36adf6)
The new CBD is punctuated by The Grande, allowing a dual lane two way traffic avenue to pass through has worked wonders to the traffic - also note the more pedestrian friendly streets.
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg237.imageshack.us%2Fimg237%2F9200%2F20380927auj2.jpg&hash=8dddbfb11e35bbe1fbcb1886ef970ef3d17b0258)
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The City hospital conveniently relocated closer to residential zones, although the technology sector was not affected directly, the reduction in crime and pollution has made it much more desirable to start a business in Lucida.
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The eastern end of The Grande has already been marked for extension with the CBD requiring for room for expansion.
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Whats better than walking to work in a crisp and clear morning?
Lucida looks stunning, etherian! And I like the graphic depicting the font, too--very professional! That must have taken some time to put together!
Keep up the good work, my friend, and I'll be back around for your next update!
Dustin
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thundercrack83: Thank you for the compliments. A question for you as a moderator, what should I be doing to increase interest in this Diary? Comment on other Diaries? Post a little more often on other areas of the forums?
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Grotesque or Grotesk as a typeface is German in descendence, and is more usually a term used to describe a group sans-serif typefaces - including the well-known and much loved (or hated) Univers and Helvetica.
Being as it may, however, Grotesque is indeed a typeface all to its own. Its characters are fuller in width (as to fit better in a square than a rectangle) and its design quite minimalistic, it almost seems to have the philosophy that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line (but with adherence to the basic look of curvature based letters). This is especially apparent in the no frills appearance of its J, Q & R.
To note is the irony of the typeface to its uses in other areas of culture. Most surprising of which is that it is used to describe ugly and contorted forms more associated with the styles of gothic-era architecture (gargoyles and chimeras) and characters in literature complex in its interaction with "normal" people because of their appearance and/or personality. It is perhaps hard to induce irony into a city - without it being too obvious, but it is one of the end goals of the creation of Grotesque. It is probably useful to say that the city should embody the idea of "ugly beauty", as a basis to create an urban jungle that is hard to understand at first glance.
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As of this post, Grotesque has been demolished (and had been demolished once before already) and rebuilt with renewed vigour, mainly because it had some of the problems that were apparent in Lucida before its reconstruction. The images in this update come from the first reincarnation of the city, some of the elements still exist in its current form so they are worth showing, however, the industrial and commercial districts have since been relocated and now boosts a residential population of over 50,000.
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Harbour crossing ferry terminal built on a small, man made peninsula that also acts to protect the port against the rough weather.
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The lawns on these gentle slopes are not only indicators to the wealth of the city but is a showcase to one of the most important exports of Grotesque - grass.
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Another side of the city, another source of export for the city - oil.
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A well hidden rural highway cuts through the city, this is one of several rest stops along the way.
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By minimising intersections, the city has effectively reduced traffic accidents along some major roadways.
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These reserved green spaces separate the main industrial sector from the less polluted commercial district.
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Recreational boating piers have began to appear in the inner harbour, away from industrial ports and traffic.
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The recently constructed Berthold Bridge, a monument to mark the entrance of the main harbour of Grotesque.
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An arterial overpass that funnels traffic to and from semi-urban areas everyday.
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One of the most sought-after addresses within the city, the prestigious Aerezk Manor is home to a world-class restaurant and many influential decision-makers of the city.
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Aspiring entrepreneurs snapped up a few pieces of land in this developing suburb and have transformed it with their bold architecture.
The pictures takes for ever to load. Here 10 minutes after opening the page, the picture has loaded fully.
And NO its not the connect. Have 6 mbits connect.
You could open them in IrfanView (http://www.irfanview.com) and resave it again, with the save quality setting set to 70 %, the file size will go down dramatic, sometimes to 50 %. That without you can hardly see it.
Here is one of your pictures (http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/7445/20191024ry6.jpg) resave with IrfanView. The picture original was 219 kb, now its 125 kb.
EDIT: The pictures loaded without a problem for me, but either way, your point was made without the sarcasm, my friend. - Dustin (thundercrack83)
Vester: It is probably not that they are large pictures, but that they are on Imageshack, which seems to be having trouble some times...
it is most probably because there are 4 updates on 1 page...
Joe
Grotesque looks great, my friend! I'm especially impressed with the "arterial overpass" that you've created with the bridge, it's very clever. I'm going to steal...I mean "use" that myself!
As for bringing more folks here to view and comment on your work, posting elsewhere in the MDs and throughout the forums wouldn't hurt your cause, but the best advice I can give you is to keep doing what you're doing. Your work is of good quality, so if you update regularly to keep your MD visible, and give it a bit of time, folks will come around. It's tough starting out, since there's a lot going on here at SC4D to divert people's attention.
But don't worry, worst-case scenario--I'll be around to check out every update!
Hope I could help, my friend!
Dustin
Hello etherian,
I see that you have asked Dustin (thundercrack83) for his opnion on how to get more people in here.....I thought about it for a second and than looked over your MD one more time and took down a few notes.
First let me tell you that I have been lurking in your MD after everyone of your updates right from the first day you started.
Secondly, for someone who is new to the site and not very well known, I'd say you are doing fantastic. You even got Dedgren to take a moment out of his busy schedule to comment.
The rest of this will be my humble opinion, so don't take it too hard.
I don't like the way you started your MD.....a little boring. If you want some attention up front give us a huge bang. If no pics are going to be shown try to peak our curiousity with some really cool information. It does look like you tried to do that though.
Your following updates were very good especially with the mosaics. Everyone loves a good mosaic. You are showing the right number of pics, not too few and not too many. So why aren't people posting in here like crazy. Well no one has the perfect recipe for such an answer. But what I can tell you is, update on a regular basis, give us more of those great mosaics, show us something new (something just released) get more custom content and most important, keep your patients. Page one and two are always the hardest. Once you gst past that I'm sure you will start to pick up some regulars. I'm sure Dustin and myself will be here. ;)
Out of all your updates, I really enjoyed the last one. The long land bridge, not sure if it goes over water eventually or not, but it looks great. The docks and the curved transit networks all look fantastic.
I will be back....lurking maybe....or maybe I'll post something. All depends on what you have for me. ()stsfd()
EDIT:Ahhhh, one more thing I forgot to mention.....post some of your pics in the Show Us threads and take part in the SC4 Picture Contest.
Robin :thumbsup:
Hi Etherian,
You've made a nice start to your MD. I like the style you lay out the updates - very nice headers. I'm not sure I totally get the link between fonts and cities - I agree that each font is different and each city is different, but struggle to see the link between a font and a city.
Highlights for me so far are:
Garamond - like the mosaic, particularly the corner junction at the football pitch.
Didot - The mix of ped malls and SAM texture is really good.
Lucida - The El-Rail stations work really well there. The high tech industry zone is very good and the "apple" building fits in well.
Grotesque - The ferry terminal peninsular is unusual and I like it. The patchwork grass is also very good. The tower blocks with bright blue edges are very nice there. But many of the pictures are not showing. Maybe that's an image shack problem.
As for your question about how to attract more people to your MD. Keep posting updates that have a mixture of good pictures and an interesting story. Every MD is different and your style is a good one. But it never hurts to throw in something a bit different every now and then. Explain to us what you are doing and what you are trying to achieve and we'll feel that we are along for the ride. And of course by commenting on other people's MDs and being visible on the forum never hurts. The more people who see the link in your sig, the more chance of a click!
You'll soon build a core group of regulars - just make sure you give them what they want and support their MDs and projects and they'll stivk by you and before long they will be good friends (I have made quite a few friends here for sure).
But don't get too worried about the number of comments. Even when your MD has been around for nine months you still get some updates that pass by with barely a whisper ;)
Good luck with the rest of your MD,
Paul
Loks very interesting, a unique building style and road ayout present here indeed. I am also interested in the intriguing transportation lots and BATs you have there. You have me hunting!ß
i think its a good start. i like how youve followed rookers advice, i got here from your post in the 'show us your ghettos' thread. you posted an interesting pic of your roads there (it caught my attention more than your ghetto. hehe) and was hoping to see more here. keep the updates coming.
Wow some awesome pics there. Your use of retainer walls is awesome and your city looks so realistic with the SAM streets adding that bit of realism. The only thing I see wrong is the maxis stuff but thats only personal preference for you
Cant wait to see more
Will
Congratulations, etherian!
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- The Staff
This unique MD well merits the "of special interest" recognition it's getting this month. While there's plenty of fine diaries out there, it's not every day that an author comes up with a unique approach and sticks with it. etherian, I think you've got a great thing going here- it's easy to make the mistake of thinking that fewer comments than you would expect means you're off track somehow. Trust me, you're not. My guess is that you and Typographia are in this for the long haul, and the folks who hang on for the ride from the start will be very, very well rewarded.
Congratulations and good luck!
David
I don't think I have commented here yet (and that surprises me as this is a great MD and I have lurked through here often) but let me attempt to make amends. I love the style of presentation. I like learning the history behind the the fonts you have displayed and their citified personifications are really interesting to look at. Each city you have shown has really achieved its own personality. It's also helpful that you explain some of the intricacies of the relationships between the pics and the typefaces. Congratulations on OSITM, and I will certainly be keeping an eye out for developments during the month.
Very very very well done etherian!
your MD definitely deserves to be OSITM, and I am sure if you continue with this same quality, it will be entered many times :)
Joe
Some wonderful updates there, etherian!
And congrats on your award! Looking forward to more...
Congratulations for your reward :thumbsup: ! Your Md is just fantastic :thumbsup: !
It definitely hits the right keys. ;)
:P
Like what you've got going here.
Congratulations, etherian!
It's great to see your MD in the OSITM.
Very unique idea got you here, so take advantage of it and give us a very special month. Everyone visits OSITM, your posts and views could go through the roof. ;)
I agree with everything David has said in his post, so let's see what you have for us.
Robin :thumbsup:
One of the few unique CJ/MDs around. Many use a "unique" delivery system that has been done before. Clever way of showcasing fairly interesting work. I like it.
Congratulations on winning the well-deserved Of Special Interest award. I think I've never commented here before, but I'm quite sure that instead of lurking around, I should've posted way earlier, as this MD has an unseen quality in both presentation and city-building!
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This will undoubtedly be a rather large post, I should endeavour to reply to your replies (:P) as thoroughly as possible and I do have something new-ish to show. My absence in this Diary was partly due to some rather hectic weeks at work, but mainly because of Spore and the release of the creature creator (as you can tell from my avatar!) Not to mention simply enjoying sitting down and playing games (Mass Effect!) without having to think about much else.
I was quite surprised to see that my humble 2-page diary (;D) was given the honour of OSItM, thank you very much for this generous gift! I hope to use the time in the spotlight "wisely" as suggested, if time permits, a few more updates than would normally be possible. Will be looking forward to some excellent feedback this month!
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I never got the chance to thank everyone who took their time to answer that little question of mine, I have taken some of the comments aboard - I will try and keep the images (after the update in this post!) lower than 200kB, just to improve the loading times a little. And as for a better starting post, there is something in the works, but it may not appear for a little while yet as it requires some additional work in game before it can be finished. But do look out for it, hopefully it can add a little something else to Typographia.
vester: Hello, thank you for the links and taking the time in showing what you meant. Once I can get the "system" going in editing the pictures for the updates, they should load up a little quicker.
JoeST: A just observation Joe sir (regarding the first comment) and thank you for compliments! (regarding the second comment) :)
thundercrack83: Thank you Dustin for pointing me in the right direction and always being around, not just to help me, but everyone else who has a question!
rooker1: Hi Robin, I'm going to be lazy and reply to both your comments at once! I would like to thank you for the sage and lengthy advice, its good to hear the good with the bad, otherwise improvements can't and won't be made. Hopefully what I'll have to show can compel you to comment more often than not ;)
paroch: Hello Paul, thank you for the detailed reply and raising an excellent question - which I currently do not have an answer to! But hopefully, through Typographia, I can bring to focus something that always seems to fade away into the background - mainly because "when good design works, you don't notice it". But I will certainly think a bit more on how to show this link between typography and cities!
rushman5: Thank you! Anytime you see something in here and want to know what it is, leave a comment or give me a PM and I'll reply ASAP - I usually know what it is that I have used ;D
jmdude1: Thanks for dropping by with the kind comments, hope to see you in here again.
penguin007: Hi Will, I actually like some of the Maxis things. Some of them are quite beautifully textured and also appeals to my design senses :)
dedgren: Thanks David, you are too kind with your words, but I will accept them nonetheless ()stsfd()
threestooges: It is of utmost importance that I can keep adding little bits and pieces to help differentiate all the different typefaces that is to be showcased, I'm glad that you find them interesting - as it seems to be doing its job. I have to say that as you are learning about the histories of these typefaces, so am I, as I have to keep a step ahead in knowing exactly what I am talking about when I introduce a new city ;D
bat: Thank you, more is coming your way right now!
Manny: Thanks!
Shadow Assassin: Thank you, but unfortunately I can't play the piano - I wish I could, but I can't. :P
flame1396: Thank you! I would like to be able to call the Diary unique one day ;D
caspervg: Thanks for the compliments, be on the look out for goodness very soon!
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It would be incompetent of me to introduce Joanna as a typeface with introducing its creator Eric Gill. Like the name Adrian Frutiger (which I have dropped once before in this Journal), they are designers which hold a great deal of influence in typography and thereby, a great influence on the design world. Even 70 years after Gill's death, his work continues to be of importance to the communication mediums.
Perhaps this would be a good start to discuss how the designers come up with names for their typefaces, most are derived directly from the name of its creator, others may have historical and/or categorical meaning. A lot of that information is quite hard to find and in obscure places, so I am unsure of how a majority of the discussed typeface are named. However, this typeface was named specifically for one of his daughters - Joanna. (For once, I did not find this out on Wikipedia, it was one of the more interesting facts that we were given while studying).
As for the design aspects, it is one of the most aesthetically pleasing typeface with its simplicity and slight contrast of strokes. The defining character of Joanna is the narrow italics, put side by side, normal characters generally have more width than their italicised cousins. Contrary to popular believe, simply slanting a character does not mean it is italicised. In well-made faces, every letter is redrawn so that proportions are correct and sometimes a different design approach is adopted - the easiest way to recognise whether a typeface has a proper italicised weight is to look at the lower-case a, especially in serif faces.
Although I may be unduly focusing on the aspect of the name, I think it is a homage to try and build a city that can express the simpler beauty that is apparent in the typeface as well as in the name.
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A small hub consisting of small businesses and residents that lie closer to Joanna's farmlands.
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Another view of the out-of-town township with the surrounding farms.
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One of the more scenic routes leading to outlying developments.
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Joanna's residents have spread themselves across the rolling hills, dotting the landscape with sporadic developments.
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A road bridge stretches across the shallow valley that's perfect for agricultural use.
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The colours of industry.
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The mayor's residence is located atop a hill overlooking a small valley and the main town centre below.
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A look at the resident part of the town centre, Joanna prides itself on living close to nature.
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The commercial centre that is a little further up the road, horticulture is also a thriving part of the community with many green thumbs calling Joanna home.
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Local school bus drivers are some of the happiest in the country, with great scenic routes to traverse everyday and stunning views at the destination.
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Flat land may be best for agriculture, but the residents wouldn't give up Joanna's gentle rolling landscape just for economic gain!
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The local hospital that services the entire population, its scenic location has been touted as an enormous benefit to its patients.
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With fresh local produce always at the ready, Joanna has been labeled a city of a thousand cuisines. The Gourmet Galleria is especially successful with creating graduates with exceptional culinary skills.
What a way to start off your time in OSITM, my friend!
Joanna looks wonderful, just wonderful! Your work with the farms, fences, and flora is simply stunning--excellent job!
I'll be around to see what else you'll have for us during your time in the spotlight...and beyond!
Dustin
The OSITM category is by no means a gift, you have worked to create a fine work of art and you have earned this spot. Simple, rural, beauty. I think you achieved your goal with this update, and it is, as Dustin already mentioned, a great way to start the month in OSITM. This may just be me reading too much into the pic, but in your first shot, do the narrow rows of flowers, paths, trees and roads have anything to do with the narrow italics you mentioned this typeface having? Either way, great use of the rural/agriculture elements in this city.
-Matt
Fantastic new update there! And your city is looking wonderful! Looking forward to the next update...
Wow........What an awesome start to your special month.
I was very impressed with this update.
I really love the bridges, fantastic job.
Your use of SAM looks just as good and your farms look great.
My only suggestion would be to move the Fence LOTs one square away from the street, to get rid of the sidewalks. In some cases it doesn't look very good, IMHO.
I can't wait to see what you do next. &apls
Robin :thumbsup:
Hi Etherian,
First up, congrats on your OSITM award, in my opinion very well deserved.
You deliver something with a different twist here and I have to say that Joanna is a fine looking place. Your use of verious elements together work well, particularly your use of ChrisAdams RRP stuff.
Your explanation of the typeface and your interpretation of it in the city makes sense to me here - so maybe I'm slowly getting it (sometimes my brain hurts and takes time to warm up!)
Enjoy your time in OSITM, and I hope to be here again soon.
Paul
WOW! Some fabulous updates you have here ;)
Can I ask where you got those beautiful farmlands? I have some of them, but not all :s
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Now and then, I would like to revisit cities that have already made their debut. Especially those cited as metropolis in-nature, the first of which will be Lucida. A major reason for revisiting is usually because I have had to demolish large parts of the city and rebuild/rezone. Grotesque has suffered the same fate - it is in this second reincarnation, same as Lucida as of now. I would like to think that each "new version" of the city improves on the previous - as cities in reality should. This quick little post will show a few teaser pictures of the revamped Lucida. Enjoy!
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thundercrack83: Thank you Dustin, you always seems to be the first to comment - just goes to show your dedication to the forums and your continual support of all the Diaries. I will definitely be up to the challenge with keeping this thing rolling!
threestooges: Welcome back Matt, and although using those narrow flowerbeds were purely an aesthetic decision - I can see the merit of your observation, and am actually glad you pointed it out as your interpretation has added something else to my interpretation of the typeface. I invite all readers to point out little nuisances whenever you spot it - whether it be good or bad. Thank you for the words Matt, although I'm trying to keep myself grounded for a little while yet and you are not helping! :P
bat: Thanks! That should be just around the corner...
rooker1: Hello Robin, thanks for the tip with the RRP fences, sometimes I'm a little poor at calculating the required space for agriculture and that is what happens ;D Hope to see you in Typographia soon!
paroch: Thank you Paul, I'm glad that Joanna makes a little more sense to you ;) I make no guarantees about the next type debut though :P
CarmineHilton: Hello Carmine, thanks for the dropping by, I shall reciprocate in the very near future as I have been lurking for a while! As for the farms, I believe they are packs JMyers here on the LEX. The dependencies for them were a little tricky to find, but I think they are essential for getting the different looking fields - hope that answers your question.
You should be careful when you invite me to comment on nuances (I'm long-winded enough with a basic reply as it is, heh heh), but I will certainly give it my best. I'm glad to see you will be revisiting areas too. As you mentioned, cities in the real world change (hopefully for the better) and it will be interesting to see how you maintain the theme of the city through its process of development. As for staying grounded...who would want to do a thing like that? (kidding of course) You seem to be keeping your head about this and I'll be waiting to see what the next installment has in store.
-Matt
Three fantastic new pictures there, etherian! Looks wonderful!
and looking forward to more...
The new and improved Lucida looks fantastic, etherian!
That's an oft-overlooked concept (overlooked by me, at least!) that you've brought up here, that as cities grow and age, they change, sometimes in major ways.
I hope you'll share the new aspects of Grotesque with us, too, my friend!
Take care!
Dustin
Hi Etherian,
Some nice shots there you've given us, and I recognise the area from the picture comp.
I really like the houses in the top right corner of picture 1 - do you recall where they came from?
And as for cities having more than one attempt/incarnation, hey I think we've all experienced that one from time to time!
All the best,
Paul
Hi Etherian,
your update is very nice :thumbsup: realistic and bieautiful &apls
Looking forward to see your new update &apls ;)
Outstanding shots. Seeing your work is giving me new ideas! Thanks!
Questions:
Do you have a large Mass transit system in place? What is the transit companies name, and what is the breakdown in terms of bus, rail, light rail usage?
Also, do you have an airport in place, or is that on the planning table?
Can't wait for more updates.
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Welcome to the new and (in my humble opinion!) vastly improved Lucida, I'm working on a Mosaic and an overivew of the city at the moment just so we know where everything is in terms of each other. For this update though, its a familiar zoom level that I find shows off just enough for its size, but retain the details quite well. Speedbump Joey gave me some good questions too, I'll reply to it in a little more depth than usual - more on that later.
For now, enjoy the splendor of the Lucida metropolitan area!
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The main boulevard serving the CBD, this stretch of road has been updated several times in the cities life-cycle but has continued to retain its name - The Grande.
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Densely vegetated parks are frequently used in the city to separate residential areas from commercial and industrial developments.
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A different view of the afore-mentioned green space, this time of the opposite side that is more suited for living.
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Above ground rail is a great public transport alternative, the Intercity Rail currently boasts three lines, with one that runs all the way to neighbouring Didot
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Parking space comes at a premium the closer you are to the CBD, these ground only spaces will soon give way to multi-level concrete containers.
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Above ground rail lines was the cause of some major traffic delays during construction, but the benefits far out-weight the temporary inconvenience as they save space, cuts down on travel times dramatically and reduces the pressure on Lucida's road networks.
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Open, green areas are vital in keeping a city healthy.
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Well-to-do residents flocked to this part of the city, attracted by its location as well as the perk of being newly developed.
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A new freight rail yard was constructed to keep up with the industrial demand, brought on by the continual strong growth in manufacturing as well as the technology sector.
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Accommodation blocks were purchased by the city to allow visiting patient families from faraway areas to board while they undergone treatment.
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West Grande, often considered the beginning of the CBD, businesses who set up here are usually more of the sought-after type.
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The CBD, restrictions on the height of developments near the Intercity Rail is only currently enforced on the commercial side.
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A freight route that cuts through some raised parklands, this currently marks boundary of dense developments within Lucida.
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threestooges: I am also keen to see how I might keep the theme present through each "reconstruction", I find that I assign certain architectural styles and certain lots to specific cities as a basic means of differentiating them. More subtle ones for example are bus skin replacements to give a clue as to where the city is in proximity to its neighbours. Thank you for your continual encouragement, I hope this update serves in the tradition of Lucida!
bat: Thanks mate ;)
thundercrack83: Hello Dustin, Grotesque will come in time, but I would dearly love a new computer. SC4 starts to chug and shudder when the population starts to git 50,000. And Grotesque is coming right along to that mark rather quickly. As a matter of fact, I can't believe I stuck with Lucida for so long as its population is almost at the 100,000 mark.
paroch: Thanks Paul, the houses are from SimGoober's mega residential pack. I don't have a clue as to which volume they are in exactly, but from what I've been able to grow, they are all quite excellent - you won't regret getting them all ;D
art128: Thank you, hope to see you in Typographia again soon!
Speedbump Joey: I'm glad that this diary can inspire you, I myself often find inspiration from the great Diaries and Journals that are present on various SC4 websites.
As for the question, I'll have to admit that I had not given enough/proper thought to them. Although little tidbits of information have already been revealed in several posts - I'm assuming you are referring to two particular networks: Intercity Rail, the el-rail line which is prominent in Lucida and also connects to Didot; and TransContinent Rail is currently only active in Didot but is growing into a large corporation that should span the entire region.
There are also currently two established bus companies, funded by public money and managed by councils consisting of several delegates from participating cities. You've put me on the spot with trying to name them, so instead of giving them some meaningless one off the bat, I'll reserve my thoughts and name them properly at the next post :P
Light rail does not currently exist within Typographia, it has been earmarked for development though - but not in any existing cities.
Road networks that brings residents from one city to another are usually highways, again, I have not began to name or given much thought to how I am to represent them as one coherent entry, so that will have to wait.
Airports? Small prefab ones are employed in Grotesque and Lucida. Although I have the AC modular airports, I am having trouble making the terminals and therefore have refrained from putting that part of development on show for a little while longer. Rest assure, they will make their debut because the cities do require it :)
I hope that answers your questions, and anyone else who has similar questions, don't hesitate to speak up and ask away!
waow :o absoluty amazing :thumbsup:
I like the station in the road curve :D where did you get the bleu flower ()what()
Super update.
I too love the El station on the curved road peice.
You have some very interesting pictures and I hope to see you enter some of them in the SC4 Picture Contest.
Robin :thumbsup:
Your use of green space is pretty sweet. But where'd you get the station on the el-rail curve? ()what()
Outstanding work! Seeing your CBD layout is very nice. I love the parks and the diagonal intersecting roadways. The one-ways that are next to the buildings in the CBD, is that a custom design by you, or are those simply one-ways that you placed there next to the parking spaces? Great work once again, I hope to start my area up soon!
Great MD, etherian!
As a designer and typography buff, I find the concept and presentation especially interesting. Can't wait to see more.
Wow, how on Earth did I manage to miss this on ST! This is so awesome. You've given me some much needed inspiration.
Congrats on getting an OSITM award too, this deserves one for sure.
Lucida is looking very nice there! Great shots of that beautiful city... :thumbsup:
I really like your idea. But as someone said earlier about the link between city and font, it is a little vague to me too. Maybe you could elaborate a bit on how they are spefically related. I mean I get the big picture, but if you could go more in to details about it I would be glad :)
I agree that Lucida improved a lot. I love the picture of the Grande, that works much better now. What are those parkingspaces that runs parallel to the grande? I'd like to get my hand on them, there are alot of them in Copenhagen so they seem very familiar to me.
Anyways, great MD and congratulations on the OSITM. It's well deserved :thumbsup:
Your region is so beauty... Especially I like green places - those little park, grass and more.
You are showing us beautiful cities with most of Maxis building, in the past I was thingking it's impossible but when I saw your region...
I'm waiting for more!
&apls &apls &apls
Bravo, Typographia is realistic city :thumbsup:
The whole is very beautiful, there is not fault ;)
Congratulation &apls
This MD is shaping up very nicely, keep up the great work!
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Before this month is over, while I still have time in this special spot on SC4D, I would like to show one last picture to thank everyone for the wonderful comments and encouragement. My apologies for not getting back to some of the questions sooner, but it was a worthwhile break away from SC4 - hopefully I'll be back for a while and also be stronger than ever ;)
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art128: Thanks, the blue flowers are from Chrisadams' Rural Renewal Project (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=2352.0), you can't miss it!
rooker1: Thank you for the kind words Robin, I will enter them when I'm lucky enough to be online while that tenth vote is cast!
Godzillaman: Sorry for the delay, here's the link (http://www.bripizza.net/sc4/285sta/285sta_c.html#2-2-x) for them - I can't read Japanese but those creations don't seem to be creating problems in my cities or game, I do believe they are quite safe to unleash onto your cities ;)
Speedbump Joey: They are some custom lots I downloads over at the STEX at Simtropolis, (its getting late, I'll look up the link for you tomorrow ;)) they are meant to be boulevard parking spaces, they also increase commercial demand in your cities - don't know how much exactly but I don't believe it to be valued ridiculously improbable ;D
ben_meissner: a fellow designer, hooray!
Cockatoo-210893: Hahaha, thanks! ST does move a little faster on the CJ pages though, its so hard to see everything all the time :)
bat: Thank you again, my friend!
turtle: Thank you very much for the comment, I see now that the connection between type and city may seem straight-forward in my head, but perhaps it loses its familiarity - I'll have to look into other methods of showing these connections. Those parking spaces are from the STEX, as I've explained to Speedbump Joey (who also asked where they are), the link will come tomorrow :P
S_imon: Thank you (I'm going to take a stab here :P), Simon! I'm still have some believe in certain Maxis buildings, this is mostly driven by the fact that I haven't grown all of them yet!
bohort: You are too kind my friend, hope to see you in Typographia again soon :thumbsup:
rushman5: Thanks, and thank you again for bringing this to page 4 :P
Edit: For those of you looking for the one-way boulevard parking spaces, here is the link (http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?p=results), number 17 & 18 are what you need, ones a LHD, the other RHD.
Wonderful work on that mosaic there, etherian! Fantastic new update!
And congrats on 4 pages.
Looking forward to more...
That is a fantastic mosaic, showcases your brilliant city building skills very well :)
Joe
Wow really good :thumbsup:
amazing mosaic here etherian :thumbsup: very realistic &apls
thanks for the flower ;)
Excellent, i particular love the rail networks between El-rail and heavy el rail. No problem, I always turn the pages round here :P
Great Mosaic update there etherian. The way you use different levels is very inspiring. Road, Rail, El Rail....... Embankment, embankemnt, road........ You create good feelings of depth that make me want to experiment myself.
I liked this update VERY much. :thumbsup:
Hello, etherian!
Forgive my absence for your previous update, I do apologize! It was absolutely wonderful, my friend! The amount of detail that goes into your work is astounding! It looks as though every tile that is worked is done with meticulous precision!
And the current mosaic is splendid, too! Your transportation networks are just wonderful, especially those new stations. Just magnificent work, here!
Take care, my friend, and I'll be back to see what else you have in store for us!
Dustin
Just thought you'd like to know that your CJ is featured in a post on [my SC4 blog] (http://masofsc4.blogspot.com/2008/08/im-watching-you.html). I did a bit of an overview; check it out to see what I have to say :thumbsup:!
Excellent mosaic. The transportation networks, including that double level station, are superb, and the design is very clean (as it should be). There is a bus about 1/2 way down that seems to be having some issues (but that's likely a side effect of a long model trying to turn into the turning lane). Always neat to see what you come up with.
I just read your MD and it's at least impressive. The pictures look smooth, and I especially like the mosaic picture. Keep it up!
Best,
Maarten
Woaw! It's a very big mosaic! ;) &apls &apls