SC4 Devotion Forum Archives

City Showcase (All games welcome) => Mayors' Diaries => Topic started by: Themistokles on December 26, 2015, 02:01:22 AM

Title: Themistokles City Gallery: A Tropical Idea
Post by: Themistokles on December 26, 2015, 02:01:22 AM
   Be bold, be brave...       And thus, in a transient moment of foolhardiness, I
               plunge myself into the world of MD's.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1451121617128/city-projects/st-edmea/1.1.jpg)
Let me begin where I maybe ought to have begun long ago, by presenting myself. My acquaintance with the SimCity series began with SC2000, many years ago, when personal computers – like me – were young. That was in the age of Windows 98.
   Windows NT and XP came and passed. I think it was on Vista that I first installed SC4. Like so many others, I played it vanilla. I kept playing SC4 until Simcity Societies came. I tried it, but of course got bored immediately and almost lost interest in the whole Simcity series. However, soon after I discovered mods and my interest in SC4 was re-awaken. Since then I have been playing Simcity on and off, to the point that I think now I might be ready to show my work properly. But you be the judge. $%Grinno$%

Lastly you shall be forewarned, that progress will be slow; updates might come irregularly and, in the worst case, this MD might terminate prematurely, but if you bear with me, I think that we can have a lot of fun :)

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1451121620460/city-projects/st-edmea/1.2.jpg)
   I: Visiting the Old Hydro-Clinic
We enter the small municipality of St Edmea walking on foot, following the centuries-old hiking path from the village of Kirch-am-Hasselbach as it snakes its way along the turbulent Hasselbach. Since a while we have been seeing an oddly-shaped, colourful roof towering above the trees. Now we will finally see it more closely.
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1451121669830/city-projects/st-edmea/1h.e.jpg)
1.
The roof turns out to be the top of an old hydrotherapy clinic, called the Hasselbachere Wasserheilanstalt (yes, the one we recieved on the 9th day of the wonderful advent calendar) after the stream from which the wter was taken. The Heilanstalt was founded in the 1838 by the young and ambitious doctor Walter Wassersinn, in keeping with the then widely-held belief that different kinds of cold water could cure many, by odrinary medicine yet incurable, conditions. The Heilanstalt attracted many rich and prominent guests, who reached the grounds in carriages from the railway station in St Edmea.
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1451121653355/city-projects/st-edmea/1f.e.jpg)
2.
When, after six ludicrously successful decades, interest in hydrotherapy began to decline, the now very old Dr Wassersinn thought that the building and its beautiful surroundings could still be used to improve the health of its many visitors. That was why he decided to turn the formerly sparse English park-lands into a cornucopia of flowers.
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1451121636897/city-projects/st-edmea/1a.e3.jpg)
3.
The park, at its best in spring, is renowned for its many daffodils, which are a pleasure for human visitors...
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1451121681241/city-projects/st-edmea/1i.e.jpg)
4.
... and deers alike ::)
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1451121661835/city-projects/st-edmea/1g.e.jpg)
5.
Indeed, the daffodils thrive so well, that they have spread to the opposite river-bank and surrounding meadows.

But of course, the parks are beautiful in all seasons, and a large part of the visitors nowadays come as we did, hiking their way through the small picturesque villages that lie like beads on a string along the Hasselbach valley.
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1451121628797/city-projects/st-edmea/1a.e2.jpg)
6.
So, now we have seen the Heilanstalt and its surrounding parks. Next time we'll continue downstream, following the path as it crosses the railway to St Edmea.
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1451121645511/city-projects/st-edmea/1c.e.jpg)
7.

I hope you have liked this little excursion, and I look forward to hearing your opinions and suggestions! What is good and what could or should I have done differently? Your feedback is what helps me improve.
Until next time :bye:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, I
Post by: Vizoria on December 26, 2015, 05:03:30 AM
I can't think of anything to suggest to improve your MMP work, you have your own great style and it's just as good as the best MMP users: Vortext, Fasan, Framly, to name a few. It's a great start and I look forward to a lot more, even if it is small scenes like these.
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, I
Post by: kelis on December 26, 2015, 05:53:51 AM
Great start ! I like your scenes. Keep working and I will keep my eyes on this  &apls &apls
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, I
Post by: romualdillo on December 26, 2015, 08:15:10 AM
Great scenes!!  &apls
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, I
Post by: compdude787 on December 26, 2015, 09:56:30 AM
Nice start to your MD! Looking forward to more!
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, I
Post by: Girafe on December 26, 2015, 01:11:05 PM
MMPS work is fabulous  :thumbsup:

Good luck with your MD  ;)
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, I
Post by: TheTeaCat on December 26, 2015, 03:28:11 PM
What a great start &apls

Well thought out use of MMPs, love the little ruined building among the trees, all in all looks very natural.

Nice background story too and a great way to showcase an Advent gift too. Well done :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, I
Post by: kbieniu7 on December 27, 2015, 01:29:01 PM
Hello, Themistokles! Nice to see you starting a diary!

At the beginning I would like to say, don't be afraid of irregularity. It's natural :) It's nice to see even a couple of new images!

And the ones, you've presented us, are great! Good work with the rivers and its bank filed with boulders and bushes (by the way, could you link those rocks?). I see, you're a type of player, who pay more attention to the quality, instead of quantity. Good. Even better, that you prepared a historical background of that place. You asked for feedback, but for the moment, that's all, what I could say, it's high level already ;) Hope to see more!

Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, I
Post by: Jmouse on December 27, 2015, 08:12:42 PM
Your skill and attention to detail is amazing, and the scenes you have shared with us are stunning. I keep coming back again and again to admire your playing style and the lovely scenery you have created. I'll be watching every update, and I hope the next one will be published soon. :)

Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, I
Post by: noahclem on December 29, 2015, 01:34:35 PM
Really lovely start  &apls  I've been hoping you'd begin an MD for quite some time and look forward to seeing how this develops  :popcorn:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, I
Post by: Kergelen on December 30, 2015, 01:58:08 PM
Great pictures! Nice MMP work. &apls

The abandoned building fits really good.

Nice to see you starting MDing and don't worry about irregularity. Some of us are quite irregular, despite would like to update more often  ::) :)
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, I
Post by: manga rivotra on December 30, 2015, 02:32:44 PM
Your use of MMP is really impressive ! I love the pic 5 with these well balanced autumn colors. Great work !  &apls &apls &apls
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, I
Post by: Nanami on January 02, 2016, 01:37:56 AM
Lovely MMP work.. The details you have on those pictures really eye catching! keep up the nice work and will wait for the next showcase!
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, I
Post by: belfastsocrates on January 03, 2016, 05:02:27 AM
Great first update! The MMP work, as others have mentioned, it very well done and looks great.

Looking forward to more scenes :D
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, I
Post by: Unconstantean on January 03, 2016, 12:29:43 PM
Great start!!!  &apls
Title: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, II
Post by: Themistokles on January 05, 2016, 05:44:06 AM
Wow, thank you all for the wonderful response! Today we are going to continue our hike down along the Hasselbach valley, cross the railway twice and then reach the camping-grounds on the outskirts of town. But first things first:
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1451998648619/city-projects/st-edmea/2.1.jpg)
Kelis, romuadillo, compdude787, Jmouse, noahclem, manga rivotra, Nanami, belfastsocrates, Unconstantean
Thank you all really much for your comments!

Quote from: Vizoria on December 26, 2015, 05:03:30 AM
I can't think of anything to suggest to improve your MMP work, you have your own great style and it's just as good as the best MMP users: Vortext, Fasan, Framly, to name a few. It's a great start and I look forward to a lot more, even if it is small scenes like these.
Thank you! But I cannot to compare to the masters $%Grinno$% I like small scenes, because they are more manageable and I can build a cohesive story around it without the story taking gigantic proportions (hopefully!)

Quote from: Girafe on December 26, 2015, 01:11:05 PM
MMPS work is fabulous  :thumbsup:

Good luck with your MD  ;)
To hear that from you is an especially great honour! Without your flora there would be not a single green leaf, needle or flower on any of these pictures.

Quote from: TheTeaCat on December 26, 2015, 03:28:11 PM
What a great start &apls

Well thought out use of MMPs, love the little ruined building among the trees, all in all looks very natural.

Nice background story too and a great way to showcase an Advent gift too. Well done :thumbsup:
Thank you! Glad you liked the story as well... To be honest I had quite some fun putting it together :)

Quote from: kbieniu7 on December 27, 2015, 01:29:01 PM
Hello, Themistokles! Nice to see you starting a diary!

At the beginning I would like to say, don't be afraid of irregularity. It's natural :) It's nice to see even a couple of new images!

And the ones, you've presented us, are great! Good work with the rivers and its bank filed with boulders and bushes (by the way, could you link those rocks?). I see, you're a type of player, who pay more attention to the quality, instead of quantity. Good. Even better, that you prepared a historical background of that place. You asked for feedback, but for the moment, that's all, what I could say, it's high level already ;) Hope to see more!
Thank you! Apart from the ones under the SAM bridge, which are from nvbc, all the rocks come from Murimk's MMP rocks pack 1 (http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/26688-murimk-mmp-rocks-pack-1/) and 2 (http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/26855-murimk-mmp-rocks-pack-2-bedrock/). Glad you liked it and also the background! :)

Quote from: Kergelen on December 30, 2015, 01:58:08 PM
Great pictures! Nice MMP work. &apls

The abandoned building fits really good.

Nice to see you starting MDing and don't worry about irregularity. Some of us are quite irregular, despite would like to update more often  ::)
Thank you! I actually just ran across the abandoned building searching for something else on the STEX and kind of fell in love with it :D And be assured, irregularity will come as soon as the semesters start again! ::)

Now for today's update:
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1451998653033/city-projects/st-edmea/2.2.jpg)
   II: Farming Along the Railway
Downstream of the park-lands surrounding the hydro-clinic we follow the sandy path. Soon, the sand turns to asphalt before the path crosses the railway.
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1451998671092/city-projects/st-edmea/2c.e.jpg)
1.
On the other side of the tracks begin the property of an old farm. It is still known among the locals as the Kupfer farm – or nowadays as the Kupfer cooperative – despite the fact that the old Kupfers are no longer alive.
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1451998680483/city-projects/st-edmea/2d.e.jpg)
2.
After many years of neglect, the farm was taken over by a local team of enthusiasts, who have reclaimed the three small fields and are now working on the former fruit-garden behind the house. On warm and sunny day, the Kupfer farm sees fervent activity with volunteering enthusiasts, while a new generation of hens are busy cackling their way around the property.

One thing has changed, though, since the time of the Kupfers: the Motorway. Already in their time, it was generally accepted that the old road, snaking its way up the valley as it is, was both too small and too winding for its purpose. A modern city with growing ambitions and the astounding population of 5,000 people (i.e. St Edmea) cannot be connected to the outer world by merely a two centuries-old two-lane road with a maximum speed of 50 km/h – it just wouldn't seem proper. The only problem was that the old Kupfers, who owned most of the flat land in the valley, were against the idea. They didn't like the modern expansion of St Edmea, fancifully named 'Neue Esplanade', 'The New Esplanade', and, well, they needed all farmland they had just to survive.
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1451999231187/city-projects/st-edmea/2e.e.jpg)
3.
But of course, as soon as the last Kupfer was dead and buried, the roads' authorities jumped on the project and, five years later, there the shining new motorway was. They even plan to expand it further, beyond St Edmea. But why? No one knows, even though the construction has already begun. Conspiratorially oriented citizens rumour that they are planning a new motorway connection across the Alps, but that's surely just rumours, right?
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1451998708914/city-projects/st-edmea/2g.e.jpg)
4.
Having crossed the farmyard the path continues downstream, with a wheat-field on one side and the railway on the other, and as we walk the shrieking of the rails begin signalling the approach of the 13:49 regional service from Munich.
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1451998662132/city-projects/st-edmea/2b.e.jpg)
5.
While we wait for the train to pass, we can always look up at the valley side and admire the old tower, whose origins go back deeper into the mists of time than any historian of the Hasselbach valley has yet dared to peer...
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1451998698085/city-projects/st-edmea/2f.e.jpg)
6.
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1451998717102/city-projects/st-edmea/2h.e.jpg)
7.
Then, finally, we reach the camping-ground where we are going to set up our tents. We're still early in the day and the season is yet young, so despite its small size, there are still some places left. Tents up, we walk into town. From here we can also take the bus, or just walk down and take the tram. But that is for next time.

I hope you have liked this little excursion, and I look forward to hearing your opinions and suggestions! What is good and what could or should I have done differently? Your feedback is what helps me improve.
... And, not to forget, this is going to be my 200th post on this site as well :satisfied: So, until next time, take care :bye:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, II
Post by: compdude787 on January 05, 2016, 10:15:47 AM
Looks nice! I like those MMP farms and trails, as well as the freeway, of course! :D
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, II
Post by: Vizoria on January 05, 2016, 10:46:15 AM
Lovely rivers and cliff work. The forests look really great to, very diverse but you also let the terrain breathe as well. Another suburb entry.

Which terrain mod are you using by the way?
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, II
Post by: compdude787 on January 05, 2016, 12:36:55 PM
Quote from: Vizoria on January 05, 2016, 10:46:15 AM
Which terrain mod are you using by the way?

Looks like the Sudden Valley Terrain mod.
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, II
Post by: Catalyst on January 05, 2016, 12:56:08 PM
Fantastic MMP work, if someone would see your images without ever having played SC4, they would probably be surprised to hear that there exists such a thing as a grid!
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, II
Post by: romualdillo on January 05, 2016, 12:59:55 PM
I looks like a place I would like to visit. Fantastic scenes and great details, fantastic work!!  &apls
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, II
Post by: Themistokles on January 05, 2016, 01:11:18 PM
Quote from: compdude787 on January 05, 2016, 12:36:55 PM
Quote from: Vizoria on January 05, 2016, 10:46:15 AM
Which terrain mod are you using by the way?

Looks like the Sudden Valley Terrain mod.

And that's exactly what it is ;)
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, II
Post by: kbieniu7 on January 05, 2016, 01:59:46 PM
Another set of great shots. My favourite is the fourth one, with the train going on this singe track line trough the greeny countryside :) I see you gave it a little bit more real background? Alps? Munich?  ;)

But one thing makes me wondering...

Quote from: Themistokles on January 05, 2016, 05:44:06 AMA modern city with growing ambitions and the astounding population of 5,000 people (i.e. St Edmea) cannot be connected to the outer world by merely a two centuries-old two-lane road with a maximum speed of 50 km/h – it just wouldn't seem proper.

A town with 5 thousand citizens... needs a highway...?  ???
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, II
Post by: 11241036 on January 05, 2016, 10:30:42 PM
Wow, you show some very good MMP work. Especially with the rocks and riverbeds, they always look good. I always lack the patience to do this. I'm looking forward to see more, especially of the city nearby.
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, II
Post by: Nanami on January 09, 2016, 05:38:21 AM
Another great work of MMPs! I like how the road transition as going deeper into dirt from asphalt.
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, II
Post by: vortext on January 09, 2016, 07:13:08 AM
Bit ashamed I've not commented on your MD yet! Your attention to detail, like the rail crossings and the lone billboard along the highway, is outstanding! Needless to say the MMP-ing is impeccable as well.  &apls

Looking forward to the next entry!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, II
Post by: noahclem on January 09, 2016, 09:43:30 AM
Lovely update  &apls  You do a great job with these rural scenes with especially impressive MMP work. I really like the transport system too with great STR usage, some nice MMP'd routes, and a great motorway. How did you get those guard rails there? I wasn't aware of such a T21 mod since the RHW IIDs got switched around a few years back. Looking forward to the trams in the next update :)
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, II
Post by: Akallan on January 15, 2016, 09:48:04 AM
A pity, not enough pictures, I want more ...;) Everything is well thought out and well arranged between buildings and vegetation, great! &apls
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, II
Post by: Swordmaster on January 18, 2016, 09:23:31 AM
Wow! I'm very partial to any picture with STR, but this is beyond stunning. Love the diesel passenger train. Where did you get that STR crossing (I assume it's a TE lot?)

One remark I'd made is that it seems the quality of the pictures is a bit on the low side. Something like 200kb for a 1024px image suggests too much compression, in my opinion. (Or is it an effect you apply to the picture? In any case I think it's a bit blurry.)


Cheers
Willy
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, II
Post by: Bipin on January 18, 2016, 10:04:57 AM
Damn good work!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, II
Post by: Gugu3 on January 18, 2016, 02:41:10 PM
Just bumped into this...what an incredible work!High quality of details and MMP!Keep it up &apls
Title: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, III
Post by: Themistokles on January 23, 2016, 08:19:04 AM
Thank you all for the wonderful response since last time! I really appreciate reading and responding to your comments! Now, after what has been quite a fight with the GLR reversing loops, as well as with some missing dependencies (I have learnt that in English, there's a certain difference between beeches and birches :D) and overhanging props, it's finally time to stroll into town. But first and foremostly, replies:
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/city-projects/st-edmea/3.1.png)
Quote from: compdude787 on January 05, 2016, 10:15:47 AM
Looks nice! I like those MMP farms and trails, as well as the freeway, of course! :D
Thank you! Actually me and that fat road have a love/hate relationship $%Grinno$% I put it in there very early on, because I thought that its straightness and asphalt-ness would contrast the landscape well ::) I've been close to removing it, so I'm glad you liked it ;D

Quote from: Vizoria on January 05, 2016, 10:46:15 AM
Lovely rivers and cliff work. The forests look really great to, very diverse but you also let the terrain breathe as well. Another suburb entry.

Which terrain mod are you using by the way?
Thanks and glad you like it!

Quote from: Catalyst on January 05, 2016, 12:56:08 PM
Fantastic MMP work, if someone would see your images without ever having played SC4, they would probably be surprised to hear that there exists such a thing as a grid!
Thanks, that's a wonderful compliment!

Quote from: romualdillo on January 05, 2016, 12:59:55 PM
I looks like a place I would like to visit. Fantastic scenes and great details, fantastic work!!  &apls
Thank you!

Quote from: kbieniu7 on January 05, 2016, 01:59:46 PM
Another set of great shots. My favourite is the fourth one, with the train going on this singe track line trough the greeny countryside :) I see you gave it a little bit more real background? Alps? Munich?  ;)

But one thing makes me wondering...

Quote from: Themistokles on January 05, 2016, 05:44:06 AMA modern city with growing ambitions and the astounding population of 5,000 people (i.e. St Edmea) cannot be connected to the outer world by merely a two centuries-old two-lane road with a maximum speed of 50 km/h – it just wouldn't seem proper.

A town with 5 thousand citizens... needs a highway...?  ???
Thanks! I really enjoyed painting that scene. I like to think that the city is situated at the shores of some fictional lake near the Austro-German border, but not everything adds up, so I assume the real placement will remain a conundrum ;)

The motorway is a tough question... I agree it became a little too big, and therefore I believe the rumours of a new trans-Alpine connection. Later on, we'll see some of the constructions going on beyond St Edmea. The old road was really small though, so even though I wouldn't like to admit it, some kind of upgrade was inevitable. Looking back at it now, though, I would probably have made it as an RHW-3 instead. Thank you for your comment!

Quote from: 11241036 on January 05, 2016, 10:30:42 PM
Wow, you show some very good MMP work. Especially with the rocks and riverbeds, they always look good. I always lack the patience to do this. I'm looking forward to see more, especially of the city nearby.
Thank you! MMPing does require some patience, but nothing compared to custom lotting (not to mention batting  $%Grinno$%). I find painting with MMPs also has a certain meditative quality to it as well. :)

Quote from: Nanami on January 09, 2016, 05:38:21 AM
Another great work of MMPs! I like how the road transition as going deeper into dirt from asphalt.
Thank you! If it hasn't shown already, I love working with MMPs :P

Quote from: vortext on January 09, 2016, 07:13:08 AM
Bit ashamed I've not commented on your MD yet! Your attention to detail, like the rail crossings and the lone billboard along the highway, is outstanding! Needless to say the MMP-ing is impeccable as well.  &apls

Looking forward to the next entry!  :thumbsup:
Thank you, really glad you liked it!

Quote from: noahclem on January 09, 2016, 09:43:30 AM
Lovely update  &apls  You do a great job with these rural scenes with especially impressive MMP work. I really like the transport system too with great STR usage, some nice MMP'd routes, and a great motorway. How did you get those guard rails there? I wasn't aware of such a T21 mod since the RHW IIDs got switched around a few years back. Looking forward to the trams in the next update :)
Thanks! The guard rails are a new mod by catalyst made for the new IIDs, found here (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=3247). You'll see some tram track in this update, but more is to come!

Quote from: Akallan on January 15, 2016, 09:48:04 AM
A pity, not enough pictures, I want more ...;) Everything is well thought out and well arranged between buildings and vegetation, great! &apls
Thank you! I've actually come to the conclusion, that 7 pictures is about as many as I can get in an update, with reasonable effort and with every picture still adding something new. (This time though, there's a bonus of two, so that makes 9 ;) .) Glad you liked it!

Quote from: Swordmaster on January 18, 2016, 09:23:31 AM
Wow! I'm very partial to any picture with STR, but this is beyond stunning. Love the diesel passenger train. Where did you get that STR crossing (I assume it's a TE lot?)

One remark I'd made is that it seems the quality of the pictures is a bit on the low side. Something like 200kb for a 1024px image suggests too much compression, in my opinion. (Or is it an effect you apply to the picture? In any case I think it's a bit blurry.)


Cheers
Willy
Thank you, that's a very nice comment! I searched far and wide for an STR crossing prop, but only found a DTR one, so I actually puzzled this together from SFBT's concrete slabs, "TramSteg" and "rot-weisse Bahnschraenke". ()stsfd()

Possibly the compression of the images is something made by Google Sites, where I host them. If so I'm disappointed at them. &sly I do pre-shrink my images to 1024px width, so the black border always stays the same width, no matter the size of the image. That may contribute to some of the blurriness, but the compression of the images is however not intentional, so I'll have to take a look at it. Thanks for pointing it out!

Quote from: Bipin on January 18, 2016, 10:04:57 AM
Damn good work!  :thumbsup:
Thanks a lot!

Quote from: Gugu3 on January 18, 2016, 02:41:10 PM
Just bumped into this...what an incredible work!High quality of details and MMP!Keep it up &apls
Many thanks! Really glad you found your way here and also glad you liked it!

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/city-projects/st-edmea/3.2.png)
   III: The Neue Esplanade – Steeped in Modernity
So, now that we have set up our tents, we can finally venture into the city of St Edmea. Today we'll see the modern expansion of St Edmea, the Neue Esplanade, or New Esplanade. It is separated from the old city by the high Castle Hill. Construction of the first buildings began as early as the 1960s, and since then new buildings have subsequently been added. The first tram arrived in 1983 after the construction of three new stops, Burg (Castle), Burgbächlein (Castle Brook) and Neue Esplanade, the two latter of which we'll see today.
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/city-projects/st-edmea/3c.e.jpg)
1.
The Neue Esplanade is characterised by its selection of modern architecture and large open pedestrian spaces. The area is far too steep for roads, so with few exceptions cars must stay on the two roads, which lead around the area. Here we can see the new road leaving the old and entering a tunnel (of which we have seen the opposite end) and also the offices of the many financial institutions to which St Edmea owes its rapid growth.
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/city-projects/st-edmea/3d.e_small.jpg)
2. *Click* for full image! (https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/city-projects/st-edmea/3d.e.jpg) <-- MOSAIC! :)
Overlooking the Neue Esplanade is the Stadthotel St Edmea, a large black building hosting conferences, courses and of course almost monopoly on the city's small hotel market.
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/city-projects/st-edmea/3h.e.jpg)
3.
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/city-projects/st-edmea/3g.e.jpg)
4.
By locals, it's commonly referred to as the 'Black box'. In response the hotel re-baptised its café 'Outside the Box'.
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/city-projects/st-edmea/3a.e.jpg)
5.
Further down the slope we find the tram stop Burgbächlein (Castle Brook), by the small but very popular Burgbächleinpark. According to legend the brook will only dry up if the castle is going to captured by an enemy, but fortunately the brook has continued to run with undiminished vigour up to this day. However, since the construction of the tram tracks, it is carried down to the lake by a culvert, a decision by the city authorities which made some people fear the outbreak of a third world war, but fortunately nothing happened.
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/city-projects/st-edmea/3j.e.jpg)
6.
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/city-projects/st-edmea/3i.e.jpg)
7.
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/city-projects/st-edmea/3e.e_small.jpg)
8. *Click* for full image! (https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/city-projects/st-edmea/3e.e.jpg) <-- MOSAIC! :laugh:
Finally, we see the view from the café Outside the Box.
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/city-projects/st-edmea/3f.e.jpg)
9.
I hope you have liked this little excursion, and I look forward to hearing your opinions and suggestions! What is good and what could or should I have done differently? Your feedback is what helps me improve.

Next time we'll look closer at the castle and stroll down into the old centre. So, until then, take care! :bye:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, II
Post by: Alan_Waters on January 23, 2016, 08:30:53 AM
 &apls &apls &apls &apls &apls &apls &apls
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, II
Post by: Mandarin(a) on January 23, 2016, 08:57:41 AM
Really nice design   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, II
Post by: feyss on January 23, 2016, 10:25:32 AM
Great pictures so far. I especially like the tramway loop with the roundabount tree, it's really a smart idea. And great MMP work as well  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, III
Post by: Kergelen on January 23, 2016, 11:18:28 AM
wow, great pictures &apls
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, III
Post by: Vizoria on January 23, 2016, 12:16:44 PM
I must say that you are VERY imaginative when it comes to deploying MMPs, lots and transport networks. Take a bow sir. In a mere three entries you have demonstrated your own style and produced with such quality that it rivals the best on SC4D, I'm thinking the likes of Vortext and Fasan.

You're using methods I've never seen before. I only wish there was more, larger scenes and so forth.
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, III
Post by: romualdillo on January 23, 2016, 12:22:29 PM
Great pictures again!!  &apls &apls
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, III
Post by: Jmouse on January 23, 2016, 09:42:07 PM
When I look at your photos, I sense that you have actually lived in or visited places where you are surrounded by gorgeous scenery. Based on personal experience, I cannot imagine seeing lovely rock formations near a commercial district, or anywhere near a city or town. Photo #7 (just below the construction zone) is especially stunning. I really like the way you have used trees and shrubs to soften the appearance of the rocks while still allowing their rough surfaces to dominate the view.

Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, III
Post by: compdude787 on January 23, 2016, 10:04:36 PM
Wow, amazing! I really like how you crammed this city on the bottom of a mountain.
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, III
Post by: 11241036 on January 24, 2016, 03:55:52 AM
Again very good work of you - how you got this city at the bottom of a mountain, as already said; the MMP work, especially at the coast and the Burgbächlein; and how you got the GRL-on-road around the corner and down a slope.
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, III
Post by: noahclem on January 30, 2016, 05:16:30 AM
Beautiful update  &apls  Your slope building and use of walls (some of which I'm not familiar with using) is particularly impressive, though your MMPs and organization of bats deserves plenty of recognition. Great work!
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, III
Post by: kbieniu7 on January 30, 2016, 11:12:15 AM
Nice! I agree with feyss, the tram loop with a roundabout filler inside is a clever idea and fits there! You're manage very well with difference of elevation, how the tram and raillines are meandring trough the slopes and how you use the retaining walls. The stream and rock filling, as well as the coast at the photo number 7 is magnificient  :thumbsup: Plus for the construction site  ;)

However, I would add a little bit of critisism too. Hope, you don't mind  ::) This skyscraper with four identical tenemets merged - I guess, it had to work as a one building? Good idea, however, in my opinion, it doesn't look too nice together? What is more, the "normal" w2ws on the other side of the street. What are they doing here? For me it seems like the very edge of the city, with recent developement. They seems very isolated and a bit out of context right here.

Hope, you'll answer my questions ;) But remember! Overal score of your work is very high! It's all about making it even better!
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, III
Post by: Seaman on February 05, 2016, 12:38:46 PM
nice. I adore the neat sandstone walls you used as embarkment. They fit very well in the area. I asume the stone is from a local quarry?

(honestly, may I ask where you got those?)
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, III
Post by: Swordmaster on February 06, 2016, 02:01:25 AM
Amazing work! Being terrible with building on slopes myself, I admire your ability there.


Cheers
Willy
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, III½
Post by: Themistokles on February 06, 2016, 01:38:38 PM
Found myself fiddling around trying to improve my very poor image editing skills... For now a teaser, and real update and replies will come as soon as studies permit ;)

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/city-projects/st-edmea/Postkarte%20St%20Edmea.jpg)
St Edmea - beauty of the Alpine region and yes, there are two modern cars there...

Just one reply, that might need an answer more rapidly:

Quote from: Seaman on February 05, 2016, 12:38:46 PM
nice. I adore the neat sandstone walls you used as embarkment. They fit very well in the area. I asume the stone is from a local quarry?

(honestly, may I ask where you got those?)

Oh, yes, they're from an old quarry up in the highlan... ah, I see ;D I believe you mean either xannepan's lighter ever so versatile quais de seine (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=3051) or the darker, more rough one which is a prop released by mattb325 and shipped with his cruise ship terminal (http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/27915-cruise-ship-terminal/).
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, III½
Post by: APSMS on February 06, 2016, 04:07:25 PM
I love your work, it's very detailed and meticulous. The image editing is pretty good (I'm terrible at it), but the composition of the picture is what stands out. I very much liked your other city pics, but I don't remember commenting before to tell you so.

At any rate, you have a great attention to detail and patience far exceeding mine, and it shows. Thanks for sharing!

Quote from: Themistokles on February 06, 2016, 01:38:38 PMSt Edmea - beauty of the Alpine region and yes, there are two modern cars there...
Also, there are three cars there, not two, but I won't hold it against you :D.
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, III½
Post by: Akallan on February 07, 2016, 01:59:21 PM
Still impressive. There are many good ideas in your constructions, congratulations! :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, III½
Post by: compdude787 on February 07, 2016, 07:02:15 PM
Looks awesome!!
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, III½
Post by: 11241036 on February 14, 2016, 09:42:02 PM
Very nice teaser, can't await to see more!

I have a request: In your previous update, I've seen you frequently using huge rocks, like seen on next screenshot around the area where the Burgbächlein emerges from the ground. Are these MMP's? And if yes, could you kindly provide me with the download link?

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/city-projects/st-edmea/3f.e.jpg)
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, III½
Post by: Simcoug on February 14, 2016, 10:13:37 PM
Quote from: 11241036 on February 14, 2016, 09:42:02 PM
I have a request: In your previous update, I've seen you frequently using huge rocks, like seen on next screenshot around the area where the Burgbächlein emerges from the ground. Are these MMP's? And if yes, could you kindly provide me with the download link?
*snip*
Check out Murimk MMP Rocks - Pack 2 - Bedrock v1.00 (http://community.simtropolis.com/files/file/26855-murimk-mmp-rocks-pack-2-bedrock/) ... he's got some other really great gems to discover (just click on the 'find their other files' link at the top.   :thumbsup:
Title: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, IV
Post by: Themistokles on February 21, 2016, 04:14:09 AM
More than two weeks since the teaser, it's finally time for a real update! First of all, thank you all for your comments! I really appreciate them and the feedback you're providing. Today we're going to take a tour to the old medieval city centre, die alte Stadtkerne. And I promise, there'll be lots of walls and half-timbered houses. This part of town was one of the first that I began building, but it was only finished yesterday. And, yes, almost every square, house or garden is custom-lotted ;) But first and most importantly,
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1456054469561/city-projects/st-edmea/4.1.png)
Quote from: Alan_Waters on January 23, 2016, 08:30:53 AM
&apls &apls &apls &apls &apls &apls &apls
:) :satisfied:

Quote from: Mandarin(a) on January 23, 2016, 08:57:41 AM
Really nice design   :thumbsup:
Thanks, glad you liked it!

Quote from: feyss on January 23, 2016, 10:25:32 AM
Great pictures so far. I especially like the tramway loop with the roundabount tree, it's really a smart idea. And great MMP work as well  :thumbsup:
Thank you! I needed something round to fill that space, found it among my plugins :D

Quote from: Kergelen on January 23, 2016, 11:18:28 AM
wow, great pictures &apls
Thank you! :)

Quote from: Vizoria on January 23, 2016, 12:16:44 PM
I must say that you are VERY imaginative when it comes to deploying MMPs, lots and transport networks. Take a bow sir. In a mere three entries you have demonstrated your own style and produced with such quality that it rivals the best on SC4D, I'm thinking the likes of Vortext and Fasan.

You're using methods I've never seen before. I only wish there was more, larger scenes and so forth.
I'm pleased to find that you found something new in the pictures! And thank you very much, it's really a very big compliment! :) About larger scenes, I'm building them step by step... in the end, it'll maybe add up... I'm not very quick $%Grinno$%

Quote from: romualdillo on January 23, 2016, 12:22:29 PM
Great pictures again!!  &apls &apls
Thank you! :)

Quote from: Jmouse on January 23, 2016, 09:42:07 PM
When I look at your photos, I sense that you have actually lived in or visited places where you are surrounded by gorgeous scenery. Based on personal experience, I cannot imagine seeing lovely rock formations near a commercial district, or anywhere near a city or town. Photo #7 (just below the construction zone) is especially stunning. I really like the way you have used trees and shrubs to soften the appearance of the rocks while still allowing their rough surfaces to dominate the view.

Thank you! I can't say the place I live looks like this, but I enjoy travelling to such places (either IRL or through images and maps) to get inspiration. Even though I strive towards realism, I also like to improve and create a nice place, that still looks and feels like a real place. I'm very glad you like it!

Quote from: compdude787 on January 23, 2016, 10:04:36 PM
Wow, amazing! I really like how you crammed this city on the bottom of a mountain.
Thank you! It's a challenge to get a city in such a location, but for some reason I find struggling with the slopes very rewarding. :)

Quote from: 11241036 on January 24, 2016, 03:55:52 AM
Again very good work of you - how you got this city at the bottom of a mountain, as already said; the MMP work, especially at the coast and the Burgbächlein; and how you got the GRL-on-road around the corner and down a slope.
Thank you! Actually, initially I put the GLR there because it has a very weak slope restriction. At least in my slope mod, tram puzzle pieces are much more slope tolerant than draggables. It hurts me to say, but I guess this city wouldn't have been possible with only draggables. Glad you liked it!

Quote from: noahclem on January 30, 2016, 05:16:30 AM
Beautiful update  &apls  Your slope building and use of walls (some of which I'm not familiar with using) is particularly impressive, though your MMPs and organization of bats deserves plenty of recognition. Great work!
Thank you! Glad you liked it :)

Quote from: kbieniu7 on January 30, 2016, 11:12:15 AM
Nice! I agree with feyss, the tram loop with a roundabout filler inside is a clever idea and fits there! You're manage very well with difference of elevation, how the tram and raillines are meandring trough the slopes and how you use the retaining walls. The stream and rock filling, as well as the coast at the photo number 7 is magnificient  :thumbsup: Plus for the construction site  ;)

However, I would add a little bit of critisism too. Hope, you don't mind  ::) This skyscraper with four identical tenemets merged - I guess, it had to work as a one building? Good idea, however, in my opinion, it doesn't look too nice together? What is more, the "normal" w2ws on the other side of the street. What are they doing here? For me it seems like the very edge of the city, with recent developement. They seems very isolated and a bit out of context right here.

Hope, you'll answer my questions ;) But remember! Overal score of your work is very high! It's all about making it even better!
Thank you! No worries, I really appreciate criticism too :) I agree with you about the old diagonal W2W's... I haven't given it so much though before, but they should really be more modern. The only problem is that outside of prepo's diagonal W2W's I know only two modern diagonal W2W's (two great bats from SimCity Polska ;) ), the one of which is actually among them, and the other which is in eight copies on the other side of the road. If you know any good ones I'd be more than happy if you'd let me know :) Regarding the diagonal houses on the other side of the road, they're also a symptom of this lack, but actually I found they worked rather well together ::) Maybe that's because they're reminding of a part of my home town, which is built a little like that. They had just the right overhang on the back-sides to make a nice terrace as well ()stsfd() And don't worry about criticising, I really appreciate your feedback - please continue! :)

Quote from: Seaman on February 05, 2016, 12:38:46 PM
nice. I adore the neat sandstone walls you used as embarkment. They fit very well in the area. I asume the stone is from a local quarry?

(honestly, may I ask where you got those?)
Thank you! (Question already answered.)

Quote from: Swordmaster on February 06, 2016, 02:01:25 AM
Amazing work! Being terrible with building on slopes myself, I admire your ability there.


Cheers
Willy
Thank you, very much! I like building on slopes, but it does kind of require a lot of patience and a little to get used to it, I guess. :)

Quote from: APSMS on February 06, 2016, 04:07:25 PM
I love your work, it's very detailed and meticulous. The image editing is pretty good (I'm terrible at it), but the composition of the picture is what stands out. I very much liked your other city pics, but I don't remember commenting before to tell you so.

At any rate, you have a great attention to detail and patience far exceeding mine, and it shows. Thanks for sharing!

Quote from: Themistokles on February 06, 2016, 01:38:38 PMSt Edmea - beauty of the Alpine region and yes, there are two modern cars there...
Also, there are three cars there, not two, but I won't hold it against you :D.
Thank you! I'm glad you like the postcard and the cityscape! And there's also a modern building there ::) It's modernity... one can never escape it $%Grinno$%

Quote from: Akallan on February 07, 2016, 01:59:21 PM
Still impressive. There are many good ideas in your constructions, congratulations! :thumbsup:
Thank you! I'm happy to hear that! :)

Quote from: compdude787 on February 07, 2016, 07:02:15 PM
Looks awesome!!
Thank you! :)
Quote from: 11241036 on February 14, 2016, 09:42:02 PM
Very nice teaser, can't await to see more!

I have a request: In your previous update, I've seen you frequently using huge rocks, like seen on next screenshot around the area where the Burgbächlein emerges from the ground. Are these MMP's? And if yes, could you kindly provide me with the download link?
Thank you, I hope you'll like today's update! And the answer you've already got :D His first pack contains many good ones as well!

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1456054469561/city-projects/st-edmea/4.2.png)
   IV: The Medieval City
The walled city has always been, and remains to this day, the main attraction for tourists. About half of the old city wall remains, but once it surrounded the whole city. The lake-side half of the wall was torn down in the late 17th century to make way for a modern promenade.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1456054469561/city-projects/st-edmea/4a.e.jpg)
1. Click for full size.

We arrive in the city by following the old trail, which was once the principal connection between the city and the outside world. It snakes along the steep shorelines, below the castle which was built to protect it and the travellers that walked along it. Back in those days, the steepness was seen as an advantage, because it forced riders and imperial envoys to disembark, allowing the city guards more time to react. Today the old route is converted into a popular walking path, ending at the big gate, which throughout history has alternated between the names Kaisertor, imperial gate, and Herzogentor, ducal gate, depending on the political situation. Today, it is still called Kaisertor, even though emperors of the Holy Roman Empire are long gone.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1456054469561/city-projects/st-edmea/4b.e.jpg)
2. Mosaic, please click for full size!

The lakeside walk is a popular place for an afternoon stroll. Here we either follow embankments outside the city walls, or walk into the oldest part of St Edmea, with its small alleyways. The Kaisertor leads us onto the Kaiserplatz, from where we can either take the Kramgasse to the city hall or follow the inside of the wall along the Mauergasse.

Thanks 11241036 for spotting my bad spelling!

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1456054469561/city-projects/st-edmea/4c.e.jpg)
3.

A large part of the medieval city centre was destroyed in a terrible fire-storm, which swept over the city in the autumn of 1886. The city authority then decided that all new houses in the city would be built in stone, which has come to shape the city architecture ever since. This imposing, green building was erected for the St Edmea trans-Alpine trading company, which was for a long time the most prosperous company in St Edmea. Today it has been converted to small apartments, which thanks to their stunning view sell for a lesser fortune.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1456054469561/city-projects/st-edmea/4d.e.jpg)
4.

The medieval city centre is organised as an arc around the magnanimously named cathedral square, or Kathedralplatz. The church itself stems from the end of the 12th century, and was heavily inspired by the late-romanesque Thomaskirche in Leipzig. ;) The big open space beneath, which was once the city harbour, has since the construction of the new harbour (which is for a future update) been re-purposed as a place for city activities and festivities, like the ending of the rather small (but don't say I told you that) city carnival. In between, it serves as a modern injection into the old-fashioned cityscape, with a continuous public art exhibition. The cathedral square is also a turning-place for the tram.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1456054469561/city-projects/st-edmea/4e.e.jpg)
5.

The tram leaves the city through the market gate, Markttor. Here the old road along the lake starts, turning left across the market square and following the lake shore. The tram takes the newer road, climbing the steep slope on its way towards the railway station.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1456054469561/city-projects/st-edmea/4g.e.jpg)
6.

Outside the gates the city gets more spacious, with larger trees and larger open spaces, in accordance with the city planning of the time. The big, brown-ish building is the old Virchow-Hospital, the city hospital, founded in the last years of the 19th century. In front of the Hospital is the Hospitalplatz, and to its right-hand side (that is, to the left in the image) we find the city school.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1456054469561/city-projects/st-edmea/4f.e.jpg)
7.
As we leave the walled city, the medieval transitions into the 19th century and the modern. St Edmea is not only an acclaimed tourist destination, but also a city still very much alive.

I hope you have liked this little excursion, and I look forward to hearing your opinions and suggestions! What is good and what could or should I have done differently? Your feedback is what helps me improve.

Next time we'll take the other way around the castle, and go down to the railway station. Maybe there'll also be some place for the University. Anyhow, until then, take care and (if you're on the northern hemisphere) enjoy the spring! :bye:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, III½
Post by: Vizoria on February 21, 2016, 04:39:52 AM
Wow! Great use of JENX's medieval city walls and his riverside banks. I really love how that light concrete pavement is everywhere and totally ubiquitous.
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, III½
Post by: 11241036 on February 21, 2016, 04:53:49 AM
Again, some great screenshots. The old town parts are great, as well as the city wall. However, most of all I love that small path along the coast below the Burg Eltz. BTW, I dislike to correct you, but the proper spelling for the German translation of Emperor is Kaiser, not Keiser.

Edit: Thanks to Simcoug for the link :)
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, III½
Post by: art128 on February 21, 2016, 05:09:38 AM
It seems I haven't commented your MD yet. Well what a splendid work it is so far, everything is extremely well done with such level of details and precision. The way you use the Paris seawalls is very ingenious. I really like the stairs on the fourth picture.
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, IV
Post by: Alan_Waters on February 21, 2016, 06:27:12 AM
Блин, как же красиво!  &apls &apls &apls



Alan, if you're going to post in Russian, please add a translation. We'd love to know what it means. . .  -Willy, mod

Damn, how beautiful it is!
This is a modest transfer.  ;D
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, IV
Post by: juguesal on February 21, 2016, 07:39:15 AM
Great images. Congratulations.  &apls  &apls
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, IV
Post by: Swordmaster on February 21, 2016, 07:13:59 PM
Exceptional! I heartily agree with the K-point.


Cheers
Willy
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, IV
Post by: Simmer2 on February 22, 2016, 06:43:56 AM
Well done  &apls &apls
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, IV
Post by: Jmouse on February 22, 2016, 02:00:08 PM
The houses are charming, made more so by the castle walls that surround them. Clearly, you do a lot of reading, choosing to either spend time online or enjoy the pleasure of holding a book in your hands. Either way, your knowledge of history and architecture along with your sense of style provide an exceptional combination.  I've really enjoyed seeing your work and hope to see much more of it.

Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, IV
Post by: feyss on February 22, 2016, 02:47:29 PM
Underbar  ;)

Simply an awesome work. The way you used Xannepan's stuff such the river banks and the city walls is perfect  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, IV
Post by: belfastsocrates on February 23, 2016, 02:06:13 AM
Absolutely fantastic! What a gorgeous update.

I really like the use of the the Seine walls. I must have a look at changing the pavement texture as well because the result is superb.

Once again the MMP work is just lovely.
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, IV
Post by: Terring7 on February 23, 2016, 03:38:52 AM
Awesome! :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, IV
Post by: Seaman on February 23, 2016, 12:17:27 PM
well, I have some nice places in my regions as well... spent a lot of work in building these... I was kind of proud. And then I see this MD and I'm like: "f*ck you, I quit!" This work is absolutely amazing! After every update I have to take a deep breath to motivate myself to keep going.

The area around the castle is a gem! It's also hard to believe that there is actually a grid down below this organic city...
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, IV
Post by: kbieniu7 on March 06, 2016, 09:55:20 AM
Great shots! My favourite is the one with tramway going trough the narrow medieval gate. I hope, trams are not blocked for too long by cars there  :D
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, IV
Post by: Akallan on March 15, 2016, 04:34:48 PM
It's really beautiful. The castle and the old town is well built, the work is impressive, you'll make me jealous! ;)
Wait to see more, it's always a pleasure to see new pictures in this topic! &apls
Title: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, IV½
Post by: Themistokles on March 23, 2016, 11:38:15 AM
Wow, thanks for all the replies. I'll get back with a real update and individual responses as soon as I have something finished to share, but for now I just want to show the tram network map of St Edmea.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/city-projects/st-edmea/stell_TramMap.png)
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, IV
Post by: _Michael on March 23, 2016, 02:42:02 PM
Wow! What an imaginative transit map! I love the different take; the pictographic take, but still the schematic elements! Great job!
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, IV
Post by: vortext on March 23, 2016, 03:41:05 PM
That´s a pretty neat map indeed!  &apls

Curious how you made it!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, IV
Post by: kbieniu7 on March 25, 2016, 04:50:37 AM
Imaginative way of tramlines' setup. With only three small branches it seems to be the most efficient. I guess, how they are marked on vehicles' destination tables? "Linksabbiegende" and "Rechtsabbiegende"? :D
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, IV
Post by: Baltimore on April 06, 2016, 09:55:17 PM
Hey this is RAYNEV1 from simtropolis , your city looks great and that map looks good too .  :thumbsup:
Title: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, V
Post by: Themistokles on May 04, 2016, 05:45:27 AM
Hi there!

It has been a while since last time, hasn't it? RL reared it's head (this time in the form of anatomy...) and then the roundabout in front of the station took way more time than I had anticipated. Still, it really isn't even near finished, but maybe with a small dose of cheating I'll manage in making it look as if it were. ;)

For the very same reasons, this update is going to be somewhat on the smallish side. And then plans have changed as well: We're neither going to visit the university nor the castle hill in this update. Instead we're going to continue our walk where we left it last time, more than two months ago – on the Marktplatz. But, well, changed plans, daunting examinations and unexpected roundabout twists – that is life in a nutshell, isn't it?

But first and foremost,
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1462305332723/city-projects/st-edmea2/5.1.jpg)

Quote from: Vizoria on February 21, 2016, 04:39:52 AM
Wow! Great use of JENX's medieval city walls and his riverside banks. I really love how that light concrete pavement is everywhere and totally ubiquitous.
Thanks! Glad you liked it :) I like the concrete pavement because it's the one used almost everywhere in Sweden, so it kind of feels "natural". The only thing I miss really is the possibility to have cobblestone pavement in the city centre.

Quote from: 11241036 on February 21, 2016, 04:53:49 AM
Again, some great screenshots. The old town parts are great, as well as the city wall. However, most of all I love that small path along the coast below the Burg Eltz. BTW, I dislike to correct you, but the proper spelling for the German translation of Emperor is Kaiser, not Keiser.

Edit: Thanks to Simcoug for the link :)
Danke schön, es freut mich dass du sie gut findest :) Auch vielen Dank für die Korrektur. Wenn ich mehrere Fehler mache, bitte zögere nicht, auf sie zu zeigen! ;)
Thanks a lot, glad you liked it :) Also thanks for the correction. If I do more errors please don't hesitate to point them out!

Quote from: art128 on February 21, 2016, 05:09:38 AM
It seems I haven't commented your MD yet. Well what a splendid work it is so far, everything is extremely well done with such level of details and precision. The way you use the Paris seawalls is very ingenious. I really like the stairs on the fourth picture.
Thank you, and thank you for the K-point! Glad you liked it :) Yes, indeed the Quais de Seine are such a useful set. I had some fun with them also in this update. :)

Quote from: Alan_Waters on February 21, 2016, 06:27:12 AM
[...]
Damn, how beautiful it is!
This is a modest transfer.  ;D
Thank you, glad you liked it! спасибо ;)

Quote from: juguesal on February 21, 2016, 07:39:15 AM
Great images. Congratulations.  &apls  &apls
Thanks! :)

Quote from: Swordmaster on February 21, 2016, 07:13:59 PM
Exceptional! I heartily agree with the K-point.


Cheers
Willy
Thank you! :)

Quote from: Simmer2 on February 22, 2016, 06:43:56 AM
Well done  &apls &apls
Thanks! :)

Quote from: Jmouse on February 22, 2016, 02:00:08 PM
The houses are charming, made more so by the castle walls that surround them. Clearly, you do a lot of reading, choosing to either spend time online or enjoy the pleasure of holding a book in your hands. Either way, your knowledge of history and architecture along with your sense of style provide an exceptional combination.  I've really enjoyed seeing your work and hope to see much more of it.

Glad you liked it :) Yes, I try not just to show pictures but at the same time to tell a story, and a story that could be plausible from a historical perspective. Just to make it sound a bit cliché: A place is always the sum of its history. :D

Quote from: feyss on February 22, 2016, 02:47:29 PM
Underbar  ;)

Simply an awesome work. The way you used Xannepan's stuff such the river banks and the city walls is perfect  :thumbsup:
Tack så mycket! Glad you liked it :) A lot of this hill-building has been inspired by your work in Olsènes. :)

Quote from: belfastsocrates on February 23, 2016, 02:06:13 AM
Absolutely fantastic! What a gorgeous update.

I really like the use of the the Seine walls. I must have a look at changing the pavement texture as well because the result is superb.

Once again the MMP work is just lovely.
Thanks! :) Indeed, the pavement gives a lot of feeling to a place. Maybe I should consider an 'old town pavement', similar to your 'modern development pavement' :)

Quote from: Terring7 on February 23, 2016, 03:38:52 AM
Awesome! :thumbsup:
Thank you! :)

Quote from: Seaman on February 23, 2016, 12:17:27 PM
well, I have some nice places in my regions as well... spent a lot of work in building these... I was kind of proud. And then I see this MD and I'm like: "f*ck you, I quit!" This work is absolutely amazing! After every update I have to take a deep breath to motivate myself to keep going.

The area around the castle is a gem! It's also hard to believe that there is actually a grid down below this organic city...
1. Don't quit. :) Thanks for the compliment, though!
2. And, oh, there is a grid below... I've waged long and hard battles against it... and be assured, it is still there. ;D

Quote from: kbieniu7 on March 06, 2016, 09:55:20 AM
Great shots! My favourite is the one with tramway going trough the narrow medieval gate. I hope, trams are not blocked for too long by cars there  :D
Thanks! Yes, I hope so too :) Fortunately, there are very few cars at all in central St Edmea.

Quote from: Akallan on March 15, 2016, 04:34:48 PM
It's really beautiful. The castle and the old town is well built, the work is impressive, you'll make me jealous! ;)
Wait to see more, it's always a pleasure to see new pictures in this topic! &apls
Thank you very much! :D

Quote from: michae95l on March 23, 2016, 02:42:02 PM
Wow! What an imaginative transit map! I love the different take; the pictographic take, but still the schematic elements! Great job!
Thanks! Glad you liked it :)

Quote from: vortext on March 23, 2016, 03:41:05 PM
That´s a pretty neat map indeed!  &apls

Curious how you made it!  :thumbsup:
Thanks! :) It was all made in SketchUp, which I exported as a 2D png into paint.net.

Quote from: kbieniu7 on March 25, 2016, 04:50:37 AM
Imaginative way of tramlines' setup. With only three small branches it seems to be the most efficient. I guess, how they are marked on vehicles' destination tables? "Linksabbiegende" and "Rechtsabbiegende"? :D
Thanks! :) I must admit, that I haven't given that problem much thought, but that way sounds the most logical and easy to use!

Quote from: Baltimore on April 06, 2016, 09:55:17 PM
Hey this is RAYNEV1 from simtropolis , your city looks great and that map looks good too .  :thumbsup:
Nice to see you over here! :) And thanks a lot, really glad you liked it!

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1462305468718/city-projects/st-edmea2/5.2.jpg)
   V: The Waterfront
As you've seen in earlier updates, the Marktsplatz is the starting-point of two roads. One of them follows the shore. This is the older one of the two; it's paved with cobble stone; it's one of the most prestigious addresses in St Edmea and it is the 19th century rendering of the old track wayfarers once took to go deeper into the Alps, and, eventually, the way to Rome herself. In the course of the 19th century, which brought so much to St Edmea, it was widened, made fit for motorised traffic and  turned into a sun-drenched strolling-ground for the good citizens, and the wealthy tourists, of St Edmea.

So the 19th century brought tourists to St Edmea. They came for the Heilanstalt, that we saw in the first update; for the castle; for the clean air; for the picturesque lakeside town – they all came by train. It was with the arrival of the trains, followed by the trams, that the second road from the Marktplatz became relevant. What had previously been only a connection between the castle and the city was now paved and equipped with tram tracks. Since then it has been the main artery of St Edmea.
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1462305464132/city-projects/st-edmea2/5a.e.jpg)
1. Mosaic

The railway station lies perched atop a high cliff, with views down on the lake itself. Analogous to the Marktplatz, it is the starting-point of two railways – one to Munich, with the train soon arriving, and one less frequented, separate line that follows the lake shore beyond St Edmea. The knowledgeable say, that this latter railway is narrow-gauge, but, honestly, from this distance, it is rather hard to tell the difference. :P

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1462305406055/city-projects/st-edmea2/5b.e.jpg)
2.

Just below the railway station is the one and only beach in St Edmea. Still, we are early in the season, so it's not yet as crowded as it tends to become.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1462305432686/city-projects/st-edmea2/5c.e.jpg)
3.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1462305389985/city-projects/st-edmea2/5d.e.jpg)
4.

This way brings us to the palm-decorated place beneath, as the locals affectionately and half-mockingly call them, the marble staircases. Not least is it popular among the chess-bitten citizens, but also among those wanting to relax at the lake shore.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1462305370700/city-projects/st-edmea2/5e.e.jpg)
5.

And here we'll end today's walk, by walking out on the pier. On the top of the pier, there is a small walk-way, which can only be reached by climbing a ladder. From it, one can see the whole of St Edmea, and in the distant shadows, one can see the mountains towering over the dark opposite shore. And while we admire the lakeside panorama, the sun slowly begins to set, sinking into the tall, pine-clad mountains west of St Edmea.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1462305363203/city-projects/st-edmea2/5f.e.jpg)
6.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1462305346837/city-projects/st-edmea2/5h.e.jpg)
7.

But before we end, I want to show you another picture of the roundabout, which was only visible at the edge of the images before. Oh, and it's paved with the highest quality vortext stone-work. ;)

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1462305340679/city-projects/st-edmea2/5i.e.jpg)
8.

As of now, it's only a (not even TE'd) set of two lots, that I inserted with the help of the most miraculously useful RHW disconnector tool. So it's not functional. Not in the least (except, of course, it does have some park effect). But whatever, I don't really care, as long as it looks decent. The lot solution actually allowed me to add other props, without having the hassle of T21'ing them.

That was it for this time. As always I look forward to hearing your opinions and suggestions. What is good and what could or should I have done differently? If you have any criticism or suggestions, please don't withhold them ;) , as I'll always be happy to discuss them and maybe also implement them. In the end, it's your feedback that helps me improve.

Until next time, see you around! :bye:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, IV
Post by: vester on May 04, 2016, 06:02:27 AM
Really nice work.

Would love to see you work on the embankment. As its now, its a bit bare.

Love the area around the station and the roundabout.


That station in the last picture, can you provide me with a download link, please ?
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, IV
Post by: Themistokles on May 04, 2016, 08:02:34 AM
Quote from: vester on May 04, 2016, 06:02:27 AM
Really nice work.

Would love to see you work on the embankment. As its now, its a bit bare.

Love the area around the station and the roundabout.


That station in the last picture, can you provide me with a download link, please ?
Thanks for the comment. You're right about the embankments, I'll look into what could be done to liven them up a little. The railway station is a relot of vip vnaoned railway station (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=3231).
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, V
Post by: Simmer2 on May 04, 2016, 08:37:19 AM
Fantastic work!!  &apls &apls
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, V
Post by: vortext on May 04, 2016, 09:12:14 AM
With these kind of quality updates I for one don't mind the wait!   :thumbsup:

Now, though I like the uniform texture throughout the city you might want to consider breaking it up here-and-there, if only because I don't think many parents will set their children loose in a playground with a concrete surface!  ;)

Also agreed the embankments could do with a little more attention, however, the mosaic proves there's plenty of detail elsewhere so I'm confident it's just a matter of time before they'll be up to par. Besides, the gorgeous rock shoreline and stunning little beach already make for excellent scenery!  &apls

Finally, I'd love to see an overview of the city some time, JENX' castle foundation offers me some reference in that regard though I'm still puzzling how it fits altogether with previous update.  :D
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, V
Post by: Kergelen on May 04, 2016, 10:53:52 AM
I like the combination between xannepan walls and tram-on-road, and the use of diferent walls in general.
Nice work on the close-ups and city details. I like the location of the playground also &apls
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, V
Post by: Vizoria on May 04, 2016, 02:30:53 PM
Yet more great pictures. You really are working them textures!
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, V
Post by: manga rivotra on May 04, 2016, 09:56:31 PM
You are a trully master with Xanepan wall and rocky MMP !  :o
Again, a very inspiring work, still full of details and great ideas !......and this roundabout................  &apls &apls &apls
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, V
Post by: Akallan on May 05, 2016, 02:23:44 AM
I love, your cities are always very realistic and well planned. It is a pleasure to follow your page, the quality is still there! :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, V
Post by: compdude787 on May 05, 2016, 02:49:13 PM
Wow, awesome city and shoreline!!! Great work. :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, V
Post by: kbieniu7 on May 06, 2016, 06:58:04 AM
Very good! As I said, I really like the slope work, especially this curve near the railway station. And how you've fit a tram stop near the roundabout :p
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, V
Post by: Uzil on May 06, 2016, 05:53:55 PM
Really impressive !
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, V
Post by: korver on May 06, 2016, 06:37:15 PM
That roundabout..  ;D

Fantastic work so far!
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, V
Post by: feyss on May 09, 2016, 06:21:20 AM
Awesome pictures. The train station looks very realistic and I also like your roundabout. Your transit map on your previous post also looks great :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, V
Post by: Mandarin(a) on May 09, 2016, 09:59:38 AM
Oh, that beach is so small, I can't imagine being there during holiday season  :D
Great pictures!
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, V
Post by: art128 on June 07, 2016, 11:57:43 AM
I just realized I really forgot to comment your MD despite having seen the update when it was released...

The map was interesting that's for sure. I've never seen such a map done before.

The way you mix different retaining walls, castle walls, seawalls altogether create a great effect in your city. The parking of the station is seriously impressive. And of course that roundabout is a masterpiece.
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, V
Post by: wallasey on June 18, 2016, 08:26:32 AM
That roundabout looks fantastic...almost Shared Space for SC4!!
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, V
Post by: vinlabsc3k on June 21, 2016, 03:48:37 AM
Your MD is outstanding!! &apls &apls &apls
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, V
Post by: noahclem on July 17, 2016, 01:37:37 PM
Beautiful work here! The way you work with slopes and this style of wall-to-wall and older bats is a source of inspiration for me. Love your use of prepo's lots and your vnaoned station re-lot  &apls
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VI
Post by: Themistokles on August 19, 2016, 05:34:24 AM
Thank you for all your comments! I really appreciate reading them. :) Thank you also for your suggestions, feedback and criticism.

Today we're finally going to climb the hill to the university, the big, modern-looking building lending St Edmea the flair (and sometimes also the boisterousness) of a university town. But first and foremost,

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/city-projects/st-edmea2/6.1.jpg?attredirects=0)
Quote from: vester on May 04, 2016, 06:02:27 AM
Really nice work.

Would love to see you work on the embankment. As its now, its a bit bare.

Love the area around the station and the roundabout.
Thank you! Enriching the embankments wasn't quite as easy as I had anticipated, and thus they're still in their original state of bareness. Since they are lots plopped with a slope underneath, any props or mmp's plopped onto them appear cut in half. The alternative is offset trees, of which there isn't very many (and would mean that I'd have to relot every of JENX's embankment lots, which are indeed quite numerous in the town :D). Anyway, thank you for the comment and the suggestion!

Quote from: Simmer2 on May 04, 2016, 08:37:19 AM
Fantastic work!!  &apls &apls
Many thanks! :)

Quote from: vortext on May 04, 2016, 09:12:14 AM
With these kind of quality updates I for one don't mind the wait!   :thumbsup:

Now, though I like the uniform texture throughout the city you might want to consider breaking it up here-and-there, if only because I don't think many parents will set their children loose in a playground with a concrete surface!  ;)

Also agreed the embankments could do with a little more attention, however, the mosaic proves there's plenty of detail elsewhere so I'm confident it's just a matter of time before they'll be up to par. Besides, the gorgeous rock shoreline and stunning little beach already make for excellent scenery!  &apls

Finally, I'd love to see an overview of the city some time, JENX' castle foundation offers me some reference in that regard though I'm still puzzling how it fits altogether with previous update.  :D

Thanks! Haha, I hope your words hold true, because this time there was a wait indeed! :D You're quite right about the pavement – a paved-over playground is indeed a horrendous thought. Various fractures and skull injuries come to mind. I'm glad you saved the children of St Edmea from this fate. Due to the playground itself being mmp'd but on three sides surrounded by lots with pavement texture I haven't broken up as much pavement as I would've liked to, but your comment inspired me to the design of the Bayerischer Platz, which I show in this update, where the sand takes a much bigger part of the surface.

I sneaked in an overview at the end of this update. :) Thank you for the comment!

Quote from: Kergelen on May 04, 2016, 10:53:52 AM
I like the combination between xannepan walls and tram-on-road, and the use of diferent walls in general.
Nice work on the close-ups and city details. I like the location of the playground also &apls

Thanks, glad you liked it! :) Only the best location for the children. ;)

Quote from: Vizoria on May 04, 2016, 02:30:53 PM
Yet more great pictures. You really are working them textures!
Thank you! I'm really happy the roundabout came out well, it was my first big texture work. ()stsfd()

Quote from: manga rivotra on May 04, 2016, 09:56:31 PM
You are a trully master with Xanepan wall and rocky MMP !  :o
Again, a very inspiring work, still full of details and great ideas !......and this roundabout................  &apls &apls &apls
Thanks! When you speak about mmp's, that means a lot. :)

Quote from: Akallan on May 05, 2016, 02:23:44 AM
I love, your cities are always very realistic and well planned. It is a pleasure to follow your page, the quality is still there! :thumbsup:
Thank you! In this update I took some inspiration from your mmp forests in Creek Neliah when I mmp'd the edge of the forest behind the university. :)

Quote from: compdude787 on May 05, 2016, 02:49:13 PM
Wow, awesome city and shoreline!!! Great work. :thumbsup:
Thanks a lot! :)

Quote from: kbieniu7 on May 06, 2016, 06:58:04 AM
Very good! As I said, I really like the slope work, especially this curve near the railway station. And how you've fit a tram stop near the roundabout :p
Thanks! Yes, I managed to squeeze it in there but it did require some unorthodox problem-solving... ;D

Quote from: Uzil on May 06, 2016, 05:53:55 PM
Really impressive !
Thanks a lot! I'm really happy to see you here, your MD was part of my staple reading diet when I was new to the community. :)

Quote from: korver on May 06, 2016, 06:37:15 PM
That roundabout..  ;D

Fantastic work so far!
Thank you! :)

Quote from: feyss on May 09, 2016, 06:21:20 AM
Awesome pictures. The train station looks very realistic and I also like your roundabout. Your transit map on your previous post also looks great :thumbsup:
Thanks!  :)

Quote from: Mandarin(a) on May 09, 2016, 09:59:38 AM
Oh, that beach is so small, I can't imagine being there during holiday season  :D
Great pictures!
Nope, me neither $%Grinno$% There is a (only slightly larger) beach outside St Edmea, also, just to relieve the pressure on the hot summer days. :D Thanks!

Quote from: art128 on June 07, 2016, 11:57:43 AM
I just realized I really forgot to comment your MD despite having seen the update when it was released...

The map was interesting that's for sure. I've never seen such a map done before.

The way you mix different retaining walls, castle walls, seawalls altogether create a great effect in your city. The parking of the station is seriously impressive. And of course that roundabout is a masterpiece.
That's a lot of compliments :o      :D Thanks! Glad you liked it!

Quote from: wallasey on June 18, 2016, 08:26:32 AM
That roundabout looks fantastic...almost Shared Space for SC4!!
Thank you! Yes, almost... At least a very well needed step in that direction! :)

Quote from: vinlabsc3k on June 21, 2016, 03:48:37 AM
Your MD is outstanding!! &apls &apls &apls
Thanks! :)

Quote from: noahclem on July 17, 2016, 01:37:37 PM
Beautiful work here! The way you work with slopes and this style of wall-to-wall and older bats is a source of inspiration for me. Love your use of prepo's lots and your vnaoned station re-lot  &apls
Thanks a lot! I came into custom content after most of these BATs had already been created, so almost all bats are of indefinite age (i.e. created before I knew there were any at all :D ). Glad you like it! :)

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1471600803488/city-projects/st-edmea2/6.2.jpg)
   VI: University of St Edmea
After having arrived to the railway station in St Edmea, as most newcomers to the city do, either by bus or by train, the many tourists do as tourists mostly do: They look where the locals go and trot along, at least as long as they seem to be going in the likely direction of the centre of town. In St Edmea this otherwise commonsensical behaviour is the cause of considerable confusion.

Having crossed the roundabout on the station square, most locals walk along the tram-laden road above which the big fortress towers. This is indeed a spectacular sight, one of many in the town, but having walked only a few metres, the newcomers will suddenly find themselves alone, abandoned by the locals whose lead they thought they were following. Most assume they have somehow seeped into the walls and this is the source of many a tourist legend, but it is indeed not as far from the truth as most outsiders presume.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1471600912193/city-projects/st-edmea2/6a.e.jpg)
1.

Dotted along the buildings facing the left side of the street are small passageways of the kind that in the lands south of the Alps go under the name of sotoporteghi. These small passages lead to an inner courtyard, from which a stair rises to the Bayerischer Platz, or Bavarian Square, but which because of this myth is more commonly known as Verschwundenplatz, or "Gone!" place. This is, in short, a short-cut to the university and the university part of town, the goal of most disappearing locals – and Bayrischer Platz is where most people go to buy the latest local magazines.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1471600947421/city-projects/st-edmea2/6d.e.jpg)
2.

Bayrischer Platz is the home of the St Edmea press. The big, almost brutalist brown structure towering above it is the headquarters of the local newspaper, constructed when the paper and its national ambitions were at their zenith. Compared to many other smaller newspapers it is still faring reasonably well, but its own predictions concerning its future outreach have been forced to acquire more realistic proportions, and with them also its office space. Today, only two of the building's vast floors are occupied by journalistic activities, the rest being rented to local upstart businesses.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1471600931217/city-projects/st-edmea2/6b.e.jpg)
3.

The university is perched on the highest cliff in St Edmea, with breathtaking views on all sides. It is on par or, according to some sources, a few decimetres higher than the castle itself, for many signifying the higher standing of the modern, enlightened St Edmea over its defensive and sometimes violent past.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1471600884299/city-projects/st-edmea2/6e.e.jpg)
4.

Divided into one big lecture hall – rather spectacular with its glass roof – and one wing filled with laboratories and smaller rooms for researchers, with a few interspersed smaller lecture rooms, the university is very small, filling only one building. It specialises in alpine ecology, and has therefore been able to attract both students and researchers from the whole world, that is, despite its humble size.

Along the south side of the university building, the one facing directly towards the steep edge, runs narrow terraces, crammed during lunchtime. From here one has one of the best views in the whole of St Edmea, seeing the big roundabout and the old rail yard, and beyond it the Jagdhafen and the sea.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1471600758987/city-projects/st-edmea2/6f.e.jpg)
5.

Passing by we see a veteran steam train, that operates on the old railway up into the Alps. Popular among tourists it is the gem of the St Edmea Steam Train Association, der St Edmea Dampfzugverein, that keeps this rolling piece of history operating.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1471600796807/city-projects/st-edmea2/6g.e.jpg)
6.

Taking the stairs down and we're soon back on the Bayrischer Platz and shortly thereafter on the station square, where we began our walk – this time hopefully somewhat less confused as to where the locals disappear. ;)

Before we finish, I want to show you, as requested, an overview over the parts of St Edmea that we've covered as yet. (Water bug... ()testing() :D )
(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1471600738723/city-projects/st-edmea2/6h.e.jpg)
7.

And... that was it for this time. Next update, where we'll stroll down into the port and among the more modern apartment towers (well, they aren't that big, only big for St Edmea ;) ) and eventually leave St Edmea to hit the road again, onwards to new adventures. But that's for next time.

As always, your comments, thoughts, feedback and suggestions are highly appreciated. Bis dann, see you around! :bye:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VI
Post by: _Michael on August 19, 2016, 07:44:54 AM
Wow, wow wow.
I love that overview, what water mod are you using? It looks great!
I love the selection of buildings, and the transport infrastructure; it's so well integrated.
And your MMP work is just exquisite, not only in the classic vegetation area, but also in all of the paths and detail - everything is just so detailed!
Keep it all up! :)
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VI
Post by: Krasner on August 19, 2016, 07:46:22 AM
I especially like your custom lots, they are stunning  :o
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VI
Post by: Akallan on August 19, 2016, 08:44:22 AM
Oh my god ... :shocked2:

It's amazing the work that is done! michae95l very well summarized the situation, and I find that the heights of transitions are excellent (especially in the first frame).
Your custom lots are great too! Strongly next update! :popcorn: &apls
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VI
Post by: feyss on September 04, 2016, 01:48:05 AM
Oh, I missed this last update.

Amazing work here. I really like the layout and the MMP work  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VI
Post by: Vizoria on September 04, 2016, 05:33:24 AM
The roundabout in the first picture is fabulous! Great work. I can't believe I missed this entry.
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VI
Post by: vinlabsc3k on September 04, 2016, 11:57:08 PM
Great update!! &apls
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VI
Post by: manga rivotra on September 05, 2016, 05:55:49 AM
Excellent work with MMP !  :o
I love the way you play with the landscape : the slopes are very gentle and natural, specialy the rail line on the last mosaic which fit perfectly with the hill.
Another great update !  &apls &apls &apls
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VI
Post by: Simmer2 on September 05, 2016, 08:16:16 AM
Great layout and usage of MMP's!!
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VI
Post by: kbieniu7 on October 31, 2016, 02:39:20 PM
Haven't commented there...

You do a great job with adding such single places and squares, each with each own character. Like a creating small, but very lively maquette. And the overall look is excellent! No grid on a rocky hillside  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VI
Post by: Seaman on October 31, 2016, 03:52:44 PM
congrats!  &apls amazing update

Quote from: Vizoria on September 04, 2016, 05:33:24 AM
The roundabout in the first picture is fabulous! Great work. I can't believe I missed this entry.

Yes, I second that. I do not have any clue how you achieved that roundabout. How is it even possible ()what(). That will keep me busy for a while...
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VI
Post by: noahclem on November 01, 2016, 09:21:00 AM
Beautiful work in this area! I just love all the details and the way you work with the slopes. Sorry if I sound repetitive :D
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VI½
Post by: Themistokles on December 24, 2016, 04:27:48 AM
*Brushing off the snow*

Hi everyone!

It has been a while. The last semester has kept me really busy. I return to find all of your wonderful comments (thank you, I really appreciate every one of them) and also to see that my MD has passed the 100 posts limit... Wow. When I started my MD 363 days ago, I hoped, but never dared to believe that it would actually come this far.

So this is a one year jubilee update, just that this is not a real update. The Windows computer I used to play SC4 on is really on its last legs (the screen works occasionally) and I've transitioned to a new computer, and begun using Ubuntu. While Ubuntu is wonderful in many ways (I really recommend it to everyone frustrated with Windows 10) we all know it can be something of a hassle with SC4. To be honest I haven't even had the time to try.

Anyway -- that's enough of the boring stuff. I am here to show you a tourist brochure of St Edmea, highlighting the best of the past year. So see it as a year in review kind of thing. Some images, especially of the nature around St Edmea, have never been shown here before (maybe you can spot the newcomers? :) ).

As this is a folder, you'll have to imagine how it should be folded togheter, alrightie? ;)

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1482581860722/city-projects/st-edmea2/Tourist%20brouchure%20St%20Edmea%20recto_small.png)
Front side (click for largest version available online :) )

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1482581878152/city-projects/st-edmea2/Tourist%20brouchure%20St%20Edmea%20verso_small.png)
Back side (again, *click*!)
Yes it is .png because I was lazy :'( Sorry to everyone with a bad Internet connection!

Replies and more new stuff in the next update. :)

Happy Christmas and see you around! :bye:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VI½
Post by: Akallan on December 24, 2016, 06:39:33 AM
Good to see your CJ, and always beautiful pictures! Long live the great update! ;D
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VI½
Post by: _Michael on December 24, 2016, 07:02:36 AM
That's a truly creative way to present a city.
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VI½
Post by: vinlabsc3k on December 24, 2016, 09:57:33 PM
Great tourist brochure!! :thumbsup:

And


Merry Christmas!!
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VI½
Post by: kbieniu7 on December 27, 2016, 06:18:06 AM
Congratulations for your one-year anniversary! There is really much to review and readmire from this time  :thumbsup:

The brochure is an interesting way of presentation and this one is well-produced! I like that you even payed attention to a detail of adress ant telephone number of the producer and - I bet - the tourist office. Do you have any postcards? I'd like to send a one, how much is it for a stamp to the EU? :D
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VI½
Post by: jasa_m on January 08, 2017, 01:24:02 PM
Amazing work! I've binge read through the whole MD like its nothing!
I really hope that someday I'll be able to decorate on your level!

Keep it up! cheers, j.
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VI½
Post by: kbieniu7 on January 25, 2017, 01:09:42 PM
Well, having more than 100 posts and just reaching 10,000 page views, Themistokles City Gallery has been moved to the higher section.

Welcome among the Best Sellers! :)
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VI½
Post by: Seaman on January 26, 2017, 06:24:28 AM
Quote from: kbieniu7 on December 27, 2016, 06:18:06 AM
I like that you even payed attention to a detail of adress ant telephone number of the producer and - I bet - the tourist office.

It's actually the chamber of commerce. They seem to be responsible for region marketing and ordered the printing the brochure.

The Telephone number is a cool thing. It's not a *real* intra german prefix (08827). But in the german prefix system, you may infer the actual position of the region by comparing the number to other prefixes. The closest match is Krün (https://www.google.de/maps/place/Kr%C3%BCn/@47.5007347,11.1907728,11.75z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x479d0856d5e7da35:0x41e48add78b9cb0!8m2!3d47.5051979!4d11.2786283) (08825), next to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. And since I've used and *incomplete* prefix list  ;), it's totally reasonable that St. Edema has this number and is right were it belongs: south of Munich in the Bavarian Alps next to Austria :D

Thumbs up for this detail :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VI½
Post by: feyss on March 14, 2017, 07:07:03 AM
Great tourist brochure! That makes me want to spend my next holidays there  ;)

I can't wait to see more!
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VII
Post by: Themistokles on July 31, 2017, 10:40:29 AM
Hi there guys! :bye:

So my last (not really real) update was already half a year ago? I honestly can't believe it. St Edmea still feels so much like a part of my life... and now I'm finished with it. But that is to rush past a whole row of points.

First of all, for a short interlude I am going to treat this Mayor Diary as were it a dopy ordinary diary and tell you that this spring has been both insane and wonderful. As some of you know, I went on an interrail journey across Eastern and Southern Europe in the first month of the summer holidays. (For those of you who have not undertaken such a journey – interrail or eurail – I have one tip: do it.) It was wonderful. We saw so many things, so many different countries, so many different cities. A few pictures, click for full size:

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1501519719944/home/other-things/IMG_20170607_204653_917.jpg)
i. The roofs in Poznan

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1501519723913/home/other-things/IMG_20170608_225953_701.jpg)
ii. Farms close to Krakow

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1501519733936/home/other-things/IMG_20170613_124845_580.jpg)
iii. The facade of Budapest Keleti station

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1501519739347/home/other-things/IMG_20170616_223709_458.jpg)
iv. Mountains close to Bran Castle, near Brasov

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1501519743362/home/other-things/IMG_20170620_154836_246.jpg)
v. Cats in Varna

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1501519747534/home/other-things/IMG_20170621_200135_450.jpg)
vi. The first station in Greece, looking towards the mountains in Bulgaria. The direct train between Thessaloniki and Sofia is closed to hinder people seeking refuge in Europe.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1501519752171/home/other-things/IMG_20170624_225535_067.jpg)
vii. An island off the Greek coast, that I believe to be Ithaka.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1501520673138/home/other-things/IMG_20170627_090134_448.jpg)
viii. Street in Pompeii

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1501518962228/city-projects/st-edmea2/6.1.jpg)

Quote from: _Michael on August 19, 2016, 07:44:54 AM
Wow, wow wow.
I love that overview, what water mod are you using? It looks great!
I love the selection of buildings, and the transport infrastructure; it's so well integrated.
And your MMP work is just exquisite, not only in the classic vegetation area, but also in all of the paths and detail - everything is just so detailed!
Keep it all up! :)
Thank you so much! The water mod is Pegasus' Brigantine water Dark blue.
I'm not sure if half a year between updates is to be counted as keeping it up, though ;)

Quote from: Krasner on August 19, 2016, 07:46:22 AM
I especially like your custom lots, they are stunning  :o
Thanks! I like lotting, so I'm really pleased to hear that. My most recent projects have been entirely custom lot-based. Hopefully some of them will make it here :)

Quote from: Akallan on August 19, 2016, 08:44:22 AM
Oh my god ... :shocked2:

It's amazing the work that is done! michae95l very well summarized the situation, and I find that the heights of transitions are excellent (especially in the first frame).
Your custom lots are great too! Strongly next update! :popcorn: &apls
Thanks! Hope you'll like the height transitions in this update.

Quote from: feyss on September 04, 2016, 01:48:05 AM
Oh, I missed this last update.

Amazing work here. I really like the layout and the MMP work  :thumbsup:
Thank you!

Quote from: Vizoria on September 04, 2016, 05:33:24 AM
The roundabout in the first picture is fabulous! Great work. I can't believe I missed this entry.
Thank you!

Quote from: vinlabsc3k on September 04, 2016, 11:57:08 PM
Great update!! &apls
Thanks!

Quote from: manga rivotra on September 05, 2016, 05:55:49 AM
Excellent work with MMP !  :o
I love the way you play with the landscape : the slopes are very gentle and natural, specialy the rail line on the last mosaic which fit perfectly with the hill.
Another great update !  &apls &apls &apls
Thanks! I love rail lines, actually, for some reason they tend to blend much better into the landscape, and I tried to capture that in St Edmea. Glad you liked it!

Quote from: Simmer2 on September 05, 2016, 08:16:16 AM
Great layout and usage of MMP's!!
Thanks!

Quote from: kbieniu7 on October 31, 2016, 02:39:20 PM
Haven't commented there...

You do a great job with adding such single places and squares, each with each own character. Like a creating small, but very lively maquette. And the overall look is excellent! No grid on a rocky hillside  :thumbsup:
Thank you, my friend! I like the idea of building a small model, where everything should convey a sense of the place.

Quote from: Seaman on October 31, 2016, 03:52:44 PM
congrats!  &apls amazing update

Quote from: Vizoria on September 04, 2016, 05:33:24 AM
The roundabout in the first picture is fabulous! Great work. I can't believe I missed this entry.

Yes, I second that. I do not have any clue how you achieved that roundabout. How is it even possible ()what(). That will keep me busy for a while...
Thank you :) Risking being a little insensitive I'd say it's quite simple. It is four custom textures placed on a custom park lot with props and then inserted into the roads with the versatile and extremely useful RHW disconnector tool. No traffic will be able to pass through there $%Grinno$%

Quote from: noahclem on November 01, 2016, 09:21:00 AM
Beautiful work in this area! I just love all the details and the way you work with the slopes. Sorry if I sound repetitive :D
Thank you! No worries :P

Quote from: Akallan on December 24, 2016, 06:39:33 AM
Good to see your CJ, and always beautiful pictures! Long live the great update! ;D
Thanks! Hip hip hooray ;)

Quote from: _Michael on December 24, 2016, 07:02:36 AM
That's a truly creative way to present a city.
Thanks! I remember it was really fun to make as well :)

Quote from: vinlabsc3k on December 24, 2016, 09:57:33 PM
Great tourist brochure!! :thumbsup:

And


Merry Christmas!!

Thanks! And happy new year! :D

Quote from: kbieniu7 on December 27, 2016, 06:18:06 AM
Congratulations for your one-year anniversary! There is really much to review and readmire from this time  :thumbsup:

The brochure is an interesting way of presentation and this one is well-produced! I like that you even payed attention to a detail of adress ant telephone number of the producer and - I bet - the tourist office. Do you have any postcards? I'd like to send a one, how much is it for a stamp to the EU? :D
Thank you again! Of course we have postcards... a future update, maybe :D

Quote from: jasa_m on January 08, 2017, 01:24:02 PM
Amazing work! I've binge read through the whole MD like its nothing!
I really hope that someday I'll be able to decorate on your level!

Keep it up! cheers, j.
Thank you for the kind words!

Quote from: kbieniu7 on January 25, 2017, 01:09:42 PM
Well, having more than 100 posts and just reaching 10,000 page views, Themistokles City Gallery has been moved to the higher section.

Welcome among the Best Sellers! :)
Wow, thanks. It's an honour. :)

Quote from: Seaman on January 26, 2017, 06:24:28 AM
Quote from: kbieniu7 on December 27, 2016, 06:18:06 AM
I like that you even payed attention to a detail of adress ant telephone number of the producer and - I bet - the tourist office.

It's actually the chamber of commerce. They seem to be responsible for region marketing and ordered the printing the brochure.

The Telephone number is a cool thing. It's not a *real* intra german prefix (08827). But in the german prefix system, you may infer the actual position of the region by comparing the number to other prefixes. The closest match is Krün (https://www.google.de/maps/place/Kr%C3%BCn/@47.5007347,11.1907728,11.75z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x479d0856d5e7da35:0x41e48add78b9cb0!8m2!3d47.5051979!4d11.2786283) (08825), next to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. And since I've used and *incomplete* prefix list  ;), it's totally reasonable that St. Edema has this number and is right were it belongs: south of Munich in the Bavarian Alps next to Austria :D

Thumbs up for this detail :thumbsup:
Yaaay, you figured out the telephone number :D (Wikipedia is a good thing... ;) )

Quote from: feyss on March 14, 2017, 07:07:03 AM
Great tourist brochure! That makes me want to spend my next holidays there  ;)

I can't wait to see more!
Thank you! You should! You know there is a regional train from Munich, right? ;)

Wow, guys, thanks for all the replies! ()flower()

Before we enter the last update from St Edmea, I would like to tell you a secret. This is the first 'project' in SimCity 4 that I actually 'finish' – like, ever. And that is thanks to the support I have received from you, the community. In every other project I have undertaken I have met some difficulty, or become bored, and taken a pause and then forgotten all about it. Yet with St Edmea, the support and suggestions I have received (and the wish to bring the diary to a proper end to make the effort justice) has helped me overcome those obstacles.

These, or similar, are probably the thoughts of everyone who gets bitten by the MD bug – what difference it makes to build something on your own, and build something with a purpose to build something not only rewarding to oneself, but also worth showing someone else. This is stunning to me, and a realisation I have only done one and a half year after I started my own MD. Before I have always felt replies complementing (and of course highly appreciated), but not relevant to whether or not I continue. Only now do I realise what so many MD'ers mean when they say that the replies have motivated them to keep going. Your replies have kept me going, not in the way of some 'replies or like hunt', but corroboration that what I share is something that is worth sharing, and that it can mean something to someone else, too. The fact that it's out there and appreciated makes it feel like a more proper narrative and as such it deserves to be followed through. That feeling is what keeps me going.

I'd love to hear your – both fellow MD'ers and non-MD fellow Simcity players – thoughts on this, but let my ramblings no longer procrastrinate the final update from St Edmea. Thus, ladies and gentlemen, I bring you the most posh part of St Edmea, the marina.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1501518965161/city-projects/st-edmea2/7.1.jpg)
      Update VII: The Jachthafen

From the railway station, the marina is easily reached by simply going downhill and from the mediaval city centre it is reached by a short walk along the old road that was once the main road into the mountains and onwards to the Pope in Rome. The low-level areas around the marina were St Edmeas local swamp – good for fishing, but not so good for tourism – until they were drained in the 1920s and apartments for the nouveau riche were built in their place. The first part of the Jachthafen area was constructed in the late 1920s and inspired by the construction style in Germany at the time, incorporating the modern ideals of functionalism and the early Bauhaus movement, yet retaining the old, wall-to-wall structure reminicent of the older parts of St Edmea.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1501518969115/city-projects/st-edmea2/7.a.jpg)
1. *Click* for full size

The farther half of the Jachthafen remained unbuilt until St Edmea's financial growth started in the 1980s and '90s. What had previously been just rocks was cleared and the third arm of the tram network added. Tram traffic to the Jachthafen started in 1996, and a year later the old tracks for turning the tram on the station square were torn up, making possible the reconstruction of the station square.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1501518973013/city-projects/st-edmea2/7.b.jpg)
2.

At the same time started construction of the two pink towers, today owned by the University's own housing authority. The majority of its residents are students, but the larger apartments on the top floors are mostly inhabited by guest professors from all over the world. As the University has grown in both size and popularity, more student accommodation has become a top priority for city planners. This was also the last addition to St Edmea's housing stock, the brown condominium at the top of the stairs. Again, the suites with large panorama windows are reserved for guest professors.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1501518977126/city-projects/st-edmea2/7.c.jpg)
3. *Click* for full size

Construction is going on above the Jachthafen. The old, winding road that is still the main road southwards is being complemented by a motorway. Possibly a new trans-Alpine connection? The residents in the Jachthafen hope not, as the traffic such an artery would attract would ruin the peace and tranquility of the lake view.

(https://sites.google.com/site/themistoklescitygallery/_/rsrc/1501518982740/city-projects/st-edmea2/7.d.jpg)
4.

Is this the end to the quiet in St Edmea? Let us hope not.

Our own walk, however, has reached its end, and we leave St Edmea along the narrow road clinging to the lakeside cliffs – onwards, to new adventures.

That's it, my friends, from St Edmea. It has been a pleasure to carry it through with you, even if it took one and a half year. I have many more ideas and have already started a few projects. Hopefully these will follow in future updates.

'Til then, see you around. :bye:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VII
Post by: Alan_Waters on July 31, 2017, 11:35:19 AM
Not to say that it is very difficult to do, and, nevertheless, everything is very harmonious, natural and ... I would go here as a tourist.  ;D
Bravo!!!  &apls &apls &apls
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VII
Post by: Dantes on July 31, 2017, 12:07:25 PM
Impressive street network. No corners, all round and beautiful!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VII
Post by: Akallan on August 01, 2017, 05:07:16 AM
You are finally back! I have been waiting so long for your update, I am happy to see it again ... Always beautiful pictures! I look forward to seeing your new projects, your work always impresses me. &apls
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VII
Post by: 911Diva on August 01, 2017, 05:15:48 AM
This is fantastic!  Very realistic!  Makes me want to go for a hike in your beautiful region!!! Great job, I love it!!! &apls &apls
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A hike to St Edmea, VII
Post by: vinlabsc3k on August 03, 2017, 09:16:50 AM







Great udate!!
&apls &apls &apls
I really love your style! :thumbsup:
-
Please don't close the MD!!
:'( :'( :'(
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A Green Utopia I
Post by: Themistokles on October 25, 2017, 02:13:08 PM
Hi everyone!

Thanks for all the nice comments! Now, finally the time has come to take this MD to its next chapter -- and bring it closer to what I wanted it to be from the start: A gallery of different kinds of cities.

So this is not a proper, proper update, but as I said in the last update from St Edmea I still have a few ideas hanging around, and one of them is to create a detailed and completely car-free city and now I thought I just might show you what the last incarnation of that idea looks like. There's only one image this time though, because lotting is so much easier when you have just one perspective to deal with. ;)

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4466/24081624068_2a9db35bae_b.jpg)

REPLIES

Alan_waters: Thanks! You're most welcome. Just one thing -- please drop me a line if you'd find the correct regional train at München Hbf :)

Dantes: Thank you! Now the street network in this one is way different, but I hope you'll like this too.

Akallan: Thank you! And now it has almost been as long again :'( , but I'm back! I'm very much looking forward to your next update though ;)

911Diva: You're most welcome too! :)

vinlabsc3k: Thank you, that's a very kind thing to say! Btw, turns out I didn't, not really. ;)

korver: Unfortunately we never made it to Meteora :( . We had to cut it out when we were in Bulgaria and realised the train times didn't match and that it would take so long to go from Greece to Italy. But I'm most definitely going back again some time, and then Thessaloniki, Delphi, Mycenae and many more places are also on the list! And thank you for the kind words!
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A Green Utopia, I
Post by: Akallan on October 25, 2017, 02:34:52 PM
Well, it will take a lot of time, but the result will be beautiful! You will only make lots to plopper if I understand correctly? I look forward to seeing more, this small piece of the lot is very detailed, and a city without cars ... It's visionary!  :popcorn:
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A Green Utopia, I
Post by: kbieniu7 on October 28, 2017, 12:31:37 PM
Nice to see you back working on something! ;) I've never liked too much working over big area in Lot Editor, but I keep my finger crossed for you ;) Car-free idea is quite a challenging vision. As far as I know, Oslo is the first city that makes real effort to introduce it. However, those tall blocks don't reminds me landscapes with enthusiasts of car-free cities :D
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A Green Utopia, II
Post by: Themistokles on October 30, 2017, 08:20:07 AM
Hey there again! :bye:

REPLIES
Akallan: Oh yes, it will take a lot of time. But in some ways it is more time-efficient than working with mmps I think. I have more choices, can remove or replace specific props and am able to search for props using their names instead of scrolling up and down the mmps menu. (A little bit) More is coming in this update :) Thanks for the comment!

kbieniu7: And I'm glad to be back working in SC4... I mean you must take the chances when for once life is not too stressful! ;) It is. My vision in this case is a post-car redeveloped city, so what I am aiming for is to integrate the blocks into a more vibrant cityscape. Oslo is a really interesting example and I am really happy every time I hear other cities being inspired by them. However, as far as I know, they only want to make the city centre car-free. In this case, I'm going for the whole city ;) As far as city planning goes, maybe this update is more in line with what you'd expect from a car-free city?

This time, I have expanded with more traditionally developed lands, imagining this to be an old, separate town that has been almost absorbed into the expanding periphery of the big city. Strict zoning laws now protect the small-scale farmers and old houses from developing into a concrete block forest.

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4476/37332214234_4a33f5598d_b.jpg)
edit: Ahhh, that compass! :'( I'll have to remove it until next time. The image is *clickable* though. ;) so you can see an even larger compass...

I hope you like it! If or if not, you're welcome to leave a comment below :)
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A Green Utopia, II
Post by: kbieniu7 on November 01, 2017, 06:06:58 AM
Kind of a weird view... yeah, I know, blocks tend to invade more and more land, but here it seems that some planners were so over-excited with them that they almost smahed down an historical village, stopping just at the very last moment  :D
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A Green Utopia, II
Post by: feyss on November 01, 2017, 11:01:08 AM
It looks like the kind of monstrosity that only a Belgian architect could think of  :D

Great work!
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A Green Utopia, II
Post by: Nanami on November 25, 2017, 08:20:32 PM
Although I find it awkward for those major concrete block next to farm but yeah its a really interesting concept and maybe reflect to some reality out there......
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A Tropical Idea
Post by: Themistokles on September 30, 2018, 12:59:00 PM
Well, hello! Before it becomes one year since the last post I might as well briefly wake this topic up again. I once more happened to find myself fiddling around in the LE for a few hours of a hung-over weekend to try out an idea that has been lying around in my head for the last years - using the height adjustment of props in the LE to create one lot with winding stairs and elevated buildings. So, without further ado, here they are:

(https://i.imgur.com/ymg66om.jpg)

(https://i.imgur.com/Iy6TRrT.jpg)

The idea, if that is not visible, is based on a train line that goes through a tunnel under a street, surrounded by offices, a foreign embassy and a train stop. It's kind of a weird construction and I guess a little more similar to how C:S players (rather pedantic builders) think, building "scenes" one prop at a time. Only in LE can you do that in SC4, so that is where I mostly hang out. xD

What bothered me however was how everything obstructed the view of everything behind, which kind of reminds one of how flat SC4 cities mostly are. But please let me know what you think. :)
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A Tropical Idea
Post by: mattb325 on September 30, 2018, 04:37:35 PM
Love it! Absolutely love it  :thumbsup: It reminds me of Olympia and SAC which were just so far ahead of its time and so few people can achieve
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A Tropical Idea
Post by: Kitsune on September 30, 2018, 05:23:23 PM
That really is incredible. I know we have subway tunnels in Toronto that have similiar affect where they come out and then disappear again.
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A Tropical Idea
Post by: carlfatal on October 01, 2018, 02:08:04 AM
Very, very interesting idea and well made!  &apls

Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A Tropical Idea
Post by: juguesal on October 06, 2018, 10:24:20 AM
Very nice updates. Good job. Courage and it continues like this.
Where did you download the tram and the red train that you see? Update of September 30, 2018.

Greetings and thanks.
Title: Re: Themistokles City Gallery: A Tropical Idea
Post by: matias93 on October 07, 2018, 05:26:03 AM
I LOVE that concept of trenched stations, it works so well for  hilly cities, and has this -almost romantic- air!
I imagine though that the lot would sit nicely only on a fixed slope...