Commonwealth of Marathon

[rooker1]

Hey Dustin, I can't wait to see this.....

[Earth quake]

Nice lot Dustin. 
I recommend to use the SG prop and C.P prop for this lot. 

I impatient to see the next update.

[art128]

Dustin, I can't wait (too) to see what you do with this lot 

[dedgren]

I was going to say, "Pretty crafty there, Dustin- sliding this in under the radar screen."  Then I just realized that it's me- I just don't get out enough anymore.  An excellent start here- I've learned a thing or two already.

Good luck, my friend.  Endeavor away!


David

[paroch]

Hey Dustin, I've only just seen you've started an MD.

I've got to start by saying a great big WELCOME.

You're going to love creating an MD (I can see you are already) and we're going to love following along.  You've made a fantastic start and already have one of the fastest growing MDs EVER.

It's interesting to see your approach to your region - I use the Marrast Embankments a lot myself, plus mixed in with Mas71's walls.  I went for the terraced approach in the West End city of Charing Cross.  You may recall it, but if not you can find it from the TOC at West End if you want to see how I approached it - you may see some errors to avoid!!

Good luck with the next steps - rest assured I'll be a more frequent visitor from here on.

Paul

[thundercrack83]

Pat: Hi, my friend! Thanks so much!

Robin (rooker1): Hey, Robin! I have to warn you, I'm not very "up-to-speed" on the LE! Thanks for coming by, my friend!

Earth quake: Thanks so much for your suggestions—I'll give them a shot!

Arthur (art128): Thanks, Arthur!

David (dedgren): Hello and welcome, David! Glad you made it, my friend, and that you've learned some things here. Though, I must say if we were keeping score on that front, it would be about a googolplex to 2, in your favor! Take care!

Paul (paroch): Thank you so much for such a warm welcome, Paul! I am enjoying making an MD very much so far, thanks to you and all the other great friends here that have been so supportive! I will definitely be heading over to WEST END to check out your terraced in Charing Cross. Perhaps there's something I can steal learn! Hope to see you here again, my friend!



Not on to our third update quite yet, I've been playing around a little bit while trying to get the leaves cleaned up in the yard...

And a first here in Marathon—

a mosaïc!

Many thanks go out to iamgoingtoeatyou / ilikehotdogsalot for his great tutorial, How to Make Mosaics.

Our foray into the LE will follow forthwith (did he actually just use the word "forthwith?"). In the meantime, it's Veterans Day here in the United States, and our good friend Pat has put together a tribute over at Waterfalls..., which is currently OSITM!

While over there, check out the other OSITM MDs for November—Paul (paroch) is always doing great work in WEST END, bat and his fantastic animations are moving along nicely in Capporth City, and my good friend Robin (rooker1) is pushing the envelope with a massive and meticulous terraforming project over at Mind Scape.

Until next time, when we hop into the LE!

[Lilojame]

Hi again! I am apoliaging for not commenting in here before but I was kindda occupied... anyhow, to pay a debth...

The reaser on page 2 look gorgeous. I love the ambiental felling you added so its a speldid work. 

The presentation in Update 2 is also very well done. I actualy need to say "Thank you!" regarding it because thanks to you I now exactly know wich of walls I want to use in future and where exactly to get them and on top of that your presentation will be helpfull for me avoiding the side kick with terraforming and using walls.
I noticed that you used "mayor tools" for changing the terrain and that can be very expensive. Therefore I suggest you download  GTM by Warrior wich can be found on http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1711  wich I personaly find extremly helpful and its quite a revelation. Basicaly it enables the usage of God tools in Mayor mode of playing.
I know it is late but I personaly would go for teraced look with the seawalls.

And mmmm... a sneak-a-peak in LE. Thisa shall be very very very interesting. 

As for your "not yet update 3" it is very apealing and therefore  .

I have to say that I definetly love what your are doing in here, my friend!

Fixed the link, Robin 

[metarvo]

It's very thoughtful of you to provide the links, Dustin.  As far as the update goes, you have put together a fine neighborhood.  I anticipate your next update very much.

[Jmouse]

Both the cityscape and neighborhood look great, Dustin - the neighborhood is especially well laid out. I, too, await the results of your foray into depths of LE. Unfortunately it takes much longer to find a prop than necessary so I've put off working with it. I was, however,  in the midst of creating a cross-index system which would make prop location easier, but had to put it on the back burner temporarily. Still, LEing is a bridge I'll have to cross eventually, so I shall watch with interest as you take the lead.

And as always, looking forward to the next installment in Marathon's history!
Joan

[kimcar]

Great an update . An nice one with this super mosaic pic.  &aplsWow should be in the pics contest. Great work

[rooker1]

This has to be the fastest growing MD ever.  What a beautiful city and you told me on MSN you thought you were no good.  You're crazy my friend, you were right, you are no good.....you're great.  I want to see more, lots more, huge mosaics and more of that city, please....please.

That was very thoughtful of you to plug the OSITM and Pat's update, which BTW today was awesome and very fitting.

I'm going to wait right here until you update again......
......
......
Okay than I'll be back often to make sure I don't miss anything. 

Robin 

[woodb3kmaster]

Wow, I'm very impressed, Dustin! Your pre-update looks terrific! I see a number of buildings in the cityscape that I need to get my hands on (people want to see more BATs in Nyhaven, and one has to keep one's fans happy). Your first mosaic looks great too! I like how you've laid out that suburb, and it's nice to see Mas71's seawalls in use like that. Just out of curiosity, did you use them along an actual shoreline, or is all that water plopped? I want to know if I'll actually be able to use them myself.

Happy LE-ing, and keep up the terrific work!

Zack

[Earth quake]

Excellent, really excellent mosaïc, I like your suburbs. 
The first is really interesting and I like the mixture with the Ill tonkso Bat and the HK bat. 

Another, I like your canal in the mosaic and this Update is more realisti, good work Dustin. 

[Simpson]

Oh my friend 
This update is incredible as well, your mosaic is looking very good and the city is superb

The first picture is really excelent, fine work on the L.E.
So, take care and also I'm looking forward to the next update

[art128]

The suburbs look really great there Dustin. You do an excellent work on your city my friend  Also great work on the mosaic ! And the first picture is splendid 
can't wait the next update (or teaser !! )
Arthur

[NASCAR_Guy]

Stop teasing us with teasers dustin.

[bat]

Nice small mosaic there! And wonderful new two pictures of your city, but looking forward to a new update...

[Yoman]

Excellent two pictures there Dustin, and that mosaic tutorial is quite helpful, especially when you have the writer of it available to bug with questions

I like the buildings you've chosen for that downtownish kindof area, not high at all, but they all blend together very well, looking forward to more 

Owen

[Pat]

Dustin looking real good there with this update wow!!! I love that Mosiac!!!

[thundercrack83]

Lilojame: Hi! Thank you so very much for your kind words and support, my friend! Actually, you brought up point that I overlooked initially, and that is the use of money in the game. Short answer, I cheat! I use the "Moolah" cheat and give myself about $4 billion whenever I am doing any long-term building. And thanks for the link to GTM by Jonathan (Warrior)! I've been meaning to download that for while! I usually go back and forth between Mayor mode and God mode, depending on the size and scope of the terraforming to be done. Hope to see you around again soon, my friend! Thanks again!

metarvo: No problem, my friend! What kind of friend to the community would I be if I didn't help to point out the great things that are happening in it? Thanks for your comment, too!

Joan (Jmouse): You touched on the crux of my LE frustrations, Joan. I never know what to look for or where to find it...or what to do with it when I do find it, for that matter...but that's a different story! Good luck with your own LE foray, my friend, and thanks for stopping by!

kimcar: Thanks so much!

Robin (rooker1): Like I said on MSN, Robin—you're embarrassing me! No kidding, though, my friend, thank you so much for not only your support, but talking me into starting an MD to begin with. Without your friendship and gentle nudging, I'd still be toiling in the game starting over, and over, and over... And don't worry, there will be more mosaïcs in the future!

Zack (woodb3kmaster): Welcome, my friend! The shoreline and ploppable water are part of the JPN River Project by MAS71. It's a great tool that I'm just getting acquainted with. If you want to see it at it's finest, I suggest checking out Region of Balnavia by our good friend Dave (tooheys). He's doing wonderful stuff with it—and other things, too!—over there!

Earth quake: Thank you, my friend! I didn't think the HK BATs would fit well with the NDEX ones, but it seems to have come out OK. Thanks for stopping in!

Simpson: Thank you, my friend!

Arthur (art128): Thanks, Arthur! I'm glad you enjoyed them. Hope to see your back!

NASCAR_Guy: Ha! If I can't tease with teasers, what can I tease with? Thanks for coming by!

bat: Thanks so much, bat! Wait no longer, my friend!

Owen (Yoman): That's such a great tutorial, isn't it? So easy to follow and works like a charm! Thanks for your comments and support, Owen!

Pat: Thanks, bud!

UPDATE III
Adventures in Lotting (Or, The Scourge of "Repetitive and Boring")
Part I: A First-Time Foray
12 November 2008

First—and a rather large first—I have to admit that I have never, ever worked at length in the Lot Editor. Sure, I've fired it up and played around with it and, within minutes, even seconds, I'd close it and walk away in frustration. But, inspired by the philosophy of David (dedgren), who, when presented with an obstacle over at 3RR tackles it head-on (puzzle-pieces, ploppable items, wide runways, you name it!), I figured that my best course of action was to jump into the LE and see what I could do.

Luckily for me, this is not too a daunting task, technically speaking, but æsthetically? That could prove to be a horse of a different color.

A ways back, Piotr (Sheep49) posted the following:

...

I think, though, that you should make several lots for the middle way, so that it won't be so repetitive and pretty boring.

...

Repetitive and boring. Two adjectives that, in my humble opinion, any MD author should recognize as their sworn enemies, and both fear and respect them. So, in an effort to avoid these pesky adjectives, opening up the LE and trying my hand at some small variations seems like the best course of action.

We begin!

A blank lot with the sandstone texture is as good a place to start as any, eh? But, we could do that with a NAM Pedestrian Malls, and it's rather...pedestrian (cousin to "repetitive" and "boring," another adjective to avoid like the plague).

I start small...

A few benches, maybe some...

...trash receptacles and a lamp post, perhaps? Still rather plain, however.

So we go in search of something...some tables might work, placed rather randomly.

Add into the mix a few newsstands and some people—

And that seems like start. To me, at least! So, we'll save it...

...as "Terrace1."

But one lot does not "repetitive and boring" conquer, does it? No—no, it does not. Plus, I think a bigger lot will not only help with some randomness, but also cut down on plopping so many 1x1 tiles around the island.

A 2x1 lot, it is. A lot that might be a bit more special for in front of the staircases.

This time, we've upped the bench count and added a bit of flourish in the middle lamp post.

A few more tables and a couple bushes later, and we have a 2x1 lot. So, into the game we go!

It's still repetitive, but it's a start! I've found a little issue that probably has our LE veterans here at SC4D laughing at my inexperience...

As you can see, the tables are obstructed a bit by the big staircase, and the bushes have been covered completely.

But—I am hopeful! My first experience with making a lot in the LE and getting into the game went off without a hitch, technically speaking. As I said the æsthetics probably need some work, so we'll stop here for now and head back into the LE.

TO BE CONTINUED...

In the meantime, if anyone has any suggestions, advice, critiques, please offer them. As I said, I'm not even a beginner, I'm a full-on rookie with the LE! What seems like nothing to you may be pure gold to me!