Greenacre

[threestooges]

Haven't you all looked at what day it is today?

There's no way this thing got selected for a 5th time.

Happy April Fool's everyone!


























Wait... hang on.

*rummages through papers*

Huh, apparently this is real.

*clears throat*

In that case, thank you, esteemed members of the OSITM Committee for inclusion of this questionably coherent mess that has been the product of my beating on the game with a hammer. I look forward to trying various hammers this month. Sledge, ball peen, claw, framing, carpenter's, cross-peen, drilling, knife-edged, lathe, lump, rubber mallet, splitting maul, brass, upholstery, jackhammer, steam hammer, perhaps even Mjolnir if the situation presents itself (but I doubt I'd ever get that one off the ground).

Above all, and most certainly though, I except at least one update devoted to the use of the spiking hammer.

With that, I'll get around to the first posting of percussive progress later today.

Thanks to everyone for sticking with me throughout the years.
-Matt

[rooker1]

What a great laugh, thanks Matt!!    But than again, I would never expect anything less from you.  So you had better step it up now.  And you made me look up some of those hammers, including Mjolnir.  Yah, good luck with that one.

Robin

[Swordmaster]

This is probably the only MD that would ever mention the spiking hammer. Looking forward to that!


Cheers
Willy

[vester]

Good luck getting Mjolnir from Thor. He clings on to it.

Looking forward to see what you can do with the rest of the hammers.

[APSMS]

I think the bigger problem would be lifting it. Loki was unable to move it, though I've always wondered what would happen if Thor tried to put it on the Hulk. (probably something akin to buttered toast on the backside of a cat).

Looking forward to more of this MD. I know it's been slow, but I'm always looking for new ideas for a CJ/MD (I haven't started one yet due to technical issues), and this one (scanning the archives) is full of really great ones, especially in the presentation of the region.

[threestooges]

Replies:
Joan (Jmouse) x2: Those walls proved useful. I'll get back to that area later this month. It's still in the works, and I have other projects from the back burner to deal with as well. I like the picture you chose for the OSITM picture too. Hope the month lives up to expectations.


Willy (Swordmaster) x2: You think I'm on to something? One of these days I might just figure out what it is.


rambuckel: Here I thought I was just being stubborn (kidding of course). Hope you enjoy the read-through of it, and what's in store for the month to come. Pretty sure you've posted here before, but if not, welcome to Greenacre!


Robin (rooker1) x2: Stubborn is what I do. If you're going down, go down swinging. Good to hear you have coffee to keep you awake during the reading (kidding of course). Time will tell what the month has in store, but indeed, more than one update is to be expected. Glad to hear you enjoyed my hammering home the joke.


metarvo: Hope to live up to the expectations. Looking forward to your thoughts this month.


art128: Party time. Thanks for the welcome to the club Art.


MTT9: Thank you very much! As for the rest, there's never a better time to start.


vester: Yeah, I didn't expect that one to go anywhere. Never know though. As for the rest of the hammers, I would imagine I could drum up a pretty good beat with them.


APSMS: Welcome to Greenacre! I'm glad to hear you've found a few ideas from here. Hopefully there will be a few new ones for you this month. Best of luck getting started on yours. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.


So to get things started here, let's go back to the site of the old navy base:

50.00


As a quick refresher, this is the island, and that top right concrete slab is where we'll be working this time around.

50.01


The slab was left over from the former aircraft carrier and support buildings for it. Removing it and getting a road system laid down was the first priority.

50.02


A quick grid system of a main road and side streets was the simplest for the planning commission to approve. They wanted to get this area redeveloped as quick as they could.

50.03


Speaking of getting things redeveloped quickly, construction had begun even before the zones had been finalized.

50.04


So this was the basic result. A bit of density, but not quite the mid density mass I was hoping for. Oh well, that will change in time. A seawall has also been added now that the original port's breakwater has been dismantled. This was added to prevent liquification of the soil so close to the water.

50.05


However, that's not where things will end here. As this area is expected to be dense, and as people are expected to drive, they will expect places to park, and the sidewalks aren't going to cut it. Clipping out some of the buildings to replace them with parking lots (JBSimio's college lots) has both the visual effect of the parking, and also encourages denser building by providing fewer lots for the sims to develop.

50.06


Not quite done yet. There's parking, and places for people to live, but without a place to play, things will get a bit dull. This looks like a good place for a small park, and to get rid of a few more zones to encourage denser development.

50.07


Strike a few roads and add a few BSC park lots and we're there. Keeping the playset back from the road helps draw families into the park, and keeps kids farther from the soon-to-be-busy road.

50.08


Lastly, for now, up on this hill there was the old mess hall for the base. With fewer naval troops in the area, but increasingly more families, a school would be in good order here.

50.09


Casper's Milton Elementary makes a fine fit for the space provided. A few MMPs of grass and palm trees help tie the lot in to the surroundings.

50.10


So here's the area now that the redevelopment has occurred. Bit of a change from a concrete slab. Already it's denser than when first zoned, the park has helped with land values (and thus seems to encourage the denser development), as does the school. The parking lots add a touch of realism and keep the area from looking too cluttered.

So here's an overview of the island as it stands now. Next time we'll be taking up the matter of what to do with that other giant slab circled in red.

50.11


Yes, the water is eventually going to get a flora treatment to it too. Hope you enjoyed and, as always, looking forward to your thoughts.
-Matt

[Swordmaster]

Very good. I still love that marina. Poor kids who have to bike their way up that hill to school


Cheers
Willy

[rooker1]

Great update, I love how you walked us through your thought processes. 
Good chioce on the school and thnk god it has a fence on the cliff side.  Too bad there are no stairs up the cliff side to the school, great shorcut.

Robin

[noahclem]

Big congratulations on being one of the very few to make it to 5x OSITM! Very well deserved 

Lovely shorelines around here and great redevelopment of the old naval base! Looking forward to whatever hammering comes next 

[Tandini]

Congrats from your OSITM partner, Matt!
I have to admit, that I didn't come across your MD yet (  ), so there is something to cath up for me...
Nice update btw. I like how you let us know your thoughts while developing your work. I'm curious what you're going to present this month!

[Schulmanator]

Looking good... and congrats on the OSITM. I will be curious to see what you do to de slab in the next update.

[Jmouse]

Looks good, Matt. I like the way you're showing us the entire process. One of our original NUTs used to do that, and it made for some really interesting updates.

And I'm so glad you've provided parking areas. That's something which is often lacking in MDs. Of course, in some European countries, bicycles are the preferred mode of transportation – Copenhagen comes to mind – but folks need a place to park their bikes, too.

I like the way things turned out, and look forward to seeing the other concrete slab sprout...something.

[benedict]

Well done on being selected for OSITM a 5th time, and congratulations - you're number one on Ben's Top ten this week.

[metarvo]

It's clear that Greenacre is the place for me this month.  The demilitarization, if you will, of this area is providing more space for residents, but at what cost?  Generally, military bases provide valuable employment and they attract development in their own right.  I hope there are enough jobs for the new citizens moving into this part of the region.

It's a good idea to think about little things like parking which are sometimes overlooked.  It has always bothered me to see these dense, often Maxis-heavy cities that include little or no parking.  I admit I've been guilty of going down that road myself a few times.  It also seems quite thoughtful to me for the playground to be placed away from the road.  Safety is a good thing. 

Nice update! 

[threestooges]

Replies:

Willy (Swordmaster): That was a fun marina to make. Outside of certain beach lots, he's made some excellent waterfront pieces. As for the uphill ride, that won't be an issue for much longer. Soon they'll have to go uphill both ways.


Robin (rooker1): You'll be getting a lot of the walkthrough approach this month. I like the construction approach to things, and based on the responses I've had when I show it, it seems like others like to see how it comes together too. If you liked that school, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this update.


Noah (noahclem): Thanks for the thoughts on the fifth time here. The shorelines are getting close to the top of the list of what to work on next. That'll be a bit of an undertaking though, so it'll have to wait a bit.


Tandini: Right back at you, and welcome to Greenacre! Here's to a good month together. I'll be keeping an eye on your Journey Through Finland during the month as well. Nice start on things there so far.


Schulmanator: Your wait is over. Now let's see what you think of the results.


Joan (Jmouse): Greenacre, with the exception of its rails, is by and large a car country. Parking is something I often overlook, but try to remember to provide it when I can. Some areas will have more than others by design, but hopefully this area will have the look of having just enough for its needs. Always good to read your thoughts here Joan.


benedict: Stunning news! Thanks for sharing. Knowing the quality of what's out there, I'm a bit surprised, to say the least.


metarvo: You've touched upon a very interesting point. One which I hope to address some time this month. I know we'll get back to the naval base, but it will indeed be interesting to see the effects of such a sudden shift of so many people.

Parking is always one of those things I seem to need to remind myself to add in, since there's really no penalty in the simulation if you don't have it, but the areas look so much nicer after it's been added that it's one of those things I try to do whenever I can.

And now:


Image drawn by our good friend Robin (rooker1). Character design inspired by Mark O'Hare.

On to the update.

From dictionary.reference.com:

ham·mer[ham-er] (noun):
1. A tool consisting of a solid head, usually of metal, set crosswise on a handle, used for beating metals, driving nails, etc.
...
5. A metal ball, usually weighing 16 pounds (7.3 kg), attached to a steel wire at the end of which is a grip, for throwing for distance in the hammer throw.

"A metal ball...attached to a steel wire..."

That could be useful in this update. So with that, this update is dedicated to the wrecking ball: the misunderstood hammer.

You remember this school, right?

51.01


I hope so. If not, go back and read the last update. Anyway, as Robin (rooker1) wisely pointed out,

it has a fence on the cliff side

which is a good thing. The bad thing is... there's a cliff.

Also, as was pointed out during a city council meeting, the facility is exceedingly small for the student population it's expected to serve. There's little room for the kids to play at lunch. There is no significant parking. The former building looked better there. There's too much traffic that travels along the main road there. The kids can't learn with all that traffic noise (never mind the double-paned windows). There's too much traffic, kids could get hit. It's a stupid idea to have a traffic barricade in the middle of a roundabout. Some guy's car keeps leaking oil in his neighbor's driveway. Trout season seems like it's later this year than usual and, most importantly, why wasn't the school plan put up for public commentary?

Well, the councilmembers seemed well prepared. They pulled a copy of the minutes from months ago showing the agenda item, as well as an attendence count showing all of two people were present at the meeting: the architect who designed the building, and an old guy who wanted to know what they were going to do about trout season this year.

That being said, when a meeting room full of irate constituents demands change, it's time to pull out the wrecking ball and start over.

51.02


You remember that patch of concrete, right? If not, you really should go back and read the last update.

It's been designated as the spot for the new school. Several designs were proposed to accommodate the expected number of students, as well as to provide the most room for exercise and outdoor activity.

I love the design of this first one, but it takes up too much room on such a small patch.

51.03


Others, however, prove too small when compared to the towers surrounding them.

51.04


After all plans had been presented, this one here seemed to fit the bill best in terms of size, look, and compact layout.

51.05


What's next was preventing the errant student from stumbling into the water. Seawalls were installed to prevent that, as well as to discourage soil erosion. One problem though, the engineers who installed them left a bunch of access ladders.

51.06


These would have to go. Otherwise administrators would be fishing students out of the rocks on the other side every lunch period. Love the 3-wide piece from the set, but single pieces took care of the problem.

51.07


Next issue addressed: parking, and lots of it. There was an existing parking lot for the residential tower next door. The two facilties now share the expanded lot. School personnel on one side, residents on the other.

51.08


The final issue to address was the need for outdoor activity: sports fields, play equipment, grass. You know, those things that require you to be out in sunlight. A playset, basketball courts and a baseball diamond were initially considered.

51.09


Problem was, open courts near a road would lead to stray balls (and the resulting stray children) going into the road. With as many cars as will be traveling through this area, that design was quickly re-thought and a fence was installed, courtesy of NUTs Contractors.

51.10


Landscaped, the area looked pretty good. The baseball field was replaced by a soccer field. The theory being that it gave a more open look to the area, as well as allowed for a variety of uses for the space.

51.11


Not quite there yet though. Having the fence around the ball court was one thing, but still, having kids go that close to the road didn't make much sense. One car accident and the courts wouldn't be that safe. Moving them to the back of the building seemed to work out better. The playset was also relocated to make room.

51.12


But that doesn't quite complete the picture. The administrators were worried about kids climbing up on the seawall ladders yet hadn't considered the unfenced area near all the fast moving chunks of steel. A hedge was considered at first, but the varieties available wouldn't quite work with the soil conditions.

51.13


A chain link fence with plenty of trees was opted for instead. The trees added much needed shade to the area and helped blend the border created by the fence.

51.14


With a few extra trees added to the remaining grassy areas, that about puts the work on this section to rest.

51.15


-Matt

[MTT9]

Great couple of updates! Seems like you leave no detail left to chance.

[Jmouse]

By now, I'm sure you know I'm not one to rush around and try to make the first post following an update. I like to come back several times, and usually I notice some details I missed on the first, second and third viewing. For once, I'm going to make an exception, though, because this is certainly one of your more entertaining and informative updates. I won't be the first to post this time either, but I certainly won't be the last.

Yes, I remember the school in 51.01, but I also noticed how you decorated the shoreline and I like it. Also I remember the patch of concrete I hoped would "sprout...something." I like the school in 51.03, too – I believe it's in one of JBSimio's school packs. Personally, I would have dragged out the wrecking ball and made room for it, but you and I have very different playing styles.

Now for the fun part. Following the thought processes you used to choose the school and its accompanying accessories was fascinating. I could almost picture you in front of the computer with the monitor as the only light source. The expressions on your face tell the story. *No, that one's too small and it looks like...mmmmm...something undesirable.* But finally, the light dawned – the one right above your head – and the disconnected pieces started falling into place.

The finished product looks really good, and very much like a well-planned school ground should look. Good job on this one.

[art128]

Excellent work on the surroundings of this school Matt. You did an awesome job managing the school fields. I like it, looks very realistic.

[rooker1]

Another great update my friend. 
Your thought process is always long winded, but interesting none the less.  Not sure if I would have choosen that school in this situation as I actually liked your first choice better, but it did need to be relotted and if you were not interested in doing such things I would have no problem doing something quick for you in the future.  So I guess the question now is...."What is going where the old school was?"
Even still, your end result is very pleasing and realistic and this is my opinion and your MD.
As always, great visiting, no coffee this time but kids in the background demanding I explain what all these pictures are from and for.

Robin

[metarvo]

It seems like building a school in that spot opened up a can of worms, with roads and everything else under the sun that need fenced off.  It looks like all of the hazards have been successfully dealt with, though.  That school in particular has been a mainstay in my Plugins folder for as long as I can remember; it happens to be one of my favorites.    Good work, Matt.