Mattb325 plays Shosaloza

[DuskTrooper]

Those textures and overlays are part of the Cycledogg Texture packs.

Thanks!
*Goes to download*

[TheTeaCat]

Awesome simply Awesome

great update dude

[vab423]

Thanks jestarr and matt!

(follows DT off to download)

[Citynut]

what snow mod are you using on this that acts seasonal?

[pvarcoe]

You know, after looking again through some of those residential shots,
I'd say those are one of the best examples I've ever seen of building homes on slopes.
The way those homes terrace up and down the hills is just excellent.
Nice Work!

[kwakelaar]

Very very nice what you are making here Matt, I have been enjoying the visit and will be back for more.

[mattb325]

Thankyou all for the kind words - much appreciated. 

@Citynut - I'm not using any snow mod per se. I've swampers textures which I occasionally bring into the plugins, but largely what I think you are referring to is the ingame easter egg which causes snow on December 25. If you get Buggis extra cheats mod, you can just type in 'snow' to get the results you see.

UPDATE: TURRAMURRA

The Rector (he, he, he  ) is busy preaching in Mona Vale, so it's up to me to show you around some of the other areas of Shosaloza. Don't fret, the Rector (he, he, he  ) will return soon

Let's get cracking...

Located south of St Leonards and Galston, and to the east of Mona Vale, Turramurra occupies the highest ground in all of the region. It is essentially somewhere most Shosalozans drive through on their way to the coastal town of Newport. Those tourists that do stop here are attracted the scree, lakes, hot springs and glacial pools of this upland region

Turramurra is home to about 15,000 Sims and is literally divided into two parts; with the trecherous Mt Warning separating the two.

On the northern and western edges, closer to Mona Vale, St Leonards and Dural, the wealthier reside.



Don't be fooled by these homes: Turramurra has had a difficult image to shake.

Turramurra was largely working class and isolated, and it desperately needed something to attract sims to its town.

The mayor, keen to improve the more vibrant northern and western edges, appointed the "Shosaloza Tidy Towns Committee" to make over the northern edge of town on the Dural border.
This committee has broad civic powers to enact and enforce building codes. The first decision was to tour all of the region for architectural inspiration.

Clearly they liked this architectural design as used in the main shopping precinct, and naturally such chaste design is filled mostly with trite and kitsch shops and cottage businesses.



There are still some buildings that the committee didn't make over: here is one of my all time favourites (thanks SWI21 )



But there is at least one thing of interest on the High Street that the committe didn't wreck.

This bill-board was placed by the local smash repair business. It appears to be working:



The committee also choose the re-design for the areas train stations.

The trains had always played a vital role in connecting this town with the rest of the region and so naturally, the committe thought that the stations needed to reflect to engineering achievements of building rail at such high grades as well as the pride of the locals.

The committee also choose highly individual names for each of the stations to reflect what it called the vibrant 'local villages' of Turramurra. Let's look at what they came up with.

Turramurra Station:



North Turramurra Station:



East Turramurra Station:



Aren't committees wonderful? Oh, and in case it is not evident, each station has a different floral emblem and a plaque outlining the area's unique history!

Here's what a station looked like BEFORE the committee got it's mitts on it (this is main connection to Mona Vale on the Western side of Turramurra)



Sadly, the committee have ear-marked this small green building for an upgrade and change of name: expect 'West Turramurra' train station to open some time in 2016

The reason cited by the committee for this upgrade is the business park to the north of the picture which employs almost 3500 residents from Turramurra and neighbouring Mona Vale.



So, surely with shops, nice homes, rail and high tech businesses Turramurra isn't all that bad?

Well, let's look at the other side of Mt Warning. There is only one way there; through the 6km Mt Warning tunnel which has a steep grade straight through the mountain.



Higher we go - past the tree line:



Higher still:



And presto: on the other side



Don't be fooled by the buildings and attempt at gardens. We are some 1,600 meters higher than in the previous pictures and are now in the scree fields of the southern side of Mt Warning.
These wind-blown rocks and pebbles bake and glare in summer and form a dangerous trap in winter buried under snow for unsuspecting hikers.

The residents have attempted to plant trees to temper this harsh environment, but most have died in the bleak conditions



The residents here have to contend with avalanches and rock slips, so the homes are spaced well apart:



There are, however, some nicer homes:



This one belongs to one of the managers of the nearby mill (one of the few remaining working mills in Shosaloza):



Often, in the shaded gullies, the snow rarely melts for more than 6 weeks in the year:



So, like the Inuits, the hapless folk of South Turramurra have several different words for snow and ice. There are really only two seasons up here.

Cold:



Bloody cold:



So what is the attraction to live here?

Well part of the answer relates to the fact that severe and prolonged in-breeding has caused horrific deformities amongst the population, so they simply can't show their faces amongst normal people.

See for yourselves:



The other part of the answer is tourism: many hikers and mountain bikers come to these parts to enjoy the Victoria National park, which is filled with glaciers, glacial lakes, hot springs, scree trails and wildlife.

Many of these are backpackers, and so choose modest accommodation:



This also ensures some of the more normal looking folk have gainful employment cleaning up after tourists; you can also see the Irish Pub down the road in the larger photo which hosts many back-packer brawls on a Saturday night.

And now, some of what the tourists come to see:



Longview Lake in the height of summer. Fed by thermal springs, these lakes never freeze and are a constant 50C:



During the spring, melting snow fills the lake and they increase two-fold in size, often cascading down the scree as beautiful seasonal water falls.

The abundance of water from the top of the mountain has ensured that farmland thrives on the southern edge of Turramurra, although some folk try to eek out an existence on scree fields.  Often with mixed results:



But let's leave this inbred mountain environ and look at the more productive farmland...

A tulip farm, (fallow for the winter):



Some of the other farms:











But also, here in the valleys of South Turramurra, grow cold climate grapes and it is home to another large employer of the region - this Chateau supports the small borough surrounding it:



Some of the borough below the chateau...



Many tourists also stay here as well touring some of the vineyards. Obviously, the accommodation this sort of tourist takes is of a slightly higher standard than the Holiday Inn:



No Irish pubs near this Inn  ; Jackie's Cabin serves only the finest wine and food to the well heeled of Shosaloza.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures, next update, Newport

[CabraBuitre]

I love that blue/green house in the first picture... it looks like one of yours, has it been released yet or is it in your "personal collection?"

Great job Matt!

[Colyn]

  again ... superb storytelling ... damn ... I find myself hitting the + key so many times and even a few pgdns ... great stuff Matt ... .... maybe just give us the grid reference so that I can find myself on the map.

[jacqulina]

wow you have done a wonderfull job with the houses,the roads and streets look amazing,great use of the trees,excellent pics,i love where you put the kabin it looks pretty there

[vester]

Wonderfull job. Had to cover the keyboard, so it was not destroyed by droolling....

[BarbyW]

I love your story and wait the Rector again with interest.
@cabraBuitre - the blue/green house is one of a new set by cycledogg that is unergoing testing at BSC at the moment.

[kwakelaar]

Great looking pictures and a nice story to go with them, very enjoyable.

Hmm, and the cold climate grapes where do I get those, would certainly make a change for my farm in the Norwegian mountains.

[DuskTrooper]

Nice suburbs!  I'm really digging the house with the green clapboard siding, and green roof, in the Victorian Semi Italianate style!



Can't wait for more!

[mattb325]

Thanks all for the comments

Colyn - I still haven't installed the region view thingy - but this last update was played on grid C2

Kwakelaar - it's funny when say cold climate grapes - I think they refer to the early ripening tendencies (mid-late August in your part of the world) rather than the actual cold tolerance of the vine.

And yes, the houses are very, very beautiful and exquisitely crafted - as Barby said, the ones in the first picture are all part of a large set by Cycledogg.

These low, mid and high wealth homes, apartments, terraces commercials etc will feature very heavily in this CJ, so keep your eyes peeled  #stsfd·

[Alfred.Jones]

 

That is fantastic

I love that there are so many trees in the area, it looks awesmome

[beskhu3epnm]

I was always wondering where I would ever see the burnt lodgepole pine used....

Thank you very much for giving me great ideas, Mattb325! This is incredible. You guys are the members I have in mind when I upload a map with the warning: For advanced users only. It seems that nothing can stop you from building great cities, let alone some intimidating terrain...

[bat]

Wonderful update! You have a fantastic city there! There are great rural areas!

[pvarcoe]

Wow, what an update.
Too many great shots to call my favorite, but I really like the work you did on the thermal springs. And I also like the tree selections you have chosen. And of course more excellent work building on slopes. And also....er sorry, I tend to drone on. But you get the picture. Nice stuff!

[sebes]

Great update Matt. The story , the pictures, the inbreeds, all fits well - a pleasure to read and watch!