Selicia - A Metropolis in the Making

[cityhawk]

Selicia - A Metropolis in the Making

*Plantation Bay map by comdude21 (ST)

Hello all! This is my first MD here at SC4D, but some of you may know me and my many other dropped CJs from ST. I posted this one on ST, but I'm posting it here too because this is a much closer-knit SC4 community where the comments aren't just "Good work!" or "I like it" or "You suck!" and so on. Here, I know I'll get the constructive criticism that I need to better my cities. So, with that said, let's get started!

Pioneer Valley





Pastor Jay Robertson was the mayor of this isolated American town of over 700 people...and isolated it was! The nearest town was over 100 miles away, so all of the necessary city services had to be established. The police station, fire station, bank, post office, medical clinic, school, church, and town hall were all gathered in one block for convenience to all the people of the widely spread town.



Pioneer Valley was such a peaceful place to live: Miles of farmland dominated the valleys that ran between the beautiful Comatose Mountain Range, and houses were dotted here and there to change up the landscape a bit.

Eastern side


Up north


Going south


Keep going


Southwestern terminus of PV


What made Pioneer Valley more peaceful was the fact that beyond the mountains to the west there was a gigantic and gorgeous wetlands area that boasted clear blue freshwater streams and rivers and even a bay, and along with that was the very lush flora and the clear abundance of wildlife; to the people of Pioneer Valley, the wetlands area was an obvious creation of God that should rermain in its beautiful protected state forever!

That was all to change, though...

[Mulefisk]

Great start!
I'm looking forward to seeing how you develop the region. 

[thundercrack83]

Hello, cityhawk! The Pioneer Valley looks great, so far, and good start! I like how you've made the farms different shapes, while maintaining a few "square" ones, too. It looks quite realistic! I'm eager to follow along with you here!

[pickled_pig]

Selicia - A Metropolis in the Making

Hello all! This is my first MD here at SC4D, but some of you may know me and my many other dropped CJs from ST. I posted this one on ST, but I'm posting it here too because this is a much closer-knit SC4 community where the comments aren't just "Good work!" or "I like it" or "You suck!" and so on. Here, I know I'll get the constructive criticism that I need to better my cities. So, with that said, let's get started!

Hey Craig - glad to see you around SC4D.  I agree - SC4D is a far more close-knit community and it seems as the average SC4D user is more experienced with SC than the average at ST.  I'm glad to see you posting your CJ over here; hopefully you'll get some great constructive criticism.

Really great farm town - you have improved a ton since your first CJ.  I'm imagining that Pioneer Valley is a Southern town because of the fact that a member of the clergy is running it.

I'll be looking forward to more updates
-aaron

[Jmouse]

I used to turn my nose up at in-game farms outlined with trees (unrealistic!) until I moved to an area in the USA where that's exactly how the fields look. (That means you passed Joan's farm test .)
And I'm so glad you introduced your MD with a "raw" region shot. I would like to know, however, where the farms (and future developments) are located within the region.
In any event, this is yet another MD I'll be keeping tabs on because I love watching a region develop from ground zero. Keep up the good work!
Jm

[dedgren]

And it's Craig!  And with a great looking region!  And with the expected completely competent, matter-of-fact and totally assured pics.

It is so great to see you- and your new MD- over here.

Good luck, my friend.


David

[tooheys]

I'm only new here myself, and my favourite areas to develop are rural. These pic's look great, I like the way the farms have been threaded thru the valley. Looking forward to more.

Cheers

Dave

[kwakelaar]

Great looking map you are starting with, I also like the way you have layed out your farmland, only thing I notice is that you are using seasonal trees along your roads and fields but the rest seems to be evergreen, is quite a contrast.

[Ennedi]

I like your valley very much, cityhawk!

It is one of my dreams to live in such isolated area (and of course with Internet connection at home   )
No matter when you turn right or left from the road, after a few steps you are in wild forest - it's wonderful.

I live in Europe, you can see here many places like this, especially in mountainous and hilly regions - houses along the road, fields behind them.

I hope if you develop your region, you will preseve some places like this  

[bat]

Fantastic region and great pictures of the farms, cityhawk!

Great start!

[jeronij]

I like the way your transit network conforms to the terrain 

[Snaper]

Very nice, I like

Great start, and good luck for the next 

[cityhawk]

Update 1 - Snobby Secret Service

One morning, a local farmer that lived at the terminus of the Pioneer Valley town limit went to the mayor's office. He told the mayor of bulldozers and shiny black cars that crowded the end of the road beside his farm. Pastor Robertson went to the site later that day and saw the deforestation of the woods that lay beyond the two black Secret Service cars that were blocking off the street. A couple of the Secret Service agents were standing outside, so Pastor Robertson approached them.

Agent 1: "Whoa, Mr.! Where do ya think you're goin? If ya know what's good for ya, you'll turn around right now, go home, and tend to your own issues while I tend to mine."
Pastor: *Holds out hand* "Hi! I'm Pastor Robertson," ---*changes to defensive voice*---"the mayor of this here town that you and your people don't seem to have respect for."
Agent 1: "Oh, so sorry!" *shakes the pastor's hand* "I though you were just one of the residents of this town."
Pastor: *Back to regular voice* "So what's goin on here?"
Agent 2: *comes from out of nowhere* "Basically, we're tearing down everything in your precious wetlands area so that cities can be built and money can be made! Oh, how I love money!"
Pastor: "WHAT! So the protection was lifted from the wetlands?!"
Agent 1: "I hate to be the one to tell you, but..."
Agent 2: "Then don't tell him; I will! Yes, the protection was lifted, and it was largely because of my doing! That whole big area of wetlands out there screams billions of dollars to be made, and the more money that's made, the more money that I and everybody in the federal government gets paid! Bozo here"---*puts arm around Agent 1*---"hates what we're doin, but it'll come out good for him, too, in the end, and that's why he's here."
Pastor: "Well, I can't argue with the federal government. It must be God's will for this to happen, so I have no choice but to let him do his work."
Agent 1: "I wish we didn't have to do this, Pastor, but the deal has already been sealed: deforestation and development of the wetlands area is already in progress."---*three second pause*---"Well, goodbye, Pastor. I hope your beautiful town here stays beautiful and peaceful.
Agent 2: "And I hope it gets very urbanized! Farewell, Pastor!" *walks away*
Agent 1: "Don't listen to him; he's just a greedy fool, that's all."---*shakes hands with pastor*---"Best wishes to ya."
Pastor: "Have a good day." *walks off*

Over a few months, a couple of towns develop. This is what the area around Pioneer Valley, which is now part of the collective region named Selicia, looks like now (use your imagination with the trees!):


And that's roughly within the red square in the pic below:

Replies

Mulefisk: Yeah, I can't wait to see how I develop my region either! Thanks for commenting!
thundercrack83: Yeah, I don't really like too many grid-like developments, so I try to spice it up, and I'm glad you see that I've done that and that it looks nice! Thanks for your comment!
pickled_pig: Yeah, I found SC4D a while back and registered, but then I didn't come back for a while because there was some issue with my account. I came back a few days ago, and it worked fine, so I'm more active on this site now, and I'm glad I am because it's an awesome community!
I'm glad you like the farm town, and yes, it's a southern town! I'm glad I've improved---*thinks back to terraced farms*---and I'm glad you like everything! Thanks for commenting!
Jmouse: Well, I'm glad you changed your mind about the tree-lined farms, and the region shots are in this update...I excluded them from my first post so as to add a sort of mystery feel to the developing situation. I don't have a plan as to where everything in the region will be because everytime I plan something I obsess over it and end up not having any fun, so you and I will just have to see where everything goes. Thanks for commenting!
dedgren: David, it's my pleasure to present my work on this great site! I'm glad you like my pics, and I'll definitely be here at SC4D more often! Thanks for commenting!
tooheys: Yes, rural regions are very nice, and I just happen to start with them everytime I start (and, up until now, end) a CJ (or MD in this case), so I try to make things look nice. I'm glad you like the farm layout! Thanks for your comment!
kwakelaar: I'm glad you like my town design, and I just happened to be taking those pics in autumn, so it looks even better! Thanks for commenting!
Ennedi: Oh I definitely will preserve some beautiful nature areas! I'm glad you like everything! Thanks for your comment!
bat: I'm glad you like the region and farms! Thanks for commenting!
jeronij: Yeah, I didn't want to mess with the beautifull hilly terrain, so I built around it. Thanks for your comment!
Snaper: I'm glad you like everything! Thanks for commenting!

[cityhawk]

Anybody want to comment?

Sorry, no new pics at this time because I haven't had time to take them yet (been too busy perusing this website, ST, and MySpace, and that's in addition to RL matters like me being at drum camp this week 8A.M. - 4P.M.).

Anyway, PLEASE COMMENT! Comments from you guys and girls are what keep me motivated to keep playing SC4 and keep up an MD like this one.

-Craig

[Jmouse]

OK Craig, take your time and don't panic about publishing updates. You've made a good start on your region, so just do what you can when you can. I've found the folks at SC4D to be very supportive, patient and understanding. That's why I hang out here  !
Starting a new region is a daunting task, and I think you were wise to begin with farms along with small clusters of R$ and C$  . As for future development, mass transit, education, fire/police protection and medical care are elements you'll have to incorporate into your cities.
Getting in a big rush is counter productive, though, and believe me, I speak from bitter experience!
So just enjoy drum camp, concentrate on school and the fun part will fall into place.

Best wishes,
Joan

[tooheys]

Craig, I agree wholeheartedly with Joan. Take your time, you are not be expected to update day after day, we all have RL stuff to deal with.

You've had a nice start  , and if an update takes a week or two, that's fine. I know I'll be looking out for it. But please, don't rush. You'll make too many compromises and won't be pleased with the results.

Looking forward to seeing more, whenever that may be.

Cheers

Dave.

(PS: Being an Aussie and somewhat uneducated in the ways of you Americans, what is drum camp?)

[bat]

Great region shot of the area which is developed!

[cityhawk]

Update 2 - Clariston: Industry

Clariston is the town that developed to the immediate left of Pioneer Valley. It consists of, for the most part, clean industry and a nice little town built along a railroad.

Where the farms left off in the SW corner of Pioneer Valley, this neighborhood picks up the slack:


Then the neighborhood fades into clean industry (for the most part). The next 5 pics show the progression of the industrial buildings sitting between a rail line and a country road, both headed north:














Notice in the last few pics that you saw little, if any, traffic; well, take a look at rush hour!


Lots of traffic:


More traffic:


When I queried that road, it had close to 2000 commuters. I don't really want to change it from a street to a road because it would ruin the country road look, but what do all of you viewers out there think?

Replies

Jmouse: I'm not rushing (although I do feel rushed sometimes), and I do plan to take my time developing the region. I'm glad you like my starting point, and I hope to see you back soon! Thanks for commenting!
tooheys: Yeah, I do too, but it can be hectic sometimes! Anyway, I'm glad you like everything so far, and I hope you come back soon! Thanks for the comment!
bat: I'm glad you like the region! Thanks for commenting!

[spartanB292]

wow!
I love how you set the industries all to their own little spot, with the tracks running right behind them, it's very realistic to where I live, where an industry will be secluded just like that.
I also love that street mod you have, but can't seem to find it, could you tell me what that is, and if it's applicable to all the streets, not just the ones away from zoned areas?

great job, very realistic, you really got the whole "little town" down pat.

[Jmouse]

Welcome back to the virtual world of SC4, Craig. Hope you enjoyed RL drum (band?) camp.
I'm not sure if you're very well traveled, unusually observant or a natural-born city planner, but your approach to development is unusually perceptive .
Wooded areas slowly giving way to neighborhoods along with the commercial and industrial areas which inevitably follow them is just too real  !
As for rush-hour traffic, here's a simple but profound idea someone shared with me once. If everybody is trying to get to the same place at the same time, you're going to have problems. He went on to suggest that I break up the industrial/commercial areas and build higher-access roads to them. Streets can't handle the traffic. Also, he suggested I have plenty of bus stops in place before I ever push the "Go" button for the first time, along with some solid ideas for future mass transit layouts.
Well, these ideas have worked well for me and I hope they will help you.
I really enjoyed your latest update. It made me think of another time long ago and far away...

Jm