Wildcat Junction

[Jmouse]

*C 2-6* The city hall was designed by famed architect Pegfoot Prodder and constructed under the watchful eye of Howard Easterlich. (Although talented, he wasn't very sociable so he doesn't have a nickname.) Landscaping was provided by Woody Mulcher, a frequent customer at Hooter's.

The missing photo of City Hall.
Sorry about that, but take heart. If I do this long enough, I'll accidentally get something right eventually.

Until I do...
Joan

[threestooges]

First, if I may, allow me to offer some assistance with the seaplane thing: it's a creation by Ripptide, part of his CdS thing (Casa del Soliel I believe it stands for) and it's functionality is dependant on a couple of things (the seaplane base can be found here: on the exchange. BRF are, in fact, his initials (stands for BigRedFish) but from what I can recall, the slope mod is hard to find under that name now. One tha I use (and I think it uses pretty much the same standards) is jeronij's version. It works well.

Now then, on to the update:
It's good to see education is emphasized. I'm guessing the courses also focus on the more elaborate terms (such as widyadidya: "You didn't bring your truck widyadidya?" -from the Foxworthy School). Sunshine park is probably one of the better ponds I've seen with Peg's pieces. The curving strem under the bridge looks natural (well done) and the path around it just adds to the tranquil effect. I like the high school complex, particularly the area of it just to the north of the main building: it all fits so well together. Is it one big lot or a compilation of a few? Your presentation of this MD has been very professional so far. You show a great attention to detail in your pics and the way you prepare them for posting (the wooden frame is a nice touch). Don't worry about the small stuff, for this being your first shot at an MD, it's flowing really nicely so far. I hope you keep this up, the story is entertaining and the pics are well planned.

[Pat]

Joan dont be scared you are doing a fantastic job here hun.... WOW im realling loving Wj.....

[tkirch]

I love what you diod with the area around the City Hall.  It looks fantastic!!

[paroch]

Hi Joan,

Wildcat Junction is a very welcoming place.  Your whole approach to this is top rate.  I love the names you make up -  please tell me they are made up "President Lucky Chanceman" has such a great ring to it  .

Your pics are great, my favourites being c2-4a (the agri school), c2-7 the sports store and c2-6 the city hall.  Some lovely building put to great work.

I like this place so much I've just named my new city's high school team The Wildcats!

Keep it going 

[tooheys]

Hey a new game, Find the Replies

Update No.2 Joan and you're doing great 

Nice work with Storybook World with the rural walls but I really like the High School, with the agricultural theme, don't know why I didn't think of that. Have you got a link for the fences you used, (please, pretty please) nicely done    That goes for the shoreline as well.

The avenue intersection in C2-5 caught my attention, thats got to be a nightmare for traffic (but I will wait to see your traffic stats  )

As for the wavey walls, have had another look and it maybe that the walls are just a little too low, perhaps experiment with a slightly higher wall height and see what happens (otherwise, no idea).

Oh, and I like the humour, not something I would try myself but it works well 

Cheers

Dave

[bat]

Great new shot of that city! Looking forward to more...

[Schulmanator]

As a Southern American (as opposed to South American) I am pleased to see us so well represented!

Or, as we say 'round here: Ya done a right fine job here, Miss Joan!

[figui]

as a south american (as opposed to southern american  ) i'd say this is a good way to know you southern americans..

btw, i especially like how you work with the park areas, like the one around the city hall.
you're doing a great job 

[urban]

Finally a jmouse MD
interesting story, nice impressions of the cities so far, nice frames

I hope there will be some nice sea-side mansions at the coast

[nedalezz]

I loved today's tour! Seriously though, you've got a great eye for detail, and I loved the shots of the high school and that relaxing pond. The way you line up the unpaved and paved pathways adds so much depth to your shots. This was a fantastic update.

[Jmouse]

Replies

@threestooges: Thanks for your help with the links. I can remember where some of my plugins came from, but there are many more I've forgotten. (And would you please explain how to do the "linkie" thing as opposed to showing the whole URL?)
Thank you, also, for your kind words, encouragement and patience.The HS ag lot is a compilation of (BSC) Newman Farm Inc. lots found here: http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=962. And I love working with the Peg stream and pond pieces. It takes some practice and a lot of bulldozing, but is worth the trouble.
Oh, and, "widyadidya" definitely is a late-fifth-/early-sixth-grade vocabulary word. The first graders concentrate more on the "cha" words like didntcha, dontcha, cantcha, etcha.

@patfirefghtr: You are so good to me – so patient and encouraging! Hope y'all come back soon.

@tkirch: Thanks for stopping by, and I'm glad you like the City Hall. I enjoy decorating the areas around public buildings. It's a PegProd and I had to wait for weeks while it was in beta testing, but snapped it up ASAP.

@paroch: Welcome to WJ and I'm so glad you like it. Considering your skill, I consider that a great compliment.
Of the Sims you've read about so far, one is a real person I've never met but heard my dad mention from time to time. Another is the slightly disguised name of my dad's boss for 24 years, and the rest are imaginary. Later, I plan to honor my father and uncle with mayorships.
And good luck to your wildcats!

@tooheys: You've helped me laugh at my own mistakes, and that's a good thing!
The traffic study kind of surprised me, but what you'll see is not my normal way of starting out. I don't usually include avenues at first which may explain why I'm a build-it-tonight, blast-it tomorrow kind of player.
The fences were created by kant01 for the Mystic County CJ and can be found here: http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?id=16381 Just be sure to read the README to find out which unexpected menu they can be found in.
As for the humor, I've known all along you have no sense of humor at all. You just have somebody there who writes your scripts!

@bat: Thanks for stopping by, and y'all come back.

@Schulmanator: Thanks for your kind words. You definitely know how to speak Southern, sir, and I expect to see y'all back real soon!

@figui: Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your kind words. You might learn more about Texans than you ever wanted to know here in WJ, but stick around anyway. There's a lot more fun on the menu.

@urban: You're in Texas now, m'dear, so there are sure to be some mansions around somewhere. Hooter is more interested in his oil export business, though, so it's likely to be one of the other mayors who goes for the more elegant touch.
Thanks for visiting.

@nedalezz: I am honored by your visit. If memory serves me correctly, you were the one who inspired me to rethink the way I plop civic buildings. So now I'm having a ball decorating the grounds. 
I hope you'll be able to make time in your busy schedule to visit often.

Traffic, everyone's favorite subject!

The Public Works Department has compiled data gathered in a recent traffic study. It will be formally released to the City Council next week, but I managed to get a sneak peek.
For a city of 97,000+, Pitchfork Pass appears to be moving along rather well.

*TD 1-1* Here's an overview of the transport system as it stands now.

*TD 1-2* Except for a few hot spots on the south bank, traffic is moving pretty smoothly.

*TD 1-3* Overall volume is heavy in some areas, but apparently bottlenecks are not yet a problem.

*TD 1-4* The mass-transit system helps keep auto traffic at an acceptable level.

*TD 1-5* Bus traffic is heavy, but on the north bank, it is the lower avenue which roughly follows the shoreline that gets the most usage. Busses are moving south-bank residents well now, but future development may bring a need for transportation upgrades.

*TD 1-6* These figures came as a big surprise.

*TD 1-7* Other than some sharp spikes during very early stages of development, commute times have remained fairly steady.

*Just for fun* This looks like a fishing boat or tug boat which appears from time to time followed by some kind of yellow floats. It's a mystery vessel which doesn't seem to be a part of any waterfront lot, and I've never seen it dock anywhere. I've been trying to get a photo of it, but it disappears so fast that it's usually gone by the time I turn off the grid. (That's my excuse and I'm sticking with it!)

Until next time...
Joan

[sc4luv2]

Jmouse: Good Traffic Maps!         
I hope they get em' selves a newspaper (it's just a suggestion).

Hopefully they will.

I also see that everyone's mostly goin' green by not using their car much and usin' buses and walking/biking.       


Thanks,
sc4luv2

[threestooges]

Well, first to the update. Your transit system is impressive. As a resident of Los Angeles (Costa Mesa to be specific) I'm familiar with traffic, I-405...yay 6+ lanes each way and can still act like a parking lot. Somehow that appears to make its way into the game because I tend to have commute times at least 15x more than yours. If it's not too much trouble (or if it's already a part of your planned updates) I would be interested to see the system itself. Is it to the point where it is financially self-sufficient? That is a mysterious boat... I've never seen it before (in game or on the site), let me know if you find out where it came from.

Secondly: regarding the link thing. It's actually quite easy. In the posting window, just above the smileys are a number of buttons. There is one that looks like a little blue globe with a document (for me it is under the underline option). Click this and it will bring up a dialog box: input the url and click ok, then enter what you want the link to say (the blue text) and click ok again. This will embed the link in your post and will look similar to the following:

(url=YOUR URL)NAME OF THE LINK(/url)

Instead of using parentheses () it will use brackets []. I just used parentheses to prevent it from trying to treat it as an actual link. Hope that's clear (if not, I can make it clearer).

Lastly, in regard to tooheys' post I just noticed with the intersection of C2-5: if you have the feature installed, and you move one of the lower two avenues you can get a roundabout that would look pretty spiffy there. Or you could try to make a 3-way intersection (just drag the avenue out of the curve in a diagonal direction (it doesn't look too bad either).

Good updates so far. I'll enjoy seeing what else you'll come up with.

[Pat]

Joan i love your transportation network, such great detail and well displayed and layed out here Joan.... Great Job here and see you next update - pat


Oooooooh btw congrats on getting 30 replies for your first week!!!!!!!!!!!



OMG OMG OMG Joan make sure you see daves post down below me lol
sooooo not right hehehe........

[tooheys]

Hi Joan, first thanks for the link.

Second, love the road network. You know I have a bit of a problem thinking outside the square/rectangle in this regard. You have managed congestion well and travels times, well, something I only dream about (in SC and RL  )

Now placing my Joan cap on, I have one question, the area in the lower left of TD 1-1, is this a low density area. I see you have used only streets
and you seem to have your worst congestion here (although it is still nothing to worry about, it's nominal). If this area can still grow, however, you might have a bit of a problem. Just wandering if at least one road thru the centre would improve things even further?

Takes Joan cap off . What just happened, brain cells seemed to have worked together there for a moment 

Cheers

Dave

PS: I'd like to thank my writer for compiling this reply 

[figui]

you seem to manage the traffic in Pitchfork Pass very well. i really like to see transportation layouts so thanks 

aside note: what happened with the frames? ok.. there are no photos.. i yet answered myself

[tkirch]

Great traffice maps.  You did a great job planning that.

And you know the picture in TD1-1.  The avenue almost looks like a pitchfork in Pitchfork Pass

[paroch]

Hi Joan,

Great update there .  Really like the traffic data, particularly the first overview map, gives a great idea. And WOW, what great bus usage.  I thought I achieved good bus usage but you've done something real special there.

Interesting that you build with the grid on.  I never do.  To be honest, it took me quite some time before I even realised you could turn it on!

Catch up soon at the next update.

Paul

[Jmouse]

Replies

@ sc4luv2: Thanks for stopping by. I'm sure the PP Herald Sun will eventually find a few suckers brave writers willing to risk life and limb by giving us the real lowdown.

@threestooges: My son worked in San Francisco for three years and met his future wife there. They live in Texas now, but believe me, I've heard more than a few CA traffic horror stories!
Transit systems are my weakest link, but I'm trying to learn from the experts here at SC4D. I can only guess that commute times, mass transit usage and a lack of congestion are due to CAM. Also, I make sure to have plenty of bus stops by tracking auto usage and placing more stops when necessary. It isn't unusual for a neighborhood to have three or four pickup/drop off points.
I'll be happy to show you any aspect of the city or region you want to see, but I'm not sure what you mean by the "system itself." All I have right now is a general idea of where I want to go with WJ. I'm just taking a wait-and-see approach right now.
Thanks for the mini tutorial, and thanks for being a regular visitor at WJ!

@ patfirefghtr: Mayor Hooter Hillcrank has hereby appointed you as the official post counter. It isn't something he pays much attention to, so he's happy to have you aboard, and your paycheck is in the mail!
I have a feeling the WJ/PP transport network will be a point of interest, so come on back often. Who knows, it might end up being a big circus!

@tooheys: Wish I could take credit for this trouble-free transit network, but I think it should go to CAM. Read my response to threestooges for more insight.
The photos below will help you understand my approach to creating neighborhoods. I usually start out with streets, wait until the hot spots appear and weave in a few roads accordingly. This is the kind of layout I'm used to seeing and driving on, and it usually works for me in the game.
And could you e-mail me one of those caps? I'd love to see if my brain cells would work together occasionally!
Thanks for stopping by, my friend!

@figui: Looks like the transport network will be a featured item from time to time, but keep in mind there are many SC4D members with a lot more experience than I have.
Thanks for stopping by.

@tkirch: Thank you for your kind words. I saw the pitchfork when I named the river, but didn't see it in the transport system, so I'm glad you pointed it out. Seeing things through many eyes is part of the fun in doing an MD!
Hope you'll be a regular visitor.

@paroch: Glad to see you haven't deserted me!   Looks like you posted while I was updating, but since I've made enough mistakes already, I didn't want to take any more chances.
Anyway, I watch auto usage like a hawk and try to place bus stops as needed. It seems odd to me, though, that folks will drive several miles to a bus stop when there's one almost next door.
Don't be a stranger!

Chapter III: South bank.

*C 3-1* The city engineer typically takes a wait-and-see approach. So following the recent traffic study, he identified hot spots and recommended placement of new roads through the residential areas.
The road marked by yellow arrows is an imaginary boundary between medium- and low-density residential. Medium density will continue along the coast, however, much like it's counterpart on the north bank.

*C 3-2* When I showed the city engineer the C 2-5 photo, I thought he was going to have The Big One. He recovered, however, and drew up plans for a roundabout.
The PP College Alumni Association raised a big stink when some pedestrian tiles had to be destroyed, but Hooter was able to calm them down.
The city paid for a nice stand of horse-apple trees behind the barn and livestock pens, and Association President, Billie Jo Oder, was happy once again.

*C 3-3* We crossed the bridge into the south-bank area.

*C 3-4* St. Joan's Academy for Rich Kids is equipped with much the same amenities as the public schools. The animal pens are discreetly separated from the main campus by a pond, though. Also, the curriculum focuses more on teaching students to train their ranch hands than actually doing the work themselves.
Windows at the nearby church are kept closed at all times.

*C 3-5* This is a typical neighborhood along the south bank with a mixture of condos, apartments and single-family homes.

*C 3-6* Just south of it is a similar neighborhood with a little more high-wealth development.

*C 3-7* As we move farther south, the mid-rise buildings thin out and there are more single-family homes. The new low-density zoning should attract even more small houses.

*C 3-8* Hooter's wife, Ima Li'l, said she likes this little shopping center.
"When I go there, I don't have to dress up like I'm going to Wal-Mart or something," she explained.
She didn't mention the nearby park.

*C 3-9* Although high-tech industry dominates the south-bank port, there will always be petroleum-related structures like this oil pier.

*C 3-10* There is still plenty of room left for development in Pitchfork Pass. These days Hooter is walking around with a gleam in his eye and a big grin, so there's no telling what he has in mind.

Next: Members of a farming co-op showed up at Tuesday's City Council meeting but promptly fell asleep. The city secretary read their proposal for the record, but was it approved?

Until next time...
Joan