Wildcat Junction

[suplado!]

amazing pics...the border frame looks cool as well!! good work on the town place on a hill...

[paroch]

Hi Joan,

I spied your update/re-work the other day but didn't really have time to leave a comment, other than "mmmmm nice!", so here it is, better late than never eh?

I just LOVE the re-worked hillside mall.  It would have been so easy just to plonk in the stairs but you've really thought it through and the idea to rotate the two stores is genius - in some respects obvious but it's easy to say that once you've seen it   And the way you've re-lotted them with the security fence is verrrrrry nice.  In fact, I need some security fencing for a little idea I have - so a friendly little pointer would be much appreciated

And with the school I have to say I'm impressed to see a "proper" football field at last in WJ   I like the white picket fence you've added.  Your LE work really is convincing me I should make more of an effort to create these nice extra touches - see you ARE an inspiration.

And the example journey is a good one.  It does kind of sum up some of the crazy things this game we love throws up from time to time.

And I won't do the Christmas wishes yet - I'm confident there'll be more from you before then

[nedalezz]

The aerial view is stunning, and the cemetary is incredible! There most definitely is something called "classic Jmouse"; you have such a wonderful, unique style, it can be distinguished anywhere! Good work with the Hillside Mall as well!

[Schulmanator]

Love it! A great update to start my weekend off smiling! 

[Jmouse]

The Christmas rush is over, the house guests have gone back to roost in their own nests and it's time to get back to work.
With that said, let's pick up where we left off.

Replies

@bat: Thanks for stopping by, and I'm glad to hear you like the remodeled mall arrangement.

@mauricio (figui): If you still want to move to Meridian, I can have Hooter send his private jet to the airport nearest your home. In fact, he wondered if you'd be interested in a job as the new soccer coach.
Glad you like the reworked mall. Wish mistakes were that easy to correct in RL!

@Pat: Thanks for the kind words and good wishes, my friend. This has been a busy two weeks punctuated by the sights, sounds and smells of Christmas. Did you know the voices of little boys ages 7 and 2 are exponentially amplified in direct proportion to the height of vaulted ceilings and stairwells?
Glad you like the updated mall. Hosting an MD is about to cure me of blowing up problems instead of fixing them, and that alone makes the effort worthwhile.

@suplado!: Glad you like the photos. Later on, you'll see that the frames have a purpose beyond the obvious.

@Paul (paroch): One of the most rewarding aspects of creating an MD is the helpful ideas offered by readers like threestooges. We all see things through different eyes, and often the feedback is just what I need to help me analyze and fix a problem.
And Meridian does, indeed, have a "proper football field" now! In fact, Hooter has offered mauricio a job as head coach.
Hope you and your family enjoyed a Merry Christmas, and the new year will be a happy one!

@nedalezz: Thank you for the kind words, but you have me blushing a bit! "Classic Jmouse" is just an approach far more likely to be influenced by chance than design. I'd rather stumble upon an interesting cliff and visualize a potential building site than to pass it up because it isn't in the master plan.
So here's hoping you'll enjoy the latest haphazard update!

@Schulmanator: Thanks for stopping by, and be sure to bring some of those cute monkeys with you next time. We have a buncha Texas-size bananas hangin' around!
Hope this update will start your new year off with a smile, a snicker or (dare I hope) an honest-to-goodness giggle!

Chapter 9-C: The bridges of Bosque County.

^9c-1: Despite the holiday rush, end-of-year vacations and general chaos, Meridian's north bank has experienced some encouraging development. The northeast and central river bridges, as yet unnamed, are the ties that bind this growing city.

^9c-2: The Northridge tunnel, a first in Wildcat Junction, is the result of intensive geological research. The unexpected discovery of a stable limestone deposit made the project possible.
City Engineer Ima Lou Salvo was fascinated with the construction process. Word has it that she has decided to take a course in underground explosives from a member of the geological team who has decided to make his home in Meridian.
Sounds like 2008 will be a blast.

^9c-3: A small industrial park occupies the northeast corner of Meridian.

^9c-4: Why do I feel like singing "Itsy Bitsy Spider" when I look at this roundabout which connects the industrial park with the commercial district?

^9c-5: Just west of the northeast bridge, a wide variety of stores are serving the residents of Meridian.

^9c-6: Mid-level commercial services such as Verison-1 and Best Buy along with a few upscale stores like Kaufman's are flourishing right now. The two buildings in the center and a tower under construction, however, illustrate the conflict brewing between C-S and C-O developers.

^9c-7: And the race for real estate continues throughout the commercial district, much to the delight of the mayor and city treasurer.

^9c-8: On the far north side of Meridian, low- and mid-income housing skirts the commercial district.

^9c-9: A bit farther to the south – and closer to the river – a private school serves residents of high-wealth condos like this. My my, is that a limo passing in front of the school?

^9c-10: C-O promoters are looking at this undeveloped land like catfish eying a fistful of night crawlers, and Hooter is setting the hook as we speak.

^9c-11: For those who are tired of looking at overviews (a boring necessity), here is a typical center-cut slice of rural Texas towns like Meridian where middle-class Americans live, work and shop.

And here's a challenge, should you choose to accept it. Hooter believes the loyal visitors to this part of Wildcat Junction should have the privilege of naming the bridges in Meridian. You may enter as many times as you like, but be sure to specify what name goes with which bridge (northeast or central).
And if your entry is not chosen, take heart. There will be one or two more bridges built in Meridian, and their names will be chosen from the entries submitted.

Best wishes to all for a Happy New Year!

Until next time...
Joan

[Schulmanator]

Texas sized bananas?!  The monkeys are on their way.

[threestooges]

First off, glad to hear the holidays went well with family and all, and good to hear that Julie did well on her finals. The jury is still out on ours though (no grades yet, but hopefully I'll know soon). The reworked mall turned out very well. You did a good job in the LE hiding the gap in the stair model (had to look close to even notice that it might be there, and that was only after you said something). Sorry to hear that I put the city through the process of rotating two buildings, but the results seem to have worked out well (and the added security fences are a great touch).

On to the most recent update (can't believe I've let two be posted without commenting)... the overview looks good. I don't often see the raised road bridges used. Is there a reason you chose them for this particular setup, or is it just one of those things that happened? I like the way even your industrial complexes look clean (9c-3): fresh air and factories. The mosaic at the end is a great way to do an overview (I've tried taking a few from my cities, but for some reason I have a tough time finding an angle that is interesting to view through the whole mosaic...the focus of the pic usually drifts out of frame) you've done it well.

I noticed two Coit towers in the commercial area (one that seems to be in the process of being built) so with that I would like to ask, how do you like the CAM?

As for the bridge names, I've never been very creative/good at naming things for the game but here goes:
Central bridge: Catfish Bridge (inspired by pic 9c-10's caption)
Northeast Bridge: Grizzly Bear/Black Bear Bridge (something has to catch those catfish upstream... bad joke I know, but I wanted some connection between the two).

Good to hear the holidays went well. Happy New Year to you, and I'll see you next update.

[Jmouse]

And now for the honors...

Mayor Hooter Hillcrank extends his congratulations to you for making the 200th post, suplado! Good, bad or otherwise, you're a part of Wildcat Junction's checkered history!

Until next year...
Joan

[Ennedi]

Hello Joan,

Nice to see you in 2008! (now it's 04.07 AM in Poland, I think you have some 2007 yet  )

Really strong development in Meridian - I'm not surprised, this place is beautiful!
As for bridges - I'm a bit tired now, but maybe I will return tomorrow with fresh ideas... 

[bat]

Wonderful new update there! Like the commercial area (/district)! Great work on that!
And the city looks fantastic!!

Congrats on more than 200 posts.
Looking forward to more of Wildcat Junction in 2008!

[urban]

  omg this is so great, I'm so sorry to have missed nearly your whole MD (unfortunately I haven't been very active around here the last months) but the last city looks wonderful, the forests and teh water and the houses (you have to tell me, where you got all those row houses from!!!)

great city

[figui]

I can have Hooter send his private jet to the airport nearest your home.

ok, the jet can land at Montevideo Int'l Airport - MVD - "Carrasco"

In fact, he wondered if you'd be interested in a job as the new soccer coach.

that'd be a honor
maybe i can manage to arrange some friendly matches against uruguayan "Club Nacional de Football" (3 times world champion 1971, 1981 and 1988 )

Glad you like the reworked mall. Wish mistakes were that easy to correct in RL!

indeed

till next time..
mauricio.

[paroch]

Hi there Joan,

I'm glad the update is here, I was getting Wildcat withdrawl over Christmas.....You had a house full of guests to plan and prepare for and to entertain.  I had time off work, to sit around playing SC4 and browsing on here!

I like the overview pic (9c1), the gently rolling hills look great.  Like threestooges I was interested to see the relatively plain road bridges.  Was that a conscious choice?  I must admit I'd like to see a different version there that is maybe a bit more "dressy".  But Hooter knows the look of Meridian I guess

I was trying to work out how to get to the Hillside Mall from the bridge and thought it was a bit circuitous, so when I saw the tunnel it all made sense!

9c-5 is one of those "classic Jmouse" pics in my opinion.  Those open paved ped mall tiles make another appearance and give the commercial district a continuity with other areas of Wildcat Junction.  In 9c-6 I would ask about the size of the block that Best Buy, the mid-rise building and the small shops sit on.  Would they all really sit on a block that small? 

I love the Captain Jack's in 9c-7, I think it's a great looking restaurant and it looks really good next to that Dolphin building I've never seen before.  And I really like the way you achieve non-grid suburbs.  They look very good and it's hard to achieve that look (I haven't yet!)

"C-O promoters are looking at this undeveloped land like catfish eying a fistful of night crawlers, and Hooter is setting the hook as we speak." This has to be the funniest one liner I've ever read in an MD - made me laugh.

And a great mosaic to finish off.  I really like the terrain mod you use - makes the grass seem quite vibrant and those rocky river banks look fab.

As for the bridge names........  Well, I focussed on the name of the town, i.e. Meridian.  This link explains what a meridian is:
http://www.nmm.ac.uk/server/show/conWebDoc.17910
And of course, the most famous meridian in the world is the Greenwich meridian in London.  And the telescope at the Greenwhich meridian was built by Sir George Airy in 1850.  So I propose the Greenwhich Bridge and the Sir George Airy Bridge.  I think threestooges suggestions fit better with Wildcat Junction, whereas mine have a more historical angle.

All the best,

Paul

[threestooges]

Just popped in to see if a new update had happened to come in yet (noticed some new posts of people who I though had already posted for the update...guess not) but I wanted to comment on Paul's (paroch's) bridge entries. I think the historical angle is a great idea. I'll leave the decision up to Hooter though.

[Pat]

Joan wonderful update here and sorry ima tad bit late checking in here.... OK names for the bridge contest, and its one only Jadeice Bridge for the bridge in the prime devolpment area that Hooter is eyeing up with them fishies... 

Jadeice: Mostly prominent asia name but very unique name as it means fine dish. A fine dish is always loved by a mayor who wants his pie and cake to....

[tooheys]

Hi Joan, I made it back.

You really have been working overtime (while I took Xmas off)

Great stuff as always. You have created a unique look, and even without titles, borders etc, just one look and you know its a Joan. That in itself is something to be proud of 

My favourite pic, well the mosaic especially the top portion, I am always impressed with how you work with the terrain  .

But, there always has to be a but  .  I really think you need to mix up the plazas around the commercial areas, in my opinion they are a bit repetitive and lifeless. In comparison, in 9c-3, an industrial area, you have this nice pathway running thru the middle which would look great in the commercial area.

Anyway, overall I love it. I enjoy your style and I'm not trying to change it, just offering a suggestion or two.

Until next time

Cheers

Dave

[Jmouse]

Replies

@Schulmanator: Glad you stopped by.

@threestooges: The city engineer, council members and Mayor Hillcrank worked closely with Michael's and "Pigs" to make the renovation successful with a minimum amount of disruption.
Translated, that means I'm really glad you posted the suggestion because it improved the area AND led to an important learning experience for me!
The idea of raised bridges came about for two reasons.
When I made a stab at bridges in WJ early on, the flat ones looked swamped and were too low for ferries, so I opted for the raised ones.
The underlying reason I've always liked them in SC4 comes from a childhood memory. I lived within 70 miles of the Texas Gulf Coast for 45 years and crossed the Galveston Causeway many times. The first time made a lasting impression, though, because it was so much taller than anything I'd ever seen before. It was an awesome sight I'll never forget.
As for CAM, I have come to like it or at least get used to it. Controlling the incidence of duplications gets a bit tiresome, but otherwise it seems OK.
Of course, I'm not sure how it will play out in the upcoming CBD with high-density zoning.
I'll PM some tips on mosaics which seem to have helped others.
I can't believe you don't have grades yet, but I'd guess you have a pretty good idea of where you stand anyway.
Best of luck in the New Year.

@Ennedi: Thanks for the kind words, and here's hoping you have a Happy New Year!

@urban: You are too good to me! So glad to hear you like the development so far, and I hope you'll like the new approach I'm proposing (see below). I'll look for those row houses for you.

@Mauricio (figui): The mayor, the school board and the soccer team are all excited about your interest in the coaching job. Travel arrangements will be forthcoming as soon as Hooter finds the pilot and gets him sobered up!

@Paul (paroch): I explained my bridge theory in the response above, but might consider a change later on. I just don't like bridges that sit right on top of the water, though, so this issue is going to need further research.
The commercial areas are likely in for a remodel as well (see below).  I think you've pretty well pinned down the idea that once you get hooked on the LE, the creative possibilities are addictive. At least for me, I can no longer accept a substitute for something I can make myself.

@threestooges: The bridges may get more than new names after trying out a few ideas, but we'll just have to see. And I agree with the idea of historical names.
BTW, do you get an e-mail whenever there's a new post in the W.J. MD or any other thread you're watching? Just wondering.

@(Dave) tooheys: Sometimes it takes a fresh set of eyes to see the obvious. I think you are absolutely right about the commercial areas, especially after going back for a look at the CBDs of master players.
So WJ is in for some changes (see below).
Also, I think the idea of identifying players based only on their building style would be a really fun game.
Those who wanted to submit a photo would do so in a private message to the thread's creator for posting. Beyond that, I don't know what rules would work or what the rewards would be, but I think it would be an interesting pursuit any way.
Anyone interested?

@All: The New Year has brought about an unexpected turn of events.
A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon a situation in which I either had to use the LE or settle for something boring and commonplace.
Now I can look back at that experience and see it as a turning point. For me, the ability to change things around to suit myself is a powerful magnet that won't turn loose.
Unfortunately, learning new software requires a commitment of time which includes a massive reconstruction of the plugin folder.
This means updates will be a bit scarce, probably for the rest of January, but hopefully the end result will be worth the wait.
So to all of you, the loyal readers who continue to offer encouragement and support, I hope the old saying, "Good things come to those who wait," will be true once again.
Thank you in advance for your patience!

Until next time...
Joan

[paroch]

Hi Joan,

Well, good news and bad, I guess.

Good that you're getting new buzzes out of this great game we all love and bad because your loyal followers crave the next update!!!

Seriously, you have to do what's right for you.  My experience of re-organising my plug-ins is that it's forever evolving and you'll manage some updates in the meantime, even if they're smaller.  I'll PM you some thoughts on how you may want to organise the plug-ins.

And as for the "guess whose picture this is"....... I think that is a brilliant idea.  I'm more than happy to get involved in this one.  Maybe we should PM Jeronij and/or Dedgren as they are the moderators of the picture board (where I guess this would sit).  I'll PM you some thoughts on it.......

btw...... what of the bridge names???

[Schulmanator]

I will miss your regular updates for a while but I am sure your awesome new stuff will be WELL worth the wait!!

I will pace back and forth at your doorstep awaiting your next update :-D

[threestooges]

I know what you mean about the raised bridges making an impression. The Coronado bridge in San Diego is a sight and rather high when driving over it. I believe it was designed to permit passage of aircraft carriers. I'll be glad to pick up whatever tips I can regarding mosaics. As to your email question, I don't. I pass through the forums a few times a day to take a quick break to see if anything is new. If I see a new post in a thread that catches my eye, I pop in to see if anything is new. Glad to hear you are working with the LE now. I've tinkered with it a few times, but I've never really gotten skilled at making anything that looks good (funny considering that I wrote a tutorial on using it). After seeing the intricate school setups etc you've made without the LE, it'll be interestng to see what you come up with. Take it easy.