Corrino Region: The Adventures of DaVinci Brown

[Vigilante1987 180]

Welcome to Page 4

I've been playing around with some different effects.  Tonights teaser might as well be titled "Stupid Photoshop Tricks" (with apologies to David Letterman)

A note about Comtrayan cities.  They aren't very pretty.  They tend to be griddy and sometimes a bit dull.  For instance, I would not normally develop an area like Oma-Dasala the way it currently is, but Mayor Harlan would.

Oh, one more pic:

[Vigilante1987 180]

Update 11: Resettlement

A few weeks after their chat,  Mayor Quimby decided to take a helicopter and do a little "sight-seeing" around Mount Duncan. 

While he was not surprised by what he saw, he was a bid dismayed.  Harlan had begun resettling the refugees from the Shelbyville Explosion in three towns on the north and east of Mount Duncan.

The first was Jackson Heights, near the top of the mountain.

New residence towers wer hastily constructed:

and to support the population, the "Pit" was filled with industry.

It appeared that the observation tower at the end of town, which has a commanding view of the region, was being used as a registration center for new arrivals.

Next was Oma-Dasala.  Two tiny towns that have grown together.

Finally, Hammondville was expanded. New residential buildings,

and commercial development to supply jobs.

This redistribution of people would push the population of the three towns over ten thousand, earning each a seat on the Mayor's Council.

Quimby went back to his office to look over plans for the new airport...

author's note:  I also wanted to include an udated mosaic of the region:

click here to view large picture of the region

coming next...Airport Expansion

GaBoR: Thanks for being a faithful reader.  I'd like to name something for you.  Dave should be back by the next update.

Author's Note:  I really don't like double posting, or triple posting.  If you're reading this CJ, please take the time to leave a comment, even a short one.

[Vigilante1987 180]

I didn't get too much accomplished today, unfortunately.  Here's a look at the first roads laid for Gardenia, the first settlement south of the Caladan river.  This city is being built to support the airport, which will be on the plain just below.

[Sunil 3]

Whoa Ive missed a couple of updates. I still think this is the best Cj out there. The story line and the way the explossion affected the growth of nearby cities it all is very  realistic.

[sloppet 3]

hi there Vigilante, long time no see.. but yes, it's sloppet, and he has come here to poast a comment in your CJ, just as you do it in Anwakee County on every update! I have to admit your photoshopping is really nice, btw the Corrino Courrier is also well done, in other words: good worko!

[Rayden 7]

Well, as I promised on the response to your post on my CJ, here I am. Just went through the whole CJ, and congrats are in order. Loved everything except for one minor detail, that for me it's really important. The road and zone layering. You need to terraform/level the land a little more before plotting the roads/zones. Specially in your first 2 pages, the roads and some parts of your zones are a bit too bumpy for my taste. But, don't take this as a negative comment from me, but as a mere oppinion.

Just give it a try and you'll see it will look a lot better. Besides that, everything looked very nice and imaginative. I'll keep on coming here, definately.

[GaBoR 7]

Just love the Dune references!!! Nice river very Caladanian

[Vigilante1987 180]

I realize the captions on the pictures in the last newspaper are hard to read. Here's the lineup, left to  right, from the top:

Janet Finnley-Moctoe: Finnley's Gorge

Joe Quimby: Springfield

Thomas Harlan: Comtraya

Samuel Goldman: White Lake

---

Noah Telk: Jaffa

Kevin Daniels: Jackson Heights

Mitchel Zelenkov: Oma-Dasala

Vincent Landry: Hammondville.

(I like to think of them as the "Rogue's Gallery")

And since I can't leave without a picture:

[Vigilante1987 180]

What are they doing?

They're all waiting for tomorrow night's update...

[choco1 4]

Very cool little Cj, I like your photoshop effects and your towns look very nice!

Great stuff! Choco.

[sorchin 18]

Very lovely valley area my friend. I would suggest re-aranging the church though. The parking leads to nowhere. Other than that very nice my friend....

[Vigilante1987 180]

Update 12: Gardenia

It was time to build a centralized airport.  This would be funded primarily by the cities of White Lake, Springfield and Finnley's Gorge, as Comtraya and its neighbors were dealing with the Shelbyville Refugee Crisis. Since the airport was to be located across the River Ix from Finnley's Gorge and South of the Caladan from Springfield, they decided to start a town on the south shore of the Caladan.  Lois Bujold, a recent graduate from Springfield University, was appointed as administrator. She named the new town Gardenia.

First, a highway bridge was constructed to move goods and materials in, and a ferry built to better connect Gardenia to the rest of the region.

 

Lois wasn't too pleased about what they had to do to the shoreline to fit these in, but the damage didn't seem too bad.

The first part of the town that Lois designed was the Gardenia Commons, a park in the center of town.

The town got off to a good start, as many middle class sims saw it as a place to escape the bustle of downtown springfield.

Lois looked out at the town from her own home.

She was pleased with the early growth,

but she wasn't so pleased with the loveley view across the river she had of the Springfield incinerator and oil plant.  She may be able to do something about them later, but for now she knew she would have to live with it.

---

---

Joe Quimby got a phone call in his office.

"Joe, It's DaVinci.  I'm back."

"Hi, Dave.  Did you learn anything."

"I'll tell you what happened, but not now.  We should arrange to get together along with Sam and Janet, but quietly.  Let's say we meet tomorrow around noon at the Gardenia Commons."

"Ok, we can meet by the fountain."

"Hmmm," Brown replied. "The trees are lovely this time of year (and that's kind of open.)  Let's gather at the Hidden Gazeebo instead.  I'll bring a picnic basket."

The next day they arrived one by one and made their way one by one to the deepest part of the park, where Brown gave his report.

"I couldn't get very close at all.  Harlan's got the area cordoned off pretty tightly, and I was questioned several times when I was in the area.  From

what I could see, it looked like there was  a catostrophic failure at the old fission plant, which lead to it's explosion.  I may have other means of getting data from the time of the incident.  I want to check that next."

"Other means?"  Janet inquired. "From the time of the accident?"

DaVinci just looked at her.

"Only an advanced sensor system..." she continued, "You know where the Mariposa is.  You have access to it."

Brown was silent for a few moments.  Then finally he replied "I wouldn't tell you if I did.  I'll let you know if I find out anything else."

coming next...Gardenia Grows

sunil: Thanks for the compliments!

sloppet: I am honored by a visit from the One and Only Simtrop Zealot.  I realize you read a LOT of cj's, and I was hoping you'd get around to me again.

rayden: Thank you for your comments.  I don't take it negatively at all, and I'm always happy to recieve pointers to make my cities look better. To tell the truth, the cities featured at the beginning of the cj were completed quite a while ago.  I hope I've shown some improvement since then, such as with the current town of Gardenia.

GaBoR: Thanks for coming back!  At some point I'll present a very short interlude to explain the Dune references.

chocolatemax285: Thanks for visiting.  I like to play with photoshop, especially with the teasers, but I try to keep it to a minimum for the actual update pictures.

sorchin: Thanks for stopping by, and thanks for pointing that out.  I sometimes miss little details like that.

Thank you all for reading and for your comments.  I enjoy the compliments, and I also like the comments like Rayden's which help me improve, so keep 'em coning...

[sloppet 3]

Very nice, great work there!

[Vigilante1987 180]

It's almost midnight in my neck of the woods, and it seems like a good time for a teaser.

I've got a couple of pics for you tonight.  First, construction has begun on the airport!  I think I'm missing some tarmac pieces, though.

And, secondly, from the Crazy Things My Sims Do file:

You can only see one of them clearly in this pic, but I caught these two sims chasing each other around the picnic table:

Looking back, this CJ is now about one month old.  I would like to thank all the readers, and specially those who have commented, for helping make this a succesful start.

[Vigilante1987 180]

Even numbered updates seem to land with a thud.  Very few comments.  In order to break this curse, from now on all updates will have odd numbers. (Just kidding)

Here's a pic, suburban development continues...

[Vigilante1987 180]

Bad news.  Something in the game has been affecting my mac in a bad way toninght.  It crashed twice, and the last time I played it caused video problems that persisted after I quit.  I haven't added any new BATs since I last played, but I was working on the airport, so I'm hoping it's just that.

For now, the airport project is cancelled.  The cj goes on.

Here's a pic I did manage to get tonight.

[GaBoR 7]

that's a shame, I hate that, I bought an entire new PC just to play SC4 and It doesn't run it, sometimes hate maxis for never listen to this problems, but then I look to my SC4 game and I forget everything, my relationship with Maxis is very psthologic

[Vigilante1987 180]

I understand you feelings about Maxis. I gave up on them after they were bought by EA. I can't really blame this one on them, though. I think it's a custom piece that's causing the problem. I bulldozed one non-essential piece that appeared to be working incorrectly and the problem seems to have disappeared, so I'm going to keep what I

have for now and see what happens. Wish me luck...

[Vigilante1987 180]

Update 12.1: Gardenia Grows

With a thriving population on the south bank of the Caladan River, construction of the airport could begin.

Gardenia was growing too.  It soon reached over five hundred residents, and Administrator Bujold was elected the town's first mayor.

(click on the picture for a better view)

"The Statehouse" was constructed near the center of town to house the town's government.

This odd feature of the highway is known locally as "The Dip":

Meanwhile, construction of the airport moved swiftly.  After the runways were laid, a terminal was constructed,

as well as hangars and support services.  Finally a monrail was installed from the Long Term parking lot to the main entrance.

In a Grand Opening ceremony attended by the entire Mayor's Council the new airport was soon brought online.

After the ceremony Mayor's Finnley-Moctoe and Joe Quimby talked over lunch.

"We should start sending some recon flights down south." she stated.  "The area has been shrouded in mist whenever we've sent planes before,

and since no-one's made it through the forrest and come back, it would be nice to have some idea what's down there."

"And the few dropships we've had come in too fast to image the area." Quimby replied.

"Speaking of drop-ships, we have one due this week.  Since Dave isn't around, I guess I'll have to dust off my old welcoming speech..."

The Corrino Region is now accepting colonists.  If you would like to settle here either leave a comment in the cj or PM me.

Life on Corrino may not always be easy, but it will be exciting.

sloppet: thanks for the compliments.

GaBoR: Thanks for stopping in.  The airport seems to be working now, but I don't know why the control tower isn't showing up.  It's supposed to be on that flat patch behind the parking deck.  It seems to be functional, but it doesn't display right.

Sorry it's a bit short tonight.  I thought I would have another mosaic of Gardenia, but I really messed up when taking the pictures.

I realize I may have been a bit harsh in the last update (see the newspaper.)  I think I was trying to show that mistakes have consequences.  Anyway, I promise not to kill off any more innocent people, at least until the real carnage begins.

[Vigilante1987 180]

I have a real teaser for you tonight.  I'm not telling you what it is, or when you'll see it again.

(mysterious, no?)

[Skyfire2275 23]

Looks good so far. Mysterious yes, well partially. Are those Easter Island heads? What are they doing in your CJ . I guess I will have to wait and see.

[Vigilante1987 180]

Development of the region has not proceeded as I originallly planned.  Of course, that planning was  done close to six months ago, and not only have plot developments changed the order and locations of some settlements, but my entire style of play has changed.  I've been filling the Meadowbrook plain with farmland before starting some new settlements in the south-east.

[GaBoR 7]

well the it's gonne be very interesting this new gamming style, can't wait to see your new buiding style

[Vigilante1987 180]

It's been another frustrating day of crashes, but I'm stubborn.  I will complete this story.

(And immediately afterward I'm clearing out my plug-ins folder and starting over before beginning my next cj.)

Here's a pic from what I did manage to get done today:

[Vigilante1987 180]

Interlude: From the Book of Jep

And so The People were born of fire.  The land was hard, but The People conquered it, and forced it to yield its fruit.  The People prospered for many generations.  When the great god Jep looked down and saw how The People had begun to despoil the sacred forrest He was angered.  Jep said a Word, and The People were stricken with horrible disease.  And The People were cast from their towns and villiages, and forced to wander for fourty years.  Finally Jep relented and The People were allowed to prosper again...

---

Update 13: The Comtrayan Trade Federation

In his palatial estate, Thomas Harlan was pleased.  His plans were coming to fruition.

Several votes in the council had gone against him, but that was about to change.  He had just completed a series of agreements between Comtraya, Jackson Heights, Oma-Dasala, Jaffa and Hammondville creating the Comtrayan Trade Federation.  This would economically bind the smaller towns to his city and virtually giving him complete control of their votes on the council.

It was neccessary.  Things had to change, but he couldn't tell the others about the strangers, not until he knew more.  They've only been seen at night,  at a distance.  From what he'd heard, he didn't think they were coming from any of the other towns, and that worried him.  He figured they must be coming from the north, and Harlan suspected they may have had something to do with the explosion in Springfield.

---

---

The other mayors were dismayed by Harlan's growing influence on the council.  The only way to counter it was to create more towns which could grow to have seats on the council and dilute his vote.  Three new areas were opened to settlers.

Farms quickly sprung up on the fertile plains of Meadowbrook.

The land was deeded in phases.

Plot A

Plot B

Plot C

Plot D

Soon there was a scattered community of almost six hundred people living in Meadowbrook.

Coming next...Sprawl

Skyfire2275: You caught me.  I needed something primitive looking in different sizes, and these landmarks from the STEx seemed to suit my purpose.

GaBoR: Actually you've been seeing my new style (It's evolving along with the cj.)  Before my cities all looked like the heart of Springfield or Finnley's Gorge.  Gridded and dense, with very little green space.  Here's an example from a previous region I was building on:

I wouldn't want to live there.

That's all for tonight.  I realize we're moving into the heart of the Summer Slowdown, so I really appreaciate everyone who takes the time to read and comment.

[Vigilante1987 180]

I kind of like the symmetry of these commercial buildings which grew in Gardenia today:

[GaBoR 7]

I see the new style, it is much better

[Vigilante1987 180]

I wanted to give the citizens of Gardenia something nice.  This is what I came up with, based on the Dome Des Invalides. (I hope I got the name right.)

[Nonfactor 0]

Love all the Dune references. What terrain and rock mods are you using?

[sloppet 3]

Great work there Vigilante! I have to say I really like those last pics, interesting my friend!