New York City

[Hanson784 165]

Hello and welcome to my very first CJ! With the end of the week comes something new at Simtropolis.

Well, I’m finally revealing my project that I’ve been working on ever since the game came out, recreating New York City in SimCity. I've tried to keep Sim New York as true to life and accurate as possible, even with some of the games limitations of what can and can’t be done. Before I show the first picture let first tell the story behind this city journal.

Most of my time in the beginning of this project was spent terra-forming and laying out transit networks for Manhattan as accurately as possible as that will be the main focus of the city journal. Other boroughs have some roads laid out such as Queens and Brooklyn but due to the boroughs size and the debut of BAT in ‘04 my focus shifted from laying out the streets to BATting buildings for Manhattan. (You can only do so much with the Maxis tilesets and New York doesn't look right with all Maxis buildings.)

So I began to add custom content and am slowly transforming many aspects of the game to match the Big Apple. Currently, I have managed to BAT and place around 100 buildings on my map, (not sure of the exact number as I’ve lost track over the years) starting with the smallest structure (monuments and smaller residential buildings) when I was just learning the program and now I’m BATting medium sized office and residential buildings along with some essential landmarks Maxis didn’t have time to include or couldn‘t include due to copyright issues. Even though I’ve made steady progress though my list of buildings the buildings I still have to BAT is enormous, and that’s just for Manhattan. Borough by borough I’m bringing New York to SimCity. If other BATter’s are willing to collaborate with me on my BATting quest through Manhattan I would greatly appreciate the lightened load.

On to the logistics, this city journal will also be updated at my blog (hosted on Google’s Blogger) I have made for it, the New York City Journal, the reason I choose blog format is because I want to allow visitors to leave feedback if they want to. Also, having a blog dedicated to this city journal will allow for a centralized location for visitors to find the city journal if Simtropolis goes down for maintenance work. In addition it will cut down on bandwith for Simtropolis as the blog will feature additional features such as tour guides, real world news within the New York area, videos and other goodies. It will launch tomorrow.

I also want to make note I have not had much time to actually play any of my cities as all my focus has been on creating the region and BATting. No money trees or other similar cheats were used, only “weakness pays” for when funds got low laying out transit networks and the rewards trick to obtain rewards which resembled structures throughout the city.

A lot of the realism that is in this city journal will not only be seen in BAT’s but also automata and custom made props. The streets of New York have a very distinctive look world renown look and it needs to be just right if you want to get the actual feel of New York. The difference is in the details. I have also modified all of the SimCity automata in MS paint and other image editing programs to represent every type of vehicle on the street, they are all ready to be placed in the images. These are not automata I have made for the game, they are just edited graphical representations of the vehicles. Unfortunately I only know how to BAT and don’t have any modding skills. Though, I would be more than happy if someone with automata experience would be willing to help me create a New York automata pack. Any amount of leverage to make this region come alive is appreciated. For now they will simply serve as inspiration to automata fans.

I understand there are some members of the forums who are very vocal against using any graphical embellishments/ photoshoping in CJ pictures. Please note I am not trying to mislead or confuse people by adding these vehicles, photoshoping or adding graphical elements to my city journal pictures. Those things serve purely as entertainment/eye candy for the readers, also it fills a void in the limitations in terms of realism within the game. It’s getting late and this post is long enough so without further ado here’s the first image.

Corner of 8th Avenue and 33rd Street with andisart's excellent <a href="https://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?page=1&keyword=Madison&type=all">Madison Square Garden </a>in the background.

<img src="http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/5088/madsionsquaregardentl7.jpg" alt="" />

That's it for today.<img alt="" src="https://community.simtropolis.com/assets/emoticons/23.gif" /> Stay tuned for more.

  Edited June 14, 2011 by Hanson784  

[SpecialEddie 3]

Uhh...dude.

[U3D 6]

Its not that I can't read its just sometimes I don't feel like reading. Though I will say this, the next update, a region view or a wider shot....plz

Edit: taking another look at the pic, I like the added taxis

[collgab 10]

wow, nice

[Hanson784 165]

SpecialEddie, thanks for stopping by. I guess that would be a positive response.

U3D, That is quite a bit to read. There will be a shot of the transportation network coming up later. Glad you like the taxis. They add a bit of realism to the shot.

collgab, it's great to see someone with such a nice CJ as yours here. Glad you appreciate it.

Stay tuned, there's more updates to come and the blog will be launched later today also.

[manman99 2]

There have been soooo many New York City journals!!  But I always love to see how a different city jjournalist would handle such a great city in thir own different way!!  That means I can't wait to see more!!!

                             Manman99               

P.S. I am a phanatic on New York, so youll probalbly see about 7-10 posts from me in here!!

[Goin2Chicago 4]

this is a very big project that you are very dedicated to so i think it will be great. i really like all the taxi's in your picture, very realistic. can't wait to see more!

[MayorTim 16]

Please, put pictures directly into your post, resize them to 800x600, and change them to JPGs. Then I might follow this journal.

[st louis dude 6]

Madison Square garden looks cool! Do you have the wtc?

[Squizer 1]

That's cool dude that you are going te make NYC. While i was reading your story, i wanted to participate in your CJ. Can i help you with something? I know you asked for BAT'ting help and modding assistance but i don't have any experience with that, i'm sorry but maybe i can help you with something else?

[Hanson784 165]

I apologize I wasn't able to reply sooner. I've been busy all day tweaking the blog, and preparing it for visitors. Tonight's update unfortunately will consist of only one picture since I've been so busy.

manman99, There have been a lot of New York CJ's in the past. I'm worried people see the title of the thread roll their eyes and think "not again." I'm glad you love New York. It’s one of the best cities in the world. Stop by as many times as you want.

Goin2Chicago, it is an ambitious project, but I'm steadily making progress.

MayorTim, sorry for the inconvience. The picture has been properly embedded within the thread. I hope you choose to follow my CJ.

st louis dude, Andisart did a great job of BATting it, he's the master behind the masterpiece. WTC is plopped Downtown, which obviously puts Downtown in a time warp from the rest of the city as I'm recreating New York in the present moment. rubrik3's WTC was just too beautiful to leave out. I'm planning a tribute post on 9/11so be on the look out for that.

Ok on to the update, the Brooklyn Bridge! 


Once again vehicles are only graphical representations (for now at least) and were placed in the game via photoshop.

Finally, the New York City Journals blog is now open for business. Please stop by and have a look around as there is more over there which I haven't put in this city journal. Feel free to leave a comment or make suggestions of how to improve the blog. I'll be updating and tweaking it all week so it will undergo some minor design changes.

Stay tuned for more cause you ain't seen nothin' yet.

[MayorTim 16]

Thanks, and it is a very nice blog! Though, from experience, you would be better off sticking with your journal on here, because most people don't check blogs that are offsite, even if they do have extra stuff.

Your photoshopping is very well done, I thought they were ingame till I read your post!

[Mikeaut1 261]

Very nice work!!! I like how you used the new MSG in there!

[topcliff 1]

That looks really good! This might be the best NYC yet! Maybe we could get a glimpse of those BAT's, just to see what they're like. Who knows? You might even release some on the STEX. TopCliff

[KyNYC 16]

This city is my home!!!! Looking forward to reading and seeing more!!!

[manman99 2]

I love how your making a blog for this!!!  This CJ is going to be excitin I can tell!!!!!  

KyNYC: I live anout 45 minutes away from New York City, but I can still see Staten Island and The Verazzanno Bridge, and part of Manhattan, we used to be able to see the WTC from the bay.  

But once again I cant even wait for more!!

                       Manman99              

[Micah 16]

Wow, excellent blog. Though, it would be nice to see those photos on Simtropolis as well.

[Bodom 1]

very very nice work... I think this CJ will be one of the most succesfull in simtropolis

[Tommy_Vercetti3 3]

Looks good so far. Keep it up!

[Pinchman 0]

I definitively want to follow this CJ.

I like the taxis...well done!

[jacqulina 162]

very nice start

[bat 6]

great start!

bat

[Sim shady 12]

this sounds like this could be a very good cj. cant wait to see more!

[Hanson784 165]

MayorTim, Glad to see you decided to follow the CJ. Actually, the blog got a lot of visitors overnight. Thanks, I hope people will take time to read the first post so they won't mistake the cars for automata.

Mikeaut1, Thank you. Good to see the first moderator and the Bronx Bomber here.

topcliff, Thanks. I'll show the BAT's soon. There's so much to show. I'll release some to the STEX in the future. P.S. I hope you don't mind me asking but, are you Cliff Tan from skyscraperpage.com?

KyNYC, Glad to see the enthusiasm.

manman99, Welcome back. Glad you like the blog, I was working hard on it for the last week so I grateful all that hard work wasn't for nothing.

Micah, Good to see you here. Today's post will consist of pictures from the blog for those who haven't yet visited. I'll make updates at both places for people who want to follow both the blog and this thread.

Bodom, Thank you… that is very flattering. I haven't even really shown much yet and there's already speculation. There were some spectacular in the past and there are some really great ones in this thread..

Tommy_Vercetti3, Thanks for the support.

 

Pinchman, Thanks, everyone loves those world famous taxis. I edited mikeseith's Yellow Cabs

and gave them a New York  makeover.

 

jacqulina, Thanks for the nice compliment.

bat, Thanks.

Sim shady, Thanks for stopping by.

To everyone, thank you for your kind words and enthusiasm. Also, thank you to all those who visited the blog, I really appreciate the support.

Today's update will consist of images from the blog. These images go along with the post of news updates (real world news from the New York area), it was an a busy news week last week so let‘s begin our week in review.

                                                    

 

July 12, Investigators suspected the owner of the Upper East Side townhouse, Dr. Nicholas Bartha, to have blown it up in an apparent suicide attempt. Bartha passed away Saturday night as a lawsuit from an injured pedestrians family was being filed against him. (The full story is available at the blog for those who are unfamiliar with what happened.)

                                  

                                                     

Later that day wild weather blew through the area and spawned tornadoes in Hawthorne and Sleepy Hollow in Westchester county. (This took me by surprise, it sounds like something right out of the SimCity news ticker)

                                 

July 16-18, Dangerous temperatures bogged down the city yesterday and still continue into today. Temperatures soared to nearly 100 degrees yesterday.

That's all for today. Thoughts and comments are welcome.

[Kevin 101]

So far this looks promising, and I love the added effects! I can't wait to see some wider shots

[ACEfanatic 7]

This is very nice.

But please use .jpgs. .pngs don't work for those of us using IE.

-ACE

[collgab 10]

very nice, seems very realisitc!!!

[Hanson784 165]

I'm back with another quick update.

Sorry for the lack of updates and not replying to your comments sooner but, this week has been busy. Not only in terms of creating this CJ, brushing up the region, and making BAT's but also in terms of real life. Somehow I've been managing SimCity and real life in a delicate balance for years now. I won't be able to update every day so expect updates to come about every three or four times a week. Sometimes I will get forgetful transfering blog updates here so check the blog also.

By the way, I'm still seeking leverage with BATting and modding. If you have expierence in either of these areas and want to contribute to the project just drop me a PM. I'll probably inquire over at the modding and BAT sub-fourms later this weekend.

Cheese89, Thank you, glad to see another moderator here. Wider shots will be seen in my first full update (most likely next week).

ACEfanatic, Sorry for the inconvenience. All images are now .jpgs for Internet Explorer users. (Sorry to all the IE users I hope I didn't loose too many of you)

collgab, Thanks.

Today's update shows the corner of Fifth Avenue and 89th Street on the Upper East Side near the Guggenheim Museum which is just barley visible at the top left of the shot.

Many of you will also recognize Central Park on the right. That street running beside Fifth Avenue is actually the park's east side transverse street. (I'll have more information about the transversal streets in my Central Park update).

Finally, some will recognize the city's signature stoplights, which I've made in BAT and plopped in the game as props. I'm trying to figure out a way to make them functional or replace the Maxis stop lights but for the time being they'll remain props.

That's all for now. Expect a region shot and finally the first full update in the days ahead. (I haven't decided which part of the city I should show first as there's so much to show!)

[SC4Noobie 5]

Great update! I'm really wanting to see region shots!

[jacqulina 162]

very nice work you are doing well looking forward to more updates,nice effects