Show us your city, road or transit maps!

[Benedict 3,119]

Here's my recreation of Nyhaven's metro system (the one shown on page 3 of this thread) - some of the connections seemed tough to read on the original map (like the yellow line downtown, and the teal line in the east) so I just used my own judgement. I also like to imagine how real services might run, so I gave the braches of each line letter codes.

One comment about functionality of this system - could the red line and yellow line be connected for through running of trains? And could the southern branch of the brown line be continued along black line (7B) tracks, thus making the black line a bit less complex? It also seems like the top part of the grey line could do with some connections to the brown/teal/yellow/light blue lines.

All just crazy thoughts from a crazy guy with too much time on his hands today

[woodb3kmaster 342]

As I said in my reply at my CJ, that's a really amazing map! I hope I'll be able to emulate it once the new Nyhaven's rail system is big.

As for your functionality questions: The root cause of pretty much every missing connection you've identified was due to how I laid out the system - as a higgledy-piggledy combination of elevated and subway lines.

First, the Line 2AB terminus and the nearby Line 3 western terminus were on different sides of City Hall; connecting them, while logical, would have required either rerouting the elevated lines in that area or burying them entirely.

Second, Line 9 is entirely elevated, while Line 7 is entirely underground. It would certainly have made sense to turn Line 7B into a southern extension of Line 9, but it would have required, again, a bit of track rerouting before making the el-subway transition.

Finally, concerning Line 10's lack of connections to the east-west lines along its northern stretch: all those lines were elevated and followed the area's strict road grid, making true transfer stations very difficult to place. I definitely wanted to place them, though.

That being said, it's thanks to thoughtful readers like you that I've identified ways to improve on the rail system's design for Nyhaven 2. This time, I'll go for a more radial (and mostly GLR or underground) layout, with fewer cross-lines in the suburbs.

[Benedict 3,119]

Thanks for the response (in both places). Glad you like the map! I created it in photoshop, and use the path tool to create curves. The transition to diagonal is hardest to do, but once created works well as a template. One question about the lines - is the red line completely separated from the pink line downtown (specifically the last 2 stations)?

Thanks for identifying the reason for the way the lines are - very cool, in fact, as most older transit systems are plagued by this sort of problem when different companies built/ran separate lines. And at least in Simcity the rails have the same gauge! And interestingly enough, a grid-like network tends to work better in simcity comapred to real life, where most cities opt for radial-style systems (New York is one exception that springs to mind). And I am actually quite fond of elevated rail, especially for downtown and mid-rise sections of cities, and I enjoy the challenges of creating a connected network without having to resort to el-sub connectors too often.

I noticed on that first map you posted there was a possible extension to the green line - I rearranged the map as if this was under construction

I also added a couple of small extras... see if you can catch them.

[emilin 2]

That's some wonderful graphics Benedict (and I love the colours too, very unique touch).

My latest map (to see the the real port visit my CJ Province of Lazarus):

[webmaster76 1]

two years ago i build a subway map ... i haven't work at this region since these time therefore i never finished the map!

it's a very large region...here's downtown only map

[Edited by BarbulaM1]

[dedgren 830]

That's a pro quality map, Emil.

[fansan 0]

how did you make that map

[Benedict 3,119]

Thanks, Emlin. The colors were actually chosen by Woodbk3mMaster. Nice port outline map!

I do love the design aspect (both aesthetically as well as functionally) of metro maps. Obviously the London Underground is still the ultimate design classic in terms of simplicity (thanks, Harry Beck). Here is a line diagram from a subway train for Line 11 in Nyhaven:

Webmaster6: wow, that is one huge region, and a huge subway system! Great stuff.

Bonus line diagram of the black line here.

[BurroDiablo 222]

Wow, doubt my transit maps will beat anything in this thread... Benedict, dude... those are some fearsome transit maps!

Heres mine, for Ozeragorod-

[dedgren 830]

I haven't posted anything new here in a while, so here's a stripped down 3RR map showing water-related place names and the general location of the region's largest city Pineshore.

Here's an easy-read version [ linkie ].

If you like what you see, check out 3RR, where there's lots more [ linkie ].

Thanks in advance for checking it out.

[JaneJacobs 1]

Thanks to everyone for helping keep this thread going strong! I really enjoy looking at these maps even though I haven't had time to work on my own for awhile. Thankfully there is a lot of creativity to see here from others.

Again, I want to encourage anyone to post any map they've made of their city; it doesn't have to be as fancy as some of the great ones in this thread. I at least am interested in seeing them all.

For anyone who'd like to look at some real city maps out of curiosity or for some inspiration, check out this link:

http://www.reed.edu/~reyn/transport.html

A bonus link with other nifty kinds of maps:

http://www.radicalcartography.net/

Confidentially to webmaster76, you may want to adjust your pics, they are too big right now.

[waway625 72]

A work in progress, but id like to post anyway

Large Map of the City-State of Clarkstown, Federal Republic of the Philippines

[webmaster76 1]

wow, great maps...i currently working at a subway map for my topic region and hope to release it soon.

@ JaneJacobs: thank you for these great links...and i'm sorry for the large pictures, it was one of the first pictures i post... i've resized them...

@ waway625: wow...very great work! what mean the diferent red colors? show it the density?

@ Benedict: thank you, it's a really large region... thats not the whole region only the part with a subway system... :-) i like your work, it looks fantastic!

[waway625 72]

@ webmaster: the dark red is the high-rise office district, the light red/pink are the mid to minor commercial districts, purple are industries, green = park, the large flesh colored area is the scope of the urban sprawl while the two large green areas are protected parks (sorry i have no legend yet, im still working on this map )

[webmaster76 1]

@ waway625: i thought so... it's very nice, i like this map so much :-)

[Benedict 3,119]

El Burro, thanks for the compliment.

Dedgren, that is an outstanding map.

Webmaster76, thanks, glad you enjoy my work. I wonder what this is?

[webmaster76 1]

@ Benedict: first of all your drawing of the map is really great...much more better than my one :-)

i read your question and hat to think about it cause it's two years ago when i draw it... i remember that's the most important transit cross in this city... 

above the cross, there's the mainstation located in downtown (you can in the picture)... almost every subway line cross this area to connect the rail (commuter) traffic with the subway system...

3 or 4 blocks away is a large subway hub which split the lines in diferent directions...

p.s.: if i ever start cj, i will recruit you for mapping :-))

[Shadow Assassin 336]

Here's the map of Brackenfell, completed. Click on the image to see it.

[emilin 2]

OK, I'll just go ahead and say it then: I have NEVER seen a better SC4 map than that Shadow_Assassin! Simple as that... it's the best.

May I ask how you manage to render such smooth "coast lines" around the river. Did you draw the all by hand or could you manage to render them from the region shot (because I've had huge problems rendering decent coast lines myself)?

[Giligone 10]

wow... that is just... **dies**

Shadow_Assassin, how dooo you do that? lol.

[Benedict 3,119]

Shadow_Assassin, that is just phenomenal. I cannot believe the level of detail and how perfect it all is.

[ActivationEnsues 0]

Wow, and I thought I liked to draw maps in my spare time. These are just amazing.

[ExiL3 10]

Shadow Assassin: wow, I am stunned. That level of detail is what I would expect if someone was payed A LOT to make it. That just looks out of this world, specially with those onramps on the HWs and where the roads connect. WOW!

take care,

[hamsterTK 93]

I feel like a $%&^!

I need to learn how to do vector art

[Shadow Assassin 336]

Well, I use Photoshop CS2, that is all. The Paths tool is particularly useful for this sort of application - in fact, I used the tool to trace the coastline. It's not hand drawn per se, but I had some assistance from Photoshop.

I wish I had Illustrator, though. The curves are MUCH easier to draw in that. I still have the original paths, which means that no matter how big/small the map is, I can still render it with pinpoint precision. Such is the beauty of vector curves.

Compare that to my Savannah City map. You can see the improvement.

I took heavy influence from the Sydway, which is where the colours come from.

[Giligone 10]

hmmm, I have both those programs, I guess I'll be doing some experimenting in the coming days! haha Thanks! and again great map!!!

[webmaster76 1]

@ Shadow_Assassin: this map is a very good work...hope we will see more like this :-)

[CDB 3]

This is mine: i'ts a little bit confusing, I started this region a couple of yers ago, and my playing style wase a little bit... er.. rough, let's say. Services are numbered after the chronologichal order of their construction.

http://img221.imageshack.us/my.php?image=duckburgmetroai1.jpg

I was thinking about a CJ, but unfortunately I had to format my computer and I lost everything. Well, I actually have a backup, but it's way too old.

[Benedict 3,119]

I like your map, CDB. It reminds me of a German S-bahn netowrk for some reason... you certainly have good metro coverage for the white area (is that the urban area?)

[sc4portugal 10]

Cool maps i love maps...