Osaio: Hand Terraformed

[jacqulina 162]

looking out for more updates my friend

[RushHourFreak 1]

Now, those pics are better. Excellent quiality, very realistic. The rail system is definetely impressive. Your downtown is well developed, as well as your industrial district.

RHF

[jcabassa 20]

Wow, hand terraformed? That's amazing!

[sanantonio 0]

damn, i don't know how i missed this...everything so far looks great. i'll keep an eye on this one.

[BlackStar 0]

Hey everyone I am sorry for the long gap in an update, but I've been having a lot of trouble with my computer as I have previously said. However, I have some of those issues out of the way, and I have a few updates for you! Right now, it is getting late, and I am very tired, so I will only touch on one update, and complete the next update tomorrow morning. Don't think there is nothing to say, because I have a lot to show you! So, for replies... @Schulmanator: Thanks for that I know it looks like a bit of a BAT gallery, but I gave myself 4 hours to do it-- RCI doesn't develop quickly enough. I am happy with it though, and thank you for the comment. @Narya: Thankyou! I am doing odd bits of terraforming on the other side of the bay to improve the scenery enough there for CJ-standard. @MooMiz1: Thanks.. I am quite proud of my transportation networks, even IF they do get a little over engineered for realism. Not bad for a lifelong suburbanite, though? @Jacqulina: Thankyou! My inspiration for creating rail is simply to envisage the way they are constructed in real life.. I imagine a line going from A to B, how many rails it would need, and make it with a few twists and turns. The same is done for all the destinations in the area, and I link them up. After a while I got a bit of a knack for it. I suppose the same could be said for your terraforming? @Voulpiotis: hehe thanks. Thanks for the comment, also. I am actually surprised at the amount of attention my rail building has brought me. For me, it is in focus as I am aiming to drive trains, myself. I make good use of the NAM throughout the region, and cannot thank the creators enough As for the industrial port, most of that is SOMY's work, but I will take a little credit for placement haha. I will be making the rest of it in due course [what you see is only the top end of the port]. So... here we have our quick update before tomorrow morning... or this morning (eep!) Update 5 3 months later After fleeing the Industrial South of Kazeth, I made a hasty retreat out of the city, and returned home to Ania. 3 months had passed since the 7th Dockland Riot in Kazeth's South. It was caused by an attack by green activists on the base - and the subsequent backlash from resident military. For me, it's another rough day in the metropolis. It is another reason I do not regret moving here. Since then, I have been writing back to my boss in Kazeth, reporting on all the news Ania has to bring. For quite a few weeks now, construction workers have been toiling away in the West of Ania. Today the fruits of their labour was completed, and the first signs of the Kazeth to Nerolt Super Highways emerged. The Ania intersection is complete. However, all the public has been told, is that it is a 'domestic freeway'. A photo taken today explains what they have completed so far... In this photo, we see a completed section of Super Highway. Raised in the centre, is the ExpressDeck Main Line. This only intersects at major points in its journey between Kazeth and Nerolt, and has a maximum speed limit of 120mph. Flanking the ExpressDeck are the local lines, which intersect with every point. This ensures local traffic is kept to local lines, keeping the main line clear, fast, and safe. In the photo, we see how the local lines diverge, to cross the Ania Brook. It is here, they merge, to form an opportunity for an intersection. A dedicated exit from the ExpressDeck splits away, diving under the Super Highway, and emerging at the side of the local lines, where they merge into a boulevard. The Ania Bus Depot has been completed, with a rail connection. Here we see a closeup of that intersection... Just to the South, we see where the main street from Ania joins the local lines, at a Local Entry Point... Today I am attending a conference at the City Hall. Development in Ania has spread West of the Industrial area, and a privately financed bridge has crossed the gap in the West side of the town. This has dried the last of the area's resources, and industry is facing a shortfall in biomass to use. There is growing abandonment in Ania's industrial sector, and this conference will address key issues for Ania, and Osaio. *** Thank you for reading, this was just a short update to show off my new Superway interchanges! I will be back soon with more updates. Any comments appreciated! Cheers John

[Schulmanator 5,807]

That's a nice interchange!

[BlackStar 0]

Hello everyone It seems Simtropolis has been having quite a few server troubles over the last 24 hours. I keep getting 'JRun' errors. If it happens when I hit reply I will scream Sorry to people I have apparently ignored in replies! I didn't notice that we had gone onto page 2, and for whatever reason, topic replies haven't been sent to my email, so I was not aware of those replies! I will respond in a second... I've been playing SimCity all day, and right as I was into the swing of things, my computer crashed SimCity out.. for no reason. hmm. So therefore this update, although fairly legnthy, has been cut short. On another note, I have read up about 1984 by George Orwell. I had no idea it was the origins of his famous quote, to imagine the future, imagine a boot.... I shall certainly be reading it at some point. When I get paid on Monday I think I will take a trip into town to see if I can get a copy. I have also decided, in my spare time, to write this CJ into a book. I have previously written books [note my non-use of 'novel'], one of which I submitted to my English Literature portfolio, attaining me an A star grade. My perfectionism means I usually delete them 200 pages in LOL... much like my overzealous use of the Obliterate feature in SimCity. Replies... @Jacqulina: Thankyou again for another supportive comment. I say to you, and everyone that I will be more active in the CJ board [i've been pretty much silent]- and your CJ is definitely getting bookmarked @RushHourFreak: Thanks! I must admit starting a city from scratch as quickly as possible was challenging in finding content and aesthetics. I upped the screen res in SimCity to my desktop resolution of 1280x1024, and I now sharpen and colour tweak my photos, to give them a more 'crisp' image. And thankyou for another comment on my rail system ! I am glad you see my Kazeth Downtown as developed. All the buildings visible are just plopped landmarks. I don't usually download office towers, so I was a little pushed for buildings to use. @jcabassa: Thankyou! I am currently terraforming the 'Oakland' side to include a river estuary and some hillside areas, as well as a finger of a mountain range, inspired by Jacqulina. The design itself is actually very simple, I may post a shot with the trees hidden to give you an idea of how I did it. @sanantonio: Thanks for the comment! I admit with my slow updates, this has been an easy one to miss. Be assured, this is due to my computer being a complete box of junk, not my lethargy! Update 6 The Meeting and The Fire After my quick trip to view the new 'Domestic Freeway'.. I made my way over to Ania Town Centre, for a quick lunch. I was to pick up a nephew from the train station. My family have moved over here from Nerolt and Kazeth suburbs. Leaving the sound of cement mixers, trucks, and labour, I get back into my car, and drive down the completed section of highway, along the SecondDeck south, and turn onto Ania's Main Street. Driving through town, I notice how developed the place looks, in comparison to a few months ago when I first moved here. The rowhomes that line the streets in the residential core of Ania remind me of Northern England's inner suburbs. This area was originally drafted to house residents from Kazeth under government subsidy-- although this is mainly true now, many wealthier homes punctuate the area, with small condo towers and apartment buildings. I drive round the roundabout, picking my way through traffic and carefully make my way down the main street, keeping an eye on children playing on the street. Finally I pass the green and continue past the empty lot- where once the main police station stood. [i apologize for forgetting 'Zoneria']. The area between the residential area and the town centre has developed more, as well. The tree lined streets are populated with well-kept family homes. 2 cars in every driveway, and a local clinic are typical of this area. I continue along this road, reminiscing on the time I walked down the same road 3 months ago- with the smell of construction materials in the air. Now, with the window rolled down, I hear the sound of my tyres on the tarmac, birdsong, and the sound of trees in the wind. I draw close to the town centre, dubbed old town. Old Town is the original centre of development, and is named old, for all the new commercial outlets opening in the residential core. I remember 3 months ago when dead grass was the grand centrepiece of the town centre, with simple buildings lined the road. A bit of a small town ghost town, if you will. The scene today is rather different. The dead grass that once filled the centre of the square has been paved over. Now, flower squares sit amongst benches and tree planters. A few fountains make the scene all the more beautiful, and there is even a small statue at the top end. Wealthy homes have lined one side of the square, and bigger stores have occupied the other side. The pavements are paved, not covered in cement, and the store fronts are buzzing with customers coming and going. The road has been converted to a one way system, so traffic flows, no longer queuing. Depiesse's Diner is no longer a local landmark, but instead replaced with a larger chain store, in which she runs a cafe upstairs. It seems the regeneration project has really brought out the best in this part of town. My destination is the central train station, so I leave at the roundabout, and make down the once barren road to the station. I love this area now. To my right stands a wonderful new Soireé club, and on the left, Ania's first supermarket. I pull onto the square outside the train station, and make a left to conform with the one way road. Traffic heading towards the government housing project to the East of the town centre queues along side the plaza, full of fountains, planters, flowers and trees. I turn right, onto the one way road, as a high speed train rolls in from the North. As it thunders into the station, I pull up on the left and wait for my nephew to get in. He had just been on a school trip to Nerolt for a military-type affair at the dockland base. Saying very little, he sits in the car, and I made a reverse trip back to the residential core. Female intuition tells me to leave him at the park, by the mall. He could have taken a bus over, the main bus route runs new buses from the central train station, through the town centre into the residential core and the Western train station. I have a few minutes, so I drive on, past the mall and continue to the new Southern road, which extends South from the Main Street, South over Ania Brook, settling to the West of the now-desolate Industrial Area. This quick journey takes me past the City Hall, I stole a quick glance to see if many people had already arrived. Satisfied at the sparsity of the crowds, I continue South over the bridge, and onto the town square at the newly named South Ania town centre. There is not much to note here. Development has yet to pick up. But then the bridge over here was only completed a few days ago. Traffic has so far had to traverse the Industrial area. That empty part of town has become rather dangerous to travel, especially alone at night. Private investors paid for the construction of the bridge. I make a quick turn around the square. There are a few simple shops here, and also the new Central Ania Police Station. This tall glass and concrete structure has consolidated all the local branches to reduce costs. This has caused some public upset at the loss of local stations- however increased numbers of squad cars rolling round Northern areas of Ania has kept citizens happy. I circle past the park, featuring a pond expected to be crowded this summer. The weather is hotting up and people still have nowhere to go. Summer holidays to Kazeth's extreme Northern suburbs are expected. I pass the newly built Ania Community Hall, and return North over the bridge to the City Hall. The City Hall is flanked on the West by newly built economy housing, and on the North and East by shops and high wealth homes. I park under the shade of a tree and follow milling crowds indoors to the exclusive conference. It is being held upstairs, and my ID and invitation are checked at the regal stairway. Inside the room, I sit myself down in the centre of the room, and take out my tablet for notes. The battery is dead.... meh... so with the paper and biro it is! A few minutes later the speaker takes to the stand, stood in front of a huge blank screen with the Ania town badge centred on it. It is a direct representation of the plaza near the residential core, where the police station once stood. "Ladies and gentlemen, the speaker will come to stand in a few moments. Can I please ask you to refrain from questions and comments until the end of the introduction speech? Such interactivity will be permissed on cue. Thankyou for your patience, and please welcome to the stand, Dr Arkov Nerthi, from the planning council." Applause "Thankyou for attending today, Ladies and Gentlemen. We are gathered here today to discuss and review the future of Ania. As it stands, the Osaio Region Financial Commitee have instructed the Ania City Council to shore up the city budget, in light of new reviews from the Kazeth-Nerolt Support Group, who are financing the startup of Ania. As a developing city, they see Ania as being able to cope on 'it's own feet', and so therefore our monthly allowance will soon becoming to cease." As he spoke, sirens of police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks can be heard from the street below. "This, could not come at a worse time for our developing town. In the course of the last few months, our industrial sector to the South of the Ania Brook has failed. This is due to the quota for biomass consumption being violently breached- as an industry centred around wood felling, this means that there is essentially nothing to manufacture. Many of you are aware that the power facility has now been switched to burn coal, not biomass.. hence the different smell in the air. This means that frequent coal deliveries have clogged our rail depot, inhibiting export, and industry bosses have moved operations back to the metropoli." "Our once-proud industrial sector has fallen over its own feet in the space of 3 months due to overdevelopment." "So now.. we face a situation for the future of Ania. With many residents of Ania now unemployed, and seeking government assistance, we must develop new ways to safeguard the families of Ania. Remember, all classes are affected by the downfall of manufacturing here. With the completed section of the Domestic Freeway, no employment in road construction is due for another 3 weeks. The intersection in Aln Valley is now complete, and only a handful of people are being employed to close the gap." "We have news that the intersection in Aln Valley will provide an ideal point for commerce.. a dockland area is being planned, and supported wholly by myself. With the diverse sealife here, I believe we can make our way through fishing and ocean-based tourism." "I myself, have been fielding calls from major hoteliers, seeking to develop a 'getaway' in our beautiful region." ... He was shortly interrupted "Sir, I'm afraid I shall have to stop you there!" A flustered woman enters the room weilding a remote control, and the screen being the doctor flickers. There is no sound - but we all know what we see. We all recognise the Dreyson Lumberstock Milling House, sat on the central intersection to the South of the town centre. A National Air Force helicopter is capturing, and feeding footage of the town's industrial centre, ablaze. Trees are adorned with flames, and orange fireballs engulf smoke stacks and factory houses. We can all see explosions blowing out blackened windows. We can all see people fleeing from buildings.. cars running red lights and structures crumbling. Right before our eyes, a small flood of people emerge from a building moments before it collapses. We are fortunate that the area is abandoned, otherwise the whole area would be teeming with workers seeking escape. The raging inferno completely engulfs some buildings. We see gas canisters exploding, debris being ricoched off the road surface. We see walking wounded, and we see cars, trucks and buses, smashed, flipped and burned out. ... After watching the terrible events unfold, the camera angle widens, and we begin to see damage done. The picture quality is poor, but we can all clearly see the lower quarters of the area smoldering. Only a few structures remain standing, shelter to dozens of people escaping the heat and flying debris. The emergency teams look like stick men in a volcano- Ania has only a basic supply of ambulances, a handful of fire trucks and only several squad cars. I notice that the Ania Times press has been completely flattened. Where once stood a powerhouse of information, now stands a pile of rubble in a sea of destruction. ... As the fires subside, people emerge. Some return to their cars and beat a hasty retreat... others swamp a lost bus. Many people, however, stand dazed at the colossal field of destruction. A small queue of cars appears appears at the main route out, and just off camera a freight train is welded to the tracks. People, in tattered clothing and blackened faces stagger home- apparently uncaring of the walk home, try anyway. The first signs of concerned relatives are seen above the camera, speeding South over the bridge, ignoring the toll booths. Everyone in the room sits stunned. Over the last hour we have witnessed a whole district of our beloved town go up in flames. On timed cue for the speaker, the screen returns to a different state, displaying the cove. Apparently the speaker was going to mention a ferry port here. We all gather ourselves, and prepare for a 2 minutes silence. I think town planning is not on people's minds... some people have left, and the rest of us will leave. *** And at this point my computer crashed! I was going to talk about a memorial park constructed at the foot of the industrial area. I completed it, with a save halfway through construction, then took a picture, the picture shot crashed SimCity. Unfortunately the file didn't write so I have nothing to show you in this respect! So... we have another fire in Ania! Hopefully this will spell change for the community. I resized the image above IN the file insert dialog. If it doesn't display correctly for you, please tell me and I will resize it in Photobucket. Coming soon, we have a region shot, as a new development springs up in Aln Valley. We will not see the 'Oakland' side of Osaio just yet. I have not got very far with it, and want it to be perfect before you see it! As always, comments are greatly appreciated. I will update my signature in good time, but for now I am going to tidy up the house and go to bed... once again I am VERY tired lol. John

[1dera3 29]

OMG, mass destruction! (awesome ) Your story line and terraforming are wonderful - I wish I could create actually interesting regions with God Mode instead of SC4Terraformer.

[bobgleason 0]

How do u get thoes nice big green trees on the side of your raod ways.

[BlackStar 0]

@1dera3: Thanks! I needed a way to get rid of the industrial area, as it wouldn't be fitting in the way my region was developing.. so I shoehorned the fire into the storyline. Terraforming really isn't that difficult.. the land isn't something I 'draw', as such.. I just create a general shape, then smash it over and over again. For example, Ania Brook was a steep-sided gorge, I went along with the leveling brush, tapping along the edge to disturb the terrain. Trees are also fantastic at altering the visual shape. Use colour and height to add more perspective to your landscape.

@bobgleason: Those trees are named 'Western Redcedar'. I downloaded them along with many others in a pack from the STEX. You can search the STEX for 'trees', and just download all the good looking ones, as I did. If you wish I will edit back with a link.. if I can find them. Sorry to the author, but off hand, I cannot remember the name of the plugin!

[Mikeaut1 261]

THIS CITY JOURNAL IS AMAZING!!!!

Excellent work, you really keep me interested with your storyline and the pics that go with it. The pics are out of this world; very colorful, very specific, very realistic looking! I'm really really loving the picture of that cove, that is pure scenery right there! The fire/destruction is something I barely see in city journals, but you have mastered it!! This is a great city journal, stick with updating it frequently, as it grows I bet it is going to pick up a massive following. Maybe even a Trixie at the end of the year!

Excellent job, keep updating!!

[jacqulina 162]

wow my friend i see what you mean with the rail you sure do a great job with it and other transport,thanks for bookmarking my cj,beautifull work you have done,and what a fire,i do love the cove pic thats so scenic and pretty well done with doing the terraforming,awesome work and pics

[bat 6]

Wonderful update! Great pictures and work!

bat :nijna;

[BlackStar 0]

Hello Again I have a bumper sized update today It seems Simtropolis has been having some server troubles recently.. I keep getting disconnected due to high volumes of traffic. So, I put MSN away and cracked on with my region. I instantly ran into problems. I have, before, gone ahead and built the Superhighway right through the region, as I am chomping at the bit to get to it. However, this is not fitting to the storyline so I decided to obliterate the empty cities it occupied. My plugins folder must have gone wrong or something, because there were brown boxes everywhere. Apparently the Redwood Forest tree has decided it wants a holiday. So I've had to replant all the trees along the Indona Coastline in Kanawara (that's about 6 medium city tiles).. in mayor mode. That took up a lot of time but I am more than happy with the results. I also trimmed out excess development I've been building out of 'camera view'. However, that was quickly overcome with a new problem. My rock mod and water textures have gone walkies as well as the road's slope mod values. hmm. Never mind. So... onto replies before I fill a whole page with this post. @Mikeaut1: Hey, cheers! I never thought I could make scenery people would like - I've put in a lot of effort and it seems I am capable of more than acres of suburbia. I was ambiguous about setting fire to my industrial area, but it just wouldn't abandon the way I wanted it to. I feel this is good, however, as it mirrors troubles in Kazeth and Nerolt. And thankyou very much for your support.. after a few weeks of writing, it feels as though I have done SO much, to get to the end of the year would be fantastic.. and getting a huge following would be amazing as well Thanks again @Jacquelina: Thankyou for another comment I am aiming for Osaio to have a utopian feel to it, with some realism coming from Kazeth and Nerolt. So therefore I was unsure about clashing the scenery of the brook with abandonment and fire. However, hopefully this will be means to an end, so I can continue beautifying the area @bat: Thanks! It's been a little tricky at times, but I think the ball is now rolling, and Osaio can really come into light! @everyone: What do *you* think I should do with the old Ania Industrial area? Should it rot as a testament to the foundations of Ania.. should the past be swept away for new development.. should the land be given to the community? Have your say! See the bottom of this post. We have a regular update, but first, an update for the entire region... REGIONAL UPDATE --Kanawara Prefecture Only-- Above we see the current state of Kanawara Osaio. Please note that I have replanted trees on the West side of Aln Valley, and further North with a different type of tree.. hence the photoshopping. I'm particularly proud of Ania Cove, to the Southwest. I am having trouble with my water texture mod, so I have photoshopped the entire body of water to match. And here, we see both the transporation network, and my terraforming in all it's crudeness. Note how such simple terraforming can be brought out into beauty with clever placement of trees. All my trees are mayor mode planted. Do not be confused by the Superhighway's terminus, that is a construction zone, so it will look fragmented on the map until completion. For the first time, we also see the Kazeth to Nerolt ExpressLine railway in it's fullness. I forgot to replace it in the city in the North after obliteration, so please ignore this minor artefact. POPULATION: 23,749 Not including residencies to be acquired in Ania Cove Update 7 Putting Osaio on the map! 4 months after the devastating fire which swept through the abandoned industrial area, Ania is coping. The smell of optimism is in the air. Our 'domestic freeway' has continued it's march North, at the expense of dense forest. A massive intersection was completed today, and new stretches of 'freeway' have been growing in the hilly depths of Aln Valley. The main focus of today, however, was not the unrest in 'green' parts of the community, but the opening of a local exit point, just South of Ania's, on the Superhighway's SecondDeck. This was not just any opening... this was an opening to provide access to a brand new development in a secluded corner of the Kanawara Prefecture. And tomorrow, the final 2 miles of Super Highways, or as I know, 'Superway', are due to be plugged in this afternoon.. as the final prefabricated pieces are airlifted into place. Depiesse gives a wave as I leave her café. The air outside is warm, and filled with summer light. A man on the street is selling copies of a local newspaper, produced and printed at a residents home. Since the fire, the community has really pulled together to cover the services it once provided. A nice contrast to societies' paranoia and lack of humanity back in Kazeth. A short, pleasant drive brings me to the superway, and I join the local line, and travel North to have a look at this new interchange. The interchange, is where both the ExpressDeck and SecondDeck lines interface with local highways. So far they don't interface with anything, so the local lines connect to nothing, and the ExpressDeck's exit routes go nowhere. Therefore, as I approach the Northern side of the interchange to rejoin the deck, I make a U turn in the avenue, and proceed South. The Superway is designed with safety in mind. Strategically placed emergency exit ramps surround the interchange, and corners on the ExpressDeck. These are accessible to pedestrians when the need to leave the highway on foot it present.. say, after a massive pile-up. I travel South, back through the green East side of the interchange. Local environmental groups have had massive sway on the construction of the Superway. There are even hundreds of trees planted around the interchange which are planned to reduce noise, visual and air pollution, prevent development moving too close, and keeping local wildlife safe. A solar power unit has even been installed, which powers signage and lighting for the interchange area. The high speed ExpressDeck is protected from lost wildlife, due to the nature of the embankments, and huge retaining walls prevent any sizeable animal straying infront of traffic on the SecondDeck, which can reach 100mph, legally. Travelling at high speed through the green canyon, I enter the right hand lane and slow down, as per warning signage. I turn right onto the brand new road and make my way past Ania's graveyard. In my mirrors I see the huge satellite uplink tower. The cemetery was built after the fire, partly as a memorial, and partly to bury the 34 killed, and 22 other bodies between the two local churches. A tranquil park marks the corner of a road, and is occupied with families, quietly reflecting their recently departed. I travel on, following the gentle 25mph speed limit through this area. This is to reduce noise and prevent the need for road construction in the future. I clear the cemetary, and enter the woods. Emerging from the woods brings me into the brand new, high class residential area, perched high above the cove. Soon this area will be populated with Ania's wealthiest homes. The Grand Regional Residence has been built here, to accomodate Osaio's affairs, away from Ania's affairs.. to 'improve government efficiency'. hmm. Following the road brings me to the top of the cliffline, on which sits an exclusive educational facility. Entry prices usually are set at §200/month here, far beyond the budget of many people. I turn left at the roundabout and descend into the new harbourside area. I park on the street underneath a sparkling condo, and walk across the grass onto a beach. I take off these shoes, and walk with the sand in my toes. After having lived in Kazeth, without a proper holiday for 16 years, this is just wonderful. The sun is shining, and a few people have already made their way here. The palm trees above my head shade me from the intensity of the sun as I approach the waterside. Small boats have landed here, presumably from new residents, or residents from Kazeth on holiday. I sit in the sand, and take pictures on my camera I found in my bag. The harborside shops which line the other side of the bay glisten in the sunlight, and are already busy with customers coming and going. An Englishman has set up shop here, with an authentic 'Devonshire Fish & Chips' store. Business is doing well today, despite the heat. The seafood restaurant looks wonderful, but is not open. Looking around I watch the clouds reflect from the gleaming fronts of the condo towers around this bay. Being settled in a cliff-lined area, they don't disturb the look of the area as much as they could do. The massive shopping mall, only half occupied, sits on one side of the harbour, inviting attention, customers, providing a come-on for the future of this area. Atop a cliff over the bay, stands a statue of Her Lady, the Gracious Princess of the Nation. With trees at her feet, she stands watching over the shops, the mall, the harbour, the casino, the condos, the beach, the people.. and even a cruise ship visiting the town for it's new opening. Sunshine, water breaking on the shore, and the activities of people in the harbour are all relaxing and I quickly fall to sleep... like a dishevelled office worker having lost her way- and somehow ended on a tropical beachside. *** A few hours pass before I woke again. The cruise ship was still here, and nothing else had changed either. As this was still a work day, I started typing away on my laptop, as a flimsy excuse to visit the area.. 'research' was my prime motive Like a child being dragged away from a toy store, I tear away from this wonderful scenery, and make back to my car, and drive off, back out of the town. On the way out, I grabbed a postcard of the area. It shows the full beauty of the area, and I am very pleased with it. Well... even if I am supposed to be boarding a media flight in a few moments, I cannot leave without trying some Fish & Chips. I drive away with the meal in my lap, enjoying the taste. In a few minutes, I had reached the Superway, and way heading North on the SecondDeck, to the Ania Interchange. The link between local and express lines has not been build yet, so construction crews had set up a diversion onto the emergency escape ramps, so I can get onto the highway line West from the interchange. This empty road draws me to the local airstrip, which gleams, far off in the distance. Having finished my meal, I sped up, and raced down the empty avenue, as I was beginning to run late. After a short while, the hangar building and perimeter fence grows, and I see our aircraft sat on the tarmac with the engines idling. I park, and quickly board. This airstrip was built under an agreement between local government and housing development, and hoteliers. Premier residents need access without rail, and as the Superway was complete, the government was contractually obliged to build an airstrip within 4 years of development of Ania Cove. This airstrip can provide a vital lifeline for the area, as well. On the plane, sits fellow journalists, and a few suited men and women. I take my place, open my laptop and begin to take notes as the aircraft's doors shut. The plane rumbles across the rough tarmac, and after a few moments, the Cessna (Caravan ) climbs into the air, as if mounting a high speed escalator. We circle high above the clifflines, and head North at high speed to Aln Valley coastlines. Way off in the distance, I see a broken ribbon of concrete, snaking it's way through the valley. We draw near and I take photos. I can see the dense forest, at the floor of the valley, and the winding path the express line takes to navigate the geography. Environmentalists blocked planning application for a massive tri-tier super bridge, citing 'massive visual pollution', 'unacceptable construction behaviour', and 'mass disturbance to local geography for a structure of this mass'. This, I found out to a pamplet handed to me. The plane's engine pitches down, and we begin a steady descent into the valley. This is a fantastic opportunity for some photos. Here, head North and pass the site for a future bridge, a much smaller one to span an otherwise-inpassable gap. Tunnels are not permitted, either, due to environmentalist lobbying at the National Court. The plane sharply swings around, back South, giving me an opportunity to get pictures of a magnificent excavation machine at the top of the North side of the valley. It has served it's purpose, and must now crawl North, carving its own path to sea level, which the Superway will follow.. Another swing of the plane brings another scene to view.. The plane begins to climb as it heads West to the coast. I read that environmentalists are 'distraught' at the amount of tree felling that has taken place to accomodate 'a few slabs of prefab concrete'. Fallen trees lay at the roadside.. these would once be consumed by the hungry biomass manufacturing in Ania. The lumber was greatly needed. Now it lays abandoned, with nowhere to go. It is expected to be airlifted to waiting ships for export. My last shot of the area captures a section of coastline, cleared to accomodate shipping of highway pieces, material delivery and other infrastructural needs. The concrete area is lit with huge steel, telescopic floodlights. The area would normally be teeming with workers, trucks and equipment. But this is a Sunday and they are all loaded onto the ferry for security. I note the ferry beginning to close up, ready to dock nearby. Another ship, just out of range of this picture, is visible making it's way to, presumably, Kazeth. The amount of tree felling here is enormous. The high quality of the trees here, could also mean massive income from sales of export. Hopefully this will be re-invested into an environmental fund in the future. A quick hop back down the coast brings us over a stretch of land, between Ania, and it's new airport to the West; interrupted only by the Superway. There will probably be a population boom soon, and I can see roads beginning to emerge, more than likely to accomodate a swath of housing. The plane suddenly swoops low, and makes a swift landing at the airport. Some papers are handed to me on exit, and I put them away in my car as I make my exit from the area to return home. I have to report back to my bosses today on what I have seen, and make an article report for 'Getaway from Kazeth', which will also be published in Nerolt's 'Holiday Now', and the Nation's 'Domestic Travel Choice'. Also there is a massive party due soon - as Osaio's public has created the first 'Osaio Summer Celebration Party'... sounds fun! I have to go organise... and work of course. The airport shinks away in the distance, and my mind begins onto boring work things. **** I hope you enjoyed this update. A lot of terraforming went into this update, and not so much development, bar, of course, Ania Cove. In fact, I have demolished a lot of things as I have mentioned at the head of this update. We now have Ania/Osaio emerging as a major tourist attraction.. both for holiday makers, and people getting away from the 'Colossal Smokes' of Kazeth and Nerolt. What does everyone think about this? As I progress through Kanawara, I shall be finetuning my terraforming, as well as updating the land in the other 2 prefectures. I will be building a massive military base at some point, and it needs to be away from Kanawara. Interaction! I would like YOU to be involved with my CJ. So, with any future comments, please submit your ideas for the following: > The FUTURE of the fallen Industrial Area at Ania... any suggestions welcome, within reason! > The NAMES of the next to prefectures. These prefectures are.. the landmass North of 'Golden Gate' (Chicote Narrows in my CJ), and the 'Oakland' area. I'm looking for originality, with an exotic name, like those used so far. I don't know about the geography but there will certainly be a small mountainous area, and a river and maybe river delta. There will be large, decisious plains. THANKYOU EVERYONE for your massively generous comments on this CJ. I really appreciate the support I have on my first attempt at such a project! Cheers! John

[jacqulina 162]

wow you have done well with the terraforming,i like the way you are showing us the progress,very nicely done,amazing work and pics

[Decrepit Telephone 0]

Here goes my first post on this forum...

I'm impressed, and absolutely floored with how all of these modd files and everything have utterly transformed the game into something spectacular. I've played SC4 for about four years now, and have never gotten involved in the online community relating to it - and thus I have remained a "Sheltered Child" in the world of Sim City. You have my heart set now, on down loading the NAM - but I'll have to wait until late at night to do that, as I have dial-up... I'm currently trashing, in my mind, all of my previous regions for new ones once I get all these modd things.

And then, your CJ: Wow. I love the first-person perspective you have used to describe the city. Well written and engrossing. I'm looking forward to the future entries - and the other prefectures. So much to see and look at, it's quite overwhelming!

Also, I don't know if you've heard of the name "Calanthe" but it could be considered for the other prefecture. It sounds nice, but from the Greek it becomes the lame phrase "Beautiful Blossom."

I look forward to further entries, and look forward to exploring the forums.

EDIT

<----- I should get myself an avatar....

[BlackStar 0]

@Decrepit Telephone: Welcome to Simtropolis! I admit that SC4 is a steep learning curve in itself-- and all the mods now available don't really help lol! However, I do strongly recommend downloading the latest NAM. There are some new terminologies you will have to become acquainted to..but once you get used to it, the NAM is elementary. When you are creating a scenic city, the STEX is your best friend lol.

And thanks for the comment on my CJ. There are many CJ's on Simtropolis, each with their own style. I personally have just adopted the first person perspective to allow me to explain certain parts of my region in certain ways. Other authors, however, write a story, and use SC4 to illustrate it. And also thankyou for the tip on the name, I really like it and will seriously consider it. Is it pronounced kal-AN-tei?

And to everyone: I suffer from a pronounced stress and anxiety disorder, and the other day I had to attend court...where everything went wrong for me (nothing too criminal lol..just traffic offences). Since then, I've not been at all well, for several other reasons. I HAVE been continuing development in Osaio..but my computer stresses me out too much for any serious advances. Within the next week you can expect another update. I have created a small commune for environmentalist extremists on the other side of the bay (Which I am now terraforming). Sorry for another delay, but hopefully I won't be having any future troubles.

Laters

John

[tommiej 0]

amazing CJ!! like how you extensively use highways, railroad (especially that you only use the long curve!) HSR,

looking forward for more awesome infrastructure!

[jacqulina 162]

looking forward to that update my friend

[jacqulina 162]

looking forward to that update my friend

[koekie01 3]

Me to!

[homeandaway 1]

me to!!!!.

Take care

~Alex~

[villagemayor 0]

A very inspiring city journal. And really cool buildings too!!

[homeandaway 1]

looking forwards to seeing more

~Alex~

[Cjah 15]

Originally posted by: villagemayor A very inspiring city journal. And really cool buildings too!!quote>

 

I can only echo that...this journal is simply amazing...

[GMoney702 0]

The rural look is magnificent for your pictures. I also have to say that I like your tree variation and your ridges and cliffs as well.

[BlackStar 0]

Hello Apologies for the delay, but here we have another update I will be restructuring my entire image library for Osaio CJ with a new naming convention, and also arranging my images in photoshop into sub-albums. I am also going to label every image with it's location and respective identity number and short description. I will also be applying my standard photoshop editing to the images to keep them in line with my newer pics (Sharpening the image slightly to remove the lossy effect image resizing has, as well as slighly altering the colour balance, hue & saturation, and contrast & brightness) to keep them pretty. Keeping track of all my images is already proving difficult. The restructuring will/should not affect the uptime of the images on these pages. I will be simply making copies of the same images onto respective locations on photobucket, then editing the messages here with the new URL links, then deleting the old images from photobucket. The only change you will notice is my older images suddenly becoming crisp and colourful, with text labelled onto them. If anyone knows of any effective way to organise CJ images on my computer, please let me know. Replies: @ tommiej: I don't particularly like overzealous use of transit arteries in SC4. I like to bring streets and roads to capacity, then going through the challenge of upgrading them without disturbing local development. However, Osaio sits on a major transcontinental traffic corridor, so therefore a massive highway is present. The long curve in my railways is a scenic addition to them. The short hairpin always bugged me. However, there are a few locations in my region which have them, a sharp eye will notice one or two in this update. Being familiar with UK rail, I've tried to apply as many concepts to my railways from the UK as possible. Now that I have discovered the 'plopbuilding' cheat, I shall be able to storm ahead with Kazeth, so we can visit the smoke again, sooner than anticipated. Thank you for your comment @ jacquelina: Here it is! Thank you for your comment (s) lol @ koekie01: Et voila! @ homeandaway: again, et voila! I haven't seen Home and Away in YEARS! 15 or more actually lol @ villagemayor: Thank you! I like to think I have a unique style of building. MANY thanks goes out to the authors out there who create the buildings populating the STEX. ill_tonkso is my number one favourite at the moment, the amount and quality of 90s London-look office blocks really adds something to SC4! @homeandaway: Bump? lol @ Cjah: lol thanks! I wouldn't have expected someone to call it amazing, more...nice lol. Been quite docile to date. Thanks for the comment, anyway! @ GMoney702: Thank you for the comment I'm a country bumpkin, me! I like to build agricultural areas in SC4, but I am not going to use them too much here, I would prefer instead to let nature fill the undeveloped areas, not farms. I use Western Redcedar for body, and Lodgepole for colour, and to fill in the other areas. Damper, lower areas with better soil have oak trees and other broad leaf trees. I use Aspen Grove to simulate trees planted by man, as they are as close to Silver Birch I have. @ everyone: I have just finished terraforming the tip of a mountain region into the Southern portion of the 'Oakland' part of Osaio. For the most part, it will be a flatland, with a grand river, and a finger of mountainside to the far North. I am considering building a completely environmentalist development to the North of Kanawara prefecture, although I was hoping to have that as luxury apartments, simulating Miami. For now, we have a regional update. REGIONAL UPDATE --Kanawara Prefecture Only-- I had to re-plant every tree in mayor mode over the ENTIRE prefecture, and haven't got round to rebuilding the Superway in the extreme North. Please excuse this minor visual artefact. I have decided to consolidate satellite and transportation images into one image, for clarity and to reduce unnecessary image loading times. Note the swath of suburban development, in and around Ania. This is mainly from government relocation projects for private and government funded residents alike. Areas of government funded housing can clearly be seen from the streets' semi grid pattern. Agricultural developers seized cheap land around the Superway's Ania Interchange, so we have some farmland there. The area between the interchange and the small airport has quickly developed into a community of it's own, this is West Ania (City). Land to the West end of Ania Brook is relatively untouched. The trees here have been protected under environmental law, so therefore pushing land value up. Floral growth to the East may relinquish these laws, allowing developers to pave over the West and 'complete' Ania. Suburban development is growing down the side of Aln Valley, producing small pockets of development perched at various heights. This is producing interesting scenery and increasingly complex transportation and infrastructural setups. Most of Aln Valley has been developed, a branch rail line has been built through there, and development has sprung up, growing to the East where it is ever-expanding over the hillside. Where the valley meets the sea in the West of the valley, there is a fair amount of flat land at beach level. It is here a downtown area has quickly developed, taking advantage of the desirable location, prime location for a Superway interchange, as well as cheap land. Look closely, and you can see new development springing up to the North of this area. The rail branch terminates here, and a large rail station is planned. Obviously, residential demand in the area has increased, and apartment buildings in Aln Valley are growing, alongside the now-busy branch line. Discount rail fares are drawing in commuters from Kazeth and sometimes Nerolt. The mesa above Aln Valley, Chicote Hills, has been seized by residential developers, and a light rail link punches through the cliffs to the planned downtown area below. A small municipal airport has also been built, but we will get there in good time. Generally, since the last update, regional traffic has increased. New rail services have started, Kazeth now runs Kazeth-Aln City, as well as Kazeth-Nerolt, and Nerolt has done the same. Noise by the ExpressLine in Ania has dramatically increased, so therefore upgrades are being planned, such as electrifying the route, or decreasing line speeds. The small West Ania Airport is bursting at the seams. Small commuter planes sit on the grass, as other aircraft fly past very closely. The municipal airport in Chicote Hills will take the pressure off, and increase safety as it has an air traffic control tower, directing traffic at both airports. Rains have increased slightly, hence the increase of flora to the far East of Kanawara, and a ferry port has been built there in anticipation for the construction of a new Army Base on the other coast. POPULATION: 152,558 Update 8 Environmental Concerns - Trip to the Development Convention Five short years later, and much has changed in Osaio. What was once just an outpost for humanity is quickly developing into a regional contender. It's 10am, the day has already begun. I had breakfast at Depiesse's in Old Town, and returned home to complete some work for the morning. I have just finished writing an article for a national newspaper on environmental concerns. For this country, it's beating a dead horse but now we have Osaio to showcase how relevant the concerns are. I still live to the West of Ania's town centre (Strictly speaking NOT West Ania anymore), just a few doors down in a newly built apartment block. It has roof access, and overlooks mansions, lol! I am to attend a conference, the Development Convention, in the newly built convention centre in Chicote Hills. The small city hall in Ania was getting a bit crowded, and a convention centre made sense next to a new airport and Superway. Topics to be raised at the centre are: > Sustainable development..growing with the environment > Recreation..family activities, and protecting the health of our youths > Community needs As well as others. There will be community leaders, as well as figureheads from the environmentalist and government sectors. There will be speeches, as well as workshops and displays from companies claiming to introduce helpful technologies, or to showcase their development skills. My car has been reclaimed by the government as part of the 5 year loan, and I am waiting on a delay for my new car to arrive. So therefore, I am reliant on the public transportation in the region. Ironic, as I have been reporting on items such as the integration of public transportation provisions in the region. In fact, I spearheaded a campaign to extend the West Ania rail branch line to the West. Subsequently, development has sprung up, which would have prevented the rail from being built. So, I compose myself, and leave. I head for the main road. It is still very busy at this time of day, with couriers and other companies occupying the roads. I walk past the shiny shop windows which mirror the small strip mall, and make my way to the bus stop a short walk away. The bus shortly arrives after I sit down, and I board. For a small fare of §1.10 I get an 'Anyplace: Ania Central Card'. This is just a card allowing me to travel anywhere within the Ania Central bus area for §1.10 for a period of 12 hours. The bus is very busy today, and I contend with standing in the aisle at the front, steadying myself with a pole. The bus carefully picks it's way through the traffic. Ania is quickly developing into a modest town. This double deck bus is crowded with late morning commuters, the air conditioning works to keep us all cool in the summer sun. The commuters seem used to the start-stop rhythm of the bus, and almost look like seaweed in tubulent water as the bus grinds to a halt, before sharply accelerating away every few moments. After about five minutes, the bus encircles the plaza in Ania town centre, which looks busy from the people crossing from the train station, shoppers returning to their cars, and workers on their early cigarette break. We sharply stop right outside the train station, and immediately the bus rocks and sways from the amount of people standing up suddenly and descending the stairs to the lower deck. UK or Hong Kong commuters will know this scene very well. This area has developed into a stopping area for buses, we are the second of three buses which use the one way road as a 'terminal stop', due to the amount of people working in the area, and travelling to the rail station, as I am. There's not really much to comment about this area, it's still as scenic and colourful as it was five years ago. City workers frequently clean the plaza, refresh the flowers, clean the drapes, and trim the flora. I join many other commuters on the platform, waiting for the next train to arrive. The text display boards indicate 1045: ALN CITY, expected 1047. Sure enough, as 1046 arrives, the train closes into the station and squeals to a halt. I enter the single-car commuter train, which is pretty much empty, having just started the service 1 stop before. The train is quite full, but still, I manage to grab a seat at a table next to the window. High pitched beeping precedes the doors sliding shut, and the train revs into life, firmly pulling away from the station. We pass over the level crossing, and glide past government-built apartment buildings at a steady pace. The train accelerates slightly more, and we enter the small corner of forest land which the rail line pierces on it's way to the Northern suburbs of Ania. We are travelling through a cutting, surrounded by majestic trees and wildlife. There's not really much to see apart from trees and bushes fly past at 40mph. I see North Ania suburbs through the window, but we are still enveloped by trees. On one side, tall trees, on the other side, a peaceful suburban community. We pass over a road tunnel, which punches through the cliffline to reach homes settled on the hillside below. We quickly arrive at the station in North Ania. The train struggles to stop from the amount of people inside, and stops with a loud screech. A number of people embark, and as we pull away, the aisle is crowded with impatient commuters. I see buses and cars pull away from the station road. This is the only train station in the area, so a train attracts a lot of attention from public transportation. The train is now travelling at high speed, the diesel engine drowning most other noise. The cutting deepens, and we begin what feels like a dangerously fast dive over the side of the valley. Firm braking kicks in shortly after, just before we cruise round a very sharp corner with many people holding on for balance. The train speeds up slightly, and continues a rapid descent. For the next few minutes, the train is lurching and swaying as it weaves down the side of the valley. Halfway down an express train roars past, nearly scaring me. Between the sound of the gas turbine power cars thundering by, and the screeching of wheels from both trains, the rattling of doors and windows, people on their phones, MP3 players, and laptops, there seems little acknowledgement of the beautiful scenery around us. The brakes on the train roll off, and the train speeds up as the corners subside, and the trees give way to skylight. We hit over a set of points, marking the future rail spur for the area. The low pitched grinding sound of the brakes resonates through the carriage again as we change onto the Aln Valley branch line. As we go through the points, the whole train sharply yaws to the left. Commuter services are a lot more uncomfortable than I had previously thought. A 6 car diesel multiple unit passes by, a large commuter service on an ECS back to Ania. The engines fire back into life, and we cruise through a corner into a tunnel. A few minutes of partial darkness later, the train's brakes once more slow us down, and in the darkness the train rolls down. As we emerge, we immediately roll into Aln Valley rail station. The train screeches to a stop. The platform is looking busy, but I notice that the signage stipulates delays, so I battle my way off the train. Finally emerging on to the platform, I feel a lot lighter. A bus is waiting outside, so I board it, it's completely empty and immediately departs, heading for the town centre. The town centre is a plaza surrounded by small apartents, and is where 4 local roads join to form the main avenue into Aln City. I disembark the East-bound bus at the plaza, and cross the plaza to meet a bus on the other side. Of course, I walk through the subterranean mall to see what this small suburban community has to offer. Quite a lot, as it seems, but I am running late enough as it is. So, I enter the elevator which brings me to street level at the bus stop. A bus is waiting, so I board and ask for Aln City Central, costing §2.80. Calmly, the bus cruises round the plaza, and onto the main road through the valley. The bus joins the left hand lane, then speeds along the avenue, bound for Aln City. As we travel through the valley, we flow through late morning commuter traffic, amidst suburban homes, which eventually turn into small apartments, and the occasional midrise condo.

[jacqulina 162]

wow awesome work my friend beautifull scenery and pics,very nicely layed out

[Silur 3,308]

Fine update - good luck !

[homeandaway 1]

you should start watching Home and Away again my friend - its amazing at the moment...and so is your CJ! - i love it! - im loss for words - more please!

take care

~alex~