Auckland & Greater Region - New Zealand

[Benedict 3,119]

Great last few updates... glad to see some city building

[ky72x 13]

Awesome shots of the city... that residential tower is huge! I've heard of it being the tallest residential building in the Southern Hemisphere before but have never really seen a picture of it. Hope you enjoy the rest of your trip!

- Kyle

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

A reply or two...  The Nursinator returns to his own side of the Tasman.

Hester:  You are most welcome, I will post a few more now that the pics are all loaded up to Photobucket.

Schulmanator:  Well the meerkats at Melbourne Zoo were cool, but I think I forgot to take a pic...

Benedict:  Well I had not played my Auckland tile for a while...  sometimes a couple of months break can do wonders - like looking at the city with fresh eyes.

ky72x:  Thanks Kyle...  I will chuck in a few more pics while I am here!

Eureka Tower with the Yarra river in the foreground.

Princes Bridge 1881.

Steel work under the bridge.

The Melbourne Cricket Ground as seen through the spyglass from the Skydeck - Eureka Tower.

Looking South East towards St Kilda Beach.

Flinders Street Station with the Eureka Tower peeking from behind.

Tram stop.

Dumsters in a side alley.

The dumsters were just to the right of this picture.

St Paul's Cathedral

Sepia shot.

Kyle told me he liked these shots...

Sidewalk chalk artist.

Now if you have to be a snake...  you may as well look good.  I just love these guys.

Boardwalk St Kilda Beach.

Departure lounge, Melbourne Airport.

If you would like to see more Melbourne photos click here.

Thanks guys!  More SC4 pics as soon as I get some time to play the game again!

[Vandy 110]

Hello, Craig, my friend.

I am quite taken by the improvements you've made to your journal.  I must agree that LBT's BATs are very nice and look great in your region.  Thank you for continuing to share your journal with us as well as provide us with a little bit of yourself and your "doings" in Real Life.

i must apologize for not being more active in posting in your great journal.  I find myself with a bit more time available now (read: stolen time) and am going to make an effort to become more active here in Auckland.

Thanks again for your great updates.

Regrards,

Gary (Vandy)

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

and am going to make an effort to become more active here in Auckland.quote>

Yeah. Same here. 

[jacqulina 162]

wonderfull pics thankyou for sharing

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

Pegasus Point

Yay!  I have finally got Peg's stuff to work!  This little seaside town is a sandbox test of the new downloads in my Timbucktu region.  This is my absolute first attempt to use Peg's OWW2 and CDK stuff.  Absolutely no idea what I was doing or how to use them but hey if you don't try...  you don't get.

I pretty much downloaded every CDK and OWW2 I could find...  my desktop was covered in zip files...  and it took ages to unzip them all and work out how and where to install them...  but here they are!

[Schulmanator 5,815]

A nifty little port! Just be careful about who you may find out on the high seas...

... for dangerous scoundrels abound!

[etherian 4]

Nice pictures of Melbourne (I live here), the views from the Eureka Tower is pretty amazing, especially at night. But no pictures of Federation Square and that giant ferris wheel?

And to ky72x, you're right about the Eureka Tower, but a new residential tower being build in Queensland will eclipse its mark once construction is finished.

Now onto the city! Thats a nicely laid-out fishing town, perhaps a little too many commercial buildings compared to residents - may be you have a whole suburb off the screen though? Nice work on using the CDK, I had trouble starting out as well, but the result proves its worth.

[Zelgadis 638]

Hee hee. Congrats! PEG's stuff can be tricky, but it's brilliant once you figure it out.

ISF

[lucky7 73]

Very nice pics, and perfect use of the marina lots, looking forward to more,

lucky7

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

Quick Replies:

Vandy:  You are always most welcome here in my CJ, and I am so glad to see you a bit more active around ST too!

abcvs:  Yes, time to get off your slacksnuffaluffabutt and get some more updates going...

jacqulina:  You are welcome Jacky, I may even try and do something with trams/streetcars after my trip to Melbourne...  

abcvs:  About time you worked out how to get Peg's stuff working...  I was beginning to dispair.

Schulmanator:  Ah.  The monkey pirate.  Avast with ye!  I had not factored piriacy issues into my calculations for success in using Peg's stuff...  I will have to make sure that I have a good supply of bananas on hand.

etherian:  Well, I was very impressed with Melbourne and it is definately on my to visit again list.  I did go to Federation Square... that is where I got off the tram.  I saw the giant ferris wheel, but I did not make it down that end of town unfortunately.  Pretty sure there is a pic of Federation Square taken from up the Eureka...  check the slide show link.

As for the little town...  well that was just a sandbox test of the new stuff and the RCI was really high for commerical for some reason...  the town is all on screen... but I do have a bit more residential zoned since the pic was taken.  

I can't seem to get any industrial demand for some reason - strange I always seem to have that problem when I start a new tile....  I wonder if it is a mod I have installed...   hmm.

zelgadis:  Yes, I finally worked it out...  you should have seen the state of my desktop, after I downloaded all the files...  then I had to unzip all the freaking things.  Peg's stuff is brillant of course, but the dependencies for dependiences, and making sure you have all the bits in the appropriate slots is a bit of a nightmare.  Lots of deep breathing, and creative use of mirrors always helps. 

Lucky7:  Well that wee town was just a trial...  the possibilities are now endless...  Auckland is surrounded by water so, again the standard Maxis issue seaport stuff is now in serious danger.

[etherian 4]

About the industrial demand, it does tend to happen, I have four cities going in my region and I basically have no dirty and manufacturing industries, even though the tax is at 4% on the tile where I want it to develop. The game is quite complex with its demand and desirability factors - I'm still to work out everything myself.

Usually one sure way is to zone a new, rather large suburb to attract low-wealth sims, then I-D - and later - I-M should shoot up if you've taxed I-A ridiculously high. And just to be tedious (if you didn't know this already, which I doubt), if you do that, make sure you have a seaport or railway near the industrial area, as that cuts freight times and would increase the desirability. Highways and roads are good too, but a dedicated freight route is much faster.

Looking forward to more of Auckland!

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

Port Pegasus

Well I got my self a little confused with the dependencies...  Pegasus Point is actually a dependency of Port Pegasus...  an easy mistake, but not to worry as all will be explained and revealed.

Etherian, I will get back to Auckland, I just wanted to well and truly try out all this new stuff before I unleash it on Auckland.  I also couldn't resist developing Port Pegasus a bit more...  the power of the plop is hard to stop!

First up the region shot...  as you see Port Pegasus is in the Timbucktu Region.



A little more development has now taken place...


Heh this is when I realised I was getting a little mixed up with the names...  you will notice the addition of the Marine Police.  Yup - I'm lovin it.


Not to be outdone the fire department insisted on a marine presence!


Still using the Maxis light house...  but I am sure a trip back to the STEX will find another one.  Not that I dislike this one...  I do like lighthouses BTW.  The marine fire station is finished off nicely with a left and right boardwalk end piece.


Now -  here we get to Pegasus Point...  it is around the corner from Port Pegasus.  No wonder I got a bit confused...  yesterday this did not actually exist.... but therin lies the power of the plop.


The boardwalk lots are a little tricky to place...  the shoreline has to be flat and even...  I really should go and take a look at Peg's tutorial, but you know how it goes...  a bit of trial and error never hurt.  Mostly.


I had the occasional problem of the pier section sinking too far down into the sea bed but a wee teraforming tweak and a few road tiles and eventually you can stop the darn things from sinking into the sand. 


And we must not be forgetting the night shots...






This update is powered by our good friend NOB!

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

These pictures aren't half bad. The Force is strong in you.

[Vandy 110]

Hello, Nurisnator/Craigmeister.

Having had the opportunity to review your Port Pegasus posting, I must say I'm quite impressed with your results.  It looks to be a very quaint, cozy and functional port area.  Looking forward to your creating one in Aukland.

Good luck and good work!

Regards,

Gary

[lucky7 73]

Very good idea to visually test the lots before plopping'em to Auckland, the pictures look very promisisng, can't wait to see more,

lucky7

[fern244 1]

Ah that last update was amazing! I love it!

[Hester 700]

A lot to love here in this CJ..as always.

[jacqulina 162]

wow craig you sure done very well with pegs things awesome job my friend.it looks amazing.

[Schulmanator 5,815]

Sweet! Peg does have a very nice light house too.... it's a water plop one. Nifty!

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

Replies

NMUSpidey:  There is no try.  Only do!

Vandy:  Yup, I am looking forward to unleashing Pegasus on Auckland - stay tuned.

lucky7:  Yea - you could get yourself in an awful mess otherwise...  Nurses talk about Code Blue, Code Red and ..... Code Brown....  I will leave you to work out what a code brown is...

fern244:  Sometimes I amaze myself. 

Hester:  Well if it were not for my loyal readers there would a lot of love left over.

jacqulina:  My only outstanding issue at the moment is that I seem to be missing the sand texture for Pegs beaches...  that is why I had to resort to the old Maxis standby...  all the lots are there (the ones with the beachball icon in the seaport menu) but no sand...  hmm.

Schulamanator:  Well a waterplop light house would be very useful in Auckland because we do have one built on a rock in our harbour...  the Bean Rock Lighthouse...  I wonder if I can find a picture.....

*rummages around in google...*

Ah here it is...  now I just need someone to BAT it!

Bean Rock Lighthouse (1871)

 Bean Rock stands on a group of rocks opposite North Head at the entrance to Waitemata harbour, Auckland. 

The Waitemata harbour was surveyed in 1840 by Lt. P. Fisher aboard the HMS Herald with assistance from P. C. D. Bean the master of the vessel, after which Bean Rock is named. The local maori named the rock "Te Toka a Kapetawa" and the legend is that a chief named Tara marooned his brother-in-law there.

During the 1840's a day maker was erected on the rock, but by the 1867 gold rush a more substantial light was needed. Marine Engineer James Balfour recommended a principal harbour light be erected on Bean Rock and a screw pile light be erected on a sand spit in Ponui Passage.

Designed by engineer James Stewart, construction begun on the Bean Rock lighthouse in 1870. The work was completed in 8 months by Auckland builder William Cameron. The design was an open framework with a cottage on top. First iron foundations were driven deep into the rock then wooden poles in a hexagonal pattern were erected around a central column. Lastly, thirty feet above the water the hexagonal cottage was built. The cottage featured a wrap around verandah and the roof was corrugated iron. A fifth order lens from London was installed which flashed white, red and green to indicate the safe channels.

Hugh Brown the first keeper first lit the light in July, 1871. Mr. Brown, a former crew member of a harbour pilot boat was to stay at the lighthouse for nineteen years until his retirement in 1890 due to ill health.

The keepers families lived in Davenport and transportation to the light was by a small rowing boat.

During 1898-99 major repairs were made to the light.

Bean Rock was the first watched light to lose it's resident keeper. In 1912 the light was automated. 

Island

North

[jacqulina 162]

now thats a mystery is it plop sand or ingame,maybe the terrain one is conflicting my friend.

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

Pegasus Inlet - A bit of a tutorial thingy.

OK, so now that I have been using Peg's stuff for a whole 48 hours, I am now an expert.  Oh...  this helped to... 

Anyways I made a trip back to the STEX and got some more stuff... and also that cool lighthouse... but more of that later...

So.  Where to start..  find a bit of undeveloped space - that's where!

Apparently the first thing you have to do is use the God Mode (ctrl+shift+alt - click God mode) tools.  Like the valley tool and the leveler tool....

Mhm shouldn't be too hard... follow the nose.. clickity click... ba ba ding!

OK so far so good...  man those speed boat driver DO NOT observe the 5 knot speed limit within 200 m of shore BTW...

Ah!  Now apparently these leveler diggy things are quite useful...  so I grabbed that and installed it as well.

Lay the green carpet bomb..

One quick sonic boom later and we get this...

Then I decided to add one of those sandbar things, cos the nice guy in the linky above said I should.  So I did.

Now the fun bit stick in the CDK lots...

And now the finishing touch for my evenings work...

So there you have it... if I can do it then so can you!

Goodnight!

[etherian 4]

Looks excellent, forgot to mention the CDK levellers, they are quite helpful - but probably can't compare to God-Mode-on-Demand

I like the small mosaic - been meaning to ask, which water mod is that? Such high transprency in shallow waters, it looks great!

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

Originally posted by: etherian Looks excellent, forgot to mention the CDK levellers, they are quite helpful - but probably can't compare to God-Mode-on-Demand

I like the small mosaic - been meaning to ask, which water mod is that? Such high transprency in shallow waters, it looks great!quote>

 

The Auckland water mod of course!  Just type Auckland into the STEX search box.

[Vandy 110]

Hey, Craigster.

Oh, NO!  The Earth is going to wobble on its axis...  The seas will spill over the land...  The air will be sucked out into space...  Vandy's posting twice in the same week!!!

Okay.  Enough melodrama.

   I really liked your phrase "the power of the plop is hard to stop!"  Instant classic.

Your region shot is really great.  I do like region pictures.  It is such a nice way to get a good overall "look and feel" of a region.  Thanks.

Interesting little beach area in the second picture.  Do you have plans to do something with it other than it being a recreational beach?

Gotta have the harbor patrol.  After all, we don't want folks to have too much "fun" on the water...

Good idea with the fireboat on the harbor.  kinda hard to drive a truck out over the water...

You've really done a nice job on Pegasus Point.  Very well planned and very well executed.  You might want to try Pegasus' Leveler.  It works pretty good at getting things at the right level.  Also, reading through the tutorial really does help (hint, hint).

Ah, night *****s.  They certainly are nice, aren't they.  Yours certainly is.

Now, THAT is some power plant!  (Vandy makes the grunting sounds of Tiim (the Tool Man) Taylor.

Great update, Craig.  Thanks for sharing this with us.

Regards,

Gary (Vandy)

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

Interesting little beach area in the second picture.  Do you have plans to do something with it other than it being a recreational beach?quote>

Hmm... I think you are refering to the Port Pegasus,  update...  and I think you may have missed the Pegasus Inlet  update further down....  I do believe that the "Intresting little beach area" is is now the bustling village of Pegasus Inlet.

Gotta have the harbor patrol.  After all, we don't want folks to have too much "fun" on the water...quote>

Yes, the speed boat guys definately do not observe the 5 knot rule close to shore...  they are downright postively dangerous.

"Have fun on the water, but do what you aughta."               

Good idea with the fireboat on the harbor.  kinda hard to drive a truck out over the water...quote>

Heh, that reminds me of some photos that I need to post...

You've really done a nice job on Pegasus Point.  Very well planned and very well executed.  You might want to try Pegasus' Leveler.  It works pretty good at getting things at the right level.  Also, reading through the tutorial really does help (hint, hint).quote>

OK - now I know that you missed the latest update...  that's OK, I forgive you. 

Ah, night *****s.  They certainly are nice, aren't they.  Yours certainly is.quote>

My dear Vandy, what on earth did you type?  Diarrohea in the middle of the night is no joke. 

[jacqulina 162]

hiya craig thanks for the step by step,now this is how you can sort out the sand prob,take out the gravely beach from the terrain file and replace it with the white sand which i think is on the stex,and keep your gravel one safe in a file incase you need to swap again for other type pics ect.

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

Port Pegasus - I just can't stop!

Well this might have been a sandbox test city, but man I am really enjoying it!

Just had to stick in one of my kick butt rivers and waterfalls...

The lake at the bottom is piped under the commerical area through a culvert and flows then out to sea.

These are my new cassion lighthouses to mark the safe channels into Port Pegasus.

Zoom 1 night shot.

A quick rotation of the camera and a zoom one day shot.

Well I hope you have enjoyed my slight diversion into Port Pegasus as much as I have!