Super Sticky (Vol 1)

[htoeppner 0]

Hello

I hope that this is an appropriate place for this. If it is covered in other threads elsewhere, I apologize.

I've been asked in my City Journal "How did you create your Table of Contents ?"

Well, I tried some of the methods that I found in other threads, but had no success with those.

How I achieved this is quite easy, once you know my method.

I hope that I can explain it clearly enough for others to follow.

Of course, Your Mileage May Vary

I will leave the actual content of your Table of Contents up to you. Basically you want to create an initial post that introduces your City Journal and insert some graphic buttons that the reader clicks on to get to the appropriate update (Chapter). How to insert graphics and create links is beyond the scope of this document. If you can't insert a picture or create a link, do a search on the Forums or look in the FAQ/help files for Simtropolis, there are instructions somewhere.

First, start a New Topic post for your City Journal thread.
 This will be is used as a placeholder for your Table of Contents page.

Enter whatever text and/or graphics to introduce your City Journal and Table of Contents.

** Do not enter any actual City Journal information. *** This will be added as a Reply later.

Post the initial message into the Forum.

Now what I do is Open Notepad, create a new blank TXT docuument and save it with a name that indicates the City Name, for example -

Mega Habitat CJ.txt

Next I will go and 'find' my post in the forum by looking in the Forum - City Journals buttons on the left hand side of the Simtropolis website.

Click on the Title of your City Journal thread and it will take you to your initial TOC post.

The link in the address bar looks something like this

https://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=36&threadid=94928&enterthread=y

Your initial TOC post should be showing. Now take a look at the web page. Across the very top is the Simptropolis banner, next is a blue menu line with titles like -

Simtropolis Home, Forum, Live Chat... etc.

Look for a grey menu line that has displayed on the right hand side the titles -

Who's Online : Latest Replies : Latest Topics : Statistics

*** Remember this grey menu line, it will be used shortly. ***

Now what I do is to look on the blue bar underneath the grey bar that has -

FORUMS  >  City Journals > (whatever the Main Title of your initial post is)

Click on the Main Title of your initial post, to the right of -

FORUMS > City Journals >

This will take you to the same thread, but it does clean up the web address bar to look like this -

https://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=36&threadid=94928

Basically it takes off the last part of the string (&enterthread=y)

Now I am not a web developer or HTML expert at all, I have no idea what this last part does, and I don't really care.

So now we can copy and paste the web address bar information into our Notepad TXT document.

This is the website address that when entered into a web browser will take you to the very first post in your CJ thread.

You may use this address to create a link in your signature line or give out to your friends to come and visit your CJ.

I usually add a line above the link in Notepad so that it looks like this -

Mega Habitat CJ - Main Link

https://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=36&threadid=94928

[needgames 0]

Thanks Herb, for the info, but my idea was not to create a TOC, but just to get to know how I can create a link to an old post of mine, or of somebody else. I had already figured out how I should change the url to reference a specific post, but this forum seems to make it impossible to get to know the number of each separate post, and your system only works with recent posts, not with old ones.

[htoeppner 0]

Oh I see. Hmmm, I have no idea how you would do that. Perhaps someone else can help.

Well for anyone trying to create a TOC this should work.

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

Originally posted by: manticorefan  But I do have a question; can one person have more than one open cj?quote>

 

Sure.  Some people have more than one.  Just depends on how much time you have to do the updates and replies etc...

Of course if people are starting a new CJ every week and they have not really thought about what they are doing then that can put people off...

I would recommend quality over quantity.  Quality will be sure to gain a regular audience.

[Haljackey 17,398]

Back before these "sticky" threads were re-furbished, there was a thread about how to fix the "page flip" bug.

My CJ has started having some issues with this bug. Does anyone know where I can locate this guide?

Thanks in advance,

-Haljackey

[Schulmanator 5,812]

Well, there is no cure, but the workaround is when a post is eaten, just go to the URL, such as

https://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=36&threadid=96428&STARTPAGE=1

and manually change the page number up 1. Then it will appear. Your readers will need to do the same until there's enough on the next page to make it show (usually by the 3rd post on the page)

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

Originally posted by: Schulmanator Well, there is no cure, but the workaround is when a post is eaten, just go to the URL, such as

https://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=36&threadid=96428&STARTPAGE=1

and manually change the page number up 1. Then it will appear. Your readers will need to do the same until there's enough on the next page to make it show (usually by the 3rd post on the page)quote>

 

Correct.

From the Rules / Guidelines sticky...

Please also do not make posts to bump the "Page Flip Bug", a well known software glitch that affects threads as they become larger in size.  A simple fix is to change the last number in the URL string in your browser, to the page that should be showing.  The "missing" page will then appear.  Once the new page has a few posts the bug will dissappear.

quote>

[DioAngel 1]

Craig - thank you for posting that information about the page flip bug! ;-)

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

The Sim City - City Journal Index. This is an index of City Journals and Mayor's Diaries in the greater Simcity Community.

The Simtropolis Thread can be found here:

Linky

And a direct link to the site is here:

Linky

Newly added to the first post of the Super Sticky Dircetory on page one.

[Duke87 1,070]

Originally posted by: abcvs

If you have existing PNGs that you want to convert just open them up in Paint, click save as> and choose Jpeg option in "Save as type."

quote>

Nononononononono don't do that. Saving something as jpeg in MS Paint is one of the seven deadly sins of image editing. If you must have it as a jpeg, use something more sophisticated like GIMP (which is free!) and be sure to save it at 100% quality. Otherwise, you can always just leave them in png format....

Another good tool to use which is especially useful if you want to convert several images at a time is XnView.

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

Seven deadly sins eh?

Yes you are right... Paint trashes quality when you save to Jpeg...  

It is just that I am a Slacksnuffaluffabutt and have not got around to downloading one of the better image editing programs.

There I confessed.

[DioAngel 1]

that's one of the good reasons I never used MS paint. ;-)

[nickjbor 0]

I have a question with regard to city journals. For the longest time now, I've been trying to find the time to build an entire region. I feel I have that time now and would like to get going. Reading the information about city journals, it does not state weather the city in question has been built yet or not. This is at the centre of my question.

I'd like to start a CJ detailing the full building, from the ground up, of my entire region. I'm using the PEI map, found here https://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?id=16180 with only minor edits (I've re-adjusted the city-grid to better fit my needs) My first goal will be to fill the map with farms, towns, and villages. Perhaps not the most exciting thing to watch, then again it's not the most exciting thing to do. Chances are I'll have a bustling city or two before too long. I've made a "dry run" at this before a few months ago, and I had three metropolises (or is it metropolii?) before the map was filled.

Anyway my plan would be to detail the development of the areas I plan to be cities (a cute little village-to-town story for each) and for the stretches of farmland likely just include one screenie. The long-term goal of the project is that once I've built an entire rural region, to urbanize it, but in a natural way. My main goal would be to tell a story, the story of this land. I don't know where it will end, because I don't know what my story will be like by the time I'm finished. Part of the fun would be to watch how things develop.

Anyway, that brings me back to the original question, which is simple really - would posting all of this, from the first house to the final skyscraper, make sence? Or is the CJ more for detailing cities already built.

[Schulmanator 5,812]

Well, nickyjbor, lemme tell you, there is no set rule. But, I, for one, have only terraformed 1/8 of my map. So, I am certainly doing mine as I go. The main thing is to do what you like in the way you like and enjoy it. I think many would be pleased to watch your region grow and change over time.

[jacqulina 162]

i terraform from scratch and then build stage by stage,and show pics as i go.

[Nardo69 51]

@nickjbor:

Quite exactly three years ago I finished my search for a nice an adequate map and began building Urland. My goal was (still is) to fully build this map, mostly rural but also with some urban developement. I would say I am halfway in between.

You will see if your idea works when you are inside CJing. If you see it doesn't work out you still have the opportunity to stop or change direction!

[nickjbor 0]

I have some images ready already, but I keep reading about JPEGs. are PNGs not looked well upon?

[Zelgadis 638]

Indeed, PNGs are not looked well upon, generally speaking. That's because the file size is so big. A good quality JPEG is a lot smaller.

ISF

[nickjbor 0]

Can I have more then one CJ going?

My current one is one of those long-term things. I seriously doubt I'll finish before 2010 due to the amount of work it'll take to build a region of this size. I'm thinking about doing one of two things

A - pausing my current CJ at some point and focusing on another one for some time (a few weeks, say) to give my mind a chance to come up with new ideas for my main CJ. this would mean I'd likely run this CJ for a few months, get bored, then start a new "short" CJ (with a simple and/or fun objective) then go back to my original once that's done. each pause would mean a new but short CJ

or I like better this

B - starting a second CJ and run it at the same time. The second CJ would be a series, and a scenario. For example I could see how far I can get without ever increasing density (only building low density buildings). I'd keep it in a single thread to keep from cluttering the forum.

I've been looking at other CJ's and note that they don't follow any rules. Some of them are quite interactive. I am guessing logically that it's been tried where people make their own cities, and plug it into a common region. I'd like to take that idea to the next step, and use real-world (at least here in Ontario) development patterns. It would work like this:

I would take a city, or cities in a region, and plot it out into areas. How big? Dunno yet, likely they'd vary in size and shape. Anyway, I'd start by laying down some rules for how each parcel of land is to be used. For example, it might have to be low-density residential with 4 or fewer road exits. There would be limits on what could be built as well, for example you might be allowed to build a school, and you might not. Ideally there'd be a time period for each parcel development, and each player would only be allowed to build within their parcel, and only for the time limit specified. My role would be to run the over-arching city-wide decisions. Of course since the game would be very interactive, there would likely be a great amount of input as to just how to run the city, and I'd listen of course. Ideally, this would result in a city developing in a more real-world pattern. Where it goes from there would depend on how well the idea works.

[DioAngel 1]

have a question... been getting weird troubles posting my updates right. I had the re edit three times on the recent update I did yesterday. I have the chapter title on the end of the page??!! Especially adding my story finishing off, it acts goofy. Is there a glitch going on?

[Haljackey 17,398]

About the The Sim City - City Journal Index:

I think it may be a good idea if we have all the City Journals in the wiki (or at least those from Simtropolis) listed in a separate sticky thread in the City Journals section of the site. It could be organized in two ways: either alphabetically or by type, and would really help those seeking for a specific City Journal. Also, with this index stickied, it may attract the attention of more City Journal authors that are not already on the wiki to possibly get their City Journal added as well, making for a more complete and diverse index.

How does my idea sound? Possible? Is it beneficial to the section? I personally think it would be a wonderful addition!

Best,

-Haljackey

[nickjbor 0]

...we have a wiki?

[Duke87 1,070]

Originally posted by: zelgadis Indeed, PNGs are not looked well upon, generally speaking. That's because the file size is so big. A good quality JPEG is a lot smaller.quote>

Oh, quit exaggerating. They are not "so big". PNGs may have larger filesizes than JPEGs, but they're not oppressively large. I really don't see how it could be an issue unless you have an old computer with a rather small hard drive and are thus looking to conserve every byte you can. The other issue people raise is that sometimes Internet Explorer doesn't display PNGs properly...but that's because Internet Explorer sucks, not because there's anything special or fancy about PNGs.

Besides, there are two caveats here:

1) "good quality" JPEG means no saving it that way in MS Paint.... which is something that a lot of people aren't aware of. They just use MS Paint to convert and it becomes a speckly mess.

2) Even at max quality, there are times where the quality still will not be perfect and there will be some loss. It's not so much an issue with SC4 screenshots, but with any image that has large swaths of pictures all the same color, it's a huge issue because a lot of very noticeable color bleeding can still occur. Better than the dithered pieces of crap MS Paint makes, but still no good.

PNG is, without a doubt, the best image type for most purposes. Of course, if you're not concerned with what's best and don't mind reducing the quality of your images to save a little space or to make it so that there's no display issue, then high quality JPEGs (made using GIMP, Photoshop, or something of the like- never MS Paint) may suit you better. Me, I'm not willing to compromise if I can avoid it. I insist on perfect quality and will settle for nothing less given the option.

[nickjbor 0]

For some reason my PNGs wont show on this forum, so I'm forced to use JPEGs

[ilikehotdogsalot 311]

Originally posted by: nickjbor For some reason my PNGs wont show on this forum, so I'm forced to use JPEGsquote>

That would be correct. Simtropolis doesn't support .png format.

[nickjbor 0]

Originally posted by: Schulmanator Well, there is no cure, but the workaround is when a post is eaten, just go to the URL, such as

https://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=36&threadid=96428&STARTPAGE=1

and manually change the page number up 1. Then it will appear. Your readers will need to do the same until there's enough on the next page to make it show (usually by the 3rd post on the page)quote>

 

What if your CJ sucks and no one replies to it and it starts eating updates?

[Duke87 1,070]

Originally posted by: ilikehotdogsalot

Originally posted by: nickjbor For some reason my PNGs wont show on this forum, so I'm forced to use JPEGsquote>

That would be correct. Simtropolis doesn't support .png format.quote>

Eh? Tell me something. Can you see an image of a fork below this line of text?

Because I can. So Simtropolis isn't the issue. It's probably your browser. Or maybe your internet security.

[nickjbor 0]

It's not my browser alone. I upload all my pics to photobucket, and I can see them when posted to any other forum, except ST.

I cannot see a fork.

[Duke87 1,070]

Okay, now that's just plain weird.

Right then, what browser are you using? What OS are you running? And what, if any, form of internet security are you using?

[Lyhoko Leaci 770]

It is Internet Explorer and Simtropolis that kills the pngs.