South African Union: Greater Bay Area

[Rooivaulk 0]

A Brief History of the South African Union:

The Capitol District Metropolitan Area extends out into the Greater Bay Area Region and is connected to the rest of the South African Union by a series of centralized highway and rail systems which link up the entire country. The Western Province, where the capitol is located, is a highly commercialized and developed province in comparison to the rest of the country and all of Africa for that matter. This is due in part to the extensive trade and investment the province received during colonial times when all the great kingdoms of Europe were engaged in a massive race for land, allies, and power.

What is now the South African Union was subject to colonization and influence by four European Countries; The British Empire, The Kingdom of the Netherlands, The German Empire, and the French Empire.

 The Kingdom of the Netherlands began Caucasian colonization in the Western Province before handing over control of the colony to the Dutch East India Company because of tensions with the natives. Dutch East India Company molded the colonial city and historic capitol of the South African Union into a major trading port at the crossroads of east and west resulting in heavy investment and colonization of the region as well as agriculture and mining to help restock passing ships, this along with trade with the French Congo helped bring what is now the South African Union to economic, military, manufacturing, and commercial superiority over the rest of the continent.

The Northern provinces of the Union are still underpopulated in comparison due to a colonial fear of an invasion of the German Empire through German held Namibia. This left the northern half of the Union to primarily agricultural usage until gold was discovered in the province of Gauteng resulting in an economic boom in the central part of the country. The new cities springing up in the middle of the country required manufacturing goods resulting in heavy mining and industrialization of the center of the country. Seeing the Military strategy in a well protected, centralized, manufacturing center for the Union, following the end of the gold rush the Military decided to limit development within 200 miles of the northern border and created a massive national park covering the entire border. The border protecting nature reserve was reinforced with electric fences, Guard Towers, and military patrols, along with Air-force and Army bases and forts.

This self ordained isolation was only broken by a series of expressways running through hostile Angola to allied Mozambique and the French Congo. The trade caravans that traversed these vital link with allied powers were protected by Military escort and various treaties with Angola. After all Angola needed someone to sell it's oil to, and South African trade trucks were easy targets for pricy gasoline and diesel along the South African built expressways.

The ever thoughtful South African High Command realized that they relied too much on Angolan cooperation and decided to bring the country into self reliance and independence from foreign resources. The went about creating state-backed mining firms, factories, refineries, and oil fields cities in order to make South Africa one of the worlds only truly self sufficient nations in the world. One of the truly successful state funded pre-designed regions is the Greater Bay Area Region located north of Cape Town in the Western Province. This is this is the region whose story will be told in this log. The log will be updated once or twice weekly depending on how many times the military double checks the information leaks for state secrets. Luckily for us, the military does not believe in the use military personnel for menial editing tasks so they use civilian secretaries to check for military secrets. lets hope the military does not realize they are giving away state secrets to the public as that could result in the accidental execution of various secretaries, accidentally of course. Ah, the joys of a totalitarian capitalist government.....

Sneak Peaks of Tommorow's Update:

 Update 1.1: A Sneak Peak ;The Suburb of New Haven

-----A partial Overview-----

-----A close up of the East New Haven Metropolitan Park-----

---A close up of Government Installations across the nature Preserve in western New Haven. This sector is home to Manufacturing and Industry in addition to the Government Facilities. There are plans for an extensive rail year here in future....-----

Expect Detailed Update on: The Suburb of New Haven in update: 1.2.

expected: 7/09/08

Thank you for your Time.

Please Comment as Any Feedback would be appreciated!

Rooivaulk-----Chancellor of the South African Union

[Schulmanator 5,787]

Interesting. You havea lot of detail here and I look forward to its development.

[panthersimcity4 162]

That first map is awesome. I like the idea of your CJ.

[Za 164]

This sounds interesting. I'll be back for sure

[shady3 0]

Wow,awesome CJ Rooivaulk!

[Rooivaulk 0]

South African Union Symbols and Informational Documents:

SAU Flag :

SAU Crest:

SAU Principle Languge Map:

??  Afrikaans ??  Northern Sotho ??  Southern Sotho ??  Swati ??  Tsonga

??  Tswana ??  Venda ??  Xhosa ??  Zulu

Historical Map showing nearby Regional Control; 1885:

As chancellor, I give my deepest regrets as too not having a full update ready for this addition to the city journal. The Minister of Internal Affairs is holding back the release until such a time such as when the New Haven Rail-yard is complete, or when a regional map has been created. this may take some time as their is a shortage of government workers due to apartheid laws (the Military's idea....) which restrict government jobs to white born and married citizen in our primarily black country.

Once again, my deepest regrets at the missing update, depending on time constraints, a full update should be available in 20-24 hours, and possibly less.

However, there is one more image of New Haven Available for display Currently:

It is a shot showing the R3, a newly built concrete expressway that will connect a planned port and trading town which will be named Xavier to the planned agricultural settlement of Stonebrook by traveling through the New Haven Nature Preserve and crossing the R2 (a regional highway that runs through New haven).

The shot also shows the New Haven Community College which is isolated inside that nature preserve with dorm houses and small commercial outposts. his university town is built on a solid foundation of stone and rubble left over from the cities origonal forestry sector which was torn down years ago when the are was divided into a high density suburb of Etingham (The regions capitol), and a nature preserve. The educational enclave, government facilities, and expressways are the only signs of civilization inside the nature preserve at the moment, but that will change soon.

As I have previously mentioned, a rail-yard has been awaiting construction for quite some time, but in addition, there are now plans for  an enlargement to the existing industrial facilities. Ah, the wonders of totalitarian government, where anything can be changed upon the whim of the government.

Expect Detailed Update on: The Suburb of New Haven in update: 1.2.

expected: 7/11/08

Thank you for your Time.

Please Comment as Any Feedback would be appreciated!

Rooivaulk---------------Chancellor of the South African Union

Note: The various Maps and National Symbols displayed in this CJ are not my own creation unless stated otherwise. However, the one at the top of each post is, and obviously the screen shots display my own creation: the Suburb of New Haven.....In addition the SAU foreign relations image below is also my one creation.

[Rooivaulk 0]

Replies

Schulmanator----------Thanks for the support! Expect a full update Friday

panthersimcity4----------The map is not my creation, but filled the purpose I intended all the same....

Za----------Glad to hear it! And I do try to make it more interesting and contnet loaded as possible, as I despise city journals that just through in a few pictures. I don't know, but I love reading the fantasyful history and storylines of some CJ's (like Schulmanator's...)....

shady3----------Thanks for the support, hope to see you back here again.....

Also, If anyone could write the code required for my signature image to also be a link to this CJ, I would be much obliged.

[penguin007 27]

Interesting background information and the ingame pic looks gd

Will

[jacqulina 162]

interesting start and info my friend,great pics a nice start to building.

[Rooivaulk 0]

Update 1.2; The Suburb of New Haven, a Detailed View

New Haven is essentially an extension of Etingham in the Capitol Metropolitan Area, the very core of the Greater Bay Area Region. It is a primarily residential suburb if you could even call it a suburb.... Started in 1989 and still a work in progress, New Haven serves as a busy recreational and educational sector as well as industrial powerhouse.  Being in such close proximity to the capitol city has recently attracted some office tower development spurred by the extensive rail, highway, and bus system as well as varios regional parks and nature preserves. With it's isolated commuity colledge, great parks, and sheer flaunting of wealth, New Haven provides the best of both rural and urban lifestyles.

A whirl of contoversy surrounds the expansion of New Haven and the Capitol Metropolitan Area, as every new building infringes further on either the historic Regional Nature Preserve or the Historic District's origonal city buildings that are so adored by the cultured inhabitants of the city. The New Railyard and Airport had enviormentalists screaming about pollution and habitat disruptioin. However the enviormentalists are no longer here to harass the government officials, as over half of them were shot when they were protesting on the airport runway. A government press release about the incident occured the next day, and read as follows:

" It is a sad day for the socilaist scum that screamed for the destruction of two of the South African Unions most prized engineering triumphs, the New Haven Regional Airport, and the New Haven Provincial Rail-yard. These so called enviormentalists were discovered to be socialist spies, after they were discovered commiting an act of terrorism on the runwaysof the new airport. By standing onn the trunways they forced nearly six planes to make emergency landings, one on the R2 during rush hour, two at the fire department air strip, and 3 at the various Etingham airports. Causing millions of Euros worth of damge and wasted fuel. Seven motorists were also killed in the R@ landing, and teir families will be compensated with the profits from the sale of all scrap metal created in the crash. These occurances  will not be forgotten, nor will they go un punished! In six hours, all residents are required to take seats in the New Haven Soccer Club for the duration of the fireing squad execution of all 50 socialist terrorists. Let this be a lesson to any future member of a resistance organization, Resistance will not be tolerated!"

Resitance groups have all but disappeared from the SAU, as the Totilarian government has once again struck down on a supposed Terrorist cell. All enviormentalist activity in the nation has grinded to a halt after the incident was made public, leaving the government free to expand as they feel. However, the Chancellor has decided to halt most expansion into the forest other than the expansion of the new City Centre due to beutification concerns.

An origonal Government Poster to bring in people to the newly constructed city; 1992:

An Aerial View of What is Known to Residents as New City Centre, an area that has been selected for extensive expansion in the near future, the area also received international recognition due to the fact that the New Haven Regional Soccer club stadium (which hosted the recent execution) is located in this part of the city.

---A close up of the famed New Haven HSR Hub, located amidst the scenic Historic District which is one of onlt two ends of the Etingham/New Haven HSR link---

A partial Overview nightshot of New Haven, showing most of the city along with the new airport, and railyard in the middle of the newly expanded high-tech industry zone across the Regional Nature Preserve from the main downtown, and linked to the rest of the city by Highway and Rail. This new expansioninto the nature reserve is one of the most controversial issues regarding the expansion of the Capitol Metropolitan Area, as it invades one of the SAU's most scenic forest at it's western tip.

---A close up nightshot of the infamous railyard, with a glimpse of both the new Haven Interchange, and New Haven Regional Airport.---

A typical day shot overview showing the New Haven Historic Distric and the tall downtown buildings surrounding it. This enclosure of the historic District by modern behemoths is another issue that has the more tasteful citizens screaming. The downdown expansion project which was completed only a year after the HSR link, involved a new bus system, higher density housing and commercial office towers, and an extension of the existing rail system. at first citizens were amazed that the government was willing to improve their already outastanding mass transit system, but this reaction was shortlived when citizens realized that this expansion as to occur in the areas around the Historic District, the traditional cultural gathering place as well as the center of regional Humanities study because of the Historic University located there.

A close up of the Historic District ashowing the HSR Hub, Golf Course, University, Memorial Plaza, origonal office and mresidential towers, and the contoverisal skyscapers that surround them. The origonal New Haven Airport is also located here, retrofitted into a fire department airstrip and museum, it still attracts many curious Sims on a daily basis.

--An even closer shot of memorial Plaza, the Golf Corse, the origonal new Haven cemetary, and the various historic buildings of the Historic District.---

---A shot of the new new haven Regional Airport, the New Haven Railyard, the expanded industrial and second Commercial sector, and the New Haven Interchange.---

---A shot showing The R2 as it crosses between the downtown fringe of the Historic District and the Newly Constructed Second City Centre.---

Expect Detailed Update on: The City of Etingham in update: 1.3.

expected:Today!

Thank you for your Time.

Please Comment as Any Feedback would be appreciated!

Rooivaulk---------------Chancellor of the South African Union

[Rooivaulk 0]

Replies

penguin007-----I like writing background information more than posting pics, but pics are a n essential part of a CJ....

jacqulina-----I have a lot of the region complete, I just need to take pictures of it...

Also, If anyone could write the code required for my signature image to also be a link to this CJ, I would be much obliged.

Expect Detailed Update on: The City of Etingham in update: 1.3.

expected: Today!

Thank you for your Time.

Please Comment as Any Feedback would be appreciated!

Rooivaulk---------------Chancellor of the South African Union

[jacqulina 162]

looking really good my friend i would be interested to see more region pics my friend

[Rooivaulk 0]

How do I go about taking a picture of the region?

Also, how do I change the name of a city?

[jacqulina 162]

when you in region view the photo tools are there too on the right hand side my friend

[Rooivaulk 0]

And changing the name of a city?

[jacqulina 162]

i am not sure if you have to edit that in word pad or if theres a cheat for it

[Rooivaulk 0]

Update 1.3; The City of Etingham,a View into the Heart of the Greater bay Area

Etingham, the massive sprawling Metropolis at the very Heart of the Greater Bay Area. Often considered the unofficial capitol of the region, the urban areas of Etingham, New Haven, and West Etingham are often talked about as parts of the Capitol metropolitan Area even though Etingham is more like a monetary capitol then government.

Etingham was one of the origonal governemnt Conscripted settlements as it was founded in 1912, it was built around an Army base, Missile Silo's, and a Navy Base, in order to have somewhere to sell manufactured goods to in. The origonal settlement was a low density idustrial zone dedicated to producing arms and construction supplies for the military, later a small city was built to house the workers. Later, Mediaum density Commercial offices were commisioned to house the corporate ofices of the idustrial companies. Later after the addition of outstanding health and educational facilities, massive insurance firms, banking trusts, and various large companies began constructing massive skyscrapers, thrusting the city into the 21st century. Soon as traffic increased steadily the newer half of the city was given a highway system, and a high speed rail link to neighboring New Haven, the old city as residants refer to the remaining low density housing developments, and origonal high density toweres, was given a more extensive bus and rail network connecting it to the rest of the city.

With the addition of the Bay Area Space Center, the South African Space Agency (SASA), commisioned that the industry in the area be renovated into High Tech facilities to produce the need materials and supplies for space exploration, and economic development. SASA also demanded that no furter non-civil develoment occur inside the boundraries of Etingham to allow for scientific reserach facilities as well as a significant national forest serving as a buffer zone to keep out wonderiong eyes, and preotect the city from rocket blasts, failed missiles, and all other hazards associated with SASA research. of course, secrecy was their main concern as SASA was in the process of retending to dismantle South Africa's nuclear arsenal. The world stll believed that the SAU had dismantle it's nuclear weapons, and SASA wanted to keep it that way.

This shot shows half of the regional Navy base, part of the Navy memorial, and the famed cuise ship port in addition to one of the newer downtown sectors known as Sea Port Plaza.

This shot shows the bridge to the navy base along with more of SEa Port Plaza, in addition, you can aslo see Etingham International Airport along with South Africa's only baseball sadium which houses their national team the SA Springbok International Baseball Club.

This shot shows the Highway Network with much of New Etingham (the newer half of the city) along with views of the Etingham Olympic Tennis Stadim, Etingham Municipal Airport, the major Rail Corridor, the GRand Park, the Space Center, along with many planned development zones.

---This shot shows a close upof the HSR hub, part of Etingham Municipal Airport, Grand Park, and various famous New Etingham Office Towers.---

This shot shows one of Etingham's major inerchanger, the Greater Bay Area Regional Tennis Center, and part of the regions High Tech Industry.

I lerave you with a partial Map fof New Eting Ham complete with some labels, etc. for a broader view.

Expect Detailed Update on: A Broader Regional View in update: 1.4.

expected: 7/14/08 or 7/15/08!

Thank you for your Time.

Please Comment as Any Feedback would be appreciated!

Rooivaulk---------------Chancellor of the South African Union

Note: This update was pushed out earlier than intended to make sure I get a regional view update out soon to answer jacqulina's request.

[Rooivaulk 0]

I am looking into changing the name of one of my cities and re-doing it, as it was part of an older project and does not fit into my new regional design. As soon as I have re-done that city, I should have a new update up with region views, transit maps, etc.

Expect Detailed Update on: A Broader Regional View in update: 1.4.

expected: 7/14/08 or 7/15/08!

Thank you for your Time and Patience.

Please Comment as Any Feedback would be appreciated!

Rooivaulk---------------Chancellor of the South African Union

[skyliner22 16]

I was really excited when i heard of a South African CJ. However, this quite disappointing. It doesn't really look like South Africa at all. Even Joburg doesn't have that many skyscrapers. I say get rid of the repetativeness and download more custom content. I like your approach but currently your cities look a lot like other Maxis CJs try to add more appeal and a clear visual difference.

[Rooivaulk 0]

skyliner22:

A. This is not meant to look like South Africa as it is now.

B.  It is meant to look like SA could have been, had Apartheid gone on. I am not racist, but the black government doesn't change things unless something goes wrong. Look at the electricity crisis for instance, when the white government handed over control they warned the new government that in a few years there would be  a power crisis, and that they would need to upgrade the electricity system, look what happened....

C. I do have quite a few custom mods, etc. May of the building, civic buildings, etc. Are custom. The Navy base is  a bat by Pegasus. Also, I plan on introducing sunken highways and GLR into the next city I construct to add a more interesting touch. Also, If I had posted more close up shot's, you would have seen a vast array of custom parks, path's and streams, but as this is my first CJ, I did not think I would need too....

D.  also Etingham is one of my older cities, and so suffers from bad design work, and repetitive building more so than any other. I may completely redo Etingham in a later update.

And I'll make it up to you, since I am missing agricultural areas, I'll make a city with R$$$ and agriculture similar to Stellenbosch , or Maybe Franchoek...Idk, one or the other....

[Rooivaulk 0]

Expect a full update on my new more rural community tommorow!

[Rooivaulk 0]

sorry for yet another delay, but I have been sick latley, CJ delayed until good health returns....