Cascada

[AIX 270]

Welcome and Introductions

---

Welcome to my second city journal! Cascada is already a well-established region with over 6 million residents and I have decided to start making it viewable to all you fine folks here at Simtropolis. Now, this is not to be confused with my previous city journal, Cascadia. For this first post, I will layout some of the goals and visions for this beautiful region and provide some preview shots of the region and its two primary cities.

General Information

---

Custom Content: Network Add-on Mod, CAM, Olympic Terrain Textures, as well as over 2 GB of BATs and LOTs. There are too many to list here, so feel free to inquire about any item and I shall provide you the author and/or link.

Cheats: None (I do not consider the pathfinding/traffic mods in the NAM to be cheats).

Region Populations as of This Post: 6,330,523 Residents;   3,889,330 Commercial Jobs;   1,237,353 Industrial Jobs

Total Region Funds as of This Post: $490,894,434

Goals and Visions for Cascada

---

I want Cascada to feature all forms of development from dense urban areas to sprawling suburbs to quit farmlands. The coastal areas will be the most densely populated while the farms and suburbs shall push eastwards. Even with the suburbs and rural areas, population will be a continuing theme for the region as the coastal areas grow.

Cascada will continue to have a state-of-the-art transportation network that employs freeways, highways, rapid transit, trains, and buses. In addition, the regional Port Authority will have its main airport and seaport in the city of Vasquez along with a network of satellite ports throughout the region.

Most of all, I want myself and anyone who views this to enjoy the  greatest region I have ever made!

Regional Highway Map as of 21 July 2008

---

Let's start with a basic highway map of the region. Feel free and click it as I could not make it legible and have it comply with the 800x600 rule. It includes freeways, minor state highways/avenues, and proposed routes. Freeways generally follow the same conventions as those in the US. Currently there are only two exceptions to that. One is I-103 because it does not connect to I-3. However, there is currently a proposed extension on the north and south ends of I-103 so that it will eventually be a full loop. The other is I-5 - it has an odd-number, yet it runs east-west. This is because it was originally planned to veer northward toward San Leandro. The proposed route changed as a result of one of the transit commissioners loosing a bar bet with local land owner and business tycoon Juan Martinez. The Cascadian Dept of Transportation (CDT) lost the land needed for the freeway in the bet.

I-3 is the main north-west corridor for the entire region and there are three major east-west corridors (from south to north): I-2, I-5, and State Highway 4.

In addition, the entire region is divided into 4 districts, with the First District being the the southwest and containing the capitol, Vasquez. The Second District is in the northwest, the Third District in the northeast, and the Fourth District in the Southeast. The specific boundaries are still yet to be determined.

Vasquez and Alavera

---

Although the region is well established, for this first post I will highlight the capitol City, Vasquez and its sister Alavera. The two cities lay in the southwestern corner of the region in the First District.  Let's start with a region shot of the vicinity.

Vasquez Mosaics

---

Vasquez is the region's largest city and capital with almost 1.3 million residents. It is home to several major sports clubs such as the Cascada Rapids (football) and the Vasquez Diamond Studs (baseball).

Most of Lower Downtown (known as "LoDo" by the locals) is a vast skyscraper forest. There are a few major corporate headquarters that tower above the forest. Most notable is the World Trade Complex which was modeled after the former Word Trade Center in New York. At the base of the complex is the central hub to the city's subway and rapid transit network. There is also a large open plaza that is used for the Saturday Market and other events.

Interstate 3 and the terminus of Interstate 5 are visible in this picture.

The Country Club @ Fiddler's Green

---

Alavera Mosaic

---

Our last city tonight is Alavera. It is the second largest city in the region with over 780 thousand residents and is Vasquez's immediate neighbour to the west. It is a large commuter city with many of its residents working in Vasquez. Despite this, there is still a good commercial base in Alavera. Pictured above is a brand-new development that is largely responsible for the city's recent population boom. It sits right on the coast at the mouth of the Vasquez River. As a result of the population boom and growing numbers of commuters, State Highway 10 was built. It terminates in the northern tip of this neighbourhood (not visible due to the highrise condos blocking the view) and provides a six-lane direct route to downtown Vasquez.

Conclusion

---

That is all I have to start off this journal. Please, any questions, comments, or opposing viewpoints; don't hesitate to post! In the coming posts I shall highlight the other major population centre to the north as well as the vast farmlands that stretch to the east.

[anarchy0029 2]

I'm pretty amazed at your skyline, region, and information. You did some good time on this, and it's a great start on your CJ.

[Twenty20 28]

Nice start. It's really a buildings's forest !! The park is very nice.

[fabsies55 5]

looks pretty cool

try getting some more trees in your cities it seems they're could be not enough oxygen in your cities lol.

some of your buildings are kool and MY GOD how many pedriana pharmacutical buildings do u want and even wren insurance and others.

you have so much repetitiveness but your city still looks cool good work.

[Theirishnintendonerd 13]

WOW! Great city I love all the sky scrapers Im subscribing to this cj

[Schulmanator 5,787]

A truly impressive start!

[hunkske 53]

Me like it mucho! ;o) Quite a region you got there...

[manubeas 0]

definetly an awesome start! Whats the building on the pic right after your regional shot, which is on the right?

[Hawkeye9 0]

Very nice start to your second cj!!!

You have a very nice skyline there... however you do have a repitition problem.

Other than the repition it looks amazing. Can't wait to see the other areas of your city and good luck on this cj!!!!!!

[simcityplyr100 2]

One word: Amazing. That pretty much sums up everything in your City Journal from the skyline to the country club. Some advice though, alot of your buildings are repetitive and that can steer people away from your journal.

[TheSixCents 0]

I like this CJ. I think it's a nice start and I like to see the region view. The Highway Map is great!

[AIX 270]

Replies

anarchy0029, Twenty20, Theirishnintendonerd, hunkske, Schulmanater: Thank you all for stopping by!

Hawkeye9, fabsies55, simcityplyr100: I do understand the repetitive problem - I would like to find a mod or something that reduces the frequency of those buildings WITHOUT eliminating ALL Maxis buildings (so that one mod would not do the job). Also, I am trying to get more custom growable content (I try to stay away from plopables). I have a plugin folder that is over 2 GB, but its never enough

manubeas: Could you please be more specific?

TheSixCents: That map was hard to make, thanks!

-------------------------------------

New update late tonight or tomorrow morning as I am at a work computer right now.

[AIX 270]

24 July 2008

---

Interstate 103

Welcome back! Today will have just a small update: the southern expansion of Interstate 103. It splits off from I-3 in San Jose and passes through Mendoza, Nuevo Leon, Progress City, Vaca Ville, and finally terminates with I-5 in the unincorporated area of Blanco. Here is a region-wide image. The unincorporated area of Blanco is just barely off the image.

Nuevo Leon

---

Nuevo Leon is a very small city that is on the fringe of the suburban area. It features a small downtown and a handful of homes, but it is mostly a farming community. However with the recent expansion of I-103 and the mortgage crisis, there will likely be explosive development soon as several farms are likely to foreclose and be sold to developers.

Here is a close-in of the town square. There is a myriad of older buildings here as this was one of the first areas to be settled outside of Vasquez.

Progress City

---

Progress City is largely an industrial district and is home to the Progress City Technological Centre. Just north of Nuevo Leon and south of Vaca Ville, Progress City is a huge supplier of jobs for the region.

Conclusion

---

Again, thanks for taking a gander at my humble CJ. My next update will feature the northern areas as I promised in my first post (I know, I ran out of time because of a new job).

[roboo1 1]

I really like your region shot showing the contrast between high and low density zones! Great job!!!

-roboo1

[Hawkeye9 0]

Great update, you have a very wide variety of development here!!

looking forward to your fututre updates!!!

[nihonkaranws 88]

Where is Cascada located? Is it a nation?

[Superchan 23]

looks great.

[hunkske 53]

Yet another fantastic update.. love the town square!

[SounderBruce 173]

Is this CJ still alive?

[Tomasneto 20]

Very nice CJ!

[Haljackey 17,242]

This is my kind of CJ. I'm hooked!

Excellent job with your cityscape and road system AIX! I'll be back for more!

Best,

-Haljackey