Chicago

[a0z1 3]

omg! that looks so professional! it makes your city like 1 billion toimes better! great city also, i might add.https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/10.gif>

[brett_131 0]

WOW!!! that CJ is sooo promaster! keep up the amazing work, and good luck!...i cant wait too see what present day chicago looks like, all of the amazing skyscrapers you can make when (if...lol) the BAT comes out

[Radio Free Korea 0]

I'm from Chicago, spent 22 years of my life there, and this is fantastic so far. I tried to find flaws (constructive criticism I thought you'd appreciate) but I really can't. Nitpicky things like Mrs. O'Leary as opposed to Patrick or Wabash being a road while State only being a street is far outweighed by the fact that you knew the correct path of the Fire. That type of detail is astounding.

If you put a private school where Blue Island Ave. and Roosevelt Rd. meet, with a soccer field behind it, you'll have created my high school. And a 2-story bungalow on 33rd and Lowe will make the house I grew up in.

Good luck, I'll definetely be keeping a close eye on this one.

[zeb_fisher 0]

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On 1/25/2004 3:07:45 PM Radio Free Korea wrote:I'm from Chicago, spent 22 ...

If you put a private school where Blue Island Ave. and Roosevelt Rd. meet, with a soccer field behind it, you'll have created my high school.  And a 2-story bungalow on 33rd and Lowe will make the house I grew up in.

Good luck, I'll definetely be keeping a close eye on this one.

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Hahah! Cool .... I'll see what I can do! https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/22.gif>

[zeb_fisher 0]

A couple general pics to view...

 

This is a composite bird-eye view of the city. I had to reduce quality in order to keep the image a good size.

 

 The north edge of the loop, downtown... you can see it in the picture above.

This is Union Park, an area west of downtown at the end of Randolph Street.

 

I'll be so happy when cars and airplanes are finally invented ... geez! Not having any busses.... ugggh.

I'm really beginning to struggle with either demand caps or commute time problems. I've plenty of demand for residential but there are large areas remaining undeveloped. I've been trying different things ... plopping parks, airports, etc... down and running the sim to see the effect. Once I find the problem, I exit without save. Suprisingly, sometimes the problem is simply they want a road instead of a street...very strange.

 

[ardecila 124]

Very nice, the way it's coming along.

BTW, I'm working on Lake Point Tower(the 3-winged building next to Navy Pier). I might also do a Navy Pier. Hopefully, the BAT will come out before you get that far!

[wolverine 12]

Wow, they're building up!

[whiteshark365 563]

I dont think I can even find a word to describe how good a job you have done on this journal. I like the old 1800 style photos of the city and how your trying to keep to the history of chicago. i evny your patiance and skill at it.

Check out my ridge point region https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/view.asp?topicID=44480&sessionID=0C9958041E2B4D05B62EDFBFB4AEF43D

[Sir Gawain 1]

This is a wonderful region, but being from Chicago, I must be picky.
It seems like your loop is going in the wrong directions. There is a train line that goes north(Brown/Purple) and one that goes west(Green) from the NW corner. And there is one that goes south from the SE corner(Green/Orange). Unless that is how the loop was in 1899, then I will just shut my mouth.


www.transitchicago.com has nice EL maps.

[zeb_fisher 0]

There are some great maps of the loop here http://www.chicago-l.org/maps/route/index.html  . It seems the north and south lines appear in early 1900's at some point... I've been wanting to get those lines going in hopes that it will relieve some of the long commutes and commute abandonment I'm getting. It will also bring more traffic downtown.

 

Lake Point tower ... Cool! I looked that up on the web and ran into this goofy site: http://www.wurlington-bros.com/BuildYour/how.html  . The guy makes paper models of these buildings...  Lake Point was constructed in the 60's. The Wrigley building almost looks like Smith Tower.

 

Oh, it looks like the Navy Pier opens on 1916 http://www.navypier.com/SubLink.cfm?Main_ID=25&Sub_ID=44  .

 

 

[rahommer 0]

Zeb, I've really appreciated this CJ - it's the best.https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/24.gif>

 

Perhaps your conjestion problems are simply reflecting the reality of the time?  I.e., the need to add a section to the loop?  It's nice to think so, anyway.  https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/2.gif>

 

Are you going to include Al Capone landmarks when the time comes?  I read a biography of him and there were many interesting places, including Navy Pier.

 

Thanks!

[Smurfer2 7]

I like the old pictures. I should subscribe to this CJ!

[GoneWacko 0]

/me feels ashamed of not having found this topic before...

 

That photoshopping is just awesome, not to mention the way you keep to a historical schedule of construction..

 

I do hope you'll give us some more cool shots

[MTLT_17 26]

Are you going to make megis feild when you get to that time frame? Also what are you going to do about the sidways runways at O-Hare and at Midway?

PS. How did you get all the cars out of your posts?

[ardecila 124]

The cars only show up at zoom 4 or below. Or, at least, on my PC.

I'm not sure how much he's simulating. If he's building the whole of Chicagoland, than O'Hare might be a problem. As for the runway directions, there is an uber-airport mod that lets you plop different airport elements.

The peninsula that Meigs Field rested on was created for the Century of Progress in 1933, if I'm not mistaken. It then lay vacant until the 50's, when air travel started to catch on, and corporate jets became part of the forseeable future.

As for the paper models, I actually used that one as a template for my base spline.

[mrsniggly 2]

Where's the Merchandise Mart? Did I miss it? It's HUGE so you can't miss it.

Speaking of Al Capone, You gonna have Geraldo too? How 'bout Donahue? The Blues Brothers?




Awesome Job!

[jimbo 0]

Wow. Chicago so far is VERy realisic and consistent with the timeline that you provided. I can't wait til you get to the 1960's! I'g guess there'd be some huge buildings by then!

[simcityperron 2]

way to go!! I was hoping you would be accurate with Chicago's real time line! I'm glad you are following it.  This makes the  CJ much more interesting.  Keep it up!!https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/2.gif>

[ww2commander1 0]

Hi,

Can I ask if it is possible to get the config file that you used on the map. I gather you are using the large Chicago map from the MEX?

Keep up the excellent work.

[thetzar 0]

About your bus comment; the reason that buses made it big in cities was because they were replacing existing, EXTENSIVE streetcar networks, which Simcity does not simulate. This is why passenger rail doesn't have the impact here that it did in actual historical Chicago; passengers can't just hop on a streetcar. If I were you, I'd feel ok with simulating busses now, since they're the closest thing to streetcars as you have.

[CastAway 0]

A damn fine city journal if you ask me. I also used to live in Chicago (studying architecture and urban planning no less), and I have to say with this game you've come about as close as you can to real life. (nice photoshop work too .)
Once the BAT comes out, that will solve a lot of your problems as far as the architecture of current key buildings is concerned (think wrigley, comiskey, soldier field, united center, 333 south wacker, marina towers, etc. etc. etc.) but i'm curious to know what you plan to do for things like the express lanes on the dan ryan or the eisenhower going under the post office. (relatively far off, i know, but you gotta have a plan, right?) And wouldn't it be nice if you could acutally build the el ON the streets!

[ardecila 124]

Once I become uber-talented in GMAX (a foreseeable event, IMO ), I'm going to model my team's workplace, so to speak - the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field.

[gozman99 0]

I've just downloaded Gmax, and Photoshop, and will soon become the envy of every SimArchitect there ever was! Muahahaha!

[CastAway 0]

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On 1/28/2004 9:44:11 PM ardecila wrote:

Once I become uber-talented in GMAX (a foreseeable event, IMO

), I'm going to model my team's 'workplace', so to speak - the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field.----------------

you work at wrigley? the envy is so intense it's debilitating.
(Go Cubs!)

[zeb_fisher 0]

Wow... thanks for all the great comments, they truly are what keeps a CJ author going...

 

 Yes that little blip to the left there is the config I'm using with the Chicago region map from the MEX. You will need to convert it back to a bmp file though. I think it does a fairly good job at capturing the borders of the city. Like I said tho, the regional map in the MEX isn't so great and needs a lot of God Mode work.

 

Of course I'll make Meigs airfield. I'm thinking the standard airstrip will work pretty well. Unfortunately the field doesn't come until the 40's or even 50's I think (have to look it up). For Midway and O'hare, I was just going to use the game's metro and international airports. I haven't played with any of the airport mods. I'll check them out, and if they don't detract too much from the game, then I'll consider them.

 

To get shots with out cars... first while the sim is running, go to a location far away from where you want to take the snapshot. Wait for cars to show up on the roads there, then pause the sim. Scroll back to where you want the picture and there will be no cars there. Now, the disasters are another issue. Cars show up no matter what, so there (for the Great Fire) I had to paint over them or hide them behind 1800's photo scratches and imperfections.

Merchandise Mart shows up in the early 1900's if I remember. Speaking of landmarks... I've been paying so much attention on the sim, getting the city to build, that I haven't paid attention to landmarkshttps://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/23.gif>. So the next update I'm planning on really focusing on landmarks and trying to find some way of creating a transportation map.

Yes Al Capone! I've got some plans... I don't know much about him, but part of the fun of this CJ is learning all of this history about Chicago... it is really quite amazing!

Perhaps your conjestion problems are simply reflecting the reality of the time?  I.e., the need to add a section to the loop?  It's nice to think so, anyway.

Hmmm... I like that!

[wolverine 12]

Hey if any of you make soldier field with Building Architect, make sure it looks like the old one please, not the new one!

[Big_Baazzoo 0]

This is fascinating.
I live in Cicero and work in Chicago. I too would love to try your region, If I could.
Keep up the good work, what talent!

[MTLT_17 26]

MY 200TH POST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Well man be very privalliged to have me put my 200th post on your journal. You have amazing skill and talent. If you haven't ever lived in Chicago or are not already a resident I will be even more impressed at what you have accomplished. VERY VERY VERY IMPRESSIVE. Once again you have proven yourself worthy.

 

MY 200TH POST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Image too large - Deleted.

[4Finger 7]

I am very, very impressed by your city journal. Cheers to you!

[The Great Chozo 34]

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On 1/28/2004 9:44:11 PM ardecila wrote:Once I become uber-talented in GMAX (a foreseeable event, IMO

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/2.gif border=0>), I'm going to model my team's 'workplace', so to speak - the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field.

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You should also model a bride's maid dress to go with Wrigley Field!!!!     https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/22.gif>

Pushing 100, only a Cubs fan would know the importance of that statement.

Astros all the way baby.

(Houston has the potential to hold in one calender year, the Super Bowl, The NBA Finals, The MLB Allstar Game, and The World Series, a feat that has never been done.)