The Official City Journal Critics Thread Archive

[MayorTim 16]

Well, heres my banner, which I designed to work well with the Simtropolis theme.

This was made with the blue colors used on Simtropolis's main menu bar.

If Patriots likes it, I also plan on making sub-banners (For the table of contents, Needs Review, and Rules sections) in the same style, but much smaller and using the Tan colors on Simtrop.

[patriots_1228 51]

hehe u reveiw good. I got 10 minutes probably no hope for a reveiw but hey, you can always ask for a miracle.

[patriots_1228 51]

hold on....KRAM is Also M? that would help if i knew that.

[SpecialEddie 3]

The United Republic of Ankara (pages 15 and up)

by Yoman3

LINK

The United Republic of Ankara (URA) is said to be a Turkish CJ, yet is more reminiscent of contemporary Europe. Does this matter? Nah. Whether it's the European or Asian side of Istanbul, URA contains the same great quality of CJ'ing that is typical of the SCJU related cities.

Pages 15 and onwards of URA focuses on a more modern Ankara--with glittering skyscrapers, canalways, and ground light rail, very different from the pages before, where xannapan's and porkie's lots were commonplace in URA. The Ankara we see here has massive plazas and wide boulevards/avenues. Though there is a lot of GLR traffic, a problem in these images is the complete of lack of automobiles on the streets. This can be seen here. Unless yoman3 was aiming for the communist look, it seems pretty unrealistic that a massive business district would have little or no traffic. 

A problem present here in Ankara is the lack of overviews and wide shots of the city. We are presented close-ups of the city and it leaves us wanting to see more of Ankara--how it looks from the air, not just from the ground.  

However, come page 19, and Yoman3 showcases the best of his work: this image here. A truly European inspired image here, using the latest of porkie's lots. After page 19, Yoman3 experiments with Mickebear's Venice canal lots. Though this is a nice creative break from Ankara, it strays out of familiar Yoman territory. It blurs the line of what the CJ is really about. Is this Europe? Turkey? Or Venice? It looks more Mediterranean than temperate, and this is a bit confusing. However, his use of the Venice lots is very creative and the images are a nice mix of canal water blue, red, and fall orange.

Page 21 comes and we finally see some examples of Yoman's picture editing, which includes text-boxes (a nice little read). Some nice farms can be seen on this page and even a massive bridge undergoing construction. It's pretty impressive how far this CJ has gone and it has truly become a work of art.

[Silur 3,308]

Hi, Patriots_1228

May be this not right words in this line and excuse me my poor English ...

My mind now is about CJ's.

CJ's on SIMTROPOLIS must have some codes (may be 001, 002 etc.) before its current names shows us:

- real budgets of cities 100 000, 200 000. 500 000 and etc.

- fantastic budgets with 10 000 000 and etc.

- simple CJ's without budgets with money cheats.

I like real cities with poor start budgets, but I must diddle for search this.

This is only simple idea. Is it real ?

[DioAngel 1]

very interesting reviews folks. ;-)

[Zelgadis 638]

Well, I said before that I simply give permission, but why not just ask outright.  I'd like for y'all to do mine, The New Carpathia Confederation of Planets.

I'll be looking forward to seeing what you guys come up with. 

ISF

[2ch.net simplayer 180]

I feel like, FINALLY "CJ CRITICS" is lifiting off!!!!!! I was hoping for one, and so did several others, but previous attempts didn't quite lift off...

Yes, priliminary discussions before starting thing up - it really did pay off.

[MayorTim 16]

Lol, I knew you couldn't resist Zelgadis!

In other news, heres the sub banners, Hot off The GIMP.

I might redo the main banner, the gradient didn't come out as prominently as I would have liked.

[-M- 6]

Yes, I am sorry. I am KRAM4346. That username is now obsolete. I registered with it 2 or so years ago, and I don't like the username anymore. It had a specific meaning, it is sort of an acronymn, the letters standing for Greek words. But I prefer and am going to use this username in future.

Thanks,

-M-

[patriots_1228 51]

San Antonio: Wow... thats beastly.

Everyone please be patient, we have a lot of reveiws and it may take a while to get yours done.

Lloyd Ontario Canada
A Journal by Astrianu

https://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=36&threadid=79499&STARTPAGE=15&FTVAR_FORUMVIEWTMP=Linear

leads to page 15 ^

  From Austrianus Spain(hope i got that right), Astrianu brings us a journal filled with wonderful snow pics and pictures of the latest STEX uploads. Along Lake Simcoe lies a modern Canadian City which often you will find blanketed in snow, which many say is the best thing in the journal. The region is designed with expertise, and when you see it from the air you'll be wowed. The Region is a large plain dotted with evergreens that looks like somthing google earth couldnt show you.Coming in its still fabulous, but the water is incredibly blue, and there is no water detail at all. However you cannot let that ruin the magnificent city Austrianu has built. The roads aren't griddy, the STEX influence is huge And the all around city planning is Stunning. Another great aspect of the journal is how much austrianu points out specific BATs and MODs his veiwers have made.

Now we go out to the farmlands of Lloyd, where the smokes stacks rise from the middle of feilds, making Texas come to mind. For some reason many of the railroads trail off to dead ends, dooming the passengers as they fly into what looks like a power plant.Not too far away from the update i just commented on, Snow comes in And as ive said before, you gotta check the snow pics out. One of the other superb aspects of the journal is the Suburbs, were the deep green trees line fabulous roads, and a long cemetary surrounds a lake. The houses look like a grid in the suburbs, but austrianu pulls himself out of the doghouse with the great scenery in these updates. Around here Austrianu starts showing seperate STEX stuff, which he captures with perfection. HE MADE MY BAT LOOK GOOD!.

To tell the story in a nutshell, Austrianu uses anything from par to excellent availible on STEX and turns it into a masterpeice. The scenery is beautiful and it gets better and better each day.

[asturianu 4]

Hey, all the critics are very interesting, you are doing it so well!

I would like to see what you like and dislike in my cj!

[sanantonio 0]

Originally posted by: sanantonio

...If you don't mind, I'll give one a try...quote>

 

here's my try - if you use it, cool...if not, my feelings won't be hurt

EDIT:  Should this topic be pinned? I think so...

[patriots_1228 51]

Originally posted by: sanantonio

Originally posted by: patriots_1228

San Antonio: Wow... thats beastly.quote>

 

Actually, that's Dallas

quote>

 

LOL no more gansta adjectives for you.

[SpecialEddie 3]

sanantonio can make banners from now on...

[sanantonio 0]

Taking MayorTim's suggestion, and SpecialEddie's approval, here are a few more:








And for Review Headings:



Enjoy.

[sanantonio 0]

I know what you were saying, I just had to chime in with a (half)clever remark.

So how to we get this thing pinned? The critics are doing a wonderful job, and respect both CJ authors and readers.  Here's a ducky: .  My only qualm is the green text is a little harsh on the eyes; the red text SpecialEddie used was the easiest, but black works too. My 2 pennies.

As I don't visit the CJ's as much as I used to, it's nice to have them featured here with some insight as to what I should expect.  

Keep up the good work, people!!

[sanantonio 0]

Originally posted by: patriots_1228

San Antonio: Wow... thats beastly.quote>

 

Actually, that's Dallas

[DioAngel 1]

beautiful art work on the banners! :-)

[2ch.net simplayer 180]

That review on Ankara is just awesome!!! Very informative, very sharp, very concise, but unfortunately, doesn't stand out in front of skmming eyes.... put up a picture or a banner?

[MayorTim 16]

Ouch, I think the first post is now way to jumbled. You have 2 main banners spread over it, and my 3 sub banners, and none of them match with anything else. I definately think the first post needs a re-working to be easier on the eyes.

[patriots_1228 51]

Im gonna ask all the critics to put the "review banner" on top of all their reveiws.

[crazychickensc12 84]

wow guys those are awesome banners...!!

[BlondeTwiggy 43]

wow, this got pinned. You guys are doing an excellent job on the reviews, and I love all the banners

[sanantonio 0]

Thanks, glad you like them. If there's anything else I can help with, just let me know.

[Yoman3 5]

Special Eddie - I think that was a very fair and nice review. Thanks for it alot!! I thought I explained why I dont have traffic. My damn traffic generator wont work!!! Anyways I still think it was fair for you to review it that way. I like how you asked what the meaning of this CJ is and I've changed my tital to be more realistic and truthful. Perhaps once I get better at reacreating Turkey I'll change it back. If I showed overviews you'd hate them. I focus on 1 area and make it perfect and then move on. So it'd be 1 perfect area and a bunch of nothing  Anyways thanks for the really fair and awsome review. That helped alot. ANd maybe you'll do  a follow up review in 10 pages?

[Shadow Assassin 336]

Congrats, guys.

Hey, when I was looking at the table of contents, I noticed that Ensenada hadn't been put in the "To be reviewed" list... my post is halfway down page 2. Just wondering what had happened there?

[mayormommy 8]

Well, it looks like this has legs, so to speak, so I'll pin it. Let's keep the momentum going, the reviews have been really good so far.

[MayorTim 16]

Very nice banners! I think they should definately be used.

Also, very nice reviews guys!

[Lyhoko Leaci 770]

Originally posted by: Shadow_Assassin Congrats, guys.

Hey, when I was looking at the table of contents, I noticed that Ensenada hadn't been put in the "To be reviewed" list... my post is halfway down page 2. Just wondering what had happened there?quote>

Same with Zabitake, my post is several posts past SA's on page 2.