The Official City Journal Critics Thread Archive

[Sim_Air 2]

City Journal Review

Ratislava by penguin007

This is one of the unique City Journals ever to be found in Simtropolis. Perhaps the pictures may not be the reason of success of this incredible CJ, but the layout and the whole idea, which motivates penguin007 to keep updating, are indeed the marvellous pieces of this fascinating journal, which is definitely worth visiting.

The beginning is apparently dissapointing, as you will notice, with little use of custom content, trees and even ideas. Basically, farms, which by the way are standard maxis, can be found all over the place. Penguin007 puts a lot of effort in order to give detail to his small towns and farmlands, with sometimes positive results, although not too bright. Further on, we see smooth development and sudden mid and high rises. The sense of realism appears on most pictures, where the use of trees, parks, custom content and such, are on the increase. Suddenly, somewhere inside the pages, Ratislava has an atmosphere of detail and perfection, while development comes along nicely.

Finally, in the middle of the journal, penguin007 steps on a higher level. He becomes an expert who finally uses the advantages of custom content and maxis itself, with spectacular results. Penguin007's pictures are nicely taken(this phenomenon begins to appear after the middle of the City Journal, where they no longer have the menu and UDI icons on them), although sometimes reaching the extreme or appearing a bit messy, missing the true content of a picture. That's why we see a few special pictures along the way, however, penguin007 shows excellent improvement while we are reaching the end of Ratislava. We also can finally see excellent development and astonishing detail, while the idea of the realism remains. In conclusion, Ratislava finally looks like an expert's work.

Honestly? This is a wonderful City Journal by an amazing author. It has some drawbacks, like a random presentation(no plot, no nothing, just pictures with a small explanation on top), where you lose the sense of where and what, as well as some mistakes in pictures, but in conclusion, it is definitely a wonderful read, well, rather visit because it is based on pictures. Unfortunately, it becomes enjoyable after the middle, which is the sixth or maybe the fifth page. Penguin007 is your friend, wish him luck for his new ideas by making a comment!

Signed, Sim_Air

[Abc987 3]

shingure: no one went missing... I really don't know what you're talking about. But other than that its a great review!

patriots: Shingure PMed me and asked if I he could review it (in fact he PMed me 3 times lol) I never requested. I was going to wait, but I decided I'd just go ahead and have it reviewed.

[Shingure 56]

Thank you, I was nervous because that was the largest Cj I had to review...

[Shingure 56]

Cities of Maxis  by AutoVino

Cities of Maxis is a Cj that opened June 21st during the late 10pm hour EST. So far on it's 12th update this thread has moved into it's childhood stanges and is so far the largest Cj Ive reviewed. So Im nervous.

Cities of Maxis for for short term CoM is a Cj that uses very little that is if any custom content. Normally alot of Cj-ers use such. Well this author made such work in such a way it looks great without the custom content. 

I will do this review in sections.  So 1-6 Updates are first up. The first update shows a quant town called Flat Top Hill. Well from the looks of it it's a farming town. The farms are arranged in long and to my eye very unrealistic rows. But then again the maxis aspect of this Cj kills the oddness.

The town in the first update has a great big roundabout for it's center. Hmm...I dont see many cities that formed from a roundabout like that ...No matter the beat moves on.But suddenly we find a bit of custom content. Only two houses from the Stex. Which seem to blend in abit too well.From the aerial view the town is actually nice. It reminds me of a few towns in the midwest. | And in Pennslyvannia. >.> |

The next city we move into is Paris. and Like the author said...More like Paris , Kentucky. Paris seems to come across as industrious and very bland to me for a reason ...The amount of repitition between the builings. Paris from the overveiw seems like a sprawling recreation of Newark...With less trash and more class.Farmsville is the 3rd city. In which once again was developed around a roundabout. But the overveiw is stunning . The best of the 3 cities at this point. And the landscape resembles the Midwest even more.

Then in Update 4 Georgetown comes into play and honestly is now making the Cj abit more interesting. Even though the lack of custom content is now beginning to get to me at this point the Maxis cities are doing well keeping me in visual awe. Update 5 just falls flat on it's face. The pictures arent that great compared to Updates 3 and 4. 

On update 6 the wilderness comes out. And the Realistic aspect goes abit more out of the window. Some of the roads are hoisted on stilts at a 60 to 80 degree grade of land! It isnt as bad as it sounds. The roads wind gently around. And after about a few pictures it brings up the thought about how long will I have to see my cousin on the other side ? Time can only tell...

7- 12 updates are next on the list. Ok, Update 7 is good overall. There is nothing monumental . But more custom content has been added for extra umph...And also nothing has deteriorated. Also Paris has finally upped it's game being the city featured in this update. Meaning it's moving smoothly..Update 8 shows a different level of ugly. Even though this ugly is a good thing because high density has arrived in town! Update 9 is seemingly giving me the same feel as Update 7 even though I mist admit the mosiac was good.

Update 10 was great in terms of the city building. The pictures were easy on my eyes and plus he mosiacs were wonderful althought slightly darkened in my opinion which made spotting certain things difficult.This town called Benton Hill is featured in this update. In which is unlike the rest built with planning.Update 11 shows mosaics of Reston. The mosaics are great. I like mosaics and these which are still abit darkened are now allowing my eyes to comform better.  In the most recent update , 12 it finally is showing an improvement is taking place. The pictures are great and also it's first picture of the graduation at that university shows that this Cj has Graduated to the next stage

The Good: A new approach and also the lack of custom content gives character.

The Bad : The lack of custom content also takes away from the character factor and some of the images are slightly boring. This Cj is good but more kick is something it needs. Although I want the Maxis flare to remain. Hence Cities of Maxis

End of the Line - Go ahead and read it. It's a good read and I promise that you will be interested like that. Also to the author your BATs and Works are wonderful. Keep up the good work !!

[patriots_1228 51]

lol twiggs.

shinguire-don't be nervous. when i write reviews im thinking "lets get this over with so i can go play xbox". Yours was good, imformative, and you weren't afraid to include lots of negative, which is somthing i struggle to do. Two hints-You don't have to write an essay on each update! what i do is browse through the journal, and write down my thoughts in notepad, then touch it up later. 2-make sure to use commas, a few of the sentences like the first one of paragraph two were difficult to read. But that was awesome and really informative.

[Sim_Air 2]

It seems a bit quite here lately...anyway; patriots_1228, please help me find the review of Bayhill, i can't seem to locate it in the lists...

or the critic that wrote the review can give me a hand here, if possible....

EDIT: i admit i was bored....anyway, i found it, forget this message

[Sim_Air 2]

Great review Shingure! Big and with much detail...lol, you are nervous? anyway, keep it up

By the way, thanks BlondeTwiggy; glad you like it

[football_fever 6]

Wow, that was like a review of his review...!

[Shingure 56]

>.> Ok then...Happy dreams I guess...

[Shingure 56]

https://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=36&threadid=83113&STARTPAGE=18

That's the link for the page , It's the first Review on that page.

Edit: Nevermind...He got it

[granto93 4]

lol asturianu.....you sound somehwhat drunk lol

[BlondeTwiggy 43]

thankies Cristian jejeje

well, I want to say Im sorry to everyone that is waiting for a review.....I really have had no time this week to look at CJs

And like cristian said i am a bit stressed out

so it might be a while...but I hope it will be  worth the wait. 

[asturianu 4]

Oh, man, I am not drunk lol!! Grant I am still here! It is 4:00 am and I am up! I must go to bed man.

Twiggy, thanks to you! you are who will do the critic! that is a hard work I think! All we understand you are rushed and stressed! We can wait! And you must relax! Like me! Look at my Cjs, I am always busy with stupid things and the CJs are like on temporally hold! Ouch! I must finish your shopping centre!! and teh burb!! and the Lloyd construction area oh! well, anyways, I'll be here seeing your ciritics and all your work! and please, relax, my friend!

Now I am oficially going to bed!

bye and take care guys!

Cristian

[asturianu 4]

That is simply an amazing team of amazing people. Your critics are amazing. You are great critics, and Twiggy must be kind to have all those CJs requested.

I remember when Patriots did the critic of Lloyd, Ont. it was nice, but with the time the CJs are better nd better and the ones who make the critic are better and better each day. I sound like I am going to say something important, but no. My mind is simply tired, it is 2:20 am. I was suposed to be in the bed, but I am commenting here. The critics are great, really. Good job, guys.

Well, now I must do my request. Selkirk, Sk. My second CJ you know. And who is going to be the critic? TWIGGY! yeah, my friend! la mariposa social! I would love it, but please, Twiggy, don't get too rushed, you must be stressed with 2 CJs and all those requests, so consider my request as future one. I mean that you can make it the next week or when you feel like doing it, but I don't want a stressed Twiggy, you know lol. You were really stressed this morning lol.

Thanks and see you guys.

Cristian

[Sim_Air 2]

City Journal Review

Bayhill by Shingure

No.2

This is the second review of Bayhill. Shingure decided to update things after advancing 3 more pages, since the first review. Therefore having a quick read of the first review would be really informative before reading the following, which might surprise anyone.

Bayhill 1st Review

Apparently, sadly actually, Shingure's pictures show oddly slopped cities, although the use of trees and skill, as well as ideas, show delightful results, which sometimes seem ackward and frustrating to look at(the cities). Nevertheless, after a few updates, Shingure finally decides to present his expert skills. The viewer may now enjoy extremely realistic cities, which show fantastic development, from wonderfully taken pictures.

Next updates are full of great content, from the use of trees, custom content, new features like newspapers and statistics, wonderful development, animated pictures and many more, however there are frequent and unpleasant 'bumps' in the middle. In the end, after a storyline with an earthquake disaster(!), the viewer can grab pop corn and sit in front of his screen and watch a story of political mystery, while enjoying spectacular pictures with great content.

Honestly? This is a great City Journal, although the negatives indeed "out weight" the positives although again, this phenomenon appears only in the beginning, whereas in the end, Bayhill seems completely transformed. Perhaps Shingure should use the sloppes for parks and trees but this is not a need. Bayhill is a good read in the last pages, although taking a look in the previous ones will not hurt anybody. Be a good mayor and comment on Bayhill; Shingure needs your support, our support.

Signed, Sim_Air

[Sim_Air 2]

I don't want to be nasty but aren't we supposed NOT to post requests here? Nothing personal of course to anyone, i am just wondering.

Anyway, i have two reviews to finish but haven't seen them at all; i have been busy lately, with holidays actually, but nevermind.

[patriots_1228 51]

austrianu is an acception, cause hes cool.

I suppose i should step in an lighten the load. Twiggs, if you want me to write any of those 3 requests for you just pm me.

[SpecialEddie 3]

I just read through all my reviews: 27 and counting!  

And in about 2 months, The Official City Journal Critics thread will celebrate 1 year of great reviews.

Glad to have been here since the beginning.

[BlondeTwiggy 43]

actually thats 4 reviews pat lol

but seriously I want to do them, just gotta find the time

[asturianu 4]

ok, it was an exception lol. anyways, the next time I'll try to read the entire thing! 

EDIT: Nice review of Bayhill, I love to read those critics!

Cristian

[asturianu 4]

Hello. Shingure, thanks, I had nice dreams.

Sim_Air, sorry, I have just noticed that I must PM the request, not to post it in the thread. That usually happens when your language is Spanish and your English is poor. I am talking about me of course.

Oh, thank you Patriots hehe I am in acception Sorry about that, I didn't notice about the rule of requesting a critic via PM.

Cristian

[Sim_Air 2]

Thanks, i am glad you like it.

[Sim_Air 2]

Nah, don't explain yourself, it's cool, no problem. By the way, it's exception no? nvm lol

[Shingure 56]

Thank you Sim_Air. It was a honest review and I forgot to thank Eddie for the original one. Thanks!

-Shinji E. Gureji

[patriots_1228 51]

Sim_Air- I stopped table of contenting at about 60, my guess is 80-90.

[patriots_1228 51]

Special Eddie-wow. 1 year! thanks for all the reviews too.

[Sim_Air 2]

Shingure, no problem; anytime my friend. One year? Really? This is interesting; i wonder how many reviews are located here...21 pages ain't little

[Sim_Air 2]

wonderful work; great review!

[Sim_Air 2]

City Journal Review

Region of Baker by bakercity

This is a wonderful rural Cj, quite enjoyable but actually, really hard to follow. Along the 10 pages, you will see a fascinating display of graphical small towns and realistic farmlands spreading across the pictures.

The theme is always sweet towns surrounded by breathtaking farmlands. The use of trees and custom content is almost excellent, adding a great sense of detail and realism. Bakercity puts a lot of effort to his region, although the drawbacks seem to seriously affect Region of Baker.

First of all, in the first pages, the viewer can see the phenomenon of badly posted updates(mixed explanations and pictures/wide posts), which apparently, do not appeal to the eye, giving the CJ a first bad impression. Furthermore, bakercity's pictures, although great in quality, seem to lose the ture content of a city picture most of the times. Therefore, the viewer cannot enjoy the true work of the author. Plus, sometimes, pictures in the closest zoom appear, giving the feeling of deep dissapointment. Finally, according from his pictures, his towns and the whole landscape seem extremely ackward, although his work in total is truly amazing.

Honestly? Negatives and positives seem to balance along the way, making the CJ worth visiting; plus, leaving a sweet comment with true words. Bakercity just needs to improve on a few negatives although, no one is perfect.

Signed, Sim_Air

[sanantonio 0]

Hi all,

I haven't been around for 6 months or so; many don't know me, the rest won't remember me, but it's nice to see this is still going strong. Makes catching up that much faster. I've been playing with the idea of reviving my CJ hopefully to the point of being able to submit it for review.