Crystal Junction

[whiteshark365 563]

Crystal Junction

 

Warning this is a high graphics journal, non-broadband connections may load slow!

 

Project Overview:

Well I have been talking about it for nearly three weeks or so now, and here is finally the first post on Cyrstal Junction. Crystal Junction is going to be a desert/ canyon city located in the Crystal Canyons, which is where the city gets it's name from.

This city is more of an imaginary creation, then being based off of a real life city, like my previous three regions were. This city is going to have a much more desolution appearnce in terms of its geology. The idea I am trying to get with this city is for it to be more like a center of civilization in the middle of no where, with expansive desserts surrounding the outskirts of the city. This city is going to be incoperating a number of mods like my previous regions did, most all the same mods, but more implementation of bat and lex lots. I want to try and give it a customized view. I'll also be designing several bats lots myself for the city, but that might not be complete for some time.

Anyway here is a basic idea of what the city is going to look like. The city rests at a major junction of canyons, highways, and freeways, which is where it gets it's name from. Crystal from the Crystal Canyons, and Junction from the highway and freeway jucntions. The city developed from the traffic that flowed thru these highways. The city is going to be more a single entity then a collection of towns and subrubs like Ridge Point was. There might be some towns and suburbs on the outskirts of the city, but most of the maps will be Crystal Junction city limits. The city is going to have a single downtown district, probably double in size what Ridge Point was, and is going to have an overall regional population of arround 1.9 million, making it signifficantly larger then Ridge Point was.

 

In the meantime I will be working on developing the region, and working some on the bat buildings. Here is just a basic map pic of the city with surrounding highways.

My next update will be sometime later on in the week, or today, depending on how much work I can complete on terraforming the region.

Basic Map of the City.

As always I'd appreciate any input, good or bad.

[whiteshark365 563]

Terraforming Update 1:

I have completed the config file and the bitmap importing for the region. Here are a couple of raw pics of the region. I say raw because the region has had little to no hand terraforming complete yet except for some work done on one map in the center.

Well here are the rough pics.

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files/Lower%20Crystal%20Valley.jpg border=0>
Lower Crystal Valley.

Upper Crystal Valley.

It will take perhaps up to several weeks for me to terraform this region, so it will be a while before I post any town or city pics. Anyway, I'll keep updating as I progress thru this region.

Feel Free to provide any input.

[flamesrock 6]

While I prefer the 'natural' look, this one is extremely original. While your at it why not make it more original with even weirder terraforming? And wheres the water?

[whiteshark365 563]

When the terraforming is complete there is going to be a lot of odd features to the map. I am trying to create a region that has a simular geology to the mesatics plateus arround the grand canyon. There is only going to be a small shallow river at the center of the largest canyon. I want to try and keep the terran as dry as posisble to give it a more aged and desolite apparence.

[dig1tal 0]

wow

this looks nice ... can't wait for further pics

[whiteshark365 563]

Terraforming Update 2:

I am trying to work with the terraforming from the center on outward. I want to develop the primary Crystal Canyon first, then working on the remaining plateu areas. I have a pic below of the work that I have managed to complete so far.

 

Pic above shows some of the terraforming arround the center of the region, as well as where downtown will be located at.

[simmax 0]

I love the canyons and the steep cliffs, it's weird and original. (A) big city(ies) will look majestic on the sides of the canyons! I'll wait for the actual cities...

[flamesrock 6]

I had my doubts, but its starting to look great. Very realistc.

Have you considered the desert terrain mod?

[whiteshark365 563]

Terraforming Update 3:

I've been continuing my work on the region, espeically trying to get the central area developed. Terraforming this is taking considerable time, even to get just a couple of maps complete. As far as the Desert Mod, I'll will be using it, just havn't gotten arround to downloading it yet.

Here is the region as it stands right now with terraforming.

[dig1tal 0]

well this is beautifull and strange ... I can see a small river there .... could you make it a little bit bigger ? :  )

 

keep up the good work !

[Dippit 0]

wow, i love the canyons and cliffs....keep up the good work! I am looking forward to seeing more of this spectacular region.

[SimMaster 17]

It looks like a dried-up riverbed. https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/1.gif>

[simcityperron 2]

If that is hand terraformed that's amazing and nothing short of astonishing.  Great Job!!!

[+Guest]

Hmm, handmade region, something I can't do.

[whiteshark365 563]

All my cities I have custom handmade terrians, I like to build my cities on origional templates, it gives them a much more unique look. I am also trying to get the region the look for a dried up river bed. And some of the features give it a much more alien landscape.

Thanks for the compliments guys.

[Smurfer2 7]

I like your transforming. Very original. I will enjoy watching your region evolve!

[whiteshark365 563]

Terraforming Update 4:

I've started working on implemntating the Desert Terrian mod into the region, which has allowed me to create a sort of sand dune appereance. So far only the centeral lower and south lower valley areas are complete.


Here is the region as it stands so far.

[Smurfer2 7]

Desert terrain, that's beautiful. You sure are doing a good job.

[MrVegetable 2]

WOW!!https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/6.gif>https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/6.gif>https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/6.gif>https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/6.gif>

Bunnies 4 u! https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/24.gif>https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/24.gif>https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/24.gif>https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/24.gif>https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/24.gif>https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/24.gif>https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/24.gif>https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/24.gif>https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/24.gif>https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/images/smilies/24.gif>

[frogface 352]

wow that looks great with the desert terrain mod. just shows that with the right terraforming you can actually make the desert terrain look good!

[Daeley 46]

very cool region! I will check back on this

[simmax 0]

With the desert terrain mod and the hills on the plateau, this region looks FABULOUS! The terrain itself is already impressive! That's a great region.

[whiteshark365 563]

Terraforming Update 5:

Thanks again for all the complments guys. I've managed after spending about 5 hours of working on it, to complete terraforming the lower crystal valley, as some of the pics below show. The middle upper valley will be next, its a rather long region, about 8 large maps in length.


Overview of the lower Crystal Valley.



Pics of the crystal river.

More updates soon.

[whiteshark365 563]

Terraforming Update 6 (Final Terraforming Update):

I have finally managed to complete terraforming Crystal Junction, it took more then 12 hours of work. I decided to go ahead and remove all of the sand dunes that I had created, because they looked a bit too artifical on both the region view and when I opened the maps, and they would have also posed a problem with zoning as well. I also decided to add a second river to the region, i figured that it would be a bit more realistic, and add some more variety if more then just one of the canyons had a small river in it. I also named each of the canyons and signifficant features.

Here are the pics.

Lower Cystal Valley.

Centeral Crystal Valley.

Upper Crystal Valley.

This will be the last terraforming update for the region, my next update with be a regular city update. I am going to try and gve constant updates for the region, unless singular major ones, which Ridge Point got.

As always I'd appreciate any comments, good or bad, I like objective views.

[Smurfer2 7]

That is very impressive! This will be a very nice region with the buildings and towns on it! I need to subscribe....

[flamesrock 6]

This is very cool, but your forgetting something: desert scrub! Even deserts have vegetation. Maybe you can use some of the tree mods? I think palm trees would work.

Another thing I recommend is adding a few oasis(es?) Surround them with a few large oaks or something.

Oh -- and can I ask where on simtropolis you found the desert terrain mod? I was looking for it in the mods section, but it doesn't seem to be there? Maybe I'm just not looking hard enough.

[dig1tal 0]

very nice = )

indeed, you should add some trees =  )

 

 

but the terraformign is awsome

[whiteshark365 563]

I did a search for just desert, and one of the results was for the desert terrian mod. Its downloadable at the the bottom of the threadsomewhere, cant remember where exactly. As far as shurbs, I knew i forgot to add something to the region, i'll have to add some trees and so forth in the river valley areas.

[otakunow 0]

that is a really orginal region if i do say my self and i do um maybe a tad bit more erosion and soem shrubs and a little sugur spice and every thing nice i'd say it be a good region. 1q when are you going to start your city eh?

 

[davidhogan 1]

very cool terrain - it looks very realistic, even if it looks a little non-Earthen.

dave