The United Cities*4th Birthday and Retirement!*

[nathanthemayor 1,263]

WELCOME TO THE UNITED CITIES CITY JOURNAL BY NATHANTHEMAYOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In this city journal by Nathanthemayor, I will be showcasing the main region I play in Simcity 4. it is called the United Cities, after the USA but without America and with Cities.As of Janurary 27,2010 in real life, it has about 247,000 people. It currenlty has 19 incorparated cities, but two have not yet been zoned. The two biggest cities are Capital District and Boston, with Phoenix, Flaggstaff, and Lowell trailing close behind. All of my cities have a 0% tax and they are all ran by money trees and super demand ordiances.This CJ will mainly focus on Capital District and its suburbs, but I will post region updates every Wendsday. If you have a ? about the UC, just put it here in the CJ. Now, The five main laws of the Unitied Cities are:
1)Cities can be named whatever the mayor(That's me) decides.
2)Highway numbers can be named whatever number I decide.
3)Sims maynot move to unterriaformed land unless I say so.
4)Speed Limits can be decided by the cities
5)Tolls for drive-ups toll booths cannot exceed $1.50 and $2.00 for electronic tolls.
Explanation of the map below:
The United Cities covers about the size of Rhode Island in real life(I think). It has a good network of transportation systems, both within the cities and as well as outside the cities. The main one is the freeway systems, which connect most of the developed region to date. However, Capital District is known for it's excellent freeway system, as well, it has the region's only tollway, the Westpark Toll/Loop 20, which will be explored later in this CJ. As well, there is the commuter rail network, which connects Pheonix, Mesa, Flaggstaff, and Capital District, while it is forbidden on Boston Island(On the left).The commuter rail network is almost like the Alceda express in the NE USA and the Paris Rer.The long bridge connecting Plymouth with Pheonix is known as the Trans-River Bridge, which is about as long as the SFO-Oakland-Bay Bridge.Phoenix, Boston, and Capital Distrcit have bus systems that connect them and their suburbs, and Phoenix has a subway system, which is banned on Boston Island. Downtown Boston is very famous for its double highway system, which is basically two highways next to each other(You can sorta see it in the map).As well, ferry is prohibited in any part of the region.In the center is Phoenix Island, which is full of mountains. Because of the steep grades and the number of accidents that have occured here, Law requires that speed limits be lowered by 35% on any type of road or rail. Large map cities usually have 4 or more towns and cities in it(E.g: Capital District contains Capital District, Fosterville, Forestry, Allinway, and Townshed. Frieght rails lines must share the tracks with commuter rail trains, and also the UC frieght rail line(UCFRL) has a couple of yards on Phoenix Island:the largest being the 16 track yard in Winslow(Not shown in this picture). The names of all the islands are: Boston, Pheonix, Memorial, Capital, Westport, Hollister, and Mountain.

How the UC was formed:
After Earth became uninhabitable due to a giant meteor strike in the year 2050, a group of about 700 people fled in a spaceship to Mars to start a new civilization. They arrived on Mars and saw the way it had been for billions of years-barren, low oxygen, and dust storms. However, they had brought materials to terrianiform the planet, and it started the very day they arrived. Over hundreds of years, the planet was warmed, water and trees were added, factories spewed out greenhouse gases to keep it warm, and by the year 2740, the people, now numbering 250000 in what would become the city of Boston, they could go out freely without special gear on. By now, they had produced many of the technologys that exist on Earth in modern times, and they began to build freeways, subways, and skyscrapers. On the date of May 29, 2747, the Republic of Mars, which was based after the US government, was created with the capital in Boston, which was the westmost of a series of islands in the middle of an ocean. The first president promised to protect the peoples rights and liberties. However, that president was overthrown by a mean dictator who punished and killed his oppenets for a terrible 4 years, decreasing the population from 310000 to 200000 in the entire region, which at the time, only had Boston, Braintree, Lexington,Plymouth, and the partally completed Phoenix. Eventally,in an event that rivals the storming of the Bastille, he died of a massive revolt that destroyed much of Boston, and a new president(That's me) took his place. This one had to accept a document that explaned all the bad things the previous one had done to the people, and that he would be removed if he did those things. Eventally, after many political reforms, the capital was moved to Phoenix and a new governmental system was created on September 28,2752, just like the first one, and the new civilization was called the United Cities. From there it started to expand, and the idea for a new capital city emerged. Eventally, a new Capital City was built in the south, and it moved there and still exists there today. The supporters of the mean dictator, mad with the UC's policy's, moved back to the mainland and started the Republic Of Timbucktu, just after the new president took office, which exists today. Unfortuneality, a Timbucktuian submarine sunk the crusie liner Liberation on Feburary 19,2753: out of the 4213 on board, only 385 survived. Some of the dead included the vice president and two cabinet members As well, Timbucktu's government violated the UC'S trade rights and even sent spys to take UC citizens prisionor and forced them to work in factories. Eventally, the UC declared war with a 100% yes vote, and the destroyed the Capital of Timbucktu. After the two sides signed a treaty on June 29,2753, the war ended. However, the new challange for the UC is to keep up with the growing population, and in order to do that, the goverenment must chart out new islands before new ones are filled up.

  Edited January 30, 2014 by nathanthemayor  

[Follarch 327]

Sorry for your lack of attention nathanthemayor.

However this is a pretty good start to a journal. Seems you have quite a bit of development. Perhaps show some actual shots of your cities?

Oh and when posting images that show up in your posts, make sure to have them only appears with a resolution of 800x600 or lower. Anything larger then that and the Moderators start to get snoopy. I edited that one above already for yah.

[DCMetro34 577]

Nice start; this could be good!

[PhatHead 248]

Very good start. I can't wait to see the next update.

[nathanthemayor 1,263]

My first city tour of my region will be of Capital District, which has the most people in the region(70,000)

@archeon:thanks for the editing.......I have never posted an image in the forums.

Below...is the Capital district central station for the commuter rail

The national emerginces and disasters office...they are sort of like the coast guard and the red cross

The Capital Mall, where all the national government offices are

The Capital District museum complex

The capital district stadium(GO GO GO!!)

The National Labs, which tests everything from apples to zebras and everything in between, and the backup power station.

and the airport, which I made in the LE, and is avaliable on the STEX

[DCMetro34 577]

Not a bad start, again. But, if you want to get views and popularity please put custom content. You are never going to have a successful CJ with just Maxis.

[nathanthemayor 1,263]

Oh sorry, forgot one thing:the capital district seaport, which is also on the STEX and is made by me in the LE

[Follarch 327]

Glad to see you're making the most out of the NAM and a mostly Maxis content base. Nicely done.

I'm sure much more progress in your CJing is to come.

[Renedius 25]

great job

[DCMetro34 577]

Good job, nice looking port district.

[tostartpressanykey 2]

interesting, i like the airport

[nathanthemayor 1,263]

Sorry I din't post the region update yestarday. I had some computer problems and was too busy, so here it is:

In this update, a lot has changed. Boston island has been filled up and is starting to expand across the river(Remember rule #3).Phoenix's suburbs has expanded and Phoenix island is the next target for development

[nathanthemayor 1,263]

I will not post the region update this week becuase I am so an addict to societies, and not much has changed in the UC. However, i may change my mind, so keep watching!!

[Evillions 552]

You could use Maxis and Custom Content CJ if you want to. Here's some advice:

Limit repetition - I learn this the hard way so just limit the amount of noticeable buildings like 1 or 2 of the same skyscaper.

Keep away from the grid - You'll get more comments and views if you do something fancy with your transportation network.

Custom Content - Not just lots, I mean BATs, mods, etc. Do whatever you make your cities more pleasing and not a wreck.

No zots - To do this, just do Ctrl + X and type in "tasty zots". It looks much better without distractions.

No menu and pause button - Another distraction, I'd just keep it at Turtle and click the box and the lower left.

Photoshop - Download GIMP if you don't have PS, edit your pictures to make it more pleasing, but don't overdo it.

[nathanthemayor 1,263]

@Evillions:There are some custom buidlings in it, as well as mods(Eg: The hotels by simgobbler, the rail-to el-rail transition, as well as the NAM and the highway sign in pic 6, there is more). Also, I don't have photoshop and don't need it, as well as the zots, I think my sims are way too lazy to go out and get a job, but in the next photo, I might consider it.As well, what do you mean by the grid(If your talking about the city's highway system, I am going to post the photo later, the first one came out bad).

Okay, here is the map of Captial District and its highways, as promised. The blue line is the Westpark Tollway/Loop 20 highway, and the dashed line is a proposed section.

Explanation of the map:

Capital District currently has 3 suburbs:Fostorville(Left-most), Allinway(Bottom center), and Forestry(Just to the south of the airport).In fact, I will be making a new suburb just eeast of the airport called Townshed. Because of limited space, offices are now going up on the island, however, buildings taller than 600 ft are prohibited on the island because it would block out the view of the Capital Mall, which is visible from the top of the Embassy Suites south of the airport. The citys highway system has been in place ever since the city has been built, and the most famous is the Loop 20/Westpark Toll, the regions only toll highway(Excluding bridges). However, things have been expanded, upgreaded, and revised ever since the citys birth, particully the tollway. Currently, other the the commuter rail, the only way to Phoenix and Boston is Hwy 197, which is at the left of the page. It is about a 25 minute drive from Capital District to downtown Boston, assuming there is little or no traffic. The toll charge for the Westpark Toll/Loop 20 is $1.75 per going under the toll gantrys.

There are two ways you can pay the toll:

1) Use Ez-pass, which is basiclly like a credit card. For every time you pass under one of the gantrys, it docks off $1.75. Once you run out, it can be refilled online using a credit card. They are sold at major attractions like the airport, central station, and in the museum complex.

2) If you don't have Ez-pass, then when you drive under one of the gantrys, a camera caputres your licine plate number and emails you the toll charge, as well as $.75 for shipping charge.

[nathanthemayor 1,263]

Okay...the moment we all want!!.....region update number 2!!

In this update, the popultaion has increased highly, and Phoenix island is almost filled up, and a small island south of Tucson will be called Memorial Island, and mind the fact that the river on the south side of phoenix island looks different. This is because I was trying to redo the bitmap file and it elimaated several of the cities, but mind it!

[hittwice99 619]

A good start to your journal so far. The road layout is very logical. Just some advice about zots. When you want to take a picture and there are zots in the way, you can use the 'tastyzots' cheat. (press ctrl + shift + alt + X and type it in). This is useful when taking pictures. When you exit the city, they will return as normal.

[DCMetro34 577]

I am glad that you have a "L.I.F.E", and I anxiously await your next update!

[nathanthemayor 1,263]

@hitwice99:Thanks for the advise, I will remember that when I do the next region update.

@DCMetro34: I was actually busy, that's what I mean by "L.I.F.E".

I will not be posting the region update today because I am busy and an addict to Societies, but next week I will, and next week, we will go on a trip that will explore the Westpark Toll/Loop 20 hwy:buckle up for the ride!

[nathanthemayor 1,263]

Okay.....here it is............the tour of the Westpark Tollway/Loop 20!!
When I started building Capital District, I had this tollway in mind. In fact, even before I built it, I had the layout of the citie's highways layed out. First, the highway started out as an avenue, but I have upgradeded most of it into RHW-4 and RHW-6C.Well, have fun.

Westpark Toll/Loop 20 tour!!!!!!

Exit 0AB and 1. Exit 0AB is my most complicated interchnage to date, resembling a clover-style interchange, except it has access roads. The tollway continues south as a at-grade road for about 1/4 mile where it ends at Thernis Rd in Hollister. Exit 1 is the Airport Pky, which will later be upgraded out of at-grade intersections. The airport is just to the right of the pic. Sorry about the dezoned lane east of the Ritz-Carlton. I should have zoned it before I took the pic.

Exit 2 and 3. Exit 2 is the first exit to Hwy 35 and the main way to the seaport,as well as Capital Industrial, a huge industrial park . Exit 3-A-B is the last exit for the Westpark Toll and the start of Loop 20. Inner lanes, numbers go down, and vice versa. 3A=Outer lanes 3B=Inner lanes

Exit 4 and 5. Exit 4 is basiclly the same as exit 2 because this is the second intersection for Hwy 35. Exit 5 is Hwy 95 and goes to the Capital Mall, Memorial Island, and The National Labs. The rest of Hwy 95 north of here is Southford Road.

Exit 6. Exit 6 is the east terminus of Hwy 35, and the exit takes you to the seaport, Capital Mall, and Capital Industrial.

Exit 7 and 8-A-B. Exit 7 is Mulch Ave, which terminates at Hwy 95 and 322. Exit 8-A goes to North Shore Drive, and 8-B is Hwy 495, which goes to the museum complex, central station, and the Emerginces and Disasters offices. This is my best intersection to date. In fact, I am making a custom highway sign pack for it, but I am not finshed with it(If you want to see it, go to my BAT thread).

Exit 9-A-B and 10. Exit 9-A is Hwy 691 which goes to Hwy 197:the main access to Phoenix. Exit 9-B is  Hwy 322 goes to Mulch Ave where it terminates. Along the way, it goes by the museum complex, the central station, and the emerginces and disasters offices. For Exit 10(Hwy 95), see exit 5.

Exit 11. Exit 11 is the 2nd exit for Hwy 495. It goes to the stadium, muesum complex, and more.Just east of here is the final exit, Exit 12, which is the T-interchange.

 As well, lets take a look at the new suburb of Townshed, with it's custom houses!

[nathanthemayor 1,263]

Allright people................region update number 3!!! Ever since I posted the last region update, a lot has changed it the UC. I decided that the land south of Boston Island will become mountains and not cities. Phoenix island has filled up and the new target for development is Memorial Island. Note the difference south of Capital District, it is because I am demolishing it all to renovate the airport, as well, I have expanded the Capital District seaport:I will show both with the next region update.

[nathanthemayor 1,263]

I am very sorry about this, but until further notice I will not be posting region updates because I have a L.I.F.E. However, do go through the CJ and please comment. I will not respond to any of your comments until I post the next region update.

[DCMetro34 577]

Sorry that no one commented.......that is pretty cool though, I'd love to see some pics sometime!

[penguin007 27]

That looks a big region there looking forward to future expansion

Will

[jacqulina 162]

coming on fantastic my friend

[Pieman6711 211]

in the what..... 16th or 17 post you have posted a picture of a highway with sound barriers. i know it's totally off-topic, but do you know where i can get them? i would be grateful if you did.

[Follarch 327]

I see you've come quite a ways in development. Very nice looking images and use of the RHW.

Keep up the good work and practice.

[nathanthemayor 1,263]

Allright everyone........I got news for you!

@Pieman6711: Those are deadwoods highway walls here.

@archean: Yeah, the RHW is better.

The textures for the 7-8AB exit are ready, and here they are:

Credit goes to mrtrrln for the arrows and routeshields

As well, the GMAX file for the sign is avaliable here.

[gargoyle575 8]

I will tell you one thing, I would move to cities in a second, but of course i have to attend to my cities. Good job so far!

[Schulmanator 5,810]

Great signs - very well done