District of Wenzel | Update 116 - (Ouisconsin County) Morgan Town: Rival to the South

[dfnva 34]

It's been a while since I've been to Simtropolis and I haven't been played SC4 in quite a while (busy with teaching, grad school -- which is finished now, and other stuff I've been involved in)....

 

and to say I am excited to see updates from you is an understatement!

 

The maps, the realism, the great highway planning (and signs)! I loved the 100 update retrospective.

 

Glad that things are going well in China with teaching.

 

You may have inspired me to start again with playing SC4!  I just need to download all the new stuff (new RHW, etc.).

 

Keep up the great work!!

 

-Dan 

[Charlie_Zane 963]

Always loved your updates, and those regional shots is what inspired me to make that gif a while back, truly some amazing work Packersfan!

[packersfan 667]

Update 104 - Halleck Square Neighborhood
Today we will visit Halleck Square Neighborhood.  This neighborhood happens to sit on the borders of three city tiles in SC4, so the pictures are all from a massive mosaic/composite created from images from each of the city tiles.  I didn't do the best job, and I think I need to slow down my update schedule to once every two weeks.  Hope you enjoy this.

 
Can you spot the composite?  This area blended together pretty well.  Oops, I named the same church twice with two different names.  "Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Matthew" is actually "Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church".
 



 
So many churches within this 1/4 square mile.
 

 
Still working on getting some good base textures that will blend nicely with the terrain texture.
 

 
Northwest corner of Halleck Square Neighborhood.
 

 
Southwest corner of Halleck Square Neighborhood, on a different tile.
 

 
West Orchard Avenue.  Agh, telltale signs of poor cross border planning, and things that CAN'T be controlled.
 

 
However, the composites are much better with the new trick I learned to make street connections.
 




 
Wow, I never noticed the stained glass detail before!
 

 
Overview of the whole neighborhood and the only picture that contains Halleck Square (the two large flower gardens).
 


 
You are here. (I didn't grab a map section because the map section isn't updated everywhere for this update and the zoomed in image would look pretty bad...I'll try to get a map up this week.)


 

 
I need to do a better job putting together these updates before the last minute.  I make too many mistakes or find mistakes at that I don't have time to fix at the last minute...ugh.  Hope you enjoy this composite image update!
 
Check out the District of Wenzel Street Map to get an idea where we are.  This is A NEW LINK as the old LINK was dead!

Replies:

City_Master: Always loved your updates, and those regional shots is what inspired me to make that gif a while back, truly some amazing work Packersfan!

Thank you. What .gif are you referencing. I'd like to see it.

dfnva: It's been a while since I've been to Simtropolis and I haven't been played SC4 in quite a while (busy with teaching, grad school -- which is finished now, and other stuff I've been involved in)....

and to say I am excited to see updates from you is an understatement!

The maps, the realism, the great highway planning (and signs)! I loved the 100 update retrospective.

Glad that things are going well in China with teaching.

You may have inspired me to start again with playing SC4! I just need to download all the new stuff (new RHW, etc.).

Keep up the great work!!

-Dan

Hey, great to see you back! Yeah, I took a step back from SimCity for about a year and a half focusing more on my teaching job. Technical problems on my computer and within the game and other frustrations also pushed me away, but I got a new computer (which has been causing me far more headaches than my old laptop but when it finally gets going SimCity runs really nice on it) and finally remembered the first reason I got the new computer and loaded up SimCity. Glad to have you back. Hope you enjoy my updates.

Mymyjp: Some people may think that after more than 100 updates, there wouldn't be much variety in the journals...they would be wrong.

Your journals are simply a delight to look at...so much variety. Loving it.

I think there is a ton of stuff to see in the city, at least area...maybe things are repetitive, just lots and lots of houses. I'd like to created some special parks or something, but I often just don't have time!

Benedict: Phenomenal update.

Thanks!

NMUSpidey: Great underpasses and great work with the MMPs, as always. The parks look like really great places to play, it looks like a very livable area overall!

Thanks, it isn't too hard to make a really nice looking neighborhood. You are right, though, Kenilworth looks really nice, though I probably more wanted a rougher area.

Ln X: I love the medium density industry. It's also funny how that Maxis highway wriggles around.

Yeah, I wish the roads could be drawn more realistically without being trapped by the grid. In newer sections of the city, I'm trying to avoid as many step-style roads.

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

Of course it's an incredible update.  I always feel so much more American when I see your updates, it's just wonderful!

[Compdude787 916]

Of course it's an incredible update.  I always feel so much more American when I see your updates, it's just wonderful!

'Murica!

 

Back on topic, that was a pretty nice update! You did a pretty good job blending the city borders together well.

[tonyr 926]

Clever update!

[packersfan 667]

Update 105 - North of Downtown
Today, we will explore the area just north of downtown south of West Orchard Avenue, west of North 32nd Street, east of North Trinity Boulevard, and north of West Sherman Avenue. This area is full of mid-size wall-to-wall apartments. The Number 6 Purple Metro Line runs over North 32nd Street.

Here is a shot of Halleck Square and North 32nd Street.








Passenger rail cutting through the north of downtown area.



Abandoned buildings due to lack of water. I hate when that happens.










Some offices and department stores on West Orchard Avenue.



North Trinity Boulevard.








More abandoned lots.



The area at night.



You are here.

There have been some requests for updates focusing on the St. Paul area. I intend to do updates in 5 update chunks focusing on a certain area in Martin County. These past five updates have covered an area of Northwest Martin. The next five will focus on the area around North Saint Paul.

Check out the District of Wenzel Street Map to get an idea where we are. This is A NEW LINK as the old LINK was dead!

Replies:

NMUSpidey: Of course it's an incredible update. I always feel so much more American when I see your updates, it's just wonderful!

Thank you. I'm from America and living in China, so I like to build like my hometown.

Compdude787: Back on topic, that was a pretty nice update! You did a pretty good job blending the city borders together well.

Thanks. I'm really focusing on making sure the terrain is the same height on both sides of borders so composites will look better.

tonyr: Clever update!

Thank you!

[Sabretooth78 808]

Nice inner city update - I'm assuming the north side is the "rough" side of town?

 

Maybe you should knock down some of those abandoned structures in favor of some urban prairie like any Midwestern city worth its salt.  

[BLANKBLANK 4,414]

Great mosaics. You really nail the inner city look.

[dfnva 34]

Maybe I'm the only one, but I like the look of the abandoned buildings -- an added layer of unfortunate realism at work in real cities -- and it works well in this area.

 

If you're taking update requests -- I'd love to see some of the rural areas or any updates on the I-680 / I-380 area and/or its progress.  

 

-Dan

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

That was very good, again, and this time it's not just your hometown, it looks a lot like my hometown of Toledo, OH.  I guess it could be different now, but the last time I was home there were still plenty of blighted properties and abandoned buildings.  It's not especially pretty, but it's true to life, for sure.  I hope you're doing well in China!

[Benedict 3,119]

Another good update. Love the double elevated rail track in particular.

[packersfan 667]

Ugh, I can't figure out what NEW tree controller I was using!  I found my old one to remove them from my old cities and then replace with new, but NOW I can't figure out where my "new" tree controller went.  It uses a VERY good mix of girafe's trees and has very few pines in the God Brush.  It isn't Arden...and it wasn't the Pacific Northwest tree controller...and I can't find it!

[SimCoug 5,977]

Was it the by Blunder?

[packersfan 667]

I think it is AE STC Coasted Extended...that is part of the Arden Controller, right?  I didn't want to pop out my external harddrive just now to check where I pulled the individual file from, but I think that is it.  Phew.  Strange how I somehow just deleted it and didn't just remove it to a backup folder since I've been playing with the CP Controller because most of my region is based off that and most of my smaller squares I have plopped just MMP trees to avoid a controller conflict.

[packersfan 667]

Update 106 - Building Interdistrict 255 / National Highway 41 in St. Paul
For the next five updates we shift to the Saint Paul area south of Martin. In this update, we see some images of I-255 being pulled through the northwest area of Saint Paul. I think this area turned out beautifully. The freeway weaves over and under roads very naturally like in real life. I hope you like it!

Preparing land for I-255 / N-41 overpass.



Completed overpass.



Preparing County Highway Z for an overpass. I'm having trouble with the special curves in the new NAM.



Pulling Interdistrict 255 through the northwest area of Saint Paul.



Completed area with a new terrain mod.








I-255 / N-41 bridge over South Pershing Avenue.







You are here.

Hope you enjoyed this update. Next time, I think I'll show the interchange I just completed between I-255 / N-41 and I-55 / I-80.

Check out the District of Wenzel Street Map to get an idea where we are. This is A NEW LINK as the old LINK was dead!

Replies:
Sabretooth78: Nice inner city update - I'm assuming the north side is the "rough" side of town?

Maybe you should knock down some of those abandoned structures in favor of some urban prairie like any Midwestern city worth its salt.

Some parts are rough, but there are some rough areas on the near south side, too. Yeah, I should have knocked down those abandoned buildings for some urban prairie. I didn't want clean rows of completely abandoned lots, though.

Ln X: Great mosaics. You really nail the inner city look.

Thanks. It's easy with those great buildings.

dfnva: Maybe I'm the only one, but I like the look of the abandoned buildings -- an added layer of unfortunate realism at work in real cities -- and it works well in this area.

If you're taking update requests -- I'd love to see some of the rural areas or any updates on the I-680 / I-380 area and/or its progress.

-Dan

I don't mind the abandoned buildings just that they were all in a row because of the lack of water. I wish I had put a few more abandoned lots with no buildings in there.

NMUSpidey: That was very good, again, and this time it's not just your hometown, it looks a lot like my hometown of Toledo, OH. I guess it could be different now, but the last time I was home there were still plenty of blighted properties and abandoned buildings. It's not especially pretty, but it's true to life, for sure. I hope you're doing well in China!

Thanks. Everything can't be shiny.

Benedict: Another good update. Love the double elevated rail track in particular.

Thanks! Not always sure about the rails in my city...in some places they look good.

[BLANKBLANK 4,414]

Loving the highway and the shrubs!

[JP Schriefer 5,591]

Beautiful neighborhoods you did, nice job with the roads in the last update too

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

That looks great!  Something so simple as an overpass and a highway curve, and you made it into a very pretty update.

[bakercity 270]

A really nice update Packersfan. I really like the trees and how they look along the river and how they change from one picture to the other. JKB

[dfnva 34]

I always enjoy your interchanges -- despite being so close to St. Paul, the interchanges along I-255 are very nicely rural and serene-looking.

 

I was looking at the region map, it looks as if the next interchange to the south, to be completed, on I-255, might be with it's parent route I-55, over the border in Jackson County. Looking further out, I could see a potential for I-680 to be wound up into such an interchange, or maybe a diverging point for I-80 to break off eastward from I-55, to go through St. Peter and the (undeveloped) lands to the east in Lake County.

 

Just some speculation -- I like looking at the road map.

 

Keep up the great work!

 

-Dan

[packersfan 667]

Update 107 - North of Downtown St. Paul, Centralia
Just a little lazy update showing the area just to the north of Downtown St. Paul.

Densely populated areas south of the railroad.

Less dense area north of the railroad.






National Highway 20 turns south off of Centralia Avenue next to St. Paul General Hospital.




Centralia area.




You are here.

Busy week getting ready for Christmas, trying to stay on top of all the stuff for teaching classes, discovering new Star Wars stuff. Hopefully, I can devote enough time to next week's update. I want to show off the I-255 and I-80/I-55 interchange, but I need to make signs, figure out the proper mileage, etc. We'll see how much drive and energy I have to get that update put together for next week.

Check out the District of Wenzel Street Map to get an idea where we are. This is A NEW LINK as the old LINK was dead!

Replies:

Ln X: Loving the highway and the shrubs!

Thanks! Trying to get as much of a realistic and beautiful look as possible.

JP Schriefer: Beautiful neighborhoods you did, nice job with the roads in the last update too

Thank you.

NMUSpidey: That looks great! Something so simple as an overpass and a highway curve, and you made it into a very pretty update.

Yeah, it is amazing how these turn out. Thanks!

bakercity: A really nice update Packersfan. I really like the trees and how they look along the river and how they change from one picture to the other. JKB

I love the seasonal trees. Really add an extra element.

dfnva: I always enjoy your interchanges -- despite being so close to St. Paul, the interchanges along I-255 are very nicely rural and serene-looking.

I was looking at the region map, it looks as if the next interchange to the south, to be completed, on I-255, might be with it's parent route I-55, over the border in Jackson County. Looking further out, I could see a potential for I-680 to be wound up into such an interchange, or maybe a diverging point for I-80 to break off eastward from I-55, to go through St. Peter and the (undeveloped) lands to the east in Lake County.

Just some speculation -- I like looking at the road map.

Keep up the great work!

-Dan

Yes, I hope the next update will show off the interchange between I-255 and I-80/I-55 and I-680 coming from the west. Further south I'll have another interchange where I-80 splits off to continue east. It is going to be fun.

[NMUSpidey 3,956]

I really like looking at your updates.  They're so true to the region, and this is no different.

[JP Schriefer 5,591]

Well done again! Very beautiful pictures

[Benedict 3,119]

Neat update as always. Thanks for continuing to show the street map - it is one of the more amazing things here at ST.

[packersfan 667]

Replies:

 

NMUSpidey: I really like looking at your updates. They're so true to the region, and this is no different.

 

Thanks!

 

JP Schriefer: Well done again! Very beautiful pictures

 

Thank you. Just a throw-away kind of update.

 

Benedict: Neat update as always. Thanks for continuing to show the street map - it is one of the more amazing things here at ST.

Yeah, the street map is the defining factor for the journal!

Sorry, no update this week. Just busy with last week and then the last few days buying gifts and new phone and trying to figure out how to use an Android phone in China (should I root it so I can get Google Play and access to EVERYTHING?)

[packersfan 667]

Sorry about the absent for a few weeks here.  I WANT to have regular updates EVERY week.  My target is for next Tuesday for Update 108, though if I get it done sooner, I will put it up if I have time and set that day as the update day, though I SHOULD keep the update day for one of my days off if I need to put things together at the last minute.  Ah, there is something I also need to do.  Get a backlog of updates created, so I can actually get in the game and play a little more.

Right now, I am figuring out what Exit numbers are on the new interchange I will be showing.  This has proven problematic as for some reason in-city I have one numbering going on and out of game and in updates I have different mileage numbers!  Agh!  I think I have most of it figured out, though I have no idea what the mile marker will be for the incomplete I-680 bypass.

I am also working on making guide signs for the interchange AND in my quest for consistency and accuracy, etc., I am laboriously creating my own sign standard guide.  I NEED to write this down, so in the future I can actually replicate it on new signs.

 

I was pulled away from SimCity by work, World of Warplanes, and War Thunder.

 

Let's see what I can do this next year after being mostly gone for 2013 and 2014.
 

[dfnva 34]

Wow -- I'm excited to see what your sign standard guide is like. Bring on the roadgeekery!

 

If it's of any use, I save my signage blanks in powerpoint and have several templates (e.g. clearview vs. Highway gothic, old vs. new, route numbers/shields, etc.).

 

-Dan

[packersfan 667]

It is just an issue of getting spacing correct and consistent.  I switched to millimeter measurements to convert the U.S.D.O.T. standards, but now I'm thinking I should have just done it in nice round pixels...o, well.  I think the signs are turning out okay.  I'm using Adobe Illustrator.  I think once I have one of every possible type of sign, then life will be easy, haha.  Currently, I have overhead single, double, and triple highway interchange routing signs with simple down arrows.  Of course, I need to get the right setup for other type signs.  I'm just too OCD about...or not OCD enough...
 

[packersfan 667]

Update 108 - Maidens Interchange - North I-55 / West I-80 Approach
I am really excited to show off this interchange.  Yes, yes, it would be FAR better if I had used the RHW, but it is what it is.  I'm more comfortable with the Maxis stuff (I know what I can do).  This took a lot of work to figure out the mileage and make signs and then I got really intrepid and stuck the signs into the pictures and the terrain!
 
Today, we will examine this interchange from the point of view of North Interdistrict Highway 55 and West I-80.

 
We'll start as I-55 / I-80 goes under Newbridge Road (District Highway 230).
 

 
I bet other people have done this, even going as far as making IN-GAME props of highway signs, but I'm proud of it.
 

 
National Highway 41 travels along with I-55 and I-80 but at this point exits and joins with I-255.
 

 
Exit 71 A.
 

 

 
Ramp carrying traffic from South I-255 to North I-55 / West I-80 merging.
 

 

 

 
Ramp carrying traffic from East I-680 to North I-55 / West I-80 merging.
 

 
Exit 71 B to West I-680.
 

 

 

 

 


 
Maidens Road overpass.
 

 

 
A little overview of the area with some superimposed signs.
 




 

 
You are here.
 

 

 
I'm really excited about this update.  Once I got the signs and stuff really put together and knew what I was doing, it became a load of fun.  I also got this update finished on Thursday, January 8th!  That means time to play the game itself and get future updates ready.  The next update will be the interchange from either South I-255 or South I-55 / East I-80 approach.  The approach from East I-680 will have to wait as I haven't finished building the whole freeway, and I don't know the mileage for this interchange from that approach, yet.  WHAT DO YOU THINK!??  
 
Check out the District of Wenzel Street Map to get an idea where we are.  This is A NEW LINK as the old LINK was dead!