New Alterra

[themp3dj 0]

History:

Back in 2012, the Mayan prophecies were correct in determining a major change was in store for the planet Earth...but it was not a total destruction as predicted for thousands of years. Rather, the growing depletion of natural resources and the need for alternative energy sources, plus a massive global economic shift in supply, demand and wealth prompted science and governments to finally work together for the future of mankind.

An ultra secret, privately funded project involved some of the wealthiest of corporations as well as a select group of the planet's most successful entrepreneurs. They pressured the world's governments to sequester assets from ousted leaders and imprisoned drug lords to fund the "Alterra Project". With several billion dollars now made available, research and development began to create the first "off world" colonization of another planet outside our solar system.

Over the next twenty years, the search for a new home was undertaken with only a select few "in the know" and kept incredibly secret from the military so that all data could be used for the "preservation of the human race" from a true scientific viewpoint.

An intense search located an optimum planet, lodged deep in the Alpha Sakuris star system. Since Alpha Sukuris is a giant star, a habitable world would have to be much further away from its sun and a planet resembling Earth should be located with a similar atmosphere and climate plus it would have to be incredibly rich with natural resources. Numerous probes scanned the nearly two dozen planets in orbit around this intensely bright star until one, aptly named Alterra, was deemed to be the best possibility with its distance from Earth at only 6.3 light-years, a reachable destination. (In 1.5 million years, Alterra will pass within 2.8 light years of Earth and will be one of the brightest stars in the night sky, brighter than Sirius would ever be...and such an irony as Alterrans would look at its predecessor, a dead planet following the supernova of the Sun, some 350,000 years before!)

Colonization:

By the end of 2046, a game plan was set in motion for Earthlings to finally leave home and inhabit its new-found destination. After nearly a dozen years of methodical tests to build prototypical colonies, it was agreed that Alterra was ready for new residents. In the early 2040's, shuttles were sent approximately every 90 days with teams of researchers and scientists landing on the planet to conduct exploratory endeavors to locate the first metro area to be built on Alterra. Extensive geological tests were conducted on the predominantly water-covered planet and the first site was chosen near the equator, a temperate region with a shallow beach and a relatively flat terrain, surrounded by a few low altitude mountains.

New Alterra Beach was established in 2058, exactly 100 hundred years to the day of the Alterra Project founder, Chuck Davidson's birthday. Davidson would never visit the planet of his dreams but the vision he shared with the numerous designers and planners from the Simtropolis community can now be seen on the following pages. Over the next several weeks, curators from the "Alterra Project" will release archives to share the various plans for the Alterran landscape. Davidson's vision was to rebuild a society that enjoyed all of the wonderful inventions and developments of Earth but challenge the new society to populate the planet and learn from Earth's past to utilize natural resources and respond to the demands of its eco-system, being extra sensitive to the constant challenges to keep the new civilization as free from pollution, disease and corruption as best as possible...

(see full size photo at: New Alterra Beach (2078.0330:0600AMT)

Journal Date: 2078.0330:0600AMT

It's Wednesday, March 30, 2078 at 06:00 AMT (Alterran Mean Time) and beachfront high rises are awakening to another busy day ahead...by the way, it would be legendary Earth guitarist, ERIC CLAPTON's 133rd birthday and "the Morning Warmup Show" is already playing classic video's of some of his best known performances...prominently displayed on the thousands of monitors placed around the city. New Alterra's soundtrack is an eclectic mix of Earth's greatest hits, played 24/7 throughout the metro on the most elaborate audio/video system ever conceived.

"It's like I have headphones on all the time but I can carry on a normal conversation without any interruption," says Phil Blake, one of the small shop owners. "Everybody sees and hears the same thing, regardless if you're in a car, a building, or just walking down the street...and at just the right volume level...its an incredible invention!"

[themp3dj 0]

New Alterra Beach .::. Oceanfront District

I had always wanted to build a modern-day, beachfront for a sprawling metropolis and after several experiments and tests, I have developed a beachfront complete with high-rise condominiums and a business area including some of the most trendy corporations who wanted high-end visibility in a heavily trafficked destination for vacationers and local sun bathers.

Unlike SC4, great beachfront and boardwalk resources are at a minimum and until I can master some of the upgrades as in GlobexCo's beach package, I'm going to continue to experiment until I can make all of it blend well together...

I also decided to move all of the high-end entertainment venues (stadiums) to this district as well, driving retail, residential and corporate numbers. The district now enjoys over 150,000 residents in an extremely compact oceanfront area...lots of traffic, but numerous bus routes criss-cross the neighborhoods and most of the shops and residences are short walks. As soon as I can make a good metro system interface correctly, the underground "people mover" will be added, again reducing traffic...

Thanks to the extremely talented modders who continue to enhance this game for all of us...you guys rock...please keep 'em comin'!!

I'll continue to add updates as time permits...I do have a real job running my full-time motorsports media business which keeps me movin' all the time...

Please enjoy!

Beach geological survey...this will make a great oceanfront district...!

(see full image Beach Geological Survey)

Looking west into the Oceanfront District; phase one completed (see the Downtown Business District further west on the horizon)

(see full image Oceanfront Looking West)

The Bay is off to the northeast...this is near the east end of the business area in the Oceanfront district...

(see full image Bay View Looking Northeast)

A little further south, looking northeast into the bay....

(see full image Bay View Looking Northeast)

Satellite view of the Oceanfront District at high zoom....

(see full image Oceanfront Arial View 1)

South Beach via Helicopter...the most southeastern point of New Alterra Beach....and the wealthiest part of town

(see full image South Beach Arial View)

South Beach via Helicopter...the southern corner looking at South Beach Park which includes Tennis Courts and an Olympic Pool

(see full image South Beach Arial View 2)

Oceanfront Olympic Village via Helicopter...I played around with this for a while and decided to make it work after the total metro population reached 500,000+...and I wanted to bring all of the larger sports venues into one area (as in some major cities) and so far it has worked out well. I'm anxious for functioning stadiums instead of the "eye candy" ones for now...maybe we'll see them by the time of the next summer games, eh?

(see full image Olympic Village Arial View)

"Builders Stadium" via Helicopter...with the Bellagio Casino in the top right corner of the intersection...not only can you go to the game, but you can step across the street and place your bet before you go through the gates...!

On the right hand side, the edge of a middle class neighborhood includes schools and sports facilities to support future Pro and Olympic stars...

(see full image Stadium and Casino Arial View)

Looking almost due East into the ocean is another very wealthy part of town close to shopping and the business areas known as "Gold Beach" because of its high wealth in such a compact area. Hotels close to the stadium and businesses do quite well with just enough high-end retail to keep everybody happy...

(see full image Gold Beach Residential Area Arial View)

Looking west into one of the busiest areas of town...the Bellagio is on the left..."Builders Stadium" on the right...and off in the distance a mile or two straight up Columbus Avenue is the edge of the Financial District (the largest populated and most densely zoned business area in the region, home to about a half million residents)

(see full image Stadium and Columbus Avenue Intersection)

Now looking east down Columbus Avenue, the Olympic Plaza can be seen on the right with shopping and high-rise offices filling the skyline...

(see full image Stadium and Columbus Avenue Intersection 2)

Looking up Ocean Boulevard on the North side of the beach as it runs through the center of the Gold Beach neighborhood...this view looks west...

(see full image Ocean Boulevard East Drive)

Looking west up Columbus Avenue from the condos on South Beach...if I was living in New Alterra Beach, I would want one of these...!

(see full image Columbus Avenue)

...same view as above...shot at after dark...making this one of the better night photos due to the lack of really good night lighting, a major frustration for all players as some content is really well done but others need a brighter look...

(see full image Columbus Avenue at Night)

...again, if I was living here, this would be the optimum penthouse to have with views of the South Beach Park, the ocean and beach on three sides and the view into the rest of the city is spectacular...!

(see full image the Davidson Penthouse Park View)

...same as above at night...

(see full image the Davidson Penthouse Park Night View)

Summary: New Alterra Beach .::. Oceanfront District

I have finished a lot of this district for now but I would like to add tweaks when they become available...just wish the game modds were farther along much like SC4 was but I have to keep remembering, the game is really a couple of years old if you count the pre-release...

As of this update, New Alterra Beach's total population just past 900,000 residents with a surplus of 32 million dollars being generated at a rate of about 60,000 dollars per month. I will add updates for the Financial District, an Industrial District and the several Business Parks, Residential Neighborhoods, and Farms that are fully functioning successfully. Soon, I hope to add what will be a huge International Airport, once all of the various modds in development finally work properly (or I can master them, which ever comes first...!)

This being my first journal, I am always fine-tuning the presentation and layout so any feedback is greatly appreciated. I have put off building this for several weeks but now feel confident enough that I can move a little faster and like so many, I am constantly scouring your journals, board posts and even Google Earth for ideas on "how to build the ultimate city".....

Thanks to all for your inspiration who have offered great advice, technical assistance and those wonderful creations that I have utilized. I appreciate your hard work with a tremendous amount of respect as it has added hours upon hours of true enjoyment....which has helped to keep my creative mind finely tuned for my "normal business entities"...

More to come later but I gotta get back to work....!

[Jesse Swiss 6]

Looking Nice so far!