Most Accurate City Recreations on Simtropolis

[mattfish328 0]

I have found quite a few Simtropolis members attempt to recreate actual cities, from small hometowns to major metropolitan areas. Which are your favorite accurate-scale recreations of cities?

[Yarahi 1,823]

The world Cj by ilikehotdogsalot has some pretty good recreations

Not my "cup of tea" to make real-life looking cities, but for viewing pleasures that one is a beauty

  Edited August 5, 2011 by yarahi  

[TekindusT 3,809]

World is an excellent CJ, but the one that simply blows my mind off is The Different Views of NYC by lucky7, now inactive [link]. A good place to begin with.

[nathanthemayor 1,263]

Also, Dubai by AIX is also a good recreation CJ.

[Kifflom112 355]

I have to agree, World is. But I could easily make San Antonio, but I hate this run down city. It only looks good downtown.

[dchotzen-hartzell19 34]

The city and county of Honolulu is also good.

[mattfish328 0]

I think the most frustrating part behind the whole recreation idea is the angles which roads and streets are limited to. Every map I've ever tried using for a recreation would never line up to my liking.

[Yarahi 1,823]

Have you tried using the FAR (Fractional Angle Roads) that comes with RHW?

[TekindusT 3,809]

Using FARs is a solution, but the big problem is that there very few FAR-compliant buildings in the exchanges, and most of the times they won't fit the style of the zone you're actually recreating. I've seen in several recreations, for example Mr. Beer's Dubuque, Iowa; that roads laid in non-SC4 angles are made by winding roads. Take a look for it, I can't explain it better in English.

In a similar thread I said that recreating a whole city is a matter of two big issues:

1. City layout: recreating a real city is an inmense job, but it can be easier if the streets you have to work with are laid in a grid; just because the game works like this.

2. Availability of BATs: a recreation loses its point when your buildings don't resemble the ones in the city you try to recreate; because no one will "feel" your recreation is accurate.

One of my dreams is recreating my hometown, but none of the items above are favourable.

  Edited August 6, 2011 by TekindusT  

[cmdp123789 710]

Well.. I guess the best way to recreate cities is to use the tutorial Lucky7 did. I mean, streets won't look "good" since they look kinda snake road, BUUUUUUUUUUUUT, it will work at least. Now, what I've found always difficult to do in recreations is the variety of buildings, you see, there is in every city a color. I mean, by looking at a city, you can actually see a color or a feel of the city. Since most of the buildings tend to repeat, well it ruins the whole thing. One possible solution is for you to plop buildings... but I guess they will abandon them... COMPLICATED STUFF HERE!

[jacksunny 741]

Does anybody have a link to the recreation of Edmonton?

[David Stefanini 1]

I am trying to recreate, in game, my town (Rosignano Solvay - Italy) and i'm at good point of realization of all the roads and streets of it...

..with some very little compromises because, you know, grid and streets are not so friends...

...but i'm satisfied for result...

...biggest problem? The correct rapresentation of up-downhills...at the end i must to realize the town without it...it's a pity, and i'm regretted for this.

...soon, i will post some photos of my town...

[Ltw 401]

I am trying to recreate, in game, my town (Rosignano Solvay - Italy) and i'm at good point of realization of all the roads and streets of it...

..with some very little compromises because, you know, grid and streets are not so friends...

...but i'm satisfied for result...

...biggest problem? The correct rapresentation of up-downhills...at the end i must to realize the town without it...it's a pity, and i'm regretted for this.

...soon, i will post some photos of my town...

Looking forward to it!

Does anyone know any mods which makes the city looks more realistic and natural? I'm using the standard Maxis textures and flora but I know it could be so much better.

[jacksunny 741]

Well a terrain and water mod will help if you haven't gotten one already.

[antsel 841]

Does anyone know any mods which makes the city looks more realistic and natural? I'm using the standard Maxis textures and flora but I know it could be so much better.

You can't go wrong with Cycledogg's terrain textures and tree controllers.

Also, if you're looking for Mayor Mode ploppable flora, Marsh made an extensive list of what he uses (and he is a master with MMPs). You can find his thread here.