Los Angeles [I Need Help!] 2/9/14

[Markus J 242]

Right, so I been really looking at this game hard, seeing other peoples creations, and have decided to attempt building a realistic, functional, no cheat, limited Mod/Bat, balanced, region.

Quick, break down to me of what each of these means to me:

-Realistic, if a picture of the city/region is posted and I feel it can compare to a real world photo, even if the game city/region is one of fantasy.

-Functional, Sims go to work throughout the city/region, the transit network is used, no traffic lots added.

-No cheats, is almost exactly what it sounds like but with one exception. The cheat doesn't make the game any easier to build the city.

-Limited Mod/Bat, means no Radical Mods, or 'Cheat' Lots.

-Balanced, no trash removers with little to no effect on pollution/space. No magic dirty air removers that can clean an entire industrial town. No super high capacity anything. You get the idea...

Now, to anyone that does those things, I am not putting you down. I did it too for a long time, and found I didn't really enjoy it anymore.

This region, goes against just about every way I used to build for the last few years. I've also added more rules to my engagement with this region.

-Use pieces I've never/rarely used. I'm using Ped Malls, Tunnels Under Road, Maxis Highways, Rail (In General), Light Rail, and more as they come up...

-Nam Traffic simulator, cannot be set higher than "Low." I did this because I felt classic, was too low for what it was, at the same time anything higher than Low felt like it missed that "Sweet Spot" if you will. So, setting it too low is just right, and also after playing on High/Medium I had a hard time getting proper traffic volumes in areas I wanted. With Low, I get those nice rush hours.

-Mass Transit, NAM simulator, set to Medium (American), and Buses contribute to traffic. I will keep different types of mass transit where I see them in real life. Example, El Rail, Subway, and Monorail, will only be in Downtown/Urban Settings. Bus will basically serve as the bread and butter of my mass transit, pretty much being used everywhere.

-Rewards/Grow-able/Plop-able, all rewards will be properly unlocked. If there is a grow able building, and a plop-able version, the plop-able may only be plopped if the grow-able refuses to grow, and demand meets the required amount.

-Trees, all trees shall be planted in Mayor Mode, not God Mode.

-God Mode in Mayor Mode, the God Mode may be used, but cannot alter any buildings, or transportation.

-Must not have a massive positive income, verse negative. Simply put, if my profit is $10,000 a month, my expenses cannot be $2,000. It means there is a lot of services I can provide for my city that I am not doing.

-No raising taxes, taxes can go lower, but not past the default.

-Hard Mode Only (HMO)

-Break away from the 'grid' I Simcity4 undoubtedly does play best in a grid fashion, however; I am going to break away from the grid as much as I can. Heavy Grid pattern may only be used in Downtown/Urban areas.

Long list, with a lot of rules for myself. Since I started going by that, I've had to attempt this City/Region 12 times already, because one of more of those rules/requirements was broken, however; I finally did it with this one.

This Region will combine cities from all over Southern California as inspiration, with the first one being Los Angeles.

I will show, Data Views, Budget, and R.C.I.

I will also experiment with all kinds of things.

RHW: Will not be used much, as much as I love how it looks, and what I can do with it, it simply is functional on the level I need it to be just yet, below you can see how my Maxis highway just flows, I can't do that with RHW (Yet). RHW will have it's moments of use, but expect to see Maxis Highways.

Maxis content: Expect to see a lot of it, as well as some duplicating buildings. I have downloaded a lot of custom content (which will be shown), I mean a lot (CAM), but Maxis is still a strong force, and one I personally embrace, to complement my custom content collection. It almost looks 60% Custom, 50% Maxis.

Now, from this picture below, I ask where you would like me to break down and provide pictures, information, or whatever else you want to see, it's also still work in progress by the way.

Pick from the following
1: Explore Downtown Hot Springs

2: Explore Industrial Sector

3: Explore East Hot Springs

4: Full City Data Views (Pollution, Traffic, Other)

If you read all that, thank you, promise the next one will not have too much reading. Don't forget to pick a number! https://community.simtropolis.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/4.gif

Also check out my Story CJ featuring Aliens, Government Bases, and and trip back in time!
It's all at Desert Cities ((Click Here)) https://community.simtropolis.com/public/style_emoticons/#EMO_DIR#/49.gif

Old Los Angeles (Discontinued)

  Edited February 9, 2014 by Markus J  

[edman2012 33]

i'd to see traffic views! seems interesting

[Markus J 242]

As requested to 'edman2012'

Here are the traffic data views, and a few shots of traffic happening throughout the day.

Traffic by 'Congestion'

Traffic by 'Volume' notice the difference in some areas between the two

East Hot Springs suffers because it's only form of mass transit is Bus.

Of course Downtown Hot Springs just wouldn't be right if it didn't have traffic problems. Mass Transit here is Bus & Subway.

Roads had to be changed to One Way Roads, with some becoming three lanes. Avenues widened to three lanes, where possible. Tunnels were added to make less intersections. Doing all this brought the commute back from 'Medium' to 'Short' despite all the red you see.

Now, here are shots of traffic happening, at different times. Some are pure congestion while others flow nicely.

Crenshaw Blvd & Day St

Traffic floods Crenshaw Blvd morning, and night as it serves as the direct link to downtown other than taking the 101 Hollywood Freeway.

2nd St Tunnel

-Receives regular backup, one side of the tunnel has been upgrade to three lanes (two on one side), while the other side has a dual turn lane.

Interstate 10 & 101 Hollywood Freeway

-Traffic is moving along well, after rush hour.

Bunker Hill

-Most Sims flood the Hot Springs Subway System in this district, those who insist on using their cars are met with grid lock and one way streets.

Thanks for viewing, tell me what you would like to see next:

-Air Pollution Data

-Total Budget Data

-Industrial Area

-Freeway Tour

-Downtown Tour

(I noticed I seem un able to change the title of this, is there a way I can do that?)

  Edited July 28, 2012 by Markus J  

[SparkleMagic91 23]

I really like how your city is laid out. I'd like to see the downtown next.

[Markus J 242]

As requested by 'SparkleMagic91'

Here are different shots of the Downtown, I wont focus on naming streets, mostly the buildings.

-Here is the HSPD HQ, they protect and serve day and night. Across the street is the famous KSIM building.

The Gelto, these are some of the original buildings of downtown dating back to 1912.

Union Bank, the parking garage next door is used by a lot of the buildings in the area.

History Park, named after the historical buildings it cleared out to make room for the park and subway.

Liberty Tower, remains the tallest building this side of the Mississippi. Note the courthouse behind it.

Hastings Tunnel, was built to eliminate unnecessary intersections, and provide a quick crossing between the two office buildings.

Aon Center, second tallest building.

Full Downtown at night, notice my attempt to really break the grid bottom right.

Hope you all enjoyed.

What would you like to see next?

-Industrial Area

-Freeway System

-Water System/Budget

-Early Downtown Growth

Here is a bonus picture...

This is another city in my region, we will see latter.

[SimCoug 5,976]

That is a great looking downtown - especially the far zoomed night pic. Very realistic.

[Fox 1,444]

Great use of maxis and custom buildings. I look forward to seeing more of the city.

[tshirt23 75]

Very Nice CJ! Defiantly has a Los Angeles feel to it

[MisterRisk1 26]

fantastic. im working on a L.A. styled city atm as well and im very looking forward to more day-pics. the traffic overview looks amazing. great work!

  Edited July 31, 2012 by MisterRisk1  

[Simcitymaster13 27]

You should highlight the University of Southern California,

[VMIUJcadet09 250]

Absolutely amazing! I really like your CBD and highway network. Your transportation map is awesome too.

[Kevenbro 94]

Brilliant bro!

[Schulmanator 5,812]

Impressive! I like it.

[Markus J 242]

Wow, sudden surge of replies and attention! Thanks guys, lol that's so awesome possum. I was worried it was reading overload and scared everyone away XD

I want to thank the moderator, who changed the front page title from "Hot springs" to Los Angeles! To reflect my title change.

Replies:

SimCoug - That is a great looking downtown - especially the far zoomed night pic. Very realistic.

Thank you, it's my main goal is that the picture as a whole comes together to look realistic

Fox - Great use of maxis and custom buildings. I look forward to seeing more of the city.

Thanks! I try to keep it as blended as I can. Awesome, are you my first follower?

tshirt23 - Very Nice CJ! Defiantly has a Los Angeles feel to it

I would hope so! If you said it feels like anywhere else, I failed Xp

MisterRisk1 - fantastic. im working on a L.A. styled city atm as well and im very looking forward to more day-pics. the traffic overview looks amazing. great work!

Oh really? Sweet! I'm very thankful that so many of the downtown buildings have been greatly BAT'ed which made this even possible.

Simcitymaster13 - You should highlight the University of Southern California,

Well, even if I did it wouldn't be in the location it is. This is more an inspired by Los Angeles feel, than a recreation. I remember a few recreation of this city on this website but never seemed to make it past the downtown. My guess is Los Angeles has too many diagonal roads making it hard to really build properly. If I was to even attempt that... I don't know if I would have the time, let alone will. I have considered it though...

VMIUJcadet09 - Absolutely amazing! I really like your CBD and highway network. Your transportation map is awesome too.

Oh thank you, it's funny normally in the world of simcity4 downtown Freeway loops don't really get used, but surprising enough this one is.

Kevenbro - Brilliant bro!

Thanks!

Schulmanator - Impressive! I like it.

Awesome, thank you!

For those curious, I will be updating my other CJ "Desert Citties" soon, it's tough deciding where to go with the story now and what era. If you enjoyed my story over there, feel free to post some ideas, it would really help me out.

Alright, now no one did pick what to look at so, I got a few random pictures for you. Some you may have seen around the site, but don't worry there are some exclusives here.

We start out with pollution so sweet. Look how much pollution is emitted from just cars and buses in the downtown (with the ordinances too). I made myself a goal of having plenty of pollution like the real thing. But also to show a benefit, see when you leave your old industrial areas, like I did. The cities you build next door will feed of the demand and commute in. Which is good for this city, but good for the others I'm growing. It means cleaner cities next door. It's why So Cal the heavy industrial areas are in the core downtown districts. Los Angeles, Long Beach, Ventura, to name a few. Then the rest is pretty much commercial and residential. With a few exceptions of course (warehouses).

These next pictures are to show it's growth, but also prove I did grow my downtown (90% of it)

Early downtown, from 20 - 50 sim years.

Now this one, is more of the "gettho" area. I wanted to make use of a new piece I noticed where you can have turn lanes on the rial. This interestion does really exisit too. Remember Handcock? "That railroad scene was shot in San Pedro, near the L.A. Harbor, where the railroad/trolley tracks

cross 5th Street (right where Sampson Way bends from north to west to become 5th Street)." (Source)

My water pipe network, I made sure to keep it under roads/avenues just to again, add to the realsim.

I'll leave with these last pictures, of the I-5, I-10, 101 (Hollywood Freeway), 60 (State Route)

And yes, all those trees are mayor mode planted. It totalted somewhere $20,000 I think to tree up the area.

So what's next guys?

1. Industrial Section

2. Highway tour

3. Full budget Report

Also, question... would anyone think I'm breaking any of my rules if i added a traffic lot to make rush hours on my freeways and downtown area really conggested in true Los Angeles fashion? Not a traffic simulator, or mod, just a lot to make more cars show up. Your thoughts please.

Thanks for viewing and commenting guys, glad this has been well recived thus far.

[GMT 389]

no. it's a visual thing so go for it.

Also, as I see you use the NWM, you should use the RHW for your highways just for the sake of better looks and possibilities to create complex interchanges.

Speaking of downloads, you should dig up some river stuff to create LA river

[aparrot7 82]

Very Nice! I like the highway system you have too! The mayor mode planted trees must have taken forever.

[Kevenbro 94]

love the water pipe layout bro

[Markus J 242]

Alright, so I have a pulse! Not just a pulse though, what I been working on is BIG, I mean seriously...

Like, BIG... super duper busy with real life, with college starting around the corner now, and a job interview coming up, busy, busy. But that doesn't mean I haven't managed to get some hours in on my Los Angeles, it's drastically changed! no, really, drastically.

It's 2:21am in the morning here, I'm exhausted just popped on to upload this picture to get you guys thinking what is one of the things that could be so drastic. Hint, look in this picture and try to figure out what hasn't been in any other.

PS I'm no good at making rail stations, hardly ever use rail this is my first function station I'm proud of... (be gentle)

Replies after I sleep, not to just mine but some other great updates I see.

(I got my eye on you other Los Angeles lol)

It's dark so it's harder to guess one of the big changes.

[Schulmanator 5,812]

Very nice. Lots of new construction going on... economy must be better than ours! Looks like pollution is inching up though.

[Markus J 242]

Update: 8/7/12

Replies:

Schulmanator

Very nice. Lots of new construction going on... economy must be better than ours! Looks like pollution is inching up though.

-Indeed, tons... in fact so much it's almost like the city is being rebuilt. Well Los Angeles is entertainment capital of the world. But your economy is just purr-fect. Yes, more factories, more jobs, more pollution.

Kevenbro

love the water pipe layout bro

-Hey, thanks! If you explore the sewers don't get lost!

aparrot7

Very Nice! I like the highway system you have too! The mayor mode planted trees must have taken forever.

-Thanks, the highway system is getting a big face lift! Mayor mod trees don't take long to plant, take forever to grow!

GMT

no. it's a visual thing so go for it.

Also, as I see you use the NWM, you should use the RHW for your highways just for the sake of better looks and possibilities to create complex interchanges.

Speaking of downloads, you should dig up some river stuff to create LA river

-I will consider using a traffic generator then. I do use the NWM where I can. RHW is just not piratical for what I am trying to do, on so many levels. Mostly for the quick smooth curves, and interchanges. If I tried to make that massive interchange with RHW it would either taken up tons of space, or looked very ugly (too me). Maxis works very well for what I've gotten it to do, especially now after re doing them.

Update:

Alright guys, my Los Angeles really bugged me, the more and more I looked at it and uploaded pictures. Sure the 'feel' was there but not enough to me.

-No Los Angeles River

-No Freight Yards

-No Union Station (Or Just As Large Station Replacement)

-Bunched Up Downtown (Too many buildings, too close together)

-No Bridges

So I made it my goal to improve ALL those things, and really give the feeling my city is Los Angeles, but all while maintaining my own sense of style as well. I still am not trying to do a recreation, just a city that leaves a strong impression of Los Angeles.

I present, some pictures of my NEW Los Angeles!

Yes, all this stuff is fully functional, lots of freight gets moved, and Sims do come to work across the river.

Interstate 10 Below, 2nd Street Bridge above.

Industrial Road, the longest bridge.

as I mentioned, this truly is the first freight yard I'm proud of, made functional, and have ever presented! Notice Union Station?

So transforming the 101, from an elevated freeway to a sunken freeway was quite an ordeal... (Some Sims couldn't wait to drive on it apparently)

I thought this would be a nice shot to show off my new downtown under work. See buildings are spaced out, there are parking lots/parking garages and basiclly the only skyscrapers are buildings from Los Angeles place somewhat close to their actual postions (Just need to clear the area for the Walt Disney Concert Hall)

I got tons of pictures to share coming up, and look forward to continuing to grow this city. I am very pleased with it now. Any questions or comments are welcomed and very appreciated. I littlerly rebuilt this city from ground up and steped way out of my confort zone. Thanks for the support guys!

[SimCoug 5,976]

Great freight yard - the dried up river channel reminds me of T2

[Markus J 242]

Reply:

SimCoug

Great freight yard - the dried up river channel reminds me of T2

Thank you. That's the Los Angeles river for you. Thinking of adding concrete to it's base, leave the center open and add palpable water. To really give that last wow factor. But need concrete that can go under the bridge like a overhanging prop. Or I'll just add plop able water.

Driving from South Los Angeles, this is the junction between Interstate 10, Interstate 5, Highway 101, 60 Freeway. If you compare it to my last one, it is mostly the same, just a little more compact.

Construction in downtown is in full swing, I also played around with an angle editor for this picture.

Raining again...

Los Angeles City Hall (The closest looking building I could find, looks great though), some Sims didn't get home before the rain came though. At least traffic is moving smoothly.

Viewer Question:

For anesthetics, should I move the Califorina Plazas to the side they belong on... right now they're on the right but should be on the left by "Bunker hill" and the Aon Center where the California Plazas are, your thoughts on it? Or should they just stay where they are?

Any other feedback and comments welcome.

  Edited August 8, 2012 by Markus J  

[Schulmanator 5,812]

This continues to impress. You capture the feel of it well and it looks realistic.

[dylan88 5]

Awesome! Looking forward to more updates!

[Markus J 242]

Replies:

Schulmanator

"This continues to impress. You capture the feel of it well and it looks realistic."

-Glad to hear it, and thank you for your continued support. It's great to hear that, to know I'm accomplishing my goal, thank you. =D

dylan88

"Awesome! Looking forward to more updates! "

-Thanks! Fresh update now, hope you enjoy!

It's time to take a ride on some of the many freeways of the area, we will start before the traffic, and finish in it

Hollywood Freeway 101

We shall start from the 110 Harbor Freeway/Arroyo Seco Parkway & 101 Hollywood Freeway Interchange

23rd St (Partial Freeway Access)

20th (Partial Freeway Access)

19th St (No Freeway Access)

Broadway

Glendale Boulevard (No Direct Freeway Access)

Union Avenue (No Direct Freeway Access)

Belmont Avenue

Echo Park Avenue (No Freeway Access)

Echo Park Avenue (No Freeway Access)

Alameda St

Alameda St (Union Station, City Hall)

Union St (Left)

Vasco Rd (Right)

Light Rail Crossing (Project Scraped)

Clinton Keith Rd

Industrial Rd (Main Freight Station)

101 Freeway Bridge (Crossing Los Angeles River)

D Street (No Freeway Access)

101 Hollywood Freeway & Interstate 10 Junction (End/Begin 101)

Interstate 10 & Interstate 5 (Partial Interchange)

Day St

Sun St (No Freeway Access)

Burlington Avenue (Partial Access)

Well hope you enjoyed that Freeway Tour!

If you remember from the last update...

Los Angeles needs your vote!

Don't forget to vote 'Yes or No', on the Relocation of the California Plaza's, and construction improvements of surrounding roads!

Traffic is out of control, downtown is run down, so why would anyone vote no? Mayor says "We have the money, we just need the votes!"

  Edited August 8, 2012 by Markus J  

[chocolate_city 93]

Unfortunatley, making a Southern California or Texas Freeway Interchange is WAY beyond Sim City 4 or NAM to reproduce exactly.. Although, the modders should be praised for their selflessness, time and energy it took to create the MOD from virtually nothing but a strip a highway abandoned by the game producers and turning the game completely around and making even MORE money for EA speaks volumes... but it suffers from its limited and rather primitive look of its highway and freeway offerings.. You can make an almost perfect representation with the numerous buildings and landmarks that are available, but freeways will be unrecognizable to you. Once a DIE HARD Simtropolitan, I almost never play it now because of Cities XL 2012 and pitty's Realistic Highway Add-on, 4, 5, and 6 level flyovers, breathtaking interchanges with bridges that ALLOW you to make freeway, roads, avenue go UNDER and OVER bridges, if you need more room for your interchanges, they can be done over and ON water,, There is almost NO interchange in this world that can't be recreated by RH addon.. The game will probably never have the rich resources that after a decade Sim City 4 has ...They do have a substantial amount of buildings that can make this game FUN and definetly worth checking out... now that's my 2 cents.. UH OH. I better duck, here come naysayers from out of left field

  Edited August 8, 2012 by chocolate_city  

[grstudios 188]

Great looking stuff! I'll keep on following it from now on...

[jpstanton93 53]

I really enjoyed looking at the highways. Would be cool if you could use the RHW but I understand that some of the interchanges you have would be pretty impossible to build using it. Also, where did you get those construction lots back from the August 1st update? I'd like to have them for my downtown regions. Keep up the good work!

[SimCoug 5,976]

What could be more LA than miles and miles of freeways?

[Markus J 242]

09/08/2012

Replies:

chocolate_city

Unfortunatley, making a Southern California or Texas Freeway Interchange is WAY beyond Sim City 4 or NAM to reproduce exactly.. Although, the modders should be praised for their selflessness, time and energy it took to create the MOD from virtually nothing but a strip a highway abandoned by the game producers and turning the game completely around and making even MORE money for EA speaks volumes... but it suffers from its limited and rather primitive look of its highway and freeway offerings.. You can make an almost perfect representation with the numerous buildings and landmarks that are available, but freeways will be unrecognizable to you. Once a DIE HARD Simtropolitan, I almost never play it now because of Cities XL 2012 and pitty's Realistic Highway Add-on, 4, 5, and 6 level flyovers, breathtaking interchanges with bridges

that ALLOW you to make freeway, roads, avenue go UNDER and OVER bridges, if you need more room for your interchanges, they can be done over and ON water,, There is almost NO interchange in this world that can't be recreated by RH addon.. The game will probably never have the rich resources that after a decade Sim City 4 has ...They do have a substantial amount of buildings that can make this game FUN and definetly worth checking out... now that's my 2 cents.. UH OH. I better duck, here come naysayers from out of left field

Wow, that was a huge reply! Well, I know all that, which is actually why I don't use the RHW in this region, as it just isn't practical for LA's Crazy freeway interchanges.

Also it wasn't asking for a freeway project, it was asking for a road improvement in downtown from the update before.

grstudios

Great looking stuff! I'll keep on following it from now on...

Awesome, really, if someone likes my work so much they follow it, that is epically awesome thanks!

james2016

I really enjoyed looking at the highways. Would be cool if you could use the RHW but I understand that some of the interchanges you have would be pretty impossible to build using it. Also, where did you get those construction lots back from the August 1st update? I'd like to have them for my downtown regions. Keep up the good work!

Yeah, or if not impossible, take up way to much space/look ugly too me. Oh those lots, I tried finding one set, and couldn't... I don't even remember the name. But I did find one of them, and boy it was not an easy find!

Glad you're enjoying it, and thank you!

SimCoug

What could be more LA than miles and miles of freeways?

Pollution, crime, and traffic (lol)

(Silly me, I clicked reply too soon...)

So, since no one voted, the city approved it anyway! Xp

California Plaza has a a serious traffic issue. This is one of the busiest intersections in Downtown Los Angeles (Number 3), the Main Street Tunnel serves as a by pass to the traffic, and a direct route to the 110 Freeway, by passing three congested streets. However, no connection to the tunnel can be made where it really is needed (other than 25th)! Thus the tunnel gets minimal traffic, while the surface gets congested. Plans were done to change the Main Street Tunnel into a two way tunnel so traffic can come and go in it. While making it accessible at the corner of 22nd & Main/Grove. It was approved!

So here is the old California Plaza intersection...

And the new one below...

But this new design posed problems of its own, now because traffic goes two ways in the tunnel, an extra intersection was added, and became confusing for motorist! Signs were added to help with the confusion, but Sims found it down right ridiculous and Sims would make right and left turns where they were not supposed to, or even worse, U turns because they missed the tunnel! So, construction resumed on what is considered the "worst than the original"

The new design makes clear road arrows, a simple intersection with corresponding lights, clear signs, properly timed lights, and the Main Street Tunnel is once again one way.

Problem is, it's still a traffic nightmare, but all the improvements did, was push it to number 1 for worst intersection in Downtown Los Angeles.

The designer who planned it simply said "Well at least I don't go that way... and it cleared up some traffic from Broadway & Main"

  Edited August 10, 2012 by Markus J