Aurora - The Bright City

[Mascalzone 186]

Hi everybody! Here I'm starting a brand new CJ, my first for the awesome game Cities: Skylines I've started to play seriously since this month.

The very first thing I want to share with you is the setting I've chosen for this adventure: it's the largerly popular New Caledonia map by MrMiyagi, that you can find on this page of the Steam Workshop: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=495143057

The reason I've made this choice it's quite simple: it's amazing! Rich of geological features and superb landscapes, somehow reminds me of Hong Kong, but it's also perfect to play whit a wink to the Tropico games saga that I've appreciated so much! Another reason is it's a tropical scenery, that no dobut is my favourite. But a birdseye view of the whole map is better of one thousand words so here it is:

NEW CALEDONIA REGION

As you can see there's lot of space to build but also an entire range of mountains and numerous creeks filled with sand: this will surely be a city focused on tourism and leisure activities of all kinds thanks to the beauty of its nature. Ultimately this is a map that imho offers more clues for the imagination in building a fantasy city than the mostly flat default maps. The map is also fully featured with highways and rail connections, but I'm sure I will edit them a lot to suit my plan.

Other things I want to share with you at start are some spots I identified as ideal for some specific facilities:

HARBOR ISLAND

This island at the eastern edge of the map for example it's perfect for a huge seaport connected via bridges and tunnels with the mainland. To build it will need to give up its eastern beaches, but that surely isn't something missing elsewhere, so does not look as a problem! Moreover, the author of the map has perfectly connected it to the ship routes, then it seems as the best choice!

HELLFIRE PENINSULA

This large triangle of land is just north of the harbor island and is rich in all the four main natural resources: wood, ore, oil and fertile land on its nothernmost part. So it seems perfect to build on it a large industrial center able to supply the seaport without its heavy traffic has to pass through the residential areas. On the left of the image you can also see a small island (the same it's on the centertop of the previous shot) that looks suitable for building power plants and garbage facilities, keeping them away from houses.

MAYA BAY

This large firth is instead located on the western part of the region and on its banks undoubtedly offers the broader building zones of the map, making it the most suitable area to build the city core with the most populated districts like downtown, obviously fullfilled with skyscrapers! The massive presence of beaches certainly is an incentive, so the masterplan for this area should certainly comprehend lot of hotels and a dedicated seaport for cruise ships. Furthermore, since this will be the city center, is to consider the construction of a thick newtork of roads and at least a couple of subway lines, without forgetting a large railway station.

SUNWELL PLATEAU

This extendended upland is one of the most unique areas of the entire region, and since it is located at its top the idea would be to make here a rural area dedicated to agriculture and pastoralism. Almost bucolic! To do this will certainly be necessary to demolish, at least partially, the highways that run through it. To make well what the intention is there will be built two or three small towns surrounded by farms. Also there will be surely built an astronomical observatory and maybe even a small industrial cluster.

CAPE NESS

Located in the far west of the region, this foreland rules the entrance to Maya Bay, that you can see in the background of the picture above. This site, appropriately cleared and suitably connected via highway, railway and subway, is my favourite for the costruction of a large international airport although it could not be realized on top of the promontory itself, since unfortunately it's just out of the map borders. I will have to take advantage of the flat area adjacent to it, with the goal to do something similar to the Gibrailtair airport.

And that's all for now! There are many more areas in this region, but these are the ones on which I want to focus first: the work to be done is already so much. I'll keep you posted!

Keep followin' and you'll be surprised!

  Edited August 20, 2015 by Mascalzone  

[Mascalzone 186]

Hi there folks! Here is my second entry for the CJ of the Bright City. I've to admit I want to try to start with a bang, but only you can make a fair judgment. For sure I have given much attention to this seaport and care to detail to make it one of the most iconic areas of the city!

VICTORIA HARBOR

In the first entry I told you the map I chose somehow reminds me of Hong Kong and the name given to this facility definitely is a tribute to that fantastic city. I've just removed a letter (the "u") so the name is not exactly the same and this will allow me to not have copyright issues

As you can see from these birdseye shots the installation is really huge, with the docks that uses the entire northwestern part of the island, overlooking the bay front to exploit its calm waters. It was instead kept almost completely intact the wide beach that characterizes the southeast side of the island. Of course not for tourism, because access to the island is closely tied to its purely industrial use, but as a matter of respect for the environment even though this is an area obviously heavily plagued by pollution. Let's say that at least the seagulls can do their things in peace, although there is who's already thinking that this piece of land can be an ideal breeding ground for a battery of adavanced wind turbines...

VICTORIA HARBOR BRIDGE

Of course a seaport so big needs quick access to the mainland and this, for vehicular traffic, is certainly represented by the six lanes Victoria Harbor Bridge, already dubbed by citizens as the "Vicky Gate". Still lacking much of the city at the moment the traffic on it it's failry light, but this definitely is a junction which will be kept under close observation! 

As I already told the admittance to the seaport is strictly controlled. A large toll at the end of the bridge makes each vehicle come through with the police checking documents to everyone wants access to Victoria Harbor.

In this shot from above you can see the entire road system. Of course to exit the port it's completely a different thing: to speed outgoing traffic it has been built an elevated viaduct that connects directly to the bridge. Bypasses also allows to not to congest the main access roundabout.

THE CONTROL TOWER

We're certainly used to see them in the airports, but also the major ports need a nerve center, and Victoria Harbor can't be different! Located at the extreme northwestern corner of the island, it has a perfect view of on the docks and also of the complex railway system of the seaport. 

THE PORT AUTHORITY HEADQUARTERS

The other building that dominates the harbor skylines is the one with the offices of the Aurora Port Authority. Placed, as the majority of the administrative buildings, in the eastern part of the area served by a modern passenger railway station.

THE LOGISTICS CENTER

But the most important rail traffic of the port is obviously the one dedicated to cargo, and at the heart of the island, surrounded by stations for loading and unloading TEUs, there is the logistics center, accordingly divided to the two main delivery compaines of the city. To be precise there are three in total, but the third will have its center of operations in a completely different area...

And telling this last picture has entered the Street View Challenge that's all for now folks, I really hope you enjoyed the visit throught Victoria Harbor!

Keep followin' and you'll be surprised!

  Edited August 20, 2015 by Mascalzone  

[Carnivorus 19]

Very nice and neatly planned harbor
I like your idea of controlling the area with a tower. Will definitely come back for further updates

Good Work!

[Mascalzone 186]

QUICK LINK: The corresponding CJ entry is here: https://community.simtropolis.com/journals/entry/26263-chapter-iii-brightvale-magnolia-farms/

Welcome back! This is definitely a whole "low density entry", but in a city that can be said complete I think they cannot miss!

First of all I want to share with you a shot that comprehends all the work done so far. It's a wide view of the whole Hellfire Bay by which you can see not only the already visited Victoria Harbor and the subject of this entry but also a bit more that will be the topic of the next couple of chapters.

BRIGHTVALE

But the main argument for this journal it's the district that occupies the whole western part of Hellfire Peninsula, precisely the first of three that looks at the seaport bay. This certainly is the most prestigious, distinguished by the fact that is entirely characterized by low density buildings, except for some. The shape of the roads has three long east-west arteries, with the closest to the sea that is a tree-lined large road.

EAST SIDE & TOWN CENTER

The eastern part of the district is characterized in particular by the Victoria Harbor north gate, much smaller in size than than the south due to the fact that not having highways in the vicinity is much less used, although of equal importance.

A bit further to the west there is the highrise Four Seasons Hotel, located near the second tunnel that connects Brightvale to the seaport, the exit point.

The railway overpass you see in the image above leads directly to the train station that connects Brightvale not only to the port, of course, but also to nearby neighborhoods and especially the distant city center.

In the immediate vicinity of the station is the sports complex, that serves virtually the entire bay thanks to the quick connections by train and bus.

Just to the south there is also the town center, that features a large park, a prominent church and the Department of Social Services, that you can recognize since it was the location for the main scenes of a very famous movie!

WEST SIDE & MAGNOLIA FARMLANDS

The beginning of the western part of the district begins at the height of the Brightvale Civic Center, a real pole of attraction with exhibitions, concerts and theater shows.

Continuing in the same direction then you get to the point where the three main roads turn south and the houses give way to stores, malls and offices of small businesses companies, primarily engaged in the distribution of what's produced in the surrounding plain.

This area is called Magnolia and thanks to the arc traced by the high mountains around has an ideal microclimate for crops.

The large factory with giant silos seen on the right in the picture below is the one that produces cereals for the entire region!

The western end of the district is the one through which it is connected to the surrounding areas, and essentially is an extended business area.

That's all fow now folks, I look forward to your comments!

Keep followin' and you'll be surprised!

  Edited August 18, 2015 by Mascalzone  

[Mascalzone 186]

Hi fellows, welcome to another entry for the CJ of the Bright City! Let's continue from where we left off and continue the trip around the bay.

STONEHAVEN

A small neighborhood for itself, it's quite important because its location makes it the centerpiece of the bay, being adjacent to all those nearby. Shown in the picture below is the bridge to Hellfire Island, while just to the right is were Brightvale begins.

An aerial shot shows better its particular structure: for the most part the district is formed by the woods surrounding the railway & highway interchange which it is the main access point to the bay for those coming from the city center. On the right you can also see the second district I'm going to describe in this chapter.

The junction directly leads to Stonehaven's main square, so that it is always very busy. Often who remains in queue begins to think of calling Saul even for traffic problems!

Just north of the square is the important Stonehaven railway station, a crucial hub for connections between the bay and the rest of the city. In front of it is located the AMES tower (a.k.a. Aurora Metropolitan Services), the highrise that hosts the headquarters of public transport company.

LYON HILL

Just north of Stonehaven (you can glimpse it in the image above) begins a very long steep slope that in its initial part form the district of Lyon Hill, characterized by low houses.

THE BELVEDERE

This would be an insignificant area if its streets do not lead to one of the most beautiful spots in the entire city: a lookout built on top of the hill, for sure something that is worth a visit!

In addition to the rooftop terrace there also is a restaurant, two tennis courts, a prestigious gym and obviously there is plenty of parking lots.

Leaving with the view enjoyable from it in both directions I give you appointment at the next episode!

Keep followin' and you'll be surprised!

  Edited August 21, 2015 by Mascalzone  

[Mascalzone 186]

Hello people, welcome back with the fifth chapter for the guide to the city of Aurora. Let's start as usual with your comments:

FEEDBACK CORNER

Ln X Very nice hillside pictures, it is great how you squeeze housing onto Lyon Hill.

To be honest I thought it was a detail going unnoticed, I'm really happy you got it!

IRVINE

We continue the journey along Hellfire Bay moving south to reach a rather small but densely populated district: Irvine certainly is one of those areas where you can find an apartment at a good price, also because it's the only one among those of the bay that not directly faces the sea, being the highway in between.

Irvine is therefore certainly a residential neighborhood, though not lacking in several Points of Interest. The first to find leaving the highway it's the Trident Mall, a shoppig center where you can get the best deals throughout the whole city for all the major consumer goods, although it is not a real outlet.

Venturing into the heart of the district soon you reach the junction with the main street which divides Irvine into two: the north with the higher density buildings and the south instead characterized by low houses that arrive to the foot of the mountains.

THE BASEBALL STADIUM

There you will surely have noticed the huge and bizarre structure that dominates the neighborhood. That is the baseball stadium, and since I think to this stage you're probably saying "what the..." then I have to give some in-depth explanation about it. Initially, the idea was to use one of the pre-built baseball stadiums downloadable through the Workshop, that no matter how beautiful they appeared a huge flaw distinguishes them: they're ridiculously small in size compared to the rest of the buildings. Better explain it directly with a picture:

As you can see the stadium is very nice, but it seems that inside it there may only be gnomes! As the molecular transmutation isn't something I want to consider for the city and since I really wanted a baseball dedicated stadium (how sad it would be without? ) I realized that the only way forward was to build it from scratch, and to do so the only option was to use the modular stadium by Drosovilla.

You judge the final result. What I can say is that if you find it strange I agree with you, but that's it wanting to create something proportionate to the context (imho).

A fitting name for the home team could be "Aurora Illuminati" or "Aurora Masons"... something like that, don't you think? Well, for sure it's original and since it's been quite a nightmare to build (made possible only using Road Anarchy) I shall finally say to be quite satisfied with it. In fact, I bought a ticket for the match:

But that's not all fr Irvine: always on Main Street, directly opposite the stadium, it's the most important Baptist Church of the city. The priest must be a fan, you know.

There's some more: behind the church a large municipal park begins and extends to the end of the neighborhood:

It is the ideal place for outdoor picnics, jogging or take the dog for a walk!

And that's all for this episode. I ask you do not miss your opinions, I'm particularly curious to know what you think about the stadium!

 

Keep followin' and you'll be surprised!

  Edited August 25, 2015 by Mascalzone  

[boformer 3,169]

Wow, so many details! And excellent screenshots! I really like this CJ.

The stadium looks very nice, especially the baseball fields with those avdertisement. I don't really like the puzzle pieces because it is a pain to use them. I hope that modelers will start to utilize my Larger Footprints mod to create some one-piece stadiums soon

Can you post an overview shot of your city in your next update?

[Mascalzone 186]

I don't want to spoil anything that's not completed, that's why I've not taken a shot of the whole thing yet. Be patient

[Mascalzone 186]

Welcome! Here we are for a new CJ entry of the bright city, the last one for the districts facing Hellfire Bay. The next chapter wlll be a masterplan update with which it will be made a brief point of the situation!

FEEDBACK CORNER

Ln X That Virgin Alantic billboard was placed well, also it is great to see all the new mods expand this game immensely. Good work.

Thank you. Yes mods are something essential in this game (as in any noteworthy ciy builder) and personally I have installed over a hundred of them!

 

TekindusT Lots of effort and originality to solve the stadium issue! Fantastic!

boformer (forum) Wow, so many details! And excellent screenshots! I really like this CJ. The stadium looks very nice, especially the baseball fields with those avdertisement. I don't really like the puzzle pieces because it is a pain to use them. I hope that modelers will start to utilize my Larger Footprints mod to create some one-piece stadiums soon Can you post an overview shot of your city in your next update?
I am happy that the stadium, albeit quirky, has been appreciated! For the request, I don't want to spoil anything that's not completed, that's why I've not taken a shot of the whole thing yet even if you'll certanly see some sort of overview on the next episode!

HELLFIRE ISLAND

There is always a more useful than beautiful place in any city. In Aurora this definitely is the small island located in the middle of the bay that the masterplan has dedicated to to composting and recycling facilites as well to the giant coal plant that provides power to the entire city.

It is certainly something that would be better to hide from the view, but the logic behind the decision to place them there is that in case of any disaster, such as an explosion or fire, these would have consequences limited to the island: in case of the emergency, closing the two bridges that connect it to the mainland, in a very short time it could become a quarantined area!

FREEMONT

The bridge that you see in the foreground of the image above leads to the densely populated district of Freemont: essentially a strip of land on which runs the highway surrounded by residential buildings offering apartments at very competitive prices, given that the noise pollution there is really high.

It is the neighborhood in whom mostly inhabit the workers that have their jobs in Hellfire Island and Victoria Harbor, thanks to the fact that is very close and well connected to them, via railway and expecially via the Victoria Harbor Bridge.

One of the Points of Interest of Freemont surely is the one that is in its northernmost corner, at the border with Stonehaven. If in need of furniture it's here you've to come!

Another is instead at the south corner and is the last thing many commuters see before get to work in the two industrial islands. It's a kind of inspiration to pass a good day at work!

In Freemont is also present a railway station that connects the district to all the rest of the city:

However, not every apartment in Freemont have to be considered popular: some attics are still in great demand thanks to the wonderful view of the bay they offer!

See you next, do not forget to give your thougths, it's always a great pleasure to read them.

 

Keep followin' and you'll be surprised!

  Edited August 28, 2015 by Mascalzone  

[Sanshy6544 42]

I really love your city :=)

I can see all the hard work put inside and the details.

 

Keep going we wanna see more hehe^^

[Mascalzone 186]

Hi there! This entry is it's a kind of summary about everything has been illustrated in the first series of chapters of the Aurora city guide, which covered the districts bordering the harbor bay, also known as Hellfire Bay.

FEEDBACK CORNER

feeroz123 Nice looking city. Closeup shots are beautiful, looks real.

kschmidt Some of those CSKL transition ramps do look so artificial. City nicely situated on the bay banks. Mod´s and game communty strive forward together for the next exhibition of this simulator generation !

Sansha I really love your city :=) I can see all the hard work put inside and the details. Keep going we wanna see more hehe^^

Thanks a lot guys, since since it seems you particularly like closeup shots I'll try to do more, perhaps by dedicating a special episode of the journal to them! Regarding the ramps yes, they're always one of the most difficult things to realistically achieve and in Cities: Skylines it's not different at all. I can recommend to install the Road Anarchy mod to try to get the best possible results but sometimes, especially for bridges, it's simply impossible get what you want!

HELLFIRE BAY RECAP

First of all I've to link you the original Phase One CJ: https://community.simtropolis.com/journals/entry/26246-chapter-i-the-masterplan-phase-one/

Now that neighborhoods facing the bay have been completed, I can tell you that citizens living in the bay are just under 20k, while the jobs available are just over 14k (with the impressive 9k coming from Victoria Harbor alone), 90% of which are currently effectively occupied. When it will become necessary the whole northern part of the Hellfire Peninsula will be industrialized, and I think this will at least double the amount of available jobs. But first the rest of the city have to be built!

I think nothing better than these shots comparison can give an idea of how the bay has been urbanized!

CAPE NESS SMOOTHING

In the original Phase One CJ I told that the area that represents the first choice for the airport could not be used due to the fact that it was immediately outside the borders of the map. Well I'm happy to say that thanks to the Cross The Line mod, curently in beta, this obstacle has been circumvented and then I can give vent to the original idea to build on top of the foreland dominating the access to Maya Bay. To this the mount has already been smoothed. With a further couple of comparative shots you see the result:

WHAT'S NEXT

Before starting the Phase Two just passing to Maya Bay, I want to conclude the first phase creating a second connection between the bay and the rest city. This will be done by creating a district that faces the inlet located south of Hellfire bay, called Marshall Cove: It will develop from the lower margin visible in the image following the shore to take the valley to the right and by that to Maya Bay through tunnels. This will be the second direct connection through the mountains, essential to divide the traffic into two main arteries. The next chapter will be about this!

BONUS SHOTS

I would not reveal anything of what I do not yet have completed, but since the city is in a state far more advanced than what is being shown in the journal (the reason is that I want to fully develop and tune areas, and only then make the entries about them) and since I'm happy to take part in the weekly contests organized by Simtropolis staff, here are a couple of things that you haven't already seen...

And that's all,waiting for next chapter do not miss your precious thoughts!

Keep followin' and you'll be surprised!

[boformer 3,169]

 

 

And that's all,waiting for next chapter do not miss your precious thoughts!

Keep followin' and you'll be surprised!

Nice station, with all the different trains!

The train network is actually what keeps me interested in the game. It is really challenging to lay down the rails in a realistic way (curves, slopes) and to fit the stations into my cities.

Maybe you could record a "first-person" train video when your city is finished.

  Edited August 31, 2015 by boformer  

[Mascalzone 186]

Welcome back! First of all I want to highlight that I've had some troubles in publishing the previous journal (it did not came on top due to the fact that I forgot to publish it immeditely!), since it's quite important if you missed here it is: https://community.simtropolis.com/journals/entry/26297-chapter-vii-the-masterplan-phase-one-update/

FEEDBACK CORNER

  Quote

boformer (forum) Nice station, with all the different trains! The train network is actually what keeps me interested in the game. It is really challenging to lay down the rails in a realistic way (curves, slopes) and to fit the stations into my cities. Maybe you could record a "first-person" train video when your city is finished.

This is a good idea! In a more advanced stage the video option will certainly be taken into account.

GATEWAY

As mentioned in the previous chapter this entry is dedicated to Marshall Cove, the inlet which is located just south of Hellfire Bay. On its banks is the district called Gateway mainly for the fact that is the hub to the city for those coming to Aurora from the south of the region. It is a neighborhood particularly wide, although definitely not high in population density (less than 5k), especially because it's mostly occupied by a financial district (and you can see its quite impressive skyline) and a and a big freight and passengers railway hub which has the task to switch the traffic flow between the one direct to the city center and the one intended to go to Hellfire Bay.

THE WORLD TRADE CENTER

In the northern part of Gateway, that directly overlooks Hellfire Bay, have been made the three office towers that form the Aurora World Trade Center, in practice a major business center for all those companies who can not give up a view and a quick connection to Victoria Harbor.

THE CALTECH

Immediately nearby WTC, on the other side of  the highway, there is the large Caledonian Insititute of Technology (a.k.a. Caltech), the most famous research and education center of the whole region, frequented by more than a thousand of students and scientists!

MORE TOWERS!

Because I think you'll like skyscrapers can not miss a couple of photos of the business cente immediately east of what has been described so far. This is no match to what there is in Downtown, but since these are the first real scrapers I'm showing I think it really worth dwelling on for a moment.

STREET VIEW

From the picture above, we move westward in Gateway with a couple of shots taken at street level. The first looking east:

Then another taken 500 meters further to the west, looking west:

SOUTHGATE

When the long east-west artery about one kilometer and a half long ends, the shape of the district turns south and that is where is the hub known as Aurora Southgate which, as told earlier, is one of the main junctions of the city (and yes, there is obviously also one north). In addition to the logistics center for the stationing of cargo here it is also a main passenger railway station through which pass both trains to Aurora Central Station and those for Hellfire Bay.

Below is a view of the whole complex:

The last image is for the south end of southgate, next to where Gateway joins the neighboring districts:

It's really everything for this chapter, see you next and as usual I recommend not to miss your comments!

Keep followin' and you'll be surprised!

  Edited September 2, 2015 by Mascalzone  

[Mascalzone 186]

Hello folks! Time for a last brief entry for the Phase One of the Aurora masterplan before moving to the heart of the city with the Phase Two.

ECHELON PEAK

Probably you've already wondered on what could be what you could see in the distance on the top of the mountain in many shots overlooking Hellfire Bay, and in this chapter we are talking about that!

Well, this is an important astronomical complex site atop Mount Echelon (4387 ft.) at more  to take advantage of the clear skies that its high altitude guarantees.  This consists of two large optical telescopes and a trio of radio telescopes known as:

ARIA (AURORA RADIO INTERFEROMETRY ARRAY)

This is the most important part of the whole complex, consisting of three huge electronically connected antennas that forms a powerful interferometer able both to make x-rays observations and to communicate with distant spacecrafts.

Of course in the immediate vicinity, there are support structures such as offices, leisure facilities, cookhouses, small houses for the scientists, a fire station and a visitor center that offers guided tours with nighttime observations and other cultural activities.

Echelon Peak certainly isn't a place where we none ends up the case, as there is only one long road that connects it to the road network, of which what you see in the image above is only a quarter of the total length.

Keep followin' and you'll be suprised!

[Mascalzone 186]

Welcome back to the CJ of the Bright City. It has taken a bit to begin the Phase Two leaving Hellfire Bay moving to the heart of Aurora, Maya Bay, but here it is the first chapter dedicated to it!

CONAL VALLEY

This is the first district you encounter coming from Hellfire Bay, exiting the very long tunnel that connects it to Irvine, and also coming from Sunwell Plateau, making the highway that cuts the valley in two one of the busiest route of the entire region. The mountains are so high that the morning the sun takes much more time to illuminate the valley than the rest of the city:

A very long straight climb and descend the valley, after which it is one of the busiest interchanges in the city.

So does the railway, which even passes through the houses of the west side of the neighborhood, that is the most densely populated.

This ends precisely with the Conal railway station, the main arrival point for trains linking Maya Bay to the northwestern Cape Ness.

NORTHGATE

Very different is what is set in the east part of the valley, which hosts the important railway junction known as Northgate, with its logistics center and the adjacent industrial area.

But there is also an important passenger station here, through which all commuter trains to and from Hellfire Bay stops, while the outer rails are exclusive to all direct trains to Aurora Central.

The station is frequented by thousands of commuters every day, and it might seem a bit 'undersized not considering that this is primarily a transit place.

I end this entry with a couple of shots taken looking south:

Thanks a lot for the comments that you are leaving in the city's photo album, I hope you enjoy these new shots too!

Keep followin' and you'll be surprised!

[BLANKBLANK 4,414]

Amazing pictures; so many of them look very realistic!

[boformer 3,169]

Especially the last shot. Nicely done!

[Mascalzone 186]

Hi folks and welcome to a new entry for the Bright City. After entering Maya Bay through Conal Valley shown in the previous chapter, today we're going to explore the westernmost district facing the bay.

FEEDBACK CORNER

LivingInThePast I gotta know--how much of this is Photoshopped, and how much is mods and filters? This looks better than all the other C:S stuff I've seen so far, but are the shadows and the general overcast type appearance in-game or not?

No Photoshop at all, it's 100% the game engine, heavily modded. Most of the job is done by the Moving Sun mod that is a must have to do great shots, together with a good filter (i use Photoreal3 to be precise), and I'm also using the Ambient Occlusion and the Sun Shafts mod accompained with Dynamic Resolution, tuned to 150% to take the pics you see.

Ln X Amazing pictures; so many of them look very realistic!

boformer Especially the last shot. Nicely done!

Thanks guys, I'm glad you appreciate

MIRAMAR

One of the most well known attractions of Maya Bay surely are its beaches, and Miramar is by far the largest and the most popular among residents and tourists. All the more exclusive hotels are here, together with some very expensive apartments towers.

The Bayfront Promenade definitely is one of the major attractions: it's several kilometers long and allows to enjoy a spectacular view of the bay.

In the comprehensive shot below you can see where the neighborhood is located, just southwest of Conal Valley and of the great highway junction that leads the traffic inbound and outbound Maya Bay.

Tourists here are spoiled for choice of hotels and not only, because the district is well connected through a metro line to the city center making at hand lots of facilities dedicated to recreational activities and nightlife.

In Miramar there is also a large shopping center with restaurants of all kinds, a cinema and shops of all the most prestigious brands. But in the neighborhood there are also things that are decidedly less frivolous, as what you can see on the left in the background of the image above which it is the largest hospital in the entire city, located here mainly to be quickly accessible from both the city airports.

 

 

Leaving the main artery and going nort the district clears, but not before it had given way to a large sports center.

 

 

I hope the images has convinced to get a trip to the beaches of Miramar!

 

 

Keep followin' and you'll be surprised!

  Edited September 20, 2015 by Mascalzone  

[dedgren 830]

Echelon Peak and the first Miramar pic in the most recent update are really impressive.  You deserve many more comments here than are being made.  My guess is that persistence at the level of craft that you are putting into this CJ will ultimately pay off- good luck.

Oh, and the Alaska Airlines jet- very nice touch!

 

David

  Edited September 20, 2015 by dedgren  

[Mascalzone 186]

Hi and welcome back to a "classic" entry for the Bright City CJ after three episodes focused on the release of the new C:S expansion. But this certainly is another After Dark installment!

FEEDBACK CORNER

Jamonbread Submitting even skylines citizens to Air Canada is cruel  Great CJ though  

Were you looking for another reason to blame Canada?

dedgren Echelon Peak and the first Miramar pic in the most recent update are really impressive. You deserve many more comments here than are being made. My guess is that persistence at the level of craft that you are putting into this CJ will ultimately pay off- good luck.

Thanks a lot. I'm quite satisfied till now and happy with the fact that it is well received. I do not have all the time I want but hey, there still is a world out there!

RED LIGHTS DISTRICT

Every city needs a place over the top to attract droves of tourists, and in Aurora this certainly is represented from what faces the beach of Oldshore and neighboring streets, so that the neighborhood itself rarely is called with its own name but it is more well-known with the name of Red Lights District.

Those looking for entertainment, nightlife and a healthy dose of excess is here that have to go. The Oldshore strip is in fact well known for its restaurants and bars open all night, his nightclubs, casinos and of course the beach parties, without forgetting its famous drive-in theater and the small but very popular amusement park located in its north end, just bordering Miramar.

Right above the funfair there is a small hill from which you have a wonderful view of Maya bay with many clubs including the most exclusive of the city, The Celsius. Access is not easy for mere mortals, but for who can there is the concrete possibility to meet sports stars and VIPs!

Those cannot enter the Celsius can always fall back in the big disco Indie Lizard, definitely larger and affordable of everyone.

Moving south nightclubs give way to bars, restaurants and various hotels as well as fast foods, souvenir shops and a huge arcade: it is virtually impossible to be disappointed by the variety offered along the main boulevard.

There is also the famous Hard Rock Café, where tourists never fail to visit to buy a magnet or a t-shirt.

Continuing south, past the twin towers of the Travelodge Hotel, one of the city's biggest venue for conferences and attended by businessmen, you get to the end part of the district that borders downtown. Here is the most famous restaurant in the city, that the at third floor has a spectacular terrace eating from which you have a breathtaking view on the big guys.

The Red Lights Districrt ends at the level of California Square, which overlooks a small park and the headquarters of a company of the new economy that I think you well know.

Meanwhile the morning has come already and it is time to get back to duty!

Keep followin' and you'll be surprised!

[SAVAGExPHOENIX 955]

I love this CJ. Lovelovelove it! I'm hoping I can figure out why my game crashes when I load it. Probably too many mods/assets (I have something like 1.4GB). 

Anywho, I'm curious where you got those monster Radio Telescope dishes for your peak? I'd LOVE to have them!

[mutton noir 170]

Great CJ. The work dedicated to planning and executing the build is greatly appreciated and is inspirational.

[Cool_Z 1,547]

I noticed the hard rock café in your screenshots...

Not that I don't like it, but (unless it was updated and I doubt it was) it's a ressource behemoth. The lod has 17000 tris 

[dedgren 830]

The last pic in your latest update is a keeper.

[Mascalzone 186]

Time for a new chapter for the CJ of the Bright City, the last one featuring the northern part of Maya Bay. But as usual let's start with your comments, that this time were quite numerous!

FEEDBACK CORNER

Ln X Viva Las Vegas! A good city and a great gambling strip.

The Red Lights District does not have a proper "strip" but yeah, gambling is allowed there!

TekindusT I want to eat in that terrace!

Then prepare to open your wallet because it's not cheap at all!

Linoa06 Lovely update! How did you decorate the beach in the last shot?

Thanks! I'm using the modular beach assets you can find in the workshop plus what came with the new tourism specialization  for districts.

SAVAGExPHOENIX I love this CJ. Lovelovelove it! I'm hoping I can figure out why my game crashes when I load it. Probably too many mods/assets (I have something like 1.4GB). Anywho, I'm curious where you got those monster Radio Telescope dishes for your peak? I'd LOVE to have them!

Try installing the mods isolated failures and the the AD loading hotfix: I had some crashes too before using them but now the game runs smooth! For the radio telescopes... actually they're not! Search "microwave" in the workshop and you'll find 'em!

mutton noir Great CJ. The work dedicated to planning and executing the build is greatly appreciated and is inspirational.

Wow, thanks!

Cool_Z I noticed the hard rock café in your screenshots... Not that I don't like it, but (unless it was updated and I doubt it was) it's a ressource behemoth. The lod has 17000 tris 

Honestly I did not noticed at all, I installed it and well... it works

 

dedgren The last pic in your latest update is a keeper.The last pic in your latest update is a keeper.

Thanks a lot. I think the mist adds something special, right?

Before showing you the two new districts I want to share an aerial comprehensive view of what has been shown of Maya Bay till now. As already told it's just the northern part of the whole thing!

SIGNAL HILL

If you want to buy a family house and live in the immediate vicinity of the city center there aren't many choices. One of these is definitely the neighborhood known as Signal Hill, that despite being very close to all major arteries of the heart of Aurora still manages to be a quiet and peaceful place for its residents.

 The district takes its name from the high telecommunications tower serving the entire bay and dominates the hill. To buy a house here is not for everyone: even if this is not one of the most expensive districts of the cit, certainly is a lot less cheap than the popular neighborhoods that surround it. 

In the district shops and leisure are virtually absent, there are two bus lines that connect the district with the rest of the city, although residents can certainly afford one or more vehicles per household!

The most fascinating feature of the neighborhood, as well as having the Red Lights Districts easily reachable even by foot (with all that implies in terms of drinking and saving the taxi fare), surely is the amazing view of downtown skyline you can enjoy even while sitting in the pool or during a picnic in the garden with your friends. 

But if in the evening you don't want to sit at home, taking the car is just a matter of a minute to get into the city!

HAWTHORNE

If you are then asking yourself where the residents of Signal Hill go for shopping, the spontaneous answer can only be in the neighboring district of Hawthorne, that in its streets offers an enviable array of commercial activities.

It's also necessary to cross Hawthorne to get to one of the most important railway and highway junction on the whole city. If you do not know well the city it's pretty easy to get lost here!

And past this maze, to the east the district ends with one of the most unique train stations of the whole region:

Keep followin' and you'll be surprised!

[dedgren 830]

I've never been a big fan of city builder dense urbanization- something about scale, maybe- but Hawthorne is eye-catching.  I'm looking forward to the next update- might we see a map of just that area, or at least a high direct overhead shot?

 

David

[Mascalzone 186]

Hello fellows, here is a new entry for the Bright City CJ! I resume from where we left with the last one but, as always, let'sstart with your comments.

FEEDBACK CORNER

The Big Z I love the pic of the downtown from the backyard with the patio furniture. Your city is simply awesome.

I reworked again the big guys, not to make contortions but to refine Downtown. I hope that the job done will already be noticed in the pics below!

dedgren I've never been a big fan of city builder dense urbanization- something about scale, maybe- but Hawthorne is eye-catching.  I'm looking forward to the next update- might we see a map of just that area, or at least a high direct overhead shot?

I believe that this task has been already fulfilled with the first image of the last chapter, but maybe I did not understand what you actually asked. Please feel free to make a even more precise request!

HAWTHORNE JUNCTION

The last element shown you in the previous entry was the Hawthorne junction, and to share the exact same spot I show you it again this time looking south, ie directly towards the Aurora Central Station and facing downtown.

Immediately downstream to this ovrepass system, with four main tracks that directs to the west, the east and two to the north and that together constitute the main railway junction of the entire city with that of Stonehaven, there is an equally important for the highway known among residents as "The Octopus" which is the first of the three intersections that rides through the city center.

AURORA CENTRAL

Thinking I've illustrated you this complex in details enough, so let's proceed to the next stop: the central station! It is a structure built in art deco style, with ten tracks covered on five arches that can withstand a flow of over forty thousands passengers per day both through metropolitan and regional lines.

But what matters most is the fact that Aurora Central is at the heart of a transit system that includes: a bus lines terminal almost great as the railway station (I'm using it to just one-third of its capacity right now) supported by a depot in the immediate vicinity. Furthermore, just in front of the station exit there is a large metro station that is the connexion point between the two underground lines that links all the Maya Bay neighborhoods.

Last but not least is the large taxi rank. Essentially, from here, at the cost of a ticket people can reach any spot in the city except for some heights, like the Echelon Peak you well know already. The last key piece of the hub is the multistory parking capable of holding more than a thousand vehicles, widely used by locals and tourists to leave their cars and go for the public transport.

But perhaps the most important thing is the glance that anyone has just exiting the station, and in this it can be said that the City of Aurora offers a rather succulent spectacle. The financial district scrapers are just a step away, and the impression of being small before such magnificence is quite palpable!

The last picture of this entry it's for the New Caledonia Regional Council building, located right on the northwest of Aurora Central. Although not among the highest it is certainly one of the most impressive and important of the city skyscrapers. The building you see on the right the one open to the public as it houses the Regional Congress and the offices of the regional advisers.

And it's everything for this episode: I advise you not to miss the next ones as the guide will go through the streets of downtown, and I assure you that there will be dizziness!

 

 

Uoops a bonus pic

 

Keep followin' and you'll be surprised!

[Linoa06 1,374]

Oooo this is pretty! Looks really all built-up too, many more high-rises than in Glenvale  Kinda gives it a NYC feel (well, it IS the metlife building lol)

[dedgren 830]

Hi, sorry I wasn't clear- too many years being a lawyer instead of a normal human being.  I was hoping for a more traditional carto product.  The zoomed out image with the labels is quite helpful, but nothing beats a good old map you can unfold and spread out on the floor, err... monitor.  Nice street level shots of central Aurora in the last update- the ability to do that and have them look good is one of this game's strong points.

 

David

[Mascalzone 186]

Welcome back, this is the first of what will be a series of chapter dedicated to Downtown Aurora, with images taken at street level to show what you see walking in the city center.

FEEDBACK CORNER

Linoa06 Oooo this is pretty! Looks really all built-up too, many more high-rises than in Glenvale  Kinda gives it a NYC feel (well, it IS the metlife building lol). Lovely city!

Thanks! Yes that's the intention, achieve the same density of Midtown NY, but not only

dedgren I was hoping for a more traditional carto product.  The zoomed out image with the labels is quite helpful, but nothing beats a good old map you can unfold and spread out on the floor, err... monitor.  Nice street level shots of central Aurora in the last update- the ability to do that and have them look good is one of this game's strong points.

I've tried to install the Cimtographer mod, but unfortunately it causes game crashing. Atm what I can offer is just this http://i61.tinypic.com/25f4rqb.jpg. Btw I will try again to install it!

MilitantRadical Jam packed with great stuff. Stunning road and rail work.

TekindusT That's how I'd like my C:S cities looked like...

Thanks guys!

 

WALKING IN DOWNTOWN #1: CENTRAL STATION - APPLE STORE

With the last entry we left at the Central Station exit facing downtown, and now it's time to start a sightseeing tour to visit it as tourists. Let's start with the idea that, arriving at the station in the evening, before heading to the hotel you want a ride driven by passion for scrapers and the emotion of visiting a new city!

 

What you come into going out of the Central Station is Union Plaza, the meeting point of four of the major artieries of the city center and the Downtown starting point. The square is characterized by a small park with a monument to peace in its center, nicknamed "The Hug" from the residents.

Crossing the road then you reach the beginning of Madison Avenue. As you can see we're still in front of the Central Station.

And then you cannot stop looking up!

Turning the eyes south you have the glance of Madison Avenue and it's time to enter Downtown!

After few steps, arrived at the first corner we turn left into Hearst street.

A hundred meters further a magnificent view opens on many Art Deco scrapers: Andrews Square!

This square is very famous for the ice rink open all year!

And then it's time to look up again! The buildings overlooking this square are historical and considered the most beautiful in the entire city.

Just next to the ice rink there is a small grill kiosk very popular among tourists.

Although sandwiches here are not cheap at all it's time for a brief stop!

In the south part of the square there is a small plaza with tress and benches very frequented by lovers.

What a beast! This is the Caledonian Oil Company Building, also known as the COC!

At this point the eyes begins to be attracted by huge billboards...

And just around the corner you find that there are still more!

Going by some tens of meters on the left there is another square where there is the monument that celebrates the city's founder.

One of these billboard looks familiar

There appears something unexpected: a park that seems endless!

Viewing it seems it will take a whole day to visit! Where to go now? East or West?

The hotel is just in front of the bay so let's go west!

Wwwhat? A huge phone?

Yes it is!

Have to go to the hotel now, soon will be dinner time. Taaaaxi!

Keep followin' and you'll be surprised!