Alien Love Secret

[MallowTheCloud 41]

WOW! This is so realistic! And those traffic maps... I once tried to do something like that, and I know from experience how excrutiating (sp?) it can be. And I use three tools; Paint, iDraw, and IrfanView. It doesn't make things faster, though.

I have to say it again... wow! Great job.


EDIT: I made a similar type of traffic map for my CJ. I hope you don't mind me using your idea. If you do, I'll take the map out.

[sloppet 3]

i agree very nice update!!!'

 

Welcome To Page #3 

[LakeTrash311 0]

Thanks everyone! Dang, page 3, only took  'bout 4 months to get here.

MallowTheCloud: About the maps: Go right ahead! I'm glad that you want to use my idea in your CJ.

[LakeTrash311 0]

How 'bout some new downtown shots...

The skyline still isn't really really high, but I think it has kept up with the rest of the city's growth quite well.

 

South side, looking north.

 

Looking west. Obviously I haven't downloaded any hi-rise BATs yet, but until I do I'm doing what I can to maintain a decent composition of skyscrapers.

 

A close-up of the new city hall. Looking east.

 

And a nighttime shot looking east. I really like this picture.

I want to do a new version of the roadmap soon, but that will likely not happen until next month, after I get the rest of this semester over with. Until then, enjoy...

[oroen 0]

I am shocked that I have never even OPENED this city journal before. SHOCKED!! This is just wonderful, from the great maps to the excellent road layout and the very realistic-looking development. I take it that you are from Texas, since you use the term Loop and have frontage roads along your freeways, even in the rural areas. I will definitely be checking in here in the future. Bunny for you:

[dudyconstructor 40]

wow the downtown looks pretty nice!
good job

[jacqulina 162]

excellent cj nice road layout

[PhilsCafe 8]

I like that downtown. There aren't too many skyscrapers and they aren't too high either. I don't like cities that contain only those gigantic highrise constructions.

- Phil

[LakeTrash311 0]

<bump>

  http://img197.echo.cx/img197/6717/alsmapupdate53kr.th.jpg>

[PhilsCafe 8]

Great map update. I can't wait for some more pics.

- Phil

[6underground 11]

that map is beautiful, how did you make it? It looks as though it took a considerable time to do

[screamomatic 14]

Yeah that map does look really cool.

[newyorkrunaway1 110]

Yeah, tell us how you made it so we can have wonderful maps liek you too. lol

[the_crispbread_witch 0]

Great transport map! Must have taken forever!

And great work with the region.

[LakeTrash311 0]

Thanks for the comments everyone!

Y'all are right about the time it takes to put the maps together. It's tedious. Really tedious. All I used to make them are MSPaint and Photoshop. I printscreened the traffic maps, one by one, in each city, and used Paint to cut and paste them together. I used Photoshop to change the color of all the streets to grey, and went back into Paint to color in the highways, city names, legend, etc. Basically make it look pretty. So, now you know the secret.

 

If there's a program out there that'll grab the traffic maps without starting up SC4, I would love to know about it.

 

Thanks again, and I'm happy to see interest in the road maps.

[Amryai200 2]

it looks awesome, and that region map is absolutely jaw-dropping, but it looks like you have some problems with abandonment. some of your zones are blank too. i get that problem in my cities also, it looks like you have too much high-wealth residential maybe? i think you should try to get more medium wealth, it should stop some of that abandonment you seem to be having. otherwise, though, great city

[LakeTrash311 0]

Hey everybody...

Real life calls often, and I have to answer. But I'm back again for now.

 

Amryai200: You're very right. I think the problem I've had has to do with the city being built to, I guess Texas-size proportions (i.e. spread way out, not like, say 1,000,000 sims on a single large city plot). I've had to use all kinds of mods to help this city stay alive. Without extensive modding, sims just move out. Buncha wimps. Most of 'em just can't stand the idea of commuting all the way from the suburbs. Plus, whenever I use the super demand mod (yeah I know, it's a hardcore cheat) it creates way too much $$$ development, and a lot of times I just have to bulldoze it and try to get some lower level stuff to move in.

 

Anyway, I've been working on the city pretty diligently again; the population has reached 750,000 sims. I recently installed the brilliant BSC Budget Tool, which will allow me to start building something pretty special (and very, very expensive) when the city reaches 1,000,000 sims. If you go back to the first page, you should be able to find out what it's gonna be...

 

Expect some new pics within the next few days.

[kmoh4346 2]

Well done, good job indeed. Just one comment/ criticism, in any city, I like you highway design but the street would be better if if you develope curve/bent roads, it will make your city more defined or blend with the surroundings. 

[Deathtoall 28]

nice work it really feels like a surburban city, thouhg there should be more growth north because  a real city would develop across the water

[thatmonkeysim 8]

wow extremely great job this is very realistic and i like the map! it gives afeeling of you actually trying to find oyur way through the city!

btw the nice city name

[mentarman 14]

Glad you're back.

[PhilsCafe 8]

Can't wait for the update.

- Phil

[MissTonya 2]

lovely homes near the bay

Yo it's Tonya!

[gurrgkud 2]

wow very nice! that's a nice downtown you have going on

[sirgeoj2 1]

I love how your city is laid out!  Your city is very realistic looking!  Keep up the great work!!

 

  

[LakeTrash311 0]

SimHighway 13: Downtown to South Shalla-Bal Island

13 stetches about 20 miles and provides access north to Shalla-Bal Island, dead ending in the sleepy village of Point Exodus. The freeway section downtown is one of Alien Love Secret's first freeways, and it shows with its steep inclines and treacherous ramps. I have quite a few pictures here, so I'm gonna divide the update into two posts.

 

http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/7697/simhiway1313he.jpg align=baseline>

13 begins at SimNation highway 7 at the southern side of downtown.

 

http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/7628/simhiway1327om.jpg align=baseline>

SimNation highway 79 branches off as 13 wraps around the western edge of downtown.

 

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/5364/simhiway1335do.jpg align=baseline>

SH13/SN20 interchange.

 

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/3575/simhiway1349gj.jpg align=baseline>

Leaving downtown. Some redevelopment happening here.

 

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/3756/simhiway1354fw.jpg align=baseline>

Approaching the Shalla-Bal Island Bridge.

 

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/1900/simhiway1369bc.jpg align=baseline>

The ferry here leads to Arrowhead Point, to the East.

 

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/5839/simhiway1375bj.jpg align=baseline>
The Shalla-Bal Island Bridge.

 

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/7228/simhiway1385iv.jpg align=baseline>

Entering Shalla-Bal Island.

[LakeTrash311 0]

SimHighway 13: South Shalla-Bal Island to Point Exodus

Only recently has the island experienced serious growth. Most of the growth has occured to the South, East, and Northeast, as the real estate is cheaper and easier to develop.

South Shalla-Bal Island is still within Alien Love Secret city limits.

 

For years this short section has been a limited access avenue. It won't be long before it's upgraded.

 

The freeway section to the North is brand spanking new. Before, it was just a four lane road.

 

The old farmland to the North will have a date with the bulldozer before too long.

 

Another new freeway section built on separate right of way. The old road is now a business route.

 

The highway winds through some new subdivisions.

 

The city of Shalla-Bal Island.

 

The highway makes a dramatic downgrade into a two lane road as it leaves civilization and heads out to the Northern end of the island.

 

After four miles of nothing, SH 13 approaches Point Exodus.

 

The highway finally dead-ends right at the water, where a fancy schmancy resort is planned.

 

As always, thanks for all your comments. You always make my day with that! Keep 'em coming!

[PhilsCafe 8]

Finally an update and it turned out great. I like how you present the highway winding through Downtown, suburbs and industry. And I also like how you've laid out the subdivisions.

Maybe next time you could use some BSC farms. They give a lot to the variety. I first didn't use them at all, until I tried to make a farming town. Now, I wouldn't work without them anymore.

- Phil

[LakeTrash311 0]

Hello all...

So... by now, I'm sure those of you who have followed this CJ in the past have figured out as well as I have that updates are infrequent and are likely to be infrequent in the future. But I'll try to make up for the lack of frequent updates by, every now and then, putting up the best updates that I can.

 

With that said, first off I'll say that the city's metro area is nearing 900,000 sims. PhilsCafe, I tried out the BSC farms like you mentioned, and they're absoulutely beautiful. Props to everyone who created these farms. All of my farms have been rebuilt, and more farmland has been added. Also, if you go back to page 1, you'll see that I have plans to, when the time comes, replace Love Secret Municipal Airport. And, well, I meant what I said. I plan to complete this just after the population reaches 1,000,000. 

 

 

(I had to throw in at least something. Consider it a teaser.)

 

But do expect an update soon. With plenty of pictures, of course.

 

 

[LakeTrash311 0]

Today I'll show off some of the city's surrounding areas.

On the south side, Sledgehammer Village, and Banana Mango City have experienced a good deal of development.

 

 

Slegdehammer Village, as it sits today. Notice that all of the farmland has been redeveloped. The block sizes have changed too. They are now approximately 1/4 sq mile each.

 

 

 

 

 

If you look on Google Maps' satellite images at the farmland of the US Great Plains or Southern California, you can see the inspiration for this part of the Alien Love Secret region.

 

 

Ok, I have more for this update, but Imageshack is acting up on me. More to come.