An Alternate Universe

Good re-creation, but there's a small correction that needs to be made: Link Light Rail (not all caps) only goes to the Westlake Center in Downtown Seattle. The planned extensions to the University of Washington is scheduled to open in 2016. Also, the satellite terminals are connected by a people mover system (similar to a scaled-down automated subway), not an underground moving walkway (which you can, as the name implies, walk on).

SounderBruce:  Thanks for following my CJ, and for your comments!  While an exact re-creation is not what I intended, thus, the name "Alternate Universe", I do appreciate you pointing out the differences between my version of the cities and real world.  One of the things I had originally hoped that my readers would do is exactly this... finding the differences between my "alternate universe" cities, and "our universe" (real world) versions of the same cities.  Think of my CJ as a parallel universe where most things are similar to real world, but some are not :) and I thought it would be fun for readers to find the key differences and point them out. 

 

With that said, in response to your comments, there are several items where I did not intend for there to be a major difference between my "alternate universe" and real world.  Capitalizing Link was one of them, so I've edited my post to reflect the change and removed the caps.  Similarly, I didn't realize the UW extension wasn't finished, so I've gone ahead and changed that as well.  The northern terminus of Central Link is now noted as Westlake Center.

 

As far as the underground people mover goes, yes, as I originally posted, the N and S Satellites are connected by people mover, as they are in real world.  However, I believe that you may have been commenting on my underground walkway connecting the Link LRT station w/the main terminal at SEA.  This was an intended difference vs. real world... I believe that in real world, the Link station and airport terminal are connected by pedestrian sky-bridge?  At first, I tried to create the bridge, but because of game mechanics, doing so was somewhat difficult and didn't meet my satisfaction.  It would have required major re-work of the airport's approach roadways, so I just wrote it off as an underground walkway connection and chalked the difference up to alternate reality :)

 

Anyways, thanks again for your comments!  They are very helpful and I hope you continue to follow my CJ!

You should make a tutorial on how to make custom airport your airport is just so beautifully planned and its massive :O those terminals though :O it's damn awesome btw can you make a tutorial ?

I believe that in real world, the Link station and airport terminal are connected by pedestrian sky-bridge?

 

It's not quite as grand as that. A skybridge over the drop-off area, then into a partially-covered walkway in the parking garage before getting to the platforms.

Nice airport, massive and realistic. :)

Gonna keep clappin' em 'till it hurts! Awesome job with the airport!

Thanks for your comments everyone!  I'm glad that everyone likes the airport!  Building airports is one of the things I enjoy most about SC4, especially with the abundance of custom content and pieces out there from the SC4 airport teams like AC, SCAG, and users such as my friend, mike_oxlong.  Without their hard work, none of it would be possible.  I do have many other airports lined up for the future.  Some are, believe it or not, even more massive than SeaTac (for example, I recently finished the passenger terminals for some not-so-small airport in the US state of Georgia (not the country)... ;) ).  I hope to move along each city within about 4 to 5 entries each, at most... but a lot of it will depend on real life and how fast I can get each city to somewhat presentable form.  If you can't already tell, I'm trying to stick with the same format for each city... land at airport, take some sort of transportation to downtown, see sights in between and wrap up after downtown.  Later on, I might deviate a little from that format for the larger cities, but luckily it's been pretty manageable so far for the medium sized cities we've "visited".  So there will be many airports in the near future to see :)

 

Anyhow, here are my responses to each of you:

 

sarthakknight:  I'm glad you like my airport!  I haven't ever thought of doing a tutorial.  Honestly, I didn't think I was doing anything special, but if there's enough demand, I could put something together.  I'd have to give it some thought as I'd want to do a good job at it and would want there to be real value for other SC4 gamers.  For now, if you're looking for help with airports, you can always PM me... I'd be glad to help in any way I can.  Basically, my technique (if you can call it that) is comprised of a combination of personal experience and memory, a lot of trial and error with the puzzle pieces and content, and even more referencing of Google Maps/Google Earth satellite images and each airport's website.  One piece of advice I can give right now is to start out with a small airport so that you get accustomed to the puzzle pieces and content in-game, and where each would be appropriate to plop.  For me, that airport was Portland/PDX (see my very first CJ entry).  It isn't all that big and was very manageable... it also had an easy "H-shape" for the passenger terminal, so it didn't require a lot of curves.  I also know there are some other Simtropolis members out there who are pilots and could offer advice that I couldn't... especially in regards to proper sign placement, taxi-ways, etc., etc.  For these, I've had to unfortunately, rely on Google Earth, as I wouldn't know a thing about actually flying a plane, let alone getting it from jetway to runway, or even offering any sort of advice in doing so... ;)

 

SounderBruce:  Thanks for that video!  Last time I was in Seattle, I didn't get a chance to check out the Link station, so that video is really helpful!  You're right, it isn't all that grand, heheh.  I think something like that wouldn't be too hard to replicate in game.  I'd have to probably move the station a bit closer to the parking garage and get rid of the surface parking lot I have plopped in between, but that might be worth a future update.  I guess I can chalk it up to alternate reality airport improvements courtesy of some sound consulting from SounderBruce Planning Company :)

 

jmsepe: Thanks!  I'm glad you like it!

 

TekindusT: Thanks my friend!  I'm glad you're here following my CJ!

 

 

I should have another Seattle area entry ready to go maybe later today or tomorrow at the earliest, this weekend at the latest.  If you can't tell, I've been trying to play around with the picture formats from my Portland entries... so I apologize for the inconsistencies in some of the pictures... I'm new to this so just trying to find what I like best as far as being presentable.

 

Thanks again for all your comments guys, I really do appreciate them and please feel free to keep 'em coming and I will try my best to respond!

Perfect airport,very realistic and beautiful. Why don't mine look this way? Great work,I can't wait to see more of your work. Thanks for sharing!

Beautiful city, good work