First things first. I promised sebes a new map. This map is actually "jumping ahead" on things a little bit. You'll see some features of the next update already in place here. The main focus of the update is marked, and secondary focus (which we'll begin with) should be fairly easy to find.

(There's also a rather odd series of hidden references on some of the residential streets, too. )

Work is continuing on putting Highway 61 through, and in order to get through a rather steep hill at a reasonable grade, the blasting crews have been brought in. (This is on the north end of the map, just to the east of Grevano Drive)

At the other end of the project, Caldera Lane (remember it?) will be re-aligned to make room for the new freeway. The existing alignment is not particularly favorable, as it curves in the middle of what will be Highway 61, and for other reasons you'll see rather soon.

In order to make room for the overpass, the curves have had to be made a little sharper, but smoother. In the second pic, you can also see the existing Highway 61 alignment, as well where the new one comes in in relation.

Here's another pic of where the new and old alignments meet, right at the existing interchange with the southern segment of Argentum Boulevard, which runs down to downtown Angstrom. (A northern segment of Argentum Boulevard runs through downtown Argentum up to Gray Creek, which was formerly part of Highway 61 until it was decommissioned with the completion of the existing freeway).

Wilson Road has also been closed in anticipation of more construction.

And now for something completely different. I've started playing around with terrain modding, and developed a new mod using c.p.'s (aka cycledogg) textures. I'm a big fan of his terrain textures, and have been using his Grand Canyon mod for most of this MD, but I always felt it was more suited for the deserts of the Southwestern US, rather than the deserts of the Northwestern US. I may still tweak it a little, but thus far, I'm fairly happy with it. If anyone's interested in it, I could make the terrain controller publicly available.

That's it for this update. More construction ahead . . .

-Alex (Tarkus)