BlondeTwiggy

The Imperial Kingdom of Atlantis – a CJ by belfastuniguy The Imperial Kingdom of Atlantis, a highly detailed, thoroughly chronicled city journal, showcases belfastuniguy’s unique and magnificent approach to citybuilding. The futuristic, streamlined capital of Atlantis is full of geometric parks, vividly colored flora, and impeccable citybuilding: belfastuniguy’s signature style. An excellent selection of BATs, ranging from extraordinary skyscrapers to fountain-filled plazas, enhance the inspirational quality of his work. While belfastuniguy warns us his cities are not realistic, they certainly possess a grandoise splendor unlike that of any other: a clean supersleek look pervades each update, completing his image of an ideal society. Suggestions: Umm…right. Strong points: Meticulously planned cities and jaw-dropping beauty are Atlantis’s main strengths. Bottom line: Belfastuniguy’s stunning, structured, and seamless photos are amazingly breath-taking.

Auckland & Greater Region – New Zealand – a CJ by abcvs A challenging, hand-terraformed region map sets the stage for abcvs’s Auckland & Greater Region – New Zealand. While his efforts to conquer the hilly terrain are admirable, the first page’s farms and Maxis housing are somewhat unimpressive at first glance—and yet on second reflection appear quite good, considering he had only been playing then for six weeks. (When I had six weeks’ worth of playing under my belt, I was still trying to figure out what this mysterious thing called “demand” was. Then again, I am a blonde.. ) Craig has gone from completely ignorant of SC4, uploading, and Simtropolis to creating well-built cities loosely resembling their real-life counterparts, as shown in Google photos in one update. In his own words… “So partly what this journal is about is what a new person can achieve and accomplish, in a relatively short space of time.” Suggestions: Sometimes the resizing seems a little pixely (er, I think that’s from resizing anyway). And obviously, a STEX spree never hurt anybody. (Except your computer, which, if it is anything like mine, will now demand on taking five extra minutes to load a city tile.) Strong points: I like the use of green, especially with the trees and rock/terrain mods (they were a noticeable improvement!) The waterfalls are especially beautiful: Craig seems to have a knack for creating nature scenes. Bottom line: Want to see great terraforming, learn more about New Zealand, and get a good laugh from Craig’s comical commentary all at the same time? This CJ is for you!

Jargeah - a CJ by suplado! A stiff, dry wind, towering dunes, sand-pelted skyscrapers—these are the forces at work in suplado!’s Middle Eastern-style Jargeah. You can almost feel the hot sun beating down on your back as you explore suplado’s fantastic citybuilding by the sea. Photo effects enhance the pictures’ realistic, sleek beauty, making each superb update better than the last. Suplado incorporates his “coastal hotel”-making tutorial from the first page: stately skyscrapers bask in the sunlight, surrounded by their uncannily luxuriant gardens. Suggestions: Hmm…in my opinion, there is nothing blatantly wrong with Jargeah, so I’ll get back to you on that. Strong points: Suplado makes great use of terrain mods, photo editing, and BATs. Bottom line: Realistic deserty citybuilding make Jargeah a worthwhile visit!

What, you got something against dinner theatres? Hehehe nice, well-written review SpecialEddie, I'll have to check it out now!

The Republic of Kreveshka - griffen_star Griffen star’s Republic of Kreveshka is a fully developed CJ with history, beautiful pictures, and an informative newspaper. Included with his great citybuilding are added photo effects, such as highlighting one building by making it color and the rest black and white, and realistic-looking additions to the pictures such as labels, commentary, or smaller photos. I couldn’t resist adding this: a fashion school! I want to go there! Suggestions: It can't get much better. Strong points: Kreveshka is full of beautiful photos, interesting news, and expanding development. Bottom line: Nice in-game pictures, background, and editing make this well-rounded journal simply inspirational!

Ehmmm, well, guess no one cared about that review^^ Its such a great CJ though!! Ok anyway, here we go, double posting. National City - a CJ by GreekMan GreekMan’s National City shows us his sprawling cities possessing their strange, quiet ambiance. Although he frequently employs the grid, the overall affect is an organized, structured city with a strong downtown block and outlaying suburbs. For this reason, zoomed-out shots of the city can be quite impressive. Often accompanying the pictures are amusing yet trivial facts about everyday life in the city. Suggestions: Break away from the grid every once in a while just to mix things up. More custom content is needed to make cities beautiful, especially in the residential areas. Strong points: I enjoyed the random comments on the pictures, the use of water (canals, ponds, etc.), and the planning for mass transit systems. The planning and incorporation of an election were nice additives as well, with Ron Burgundy reporting the results. (I had a special request to add this! ) Bottom line: While GreekMan has room for improvement, he shows signs of a great city builder!

Wow, great review GB! Welcome to the team

I should have posted this about a week ago, but at last, here it is! Around the Globe & Chase City by topcliff Topcliff’s Chase City (now continued in Around the Globe/T-Met) shows much promise for a good city journal. While his citybuilding techniques could be more honed, he is constantly improving and adapting to better his cities. Around the Globe (now T-Met), his latest endeavor, seems to be a mock tribute to cities of the world (Leonapolis?). Suggestions: Pictures can be unrealistic at times: large, open spaces between sky-piercing towers need mid-rise and suburbs to fill them in. And details always make a city more interesting! Strong points: Topcliff’s cities are colorful (mostly thanks to a beautifully green terrain) and showcase his well-planned layouts. In the last pages of Chase City, he experiments with Photoshop and a great-looking airport. Bottom line: While Around the Globe seems to be on hold for now, his next work will no doubt be worth taking a look at!

Selkirk, Saskatchewan, Canada - A CJ by asturianu Asturianu’s Selkirk, Saskatchewan, Canada, is a tribute to his excellent citybuilding skills. From its humble beginnings as a tiny nineteenth-century town to the present-day metropolis, Selkirk showcases an uncanny likeness particular to that region of Canada—considering its Mayor has never visited his beloved country. Cristian’s abundance of mind-blowingly realistic region maps and diverse close-ups never cease to amaze us. Gritty farm life is interspersed by calm groves of trees, the broad river, and ingeniously lotted suburbs: garages facing a shared alley indicate a fine eye for detail. Downtown Selkirk is characteristically asturianu-style: carefully planned, griddish roads and generous concrete amidst boxy, mid-rise buildings. Suggestions? Heh. Strong points? Asturianu’s steady building is realistic, detailed, and enjoyable to look at. Bottom line: Although this seven-page CJ is still rather small, it shows outstanding work and potential for success. ¡Viva Canadá!

lol, great review eddie!

actually thats 4 reviews pat lol but seriously I want to do them, just gotta find the time

thankies Cristian jejeje well, I want to say Im sorry to everyone that is waiting for a review.....I really have had no time this week to look at CJs And like cristian said i am a bit stressed out so it might be a while...but I hope it will be worth the wait.

Yes nice start Sim_Air very honest and well written. LoL nice summary pat

informative review, Shingure!

LOL eddie and pat no no it's fine deever, i wanted to review yours. And I dont mind getting requests, send 'em in!!

Haifa - A CJ by Sim_Air “From your window; sea and mountains” Sim_Air’s recreation of the Israeli city of Haifa begins slow and easy with preliminary Google maps and photos. His steady, precise citybuilding makes for infrequent updates sometimes, but always worth a look. Sim_Air strives to make this simulated recreation accurate and careful. Crammed with details, his cities display not only good planning but also beautiful canals and gardens. Suggestions? Incorporate more custom content and make pics a bit bigger; sometimes I can’t see them very well…or perhaps it’s just the glare from this window… Strong points? Sim_Air’s work is detailed and accurate (as far as I can tell from the maps). Bottom line: "From your window: good recreation and citybuilding."

The Miami Tint A CJ by Deever From "Road Trip" Deever’s city journal, The Miami Tint, began with a promising start; his diagonal mosaics and applied yellowish-orange “tint” were creative and interesting, but what really brought in the commenters was the wonderful citybuilding. His weekly themes range from humorous to astounding: “Mommy, mommy, I got the NAM!” showed off his adept ability to make sunken highways, while “Me Ol’ City” makes us wonder how Maxis could ever look so good. From "Canals, Streams, Lakes, and All That Jazz" Suggestions? Perhaps Deever could show us more than just cities (i.e., nature), but I’m sure one of these days he’ll cover that in a theme. Strong points? Well-built cities and original ideas are Deever’s forte. I love the idea of a different subject each week (or month) for the pictures, which are always doused in a generous serving of the Miami tint. Bottom line: Be sure to pop into The Miami Tint for a refreshingly unique outlook on CJing.

Sorry, I get a lot of requests Xperian: Im glad! You have a nice CJ.

Sorry, its just a personal thing with me, but if 640x480 is better for you thats fine. Sim_Air & pat: thanks!

Sorry for the double post, but I have a review Bedevere, a city journal ahead of it’s time. – A CJ by Xperian Bedevere: A city journal ahead of its time, set in 2050, predicts a gloomy forecast for the planet Earth. Sea levels have risen ten meters, weather patterns are nonexistent, and anarchy is prevalent in the major metropolises of the world. People flee for their lives to higher ground, particularly to Bedevere, a small, peaceful island in the Pacific. Formed by two colliding tectonic plates, it is considered safe because of its constantly rising elevation. With this background in mind, Xperian begins to spin his fabulous tale with the help of beautifully edited pictures—even one with animated rain!—and TS2 shots. The many twists and puzzles delve deeper into the plot, leaving many questions unanswered. Why are sea levels rising so rapidly? Who nuked the city of Alistair? Why is a random dude named Wolf accompanying Jane and Tom in their seemingly-pointless robbery missions? All these, and more, will surely be answered in due time… Suggestions? Sometimes the story is a little hard to follow, but that may be because there are so many questions and plot twists. It also may be because the reviewer is a dumb blonde Strong points? A gripping story is not the only thing this CJ has going for it. Xperian’s pictures, realistically photoshopped to depict fog, rain, glaring lights, or general gloominess, are fitting to the story and showcase his well-built cities. Bottom line: An interesting story, eyecandy pics, great cities—Bedevere has it all.

The Republic of Kentworth – A CJ by mencc1701 “Nothing is impossible to the willing” Mencc1701’s Ratislava-inspired CJ, The Republic of Kentworth, is a classic style journal that shows much potential. He starts off with a peaceful region view of rivers winding through empty, broad plains, interrupted only by a farming settlement surrounding one of the rivers. His extensive history of the small, fishing-based cities is realistic and enjoyable. A later region shot shows significant growth; mencc has been busy building! His farms, though a bit square and predicable, are tasteful with a careful dose of trees and farm buildings. By the second page, we see more industrial and manufacturing growth in Fulcrum, an obviously well-planned city at the mouth of one of the rivers. In other higher-density cities, he shows off a sleek mass transit system, complete with impressive subway/elevated rail maps. Suggestions? Take advantage of the full 800x600 allowed in the forums (ctrl+shift+s for full-screen shots without having to cut out the menu), and incorporate more custom content to make the cities more attractive. Strong points? Personally, I loved his extensive use of trees along the shorelines and the great-looking subway system map. Bottom line: The Republic of Kentworth, a good read for the CJ history buff, is full of effective mass transit and solid citybuilding, but would benefit greatly from more use of custom content. --Twiggy My first review!! I hope I did okay.

Republic of Georgiapolis – A CJ by giorgos69 Giorgos69’s Republic of Georgiapolis, including Kypakos, Smyros, and Salonique, is a somewhat-unknown journal full of lavishly edited pictures and beautiful cities. At times his pictures are almost real with a grayish tint, portraying a down-to-earth, gritty city, while at other times his colors are very bright and bold, which other readers might find unreasonably saturated, but I personally love. Giorgos seems to be an expert in building nearly all types of cities: from midrise to towering skylines to gorgeous nature scenes, there isn’t anything he doesn’t do well. Suggestions? I might just be weird about this, but I would love for the pictures to be the full 800x600 to perhaps show more details. Strong points? Giorgos is excellent with Photoshop (or whatever editing program he uses) and the photos are always beautiful and crisp, sometimes bordering on real-life looking. The pictures are different and interesting, not all done in the same way. He incorporates custom content well and makes it all blend together in a wonderful style of CJing. Bottom line: The Republic of Georgiapolis showcases Giorgos’s great citybuilding enhanced by photo editing.

sure, I'll join, is there anythhing I need to know (that's not in the first post?)

ok, ill keep that in mind lol, i put sth in my sig so people know lol, thanks

I love Vandals fjella, nice review SpecialEddie!