Smack Sim

There were some Stage 8 building lists floating around. Anyone know if there is a current database online? Not the defunct one here... -Smack

Interesting to learn that cities in the U.S. only approves the architects! Does that mean they have free hands to come up with whatever silly construction they can think of - while locals stand beside and can't do nothing about it? Well, that's not really the whole picture. We have fairly complex zoning laws in the U.S., that are really the purview of each individual state. Legislators seem to come up with all kinds of new zones and laws that change frequently. But in general, yeah, U.S. zoning generally doesn't care much about the style of building. It's all about 'land of the free', and such. One notable exception I can think of off hand is Santa Fe, which has some pretty strict laws on building style and height in it's downtown, which is all adobe! The capital, Washington, has a height restriction as well, so that the Washington Monument is visible from anywhere in town. These are rare laws though. But for the most part, the U.S. is an ugly clutter of raw individuality. No cohesion. Personally, I think it's a shame. I'm sure that living in strictly zoned areas is also painful though. My friend in Denmark says he needs to get city approval to do any construction on his house, even an interior closet! If the city thinks it's Un-Danish, it won't get approved. Here, if it's not a fire or safety hazard, it's o.k. to build. Personally, I wish individual cities would come up with their own styles, that zoning was more invasive. There's nothing to be proud about in every town that has identical strip-malls and subdivisions that have no style other than flashy billboards. -Smack

Agra, I'd love to see some close-ups of the rowhouses along the steep road in the foreground of your last picture. They look pretty nifty! Tunnels Side-by-Side. As a mayor who has gotten this to work on occassion, I think a missing element of trying to explain the difficulty is that 'proper terraforming' of the entrances is crucial. The only time I've gotten this to work is when the first tunnel doesn't change the terrain around it almost at all. Then the second tunnel doesn't have a problem forming. The huge difficulty is finding the right depth and slope for the tunnel entrance such that the terrain is un-changed by the first tunnel. Hope that makes sense, and if I figure out the elevation formula I'll definately post it. I don't think there is any tolerance for variation on this. The entrance has to be 'just so', or it'll change the landscape. Aim for that perfect first tunnel, and it'll work. -Smack

langem13, to continue our side discussion (this thread is full of them!), I like that idea of a foundation lot that is able to be built over. I wonder if it could be done with maybe a special type of lot, like god-mode trees? Something that's usually built over. As to PEG's lots, I think the problem he's relating is that the lot orientation is parallel to the pathway, which means it doesn't get it's cue from the road for elevation. -Smack

langem13, I don't think such a tile-lowering mod is possible. The terrain tools all seem to work on the corners of tiles as points. There is however the 'extra terrain tools' mod, which has a sinkhole tool. It's steep, but not perfectly steep. I think your idea is a good one though. While were at it, how's about a 'perfect slope' tool, from point A to point B, at differing elevations? That'd be great. -Smack

I wonder, would pedestrians cross over to a passenger rail like you have in your second picture? I bet they would. If you use the route query tool, maybe we can get a picture of them crossing from the street -> 'Well-train' -> passenger train. I'll see if I can manage it soon. Right now I'm too busy having fun with a huge park I'm making. Great new pics and angles Agra. - Smack

---------------- On 1/25/2004 5:48:28 AM fgottes wrote: So basically the rail station shown above sorounded by lot is nonfunctioning. Visually its incredible and putting a road tile on it would disturb the effect. Although the bus stop in front may seem like a good idea sims cannot pass from one transit enabled lot to another, so placing a bus stop would not be functional. How do you solve the problem of road crossings? P.S. there is a tutorial for transit enabling your lots out there. Personally I haven't had the time to look at it and I don't know how to transit enable lots either.---------------- Sounds like you answered your own question! I don't make lots, but i know there are some transit enabled ones out there. Try PEGs latest fountain-plaza things. Should work as a lot to start with. And Agra, I was kidding a bit, and your explanations are getting better as time goes by. I think you must be realizing that people are really interested and that it's not so easy for those of us not used to real 'fine-point' terraforming. Custom lots do help a bit, especially with the foundation trick. -Smack

---------------- On 1/25/2004 2:03:06 AM fgottes wrote: Agra the one prob I see with the ground level El rail is how can sims can't get to the station and hence be functional since its seperated from the road by one of Pegs lots? Very cool idea ---------------- Well, if they were PEG's lots, they'd probably be transit-enabled, and the pedestrians wouldn't have a problem dashing out of their car, across the plaza, over the fence, and into the speeding well-train. On the other hand, as Agra pointed out, the 'leveling' lots are really extraneous. Any foundation-building thing would work, including a busstop! Agra, simply superb! Wowies. Your mini-tutorials are great too, even if they take several readings to get the message. I think most readers will find that if they just give it a try, it isn't that hard, it's just slow to get it right, and takes some experimenting. I'm looking forward to more tutorials, etc.. -Smack

Thanks Teirusu, I think I'd forgotton the regular Snow-capped mod. -Smack

Could we get a re-cap of what files we need to use the snow-capped version? It's been crashing my game when I've used it. -Smack

Yeah Minotaur and Sandrasim, I know what you mean, but it's not for everyone, this 'super-realism'. It takes bags of patience and can get a bit dreary if not mixed with some good-old zone and forget play (just my perspective). I've found a fairly good balance wherin I expand my region and then go back and re-do one or two areas that seem promising. I've even gone back and obliterated whole large map cities that were in too important an area to be left 'uglified'. I say, 'start large', as large a region as your 'puter can handle. Then back it up. You can always go back and improve your first cities later. Just look at Eddiesville, Terracina, Nairobi, etc.. They kept going, even on 'boring' terrain. It's the mayor, not the landscape, that makes for fun regions! -Smack

Verra nice region, and even better custom graphics! My reqest is that you post some of your responses to peoples questions with their comments. Here's a question: How did you make the newspaper graphics exactly? I've been looking to do the same with my CJ as I prepare to clean up the journal. -Smack

Valadimir, nice work, especially so fast. You want comments? O.k., slow down! Once you get 'enough' sims, go back and try to pretty up some areas with park complexes, natural beauty, etc.. And I like the avenues. -Smack

Well you don't have to enter the contest Agra, I'm sure someone would enter your pics for you. And fire##### and others, there have been some contests already, and even Trixie awards. Agra will get a Trixie this year, I'm sure of it, but what kind of contest were you thinking of? How's about: 'most breathtaking and eye-catching close-up of a city'. That's how I think of Agra's pics. And Agra, no matter how many times you say 'and it's not that difficult either!', noone is going to believe you. You are just on another level of 'meticulous' than most people. For SC4, that's a good thing indeed. I don't think most people read the City Journals and think 'Most mayors don't pre-terraform their roadways properly'. For the most part, people just wing it. Please, never visit my region! No, I take that back. How about developing a city for me, pretty please? I've got 108 of them.. If that's not a possibility, how about loading up a small or medium city to Simtropolis? I'd love to plop a city of yours down and work from there. Just some ideas. Keep on brother... -Smack P.S. Spelling stuff (though I misspelled meticulous and others). aesthetics is belonging to the appreciation of beauty ascetics is about leading a simple life. sloop is a ship slope is a gradient -Smack