PDQAg

Amazing job ardicila!!! I just visited Chicago back in September and absolutely loved the unique look of that building. I even had breakfast in that coffee place located in the lobby. I also like in your screenshot with the monument across the street, just like the real one in Millenium Park and in the same location! Again, great job!!!

The smoke in San Marcos is starting to get a little better, but that is only because the wind is picking up and blowing it farther to the south-west. The fire here behind Cal State San Marcos has been 100% contained and is 50% under control. All the families evacuated from that fire here in San Marcos and San Elijo have been allowed to return to their homes, but there is still hard to breathe over near the university. My house is inbetween the Rice Fire in Fallbrook and the Witch Fire in RB, and Poway. Micah: The fire will probably not reach downtown San Diego, but there is a chance it could go through all the way to the ocean in the city of Carlsbad. Update: The Witch Fire is now heading in a more southern direction towards the coast at Del Mar. According to the news, it is less than 5 miles to the ocean currently with many houses inbetween. Unless the wind changes soon, the fire will probably go right through the city of Del Mar.

To say how quickly these fires have spread, I was hiking in the hills above San Marcos and Escondido in the Elfin Forrest yesterday and from the top of the hills I could see no smoke anywhere. Now that same trail has been completely burned and I might have taken the last pre-fire pictures of that area on my camera. The wind here is blowing 20+ miles per hour constantly and I can no longer see the hills to the south. One good bit of news though, the San Diego Wild Animal Park appears to have been spared. Also the news just reported that over 1000 fire engines are on their way from northern California, Nevada and Arizona and should be here by this evening. Let us all hope the winds diminish soon and the firefighters can get some control over these flames.

I live up in North County San Diego and can see two separate fires from my place. I've watched the nearest fire starting at 2am PST in which I could see the flames going over the top of the hill above Cal State University San Marcos. I can see the smoke from the largest fire to the east, called the "Witch Fire" and that smoke has made the sky to the south pitch black. So far my place is safe and I hope it stays that way. A quarter of a million people have received an evacuation order so far, and I have seen many houses go up in flames on the news. There are no fire-planes in the air since the winds are so severe it is unsafe for them to fly. If you want the lastest info, go to: http://www.signonsandiego.com or http://www.kusi.com/

Congratulations on the Trixie Darmok!!! You definitely deserved the "Best City Journal" award! As I have said before, your CJ is amazing and I am glad the Simtropolis community has been able to recognize your work with the award. Keep up the great work! I've missed your last two updates thanks to RL syndrome, but you have continued to impress me with your landscaping abilties. I especially like your work with the cycleways back in Update 13. How you managed to terraform the land to make the cycleway connection realistic and gorgeous in pics 6 through 8 is awe-inspiring. Then you follow that with Update 14 and you have (almost) left me speechless. I cannot choose the most beautiful pic of the "La Plaisance Estates" because they are all so fabulous. Using Peg's Pond and Stream Kits with all the foliage...just...wow. Just one quick question though, what fences did you use to surround the grassy areas of the estates? Hopefully I will soon be able to pick my jaw off the floor after that last update. I'm sure it will drop again once Update 15 is posted on Friday. Until then, take care Darmok and again, congratulations on the Trixie! Edit: Congratulations on the 100,000 views too! So Darmok, now that your CJ has had over 100,000 views AND won a Trixie (both on the same day) what are you going to do now?

I'm glad to hear that this project is still moving forward. I have been watching this project from the beginning and was getting worried that this BAT might go the way of so many other promising projects. While the Mariners are not my home team, I still will love seeing a new and better MLB field in SC4. I cannot wait to see your next update. Good luck on finishing the model!

Excellent update Darmok! I like the upgrades you made to Etienne's Junction, especially as you showed a few different attempts before the final product. It is always nice to see the creative process evolve and as you are a master with SC4, it helps the rest of us to learn. Your overview in picture 10 is gorgeous and I am glad that there is plenty more where that came from. I cannot wait to see that next 30% of your city and everything that comes after. As for what you said about making projects and then working on them is something I completely understand. I always have these visions in my head about how to build and create wonderous things, not just in SC4 but in real life too, such as buildings, transportation systems, and theme park rides. In fact, my ultimate real life career goal is to be a Disney Imagineer and help design their next generation of theme park attractions. I even worked as a ride operator at Disneyland for over a year to learn how they built all their rides. However I have yet to have the opportunity to take what is bouncing around my head and turn it into reality. Even if I don't get that dream job, I would still like to create things that people will enjoy, just as you are doing with your CJ. I'm sorry if I rambled on there, but I just want to let you know how much I appreciate the creativity and hard work that goes into your cities, because I wish I could do what you do. Until next time, take care!

Absolutely gorgeous work Darmok. You have taken your rural cities and turned them into works of art. I could tell you like doing rural setups as you have more of them than urban environments. Like you said it definately gives you much more freedom in how you want to put everything together. Your new farming sectore looks beautiful and #15 is my favorite shot of the update. It looks like it could really exist somewhere in the world. When I get SC4 running again I'm going to try my hand at all rural cities again, but this time with your example I think I just might get them to work. How much more space do you have in Anorien? From that last picture it looks like a good portion has been developed. You also mentioned you are going to be working on your next city soon, so does that mean we can expect teasers? Thank you for the well wishes on my "ring fund." While that will not happen soon, it is just nice to know that it is going to happen. Looking forward to Friday! Take care!

Fabulous work on the new farms. I have to say that pic11 is one of the most beautiful pictures I have ever seen in SC4. Just like in a real rural community, a row of trees is all that might separate the town from the nearby farms, and you have done an excellent job of capturing that image. The irrigation network you are using definately adds to the realism of your town. I'll definately be utilizing it one I can play SC4 again. I am looking forward to Friday's update! As for my computer, I was originally planning on buying a new one over a year ago. However real life changed my plans and all the money I have saved up for the new machine has been diverted into my girlfriend's "ring fund". So eventually I'll get a new computer, but that will not be for a while. Until then, I am hoping my machine survives to it's 7th birthday.

I actually was able to download The Mirage off of inSims.de several weeks ago from an obscure link located in their forums. I think I found a link to where you can still download it: The Mirage Casino by Torre Mayor. Their download section is a total mess, but that is understandable if the site is now shut down. I also downloaded the Bank of America Center in Houston, TX and and PanAm version of the MetLife Building in New York from links that I can no longer find, both by Torre Mayor. I am sure they are still there somewhere, but I could not relocate them. If BSC members or ST admins wish, I am willing to send them the files for upload to the STEX. I will not upload them myself since it is not my work. I am however in need of assistance in finding one BAT by Torre Mayor, Opera de la Bastille. This is one of the most beautiful real life buildings I have ever seen put into SC4 and I would love to have it in one of my cities someday. I have seen it in a few CJs here, with the best use of it going to Darmok in his Anduin Valley Region on Page 39. If anyone has any idea of where to get it, I would be very grateful. Thank you in advance.

Wonderful update (as always) Darmok. I really liked the irrigation canals for the new farming sector. Also that message in the field was a very nice touch. I wonder though, how long did it take for those pesky aliens to write that? Or was it just teenagers playing a prank on the farmer? Thank you for the link to the ploppable water, hopefully I will be able to use it someday. My computer celebrated its 6th birthday last month, so I am happy it is still running. Though if it dies, I finally have a better excuse to buy a new rig to play SC4! Looking forward to your next update! I'm glad it's so close to Friday! Take care!

As always Darmok, you have some very nice farms developing. Thank you for reminding me about the Super Demand Ordinance. I will try that out once I get to play SC4 again, though that will have to wait until I get a new computer. The one I have now is on its last legs and was barely able to run SC4 before Rush Hour came out. The last time I played, it took nearly 20 minutes to load a standard 4 large cities by 4 large cities region, and over an hour to get into one of those cities. That was with no plugins, not even NAM. While I cannot play, I can still learn from your example and whenever I get my new machine, I will try my best to build something as beautiful as your region. So keep up the great work! Seeing your updates once a week makes me feel like I am able to play again. Thank you. Take care! P.S. Your preview photo is gorgeous. How did you get that amazing water?

Thank you very much Darmok! I am honored that you have made me a citizen of Anduin Valley for it is an absolutely amazing region. Many prominent members of Simtropolis are citizens of your region and to be considered among them is a great compliment. Thank you again! Your new farms look fabulous. I cannot wait to see if the rural trails from your last picture will function and farms will grow. Personally I was never able to get a farming community to prosper, but hopefully my next one will after all I have learned from your CJ. I am looking forward to your next update! Take care!

Hi again Darmok, Wow...simply wow. I just finished reading your entire CJ up to this point and just want to tell you that you have done a spectacular job with everything. I love that your cities are not always gigantic metropolises and that you have been able to get rural cities to flourish. I have learned a great deal from how your terraform the land and cannot wait to impliment it into my cities. I am definately going to keep reading this journal for as long as you keep it going. I also noticed that Darklord asked for where your mini-tutorials are and that you do not have a table of contents for your CJ. So...I made one for you and every other reader of your journal. Feel free to repost it whenever and wherever you want. Here it is: Page 1: Introduction, Beginning of Anduin Valley, and Founding of Minas Tirath Page 7: Founding of Belfalas, and How Darmok makes a Harbor Page 10: Mini-Tutorial on Basic Harbor Terraforming and Construction Page 14: Founding of South Cair Andros Page 15: Mini-Tutorial on Winding Roads Page 17: Mini-Tutorial on Tunnelling Page 19: Founding of North Cair Andros Page 23: Founding of Anfalas Page 32: Founding of Dol Amroth Page 39: Anduin Valley Opera and Diplomatic Sector in Dol Amroth (My favorite part of your CJ) Page 42: Founding of Emyn Arnen Page 49: Founding of Osgiliath (Good Terraforming Example) Page 71: Mini-Tutorial on Roundabouts without NAM Page 72: Founding of Calenhad and Mini-Turorial on How to Make and Overpass Page 82: Founding of Tolfalas Page 90: Good Regional Picture up to Page 90 and Complete Photo of Tolfalas Page 91: Founding of Bruinen Fjord Page 100: The Historic Milestone of Page 100 and an Imageshack Mini-Tutorial Page 104: Mini-tutorial on Reclaiming Water Page 113: Latest Regional Photo Page 114: Founding of Anorian That just about covers it, I think. If I missed something I apologize, but it should all be there. I am looking forward to your next update Darmok! Take care, PDQAg