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Good morning or afternoon to all, This is a repost of my CJ entry #52, which unfortunatelly was also lost due to ST outage. Here it is again for you to reenjoy. The bad news is that I already overwrote the text file in which I stored the story that this episode presented. I am a little short on time and a little too disappointed to start over so if you don't mind, I'll just post pictures only and call it a day. So sorry... I can provide a quick recap and the highlights to help you understand the context of these pictures though. I will also appreciate if you could again cast your votes in the poll! - The Activator tribe is unable to sell most of their mining and industry products to the Altruists (their only contact so far) due to environmental laws that Altruists enforce - The Activator tribe reached out to the Businesspeople in order to ship such goods out - This new deal accelerated development in Industrious Hills and had positive impact in the form of establishment of Business Class. Both cities are now connected by an air-bridge - The garden city of Tanje governed by the Residents has a small Altruist minority - This minority was largely discriminated against by the elitist and isolationist Residents - The Altruist government embarked on an ambitious plan to establish a large city just outside Tanje, in order to incorporate this small minority into a robust and stable community, effectively, not leaving anyone behind - This new city (Charity Peak) is known for its fantastic natural features including monumental mountain, picturesque waterfront and cozy downtown, reminiscent of cities like Luxembourg or Liege Enjoy. SimCity:Tribalism is also back. This last picture doesn't fit to the current time of year but since it was a part of the original entry, I shall include it anyway.
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Recent disasters on the Businesspeople territory made many New Udananian tribes more aware and cautious about what happens around them. Government officials understood that their respective societies are still in a nascent state and remain vulnerable in case of earthquakes, bolide impacts or challenges of the modern world. Because of this, many capitals took steps to better prepare their populations for the future. Various projects were initiated to create new tools and opportunities that could be used in times of crises or unexpected events. Today's episode explores some of these measures. We begin our journey in the Resident tribe, whose greatest weakness is its low population. The elitist social structure of the tribe allows only select few to be a part of it, which is in fact the very source of the problem. The Residents attempted to increase the population numbers by adding an attractive residential zone to Common Interest. The new neighborhood proved to be a success and lured 4000 new citizens to the town. The Businesspeople and Altruists who co-own the city, contributed to the project by adding shops and essential infrastructure to the town's newest zone. The circular residential zone in the town designed by the latter, expanded a bit as well. What comes as a veritable surprise is the fact that, compared to the other tribes, the Slackers embarked on one of the most ambitious resilience projects in New Udanani, owing perhaps to their sailing experience and maritime culture. First of all, the tribe made good on their promise to limit ties with their neighbors - taking advantage of the turmoil that engulfed the nearby Businesspeople towns, the Slackers performed a blitz landgrab and took control of a city tile East of their capital, making sure that the Businesspeople won't claim it for themselves in the future. The new town became an extension to neighboring Cape Careless, creating an almost seamless continuation of the capital's seaport and the working-class residential areas. As you can see, now, the entire Southern coast under Slacker control is a large seaport area through which countless goods are processed daily. The tribe is now able to dictate the shipping and customs fees as they wish. Behold, Lazy Bay and the Susprall Cargo Seaport. And just a small icing on the cake - the Slackers introduced tolls on their part of R-1 highway so now, Businesspeople visitors must pay their "respects" upon entering Cape Careless... Another ambitious infrastructural project was also completed on the other edge of New Udanani. Altruists, following the well-informed advice of the Revered Spirits of the St'ropoli Dimension, built a high-speed railway to connect their largest city (Optimism) with their other towns off to the Southwest. The Altruist bullet train operates from two stations located in Optimism's commercial strips. The stations are placed close to the main residential area, so it takes just between 8 to 15 minutes to get to a station, depending whether one boards subway or a bus. Also, notice the safety fencing running along the ground-based railway. A mandatory feature sanctioned by the Altruist regulations, that aims to prevent animals and oblivious pedestrians from entering the tracks. But the Altruist railway project is not fully complete... The tribe would like to ask you one more follow up question regarding the new communication line. Namely, where the terminus for it should be built? Please acquaint yourself with the proposals below and cast your spiritually inspired vote... Moving on, it is time to take note of the changes that took place on the Smileyface territories. Innovation and science are one of the best ways to build resilience, so the tribe decided to expand their special "Future Technology Development and Special Economic Zone" (abbreviated as "FTDSEZ") in the town of Tralfamadore. The town expanded towards West and new plots of land dedicated to clean and futuristic industries were designated. Three new companies were also allowed to set up shop in the zone. Here are their short information sheets if you'd like to know them better. Due to the fact that the rules regarding running business in FTDSEZ are quite strict, the town is rather sleepy at the moment. However, Western Tralfamadore has an important natural gem - an extensive wetland and jungle forest area known as Cat-Nilam Bayou. The happiness-pursuing Smileyfaces already explore the swamps by the means of watersports. Two spontaneously (and semi-legally) built boat docks were constructed in the town. So far, the Smileyface authorities added a small Park Ranger station in the middle of the area to keep an eye on the tourists but the future protection of Cat-Nilam Bayou will have to be discussed in detail when population and tourist numbers rise. Last but not least, it should be mentioned that the Activators' recipe for building resilience did not change - expanding the size of their cities and mining ground to extract valuable resources is still the tribe's preferred way of gaining strength. However, the violation of The Sacred Pond of Forces which influences the harmony of the entire New Udanani, exacerbated ecological problems that Kuun Lan Plateau experiences due to mining activities. The hydrology of this area has always been rather fragile but the serious damage dealt to The Sacred Pond of Forces was the proverbial "last straw" and it spun the process of plateau's desertification out of control. Within last year, water table dropped so drastically that it turned the entire area into a desolate, wind-swept sand sea! Sadly, it occurred to me that I forgot to answer the comments that you submitted under Episodes 41 and 42. I'm so sorry about it! This is why today the comment replies section will be much longer than usual as I wish to reply to all the comments left under previous episodes. Here we go! Comment replies (#41) @tonyr - Hey tonyr and sorry for a belated reply to your question. If you mean the MMP grass, I use items in the BSC ALN RRP Pasture Flora 2.0 package. @TogaMasterJohn - Happy to hear you like rural towns with a little bit of nature. This is my preference as well! @Honolulu - I'm flattered. Thank you. @TakemeThere - Thank you for nice words @TakemeThere and for your vote! Comment replies (#42) @TogaMasterJohn - Thank you for a nice, analytical comment! There is a lot of nice stuff in these cities but long coastal areas sure have some of the greatest potential! @Tamijo - Bullet train it is! Thank you for your vote and comment. @TakemeThere - I understand your affinity for highways! To be honest, this was my first transportation choice as well but the Spirits decided differently. Comment replies (#43) @Tamijo - True! Crime deserves punishment. And the world that is too civilized is indeed not a good place to live! @TogaMasterJohn - I'm glad you like the plot twist! Recovery from the damages and diplomatic disillusion might indeed be an interesting follow up to this episode. @kschmidt - You got me intrigued... Is this story available somewhere here? It sounds very interesting but I'm afraid I never stumbled upon this CJ.
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Credits: Subway and rapeseed field images in the feature image by DCInfo and Okko Pykkö respectively. The Businesspeople's decision to construct a tourist resort in the forbidden area of The Sacred Pond of Forces provoked a significant backlash throughout New Udanani. Pilgrimages to the Mirror of Seeing (a New Udananian oracle and a form of orery) intensified as people tried to ask the spirits and the stars about possible outcomes of this troublesome event. But, the voice of controversies surrounding these issues fades away the farther one moves from the Western Udananian coast. In the calm, distant corners of New Udanani that you are about to see today, the volatile mixture of business, politics and religion is a largely alien concept and the entire issue has, at least for now, been largely disregarded. Despite all the quarrels and fear that the Businesspeople's new endeavor provokes, the Localvore and Activator communities are calm and focus on their own backyards. The benefits of this self-centered approach are pretty evident when you take a look at their cities. Farmington, the Localvore capital is as pretty as ever with its wide-open meadows and fields. Some changes were introduced in the town, however, and several important investments took place since your last visit. Portions of smaller farms were repurposed for residential development. The number of people who want to join the Localvore tribe has increased in recent years and the local government decided that it might be a good time to provide extra living space for potential new citizens. As a result, the town expanded as far as population numbers are concerned and some new homes were built. The Localvores also invested in their transport infrastructure. A new road connecting Farmington to Blossom was built. The movement of commodities between two towns was modernized as well. First of all, the single-tracked rail line connecting the towns was expanded into a two-way network. What is more, an impressive grain terminal was built in place of the previously existing (and rather small) cargo station - the facility employs about 100 people. The farm area lost due to new projects, was reclaimed thanks to the establishment of two, new fruit plantations. These large establishments are cross-border and part of them lies in Farmington while the rest is within Blossom's administrative borders. The double-tracked rail line is, of course, continued in this second town. Of course, the town of Blossom plans for expansion as there is lots of space available in it. However, The Revered Spirits of the St'ropoli Dimension may also take a part in shaping the town's future... The question is - should a large lake be created within Blossom's limits? Or is it just a waste of arable land? Take your part in the vote and decide on the matter! Farming has also taken root in a place that many people would regard as not conducive to nature and plant life... Surprisingly, the Activators decided to build a town dominated by agriculture... It is indeed an unlikely achievement for a tribe which focuses on industry and heavily urbanized terrain. The Activators simply recognized that farmlands can cover huge areas of unused land very quickly. This, of course, helps to fulfil one of the tribe's core principles of avoiding empty spaces. Of course, one can easily spot a significant industrial area in the town. It is a bit cleaner than other industries in nearby Buildmoar and Industrious Hills. Most of the facilities present are home appliance factories, mills, food processing plants and light chemical plants (dealing with production of medicines and nutrient additives). The town of Groundcover neighbors the capital of Buildmoar to the West. Both cities share a border and transition from one into the other is seamless... mostly. The unusual employment options available in Groundcover, draw significant amounts of job-seekers. Some may ask, however, if hunting for a perfect job is really worth it, given how complicated the streets and commuting through Activator cities are... It is worth it. Because there is simply no more need to "navigate" these streets and sit through traffic jams. Communication between Activator cities was just made easier thanks to the comprehensive subway system. This, combined with tram lines, makes all travels significantly shorter and more cost-effective. Two subway lines are currently in operation. One of them (H1) connects Industrious Hills and Buildmoar. The other, (H2) serves as a connection between the H1 line and Buildmoar's city center. This new form of communication has become a big hit with commuters. It is estimated that the subway system services about 15% of Activator's workforce. Below, you can find some pictures of existing stations and the subway maps - one in a leaflet form and one superimposed over city plans. This will, hopefully, facilitate your next visit to Activator metropolitan areas. The interesting fact about the Activator subway is that knowledge required to build it was derived directly from the tribe's experience and technology involved in their mining operations. The city of Kuun Lan, where most of this industry flourishes, was central to this ambitious project and continues to supply the tribe with much-needed building materials. The famous quarry located in the town underwent some changes in recent years as well. All deposits were recorded in a special registry and work around them reorganized for better accessibility. This is why conveyor belts and separators were moved outside of the mining pit, while the pit obtained characteristic "snail" pattern, known from other quarries around the world. For the record, the result of the voting you participated in, in one of the previous episodes was taken into account. Therefore, be it known, that the Businesspeople have legalized gambling in their cities, significantly increasing the income of their respective, local budgets. As you can see, living away from political centers of gravity has certain undoubtable benefits. Focusing on one's own progress breeds development and peace required to take on new challenges. Sometimes, a little bit of healthy egocentrism is what really makes the difference! Comment replies: @TogaMasterJohn - Wow... I took a good look on the towns you mentioned last time and they indeed look terrific from what I can see on the map. Winona Lake is definitely a place if you like to spend your time by the water. I also like the arrangement of Warsaw's hotel and food places along Center Street - it looks like local government recognizes the tourist value of this spot on Indiana's map! Not to even mention the close proximity of some of America's most famous towns! @Tamijo - I agree!
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Smart budget and great ambitions
TheMurderousCricket posted a City Journal entry in SimCity: Tribalism
The Altruist tribe grows like never before. New contacts, especially those made with Businesspeople and Activators, convinced Altruist authorities to readjust and fine-tune some of their fiscal and urban development policies. A close study of economics and budget management techniques, encouraged the Altruist authorities to order their Ministry of Education to carry out a reform (or "experiment" if you will) that could lower the maintenance cost of schools and high schools but keep their coverage and learning qualities intact. An innovative pilot program has been introduced with the following goals put forward: School bus services need to be cancelled because they generate 50-75% of education costs With the lack of dedicated transports, more schools are needed to keep the population covered Number of individuals aged 7 - 18 needs to be determined for each neighborhood to ensure accurate and cost-effective school placement The reform was first tested in Cabot Cove and Mindfulness. It turned out that the update of school system brought about surprisingly high savings and had, indeed, no detrimental effect on the quality or pace of learning... The following materials show the changes resulting from the reform. This time, the differences are not as significant as in other before-after shots, but it is still easy to notice how things have changed. Significant, positive shifts in budget balance are also documented in the pictures below. The savings obtained thanks to the project's success made it possible to create some financial reserves that were redistributed into other fields of life. Some of the money was used to create pioneer agroforestry farms in Mindfulness - an ecological form of agriculture which embraces biodiversity and uses forests as a source of natural nutrients and protection for the crops grown nearby. What is also notable is that not a single tree was cut down while zoning for and planting the fields. Moreover, even the military got their share of savings and the Altruist 3rd Public Defence Company has finally obtained a permanent home base and storage facilities. But more importantly, additional funds allowed the Altruists to purchase much-needed construction materials that the Activator tribe delivered to their shores by Jaland'di River. This is how the city of Charity came into existence, and this is where we shall go now. The Altruists wanted to establish a new urban center in their area for a long time. Moreover, the political ambition was to turn this potential project into a proper city rather than a simple town to which most of the people got used to. Generally, the plan was to build a densely-populated metropolis where scores of people could live but still enjoy good living conditions, security and ecological sustainability. Charity is the materialization of this idea. It is currently home to around 20000 citizens, which makes it the most populous Altruist city so far. It is also concentric in shape, just like all other cities of this tribe. Projections show that, in the best case scenario, the city can achieve a total population of 500000 citizens (for comparison, the current population of the entire New Udanani is just 357000...) The middle of the city consists of high-density residential areas and services. Its outer reaches are occupied by dirty and manufacturing industries, (the local population is not yet qualified to work in I-HT) and the "ring" laying in between the two zones is a commerce-dominated strip. Charity is also the first city in New Udanani to have a solar power plant and a subway system in place. Communication is also supported by the so-called "grass walks" - a trademark Altruist solution which allows workers to commute to their jobs by foot or reach a public transit stop after a short stroll. Charity develops to the best of its abilities but many of the citizens complain that it is still not ecological and green enough. Indeed, the early drive for population numbers did not leave too much space for trees and shrubs. Another problem is the local crime rate which stems from unemployment among... R$$$ citizens. This is why, in its current state at least, the city is often known as "the least Altruist of the Altruist cities". Regardless, the new settlement is on a firm footing due to the good financial management of key city services. Bargain prices for the Activator construction resources have played a significant role in this fiscal security too. For a time at least... The Altruist enthusiasm towards the imports weakened when the tribe learned that Activator refineries and industrial facilities put enormous strain on the environment. Because of these concerns, it was decided to cut down on trade exchange with this tribe. Now, only the goods produced with minimal environmental impact are accepted. This results in significant 80% reduction in Activator exports towards North... Similarly, Altruists were quite upset to learn that continuous mining activities in Kuun Lan seriously impact local waterbed and accelerate soil erosion, causing steady desertification around the town and the plateau it sits on. According to the surveys conducted by two independent NGOs, no efforts were taken yet to recultivate these sand-ridden areas. They are considered "developed" by Activator standards and in no need of any further intervention... Despite these frictions, the two tribes continue to maintain diplomatic relations, even tough they have been soured recently. The Altruists assure that they stand ready to share strategies and technologies that can help their neighbors from the South become more ecologically balanced. This offer, however, has yet to be answered. Meanwhile, the Activator drive to develop and grow doesn't seem to slow down. Comment replies: @Tamijo - One of my favs as well. @Jackspital - Thanks @Jackspital! @TogaMasterJohn - Tough experiences create strongest bonds.- 3 Comments
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Good morning or evening depending from where you are joining. I believe that due to my recent injury and hospital visit, some of the voting results on important matters regarding New Udanani have not been appropriately presented to you. This is why we shall now have a quick rundown of all relevant votes. Accordingly, be it known that: VIP Terrain Mod was chosen as a rock texture for New Udanani Water texture for New Udanani remains unchanged (Rivit Coastal Modd - Tropic) A second, narrative-oriented city journal on New Udanani will be launched, focusing on cultural and historical aspects of the region and the individual tribes. If you are a reader type, you will enjoy it. Activators shall export their surplus mining products to Altruists. And the latter point is where we start off today... The convoy of barges, loaded full with prime-quality limestone, marble and gravel moved silently up Jaland'di River. Respecting the decision of the Revered Spirits of the St'ropoli Dimension, the Activators have sent a trade mission towards the area occupied by the Northern tribes, hoping to make good profit and new friends. Despite their advantageous geographical location, the Activators have not engaged in any politics yet. The captain of the convoy was enjoying his morning coffee, coordinating the movement of the fleet through the river. As he was taking the next sip of his favorite drink, the radio went on and a somewhat bored but simultaneously tense, military voice announced: - This is Altruist River Patrol corvette "Kingfisher" to approaching barge convoy. Set your transponder code to zero-five-eight-seven and state your business. The captain put his coffee aside, grabbed the microphone and quickly replied: - Setting transponder now... This is Activator merchant convoy, bringing industrial materials for trade or commercial exchange. Requesting permission to moor in Serene Thoughts. - Confirmed. On your way. The barges soon moved past the patrol boat and thrown anchor just outside Serene Thoughts. The government officials have been notified about the arrival of new guests from as yet undiscovered tribe. Two hours later, Activator officials and merchants were invited for a round of talks in the local town center. After the talks concluded, Altruists left the town center with mixed feelings... They were quite shocked to learn that Activators consider harmful dirty industry or sand-swept mining wastelands to be a form of development as good as forests and parks... Some of the delegates described the Activator style of city building as "sickening", pointing out that their cities are too congested and lacking clear boundaries between different developer types. The Activators were a bit more kind towards their new partners and quite impressed with the spatial planning of Altruist cities. Especially the capital of Wellbeing which had no empty spaces but, at the same time, was not a glass-and-concrete desert. All in all, the Altruists agreed for an exchange of ambassadors and also declared their willingness to purchase some of the mining materials brought to their shores. The Altruist Tribal Council planned to establish a new town in the near future and it was determined that quality construction goods might be really useful for their newest plan. But the idea of a new town in the rural Northern Udanani was dwarfed by the great city-building leaps that the Businesspeople have made. Due to the recent Coastline Summit and the business contacts made there, the tribe has gained a lot of new confidence and wealth. These gains made it possible to turn two, unassuming traveler service points on R-1 and R-3 highways into fully-grown towns. Developing new cities along busy communication networks is always good for business. Thus, Newfoundwealth and Dollar Grove have been established. Newfoundwealth is the more successful of the two. Wedged between the Businesspeople capital and the already grown Cashflow, Newfoundwealth is passed by thousands of travelers, tourists and businesspeople on a weekly basis. All of it began from the humble travel service points integrated into R-1. These, later developed into larger, low density area of shops and hotels which are heartily welcomed by automotorists passing by. After the town started to gain strength, some of the CEOs, entrepreneurs and other well-situated people began to move in. These privileged groups of pioneer citizens have established their homes on one of the prominent hills overlooking Newfoundwealth. A very fancy and stylish spot to live in... Eventually, the soaring number of travelers on R-1 stimulated the commercial growth so much, that a local downtown area started to emerge in the city. This is currently one of its most expensive parts. It also neighbors high-density residential blocks. Workforce and workplace numbers are in a good equilibrium so the city is as productive and balanced as possible in its current economic state. For its employees sake, Newfoundwealth has some nice recreational facilities too where office workers can calm their nerves down after work. Some of these include Township Square located in the area where initial urban developments took place. Nearby, one can also find relaxing Merchant Promenade. A highlight to this area is the agricultural market, located at the end of the promenade. The Smileyface and Resident farmers make up most of the traders certified here. A little bit closer to the downtown, one can also find the Profit Hill Gardens. A huge park complex named in honor of the Businesspeople capital city. At the Northeastern tip of the park, one can also visit Levrono Fort. Formerly a medieval dungeon, it was converted into a courtyard garden in the 17th century by the effort of the local noble family by the name Samanssito. All in all, the city of Newfoundwealth has a fitting name and the advantageous location surely contributes to its success. With many free spots being still available throughout the city tile, it is sure to grow even bigger in the future. Things are considerably more challenging in the Dollar Grove. The Businesspeople's first town built along the R-3 highway. R-3 does not receive the same amount of travelers as R-1. This communication network connects Central Udanani with the Resident-occupied areas to the North which are scantily populated. Therefore, although this town could be established without problem, it cannot spread its wings to the same effect as Newfoundwealth. As you can see, the town is rather simple and consists of several roads and low-income neighborhoods. All commercial developments are located along the busiest patch of the main road and lay close to the highway itself. Strategically, the zoning is good but the growth in this isolated patch of Udanani is woefully slow. In an effort to invigorate the town a bit, local government has even allowed some industry to develop West of the highway. The industrial zones bring in the much-needed money but are otherwise a testament to the town's current hardships. Some economists are concerned that the Businesspeople have simply overstretched their resources. However, the success of Dollar Grove is a matter of political ambition for the tribe and the government is ready to support the town for as long as required. While economic considerations are of no interest to them, the Slackers are concerned about the establishment of Dollar Grove for a different reason... According to a nearly forty-year old warning handed out to the Udananites by Sulka - their deity - it is forbidden to build anything it the immediate vicinity of The Sacred Pond of Forces. However, as Dollar Hill is right next to it, many Sulkourbanist believers are fearful of the possible consequences this act may have on the future of Udanani... Thank you for reading and watching through the episode and for your many comments and likes under the previous entry. Comment replies: @sc4baidu - You're most welcome. Same to you! @Tamijo - My choice as well. @Honolulu - Thank you! @JohanD - Thanks! I'm glad you like them! @kschmidt - Thank you for your kind comment. I'm happy you like it! MMPing this area was fun. @TG24 - It is always nice to see you on my pages @TG24. Feel free to drop back in anytime you want. Yes, I agree from my point of view as well - #35 is one of the best and most detailed episodes in this city journal.
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Announcement! Due to a file handling mishap, pictures in some of my previous episodes have been deleted and lost from the CJ entries they were assigned to. This information is in case you are just joining us and would like to browse through other entries - some images may be missing. I will work on restoring the images lost as I have the backups of the content affected. Once the situation is solved, I will let you know. Meanwhile, enjoy the new entry below! The Businesspeople-Smileyface alliance had some important economic consequences. One of them was a crackdown against dirty industry. Despite numerous complaints of the I-D sector, the tribal governments were unwilling to hear out any pleas for leniency towards polluting industries. This, forced these companies to find new places where their businesses could operate. The areas occupied by the Slackers (with their low standards for practically anything including the environment) have proven to be a much friendlier environment for this kind of activity. New infrastructural developments like R-1 and R-2 were a godsend in this situation as these high-speed roads allowed dirty companies to pack their machinery and simply travel all the way West to Cape Careless in one, long haul. It was an undertaking on a great scale and happening more or less simultaneously throughout entire Southern Udanani. Because of that and due to the profile of the companies moving, the event was called "Dirty Dancing". The Businesspeople and the Smileyfaces were indifferent to the loss of dirty industrial sector. The Slackers, on the other hand, were welcoming towards new business moving into their capital. Eventually, the city's industrial sector swelled to almost twice of its previous size as a result. New workplaces also convinced many people to join the Slacker cause. This is why some worker class neighborhoods started to appear in the middle of the new industrial facilities. The quality and the architecture of these homes was often unpredictable but still, many newcomers considered such tenements to be "millennial-grade trendy"... Often, new homes were also built in the vicinity of the R-1 exit, located in the Eastern part of the city. Not coincidentally, this was also a preferred location to establish new factories - a strategic place for easy access to capable means of transport. However, the most important development of the Dirty Dancing period, was the construction of a large and technologically advanced container port in Southern Cape Careless. This exclusively cargo-oriented seaport became one of the most important freight hubs not only in the city but also entire Western Udanani. Dirty industry, in this case mining, remains one of the most profitable branches of economy in Central Udanani. The Activator tribe continues to exploit their huge quarry in Kuun Lan for resources and building materials. The activities in the mine have expanded recently and new mining posts have been added in at least two new locations. Unfortunately, the waterbed continues to drop and the dust continues to accumulate throughout the plateau... Regardless environmental impact, the excavated material enables the Activators to accelerate the development of their cities. New projects have been completed in Industrious Hills recently, almost filling up the entire administrative tile that the city sits in. The fruits of industrial labor collected in Kuun Lan, also allowed to expand the local cargo port. This way, the facility is able to accommodate the increased amount of resources processed through it on a daily basis. Even after satisfying the local needs, large amounts of goods still remain in the Activator holding bays. This is why the tribal council decided to prepare a large batch of resources to export them to the tribes that occupy the shores of the Jaland'di River. Two trade directions are available. First, is the Altruist tribe to the North. The other is the Smileyface tribe to the South. The latter trade possibility might be a difficult one, given the two tribes' long history of propaganda war... The Activator Tribal Council has decided to ask you to provide the answer to the question as to which tribe they should contact first. You are thus invited to cast a vote and help determine the course of action that the Activators should take. As Southern tribes routed most of the dirty industry from their territories, it is understandable to ask what other plans they might have on their minds as far as their economies go. The Smileyfaces have recently suggested that the Businesspeople should seek contact with the Residents. Laughterdale governmental advisors believe that this tribe might have smart, well-situated, upscale workforce that can fill key managerial and expert positions in the Businesspeople companies. It has thus been agreed that both tribes will attempt to make this contact and a new infrastructural project was started to achieve this objective - the R-3 highway, leading from Cashflow to Bedroom. What is more, the Businesspeople have concurrently began the construction of a twin project, parallel to this new road - an incredibly fast monorail track, constructed according to the blueprints provided by the Smileyface engineers. The line is intended to run along R-3 and has even received an official signage pattern, not unike Udananian highways. Comment replies: @Tamijo - Thank you. They really show building progress well, don't they? @Honolulu - Hahaha, you found your true self. As far as I'm concerned, I must be from an Altruist mother and a Smileyface father. @TogaMasterJohn - The Gridlayers are indeed quite far away from the mainland Udanani, but a different and significant interaction is going to take place soon! Stay tuned.
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Before we begin, be it known that the will of the Revered Spirits of the St'ropoli Dimension has been taken into consideration and the texture for beaches all over New Udanani has been changed to "HD Sandy Beach" - according to the results of the vote. And now for the update... As the years went by, The Activators steadily built up their industrial base. All these actions resulted in accelerated production of wide array of resources that, in turn, sped up the growth of their cities. Mining industry has always been the key element in this "virtuous cycle". This activity was keenly embraced by private companies based in Industrious Hills - the first city in which "rare earths" and coal deposits have been discovered. Nadir Mining Company, which laid claim to these deposits, constructed traditional, shaft-mining facilities atop Dal Xanth Hills to extract and ship these resources out. However, much larger project has been completed by the Activator Mining Syndicate - a state-owned company which discovered vast deposits of limestone and useful concrete aggregates within Kuun Lan Plateau. This discovery and the intense need for construction materials, turned the entire area into the largest open-pit mine in New Udanani... Kuun Lan Mines became a huge draw for Activator workers and the more resources they extracted the more money could be reinvested in the mines. Modern conveyor belts, crushers, vehicle maintenance facilities and a broad array of employee benefits soon followed. Employment in the mining business became an attractive and interesting way to make a living. A large portion of the materials obtained in Kuun Lan ended up on the Activators' own soil with the city of Industrious Hills being the main beneficiary of the new opportunities. Thanks to cheap and abundant resources The Activators were able to build the first, large-area shopping center, a minor league sports stadium and some R$ neighborhoods in this city. But even after the construction of all these facilities was complete, a large surplus of resources was still available and The Activator Tribal Council authorized a trade mission in order to try to sell some of the remaining goods. The Activators have thus gone to great lengths to dig out an artificial river harbor and build a cargo port through which their ore could be efficiently exported. All of these projects would probably have an eccentric, industrial appeal were it not for the fact that the extensive mining and building activities triggered several environmental processes that have only recently been linked to the latest developments... One of the problems identified is the way in which mining byproducts are disposed of. Uncovering valuable deposits in Kuun Lan, requires the removal of huge amounts of ground from the excavation sites. All of this ground is being piled up by the edge of Kuun Lan Plateau and then forgotten about... Kuun Lan Plateau, however, is known for fairly strong winds sweeping across the landscape all year long. This causes the dumped ground to quickly dry up into dust and travel all over the place, covering large portions of nearby meadows with dark, powdery sand. Wind has caused some of this dust to travel East as well, migrating into Industrious Hills area. Moreover, the ground dug out during the construction of artificial port basins have undergone a similar process and, likewise, started to be blown about the place. Although it may sound insane to outsiders, The Activators have welcomed the phenomenon and the dust-covered expanses have been accepted... as a form of development... As long as a piece of land is covered with something, The Activators are happy. But apart from travelling dust, experts have also noticed a slow but steady drop in the local water table levels - a phenomenon frequently associated with the mining areas all over the world. This, rendered the main water source in Kuun Lan unusable and forced some of the citizens to move to lower parts of Kuun Lan Plateau, where proper aquifers could be found. Not coincidentally, the process have also exacerbated the travelling dust issue as low moisture meant the ground became drier and loose. Regardless of The Activator's eccentric affection with the new features of their landscape, the processes initiated in their cities did not have a localized effect. Although not toxic or directly harmful to health, some of the pollution and dust from their industrial sector entered Cualescet River, resulting in a visibly murkier waters around Designers Bridge. As can be expected, rivers carry the pollution downstream. This is where another problem occurs as Cualescet passes through the Smileyface territories... Of course, this Southern tribe was not amused to see the waters along their coast getting a maroon tint... - Lady and Gentlemen, someone upstream, most likely The Activator tribe is tainting waters off our coast. We need to discuss possible solutions and counters to this situation. Said The President of The Smileyface Tribe to his cabinet of ministers. The officials understood the gravity of the situation - clean environment was one of the principles for the society's happiness. When the water pollution started to increase, the Minister of Social Satisfaction alarmed the rest of the government that satisfaction ratings in Tralfamadore (the city most affected by the problem) dropped as much as 18% in just two months - an unprecedented dip, never registered before. - Mr. President, I believe that me and my colleague, Minister of Environment, have a good, short-term solution to this challenge - said Avalan Tekhriti, Minister of Economy and the only female member of the Government - after the recent survey that we jointly ran, we have determined that Tralfamadore's hi-tech companies are able to design technologies to filter the already polluted water. At a cost of course, but it's still worth it. - Yes, it's true - "CleanAir Co." and the new "Environes" companies are working on water filtration engines as we speak. Meanwhile, my Ministry monitors the quality of all our aquifers to make sure that the drinking water is clear and safe for consumption. - Thank you dear Colleagues - said The President - I welcome your initiative and your hands-on approach puts smile on my face. However, we also need to find, or shall I say, confirm the culprit behind this sudden deterioration of our local environment. - Mr. President, if I may, this requires proper reconnaissance - replied General Baasan Ranktutru, the Smileyface Minister of Defence. - I suggest sending out a couple of SSSDs (Stealth Surface Skimmer Drones) to gather samples and intelligence upstream... This way we'll learn who or what is the source of pollution clogging our waterways. - Whatever we do, let's do it fast... - said the Minister of Social Satisfaction - Happiness and peace of mind is our ultimate goal and we need to protect it. Either the polluters understand that, or they will pay the price. - Speaking of which - added General Ranktutru - we also need to prepare ourselves for the further deterioration of the situation and... probably a direct military action. Just in case. - What do you mean General? Are you suggesting an open war with whoever has done this? - Well, you know me well and I think you know that I am not a particularly hawkish type of politician... But this is just a possibility. Our customs and laws are clear - either they smile with us, or they don't smile at all. What I'm saying is if this problem persists or spins out of control, we need to shut down or target the cause of this threat ASAP. - As controversial as this idea is, I consider it entirely logical - The President opined - General, you are authorized to make all preparations necessary but you are not allowed to take any action on your own. We shall wait for the results of the reconnaissance and the effectiveness of filtration methods offered by the Tralfamadore's companies chosen for the task. Let's act Colleagues! For the happiness and smile! The unexpected problem only further antagonized The Smileyfaces against The Activators. The former tribe had already been disapproving of the latter's tightly-packed, suffocating cities. However, the ongoing construction of R-2 highway resulted in many Smileyfaces eagerly waiting to meet The Businesspeople which, if you remember from this episode, have received a high happiness rating from The Smileyfaces as the most desirable allies. By the end of this episode, The Revered Spirits of the St'ropoli Dimension are kindly requested to once again help determine another custom texture for New Udanani. This time, the overall terrain texture (grass?) is put under your vote. The possible choices are displayed below (sorry, no Italia Mod - it's just too obvious... ) The previously selected "HD Sandy Beach" texture will, of course, be retained for the beaches. Comment replies: @Ke|is - I'm happy you liked The Mirror and the last episode! It's always nice to have you around. @tomz16 - It's very nice to hear - thank you. In fact, your CJ inspires me as well! @TogaMasterJohn - The Slackers are just lucky - that's all there is to it! Unfortunately I forgot where is the template for port information directory, so I won't post any details just yet.
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This episode of the Udananian chronicle starts with a bang! And literally! You may probably remember that The Smileyfaces have been drafting up plans to completely remove, or at least reduce, the area that dirty industry occupies in Laughterdale. The city council officials have recently been under increased pressure to take action after close to 15 years of tolerating dirty industry. Due to this and The Smileyfaces' drive to avoid all things unpleasant, it has finally been ruled that dirty industry will be wiped clean from the town. Of course, in case of this particular tribe, this action could not just be a regular, boring click-and-bulldoze operation. Instead, it has been decided that the polluted area will be removed as part of a firework show and by the means of a short-range rocket strike! Naturally, considerable preparations have taken place to execute this demolition in a safe way - the entire neighborhood has been evacuated and the traffic temporarily stopped. An exclusion zone has been introduced as well, along with spectator stands for the citizens. Once everything has been prepared, a short "farewell ceremony" was held and moments later an Elation-class missile has been fired from the Emo-G Site, landing on its intended target moments later with the nearby crowds cheering on. As eccentric as it sounds, most of The Smileyfaces believe that controlled, urban demolitions are simply fun to watch. What is more, the destruction of the Qualakom neighborhood have, at the end of the day, had many positive results! First of all, the previously dirty industry zone has been thoroughly cleaned up and handed over to promising software and video game startups... This has also helped to encourage population growth in the Eastern part of the town which suffered from low social diversity and transportation issues so far. Luckily, the short distance to attractive employment possibilities have convinced many Smileyfaces to move in. But the missile strike on Qualakom has, metaphorically speaking, sent positive shockwaves far beyond the neighborhood... The increase in software-specialized companies has been especially welcomed by the health services and some of the shops run by The Smileyfaces. For example, the Laughterdale's main clinic, has finally been able to upgrade to a well-equipped, modern hospital due to the recent change. The highly intuitive patient monitoring software and automated examination equipment have made it possible to admit and evaluate far more ailing Udananites than has previously been possible. Because of this, wealthy doctors and IT engineers have also found employment in the new hospital as well as homes close to their new, innovative workplace. Grinburg (sometimes referred to as "The Smileyfaces' Marketplace") has capitalized on the new opportunities as well. Since new software and IT solutions provided by hi-tech businesses have to be sold somewhere, offices and shops in this town have upgraded to accommodate more customers and gain more shelf space for the newest software. While everything is definitely going well for The Smileyfaces, some analysts insist that the recent missile strike resembles a classic show of force... On the other hand, some evidence suggests that the tribe has long been researching the use of munitions for peaceful, engineering purposes, akin to the goals anticipated by Project Plowshare. Some experts, however, indicate that dirty industry, which The Smileyfaces resent, is still a feature of many Udananian towns, including those on the Activator territory... This may possibly lead to potentially problematic confrontations between the two tribes. It seems like a plausible scenario if one reviews the findings gathered by The Laughterdaelian Signal... As if that wasn't enough JoySoft, one of The Smileyfaces' new game developers, have recently released a really impressive but highly controversial strategy game... The problem is that the main villain's name and the story presented in the game clearly allude to The Activators tribe and the complicated relations that they are likely to share with their neighbors from the South... Due to that, the first game in the "Command & Compare" series is liked by The Smileyfaces but considered "weird" elsewhere... FRONT COVER: BACK COVER: Quite understandably, The Activators have not been too happy with the convoluted Smileyface propaganda. Although some outrage about "Laughterdaelian Sun" has been felt, the tribe figured that it is better to let the sleeping dogs lie and focus on the geological research in Industrious Hills instead. However, to The Activators' delight, the Nadir Mining Company did counter react to JoySoft's game by issuing a batch of their own posters... The following graphical design, which is essentially a recruitment advertisement, praises Activator style of life, while mocking The Smileyfaces' unconditional pursuit of fun and laughter at the same time... As of today it is still unclear what The Smileyfaces think about the picture but the general consensus among The Activators is that it was a necessary and valuable statement. One way or another, the important news is that the Activator researchers have managed to find some mineral deposits in the Dal Xanth Hills landmass, just as it has been anticipated. In the recent months, some rudimentary mining facilities started to develop there. Some of these facilities belong to the already mentioned Nadir Mining Company... While those laying in the lower parts of the hills, are under Acti-UD ltd.'s control. The new economic possibilities and the fact that the minerals discovered in the hills may be used in road and housing construction, have allowed certain improvements to take place in both Buildmoar and Industrious Hills. For example, the Eastern ramp leading onto the Designers' Bridge have been rebuilt into a more gentle (and suspension-friendly) road. As it turned out, certain pieces of the mining equipment called "Hole diggers and raiser lots" could be successfully used to fine-tune road inclines... The job possibilities offered by mining industry have also drawn new citizens into Industrious Hills. Perhaps not surprisingly, materials excavated from the new mining sites have been used in the construction of new housing, greatly reducing the cost of this undertaking. Buildmoar has also been positively affected, as the development of mining industry has increased the need for administrative and industrial services to do proper accounting and process raw goods into useable building materials. As such, the economy, already considered a successful one, have accelerated again. The Activators' talent at fast, dynamic development is an object of envy for many Udananites. The pace at which they run their two towns is indeed impressive and an example of how chaos can sometimes be a highly creative power if used skillfully. But analysts and environmental watchdogs across Udanani seem to be particularly worried about the development of mining industry - the very reason for The Activators' recent successes. Several independent experts have voiced concerns over the environmental impact that the mining activities may have on the nearby environment. Some problems are already evident after all. For example, the dust and sand, byproducts of the mining processes, are not being disposed of in a responsible manner and instead lie strewn around the mines. In some cases, they are even chucked over the side of Dal Xanth Hills, completely burying the vegetation and grass in some spots. The biggest problem is that The Activators consider these dumps to also be a form of development and refuse to dispose of the waste materials responsibly, making the environmental damage more likely... With the above in mind, one just has to wonder how The Smileyfaces might react to seeing vast expanses of Udanani being degraded like that... Especially given the already complicated relations between the two tribes and the start of, what appears to be, a tit-for-tat tactics... Perhaps it would be best to simply leave the South of Udanani for now and take a refuge from the complicated political issues in The Residents' town of Bedroom. Next time, you will also see how The Altruists and The Slackers have implemented the latest votes cast by The Reverred Spirits of the St'ropoli Dimension. Have a nice day (or holidays) and see you next time! Comment replies: @ulisse - Thanks @ulisse! I'm glad you like it! @TogaMasterJohn - Thank you for a very nice comment and paying attention to all those details. You have a keen eye! Regarding sailing - that makes two of us. I also like this sport and even have a sailing license. Unfortunately, I haven't been out at sea (or even a lake for that matter) for years... Now, like every retired captain, I am simply an old, drunk seaman who just makes up stories for others' amusement! I'm happy the Pond of Forces looks this way because this was exactly the goal - a refuge for any tribe member to come by and calm their thoughts down. @TG24 - Thank you for a very nice and motivating comment! @sejr99999 - I'm happy that you find the Udananian tropics pleasing to the eye. Yes, I agree - the heavy industry needs to go. Perhaps the help of other tribes will alleviate the situation in Cape Careless...?
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Hello, hello! Sorry for the long wait for another part of this CJ but there is a very good reason for that - I started a new job! From now on I work as an EU funds specialist (but only from the formal side, not the financial one - phew!). This should be an interesting time, though I need to learn a lot of things, and unfortunately take an exam this month... Scary... Keep your fingers crossed for me, please. Overall, I think this is a good opportunity and many of my expectations have actually been fulfilled, so other than exam, I guess I'm not complaining. I hope I justified myself a little bit! Let's jump into the next chapter of the Udananian chronicles then. As the Laughterdaelian Signal dissipated in the air, the life in Udanani have returned to the normal course. If you remember, The Activators have established a new town, not far from Buildmoar. We shall take a better look at this city today, though not before we pay a short visit to Profit Hill. Here's a quick shot on Industrious Hills, just to spark your interest... I think you will be interested in the recent events that took place in Profit Hill. Ironically, they invalidated some of The Businesspeople's current policies... But given the fact that the world of finance is always a slippery slope, it's no wonder that a crisis may take over occasionally. Another wave of unemployment has hit the city and although many steps have been taken to resolve the situation, the job market is still quite wobbly at the moment. Perhaps not surprisingly, it also has a broader social impact too. As it frequently happens elsewhere, the core issue in Profit Hill were people's and developers' expectations towards the city. Expectations that far exceeded the realistic approach to employment and housing demand. The competitive job market in Profit Hill, which has always been encouraged by the Chief Executive Board of the Businesspeople Tribe, have attracted numerous potential employees to the city, but the more people moved in, the less vacancies remained. Those that remained were either unattractive or simply too far away. Eventually, this has led to huge unemployment problems. The people who came into the city, lured by the prospects of well-paid jobs, have eventually found out that they came too late and were forced to jump into a frantic search for a job. Middle and low-income residents have been affected the most by these dynamics, creating whole blocks of jobless people. After a little bit more time, the wealthiest citizens have also started to feel the pinch, causing some of the most expensive residential projects to fail spectacularly. Inflated expectations and the developers' cunning advertisements have done more harm than good to the city. The Chief Executive Board of the Businesspeople Tribe has responded in a quick (if delayed) manner, trying to smooth some of the problems over by reducing commute times and providing more employment opportunities. As far as commuting is concerned, notice that the only route that goes directly to the main commercial zone (and onwards) comes through the Main Avenue. While this passageway still has plenty of capacity, it is not universally liked due to all the traffic lights ahead. This is why a quick roadwork project has been launched, upgrading the main avenue to a neat tram-in-avenue string, continued from an already existing network. The new route has been a huge success with the commuters. Additionally, the traffic light system for the tram vehicles is automated and, whenever possible, prioritizes rail vehicles attempting to cross intersections. Some of the commuters claim that it's possible to travel the entire length of Main Avenue without ever stooping on red lights! Another extension of the tram network has been stretched out East of Sirli Park. Unfortunately, this new, modern throughway doesn't mix well with all the buildings that have deteriorated as a result of all of the problems... As was stated before, apart from infrastructural changes, the obvious solutions have also been introduced and new workplaces have been set up. The Businesspeople have created two new areas that increased citizens' chances of landing a dream job. One of them is the new commercial district South of Sirli Park... ...while the other is an industrial zone East of Tiksest Strip - the Northern residential zone. Will these developments suffice to turn around the mechanics of economy in Profit Hill? The time will tell. If not, The Businesspeople may find themselves in the need of finally contacting the nearest neighbor as per "Ulysse & Toga Rating Agency" advice. Undoubtedly, the establishment of Industrious Hills is the more positive story for today. The Activators' starter town was getting a little crammed recently, so a decision to expand into neighboring lands (followed by the choice of the city tile, made by The Revered Spirits of the St'ropoli Dimension) has been taken. Industrious Hills is a linearly shaped town. Part of it, remains a continuation of the Buildmoar's composition. This part of the town can be found on the Eastern bank of the Cualescet River, part of which can be seen in the following picture. The West side of the river has a bit more relaxed character and less dense building composition. For the time being, it does contain most of the workplaces though. Both sides of Industrious Hills are connected by Designers Bridge - a three lane construction with pedestrian capacity. One end of the bridge is a little "wild" due to the rough terrain and thick bedrock underneath it. Although the town is rather small today, The Activators certainly won't stop there. As a matter of fact, one should pay close attention to the two unassuming, industrial compounds located on the Dal Xanth Hills overseeing the town... These two posts are actually seismic vibration stations that seek natural resources in the Dal Xanth Hills' mass. There has been a lot of speculation among The Activators' experts that the hills may contain coal, bauxite and granite deposits. Two companies - "Nadir Mining" and "Acti-UD ltd." have been tasked with confirming (or disproving) these theories and the stations you have seen are operated by them. It is quite possible that mining industry will move in to Industrious Hills. Regardless of what the truth is as far as the hills' contents are concerned, we will regularly come back to check on The Activators' new town. All this, would probably not be possible, without the support of The Activators' starter town - Buildmoar. To give you an interesting insight at the close ties that both of the towns have, take a look at the picture below. It demonstrates how (almost) seamlessly the territories of Buildmoar and Industrious Hills are connected. The relations between both of the towns are good and beneficial for both of the parties involved. Last but not least, during the last divination session, The Revered Spirits of the St'ropoli Dimension have decided that: - Parcel 4-4 in Farmington should contain a large orchard or vineyard - Prosperity Hospital in Wellbeing should be relocated in order to generate monthly savings for the town Regarding Farmington, here's how parcel 4-4 looks like after the decision has been made. Something's not right here... The construction of the orchard / vineyard has begun but it looks like the pace of development is really slow. What could be stopping The Localvores from being more energetic? Comment replies: @11241036 - I'm happy that you enjoyed this last read. A good story really enhances the picture and I still have many ideas on my writing board! @TogaMasterJohn - I'm glad you enjoyed the reports. Hope it was fun! @Dreamcitybuilder - I like to make these small cameos in my work and I'm happy you noticed it! Good eyes! @whiteshark365 - I like your approach. Well, let's hope for the best and that the information gathered will be used in the spirit of goodwill!
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The recent months have seen accelerated urban (and suburban) expansion across Udanani. Many tribes have started to create new neighborhoods within their own, cozy city tiles and in some cases these new neighborhoods are quite distant from main settlements. Many believe this tendency to be a turning point in the history of Udanani. The Smileyfaces have probably made the greatest step forward in this respect, establishing a brand new town west from Laughterdale. We'll explore it in detail today, but first we'll take a look at other neighborhoods which may soon become new, budding towns. Welcome again to The Slackers' starter town. Important changes have taken place since your last visit. One of them is the neighborhood named Ci'Binalg Coast - a new, freshly built industrial complex located in the Mainland Udanani. This area is located away from the Lagmi Shi Island and is currently the most distant point from the city's main area. This industrial area is an alternative to the initial industrial zone on the Lagmi Shi Island. Just to remind you - The Slackers have decided to clean up the skies above Cape Careless because industrial soot didn't mix well with tropical sunsets... The industry on Lagmi Shi Island is therefore being downsized and gradually moved to Ci'Binalg Coast. The Slackers have also made some great strides to further improve the tourist value of the Haasuur Peninsula. Once a barren land, it has been turned into a relaxing sanctuary full of bars, rustling palm trees and beaches! By the way - don't worry. You are not seeing things... Yes. The Slackers have indeed managed to lure some upper and middle class citizens to their relatively austere city. Some believe that this is the result of the construction of the new library and museum, both founded by the seafaring Slackers. In fact, education quotients have risen to a whooping value of 55 because of these establishments! What is more, The Slackers' have even improved their healthcare facilities, because they are eager to experience the joys of life longer. A godsend for the high-density residential area on the Haasuur Paninsula. Due to these social changes, the existing service and entertainment sector across Cape Careless has received a boost as well. Bigger and better haunts are being established in the city, providing even more joy and relaxation to near 20 000 fun-loving citizens. Most of the traffic in Cape Careless still concentrates around the Lagmi Shi Island. Time will tell if Ci'Binalg Coast will be successful enough, to become a springboard for the future expansion. From Cape Careless, we move on to Farmington where, by the command of the Reverred Spirits of the St'ropoli Dimension, a village surrounded by farms has been built. This spot is technically a new town, as it is some distance away from the main, more populous settlement. Both villages are now popularly referred to as "Farmington Major" and "Farmington Minor". Even despite being away from the main town's comforts, "Farmington Minor" is doing really well and is able to fend off for itself. The impressive agriculture that has developed around the village is a significant distinguishing feature too. "Farmington Minor" has anything a soul stomach may desire. And of course (as it is with The Localvores) anything locally produced, must be locally consumed... The citizens of Farmington currently have no desire to connect to or advance to other city tiles. They remain happy in their twin-village bliss and maintain a calm and clean environment, nurturing farms and natural regions. New neighborhoods and villages are all fun and games, until they become cities in their own rights! This is exactly what has happened to The Smileyfaces. The tribe has been continuing to develop some shopping malls and services in their starter town, enjoying the positive thrills that come from counting (and spending) money. This little shoppers' haven did not suffice however and the demand for new shops and pastimes has forced The Smileyfaces to spill some of their commercial developments over the borders of Laughterdale and into the new town of Grinburg. Grinburg is an almost entirely commercial town, featuring shopping malls, entertainment facilities, diners, cinemas and many other interesting venues. It also has several nice green areas, including a handsome pond located in the middle of the commercial zone. Most of the town's streets, avoid the mundane, grid-based road pattern. Instead, The Smileyfaces' city planners experiment with irregular shapes, introducing a little bit of spontaneity and diversity into the streetscape. While it consists mainly of commercial buildings, Grinburg has a small residential neighborhood too. It is reachable by rail and just like the residential areas in Laughterdale, it consists of residences of different wealth and social standings. The Smileyfaces are not the most populous tribe but they sure have the so-called "momentum". If Grinburg becomes surrounded by other towns (possibly established by other tribes) it may become a popular and profitable business center. While The Slackers, The Localvores and The Smileyfaces have made some bold decisions and laid ground for expansion, The Activators still cannot decide which city tile they should claim next. After three inconclusive votes, the City Council have decided to consult the Higher Powers to determine the location of the next town. Would you be willing to share your wisdom and help The Activators make up their mind? I'd like to thank all of the viewers for many receptive reactions to my previous entry. @Huggy-Bear, @TG24, @TogaMasterJohn, @CaptCity, @Ssaidd, @Wallibuk, @Lazarou Monkey Terror, @ulisse, @CarstenB, @AsimPika3172, @Golan0, @mitsos, @City Boss, @11241036, @Pille0503, @mattb325, @whiteshark365, @Barroco Hispano and @tomz16 - thank you all for leaving a like and showing your support! I'd also like to address the commenters. @TogaMasterJohn - I'm glad you are amused with the company names I came up with. I always try to "smuggle" jokes and memes in my work if they fit well with the topic at hand. @Ssaidd - Happy to hear this! Thank you. @City Boss - Thanks! I think thematic props have far more use than it usually seems at first. I'm happy to hear all these elements come down well together! @mitsos - Thank you. @11241036 - I'm flattered to hear such kind words from an old-timer! @TG24 - As one of the Reverred Spirits of the St'ropoli Dimension - you may! Check this entry to get a better view of the Emo-G Site if you haven't already! And by the way... Happy New Year Simtropolites!
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The utmost secrecy exercised by The Smileyfaces does not leave much room for any information leaks from the Emo-G Site. Whatever they work on (or with) is shrouded in total mystery. The already stringent security measures have become even more rigorous with the completion of a multi-tiered security perimeter around the Emo-G Site. The new barrier has completely sealed off this secret area from the rest of the town. But wouldn't you know it... As soon as the project was finished, several idiots adventurous souls have actually tried to defeat the security installations guarding the Emo-G Site and cross into the area! Of course, none of these attempts have been successful and all of the six (so far) trespassers are now serving 8 to 18 months in prison for their stunts... But, since every cloud has a silver lining, now they at least have enough time to piece their experiences together while locked up. As a result, the following diagram has been prepared and smuggled out of The Smileyfaces' cell blocks (a diagram, which is currently being relentlessly taken down from the "Internets" by the Emo-G's OpSec Teams): One thing is certain - it is not wise to mess with the Emo-G staff! It is, however, evidently clear that some citizens make their living by working for the Site. Especially, after The Smileyfaces have successfully laid ground for the creation of some modern hi-tech laboratories - necessary to advance their research and maintain technological superiority. While the employees working in these facilities are required to sign restrictive NDAs, their workplaces are located outside of the Emo-G Site and are not classified, though access cards are still required. There are currently two hi-tech labs that stand out in Laughterdale's cityscape: Not coincidentally, some of the dirty industry has been replaced by more elegant development. But technology and industry aside, you might also be interested to know that in order to keep the spirits up, some new farms have been established in Laughterdale as well. All these developments combined, bring lots of joy and pride to The Smileyfaces, positively influencing their society. The residential areas and social exchanges thrive like never before. Currently, The Smileyfaces plan to expand their city towards Northwest. In fact, a new commercial zone has been built in this area. If you look close enough, you will notice a few peculiarities about this part of the town... Have you noticed a long rail viaduct near the edge of the city limits? Or the umbrella park in the middle of the zone? How about the "rose promenades" near the top of the picture? While inconspicuous at first, for the moment, these objects cannot be found anywhere except for Laughterdale. These are actually some of The Smileyfaces' original designs. A proof that at least some of the concepts produced at Emo-G Site are released to the public and not stuck to the drawing board. Even more evidence of The Smileyfaces' skills and research can be found around their starter town. These, for instance, also include infrastructural projects like tunnels, railways and pedestrians bridges. While not necessarily a confidential knowledge, The Smileyfaces are the first tribe determined enough to implement and stick to these solutions. All of the stuff that happens in Laughterdale is probably a little too much to take in one day. We shall soon move on to the The Activator's city of Buildmoar, but before we do, just take a quick look at how the Laughterdale's Sports Complex has developed. It's time to revisit another successful (though chaotic) city, located about 12 km North of Laughterdale. While our attention has been directed elsewhere, Buildmoar has embarked upon several important projects. The most notable change, is the construction of a high-capacity, six-lane road, running through the center of the city. Connectivity in Buildmoar is no longer an issue with this new thoroughfare. The tram lines remain a popular form of communication too. Buildmoar has recently been experiencing unemployment among the working class, so some of the R$ neighborhoods have undergone gentrification and redeveloped into middle and upper class areas. And what would life be with empty spaces in between? Outrageous to even think that way! This is why previously empty areas near the city limits, have now been converted into small, handsome commercial zones... ...one of which is accessible only by the tram and creatively distanced away from the exhaust fumes with the use of pedestrian promenades. While many changes are noticeable, most of them have, for obvious reasons, taken place in the area around the main road. This might become significant in the near future, because most of The Activators believe it is high time to colonize another city tile and expand their influence in Udanani, since the necessary infrastructure is already in place. On the other edge of Udanani, where the sun sets somewhere beyond the endless horizon, Cape Careless continues to promote carefree life and tap beer. The Slackers have decided to begin the construction of new residential projects on the Haasuur Peninsula - the easternmost part of the Lagmi Shi Island on which Cape Careless is located. As you can see, it will be a rather dense residential zone but, of course, with an easy enough access to bars and one of the beaches. You may also be interested to know that the City Library has finally been completed. It's been a long wait! As the handful of sailors from The Slackers tribe continues to go out on sea journeys, some of them decide to share their adventures with their brethren. These stories are being recorded and then stored in the library. Interestingly enough, given that The Slackers are completely illiterate (EQ = 2) the library contains no printed works... Only audiobooks and podcasts are available! Thank you for checking out and browsing through this (rather voluminous) update. I hope you had a nice time reading this entry! Perhaps the next time you visit, you will witness the birth of a new town... Thanks again and have a nice day, wherever you are!
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Everything in the Universe is subject to change. So are cities and towns. It goes without saying that Udanani will change as well. Constantly striving to redesign, redevelop and recycle itself. For the record, it might be a good idea to have a short sightseeing tour of Udanani tribes' starter towns. Just to remember in what state they were before any changes took place. It's time to take a better and closer look at how these towns are built and see how they reflect the distinct life philosphies of the factions that live there... Enjoy your tour. ____________________ "Do you have what it takes to join The Altruists?" Life - the most precious value there is. And ever will be. The Altruists' starter town named Wellbeing is a relaxing sanctuary, designed specifically to celebrate life. And make it as comfortable, safe and productive as humanly possible. Wellbeing consists of small, specialized neighborhoods, organized around central roundabouts: The choice of roundabouts as the primary type of intersection is not coincidental. Roundabouts reduce traffic congestion and the occurrence of vehicle-to-ped accidents. It's not surprising then that The Altruists chose to emphasize this type of intersection over other types. Smaller (and slower) roundabouts can also be found on main transit roads. Further reducing vehicle speed, and increasing the traffic safety. Each of the neighborhoods in Wellbeing has access to dedicated healthcare and is also covered by educational facilities. Of course, fire protection, running water and power (100% green, may we add) are readily available as well. The town has sizeable amounts of natural areas, sports facilities and forests. Granting everyone a possibility to relax, breathe fresh air and stay psychologically fit and calm. The city planners of Wellbeing also strive to provide inhabitants with an easy enough access to workplaces, locating them near residential areas. They try to keep the workplaces concentrated and sustainably dense, rather than sprawling and space-consuming. This, offers a good balance between commute time and having a peaceful home close by. Wellbeing is one of the friendliest towns across Udanani. The Altruists' devotion to life and security shines through everything they do. What The Altruists fail at, however, is the (mis)management of their city budget. All of the projects and services that keep their folk happy cost lots of money... The Altruists' monthly budget is frequently in the red... However, the citizens of Wellbeing are always ready to return the favors granted to them by their government. Many of them run errands for the "U-drive-it" transportation company and (in a truly altruistic fashion) donate all their earnings from this source directly to the city coffers! What does the future hold? The Altruists plan to continue making Wellbeing a desirable and orderly town where people live long and away from desperate gambles. Establishing an effective rail system is currently under investigation as well. The test string pictured below is actually the only passenger rail line currently in existence in Udanani. The benefits of this type of transportation will, however, be waged against the disadvantages like noise and safety concerns involved in level rail crossings... The Altruists also plan to plant large areas of forests and meadows around their city and build more parks. All new developments of this sort, will be combined with the already existing "green infrastructure". The Altruists' research clearly indicates that greenery and trees help keep cities cooler and help mitigate dangerous climatic phenomena. Although crime is almost non-existent in Wellbeing, the situation in this field will be closely monitored as well. The same goes for health care and education. It is quite possible that Wellbeing may soon embark on yet another educational project - a city college. Hard to tell if The Altruists will be able to afford it though... "Be a doer, not a thinker - join The Activators" Many cities are built according to a plan. Many are build out of necessity. Others yet, become pieces of art. Buildmoar doesn't fit into any of these categories... The Activators' starter town is a congested, polluted goulash of concrete and steel, currently inhabited by 21000 souls. Buildmoar is haphazardly strewn across the land with no particular principle or plan in mind except for the drive to fill every possible inch of space. Indeed, it is hard to find any blank spaces in this town: In Buildmoar (ironically referred to as "Mount Clusterf##k" by The Residents) zones are frequently build in ways that other tribes would consider unusual or contradicting reason. The good, the bad, the industry, the commerce - The Activators don't discriminate. Here, one may find themselves living right next to a soot sifter... ...a park, flanked by a commercial zone... ...or even a farming field, squeezed right next to some heavy industry... When The Activators are in power, anything can happen. And will! But in all honesty, Buildmoar is not just another Magnasanti. On the contrary - the education and health ratings for this town are very good and the City Hall... ...does a decent job of managing social aspects of Buildmoar's life. It's just that this town is very busy and polluted. Overwhelming for most every other person except for The Activators themselves. What does the future hold? The Activators have already run out of space to build more in Buildmoar, so it is very likely that they will now spoil expand to another city tile. Their starter town may undergo some minor changes and tweaks, but for now, The Activators plan to focus on gathering funds and resources for upcoming expansion. Some zones will probably be rezoned for even higher densities. It is also believed that some of the forested areas may, regrettably, be destroyed in favor of commercial zones. Buildmoar is also the only city in Udanani to have a tram rail running through the city. This is yet another Activators' system which works well. Citizens like this form of communication and have recently started to pressure the Buildmoar's City Hall to further expand this system. To be continued...
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Good morning Community, I am pleased to announce the opening of my first ever City Journal on this 'ere page - "SimCity: Tribalism". In this screenshot-driven journal, you can join seven distinct tribes trying to figure out how to build a megacity. It will not be a trivial task, given how many differences are between them! I will use the forum-based CJ section only to provide short highlights regarding what is going on in each entry. The main content will be accessible in the dedicated City Journal part of Simtropolis... ...right here. I hope you will join me in this adventure and have a good time while at it! Enjoy! _________ Entry #1 - Welcome to the Realm of Udanani In this entry... Udanani from bird's view. Make your acquaintance! Get to know the actors and the stage of this play. A city tile you may not redevelop...
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Welcome to the realm of Udanani
TheMurderousCricket posted a City Journal entry in SimCity: Tribalism
The ancient realm of Udanani is the home to seven tribes. Each of the tribes occupies different area of the region, has different mindsets and different sense of what is right and what is wrong. The Altruists want to make all people feel secure, healthy and fulfilled, regardless of how expensive it may be... The Activators don't like empty spaces. They love development. Any... type of development... Quality of their homes and, to a lesser extent , land value, is of concern to The Residents. The Smileyfaces want the entire world to smile with them, but back their words with futuristic weapons... The Businesspeople aim for a strong commercial sector and need reliable employees to run it. The Slackers don't care about what shall become of them. They spend most of their lives sunbathing or dozing off. Locally produced food and clean water is what The Localvores cherish most. They are very reluctant to share these goods though... Additionally, not far from the coast, lies the sacred Pond of Forces and the mysterious shrine of the ancient god - Sulka. Everyone is welcome to visit the temple and the pond. However, it is strictly forbidden to build or destroy anything in its immediate vicinity. By Sulka's command, Udanani is destined to become a megacity and a home to all of the tribes. It is up to them to unite and exchange ideas to make it happen. Is it possible for seven different mindsets to find a common language and cooperate in achieving this "magnum opus"? Or will it all crumble down in squabbles and arguments? Sulka and the revered spirits of the St'ropoli dimension smile upon Udanani, wondering how will this story unfold...- 4 Comments
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