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Hey there! It's been a while since I updated my CJ, because I've been busy making a new town. More to the point, I've decided to try and detail a little more. I've upgraded my PC to the point it can actually run a lot of props and CJ on decent quality settings, and while I still do not want to use CSL as a "city painter", I do want to go the extra mile in decorating and detailing. It's also been two years since I update this CJ and so far it's been my longest running one, and that's partly because I really enjoy Cities Skylines. Most great CJs are SC4 CJs, I'll say that much, but in terms of gameplay CSL is, for me, the superior game and it's keeping me coming back for more. Sooo... Here's the 44th entry, but if you want a comparison of what I did (and the game supported) back two years ago, feel free to look back towards my very first entries. Back then it was...rough to say the least lol. Forum link here Anyway, we're leaving Ashford behind for a bit, and we're going to Santa Linna, the capital of the Anabon Overseas Commonwealth. I planned to reserve it for a Tropico entry, but well. :>~ Downtown St Linna! The island is located in between mainland Tamriel and the Thalmor dominated Summerset Isles; it is one of the main small tropical islands that dot the Abecean Sea. With 65'000 people, it is a fairly well-sized town, and easily one of the richest. About 15% of the population of the entire state live here. St Linna itself is known for its bricked or brownstone buildings. Built in the colonial age at the end of the Fourth Era and early Fifth Era, a lot of its downtown are still packed with intricate brickworks and small, narrow square buildings. That's not to say everything is grim and gritty. Some of the city's buildings are...colourful to say the least. This is the Parish Hall, by the way - the mayor's office is on the top floor. So what's to do in Santa Linna? Amongst the narrow towers full of finance and reinsurance companies, you could go dine and gamble at At The Penny's Casino and Cabaret! It's usually a must-go attraction for tourists willing to part with their cash. Or, you can wait for the evening and enjoy yourself in the city's many nightclubs. It's always warm, you might even enjoy a night dive in the sea! Many tourists also come to watch the Abecean Sharks play blitzball, too. They're one of Cathnoquey's finest teams, though because of the remoteness of Anabon, their stadium is also the smallest. For many tourists, however, the best hotels and attractions are outside of town, on one of the island's many sandy shores. Take the nearby town of Belle-Pointe : just off the Route 22 freeway, the once Breton town is no longer a commute village and fishing community, but instead a hub packed with casinos, five-star hotels, fine beaches and luxury condos. Santa Linna's public transport system, one of the best in the country, links Belle-Pointe and other towns together. Tourists and locals alike can spend the morning in their hotels, then take the bus into Santa Linna proper for an afternoon spent exploring the city or shopping, before coming back in the evening to enjoy the sea. As you've probably guessed, tourism is critical to the economy of Santa Linna. A lot of infrastructure has been built across the state to accommodate that. However, tourism isn't everything in Anabon. It's also a major offshore trading hub, thanks to generous taxes and loopholes, with reinsurance companies especially well settled in the CBD's high rises. Critics can complain about the lack of financial transparency, but most agree the island wouldn't be so well-off without the financial institutions that call it their home. Moving on, to the corner with the passenger train station, and a typical high-rise housing district. And yes, Santa Linna does have a railway. Mostly it carries freight around the island, but there are about 15 trains per day per direction that leave Santa Linna and bring commuters into the city. The trains are air conditioned, and there are also special tourist trains that run excursions along the island. The islands aren't just beaches and settlements; inland, one can find plantations and farms dotted across the land, too. Finally for this overview, let's have a look at the roads. Most roads are small, 1x1 roads, such as Route 25 here pictured. However, due to the large amount of traffic to and from Santa Linna and its busy harbour, some roads have been or are being upgraded to freeway standards. The interchange between Routes 2 and 22 - the two heaviest roads in the entire state - is the oldest piece of freeway infrastructure on the island. At such, Route 22 (here entering Santa Linna from the north) is undergoing heavy maintenance works to accomodate an ever growing population. And rural exits, such as the Route 22/Route 230 junction to Altmer's Cove, are being upgraded to full freeway standards. In the coming years, Santa Linna is expected to grow by 10 to 15%. It is going to be a massive challenge for a city that already cannot feed itself. Most of the food is imported from Tamriel, and routed through the state's many harbours into Santa Linna. This is one of the reasons why the rail network is so important - there is no single main harbour due to the geography of the area, and ships are instead routed to five satellite harbours linked together by railway. Anyway, let's close this overview now. We'll be coming back to Santa Linna later, so here's a view of the downtown area at night... As well as one of Belle-Pointe High Street, next to the Cathnoquey National Post Office. But I wouldn't leave without a map of the state, including Santa Linna. So, hope you enjoy, and thanks for the support I got with my CJ for the last two years And since it's been two years since Cities Skylines has been out, this is also the opportunity to give a massive thanks to the modders of Cities Skylines, as well as to the other CJ makers, and to everyone on and off site who shared pictures and videos of their creativity - it helped me, and I'm sure many others immensely, and I can only hope that I, too, give a bit of inspiration to others in building all these amazing cities.
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- 12
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- csl
- anniversary
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Hey hey! Welcome to Ashford! Ah but who cares? Winter is finally here! 'Tis the season to be jolly as the winter holidays have started and a thick blanket of snow covers most of northern Cathnoquey. Traffic is almost at a standstill as the slippery roads have frozen over. It's the perfect season for desaturated postcards, and ski stations all across the Northern Territory have started operating for the winter. University is on winter break, but the university district is still fairly busy at this time of year. Holiday shopping still needs doing for some, as 'tis also the season to share! With the roads blocked up, most people rely on public transit, or stay at home where it's cosy and warm. Yet, for the most part, the city isn't completely locked, and people are still going to work. It definitely is the season to visit Ashford's ski resorts and saunas. Tourists can pack up, come in, and have some coffee and cakes while watching the snow fall over the city while the ponder their holiday plans. City Hall Lake hasn't quite frozen yet, but the canals have. Soon, people can finally go ice-skating again. There is a sense of wonder across the city, as with every winter, as the snow transforms the landscape. There is a sense of wonder across the city, as with every winter, as the snow radically transforms the landscape. The city continues to function, but everything is also so -quiet-. Can't blame the people gone for the winter holidays, or who decided not to rush to work today. Besides, there are several traffic jams in certain areas, as not every car uses winter tires, and accidents become the norm. You'd expect different from a city used to snow in winter. The M-3 interstate is still operational, though, with road equipment finally coming into play! In the Northern Territories, despite the milder climate winters are harsh. Yet every year, snow comes ever later as the climate warms. Many people point out to snow falling as definite proof that hell is not freezing over, yet the first snowfalls used to happen a month earlier just two decades ago in this part of the world. At least 5E139 isn't the warmest year of the Fifth Era or on record at all - that dubious honor does belong to '136 however. It's time to turn on the geothermal plant. Electricity provides most heating in most households, but there's a specially dedicated network that provides warm water to most. But already, in the deceptively quiet city a small emergency is occurring. A small avalanche further down the railway has shut off rail traffic in and out of Ashford. Passengers and commuters from further down the metro area end up stranded in the frozen city. For several, it's the occasion to wander into midtown and enjoy the fine dining establishments. Further in the suburbs, the bustle of city life and the constant noise and music give way to a surreal landscape of silence and peace. The first snowfalls always come to the delight of kids, especially in the mountain communities of greater Ashford, such as Balmung, NCT, where they can sleigh down the steep roads. Ironically, the new trains that are due to replace Ashford Subway rolling stock can't handle the ice! Stranded regional trains come to the rescue. Flights rush in to land before an expected blizzard later today, and another accident is narrowly averted. A jet has become stranded on the airport's main runway, and ATC has mistakenly given clearance to the next plane to land. Thankfully, the flight crew noticed the runway intrusion on time and abandoned the landing. 'tis the longest night tonight, and at barely 4PM night has already fallen. Traffic into midtown as the snow begins falling again... ...and it is soon time for commuters to go home from work, either by road... ...or by rail, at least on the still operational metro lines. Tonight's big game has had to be cancelled after the away team (from Vesper Bay) failed to reach Ashford on time tonight. Now that's disappointing. The Ashford Rangers are not top of the league (Glenvale played almost perfectly this season and leads them by 5 points) but they're on a 10 win streak, so there's a feeling that anything is possible for the Blitzball league's recently promoted underdogs. The mayor must be preparing their New Year's address, but the rotunda and most upper story rooms seem to be empty tonight. Empty streets in downtown Ashford. By now most people are already done with their holiday shopping. The biggest celebration, Saturalia, is in only a few days, and is a grand occasion to visit family, exchange gifts and feast around roast. The Wayfell celebration has spread to all over Tamriel and even further, such as Cathnoquey, and even Akavir. Rail services resume, allowing people to finally return home to their families. The longest night of the year is just starting. And thus, the fair people of Ashford are falling asleep, as several more inches of snow begin to fall over their roofs. The winter season is starting, and truly, 'tis the season to be merry. That's it for today folks! Hope you enjoyed, this is a shorter than usual entry as I'm very busy, but a new city's in the works so stay updated! Happy holidays to all ^^
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- 12
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- snowfall
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