Siilijoki

[bat]

Congrats on the 2nd OSITM-award!
And great updates so far. Also nice textures.
Looking forward to more in this month...

[noahclem]

I thought I'd update today but to really do my plans justice and need to do a couple re-lots and fill in an area and it's getting late.

First a tip for best viewing:  In case you didn't know, there's a couple little "+" markers on the right-hand side of the website, towards the top. Clicking the left one hides the menu on the left, allowing more of the screen to be used to view pictures.

Second, a better tip for viewing:  Click the "reply" button. This widens the area of the screen available for viewing pictures even further, so combined with the previous tip you can now see a picture almost as wide as your screen.

Also, as long as you have gone this far you might as well write me a quick reply 



We'll be exploring these areas in detail soon:

22.10





22.11

Seems like I've missed your last "updates"
Anyway great pictures...really liked the winter ones,even though my favourite remains Siilijoki "work in progress"...outstanding example of the fine work behind a very nice city
keep it up!

Thanks and no worries on missing the updates   Glad you liked the pictures and I think I'll have to do more "work in progress" pictures.

Let me wish you good luck. This kind of weather can be really annoying, so armed with patience. Glad to see that your reindeer friend is back, he's really awesome . Your pictures are very nice and peaceful, reminds me the ski resort in Kalavrita.
Keep it up

Thanks a lot Elias! The weather's gotten better and I'm sure my reindeer friend is enjoying it more now too 

Great snow images, 21.5 is my favorite.

Thanks! I really like the little snowy shed you made and it will be shown in the next ski update. It's great that your shed, and Girafe's ski lifts and trees are all in HD so I can make close shots like 21.5 look good.

Really good job,

I am pleased to see finally someone uses my skilift. With time I am asking it was a nightmare to develop this and it has no utilty for the game 

But your pictures are superb 

Thank you for creating those great ski lifts and trees! I'm glad I finally used them and I really am enjoying them. Thanks for the compliment also 

Nice looking Skiing slopes there, Noah!

Thanks Arthur!

That's a great skiing area ... Perfect arrangement of the lifts and trees 

Thank you very much Theresa!

While you enjoy the cold weather and snow, we sit here in northeast Arkansas wondering when winter will start. My yard is full of clover. But enough about the weather.

Although most of your photos look similar, they are very different. This is a very interesting study in lighting and its effect on in-game scenes. Those long shadows in 21.2 are quite a contrast to the mostly short ones in 21.0, and the lighting is very different. And I like the sunset in 21.3, too. Then 21.7 has that blue look about it I have seen before at certain times of the evening and night.

You managed to capture a very nice variety on photos this time, and they're very attractive to boot...
-Joan

Thanks for the nice reply Joan! I was really happy with the way most of the shadows and lighting effects turned out and I've been enjoying making more twilight pictures of late. After combining twilight with that terrain mod the pictures almost make themselves.

I have only one comment:


your pictures just makes me want to go skiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing !

Thanks Arne, me too!!!

Reserve a lift ticket for me, I'm packing my skis as we speak. I know I've taken my stab at ski slopes before, but I think you nailed it. You really took advantage of plenty of space to keep things spread out. any terraforming you needed to do midway along, or did you just work with the terrain as you found it?
-Matt

Thanks Matt, I'll have you lift pass waiting for you! I did only minimal terraforming for this area, since Girafe's ski lifts adapt nicely to the slopes. The cables can look distorted if there's a funny terrain feature so I occasionally smoothed things out. I look forward to returning to this area, showing more, and giving it a bit of life.

That is an impressive ski hill! 

Thanks a lot Gordon!

The skii slopes and winter scenes, they are looking great!!
I love to skii but this year I haven't even thought about going.  The temperatures are so mild, averaging above 0c, I'm sure.  I think we have had three snow falls, and the snow was gone over the next few days.  I hear that my local mountain is making snow, but the conditions aren't very good.  So, I don't wish for your super low temperatuers, but something between your and mine would be good.  The winter season is over though, so I might as well forget about it and look forward to summer.

Robin

Thanks Robin! Sorry the winter weather didn't cooperate for you this year but as you said you can always look forward to summer--I like waterskiing more anyway. It probably sounds funny, but we've had an abnormally warm and late ski season 

Congratulations on the OSITM and sorry for missing the last few updates The snowy landscapes are beautiful and remind me of the cold winter out there (-9° as of now) And I'm interested in seeing how you finish that interchange in downtown!

Thanks Ioan and no worries about missing the last ones. Glad you liked the snow, try to stay warm, and I'll keep you posted on my transit work 

Your snowy landscapes are incredible.  That is true art with different light and shadow. These pictures belong in a museum. 

Congratulations to OSITM 

Thanks for the awesome comment Dantes! I'm really flattered.

I love the images as they are simple but convey a very real feelings. It seems like being in a real snowed place.
And the sunset are so beautiful.

Thanks! I'm really glad my pictures could convey feelings, beauty, and realism to you. I guess that's the ultimate goal of the artist which is what we are in the end.

Awesome bridges, and the textures for the T-RAM look interesting.

Thanks apeguy! More textures on the way and we'll be going back to that bridge.

That is an stunning bridge, Noah. I love dramatic shots like that. Looking forward to a full update - yours are always great looking and inspirational as well.

Thank you so much! Full update coming very soon--I hope it lives up to your high expectations    I'm excited about it anyway 

The new network is intriguing, looks like it has some interesting possibilities!

Thanks! I've thought for a long time that having wider T-RAM options and T-RAM TuLEPs would really be nice. Hopefully things work out for it.

Wow, NWMM Bridge  Interessting T-Ram 

Thanks Dantes!

my, my, my... That's a really nice bridge you have there, Noah. I can't wait till it get released somewhere...

Thanks Arthur! The updated version (so far) seems not to have that problem and choco has been active lately, which are both good signs. The ID conflict would have to be resolved before release still though.

'tis a very nice bridge noah....if only the creator knew how to properly align textures....

It might be my favorite of your actually--really great! Thanks!

I think turning on the anti-aliasing/transparency for that bridge would go a long way.  If you want, try editing the S3D materials section to be like This Image.  I'm not sure if you need to change the Alpha Threshold, I think Reader holds this has one Byte, hence automatically dropping to 255.

Thanks Carl. I'll pass your suggestion on to choco and perhaps take a look myself as well.

Awesome bridge Noah! And great job with the T-Ram

Thanks Kergelen, glad you liked them!

Wonderful textures   , would be very nice to see this in the NAM some time.  And the bridge is nice too!   
Greetz, Carl

Thank you very much! I'm also definitely hoping to get these textures turned into puzzle pieces and released.

Nice bridge indeed
Also, I really enjoyed the skiing area  I'm going to snowboard in two weeks and I wish I can find that kine of powder !

Thanks Benoit and glad to see you back around! Have fun skiing and I wish you luck finding some good powder 

Congrats on the 2nd OSITM-award!
And great updates so far. Also nice textures.
Looking forward to more in this month...

Thanks for the congratulations and the nice comment bat! I hope you enjoy the rest of February here.

[Girafe]

hehe, sweet forest you have here

[zzsteven]

I seem to have missed a few updates, sorry. Been getting a new puter set up.
That is a great looking ski area and I liked the WIP pic. Please do more of those.
Have you named the reindeer yet?

zz

[Jmouse]

Noah, you're a lot like me and the other NUTs. You would much rather wait an extra day or so and do your plans justice than to show something you're not completely satisfied with. That's one of the many qualities I admire about you.

22.10 is stunning, and the train on a curve is icing on the cake. We're expecting 2-3 inches (5.1 - 6.65 cm) of snow tomorrow, but nothing like the winter wonderland you have there. The next one looks pretty darn good, too, and there's that same train going through town.

BTW, you now have an official "Name the Reindeer Contest" going. How about something similar to "occupy," mentioned a page or two back, but in Finnish, of course. In English, I would probably call him "The Answer Man," but maybe shorten it to "TAM" or "AM." One thing about Americans, we always try to shorten words and pronounce everything.

Best of luck with your plans...
-Joan

[catty]

...The first is one from Tunturikyla Ski Resort, also my submission for the winter picture contest in Catty's
Urban Design - The Goal of SC4 thread....Any winter image created with any city simulating program is eligible and a year's SC4D subscription will be awarded to the winner. The contest ends in 21ish replies to that thread so hurry and be sure to enjoy the interesting and unfamiliar stuff while you're over there  ...

The competition has now finished and congratulations Noah you are the    Winner    it was a great picture

I'll announce it over at page 19 and have also organised your subscription, hopefully you should see it in the next day or two.



-Cathy

[RickD]

Also, as long as you have gone this far you might as well write me a quick reply

Hey, you tricked me.  No, seriously, nice pictures. Love the trains.

[art128]

Two excellent pictures, Noah!

The second one with the train running through the city is splendid, nice job with the diagonal buildings.

The first one is also great, though I would have put some MMPs rocks, bushes, logs or whatever to decorate the coast.

Take care,

-Arthur.

Oh, btw... NUTs eh ? Nice. 

[Terring7]

I really like the second picture, very cool

[Jaris]

First of all, thank you for the viewing tips there are noobs like me around here, with no clou about such possibilities, and on my 15" laptop it helped a lot.
You have a lovely region and a lovely MD, and I really like the realism of it.

Have you thought about making a unique skin for your trains, to fit the finnish ralwaiy better? The Skin you are using now fits in shape and would just need a new paintjob
I have no clou about modding, but one can see from your MD that you do, and it's just one thing you might consider

[bat]

Nice shot of that train. The second image is also great.

[Jmouse]

Congratulations on winning the "winter photo competition," Noah. An award truly well deserved.

[Yan077]

Sorry I missed a couple of updates and beautiful pictures...
Stunning winter landscapes, Noah !   
And also congrats for the OSITM well-deserved 

[vinlabsc3k]

Wow Noah, it's outstanding!! Sorry for the lack of comments, but my RL was frenetic in these week.

Congratulation for the 2 OSITM and Winter Picture. As always your mastery is at high levels.

[wallasey]

Great work as always!

Gutted I have missed so much!

Love the winter scenes mixed in with those wooded rivers and cosmopolitan urban views! Well deserved OSITM second time round!

[noahclem]

The time will be the last 15 months of MDing and the space will be the Siilijoki's Dragon Coast Railway and its environs. Yes, we'll be staying on Earth for now 


My plan is to showcase both old and new pictures in old and new areas at different times of year and even with different weather. I hope to give you a feeling of how Siilijoki has changed over time, as well as the varied look of different places and seasons. This is also the first update focusing on the length of a specific transport route.


First then, we'll to to the map. There is a legend at bottom right (see the last teaser for instructions on proper viewing, using the "+" & "reply" technique  )



22.1 - Our journey begins at the Siilijoki Central Rail Terminus, the region's mass transit hub.

Picture taken from Update #1, found on the first page (there's a handy TOC with links at the top of that page)


22.2 - The 18 tracks leaving the terminus converge together and cross park area just after leaving the station



22.3 - The line turns from east to north, crossing over the tracks heading to points south (this design decreased the footprint of the tracks leaving the terminus) and are seen here crossing over Riverside Drive just before crossing the Siilijoki Estuary



22.4 - Jumping back to the present, we can catch an overview of the area here:

Note that the church is now missing--part of work lost shortly after beginning my MD. Growth in Siilijoki Proper has been a bit chaotic lately after barely playing the tile for about a year. New transport links and neighbor connections that suddenly connect to larger cities have spurred growth, especially offices and higher wealth residences. This picture is definitely "under construction"


22.5 - At the other side of the bridge lies Pohjois Siilijoki--see Update IX for more detail of the area, including a great mosaic showing the route that I thought would take up too much space here



22.6 - Just after exiting the tunnel the line crosses a bridge to navigate the steep bluffs along the river



Next we cross over into Pohjanmaa Municipality. North Pohjanmaa is separated from the rest of the municipality by the Siilijoki Estuary which is almost 2 kilometers wide by this point.

22.7 - This area is immediately adjacent to the border though separated in time and season




22.8 - The sun is shining brightly on the snow while a freight train passes by. Congestion caused by sharing tracks has led to plans for freight traffic being phased out. Longer term passenger numbers imply the possibility of additional expansion in the future.



22.9 - Further down the line darkness is coming



22.10 - As we enter a valley it begins to snow



22.11 - The tracks pass through a natural lower spot in the bluffs that was further excavated to be passable for rails. The view from the train is of a snow-covered canyon this time of year




22.12 - Just after exiting the valley we round the corner and arrive at North Pohjanmaa West (NPW), seen here from the top of the hill separating the station from the river.



22.13 - The station seen from the other side in autumn. Express and local trains utilize different engines, cars and liveries.



22.13 - The area around the station is full of bars and liquor stores, though it remains relatively nice to look at (probably more so if you've just spent too much time in the aforementioned places  )



Beyond NPW we pass through a dense area sited on one of the few flat areas with unobscured views of the water, North Pohjanmaa's city center. After reaching a relatively high elevation traversing the river bluffs the rail crosses town on a viaduct to avoid dangerously steep slopes. I'm going to save the area to present later but you can catch a glimpse in my last teaser at the top of this page.

22.14 - The next stop is North Pohjanmaa Central (NPC)

From this urban station trams can take us to the nearby ski hill, the beach, or just about anywhere in between. A very reasonable walk could also get you to both places for those with a bit more motivation (commuter rail tickets are also valid for trams within a set time period so avoiding the walk is pretty tempting). Talk of a subway line directly linking the portion of the municipality across the river has also been heard.


22.15 Along with the station itself the busy shopping mall above and around the station keep the area busy well into the evening, rain or shine



Let the "Name My Reindeer Friend" contest begin! You may choose any name you like and recommend that others vote for the name you suggest. I will list the suggested names along with a vote tally as we go along. Votes will be weighted by the number of replies here this month, so every time you reply you cast an additional vote for yourself. The winner of the contest will receive:

1. They're own home in Siilijoki, in the location of their choosing.
2. A political, geographical, or transportation feature of their choosing named for them.
3. An all expenses paid vacation to Siilijoki (in your mind)   


So, returning by popular demand

hehe, sweet forest you have here

Thanks Antoine, I wonder if I've ever made a picture without your trees 

I seem to have missed a few updates, sorry. Been getting a new puter set up.
That is a great looking ski area and I liked the WIP pic. Please do more of those.
Have you named the reindeer yet?

zz

Great to see you back! I put up a WIP here, although it's a bit more progressed--and I'll keep 'em coming. No name for the reindeer yet but the contest has begun!

Noah, you're a lot like me and the other NUTs. You would much rather wait an extra day or so and do your plans justice than to show something you're not completely satisfied with. That's one of the many qualities I admire about you.

22.10 is stunning, and the train on a curve is icing on the cake. We're expecting 2-3 inches (5.1 - 6.65 cm) of snow tomorrow, but nothing like the winter wonderland you have there. The next one looks pretty darn good, too, and there's that same train going through town.

BTW, you now have an official "Name the Reindeer Contest" going. How about something similar to "occupy," mentioned a page or two back, but in Finnish, of course. In English, I would probably call him "The Answer Man," but maybe shorten it to "TAM" or "AM." One thing about Americans, we always try to shorten words and pronounce everything.

Best of luck with your plans...
-Joan

Good idea on the contest! Really glad you liked the pictures and hope you agree these were worth waiting for (the last two pics plus the map and overview were the holdup)--but yeah, definitely better to wait than to later regret showing something mediocre that could have been great.

Have fun with the snow (if it's still there) and be sure to let me know what the final call is on your reindeer vote.

Always a pleasure 

The competition has now finished and congratulations Noah you are the    Winner    it was a great picture

I'll announce it over at page 19 and have also organised your subscription, hopefully you should see it in the next day or two.



-Cathy

Thank you very much Cathy and welcome to Siilijoki! I'm really looking forward to my subscription privileges and won't be a stranger over in you thread 

Also, as long as you have gone this far you might as well write me a quick reply

Hey, you tricked me.  No, seriously, nice pictures. Love the trains.

Haha, the trick worked      Glad you liked the pictures Raphael!

Two excellent pictures, Noah!

The second one with the train running through the city is splendid, nice job with the diagonal buildings.

The first one is also great, though I would have put some MMPs rocks, bushes, logs or whatever to decorate the coast.

Take care,

-Arthur.

Oh, btw... NUTs eh ? Nice. 

Thanks buddy! I agree the shore is too plain but there's almost nothing to work with for snow-covered MMPs. I think I'll go back there later and make it look nice for some non-snowy pictures though.

Also I've got a bunch more elevated rail and diagonal building stuff coming soon so keep you eye out 

And thanks for the congrats on my new team!

I really like the second picture, very cool

Thanks Elias!! I hope you like this update even though we didn't actually go to space 

First of all, thank you for the viewing tips there are noobs like me around here, with no clou about such possibilities, and on my 15" laptop it helped a lot.
You have a lovely region and a lovely MD, and I really like the realism of it.

Have you thought about making a unique skin for your trains, to fit the finnish ralwaiy better? The Skin you are using now fits in shape and would just need a new paintjob
I have no clou about modding, but one can see from your MD that you do, and it's just one thing you might consider

Thanks a lot and welcome to Siilijoki! I've seen you viewing a couple times and I'm glad you decided to join the conversation.

It actually took me a couple months after the site was redesigned to figure out those viewing suggestions     The rail skin is a good idea--a friend actually just offered to make a custom one for me so keep your eye out 

Nice shot of that train. The second image is also great.

Thanks a lot bat, glad you liked them!

Congratulations on winning the "winter photo competition," Noah. An award truly well deserved.

Thanks Joan 

Sorry I missed a couple of updates and beautiful pictures...
Stunning winter landscapes, Noah !   
And also congrats for the OSITM well-deserved 

Thanks a lot for great complements! Always great to have you around 

Wow Noah, it's outstanding!! Sorry for the lack of comments, but my RL was frenetic in these week.

Congratulation for the 2 OSITM and Winter Picture. As always your mastery is at high levels.

No worries about the missed comments and best of luck with your RL stuff    Thanks for the very kind words as always!

Great work as always!

Gutted I have missed so much!

Love the winter scenes mixed in with those wooded rivers and cosmopolitan urban views! Well deserved OSITM second time round!

Hey, great to hear from you again! Thanks for the nice comment and I look forward to seeing what you've been up to 

[threestooges]

Your urban networks are always impressive to look at. I've never really lived in a dense urban environment (just around them), so I've not really had a chance to see them in action, but seeing the way you intertwine roads with rail and light rail is a treat. 22.14 in particular was my favorite of the update.

As for the reindeer... he looks like a "Willie" to me. Willie the Reindeer.
-Matt

[nbvc]

Fantastic winter landscapes and rail layout for the bridge.

[Swordmaster]

"plans for freight traffic being phased out"



I might remind you that freight generally brings in more revenue than passenger traffic! I really hope you reconsider your decision, or I'll be out of a job.

Cheers,
Willy

[bat]

Fantastic new update there!
And great snow scenes! Also the other images are great.
Looking forward to more...