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True Earth

Started by korver, May 04, 2016, 08:05:18 PM

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Akallan

korver, you're too fast! I have not had time to comment on your previous update that you have already made a new one. Your work is always as beautiful, I like the image of the Maldives, you would seem to be on holiday! But my favorite is Ganges River, it's a gorgeous picture with the buildings next to the water. The story is well transcribed. Good job, thank you! &apls

Your latest update looks great too. An image, but superbly done, I can not wait to see the sequel! :thumbsup:
My CJ :


My european road textures project : S N T - v.2.1

Nanami

^^ my first reaction is pretty much like Akallan post above.

Man these pictures... they're always awesome. the maldives and ganges river from the south asian update definitely the best on that entry IMO! :thumbsup:

And new incoming update? will we see some ancient ruin from all other world? would be interesting to see some from the huns invasion to rome ;D

seraf

Now that looks promising (like everything you post  :D ) can't wait to see more!  :thumbsup:

I looked at all your updates and they are simply stunning. This is one of best CJ I've ever seen  &apls (and the fact that I saw here quite a few of my BATs has nothing to do with my praise  :D ) Though I must say I love the way you used the Leaning Tower  &apls &apls :thumbsup:

korver


- UPDATE 21: Ancient Ruins -





Note: I ended up doing more scenes than I was expecting, so it ended up being too big for one update - there will be a part 2 of this update coming out soon.

Our tour of some of the world's most impressive ancient ruins begins with Mayans and one of their most famous sites - the ruined city of Chichén Itzá. From approximately 550 CE - 800 CE, the entire city remained an important ceremonial site - but it was eventually captured by the rival Toltecs in 987 CE. The Toltecs added their own structures and temples to the complex, until it was ultimately abandoned for mysterious reasons in roughly 1180 CE. While much of the city is long gone, there's still many sites worth checking out, such as the Plaza of a Thousand Columns and the Pyramid of Kukulkan. It's one of the most stunning destinations in all of Central America - and an experience you won't forget.





We make our way towards the Caribbean Sea to explore another one of the Mayan civilization's most famous sites - Tulum. Between the stunning ruins, pristine beaches, and picturesque views of the Caribbean - its one of the most incredible landmarks in the area. Rain or shine, its a destination that's hard to top and certainly worth checking out.





While the Mayans were certainly one of the most important civilizations in all of Mesoamerica - another influential site in the area predates anything they built by hundreds of years. The ancient ruins of Teotihuacan are just as mysterious as they are awe-inspiring. Who built it, and when? Although many are divided on the subject, its believed that either the Toltecs or Totonacs built it, back in the 3rd century CE - and it quickly developed into one of the world's largest cities. The Aztecs of Central Mexico incorporated the site into their own civilization nearly a thousand years later, and it eventually became one of their most important religious and economic sites. Today, the entire complex remains a premier tourist destination right outside of Mexico City - and the Pyramid of the Sun is a can't miss attraction.





Africa is where you'll find our next famous archeological site - the ruined, walled city of Great Zimbabwe. Founded back in the 11th century CE, the Shona people built these stunning buildings as a royal palace for their kingdom of Zimbabwe - in fact, the very name "Zimbabwe" meant "stone houses" in their language. The whole area remained an important trading area for centuries, but was ultimately abandoned in the 1450s - and no one is completely sure why.





We now move into South America - and the first stop is the ancient city of Tiahuanaco, located high in the Bolivian Andes. The Tiwanaku civilization flourished here from 100 CE to 1250 CE - and they were one of the most powerful civilizations in the entire region. Noted for their architecture, roads, sculptures, and other advanced cultural aspects - they were the precursor to the Incas and played a major role in how they designed many of their structures. Today, all that remains of this once great structure is a few gates, statues, and walls - but you can still tell that this was a civilization that was far ahead of their time.





Our last archaeological site is one of the premier destinations in all of South America - the Incan Citadel of Machu Picchu. This legendary site was believed to have been built back in 1450 CE, around the height of the Incan empire. For the next 100 years or so, it remained a sacred religious site for Incan leaders - and it's also believed to have been a royal estate for some of the most important rulers of the time. Despite its grandeur, this ancient city couldn't last forever - in the mid 1500s, the city was mysteriously abandoned, right around the time Spanish conquistadors made their way into the area. While there's no evidence the two ever interacted - its certainly possible that a smallpox outbreak could have wiped out the entire city. For nearly 400 years, the entire site laid in ruin, with nature overtaking its walls - until American archeologist Hiram Bingham discovered the site in 1911, with renovations soon underway. It may be tough to find on a map and even tougher to reach on foot - but for those who make a trip, its a once in a lifetime destination.






-korver


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Replies

Simmer2: Thanks! ;D

dyoungyn: Thank you! I haven't heard back yet unfortunately, but I'll keep you informed. Always cool to hear that about my South Pacific update too, glad you enjoyed it :)

Alan_Waters: Thanks for the comment! No, not yet unfortunately :D

manga rivotra: Thank you! Yeah, I was extra careful with the grass there to make sure I didn't overdo or underdo it, and to make sure what I picked would match up with the terrain texture. Glad you liked it :)

Akallan: Thanks for the comment - the Ganges scene was quite tricky but I think I pulled it off quite nicely, glad you enjoyed it :)

Nanami: Thank you! The Ganges scene seems to be quite popular :) I am planning to do a number of ruin scenes from the Roman Empire here for the next update - I've actually been doing alot of research on them in particular and I've been throwing around the idea of doing some sort of Roman Empire update in the future, set back in the times of Ancient Rome. But that would have to be a bit down the line ;)

seraf: Thank you for the comment and for the praise! :) It's been a pleasure to use your fantastic BATs in my CJ, and when I first saw that Leaning Tower - I knew I had to put to good use ;)


Akallan

It's just beautiful! Machu Picchu Terraces are extremely realistic and detailed! You are a genius, magnificent!

It would be fabulous to do something about ancient rome or about antiquity in general. There is much to see even from Greece or Egypt, the Mediterranean basin is rich in culture (Carthage, Syracuse, Rhodes, etc ...).

Good continuation! &apls
My CJ :


My european road textures project : S N T - v.2.1

reddonquixote

Beautiful work! The birds flying overhead are a very nice touch too  :thumbsup:

These remind me of scenes from Age of Empires.. only a 1000 times better  &apls &apls
Pay heed to the tales of old wives. It may well be that they alone keep in memory what it was once needful for the wise to know.

Tyberius06

It's amazing! :) Simply magnificent! :)
You may find updates about my ongoing projects into my development thread here at SimCity 4 Devotion: Tyberius Lotting Experiments
or over there on Simtropolis into the Tyberius (Heretic Projects) Lotting and Modding Experiments.
I'm also member of the STEX Custodian and working on different restoration projects on behalf of non-anymore-active custom content creators.
Current projects: WMP Restoration and SimCity Polska Restoration.
Member of the NAM Team and RTMT Team.

manga rivotra

I love this update!  :o
Everything is absolutely perfect and your dexterity with the MMPs reaches unmatched records, especially in the photo of Tiahuanaco where every plant and every square meter of paving or sand seems to have always been laid there.  &apls &apls &apls
Moreover, everything is reproduced with the details that create realism as it is accumulation of people at the foot of the Teotihuacan steps or their displacement that seem to be done in small groups of tourists.
All in all it is exceptional and a treat to watch! Thank you to share this  :thumbsup:

Alan_Waters

I absolutely do not understand how you do it!  ()what() :thumbsup: &apls &apls &apls

tomvsotis

honestly there really isn't anything to say beyond "woOooOOoooooooOOOoOoOoOoowwwwwwwwwww"

mattb325

Gosh.....that Machu Picchu scene...just brilliant

korver


- UPDATE 22: Ancient Ruins - Pt. II (Preview) -


Our tour of the ancient world continues on.. after taking a look at a number of famous ruins from Central & South America in the first update, we're continuing on into Europe & Asia in Part II.

I'm putting the finishing touches on a few more Roman ruin scenes so I hope to get the full update out soon... but here's a little bit of what I've done thus far:


The Colosseum




Petra by Night




-korver


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Replies

Akallan: Thanks for the kind words! I'm certainly planning on doing an update of that sort down the road... Ancient Egypt certainly sounds enticing ;)

reddonquixote: Thank you! I think those Maxis buzzards are probably becoming my signature :P

Tyberius06: Thank you! :)

manga rivotra: Thank you for the praise! I really went all out with the MMPing there, glad you liked it :)

Alan_Waters: Thank you! The answer generally involves a loooot of clicking.. and a lot of patience.

tomvsotis: Thanks ;D

mattb325: Thanks, glad you enjoyed Machu Picchu :)


Tyberius06

Wow! Seeing your pictor of the Colosseum, my first thought was that you posted a RL image to compare with your work! :D :D :D Dear, that looks fantastic. Last year I was in Rome and was inside this magnificent building, I spent the whole day discovering the Colosseum and walk through on the Forum Romanum. Amazing buildings! :)

Petra night picture is also amazing!
Thank you to sharing these!

- Tyberius
You may find updates about my ongoing projects into my development thread here at SimCity 4 Devotion: Tyberius Lotting Experiments
or over there on Simtropolis into the Tyberius (Heretic Projects) Lotting and Modding Experiments.
I'm also member of the STEX Custodian and working on different restoration projects on behalf of non-anymore-active custom content creators.
Current projects: WMP Restoration and SimCity Polska Restoration.
Member of the NAM Team and RTMT Team.

Akallan

Egypt, an excellent idea, is a bottomless theme! :D

Very beautiful preview, the coliseum makes dream! Petra ... Looks not SC4, but a real photo! :popcorn:
My CJ :


My european road textures project : S N T - v.2.1

Themistokles

Those roads snaking their way around the Colloseum...

...

*back after collecting my jaw*

..and the beauty of Petra. Would so love to go there some time.

*adding one more line to the to do-list*
Come join me on a hike to St Edmea!

Latest update: 7

"In the end, our society will be defined not only by what we create, but by what we refuse to destroy." - John Sawhill

korver

#255

- UPDATE 23: Ancient Ruins (Part II) -




For the second part of our tour, we begin by traveling to the Middle East to take a look at one of the world's most unique set of ruins - Petra. Founded by the Nabataean civilization as early as 312 BCE, this ancient sandstone city flourished for centuries - and the construction of the Treasury in the 1st century CE was a time of considerable growth and prosperity for the civilization. By 106 CE the Roman Empire captured the city - while Roman influence can be seen throughout the complex, they still thrived as a trade center for many more centuries. Eventually though, the Romans moved their trade capital from Petra and the entire city faded into obscurity and was abandoned shortly afterwards. The ruins have remained a mysterious landmark since then - in fact, the whole facade of the Treasury is riddled with bullet holes after Bedouin tribesmen tried to break in, hoping to recover riches inside. To this day, the entire complex remains a popular tourist attraction in the area - be sure to visit at night when the entire complex is lit up by a stunning display of candles - its one of the most magical experiences imaginable.





For our next iconic ancient ruin - we're traveling to the rural farmlands of southern England. Stonehenge was built between 3200 and 2000 BCE - making it by far the oldest ruin on our list. The druids who built this megalith used ingenious methods to move these rocks around - and although its not entirely agreed upon, most believe that some sort of earth ramp was used to lift the stones into perfect position. There's no better time to visit here than during midsummer sunrise - the stones themselves align to it perfectly, making it a magical experience that's one of a kind.





We'll be taking an extended look at the Roman Empire next - and there's no better place to start than the famous Roman Forum in the heart of Rome. This impressive set of ruins was once the heart of the city, with the likes of Julius Caesar and other important Roman leaders once crossing these grounds. After several sacks of Rome though that led to the fall of the empire during the 400s CE, many of the rocks and stones were plundered extensively, leaving the entire complex a shell of its former self. Excavations and restorations began in the 18th century - and although much of the original structure is long gone, you can still get a glimpse of what these walls once held.





Our next stop within the ancient Roman Empire is the famous Colosseum. First opening back in 80 CE, its size couldn't be rivaled - more than 50,000 people could watch the many events that were held here. Aside from the gladiator fights - the Colosseum was used for just about everything and remained an important site in the empire for hundreds of years. While much of the structure has been lost to time or plundered by enemies - there's still much of it remaining, making it one of the most popular attractions not just in Italy - but also the world.





Our final archeological site is none other than the famous ruins of Pompeii, Italy. This ancient Roman city was founded between the 6th and 7th century - and continued to grow and flourish as an important trading center for centuries. However, in 79 CE, nearby Mount Vesuvius exploded - covering the entire city under a blanket of ash and pyroclastic materials. Although most of the town's inhabitants survived (nearly 80% evacuated before the eruption) - an estimated 2,000 people still lost their lives on that fateful day. After a series of excavations starting in the 1700s, the entire city has became a massive tourist attraction and one of the world's premier archeological sites.





NOTE: Pretty much all the models in this update were downloaded and imported into the game from sites like 3d warehouse, as there were no close replacements for certain buildings I needed. These are ingame models imported into the game with 3dsmax, they are like any other BAT you would use. Besides the Petra picture where I added the lights and made the cliffs look a bit better - there was very little photoshop used at all.


-korver


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Replies

Tyberius06: Thanks once again :) Sounds like an awesome trip, I really hope I can make it there one day. I've actually been working on a couple other Rome pics (besides these).. so perhaps I'll do a full fledged Rome update sometime down the road :)

Akallan: Thanks for the kind words :) Egypt should be fun, but I just hope that I'll be able to find enough decent BATs first :P

Themistokles: Thanks, glad you liked it :)


dyoungyn

#256
Does indeed look like Roman.  I play and enjoy the Roman times/war games.  I use my imagination and see the rustling and bustling Kingdom it once truly was a marvel.  Great job.

mattb325

Beautiful...petra is stunning and the pompeii scene is breathtaking. You really should tell us which game you're playing, because it's surely not sc4  ;)

Dantes

Is this Simcity ? This is great art! Art! Wonderful art!  :bnn:

manga rivotra

With this particular angle, I really took some time to understand that the pic of Pompei is indeed a pic from the game.  :o
Incredible precisions !  &apls &apls &apls
It is once again exceptional and it seems that you are still improving! Thank you for sharing your art  :thumbsup: