• Welcome to SC4 Devotion Forum Archives.

Blackwater (with Islas Gemas)

Started by emilin, January 25, 2007, 10:56:35 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

sebes

As always this is again a great update, and also the previous was. The clubbing area seems pretty cosy - if you're back from Göteborg I'd like to see a night shot, if possible?

The residential areas are top notch &apls.

Check my MD:               
Rhenen,NN

rooker1

Awesome updates and great use of Somy's residential Bats.  Everything looks very well placed.  Great work as always.

Robin   :thumbsup:
Call me Robin, please.

kimcar

 &apls &apls I don`t want to be to repetitive but my comment look like tas the rooker1 just said. great update. :thumbsup:

Pat


Emilin that was a real good update here and i loved it... soo instead of one distraction
for accidents there was even a bigger one LoL hmm poor fire department as well...

Don't forget the SC4D Podcast is back and live on Saturdays @ 12 noon CST!! -- The Podcast soon to Return Here Linkie

BossOx

Your beaches are wonderful,  &apls all round, but they seem a bit "bright" in comparision to the existing terrain mod in some instances, which have a "greyer" look.

Also I've seen a few shots including some highways which I don't think fit into the landscape.  I would probably settle for avenues or maybe just roads or even RHW if I could get that to work.  The point being highways need not be actutal "highways" to operate as such.

Apart from that it's wonderful (I should say I just read the whole thing in one sitting so these comments may seem a little general and non-current).  Not that I've seen many Hispanic urban areas but this MD should definitely by on the reading list of all urban planners in such area.

emilin

#485
Personal replies:

flame1396: Thanks! I love those condos. I really think SOMY has outdone himself with those. They look good in almost any environment.

dedgren: Thank you so much, David! I'm very happy to hear that you like how I place the buildings too. It is one of my biggest concerns with the game. Growing has a tendency to look very unrealistic at a closeup level, while plopping tend to look mechanic from a far out zoom. I have basically resigned my aspirations to actaully grow things in a normal sense of the word by now. I do grow all the residentials, but I basically use the bulldozer and ctrl-zoning to a degree where it's not really fair to call it growing anymore.

Eddie: Thank you, Eddie! The Desert Terrain mod is very good looking in my opinion too, but it is a rather old terrain mod, so I have changed the rocks and beaches for other mods.

Yoman: Thanks! And very nice of you to suppy an exlpanation too. For a moment I thought you might be refering to the current African nation of Ghana that used to be called the Gold Coast.

Snaper: Fixed it now, but of course thank you for commenting!

Shadow Assassin: Thanks! I have scaled down the pictures for the coming updates. I had apparantly forgotten to change one of the default settings for my Photoshop.

nova vesfalo: Thanks! Very interesting to hear that the commercial zones look a bit "American" too. I really had no idea, hehe... I have only been to the US once, but then I did go to California so I guess it was somewhere in the back of my mind.

thundercrack83: Thank you as always! The lighthouse was a lot of fun to build.

kwakelaar: Thank you so much. I have been getting myself a few grey hairs over where to use the Botanic Garden (I love the BAT - but it's almost impossible to place anywhere without having it dominate the scene completely) so I'm glad you liked it.

patfirefghtr: Thank you, thank you! You are always welcome to ask about different buildings, but as many of those who have asked before will tell you I usually give very vague directions (I never remember where I got things). ;D

sebes: Thank you! And there are some nightshots of the clubbing area in the previous update.

rooker1: Thank you, Robin!

kimcar: Thanks! It's wonderful to have such faithful readers and commenters.

BossOx: Thank you, and welcome to Islas Gemas! The beaches do tend to be a bit bright, but there really isn't all that much to about that. That is one of the inbuilt problems with SC4: lot base textures come in a different colour scale than ingame terrain. Sure, I could probably custom lot some beaches in another darker tone (I have plans for "black sand beaches" elsewhere on Islas Gemas) but they would still look very different from the terrain. I see the problem with the highways myself too. I really haven't decided what to do about that yet (and since there is basically only one highway on all of the islands it's not a high priority) but I will probably need to do something about later.


Playa del Paraíso - first visit

This update basically features the first 20 pictures fom Playa del Paraíso - the main tourism center of Islas Gemas. In PdP you will find that most locals not only speak flawless English, but very often German, French and even Scandinavian languages. The restaurants and pubs have "sauerkraut" and "Swedish meatballs" on the menue. If you are looking for the "geniune Islas Gemas" - look elsewhere. But if you want a week in the sun with every possible service available - this is the place.








































BlackwaterEmil's inn
Berethor ♦ beskhu3epnm ♦ blade2k5 ♦ dmscopio ♦ dedgren
♦ Emilin ♦ Ennedi ♦ Heblem ♦ jplumbley ♦ moganite ♦ M4346 ♦
papab2000 ♦ Shadow Assassin ♦ Tarkus ♦ wouanagaine

Shadow Assassin

What, I thought that was the Water Graphics Bug rearing its ugly head in region view... but to my shock, it turns out to be one very well crafted dunes area.  :o

Looks a bit small for a resort, lol. :P But top-notch work, old chap!

-EDIT: Silly me, I forgot to add some words :P
New Horizons Productions
Berethor ♦ beskhu3epnm ♦ blade2k5 ♦ dedgren ♦ dmscopio ♦ Ennedi
emilin ♦ Heblem ♦ jplumbley ♦ moganite ♦ M4346 ♦ papab2000
Shadow Assassin ♦ Tarkus ♦ wouanagaine
See my uploads on the LEX!

flame1396

Very very nice. Not a fan of that beach in the region view.... but dang it looks good when you load the city. Very excellent work. paulvmontfort would be proud! (he made many of those hotels)
The most astounding and unique aspect of the human race is our fervent application of our ingenuity to kill each other, thus completely defying the near-universally proven fact that the ultimate goal of a member of a species is to ensure the survival of the species.

thundercrack83

Whew...Those beaches are incredible, my friend! I love the paths running through and the sparsely populated trees. May I ask, what are you using to make them? And while I'm asking questions, where can I find those pieces that you're using for a boardwalk (or what I'd call a boardwalk, anyway)?

BossOx

Really like the terraformed dunes, they will definitely be in the next beach I build (by which I mean a comparatively poor imitation).

Who owns that red pointy thing with the white C on it?  And is there meant to be a giant cube like block of coal next to the amusement park?  And finally how do the cars in the car park on the beaches get from the road?

Nonetheless it's very well done, nice contrast between the high rise hotels and the slightly shabby older Latin buildings, very realistic.




rooker1

I really like how the entire island is coming along.  You have some very unique ideas.  I love the beach.  It seems to me that the ocean level use to be higher and now it has receeded back.  I hope there are no storms in the near future or all those stores will be gone..lol.  I like the mix of old and new... very realistic.  Great work as always.

Robin   :thumbsup:
Call me Robin, please.

iamgoingtoeatyou

wow, what a massive beach there! did you create custom pieces? it looks great, my favorites are with the sand-roads with cars passing along. great work!

Air6

WOW... Your beach is incredible.

Another great update :thumbsup:

I particulary like how you put walls to separate the beach with the city. Great work my friend.

sebes

It takes a beach lover to build a beach like that - my god Emilin, it's gorgeous!!! The walls and promenades give it a very realistic view and add a great atmosphere to the area!  &apls
Check my MD:               
Rhenen,NN

Eddie

Absolutely stunning. It would quite fun to off-road on that beach. Excellent choice of BAT's, as well. Been searching for N747, eh? I can tell. People usually clump his stuff close together (I know I did when I was working on my Oasis CJ). Very colorful.

bat

Great update, emilin! I like the beach! :thumbsup:

emilin

Personal replies:

Shadow Assassin and flame 1396: Thank you for commenting! And in fact, I think that you both raise very valid points: it IS a bit small, and it doesn't look that good from the region view. And if there is one thing I like it's when it looks good from the region view, so that just won't do. I don't think there is all that much to do about the sandy areas (they will always look a bit odd from afar) but they would look better in a more realistic surrounding. I need to develop the areas around PdP further before this city tile is finished. And that is exactly what I am going to do. Before the next update from PdP I will build more "suburbs" and develop more of the coastline. I will also build at least one smaller village up on the mountainside.

thundercrack83: Thank you! The paths are custom made lots (very simple lots with dirttracks on sand) and the boardwalk is the CSX Malta set.

BossOx: Thanks and nice to see you again! To answer your questions: 1. The red pointy thing is a commercial board for a phone company - it's a rather small structure all in all, so I don't think anyone else owns it.2. Yes, the "coal block" is the Borg entertainment center by Andreas Roth - a wonderful BAT that fits the area pretty well in my opinion (wait 'till you see it up close). 3. The cars, yes. Actually that is a bit of a miss. Originally the dirt tracks went all the way up to the street, but then I changed it because it look corny so... I don't really know. Perhaps there is some secret way for them to get down there? ;D

rooker1: Thanks! According to the Tourist Promotion Board of Islas Gemas the weather is always good here, so you don't have to worry. :D

iamgoingtoeatyou: Thank you! And yes, those are mostly custom lots (not all of them are my own though).

Air6: Thank you so much! And I was a bit surprised to discover that I could place those pieces on land at all, but apparantly I could.

sebes: Thanks a lot! But, as my wife would tell you, I'm not much of a beach man in real life (I prefer to sit in the shadow on a café, really). :satisfied:

Eddie: Thanks! And yes, those BAT:s are beautiful.

bat, Thank you so much, bat!

And, since I'm not ready for the rest of PdP yet (see my answer to SA and flame) I will instead publish a list of most of the names of Islas Gemas up-to-date, with explanations. And as you already know, this list will grow considerably after we hit #500 comments - last chance to get your name in there now. ;) - when everyone with 10 or more comments will get something named after them.


The Islas Gemas Dictionary

Adeje: A small village high up in the mountains of south Zafiro.

Ágata: A small island located to the northeast of the region. The name means Agate.

Akira: A medium size town on the north coast of Ópalo. Also a religious center and shrine for the Buddhist population.

Ambarino: A small island located to the southwest of Rubí. The name means Amber.

Arrakesch: The main town of Topaz, located in a protecting valley in the middle of the island.

Duarte: A small village located on the southeastern part of Zafiro.

El Snapper Belga: A work of public art placed in downtown Paloma. The name refers to a sunken ship located just off the coast near Paloma.

Esmeralda: The third largest island of the Islas Gemas. The name means Emerald.

Esmeralda Unida: Football (soccer) team from the island Esmeralda. Currently playing in the second division.

FC Rubí: Football (soccer) team from the island Rubí. Currently playing the second division.

Granate: A small island located just east of Rubí. The name means Garnet.

Independiente de Santiago: The biggest football (soccer) club of the Islas Gemas, currently playing in the highest national league where they have been finishing at places 5-8 for the last few years. The team captain, and highest valued player, is Sebastian Romero, (born in "Argentina" but now a "Spanish" citizen).

Islas Gemas: A group of 12 islands located somewhere in my Simuniverse' equivalent to the Atlantic Ocean. Together they form the southernmost province of my "Spain". The name means "Jewel Islands" or "Gem Islands". The climate is subtropical, with a great variety in wind and weather conditions between the different islands.

Jardin Libertad: Park and recreations area in Santiago.

Juaníta: Smaller town and resort located on the West coast of Zafiro. It is closely intertwined with its' larger neighbour Puerto Rico.

Los Jardines: Residential area in Santiago.

Los Trepadores: Another name for the suburbs of Santiago, climbing the steep hillsides of the valley.

Malaquita: A small island located to the southeast of the region. The name means Malachite.

Modernista: A high wealth residential area in Santiago.

Nuestra Dama: A large cathedral in Santiago.

Nuestro Sino: The home arena for the Independiente, located in Santiago.

Obsidiano: A small island located to the southeast of the region. The name means Obsidian.

Ópalo: A medium size island with a very green and lush environment. The name means Opal. A large part of the inhabitants of Ópalo are of East Asian decent which can be clearly seen in the style of architecture, and also in the practice of Buddhism as the dominant religion on the island. The Asian population migrated to Ópalo in the middle of the 19th Century, mainly from "Japan" that still was an extremely closed society at the time.

Padparadscha: One of the smaller islands, located to the northeast of the region. The name means Padparadscha – a rare form of pink Sapphire.

Paloma: A medium sized resort town located on the south coast of Zafiro. It is closely intertwined with its' bigger neighbour Playa del Paraíso. It is one of the more expensive and upscale resorts on the Islas Gemas.

Parque de la Cruz: Park and recreations area in Santiago.

Parque Independencia: Park in Santiago.

Parque Monsignor Sanabria: Park in Santiago. Named after the first bishop of the Islas Gemas.

Parque Resurrección: Park and recreations area in Santiago.

Piedra Sangre: The smallest of the Islas Gemas, located east of Rubí. The name means Blood Stone.

Playa del Paraíso: The biggest resort town of the Islas Gemas. Named after the large beach where it's located on the south coast of Zafiro. It is the main center for tourism on the islands.

Puerto Azul: The main town of Ópalo. Located on the southwest coast of the island.

Puerto Rico: A medium size town and resort located on the west coast of Zafiro. It was one of the first charter resorts built on the Islas Gemas in the 1960s, but the town center is much older.

Rubí: The second largest island of the Islas Gemas. The name means Ruby.

San Juan: A small town located close to the international airport on the east coast of Zafiro.

Santiago de Zafiro: The provincial capital of the Islas Gemas, aswell as the main city of Zafiro. The city is home to almost 150.000 citizens, the provincial government and the only modern industrial port on the islands. It is also the financial hub of the province.

The Red Snapper: The wreck of this 19th Century Belgian Corvette is located off the coast near Paloma. It is now a popular site for Scuba diving.

Toledo: A village located on the southeastern part of Zafiro.

Topaz: One of the smaller islands of the Islas Gemas, located far away from the rest of the islands, in the southwest of the region. The name means Topaz. The climate of Topaz is much dryer and sandier than for the rest of the islands. There is a strong North African influence on both culture and architecture on Topaz.

Torre del Zafiro: the tallest building on the Islas Gemas. Located in the financial center of Santiago, it reaches 211 meters into the sky.

Vallo Corte: A geopgraphic area on the east coast of Zafiro that consists of two shallow valleys. The name means Short Valley. The area is one of the few places on Islas Gemas with rich soil, and is dominated by farms and smaller villages.

Zafiro: The largest island of the Islas Gemas. The name means Sapphire.

ZIN: The official code for the International Airport of Zaphiro.

BlackwaterEmil's inn
Berethor ♦ beskhu3epnm ♦ blade2k5 ♦ dmscopio ♦ dedgren
♦ Emilin ♦ Ennedi ♦ Heblem ♦ jplumbley ♦ moganite ♦ M4346 ♦
papab2000 ♦ Shadow Assassin ♦ Tarkus ♦ wouanagaine

rooker1

Interesting idea, "The Islas Gemas Dictionary".  I can't wait to see how this dictionary grows.  So far it seems unique, yet very interesting and realistic.  And good thing about the weather being nice most of the time.  This last city sounds like a very nice vacation place.
Great work.

Robin   :thumbsup:
Call me Robin, please.

kimcar

 &apls Great update my friend. Like everyone i love your beach. so real  :thumbsup: Great pics you show us. Keep it up.

thundercrack83

I agree with Robin (rooker1), the Islas Gemas Dictionary is definitely a great idea, my friend! Very interesting, stuff! Also...


...And #499...

The door is now open!