I've been threatening to try my hand at this for a while. I originally started this region about two years ago, but so many things have changed for the game since then that I scrapped the whole thing and decided to start over. If you're at all familiar with Greensboro, North Carolina you will probably recognize quite a few names and several main routes (although not the freeways), but that it where any real similarities end. I did base some of the road layout from memories of living there, but mostly I'm just going for a mid-southern feel. Rolling hills, curving roads, and lots of trees.
Anyway... let's get on with it, shall we?
1.01
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Covington will be my Greensboro which will be the major city for the region. There will also be four significant communities outside of Covington. High Point and Ashboro are two of them. There will also be Riedsville to the north and Raliegh to the east, but I haven't gotten that far yet. I wanted to get a good farm base before I got carried away with the main city, so that's where I started. Let's take a closer look at Ashboro.
1.02
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US 220 weaves it's way through the foothills just east of the town of Ashville. The birth of the town (and the whole region for that matter) came from the rail roads. Two different lines meet and cross paths here. The north-south line serves as a direct link to Covington and Reidsville to the north. The other line links Ashboro with High Point and several depots to the east.
1.03
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Downtown Ashboro is a quaint little spot to say the least. Many of the older buildings have stood the test of time here. The elementary school and the gas station are the newest buildings in this shot. There's still some work to do here, but the train station is scheduled to be replaced any day now. ;)
1.04
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Nestled in the valley and surrounded by hills, the town spreads out along older country lanes. When US 220 was upgraded to a freeway, several large construction projects were needed to make things fit. This rail crossing is just one example of the challenges that the department of transportation faced.
1.05
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Beyond the town, the roads and rails wind their way amongst the hills and farms are tucked into the valleys where ever they will fit. Moving west, the land begins to smooth out a bit more as it dips to meet the Cone River. Just over the river on our way to High Point is the village of West Bend.
1.06
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The same rail line from Ashboro just clips the corner of this area, but doesn't actually pass through the village. There is just a short spur to the edge of town. In the upper corner you can also see I-85, which connects High Point with Covington.
1.07
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It may be an overgrown crossroad, but West Bend's 1300 residents take a lot of pride in their village and it packs a lot of charm. The water tower smiles down on everyone who works in the meat packing plant, which is the main life blood of the village.
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I really only included this close up because I was just so happy with the way the buildings grew. It struck me as a great little combination and I quickly made them all historical while I had the chance.
1.09
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The village common is a large source of pride for the little community. The older homes that line its sides are as well kept as the flower beds inside.
1.10
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Just another random farm shot. I just noticed that I forgot to reforrest around a couple of spots, but otherwise I like it.
And finally, just to end on a (hopefully) high note, here is another region shot.
1.11
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And there it is. Next time we'll continue west through Middleton on the way to High Point.
JB
Hello, my friend!
Let me be the first to welcome you here to the MDs! Covington looks absolutely wonderful, you're off to a fantastic start. I can't wait to follow along with you as things progress!
Take care and good luck,
Dustin
Covington looks great, Jon. I really, really like the region shot. What I want to know is how do have time to play the game AND B.A.T.? :D
Cheers,
Kevin
This looks great, I love the focus on a small rural region rather than some small towns surrounding a big city of some sort. Great use of, well, your own buildings. Later dude.
nice work, really like the region shot!
Jon OMG OMG OMG OMG WOW!!!! Covington is so wonderful and historical at that as well, I loved the village commons... I truely think that pic would win a HOFer, if you ask me...
great start :thumbsup:
i'll be very pleased in following your md.
the pics you showed in this first update are really nice, and of course, the region shots are amazing.
mauricio.
If your MD skills are up to par with your BAT skills, this will be a classic in no time flat! Great job on the first update JB!
~~Dragonshardz~~
Jon
What a grand start &apls
Ashboro looks like a lovely little town and I wouldn't mind living there.
Lovely closeups and the region pic is superb.
very nicely done my friend
I am looking forward to your next update
ps the kettle's on
:satisfied:
TTc
It's great to that you have started a MD.
I always wondered what your city would look like and now I know and I want to see more.
Great start my friend. I love the irregular shape of the farms and look of the curvey roads.
I await your next update.
Robin :thumbsup:
Great to see you here!
That's a wonderful start on that region! Fantastic farm areas!!
Looking forward to more...
Wow looking great JBSimio! In the region view it's almost looking at a massive golf course - surely a hole in one though! :thumbsup:
Really nice start Jon.
The transportation map you started the MD with is just excellent.
There is an amazing lack of grid with the farms.
That takes amazing patience to set them up like that.
The raised rail bridge over the highway in picture 1.04 is quite cool.
I haven't seen one done quite like that before.
Wonderful Jon....I am impressed....you build kind of the way I do, with lots of rural to start with.....I love the the way your farms are so realistic for the south...not midwestern at all. I will relish checking in and harrass...er, making smart as....ummmm commenting on your md!
:thumbsup:
I see you're putting the same care into your cities as you do in your BATs. This will certainly be a good MD. The farms, especially from the overviews, look great. Very natural. It's interesting to see the Smalltown series from your perspective. It's a great start, and I'll be looking forward to more.
-Matt
very realisitic work
Oh my... y'all are too kind! Thank you for such a warm welcome to this part of the world!
Dustin: Thank you!
Kevin: Thanks! I don't really have time for both to be honest. The BAT machine will probably slow down a bit until I get back into a home of my own, so I'll be messing around with this a bit more in the meantime.
TopCliff: Thanks! I'm still experimenting with some different Maxis blockers to get the combinations I really want. I guess the Smalltown buildings just fit small towns
really well and seem to be the first to grow. SimGoober's buildings tend to take over quickly if I'm not careful though. :D
Bighead: Thank you!
Pat: Wow! Your enthusiasm is quite flattering... thank you so much!
Mauricio: Thanks! I always build with region shots in mind, but it sometimes makes for some funny looking close ups. I'm still trying to find a good balance there.
Dragonshardz: Thank you! Although, I personally don't feel that my MD skills are all that great yet... time will tell, I guess. ;)
Derry: Thank you! I could certainly use a nice hot cuppa this week, so it is always much appreciated.
Robin: Thank you! I'm glad you like it so far... I hope the larger cities can keep up with the rural areas when I get there!
Bat: Thanks!
Howling: Thank you! I've been lurking in your thread recently and I really like how it's coming along. I need to remember to post a proper comment there.
Pvarcoe: Thanks! I really just started breaking the farms up like that while building this region. I like the effect and I'm glad to hear I seem to be pulling it off. That rail bridge was just a happy accident... I just kept going until I found a fairly level spot again and that's what I ended up with.
Duane: Thank you! Considering that the bulk of my life has been in the midwest, I'm quite glad to hear that I pulled off a different look.
Matt: Thanks! I'm kind of using this region to test out a lot of things about all my series really. Usually I test a building without ever actually playing much with it... so it's fun to actually spend some time finding out how my stuff blends with people like Spa and SimGoober and Jestarr who all have buildings in similar styles.
Mightygoose: Thank you!
Update Time
I thought that an actual map of the area may be useful.
2.01
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You can see West Bend and the Cone River on the eastern edge of the map. If we follow US 52 west from there, eventually we will pass just north of the village of Middleton.
2.02
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There isn't much here now, but given the routes that pass nearby, this area could grow quickly. Us 52 crosses with I85 nearby. The rail line connecting Ashboro to High Point passes right through the village, and the line leading to Covington is just to the north as well.
2.03
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Yep, that's really all there is here! A shed for grain and a very small, but quite pretty, train station. Because the train stops are so short here, it isn't even necessary to have any type of siding. The main line passes right through the station instead!
Let's keep on US 52 and head into High Point.
2.04
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High Point sits along the banks of Cypress Creek. As we get closer, US 52 widens into an avenue just before crossing over the US 29 expressway. This bypass is a pretty recent project and skirts around the edge of the developed city on its north and east sides before ending at I85. US 52 joins up and becomes High Point Road just a couple blocks north of the high school.
2.05
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As we get into the downtown area, Us 52 (High Point Road) splits into a pair of one way streets until it crosses Cypress Creek. Once again, the rail roads played a significant role in the town's development. From the central station, one can head out of town in five different directions.
2.06
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High Point is a city of around 30,000 at the moment, so the downtown area has not really begun to go vertical just yet. However, the central square is quite nice. City Hall is surrounded by plazas and just a block over is one of two fantastic markets in town.
2.07
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Heading over the creek can look to the north and see what once was a true inspiration area for photographers in the area. Unfortunately, some rather short sighted decisions by the city council ruined the sight of the water tower and rail bridge by locating the water treatment plant and a radio tower smack in the middle of the shot. (What a bunch of morons!)
2.08
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Although the city is still small, development is quickly encroaching on the farm land to the west of town.
2.09
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As you can see, High Point still has a ways to go before I would ever call it finished. I've been tinkering with different NoMaxis combinations trying to find the right mix for what I currently have. I'm still have a fair amount of gaps to fill in my plugins folder before I could get rid of Maxis altogether. But as I switch back and forth, it is making for some rather interesting building combinations. A lot of fine tuning is in the future... right now I'm still building a population base... the details will come eventually.
Thanks for reading!
JB
Jon you know me all to well now lol..... I love cypress creek and I do agree them devolpers killed a damn good photograph by adding the water treatment plant and radio geeeezzzzzs what where they thinking... Until next time!!!
I have to say, I really like this style of development. Will you be letting the areas grow over time or are you trying to build to the final phase in one go? I would be really interested to see how you handle the development into the farmland. The map is a nice touch, and is very useful to put all the overviews together. In reference to the water treatment pic, if it helps, the radio tower is almost not noticable, but I hope there isn't a flood anytime soon... that could be bad. It's funny... maybe it's an element of water treatment that I don't know but it seems interesting that something that processes such filth is located so close to regular water (the Hyperion waste facility is one such facility located, literally, across the street from the beach near my old undergrad). Great update though. I'll look forward to the next update, and keep us posted on new job things.
-Matt
Super update. I like the map and the small town feel.
Robin :thumbsup:
Welcome to page 2!
You have there a fantastic traffic map!! Great work on the city! Nice new pictures! :thumbsup:
Looking forward to the next...
Covington is looking great JB, and the map of covington is a great also.
Welcome to Page Two!!! WOOT!!!
Looks great dude, and I can't wait for another update. I really can't. Seriously, this has me addicted. Maybe there should be rehab centers for things like this . . .
Pat: Thank you! Those developers have been given a very stern lecture, I can assure you. One more mess like that and there will be several monkeys... um, people... looking for new jobs!
Matt: Thanks! Most of these are all early beginnings type of pictures, so there will be development over time. (As this update will probably show quite well.) I never really thought about your comment on the water treatment plant and its location. I honestly don't know if that would be common or not... you may very well have a point there.
Robin: Thank you!
Bat: Thanks!
Starmanw: Thank you!
TopCliff: WOOT indeed! Thank you... I'll try to keep your fix coming as much as time allows. :D
Update Time
With all the confusion yesterday, I decided to play the game some more. Before we start looking at Covington, I thought we'd stick to the rural areas for another update. Here's an overview of some of the areas we'll be looking at today:
3.01
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As you can see, I have in fact been working on the main city, but it's mostly a mess at the moment. My commercial demand is also in the tank over the whole region right now, so I figured I would fill in the rest of the southern portions of the region while I sort that out. Today, we'll head north east out of Ashboro along North Ridge Road. Weaving amongst the hills we come to the little cluster for which the route was named.
3.02
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North Ridge is a little more than a crossroads tucked into the surrounding hills. The village probably wouldn't even warrant a name, although it has grown up since the days when it was a gas station on the corner. The major reason for this is that North Ridge serves as the one stop for all a farmer's needs. Here you can find supplies for the tractor, the livestock veteranarian, a small chapel, and a pub to visit after the service. The gas station has even added a 7-11 since the place has grown so big!
Moving along North Ridge Road, we eventually come out the hills and descend into Raleigh. The farms begin to thicken as the terrain smooths out, and then thin right back out as we drive past Raleigh's second industrial park.
3.03
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It's not pretty, but the town council is looking into some ways to change that. Raleigh also serves the railroads with some shipping and maintainence facilities.
3.04
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The town itself is larger than Ashboro, but nowhere near the size of High Point. It sits inside of a rather unusual bend in Coldwater Creek. The town is still growing and the people in charge are really hoping that the grand train station they voted to build will bring prosperity to the area. As it is right now, the rest of the town has some catching up to do if it hopes to live up to the station.
3.05
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We'll leave Raleigh for now headed south on US 311. It is also worth noting that the State Fair calls Raleigh home. It looks like most of the crowds decided to walk today. With all these things the town has going for it, I'm sure we'll be coming back as time goes by to see how things are progressing.
3.06
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The land south of Raleigh is pretty flat compared to most of the region. Running basically parallel to the railroad, we pass through Fayetteville, which is an unincorporated township full of farms. It does have a grain elevator and the main intersection is beginning to show some signs of life, so another small village could pop up here in time. The road we cross here actually goes back to North Ridge... in case you're curious. Eventually, we find our way into Durham.
3.07
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This is another small vilage about the size of West Bend, although not nearly as nice to be honest. US 52 meets 311 here and two rail lines cross paths, giving the village a purpose along Stoney Creek.
3.08
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A closer look shows that the village does have a little bit of industry, but it's mostly a farming town again. The town layout of the town is bit strange as the main commercial area is all to the north (right in this shot) of the village. The train station is well situated to get people to either Ashboro or Raleigh, so there may be hope for this area in the future.
3.09
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As the shops illustrate, this is a fairly poor community. There are plans to entice some nicer merchants here in the hopes of building a tourist base, but for now Durham is just another back-woods dot on the map.
3.10
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Just another look at where we've been... Thanks for stopping by!
JB
What a nice little town. Small town, big train station. I bet with your Smalltown and SHUR projects, if you made just a few more buildings, you could probably create an entire region out of your stuff alone. Now that would be monumental.
Have those lawyers in Monkey Around Productions use their down time to talk to the morons... I mean High Point town council about, oh I don't know, public nuisance, endangering riparian rights, legal stuff like that (yay, finals are coming up). But in all seriousness, great update. You manage to give an individual personality to even the small little 'dot on the map' towns. North Ridge is a nice little town and so is Durham, but I think one of the best pics of this update is the overview at the end. The part below the river could pass for a photo. What's the terrain mod you're using? As far as Durham's tourist generating ideas, if it wouldn't interfere with commuter traffic too much they might consider offering a scenic rail tour of the area, or maybe that's something North Ridge would do to take advantage of their new station. It'll be great to watch this continue to develop. Take it easy.
-Matt
Jon very great update here and I do echo what matt said about giving even the dot a real feel to it!!! I just have to wonder what is that on the road in Durham?
Looking good so far. I'd like to see how a bigger city would be done by you, but I have a feeling these cities won't be getting very big. :)
Looking wonderful, here, Jon!
Sorry I missed the last update--I was meaning to post but didn't get around to it, then the outage happened, etc. But, enough with my excuses!
North Ridge looks great, and I love all your farmland, especially! You're doing some great work here, my friend! I will definitely be around to see what you've got next!
Take care,
Dustin
Incredible, really. Theres a few MDs / CJs I know that create some of the most convincing region views you'll see, they nearly look like high altitude shots from an aircraft. And I must say this is one of them. The layout of the transit network is spectacular. And those farms just look incredible nestled into the hills.
I just can't stop looking at that last picture! Perfect!
wow i just can agree with the others, the traffic layout is fantastic.
i love how the roads go along the river, just great &apls
lovely rural areas :thumbsup: and awesome region views again!
mauricio.
I love to see how everything snakes their way around through trees, forests, around towns, farms et cetera. Looking good JB!
Wonderful overviews there! And also great pictures of this region!!
Looking forward to another new update... :)
TopCliff: Thank you! I don't think my collections are nearly big enough for something like that just yet. (I wouldn't have a single industrial building either!) Right now I seem to be getting a rather nice mix of Spa, Jestarr, SimGoober, CP's 19th century sets, and then my own. It seems to all fit together pretty well so far.
Matt: Thanks! The lawyers have served several summons, so we'll see how High Point responds. :D I'm using CP's standard Columbus Terrain Mod. I beleive I also have Jeronij's modified BRF Tunnel and Slope mod installed, although I'd have to check that to be sure. I like the idea of a touring train. It would make a nice ride from Durham along the foothills on the way up into Ashboro.
Pat: Thank you! I think you're referring to the Freight Truck blockers on the side streets. I've had them forever, and don't remember who made them anymore... but I use them a lot to limit trucks to the main roads and keep them out of the residential areas.
Jason: Thanks! Good to see you around! The urban area for Covington will get fairly large, but probably not more than 500,000 or so. I'm shooting for a total region of around a million (at the beginning) but who knows?
Dustin: Thank you! Glad the power came back on ;)
Yoman: Thank you very much! I like to build for the region shots, which sometimes makes the close ups a little "less perfect"... but it's a trade off I'm fine with.
Squidi: Thanks! I do tend to spend a lot of time on the road layouts, so I'm glad to hear that the end result is worth it.
Mauricio: Thank you!
Howling: Thanks!
Bat: Thank you!
I had a bit of a setback yesterday or the day before... they're all starting to run together lately. ::) I had emptied my plugins to do a bit of lot work and test a couple other upcoming projects. Then (much later), I thought I'd play a little... but forgot to replace the proper plugin folder. On top of that, I accidently hit "Save and Exit" instead of "Exit without Save" once I opened the first city and realized there was nothing left! :bomb: &ops The long and short of it is that I basically lost the tile that contains downtown Covington. I've done this before and come back with the proper plugin folder and everything just fixed itself... but not this time for some reason. My best backup was only four days old, but that was enough to be missing quite a bit. So, the next update may be delayed a few more days while I put things back together. Perhaps Sunday night will be a good goal... we'll see.
Thanks again!
JB
Hey Jon, OK I gotcha's on that no freight truck blocker, I think that is kinda cool.... Also no problem at all and get downtown restored!!! I cant wait till Sunday....
Damn Jon, that has to hurt. Oh well, things are usually better done the second time around. :thumbsup:
Robin ;)
Sorry to hear about your setback, my friend! I hope you won't have too much trouble rebuilding downtown Covington, and I look forward to seeing it!
Take care!
Dustin
Ouch that stinks I'm so sorry Jon.
Best of luck in rebuilding downtown Covington!
~~Dragonshardz~~
Sorry to hear about the set back, but as has been said already, the second time around is easier (and perhaps some better ideas will show up). At least it was only one tile too. While it's a shame to lose any work (I'm a particular fan of the TE hovering crash to desktop... though fortunately that hasn't happened for a while), we'll certainly be happy to wait, and we'll look forward to seeing what's in store.
-Matt
Dont worry im in the same boat as you &mmm My NBA basketball game that i had invested many hours developing the dream franchise on got saved over on accident :'(
Nice looking region so far, btw
Pat: I can't wait until Sunday either... if only because it means this moving business will be over for a while! :D
Robin: It wasn't really too terrible. Most of what I lost was zoning... all the transit layouts were in place from the backup.
Dustin: More of an annoyance than anything else, really. Actually, the commercial demand seems to be back in line now anyway... so it all worked out for the best after all.
Dragonshardz: No real worries here... just another fine example of me not paying attention. ::)
Matt: The TE hover crash is indeed frustrating. I have another (completely different style) city with a lot of sunken networks that I tend to crash all the time just for that reason. I'm starting to save after each and every bridge at this point! :D
Sim Shady: Sorry to hear about the loss of your dream team. Hopefully your repairs will be fairly simple like mine were!
This is more of a teaser than a full update... but I'm also looking for a couple suggestions. We'll get to that part in a minute though. First I thought it would be interesting to compare how the different sides of town live.
4.01
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This is probably the poorest, and (for now) most densely packed part of Covington. Just to the east of downtown, these wood framed tenaments stretch on block after block. Although the landlords seem to keep them well painted, that's about the only maintainence the buildings really get. Poorly insulated, these apartments are ridiculously hot in the summer. Thankfully, this being North Carolina, the winters are fairly mild, but it's not the greatest place to live either way.
4.02
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In startling contrast to the east side of the city, here is an example of life on the west side. This area is primarily made up of single family homes from the turn of the century. Lovingly and flawlessly maintained, these houses don't come cheap despite (or perhaps because of) being so close to the hustle of downtown. The wide parkways that feed into the business district only add to the appeal of this area.
4.03
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Here's a look at the most recent transportation view. If you compare to the previous page, you'll see that I managed to get most of the downtown tile back to about the same place I was. I've also started to place some of the main roads east of the Riedsville River as well as extending into the northern metro area for Covington itself. The two letters are where I need some suggestions. Being an area that the railroads built, I'm thinking a substantial railyard would be pretty appropriate. I just can't decide which spot would be better. Location A would be my first choice since it could basically serve Covington and High Point. But because of the way the line comes through that section on an angle, I have a feeling it will be very difficult to tie things together very well there. Point B would be more for just Covington, but probably an easier area to work with and make things fit. What do y'all think?
JB
fantastic update, i would go for location A as it is the most ogical choice although it will be tricky with the main lin at the diagonal.
First, reagrding the update itself. Great work as always. I haven't had the chance to paly with the tenements much yet, but you've done a nice job with that little neighborhood. I know what you mean about saving after every bridge. It can be a pain and it's amazing how much you actually can do without realizing you haven't saved in a while. Now then, as for your question, I would respond with a question: to what extent did those rivers play a role in regional historic development? If there is a port along that stretch (and having one at the junction of the rivers doesn't seem too bad) I would suggest B to take advantage of that element. A slight realignment of the tracks could make A an easier site to work with, and it would be good to have two communities served by it. I would go with B personally, but don't let the current track angle be the deciding factor (though that may be the case in the real world). Take it easy.
-Matt
Sorry i missed a few updates here Jon,
but what you have shown us (considering your loss) is magnificent.
You have managed to capture a real feeling in all your shots and it is a place
that is coming more to life as you fill the region.
Point A for me.
As it serves 2 communities but as said before you may have to re-align the track to make it work.
this way you could also if you wanted run a connecting branch to point B and to the line that runs south there.
Just a thought as it is quite a loop up and through Covington itself ;)
Patiently awaiting your next update
regards
Derry
Jon,
Sorry I missed your last update, I've been busy. They both look amazing, I really like your wide parkways in the nice part of Covington. I would build the yard at "B" with a new line that runs from the High Point Line to a point just south of the yard, following the top of the river's flood plain. That way you could claim that the lines were once owned by separate companies and that a 20th century merger lead to the creation of a central yard for the area and a new freight "cut-off" was needed, leaving the old High Point-Covington line for passenger trains and local freight.
Besides, then we get to see more of your great railroad building skills in practice, and maybe even an interlocking plant!
And if you really want a great looking yard, join me in pestering Jestarr about doing an American roundhouse and shops. :P
Cheers,
Kevin
My goodness, Jon, I get a bit behind on checking out new MDs, and look what I've missed! A fine-looking map to begin with, a lot of beautiful farm land and the kind of little villages I love to see. Photos 1.06 and 1.07 are especially appealing, but there are many others that strike a chord.
I really appreciate all the overviews, too. They look great, of course, but they helped me get oriented as well. It's hard to catch up when you don't get in on the very beginning, but I think Covington is well worth the time it will take. :thumbsup:
Until next time...
Joan
Like these three new pictures there! The transportation view is also looking very good!! :thumbsup:
G'day Jon, put me down as one who has been a little behind in catching up with your journal.....love it....as far as the railyards: BigSlark sugestion is brilliant.....I would go for B anyway...my reasoning being that rail facilities (in RL) are such huge space eaters that I try to place mine in an area with lots of straight tracks and as flat as possible.
Looking forward to the next update.
OK here we go with anther great update from you Jon... Im glad that soon you will have put the move behind you and then get to some real fantastic stuff here in covington.. I see a prime area for the Universty that is underway lol and the Rail Yard hmm I would go with B..
Why I say B is cause the area there seems rather flat and the track is very straight.. So in the words of alignment it wouldnt be to much to do other then leveling out some land area and choosing what track size you are going to use... Either way I do know what you choose will be good and I cant wait for that update... see you next time.....
B as well. it makes more sense and you could always build a spur to location A.
Great Pictures Jon, so many perfect buildings that really work well together.
Nice MD Jon!!! Especially the region view pictures are totally awesome - the best ever I'd say. Not the rest is not worth looking at... on the contrary. The whole lay out of the city, the suburbts, the farms, the roads, is a masterpiece. And I think that Covington has the best poorest area in the whole world... I love it :satisfied:
Great work on the rebuild, my friend! Sometimes, in a very strange way, it's a bit of a blessing because you can go back and change things that you didn't like before. As for the railyard--I, too, think B would be your best place for it, but wherever you put it, I know it will be fantastic!
Take care,
Dustin
Hi Jon- looks like I'm a little late to the party. Congratulations on your MD. It's off to great start and am looking forward to the next update. I must commend the layout of your farms and the lack of straight lines in general. Good work &apls
That's a great looking map dude. I've never seen a city built away from a body of water and up in te hills though. Every city's unique, I guess. Keep up the great work here.
Mightygoose: Thank you! That's
1 vote for A...
Matt: Thanks! In answer to your question, I'd say that the waterways played little part at all in the historical development of Covington. Mostly because they're very narrow rivers or almost creeks by the time they get to that area. They had some significance for Raleigh... and High Point too for that matter... but Covington is a railroad city more than anything else. That's
1 vote for B if I read correctly.
Derry: Thank you! I was (and sort of still am) considering a connecting rail spur between the two points. The only real drawback to the idea is getting the tracks under the two expressways and the two major avenues. It wouldn't be so bad except for the fact that those junctions are in three different city tiles... so getting the rail in there too won't be easy to do. But I'm still tinkering with the idea. A = 2, B = 1
Kevin: Thanks! I do like the idea of a spur line, especially because I could then say it sort of seves Ashboro as well. But, time will tell if I can get it all to work or not. I saw your pictures in Jestarr's thread, and I agree that they would make for some great additions to the game! A = 2, B = 2
Joan: Thank you! I've always loved the wide zoom look of all the farms as well... I'm glad you do too.
Bat: Thanks!
Duane: Thank you! Another thing I like about option B is that the avenue there (which is Randlemann Road, for anyone who's curious) is turning into a primarily industrial corridor anyway. So it would fit the flow of the area quite well too. A = 2, B = 3
Pat: Hmmm... I wonder if your univesity location is the same one that I have in mind. Is it bordered by Battleground Avenue and Lawndale? ;) The terrain is indeed slightly flatter in area B... you have a good eye for this stuff (which I already knew from your own MD). A = 2, B = 4
Dragonshardz: Thanks for the input! A = 2, B = 5
Hogmeister: Thank you for visiting!
Sebes: Thank you! The poor area almost looks a little
too nice to me... but that should change a little more over time.
Dustin: Thanks! The rebuild wasn't all that bad, really. I think the thing that bothered me most about having to redo it was that it meant I had to do the "Make Historical" thing all over again as things came up. Thanks for the vote too! A = 2, B = 6
Edge: Thank you! Don't worry about being late... we were actually waiting for you so we could turn the music up anyway.
TopCliff: Thanks! I mentioned the water part already. The downtown area is actually on fairly level ground... it's just surrounded by hills the I've already started to grow into. Because that's where the flat area was, it made for the best spot to have all the different rail lines converge and there is the basis for the city. ;)
Update Time!
Well, I discovered that the graphics card in my laptop isn't as good as I hoped it would be. So this will be another pretty simple update, mostly just to show some more of the transportation network that I've laid out around Covington. I've also been filling in some of the hills north of High Point (to the west of Covington) but I'll show that later. For now, here is the updated transportation map.
5.01
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There are a couple things I'm not quite happy with just yet, and I'm sure things will change to some extent. The rural areas are pretty much set, but a couple of the major avenues in metro Covington need some fine tuning. I didn't label these like I should have, but since I mentioned a couple of the street names, I'll list them off here just in case I refer to them again. (I tend to forget sometimes that this is all just in my head and nobody else knows these locations unless I actually tell them! :D ) So starting with Randlemann Road (which I mentioned is the avenue that passes point B from the old map) and going around clockwise: We skip over the rail line and come to the US 220 expressway. Just west of that is Freeman Mill Road (which is also the former alignment for US 220 by the way). The looping road that joins it near the river is Holden Road. Then we come to I-85 which is the main north-south expressway for the region. Continuing around is High Point Road (original, isn't it?) which actually becomes Lee Street when it turns the corner near downtown. Going north we get to Friendly Avenue and above that is Benjamin Parkway. Then comes I-40 which is the main east west expressway for the region. That's far enough for now... I'll make a proper map soon. This list idea is too confusing... even I'm getting myself mixed up!
Since everyone seems to like them so much, here is the latest region shot of the same area with the latest farms around Raleigh.
5.02
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Thanks for looking,
JB
Look at those farms! Outstanding work, Jon! Your region is looks amazing, my friend. I can't wait to see more of Covington!
Dustin
I really like the turn in the freeway in Covington. I just think, for realism purposes, that there should be loop for the freeway. Otherwise, a large curve was built for pretty much no reason. I really like your layout for this region. Keep up the good work.
your region shots are beautiful..... &apls
Actualy Jon my eye for detail aint that much other then winging it lol :D No I do take my time and I see you do the same ;) and by that list rather deep into details and that is what is making your MD a must Read!!! I simply love your eye for details and the way you can make Covington come to life!!!!!! see you next update.....
btw welcome to page # 4
Wow. This is honestly one of the few cities that I can say definitely tops paletexan's work in its overall composition. Great work, JB.
-ACE
Hello JBSimio
Your region is very beautiful
I love your work continue &apls &apls
David
Great work! I live those farm fields and place out of towns ;)
That has GOT to be the best region shot I have ever seen. Very nice work. &apls
Jon
Another great informative update. :thumbsup:
Your region views are magnificent &apls &apls
Btw which region transport mod do you use?
As always I shall return
next time I'll bring some tea for us :D
:satisfied:
TTC
Another couple of fine-looking overviews, Jon! The likelihood of my ever grasping transport systems with any kind of useful perception is small, but I do enjoy watching the work of those talented in that area. So, I'm looking forward to more, and I love the ground texture of your region, BTW.
Until next time...
Joan
The region overviews are so beautiful! Very nice rural area there, too! :thumbsup:
What a very nice looking region you've got going there! I like how everything just seems to flow. Very nice. :thumbsup:
And by the way, what terrain/tree mod are you using? I decided today that I was going to get back into SC4, and I'm looking for something nice to start my cities on.
Hola Jon, glad to see the latest update.....it's looking very nice and well done..... I'm envious of how you preplan your transport system.... I "kind of" preplan a cities start, but save the higways and rail for later (in most cases) and then see how they will fit in and what has to be moved/replaced...kind of like many modern towns with the freeway system... I'll have to try your system next time...looks more fun ;D
Dustin: Thank you!
TopCliff: Thanks! I'm guessing you mean an extension to connect the two freeways and create a loop around downtown. (Either that or maybe a beltway around the whole area?) If it is the downtown idea, then there actually is a very valid (even if it is imagined) reason for the curve and lack of loop. I won't go into it now... but it should become apparent when I get to some more close ups of the area.
Oyd: Thank you! Welcome to the thread! :thumbsup:
Pat: Thanks! I always like to have a backstory... it just helps me explain to myself what I'm doing. :D And if it happens to be entertaining... then all the better!
ACE: Wow! That's a comparrison I honestly don't think I live up to... but thank you very much!
David: Thank you!
Kbieniu: Thank you! Welcome to you as well! :thumbsup:
Joncjon: Thanks! And another warm welcome to you too! :thumbsup:
Derry: Thanks! Region transportation mod? Ummm... I have the latest NAM... does that count? :D I do have a couple smaller things (like those limited access lots by BRF) but beyond that, I'm not sure what you're asking for to be honest. Sorry... &ops
Joan: Thanks! I'm not sure how well I've grasped it yet either, really. We'll see how well it holds up when the city really starts to grow.
Bat: Thank you!
Jaronamo: Thanks! Welcome to the thread. I'm using the Columbus Terrain Mod and tree controllers.
Duane: Thank you! I've tried to do my transportation systems in a more realistic order with the freeways coming in later... but it always makes more of a mess than anything else. So I cheat a little bit. I build them all ahead of time while trying to create the feel that it was added later.
Just another small teaser tonight... especially since I should have been in bed a while ago already. I started playing with the railyard ideas. I did try the common suggestion on the southern side of Covington first... but I didn't like how it fit. The big problem was that is was still too far into town... and I couldn't move it further out unless I wanted to straddle two city tiles (which I had no desire to do). I left the borders turned on so you could see what I've been talking about there. So... I ended up going with the Holden Road idea moving towards High Point.
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The good news is that I managed to get the spur line in there... although it's also a little further north than I had hoped for. But that's where it's going to stay and I'm alright with it. As you can see, I just started the yard itself. What I have in place is the southern edge... it will fill in most of that wedge between the main rail line and Holden Road. The next update will be when I feel finished enough with it to show some closeups of how it turned out. (It's my first attempt at a major yard like this... so it could take a while to fit everything together.)
JB
The realism of your transportation map is just breathtaking! I'm truly impressed :thumbsup: . &apls &apls
While it might not look as realistic up close, those highways from the region look stunning! Incredibly realistic, reminds me of areas of the eastern United States such as North Carolina & Virginia that I fly over alot.
Fantastic new transportation map there! Great work on that region! :thumbsup:
Nice! :thumbsup: It will be interesting to see how much of it stays, and what (if anything) gets changed or goes. Hope you'll continue to keep us in the loop - no reference to transport layouts intended of course! ;D
Later...
Joan
Absolutely fantastic!! &apls
quick question: which tree mod and street tree mod are you using?
Well the solution for the railyard makes sense. Straddling two tiles is fun and I can only imagine what throwing a railyard into the mix would mean. The little spur is nice and now the yard as a whole can serve the two areas as you mentioned. Plus, it should make a more scenic trip for whatever touring trains roll through site B. If it's going to fill that whole wedge, it'll be a sight to see when it's done. Until then, I'll wait for it to be perfected (knowing how you work, it shouldn't take too long) and I'll see you next update.
-Matt
Metasmurf: Thank you so much for stopping in!
Yoman: Thank you! I consider that the ultimate compliment since a lot of the general layout was inspired by Greensboro, North Carolina. It's not meant to be a copy of the city by any means... but that style of city arrangement was just fascinating to me when I first moved down there from the midwest.
Bat: Thank you!
Joan: Thanks! :D (for the "unintentional" pun)
Alexr: Thank you! The answer to your question was in the update you just commented on... ;)
Matt: I figured that I was having enough trouble trying to grasp these pieces without trying to span two city tiles. Maybe if I had built a couple of these (or if I was willing to make a bunch of custom lots) I would have stuck with the southern option... but I'm fairly happy with how this turned out. The location makes sense to me and it had pretty well defined borders already built in... which actually helped define things for me.
Update Time!
I finished filling in the area that makes up the Holden Road freight facility. It's far from perfect and there are a few things I'm still not quite happy with just yet, but I think it will do for now. Just to get oriented again, let's start with a region shot:
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I chose this view just because I thought it made for a pretty good size comparrison. Eventually, I plan to expand this yard into a shipping type industrial park with other warehouses and similar things... but that will come later. I generally don't like to plop any more than I absolutley have to, and I'm already past my comfort limit for plopping industrial jobs at the moment. So I'll probably revisit and finish that idea once the growth has caught back up.
Anyway... back to the subject at hand. Here are a couple overviews of the entire complex. First is a closer view facing north. The yard is bordered by I-85 to the south while Holden Road wraps around the north and east sides. The main line between High Point and Covington runs along the northwestern side of the yard.
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Here is another look from the east side. I zoned some industrial to fill in some smaller areas. I also still need to finish trimming out the embankments along Holden Road. I'm also still trying to find a good way to enhance the grade changes between the main High Point - Covington line and the main spur into the yard. Right now it doesn't look like there is much difference there, although the elevation change really is fairly significant in some spots. So we'll see...
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Time for a few close ups. The yard is really divided into four sections (at least in my mind, it is!). The first section is standard switching yard itself. There is quite a bit of room here and most of the sections can be accessed from either of side by way of the main spur. The main southern connecting spur also has an uninhibited run through the yard.
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Just east of the main switching yard to the other side of the overpass is one of two loading areas. This area has a fairly good sized switching and holding area but has the disadvantage of being a dead end yard. The engine maintainence facilities can also be found in this area.
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The second loading area is just north of the main switching yard. Being right off the main spur line, these cranes are more easily accessible than the other area. At the same time, the overflow yard for this area isn't as conveniently arranged. So both areas have their good and bad points.
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The northern most point of the facility is a sprawling refinery complex. The land was originally slated for future expansion of the railyard as needed, until various oil interests promised economic stability by locating a major shipping terminal in Guilford County. The refinery was able to build a facility for easy rail access along with storage tanks and all the other fun things that Newman, Inc provided. So far, Holden township got a bunch of industrial jobs in return. Time will tell if it was an even trade or not.
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So that's what I managed to come up with so far. Obviously, I still have some areas to trim out and fine tune... I haven't even unpaused the city yet. But I'd still be grateful for any suggestions that might improve this area.
JB
Awesome railyards. I'd never have the patience to do something on that grand a scale. Just one more way you have excelled where I have not. Keep up the good work dude.
I haven't built one on quite this scale before so I don't know what to really suggest. It looks good and, though the effectiveness of some areas is slightly less than optimal, it seems to work well for the area and is only natural for any yard that has developed over time. I think that, once the surroundings are developed a bit, it will fit in a bit better. Right now, the lack of trees or anything makes it stick out a bit. Well done.
-Matt
Jon that is a massive Rail Yard there!!! WOW!!!! The one mod I would suggest to you is this one here [linkie] (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1564) it will darken the rail textures and give the well rounded look to them as well.... I personaly love it... Just a question though will the industry still grow by the elevated road there?? I was wondering and I will look forward to the answer next update...
BTW Jon, welcome to page 5 and only 20 more post to go before coming a best seller!!!
What an awesome region you have made mate! Stunning work. :D
I love the abudant usage of transportational devices you have shown us, expecially the railways!
Great work Jon.....like the layout very much.....when I build a large rail facility I love to have it surrounded by brick factories...couse I tend to plop most of my industrials, so that make it easier ::)..... Jestars factories work wonderfully next to those rail yards by the way...... oh, I have to ask....where did you get fantastic roundhouse? love it love it....
Take care.
Duane
Now that, THAT is a rail yard! I'll enjoy watching how the area around it develops. Just wonder how the population figures look now and what you anticipate in the future.
Until next time...
Joan
I agree with Joan, my friend--that is quite a rail yard! And I love the surrounding industry that you have, too, I can't wait to see it when it's fully developed.
Keep up the great work here, and I'll be looking forward to your next update!
Dustin
TopCliff: Thank you!
Matt: Thanks! It does stick out a bit right now... but that will hopefully fill in soon.
Pat: Thank you! Thanks also for that link... I will definitely be using that when I get back onto my regular computer. I'm not entirely sure if the zones will work that way or not... it's kind of an experiment. They did actually grow, although I don't have any commuters going that far just yet, so it's still in testing at this point.
Warszawa: Thank you! Hopefully you'll like the transportation devices in this update too then.
Duane: Thanks! I love the brick factories... although for an outlying area like this, I'll probably lean more towards the newer warehouse buildings. The roundhouse is an oldie by Oppie. It's on the STEX... "roundhouse" should bring it up.
Joan: Thank you! The region population is just over 100,000 now. Not bad considering the majority of that is rural areas. I'm going for a finished population right around a million with urbanized Covington making up about half of that.
Dustin: Thank you!
Update Time!
It's finally time to take an early look at downtown Covington. Let's start with a general overview, shall we?
7.01
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Yes, there is still a lot to do here... but I thought that would be part of the fun. Rather than just show the finished and perfected area, you can watch it fill in and grow as it gets there. But first, a little of Covington's history.
The city started as a railroad town. Centrally located in North Carolina, Covington was situated along major rail lines crossing the state. All these rail lines caused an industrial boom, followed quickly by an influx of passneger rail services. This made for a rather "inconvenient" arrangement where industry and commercial areas sat side by side and often jostled for space. The surrounding hills pretty much threw off any attempts at a standard large scale grid, although there are some squared off areas here and there. The building of the interstate highway system only added to the confusion.
Now, let's get oriented a little bit. Curving in from the lower left is I-85. Running past the northern border of the downtown area is I-40. Freeman Mill Road (US 220) can be seen coming into downtown from the south. A closer look, you say? Well sure...
7.02
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As you can see, south of downtown is not really the best part of the city. A number of low rent housing projects fill this area. Freeman Mill Road is on the left and the termination of Randlemann Road can be seen to the right. The wedge created by these two arteries is home to some of the roughest neighborhoods in the city.
7.03
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Moving north on Freeman Mill Road takes us through the remaining parts of Covington's original industrial area before crossing a mess of transportation networks. The road deck rises above the rail lines, then over Lee Street (which becomes High Point Road a little further west of here), and finally over I-85 before we finally get downtown. The original central train station used to sit in this area before the expressway cut downtown off from the tracks. A new station was built on the west side of downtown near market square.
Like many of the major arteries leading into downtown, this road splits into one way streets here. There are several other examples of these avenue splits and crossings.
7.04
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Just east of Freeman Mill, we can see another of these more complicated crossings. Near the bottom of the picture is Murrow Blvd crossing the rail lines before intersecting with Lee Street. Murrow Blvd basically serves as a loop around the downtown grid. Lee Street continues east into the tenements we saw a few updates back. A little further north is East Friendly Avenue crossing I-85 before splitting into one way streets. Market Square is just north of this crossing... but we'll see that another time.
7.05
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Speaking of Friendly Avenue, here is a close up as it enters downtown from the west side. In this case, two major arteries combine and share the same set of one way streets. Benjamin Parkway is the other major route on the left.
7.06
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Here is a more distant view of Friendly Avenue and Benjamin Parkway on the west side of downtown. This is the other area we saw a few updates back.
7.07
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The major curve the I-85 makes around downtown came into question. Part of the reason for this was available space and the original rail lines provided an obvious solution. There were plenty of abandoned warehouses and other former rail services along the lines that were knocked down to make room for the expressway. This large cemetary also made for a rather large obstacle to a more direct route. It seems that destroying older buildings is always much less controversial than digging up dead people... who knows why that is? But that's how it seems to work! :D
7.08
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Just to the northwest of downtown is the University of North Carolina at Covington (UNCC). It is bordered on the south by I-40. Battground Avenue wraps around the east and north sides of the main campus while Lawndale forms the western edge.
7.09
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The original and main campus entrance is off of Lawndale. The campus sits atop a hill overlooking downtown and the historic district along Benjamin Parkway.
7.10
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The newest sections of campus are on the east side along Battleground Avenue. There has been a lot of growth here and these newer dormitories are a perfect example of how the campus continues to expand. We'll see more of the campus another time...
But for now, thanks for reading!
JB
My but the elements of the campus seem familiar. It looks excellent and they really turned out well. Good historical note about it looking toward downtown. It's details like that that really make things come alive. The downtown area looks interesting right now, and you're right; it will be interesting to watch it all develop. Quick question regarding the housing project area... so many people, where do they all park, or it is a largely bus-based building? Lastly, great work with the intersections. They look complex and yet, strangely natural and fluid. I particularly like the way the roads are laid out in the 5th pic. Great work as usual.
-Matt
-edit- Congratulations on the OSITM award. Certainly well deserved.
Great update JBSimio! I love the University! &apls
Wow JB- two excellent updates to comment on.
The railyards are astonishing realistic - and large! I have tried a couple of time to get realistic large railyards in my region but never with the same result that you show us here. You managed it very well! Especially the first part is to my likings ... but the other three (the maintance area, the loading area with cranes and the refinery (wow!) are also very well made.
The downtown area is a masterpiece as well. Thanks for showing the bare area and giving us the chance to learn how a master will develop the tile ;) . The transport systems combined in 7.03 is a great picture - I think a lot of us road geeks will agree! - but yet you overdo that in 7.04 with all these bridges and connectors :o The large cemetary is a beauty too.
But then the campus - now I have no words left.... I was thinking of starting an MD today, but seeing what you do here makes me humble crawl back in my corner and hide...
Jon that campus looks simply amazing hmmm I wonder where can I find that ;) Great job here and also I simply loved this little tidbit,
QuoteThis large cemetary also made for a rather large obstacle to a more direct route. It seems that destroying older buildings is always much less controversial than digging up dead people... who knows why that is? But that's how it seems to work!
I could say so much on that one but I will be a good boy and only say is the dead will complain to much if they are disturbed lol...
QuotePat: Thank you! Thanks also for that link... I will definitely be using that when I get back onto my regular computer. I'm not entirely sure if the zones will work that way or not... it's kind of an experiment. They did actually grow, although I don't have any commuters going that far just yet, so it's still in testing at this point.
Hey I'm glad you liked that link I sent you in the last update and also I cant wait to see how your experiment plays out!!!! If it works man I wanna know, so I'm not to scared to do it myself...
I cant wait till the next update!!!!
Jon, a very nice and fun update...love the "you are there" feel of watching it develope.....I've used the avenue to one way myself....but never as well as you do it here.....think I will have to rethink some areas I've got....thanks for the roundhouse tip.....
Have I missed it? Do you know where you are going to be after the transfer? I could go back thru all of your posts....but it's easier to ask here ()stsfd()
Duane
Congrats, Jon!
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- The Staff
Hello Jon,
It seems I didn't comment in your MD yet, but I lurked here several times ;D
The most impressive thing for me are your regional views - they are incredibly realistic!
I like also the downtown area and railyards - they look very good and I think we will see more development around them :)
And the University is perfect! I've been waiting for something like this from a long time, not only me I suppose... ;D
Congratulations for an OSITM award! &apls
First of all, congratulations on your promotion to OSITM!
As for the update, the overview is much appreciated - I do enjoy seeing cities grow from the bare roots. The transport routes look great, the neighborhoods look great and the memorial park looks great. But that university is superb! :thumbsup: Especially like the dorms, but appreciate how well the whole campus is laid out. Just out of curiosity, are any of the buildings functional in that they increase EQ levels? Doesn't really matter, though, because I wouldn't change a thing!
Until next time...
Joan
Hello Jon,
Congrats on your OSITM. I've not commented here before - apologies. But I have followed your BAT thread from time to time, so it was nice to see your universtity canvas "in the flesh". It really does look special. Your schools are a main stay of my cities, and I'll keep my eyes peeled on the LEX for the university too!
That cemetary is also very special, you've done a great job.
Enjoy your time in OSITM and I'll do my best to pop in more often.
All the best,
Paul
Hey Jon congrats on your promotion to OSITM... I know when you will update this month it will great!!!
Matt: Thank you! I thought some of those buildings might look familiar. I decided it was high time I try them out on a large scale to see how things fit together. I did notice a couple things I may want to tweak, but overall the "test" is turning out fairly well. The high rise tenement building wasn't really planned or even expected this early... so I don't really have a good answer for you. I'm honestly debating how long that building will stay there. I'm keeping it for now just because I need the population base, but it doesn't really fit with my overall plan... so we'll see.
WillG: Thank you!
Sebes: Thanks! The oil refinery is entirely made up from Citynut's excellent set. There are so many more pieces I would have liked to use, but there just wasn't room. This is probably for the best, as I think the current size fits the overall scheme pretty well. All the bridges you mentioned in 7.04 may be a little bit much when seen like that... I'm hoping that it will fit better as it develops. My main purpose was to keep away from any at grade railroad crossings through the downtown area and that was the result there mainly because of the Riedsville lines entering from the north. The cemetary is actually an old Nexis lot (two of them side by side) and some filler pieces around the edges... so I really can't take much credit for that one.
Pat: Thanks! I know... it was probably a bit cruel of me to showcase a set that so many have been waiting for. I hope that when I get resettled, I can finally get that released for you.
Duane: Thanks! Certain parts of the downtown area took a long time to get right... especially because of the all the one way splits. Even then, there are a couple that aren't quite what I had hoped for. I ran out of space in a couple spots where I needed to shorten the transition to make room for an overpass. Transfer news to follow... ;)
Dustin: :o ()lurker() &dance
Ennedi: Thank you! I'm truly honored that you stopped by! I'm glad so many people like the region views. I'm really looking forward to having enough of Covinton filled in so I can post a proper view of that part.
Joan: Thanks! About the university lots... I won't go into all the details here because the information is buried in my BAT thread somewhere. But the short answer is that, yes, there are certain buildings that fully function as the standard university would... giving all the similar benefits across the board. Other buildings and lots are strictly eye candy... and others fall somewhere in the middle.
Paul: Thank you! Right now, my major "concern" with the university lots is that the modular pieces make for a lot of open space. I found it very difficult to place buildings very close together. This isn't always a bad thing... but it strikes me as an option that I may have overlooked. (On the same note, I realized that I need some smaller "filler" buildings... things in the 1-3 tile range) As I said... I can't take much credit for the cemetary. I just really liked the idea of using a massive open space like that as a border to downtown. I think as the building heights begin to grow, it will provide a very interesting transition.
Pat: Thank you again!
Wow! Well first of all, I just want to say thanks to everyone involved in this MD being moved. I was very surprised when I came "home" this evening and saw that I was in a new category. I'm quite honored. I only hope that I can find enough time during the next month to live up to the award!
Speaking of time... and since it was asked about... I will take a moment to say that I finally do have a destination and moving date. As of May 15 (or very close to that date) I will become a resident of Napa, California! I have already found two potential apartments out there and am just waiting to hear back on the applications. One is by far my preferred choice... the other is much closer to where I'll be working, but still more of a back up plan than anything else. (It's just a lot smaller and appears to be significantly older and "cheaper") Once I know for sure where I will be living, I'll be spending a lot of time (and money) on Ikea's website because I no longer own ANYTHING and need to start all over with furniture and whatnot. So... needless to say, there is a lot going on!
Thank you once again... and I'll try to find a couple "special" things to talk about for the next few updates.
JB
Congrats John. You really deserve it. And no way that's fair, you getting to use your own awesome buildings instead of us . . . :P
Jon and you're quite welcome!!! You desever this month in OSITM!!! btw you are only 2 post away from becoming a best seller, that is once you leave your month in the spot light... Still waiting patiently for that update ;)
Congratulation Jon for being moved to OSITM. You definately deserve it with this MD and the great pics you have showed so far. And I agree your regional views are incredibly realistic, which is just how I like it.
Robin &apls
whow that's a huge railyard!!
and also the overview looks really REALLY great.. it's a nice MD you've build here
together with ennedi & paroch we're gonna make a nice OSITM-group this month with frequent & nice updates...
DEAL!?? :P
E!
Congrats Jon......wonderful and much deserved award.....
Napa...beautiful country.....by the way....never use the word "cheaper" in Napa County...it's a mis-demeanor.... ::) ..... is Sonoma State the destination? Good school....even if it isn't the destination....
oh, downloaded the roundhouse by oppie that you have and should put it in my region today...thanks for the info...
Duane
Congrats to the well deserved award!
So you're not only a great BATter but also a great MDer ... I love these farms and lines of trees and your traffic layout yet I am not completely happy with the passenger station layout (Okay, this is my nagging area ... :D )
I like also your avenue work and your university is just great.
Take care (and I think I know you are doing your backups ...)
Bernhard :thumbsup:
TopCliff: Thank you! You're absolutely right... it's not fair at all. But some poor soul has to test this stuff and make sure it actually works... :D
Pat: Wait no longer, my friend... your update is on the way!
Robin: Thank you!
Ejc: Welcome to the thread and congratulations to you as well! I'll do my best to keep up with you guys. It is some very good company to be in if you ask me.
Duane: Thank you! The destination is actually Napa Valley Community College. I'll make sure to only use that naughty word in quotations... ;)
Bernhard: Thanks! No true rail buff would like my passenger layout. Then again, this is all based on the US where passenger rail is pretty uncommon at best. While it is meant to be historically based on the rail roads, I'm also taking the more current approach in which many of these routes have pretty low traffic rates. Cars and busses will be the main transportation vehicles here...
Update Time!!!
I have been slowly building up Covington and the metro area. Let's start with a quick comparrison view, shall we?
8.01
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That was then...
8.02
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... and this is now. The biggest changes are the railyard over in Holden Township and the addition of Riverside Drive on the east side of town. The idea is to have a sort of beltway around the built up areas without actually building a full expressway loop (although that may come later... who knows?).
For this update, I thought it would be nice to review the downtown area. And what better way to do that than with my rather poor excuse for a map?
8.03
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I know, I know... it's not the prettiest thing ever made. I tried to smooth the edges, but it made the whole thing look really terrible. So I opted for chunky yet legible instead! And even that didn't work out as well as one might hope... :D Anyway, hopefully this finally helps show all the different road names I keep throwing around and helps to locate some of the other points of interest. I also labeled the two neighborhoods we'll take a closer look at this time around.
8.04
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Indian Village is the same poor part of town we looked at once upon a time. No one really seems to remember how the area got its name. Chances are good that the ever evolving mode of political correctness will force a name change eventually... something like "Urbanly Challenged Area named in honor of historic Native Americans." Then again, this is the south, so maybe nobody will really get too concerned. It's hard to say sometimes. Either way, not much has really changed in this neighborhood, but I thought some closer looks were in order if we're ever going to get a true feel for the city.
8.05
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Lee Street cuts through Indian Village just east of downtown. This is a rather seedy stretch of shops, bars, and theaters. There is a mix of historic and newer buildings here, but they all seem to be catering to the same groups of people.
8.06
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Most of Indian Village is made up of wood framed tenement buildings from the turn of the century. An effort to revitalize and upgrade the area in the 1930s saw a number of brick row houses built to replace vacant lots or decayed buildings, but they have faired no better here. Eventually, city leaders just accepted the fact that the financially challenged people (there's that politically correct stuff again!) needed a place to live and so stopped trying to turn this into something it wasn't going to be.
8.07
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A few blocks to the north, things begin to look slightly better. This commercial area is along Friendly Avenue just as it curves north on its way to meet with Market Street. Perhaps the local church is enough to keep the businesses a bit more respectable. Too bad that theory didn't appear to help the guy who was in his back yard last night!
8.08
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As we move further north, Indian Village becomes a bit more transitional. Some industrial areas have been rebuilt around the I-40 and I-85 interchange. The businesses along Market Street are in much better shape than those on Lee Street. Interstate 40 basically serves as the border between the two neighborhoods and Shacktown begins just north of the expressway.
8.09
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It's probably pretty obvious how this area got its name. This area was originally plotted as a fairly nice working class neighborhood. Today the houses are a bit rundown and often overlooked by many home buyers as being too small. Most of the houses are now single or double rental units. There honestly isn't too much more to see here, so we won't really linger too much. It just seems that if we're really going to see Covington, we should see
all the areas even if they're not that exciting.
And so we wrap up this look at the near east side. It goes without saying that these aren't the best parts of the city anymore. If you look closely, there are some glimpses of what these neighborhoods used to be like... but time marches ever onward and things always change. I'll try to find something a little more upbeat to showcase next time. Until then, I leave you with the latest region view of metro Covington.
8.10
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Thanks for stopping by!
JB
Jon this is just totaly great here!!! I love that transportation map, sure its crud but it gets the job done and I bet that you got some cartographer working overtime to get the map done ehh... I love the bit about the Indian Village and the area by Lee Street ;)... Till the next update!!!
Hey, Jon!
Love the update, your progress is astounding. The new downtown looks great, and with the comparison between the two regions shots, I can see what you've done! And that map looks good enough for me--I can see all the places you talk about!
Keep up the great work here, my friend. It's always a pleasure to see what you've got happening here!
Dustin
Hi Jon. I can see your progress on the transport map which is always interesting to watch. And I'm glad to see you showing all parts of town. I like the way you've laid out the neighborhoods to reflect the wealth level, and I especially like those little houses in 8.09. You've done a good job on the commercial area in 8.07, too - those are some really effective BATs you've used.
You've made a good start on your month in the spotlight, and I hope you'll keep those fantastic overviews coming along with all the other good stuff!
Later...
Joan
The map is great. Graphically well done or not it gets the job done and that's just what is needed. The overviews are nice but you are right, getting the names matched with the roads really helps put things together. "Urbanly Challenged Area named in honor of historic Native Americans" has a ring to it, but it might not fit well on the maps. It's an interesting selection of shops that have developed on Lee St. but what is also interesting is the burnt out row house you have there. They look good put to use like that. As far as the incident on Market St., perhaps it was just a shave and a haircut coupled with a sneeze (kidding of course). Shacktown may be old, but at least it looks like it's kept clean. Glad we got to see these parts of Covington. It really adds dimension to everything else we've seen so far. Glad to hear you've heard about your new job. Napa is a very nice place and I hope the place you get works well. Cheap is an interesting term to use up there, but I'm sure it'll work out well either way. Look forward to the next update and I'll be interested to see what you come up with next.
-Matt
I enjoyed reading your update again JB! Your sence of humor is the major cause of that, but also the pictures you show are great. The map, well, it serves the purpose, and I could not make a better one myself. So, also compliments for that one my friend!
Great update Jon.....love your way of telling a story...and a tour of "all" parts of a city is what makes it real......Napa CC.....not to shabby my friend. I went to a community college about an hour east of there in Yuba City...course that was back in the dark ages ::).... You are moving to an area that will sure be a wonderfull area to browse in and am interested in seeing how it affects your city building and batting.
Take care and I am now on official "waiting for a Covington update" time. :thumbsup:
Now that is a nice update! :)
Even though I never crossed the Big Lake I know about the rather low traffic frequency of the US railways - sometimes only train per week and direction but with a length (and slow speed :shocked2:) that waiting at a level crossing seems to take ages ...
On the other hand I do like that rather "European" Layout with Marrast's station and no level crossings :thumbsup:
I also like the second last picture. In General I try to have some rather smooth streets and rods (flat or sloped) but here I like these "bumps") of that gray street - it just fits there!
Take care and don't forget to make backups
Bernhard :thumbsup:
Pat: Thank you! Unfortunately I don't have the best editing software in the world (or I just don't know how to use it!) and my attempts at making the map 4 times its original size to make room for street names didn't do so well. Glad you enjoyed my somewhat inappropriate humor... :D
Dustin: Thank you! The transportation maps might be a little decieving really. I've covered a lot of area, but there is quite a bit of fine tuning to be done. I'm really still trying to build up the population base so I can detail areas without having to worry as much about upsetting the balances.
Joan: Thanks! I'll definitely keep the overviews coming. I feel it helps keep things in perspective... it's something I personally always like to know. I always see so many great pictures here and find myself wondering how they all fit together, so this is just my way of showing that. The houses you mentioned are one of many great examples of SimGoober and Barby making our game so much better. They're such simple little houses, but Shacktown wouldn't exist without them.
Matt: Thank you! All those shops along Lee Street just grew that way. I think I had to bulldoze one small high wealth office, but otherwise I just kept hitting the "Make Historical" button... and there you have it. The burned out shell was another happy accident. It's part of my SHUR Brownstone set, but it comes up at random and isn't always an easy one to get. The fact that it landed on a corner where it was easy to see just made it that much better.
Sebes: Thanks! Occasionally, my sense of humor gets me in trouble for being a bit irreverent, but as long as people realize that I'm just kidding around it's usually OK. Maybe everyone should just stop taking themselves so seriously and then I wouldn't have to worry about it... ()lurker() :D
Duane: Thank you! I'll have to look Yuba City up now just to see where you mean. I'll be curious to see if my batting styles change once I get there too. I know my trips to LA inspired some ideas that haven't seen the light of day yet, so who knows?
Bernhard: Thank you! I do plan to use the rails for mass transit where I can make it fit, but I have no intention of spending a lot of time on that part of the process. There is another region I've been toying with that is meant to be very rail based... but that's another story entirely. The bumpy street was actually a mistake that I didn't catch until it was too late. I normally try to smooth things out better as well, but I missed that area and didn't want to redo it after saving all those houses as historical! :D I also like the result though, so I gues I got lucky.
Update Time!!!
I thought we would continue our little tour of some of Covington's residential neighborhoods. This time, we'll visit the south side where things begin to look a little nicer.
9.01
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Here is another map (slightly better looking than last night) which shows where we're headed. Just south of where Randlemann Road and Freeman Mill Road join up is a bit of government housing. We'll skip that tonight since I think last night was enough ghetto to last everyone a while. We'll head a little further south from there.
Freeman Mill Road and Randlemann Road create a narrow wedge known as Oak Park. The area is made up of mostly single family homes ranging from the more modest to the upper middle class with a few mansions thrown in for good measure. There is a rather large industrial area further to the south along Randlemann Road, but we'll get to that later. For now, let's just stick with where all this southern hospitality comes from.
9.02
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There actually is such a thing as Oak Park and this is what it looks like. It is a long narrow strip east of Freeman Mill Road. There are a number of these open areas dotting the neighborhood, some of which are developed parks like this one and some of which are just open areas. This is actually my attempt to mimic a similar feature I remember from living in Greensboro. There were all sorts of these little parks that were almost a tossup between an empty city block and a very wide boulevard. That probably doesn't make much sense, so I'll just move on. What's that? You'd like a closer look? Lucky for you, I came prepared today...
9.03
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Oak Park (the actual park... not the neighborhood) was little more than a strip of untouched land until city leaders decided to "improve" the park around 1957. Biking paths and a really nifty fountain were added along with some recreation areas. The project was initiated in the hopes of attracting wealthier redevelopment in the surrounding areas. Those results are still mixed at this point, but many of the smaller houses are slowly disappearing so it seems to be working. It may just take a bit longer than those leaders had hoped. Most of them are no longer with us and probably don't care much at this point anyway.
9.04
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Overlooking Oak Park is a small strip of homes which survived the construction of I-85 through the area. This section was actually cut off from its rightful neighborhood by the expressway, but it has fared quite well and is now considered part of Oak Park (the neighborhood, not the park... are you confused yet?). I'm really only showing this picture because it is one of my few attempts at making a terraced neighborhood.
9.05
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Oak Park is characterized by a number of different things. There is no real grid here... in fact many map makers would argue that there is no rhyme or reason to any of the streets here! This is a look at one of many churches in Covington (this is the Bible Belt after all... you should probably book tickets for the upcoming church update if you're interested). Behind it is Carter Elementary School. Oddly enough, despite many schools being named for presidents down here, there doesn't seem to be one named for Lincoln anywhere. But I digress... hey look! There's a pretty nice soccer field there too!
9.06
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Here another one of those narrow strips of land that I was talking about. It's really just a nice open area... it doesn't even have a name, but the city does cut the grass. So I guess that makes it an official park. The housing stock still has some catching up to do here, but it's only a matter of time.
9.07
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And yet another place where the land was just left alone for some reason. In this case, it was probably the terrain itself that made this area tough to build on at one time. After a while, people got used to it being a nice green space and started complaining anytime somebody tried to build there. So it became a park! Sometimes progress actually cooperates.
Overall, Oak Park is a pretty nice part of town. It's not the richest or most sought after area by any means, but it holds its own. The neighborhood is a great place to raise a family and prices make it an ideal area for first time home buyers.
That's about it this time. There is actually a bit more to finish for this area in the next city tile, so we'll probably be back another time to see how things have come along. Thanks for reading!
JB
JB, You've done it again! The map looks very good, and the neighborhoods are great - more so because I feel like I've seen it all before. I'm used to the good - plenty of green spaces, and the bad - freeways dissecting neighborhoods.
You've done a good job on the parks without overdoing it, and there is, indeed, a subtle change in the quality of the neighborhood. (I don't know how you pulled that one off, but somehow you did!) Churches are always a personal favorite, and there are so many pretty ones like the one you chose.
I really enjoy visiting Covington - it's very inviting and, well, comfortable - and I hope you'll take that as the compliment it's intended to be! :thumbsup:
Later...
Joan
Hello my friend,
I'm sorry, I don't see five update of your cities
Your updates are very good abd the map region is magnifical
I love the field they are beautiful
So &apls &apls &apls
I will be more here when they are an update ;)
Wonderful new updates there! Great work on the overviews! Also beautiful pictures of your suburbs! :thumbsup:
Looking forward to more...
Jon simply stunning stuff here and don't worry about it I totaly understand the warpped sense of humor that you have lol..... Hey your mapping is good and you are working with what you got, so don't be disappointed by it...
Oak Park does look beautiful, my friend! I think I may look into moving there! The schools, the parks--it looks like a great place to live.
I'll be looking forward to seeing more!
Dustin
I agree with Thundercrack.....I could live there....mind you.... I'd have to loose some serious size...... :D
I really enjoyed the last two updates Jon.
You really have created a different look and feel in each of the three neighbourhoods. And I think I like ShackTown the best. Obvioulsy not for its beauty but because it feels so authentic. It's not easy to keep such distinct looks on a shared quad, so well done.
And I can't see a soccer field at the Carter School, a football pitch yeah, but what is this "soccer" you talk about ;)
All the best
Paul
Jon- very good job with the Oak Park neighborhood. I love the history you provide with each pic. Looking forward to more... :)
Oak Park (the neighborhood) looks great. It looks like a quiet little neighborhood and Oak Park (the park) is a great element in the neighborhood and will probably bring about the upscale development that the leaders hoped for, especially if the flowers look like that every year. I've seen a few of the narrow style avenue parks around here in LA, but they're rare. This will be an interesting area to watch develop, but don't let it lose its charm (I'm sure, if anything, it will only improve).
-Matt
Wow Jon
I am impressed &apls &apls
Sorry for my delay in getting here but I'm here now and I got the kettle boiling :thumbsup:
Excellent updates with just the right amount of background info to make it all seem so ....
..... Right (for the want of a better word)
I can see I am really looking forward to what you do here this month and
I hope you enjoy your month in the spotlight too.
regards
Derry
Joan: Thank you! Oops, I did it again? (Somebody shoot me for that joke please!) I really appreciate your kind words and I'm glad the city is coming together so well at this point. And of course just as glad that you seem to like the results!
Simpson: Thank you! I haven't added much to the farmland lately, although there are some new areas around High Point that I've been slowly filling in.
Bat: Thank you as always!
Pat: Thanks my friend! Your encouragement and enthusiasm are always so nice to hear.
Dustin: Thank you! I'm very happy with how Oak Park has turned out. I spent a bunch of time marking half the houses historical today, so now it's time to wait for the others to catch up with their neighbors. There are some nice houses on the southern edge of the neighborhood that are still available. ;)
Duane: Thanks! You and Dustin could be neighbors, perhaps! :D I'm not sure how to solve the size problem, but if I remember correctly Disney may know something about that.
Paul: Thanks! The distinction between Indian Village and Shacktown came about fairly well. I just had to wait for Indian Village to grow and establish itself before I started zoning Shacktown... and of course that historical button has been working overtime lately! A pitch? Now I'm not sure what
you are talking about! $%Grinno$% (That's right... two can play at this game my friend!) :D
Edge: Thank you! Here comes some more...
Derry: Thanks! Good to see you out and about again!
Update Time!!!
Well, the next set of residential neighborhoods isn't quite ready for a full blown update yet. So I thought we'd revisit downtown Covington and the surrounding areas today. This will be a bit of a mixed bag, but I tried to keep some kind of theme going. It is still very much a work in progress, but a lot has changed here lately.
10.01
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This is the that same intersection of Freeman Mill Road and Randlemann Road just south of the overpass. Remember the giant tower that used to be here looking all out of place and stuff? Well, I managed to get rid of it and grow something a bit more similar to what I wanted there. This housing project, known as the Coleman Housing Development, spills over onto two other tiles and all told is home to roughly 6000 people. And, yes, it is still one of the roughest sections of town to live in. It's almost hard to believe that Oak Park is only several blocks away from here.
10.02
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Around the same time that the Coleman Housing Development was built, another large chunk of depressed real estate was redeveloped just north of downtown and across I-85 from Shacktown. Known only as The Interchange, this development was built after the expressways literally destroyed what used to be here. Home to nearly 9000 people, the conditions at this complex are slightly better than over at Coleman, but it is still a very transient place.
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Just north of The Interchange is a neighborhood that doesn't look anything like I hope it will eventually. This area sits between I-85 and Summit Avenue and will ultimately be nicer middle class rowhouses. At the moment, I'm having trouble getting what I really want to grow there, but I liked the way this picture turned out, so I decided to show it anyway.
10.04
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Across Summit Avenue is Northern Heights. This neighborhood overlooks downtown across I-40. As time goes on, property values here continue to climb and the neighborhood is in a constant state of change. This area was originally brownstone walkups, but these are slowly giving way to midrise condominiums looking to capitalize on the views.
10.05
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While the views of downtown are nice, Northern Hieghts also commands a pretty penny for its views to the west. Just across Battleground Avenue is the manicured campus of UNCC. It probably goes without saying that Northern Heights will be helping the tax base for quite some time, so we'll certainly have another look here later.
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You may have noticed the glaring white building in several pictures over the last few updates. Moses Cone Memorial Hostpital is the culprit. Situated right downtown, it is also very close to the university and many students use the facilities for their hands on experience.
10.07
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This is considered by many to be the "gateway" into downtown Covington. Just across the overpass, Freeman Mill Road splits into one-way streets as it enters the business district. Drivers are greeted by a rather impressive statue of the city's founder sitting in a large square in front of city hall. (By the way... I absolutely HATE that pine tree there and really need to remember to fix that!)
10.08
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While we're looking at squares, here is a view of Market Square which I mentioned somewhere along the line. Not much else to say until this area gets finished for real... so I won't linger.
That wraps up today's progress report on the downtown area. As you can see, there is still much to do... especially in the commercial district. The demand is just beginning to go up so I'm hoping that downtown will begin to take shape in the near future. I just thought it was worth looking now before the taller buildings begin to block all the views. I leave you with the latest region shot where downtown is now beginning to show.
10.09
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Thanks for reading!
JB
&apls Fantastic Update here Jon and if I am not mistaken there is a fix for the pine tree on the City Hall? I cant remember if its on the stex or what But I will keep my eye out for it.... Loved the mayor's statue placement and that comon area around it!! see you next update...
Great stuff there Jon!
Well, you were right. Coleman Housing Development fits tht place better than the tower, and it's certainly easy for me to believe Oak Park (again, the neighborhood) is only a few blocks away. Near my old undergrad, it wasn't uncommon to transition between such neighborhoods multiple times in a matter of minutes. This just makes it all the more realistic. You show a great attention to detail and it really stands out in pics such as in the stairs of 10.03 and 10.04 as well as the little outlook coming off the park path in 10.04. A quick question though, when you say the students get 'hands on' experience from the hospital, are those the ones in the medical program, or are they the ones benefitting from the services after a long night partying (heh heh)? I don't say this about many MDs, but this one is one of my favorites. It's right up there with AVR if you're familiar with it. The detail and care really show. Well, now that law school has finished up for the year, I'll be able to get back to BATting a bit. I hope you don't mind if I have a question or two for you as I go. Take it easy, and I'll be looking forward to the next update.
-Matt
Very nice Jon..... am getting sucked into the storylines of each neighborhood as they unfold.... Out of curiosity, what's the population at the present time?
I'm getting much better now...only twitched for a moment or two when saw the university pictures ()stsfd()
Yeah, noticed the same line about the "hands on experience" and had several thoughts about which school the students were from.....medical? Law? Morticians?
Anyway, thanks for sharing again.
Duane
Your work always pulls me in, my friend. Every time you have an update, I feel like I'm driving on the streets you're showing. It's absolutely amazing! Great work!
Dustin
Nice update there Jon.
Both Coleman and The Interchange are looking like gritty housing estates - like it! Are all of the apartment blocks out of the SFBT stable or are any of them from elsewhere? But wherever they're from you did a great job getting the layout just so (don't forgrt to make historical ;) ).
And I just love the overview, the way the town is shaped is very good. Also, the way the development hugs the main roads into town is very realistic.
You're having a great month here!
Paul
p.s. I was tempted to refer to them as blocks of flats - but I guess that far too British :D
That update is excellent as always! Great new overview of your region! :thumbsup:
Excellent job on the neighborhoods, Jon! :thumbsup: You've created a very realistic environment - it cannot have been easy to get such consistent results, but you have done it very effectively.
The "Gateway to Downtown" looks great, although I agree the pine tree has to go. I do like the way you've done the government complex, though. The Market Square is looking good as well, and the overview makes a nice wrap-up.
You certainly are making the best of your month in the spotlight!
Until next time...
Joan
Did somebody mention Oak Park? Oak Park also the name for Hell on Earth for the Sacramento area? At least your Oak Park doesn't have drive-by's every ten minutes. Great job on downtown Covington. Keep up the good work dude.
Hey Jon,
I barely had the chance to catch up on the last update and you slip in another real quick and
an impressive one it is too &apls &apls
I really like the Coleman estate - gritty but not too much. Great choice of plugins you got to grow there &apls
And agreeing with everybody that Pine tree - I can hear the buzz of the chainsaw in the distance.
Hope the wood will be used in an environmentally friendly way - Some new benches for the area?
All in all a great update, nice one mate :thumbsup:
:satisfied:
TTC
Pat: Thanks! I remembered to fix city hall while triming out the court house block. I just bulldozed it, plopped it again and hoped for some normal trees! :D (Which I got, by the way)
Dragonshardz: Thank you!
Matt: Thanks! Yes, it is very typical for city sections to go from bad to good in a matter of blocks. It still always makes me wonder why though. I've heard the hospital does a lot of both things for the students. I think it all depends on the individual really... ;) Congratulations of wrapping up another semester, and feel free to ask away if you need to!
Duane: Thank you! The region population is around 160,000 as of this morning. I'm not sure if the law school practices against the hospital or not. I would think that might create a few conflicts that the university would prefer to aviod.
Dustin: Thank you! Your comment really means a lot and I'm glad to see I must be doing something right! :D
Paul: Thanks! All of those apartments are indeed SFBT creations... and very fine ones at that. They were a perfect fit for the look I was aiming for. There will be others in use when I get a little further into the outlying areas though. I've been told that I actually act more European than American in a lot of ways, so feel free to call things whatever you like. (Just be warned that I'll probably poke fun though... ;) )
Bat: Thanks!
Joan: Thank you! The "gateway" idea is something that I think I stole from Greensboro, but I can't honestly remember for sure. I know the roads did something very similar, but I don't know if it was "dressed up" or not. Either way, it seemed appropriate to me... so if anyone in authority from Greensboro is reading, you should copy this idea if it isn't there yet! :D
Topcliff: Thanks! Oak Park is hell on earth in Sacramento? I had no idea... they should move to Covington, I guess. :)
Derry: Thank you! In a rather large (and probably frivolous) undertaking, the pine tree from city hall was actually moved across the city and transplanted at a higher elevation where it was considered more asthetically pleasing. Given the amounts of diesel fuel used by the trucks, the jury is still out on just how environmentally friendly this whole idea really turned out to be.
Update Time!!!
And it's kind of a long one, too! The time has come to have a look at what is so far my favorite neighborhood. Actually, truth be told, this is technically two neighborhoods, although they mostly flow one into the other. The Benjamin Parkway Historic District is the largest registered and protected historic district in the city. Just west of this is Washington Heights, which is really part of the same neighborhood, but isn't listed with the state. Let's have a look at the map and get oriented.
11.01
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Benjamin Parkway begins downtown and runs northwest out to Holden Road. In some areas it is as wide as a normal city block with open green areas dividing the travel lanes. This area was once home to the wealthiest city leaders. Railroad barons, industrialists, and politicians all built here and shaped the area. The historic district is shaded in and extends from the cemetary on the east to Aycock Road on the west.
11.02
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Beginning downtown and headed west, this is an overview of the neighborhood...
11.03
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... moving a little further west, you can see Aycock Road which is the "official" line between the two neighborhoods...
11.04
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The last overview shows the beginnings of Washington Heights. (I'm not completely finished this far out, so you'll just have to wait for the western end of the parkway. For now, lets head back to the beginning for the close ups.
11.05
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This view probably sums up Benjamin Parkway as well as anything could. A number of churches dot the neighborhood. The houses are turn of the century gems that are lovingly maintained along the tree lined streets.
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Unlike many typical urban schools, Parkside Elementary is consistently ranked as one of the best schools in the region. The original school that sat here was damaged beyond salvation by torrential rains and flooding in the aftermath of a hurricane back around 1946. The current building opened 7 years later and is the newest structure you'll find anywhere in the historic district.
11.07
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Just north of Parkside is Central High School. Sitting higher on the hill undoubtedly saved this building from a similar fate years ago. This high school serves most of the downtown area and is packed full of kids during the week. Expansion would be truly beneficial, but the building itself cannot be changed because of the historic district regulations.
11.08
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Moving west on Benjamin Parkway, we can see what would be considered a little stange in most places... residential houses built right on such a major road? What the? It's a fairly typical feature here as many of the houses were situated to take advantage of the views and open space inside the parkway.
11.09
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While not in the historic district, Peace Lutheran Church and School is also registered on state and national listings for historical structures. This large church dates back to 1904 and the original school building was added next door around 1912. Since then, the two separate buildings have seen several additions and grown together into one large structure. The private elementary school eductation is very well respected, although a bit expensive.
11.10
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A little further along Benjamin Parkway is Washington High School. We are officially in Washington Heights now, and this school is an example of what could have happened if the historic district hadn't been so well protected. Washington High School was built to relieve the pressure felt by Central High School but came at a steep cost to the neighborhood. Roughly three blocks of old houses were leveled to make room for this sprawling complex.
11.11
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This is just another example of what a nice area this is. There is currently a grass roots organization that is trying very hard to get Washington Heights listed on the historical register. The borders of this neighborhood are under developmental pressure. Friendly Avenue is a major commercial strip to the south and Holden Road to the west is growing into a major traffic route, especially with the I-40 exit so nearby. Many residents feel that without some kind of government intervention, the injustices of Washington High School will only repeat themselves more and more. The proposal stands a very good chance of getting passed, if for no other reason than because the city hopes it can make up for the controversy caused by building Washington High.
11.12
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And finally a parting region shot... just because it's my thread and I can! :D
Thanks for reading!
JB
Hi there Jon,
What a great update. The street map really impresses me. I'd also be interested to know how you make it.
I can see wht these neighbourhoods are your favourites, they certainly have a lot of charm. That little church and its surroundings are very nice indeed. And the schools are beautifully showcased, a nice little story about each, nice ground and of course they are great bats.....I wonder who made them? ;)
I think 11.08 is my favourite picture, those houses withthe curved frontages just sit so well there.
And with overviews like that, why not finish with one each time.
Great stuff.
That looks awesome dude. And yes, Oak Park is hell on Earth. Compton has nothiing on Oak Park, no joke. Anyways, looks great, the use of those old style homes is great there There is one thing that's lacking from that area that would truly make this an all-American city. I'll tell ya' after you do the next replies. :P
Jon,
I couldn't tell you why they do it either. I'm still trying to figure out how a 12-lane highway (well, 6 lanes at least) can turn into a parking lot as a result of someone tapping their brakes. The neighborhood looks nice, but the schools are really interesting. Central High School reminds me of my high school. On the historic registry and no ability to upgrade. It's nice to keep the historical look, but a shame that it can't be upgraded or changed. We have a running track that is under-sized. Since our field is on the historic registry, we can't update it and unfortunately can't host home meets. Granted, being on the registry is good in that it'll keep its look. I'm sure you've seen a few such instances but I digress. The neighborhoods show some great character, and it will be interesting to see if Washington Heights can make it onto the registry or if it will see the effects of further development. At any rate, hope all is well and I'll see you next update.
-Matt
Excellent as always Jon.....08 is also my favorite of the pics.....the housing is perfect for that view.
Another fantastic update, Jon! Your neighborhoods are splendid, as always, my friend. I will definitely be looking forward to more!
Dustin
Jon, this is great! Those overviews really show off your transport-layout skills - hope you won't mind if I copy you in my test region (my eyes only! ;))
Love the houses and church in 11.05, especially that house with the rounded porch in the upper left quad. You've done a good job on the schools, and Peace Lutheran Church/School in 11.09 is my favorite. The school buses (cheese wagons as my kids used to call them!) add a nice touch of realism, and you have worked in the other elements very well. I do wonder a bit about the lack of parking at Parkside Elementary (11.06), but your campuses do look good and I like the slightly uneven terrain. Washington H.S. is kind of a blast from the past for me, and you've created a really nice campus there.
Overall, Washington Heights looks great, and I continue to enjoy seeing the different ambiance you create in the various neighborhoods. Each one has its own personality - so typical of RL but not easy to achieve in game.
And I cannot leave without complimenting you on your latest map - didn't take you long to perfect the technique!
Until next time...
Joan
Woaw very good
Your city is very beautiful
;) &apls &apls
Two beautiful updates JB! The housing are with SFBT flats is absolutely rocking. I tried to get the same the other day in my town but everything else kept on coming instead of these beauties. The monotony of the quarter, but combined with the trees and parks, make it one of the best low-cost housing projects ever seen in MD-land. In fact it resembles the area where I live very much!!!
(linkie) (http://www.confuciusbuurt.nl/img/zo-is-het.jpg)
Your map looks fantastic now - and compared to just a few days ago it is of much higher quality. That makes me think that it's even a method I could learn, or that you are just so d* good at this as well... Please tell us how to try it ourselves OK?
And Washington Heights is very very well done. Just he perfect street/road lay out, the perfect match of homes, and completed with many trees. The park in 11.11 make want to take my bike and sit there in the shade with a nice glass of whine...
A really great new update there JB! And wonderful work on that part of your city!
Looking forward to the next...
Jon WOW the more you do the maps the better your getting at them too!!! I loved this update exspecialy pics 11.04/5/8/10 those pics give a real great feeling of rural america!!! Even more so with the parkway!!! It reminds me of being back down in Rockford as there is an area by my aunts house that is a beautiful parkway...
Paul: Thanks! I thought it was about time to showcase the school packs a little bit... I realized after the fact that I managed to include one from every pack too! ;) I think the houses with the curved facades are actually set up to grow on corners, so that arrangement usually happens without any help from me.
TopCliff: Thanks! I'm anxiously awaiting your suggestion.
Matt: I agree that being on the historical registry can occasionally be a double edged sword. But (and this shouldn't surprise anyone) I feel the benefits far outweigh any red tape or other downsides. Thank you!
Duane: Thanks! I debated whether that picture was really worth keeping, but now I'm glad I did!
Dustin: Thank you as always for your kind words!
Joan: Thank you! By all means, copy away! The only issue I'm beginning to run into so far is traffic on the "side streets." I'm trying to find a way to limit the through traffic in those areas. The lack of parking at Parkside is just because it's an elementary school... I figured most people would drop their kids off, but not park there for the day. I haven't really changed the way I make my maps... I think my problem with the first one was that I went too far with the resizing.
Simpson: Thank you my friend!
Sebes: Thanks! I also had a little trouble at first getting the SFBT apartments to grow. The main trick was limiting the building styles (these grow in Euro tileset only) and altering a couple lots in my plugins so they wouldn't grow in that tileset. The big "competitors" were Peg's MTP neighborhoods (which I pulled out since I don't need them here anyway) and several BLS large neighborhoods (where I just changed the tileset in Reader) The map method is honestly very simple, but time consuming. A short guide is coming up... ;)
Bat: Thank you!
Pat: Thanks! I don't know if rural America is a good thing for the part of town I'm in, but I'll take it nonetheless! :D
OK... this isn't really an update this time. I've had a few comments about the maps and how I make them, so I figured I would try to explain it real quick like. First off, I use Paint (seriously... stop laughing at me!) and PhotoFiltre to do them. If you're going to do multiple city tiles you will need to either play the game in a window, or use the "windows" button to switch in and out of the game without exiting.
- Step 1: While in the game, open up the traffic map and leave it on "congestion." Take a screen capture using ctrl-alt-print screen making sure to include that map in your screen.
- Step 2: Open Paint and hit ctrl-v to paste your screen capture into the program. Draw a selection box around the map and then go to the menu "Edit" and select "Copy to" This will save just your selected box as a new image file. Save it as either a BMP or PNG file. You can then click new image to discard the rest of the capture and be ready for your next one
- Step 3: Repeat this process for all the city tiles you want to include in your map.
- Step 4: Once you have all the images you need, close the game and go back into Paint. The first thing you want to do is trim your images down so there is no border. The resulting image should be exactly 256x256 pixels.
- Step 5: You will need to resize any small or large tile maps you've made at this point. Large tiles should be double (512x512) and small tiles should be half (128x128). I leave the medium tiles the default size as this makes a standard road 2 pixels wide which seems to work well for me.
- Step 6: Time to arrange all your individual maps into one large image. I usually keep a large "template" image of ridiculous size and use the "Paste from" option (in the edit menu) to move all the small images into place. Having a drawing of the region on graph paper comes in pretty handy here so you know what order everything goes in.
- Step 7: Basically you just have to draw over all your roads, avenues, rails, etc etc etc by hand at this point. You will often have individual pixels left along the edges of angled roads and curves as you draw over them, but we'll take care of that shortly. Once you've filled everything in, save the new file again as a BMP or PNG to keep the colors from blurring.
- Step 8: Now I go into PhotoFiltre (or whatever more advanced program you have) for the finishing touches. All the left over neon green from any stations, or network edges... as well as replacing the ground and water colors are done here. I use the "Replace Color" feature to do all of this. Usually you can set the tolerence to cover more shades at once, but you'll probably still have to do this several times to get everything filled in.
- Step 9: Add any text, etc that you may want... crop it to size if you're only showing a section... resize if necessary... save as a JPG.
That's about it. I hope that's relatively clear to read... if not, I can post some pictures for any parts that didn't make sense.
In the meantime... I thought I'd try a picture of the entire region since I've never tried to piece it together before. My apologies to those with smaller monitors... but this is already half the original size and I couldn't bring myself to go any smaller. I kind of like the result even if it is a bit hard to see.
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Until next time,
JB
Nice explanation there Jon. I think I'll have to read it again to get it clear, but that could certainly come in useful for something I have in mind.
And that region view is looking stunning. It really looks realistic, with the patchwork effect of the famr fields, and the urban areas not looking at all square and/or griddy. I can only imagine how good it'll look when the north is done as well.
Wonderful updates once again Jon &apls &apls
I think I got that explanation first time but may just have to read it once again to make sure ::)
Your region shot is superb. those rural areas look so ..... real.
I'm going back for another look from the start of this fantastic MD:D :D
:satisfied:
TTC
LoL Jon these directions where perfectly clear for mapping!!! Funny thing that you mention photofilter as that is what I use as well!!! Gotta love the easyness of it and user friendly too... I understand you wasnt going for the rural america feeling but I think it truely gives it, well at least on my end!!! yes that is a grand compliment too &apls :thumbsup:
Hey, Jon! Brilliant method and explanation of making the maps, my friend! And don't worry about using Paint, either--I've played with making maps in Paint and they didn't turn out too bad. Photoshop is a bit too advanced for me, yet.
And as always, your region view is extraordinary. I'll be waiting with eager anticipation for your next update!
Dustin
Good lesson in map making, Jon. I've never created anything but config.bmp files for map rendering in Paint, but I think a lot of folks get good results like yours. And love the overview!
Later...
Joan
Fantastic new map there! And also nice little tutorial! :thumbsup:
Hello my friend
Your map region is magnifical
The field look very réalistic &apls &apls &apls
;)
How I did it that I missed five updates?! I think I will come back and read everything again :D
I like your neighbourhoods very much. They have a specific climate (I don't know if I feel it correctly, but it is something new and very interesting for me). And of course your schools - this is an excellent work! &apls
Your maps are amazing. It is hard to believe that towns and villages are built on the square grid $%Grinno$% The fields mosaic looks great, tell me please if they are typical for this RL region? I supposed that American fields are usually larger, yours look a bit like European ones and it is very nice for me :)
Great tutorial, will be very useful for me in future, I was thinking about something similar, now I see how you did it and it looks fantastic!
Adam :thumbsup:
Very cool to see you making an MD, JB :thumbsup: The whole anti-grid gives this a great organic feel, and I especially like how you use CP's homes to great effect. The transit networks are some of the most realistic I have seen; particularly with all of the open spaces. Well done :)
Great pictures. And your rural areas is nice and makes the region looks good. I like in particular that you tought about the farmfields who can just as well be diagonal. It gives an realistic feeling to your region pics.
Paul: Thank you! Avoiding the grid was one of my main goals for this region. Not because I have any problem with grids (I know that opinion is practically sacrelige around here!), but just because I wanted to do something different from what I see every day here in Michigan. The northern sections begin today! ;)
Derry: Thanks! I'm glad the explaination will be helpful.
Pat: Thank you! I actually like PhotoFiltre a lot... it suits my needs and, as you said, is quite easy to use.
Dustin: Thanks! Paint actually serves me very well for certain things. I think the terrible JPG compression is its biggest downfall... otherwise I might use it more often.
Joan: Thank you for all your kind words here!
Bat: Thanks as always for visiting!
Simpson: Thank you, my friend!
Adam: Thank you! I'm beginning to find that distinguishing the different neighborhoods is getting a little tougher. I may need to add a few more housing options to my plugins folder, but then I run the risk of losing the continuity if too many differnt options grow at once. I think the farm fields are indeed smaller than RL would be, but that is often the case with SC4's scale... especially with things that are supposed to take up a lot of space. I go with smaller fields just for the visual interest of seeing differnt shades and colors. As for the odd shapes and layout, I'll let you decide that part at the end of this update. :thumbsup:
Mattb: Thank you for stopping in and for all you kind words! It's very nice to see you here.
Q-Tips: Thanks! This is probably the first region I've done with the different shapes for fields, and I love the results. It certainly takes a lot longer to do, but it has been more than worth the time.
Update Time!!!
I decided it was time to change things up for a moment or two... so tonight we'll head north of Covington and see some of the things that are happening up there.
12.01
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Here is the latest transportation map. I haven't begun work on the area between Walnut and Rickland Creeks yet, mostly because it's one large tile, which is very slow to work with on this computer. (This is also the reason we haven't revisited some of the early towns in this MD like High Point, Ashboro, or Raliegh.) North of Covington along I-85 is the last of those four "major" outlying towns, which is Riedsville. We'll visit this town first.
12.02
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We'll start, as usual, with an overview of the area. Riedsville is nestled among the hills and is quickly becoming a bedroom community for Covington. With I-85 passing so close to the town, it is a fairly quick commute into the city. US 220, which is still named Summit Avenue here, runs parallel to I-85 and the main railroad line. Boone Street (State Route 46) runs west and east.
12.03
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A closer view of the business district shows what we probably all expected by now. It's a pretty quiet town with a good bit of historical charm remaining. The local church adds a nice backdrop to the shops lining Boone Street.
12.04
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This is just a closer view of the businesses on the south side of the street. I just liked the way the church and water tower kind of framed this shot.
12.05
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The largest building in Riedsville isn't actually downtown at all, but just to the west in the industrial area. Gratiot Motors, which has been here for decades, remains the economic backbone of the town. Although more and more people are beginning to commute into Covington these days, the factory is the the largest employer north of the city for miles and many people in and around town assemble auto parts here.
12.06
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With such easy transportation available, Riedsville continues to grow. These are older subdivisions creeping up the hills south of town just off Summit Avenue, but there are newer ones to be found and probably many more to come.
12.07
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South and slightly west of Riedville is a little town called Pisgah Church Grove. While it is only half the distance from Covington, this town hasn't grown much at all in recent years although suburbia is creeping closer every day. (OK... it's not really that close yet, but play along with me on this one, OK? We're just pretending that I've built Covington north up to the point that I intend to. :D ) As you might expect, the town is named for the church it was settled around. The church was in turn named for the valley in which is was built.
12.08
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All things considered, Pisgah Church seems ridiculously huge for such a rural area. I wish I had a clever story to explain this, but the factual reasons seem to be lost in history. Country stories abound, but as with many small town tales, it's hard to say how accurate the stories might be. The most common explaination is that the church was to be the foundation of a larger seminary complex. It could be true, although the church is Baptist now. I suppose it could have been a Catholic church at one time though... who knows?
12.09
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Yes... this is as close to a business district as you'll see here. I liked this picture mainly because it demonstrates just how seamlessly the SmalltownUSA buildings work with Spa's wonderful small commercial buildings.
12.10
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And here it is... the region shot of the area. You can just pick out Pisgah Church Grove in the lower left of the newly finished area.
12.11
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Adam asked me how true to reality I was being with the layout of my farms. I thought I'd let you judge that for yourselves. This is a satellite image (thank you to Google Maps) of the rural areas just southeast of Greensboro, North Carolina... which is the area I consider to be this region's primary inspiration. If anything, I'd say my farms are packed a little tighter than they should be... but there again, I plead the game's limitations on space and distance as my excuse. :D
Finally, I'd like to take a moment to say thank you to everyone who has been so supportive here. I've really been enjoying this and I appreciate all the thoughts and comments y'all leave here. As always, thanks for reading!
JB
Jon,
Sorry I didn't post on your last update. Great region shot by the way. Part of my summer employment plan didn't work out, so I've been trying to get that straightened out (while trying to enjoy the first days of summer as well). At any rate, how have you been? It looks like you've been keeping busy, and you haven't lost that touch for making your towns look old, yet lively. The auto parts factory is a nice example. It looks old enough to have been there for a while, but I can picture it as an industrial focal point. Hope all is well, and I'll be back around next update.
-Matt
It wasn't until you posted that real-life image from Google Maps that I realized just how close to the real thing you are coming, my friend! I loved the way your farms looked before, but now that I see that, it makes me love them even more!
Magnificent work here, my friend! Keep it up!
Dustin
Hello Jon
What a beautiful update there &apls &apls &apls
The region is very good :thumbsup: &apls &apls &apls
Hi there JB,
When you said the northern sections start today, I was pleased. When I saw you've already filled a whole large quad, I was impressed. When I saw the quality of what you've done in such a short space of time I was amazed. Surely you must have had this one waiting in the wings for a while. Did you really do it all in a week?
Anyways, this is such a good update I feel the need for a bit of a ramble..... I hope you don't mind!
12.01 The transport overview is looking very nice indeed. Love the gentle curves and teh lack of long stright sections, particularly I-85. But of course it comes at a cost. For me, I-85 doesn't look so great in 12.02 but there's the play-off. It looks great in region view, but on city overview it loses much of 'real' look. I understand why you do it, because the shape of the road is realistic. Let's just hope that the FAR project I've seen pics of at 3RR someday extends to highways. The rest of 12.02 is lovely though. It looks a great little town with plenty of space to breathe.
In 12.03 I have a question for you. Do such churches exist in such towns in the US? I really don't know. The church is just so English for me and yet the town is just so American. I love the effect, but was kind of expecting a more modern looking church there.
The high street (or should I say Main Street) in 12.04 is just how I imagine many Smalltown USAville's to look - great pic.
12.05 That really is a great bat and it sits there just right. Have you considered the dead end barrier removal modd. IMO it makes the end of streets and roads look much better. 12.06 is a great shot of a nice place to live.
12.07/08 I have a theory for you about that church. Norfolk in England is an agricultural area with many small towns and villages dotted around that grew up to work the various farming estates. During the 1700 and 1800's the wealthy land and farm owners showed off their wealth by building churches. Often the churches were far too big for the village they were based it. But that didn't matter, it was just classic male posturing...."my church is bigger than your church" type stuff. Maybe something similar happened in Pisgah Church Grove?
12.09 You're right - they look fab.
12.10 That pic tells me that your decision with the 'wavy' I-85 was totally the right one - what a region view 10 out of 10.
You say really enjoying this...well, it shows JB. And I've enjoyed discovering Covington this month as well. Keep up the great work mate,
Paul
Once again, Jon, I thank you for starting with not one but two very helpful overviews! Pic 12.03 is especially inviting - or could "charming" be the word I'm looking for? It speaks so clearly of the "quiet town with a good bit of historical charm" that dots the American countryside from sea to shining sea!
Also, I continue to admire the open green spaces you've included which are so typical of the neighborhoods I'm used to seeing. And 12.09 is just soothing and relaxing to the eyes! You've done a remarkable job on the farms, too. Such layouts are time consuming and not as easy to create as they may seem to folks who have not had the experience of doing so.
Overall, a very good update!
Later...
Joan
These last updates have been great dude. Sad to say, I've forgotten what I was going to say so long ago. I do have an idea though. Let's say Covington was founded around a fort. Fort Covington, perhaps? Wait, I think I remembered it . . . I'm not quite sure if it was a water park or not . . . Anyways, keep up the great work dude.
Another very good update there! Also with nice overviews! :thumbsup:
Jon, I sure can't argue with what everyone else has said....wonderfull update....I've lived all over the country and you have captured the feel of foothill farming so perfectly....the littlevillages that serve as a focal point for the surrounding area are perfect.....and the way the farms mimic the transport and flow with the geography instead of ravaging it. I am really intested in seeing what you are going to come up with for the rest of the northern section. Thanks for sharing
Duane
Jon you have soo out done yourself here with this update sir!!! I just dont know what more I can say here but at least I could follow Paul's example and pic on some pics lol...
12.01: Still A great transportation map and fits well with so far of the area Jon!!! and also looks alot like to pic 12.11 of the google map area!!!
12.02: Riedsville is looking real nice there jon and so grand too, Just that highway would soo make me sick lol!!!
12.03:
QuoteThe local church adds a nice backdrop to the shops lining Boone Street.
Also you cant forget the water tower to lol....
12.05: How many employees does Gratiot Moters employ eaxactly???
12.08: Hey I Jon I think I heard the story why Pisgah Church is soo big!!! It was at one time part of a real rural fundimentalist church sect and they had a grand campus that was spraling of the area then slowly but surley folks left the camp and settled the area around away from the church and then that is when the new community came about... So thats the story from one of the local fire fighter...
12.09: One thing I find rather funnie there if you look on Spa's lot there the Limo is trying so hard to ram that fence lol....
As always I will await that next update!!!!
Hey JB,
I have been following this journal pretty closely, even if I haven't commented much. You're doing a great job. It all seems very realistic. About the large church. When you speculated about how it was so big even though it was only in a small community I immediately thought it must be a Catholic church. Here in Altantic Canada you can tell when you've driven into an Acadian community (French catholics) because even though the settlement may be just a small village, they'll still be some huge old stone church that is far bigger than the community could possibly need.
Matt: Thank you! I hear that your summer is off to a very warm start so far. I hope you can get your job worked out.
Dustin: Thanks! To be honest, I wasn't entirely sure how true I was being until Adam asked. I laid the farms out in ways that made sense in my head and also looked nice to me... the accuracy was really a bonus more than anything.
Simpson: Thank you!
Paul: Wow... thank you! I honestly don't have any updates in waiting right now, so you're seeing everything as I finish it at this point. Yes, the close ups can suffer, but it's a trade that I knew and accepted early on. I've been keeping an eye on the FAR project as well and will be interested to see how it comes along. Churches like that definitely exist in the US, although more often they would be made of brick rather than stone. I think I had the dead end mod on my other computer, but I made a mistake when copying files from that one to this one... and I'm trying to avoid downloading any mods for fear of messing things up when I switch back. I suppose there could be any number of explainations for Pisgah Church Grove. The random huge church in the middle of nowhere does happen here, but not very often. Thank you for such a well considered response... I really appreciate all the thoughts.
Joan: Thank you! I think it's safe to say that there will be some type of overview in every update, so I'm glad you find them useful! The open spaces, at least in the smaller towns, are simply a result of leaving small pieces alone. I don't like to zone the small towns entirely in the beginning so that I can come back and have areas to fill in later. So instead of zoning 4 1x2 lots on a block (for example)... I'll just zone 2 of them and leave the other two spots empty for now.
Topcliff: Thank you! A fort, you say? Interesting idea... I may have to think about that one. ;)
Bat: Thank you as always!
Duane: Thanks! I'm chipping away at the north east sections as we speak... so I hope you'll enjoy the next update!
Pat: Thank you! I agree that anyone prone to motion sickness might have some problems driving in my region. :D Gratiot Motors was made by Nofunk (I'm pretty sure!) and I think it provides just under 700 jobs... I'll have to look it up to be certain though. (I confess that I'm terrible when it comes to remembering where I got things from) I didnt' even notice that car balanced on the edge of the foundation there... I guess we now know who really pays attention around here! ;)
Spa: Thank you for stopping in! I think the early settling missionaries were quite good at that sort of thing. They built these seemingly huge churches... some of them ended up with cities growing up around them and others didn't. Kind of a historic version of building on speculation, I suppose. :D
Hmmmm... I guess I can't put the official red update sign up today. The reason is quite simply because I don't have an update ready yet. I'm really here to catch up on replies right now. One reason is because y'all are so kind and keep leaving so many responses... for which I am certainly grateful. The other reason is because I have a feeling that update 13 will be fairly large. You can look at the teaser and get a pretty good idea of what is on the way... but beyond that, I'll just say that we'll be staying in the rural areas for the next two updates. Speaking of teasers...
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More to come soon...
JB
Well you've been busy. I'll be looking forward to these updates. The weather around here has been... warm. I think the other day it hit 95 F or more (35 C). It's not too bad at all, but it's unusual to sweat while just sitting there. I don't know why but I've always been a fan of the cloudier days (65-70 or so, the kind of day right before it rains) but this isn't too bad either. Good surfing weather. I'm sure I'll find something before the summer is over, though it's always a strange feeling not knowing quite what you're going to do. I am signed up for a summer class too though, so I know I'll have something to do. Hope you're well. Are you still doing the hotel thing or have you already moved yet? Either way, take it easy and I'll keep an eye out for the next update.
-Matt
Hey Jon someone has to keep an eye out on you and pay attention to whats going on here lol.... I cant wait for update 13 to hit!!!!!
As always, your region looks beautiful, Jon! Love the teaser!
I'll be looking forward to Update 13!
Dustin
Hello Jon, I've missed replying to a few updates, but I assure that you I've been lurking. I must say you capture the feel of North Carolina very well, it reminds me of the time I spent in Winston-Salem a few summers ago. I really, really like your farms, they're what complete the feel of the region.
I'm looking forward to update 13!
Cheers,
Kevin
Looking good there Jon - I am impressed with the speed you're filling up those quads. You'll have the region done in a month's time at this rate!
As for the dead end barrier mod - I added it reasonably recantly and it gave no probs - now if only I could remember where I downloaded it from!
Paul
Hey Jon...you are such a tease! :thumbsup: ......forgot to ask you earlier...... where that auto parts factory is from....neat building.....Looking forward to the next update as always.......oh, and is hitting an even 100 (F) here in Arizona today....brrrrrr.
That part of the region is looking wonderful! And looking forward to it in the next update...
Matt: I'm still living in the hotel... &sly It's a long story that I'll go into another time, but it will all work out eventually.
Pat: Wait no longer, my friend! ;)
Dustin: Thanks!
Kevin: Thank you! I spent a fair bit of time in Winston-Salem during my life down there as well... I hear all three cities in the Piedmont basically run together now.
Paul: I think I'll be at it a lot longer than a month, trust me! Filling in the farm tiles is initially fast (comparitively speaking anyway)... but as the region grows, I'll be revisiting them quite often to make adjustments and let the growth happen.
Duane: The factory is by Nofunk and should be on the STEX somewhere. All the heat seems to be stuck in the southwest right now... I don't even think we topped 65 today! :D
Bat: Thank you!
Update Time!!!
I think I mentioned that this would be a fairly large update, didn't I? OK... good. Because it will be. Fortunately, the good people at Deadwood's service station have kindly donated a full tank of gas so we won't actually have to pay for all the driving around we're about to do. Let's have a look at the map and see where the roads will take us tonight.
13.01
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From Pisgah Church Grove, we'll head east on Pisgah Church Road. (That really is a road name I saw once and is honestly the basis for the names I gave that entire area... just in case you're curious). We'll pass the I-85 exit and cross the Riedsville River before curving north and decending into Devil's Wash.
13.02
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As you might guess from the name, Devil's Wash has a pretty unique story behind it. Like many towns we've seen so far, this one also sits in a valley. The major difference is that the hills completely circle the town, leaving run off water from the hills with very few places to go. Flooding has always been common here, but people stubbornly continued to settle in the village and it thrived over the years.
13.03
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A closer look at the business district shows that despite the occasional hardships, Devil's Wash has done fairly well. A number of restaraunts line the streets, and Redeemer Lutheran recently finished their first permanent church building.
13.04
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This is mainly a farm town and there is really no industry to speak of here... so there isn't actually a whole lot more to see. However, I took this closeup of the local housing to illustrate for Joan (and anyone else who might want to know) the open spaces she mentioned last time. I also just thought it looked nice! :D Lets drive out of Devil's Wash on the same road, although it is now called Harper Hill Road, heading north east towards Boone.
13.05
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Just south of town, we turn left onto US 311 (anyone remember that highway?) which takes us into Boone. Located on Bear Lick Creek, Boone is primarily another farm town, although it does have a couple things which set it apart. This local area was actually settled by German immigrants way back before I was alive to see it happen. While today's population is much like anywhere else in the county, the town has retained some of its original heritage and has grown into a bit of a tourist draw.
13.06
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Tourists flock to the many shops and restaraunts lining Main Street (NC 46) where the merchants gladly sell them everything from homemade fudge and candy to clothes and tea. Perks, KOD, Aunt Millie, and Tiffany all have shops here.
13.07
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Factory tours are also an oddly popular thing to do while in Boone. What good is a true German experience (at least the watered down, American tourist version) if you can't watch cheese being made? And if you don't like cheese, you can just head across the street and watch them make sausage. Now honestly... who could pass up something like that?
13.08
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Heading east from Boone on 46, we cross this bridge and become instantly jealous of the guy who lives in that house. What a great view he must have... the jerk! My apologies... I'm honestly happy that he's done so well for himself.
13.09
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Shortly after crossing Bear Lick Creek, I realize that there isn't anything to see in that direction and that I totally went the wrong way! So, we turn around and come back into Boone, which just gives us a good excuse to take in another view from the water tower.
This time we'll head south on US 311, bypassing Devil's Wash, crossing Walnut Creek, and ultimately coming to Walnut Grove.
13.10
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Walnut Grove sits (suprisingly) along the banks of Walnut Creek. Not only that, but it also sits at the base of the Walnut Hills State Park. Us 311 actually forms the western border of the park, but we're not talking about that yet. We're talking about the town. NC 57, which ultimately becomes Cone Boulevard in Covington, meets US 311 here... making it a fairly decent commute for those bedroom comunity types.
13.11
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Contrary to popular belief, Walnut Grove was not named in honor of Laura Ingalls or anyone else in from the books (you did know there were books, right?) and to my knowledge Melissa Gilbert has never visited the town either. If she had though, I'm sure she would feel right at home (or on set maybe? I'm confusing myself now) with some of the more historic buildings that still anchor the business district. Newer shops and small offices continue to mix in as more people move here from the city.
13.12
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The same mix of old and new carries over into the local industries as well. Some of these factories have been here for nearly a century, while others are very recent additions to town.
13.13
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As we continue south on US 311, feel free to look out the back window for one more glimpse of the church and clock tower. We'll follow US 311 south through the hills until I-40, where we'll head west for a couple miles to the next exit, which is Rickland Run Road where we turn south again. (It's officially called Rickland Run, but most people always add the word "Road" out of habit.)
13.14
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Ultimately we cross Rickland Creek and enter the village of Rickland Center. It's a pretty tiny place, but we might as well look since it's on our route anyway.
13.15
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See? I told you there wasn't much here. Rickland Center was built around a flour mill that took advantage of the creek. The mill no longer exists, and the village really never grew up. There are a few shops, but for the most part, it's just another pretty farm town. We'll veer right onto Burlington Road and continue south.
13.16
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Burlington is another small village without much going on just yet. A new commuter station was recently built here, so that could change things in the future. The line serves Raliegh and Covington and how much growth the station could bring depends on how popular rail commuting turns out to be.
13.17
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On our way out of Burlington to our final (as yet undisclosed) location, I can't help but simply enjoy all the farms and open spaces out here.
13.18
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Of course, it just wouldn't be a Covington update without this now would it?
Thanks for reading!
JB
Wonderful new update of Covington there! And also fantastic overviews and map of your great region! Nice farmland! :thumbsup:
Hey Jon, this was one a my favourite updates so far.
I think you have mastered the small town feel. I have never been one to have so many farms in my region, but you have made it look so natural and right.
Your choices of custom content all seem to fit with each other very well.
And I love the shape of that river. Your regional view is also very impressive.
&apls
Robin :thumbsup:
You really do know how to use your BATs! :)
But I wonder how this will all look like if David's fractional roads are going to be available ...
That map is marvellous!
Take care (and don't forget to make backups!)
Bernhard :thumbsup:
Hi Jon,
What a great update there. I really like the road maps you produce - I think I'll have to try and make one of those.
I like the feel you give to each of the small towns and villages. I'll comment on a few "stand-outs" for me......
13.04 just looks a nice peaceful place to live and is a nice mix of houses that compliment each other well.
13.08 yeah, what a view from that house.
13.13 great composition of the picture. The church and clock tower go well together.
13.14 I can imagine driving over that bridge and seeing the town ahead of you with the windmill behind it looking over the town.
13.18 It's becoming your trademark!
I look forward to the next update,
Paul
Wonderful update, Jon! I think the thing that stands out most to me is the way you're developing the region in harmony with the environment. How I envy your ability to create those small towns separated by farm land - your map could easily slide into any road atlas and no one would be the wiser!
13.04 is, indeed, especially appealing because of the small-town-America atmosphere of the neighborhood. I could live there happily ever after! And Boone is a work of art! Since I am wont to blame the SC4 game engine for my playing deficiencies, I maintain that it is difficult to spread neighborhoods out the way you have done in 13.05. From the very start, I've been conditioned to create too much density because of the power overlap. You have managed to break the pattern, though, and the result is stunning in its simplicity and realism.
Then Walnut Grove, Rickland Center and Burlington provide even more feasts for the eyes. And I love that little church in 13.11. You can bet I'll be "looking out the back window" for much time to come as I enjoy all this wonderful scenery unmarred by a single building more than four stories high!
Until the next grand tour...
Joan
What a tour!
You sure weren't kidding about the size of that update, Jon! These smalls towns you've presented look absolutely amazing. Even though you've based your work around North Carolina, it really serves a microcosm of small-town America everywhere. I see places that I know around here in Pennsylvania that are exactly like this, and that's what makes your MD so fascinating!
Excellent job, as always, my friend! Keep it up!
Dustin
Jon a very fantastic tour and don't worry being a true Wisconsinite I remember to grab some cheese and sausage on my way out of Boone!!! Hey the road maps are looking grand and so is the Ariel maps keep it up and you might in OSITM permanently lol.....
Jon, I have to say I have started visiting the MD's of people who visited mine. I've never been a big follower as they always made me feel inferior. So I'm sad to say this is my first visit and happy to say now I will have to go back and read from the start.
Any who... Nice work. I loved the small rural communities. Am curious to know if the germans in Boone made their cheese a nice natural yellow, or that lovely Amerincan Orange?
I love such tours!
Not only your maps are fantastic, you make also great closeups!
I'm very interested in small towns showed by you, and look carefully at all these buildings. Personally I don't use many of them, because I simply don't know how to use them, I am more familiar with Euro cities and villages. But I can feel a specific atmosphere of these places and it is an ultimate test of your skills :) Thank you for sharing it!
Adam
Hi Jon- I haven't commented much but i have been keeping up. The last update was really fantastic. I am really enjoying this, especially your narration :thumbsup:
Jon,
A big update you promised and a big one you delivered. Your map is excellent. Clean, readable, and showing more details than previous versions. The tour was a nice way of presenting the area. You have to love the stubbornness of the people living there... I guess the phrase "come heck or high water" takes on a new meaning here (or perhaps is where it was coined). I can't recall seeing that church before (or at least I haven't used it in one of my cities yet). 13.04 is a nice pic. You don't often see as much open space like that out here in CA as there had been though. I'm not sure if you have mentioned it before, but where did the name for Bear Lick Creek come from? 13.08 is a good pic, and don't worry, that guy who owns the house still has to put up with jealous people driving by all day, so perhaps it balances out... or we could grab some tp and... no that wouldn't be right. If a wrong turn is what it takes for you to show pics lie 13.09, then throw the map out the window. Something about that little area looks so peaceful, especially with the leaves starting to turn. It'll be interesting to see where this trip ends up, but until then, the overview pic looks stunning. Plenty of hilly undeveloped space, and everything seems to be developing well. No worries about the hotel. I'm sure you'll be on your way soon enough, I hope. Anyway, great update and I'll look forward to the next one (hopefully before the end of the month to really close out the OSITM with a bang, but even if not, I'm happy to wait).
-Matt
Great bunch of small towns there. One thing though: Walnut Grove on Walnut Creek? Interesting place names. Keep up the great work dude.
WHOA, HEY STOP, WHAT AM I SEEING?? Do I see what I think I'm seeing? No, wait... US 311 comes in a northwesterly direction out of Roanoke, Virginia... US 220 comes north out of a truck stop thing near a small town called Troutville northeast of the city of Roanoke, and goes north on its way to Hot Springs. On the way there, it passes through a smallish town that smells of sulfur from its large paper mill, the town is called COVINGTON. (I think US 311 goes through New Castle in Craig County)
Even without the connections to my locality, it's a pretty cool CJ. sorry, MD.
It has been a few days since I last read this MD - and man what great updates did you post in those days. How do you do that - how do you find the time.
The updates are all great. It's too much now to start commenting on details, so I just say that all details, especially the layout of the road/streets and farms, are VERY impressive. This MD deserves all awards that are out there I guess... So let me start with this pink one:
&dance &dance &dance
Just had the chance to catch up on the last updates and superb ones they were too &apls &apls
Devils wash I think is my favourite spot so far as I know a place just it like back home. So many details but done oh so well :thumbsup:
And your regions views are just ...... &apls &apls
Till the next time
enjoy this
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regards
Derry
Bat: Thank you, my friend!
Robin: Thank you! Sometimes I think I may put in a few too many farms as well and that maybe I should leave some more wooded areas. My tendency is to put farms just about everywhere the terrain is flat enough. I think I just like the patchwork look too much to cut back though! :D
Bernhard: Thank you! I would be very intersted to try out the FAR system for something like this as well. I may have to see if I can't get my hands on a test version and take it for a spin... ;)
Paul: Thank you! I've been enjoying your transit maps very much as well. 13.04 is primarily made up of CP's 19th centruy houses, which is probably why they go together so well. ;) 13.08 was a picture I mainly took because it's probably the tallest bridge in the whole region... then I saw that house and decided to make that the story. 13.13 was one that I just loved the look of from the start. I wasn't sure I liked the windmill at first (in general, not just in 13.14)... but it has really grown on me. And speaking of trademarks...
Joan: Thank you so much! I've never been one for too much terraforming... I prefer to let the map dictate how things will grow. I'm always very impressed with the people who can build on slopes and terrace them, but it's just not something I really do much of. My biggest tip for the power grid is to use those smaller ploppable wooded lots. SBFT, Jeronij, and Peg's all come immediately to mind for the 1x1 or 2x2 seasonal tree lots. I've mainly been using Jeronij's because they blend in so well with the tree controllers I have. They carry the power without anyone being any wiser. ;)
Dustin: Thanks! I've found that many smaller towns in the US look a lot alike anyway, so I suppose interchanging them wouldn't be too tough. Although, I must admit my small town travels are fairly limited to the midwest and south east (with a few spots in New England thrown in for good measure), so I could be completely wrong about that!
Pat: Thank you! I knew if anyone would appreciate the factory tours, it would be you! I was going to put something in there about cheese curds, but I really didn't want to have to explain them to everybody. :D (Of course, now that I've mentioned them, I'll probably have to do that after all.)
Shaun: Thank you and welcome to Covington! I have the same troubles visiting other MD's no matter what other people around here seem to think. (I pay good money for all these compliments... :D ) I hate to admit it, but you're right... the cheese is indeed that fabulous color that only comes from a healthy dose of ingredients God never intended. ;)
Adam: Thank you! By the same token, I wouldn't have the faintest idea about trying to create a European themed town. There are so many great looking BATs out there which I am really not familiar with just for that reason. Either way, I'm glad you like the results.
Edge: Thank you! I try to keep the narrations mildly entertaining anyway... :D
Matt: Thanks! The people of Devil's Wash are certainly a determined bunch... but I guess that's why so many country songs are about hard working people. (Or maybe that has nothing to do with it... who knows?) I honestly don't remember where I got that church. I know I've had it for a long time, so it's probably from the STEX... but that's all I can really say at this point. I don't really have a story behind Bear Lick Creek at all... it just popped into my head when I was trying to come up with names that would invoke a rural feel. I'm not sure it would be wise to mess with that guy's house... it's a pretty good drop into the creek right there! I'm glad you enjoyed the hill top view... it was one of my favorites too.
Leo: Thank you! I name a lot of things after trees, actually... don't ask why. It just seemed like a good way to go. ;)
Nerdly_dood: Thanks and welcome to Covington! You're a bit further north than I had in mind... and I didn't realize there even was a Covington up there. Most of the highways are found somewhere in or fairly near Greensboro, NC... which was my inspiration for this one. Many of the numbers are off a bit though. US 311 should really be further west as it connects High Point with Winston-Salem... US 220 is pretty accurate in the southern half of my region, but not in the north (US 29 is what really goes past Riedsville)... and the list could go on forever, really. I'm glad you like the MD!
Sebes: Thank you! Frankly, there isn't much else for me to do when I'm not at work right now... it's much easier to find time when living on the road, I guess. ;) Thanks for the pink award!
Derry: Thank you! I'm glad you liked it and it's good to see you around. I hope that means things are going better on your end.
I don't know if I would really call this an update or not. Perhaps "Progress Report" would be a better term? I don't really know... and I suppose it doesn't really matter that much anyway. The next update will include the conclusion of our little country drive, but it's not quite ready yet. In the mean time, I was looking through older pictures the other day just out of curiousity. I thought it might be kind of cool to see how Covington has grown over time. So I took a bunch of region shots and cropped them to roughly the same area (as close as I could get in some cases anyway) and put them all together. There isn't really a whole lot to say about them... so I'll just let you take a look:
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Thanks for stopping in!
JB
That's certainly a nice look back. It's really come a long way, but certainly has plenty more to go I hope. I think Bear Lick beats Cow Hug for that rural feel to the name; story behind it or not. I've never been that good at coming up with names, I always like to hear the stories behind some of the more interesting ones I come across. One of these times you'll have to show us Covington's airport so we can see where these great regional shots come from.
-Matt
Boy, you're region sure has grown, my friend! And the picture-by-picture view of that growth is absolutely phenomenal!
The "progress report" was great, and I look forward to the conclusion of the country drive!
Dustin
I have to say this is one of the simplest but most informative and effective updates I've ever seen! I love backtracking to check progress and have actually brought forward early photos in a few MDs. You are doing a fine job, JB, and I continue to admire your re-creation of both rural and urban America.
Until next time...
Joan
Looking good there Jon.
I wish I remembered to take photos of such development. When you look back on them in sequence like that it really shows what a great job you've done. In fact the town looks like it has grown "organically". I would tend to build one section and then move onto the next. That looks like you've been constantly going back and filling bits in - WOW, that really is some achievement.
Paul
Fantastic transit map. It's not the walnut part, it's just . . . those are both cities nearby. Anyways, can't wait for more dude. Keep it up, and maybe, just maybe, show off that giant Little Italy you've secretly been working on. ;D
What a lovely little recap and its great to to see the progress. :thumbsup:
It is a great achievement to get the natural look you do and its done so well. I dont think the you have overdone it with the farms
in fact i think you got the balance just about right and it looks fab from region view.
All in all a superb update &apls
and I just love that last pic with the plane &apls &apls
and yes Jon thanks for asking. I'm feeling much better - just trying to catch up with everything ::)
OOH is that the kettle I hear boiling - I'll be back with yours
:satisfied:
TTC
excellent idea to have these pictures posted - It's nice to see how the town has grown and developped.
Fantastic "show" there! Great progress on the development on that region/ city! :thumbsup:
I'm sorry for not posting to the last update I wasn't here
It's a beautiful update
Your region is magnifical and realistic very good :thumbsup: &apls
it's nice to see you've made good progress!!
most people quit finishing a region just because they don't get pleased by it anyomore
the way you keep it diverse for yourself by playing some farms, residential and railyards/industries is keeping this region playful for you, and aswell.. joyfull to watch for us!!
keep it up!!
E
LoL Jon I know but daaang gotta love them curds yum yum anyways loved your progress and for anyone who wants to know what a cheese curd is here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheese_curds) ohh my favorite is the deep fried curd yummies!!!
NB: Hey Jon guess what I found today while I was out doing a little hunting on the STEX??? here [linkie] (http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?id=3199)
Your "progress report" is really great, the regional view is one of the most realistic ones I have ever seen &apls
As others said, one of the strongest points of this region is it's diversity and the balance between urbanized areas and farmlands. I'm very curious of the further development of Covington!
Adam
Quote from: JBSimio on May 25, 2008, 10:22:08 PMNerdly_dood: Thanks and welcome to Covington! You're a bit further north than I had in mind... and I didn't realize there even was a Covington up there. Most of the highways are found somewhere in or fairly near Greensboro, NC... which was my inspiration for this one. Many of the numbers are off a bit though. US 311 should really be further west as it connects High Point with Winston-Salem... US 220 is pretty accurate in the southern half of my region, but not in the north (US 29 is what really goes past Riedsville)... and the list could go on forever, really. I'm glad you like the MD!
Thanks for the southerly nudge. Greensboro isn't really all that far from where I live, but I don't have any family there, so I've only gone there once when I was about 6 years old. ;)
Matt: Thank you! Many times I'll name towns after something nearby. I also tend to use a lot of trees for names... (Walnut Grove, Cypress Creek, Pine Ridge) but that's about all the naming "tips" I've got! :D There actually is no airport in Covington at this point, so I guess most of those planes must be coming from Charlotte... or maybe even Atlanta. ;)
Dustin: Thanks! I'm afraid the country drive is still on hold for a bit... I'm having trouble finishing that area the way I really want to.
Joan: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the miniture history look! ;)
Paul: Thanks! To be perfectly honest, I didn't really remember to do this ahead of time... which explains why some of the pictures are way off center! :D I was just looking through region shots and realized that I had enough of them that I could still throw something together.
Leo: Thank you! I know what you mean... but they're not both towns. Walnut Creek is a creek... Walnut Grove is a town. No giant Italy here... but I have been tinkering with a Paris map off and on... ;)
Derry: Thank you! I think the natural look will be explained a little further in this update... so I'm glad you mentioned it! ;)
Sebes: Thanks!
Bat: Thank you also!
Simpson: Thank you for stopping by again!
Ejc: Thank you! I prefer building this way just so there is always something to come back to. At this rate, even having the region "full" is only the beginning. Then it's time for things to grow and expand... so the fun never ends! :D
Pat: Haha! I've noticed that if I have to explain cheese curds, people don't want to try them. Much better to force feed them first and
then explain what they just ate! :D But you're right... fried curd is amazing. I'm glad you were able to find those... they certainly have become indispensible for me.
Adam: Thank you! We'll come back to Covington soon. I read a couple threads recently that told me finishing off the farms first might be best in the long run. Apparantly, if I get too urban, I'll kill off the farm demand... which is obviously not what I want.
Nerdly_dood: I really miss Greensboro actually. I haven't actually visited in quite a while though either... sounds like it's time to plan a trip! ;)
Update Time!!!
First of all, I apologize for the lack of updates here recently. I had every intention of ending the month with a bang, but alas (good word... should get used more often) that didn't happen as you probably noticed already. Secondly, this is not even the update I had intended to make next! My original plan was to finish our drive in country over on the eastern side of the region with a visit to the State Park. That isn't going to happen just yet either. We'll get back there eventually, but just not right now. Thirdly, there really is no thirdly... I'm just a huge fan of lists and wanted to pretend I was making one!
So, what the heck are we going to do today? Well, I'm glad you asked. Since many people have commented on my region shots and road networks so often, I thought I would put together a little step by step of how I go about making these things happen. I hesitate to call this a tutorial of any kind... mostly because my ego won't allow me to believe that I'd actually be teaching anyone anything! This is just going to be more of an inside look at how I plan and build the more rural areas for Covington. Today we'll prep the area and get all the main roads laid out. Next time we'll finish off with the farms and whatever else comes along.
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This is the final undeveloped corner of my region. I've shown parts of this here and there on the edges of other pictures in the past. Some of the city tiles are already set up, but there are some that I haven't even touched yet... which is the perfect place to start for the way I do things. Let's focus in on the tiles I haven't done anything with yet...
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Here is it... the northwest corner of Covington. At this point, I haven't even opened any of these city tiles yet. My normal way of laying things out is to do it in larger chunks like this rather than one city tile at a time. There are a couple reasons for this. First it helps me keep a more continuous look to what I'm doing. The second reason is for the power grid. For power (and garbage actually) I usually select a small city tile and make it my regional power station. I then make neighbor deals from one city to the next that will carry the power into all the tiles I want to cover. In this case, I'll cover all 12 city tiles with from within one small tile.
I've found that there is a trick to setting this up in advance or it won't actually work as planned. That trick is to make all the neighbor deals before any game time elapses. So... step one in prepping this area is to open each tile...
pause the game while still in God mode... and then "start" the city by giving it a name. I then save and exit to the region without doing anything else. Nothing at all. I'll do this for all 12 tiles I need to finish. Once I have them all paused and named, then (and only then) will I start actually doing something with these tiles.
The next step is to pick a "Board of Water and Light" for my power plants. (I don't actually do regional water distibution... but the name just sounded better that way to me!) Here is the one I picked along with my plan to distribute the power to each city.
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I actually needed two power plants to cover this much area. I usually use the oil power plant which provides 7000Mwh of power. I have 12 city tiles to cover. I figure 1000Mwh of power for each city tile, so I'll need a total of 12,000Mwh for this... which for all you math geniuses out there means two oil power plants. After building the power plants, I just run the power lines and make the necessary neighbor connections. I make the neighbor deals as I go, buying and selling as needed... always making sure that I buy 1000MWh more than what I'm going to sell to keep power in the city as well. As long as the game stays paused, I can buy as much as I need in each city. I've found that once the clock starts, the game won't allow me to buy more power just to sell it later. The city trying to buy apparently has to need the power before the game will let you make a deal. If the game stays paused, I can still do it. (I hope that made sense the way I described it!) The only other real tip I would have for this part is trying to keep the neighbor connections in areas where I will develop later. For this reason, I don't want to make a connection at the top of a ridge... I'll opt for valley areas where ever possible.
OK... so now I have all my cities named and powered up. The next step for me is to finish off the freeways. I actually have three to finish this time. I-40 which is my major east-west interstate, US 29 which is the spur that runs down to High Point, and the Joseph Bryan Parkway which converts into a freeway northwest of Covington. I usually do these and any railroads first because they seem to have the least flexibility. I find it much easier to work my roads around the freeways instead of the other way around.
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I'll spend more time describing the methods when we get to the roads. The theories are all basically the same anyway. Now that the freeways are done, I will basically just sit back and stare at everything for a while to figure out where my major roads are going to go.
There are a number of things I consider when working out my roads. I try to look at the whole region and pick out some state and US highways that will cross the entire region. This includes paying attention to any existing neighbor connections already built from other areas. I also try to visualize any areas that make sense for a small town to prepare for. Sometimes the towns show themselves in advance, other times they become obvious as I lay the roads out. In this particular case, I don't actually have any advance plans for towns, so I can ignore that part. The major thing I'm looking at now is just the topography of the land. I don't do a lot of terraforming and I like to keep the land fairly close to its virgin state, especially in rural areas like this. Most modern paved roads were built over dirt roads which were built over stage coach routes which were built over foot paths. In other words... I like to follow the paths of least resistance. I'm not saying this is right or wrong... it might not even be historically accurate!... but it's the justification I use for what I'm doing. With that in mind, I'll mentally draw roads along the valleys in various directions. Then I'll look for places that would seem like logical ways to get over the hills and ridges to connect the valley paths. One other thing I'll keep in mind is the number of entry points for each city tile. For medium tiles, I like to have 4-8 neighbor connections (in rural areas), preferably with one on each side. For small tiles, I'll have at least 2, with 4 in flatter areas.
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If I were to put all this on paper (which to be honest, I usually don't), my first draft might look something like this. This is just a rough idea... and you'll see that I didn't stick too it 100% by any means. The main thing worth pointing out is the way I followed the terrain as much as possible. Now, let's talk about actually laying the roads out. At this point, I just look for a good place to start... usually with one of the longest roads. I'll start in the lower right hand tile for this one.
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So this is Sharon Mills. You can see the freeway portion in the corner of the traffic map. My major route through this tile will be a northwest-southeast road that follows the valley. One thing I definitely want to do with this road is have it exit very close to the northwest corner of the tile. Because of the way my tiles are arranged, I also want it to exit on the western edge of the map and not on the northern edge. If it exits to the north, I will just need to cut across a tiny corner of the next tile before it exits again anyway. I have a little more room to play on the southern exit, so I'll start with the northern exit point at the yellow arrow and build out from there.
You'll notice I have the traffic map opened in the picture. The congestion option won't show up until you've unpaused the game for a short time, but the volume option will register as soon as you lay a road or rail. I refer to this map often as I build to make sure I'm keeping to my route (it's easy to see if I start veering too close to the hill or off course in this view) and also to get an idea of how smooth my curves will look.
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Here is the very beginning of my road. I really like how I can exit on a diagonal with roads and rails. (Unfortunately this doesn't work with highways or avenues) All that needs to be done is to draw the road towards the map edge. This does require special treatment on the neighboring tile, but we'll get to that in a few minutes.
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Now I just start dragging road in small sections to get around the hill before I can begin to staighten out a little more. These offsets are what keeps the region view looking more realistic than if I went on a standard diagonal for a while and then turned east for a 6 tile "route correction."
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At this point, I just continue the road across the entire tile, keeping along the valley. I don't want the road to be completely straight, so I threw a small s-curve in just because. Notice how the length of my sections gets shorter and and slides over more often the closer I get to a curve. This is what helps create that smoother appearance in the region view. But, Jon... why don't you just use the NAM curves for that? Sometimes I do... sometimes I don't. The NAM curves look great for close ups (much better than this method) but not so great on the region transportataion view. The direction changes are still very pronounced. I also have touble with them in more sloped areas... but I'm still practicing that part.
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Speaking of region views... this is what our new road looks like on the transportation map.
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Remember that angled road connection? Let's go into the next tile and match things up for the continuation of the road. When we first open the city, I'm given a three tile long connection "stub." I want to continue the diagonal progress of the road, so I bulldoze all but the one tile on the edge of the map. Then I can build my angle from there. In this case, I accidentally came too close to my power connection and will have to fix that.
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After extending thins a little bit and fixing the power connection, it looks like this. (Don't forget to go back into Sharon Mills and adjust the power lines on that side as well.
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At this point, I would actually save and exit to the region to make sure things line up and look smooth across the two cities. The arrow shows exactly where the neighbor connection is. It's not perfect here, but it's close enough for me to continue on. (I actually did go back later and smooth things out a touch more... but that's because I'm ridiculous like that!)
I basically follow this same process for every city tile. I tend to move in and out of cities several times each before arriving at the results I want. I rarely lay out one tile, call it finished, and move to the next. Many times, things change as I'm going along, so I prefer to build one road at a time... tile by tile... and then go back and start the next one.
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Eventually, I came up with something that looks like this. You'll notice that there were several changes from my original "plan" but the main ideas hold true. I can also now see where several small farm towns will be located. There are one or two more roads I think I might still add to connect some areas a little better, but this is just about ready to be zoned. We'll do that next time. Until then, feel free to ask anything you might be curious about and as always...
Thanks for reading!
JB
Wow, this is a beautiful region and a great tutorial :D I do have a question though. Does all of those small curves badly affect commute time?
Excellent update!
I have an excellent idea for that northwest corner. What if you made a lake with plop water, then added a bunch of resorts and posh estates around, like a lake retreat area? Maybe even throw in a golf course? I think it would be a big tourist benefit for Covington. ;D
Hi Jon,
I think you should change your user name to Mr. Meticulous!!!
Seriously, I am impressed immensely with your approach and attention to detail. I looked back to the early days of West End to remind myself of my approach. At the time I thought my arrow straight motorways (freeways) and railways were really clever, but your approach is certainly more detailed and one that I will try to adopt to some degree when I start moving into un-charted areas.
The benefits it gives on region view are certainly worth it. In my opinion, the only other region views in the same league are ejc's over at Ruhrgebeit - and that is some company to be in.
You started your post by saying you wouldn't call this a tutorial as you were not sure you'd teach us anything. Well, you have one student here whose brain has been enhanced :)
It's going to be interesting to see this new part of Covington develop here Jon - I look forward to it.
Paul
This is an excellent region you have here JBsimio the fields look awesome and convington looks to be going on well. Cant wait to see more and your tutorial was useful.
Will
:thumbsup: Fantastic work Jon as per normal from you and your maps too!!! I couldn't believe I found that on the STEX and now at least heaven forbid any thing happen you now can at least get those back without a problem... you speaking of which I saw your old avatar on ST, the one saying "this icon got distracted by a shinny object" well that is how I feel when I see your projects I get distracted lol, I cant wait to see more distractions!!!!
Jon, that was one of the most informative "non-tutorials" I've ever read! :thumbsup: I'm terraforming a new region that's a bit like yours in that it has a fair share of elevation to play with. I've no doubt your ideas and theories will fit in quite well when I start laying out a transport network. And I think I will start out that way this time although it will be a first for me.
I often wonder how much of a major network is planned, how much is dictated by necessity and how much is just plain guess work. It's most interesting to get a greater understanding of the thought processes that go into a logical approach to transportation. From this, is it fair to assume you have a pretty clear mental image of how you want to develop this 12-tile area? You can bet I'll be watching to see how this turns out!
And have I told you at least a dozen times how much I like your overviews? :thumbsup:
Later...
Joan
Very good update there Jon ;)
SO if this is a non tutorial then how come i learned a few new things??
(makes me wonder why I have to pay for all the courses i take and then feel like I learned nothing I didn't already know ::))
QuoteIt's not perfect here, but it's close enough for me to continue on. (I actually did go back later and smooth things out a touch more... but that's because I'm ridiculous like that!)
I wouldn't say that - a perfectionist ::) maybe, but whats wrong with that $%Grinno$%
This is always one of my favourite MD's and it just gets better as it unfolds :thumbsup:
:satisfied:
TTC
Wonderful new update there! Looks very nice...
Looking forward to more...
Quote
...mostly because my ego won't allow me to believe that I'd actually be teaching anyone anything!
Well, I've learned a lot from this update, my friend! Your ego would be proud! Wonderful work!
Dustin
Sorry for the distinctive lack of updates everyone. The summer has become much busier than I originally expected and I haven't had much time to prepare the second half of this at all. I guess that happens when you expect to be unemployed for a month and instead end up cooking in the wilds of northern Michigan! ::) I'll certainly be back as soon as I can be... I'm just not sure exactly when that might be. In the meantime, I just wanted to say hi and let y'all know that things are going well on my end.
JB
He's alive! Just kidding, but good to hear you're keeping busy (and all the other good things that come with employment) We'll be here when you get back. Also, it seems I haven't commented on the non-tutorial yet. I like your attention to detail in planning out even the power grid. I usually use the "conveniently disguised" power structures and have a few big ones elsewhere for the look... perhaps something to try with my next region. Your method of following the path of least resistance in road laying really does yield a good result, and I like that trick about the diagonal neighbor connections. Great work as always, and I'll keep an eye out to see what other tricks you have up your sleeve. Take it easy.
-Matt
Good to hear from you, my friend! And I'm glad to hear that you're keeping yourself busy!
I'll be looking forward to your return!
Dustin
Hope you have a good time this weekend, Jon, but hurry back! I'll soon be needing some help with that transport design. ;)
Later...
Joan
Rhythmandjays: Thank you! Good question... which to be honest, I had never really looked into until you asked. I set up a very small and simple test city and ran a few different road configurations. There wasn't any noticable change in the commute time graph, so I'm leaning towards "no" on this one. Of course, that was with my NAM settings of higher speeds and distance... so the vanilla version could possibly see some impact, but it would be hard to say for sure without running a whole bunch of different scenarios.
Leo: I actually have a spot picked out for some ploppable water down the road... but who knows how long it will be before I get to that point. For now, this will just be more farm land. :)
Paul: Thank you for all you kind thoughts! I guess that I can be pretty meticulous about things from time to time... who knew? :D As you saw in England, my styles have evolved quite a bit since the first take on this region... it's always kind of funny to look back and see just how much though.
Penguin: Thanks! I'm glad you found a thing or two that might have helped.
Pat: Thank you! More distractions are on the way... ;)
Joan: Thanks as always! To be honest, I have a general idea of how this corner will look in the end, but there are a lot of things that are still open to "evolution" really. With the roads in place, I can now see a town or village that I didn't see before... and as I fill the area in, I'm sure other things will show themselves as well. I try not to plan the rural areas too much... whereas the city of Covington itself is very premeditated. So it's a combination of both for me, I guess.
Simpson: Thank you!
Derry: Thanks! I guess I am a bit of a perfectionist... but I enjoy a good bit of self-depricating humor as well. :D
Bat: Thanks!
Dustin: Thank you!
Matt: Yes... I'm still here. I will use an occasional power lot now and then, but I try to avoid them. I don't really have a good reason for this, I suppose, but it's just how I play.
Dustin: My return has arrived... at least for a moment or two!
Joan: There isn't much else in this update about transport, but you know where to find me if need be! ;)
Update Time!!!
Alright... so we left off with most of the roads finished. I've added a couple more near Covington and the area we'll start with now looks like this.
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I'm going to start with Ryan Pass, which is the tile I've shaded in. This will be almost entirely farm land wrapping around the hills. There isn't much surrounding this tile yet, so my options are still pretty open here. The one thing I will pay attention to are the neighboring farms that I've circled. To keep the continuity of the region, I want to try and match up these borders up as closely as possible.
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Here is Ryan Pass. I've shaded the "important" border just so we can get our bearings a little bit. Much like the roads, I tend to fill the valleys in with farms and leave my hills and ridges bare. I don't really have a real life basis for this, but it helps me define areas to develop and areas to leave alone. I like a more random look, but personally have trouble making things random for the sake of randomness. So I use the lines of the terrain as my guide.
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Zooming in a little closer...
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At this point, I basically just start zoning farm land. There are a couple things I try to do, although they're personal preferences more than anything else. First off, when I'm near a tile border, I like to stagger the edges somewhat rather than have the farms all up against the edge. I'll vary the sizes and avoid straight lines from one farm to the next. For the size, I usually drag until the game tries to put a street down the middle. This just gives me a good size to avoid "No Road Connection" zots later. (This seems to be a little more common with irregular shaped zones for some reason.)
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And there they are! The first four farms in Ryan Pass. Kind of a mess at the moment, isn't it? We'll get to that. Notice the single tile left along the right edge of the bottom farm? This left my power connection in place, but also avoids having a lot of those ugly red poles to look at later. Also notice the space between farms. Again, this is a personal preference, but I prefer to leave at least 2 or 3 tiles of space between each farm.
Before we get too involved and carried away, let's go back to the region view... just to make sure things line up properly.
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Works for me! Now, I'll clean this up a bit.
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I like to use the "Zone Data" map as an aid for this. Much like the roads, it gives me a nicer view of how smooth things will look in the region view. It also helps me to see the elevation changes when I'm tucking farms against the hillsides. For this bottom farm, I want to sort of cut around the base of that ridge on the bottom left side. Basically, I'll just use the "Unzone" tool for this and pick away tile by tile to create a rather smooth curve to the zone.
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And there we have it. You'll see that I also cut just a bit out of the upper corner as well to make a smoother transition to the farm next door. I'll smooth out the left edge of that farm and then we'll move up to those two along the roads.
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Working along side of the major roads brings me to my next personal "rule" for farms. I try to leave two blank tiles between the farm zone and any through road. This isn't essential of course, but I find it helps to avoid the problem of traffic pollution... especially on busier city tiles. So, I've basically cut away that space along the road as well as any overspill across the street. For the farm on the left, I cut a little further along the top right corner as well. I would have had a 3 tile edge there, which I've found just doesn't look very good to me. So I took that out and left myself with 6 tiles instead.
Now that I've shown the basics of how I do this, let's finish out this part of the valley. I'll just keep zoning farms, staggering and filling in the low spots.
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I left a pretty good chunk of space there at the intersection. I'll put a small cluster of buildings there later... not even enough to call it a town, really. Just one of those rural crossroads. The L-shaped looking farm zone is actually "two farms" that I laid over each other. This will be more of a diagonal farm and I needed the extra area so that there will be something left when I get done shaping it.
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And that's what I'm left with after going a bit crazy with the "Dezone" button again. A bit more zoning and shaping, and this is what I ended up with. I did zone one farm right against the southern edge in this case. I will actually count off squares and match this farm up on the neighboring tile. I don't do this often, but the way the road runs here makes it necessary to avoid any obvious borders.
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I'm pretty happy with that. The valleys are basically filled in, although not packed too tight. The hills are left blank which, as more cities get finished, will give me a nice flowing appearance without looking too structured. Right about here is where I would save the city and double check the region view, just to make sure it also flows well there.
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I'm looking mainly for future problems with the borders here. I don't really see anything... so we can move on to the next step. What's the next step? Why, street access for the farms!
Because I don't allow my farm zones to border the major roads, I will have to lay streets to get to all of them. Because of the irregular zone shapes, I tend to overdo the streets a little bit. With a square zone, one edge bordered by a street would be more than enough to ensure access. My experience has been that this doesn't always work for the odd shapes that I create, so I tend to wrap the streets around a little bit more. I also make these streets dead ends to avoid through traffic... and I try not to put more than three farms on any one access point.
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These are the three farms in the north east corner of the tile. To the left, I put both farms on the same street. To the right, I just wrapped the street around the back to ensure the whole farm would have access.
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Just another example of making access points. In more difficult terrain areas, I'll use two streets on the same farm rather than making one long one that wraps around. This may not always be necessary, but streets are fairly cheap so I don't worry about it too much.
Once I've gotten access to all the farms, it's time to start thinking about the other zones. At this point, I also begin to think about the power grid. I personally don't like to have power lines crossing all over the place if I can help it. Some people make them look very good and they fit in perfectly... I'm not usually one of those people, so I just avoid them. Instead, I use my filler zones to carry the power in rural areas. So before I start zoning for houses and shops, I'll take a look at the power grid.
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In this case, it doesn't look so good at all. The only place I have power right now is right where it enters the city from the neighbor connection. But... with a couple well placed residential zones...
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I'm able to move things along a little further.
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Now, this isn't to say that I let the power grid dictate my zones. It's just something I keep in mind as I'm going along. If it helps the power grid, that's great... but I still zone 1x2 residential lots where I feel they fit best. The power grid is secondary in my mind at this stage. This is beginning to get a little bit long, so I'll fast forward to the end of this bit on housing and whatnot.
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That's basically all the zoning I'll do for this tile. Notice the little "village cluster" where that intersection is? Outside of that, I just scatter some single family home lots along the major roads and farm roads. That's really about it.
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Unfortunately, I still have some power issues to deal with. That giant hill is separating one side of the tile from the other, and I naturally don't have any zones going across it. So what to do?
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Seasonal Trees to the rescue! I love using these (in moderation of course... wouldn't want to have too many and get bloated or something) because not only do they carry power, but they blend in and add color. I'll just plop a line of them along the lower areas from my powered area to my unpowered area.
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Problem solved! I'll also scatter some of these lots around my other developed areas just to add random splashes of color in the fall. And here's the tile all zoned out and ready to go.
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We're almost done... once again, I'm going to save and take a look at the region view.
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This time, I'm looking at the satelite view to see where I should plant my trees. I circled the areas that I need to leave bare if my borders are going to match up.
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Then I'll go back into Ryan Pass and use the god mode cheat to plant my trees. Again, I kind of stick to the valleys and maybe halfway up the higher hills. I know trees would grow higher than this, but that's just my style again. I'm a huge fan of the people that spend more time than I can imagine placing their trees and sorting the different species... but I'm not one of those people. I just use the brush and fill them all in which gives me something like this.
One more look at the region view to see if any adjustments are necessary...
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Finally! I can go back into the tile and actually grow some stuff. I'll unpause the game for the first time in Ryan Pass and just let the farms do their thing. I generally don't do much else at this point but sit and wait for every farm to develop. After they all have, I'll usually go back into god mode and replace the trees around the edges of the farms. Other than that, I'm just trying to fill in the space for now. I'll fine tune later as I get more tiles finished.
Here are the final results:
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There it is. This got quite a bit longer than I intended, so if you're still reading along I appreciate it even more than usual. I just hope it was worth your while! :D
Thanks for stopping in...
JB
Hey Jon, great update (w00t 1624th post)
J/K
Looks great. I just realised I missed your last update too. I knew a Sharon Mills once, she had great curves too. :D
I love they way you lay out your farms. I tend to pile them all together and aren't very good with keeping the natural look.
You show something really very good and original in your MD, Jon! There are many people who have their own ideas about the general shape of their regions. Some of these ideas are complex and well thought, but in many cases good ideas and good theoretical thinking don't lead to really good results. There are only a few people who are able to start from a good, clear and reasonable idea, find apropriate tools and working methods, add some fantasy and intuition and finally create a great looking region. And you are one of these people :thumbsup:
Great tutorial, very clear and helpful!
I am very busy in RL lately, but I often think about my next SC4 creations ;) A few days ago I looked for something in Google Earth and I decided to look also for some farmfields (remembering about yours :D) I was surprised how close to reality are your farmlands (and of course roads too! ;D)
Great work, I'm really curious what will you show next time!
Adam
Incredible update, I just love how you zone the farms and plop the trees so that the hills poke through and flow well :) Nothing straight, and I love it :thumbsup:
Oh man, this is an impressive default, anti-grid road lay out you got here. I don't think I have seen another MD do that with the default network. It doesn't look like you have any difficulty randomizing things at all. Overhead, it Almost makes this game look like we had the option to do roads any direction. Thats what conviced me to stop by, from far up, it looked like you broke free of the game's limit. I don't know if your any good with randomly plopping wind plants on top of a hill, but that would complement to the roads below the hill. Maybe you could try ALN_Draggable_Paths for this city. That would really complement the road system, since those paths can go any direction, under forests, over farm fields, and are not restricted to a grid at all. I think this MD deserves recognition.
What an awesome walk through your steps as you make your MD. I always find this method of MDing fun. People's methods and techniques never sieze to amaze me. I think I learn a little something everytime and your update was no exception. ;)
Robin :thumbsup:
Finally I had some time to catch up with your MD/Showcase/Tutorialclassroom/Farmlands. It's interesting to read how you plan the region. Most "rules" I apply myself as well, but I never came to the idea to develop so many citytiles as if it was one. I am puzzled about the neighbour deals though, as I never seem to get them working (the cities that are depending on energy import and waste export seem always to get shortage after a while...) I did not play to many rural regions so that might also be a cause.
When going rural I use the same farm lay out more or less as you, and use strategic dropped light residentials and trees to get the power flows. In addition I use busstops and billboards, or sometimes just a shed to connect energy. Remote farms can get their own powershed or windmill too. Just a small tip in exchange for this great non-teaching tuturial ;)
So THAT'S how it's done!
Painstaking work, my friend--but then again, the attention to detail does not surprise me coming from a talent such as you! I'm going to have to steal borrow these techniques and give them a shot myself.
Hope things are going well for you, my friend!
Dustin
Hi Jon,
Well, we never did get to have a close look at your farms when we met, so I'm glad you've shown me them now! I am impressed by the way you plan it out. On first look, it seems quite complex and in-depth but when I slowed down and thought about it, well, it's really quite a simple, almost obvious plan. And I guess often the best ideas are the simple obvious ones that no-one else has thought of!! I guess you know what I mean!
I often struggle with packing my farms in too much and having them a bit too square and griddy - so you've given me some great ideas and techniques that will be applied for sure.
I'm enjoying seeing more and more of Covington, so roll on your next non-tutorial-update ;) :D
Paul
Heh, I thought I commented after the last update. Nonetheless, this, and the previous, updates were very helpful, and the overview shot was very nice.
Wow, nice update Jon. That's taught me some really useful stuff that I can use if I ever get around to playing the game again... &mmm
Fred
Those are some excellent ideas you have for laying out farmlands, Jon. And the end result looks great. I live in a very rural area where fields stretch as far as the eye can see, but nearly every one is flat and square. It is only in game that I can see fields like yours!
I do wonder where the farm hands come from and where the freight goes, though. Are there no jobs here or (more likely!) have I missed something? Either way, I love your style of creating rural areas and would like to try it out for myself one of these days.
Later...
Joan
Excellent description of the farm making process. I've been looking for ways to improve the quiet rural feel for my farm areas, and that setback from the road is a good idea. Most of the farms around here follow the grid system and are literally right up against the roads. The tree filler trick is a nice way to route the power around, as well as staggering the houses; and all this time I thought it was because it just looked good. Good to see that it has some practical value too. I can only imagine what the rest of the area will turn out like (but then I have a feeling you'll show us soon). Thanks for the tips, and I'll see you around the next update.
-Matt
Hi my friend,
I really love the fields and your region view is splendid
Continue :thumbsup:
Shaun: Thanks! I remember Sharon... although I didn't realize that she had moved to your side of the world. She
was pretty easy on the eyes, though... :D
Adam: Thank you so much! I appreciate all your kind words... and I'm honored to see them coming from someone of your stature! ;)
Yoman: Thanks! I really wanted to avoid grids as much as possible with this one... probably because grids are all I ever see here in the midwest. It has honestly turned out much better than I expected...
J-dub: Thank you! I haven't played with those draggable paths at all yet... although I'll definitely have to look into the idea now! I doubt I'll use the windmills in this region, if only because I don't recall them being common at all in the Carolinas. For my personal purposes, I'm leaving at "tree line"... but in reality, none of these hills are actually that big.
Robin: Thank you! I figured that I should do a couple "method" updates... just because I always appreciate them so much from others... :D
Sebes: Thanks! I rarely run into power issues with the rural areas, unless I'm in the largest sized city tile. Usually, a medium or small tile of rural zoning won't need more than the minimum 1000Mwh of power anyway. As long as the power deals are set up before the game is unpaused, it usually works out fine. In the more urban areas, the game seems to be a little more generous in letting a city buy more power needed after the game is started. Thank you also for the tips at the end of your post... I'll certainly keep those in mind as well.
Dustin: Thank you! Yes... I'll be the first to admit that it's a pretty slow process... but who wants to hurry through "fun time" anyway? ;)
Steal Borrow away my friend!
Paul: Thanks! The explaination does make it seem much more intense than it actually is. As you saw in an older version of this region, I used to have the same problem with packing farms... so I guess we just all evolve at different speeds, eh? :D
Caspervg: Thank you!
Fred: Thanks! Isn't RL a pain sometimes? ;)
Joan: Thank you! The farmhands come from all those scattered houses along the country roads... and most of the jobs are the farm jobs. I throw a few corner stores in here and there, just for those country bumpkins who grew up all smart and stuff... but mostly I just hope that the lack of education will prevent them from realising that farming isn't the only career choice out there! :D
Matt: Thank you! I think packing the farms up against the roads would probably be more realistic in most areas, but I always had too much trouble with air pollution that way... especially the more the region filled up... so I switched.
Simpson: Thank you!
Update Time!!!
Unfortunately, progress has been a bit slow again lately. My play time is pretty limited... an hour here, followed by an hour there (roughly a week later)... but I am still picking away at things. Here is where we left off...
16.1
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Getting a little further...
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And this is the most recent shot. I've been zoning the next tile, but I have yet to unpause things, so there isn't really much to see there just yet.
With any luck, I should have a lot more free time in September and we can pick this up more then... Until then, you'll just have to take the teasers :D
Thanks for stopping...
JB
Hey Jon there Long time no see!!! WoW the last update and this update is real sweet there... Im loving how you are pulling off your farms and dont worry about the play time at all I finally logged some heavy time playing here just my self lol... Its always a treat to see what you show!!! till next time___________________________--
Hello Jon :)
I'm happy to see new pics of your work ;). This new update is very good lol your fields are always so good and very réalistic &apls
Noooooo!!!!! Tease. More More!
waow nice devellopement :thumbsup: &apls
Jon,
No doubt about it....... your region views are RIGHT up there. At this Olympic time I'd say Covington would certainly secure a medal for the Region View event and would definitely be in with a shout in a few other categories as well.
I look forward to seeing more in September when time is kinder to you.
Paul
Jon, it's a joy to see Covington up and moving forward. It looks like you've accomplished more in a few hours than I could in several weeks! I just love the way you place those farms, and I especially like the rolling hills. I'm not sure if that effect can be created manually, but I'm tempted to try. I like your terrain mod, too - I've fooled around with several but haven't decided on one yet.
So I hope you'll keep "picking away at things" - it's obvious a great many fans await your every move! ;)
Later...
Joan
Some wonderful region overviews there, JBSimio!!
Looking forward to more of Covington... ;)
Excellent as always JB. What happens when you fill in those last tiles? Is that the end or do you plan on continuing to play?
Re: my earlier discovery that rt. 311 goes through both your SC region and my RL region - First, it's a state route that I was talking about (VA 311) and second I'm reasonably sure from looking at a map that it ends in Salem and does not continue south into North Carolina. However, US 220 does continue past interstate 40 (to Myrtle Beach, SC I think...)
All such coincidinces aside, this is a very good MD.
Pat: Thanks! I think things may be getting back to normal for me here soon... at least for a little while anyway! :D
Simpson: Thank you!
Shaun: Hmmm... that's exactly what she said... >:D
Art: Thanks!
Paul: Thank you! I was indeed hoping to participate in the Olympics this summer, but sponsorship was rather difficult to come by. Some excuse about how there is no Simulation Graphics competition in the games? I don't remember exactly, but it sounded pretty weak to me. They could have at least given me a more realistic reason!
Joan: Thank you! If memory serves me correctly (which is always iffy at best), then I think I'm just using the Olympic terrain mod.
Bat: Thanks!
Sam: Thank you! When I finish the last tiles, then I can finally go back to growing the city again. And even after that, I doubt there will be an "end" for quite some time. Glad you stopped in!
Nerdly_dood: Thanks! You're right... US 220 continues south into Ashboro and beyond... many parts of it are being upgraded for I-73 (if that project ever really happens... I think North Carolina may be the only state that has officially begun signing for the new interstate which is supposed to go from Michigan to South Carolina)
Update Time!!!
Actually... this is really just another teaser, I'm afraid. The last couple weeks have been pretty rough on my end. The summer camp I've been helping out this year has finally ended as of yesterday, but it definitely got much harder before it got finished. In addition to that, I had a number of other unexpected things come up recently that needed to be dealt with. The good news is that things seem to be fine now (as much as can be expected anyway) and I should actually have a fair bit of time to myself for the next 2-3 weeks. That being said... here's the teaser:
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More to come soon...
JB
Jon great tease here that you are LoL!!!! I see that Shaun is finally learning that you are the Mistres of Tease errr I mean Master hehehe!!!
Good to see you around again Jon, and you've brought a pic to boot. The farms are filling in nicely and I'm looking forward to the full tour of them. Until then, take it easy, relax, and enjoy your time off.
-Matt
Jon, it looks like the end of summer tends to hit a whole lot of people hard so never fear, you aren't alone! Count me among the many fans who are looking forward to a closeup view of those wonderful farms of yours!
Later...
Joan
Your région is always so beautiful, love your fields &apls
Wow what a rural part ! and the curved highway !! and everything
very nice region shot my friend :thumbsup:
Great reagion shot!
I'm always impressed when someone manages to "escape" the SC4 grid and gives it such a natural view.
I use this site a lot to make my own cities more natual looking. but I hardly have the talent that others, including you, have
I'm running out of words to describe your region views....... so I'll change the subject.........
Erm, erm, Hey that region view is just awesomely fantabulous :D
Paul
Pat: Thanks! Shaun and I had a tendency to poke fun even before we actually met... it will probably only get worse (better?) from here! :D
Matt: Thank you! I'm honestly having a tough time winding down... I'm so used to being busy that now I'm just restless if I sit still for too long. I'm sure I'll figure out the trick soon, though! ;)
Joan: Thank you as always!
Simpson: Thanks for all your comments!
Nova Vesfalo: Thanks! I'm glad you like it.
Arthur: Thank you!
Jerommeke: Thanks! Escaping the grid has been my goal from the beginning of this one. Don't sell yourself too short... I didn't think I had much talent for this MD idea either, but people seem to keep telling me I was wrong. ;)
Paul: I too grow weary of expressing gratitude time and time again... so I'll change the subject too. Um... er...
you have it! :D
Well... I have good news and I have better news. (Unless you're a pessimistic person, in which case I have average news and then disappointing news.) The good (average) news is that I've finished filling in all the farm tiles! I won't go so far as to say that they're completed... but they are filled in. The better (disappointing) news is that I will have an honest to goodness, real, story and all, update here in a couple days. I realized that I'm a bit further behind on my maps than I thought and need to catch up on those (among other things) to get this next one ready... so you'll just have to bear with me a little longer.
In the meantime... since these little region teasers are proving to be so popular... let's go back in time for just a second, shall we?
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Now skip ahead to roughly 4 hours ago and it looks a little bit like this:
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Am I the only one who's getting a little excited about the next "road trip" around here? Hopefully, the answer is yes... otherwise we should all really find more productive things to do with our lives. $%Grinno$% Nah... art is productive... and life is art... and some other clever saying along similar lines... I'm rambling now and really need to shut up...
Thanks for trying to read this mess...
JB
Quote
Am I the only one who's getting a little excited about the next "road trip" around here? Hopefully, the answer is yes... otherwise we should all really find more productive things to do with our lives.
I can say with almost completely certainty...NO!
Those farms are just amazing, my friend! I don't know how you do it!
I'll be looking forward to that road trip, too!
Take care!
Dustin
Those are some gorgeous farms, my friend! That region view is very impressive; I like how the downtown is situated in the middle of all those farms. I'll have to stop by more often!
~ Dan
Come on now, Jon, you cut a chunk out of a Goodle Earth shot, didn't you! :D (In truth, G.E. just wishes their photos looked that good!)
Absolutely love those little towns nestled among the farms - so realistic! BTW, what size region are you working with (forgive if the question's already been answered!)?
So here's another fan waiting on the corner for a leisurely road trip. How about a hayride this time! ;)
Later...
Joan
Hi Jon- I know I don't comment often, but I always check in on the progress. I don't know what to say other than... :o.
Those farms are amazing and I am in awe of your patience. Can't wait to see what's next :thumbsup:
I'm with Joan, a hayride would be a great way to tour the area... unless you pass by another scenic railway, in which case let me off at the station if there's a train scheduled (if there's not, I'll put in a bid to start one, that'd be a great market). The region, if I see it right appears to be 6x6 large tiles, but I'd like to know the actual dimensions as well. The historical pic comparison really shows how things have developed. Out of curiosity, the farms seem denser as you go from Northwest to Southeast. Was that intentional, is that a reflection of the real area, or did it just happen that way? As for winding down, I had something similar happen after finals back in May, I'm sure you'll find a way to fill the time. Until the next update, take it easy and enjoy the free time.
-Matt
Wow your région is one of my préferate, your map région is so réalistic and beautiful
I'm until forward to the next update my friend :)
Incredible !
I certainly waiting for a road trip along the river
wow the region shot is very impressive &apls very good work &apls
That region overview looks awesome there, JBSimio!
The rural area is also very beautiful!
Excellent teaser(s)!!!!
Looking forward to the road trip...... ;)
That is just, pure, rural eye candy. It is awesomely planned and awesomely thought-out, and it looks awesome in-game. You are doing a most impressive job!
Dustin: Thank you! Jump in the mini bus... the time has arrived! ;)
Dan: Thanks! I look forward to seeing you more.
Joan: Thank you! This region would be 4x4 if they were all large tiles.
Edge: Thank you! Patience is one thing I seem to have plenty of... luck of the draw, I guess. :D
Matt: Thanks! I think we have too many miles to cover for a hayride this time... and the railroad misses most of the towns on this side as well, unfortunately. You have a knack for picking out the same things I tend to notice just after I finish something. I had no intention of making the farms more sparse as I moved north and west, but that's just how it happened. It's mainly due to the hills in the area. They definitely get higher in that corner of the map compared to the rest, so it's similar to the area around Ashboro to the south, but on a larger scale.
Simpson: Thank you!
Wouanagaine: Thanks and welcome! The tour along the river is a few updates back... but it's great to have you along for this one anyway. ;)
Arthur: Thanks!
Bat: Thank you!
Caspervg: Thank you! I hope the close ups can live up to all the hype.
Update Time!!!
Well, I promised you another rural tour... and it's going to be another long one! We'll start out in Sharon Mills... head over the ridge to Salem... then we'll follow the valley down to Stokesdale. From there, we'll cross over Interstate 40 before turning onto US 421 (which becomes Friendly Avenue in Covington, in case you're interested) heading west towards Pleasant Valley and finally Kernersville. Let's have a look at the map first:
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Our route is shaded (rather poorly) in yellow. I know, it's a rather large map this time... but it just goes to show you how lightly populated this area really is. Anyway... on with the tour!
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Welcome to Sharon Mills. This small town is nestled in the hills northwest of Covington. The Joseph Ryan Parkway passes just south of town, although there is no exit here. There has been talk of adding ramps at this point, since the road is actually a state highway, but for now it's all talk. Sharon Mills is also home to the regional power station which serves most of the areas we'll be looking at today.
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A closer look at the town shows that there really isn't all that much here. NC 46 heads to the east (off the upper right of this picture) where it eventually leades to Riedsville and Boone. It turns the corner in the center of town and heads west to our next stop... so we'll get there in a moment.
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Sharon Mills has a rather eclectic mix of businesses for such a small town. The Scottish Inn and Pub has anchored this corner for nearly a century. Next door is the local 7-11, proving that no village can escape the mighty Slurpee. Goober's Nuts is a newer shop which caters primarily to the "30 and over" crowd who need to keep a steady supply of beer nuts on hand for visits to the Scottish Inn. Kitty's Klothes occupies the other historic shop here and keeps the whole town dressed in sports wear from Tripwired.
Lets head west on NC 46 now for a short trip over the hill to Salem.
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We're coming into Salem from the right hand side of this picture. Salem is a little larger than Sharon Mills, but not by a whole lot. NC 46 makes a short jog north along Squirrel Valley Road before turning west again to continue to points that we'll never see in this diary.
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Salem does have a few small industries on the western side of town just off the highway. The older building makes all sorts of nifty trinkets which various tourists shops in the local mountains then pass off as homemade crafts. Dishonest though it may seem at first, a company spokesman once told me, "OK... perhaps the moccasins aren't made by native Indians, but at least they're still made here instead of in Taiwan." I found it difficult to argue with this logic and thought it would be best to stroll around downtown instead.
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Salem has managed to keep many of its older buildings intact over the years and most of the shops here line Squirrel Valley Road. The big exception to this would be the large gas station/used car lot/taco stand business that occupies the wedge-shaped corner just north of NC 46. The residents in nearby houses were less than thrilled when this parcel was built about 20 years ago. Many of them have stayed anyway, as they like their historic homes too much to just up and move.
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This is probably a better look at the buildings the town wants everyone to see. Unfortunately, our photographer for this little trip failed to crop out the aforementioned gas/car/taco mess. As of this writing, he has been demoted and will soon be working with the monkeys on an upcoming school building project.
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As we head south out of Salem on Squirrel Valley Road, let's spare a moment to admire the very nice village church, shall we? It would appear that the parsonage next door could stand to have the lawn fertilized... but it's still a pretty nice view if you ask me.
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We'll enter Stokesdale from the top of this picture, passing some of the many farms that line Squirrel Valley. This may look like just another small farming town, but Stokesdale is actually a big tourist draw during the last week in August. Lucky for all of us, today is Sunday, August 24... contrary to what anyone else decides to tell you. (Don't argue... just accept the fact that your calendar is nearly two weeks fast and let's move on, OK?)
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A closer look shows that Stokesdale, like Salem, has a rather attractive mix of older storefronts and a nice little village church lining the main roads. Of course, 7-11 is also here if you've finished your Slurpee from Sharon Mills already. There are also a few small industries here which have drawn a fair amount of immigration in the last couple decades. People tend to think that people coming to the US will go to the major cities like New York or San Francisco for work, but Stokesdale has somehow managed to attract a significant population from the Ukraine. And here is where our little road trip takes a slight detour... because today (August 24) is the Ukrainian Independance Day!
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Our photographer managed to get this picture of the contestants for Squirrel Valley Princess. I'm not sure how he talked the girls into taking a photo when they obviously still have to get dressed and ready for the parade. At least he let them paint their flags on first! I'm only more convinced that I made the right decision in firing this guy from future tours.
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Once again... this photographer sucks at his job! He was supposed to get pictures of the parade as it went past the various businesses downtown. Instead, he snapped this picture while traffic was still clearing the route before the parade even started! At least it gives you a nice idea of the shops if you ever choose to visit again.
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The Independance Parade ends at this small park on the north side of town. The owners of nearby homes campaign for months hoping to have their house selected as the site for the reception and crowning ceremony. There are still a few people lingering in the park, but our photographer (let's call him Worthless, just for the sake of preserving his true identity) has once again missed the key shot.
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Here is a picture of Stokesdale mayor with this year's Squirrel Valley Princess. This photo was actually taken by a runner up, so Worthless has yet to redeem himself even now. Apparently, Ann is a little skeptical of Mayor Simio's choice in bowties, but she later said she was very happy and would always remember this particular summer.
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We head out of Stokesdale along Sharon Hollow Road. Just across Interstate 40, Worthless finally managed to get another nice picture of this farm.
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Just past the expressway, we cross over the railroad tracks winding though the hills from Covington. This route doesn't get much use anymore as many of the trains use the tracks to the south through High Point now.
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Shortly after crossing the railroad, we turn west onto US 421 and eventually enter Pleasant Valley from the east (lower left side in this picture). Pleasant Valley is by far the largest town in today's tour. The town is centered around a jumble of fairly major intersections (at least as major as an intersection can be out here) and spreads along the valleys and around the surrounding hills.
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Our first indication of being back in civilization are a few small industries and the John Deere outlet on the corner on the north edge of town. US 421 makes a left turn here and heads south into the downtown area. Maybe we should go that way, too? OK then...
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As we get closer to the center of town, we can see a fair share of the housing available in Pleasant Valley wrapping around the north and east sides.
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Most of the shops and businesses in Pleasant Valley line the south side of US 421 here. The few buildings on the north side of the road butt right against the hills and there isn't much room to build behind them. The town is large enough to support a school, which busses in from many of the surrounding areas as well. And of course, they have a nice little church of their own here. Large and small older homes work their way in where ever space can be found.
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We'll take a right turn just past downtown and continue following US 421 west out of Pleasant Valley. Another small industrial area marks the edge of Pleasant Valley before we start crossing the next set of hills on the way to our final stop for today.
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Just before we get to Kernersville, we cross beneath the recently completed US 29 bypass. This expressway follows the same basic path as the old two lane road and the rails heading south into and around High Point. To the north it connects with Interstate 40 and US 29 continues onward along the same two lane highway.
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Kernersville is our last stop. It's another one of those small towns that had big dreams once upon a time. The railroad built a shipping facility here along the north bound tracks from High Point. They expected the town to flourish around it, but that just never happened. A farmer's market is about the only thing of any significance that has been built here since those days.
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This picture isn't really part of the tour anywhere, but I thought it was a good example of some of the tricks I had to use to fit this corner of the region together. To be honest, much of this area did not turn out the way I originally envisioned it. Pleasant Valley was the only town I had in mind at the end of that "tutorial" update. The rest of them kind of presented themselves as I went along. I had also planned a fairly significant small city similar to Ashboro or Raliegh, but that never happened either. I know several people have asked me how much I plan or don't plan... so I guess that's part of the answer. I often have ideas in the beginning, but many of them change once the building and zoning actually start.
Anyway... thanks again for reading!
JB
No photographers or Ukrainians - real or imagined - were harmed in the making of this update
Not bad! Good thing you fired your photographer, though, I'd have to make a pretty big effort to miss a picture of a parade though.
Actually it's a shame that SimCity 4 abandoned the parade thing that SimCity 3000 had, although I think that the SC3K parade was pretty annoying most of the time.
Jon, that was brilliant. Don't be too hard on the photographer, better he's missing critical moments behind the camera than missing critical structural members in a school. :D Great shot of the Mayor, although I'm with Ann on the bow tie. I'd fire the wardrobe if I were him. :thumbsup:
Quote from: JBSimio on September 04, 2008, 01:51:37 PM
A closer look at the town shows that there really isn't all that much here.
The Sharon I knew was like that too. :D
That road trip is beautiful there, JBSimio!
And wonderful map of that part of your fantastic region!
All pictures are looking great! :thumbsup:
Looking forward to more... :)
Well, so much for the hayride (and the train ride, but thanks for the pic of the old train route), but what the hey, plenty of stuff here to look at. Good stuff about the farms too. Some of the best designs and pics come by accident I've noticed, whereas others that are intended to be taken... well let's get to the update.
Very nice map to start with. They keep getting better each time, and the shading isn't too bad. It drifts off the road a bit here and there, but that's no big deal. I'm a bit surprised Sharon Mills doesn't have an exit from the parkway yet, with the regional power station right there. It looks like they have a bit of a drive to the nearest onramp, but oh well, it looks like a nice drive.
The overview of Salem (17.5) is one of the better overview pics I've seen here. I like the filling station area, even if it does clash a bit with the historic feel of the area and really, where else can you buy a car, fill it up and grab a bite to eat so quickly?
Sorry to hear about the photographer, but at least his pics were in focus. Sure, he may not have gotten a pic of the parade, sure he may have distracted the Squirrel Valley Princess contestants from their preparations, sure he missed the celebration in the park... yeah, ok... Worthless might not be a bad psudonym... at any rate, the areas in his did did look interesting.
Nice to see a picture of the mayor. From the looks of things he runs a good town, and it was nice of him to pose for a picture. The bowtie was a nice touch too. Nice to put a face to some of the members of the community.
Pleasant Valley and Kernersville look like nice little places too and make a fitting end to this little excursion. I was starting to wonder where the school was going to be. Must be a bit of a bus ride for some of those kids (but then I had one that used to take a couple hours in middle school).
Great update here, and the narration was excellent. I love a good pun, and the humor of this update kept me chuckling. Take it easy and I hope Worthless works better for you in the school department.
-Matt
very nice update my friend &apls
Very fine update my friend
I really love the générale pics: 17.5 and 17. 18
Your fields are always so réalistic and perfect, I'm until forward to the next update :)
Hey Jon, What a great update.
Some MDs class three new pics as an update........here in Covington you KNOW how to give an update with plenty happening.
It's hard to know where to start or what to specifically comment on........ the idea of the tour is really good and gives you the chance to show of the rural parts of your region and us to sit back and enjoy them. And I have to say you perform the trick of large village/small town really well. And of course the JBS narrative is also fun.
If I had to pick a favourite pic it would be 17.18 and/or 17.20. Not sure why - but they are just really great pics. If I had to give a suggestion for maybe trying something a little different, it would be pic 17.13. I think I'd have run the road from the Bakery straight along to the junction with the green roofed corner building. Just because this would have given you a straight road to build those historic shops on and I think that would have made for a more interesting row of shops....I'm not convinced they work so well on the diagonal.
But hey, if that's the only suggestion I can find then it says what a great update you've delivered us.
I'm intrigued by the shiny blue bow tie - I have to assume you wore it as a bet??!!??
All the best mate,
Paul
A fine update, my friend! I especially like pics 17.5 and 17.18; those overviews are very impressive. A lot of pics for this update; you make me look bad $%Grinno$%
~ Dan
Now THIS is what I call an update! As I cruise about the countryside, I fix first upon 17.5 to admire your ability to scatter out the buildings instead of lumping them all together. Then the church dominating 17.9 catches my eye - the surrounding houses give the entire scene a warm rural appearance. I can picture ladies with hot homemade pies crossing the street to leave those treats in the fellowship hall.
The award for sheer peace and tranquility goes to 17.14, but I'm not sure what the guy in the blue bow tie deserves. The committee is still out on that one. The farm in 17.16 saves the day, though, and 17.18 is just superbly picturesque. Surprisingly the "bald" spots add an important element although I cannot think of a proper word for it at the moment. Still, I urge you to leave them as they are.
The church in 17.21 makes the photo a standout, but the simplicity of 17.20 makes me want to sell out and move there! Overall, this is rural America at its best. The vintage shops, small industries and beautiful neighborhoods say it all!
Wonderful update...
Joan
Nerdly_dood: Thanks! While gathering pictures for that update, I had to sit and think trying to remember if SC4 had a parade in it or not. I remember feeling the same way about the SC3K. It was fun to watch the first time or two... but then it just got annoying.
Shaun: Thank you! Fortunately, the load distribution for pixels isn't too high, so I think the children will be safe in school! Poor Sharon... if only she knew the things being said about her... :D
Bat: Thanks again for all your kind words!
Matt: Thank you! The real reason that Sharon Mills doesn't have an exit ramp yet is simply the space needed to build the ramps. I'm sure I'll work some in there eventually, but I have to figure out exactly how. I didn't realize that 17.5 would be such a popular picture, but it seems that quite a few people enjoyed it. Worthless did manage to get a number of good pictures, but I'm still upset that he dropped the ball so often during the festivities in Stokesdale. In reality, there certainly should be at least one more school in the area, but for game purposes I rarely build schools in my farming tiles. I don't want the people getting too smart to work the land after all! I'm glad you enjoyed the couple "real" pictures... I just felt it was a good way to show some of the people I spent most of my summer with. As for the puns and humor, well... I guess I was just in rare form that day! ;)
Arthur: Thank you!
Simpson: Thanks! The overviews were definitely a hit this time around. I really just took them out of habit without even thinking too much about them, so I'm glad they turned out so well.
Paul: Thank you! Three pictures? I guess I just felt the need to make up for some lost time! :D I see exactly what you mean about 7.13 with the corner shaped the way it is. That's another one of those very fine examples of where the region view competes with the closer views. I kept that little side step in there to "finish" out the curve in the road... but zoom in a little bit and you get exactly what you're talking about. Perhaps it's time to start making diagonal versions of the Smalltown stuff? ()lurker() As for the shiny bowtie... well... that's a funny story.
No it's not... but I'll make it funny... here we go... Actually, the bow tie was given to me and put on me by Zina (blonde hair, yellow shirt, next to Ann) at the party that evening. It was late... beer was involved... what can I say? I also learned that playing along is much easier than arguing when there are language barriers involved! :D
Dan: Thank you! I don't know how you could look bad when I didn't provide a proper update for months... ;)
Joan: Thank you very much! I'm really glad you liked and mentioned the church in 17.9... it's always been one of my favorites, and I thought it fit perfectly in that town. The guy in the bow tie deserves to be laughed at, ridiculed, and then banished for weeks on end... but that probably won't happen. I really appreciate all your comments and your response this time tells me that I've definitely found the right balance for the area.
Update Time!!!
I think it's time we finally revisit Covington. Most of the city updates to this point have centered around a specific neighborhood or some sort of theme. This one... well... not so much. We'll stay primarily on the east side of town, but that's about the best summary I can give you. Here's a look at the map...
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Hopefully these are starting to become familiar enough that you can orient yourselves without too much trouble. I did label the major neighborhoods we've already visited in this area. I shaded a couple of the outer industrial parks, which we'll see in a minute. We'll also be looking at a couple more transitional residential neighborhoods which really don't even have names. One is the area that sort of wraps around the north and east of Shacktown. The other is south of Indian Village and east of Oak Park. Anyway... on with the update...
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This is part of the I-85 Industrial park on the north side of the city. I still have a lot of fine tuning to do here. Frankly, this probably doesn't even warrant a picture just yet... but I had already shaded the map so I had to do something! Industry has always fronted the railroad here, but with easy access to the expressway as well, this promises to be a pretty busy area as it redevelops. But for now, let's just move on...
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Heading southeast from I-85, we come into our first neighborhood. You can see a bit of Shacktown just to the south in the corner of this picture. The developer for this area tried to make a very defined neighborhood with distinctive British inspired architecture, but the proximity of Shacktown and also the heavy pollution from the older industries kept the housing values fairly low. The unfortunate developer just wasn't able to attract enough buyers to make his vision a reality.
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Moving further east, the houses definitely get a little nicer. Much like the rest of Covington, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the layout of the local side streets. Even busses have been known to drive around in circles through these streets trying to find their way back to a main road. This entire area continues to change as people come and go. The occasional mansion is built right alongside smaller 19th century houses.
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As we continue on, we'll head south crossing over I-40 at the exit ramps and then across Market Avenue which can just be seen in the upper corner of this picture. The cemeteries here mark the eastern edge of Indian Village. I tried to make this transition somewhat subtle by mixing in some lower densities, although it doesn't show up very well in this picture.
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Continuing south, we cross Lee Street and then another rail line alongside of the C&A Industrial Park. Named for the Covington & Atlantic Railroad line, this industrial park also has older and newer areas. The land between Lee Street and the tracks is packed with older factories. South of the railroad was entirely residential at one time, but that all changed with one signature by a city official in the late 1970's. Wanting to attract new industry, the former mayor relocated multiple blocks of people to make way for a series of large distribution centers. The first picture above shows how the new "industrial park" just cuts right into the older neighborhood (which doesn't appear to have fared all that well since then).
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This is just another angle of the same area. Many people have questioned the former mayor's logic in locating these warehouses as there is really no quick route out of the city for all the trucks to follow. They are basically force to stay on Lee Street heading east for several miles until they can finally turn north on another surface avenue before eventually joining up with I-40. Or they can cut through Indian Village on the narrower roads, but the local police are never very appreciative of this tactic.
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This picture serves no additional purpose, except to point out just how amazing Jestarr is when it comes to industrial buildings. I love the detail on this Acme Boiler factory! It does also show how the area needed to be stepped down to handle these much larger lots.
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Heading west from the C&A Industrial Park we can see more of the same neighborhood that was torn apart by the "job creation" tactics of 30-some years ago. This area runs along the same railroad and has never been a very wealthy part of the city. Sandwiched between the industrial area we just left and the major industrial center downtown, these houses have never been more than working class homes. Primarily lower-middle class now, the neighborhood continues to stay occupied, but it is a very transient area.
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Probably the most defining "landmark" for this neighborhood is its large school complex. Housing both elementary and high schools, this is probably the largest public school in the city. The buildings themselves are beginning to get a bit crowded, but the school system has invested so much money in the surrounding sports facilities that space has become limited. Time will tell how much longer this problem remains.
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The neighborhood, once again,does improve as we move further south approaching Oak Park. The houses get a little nicer and the people tend to stay in one place a little longer. The southern edge of the city's main industrial center can also be seen in the background of this picture.
And of course, it wouldn't be Covington without one of these... (hopefully the areas of new expansion are noticable!)
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Thanks for stopping!
JB
WoW Jon so that is the mugg behind the pic ehh? I love your story behind the bow tie... I could have sworn I left a witty comment but I didnt what the heck is wrong with me??? Anywho to make up for it I see there is a building starving for power there in the last pic ;) What a wonderful update in whole and I cant wait till the next one!!!
excellent update my friend &apls I realy like the region shot, very realistic :thumbsup:
Beautiful new update there! The map and pictures of Covington are looking fantastic! Great work there and looking forward to the next update, too!!!!!!! :thumbsup:
Quote from: JBSimio on September 08, 2008, 07:05:24 PM
I also learned that playing along is much easier than arguing when there are language barriers involved! :D
Or when women are involved. :D
Great update there Jon. Nice tour of the suburbs and love the industry. But my favourite has to be the school complex. Well laid out. Reminds me of my old school, except we had rugby and hockey fields and a swimming pool instead of the baseball diamond. I can point you in the direction of some nice tennis courts if you want.
Great update, Jon. Your special brand of humour certainly shows through and your neighbourhoods are diverse and always have plenty to look at.
I see Shaun managed to get a shameless plug in there ::)
Nice update, Jon! ;)
I love the whole region screenshot. The farms look so realistic there!
Everything is lovely and well-planned. I like it! :thumbsup:
Piotr
Always a pleasure to stop by and see another interesting update, Jon.
The industrial area looks OK to me - better than mine because I always forget to allow for a railroad! You've achieved a realistic balance of neighborhoods - not all of them are "nice" in RL, and they tend to get gradually more affluent the farther away from downtown they get.
Industrial manufacturing is part of any city's life blood, too, and you've arranged your park well. I did notice a passenger train entering the station in 18.7 and wonder if perhaps freight could be moved out by rail instead of road. And 18.6 is an excellent example of what happens when industry encroaches - it can be very difficult to balance jobs and quality of life.
The school complex is great! Good idea placing the HS and elementary school on the same campus, and I happen to like the baseball diamond and tennis courts. All it needs now is an American football field! :D
The overview is a good way to top it all off , too - absolutely spectacular!
Later...
Joan
I loved reading your updates again Jon - all fits so very well together. The school complex is excellent. Great job!
Pat: Thanks! I was wondering about the lack of witty comments myself, but alas I have no idea what's wrong with you! :D I couldn't find the unpowered building anywhere... so it must just be my subtle way of evicting someone.
Arthur: Thank you!
Bat: Thanks!
Shaun: Thank you! Tennis courts, you say? Hmmm... I'm ever so curious to know just which ones you might have in mind. ::)
Barby: Thank you so much for dropping in again... or at least mentioning that you were here! ;)
Piotr: Thanks and welcome to Covington! (if you've already been here and I've forgotten, then ignore the welcome part and chalk it up to the fact that I rarely know what's going on anyway)
Joan: Thank you! I usually lay railroads before anything else, otherwise I'm sure I would forget to leave space for them as well. There are some freight trains in the area you mentioned, but I just happened to snap the picture at the wrong time. (Actually, there aren't too many freight trains through there because I cheated and plopped a number of those warehouses!) An American football field? Hmm... I may have to dig through some unreleased folders I have laying around! ;)
Sebes: Thank you!
And now, coming to you for the first time from beautiful northern California...
Update Time!!!
Well... use of the term "update" may be stretching things a bit. Let's just call this the first teaser for what will eventually be Update 19. Big things are happening downtown these days...
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Thanks for stopping by!
JB
A great teaser too &apls
Yep I'm back and it looks like I've got some catching up to do too ::)
I love the newspaper presentation. It really makes me want the update now but in the
meantime I go back and catch up on the ones I missed. Time to stick the kettle on ;D
You fancy a brew?
Derry
very nice teaser :thumbsup: the newspaper is very great &apls
Nice newspaper ;)
You know they could just close off half of that section of Murrow at a time while they build OVER the avenue...I have no doubt that you could BAT that type of building easily and I know I'd love to have a building that goes over a road, either as a TE lot (not recommended, I know) or as a 2-lot building: the part next to the freeway has an overhanging prop of an arch or something and the other half could be BATted so as to be usable by itself or in conjuction with the overhanging lot.
Hey Jon, that's a great update - or teaser if you will. You've created a very well-written newspaper filled with pertinent information. Proposed changes always stir up the nay-sayers, but often they're the very ones who end up with front-row seats on "opening night!" Either way, it will be interesting to see the drama unfold!
Later...
Joan
I love the newspaper, Jon! Excellent work there--well written, well displayed!
Keep up the good work!
Dustin
Fantastic work on that newspaper there!! :thumbsup:
I'm going to hold of commenting untill you make a proper update. wait... Damn! :'(
Nice one there Jon. I've seen a few newspaper type updates and have to say that I really like your one.
It will be interesting to see downtown Covington once the construction is underway/complete.
Paul
Great newspaper there, Jon! &apls
And you're right! It was my first comment here :P
hey jon,
this is my first time looking at your MD and i must say its absolutely breathtaking. the realism is amazing. :thumbsup:
anyways just thought i should drop by.
&apls
Jon I love that Newspaper!!! So I hope you are enjoying Cali? I sooo can't wait for update 19 to hit the streets!!!
Jon,
This is one fantastic region that I loved reading and getting caught up from the very first page. You have shown an expertise in building from small rural areas to a city. I am most impressed and hope that my building skills will turn out half as well as yours.
Great newspaper - can't wait to see what you do to put the convention center in the city!
I hope you don't mind a little advertisement on my part? I was noticing in your last full-size update that you still use the old Maxis police cars... If I may be so bold, I'd like to recommend some police car mods - the STEX link is in my signature, and I'm reasonably sure that in MEGA-Pack 2 there is a set of sheriff cars that'll fit right in with your town! You just have to pick the one you like best ;D
This is overall an excellent MD, and I'd like to see what Covington's future holds!
Derry: Thank you! I've always enjoyed newspaper themed updates, so I thought it was about time I tried one. You know I'll always gladly accept a hot cuppa... I even have some coffee cake to go with it, if you'd like. ;)
Arthur: Thanks!
Simpson: Thank you!
Dragonshardz: Not to worry, my friend... I already know exactly what is going to go there. I just need to get it ready... ;)
Joan: Thank you! Yes... it seems that Covington has its fair share of people who like to worry... :D
Dustin: Thank you!
Bat: Thanks!
Shaun: Well then I'm going to hold off answering you until you leave a proper comment. Oh wait... Damn! %bur2$
Paul: Thank you! I'm kind of looking foward to see how it all plays out myself...
Sheep: Thank you! And welcome back!
Grover: Thank you very much! Stop by anytime! ;)
Pat: Thanks! I'm enjoying Cali very much!
Projectadam: Thank you for such kind words. I hope to see you here again!
Nerdly_dood: Thanks! I'm actually in the process of redoing my plugins. With everything that happened during the move, I've lost some things and most of my vehicle and train skins are among the missing. I'll definitely check yours out.
Update Time!!!
Today's update is all about change. The entire Piedmont area is growing and there are things going on everywhere. Some of them are major projects, others are just little things that I just haven't bothered to look at in while. So, why don't we just wander around and see what's been going on lately?
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The plan to build a new convention center in Covington had been delayed for some time, due in large part to repeated displays of stupidity by the nation's largest banks. Construction companies were having an extremely difficult time securing the money needed to break ground on the project downtown... even though payment was all but guarunteed by city officials. Banks were so busy loaning money to those with little hope of ever repaying, that they had forgotten how to invest in projects that could actually show a return on their money! But, as this picture shows, two blocks are now bustling with activity. So far, the traffic woes that were feared by so many have yet to materialize.
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Over in High Point, the east side of town has been experiencing a bit of a building boom of its own. The wedge-shaped intersection of US 52 and NC 6 (which is High Point Road) has long been owned by a commercial developer with hopes of building a large shopping center in the area.
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Truly a dream come true for the shoppers in High Point (and ironically just in time for Christmas), this area now boasts several large stores, a movie theater, and numerous smaller shops and restaraunts all packed between two major avenues. There is even easy access from the US 29 freeway that circles this side of town.
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A different angle just to show how popular this new strip mall really is. So many cars... God bless suburbia!
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Just across the freeway and south of US 52, yet another entrepenuer has big plans for this area. Voters recently approved zoning changes that will allow several of the farms in this area to be sold for new housing developments. One farm has already been sold and construction is set to begin soon...
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Oh wow... apparently construction really did being soon! I wonder what this will all look like when it's finished...
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If I had to guess, I would predict something along these lines. Did we bless the beauty that is suburbia yet? We did? OK... then let's move on...
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Over in Ashboro, they finally got around to replacing that train station. Faithful readers may remember the old station all the way back in Update One and how there was talk of building something different. This very handsome building presented itself, and town leaders were thrilled. It was all they could do to keep from jumping up and down in excitement during the long process known as "bulldozing one lot and plopping a different one." Local residents are equally pleased with the new building.
19.10
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Speaking of new train stations, Raliegh also made a similar change. At one point, the town had thought to make a statement with what was a very grand rail station. The facility was just entirely too large for the small town to maintain properly. The building quickly fell into disrepair and rail service nearly ended here. A smaller and more sensible station was built, and things are quickly returning back to normal.
19.11
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Extra land that was left vacant in the building of a smaller station was quickly bought up, and Raliegh is now also home to a new chemical facility. Although the smells are a little... let's say interesting... the processing plant provides a much needed boost to the area and people here are more than happy to have the jobs.
19.12
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And so Covington continues to expand, particularly out along High Point Road to the southwest of town. The railyards are also attracting new industry and warehousing opportunities as well.
Thanks for reading!
JB
Jon once again you have a wonderful update here, some saddening devolpment of farm land but I guess that is to happen with progress.... 2 new train stations and I bet everyone is happy in both respective towns too!!! It seems Piedmont is destin for a grand heart ache of congestion lol, naw I cant wait to see the civic center!!! Till the next update!!!
pat
jon- it's all looking good- looking forward to the next update :thumbsup:
Excellent update Mate &apls &apls
I like the region shot best I think. Its truly stunning.
:satisfied:
TTC
Quotehttp://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa104/JBSimio93/Covington_19-04.jpg
What is that building beside the police station?
Also since this is Rural North Carolina, could you please put a Stock Car race track in your CJ *puppyeyes* ;D
Your region looks really great, Wonderful developed area!
And also wonderful pictures of your city... Nice work! :thumbsup:
Jon,
It's no secret that I'm a BIG fan of Covington and this update is an obvious reason why. Great pics, great story lines and WOW what a region view. What you're doing with Covington is something I've often dreamed of but never managed, i.e. actually "growing" a region organically rather than the complete one tile and move on the next approach.
Great stuff Jon, I look forward to many more updates.
Paul
This update is really nice Jon, great work on your good looking city. the road layout look good too :thumbsup: The region shot is awesome, I'm still crazy in love for your region ! the farms are alway greatly done !! &apls &apls
A beautiful update, Jon. There's a peaceful atmosphere in the countryside - mile after mile of fields, uncluttered scenery and empty roads - that cannot be found anywhere else. And a visit to the country always leaves me rested and invigorated - that's why I love Covington.
In this update, as in many before it, you have captured that atmosphere and made the process look easy. The overview is especially impressive - not all overviews are necessarily attractive, but Covington is a lovely sight from any distance. As always, I am anxious to experience another trip down those lovely country lanes you have given us!
Later...
Joan
Pat: Thank you! It is sad to see the farmland going already, but unfortunately I think we may see a fair bit of that before this MD is finished. The good news is that this whole "being finished" idea could take a very long time, so hopefully the farmland will last a good while yet.
Edge: Thanks!
Derry: Thank you! Give me a little more development time, and it should be time for another full region view again! ;)
NASCAR_Guy: I believe the building you're referring to is BSP Borders Books and Music (http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/index.cfm?id=17212) by my good friend, Nofunk. A stock car track, huh? It would most certainly be appropriate, but I'm not sure I want to use up that much space just for a giant oval. :D Although it probably would look pretty cool in the region view... so it's worth thinking about.
Bat: Thank you!
Paul: Thank you! I think we all know that I'm an equaly big fan of West End. You've mentioned the "organic growth" a couple times now, and while I know exactly what you're talking about, I sort of disagree. I say sort of because it's really a technicality... even in my own mind. I think if I was really going to do this right, I would have just started with all farms and towns the size of Ashboro or Raliegh... and then let the thing grow historically. As it is, to me I'm still cheating a little bit by leaving the space for Covington and the amount of pre-laid roads, etc. I just don't have the patience to do it completely "right" I guess. Either way, I take it as a huge compliment and I really appreciate it. So thank you again!
Arthur: Thank you! I'm so glad you like it!
Joan: Thanks! I completely agree with your feelings towards life in the country. I still surprise myself with how much of a country/small town person I've become in RL actually. I grew up and always lived in cities (never a huge metropolis, but they were definitely cities just the same) until roughly 10 years ago. I remember being worried about whether I would be able to adjust and actually like it. Now I wouldn't have it any other way. To read so many of your comments telling me that I'm reflecting that atmosphere so well is truly an honor and I thank you for it! I'm afraid we're about to stray from the country for just a little bit this time, though...
Update Time!!!
Last time, I mentioned that the railyard in Holden Township was attracting quite a bit of development as you could probably see from the last region shot. The area is booming with large warehouses, shipping companies, and chemical research facilities. The easy rail connections are obviously playing their part in this, but don't forget that the area is also accessible by Interstate 85 and also the US 220 freeway, making it a very enticing location for these types of companies. The area is doing so well that locals, once thrilled with the promise of jobs and extra revenue, are now beginning to worry about just where this industrial park will end.
20.1
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This overview tells the story quite well. The railyards are on the western edge of Holden Road with the refinery complex just to the north. A large beef packing plant has set up shop just across the main rail spur from the refinery. And then we have that crazy wedge between Holden Road and I 85 which is just packed with sprawling buildings now. A couple pretty dirty factories snuck in before the township realized the potential for this area. Now most civic leaders are wishing they hadn't been so quick to approve the permits that stuck them with those smoke stacks. Isn't that the way it always goes, though?
20.2
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One of the largest problems facing the area now is the amount of land a single large warehouse complex like the ones shown here can take up. With so many more companies knocking on the door, the township would love nothing more than to say yes to every one of them, but they just don't know where these places can go. Residential communities to the south near the river are worried that they'll get squeezed out. (Other developers are also worried that they won't be able to use the same river front for larger upscale condos.)
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In addition to the warehouses, the Holden Road industrial park has also attracted a number of bottling plants who love the easy connections to the freeways. There are also a handful of high tech research companies here with several more on the way.
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Did I mention the bottling plants? It seems that Pepsi and Coke just can't stop trying to elbow one another out of the way. As soon as Coke built a plant along the expressway, Pepsi started demanding a place for their own facility. Oddly enough, Pepsi so far has shown no interest in building a corporate office downtown though.
20.5
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Speaking of downtown, let's revisit the city's original industrial area just for the sake of contrast, huh? The Dominos Sugar plant is one of the oldest examples of Covington's early industrial boom. The large sign atop this beautiful structure has welcomed trains from the northern and eastern lines coming into downtown for a very long time.
20.6
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Following the southbound lines is a great example of the older factories and industrial buildings that still do very well here. While plenty has changed inside many of these walls, these buildings are still a working testament to the industrial powerhouse that put Covington on the map during the heyday of the railroads.
20.7
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Just to the west of the Dominos building, these larger factories have anchored the industrial area for decades. Sandwiched between Freeman Mill Road (on the right) and Murrow Boulevard, trains bound for these buildings once jostled for space with the city's central station on Lee Street. When the freeway was built here (just below this shot), the train station was cut off from downtown and soon demolished and relocated. Oddly enough, because of all these transportation networks creating a bit of and open corridor, the taller textile building now has some of the best views of downtown Covington that the south side has to offer.
20.8
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Thanks for reading!
JB
Oh wow! I really love the contrast of old and new, and love how it all just makes so much sense! You have outlined a natural, logical process of development and have backed it up successfully with in-game pics!
I love it! ()stsfd()
Jon supper sweet I loved it!!! God I do hope there will be no end to covington, where I would I stroll to get out of the waterfalls... :D Bad punner and plugger sorry I couldnt resist though, anyways I do see that building up has taking in effect by the raised road area so that is good to know!!! See you next time...
As always Jon, the transit layout is awesome, great work on it !! And You've done an excellent work on this industrial area my friend :thumbsup:
Super update, your industrial sector is very well setup.
I like all the rail lines.
Robin :thumbsup:
Wow, just wonderful stuff here, Jon!
Your industries look fantastic, my friend! I can't wait to see what else you have up your sleeve for us here.
Take care!
Dustin
Great update, and simply a fantastic region as a whole!
That industrial area looks fantstic :thumbsup:
Great update once again, but then again that's what we like ;D ;D
I love the contrast between the old and the new industrial areas.
And nicely backed up with the storyline too :thumbsup:
The nighttime shot is magnificent can't wait to see what it looks like in daylight :)
till the next time
Derry
Looks like Holden Township is weighing the advantages of tax revenue vs pollution - jobs vs quality of life. It's an age-old dilemma that's hard to avoid.
Your overview looks absolutely fantastic, JB. You've done a fine job on the transport system, and you have created a strikingly realistic contrast between the older and newer industrial facilities - excellent work. I've always been especially fond of the Domino Surar plant, and I see other BATs I've used but cannot recall the proper names of at the moment.
That night shot is awesome, too. As for metroplexes and industry, they're a necessary evil and must be tolerated, but there are still many miles of peaceful roadway in Covington -that's what sets it apart and makes it special.
Later...
Joan
Hey Jon, what a great update.
Your style of writing is just spot on for an MD. You make it easy to read and very interesting. And it all makes so much sense, it really is like reading a toen's history book.
Love the night time shot - very nice indeed.
I'm glad you're back in the regular update groove as this suggests there won't be tooooo long til the next one!
Paul
Fantastic new update here &apls
M: Thank you! Nice to see you stopping by... feel free to come again! ;)
Pat: Thanks! Yes, you're right... that area around the rail yards seems to work just fine. The lots don't show any traffic on the route queries, but they've been pretty stable for some time now, so apparently raised roads can work as access points.
Arthur: Thank you as always, my friend!
Robin: Thanks!
Dustin: Thanks! I have the likes of Jestarr, Simgoober, and Marcszar to thank for most of those industries.
Geronimo: Thank you!
Derry: Thanks! I purposely left the downtown shot dark because there is still a lot of fine tuning to do there. ;)
Joan: Thank you! The battle between development and open spaces will always be there, but we do our humble best, don't we? (at least in this wonderful little virtual world)
Paul: Thanks! I'm trying to get back into a regular groove here, at least as much as time permits me to at the moment.
Simpson: Thank you!
Update Time!!!
Way back in the very first post of this little thing that turned into an MD, I had mentioned that Covington was actually my second go at this particular region. While transfering old back up discs onto my new computer, I happened to stumble across some of the pictures I took of the original version. I thought it might be a interesting to compare the two side by side... so that's what I did!
Let's start with High Point. First the old, then the new...
21.1
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As you can see, the general layout for major arterial roads isn't much different. I-85, US 52, and High Point Road are all there... as is the US 29 bypass although I never got into that north west corner on my first go round. I was still using the "curvy road" idea back then, although I've smoothed it out quite a bit since those days! :D
What about Covington itself? Once again, old and new...
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21.4
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The major differences here are in the freeways. I-85 and I-40 were aligned more like the actual layout of Greensboro, North Carolina in the first version. The main avenues are still pretty similar. Also in the original version, you can see Wendover which in Greensboro is kind of a crosstown artery which isn't completely a freeway, but acts like one with exit ramps at many of the major intersections. Also US 29 going north to Riedsville is more like the real life set up in Greensboro. There were some things I liked about the old arrangement better than the new one, but I decided at the beginning of Covington to change to a layout where the freeways would come closer to downtown.
Just for fun, here's a look at both maps for Covington as well. First the old and then the new...
21.5
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21.6
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I should probably mention here that the new map isn't completely up to date anymore. It's probably about a month old, so there is some development in Covington that hasn't made it to the map yet. Beyond that, it doesn't look like my map making methods (say that three times fast, huh?) have changed much.
And now... the part I imagine some of you have really been waiting for, here are the region shots. I don't think these really need much explaination. First the comparisons of High Point and then Covington.
21.7
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21.9
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21.10
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The old version of this region was abandoned about three years ago. It's truly amazing how far custom content has taken this game. My plugins back then were probably less than 300MB (that's really a huge guess, but I know I didn't have much then) with no terrain mods or tree controllers. No custom farms either. Once I found those, I basically had to stop with the old region and start over. In fact, if I remember correctly, playing this region was also part of what got me into wanting to make my own BATs. I remember having so much trouble creating towns like Ashboro and Reidsville that I started making what became known as the Smalltown, USA series. Just a little more random and probably useless history from the offices of Monkey Around Productions here at JBSimio, Inc.
Thanks for reading!
JB
LoL Jon I wouldnt call that usless histroy at all I would call it more like usefull history as I love hearing that sorta stuff!!! I enjoyed seeing the old v new and also learning how and why you came to bat in the first place... (in a respone to your response to me) I am also glad to hear that the ind area around the raised road is stable and has been for some time too!!! So either way I am hanging around for the next update lol
Now that is a very interesting Covington history lesson for sure. You know the first version was impressive as well. Obviously the terrain and trees have made a huge difference and your farms are much "smoother" now as well which also improves the picture for V2.
I really like that patch work of fields. Very lovely countryside.
Wow! That just makes me feel all nostalgic... and sad that I never kept detailed records of my playing like you did! :P
I can truly say that what you've achieved in this MD is incredible! ;D
Wow, a blast from the past! What a treat! Interesting to see the similarities and differences - there's a fair share of both. You know how much I love the overviews, but those maps are awesome, too.
We're in perfect agreement about player-created changes over the past few years. Custom content has completely changed the way we design our regions, and raised the bar for MDs to lofty new heights. Thing is though, you were already very much on track three years ago, and I hadn't even found the depot yet!
And I'm glad something inspired you to take up BATting. I remember when I first saw one of your Smalltown buildings - I grabbed it in a hurry! :thumbsup:
Later...
Joan
Wow... feels like ages since I've commented here, though I've certainly been watching. Nice retrospective Jon. The difference in the curves really shows, and it looks great. The industrial area from the last update may be expanding rapidly, but at least it looks good while it does it. I'll be interesting to see what comes from the last news article too. Glad to see the inspiration for your BAT works and really interesting to see the changes. Excellent work as always, and I'll keep an eye out for what is to some.
-Matt
Hi there!
I have to say, that I really enjoyed discovering your MD. The past VS. present looks amazing. And your transportation layout is simply WOW. Great work! &apls
It is amazing how your ideas are still basicallty the same but your skill level has definately improved. You can really tell the difference of your pluggin folder as well, especially when it come to the trees. It's pretty cool that you decided to show us this, old and new. It's always nice for yourself as well as others to see how improved you have become.
I always enjoy coming here to see your rural developement. ;)
Robin :thumbsup:
Wow -- It's amazing, I like that change of the region &apls It's an amazing work my friend. Like robin's said , I like how we change of a basic city at a realistic region &apls
Arthur
Pretty awesome comparison. One can see there was a lot of time and energy put into the region. The rural shots are rather impressive.
Best region shots ever. Hands down!
Dustin
Fantastic overviews of your beautiful region there! Great work on all pictures here!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
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Jon that was a sweet Mosiac and also a Happy thanksgiving as well!!!! :thumbsup: &apls Also Jon something I think is kinda funnie is that with this post I made my 6666 post here in your MD, so would that mean Im like the mark of the yea well anyways looking good with that mosiac!!!!
Well-done mosaic, JB! Just the kind of peaceful scene I needed to remind me that tranquility is out there - we just have to open our eyes and look at it.
And a Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones as well!
Later...
Joan
What a mosaic, my friend!
Such a fantastic way to celebrate Thanksgiving! I hope your holiday was a good one!
Dustin
Excellent mosaic Jon. From the farms to the tables, mostly everyone is off the roads and likely with friends, family, or helping to make someone's Thanksgiving a good one. Hope yours was good too. See you around the next update.
-Matt
Beautiful rural setting...perfect for a relaxing bike ride through the country. Happy belated Thanksgiving!
Wow !! Jon, this mosaic is really awesome my friend &apls Great work on all these farms :thumbsup:
Wow! What an amazing image! ;D
Love the irregular shapes of the farms, great mosaic.
Robin :thumbsup:
Great mosaic there Jon. Covington's countryside is looking at sweet as always.
Wonderful Image &apls &apls
Always a pleasure to pop into Covington and once again this time was no exception ;D ;D
:satisfied:
TTC
Boy, do I ever have some catching up to do here!
From Update 21...
Pat: Thank you! It was actually interesting for me to see the old pictures as well... I had quite honestly forgotten that I even had them around.
Paul: Thanks! The farms do make a big difference, you're right. I think I had just started trying to "shape" those near the end of version one... and even some of the early parts of version two are still pretty squared off. So that part has evolved a lot just since this started.
Vester: Thank you!
M: Thanks! I don't know that I really kept great records so much as that I'm just a pack rat! :D I don't even remember why I took the old pictures to begin with...
Joan: Thank you! I think the actual act of having an MD has raised the bar for me more than the content itself. All the content just enables me to come within reach of the bar... ;)
Matt: Thanks! Comparing the curves between the two versions, I'm almost wondering if I may have gone a little too far with the idea this time. I think I could probably have toned it back a little without the region shots suffering too much... but it's too late now anyway. :)
Karin: Thank you very much! Welcome to Covington!
Robin: Thanks! It's been a fun little trip down memory lane. There are some other pictures in that folder... so maybe there will be a repeat trip at some point too, who knows?
Arthur: Thank you my friend!
Threeswept: Thanks! And another warm welcome to you as well!
Dustin: Wow... thank you!
Bat: Thanks as always!
...and from the Thanksgiving picture...
Pat: Thank you my friend. I hope yours was also well. So, you're saying there is a demon somewhere in this thread? Hmm... that could be a problem... :D
Joan: Thank you! I hope you were able to find some peace of your own this past holiday weekend. (Just skip the stores on black Friday would have been my advice!)
Dustin: Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the mosaic and I hope your holiday was a good one.
Matt: Thank you! It's nice to see that the point of the whole picture wasn't completely lost either. You explained it as perfectly as could be... which you usually seem to be pretty good at anyway. ;)
Threeswept: Thank you! It does look like a good place for a ride, now that you mention it.
Arthur: Thanks! Not bad for my first attempt apparently... ;)
M: Thank you!
Robin: Thanks!
Paul: Thank you!
Derry: Thank you... always a pleasure to have you!
I'm honestly overwhelmed by everyone's kind words... especially considering that niether of these last two things were really new updates, but just pictures of things we'd already seen somewhere. I'm at work right now (in fact, if I don't wrap this up pretty quick, the kids won't get their breakfast on time!)... so while I don't have an update just yet, I still wanted to get caught up and express my gratitude to everyone for making this such a nice way to pass the time. Thank you very much! I'll be back later tonight if all goes well...
JB
Hey Jon did you know if you can become a subscriptor you can save updates so when you are in a pinch like so you can post that update ;) well either way you know I will back in Covington!!!
edit: Jon the awards are in and you won the best Rural MD, Congratulations to you my friend!!!!
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CONGRATULATIONS!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!! &apls &apls &apls &apls &apls
Hi, Jon!
Congratulations on winning Best Rural, my friend! When I think "rural," I think Covington, and when I think "Covington," I think "best rural!"
They go hand-in-hand!
Take care!
Dustin
Congratulations!
Hey there!
I just doped in to say Congratulations on winning the award!!! &apls
Pat: Well, for starters, who ever said I wasn't a subscriptor? ;) Unfortunately, even with that handy button, I still need time to actually type this stuff anyway... so maybe a button that will sleep for me would be more helpful... hard to say really. :D Thank you, my friend! (I voted against myself in your favor actually...)
Dustin: ??? :o &bis&
Threeswept: Thank you!
Dustin Thank you so much... what a nice thing to say!
Payce2tw: Thank you! (I'll be home for Christmas...)
Karin: Thank you!
Alright... before I go any further, I first have to take a moment to acknowledge this wonderful award. I'm surprised and honored and humbled and probably some other things that I'm not sure how precisely to describe. (I suppose if I had a therapist, I could look into that... but that just seems like a bit much, really!) The funny thing is that I never intended for this to be a "rural" MD at all... it just kind of happened that way. I guess that's because I have to fill the map before I can get into what is going on in Covington "today"... so I had to make a lot of farms and outlying areas first. Actually, for that matter, I never really intended to have an MD in the first place... but there were a few people (and you all know who you are ;) ) who kept mentioning the idea and wanting to see what it would look like, so I finally decided to give it a shot. So, I guess I'm just trying to say that winning any kind of award for this is completely unexpected and goes way beyond what I would have ever thought possible. Thank you so much to everyone who has come along for the ride... whether you voted, commented, or lurked here I deeply appreciate your kindness and support. It really means a lot to me... more than I can really say without sounding all sappy and stuff. And of course, thank you to those aforementioned people who talked me into being here in the first place! It's been great fun so far... and there is still so much further to go. ;)
And now...
Update Time!!!
I've been building the "next wave" of Covington's original development... so it's time for another one of those little neighborhood tours. What's that? You'd like to see one of my infamous crappy maps? Well... OK then.
22.1
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Just across from UNCC to the north of Battleground Avenue is a technical research center where many of the university students take their internships. This area was once a mixed residential neighborhood, but as the university grew larger, different industries and research firms began moving in to be close to the pool of the more educated population. Just north of this "tech park" is an area known as Redhawk Ridge... which is where we're going to go today.
22.2
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On Battleground Avenue, small businesses creep ever onward along this busy artery. This road serves as the primary route into downtown from the northwest and is also still fairly close to campus at this point, so the businesses are a bit mixed. This string of shops sits just above the road's climb into Redhawk Ridge north of the university. It also seems to be a gathering place for advocates of stricter gun laws for some reason... but that's another story altogether.
22.3
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Redhawk Ridge is named for, believe it or not, the ridge that runs across this area. There was probably a family of hawks nesting here at some point during a long forgotten hunter's lunch break and the name just stuck as names sometimes have a habit of doing. In Covington's early days, this was an extremely secluded and wealthy area. The heavily wooded hills made it too expensive to build here for the average citizen, and so the area was a pocket of natural terrain where only the richest people could afford to live. Of course, things have changed, and technology has improved, and time marches ever forward. The area's proximity to other major parts of the city, coupled with a housing boom in the 60's, made Redhawk Ridge a prime target for infill development. The neighborhood is now a hodge-podge of classic homes sitting side by side with the newer ones.
22.4
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Despite the regrets some of the older residents (those with memories long enough to know what it used to look like here when it was mostly trees), Redhawk Ridge is still considered a very good neighborhood. It may not be nearly as exclusive as it once was, but most of the houses still fall solidly into middle class territory. The higher up the ridge we go, the nicer (and larger) the houses seem to get. It also gets a little less crowded as more trees remain to block out the noise of the busier streets nearby.
22.5
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There are also still plenty of open areas left at this point. It's a fair bet that things will probably not go much further here. Since that original housing boom, green space in the cities come back into favor and zoning laws have changed to reflect that. And so things change and time marches ever forward.
22.6
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Finally, here's the latest region shot. You can see that Covington is still growing outward... and if you compare with the last region view, you may be able to guess where we might be headed next time. ;)
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
LoL Jon whats even funnier then that is I voted for you as well lol and you won that is soo cool!!! I am for one glad you are doing this MD for sure and that last shot there with the wide view of the overall area reminds of the Pecitonica IL area!!!! Great Map and also another congrats to you sir!!!
22.6 explains exactly why you won the Best Rural MD award. Granted, the city is the focal point, but the farmland around it is just perfect. I don't think you should change your road building at all as far as the curves go, they're amazing. As far as the mosaic goes, I think my description was aided by the post-Thanksgiving food coma (er... reverie) I was in. It's a great holiday and I think, if your intent was what I described, you nailed it. This update is quite well done too. I love the mix of buildings and the development that you have described. Out of curiousity, what buildings are the ones such as the brown one top center of 22.4, and what is the one with the parking lot in the center of 22.3? Amazing work as always Jon. I feel like I say that every time I come here, but I'm always impressed by what you come up with. Congratulations again on the Best Rural MD award, it's well deserved and next year you can look to take the Best Urban one (or perhaps best overall).
-Matt
Congrats for winning that award there!
That's a wonderful new update there! Your region overview looks fantastic! :thumbsup:
Super work and the award is perfectly fitting for your MD as Matt said, 22.6 is the reason why you won the award.
Robin &apls
great work! i really enjoyed your transit map, looks very realistic! some fine work here, cant wait for more!
Jon, superb update here my friend, those randoms shots ares awesome. The region, as always, very great my friend &apls &apls
and congrats for the OSITM ;)
What a wonderful little day trip! Redhawk Ridge is so typical of neighborhoods I've seen, and for the very reason you stated - times and circumstances change. It is absolutely charming, though, and I really like the variety of homes.
And congratulations on the award, JB. Whether or not you had rural on your mind when you started out, Covington took a path through the countryside to the obvious delight of many SC4D members including me!
Later...
Joan
Hi Jon,
First up, congrats on winning BEST RURAL MD. You know I'm a big fan, so no surprises that you got my vote :thumbsup:
Secondly - congrats on being awarded OSITM for December. You know I'm a big fan, so no surprises that I'm pleased you're here :thumbsup:
Thirdly - They say imitation is the best form of flattery - I've recently moved onto a few quads in West End that are mainly farmland, and I'm trying to use your farm techniques. It's a lot harder than it looks, and I've got nowhere near to your results, but just trying has certainly improved on what I've achieved in the past - so for that I must THANK YOU.
And finally, what a great update. The maps are great (I'd like to know how to do those so I can copy that from you as well!!!) and the narrative really helps paint a picture of what is happening and why it happened here in Covington.
Enjoy the month - I suspect you'll be serving up some treats for us.
Paul
Hey Jon congrats on your Second Trip to OSITM I remember May as it was like yesterday lol!!! I cant wait for December's month of grand stuff!!!!
Double congratulations Jon! &apls
Yes, Covington is the best Rural MD, both great, realistic details and incredible panoramas! Your region shots will take a place in the SC4 history :thumbsup:
And the OSITM Award is very well deserved, but this MD is "Of Special Interest not only of This Month"! :D
Everything you do - the regional planning, transit networks, farmfields and their shapes and neighbourhoods details - shows very thoughtful and systematic planning, but great perceptiveness and fantasy in the same time. So you shouldn't be surprised if your viewers love to visit Covington and they want to award you :D
Best regards
Adam
A double congrats from me, as well :thumbsup: &apls &apls!
I agree that your MD has the best rural feel to it. But you also have great suburbs and urban environments, as well. Those region shots you produce always amaze me. Can't wait to see what you come up with during your OSITM run, Jon!
~ Dan
Congratulations, JBSimio!
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The MD Section Staff*
* Actually, Jon, it's just little old me filling in for Robin and Dustin. The ribbons were a bit late arriving from the printer. -DE
Jon, first you get the Best Rural MD Award and now this.
Congratulations my friend, very well deserving and I look forward to what you have in store for us this month.
Robin &apls
Hi there!
Congrats yet again!!! &apls It is wonderful to see you in OSITM!
Karin
Pat: Thank you as always, my friend! I rather expected you might be happy about the existence of this MD seeing as how you were one of those "aforementioned people" after all... ;)
Matt: Thank you! The only reason I would really reconsider the style I use for the roads is for the sake of the closer pictures. I think I could find a happy medium without impacting the region shots too much... but that would need some experimenting (which will be done in a different region!). I'm pretty sure that both the houses you mentioned are from Mattb... I don't have the exact names at the moment, but I'll get back to you on that.
Bat: Thank you very much on both counts!
Robin: Thank you... I really do appreciate it!
Flyinbird: Thank you! Welcome to Covington!
Arthur: Thank you as always!
Joan: Thank you! I have to admit that initially I wasn't all that happy with how Redhawk Ridge was turning out because of the wide variety of housing styles, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense and then the story line kind of grew from there. As you said, rural may not have been my original idea, but I surely don't regret the way things have evolved either.
Paul: Thank you so much! We both seem to be very big fans of each other's MDs despite (or perhaps because of) their often different styles. I'll be looking forward to seeing how your farming areas turn out and if you say I had even a small part in that, then I'm very flattered indeed. There is a mini-description of how I make my maps in this thread somewhere, but I'll be happy to help more if you'd like. I'm glad you enjoyed the update... and thank you again for all the various congratulations!
Pat: Thank you! It's quite a thrill to be here so soon again and also with some excellent company (once again on that note, too)! You guys left some big shoes to fill in November, so we'll see if I can really hang or not! ;)
Adam: Wow... thank you very much, sir! I'm practically blushing beneath a shower of praises like that...
Dan: Thank you! I have very little direction in mind for this month... so I guess we'll both be surprised by what I come up with! :D
David: Thank you very much! Even if it was a ribbon that brought you, I'm so pleased to finally see you here! (Don't get me wrong... I'm thrilled about the ribbon too, but it almost pales in comparrison to a visit from the master!)
Robin: Thank you again! It's turning into quite a little run here, isn't it?
Karin: Thank you! Congratulations to you as well... with the likes of Rainbow Falls, Commonwealth of Marathon, and Lar's MD I have a feeling this section might be in for another big month. I'll do my best to keep up... ;)
Well, my goodness! What in the world is going on around here lately? This is all just wonderful and I'm really looking forward to the "extra motivation" that being in this category always seems to give. This should coincide nicely with some plans that the city leaders in Covington already have... Well, just take a look and I'll leave it to you to decide if this is all just a freaky coincidence or some sort of high level scheme which may ultimately result in a huge government coverup at the expense of a bunch of people who were never involved to begin with...
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See you soon and thanks for reading!
JB
Thanks and let me say, that I am much honored to share a place wit you, Dustin and praiodan for this special month!
Haha, loved that newspaper!!! (darn, why didn't I remember that! :D). But seriously nicely written and with a lovely picture!
BTW. Did I already told you that I believe that you have a terrificly great MD here? ???
Till the next time,
Karin ()borg()
Wonderful newspaper, Jon! Absolutely wonderful!
And congratulations on being OSITM this month, too! As Karin said, it's an honor to share the month with you, my friend!
Dustin
Awesome News Paper article. I have to try my hand at one of those one of these days. ;)
Do I see some hidden agendas in there? ??? Anywas, what ever it is, I'll be around all month watching you closely my friend.
Robin ;D
Nice newspaper there!
And congrats for your second OSITM-time!!!!! &apls &apls
Terrific job on the newspaper, Jon. It's going to be a great month in OSITM.
Later...
Joan
Jon in response to your replies, I know I was being humble and not saying anything at all but since you brought it out I am glad I kept hounding you to do a MD!!!! You have fantastic skills and a mad hatter skills at that, I cant wait to see what happens next exspecialy after this wonderful paper has hit the racks, turned out so well!!!!
Hi Jon- I know I'm a little late getting caught up, but I wanted to congratulate you on the well-deserved reward.
Fantastic update and nice job on the paper! &apls &apls &apls &apls
congradulations on making special interest! deffinatly a cj worth checking out thats for sure :) cant wait for more!
Karin: Thank you! I am also very honored to be in such good company here this month! I'm glad you liked the newspaper and the rest of this humble little diary.
Dustin: Thank you!
Robin: Thanks! Hidden agendas? Knowing the mayor the little that I do, I don't really think he's one for a lot of conspiracy... but then again, you just never know with politicians! :D
Bat: Thank you, my friend!
Joan: Thank you!
Pat: Thanks! Sorry if I brought you a whole bunch of unwanted attention by calling you out, there... I'm sure the reporters will go away soon. ;)
Edge: Thank you!
Flyinbird: Thank you very much!
Alright... this update took a little longer than I had hoped. The sad thing is that I had it ready a couple days ago, but then I decided it would be really fun to get ridiculously sick. So I spent about 40 hours in bed except for some regularly scheduled desparate sprints for the bathroom. Then I found out that my internet at home thought it would be fun to have some issues. Needless to say, all this fun being had by so many different people really put a damper on the way I had planned for things to go! (Moral of the story... don't EVER have any fun! Wait... that just doesn't even sound right. Maybe that's not the moral... I don't know.) Anyway...
Update Time!!!
So, if you guessed that we would be headed out High Point Road to the southwest of downtown Covington today, then you guessed right. (If you guessed somewhere else or didn't bother to guess at all, I wouldn't worry about it too much if I was you... most of this stuff is just based on my own personal whims anyway!)
23.1
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Another look at the map shows that there has been a lot of development between High Point Road and I-85. Wheaton Hills is another mostly low density working class neighborhood. This area is bordered by all sorts of different things. There are numerous commercial strips along High Point and Freeman Mill Roads with industry to the north and to the south. The main railroad line to High Point and the interstate also manage to slice this neighborhood up in places.
23.2
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You may remember when we were looking at Oak Park, that I mentioned a small strip of homes along I-85 that didn't technically belong to the neighborhood of Oak Park. You don't remember that? I don't blame you... it was quite a while ago. I-85 came through here well after this area had been built up and literally cut right through Wheaton Hills. You can actually see some of the old streets that were cut off from each other when the freeway was built. The city did put up some rather pretty sound walls in an attempt to compensate for being so rude to those that called this area home, but I don't think people were all that impressed.
23.3
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Moving west from the freeway just a little bit, you can see that Wheaton Hills actually shares some similar characteristics with Oak Park. There are several long narrow parks scattered around the neighborhood. The houses here have become much more mixed over time. Oak Park, while not a protected historic area, retained many of its older homes than Wheaton Hills has managed to preserve. This picture also shows most of the neighborhood's civic necessities... police and fire protection, plus a small library are all clustered together just north of the elementary school.
23.4
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Speaking of schools, Wheaton High School is a newer addition to the neighborhood. This complex was built around 1963 to ease the strain felt by several other city schools. This is quickly becoming one of the busiest high schools in the city as more and more apartment complexes go up out this way. (And, yes, I realize we're not seeing any of those today... you'll just have to trust me on this part! ;) )
23.5
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Back to the housing stock of Wheaton Hills, you can see it really is a mixed bag. There are a number of large mansions left over from times gone by. Most of these stately homes used to sit secluded inside much larger tracts of land, but as the area grew, bits were sold and smaller houses of every style now sit alongside these past indications of Covington's railroading boom.
23.6
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Moving to the west just between the main rail line and High Point road is an area that used to be an old warehousing district. Many of these old buildings have now been converted into residential lofts. Newer townhouses have also sprung up here in place of old parking lots.
23.7
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Just south of the old warehouse district shows that commercial development is also beginning to threaten parts of the neighborhood. With High Point Road's traffic volume growing by leaps and bounds, many businesses are starting to opt for a slightly less expensive address just around the corner instead of fronting the main drag. These intrustions haven't become overly common yet, but it is a newly developing trend that has some local residents concerned.
23.8
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This picture shows just why businesses are looking for alternative locations. High Point Road is starting to get a bit crowded. Shops, offices, and restaraunts make a never ending line up and down the busy street. (I know... it doesn't look very busy in this picture, does it? Maybe I should install one of those handy traffic generators or something...) You can also see as we move further from the city center that these various stores are getting newer and a fair bit larger.
23.9
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And there you have it...
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Hi Jon!
Mmmm, sweet, and update! ()stsfd() I have to say that I like all the pictures in there and I love the lines in between. Hm, I wouldn't take kindly if somebody would build a highway just behind my house either so I can relate to those Sims living there, but on other hand, the walls do look nice tho.
I have to say that I like the greens between the roads (pic 23.3). The neighborhood looks very neat. And those park-paths going around the various playgrounds on the next picture are well putted also. It looks much more real (at least to me) as if you would just put the playgrounds by the road.
So to make things short: you made another great update here, my friend! &apls Keep it up.
Have fun,
Karin ()borg()
Not bad! I like how you've cut off the streets leaving them nowhere to go... I've seen a few examples of this in real life - it's not pretty. (At least in RL its not - your version doesn't look nearly as ugly ;) ) I'd like to see the apartment buildings that you say are filling up your schools.
Good work on this update, Jon. I like the more open look of 23.3 - I've never liked houses so close together you could barely get a lawnmower between them. The Wheaton High School complex (23.4) is well done - the sports facilities work well there - and I like the school building, too.
The neighborhood in 23.5 is rather typical of "progress" seen all over the country. Guess it makes a certain amount of sense. What has never made sense to me is seeing a pretty, brand new brick house appear in a dilapidated neighborhood where peeling paint and dirt driveways are the norm.
23.6 just plain looks good! Love the eclectic mix, especially the pinkish-red-brick buildings. Overall, we have a nice down-home area that seems well established. It might even be safe to walk down those streets after dark! Wouldn't that be nice?
Later...
Joan
Your pictures are great! And fantastic work on that part of your wonderful city; and nice region! :thumbsup:
wonderful update, i especially enjoyed your new school looks great!
Karin: Thank you! Unfortunately, there are countless places in the US where people had to deal with new interstates cutting through their backyard. The small green ways between the streets was always one of my favorite features of Greensboro when I lived there and I've tried to mimic that here in a number of different places... I'm glad you like it!
Nerdly_dood: Thanks! The highway didn't cause quite as much damage here as it usually would, but I guess that's what "artistic license" is all about. :D I wouldn't mind seeing that apartments either... but I'll need to build them first. ;)
Joan: Thank you! I'm glad you liked the schools... I figured it was about time I tried some that weren't my own! :D I agree with your comment about 23.5... it is a strange thing to see, but it seems to happen all the time. The pinkish buildings you like (which I really do too!) are the Ellsworth Lofts by Nofunk... they're on the STEX (sorry I don't have a link handy at the moment). I think you'd be relatively safe here, although we're still fairly close to the industry and housing projects of the central city. Maybe just a small can of pepper spray... just in case! ;)
Bat: Thank you my friend!
Flyinbird: Thanks! The high school is actually one by Simgoober, in case you're curious.
It seems that the news just keeps pouring out of Covington lately... here's another headline I spotted today in the "Local" section:
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Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Sorry about the little white box... didn't notice that until it was too late :(
Splendid work on this "newspaper" Jon! &apls
The last update is also splendid too. :thumbsup:
continue this great work my friend,
Arthur
Hi, Jon!
Just got caught up on the last update, my friend. Wonderful work, as always! Your neighborhoods are always magnificent, and the area around the school is great, too! It's always great to see what you have done here!
And the latest newspaper entry is stunning, as well! The story is very well-written and the picture looks great, too!
Excellent work here, as always, my friend! I'll be looking forward to more!
Dustin
You do a great job on your newspapers, Jon. Need a staff writer? ;D
As always, looking forward to enjoying some more rural scenery...
Joan
Hi Jon, my friend!
Another interesting reading there! I even spotted a flaw in there and with that said it became a real newspapers and with that even better! I have to agree, that bringing up to the date that kind of building would be a monster-job but since there were a lot of buildings here renovated for different purposes I have much faith that the Covington Leadership can do it! ;)
And as a response to your response (to my response :D) I have to say that in past 18 years same was happening here and actually still is since the highway projects are not entirely finished yet (I believe that due to incompetent project leaders). I regard myself as being lucky since there are no plans to build a highway in my backyard (or more precisely, back garden and sideyard ::) ) but on other hand I do have a "main" street just around 4 meters from the main doors and at the back, just 2 meters from the garden a rail tracks (not to mention an air line over the roof ??? ) and it is annoying but besides moving (which I don't want (been here for 5 years less than my entire life) ) there is nothing I could do. Anyhow, it is a the cost of the progress... I guess...
I will be waiting to see more!
Have great time,
Karin ()borg()
nice landmark, you should provide a shot after its reopened :D
Arthur: Thank you very much, my friend!
Dustin: Thanks! I'm glad you liked everything. I've quickly discovered that the "newspaper bit" is a fun way for me to present teasers. It seems to give the one picture update a little something extra in my mind. ;)
Joan: Thank you! I'm sure there is always room at JBSimio, Inc. for someone in public relations if you're interested. :D I'm sorry, there won't be much in the way of rural scenery today, but I'll definitely be doing some of those again soon.
Karin: Which flaw did I miss? :D (besides that stupid color issue...) I've been fortunate enough to live in some very out of the way places over the last few years. The only things I have to worry about in my yard are trees and deer... and maybe the occasional mountain lion, I'm told. Thank you, as always, for stopping by!
Flyinbird: Thanks... Mattb actually made this one. But since you wanted the second half of a "before and after"... ;)
Update Time!!!
So ten months have passed already, and the Eagle Hill Sanitarium was in fact converted into Covinton's fourth major hospital! (And there was much rejoicing...) I thought we'd take a quick drive over there and see how things turned out. Don't worry, I'll drive...
24.1
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Being in Wheaton Hills as we are, I suppose the easiest way to get over there would be to follow High Point Road until it curves east and becomes Lee Street. Here's a little map if you'd like to follow along. (I got a little label happy last night... not sure what happened there, but what can you do?) The map also shows where three of the four hospitals are located. Judith Cameron is where we're headed... more on the name change later.
24.2
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Hmmm... you seem to have dozed off there for a few minutes. We've already gone past downtown and the old industry buildings and we're just about through Indian Village now. It looks as though there has been a bit of an arson spree here recently. It's really a shame to see those old brownstones just wasting away like that, don't you think? Actually, you just missed a newer tenament building off to the north a few blocks back. Sorry about that, but I'm sure we'll get a chance to see it again later.
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You can tell we've left the roughest part of the neighborhood, huh? These shops all seem to be doing quite well... and they don't even look like they're about to collapse! Would you care for a Slurpee before we continue to much further? Sounds good... I'm just going to get some gas right quick while we're here. Oh wow! I didn't even notice that office building on the corner there. I wonder when they put that up. Anyway... let me just run inside and pay for this and then we can get going again.
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So, here we are... Judith Cameron Memorial Hospital. It looks like they did a really nice job with it, don't you think? I agree, the landscaping is incredible. What's that? Well, the new hospital is named after that woman that killed herself right before the place closed. Right... sorry...
allegedly killed herself. Actually, some lady wrote a book based on that very incident. No, I can't remember her name now, but I read it a couple months back. In the book version... which I should mention is mostly fiction based on the true story here... it turns out that the woman was actually murdered and the killer was back and stalking the daughter along with a bunch of other people connected to the events of the past. Pretty good read, actually. Anyway, I haven't been out on this side of town for a while, so do you mind if we just cruise around a bit more just to look?
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Well these are new. This used to be another one of those neighborhoods that got disected when the interstate came through. That's I-40 right over there. I guess this side of town just hasn't fared as well as where we were earlier. Oh yeah, they're not bad apartments at all. I'm just saying that they're nothing compared to the houses that used to be here.
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Oh look... here's some more of them. I suppose they used a different color so people wouldn't notice they're all the same building, huh? Actually, I seem to remember seeing something in the news about all these new "low cost" apartments going up in anticipation of the many support staff that the new hospital would require. I guess I was just expecting a few scattered buildings here and there. I had no idea there would be a whole bunch of complexes like this. Maybe the area is making a bit of a comeback after all. I'll have to keep an eye out and see what happens. I know, it's getting a little late, I'm sorry I keep wandering all over the place. You're right, we should probably start heading back.
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One last look before we take off? Sure, no problem... I'm kind of interested to see the view from on top of the hill anyway. Too bad the main building is in the way or this would probably be a great view of the river from up here. Oh well... we'll see that another time too, I'm sure.
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Let's just stop for a coffee before we jump on I-40 and head back, what do you say? Oh... you don't drink coffee either? That's alright... I was really after the donuts anyway. Geez... look at all the cops here! No wonder people keep lighting Indian Village on fire! Oh... hi Grandpa... ;)
24.9
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Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Hey Jon,
I don't drop in for a few days and BAM, I'm three updates behind. Now that will teach me!
Great work here, loving the newspaper articles and sorry to hear you were a bit dicky (great English expression hey!!??), must have been tooooo much of that wine!
Covington's growth is always interesting to follow and you're doing us proud again, with stories of old hospitals.
As the city's boundary exapnds I can't help but wonder what is going to fill the gap between city limit and farms - hmmm, guess I'll just have to wait and see!
All the best,
Paul
Those burned-out buildings and the apartment buildings are amazing! I haven't ever seen them before, so knowing what you've made i must assume you made them... ;D They definitely complement Covington nicely.
First time posting, but I read through all 20 pages and I must say what a wonderful job you have taken. Question though, Where did you get the "Judith Cameron Memorial Hospital" from and what is the lots' actual name? Keep it coming. JKB
mmmmm gotta make the donuts..
http://www.youtube.com/v/u1JnypJUsgM&hl=en&fs=1
OK so its not Dukin but its Krispy lol.... Jon great last few updates here!!!!
First, map labels are most welcome, so stay "happy" by all means!
OK, I'm awake now! The slums are ...ummm... a sad fact of life, but the little shops look very nice, and here's five bucks toward the gas. The new hospital looks grand - excellent use of that beautiful BAT, and the surroundings look great. What is that building with the smoke stack in the right-center of 24.4?
Love the apartments in 24.5 and .6, and of course the donut shop is great - love the night shots. The overview is filling up, but I'm glad to see there's quite a bit of space left to build on! ;)
You're doing a wonderful job in OSITM...
Joan
Hi!
Yet another wonderful update produced by you, my friend! I love every single picture there but I also have to say, that whilst drinking my morning tea and having a croissant for breakfast (7 am here) reading the narration under the pictures was really great. Loved it!
As for the flaw, there was a typo somewhere in there but I cant find it now. :D Maybe was just the spirit of the dead lady that was messing with my eyes.... ???
Have fun and see you around!
Karin ()borg()
&apls Another splendid update Jon, splendid part of the city &apls
You do a great work here my friend, and once again, awesome region shot ! ;)
Arthur
Your newspaper on the previous page is looking nice!
And wonderful new update there, too! Great work on all pictures... :thumbsup:
Too funny about Grandpa at the donut shop!
whew- jon i can barely keep up with you ;) fantastic updates, cool newpaper article, and nice tour. &apls
great update, i really enjoyed the story. some ruff neck of the woods, next time keep me on the interestate :p I really like your transit map too. looks very realistic.
I've been lurking in Covington for awhile. It's a very inspirational MD. Great job.
Those apartment buildings in pic #5. Are they new bats of yours? Available anywhere? They are quite awesome.
Cheers,
Michael
Great update Jon.
I love the way you set up your transportation networks. At a distance they look awsome but up close not so much. But I guess you have to weigh waht is more inportant and just go with that.
I do however see some very intesting stuff in 24.5 and 24.6. ::) ;)
See you around soon,
Robin :thumbsup:
...That is one sweet region view! :o
I've been watching Covington for quite a while, but I'm not sure why I haven't commented yet. What better time to break the ice than during OSITM? Keep up the great work Jon!
Best,
-Haljackey
Paul: Thank you! That really is a great phrase... although I have a feeling it would mean something completely different over here. And just because I live in wine country now doesn't mean I've developed a taste for the stuff! ;) I'm still not entirely sure how I'll transition from the city back into the farms either, so I guess we'll just have to see what happens.
Nerdly_dood: Thanks! The burned out buildings are actually part of the SHUR Brownstone Set (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1270). The other apartments are indeed also mine and haven't been released quite yet... but they're coming. Glad you like them!
Bakerton: Thank you and welcome to Covington! The actual name of the hospital is Taunton State Hospital (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1385) made by Mattb325. Judy Cameron is actually the vice president of the company that "downsized me" last spring... so I decided to make her a mental patient and name a hospital after her... :D
Pat: Thanks! Krispy Kreme... good stuff! ;)
Joan: Thank you! I knew you would be one of the people who wouldn't mind a few extra labels. I really liked that hospital a lot and spent a fair amount of time trying to find a way to incorporate it into Covington. The lot is strictly as downloaded, so I can't take any credit for the layout at all. I just plopped in on a hill top. I'd have to check LE to be certain, but I think the building you're referring to is actually the boiler prop from the Maxis university. The overview is beginning to fill in, but that won't mean we're anywhere near done here!
Karin: Thank you! I thought I'd try a slightly different approach to the narration for that last update. As I was writing, it just sort of developed into a conversation between myself and whoever else was in the car with me. I'll try to keep the dead lady under control and have her stop bothering you! :D
Arthur: Thank you, my friend!
Bat: Thanks! Glad you liked it!
Mom: I knew you'd get a kick out of that one... :D
Edge: Thank you!
Flyinbird: Thanks! Keeping you on the interstate just would have taken us past the north side of the same neighborhood... so it wouldn't have really made a difference anyway... ;)
Michael: Thank you and welcome to Covington! Those apartments aren't what I'd call new anymore... but they are finally nearing the point where I'll be releasing them soon. (I made them a while ago and then forgot about them, lost them, and generally did a terrible job keeping track of them) They're not available yet, but you'll be able to find them on the LEX when they are.
Robin: Thank you! Yes... the trade off on the roads can be very noticable in some places, but I made my peace with it long ago. People keep mentioning those two pictures... I don't understand it... ::) :D
Haljackey: Thank you and welcome! Hope to see you again!
Just a small news item today, I'm afraid... a proper update will follow tomorrow.
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Thanks for reading!
JB
Another stunning newspaper article, Jon, even if the content is tragic!
And the last update was fantastic, too!
Keep up the good work, my friend!
Dustin
Hi!
I love the news even if they are of sad nature. Hmm... I wonder... maybe and accident or maybe somebody was revenging on the owners or maybe the insurance scam or or or or... ??? hm... it could be that even the dead lady is to blame? :o Probably not, right? In any case, you don't need to keep her under control for me, I happened to like ghosties of all sorts. ;D
Looking forward to see more!
Karin ()borg()
Very nice news paper article.
As for those two pictures, I just really like them. ::) ;)
Robin :thumbsup:
Wonderful newspaper there! Nice article and nice picture!!! :thumbsup:
Dustin: Thank you!
Karin: Thanks! There could be any number of conspiracies going on here... or it could just be the simple fact that sometimes, bad things just happens. (I know that nobody likes to believe that anymore, but it's true even if it is unfortunate) ;)
Robin: Thank you!
Bat: Thanks my friend!
Update Time!!!
Well, I figured it was about time we went back out into the country again. Another map, you say? Well... fine.
25.1
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We've been here before in one of the earliest updates, but just by way of review... The eastern edge of the Piedmont region starts to flatten out from the foothills to the west. The farms, which are pretty thick around towns like Durham and Fayetteville, begin to thin out as the first ridge cuts through the area between Durham and Ashboro. US 311 travels north and south connecting Durham with Fayetteville as well as Raliegh and Boone to the north. Us 52 cuts through Ashboro before continuing into West Bend and High Point. The US 220 freeway, along with it's older surface alignment, connect Ashboro with Covington and points north. Let's start in Fayetteville this time...
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Actually, faithful readers will remember that last time we were here, Fayetteville really didn't exist. It was nothing more than a crossroads with the grain elevator along the railroad tracks. Well, a few more businesses have grown at the corner of US 311 and North Ridge Road and the houses have followed suit. This is still little more than a dot on the map, but growth is growth none the less.
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Heading south along US 311, we'll be passing any number of farms all along the route. Ranches are a major employer on this side of the region. The flatter land is ideal for the many horse and cattle pastures that dot the countryside here. Many of these horse ranches do a good boarding business for the wealthier foks in Covington who just couldn't say no to the tween daughter when she wanted a pony. They also serve as a good tourist draw for weekend riders.
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That's not to say that there are no cash crops out here. Wheat and corn grow everywhere in the region, filling those many grain elevators scattered along the local railroads.
25.5
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We've arrived in Durham now, and you can see that the local train station has been replaced here as well. Local officials have managed to strike a deal with the railroads and there is now a small train tour that runs through the hills between here and Ashboro on the weekends. Durham is still hoping that the extra tourist income will bolster the town's commercial districts. The changes have been slow in coming, but there are signs that the idea may be working. What say we check out the train tour, huh?
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Leaving Durham, we see another of the areas big draws. Vineyards and wineries are scattered throughout the region. A passing frieght train proves that, even though the traffic has slowed down over the years, this is still definitely a working railroad.
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The farms begin to thin out as the tracks take us into the hills. Several Christmas tree farms out here are very busy this month. Stop to pick out your tree here, and you'll be listening to the festive music in your head for ages!
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Just some more farms that we can see off to the south as enjoy the ride....
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As we climb higher along the ridge, the train makes a long curve to the south before curving back and approaching Ashboro. We cross over both old and new US 220 and enter the town around it's southern edge. But before we do, another glance off to the south near the top of the ridge shows...
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Another farm?!? Really? I'm nearly as shocked as you are, but cattle are another key compontent to the local farming scene in the Piedmont. There are several major meat packers, like the one in West Bend, in this area as well as a pretty significant dairy industry.
25.11
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As we cross over the rail viaduct, we have a pretty good view looking out over Ashboro. Off to the north of the railroad, you can see that the houses have begun creeping up the hills in places as the valley continues to fill up.
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We wrap around the southern side of Ashboro in the final moments of our little train tour. Many of these houses are actually older development for the town, although there are some newer homes being built here and there.
25.13
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And here we are at the end of our tour. The ever popular Slurpee can be purchased right across the street. Or I think the Pit and Balcony theater is playing the Batman movie if you'd like to check that out again (I know I would!) Until it's time to head back, Paul and I will be at the Scottish Inn and Pub if anyone needs me... ;)
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
That update is superb Jon, awesome work on the road layout!
I see that the FAR/FARR would help you a lot with the railroad ;)
Arthur.
:satisfied:Very beatiful! I especialy like how you make the small towns! They're just so quaint and in harmony with the nature I can just imagine how wonderful it would be like to live there! Now I've actually been looking at you're MD since March but I just couldn't go into the reply to the forums but I could go into the file exchange wierd huh? ??? $%Grinno$%
Some beautiful rural pictures there! They are looking fantastic! :thumbsup:
This is soooo wonderful! &apls Really, it is! I like very much how you escort us from one gorgeous picture to another. The settlements definitely looks real to me, since it reminds me on my "home". Great update!
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Where can I find those rowhouses in the picture?
- Allan Kuan
allan_kuan1992: Those are the SHUR Brownstone Set (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1270) by good ol' Jon (JBSimio)!
A fine update, Jon! I like the lively colors of the farms and the meandering roads and rails. You're making good use of your OSITM title. Take care!
~ Dan
Arthur: Thank you! Yes... FAR(R) would probably look better for the close up pictures... but for now, I'll just leave it as is. ;) Maybe I'll play with it when the time comes and think about replacing things... but I don't know.
Dandan: Thank you! I'm glad you were finally able to come out of "hiding!" :D Welcome to Covington and I hope to see you again soon.
Bat: Thanks so much!
Karin: Thank you! I guess I just enjoy being the tour guide... what can I say? :D
Allan_kuan: I'm glad you like them! They're on the LEX... just follow the link that Dan provided... ;)
Dan: Thanks for stopping in again!
Well... I can't technically put the "Update" banner across the page this time, so I guess I'll have to type enough here to create some sort of separation instead. I've updated the map of metro Covington and labeled three areas. Now I need y'all to pick which one we're going to visit next. I'm not really going to say much about any of these areas in advance... so just pick one and hope for the best! :D
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Holden Ridge is the neighborhood we haven't really seen on the south west side... we've seen bits and pieces of The Barrens on the south east, but not very much... and Celebration Square at the end of Benjamin Parkway hasn't been seen anywhere in here yet. So please everyone join in... I'll do the math... and the next update will be whichever one gets the most requests.
Here's the latest region view... just in case you want to squint and try to figure out what you're voting for! ::)
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Thanks for voting!!!
JB
QuoteStop to pick out your tree here, and you'll be listening to the festive music in your head for ages!
Ah yes, catchy little tune. :D I've been keeping track and I like this journal. Should be no surprise as I dabble in rural play myself. I'll have to find the train station in that last picture.
I will go with the Barrens to show next. Question Jon, I have downloaded University of Covington from the LEX CD and all I am getting is lots without the buildings. All I am getting instead is blankness. Do you have any clue on how to fix this? I have downloaded all your prop packsand texture pack. Any help will be wonderful. PS: I got the Trenton State Hospital and I love it along with this MD. Also we have the same first name, Jon. JKB
JB,
Always great to see the pictures of Covington since I am dabbling in rural areas too. Nice train rides in the last major update and I would actually like to see Celebration Square.
Another wonderful region overview there! Your region looks really fantastic! :thumbsup:
Fantastic region view my friend! :thumbsup:
&apls Very nice I vote Holden Ridge! I hope theres alot of historic buildings and lots of stories to go with them! :thumbsup:
Hi Jon,
I really enjoyed the last update. Rolling countryside...... trains snaking between the farms........ fields of golden corn...... quaint little residential areas........ Sounds like Covington to me. Those picutres of the rolling fields really are something special - very nicely done.
As for the voting...... Celebration Sqaure for me - seems kinda appropriate for OSITM!!
All the best
Paul
;D You know that train tour reminds Me of the Steam trains that roll occasionaly along the country side. I especialy love the British ones like the Mallard,western country class, Princess coronation and the class 01! &scl()
Yes! The scenic train tour has taken off (wait... it's gained traction. Yeah, that's better for a train) and the route looks like an amazing one. I don't know if they sell annual passes, but maybe you could chat with the owner or something. Your farms are always impressive, but I thought I saw one (around 25.3) where the grape vines had grown over the road. Heckuva crop, it should make a fine wine. Pics like 25.5 remind me of when I was in northern Kentucky not too long ago. Never got out to the small towns or countryside, but I remember some quiet tree-lined sidestreets with tiny houses like that. All that's missing is a small wisp of smoke leading from some of the chimnies. 25.12 is a neat little pic, and what caught my eye were the houses surrounding the roundabout on the left. I've always tried to get those to have the rounded look that you achieved there. I think it's the lot on the left that appears to extend from the right side of the roundabout (where the house on the outer corner actually angles to face the cul de sac). Fine station for the ride to finish at. I've already seen Batman (though seeing it again wouldn't be bad) but I might grab that Slurpee and join you at the pub if that's all right. Celebration Square looks like an interesting place to go next, especially from the region pic, but I think I'll vote for Holden Ridge for the next update. Hope things are slowing down for you so you can enjoy Christmas and all with your family and friends. Take it easy.
-Matt
Jmeyers: Thank you for stopping in! The Christmas tune is catchy... and a bit long ;)... but that is still one of my favorite farm lots. Especially the main barn setup and the surrounding two tracks. That train station is the BLS_JENX_Passenger Station... I'm not sure if it's on the LEX or not, but I got it off of the DVD.
Jon: Thank you for your vote! I sent you a PM in regards to your university problems... are they fixed now or didn't that help? I also really like that hospital a lot... it's a nice historic building (who knew I was into those?) all around.
Projectadam: Thank you for you kind words and your vote!
Bat: Thanks as always my friend!
Arthur: Thank you as well my friend!
Dandan: Thank you! There are always stories to go with everything here! ;)
Paul: Thanks so much! I thought it was about time I lived up to the reputation I apparently have... ::)
Dandan: Well you certainly know your trains better than I do... :D
Matt: Thank you for so many comments! I knew you would appreciate the train ride (finally!) It certainly was a good year for grapes this season... I'll bring a couple bottles down next time I'm in your part of the state. Northern Kentucky has some beautiful areas, so that might be the ultimate compliment there! Anything in here that truly reminds someone of the south east is a good moment for me. By all means, feel free to meet us at the "Schinn"... Paul and I are liable to be there for a while. :D Things will slow to a crawl after tomorrow... so I'll be flying back to Michigan next week for a holiday visit.
Thank you to those who have voted so far. Since we switched pages, I just want to keep this visible for everyone...
You Pick the Update!!!
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That's right! You all get to choose where we go next! I'll continue to take your votes for another 20 hours or so... roughly 4PM Pacific Standard Time or whenever I get home from work! :D After that, I'll start putting things together for whichever one gets the most requests... and that will be tomorrow's update! So please... let me know what you want to see. Here's where we stand at the moment (I'll probably update this a couple times as the votes change... *EDIT - updated through Alexr19's vote)
Celebration Square - 4
Holden Ridge - 3
The Barrens - 1
See you tomorrow!
JB
Hey JB. I have really been enjoying this journal, even if I don't always comment :) I would like to see Holden Ridge next if you're taking votes.
Nice work on that map! And I'm looking forward to the Celebration Square, which I'm voting for, (or the other two places)... ;)
If I leave anouther vote fore holden ridge will it still count even though I've voted before? :P
Great updates! I just got caught up from way back at page 14.
Oh, and I vote Celebration Square.
I'm sorry I never come around here to post.
The train tour reminds me of a trip I took once from Austin to Burnet, TX on something called the "Austin Steam Train", which runs on a lightly used branch line that is used to haul granite and crushed stone from the same quarry that 100 years ago supplied the stone to build the Texas State Capitol building. There are also commuter trains now but not on a the segment the freights normally use.
Unfortunately the actual steam locomotive was all but destroyed in the infamous 1996? Jarrell Tornado, so we were pulled by a modern diesel. It was still awesome though, our group rented out the caboose, which was extremely cool. On the approach to Cedar Park we hung out on the railings on the side of the car.
Your region is pretty much epic, how many hours do you think youve put into this thing? Maybe we should pay you for a 40 hour week to work on that thing...
Jon
Sorry for my absence (RL and all its trials etc) but some fabulous stuff you have accomplished lately &apls
Your recent updates are just wikked mate. Love the papers and all the detail in the stories.As for the train tour I can see myself sitting back sipping a cuppa watching the world go by the train window as we head towards town ;D
Enjoy the rest of the OSITM mate - you deserve it &apls
:satisfied:
TTC
I got the PM and it worked. I am looking forward to the next update. JKB
Oh and how come you never showed the finished product of the convention center? All I saw was the construction. :( :'(
Celebration Square and Holden Ridge are near each other, why not do both. If I have to vote for one, I choose Holden Ridge BTW.
Spa: Thank you, my good friend! Enjoy all you want, a little hello from time to time is enough for me! ;) Thank you for your vote!
Bat: Thank you for your rather indecisive vote! :D
Dandan: Ummm... sorry, but no. This is North Carolina, not Florida! :D
Alexr19: Thank you! Sorry you had so much catching up to do, but I'm definitely glad you could find the time to do it in. Welcome to Covington, by the way!
Zaphod: Thanks for stopping in! That sounds like an excellent train ride... I'll have to look into that next time I'm in Texas. I don't even want to think of how many hours I've spent on this region so far! :D I can say that a medium sized farming tile has taken me anywhere from 3-6 hours start to finish... and that's if it doesn't have a significant village thrown in the middle somewhere. I spent nearly 3 hours just organizing this update! ;)
Derry: So nice to see you again, my friend! Thank you so much for your kind words!
Jon: Excellent... I'm glad it was an easy fix then.
Dandan: That's probably because it's still under construction... ;) Not to worry, we'll certainly be downtown when it opens!
Phoenix: I didn't want to do both at once because it would make for an extremely long update. Unfortunately, I was in the game taking pictures by the time you voted so I didn't see your post until after the winner was chosen. Thank you for participating though and I hope to see you back soon!
Update Time!!!
To Celebration Square we go...
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I'm not entirely sure why the civic leaders chose to call this area a square, given the fact that it doesn't really fit any of the criteria for being a square. Regardless of the name, or how it came about (which we'll actually get to later), this large public area has a variety of different things to offer the citizens of Covington. Made up of a series of parks, museums, and recreation facilities, Celebration Square was actually a bit of an urban renewal project taken on by the city in the early 1970's. Bordered by Benjamin Parkway and Holden Road, the area used to be an unsightly mix of dilapidated warehouses, questionable businesses, and a couple shoddy trailer parks. The city originally acquired the land when preparing for Washington High School (which sits east just to the right of this picture) in 1967, but development of the park was delayed for years while leaders argued over just what to do with the property.
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The centerpiece of Celebration Square is the Museum of Fine Arts on Benjamin Parkway. The building houses numerous exhibit galleries drawing artists and sculptors from around the world. At the back of the building is a moderately sized concert hall that is home to the Covington Philharmonic Orchestra as well as an amateur theater company called The Hollywood Hopefuls. The hall is also a popular venue for any number of smaller stage acts... recent shows have included Jeff Dunham, The Blue Man Group, and a great little Canadian band called The Weakerthans. Gathering alcoves outside the main concert hall provide very nice views over Washington Pond.
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Just around the curve on Benjamin Parkway is the Washington Heights Library. While this is officially just a branch of the Covington Public Library system, it houses a collection that could rival many "main libraries." The outdoor waterfall is actually a continuation of a very impressive fountain inside the main lobby. The waterfall also seems to be a constant source of wonder to winter visitors from up north. (These visitors are fondly referred to as "snow birds" by most of the people that give southern hospitality a good name. They're rather unfondly referred to as "them there Yankees with their jaws draggin again" by everyone else.)
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Continuing around the perimeter of Celebration Square, we next come to the Covington Historical Museum on Holden Road at the northwest corner of the park. The exhibits here chronicle the history of the entire Piedmont region with a variety of different displays and interactive areas. The railroading exhibit is always a big hit with its huge HO scale recreation of select portions of the local system. There is also an amazing photo gallery with historic views of the area that we should really investigate further. We'll have to come back to that another time, though as there is still a lot to do and see here.
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Just south of the historic museum on Holden Road is the GoobrGen Aquarium. Sitting at the edge of the hill and overlooking the pond and the fine arts museum, this is possibly one of the best views in Celebration Square. The aquarium itself brings the Atlantic Ocean inland to Covington and makes for a very educational field trip for almost every local school district in the area.
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Celebration Square isn't just a collection of educational and cultural buildings. It also doubles as a very popular recreational park. Just below the aquarium, for example, you can rent paddle boats and take them out on Washington Pond. This is probably as good a place as any to mention that Washington Pond is actually a backup reservoir for Covington's water supply. As the city grew and expanded, the need for a large emergency water supply started becoming a major issue. The problem was solved when work began on Celebration Square and city leaders decided to construct the reservoir masked as a recreational pond. (Kind of sneaky... but, I've got to hand it to them, it's really quite brilliant if you ask me!)
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Just outside the aquarium is another good example of the forethought used when designing this park. They put a little ice cream shop right off the main parking lot knowing that parents (or field trip chaperones for that matter) would ultimately break down and buy the children a cone rather than listen to the inevitable temper tantrums. (Again... brilliant!) A large fountain welcomes those using the park's major entries from Holden Road. The paths meander past a carousel and through numerous flower gardens as we begin working our way back around the southern end of the pond.
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Celebration Square isn't just here for the school children. This restaurant serves some of the best prime rib and lobster you'll find anywhere in Covington. Still high on the ridge, it offers spectacular views overlooking the pond. Just past Jimmy's Spitfire Grille is a plaza with open air vendors selling everything from local souvenirs to locally grown produce.
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About halfway down the hill is the Deadwood Amphitheater. This small outdoor stage hosts everything from children's plays (often from the summer reading program at the library) to individual performance artists, like the self-named "Washington Mime." Summers really pack this outdoor theater with events like the week-long Commonground Music Festival (an eclectic mix of classic rock and newer alternative rock genres) and the Covington Jamboree (a three day country music concert with anywhere from 10-16 different performers). I'm not sure what's playing right now, but let's go down and take a look...
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I guess I didn't realize how late it was getting when we sat down there. I'd suggest a nice dinner at Jimmy's Spitfire Grille before we finally call it a day. They also do a great pasta alfredo here if you're not into the prime rib or lobster. I also forgot to point out the monument down by the pond earlier. The large brass eagle was added to the landscape just before the park was completed and opened in 1976. It was actually sort of a last minute addition when officials realized that the grand opening coincided with the nation's bicentennial. That little fluke in timing (the park actually opened 17 months behind schedule) also gave birth to the name "Celebration" Square... although I still don't understand the square half of the name.
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See? I told you the view from this restaurant was impressive, didn't I?
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As we leave Celebration Square, we'll head back towards downtown along Benjamin Parkway. I wonder what all those people are still standing around Washington High School for... Anyway, speaking of how things got their names, Benjamin Parkway was also renamed because of Celebration Square. Originally labeled simply as Benjamin Avenue, the name was changed to reflect the fact that the road travels from Celebration Square to Memorial Cemetery downtown. The two large public, and very park like, areas are much like bookends to this busy corridor.
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Be sure to look off to the left as we go past Peace Lutheran Church and School. I've just always loved the way this place looks at night. I hope you enjoyed the day at Celebration Square...
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
PS... Since it was a close second and nearly a tie, here's a teaser from the western border of Holden Ridge ;)
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Nicely derivative! I always wondered what happened to Jimmy's Spitfire Grille. You're right the cook there makes an awesome pasta alfredo.
Nice job JB. It makes me think of those massive urban parks that were popular back in the early part of the last century. Golden Gate Park in San Francisco comes to mind since it's a park and a collection of cultural institutions all in one.
Wow, celebration square looks fantastic! (Even though its not really a square :P)
I also really like your museums! They look great the way you placed them.
Awesome update JBSimio! I'm glad I looked!
Best,
-Haljackey
Hey JB, Celebration Square really is something special - definitely worth celebrating, for sure.
And I really like the narrative you've written to go with it - it all makes perfect sense and could be taken from the pages of the local historical society.
You've also included some great lots that I've not seen before and the night shots certainly showed off those Bats as well.
I'm glad Celebration Square won the vote - although I have a feeling Holden Ridge will have its own delights.
All the best
Paul
I like odd shaped squares :D ::)
And Celebration Square is no exception. Excellent placing of the Buildings which gives the area
such a charm :thumbsup:
Great story to go with it too, gives life to the area - very nicely done :thumbsup:
Looking forward to seeing Holden Ridge especially from that teaser ;D
regards
Derry
$%Grinno$% Ha ha ha that joke back there was just so funny I had to laugh, I say unauthenticly. Well I hope the convention center it finishes soon or you will have to suffer the horrable death known as my sisters room. &cry2 oh no! Teehee ::)
Mom: Thanks! I figured since I part owned the place at one time... I had every right to bring it here with me. ;) Does that mean you've chosen what I'll be cooking next week? :D
Spa: Thank you! I haven't had a chance to spend any time at Golden Gate Park yet, although I go through it every time I'm on my way to or from the airport. It looks to be an amazing place and it's definitely near the top of my list of places to visit when I get the chance to start exploring SF.
Haljackey: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Paul: Thanks! I usually enjoy writing the narratives as much as any other part of the process. Most of the lots in Celebration Square are BSC Parks... the various museums come from SimGoober and Newman, Inc. for the most part. I think they're all included on the DVD in the education section if you're looking for them.
Derry: Thank you! I figure the story is the best way to bring the whole city to life... the pictures only do so much unless there is some background to go with them. At least that's my take on it, anyway... :D
Dandan: Umm... I'm not sure which joke I made, but I don't think I know your family well enough to be visiting anybody's room! :D I've honestly kind of gotten stuck on the convention center... I thought I knew how I wanted it to look, but I just haven't gotten the results I was hoping for so far. So I keep plugging away at it when I feel the spirit move me...
Update Time!!!
It was pointed out that Holden Ridge is very close to where we already are... so it makes quite a bit of sense to go there next. We'll just turn south on Aycock Street and head down that way.
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Here's a map if you'd like to follow along. Holden Ridge is a large wedge shaped neighborhood that extends southwest from downtown. It is one of the easiest neighborhoods to define in that it is bordered on all sides by major surface arteries... those being Market Street, Holden Road, and High Point Road. Holden Ridge is mostly an older single family residential area, although the face of the area is constantly changing due to the influences of bordering areas.
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Here we are heading south on Aycock Street and just crossing over Market Street. Market Street is lined with shops beginning downtown already and extending out nearly the entire length of the street. We cross over the main rail line just after the termination of Lee Street.
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Before we actually get into the residential areas of Holden Ridge, we need to pass through one of those competing influences I mentioned earlier. This industrial park has anchored the area around Aycock Street and along the railroad for time out of mind. It continues to grow and upgrade as it expands. Several blocks of older homes have already been swallowed up by the influx of cleaner industries here.
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Just east of the industrial park is where the neighborhood starts to take shape. This section of Holden Ridge just south of the railroad tracks is part of the oldest portion of the neighborhood. Extending east towards downtown, the houses here are very similar to those found across Market Street in the Benjamin Parkway Historic District.
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Moving further east along Market Street and the railroad line, the houses continue to be very well kept along the north side of the neighborhood. This area would probably be just as desirable as the historic district had it been protected. However, you can see here that some newer houses have snuck into even this well established part of the neighborhood... a trend that will only become more noticable as we continue on.
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Here you can see the eastern end of the neighborhood. Lee Street and High Point Road come together near the bottom of this picture and Market Street can be seen along the right edge. With the beginning of High Point Road we can see the start of another long commercial strip that adds to the pressures squeezing Holden Ridge.
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Heading back out High Point Road, the commercial strip really begins to take over the frontage of this busy avenue. The houses also begin to get slightly more mixed in style and size as we move further out. The bus system seems to be pretty popular in this area too, doesn't it?
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Further out High Point Road, the changes in housing really start to become noticable. Across High Point Road from here is Wheaton Hills, just to give a better sense of how far from downtown we're starting to get. The commercial strip is growing larger and this is no longer the ideal quiet or peaceful place it once was. Despite the noise, many houses here have remained pretty nice and the southern section of Holden Ridge is still rather desirable just for the proximity to High Point Road.
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Along the southern edge of Holden Ridge the older houses have nearly disappeared altogether. This section has actually rebounded recently and many of these newer homes are a giant step up from what used to be here...
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Here we see just how quickly this neighborhood can change. We've only moved a couple blocks to the west, and look at the difference. Much of what we just saw looked similar to this section a few years back until High Point Road went through a small business boom. The construction spilled over into the residential neighborhood, but as you can see, it didn't extend very far.
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As we move further west, we see the the latest, and also largest, issue threatening Holden Ridge. A number of lowrise apartment complexes have been popping up along Holden Road. Holden Road connects some of Covington's largest outlying job centers with a corporate business park to the north, major shoping centers near High Point Road, and the railyards and industrial parks to the south. With all these destinations, Holden Road is quickly becoming a major traffic corridor and the developers have been quick to follow and cash in with large apartments offering easy access to the artery.
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Moving back up Aycock Street, we see another example of how these apartment complexes are starting to intrude and take over the older houses. A number of streets used to connect these houses to Holden Road, but they were torn up by developers to ensure the "security" of their new apartment complex.
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As you can see... Covington is still spreading out, but we've got a ways to go yet! ;)
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Nice update Jon. I like the rail next to the industry area. and the church. JKB
:D Thats okay were all human right? OR ARE WE ()flamdev() . Any way's I'm kinda sad about the old houses , can you stop them from taring any more of them up please? Well the town homes looked really nice and the growth is exeptional! :satisfied:
As a concerned citizen of Holden Ridge, I am starting this petition to recognize Holden Ridge's significant impact in the history of Covington's growth. I am hoping that there will be enough signatures to submit to city council to recognize this neighborhood as a Historical District and to stop the growth of apartment complexes ;)
projectadam
Great update as always JB! One thing that confused me was 27.8 "Just to give a better sense of how far from downtown we're starting to get. The commercial strip is growing larger." The growth should be getting smaller from downtown or is a second CBD developing in the outskirts? I guess time will tell. Keep up the great work &apls
Sometimes this game lets you create good scenes, other times you can't seem to get it to work right. Then there are the times where this just come together spectacularly. Celebration Square is impecably done. Seems like one of the benefits of an argument about what to do with the land is that you can get a little bit of everything. Good use of the Shedd as a concert hall. That reservoir must provide an amazing backdrop for an orchestra or whoever is playing. The Washington Heights Library and the Covington Historical Museum are fantastic BATs, but I don't remember having seen them before. Any clues as to their origin? The GooberGen Aquarium is a good addition too. Great idea to combine it with an emergency reservoir. Jimmy's Spitfire looks like a nice spot for a bite to eat (and looks like it is in close proximity to the tantrum inducing ice cream stand (location, location, location), and you've thrown in two fine looking schools as well (perhaps those people are just getting back from a day-long fieldtrip to the Square).
Holden Ridge is a very diverse area. The industrial sector is neat, but where does that staircase in 27.3 lead? It looks like it ends right in the railroad tracks. You've really managed to show the change in the neighborhood styles across the area. Curious to know what tricks you use. It looks like some areas have more trees than other, and some are what seem to be winter shots (and therefore less green). Is this a property of the lots or do you add extra flora after things have grown in? In particular, I'm referring to the bottom of 27.4 and 27.5). It interesting to see the development and encroachment of the apartments. While they don't look too bad on their own, it's sorry to see the other houses going down to make way for them. Nice use of the Marrast stations as well, they fit right in. Speaking of stations... were you working on a few at one point? Great updates Jon, and I'll look forward to what else is on the way.
-Matt
Update 26 and 27 are wonderful! Fantastic pictures of your city which looks beautiful! :thumbsup:
Great work! :thumbsup:
Hi there, my friend! I am sooooo deeply sorry for missing two of your most wonderful, simply gorgeous updates. Hm, I believe I told all that I think of both of them was said in that sentence. Seriously, you are doing a great job and I love how you are presenting the pictures. &apls
I hope, that I wont miss the next one (I will definetly try to not miss it),
Karin
&scl() I I agree to sign Projectadam's Potitian. I too believe we should restore our history! Even though I do not fully live in convington I still live here in the summer so I should count. ()meeting()
I figure I went AWOL about the time you updated Dec. 11 (page 21), so that's where I'll start. I'm a bit too late to vote, but as always, I love your wonderful maps.
The readers made an excellent choice when they picked Celebration Square. 26.1 is just beautiful with the museum and reflection pond. The library and Historical Museum are very attractive as well - those are some really good BATs. The park views in 26.7, .8 and .9 are beautifully laid out, then the night shots are stunning. Nice teaser, too, so now I'm anxious to see more of this lovely hamlet. Meanwhile I'll try and spend some time later in the week reading all the comments I missed.
Later...
Joan
Holden Ridge sure is a great neighbourhood, and as you say and point out, quite diverse. Of course it's a matter of taste as to which part you could describe as being "better" than any other. personally, I like pics 27.4 (great suburban symetary) 27.9 (MattB's agnled houses really work brilliantly here) 27.12 (great example of how neighbourhoods so close can be so different) and 27.13 (Covington's region shots are really just so impressive).
That's not to say the other pictures are not good at all!!! They really are and 27.10 really gives us a flavour of how Holden Ridge has changed - I'm assuming this is now perhaps the poorest part of the neighbourhood.
I really enjoyed this one and of course and ready for the next!!
One thing.... have you considered a train mod??? I think that there are many better alternatives to the default Maxis one you have.
All the best,
Paul
Hi JB
I'm really sorry that I miss some fantastic updates my friend . :thumbsup:
As well you have done a superb city, and I have no words to exprim how your region is beautiful and so réalistic. I love your fields &apls
Super work in this update, looking forward to the next one &apls
David
Jon: Thank you!
Dandan: Thanks! I'll see what I can do about saving some of those older homes. ;)
Projectadam: Thank you! The neighborhood of Washington Heights is already petitioning for historic protection, as are sections of The Barrens and Oak Park. It's hard to say just how far the city will be willing to go with historic districts. What I meant by the "growing larger" comment was that the businesses were progressing from smaller, family owned type of shops to the more suburban styled big box stores.
Matt: Thank you! I really enjoyed putting Celebration Square together, so I'm glad you liked it. The Washington Heights Library is actually done by Citynut of Newman, Inc. fame... I didn't immediately find it on the LEX, so it may still be an older one from the STEX... I'm not sure. I found it on the DVD. The Historical Museum is also off the DVD, but I think it's part of SimGoober's educational pack found on the LEX. You mentioned the steps down to the tracks... and you probably have a fair point there. I don't really know what purpose they serve, to be honest. I was probably thinking some kind of maintanence access, but there should probably be some kind of barrier to prevent the general public from using them in that case. &mmm As for the trees... I think it's more a quality of the lots than anything else. I tend to plant trees on every bare tile I can reach... and usually try to go back after development and replant the ones that go missing. I've noticed some residential lots will accept god mode trees within their borders while others don't, so this may also be part of the difference (although I'm not sure what causes one response over the other). I did have some train stations in the works... but they were another victim of the summer moving fiasco. I'm not even sure where they are right now, but I'll find them eventually. Thank you again for all your comments... I always appreciate it!
Bat: Thank you!
Karin: No need for you to apologise either, my friend. I'm always glad to see you and have no problem waiting if need be. Thank you for the kind words!
Dandan: Your signature has been noted at city hall. ;)
Joan: Thank you so much! It's good to see you back and I look forward to hearing what you think once you've caught up! ;)
Paul: Thank you! This was honestly a very tough neighborhood to work with. It is actually contained in three different city tiles, so creating any type of continuity took a LOT of back and forth and bulldozing and making historical and all those other tricks. Even then, there were still so many competing elements that I finally just had to incorporate it into the story a little bit. The poorest part that you mentioned is also one of the oldest sections (from a game building standpoint), but I liked the idea of the neighborhood constantly shifting and decided to prevent any of that section from upgrading. It's also smack in the middle of the neighborhood... roughly under the "dg" in Ridge on the map if you're curious. I had several train skins at one point before I had to replace my desktop (died in the move) and I just keep forgetting to download them again. I really need to do that! :D
David: Thank you my friend! Nice to see you again!
The last couple days have been a bit hectic in RL. I had a lot to do in preparation for my trip and then I had to actually do battle at the airports and on planes all day Thursday. Now I'm back in Michigan for the week to have a bit of a family Christmas... I was greeted by 8 inches or so of new snow yesterday! (Quite a difference from the rain in northern California... I think I might be going soft already! :D ) With all that's been going on, I haven't quite gotten a full update on The Barrens ready just yet. In the meantime, remember those grand openings the mayor alluded to for this celebration month? I found this in the paper recently...
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Thanks for reading!!!
JB
I'm so sorry Jon for no posting here for the last 3 updates. &ops
But better late than never !
They are some wonderful pictures my friend, as always it's awesome !
Arthur.
hey jon- i too have been AWOL and have missed some incredible updates! Celebration square is absolutely beautiful :thumbsup: the Holden ridge update is very interesting. Your narratives are fantastic. &apls &apls &apls
:D I'm very glad that you're energy is now clean! I bet you anything that the land value will increase.
I'm sure you'll say "ah they're not so difficult to create", but I think that the newspapers you are delivering here are really great updates. Did you used to be a copywriter in a previous life or something?
Paul West sounds as though he knows what he's talking about so I think West End may need to hire his expertise to "green-up" our own energy supplies.
Oh, and I didn't appreciate that Holden Ridge is spread across three tiles - that really makes it even more impressive - Bravo &apls
That's another really great newspaper article there! Really good work on it! :thumbsup:
I must say, clean energy is for the 21st century and Covington is indeed in the 21st century. The rest of America should follow Covington's lead in building and using Hydrogen and clean energy. Did the lights get brighter in here? JKB
Hi! And there I see another nice newspaper! &apls
Looking forward to see more!
Karin
You do a wonderful job on the newspapers, Jon. Ever thought of giving up your day job and becoming an editor? :D I'm soaking up all the good ideas I've seen in the past few months in the unlikely event RL returns to a semblance of normalcy and I find a few minutes to fire up the game. &mmm
As always, waiting for more...
Joan
Arthur: Thank you! No need to apologize... I think this is a pretty busy month for everyone. I'm just always glad to see people when they can make it in.
Edge: Thank you so much!
Dandan: Thanks! I'm sure the land value will improve over time... although it may be hard to tell since there isn't really much else over there just yet. :D
Paul: Thank you! I've always enjoyed writing, so the newspapers are a fun thing for me to do. I thought you might feel a bit of a connection with Mr. West since I borrowed you and your city to come up with the name! :D I'm sure you (or he?) would be more than willing to help with any of West End's energy needs. You'll probably really appreciate this update then as it spreads across four city tiles... ;)
Bat: Thank you as always, my friend!
Jon: Thanks! We southerners aren't all as backwards as people like to say sometimes... :D
Karin: Thank you, my friend!
Joan: Thanks! "Editor" sounds too much like a desk job to me... I'd probably get bored with it very quickly. I'm looking forward to seeing your MD out of retirement (or a new one, whichever it may be)!
Lots... and by that I mean
LOTS... to see today. So let's get right to it, shall we?
Update Time!!!
Fair warning... this is going to be a pretty long update this time around. So before we go any further, I'd like to suggest you get a cup of eggnog, tea, or beverage of your choice... warn your significant other that you may be a few extra minutes... get good and comfortable... and enjoy. Why not start with a map to get a better idea of how The Barrens fits into Covington...
28.1
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As you can see, The Barrens is a pretty large neighborhood on the city's south east side. (You'll also notice that it still isn't even completely finished!) It shares a number of characteristics with Holden Ridge, actually. Surrounded by industry, faithful readers may remember a few instances of major changes which already impacted this area.
28.2
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We'll start with the section closest to downtown. Houses have been crouched in the shadows of these large buildings since Covington's industrial boom. It may be surprising to see nicer homes like these so close to large industrial buildings, but if one considers the history of the industrial boom it makes a lot of sense. As these factories moved in, housing shortages began to trouble the city. With land still plentiful at the time, it made sense to keep workers within easy distances of their factory jobs and so the houses were built right nearby. The only real difference here is that the neighborhood has survived all this time and actually continues to do well. There are even a few newer houses to be found in place of those older homes that finally wore out.
28.3
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The eastbound rail corridor serves as the northern border to The Barrens. The contrast between this single family neighborhood and the run down rowhouses of Indian Village are surprising to many visitors. It really gives new meaning to that old phrase about coming from the wrong side of the tracks.
28.4
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This northwest section of The Barrens is very well maintained. While these aren't the oldest surviving residential areas of the city, they aren't very far down the list and follows that same wood frame style that is so prevelant across the Piedmont region. This picture clearly shows why this northern section of the neighborhood is currently petitioning for historic district protection as I mentioned in recent replies.
28.5
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By now, you've probably been wondering why in the world this neighborhood is called The Barrens. With such a name, many people expect to see a poor, depressed, and run down swath of cabins similar to Shacktown. In truth, the name has nothing to do with the houses or the quality of life. The Barrens is actually named for what remains of a creek bed that runs from downtown to the Riedsville River to the east. Often cutting a deep groove through this area, the banks of this old creek can be fairly steep and unstable. The growth of the downtown area and numerous improvements to the city's water system have virtually turned this creek into a dry bed now. Some sections have been filled in and built upon, some have been spruced up and turned into city parks, but many have been left wild like what can be seen here.
28.6
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Moving a little further east, you can see how the old creek bed simply falls away below the developed parts of the city. These pockets of heavily wooded areas were once a child's dream for playing war and exploring. Sadly, time marches on and many parents consider playing in the woods to be unsafe these days. About once a year, someone starts a mild panic about the Barrens being filled with homeless bums and perverts and demands that the city eliminate these dangerous areas. (It should be noted that this is largely untrue... these wooded valleys are actually just as safe as they ever were, but apparently PS2 is an infinitely safer way to grow up and so the old forts hidden amongst the trees continue to deteriorate.)
28.7
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That's not to say that every area bordering these ravines will make it onto a Covington postcard. There are a number of small pockets like this tucked amongst the trees that do their best to measure up to the expectations of a name like The Barrens. Little loops and deadends like this are usually old carry overs from the days when this was a much less urban landscape. At one point these would have been small cabins tucked back in the woods, but that was before the housing boom that followed the industries here. I guess it just goes to prove that not everything gets bulldozed when a city grows.
28.8
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Still along the northern side of the neighborhood, we come to an area many of you might recognize. This is the same section that was leveled to make way for the large warehousing and logistics development a number of years back.
28.9
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At the easternmost reaches of the Barrens we come across the first of those improved parks. This thin strip of a ravine was filled in by the city and turned into a more "user friendly" park, probably in response to one of those concerned citizens. This park, while small, has turned out to be a benefit to the area and the housing stock has improved since it was built. The city even included a short bike trail which you may have seen the beginning of in the previous picture.
28.10
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The neighborhood begins to become a little more transitional as we make our way back towards Randlemann Road through this eastern arm of The Barrens. The home sizes and styles are a bit of a mix here, but overall it's still a nicer section compared to others.
28.11
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Woodbridge Drive and Mason Hill Road form the inner corner boundary of The Barrens. Right about here is also where Woodbridge Drive becomes a small commercial strip that serves the local needs of the neighborhood. Local police and fire precincts are located at this corner and the shops run to the west.
28.12
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Moving further west back towards Randlemann Road, the commercial strip mixes in closely with the houses along Woodbridge. So far, there haven't been many homes lost to these commercial buildings. Most of the newer shops and offices were built over top of older mom and pop type stores, but houses like these are beginning to feel the pinch as Woodbridge becomes busier.
28.13
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Just north of Woodbridge is another example of homes along the edges of these ravines. We've been kind of criss-crossing The Barrens in this little trip and we're back among the older sections of the neighborhood along its west side again. There really isn't much more to say that hasn't already been described here, so we'll move on to the next one... ;)
28.14
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Another unusual feature of this neighborhood is how quickly the density can change because of the creek bed and valleys. One minute we see just a few houses backed up to the wooded areas and the next minute we see blocks of stately homes lining the streets.
28.15
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As we near the southern limits of The Barrens near Randlemann Road, we come to the local schools. If Randlemann High School looks familiar, it's because the school system in Covington went through a bit of a population explosion in the early 1900's. Three high schools were built in the city between 1918 and 1926. Rather than waste time with multiple bids, the city opted to simplify the process by using the same design for all three schools. It tends to confuse the new ninth graders, but it did allow the system to catch up on its expansion rather quickly.
28.16
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Just east of the high school is another of those improved parks. While this one wasn't actually filled in and leveled off, it once again opened things up a little and most of these residents appreciate the clearer view.
28.17
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The eastern edge of this same park shows just how muddled some of the local streets are on this side of The Barrens. It also exposes how the untamed ravines were able to hide the changing faces of the neighborhood in ways that these "new and improved" parks cannot. People in those nicer homes on the north face of the park never had any idea the run down houses around the corner even existed until about 15 years ago! It's hard to say if these open parks are an improvement or not. The untouched ravines seem to offer more privacy and a taste of nature within the city, but the open parks could make people a bit more neighborly and improve the cohesion of the area. Time will tell, I suppose.
28.18
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You may have spotted a couple smaller churches tucked amongst the houses during this trip, but there are also a couple larger congregations located in The Barrens. This church, near the intersection of Mason Hill and Deep Cut Creek Roads, began as a small farming congregation long before Covington had dreamed of spreading this far. Today it serves a diverse and fairly urban collection of souls.
28.19
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The southern edge of The Barrens is also bordered by factories. This industrial park actually wraps around the local landfill to the south. Obviously, this section hasn't faired as well as the older sections have done. Then again, these industries don't provide quite as nice a backdrop as those in the city's original railroad center do either.
28.20
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Finally, I leave you with a parting example of the way this area transitions back and forth along the old creek bed. With tree lined streets and heavily wooded ravines, this really is a much nicer place to live than the name would first imply. Many houses have been here for decades and remain well cared for. There are parks and natural areas scattered across the entire neighborhood. The Barrens may have a few problem spots and its own set of unique issues, but overall it's a pretty nice place to live... especially if you're a kid with parents who let you play outside.
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Stunning Jon, simply stunning. You make it look easy - but I know it's not!! To create a neighbourhood that looks so cohesive and yet still with its own distinct variations is highly impressive.
It really does feel like a PROPER suburban neighbourhood (have I ever told you I love good suburbs in SC4!!) and this is a GREAT suburb.
And to think this is spread over four city tiles makes it even more special. Those small wooden framed houses in 28.19 are my personal favourites - I don't recall seeing them before. And you know a certain person's Mouse Houses would look right at home in The Barrens. I think they'd bridge the gap between the older, smaller cabins and the larger R$$ homes.
Well, I have to say that was a very enjoyable update Jon, thank you.
Merry Christmas my friend.
Paul
Holy cow, Jon!
That is a huge update, my friend! I'm going to have to go back through and re-read everything again, just in case I missed something, but on first pass, The Barrens looks just superb! Boy, I wish I could build those residential neighborhoods like you!
Keep up the marvelous work here, my friend, and I'll be back to see what else you have in store for us!
Dustin
That are a lot of nice pictures! A wonderful new update of your beautiful city! This suburban area looks fantastic!
Great work! :thumbsup:
Jon, I believe these are the best-looking neighborhoods I've ever seen in game! You have used some excellent BATS and put them together perfectly. Either you're very lucky to have had them grow that way, or you're incredibly patient! I like the loops, curves and dead ends, too. Guess if I had to pick a favorite pic it would be 28.14, but all the photos are just awesome.
Actually the suburbs are my favorite areas of the game - I enjoy laying them out then seeing what pops up. So I'm really looking forward to seeing what pops up next in your magnificent 'burbs!
Later...
Joan
Jon I am embarressed that Ive missed alot here I am soo sorry to say that but wow you have doing some great stuff here!!! I love the papers and the neighborhoods!!! Hey I would also like to take this time to wish you a merry chirstmas my friend!!! I hope you and your loved ones have a great day!!!
pat
Paul: Thank you so much! I think you may have a very valid point about a certain house fitting in well here and I'll have to look into that when I get back home. (I thought I had downloaded them already, but I can't recall now) In the meantime, the houses I think you're referring to in 28.19 are actually part of CP's 19th Century Housing package. Those are simply some of the lower wealth versions.
Dustin: Thank you and welcome back! :D It's been a busy month, but here in North Carolina we always have time to sit on the porch a spell if you're of the mind... pull up a chair and grab some biscuits n gravy!
Bat: Thank you, my friend!
Joan: Thank you! I think that was one of my favorites as well... although I'm also quite partial to 28.20 for some reason. I just like how it turned out.
Pat: Thank you and welcome back to you as well! I know you've had some things going on, but I'm very glad to see you around the site a bit again. Feel free to join Dustin and I on the porch if you'd like. I hope you have a very merry Christmas as well!
Hmmm... so I can't decide if I should sit here and type a witty introduction or if I should just go ahead and do something like this...
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Yeah... I guess that will work. ;)
JB
LoL Jon you got me at the biscuts n gray lol and I sure will sit a spell no problem for some southren style if you please!!! yummies!!! Thank you sir for the welcoming back and I love that mosaic there and it works so well wow!!! I cant wait to see what you got in store next...
pat
er, I think I'm in the wrong MD. I thought I was in Covington, home of rural landscapes, suburban variety, Squares full of celebration and Industrial heritage. Seems this place is a busy night-time metropolis - as I say must be the wrong place ;)
Great work Jon - I'm guessing we're in downtown Covington now - can't wait for the sun to come up so we can have a proper look!
Happy Christmas mate,
Paul
WOW!
What a mosaic, Jon! That is absolutely amazing, my friend! Magnificent work!
And have a very Merry Christmas, my friend!
Dustin
Hey Jon, what a beautiful holiday gift for your many fans! Night shots are always my favorites, and this one is absolutely awesome.
See ya' on the other side of Christmas - have a Merry one!
Joan
Hi my friend!
I guess, I managed to miss another update of yours... SHAME ON ME!!! And what an update it was! Gorgeous, stunning, superb! I was and am taken away by your wonderfully composed suburbs.
And the night-time mosaic is stunning also!
Jon, you are doing such a great work here that it is always an extreme pleasure to visit!
Before I go, let me wish you a Marry Christmas!
Karin
Your mosaic at night looks really beautiful! Wonderful work on that area of your nice city!! ;)
And I wish you a Merry Christmas...
I absolutely love your mosaic with this one - very realistic. &apls
:D Very beautiful sorry I missed the last 2 updates it was christmas and they wouldnt let me login even though it was the right password. &hlp
Pat: Biscuits and gravy always does the trick for me too! You just can't go wrong with some good ol' southern cooking... ;)
Paul: :D Kind of threw you off there, did I? Yes... downtown Covington and UNCC were featured in the little mosaic I forgot to title. (I meant to put "Oh Holy Night" in there somewhere... but life goes on) Glad you liked it!
Dustin: Thank you! I hope yours was equally happy.
Joan: Thanks!
Karin: Thank you! I have a little catching up to do myself, so there is certainly no need to shame yourself! ;)
Bat: Thank you my friend!
Nerdly_dood: Thanks! I'm glad you liked it.
Dandan: Thank you! It's been a busy time for everyone I think... I'm content with people stopping by when they can. ;)
Well, once again, I don't really have a proper update ready just yet. I spent all day flying home yesterday. The people were a little less crabby than last week, but the delays were a little crazy. I took a little walk downtown this morning and saw something you all might be interested in...
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This artist's rendering of the Swan Convention Center was posted up on the construction fencing. It's nice to finally see what they're planning down there... it should make a pretty impressive addition to downtown when it's finished. ;)
JB
Hey that is looking good there Jon. Love the "open book" style roof and windows - should allow plenty of light into that convention space.
Nice pictures of that building which is looking really fantastic! Nice!
Looking forward to more... :)
:thumbsup: Wow I would have guessed it was a library and I love how the road goes through it!
Nice library, Jon! It will be a fine edition (sic) to the existing volume of BATs. ;)
Happy New Year to all...
Joan
Paul: Thank you! The crazy roof line is supposed to represent the wings for the "Swan" Convention Center... but I can certainly see the book idea as well.
Bat: Thank you!
Dandan: Thanks! It does look a lot like a library, doesn't it? Oh well... I've started over with this building too many times already. :D
Joan: Thanks! Happy New Year to you as well.
Update Time!!!
Every once in a while I read back through my past updates... usually to remind myself of a street name or some other bit of trivia... but sometimes just to remember what I have or haven't shown. I was doing that yesterday when I suddenly realized that I had promised a tour that I never went back to. Now, I'm sure that some of you are saying, "But Jon... you've done that a whole lot more than just once!" OK... fair enough. Most of those promises have not been broken so much as simply delayed. There have been several things I mentioned in passing when I thought I would just come right back to them and then quickly realized it wasn't going to be as quick or easy as I thought. (Walnut Hills State Park is a very good example of that!) However, today is one of those things which has been finished for a while that I just simply forgot about. So I thought it would be a good time to go back for the long promised, more in depth, tour of the University of North Carolina at Covington.
29.1
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UNCC has played a part in quite a few updates and is a key component to the city's history and future growth, so a closer look is long overdue. Historically speaking, the campus began with one building in 1863. Originally known as Covington College, this single building housed classrooms in the center portion with very limited dormitory space on either side. Perched on a hill overlooking Lawndale Avenue, the college slowly acquired enough land to stretch east to Battleground Avenue. The gothic architecture of the building bears many influences from early American Catholic design and set the stage for many future buildings on campus.
29.2
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This overview of the central campus shows the university's academic core. Ahler's Memorial Library was added in 1902 on the north side of the central quad. To the south you can see original campus steam plant (which is still in use today, although the university has grown too large to be completely self sufficient) and the chapel from 1874. As part of the school's 50th Anniversary, the first building was duplicated in 1913 at considerable expense in comparrison to the cost of the original.
29.3
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Just below the original building, which was later named the Fuhrmann Academic Center after the school's founder, is what was originally the first full dormitoy building on campus. As Covington College grew and began attracting more students, the Fuhrmann building quickly became too crowded for both classrooms and living space. This dormitory was built around 1872 around the same time the school began exploring the idea of becoming a full-fledged university. The building was named after Adam Conger, who was influential in marrying the school to the state of North Carolina's university system. Today, Conger Academic Center houses many of the school's language and foriegn relations studies.
29.4
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The UNCC clock tower was also built as part of the school's 50th Anniversary. The tower houses 29 bells, all forged in Philadelphia, which ring out across the city every hour. It also provides a stunning backdrop for college soccer matches. (Or football if you're Paul and want to get picky about it! :D)
29.5
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The original clock tower on campus was actually built in 1884 as part of the Olson Academic Center. This building, which fronts Battleground Avenue on the northeast side of campus, was constructed to ease crowding in the Fuhrmann Academic Building. (The Conger building, only twelve years old at this point, was of course still serving as a dormitory.) The pond just behind and below the building is actually all that remains of the headwaters for Deep Cut Creek... yes, the one that carved out The Barrens on the other side of downtown. The pond actually still has a spillway draining into the network of pipes beneath the city to prevent flooding.
29.6
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Just beyond the Olson building is where the second entrance into campus was built off of Battleground Avenue. Needless to say, the avenue is home to many shops and services kept busy by all the students of UNCC.
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Speaking of all those students, you may be wondering by now where they all stay considering that all the former dormitories are now classrooms. (Even if you're not wondering that yet, I'm going to tell you anyway.) Like many universities, attendance was primarily by local students for quite some time. The need for dormitories came slowly and in small doses. These two dormitories were the next to be built after the Conger building. The one on the left was also the first women's dorm on campus in 1917.
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Other buildings like this one can be found scattered throughout the campus. These also served as early dormitories. Some of them still do, while others have been converted to other uses.
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A period of rapid expansion in the past 20-25 years has prompted newer and much larger dormitories. These can be found on the east side of campus overlooking Battleground Avenue.
29.10
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As more and more students began living on campus, the need for university sponsored activities grew. To meet this need, the Student Recreation Center was built in 1957. This building houses a large swimming pool, gymnasium, a small food court and lounge area, as well as a number of student commitee offices.
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The University of North Carolina continues to excel and grow. The newest building on campus is the DeBussy School of Engineering and Design. Mentioned in recent newspaper articles for their role in hydrogen powered electric plants, this particular collection of classrooms and studios is sure to attract pleny of attention in the future. This basically concludes our tour... but I couldn't end this update without including a few of my favorite night time views from campus.
29.12
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The Fuhrmann Academic Center may have evolved into just one piece of a larger campus, but its beauty still pays a fitting tribute to the man who founded the school 145 years ago.
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A statue commemorating Allison Begel, UNCC's first female graduate, proudly greets those passing on Battleground Avenue at the foot of Payce and Rooker Halls.
20.14
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Students and researchers work late into the night at the DeBussy School of Engineering and Design. Who knows what their next big contribution might be?
20.15
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The University of North Carolina at Covington is a big part of the city, and local retailers never forget their presence. You never know how late a student might need to finish a thesis or simply need cash for a pizza.
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Hey Jon great update here with the Uni and you know what is funnie? I was watching the news the other day and I saw Covington in the news and well it was on the weather channel lol... Something about a freak storm in Indiana lol, ooh yea I guess I should said that Covington IN hehehe ;D Soccer is not Football gaaah!!!! Soccer is soccer and football is pigskin on sunday with the grid iron lol geeessh anyone knows that lol.... Anyways Jon I cant wait to see what you have in store for next time!!!
Welcome to page 25! ;)
Your university looks excellent! Wonderful work there on that area and the areas around it!
Fantastic pictures of this great university there! And nice new update...
Looking forward to more...
Wow Jon - the UNCC realy is something excellent. :satisfied:
The lots, the bats, but also the total layout of the complex are realy done very well. You're a star man.
Oh, and thanks for remembering that some of us are picky on the term football. If you show a footballfield its a footballfield, not a soccerpitch (pulling long noose to Pat ;)
Jon, UNCC is everything anyone could hope for in an established school. The buildings are beautiful and the commons make for a stunning overview. The details included in the buildings could and should serve as a benchmark for less-experienced BATters.
At the moment I'm looking at the clock tower in 29.5. Things like the elaborate entryway and concrete date plate might not be missed if they weren't there, but the fact that they are there adds so much to the old-world atmosphere. Of course the night shots are just icing on the cake.
Wonderful update...
Joan
Astounding mosaic, and the Swan building looks like it will be a great building too. The university looks excellent too. It's great to see how all of your work has come together, and it has come together well. The campus takes good advantage of the space available to it. I still love how the DeBussy school turned out. They're all amazing, but there is something about the angles on that one that just looks good. Did you ever end up finishing that law school building? that one looked interesting. Also, next time you're up in the air around there, would it be possible to get an overview of the whole university? Nice work Jon.
-Matt
As 2008 draws to a close you deliver a fine way to close out both OSITM and the year.
I can only imagine the length of time you must have spent on Clayhurst and as Joan points out, you extended that time by adding in so many little details that just make the bats and lots PERFECT. The UNCC really is a jewel in Covington's crown and as usual you showcase it with a storyline that is very believable.
The DeBussy Engineering Centre really is a cleverly designed building and the detail visible in the night lights is another of those JBS touches that make it stand out.
And as we go into 2009 Covington is poised to break the 500 posts mark and enter the Classics - where you will most certainly be at home.
Happy New Year Jon,
Paul
What a college campus there, Jon!
The Clayhurst set is one of the best things that I've played around with in a long time and to see the creator creating with them only makes me want to play with them even more!
I hope you and yours have a very happy and safe New Year, my friend!
Dustin
Pat: Thank you! There's a Covington in Indiana, too?!? And I originally thought I just made the name up... :D
Bat: Thank you, my friend!
Sebes: Thank you! I thought it was only fair that I showed my uses for it... ;)
Joan: Thank you very much! There are some extremely kind thoughts in your comment and it truly means a lot to me.
Matt: Thanks! I'm very proud of the DeBussy building as well. I haven't quite finished off the law building yet. It's very close, but there are a couple things I want to change before I call it finished. I'll get a full campus overview next time. :thumbsup:
Paul: Thank you! But I'm not quite done, yet... :D I honestly couldn't even begin to guess how much time the University of Clayhurst project has taken so far. I stopped and started so many times, it would be nearly impossible to say. As far as my use of it here... well, I guess I've just had a little more time to play with it than everyone else! ;) Happy New Year to you as well!
Dustin: Thank you! I'm so glad you like the end results so much. Happy New Year!
Update Time!!!
Well... being it is the last day of 2008, and the last day for me in this wonderful section known as OSITM, I thought I'd try a little something different. Sort of a year in review, if you will. It's my first attempt at this, but I'm fairly happy with how it turned out. "Turn it up..." ;)
http://www.youtube.com/v/XLGX_AN9r4k&hl=en&fs=1
Thanks for
reading... I mean
watching!!!
Happy New Year to everyone! I wish you all the happiness you can possibly stand. Please be safe if you're out and about tonight.
JB
I love all the "Year in Review" features, and this one was no exception. Brought back several forehead-slappers of the, "Hey, I remember that!" ilk. ;)
I've always been fascinated by your ability to capture the rural spirit of the Deep South in an imaginary setting. I'm not there yet, but I'm working on it!
And a Happy 2009 to you and your family, too...
Joan
Great video there! And the review is nice! A lot of wonderful pictures there! And your region is looking fantastic!
Looking forward to more in this year... ;)
WOW - brilliant vid there Jon - looks like you didn't need any help after all!
Great music selection for the subject - which really adds to it. As Joan said, great to see so many old favourites again and the Covington developing sequence was fantastic. I've got a good idea howmuch time and effort went into that Jon, well it was certainly worth it. And I loved the choice of colours for the titles sequence - looks to me that you're a closet Hammers fan as well ;)
The time you actually posted the vid it was already 2009 here in the UK, so I think I can safely say "What a great start to 2009 for Covington".
All the best
Paul
Great Video Jon! It's a pleasure to see one year of progress in Convington in almost 5 minutes - a big joy to watch this. And, not only because of the excellent choice of music to go with it :)
Happy 2009!
Very classy way to close out 2008 Jon. Welcome to 2009, and hopefully another amazingly successful year for Covington, and yourself of course. Great selection of pics and a good choice of music too. I wish I would have taken pics of my region's development as I went along. That last bit showing the growth was very interesting to watch. I hope there will be more of these in the future, you did a fine job with this one. Well done.
-Matt
-edit: Just noticed, it looks like you are closing in on the Classics. Well done, and no surprise.
Jon wicked closer to 2008 and what a way to ring in 2009!!! BTW here is Covington IN (http://maps.google.com/maps?client=opera&rls=en&q=covington+in&sourceid=opera&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&um=1&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&resnum=1&ct=title) ;)
What a way to close your month in OSITM, and to put a close on 2008, my friend! Superb video!
2009 is going to be a fantastic year in Covington, I can feel it!
Joan: Thank you! It was a lot of fun looking through all the pictures to find these... brought back a forehead slaps of my own! :D
Bat: Thanks so much!
Paul: Thank you! I won't go so far as to say I didn't need help, though. That was little more than a slide show set to music... I'm sure there is plenty to learn. (I really wasn't even sure what the best image size would be for this) It did take a while to get it right... mostly getting the song and the images to end at the same time! I'm glad you liked it.
Sebes: Thank you! I thought it was a fun song... kind of expected, but then not really what you think it's going to be after all. ;)
Matt: Thanks! The growth sequence at the end was really the main reason I wanted to do the whole video in the first place. My only regret is that it ended up so small and blurred... oh well, better luck next time!
Pat: Thank you!
Dustin: Thanks! I have a feeling that Covington is in for a lot of changes this year.
Well, I got a little sidetracked by some of my other doings around the site this month. My apologies for the sudden lack of updates lately. I guess it just goes to show that I honestly can't always keep up with my BAT threads and an MD all at once. Most of the delays here are due to a couple things I really need to finish before I can continue growing Covington the way I really want to. Until those things are done, I'm at a bit of a stand still. What little I have done just isn't enough to warrant an update yet. But in the meantime, I came across another article that I thought might interest a few people...
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Thanks for reading!!!
JB
It may have been a bit blurred, but that's not too bad since the full images have been there from the beginning, so it was fairly easy to mentally replace them. For a first attempt too, not bad at all. I'm looking forward to how you do the stadium here, and handle the eminent domain issues (is it a bad sign that's the first place I went while reading the article? Or that I'm hoping Kelo v. City of New London isn't used?). At any rate, I'll look forward to seeing what you have in store next.
Also, it looks like you're closing in on the Classics section. Congratulations on that, and I look forward to the updates to come.
-Matt
Nice newspaper there and great video Jon. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
I'll taken a pure pleasure to watch it &apls &apls
Ps -> 4 post before the Classic &apls &apls
Nice article there! And looking forward to more... ;)
JB, there's no doubt in my mind that whatever progress you make in Covington will be an excellent example of your outstanding rural work, and will be warmly welcomed by your many readers.
I do understand your wanting to do things as planned, though. Sometimes compromise isn't an option. Meanwhile, you still create a "mean" front page! Looking forward to a new update but willing to wait as long as it takes.
Later...
Joan
The Classic Thread edges closer... ;)
Jon I will set you up for the next bump up to the Classic section here!!!
BTW dont worry Ive slacked in waterfalls lately myself, so dont feel bad... Its hard to do when your busy working on many of other things at once... Hey its good to hear though that the city and the Uni and the Prirates all win ;)
Welcome to page 26
Nice newspaper my friend
Also congratulation for 500 replies in your MD ;)
Hey Jon,
You did it. &apls
It was my pleasure to move your fantastic MD to the Classics Section.
Robin :thumbsup:
How's that for an early birthday present? :sunny:
Beautiful work! I like how your urban areas are so green, it's very inviting!
Hi Jon,
Great to see an update here - and a MASSIVE congrats on reaching the CLASSICS, where Covington belongs IMHO.
Loved the story and glad to see the Sisson family are still doing theirn thang in Covington!
Regards
Paul
Wonderful campus ! I looked every pic comparing your campus and mine in real life. I just can say you made a trully good job, it's very realistic. Interesting newspaper too.
I can't wait to see the new minor league stadium and the finished convention center!
I hope youll update soon because you havn't updated for weeks!
Matt: Thank you! As you'll see, the eminent domain issue actually did become a factor... ::)
Arthur: Thanks! I'm glad you liked the video. I'm hoping to do another sometime in the not too distant future.
Bat: Thank you!
Joan: Thanks! Unfortunately it took a lot longer than I ever imagined!
Pat: Thank you!
Simpson: Thanks for the final push! ;)
Robin: Thank you so much my friend!
Mom: Wow... was my birthday that long ago already?!? :D
Battlecat: Thank you and welcome to Covington!
Paul: Thank you! The Sisson family seems to prosper no matter where they end up!
Pikatchoum: Thank you! I'm glad you liked it.
Dragonshardz: Well, half of your wait is over after this one... ;)
Danielcote: I think I will update pretty soon... maybe in the next minute or so? ;)
AACK!!! It was bound to happen sooner or later, but I really didn't mean to let this languish for so long. Thing got extremely hectic around here over the last month or so and I just didn't have much time for anything. Unfortunately, I managed to get myself kicked into the inactive section. :'( Hopefully, things will get back to normal during the next few weeks. There are still many things to do and see in Covington, and anyone who wants to participate is more than welcome to come along for the ride. So while it may be long overdue, it is finally....
Update Time!!!
Despite my failure to keep up with regular updates during the past month, there have been some things happening in Covington. I haven't managed to accomplish as much as I would have hoped, but you can see that the metro area continues to fill in:
32.01
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This is roughly what things looked like when we last saw the city.
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I managed to finish filling in The Barrens along the south eastern side of town.
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The corridor along I-85 and Summit Avenue has filled in nicely as you'll see shortly.
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And finally a little more work on the east side between Lee Street and I-40.
There are three major traffic corridors heading north from downtown Covington all of which run basically parrallel to each other. Summit Avenue and the rail lines were built years ago and made the north side an interesting (although often messy) mix of various zoning areas. Industry grew up around the tracks, while residential and commercial developers battled over the busy avenue nearby. Interstate 85 was added much later and made the mess even... um... messier. Many industries were bulldozed to make way for the highway, while others were cut off from the rail lines after the interstate was finished.
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Redevelopment of these old industrial areas eventually gave way to any number of different things. A number of large parcels were built over as larger apartment complexes such as this one here. Sutter Ridge was squeezed in between I-85 and Summit Avenue. Although not the nicest apartments in town, they are convenient to both major arteries and shopping for the kid's Christmas is always very easy here. (Is it just me, or are all of Covington's recent apartment developments designed by the same guy?)
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Just north of Sutter Ridge is another residential development. Goober Terrace offers townhomes for lease with options to buy. A small walking and biking trail winds through the complex. The trail is too short to really provide much in the way of exercise and it doesn't really connect to any other trails, so maybe it was just built to make catching the bus easier. I'm really not sure to be honest. I gave up trying to decipher the whims of modern apartment designers long ago.
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Summit Avenue continues to develop as a major commercial corridor. All the extra people brought in by the aparment complexes have even begun leading to larger big box stores. This intersection with Cone Boulevard promises to be a very busy area as the development continues to grow outward.
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The population boom also led to the need for larger schools on the north side. Just west of Summit Avenue is a large school serving elementary and high school grade levels. Eventually, this building will probably just serve one or the other. For now the city just needed more space as quickly as possible and opted to start with one building.
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Despite the supposed rush to get the school up and running, the city seemed to have time for a pretty large football field here. Kind of makes you wonder what the true priorities are when it comes to education around here, doesn't it?
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Speaking of sports, the new stadium for the Piedmont Pirates should be open just in time for the new season! The final location ended up being completely different from the original plan. The city seems bound and determined to give Shacktown a makeover, but they're just not having it. The new park ended up being placed where High Point Road curves into Lee Street just south west of downtown.
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Although it may not have been the original plan, the new location should provide great views of downtown for baseball fans. Mayor Simio remains hopeful that this new stadium is just step one in preparing Covington for its next big building boom. Now if they could just finish building that darn convention center... ::)
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Stunning update Jon, your region shot is always vert impressive my friend and always really realistic. &apls
Also, the old industrial area redeveloped looks excellent.
Can't wait the next update,
Arthur. :thumbsup:
Looking great. Very American, but well you are American.
Love those fields of yours.
Wonderful job. I do hope things work out fine for you in the coming weeks. JKB
Hey its Dan again remember the lurker who didn't have an account who got an account and was a commenter then a lurker again because this dang loggin didnt let me in so I got an account again and Im back so &Thk/( ...... hi :D
Any ways nice appartments actualy if I was a bachelor with a room mate or a couple I'd love those appartments! also love the use of spa. Keep adding spa have to have spa guuughaa :sleeping: ...... what the buiscuits are burning oh never mind that was embaraceing. Teehee! ;D Oh and Urbinize downtown for me will ya! Thanx &apls
What was this ohh wow OMG its Jon wow!!!! hehehe Sorry bout dat one, anywho there Jon I like how the region view is filling out here in convington and man its stunning!!! I would swear to you I am looking at google earth or something??? OK Am I seeing something there with your new residentails there hmmm??? WOW they look sweet with the redevolpment of the industrial area... I cant wait to see you again!!!
Patrick
Inactive or not, so long as you don't leave it incomplete. Good things are worth waiting for. I love your apartment communities (something I need to work on, it's tough try to get homogenaity) and it certainly seems like educational (and sports) venues are well cared for in the area. Good to see Covington back in the swing of things.
-Matt
Nice views of that part of your city! And the overviews are also really nice! Wonderful work on that city! :thumbsup:
Arthur: Thank you! As you'll see, I'm trying to make the close ups a little more realistic too. ;)
Vester: Thanks! Yes... contrary to popular opinion, I am indeed American (at least on paper, anyway!) :D
Jon: Thank you!
Danielcote: Thanks! I've known many people who live in similar apartments myself. I too have lived in a couple back in my younger days. Downtown will urbanize as the city grows... keep in mind that Covington itself is probably still under 175,000 people. (The entire region hasn't even hit 300,000 yet!)
Pat: Jon?!? Where?!? %confuso Yes... I'm trying to get back in the swing of things around here. I think you'll be seeing some of the new residentials yourself quite soon. Thank you for the kind words, my friend!
Matt: Thank you! I don't think I'll be dropping Covington anytime soon... there's still so much to do! The apartment complexes are mostly an exercise in patience. Goober Terrace took quite a bit of bulldozing before I finally got all of them to match. The "make historical" button is key... but with so many buildings competing for the same lot size, it gets tough to wait it out sometimes.
Bat: Thank you!
Update Time!!!
While trying to get back into playing a little more again, I decided it was about time I downloaded a few things that I had missed during the last month or two. It goes without saying that the March 2009 NAM (http://www.sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=851) was on the list! Now many people have mentioned that my particular style of transportation networks would look even better if I were to use FAR and FARR instead of just looking at them from afar. (Did I just confuse anyone other than myself?) So... I thought I'd give it a go and see what happened.
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Since I know from some of the other NAM gradual curves that slopes are a little tougher to work with, I decided to start with some of the more level areas surrounding Middleton. I've basically always been happy with the general layout of my roads, so my aim here was to simply improve on what was already there without making any other major changes. Here's how things have progressed thus far...
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I should also mention that the two tiles I started with were some of the first I created in this region. My plugins have changed somewhat, so you may notice some farms changing as we go to correct missing lots I've gotten rid of. (I also still used mostly squared off farms in the earliest tiles.) Anyway... this is the original layout near the bend in the Cone River south of Middleton.
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And here is the new and (I think) improved look. I kind of like it. I'll probably go back and contour the lower two farms to match the new road better, but I think that's about all that needs to change here.
33.04
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Another "before" shot of a tiny village along the river bend. I don't even think I ever named this collection of houses, to be honest. This was a little tougher because of the bend in the east-west road right at the intersection.
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And, once again, the new roads are in place. I ran into a couple minor issues here. The first is that one of the side streets no longer connects to the main road... you can see the dead end now in this picture. I haven't followed the FAR threads as much as I'd like to, but I'm definitely hoping for some intersection capabilities in future updates. It would also be nice to have an extended S-curve piece for diagonal roads... I know the railroads have such a piece, but I couldn't find one for the roads. I'm definitely not complaining though... it's still early in the project's life and I think what we are lucky enough to have so far is wonderful!
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I accidentally deleted the before view of this area, but we're now one tile north of the first few changes (actually in Middleton). I managed to incorporate the level rail crossing piece here. Once again, replacing my old methods was fairly easy here. A few houses needed to be moved, but that was about it.
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And then I discovered all the nifty little rail road pieces! A few farm field tiles were lost in realigning the rail road bed here, but all in all, I think it looks much better. The roads worked out pretty well too. About the only time I had troubles was in trying to lay a curve piece too close to an existing intersection. Even then, I simply bulldozed the intersection long enough to lay the piece in place and then rebuild in the same place. All in all, I'd say the angles slightly off "straight" are perfect! My only wish would be for something that will clean up my diagonals just as nicely. :D Either way... FAR will be creeping in anywhere it can as time goes on. &apls &apls &apls
FARR Mosaic!!!
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A parting mosaic of the new rail line through this area. I managed to get a few of the new corn farms (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=2003) by Jmeyers while replacing old bits... but I'm still waiting for the tobacco farms (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=2004) to pop up. It seems that North Carolina should have a few of those and I'm definitely hoping to see them soon!
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
hmmm was that a small hint there Jon that I will be seeing the residents soon?? LoL oooh and btw,
Quoteuse FAR and FARR instead of just looking at them from afar. (Did I just confuse anyone other than myself?)
Yuppers I am lost on that one :D But then again I am easy to get lost lol.... Anywho Jon wonderful update and I loved the FARR Mosiac!!!
Fantastic pictures of that superb rural area there! :thumbsup:
Quote from: JBSimio on March 29, 2009, 07:05:31 PM
Thanks! Yes... contrary to popular opinion, I am indeed American (at least on paper, anyway!) :D
Was about to say something along the lines. You're very European for an American. (Yes I have meet JB)
Just like the country side you are showing. Very nice. Like how you use dedgren's rails.
Great work with FAR and good luck getting those tobacco farms. JKB
Jon- A small package in plain brown wrapping will soon arrive... well, not actually. I am working on FAR intersections over the next few days, and will try to get out an early beta, as we're probably a few months away from the next NAM update. I have also bumped the diagonal road S-curve up the priority list, as it looks like you would put it to good use.
There's always great stuff going on here in Covington, and I apologize for lurking as much as I have. I'll keep you posted on FAR/FARR developments as they happen.
David
Pat: Thank you! I'll try to do a little better with my writing so as not to cause any more confusion than absolutely necessary! :D
Bat: Thank you as always, my friend!
Vester: Thank you! Truth be told, David's rails and roads are quickly becoming a favorite new toy of mine.
Jon: Thanks!
David: Thank you so much for stopping in! No apologies are necessary... goodness knows I've lurked in 3RR many times while neglecting to leave the comments that are so well deserved. I'm a huge fan of packages and would be thrilled to try out any new beta pieces as you see fit. Now that I've finally started playing with them, I find myself wondering how I managed without these great pieces. I can only thank you (repeatedly!) for the work you've put into this aspect of the game.
Update Time!!!
For lack of anything better to do, why don't we just continue our little FAR replacement tour, shall we? Tonight's update takes us along the Cone River into West Bend. Some of you may remember this nice little town from earlier updates. You may also notice that the meat packing plant survived the fire from a few months back.
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This is what the town has always looked like... chock full of jagged roads just itching to be smoothed out.
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These last couple of updates have all been highly dependant on the letter "R" What better place to start the process than with the railroads serving this sleepy village? Faithful readers will recall that this is just a spur off the main line from High Point to Ashboro. As such, I thought it was due for an update using another "R" feature more commonly known as the STR.
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I managed to replace the industrial spur with some nice single rails all smooth and pretty. I left the passenger section as a double rail line simply because the station required it anyway. Unfortunately, the fit was too tight for a smooth curve on this line, but I may still try to work with that and see if I can't come up with something a little better. You'll notice that I didn't actually change the road through town at this point. Given David's recent comment here, I decided to wait for the new pieces before I try to work out this section of town. The road along the river was redone with minimal impact to town, but this particular road will need some special attention.
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Another view of the FARR pieces where the West Bend spur meets the main line. I'm pretty happy with the way this came out, actually. It was a bit of a challenge to line up these new curves with a switch all while keeping two separate neighbor connections in place.
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Once away from town a little more, I was able to smooth out all the roads again. Much like my previous upgrades, there were a few houses to move, but things were pretty staight forward beyond that.
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I still haven't managed to get any tobacco farms during these little visits, but I was very happy to see the Amish barn raising by Jmeyers here. I just think this was such a great idea and I love the way this particular lot looks.
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Just over the bridge to the east of West Bend is the first of a few random shots I took after using the FAR pieces on the roads. I just thought this might be a good example of how much these pieces help the look of this area. One road follows the Cone River to the south (right) while the other slowly veers off and ultimately turns east. Still a little more smoothing to do on that road... waiting once again for the next generation of options. ;)
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Here we see the same two roads as their different routes become a bit more pronounced. The rails crossing this area make up the same main line from High Point to Ashboro.
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Yet another view of the same road along the Cone River as it heads south over Pine Creek.
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And I suppose it wouldn't be a proper Covington update without a nice little regional view of the farms. It's nice to know that all these upgrades really don't effect the region shots that much. The transportation map may be a little less smooth in places, but the farms still seem to look pretty decent. I think that FAR and FARR and STR and any other R's we can come up with will be here to stay. I'm honestly very happy with the results and will try not to bore you any further with these replacements. I may do one more around Ashboro depending on how it turns out, but after that I'll just let the upgrades speak for themselves in future updates. ::)
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
You certainly make those region pics look natural. Your use of the FAR/FARR/STR makes it seem like you've been using it for ages. The industrial siding in 34.03 looks really good. I can only wonder now what sorts of minor freight depots/loading docks might be possible... but there's time for that. Looking forward to what you have in store next. Also, the offer you mentioned, it goes the same if you're down here too.
-Matt
mmmm mmm simply stunning there Jon!!! believe it or not that is all I got say tonight lol... Been busy trying learn the auto installer beast :D
This town really hasnt had much change at all has it. &opr
glad you like str :D
and a station should come along shortly :)
always lurking,
dave
very beautiful work, countryside as well as the industrial park really are successful !
Wow. Region shot looks incredible, I said truly &apls
Matt: Thank you! I think I've just been lucky with the "R" sets up to this point. My original roads seem to follow paths similar to the angles that were chosen for FAR/FARR... it could have very easily been the other way around, in which case these upgrades would have become much more invasive to what I already had built. Oddly enough, I will be closer to your area during the second half of next week... my usual visits to the valley (Sherman Way in the Van Nuys area, I believe) and Long Beach. Not sure what the exact schedule is yet, but I'll keep you posted! ;)
Pat: Thank you! You're right... that was a surprisingly short response. :D Let me know if you need any help with the installers... they're really not bad once you get the hang of it.
Danielcote: No... West Bend hasn't really seen a lot of changes at all so far. That may change as time goes on, but who knows?
Dave: The STR pieces are quite handy, especially in smaller towns like this was. I'm hoping to use them in other industrial areas around Covington proper, but some of them are quite crowded, so we'll have to see how well they fit in there. I'll keep an eye out for some stations!
Warconstruct: Thank you!
Kbieniu: Thank you as well!
Alright... I have a confession to make. Apparently, I'm a terrible father. In the process of posting last night's update, I completely forgot about my baby's first birthday!!! :( Covington actually made its debut on March 31, 2008... and I totally missed it! ::) I remember thinking about it a month or so ago and wanting to do some sort of special "anniversary update" but I've now missed my chance at that. So, as a pitiful attempt to redeem myself and win back the love of my own creation, I just thought I'd offer a brief comparrison of just how much has changed during the last year.
- Covington has actually survived life on three different computers. It began on an HP Pavilion desktop... saw significant growth on a Dell Inspiron laptop... and now resides on a Dell Studio desktop
- Covington began in a small house in Michigan with a view of the frozen lake outside my living room window. It has also resided in a Detroit hotel room as well as a University of Michigan alumni camp in Petosky. Since October, all my work in Covington has been done from my home office in northern California with a view of Salmon Creek winding through the redwood grove.
- When Covington began, I was working for a management company and assigned to a YMCA camp in Michigan. I now work directly for Catholic Charities of San Francisco at their resident camp in Sonoma County.
- Since Covington began, I have travelled to England, purchased tickets to France for an upcoming visit, and entered the early planning stages of a trip to the Ukraine. (Prior to Covington, I had never left the country except for going to Canada, which really doesn't count for people growing up in Michigan) :D
- Covington has been viewed over 17,000 times and recieved over 500 comments. It has also visited OSITM twice and won an MD Award here on the wonderful site I like to call home.
- Oddly enough, the very first post of this MD and the post made on its anniversary both featured the town of West Bend.
I've probably missed a few things, but those are just some examples I could think of off the top of my head. Either way... thank you all for such a great year!
More to come next time,
JB
Wow thats alot of views cant wait until next update. ::)
Your city looks really nice! Very very very nice work there! :thumbsup:
Looks like I've missed a lot this week. Your rural scenes just keep getting better and better – love the FARR mosaic. You have done a great job of showing off this marvelous new addition to the game. Like the way you've applied interesting shapes to the farms, too.
I've studied your work for some time now, and it continues to be an inspiration. My favorite is 34.10 – the overview could have come straight off of Google Earth. I'm hoping to catch up with Covington and several other favorite MDs in the days to come.
Later...
Joan
jon- you've certainly had quite a year! congratulations on the anniversary &apls. I always look forward to and enjoy each update, even though I don't comment very often &mmm
Jon
Its been way too long since I commented and I apologise.
But what amazing work you have achieved here with Covington.
Your use of the FAR/FARR/STR makes it seem like you've been using it for ages. it really sets the areas off so well &apls &apls
I'm off to make another cuppa and go back for another read :thumbsup:
Hopefully it won't be so long till the next visit from me ;)
Till the next time
regards
Derry
Im waiting Im waiting Im waitin waitin waitin. Like my song!? :D
Jon, The last update is just amazing my friend.
I like the way you placed the FARR/FAR - STR, very well thought.
Keep it up,
Arthur. :thumbsup:
It's very nice, and your country is very good realized, but I reproach you for your fields > there are too squarres &mmm. But it's my opinion ;)
Guillaume :thumbsup:
Great region shot there Jon. I'm enjoying Covington very much. I love rural areas and you do them quite well.
Geoff
I haven't been here for a while - way too long I think.
The region view is really breathtaking.
Something about STR at the station: You can put the 3x1 Str2DTr conversion right in front of the station and then go on with STR. Prolong the railway line a bit behind the grey road and put another 3*1 conversion there and voila - you have a complete station where the engine of the incoming trains can pass the cars and put itself in front of them to leave the station without the need of another engine. ;)
That is (was) a rather common layout for such a small terminal station at least here in Germany. :)
Take care
Bernhard :thumbsup:
Where did you get those cool 2 floor lowrise apts that have started to grow all over Convington?
Quotewaiting once again for the next generation of options. ;)
Jon, it's looking at work like this that provides the inspiration for the next generation of options. But, of course, you already know that. We all stand on each other's shoulders here- don't ask me how that works, but it does.
The regional pic is one for the "Great Regional Pic" collection.
David
Danielcote: Sorry you had to wait so long, my friend! Thanks for stopping by a few times. (And yes... I did in fact like your song! :D)
Arthur: Thank you!
Sciurus: Thanks! The fields in that area are pretty square... but it's mostly flat land there and the square fields are pretty common here in areas where there isn't anything else to work around.
Geoff: Thank you!
Bernhard: Thanks for stopping in again. I'm definitely not happy with the rails leading into that station yet and will continue tinkering with it until I come up with something that works a little better. Thank you for the tips which I'm sure will come in handy either in West Bend or certainly somewhere else in the region. :thumbsup:
Danielcote: I think the apartments you've mentioned are the ones I made. They are still part of my private collection at this point. I will be releasing them at some point, but time seems to keep slipping away from me lately.
David: Thank you so much! The amount of sharing and collaborating that happens here is just one of many reasons I like this community so much. We do indeed add to each other's work and the circle of shoulders (I'm not sure how that works either...) keeps getting better and better. Your shoulders seem to be adding all sorts of interesting things lately... ;)
Update Time!!!
Over the last couple weeks I've managed to fill in a fair amount of the northwest side of Covington. Let's look at a map and see where we'll be headed today.
35.01
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We'll start with a sneak preview of Celebration Hills. This area gets its name simply because it overlooks Celebration Square. As you can probably tell by the map, I still have a bit of work to do here. But in the meantime, there are a couple things worth mentioning about this area.
35.02
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Industy continues to line the railroad tracks through this area. I'm hoping that over time this will clean up somewhat, but for now I just have to live with the giant smokestacks.
35.03
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As Holden Road curves around the southern edge of Celebration Square, the hills close in leaving little room for commercial frontage. Settled in the hills above, this newer subdivision offers some great views over the park. The houses here command some pretty steep prices despite some fairly small yards.
35.04
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A closer look at some of the cul de sacs show some very nice homes. Like many more recent developments in Covington, there is a good variety of housing styles available. I think that trend is so popular here because people just hate the idea of accidently walking into the wrong house... but don't quote me on that one.
35.05
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Just off of Friendly Avenue is another newer elementary school to serve the neighborhood. The city has been promising to remove the tree blocking the driveway for roughly two years now, but apparently that idea remains on the to do list.
35.06
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Market Valley originally referred only to the area north of Market Street west of the university. However, when Interstate 40 was constructed, it ripped through the historic districts along Benjamin Parkway. Market Valley was "expanded" to include these alienated neighborhoods which have seen considerable change compared to the protected areas south of the expressway.
35.07
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Market Street runs along a small ridge here, but there are already signs of the bustling commercial strip that this road becomes as it gets further out of town. Houses are set well back from the busy corridor and trees help to deaden the noise of traffic.
35.08
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A closer look at the houses north of I-40 illustrates how this former historic area has changed since being cut off from the rest of its old neighborhood. Some of the stately older homes remain, while many others have been replaced with larger, more suburban style homes.
35.09
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Moving further west along the expressway, the homes get a little less impressive. We can also see the edges of a large industrial park which runs along Holden Road here. We'll see more of the industrial area another time, but for now I'll just say that it stretches from I-40 north towards the new power plant that we visited a few months back.
35.10
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On the other side of Market Street in what has always been called Market Valley, the houses retain a bit of a European feel. You may remember that the neighborhoods just across from UNCC contained quite a few homes in this style. The trend spilled over into Market Valley, although the houses became a little more mixed as time went by.
35.11
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35.12
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Finally, here's a little before and after look at the metro area showing just how much has actually been filled in. I know my updates have been a bit slow lately, but I really have been trying to get some things done here... I promise!
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Well release them soon unless you enjoy seeing me rip myself appart. ::)
Noooooo Histor rr rric :'( Dont destroy anymore its torture ()sad()
Not bad at all JB. Covington is turning out to be a nice city. I do just love those historic homes that you showed on picture 35.8. They look wonderful. Keep it up. JKB
Looking fantastic, as always, Jon! Covington reads like a "how-to" on how the perfect region shots should always look, and the pictures in game are fabulous, too, my friend.
I'm always on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what you've got for us next!
Take care!
Dustin
Danielcote: The lawyers at JBSimio, Inc. have asked me to remind you (and everyone else for that matter) that we, the company or any of its affiliates, including (but not limited to) Monkey Around Productions, Simio Foodservices, and the people of the Piedmont region (be they real or imagined), cannot be held liable for any physical or mental injuries or illnesses that may result in the viewing of said company's publications. Any such injuries or medical mishaps, especially those that are shown to be self-induced, remain the sole responsibility of the individual. While we certainly want you to view and discuss the publishings herein, take note that you do so at your own risk. Oh... and don't worry... the other historic homes across the freeway are part of a protected historic district. They're not going anywhere! :thumbsup:
Jon: Thank you! Nice to see you here again.
Dustin: Thank you very much! High praise indeed, especially considering your accomplishments here lately! I always appreciate your input, my friend.
Update Time!!!
Alright... I know I said that I wouldn't do any more of these R-rated updates, but I just couldn't help it. I started toying with the FAR and FARR pieces in Ashboro which turned out to be much more challenging than the flat areas around Middleton and West Bend. I'm nowhere near finished upgrading this particular tile, but I was so happy with the way things were coming along that I just had to share a few more pictures.
36.01
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The main line connecting Ashboro and High Point crosses over US 52 several times before making it into Ashboro. The road still needs a little smoothing here, but I was quite happy with how the railroad crossings fit together.
36.02
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Just south of Ashboro is that section of track where the north-south lines and the east-west lines briefly join together. This area needed quite a few changes to make the new curves fit, but once again I think the end result was worth it.
36.03
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This is just a little eye candy south of the rail tunnel beneath US 220. Nothing overly special about this segment... I just thought it looked pretty! :D
And I'll just end here with another little mosaic. The train is about to pull into the station where we can head north towards Covington.
36.04
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Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Incredible update, Jon !! The mosaic is fabulous. Also the region picture, in the last update, is magnificent, one of the best I've ever seen !!
I'm looking forward to the next update,
Take care,
David :)
Celebration Hills looks really good, Jon. The industrial area looks OK to me even if it is I-D, and you've come through again with some pleasant, scenic neighborhoods. Makes me think of "Pleasant Valley," and the overviews are some of the most stunning I've seen. Always!
Your FAR/FARR "toying" appears to have worked out quite well, too. I still need more experience with it to feel comfortable using it. It's been more than a year since I got in there and really played SC4, so guess I just need to open up my test region and spend a few hours laying some roads and rails.
The mosaic is gorgeous and worthy of DLing as a reference I can look at every time I start putting houses too close together! Old habits die hard, especially the bad ones!
It's always a pleasure to see yet another great update here...
Joan
Another fantastic update Jon, like Joan said, your use of FAR/FARR is absolutely stunning my friend. Also, the farms land are greatly done too. I like the disposition of trees and houses.
Looking forward to more.
Take Care,
-Arthur. :thumbsup:
A very very beauitful region overviex, with the big city on the center, it's just impressive, and I repeat, it's beauitful &apls &apls
Guillaume :thumbsup:
Ohh. Every time I'm looking at those screens, I'cant move out from region view. I have said it few times, but I'll say it next time: "awesome region shot. &apls
So much green space, and your neighborhoods, like in 36.02, are excellent examples of this. Single tile residential lots have the potential to appear overly dense (at least when I'm running things), but yours seem natural nestled in the trees. The area in the center of the mosaic, just south of the station reminds me of a scene I saw when I was in Kentucky, especially with the red-sided houses. You also continue to impress me with your use of the FAR/FARR and all those other curves. It's always a treat to come in here and see what you've been working on.
-Matt
Dave: Thank you! I actually wanted to do a much longer mosaic, but the rail line moves off the sides too much for me to follow it the entire route! :D
Joan: Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed Celebration Hills, although I'm not sure this next area is quite as pretty. ;) I probably should have used a test region first on the FAR/R pieces, but I just dove right in... so far I've only screwed up badly enough to revert to one backup city. :D Great to see you as always, my friend!
Arthur: Thank you! I really enjoy making the farm areas of this region. I often wish I still had some areas to fill in with more...
Guillaume: Thank you! I'm hoping that overview will look even better once I've finished filling in the bare spots.
Matt: Thanks! Part of the "nestled in trees" feel comes from the lots themselves. Cycledogg and Mattb325 houses are very prominent in Covington... both of which have very well made lots. Part of it is just my incessant need to plant trees anywhere I've left a blank tile. :D Either way, I'm glad to hear that it works so well. You should probably be careful mentioning Kentucky to the locals of North Carolina, though... they might get offended! ;)
I don't know how closely people compared the "before and after" region shots in Update 35. But if you really studied them you may have gotten an idea of where we were headed for this particular...
Update Time!!!
Faithful (and long-time) readers may remember that, in the early stages of Covington's layout, there was some question as to where the best location would be for the large railyard serving the city. The final location near Holden Road also added a rail spur across the southern side of the city to connect the High Point lines with the Ashboro lines. While this made very good sense for Covington as a central hub to the North Carolina railways, it did drastically alter the future of one neighborhood. Let's take a look at just what happened...
37.01
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Just to get oriented a little bit, here is a look at the neighborhoods south of downtown Covington. Oak Park essentially ends at the rail spur although it used to spill south a little further. Much like the interstate system, forcing the railroad through an established part of the city made a mess of several things and The Flats was forever changed.
37.02
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The southern edges of Oak Park are sheltered from the new line by a wall. Much of Oak Park's charm remains even here at its southern limits, but we can see the squeeze of industries brought by the railroad. Beyond the traffic wall looms more industry as we get closer to the Randlemann Road corridor.
37.03
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Randlemann Road and the Ashboro lines follow pretty close to each other throughout the southern half of Covington. The entire corridor is essentially a long stretch of industrial factories taking advantage of the wider avenue and the rail connections. (The city's main landfill is also not far from here.) The industrial area grew larger with the additional rails connecting to the main yard. It's not the prettiest sight, but let's face it... people have to work somewhere, right?
37.04
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Unfortunately, all those jobs come with a lot of pollution. The housing stock on the eastern side of The Flats is less than impressive to say the least. Away from the tracks, the neighborhood consists mostly of fairly rundown homes. The houses are small... the lawns are brown... and it's doubtful that an address here will get you a promotion at work. However, the prices are cheaper than anythnig you're likely to find at that abomination known as Wal-mart!
37.05
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There are a number of larger apartments closer to the main Ashboro line. Many of these older brick structures were built in happier times and were once quite nice places to live. Sadly, they have deteriorated over time and now only add to the depressed feel of this area. Several of these buildings are actually falling apart, but that doesn't seem to stop the landlords from renting the apartments out to those that need a place to call home.
37.06
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The city has talked of reviving this area with more modern apartments, but most plans have called for lower income or government assisted housing like this one that has already been built. It would certainly add more people, but odds are that it would do little to actually improve the area.
37.07
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Moving west towards Freeman Mill Road provides a startling contrast. McKoury Elementary school (in pink on the map) almost serves as a marker between the east and west sides of The Flats. Despite continued squeezing from industries just north of the rail spur, this side of the neighborhood has really thrived. If city leaders could figure out how this happened, they probably wouldn't be so quick to propose the newer apartment projects. The only trouble is that the best answer they have come up with so far involves scratching their head or shrugging their shoulders.
37.08
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A closer look shows that a few of the older shacks remain here, but most of the west side of the flats has become quite pretty. Just to the west is Freeman Mill Road and its line of smaller commercial shops. Cross that busy avenue, and you'll be back in the newer large industrial park spawned by the rail yards. The Flats is a very mixed neighborhood surrounded by industry on three sides. With very active development along the river to the south, this is one area that is sure to change as Covington grows. Only time will tell whether all the influences surrounding this neighborhood improve or destroy it.
37.09
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The latest look at how the city is filling out...
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Two fantastic new updates there and wonderful mosaic, too! Also nice work on your region! It looks beautiful! :thumbsup:
Yay new conscript release form that I dont understand ?=mad)=
Yay historic houses!
Yay two more updates th .... wait two more update Holly cow youre fast I cant keep up now.
Yay This is the Best day in my whole fricken virtuel online life :'( ;D
You know those old appartment keep those big ones especialy that art deco ish one! and AND AND ... big breath you should have something like the convington Olympics that would be awsome!
Also for that decaying aria put a park in on some old $ houses! :P
Hey there, Jon. I always save a new Covinton update for a few minutes in time when I need a relaxing break, and you never fail to deliver! :)
The wall in 37.02 is a good idea - an established neighborhood like Oak Park needs protection from the noisy world of rail and industry. Good looking industry, though, and I see you're doing well with STR. Although 37.04-.06 is a bit on the seedy side, it wouldn't look right any other way. After all, that's life.
Of course, Freeman Mill Road is more to my liking - champagne taste and beer budget! And the contrast is stunning when the two areas are compared. Both are built in similar fashion, both have some trees sprinkled around, yet there's a vast difference. A bit nicer houses, I guess, but still 1x2s. Interesting.
Realistic seems like an inadequate word for Covington, but it's the best I can do after hours of dealing with the demands of a mean old general in GRVII! :D
Hope Covington stays around a lot longer - I need a nice relaxing break every now and then...
Joan
Jon you sneak you stuck in 3 updates while I wasn't looking tisk tisk lol.... That will teach me not to look :D Anywho I enjoyed catching up here and seeing the wonderful country side and the low income housing!!!
Bat: Thank you so much! I truly appreciate you seemingly endless support, my friend!
Danielcote: Thanks! I'm glad I could help make your virtual online life better. :D I could definitely throw a park or two in there to improve things, but I think I want to keep the low income look for now.
Joan: Speaking of endless support... Thank you very much as well! I can tell that a lot of thought goes into your comments here and I always look forward to the input.
Pat: Thank you my friend! It's good to see you again... I hope all is going well in the land of the Hodag!
Update Time!!!
Sorry... but I just can't help myself. More fun with all those things that involve the letter R! :D
38.01
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I've almost finished everything south of the Cone River. Here we come down the hill from North Ridge on the way to Fayetteville. (Between Ashboro and Raleigh... for those of you that are keeping track at home)
38.02
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Another random shot of the road weaving through the hills near North Ridge. It took quite a while for me to get these right on the slopes, but I think I've finally got it figured out. Still time consuming... but at least I know what to do now.
38.03
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Speaking of Fayetteville... here's the newest view of the village. Not much has changed besides the roads and rails, but we'll revisit again soon.
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This is an old picture just west of Durham. Consider this the "before"...
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...and the "after." Have I mentioned how much more I like this look? I know there are still a few old jogs in my diagonal roads. I'm holding off until David mails that little brown paper package. :D
38.06
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An overview of Durham. I really like how all those funky intersections came out. I had to move and bulldoze a few things, but it's still pretty close to the way it used to be. Unfortunately, there isn't enough room to improve the rail junction south (to the left in this picture) of town... so I'm not sure what I'll end up doing there.
38.07
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Just another random picture near Durham where the road follows the creek east of town.
38.08
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Up north near Raliegh was the other area that needed a lot of sloped work. Both these roads come down out of the hills. I ended up needing to regrow quite a few farms here after I butchered some of them... but what can you do?
38.09
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Inside Raliegh I began experimenting with working in tighter spaces. This small railyard worked out pretty well. There are many roads that aren't finished in town though. I'll either need to redesign some things or wait for the next wave of pieces to do that.
38.10
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Just north of Raliegh, the railroad crosses Coldwater Creek and joins up with the main line heading to Covington. I wanted to leave one direction (heading to Covington) as double rails for increased traffic while making the other switch a lesser used option. This also took some time to line up, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.
I had planned on a completely different ending for this update, but then the power went out for a while last night. So I'm stuck sneaking this in before I leave for work this morning. Either way... Thanks for reading!!!
JB
PS... According to our good friend, Dustin, today is
No Lurking Day! Post away folks! ;)
All is beautiful there &apls &apls
Guillaume :thumbsup:
Your region view is perhaps my favourite of all the ones I've seen. Lovely MD.
It just looks so fantastic like a real city. The region pic is amazing.
Great work on that rural area there! :thumbsup:
A new wonderful update there my friend, I really love the interchange in the last picture. Your work with the FARR/FAR always amaze me !
Looking forward to more.
Take care,
-Arthur. :thumbsup:
Great Update JB I see youre improving every last detail .... tipical $%Grinno$%
Quote from: JBSimio on May 05, 2009, 07:25:13 AM
Sorry... but I just can't help myself. More fun with all those things that involve the letter R! :D
And I just couldn't resist another peek at Covington! The FAR is lovely to look at as we've seen so many times in 3RR and elsewhere. I especially like the way it can skirt the little hills just as a road would in RL. Of course, we can't build a bridge across those charming curves and angles or intersect with them, but some pre-planning would make it work. Trouble is, I get so carried away with the looks of the roads I forget to leave any spaces. On the other hand, you're doing a great job with all those "Rs!"
Later...Joan
wow missed a few updates here, great work on FAffing the region, looks superb. and the region shot is getting better and better, keep going your nearly there
hmm... i had a suspicion that an update was ready for viewing. $%Grinno$% :P
great work on the Durham re-work.
dave
Guillame: Thank you!
Antimonycat: Thank you so much! Nice to have you here.
JJ: Thanks and welcome to you as well!
Bat: Thank you!
Arthur: Thanks! I was very happy with the rail interchange too, although it was a frustrating hour or so... :D
Danielcote: Thank you! Yeah... I guess I do have a tendency to get carried away sometimes. ::)
Joan: Thanks! You're right, remembering space for intersections can be a bit challenging. Rumor has it that this could change in time, but until then I'll just keep plugging away as best I can.
Mightygoose: Thank you! By "almost there," I presume you mean filling in the rest of Covington itself? It's getting closer, but still could take some time... and even then, that will only be when the real fun begins! ;)
Dave: Thanks for stopping by again!
Update Time!!!
Yes, that's right... I'm still busy having fun with the new roads and rails. I guess you could say that I've been acting like a little kid who just got his favorite toy for Christmas... I'm liable to ignore everything else until this one breaks! :D I've been working my way around the eastern part of the region the last couple days. Let's take a look at the map and see where we're headed this time:
39.01
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So as all the nifty shaded areas might tell you, I've completed most of the work from Walnut Creek down to Coldwater Creek near Raliegh. (By the way, I should mention that the map is wrong. Walnut Hills State Park should extend south to Interstate 40... sorry about that!) What better way to show off the new fun stuff than with a mini mosiac?
39.02
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This is the "new and improved" town of Walnut Grove. (You can actually see the old version of this and some of today's other towns in Update 13 (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=4274.msg149200#msg149200) if you're curious!) I did have to make a number of changes here to get everything to fit together again, but nothing too drastic. There are two turns just over the bridge that I couldn't bring myself to change. I like the buildings too much right there and I'm afraid that I'll never get them back if I mess with the roads. (I know I could just plop most of them again, but it's just not the same!)
39.03
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Heading south on US 311 we arive at the crossing with state highway 6. This is the before picture...
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...and here is the after. This might be one of the toughest sections I've had to do so far. There just wasn't much room to squeeze this intersection in and the hills surrounding it made things even more interesting. A couple spots could be a touch smoother, but I think I'm the only one that will ever really see it anyway.
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Heading west on NC6, we eventually cross the main railroad line between Raliegh and Covington. This used to be another very choppy area, which now looks infinitely better... well at least it does to my eyes!
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Just over the tracks is the small town of Burlington. Once again, there are one or two turns I couldn't quite replace. All in all things are much smoother though. The small commercial area took a pretty hard hit while rerouting some roads, but it seems to have recovered nicely.
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Just up the road from Burlington is the village of Rickland Center. This was a pretty easy one to redo, but I really like the way the main corner turned out.
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Just south of Raliegh was another fairly interesting intersection that I just liked the looks of. The rural grain elevator just seems to set this corner off nicely too. ;)
And why not end with another FAR mosaic... this one is just a touch longer: :P
39.09
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Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Kid with a new toy indeed! I know transportation systems have always been your love.
Now this is what those curvy roads are supposed to look like. If there was ever an advertisement for the FAR(R) and North Carolina, this would be it. Just looking at these pictures makes me imagine a warm late spring/early summer day's drive in a classic convertible ('57 Ford Skyliner wouldn't be bad) the scents of spring, the warmth of the sun, yeah, good stuff. I love the image location map, it's a great touch, and the mosaics were great as always. I'll say it again though, the FAR(R) keep taking center stage here. I can only imagine what you'll do with the stuff David's been working on. Also, one last thing, what's the thing between NC and KY? I might make it out there one of these days, and it would be a bad step to incite violence and all, heh heh. At any rate, I'd leave a longer post here, but I'm off to my Con Law final, so I'll stop hee for now. Great stuff Jon.
-Matt
I like the roads better in rick land center because they just looked chopy before. But I liked the building better before. If you added Mels cafe and the duck and goose pub by gascooker again then I wouldn't be so sad. ()sad()
In Raliegh the roads look better and it really makes the town look more realistic. But the pharmacy lloks lonely and it looks wierd without a side walk. So you can fix that one thing by putting buildings across the street from it. ;)
The little community with a gas station looks delightful. :thumbsup:
Burlington has never looked better and smoother. Also that big RLS country home looks good. Id recomend making it historical.
the Nexis grain elavator fits in great and that awsome farm with the mansion on it is quite a marvel to look at.
Oh boy youre Cjs hot so many updates in one week!
Incredible update as well, my friend !!. Your transport networks is magnificent &apls
The mosaic is looking superb, I also really like the fields :thumbsup:
I'm looking forward to the next update,
Take care,
David
two excellent mosaics there Jon, the second on is my favorite, it show a lot of your farms development and the little city of Raliegh. Also, excellent use of trees, that looks really good.
Looking forward to more.
Take care,
-Arthur.
That's a really beautiful rural area there! Nice work on all the pictures and mosaics! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
I havent been reading anything of your diaries for a while, but are impressed to see the great improvement of your region since last time. Its nice to see all your details who all togheter makes a very realistic region picture. Last time i couldnt realy like the way you had those curvy roads, but now that you have chanced to the NAM roads its turning out realy great. Nice work.
Looking great as always! I love the mosaics and all the road curves. It looks so realistic! :thumbsup:
Indicating update areas on the map is a great idea, Jon - it's hard to keep track of where everything is in so many MDs. You're still ruler of the rural kingdom - 39.02 is about as close to perfection as anything I've ever seen. The comparison between 39.03 and .04 is stunning - I liked the old way until I saw the new one! I'm especially fond of the little villages nestled in the "Vs" of intersections.
Of course, 39.09 takes the prize - just the right amount of density in town with a visible but natural change across the river. And the rural atmosphere isn't easy to capture - I've tried it dozens of times and still come out with the same disappointing results.
Very nice update...
Joan
It's splendid!! Just splendid, and the mosaic!!! Oh! What a mosaic!! :o :o
Guillaume :thumbsup:
It's been a LOOOOONG time since I've wrote my last post here at SC4D, but I have to say, your MD worked wonders as my new inspiration to keep playing this wonderful game!
I can't believe how you achieved to get that transportation map with those roads and rails so far from the griddy world of SC4... can you tell me how did you do this??
Thanks for "bringing me back" and thanks for creating and sharing such a pleasant rural landscape! :thumbsup:
PABLO,
from Argentina
Wow! What a mosaic, Jon!
Your transportation networks always baffle me with their intricacy, my friend. And now to see how you've changed it over to the FAR--well, that just makes it all the sweeter! And of course, the maps are always a treat.
Can't wait to see more!
Dustin
Mom: You talk as if you've seen me get all wrapped up and involved like this before! And you also remember notebooks filled with maps for places that didn't exist? Hmmm... I guess I'll have to stop telling the shrink that my family didn't pay any attention to me growing up... :D
Matt: Thank you! FAR is certainly bringing some huge changes to Covington and if I ever get up to Alaska, I'll be buying David at least a couple adult beverages of his choice. ;) The NC and KY thing (actually, it's probably more TN than KY really) is just one of those tongue in cheek rivalries that seem to be everywhere. In North Carolina, Tennessee is full of hill billies... whereas in Tennessee, North Carolina is nothing but rednecks. It's much like northern and southern California. You guys think that I live amongst a bunch of tree hugging hippies... while we think LA is full of shallow people made of plastic. :P :D
Daniel: Thank you! I'm glad you like most of the changes and I appreciate the suggestions. Most of these FAR upgrades are still very much a work in progress and the towns and villages are the toughest part. Some things are bound to change because of space limitations, but I'll be fine tuning them as I go along.
David: Thank you! I have to agree with Matt when he says these new roads make a world of difference on the closer views.
Arthur: Thanks, my friend!
Bat: Thank you so much!
Q-tips: Thank you for stopping by! I always said that the older roads were a painful trade off. They looked great from a distance... and now with the help of people much smarter than I, they can look just as good up close. ;)
Haljackey: Thank you! Very nice to see you here again, my friend!
Joan: Thank you again, Joan! Your comments always mean a lot to me.
Guillame: Thanks! I'm glad you liked it!
Sandokan: Welcome to Covington! Wow... that may be one of the greatest compliments I've ever heard... thank you so much! You asked about the transportation networks and farms. I actually did a couple updates last summer detailing exactly the methods I use for making them look as they do. You can find those updates on Page 11 (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=4274.200)... I hope that helps. ;)
Dustin: Thank you! I'm not sure if they're intricate so much as they are random, but I'm glad you like the results either way! :D
Update Time!!!
Update Forty?!? Really? I can't believe that I've had that many already, but I guess the folders on my hard drive don't lie... at least not that often. Thanks so much to all of you that stop by and keep this little thing rolling! I suppose, having made it this long, I should probably consider some nifty little graphic titles and stuff... but I'm not going to mess with that just yet. For now, let's leave the country for a minute and head back into Covington to see what's been happening there lately.
40.01
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I forgot to make an updated map of this area, so I just pulled up an older one from a previous visit near today's area. (Obviously, I'm missing most of the newer streets on this map... sorry about that!) We'll be checking out Harmony Hills today over on the east side of town. This neighborhood is somewhat sandwiched between Shacktown to the west and the busy commercial corridor of Market Street on the east. Interstate 40 runs along the south side and Cone Boulevard will eventually be the northern reaches.
40.02
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The western most side of Harmony Hills looks like many of Covington's older and well established neighborhoods. The streets make little or no sense, but they're lined with such stately homes that nobody really seems to care. It's always surprising to remember that these same streets lead through Shacktown just a few blocks away.
40.03
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But since we're in Harmony Hills (and NOT in Shacktown), I'm just going to sit and stare for another minute before we move on. You just can't beat Covington in late October!
40.04
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As with many other older neighborhoods in Covington, the coming of the interstate system brought a fair share of redevelopment with it. This complex along Interstate 40 is just east of the homes we just saw. What used to be several blocks of winding side streets were completely remade into this loop of apartment complexes.
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The expressway may have actually helped to keep Harmony Hills a nicer place, though. Just south of Interstate 40, closer to Indian Village, the redeveloped areas aren't quite so nice. While these apartments, just off Lee Street, aren't technically part of Harmony Hills, they make a pretty good point of reference. If anyone ever doubted that a new interstate can completely cut neighborhoods in two, this is a pretty good place to see for yourself.
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Even the more primary roads in this area are a bit of a mess. This stange corner actually built up around the local church. Over time it has become a small pocket of shops in the middle of a large residential neighborhood. It seems strange by modern (American) planning standards, but this actually works out quite well for the local residents. Who ever thought you could still actually walk to a bakery?!?
40.07
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The area around Harmony Elementary School has changed significantly over the years. The school was built in the late 1940's and many of the historic homes that used to line these streets are no longer here. The neighborhood is now an eclectic mix of middle class homes ranging from the very small up to the newest suburban styled homes. Some of the oldest homes remain, but they are getting harder and harder to find as we move further east.
40.08
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As we get closer to Market Street, the hills become a little more apparent. And with the more uneven terrain comes the end to many of the through streets here. These cul de sacs make up much of the eastern edges of Harmony Hills. This is one of the oldest ones as some of the houses here probably demonstrate.
40.09
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The highest elevations in Harmony Hills are also some of the newest developments. The houses here are generally larger and the main roads are largely empty of development... at least for now. There always seems to be a developer somewhere just itching to line these roads with commercial strips, but so far the city continues to turn them elsewhere. The end result while driving on some of these primary roads is almost a feeling that there isn't anything around. It also keeps things relatively quiet for the locals who call these neighborhoods home.
40.10
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With quiet neighborhoods usually come larger homes. This isn't an area for the ultra-rich, but it is definitely a neighborhood whose residents can hold their own. These hills are actually full of doctors and other medical professionals who work either at nearby Judith Cameron Memorial or downtown at Moses Cone Hospitals.
40.11
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Just below many of these houses is the beginning of major commercial development along Market Street. The junction with Interstate 40 here has made this a prime area for big box stores. Although there are still quite a few smaller shops and older buildings now, they probably won't last long as more and more large corporations are itching to build along this busy corridor.
40.12
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The newest region shot shows that I'm really only done with the southern half of Harmony Hills. I'm sure we'll be back here fairly soon again to see how the rest of it develops.
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Really lovely one. Everythings just flows easy as it should be ...
BTW I send you a PM ;)
Take care!
Bernhard :thumbsup:
Jon looking real good here tonight and love the last pic the best!!!
Jon, I can't imagine a more tranquil and lovely scene than the one in 40.02. Unless it's the one in 40.03, and I'll be staring at them for more than just a minute!
That's an interesting story that goes along with 40.06, and there's some truth to the idea of mixing commercial and residential. I've heard that placing CO/CS between R and I is a boon for the commercial district because Sims go through it on their way to work. And after all, one of Covington's many charms is, indeed, the ability to walk to the bakery!
Don't think I've ever seen an intersection and split like the one in 40.11. I'll have to try that one of these days.
Then, looking at the overview, I dread the day when Covington reaches its boundaries, so I won't think about it right now. I'll just go back to the top and stare at those first few pictures again! :)
Later...
Joan
Can you add the Mels Cafe and the Duck and goose pub by gascooker back to rickland center because I miss them &mmm
I do agree its good that you have some nice corprate stores coming in but it would be nice if you saved some nice old buildings like spa's and family owned buissneses. :)
Nice neighbor hoods to think that nice road leads to shack town!
That looks like that key hole cresent is fairly new!
Its always great to see your suburban setting Jon, excellent job with your street layout!
In addition, nice choice of houses, looks fantastic! That commercial area is looking good too.
One thing I saw you could do is add a one-way road near the highway interchange with the diagonal avenue so northbound traffic doesn't need to make a sharp right turn. It won't take up any space, just drag it where the red Mini is in the pic.
Anyways nice update! I enjoyed it!
-Haljackey
Superb update, I love these suburbs! &apls
Some really fantastic new pictures of your city! It looks really good! :thumbsup:
Great update , I like the Suburb feel :thumbsup:
Beautiful work as always! That region shot in the latest update is just amazing!
Bernhard: Thank you! I'm glad you liked it!
Pat: Thanks! The region shots always seem so popular here for some reason... ;)
Joan: Thank you! I know that the game likes commercial zones between residential and industrial areas, but I alway like creating these little corner shops as well. I remember quite a few of those single stores scattered amongst the houses where I grew up and I always liked the convenience of having them so close by. It seems to be a dying trend, but I guess the advantage here is that I can do whatever my little heart desires! :D I wouldn't worry too much about the boundaries... there's still a ways to go!
Daniel: Thanks! Like I just said to Joan, these little corner shops won't disappear entirely, but we will probably see more big box stores as we continue outwards in Covington. Much like Mel's Cafe and the Goose Pub, sometimes progress isn't always the best thing.
Haljackey: Thank you for stopping by again! The commercial area is just starting to take shape nicely. I'm hoping it will fill in a little more as that area grows. Thanks for the suggestion on that corner... I'll definitely add that in next time I work on that tile. :thumbsup:
Io_bg: Thank you!
Bat: Thanks as always, my friend!
Nexis4Jersey: Thank you!
Battlecat: Thanks! I'm glad you like it!
Update Time!!!
So I was working on FARring (is that even a real word?) up some of the western portions of the Piedmont region when I stumbled across a town I had forgotten was even there! I know... how does one misplace and forget about an entire small village? I don't know for sure, but I blame the government just for lack of anyone better. Let's take a quick look, shall we?
41.01
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If we were to take the US 29 bypass out of High Point, we would head north and eventually come to the town of Cypress Ridge. It's a pretty small town, but with the hills all around the area it's also a very pretty little spot.
41.02
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Told you it was kind of small! This little town began as little more than a crossroads at the corner of Cypress Ridge Road and the old US 29 highway. The railroad runs just to the west of town, but since the tracks are up along the ridge they really don't do much here but pass by. When the new bypass was built connecting High Point with Interstate 40 to the north, the town slowly began to grow.
41.03
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There are only four small businesses here in the center of town, although a couple more have sprung up near the exit ramps from the freeway. The houses are still set fairly far apart, although demand is rising here. Cypress Ridge is beginning to become a bedroom community for commuters into High Point and prices here have begun to go up as investors turn their eyes towards that idyllic small town charm.
41.04
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This street winding up the hill above town is a prime example of the newer developments here. The street formerly ended at the base of the hill, but was later extended to loop back to Old US 29. Several larger homes have recently gone up to take advantage of the views across the valley.
41.05
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Just to the west of town, Cypress Ridge Road winds between the hills and beneath the railroad tracks. There isn't much else out this way so I guess we'll just turn around and head east instead.
41.06
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East of town, Cypress Ridge Road works its way up over the hills before descending back down and ending at Pleasant Valley Road. It's actually a pretty little drive and there are a number of houses lining this country road. The hilltop homes offer stunning views over Squirrel Valley and on some days you can actually see all the way north to Kernersville and Pleasant Valley from here.
41.07
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Although Cypress Ridge Road officially ends here, a quick turn onto Pleasant Valley Road brings us to Crystal Lake Road which would take us through the rest of the hills and ultimately all the way to the Cone River just south of Covington. We'll definitely continue that drive... but that will be for another day.
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
The FAR/FARR will be a great addition to Covington, now closeups will look as perfect as general views :thumbsup:
My favourite pics: 41.05 and 41.06.
I'm very glad that one of my most favourite MDs is still developed!
Adam
nice update I especialy like the train trestle! &apls
So does this mean you can't put them back &mmm
I think I revised this MD for at least 20 times now. And I can't help myself... I'm still amazed! I admire the way you use the new FAR puzzle pieces. I'm trying to do it myself at my huge map, but I'm very slow at doing that, and I'm only placing the roads!!!
Congratulations on an excellent update. Soon you will have to tell me how to create a beautiful train overpass like the one you showed us in this update, my friend!
Saludos!
PABLO,
from Argentina
Nice work there! That's a beautiful area! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
JB, I've said it before and I'm gonna say it again. Your road maps are amazing. Google Maps has nothing on you ;) The curved roads are exactly what you needed I think. They look great. Looking forward to more.
Geoff
Jon, your ideas about creating the quintessential rural region are very much like mine. Only difference is your ability to achieve the look, and my lack of it! &mmm
Cypress Ridge is a beautiful little town, and the fact that it's on the verge of becoming a haven for commuters is over-the-top realistic! Just hope it won't lose too much of its charm in the process, though. Experience has shown that small-town residents often take a stand against too much progress, so maybe the same will hold true here. Folks still treasure that morning walk to the bakery! :)
Later...
Joan
Jon a wonderful update here and a most breathtaking one at that sir!!! 41.05 is my favorite shot by far and its just breathtaking how you pulled it off!!!!
Another excellent update Jon, your FAR/FARR use is always incredible ! The rail viaduct in picture 5 is very nicely done my friend.
Looking forward to more.
Take care,
-Arthur. :thumbsup:
BTW, this is the 600th post of your MD !! Congratulations. &apls &apls &apls
Adam: Thank you so much! It's very nice to see you here again and I'm glad you like the new look. I know I certainly do! ;)
Daniel: Thank you! I could put them back... but I haven't decided whether I will or not. I guess we'll just find out next time we're in the area.
Pablo: Thanks! I'm so glad you like my little fictional corner of the world. I imagine that laying out a road system with FAR from the beginning might almost be a little tougher to do. I've been rather fortunate so far in that most of my replacements fit pretty well with what I already had in place. The rail overpass is simply done with puzzle pieces from the NAM.
Bat: Thank you!
Geoff: Thanks! I agree, these new pieces almost seem custom made for what I was trying to do in the first place. It's almost hard to look back at the older updates now that I've been able to do these lately.
Joan: Thank you! I don't think Cypress Ridge will get too big for a while, but I know exactly what you mean. An old friend of mine was actually writing a book on the subject that she tentatively titled
"Death by Growth." It basically told the story of a small town that grew too fast and brought all the "conviences" of suburbia with it. Suddenly people looked around and wondered, "Well... what happened to that charming little town we moved out here for?" never realizing that they were the ones who killed it.
Pat: Thank you! It's funny that the rail overpass is so popular. It was always there even before I updated the curves... but I guess those extra touches made all the difference.
Arthur: Thank you! And welcome to the new page!
Update Time!!!
I originally thought that upgrading my roads would prove to be a rather boring subject for updates... but ever since I've started showing the new pictures, I keep getting the impression I was wrong. Since you all have such nice things to say about the new look and also seem to like seeing how things turned out, I figured I'd keep revisiting older areas as I continue around the countryside. In this particular case, I'm extremely happy with how things turned out. In fact, this is the first time that I was able to completely upgrade a complete town using FAR without having to leave some spots for later! Let's have a look...
42.01
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You may remember Pleasant Valley from an extremely large update last summer. It's actually still one of my favorite smaller towns in the Piedmont. I thought this would be a very difficult village to upgrade and I was worried that a lot of things would need to change here. In truth, I only needed to replop one or two shops and move a few houses around.
42.02
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A closer look at the main commercial strip along US 421 shows that not many buildings have changed here. I had to move Weatherwax Pharmacy, but a couple other buildings regrew that I like better. Mattb's McDonalds and a credit union are newer additions that I'm rather pleased with.
42.03
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I always liked this corner around the water tower just east of "downtown." Quite a few houses and street intersections got shifted around here, but the end result definitely seems worth it.
42.04
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On the other side of town is where US 421 heads west towards Kernersville. Once again, a number of those houses had to be regrown and the streets don't join up with the roads in several places anymore. I also lost a couple industries on the edge of town, but I just ended up making a couple new zones nearby to even things back out again.
What's that? You'd like an overview of the entire town again? Alright... how about we scroll from east to west along US 421 then.
42.05
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Alright... let's head north of town a little further now.
42.06
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I don't think I showed this area last time, but I liked how it turned out so I figured I would add a couple extra pictures for this update. (After all... I can't really call it an update unless there's at least one new thing!) This is just a little corner up in some of the higher hills north of Pleasant Valley. And of course, being in North Carolina, we certainly love our fried chicken here!
42.07
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Remember this one? The railroad lines from Covington wind around the hills through here north of town. This may have been some of the toughest replacing to do. The overall route is essentially the same, but a number of the details and curves changed significantly.
42.08
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Near the western edge of the region along the same lines is where the rails heading south towards High Point split off. They tunnel briefly through a hill here on their way down towards Kernersville and Cypress Ridge. This didn't come out quite the way I wanted it to, but it's close enough for now.
42.09
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Speaking of Kernersville... it also recieved a small face lift. There is one jog in the road that I couldn't quite get rid of, so we'll wait and see if a diagonal S-curve is in the future and hope for the best. It looks like I have a couple bumps to smooth out anyway, so I'll have to revisit that again later.
Oh what the heck? One more mosaic... just for kicks. This is one of my new favorite roads. :D
42.10
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Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Details details details, Jon that is what it comes down to.... Your sooo right adding those extra details made it stand out all that much more and better tooo!!! BTW 42.01 and 42.07 perfect shots IMHO!!!!
What a NICE set of roads, man! How can you do it so smoothly? did you "drag" those roads by hand? I'm spending 10 mins per each "diagonal to FAR" puzzle piece... and I'm not even started with the train tracks!!!
Congratulations, my friend. You have great skills and you roads flow like no other. I don't even think the creators of the FAR puzzle pieces did ever imagine these kind of results that you are showing us today.
What terrain mod and tree controller are you using? Do you plant all your "green" trees with God Mode tools? Or do you plop then one by one?
Thanks for sharing this with us, master!
Regards,
PABLO,
from Argentina
Some really fantastic pictures there! And the mosaic is also beautiful! Great work! :thumbsup:
Ok I can definetly wait.
Lovely update! I love small peaceful towns don't you. &apls
Pleasant Valley (42.01) is the ultimate, Jon. Definitely a keeper! One vital element I'm seeing in these small-town overviews is the luxury of wide-open spaces. And, of course, the revised road layout makes it look even better.
Of course, the close-up views are stunning in their simplicity, and so very inviting. It amazes me to think we all have the same pool of BATs and props to choose from, yet our arrangement of them is worlds apart - literally! :)
You have done a wonderful job of using FAR/FARR, but you've managed to make it work without all the extra intersections which I now see as unnecessary. And when it comes to mosaics, you're one of the very best. These are really outstanding!
Later...
Joan
Brilliant job with FAR town there! You've done an amazing job of building that urban area around those curved roads! This update is quite inspiring, I hadn't thought of applying these new road styles this aggressively in urban areas. Keep up the amazing work! :thumbsup:
I mentioned this a few minutes ago in another thread, but you've raised the bar for use of the FAR, FARR and rural areas in general. Your renovation of Pleasant valley is particularly good- a great job at showing us a non-linear small town. I'm going to save a few of those screenshots and use them as references while I build a few new small towns. :)
Great work!
Wonderful region, its great to see a region based off of North Carolina because I'm from Hickory! &apls
That is one windy road. Looks like such a nice drive!
Always a pleasure to look at the work you are doing here :thumbsup:
Jon, wonderful update as usual my friend, your way to make the farms field is one of the most realistic I've ever seen. The pleasant valley is a wonderful piece of art my friend. I really love how you make the house in this town.
Looking forward to more.
Take care,
-Arthur. :thumbsup:
Well, I haven' stopped by here in quite sometime... ::)
Your small towns/villages continue to impress. Using the FAR/FARR really makes the pics. Rural areas are an aspect of the game I have not yet mastered, so Covington should help a great deal in the future with that. Splendid work, Jon!
~ Dan
Anychance that you would build an Airport?
Pat: Thank you! The two shots you mentioned are definitely among my favorites as well.
Pablo: Thanks! I've actually not had much experience trying to make these FAR roads from scratch yet, I'm just following the jagged lines I set up before FAR came out... which may actually be easier in my opinion. I'm using Cycledogg's Columbus Terrain Mod and tree controllers. I definitely just go back into God mode to plant all the trees. I'm really not patient enough to plant trees by hand! :D
Bat: Thank you as always!
Daniel: Thanks! I've certainly become a small town lover, although that wasn't always the case. Now that I've lived in rural communities for 10 years though, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Joan: Thank you! I think the reason these two towns came out so well without those extra intersection pieces is simply because they're built around diagonal roads. Some of my other smaller towns which are based around more orthoganal arrangements will definitely be helped by some additional options. You'll probably see what I mean when we revisit towns like Boone and Riedsville... they have been quite a bit tougher to "convert" and at this point still look incomplete.
Battlecat: Thank you! I haven't really gone into the major city areas with FAR yet, but I'm trying to incorporate it into my newer developments as much as possible.
Meinhosen: First of all, welcome back! (I know you've been back a while now, but it's still great to see you here.) Thank you for your comments!
John: Thanks! Ah yes, Hickory... I passed through there many times when I lived in Greensboro. My route from home to my parents house usually took me along I-40 west to I-75 and Hickory was always a big marker on the return trip to let me know that the end of the drive was in sight.
Haljackey: Thank you!
Kwakelaar: Thanks for stopping in!
Arthur: Thank you! I'm so glad you like it.
Dan: Thanks! I've been equally bad about visiting you, so please don't feel bad! ;) I'm glad you like the rural areas... they've kind of become an unintentional highlight around here. I'm not sure how that happened, but it did. :D
Nascar_Guy: I have plans to build an airport eventually... but it probably won't be for a while yet. (I'm still debating where to put it, for one thing.) For now, we'll just pretend that Piedmont International Airport is just west of the region boundaries. ;)
Update Time!!!
Bit of a mixed bag today, really. Covington continues to fill out and different things are happening all over the place. A look at the map would probably come in pretty handy for this update, so let's just start there.
43.01
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I haven't updated some of the newest streets and roads we might see in this update, but this will at least give a pretty good idea of where all these things are happening.
43.02
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The large shopping area continues to develop around Market Street and Interstate 40. A couple more big box stores have moved in as well as some smaller suburban office buildings. Being so close to the expressway makes it an attractive location for the fast food chains too.
43.03
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All this commercial development has also spurred the need for more housing. Several smaller apartment complexes now surround the shopping center before the area eases back into the single family homes. This particular complex is actually wedged between the large shopping area to the south and the commercial strip that continues to grow outward along Market Street.
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So I guess this may be a better example of apartment complexes filling in the transitional areas. Industries line the rails just south of this complex and commercial areas along Coldwater Boulevard sit to the east. Just north of all of this mess is the beginning of the single family homes that surround much of Judith Cameron Memorial Hospital.
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On the other side of town, a new church and school were built to serve all the new residents along Holden Road. There continues to be a bit of a housing boom in this area as well. The city recently released plans for a large shopping area, possibly even a mall, near the intersection of Holden and High Point Roads. With Koury Medical Center already so close to the property in question, many developers have jumped at the opportunity to get in early and start building. Of course, the whole idea could still backfire if the shopping center gets blocked or possibly moved elsewhere.
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Unfortunately, all this speculation has claimed a few victims. A handful of small shops filled this corner long ago, but they were mostly just a convenience for commuters who might stop on their way through. A couple farmers decided that this might be a good time to sell out, and one of them found a buyer who saw some potential for the commercial zoning already in place at what he hoped might become a much busier corner.
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And sometimes, that's how subdivions are born. Amidst many protests, this new housing was ultimately approved and one farm is no more.
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The city of High Point is also overflowing its borders. This subdivision, also off of High Point Road, is just across the US 29 Bypass. This was formerly a wooded area, so no farms were lost here, but it is a trend that disturbs a number of people and also puts added pressure on nearby farmers.
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Not all of these developments are based on paving the country side. This subdivision off Market Street was a trailer park for decades. Recently the entire parcel changed hands and the new developer wanted to see something different here. So he paved the old dirt roads and is slowly replacing the old mobile homes with more traditional housing. Given the distance from Covington, he apparently decided to start modestly, but I have a feeling these houses will ultimately be built over again with larger suburban homes.
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As the city continues to expand, the conveniences keep pushing further out. An independant grocery store used to occupy this corner. The golden arches bought him out and a new gas station wasn't far behind. Don't you just love progress?
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The good news is that there is still a lot of open space to fill. I think the majority of the farms will remain safe for quite some time. ;)
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Wow JB, you're new apartment buildings look great in the game. I see those styles all over the place.
Very nice update.
Geoff
Ah...
Your city is pretty beautiful. The frams give me a peaceful feeling :D
And I think your trains are a little short.. ;D
Since you were kind enough to stop lurking over at Nyhaven, I think it's high time I return the favor.
I've never been to North Carolina (the closest I've been is DC), but if it's anything like Covington, it must be beautiful. These latest subdivisions look superb, like the others, and the raisons d'être you give them are very believable. I may tend to build bigger cities, but your ability to fill a whole region with mile after mile of stunning rural beauty with small towns here and there is truly something I aspire to (although it would take me much longer to fill Nyhaven's region up, as it's monstrously huge). Keep doing what you're doing, Jon; it's incredible!
Later,
Zack
Hi, JB!
Thanks for sharing this. I use another terrain mod by Cycledogg (Missouri breaks), and its tree controller. That's why I asked... My trees seem much more mixed, and maybe I'd like a more regular tree controller to play with god mode.
Amazing update and congrats on your new housing developments and the LEX uploads... as soon as I get to build houses in my region, I'll get them!
The region shot is A M A Z I N G
Greetings,
Pablo
Jon, your city growin fast and faster ! It's always great to see its development. That last update is very nice my friend.
Take care,
-Arthur. :thumbsup:
Coming along nicely there! You're so right about the pattern of development, with individual farms being broken up into suburbs.
Geesh you don't stop do you? Awesome region view and map! I also enjoyed the close ups. Nice work! :thumbsup:
Great work on these parts of your city!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Excellent update, Jon, and the annotated map is a great help. I always have the feeling I'm in a real place when I visit Covington - maybe that's because you treat it like a real place! :)
The new apartments look wonderful, more so because they're so close to what I'm used to seeing. 43.05 is worth staring at for quite a while. The details are all there but not overdone or cluttered. A career in commercial art left its mark on me - advertisers always wanted every square inch of the space they paid for to be filled, and it's been a difficult habit to break.
Of course, an update wouldn't be complete without some farmland. I'm a bit surprised to see fields swallowed by development, but that is the normal course of RL. We see it all the time but tend to enjoy the new-found conveniences and admire the pretty houses rather than mourn the loss of another farm I guess.
Later...
Joan
Jon, Jon, Jon...I've been a way for far too long, my friend--I must apologize.
I see that things are business as usual here in Covington, though--the best neighborhoods around, amazing region views, outstanding farms--and lest we forget the maps! Your work is always an inspiration, Jon, and I promise to make it over here much more.
Take care, my friend!
Dustin
Oh you made more buildings! and I love the gas station and mc donalds.
Geoff: Thanks! I'm pretty happy with how all the new apartments turned out. Seeing them all over the place was really kind of the point... I wanted to recreate that rather bland suburban feel that so many of these complexes seem to have.
Nathaniel: Thank you and welcome to Covington! Yes... the trains are a bit short in these pictures. I guess that's just because there isn't much else out in this area. ;)
Zack: Thank you and another big southern welcome to you as well! I don't know if North Carolina
really looks like this, but it is definitely my inspiration and I hope I'm doing it some small sort of justice. I really enjoy your MD and all the urban expansions that you show. The fact that this MD became a rural showcase was more of a mistake than anything else. Either way, I'm very please (and a bit humbled) that you like it!
Pablo: Thank you so much! I'll have to double check exactly which of the tree controllers I'm using. I actually think that I may have changed it when I got the LEX-DVD... I've noticed that when updating my roads with FAR pieces that the trees I replant don't always match up with what used to be there. :D I'm glad you like the new apartments. Lord knows I spent far too long sitting on them!
Arthur: Thank you!
Battlecat: Thanks! Unfortunately, it seems the farms always tend to suffer when it comes time for the city to grow.
Haljackey: Thanks! I guess I have kept myself fairly busy the last couple weeks... :D
Bat: Thank you as always, my friend!
Joan: Thank you! I always try to view this as a real place. Everything I do here goes through my own little mental filter that asks if this would actually happen or not. I'll be the first to admit that I take some liberties here and there, but for the most part, I try to follow patterns similar to those which I have observed in real life.
Dustin: Dustin! Thank you so much for stopping by again... even if I did have to guilt you into it... :D I've always appreciated your support here and it's great to hear the thoughts of a newly crowned master. ;)
Daniel: Me? Make more buildings? That doesn't sound right at all... $%Grinno$% Thanks for stopping in! I thought that little corner was a nice example of how suburbia can creep in all ninja stealth like...
Well... this officially marks my 1000th post on this wonderful site that I like to call home. There's really only one good way to reach that milestone, in my opinion. That way is quite simply...
Update Time!!!
We're headed back up towards Redhawk Ridge today. As you will see, the hills are alive with the sound of... um... construction? Something like that...
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Remember that huge school the city needed to build to keep up with the housing boom up on the north side? Today we'll see just why they needed all that space. The hills and even the valleys are blanketed with suburban development. This overview just shows how much the area has grown as of late.
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Ahhh... cul-de-sacs! They're everywhere up here. I still don't understand them myself... but people sure do seem to enjoy living on one! In the background is a seemingly random apartment complex which is also just a big circle all to itself. I think it's really all a big plot to force people to drive to their next door neighbor's house... or maybe people just don't want to see their neighbors? Hmmm...
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A closer look shows some of the elevation changes a little better. Mildred, an 83 year old widow who lives in the older house with the palm tree out front, has been asked to sell her house several times by people who want to build something newer and nicer on the site. She has consistently refused saying that she loves to sit at her window and watch the school busses and children across the street. Most people walk away baffled, but I think she might have a pretty good point. Where else would she find a view like the one she has now?
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There must be a few other "hangers on" like Mildred left in Redhawk Ridge. Every now and then, we still find the random small house that seems dwarfed by the surrounding McMansions. The funny thing is that these are probably the only people who can afford their mortgages. (But we probably shouldn't go into all that, should we?)
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Oooh look! Another cul-de-sac! (The rest of the caption for this particular picture was rejected by the lawyers for reasons I have yet to figure out... sorry)
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By now, you may be wondering what is spurring all this development. Well... basically Cone Boulevard is turning into the shopping mecca of northern Covington. The avenue is lined with stores of all shapes and sizes offering everything people could possibly need for the new home they just bought up here. And if some people can't afford to buy a house, developers are happy to build apartments too. Everybody wins really!
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The intersection of Cone Boulevard and Summit Avenue is becoming a very busy spot. Shops and restaurants fill every spot they can. It's honestly amazing that the little taco place can even afford the lease on this corner anymore, but he seems to be hanging on pretty well. They must have some really amazing burritos! (By the way... this is probably a good place to point out that there is no such thing as a soft shell taco here. In fact the owner of this establishment would argue that such a thing does not even exist. Tacos come with hard shells... burritos come in flour tortillas. I recommend you don't get the guy started... trust me on this one.)
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Just beyond the intersection is another one of those apartment complexes along I-85. The idea worked so well with the Sutter Ridge and Goober Terrace developments to the south that people just can't stop building these things! This particular complex, known as Pheasant Run, offers very easy access to the expressway. It also offers a $25 gift card to Applebee's for any new lease, although your application does need to be approved before you can actually get the card.
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A closer look at Pheasant Run shows that they really try to take care of their residents. They even added a nice open area for everyone's enjoyment. It looks like the caretakers are falling behind on garbage collection though. Perhaps I better call the managers and let them know.
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It's just a not a Covington update without that anymore, is it?
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
The development (and redevelopment) is progressing nicely. As for the cul-de-sac... I'd hate to get the lawyers involved, but I have to wonder what would be kept out (unless it's a comment about the sheer number of cul-de-sacs in which case, I can only imagine). I like the apartments too. I personally prefer a bit of land, but you make those things look good. Do you have a secret for getting them to grow so well? I tried to get a few (the 4x2 Stratton I believe it was, and a few 3x2s) in an area that was at least supporting apartments at that point. Is there a trick to getting them going? I got a few, but not where I had hoped. Nice update. Also is that burrito story something derived from a RL experience? Also, congratulations on the 1000th post.
-Matt
Wonderful work on that city! The overview looks beautiful! Great work on it! And looking forward to more from Covington! :thumbsup:
That's quite the batch of subdivisions there, it's all looking fantastic. I love the diversity of homes in that area.
I think the main idea behind Cul-de-sacs was to create dead end streets that larger trucks and vehicles could turn around without too much trouble. That way you don't need to create a full grid where drivers can speed/shortcut through residential neighbourhoods, instead you can have dead end roads with cul-de-sacs that feed into arterial roads.
Jon,
It's always a pleasure to come and visit your eyecandy of an MD. With your curvy transprtation networks and you uncanny knack for biulding your city around it always amazes me. &apls I wish I could find half your patience for doing this.
Robin :thumbsup:
Great job on the new appartments I also like the old ones you've recently uploaded thanks! I've always liked appartments and coach homes they always make me feel cozy. I'm actualy intrested in living in one of those so please tell me out of these places ...
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Wich ones are bigger from biggest to smallest.
wich one has a better kitchen from best to least.
how many bedrooms and baths each one has in a list.
how much each one costs.
please and thank you.
First of all, congratulations on achieving more than 1,000 posts, Jon. When I reached that milestone, everybody just said I talk too much! :D
You really know how to preserve the small-town flavor even in the slightly larger towns and neighborhoods. Redhawk Ridge is a classic example of the eclectic charm I associate with the deep South - apartment buildings blended with a variety of stately homes and a few "Mildreds" thrown in for good measure!
Although I've never been a fan of apartment complexes, Pheasant Run (44.08)would be a prime choice should the need ever arise. Your choice of location is flawless, BTW. It makes perfect sense to have it next to main thoroughfares. There is much to be seen, appreciated and learned in Covington.
Later...
Joan
Look at those neighborhoods! I'm at a loss, Jon! Just at a loss.
One of my favorite things to do is come up with what I think of as "fabricated chaos"--where things look random, but they were created to look that way. I'm not sure if that's what you were going for with the residential areas, but that's what it reminds me of, and it looks absolutely fantastic, my friend. The winding roads and the culs-de-sac (not cul-de-sacs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cul-de-sac)!), everything just looks stunning!
I'll definitely be back to see what you have for us next, my friend!
Take care!
Dustin
I'm in love with that last picture. &apls
This is excellent. Just excellent. More than an inspiration. I'm not playing SC4 very much, but when I do, I play Covington style (or at least I try... ::) )
I really think you mastered the art of putting those small houses together with trains, avenues, retail stores and even highways! Not a simple task to do... and your road layouts always amaze me. Congratulations on the best looking region shot ever
Regards,
Pablo
I want a patition stating that all the historic homes in harmony hills will all be historical while the $ homes can give way to newer homes. do you agree if so sign please. ;)
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Are these residentials Close to being release? I hate to ask but they are great and would look good in my burbs!
Matt: Thanks! Unfortunately, I can't say what the lawyers objected to underneath that picture. However, I can tell you that the only reason I wrote that was because I really didn't have a caption to begin with. :D There isn't really much of a secret to making these grow in clusters... just a lot of patience, I guess. There is a lot of competition in this particular lot size, so it can definitely be tough. They do seem to grow better if you zone (medium density) in the actual lot size of 3x2 or 4x2 using the ctrl key, as opposed to letting the zones grow together. About the only other suggestion I can offer is to disable the Euro building style to cut out some of the competitors... none of my apartments are set to grow in that style anyway. Nothing really behind the burrito story... it's just always been my personal opinion that Taco Bell made up the idea of soft shell tacos which just went on to confuse people who don't know any better. :D
Bat: Thank you!
Battlecat: Thank you! I definitely understand the theory behind the modern subdivision... I just tend to question whether or not it's actually a good idea. ;)
Robin: Thank you so much! The general layout of Covington has always been a challenge for me really. Growing up in the midwest, everything was based heavily on grids so that when I moved to North Carolina the idea of a large city without much of a grid just fascinated me. The challenge of building without the grid here has always just been part of the fun for me though... it also adds to the interest for me while playing and trying to figure out how to make things fit.
Daniel: Thanks! Well, let's see... in the order of your posting, we have: Pheasant Run, Evergreen Hills, Camalot Apartments, Goober Terrace (just my name for this particular complex), and Stratton Apartments. I can't really tell you much about Goober Terrace simply because SimGoober made them. ;) The others are all typically 2BR, one bath apartments... Evergreen Hills probably offers the most space, but is probably the most expensive. Camalot Apartments are probably the cheapest based on their location. I'll see if I can get a leasing agent in contact with you for more details. :D
Joan: Thank you! I always appreciate your thoughts, so as far as I'm concerned, you just keep right on talking! :D Redhawk Ridge certainly has a little bit of everything to offer. Things seem to be mixing together here in ways that I honestly didn't anticipate when I first started developing this area. As for the placement of Pheasant Run, it just seemed to me that a lot of these suburban apartment complexes tend to develop along the busier roads where traffic noise would be a little too much for those that can afford their own postage stamp lawn. ;)
Dustin: Thank you! I'm so glad you like how things are coming together here. Thanks also for teaching me the plural form of cul-de-sac... I guess that's what happens when we try to steal other languages, huh? :D "Fabricated chaos" is a perfect description of building these areas. They look as if there is no rhyme or reason to them, but (as I'm sure you know) they definitely involve quite a bit of forethought and planning to make them fit together. The toughest part is usually laying out the side streets in ways that will allow the most zones without too many "unservicable" gaps. After that, I just unpause the game and hope for the best.
Glowbal: Thank you so much!
Pablo: Thank you! You're very kind.
Daniel: I had to look back a couple pages to remember where you meant, but I think the older part of Harmony Hills (which is actually the western side) stands a good chance of gaining Historic District protection. Parts of The Barrens are also under consideration for the same treatment.
Fantnet: Since the MD section is somewhat based on post counts, your question would have been more appropriate in my BAT thread please. In that thread, I have already mentioned that these buildings are currently being tested and will be released as soon as they can be. In the meantime... being tested means I get to test them too! ;)
Update Time!!!
Time to leave Covington again for a minute or two. Since I've somehow gained the reputation of having a rural MD, I guess we shouldn't stay in the city too much. So, in the meantime, here's a short little FAR upgrade again. I'm still slowly working my way around the region and have been in the northeast corner lately.
45.01
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Perhaps you'll remember Stokesdale from last summer. This is the little town that hosts the Ukraine Independence Day parade every August. I managed to make this town work without any major changes, although a couple side streets were rerouted.
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A closer look shows that most of the village remains the same. We'll try to come back again later in the summer and see if the new photographer can do a better job of covering the parade this year.
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You may recall that north of Stokesdale along Squirrel Valley Road is the town of Salem. This particular area needed a lot of work to get the smoother look finished and several buildings ended up having to be changed. I really liked the way the roads on the left (one of which is state highway 46) come together on the west side of town.
45.04
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A closer look at the intersection of Squirrel Valley Road and NC-46 shows some of the businesses that had to be moved or even changed to make the new curves fit. Fortunately for everyone, that gas station and car dealership are still there! (The taco stand did have to go though... I guess you'll have to head back into Covington for that.)
45.05
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Just another angle of the same place. It appears that they still haven't fertilized the lawn for the parsonage next door to the church. It looks as if a few of the other homes around here could use a fresh coat of paint too. Maybe the taco stand was a more important part of the town than anyone ever realised... hopefully things will bounce back soon.
45.06
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This is just a random intersection along NC 46 that I simply liked the looks of. Beyond that, this picture really serves no purpose... :D
Oh, alright... another FAR mosaic, I suppose. North of Interstate 40, the US 29 freeway once again reverts to its original two lane highway alignment. (Tried messing with a few effects on this one too... just for kicks)
45.07
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Thanks for reading!!!
JB
i'd like Stratton terrace you know the one thats a blue coach home with a deck and outside stairs and is 2 floors. :thumbsup: great job on the update by the way!
Another superb update Jon, your village are as usual very realistic ! Also, the foggy effect is a great touch my friend.
Take care,
-Arthur. :thumbsup:
Some fantastic pictures there of that area!
And picture 45.07 is looking wonderful!! Great work on it! :thumbsup:
Jon, I'm amazed at how easily you've changed over to FAR/FARR - or how easy you make it look! I'm still "FAR" from being experienced enough at planning to forgo "easy" intersections. though.
The screen grabs are lovely - 45.03 is well worth further study - but 45.05 really got my attention. The peeling paint on that building in the lower right quad fits in perfectly. It reminds me of the town I moved from three years ago, and the town of 5,000+ where I shop for groceries now. Guess the slightly-run-down look has become an integral part of a small town scene to me.
The mosaic was a fine idea for rounding out a great update. It really shows the FAR in action - a long winding country road with little pockets of civilization separated by vast expanses of farmland. You really got to the heart of the heartland with that one!
Later...
Joan
Incredible work, Jon!
I agree with Joan 100%--you've really made the FAR/FARR look spectacular! And that mosaic is outstanding, too! I love the Photoshopping effect, especially. Excellent stuff, my friend. Excellent stuff!
Can't wait to see more!
Dustin
Very nice MD.... This my good sir is what i am Striving for with My MD , Weymouth, Maine.
Two questions.
In the picture 44.03, Is that highschool downloadable? also my second question is about the same pic.
The rock ground texture you have on the slope. What is that and where do i find it?
Thanks,
ever
If I may answer your questions, evertonforever1, the school in 44.03 is JB's own John Novac Consolidated School from his School Pack Volume Four [linkie] (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1919), and the rock texture is part of jeronij's Residential and Rural Diagonal Walls Set V1 [linkie] (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=168).
Once again, Jon, you've brought us some really high-quality work. That mosaic in particular is simply stunning! You are truly have the master's touch with the FAR(R) and NAM curves. Great work!
Wonderful update as usual, Jon! Your mosaic is stunning and it shows the whole spirit of Covington and its countryside. Really good looking.
I don't know how you manage to keep it this simple. It's so simple it's almost real! I tend to fill every square of the grid, and then I don't like what I got. But you play with empty spaces as if these were the main pieces of the puzzle, and certainly they are the most difficult pieces to place...
Congrats!
Regards,
Pablo
Nice use of FAR. The mosaic was brilliant - great work, and excellent editing too!
The time you're putting into the retrofit is most definitely paying off. When you follow those winding roads in your mosaics you get a great effect. I love it. Will you be tempted to do another retrofit when curved streets are released?
Geoff
Wow, this is some ridiculously good stuff. I've always been a fan of your buildings, but I've never bothered to check out your MD before (probably because I spend more time looking at the pretty eye candy over on the "show us your..." threads than in the MDs.)
I especially like the part
waaaaaaaaayyy back there where you show the methods and techniques you use to design your farmland; I'll definitely have to keep some of those tricks in mind when I get around to developing the rural parts of the new region I'm planning out right now.
And the region shots showing how everything has grown over time are great, too.
And, I definitely agree with this.....
Quote from: sandokan on June 17, 2009, 06:17:35 AM
I don't know how you manage to keep it this simple. It's so simple it's almost real! I tend to fill every square of the grid, and then I don't like what I got. But you play with empty spaces as if these were the main pieces of the puzzle, and certainly they are the most difficult pieces to place.
Well put.
Beautiful rural area! Impressive your way to develop the city in the game!
Daniel: Thanks! A leasing agent should have been in touch with you about Stratton Apartments... hopefully your application was in good order and you've moved in already! ;)
Arthur: Thank you, my friend!
Bat: Thanks! It sounds as if my photo editing skills aren't as bad as I thought... :D
Joan: Thank you! The peeling paint kind of bothered me when I took the pictures, but now that you mention it I guess it really did work out for the better. ;)
Dustin: Thank you so much, Dustin!
Ever: Thank you! I'm glad Zack answered your questions earlier and that you didn't have to wait around for me. It is also worth mentioning that the John Novak school comes in two varieties... one is the K-12 (elementary and high school combined) that he mentioned, the other is a standard (albeit very large!) elementary school. Have fun and stop by anytime!
Zack: Thanks for the help and also the kind words!
Pablo: Thank you for all your thoughts! It honestly took me a long time to get "good" at playing with empty space. It's still a challenge for me to remember at times, but the results are always worth it, so I try not to pack things too tightly unless it really fits the area I'm in.
Connor: Thank you and welcome to North Carolina! (or at least my version of it...)
Geoff: Thanks! I do like how the mosaics almost force you to follow the curves while scrolling. I have the curved streets now, but I'm not sure how much I may or may not use them just yet. Time will tell... ;)
Chibytuga: Thank you and welcome to Covington! I'm glad the farming descriptions will be useful too.
Tomas: Thank you and welcome to you as well!
Things have been a bit hectic again lately... I've been bouncing around these boards like crazy over the last couple days trying to do too many things at once. The trouble is that I really
want to do them all... and quickly... but apparently I'm not a machine. ::) Anyway... things are also progressing in Covington and I think it's time for everyone here to pick the next update again!
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You may be able to see the areas I've been building in, but maybe not. I have two choices for you here, so please cast your vote and we'll check that place out next!
- Celebration Hills - to the west of town near Celebration Square
- The Great Unnamed - the latest developments around the Holden Road train yards
Thanks for reading and don't forget to leave your choice here!!!
JB
Gaaaaaaaaaaaasp!!! What was that Jon your not a machine lol hehehe... Who would ever think that one lol??? Anyhow I wanna see the great unknown where no man has boldly gone before!! Oooh sorry wrong forums to talk like that heheheh but till next time Jon have a good one and remember to reboot once in awhile *snickering*
Celebration Hills. ;D
one vote for The Great Unnamed :thumbsup:
Don't worry too much about making a lot of progress if RL is keeping you busy, Jon - those hectic times affect us all every so often. What progress you've made lately looks great as usual; I'd be most interested to see how you're handling integrating suburbia with, erm, industria, near the railyards. So that's another vote for the Great Unnamed.
Keep up the great work!
Zack
I'll make it even with a vote for Celebration Hills! How can you go wrong with a great name like that?
Oh, and extraordinary region shot, Jon--but that's par for the course here!
Take care, my friend!
Dustin
Yes, what Dustin said. I love your region shots. But I think I would enjoy seeing The Great Unnamed. I'm curious to see the Holden Road Train Yards.
Take care.
Geoff
That's a fantastic region map Jon, that show the hard work you put in your region to make it as realistic as possible ! &apls
Take care,
-Arthur. :thumbsup:
CELEBRATION HILLS
The Great Unnamed.
BTW, Jon, you can add a poll by editing the first post of this thread.
I would like to see: The Great Unnamed
Officially Unlurk
Best--
Ethan
Isn't there going to be an update soon its been a week without an update. &ops
I'd like to vote for the Great Unnamed too. Sounds interesting.
Quote from: danielcote on July 03, 2009, 08:29:45 AM
Isn't there going to be an update soon its been a week without an update. &ops
I know... if it makes you feel any better though, I've worked about 85 hours during that same week! ::)
Thanks to everyone for the votes! I'll hopefully have a chance to get something together over the next couple days, but we'll see what happens.
Until then,
JB
Great map, and looking forward to the Celebration Hills (which I vote for...) ;)
btw, my 7100th post!
Nice work as always Jon and I liked that cloud effect from the last update. As for the next area to hit, though it might go without saying, I vote for the rails of The Great Unnamed. I'd imagine that, though it may be unnamed, it certainly hasn't been left unNAMed. Looking forward to seeing what you've been up to.
-Matt
I liked the cloud effect too!
hello arn't you going to keep this lovely cj alive? &ops
Daniel, he does have a real life to attend to. Don't worry, JB is just busy BATting new pieces for the University.
Bat: Thank you for stopping in to vote!
Matt: Thanks! Parts of the latest area have indeed been NAMmed, although not to the extent that the rural areas have been.
Driftmaster: Thanks!
Danielcote: I'm trying to... the doctors assure me that they're doing everything possible! ;)
Dragonshardz: Real life... university stuff, FAB stuff, and now hillside stuff... I think I've overdone it again!
Well, I know that I stopped by last month to say that I was hoping to have an update here and obviously that didn't pan out. Summer camp kept me busier than even I expected (and you'd think that I of all people would know better by now!) and I really didn't have much time to get things back on track here. That being said, I started putting the next update together yesterday!
We will definitely be visiting The Great Unnamed (which at this point still has no name) either later today or tomorrow. My apologies for the delays... thank you for your patience... and watch this space for things coming soon!
JB
Hehehe... y'all didn't think I'd really be back so soon, did you?
I don't really blame you :D
Update Time!!!
Well, the votes were in favor of the latest developments around the Covington Railyards. I was actually a bit surprised by that, to be honest... but my opinion doesn't really mean much in this instance, so who cares? Let's start with a slightly updated map:
46.02
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As you can see, the Great Unnamed finally has a name! This rather mixed up neighborhood is known as Crescent Park and takes its name from... you guessed it... Crescent Park. Generally bordered by I-85, Holden Road, and the main line to High Point, this neighborhood blends right into Wheaton Hills near Wheaton High School.
46.03
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A closer look at Crescent Park shows that it is a pretty little spot. The park was supposedly named for its shape, although one could argue that this may have been a bit of a stretch. Walking paths enter the park from the side streets, although it appears that they haven't quite finished paving them yet! A large fountain is the centerpiece of this park and a statue of somebody famous watches over the busier intersection to the south.
46.04
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The neighborhood itself radiates out from the park. Considering how far we are from downtown, this is a fairly old neighborhood. Many older homes can still be found here, but the popularity of the park and proximity to many major employers keeps this area in a constant state of rebuilding. Many newer and larger houses have been built here to take advantage of the views.
46.05
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Just to the west of the park is the local elementary school. Kelley Elementary was built around the same time as Wheaton High School to ease strain on the school in Wheaton Hills. Unfortunately, no one had predicted how much this area would grow over the years, and this building is quickly becoming pretty crowded. The school board is busy arguing over whether to build another third school nearby or consolidate into a much larger building. Time will tell...
46.06
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The reason for the overcrowding is pretty obvious if we take a look across the street. This apartment complex alone is home to nearly 2000 residents. When the city selected Holden Road for the massive railyards, many homes that had been nearby suffered the consequences. Holden Road was elevated to serve as a barrier around the yards and also make rail crossings safer. Several blocks of homes were cut off from their old traffic patterns and redevelopment came to the rescue. With all the industry to the south and the Koury commercial center to the west, the need for housing led to an apartment boom during recent years.
46.07
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Just south of Crescent Park is another, albeit smaller, example of the apartments bordering this neighborhood. Holden Road passes overhead and large industrial warehouses are located just to the southeast.
46.08
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Heading north back into the heart of Crescent Park and towards Wheaton Hills, we see a couple throwbacks to the layout of Wheaton Hills and nearby Oak Park. A few more of those long narrow parks line the streets here. This picture also shows just how many of the older houses have disappeared from this area.
46.09
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You're probably getting the idea by now that Wheaton Hills, Oak Park, and Crescent Park seem to have a lot of similarities. It's been mentioned before, but the construction of Interstate 85 really wreaked havoc with this part of the city. Before the freeway came through, all three neighborhoods were joined together and one spilled into the other. The large highway changed many of the "official" neighborhood borders regardless of where the areas used to transition. It's been a long time and the area has certainly healed itself, but a number of dead end streets still remind residents of the past.
46.10
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The rail line to High Point marks the western edge of Crescent Park. There is no sound wall here, but a rather thick line of trees generally keeps the noise down. Originally a freight line, the traffic on these tracks is getting heavier thanks to several commuter stations along its route. If rail commuting continues to catch on between High Point and Covington, it is possible that the freight traffic will have to be rerouted through The Flats.
46.11
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Just across the tracks is the edge of what is commonly known as the Koury commercial center. Koury Medical Center currently anchors this area, but the newer professional building next door is just a hint of things to come for this area. We'll have to visit all that another time though.
46.12
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As nice as this neighborhood is, it may be easy to forget just how close some of the city's uglier sections really are. Pull back a little bit and you can see that this area is under pressure from all sides. The large industrial park and the refinery both have interests in expanding beyond the Holden Road corridor, but for now they're being told to look in other directions. The face of the neighborhood will surely continue to change, but hopefully it will retain the residential character that has made it such a popular place to live.
46.13
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And of course... the latest parting region shot. ;)
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Jon, Covington continues to impress. Crescent Park is another fine example of your great building skills, and I'll have to take some of the ideas you've shown here and apply them to Nyhaven. Great work, and I look forward to the next update!
Zack
Yay you're back! Nice development there im impressed especialy how you get to grow what you want where you want!
Good stuff; worth the wait. I especially like the apartment complex.
Is always good to see an update on your MD, and fantastic update again!!!
Looks great, JB, though I have to ask what the triangular building in 46.11 is. I assume the school is from your school packs?
And whatever happened to that convention center that spanned an avenue?
Covinton Has Connected To The Rest Of The Region!
Great update, Jon, I can see why this took a while. That's a great neighbourhood, and I kinda want to make my home there. (Of course thats the 1.., scratches head, 7, ...no that's not it.... hmm carry the 6, oh! The Umphmillionth time thats happened in Covington.)
Can't wait for more
Ethan
wat amazing update, i love the residential neighborhoods :thumbsup:
I miss some update there, I'm terribly sorry my friend ! :'(
Well, that update looks very nice, I always like your city building style my friend, and it's always awesome to see how the FAR-FARR fit perfectly in that area. I really love the last picture - not the region view but the last picture of that area - it looks so like a great place to live in.
Take care,
-Arthur. :thumbsup:
Fantastic job all around! I love how organic your suburban areas are. It just looks fantastic!
Quick question, in shot 46.09, what trail set is that beside the two baseball diamonds?
Excellent update Jon. Though the update as a whole is great, I think 46.09 just stands out as my favorite picture for the update (and certainly one of the best from the whole MD). It just has a great composition with the park, the open grassy area, the nice looking houses, and the paths... I've seen them before... bike trails I think I know them as... SFBT? At any rate, it all combines to create an area that, I think, may be nicer than Oak Park. I know they were part of the same area before the highway (which unfortunately happens more than it should), and that feel carries over, but this is still my favorite of the two.
I'm also impressed with your ability to get those apartments of yours to grow like that. Is it a zoning trick you use, or how long did it take to get them clustered like that? I've been trying, but it hasn't quite been working out as it should. You seem to have pulled it off effortlessly. the region shot too is, as usual, excellent.
Take ti easy Jon.
-Matt
Excellent update! I saw the word railyards and it was music to my ears (I'm probably just as bad as Nardo when it comes to love of railways). But RRs aside, you showed some great development. The growth of the small apartment complexes looks good (I hope they grow that well in my own regions), and your new professional building looks good. Still love your regional shots.
Keep up the great work Jon!
ps. I still can't believe you're using that awful looking Maxis passenger train... maybe it's time for an upgrade to Amtrak? :P
Jon, every time I look at your city map it amazes me. I'm sure the map alone has consumed hours of spare time, but it's well worth it to those of us who follow Covington.
The park turned out well, and there you go again with more fetching neighborhoods (46.04, .05) and the apartment complex. I really like the looks of it – it fits perfectly into the surrounding neighborhood. For some reason, 46.08 is especially appealing – perhaps it's the eclectic mix of houses. And 46.12 is a great overview shot which shows how all the different elements are tied together. In fact, it's a superb screen grab which shows the level of planning and detail you are famous for! :)
Great update this time...
Joan
Zack: Thank you! I've been lurking in Nyhaven again, but I need to go leave some comments soon!
Daniel: Thanks! Getting what I want to grow in the right places is never difficult... just a lesson in patience! :D
Chibytuga: Thanks!
Tomas Neto: Thank you as well!
Dragonshardz: Thanks! The anglular building is another great on by Spa... the Jean Cranfield Building (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1766). The convention center is still under construction. Basically, I need to dust the darn thing off and finish it! :D
Ethan: Thank you so much! Covington is indeed a great place to live. ;) And I hadn't even noticed until you mentioned it that this marked the first time I entirely connected the city with everything else. Maybe I should pay a bit more attention to what I'm doing... ::)
Nexis4Jersey: Thanks!
Arthur: Thank you! No need to apologize... the updates took a pretty long time to get here anyway.
Battlecat: Thank you! As our good friend, Matt mentioned. the paths are indeed an SFBT set... SFBT Park Set medium wealth (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=797) to be exact.
Matt: Thank you! I was quite happy with 46.09 as well... the church just seemed to fit well right there across from the high school athletic fields. I'm not sure if I would go so far as to say I like this area better than Oak Park, but that's mostly due to my affinity for older homes. ;) I really don't use any tricks to get the apartments grown in clusters like that. It's mostly just a combination of Maxis blockers (along with a very few I've made for my own tastes) and a whole lot of bulldozing. I just keep making historic and bulldozing the others until they're all the right ones.
Meinhosen: Thank you! There probably wasn't quite as much rail in this update as you may have been hoping for. I still have some work to do on updating to FARR and STR in most parts of the city. You're absolutely right... I really need to replace my train skins. I used to have some installed, but I think they got lost in the switchover to this computer. Time to go searching... ;)
Joan: Thank you! I was very happy with the neighborhood overview as well. It honestly turned out better than I expected. I could see the transitional areas in my head when I started, but it wasn't until I put the update together that I was sure whether or not I had succeeded. I'm glad you like the maps... ;)
Speaking of eating up spare time on maps, I've seen quite a few of the Google inspired maps around here and I always thought it might be fun to have an even closer look available for Covington. So, with that in mind... this is just a bit of a teaser:
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It will be a very long time before this is completed for the entire city, and I doubt that I'll even do the entire region... but it gives me something to tinker with when inspiration fails me. ;)
JB
That map is stunning, Jon. I would say no more is necessary, but then you would stop.
Ethan
Looks Great but arnt you going to put labels on it?
That map looks absolutely wonderful, Jon! It really looks like Google. Would you care to share your methods in making it?
Daniel: I'd assume so, especially considering Jon said it isn't done yet.
Oh boy, this is going to be great! You've done a fine job on that map, but that's no surprise. Funny how our regions eventually take on a life of their own, isn't it!
That is indeed a very nice map!
Wonderful map! I could never come close to doing that, so I admire anyone and everyone that can do maps with such precision as you have here! :)
-Jason
The map looks excellent so far, and your last updates have been interesting to follow (as always :))
Great map JB. I've seen a couple of these Google inspired maps now and I'm really curious to know how they are being created. Is there a trick to it or is this your raw Adobe Illustrator talent on display?
Geoff
it was so looong ago that i last commented here... (it was more than a year ago)
it took me many hours to read all updates i had missed, that now i can't remember which one i liked most.
anyway, y wanted to stop here just to say this is wonderful. i'm trying to start playing again and reading this md just inspired me to do so.
mauricio.
Where can I find the warehouse bats from the lower left hand corner of the picture?
Quote from: JBSimio on August 24, 2009, 05:08:11 PM
Hehehe... y'all didn't think I'd really be back so soon, did you? I don't really blame you :D
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa104/JBSimio93/Covington_46-12.jpg
46.12
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Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Ethan: Thanks! Don't worry... I won't be stopping any time soon.
Daniel: Thank you! Of course I'm going to label things... what a silly question. :D
Zack: Thanks! My methods are the same as the original maps I've shown here. Just a lot of tedious tracing with a substandard image program. ;)
Joan: Thank you! I had a pretty good feeling you would appreciate the idea!
Glowbal: Thanks!
Jason: Thank you!
Kwakelaar: Thank you! I'm glad you like everything!
Geoff: Thanks! Nope... this is my raw patience with MS Paint! :D
Mauricio: Thank you so much! It's great to see you again... welcome back!
Fantnet: Most of the warehouses and industries you see in that corner are from SimGoober and Jestarr.
Update Time!!!
Covington's growth is spreading all over the map! There's a few places to look at today, and I thought we'd start with Celebration Hills on the west side.
47.01
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Celebration Hills is suburbia at its best (or worst, depending on how you view suburbia!). Trees and open spaces abound between the various subdivisions. Tucked into the hills overlooking Celebration Square, many of these homes come with beautiful views of the park. For those home owners who might not have the hillside views, they can still claim some pretty decent bragging rights simply by dropping the names of their neighborhood or neighbors.
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This picture was actually sent to me by a resident of Celebration Hills. He mentioned that he took this photo from while lounging on his back deck. I'm not sure if he expected me to be jealous or what, but I figured that the picture did do a nice job illustrating comments which I made above so I decided to include it here.
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I guess his arrogance bothered me a little bit, because I set off to find out just which house the guy lived in. I'm not sure if it was any of these or not. As I cruised slowly up and down the various streets, I started to notice a larger than normal number of police cars and thought moving on might be a wise decision.
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Just another one of the pictures I took before leaving for good. It does show just how spread out some of the homes are here though. I guess maybe I could be a little bit jealous... although my house is surrounded by a lot less than this... oh well, crazy yuppies anyway!
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Just to the north of Celebration Hills is the intersection of Holden Road and Benjamin Parkway. The exit from Interstate 40 to Holden Road has spurred a bit of commercial development here. Not quite the big box mecca we find near Harmony Hills, but this area is still growing and I wouldn't be surprised if this commercial strip continues to grow with it.
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Speaking of Harmony Hills, the big commercial area on that side of town has continued to grow and expand all the way out to Riverside Drive. Restaraunts, hotel chains, and shops have made this the shopping area for most of eastern Covington. You say you'd like a closer look? Well, alright then...
47.07
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Closest to the expressway and the Riverside Drive exit was a prime place for some fast food chains. Pizza Hut is always a popular spot, and Taco Bell does a pretty booming business as well. I personally question the wisdom of Taco Bell just before getting back in the car and on the road, but I tend to question a lot of things that most other people wouldn't think to care about. Toys R Us also has a prime location right on Riverside.
47.08
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A little further north on Riverside Drive, the shops give way to smaller professional offices and such. The dentist seems to do an unusual amount of business here. Speculation says that many of his patients come from the local police station after training exercises involving those little black baton things. I suppose it makes sense, but I would think that the police unions would have something to say about forcing officers to beat each other about the face with clubs. Maybe not, though... I've never understood unions anyway.
47.09
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Holiday Inn built one of its express motels right along Interstate 40 here. Although the location isn't really convenient to much of anything in Covington, people seem to enjoy staying here none the less. Perhaps it has something to do with the proximity to Wendy's and Taco Bell.
47.10
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Fairfield Inn also has a location here, so there really must be something to staying on the outskirts of the city. Kinko's and a multi-screen movie theater can also be seen in the background. This particular Toys R Us was actually replaced by the newer one on Riverside Drive. I think it's simply still awaiting redevelopment.
47.11
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All these stores need people to mind them... not to mention retrieve all those shopping carts from the parking lots. Apartment complexes continue to go up in this area as well. This particular complex was actually begun by one developer who, through very poor business planning, ran out of money. He only managed to build three out of the ten buildings which were originally intended. Someone else (with a slightly better head for finances) bought the entire complex and finished it, but didn't really like the first person's designs. Kind of unusual, but now the complex has two very distinct styles to offer renters.
47.12
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All this suburban growth has definitely had an impact on the downtown area as well. The Freeman Mill Road "gateway" from the south has grown significantly since we last checked in here. Buildings around the government complexes continue to grow taller and the shadows grow longer.
47.13
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The same can be said near Market Square on the eastern edge of downtown. St Gabriel's Cathedral has anchored the square across Murrow Boulevard since 1857, but nearby offices and apartment buildings are beginning to dwarf the proud spires.
47.14
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Just to the north, the Coca-Cola building still holds the title of Covington's tallest building, although not by much to be honest. Towering over the interchange, the neon welcomes visitors from both freeways as they try to navigate the spaghetti bowl of exit ramps. It may sound somewhat unsafe, but we're talking about a building with some neon lighting here. I doubt that it really thinks about the consequences of its actions.
47.15
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As you can see, the city really is growing all over the place. Downtown is becoming much more defined and the beginnings of the northwest side can be seen here too.
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
PS - Before you ask... NO! The convention center isn't finished yet. ;)
Quote from: JBSimioPS - Before you ask... NO! The convention center isn't finished yet.
Awww...nuts.
Looks good, makes think that maybe I need to rethink the layout of my current city. It's all grid, as it's planned for it to be the CBD of a larger city. Makes me glad I have some places to put suburbia in!
Really great update but don't you think you need a bigger townhall for such a big city? I recomend a new one for next update. :thumbsup:
WoW it's looking great. I especially like your region shot
It's very nice :thumbsup:
Beautiful work! The suburban sprawl is looking very realistic and that region view is stunning!
I love your MD, especially the region shots. The urban center surrounded by farms looks so realistic. I'm also a big fan of your BATs. Thanks for all your contributions to the community. &apls
Simply amazing update. But I must know, what is that big white building in image 47.12? It looks very nice.
I'm liking just about everything in that update. You seem to have mastered urban layout, and it really shows...just really nice job on the whole thing. Especially the region shot, the farms there look great! Must have taken forever to make that, I'm not sure I have the patience for that. XD
Beutiful Update, Jon!
Covington really is growing! That city is so huge now, how many city tiles does it take up? And, are the suburbs going to extend to the edge of the cleared space? As that's what I have been led to believe.
Ethan
JB,
I looked and Jestar or Simgoober dont have a warehouse that look like this one. was this unreleased? Thanks Much!!! :thumbsup:
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I believe that's Cogeo's Logistics Center. It's on the STEX.
After getting accustomed to rural updates for a while, this one was a surprise – but a very pleasant surprise!
That first pic (47.01) is a beauty – a nice suburban neighborhood with some breathing room, yet a feeling of compact suburbia. That's an effect I usually have in mind when I start laying streets, but somehow the results never end up as planned. Of course, Celebration Square itself is just stunning, and any bragging rights are well deserved.
The close-ups of the neighborhoods look great and are helpful in getting a feel for the layouts. The commercial districts look as good as can be expected (hehe!). Very realistic and very much a part of day-to-day life in suburbia. You have chosen your commercial BATs well, and placed them perfectly, from the smallest to the larger ones.
And as always, the region overview is a jam-up finish to a fine update.
Great work on this one...
Joan
Dragonshardz: Thanks! Glad you like it.
Daniel: Thank you! Actually, the "city" of Covington is probably still under 200,000 people at this point. I think the current city hall is sufficient. When the city does outgrow it, they will probably opt for a secondary office building rather than tear down such an important historical structure. ;)
Peter: Thank you so much!
Battlecat: Thanks! It seems that the more blanks I fill in, the better the region view gets. :D
Hooha: Thank you! I'm glad you like this and my "other" hobby as well. Stop back anytime! ;)
Dreamcat: Thank you so much! The building you mentioned is the KSIM Network Headquarters (http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/details.cfm?id=14156) by JaWood. (Follow the link to the STEX)
Ethan: Thanks! I forgot to get an exact count of city tiles, but I think that "metro" Covington is somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 or 11 tiles, most of which are medium sized. There are several small tiles and one large tile in that number too. Yes, I plan to extend out to the cleared areas and from there we'll just see what happens next.
Fantnet: I did some checking, and that warehouse is definitely by Jestarr. It's called Acme Cold Storage... although I couldn't find it on the LEX for some reason. I have it installed from the DVD, but I'm sure it's got to be around somewhere. Sorry I can't seem to track down a link for you... I'll keep looking.
Joan: Thank you! The large shopping district was all grown with minimal troubles. I did have to bulldoze a couple things I didn't like, but mostly it was a matter of CTRL zoning for the proper sizes and hoping for the best.
Update Time!!!
Some of you may remember the neighborhood just south of Oak Park along Randlemann Road which was simply known as The Flats. It wasn't the prettiest thing we've ever seen in Covington, but we're going to return to that area just for a moment...
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The major contriubtor to the not-so-well being of The Flats is the industrial corridor along Randlemann Road and the south bound rail lines. What I failed to mention last time, was that the city's main landfill is also just along Randlemann Road here. Once upon a time, it seemed like an idea place for a dump... but that was before Covington really started growing. Now, the best that the city can do is to put up some walls in the hopes of hiding things from those driving by.
48.02
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In the hopes of eventually closing at least sections of the old landfill, the city has enacted a very aggressive recycling program. The center seen here even imports garbage from surrounding villages by rail for recycling. While the program seems to be doing very well so far, it still hasn't done much to improve the nearby living conditions.
48.03
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A few miles further to the south, we come upon all that remains of what was originally Hudson Landing. This used to be a small village along the Cone River which has now become completely surrounded and engulfed by suburban Covington. This small business district has survived mostly out of local pride, but everything around it is now really just part of the bigger metro area.
48.04
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How Hudson Landing came to be is interesting... at least to me, anyway. Remember that we're in North Carolina, which is a major player in the tobacco industry. This is one of the oldest surviving drying warehouses in the entire Piedmont region. Originally built to recieve tobacco along the river, a stroke of luck later made shipping by rail equally simple. The facility at Hudson Landing employed thousands during its heyday. Sadly, the building was so old it became difficult to maintain and update with new machinery and is no longer used. Developers have recently purchased the site, and while there is talk of saving the structure for use as a novelty shopping area, its future is a bit uncertain at the moment.
48.05
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The areas surrounding Hudson Landing are changing fast. The single family homes and squallor just to the north quickly give way to much nicer plans along the river nearby. These apartments are merely place holders for what is to come in time. The final plans for this area include a number of midrise condominiums to take advantage of the water and views across the river. The east side of Covington, near Harmony Hills, is a perfect example of what Hudson Landing may soon become.
48.06
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The commercial invasion continues to spread along Riverside Drive in Harmony Hills. Just south of Interstate 40, the big box stores transition into offices and professional buildings in all sizes. The area is doing so well, that some of the offices are even beginning to go taller. But none of this is really what we came here to see... it just sets the tone for what has happened here over the last few years.
48.07
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A view from across the Riedsville River shows what this development really looks like. Interstate 40 and the large shopping center are just to the left of this picture. The narrow strip of land stretching to the south was transformed into Fox Point estates with stunning views, open spaces, and money to burn. Let's have a closer look...
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Walking and biking trails are a big part of Covington's overall plan for the entire riverfront wrapping around the east and south sides of the area. Fox Point was the first major development to really impliment this plan. Truth be told, the paths were built before the city had such a strategy, and Fox Point could probably be credited for the much larger system that is now in the works.
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The river banks are fairly steep here and the paths wind around a number of eroded areas. A short branch takes people down closer to the water, although currents here make swimming a bad idea. For this reason, the trail ends in a small circle away from the water, but there are always those who decide to pick their way down the loose hillside anyway.
48.10
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The southern end of Fox Point also features a community building strictly for residents and their guests. A fitness center, pool, and small cafe take up most of the ground floor. The second floor features several very large rooms which can be rented for receptions and parties.
48.11
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One final look towards to the east shows why Fox Point has done so well. It's hardly the most exclusive address in Covington, but for apartment living, you really can't do much better. Harmony Hills has grown into a very desirable area on the east side and there is still plenty to see here, but we'll have to come back another time for that.
48.12
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Yep... just because I can! ;)
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Wow, this update covered a lot of ground, but it did it all really well too. What was the garbage facility you showed there in 48.02? I use the one by SFBT currently, but that would be a nice addition to the mix. I also like the rail bridge in 48.04, though I'm curious waht you mean when you say "novelty shopping." I assume it means with the historic nature of the site, but I can't help but think something more gimmicky. Fox Point is a amazingly nice, and fancy, area, and looks like it took some time to get there. 48.07 Is an amazing shot. I really like the landscaping too and the terrain you worked with. 48.08 in particular is a great example, with the little valley there and the trail winding around it. Very nice use of blending the trails with the land. Sometimes it's tough to avoid having bits and pieces hang awkwardly over the edge of a hill or something, but you seemed to get things perfectly here. Well done Jon, and the region pic, as always, is a nice way to cap things off.
-Matt
Great update! Using that SG Mansion for a community center was very creative and the appartments were very beautiful. That Volkswagen dealership besides that office building is a great touch and please try to keep most of those historic houses for me Thax
-Daniel
Jb, Covington is filling out nicely :thumbsup:
The drying warehouse is a nice touch alongside that rail bridge.
That was a great update, Jon. And it's nice to know you are updating so frequently. Covington is one of those MD's that makes it hard to wait for more.
Well, that was also a transitional update, going from dirty industry and landfills to luxury condos.
I hope that Covington will finish those trails along the river. We have that here too, but it mainly runs through not so good neighbourhoods, and does not have development backing up to it. PS It's called the Greenway.
Ethan
Edit: Who's houses are those in 48.03, Jon? Where might I find them. If you're not sure I'll post it in Residential Related. But they seem new, never seen in Covington before.
Great stuff Jon.
Your regional view always amazes me. So realistic and beleivable. Looks just like a real city, the city center is absolutely visible and slowly works it way down to farms. Great work &apls !!
Robin :thumbsup:
Just awesome!! And I love the region overview, which is very realistic :thumbsup: &apls &apls
Guillaume :thumbsup:
I like how you set up those apartment complexes, not to mention those astoria pointes along the river. Very well done. Plus the region view does look really realistic. Great job! :thumbsup:
-James
Very nice! I like those trails in the latest update!
Matt: Thank you for all your thoughts! I don't know why I decided to start with Covington's landfill other than to show the lot you asked about. ;) It is BSC SER Recycling Center (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1220) by Serkanner (there is also a canal version for SimGoober's set if you're interested). The rail bridge is just a standard Maxis one, although I did like the way it fit into the picture. I guess by "novelty" shopping center, I mean a sort of mall reflective of the building itself. In Frankenmuth, Michigan there used to be something similar called "Schoolhaus Square." It was just an old two story school building which had been converted into a mall of sorts. It had more of a tourist theme and less JC Penney... but it was the same idea with toy stores, book stores, etc. Fox Point did take a fair amount of care. I treated the bike paths as if they were streets and prepped the area with railroads first to keep things fairly smooth. Then I just filled in the blanks with that 1x1 grass lot and planted some trees to hide the edges. I had to bulldoze a few times to get the right buildings to grow... but I'm very happy with how it turned out.
Daniel: Thank you! The mansion was kind of a fluke, but I liked the look and just thought up a story to go with it. The car dealership was also just dumb luck, but I thought it fit well and marked it historical to make sure it stayed there.
Superhands: Thank you! I always liked that building (which I called the drying warehouse) and have been searching for a way to use it here for some time. Glad to hear it fit in! ;)
Ecoba: Thank you! I do plan to wrap the trails along both the Riedsville River (to the east) and the Cone River (on the south) as things progress. The industrial area just south of Fox Point may present a challenge, but I'll figure something out. The houses you see are some of the latest from Mattb325 on the LEX. If you look up his name, you'll see the most recent 12 or so uploads are all new housing. (In fact, I see that 4 of those are new since I downloaded :D)
Robin: Thank you! The region view is definitely getting closer and closer. I've gotten so used to the bare spots that I'm starting to get excited myself about how it will all turn out. ;)
Guillaume: Thank you so much!
James: Thank you! I'm glad you like the look!
Battlecat: Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed this one!
No update just yet... I'm still working on a couple ideas. I think we'll be staying in Harmony Hills next time, but that could still change. I really just wanted to stop by and answer the "where can I find this" questions before people had to wait too long... :D
See you soon,
JB
Update Time!!!
Well we're still out to the east of town in Harmony Hills. Let's look at the new and improved (although not completely finished) map!
49.01
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Yes, the Google inspired map is far enough elong for me to start using it although it certainly isn't done yet. By the time this whole thing is done, I'll have it completely labeled with everything you could ever hope for. In the meantime, I thought I would just use it anyway. Several people commented on times when I labeled the photo locations, so I've done that here just for fun.
49.02
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Riverside Drive continues to be a booming commercial corridor. Office Depot has done extremely well since building here, thanks largely to all the smaller proffessional buildings in the area. Although no longer inside the large shopping center near the interstate, it seems that people just can't get enough of their big box stores!
49.03
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Speaking of the shopping center, you may recall that I questioned the purpose of a couple hotel chains which had been built there. Here in the literary world, we call that a bit of misdirection. (Actually, I think it may be called that in a lot of different worlds, but I digress.) The real reason these hotels do so well probably has something to do with the Andersen Water Park located just across Riverside Drive. Obviously, the park isn't large enough to be a tourist draw in its own right, but the hotels definitely boast that it makes a compelling incentive. It's also nice to see that the bike path continues north from Fox Point and even shares parking with the water park here.
49.04
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North of Andersen Water Park is another swanky set of riverside condominiums. Celestia Bluff consists of four taller buildings, all of which literally glow as the sun rises over the farms across the river. Beautifully designed by the English firm of Callee & Associates, these condominiums once again overlook the Riedsville River and its network of bike paths.
49.05
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In addition to the larger buildings, Celestia Bluff also offers a number of smaller townhouse units. These were designed to invoke fond memories of brownstones from the days of yore (whenever that was). Unfortunately, as so often happens when modern builders attempt to recreate the past, the mark was sadly missed.* In truth, the developers here probably won't win any awards from the historic society, but they do add a rather ecclectic look to the area.
49.06
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A longer view of the Celestia Bluff shows the four towers and the bike path winding north towards its end at Cone Boulevard. It may be interesting to note that there are no bluffs, or even steep grades for that matter, anywhere on the property. In many ways, this development is similar to Fox Point in that there is no point or land projection to be found there either!** One may begin to question the intelligence of residential developers if one examines the names too closely. Perhaps the whole thing is simply a marketing ploy to entice buyers or renters to the area in the hopes that by the time they arrive, tour the magnificent floorplans and model apartments, visit the clubhouse, and call the lending agent of their choice, perhaps by then they will have forgotten to look for bluffs and it won't matter either way.
49.07
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One last view of Celestia Bluff before we move on. There just aren't enough night shots in this Mayor's Diary and someone seems intent to change that!
49.08
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The commercial mania continues along Cone Boulevard. Here in North Carolina, we would be remiss if we didn't partake in a meal from Cracker Barrel. (It's entirely possible that we could be forced to leave the state, actually. I doubt that law is truly enforced, but it's best not to take chances.) In typical fashion for Harmony Hills, numerous apartments can be found right behind the commercial strip.
49.09
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Just to the southwest of the intersection of Cone Boulevard and Riverside Drive is an industrial park. Truck drivers arriving after hours, who would normally be forced to simply sit around and wait until morning, are often pleased to find that other distractions can be found nearby. Even in the Bible belt... whatever is this world coming to?
49.10
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Speaking of night shots... how about a current overview of downtown? Hey... wait! What the...? Turn the lights back on a minute...
49.11
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That's what I thought! Covington has managed to win itself another regional office building. Well, three cheers for Covington, huh? First Coca-Cola and now Aramark... things certainly are happening fast around here these days.
49.12
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And no wonder, really... it's getting bigger every time I see this picture. ;)
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Notes from the JBSimio, Inc. legal team:*
The above statement should in no way be construed as bearing negative feelings for the BATs in question or their creator, the esteemed SimGoober. Humorous anecdotes abound in this Mayor's Diary, and occaisionally said anecdotes involve jokes made at the expense of things that the author likes very much.**
Although, to be completely fair, Rickland Creek meets the Riedsville River at Fox Point. Fox Point, while not technically on the property, does in fact lie directly across the river from the residential development which bears its name.
Jon love the legal mumbo jumbo at the end there ;)
Nice update! I like that water park! The trails through it look great as well.
First, WELCOME TO PAGE 37 !! :D
Hey Jon, a long time since my last post here eh...
Anyway, great update, the towers near the river and the walkway are really nice my friend, good work with them. The park ride is a nice touch too to make that area a lot more alive ! At least, I just thought that now ( $%Grinno$% ) your way to make the farms before the city is excellent, I may have to try my hand with that, thanks..!
Take care,
-Arthur. :thumbsup:
Beautiful townhouses, water park, big box stores and highrises. Although I think you should work on the town hall and its plaza abit more.
Beautiful city man, congratulations &apls
Looks great JB, can't wait to see what's next. The small print at the end was a nice touch.
That map (49.01) is awesome, Jon! Stand aside, Rand McNally – the SC4 MDers are getting along just fine without your help!
A "quick-scroll" first impression tells me you had a lot of fun putting this update together. There's something especially light-hearted about 49.03, and it isn't just the amusement park, although it's an unexpected pleasure to see. There's a lot of vibrant color and movement here. Good work and good shot! :thumbsup:
In a word, 49.05 is "clever" with its mixture of styles, and happily doesn't seem to take itself too seriously! Really like your commercial areas, too, and of course the night pix are always favorites!
Congratulations to Covington for snagging the Aramark Tower – it's well placed and looks right at home. Only worries are 49.12! The empty spaces are filling up much too fast, so I hope there's a forward-thinking city council lurking about which will consider the purchase of some outlying farm land one of these days! ;)
Later...
Joan
Fantastic update again!!! :thumbsup:
Spectacular job! :thumbsup: That region shot is looking great! Which brings me to wonder: what will you do here once Covington is done? I look forward to the completion of this grand area!
I am just loving how skilled you are at both rural and urban! I'm liking this diary more and more the more I read into it...It nearly boggles the mind oh how detailed everything is! I'm loving the water park. Believe it or not, that's the first time I've ever seen that set actually used in somebody's city.
Also really liking the Google-map style map. That's a pretty authentic representation right there!
It's long times when I didn't post on your MD.
The Overview of the region is really very impressive and extremely realistic.
The suburbs is very well accomplished with this mixture of europpean and amercian style.
The commercial zone is also very pretty with a lot of " big stores ".
To end, the last pictures are really superb and really deal to move in your city.
Vivien
JB, I really enjoyed viewing your updates and your region view picture. It looks like I am in a plane fling over the area. Looking forward to more of your great work. JKB
Welcome to OSITM for the month of November!
Since this is your third time here, we have something for you fresh from the engraver's.
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SC4D Staff
Congratulations my friend!!!
Welcome to OSITM for the month of November!!! &apls &apls &apls
Hi Jon!
First: Congrats on OSITM! &apls
Second: Welcome to The Club Of Three! :thumbsup:
Third: Shame on me for not coming here more frequently ... &mmm
Love the last two updates. You even made garbage look good! Hopefully Covington's garbage representive isn't Homer Simpson (including the consequences for Springfield) :D
I love the SG Appartment and their surrounding with the bike trails. I never was able to build them a halfway suitable environment.
BTW what's that nice highrise with the wooden floors? Just love it.
And that region view is simply breathtaking! &apls
Take care my friend!
Bernhard :thumbsup:
Congrats on OSITM, my friend, hope to see some more excellent work in the coming month.
Ethan
Congratulations on you 3rd OSITM! Looking forward to seeing what you've got coming up next!
Congralutation for your third OSTIM. &apls
I'm impatient to see an new update.
Oops... got some catching up to do again! ::)
From Update 49...Pat: Thank you! I think I was channeling Terry Pratchett with the footnotes there... :D
Battlecat: Thanks! I originally thought of putting a larger amusement park there, but settled for something a bit smaller. Glad you liked the end result.
Arthur: Thank you! I've done a horrible job at keeping up with my favorite MD's this month, so please don't apologize. I found that building the farms first helps with residential demand a bit. It also helps me avoid the problem of a city tile being too urban to support farms later.
Daniel: Thanks!
Citymax: Thank you!
Dragonshardz: Thanks! I think I was just in a wierd mood that day... not that this would be anything unusual for me. ;)
Joan: Thank you! The map is still an ongoing project which is taking much longer than I had hoped. I think it will be worth having in the end, but who knows when that might be? I did have a lot of fun with the last two updates... I had been planning some taller condos along the river for a long time and it was nice to finally get that far and see how they fit in. Don't let the diminishing empty spaces concern you. There will be plenty more to do well after that time comes and I have no plans to end this any time soon.
Tomas Neto: Thank you!
Dreamcat: Thanks so much! If by "done" you mean when the surrounding emptiness is filled in, then the answer is simply that I won't be done. That will only mean that Covington has progressed into the present day. ;) I'm glad you liked the water park and the map. I actually took a screenshot of a real Google map to make sure I used the right colors which seems to have paid off.
Vivien: Thank you for all your kind words!
Jon: (not me... the other Jon in here) Thank you!
From today...Matt and Staff: Wow! Thank you again!!! That's a mighty pudry trophy... I'll have to find a good shelf for it! :D
Tomas Neto: Thank you!
Bernhard: Thank you so much! Not to worry, my friend, Homer Simpson is a regular visitor to Covington, but he definitely doesn't hold a position of any importance in the city. :D The highrise you're looking for is the CAL Celestia by our good friend Lee and can be found here (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=1275)
Ethan: Thank you!
Battlecat: Thanks!
Earth quake: Thank you! Well wait no more...
Being my third time here, I feel like I had better make it special. I just hope I can come up with something that will live up to the honor! While I think and ponder about just what that something might be, I thought it was about time for a quick escape to the country:
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Thanks for stopping by!!!
JB
Congrats on the OSITM!
Wonderful mosaics there! I'm really, really liking that first town you have there. It captures the small town feel so well. And amazing use of the wide radius curves, too!
Splendid mosaic. &apls
I really like the village and his sourroundings.
Excellent job.
Jon
My apologies its been too long since I left a comment,but I have been following along all the time :thumbsup:
And now its your 3rd time for OSITM &apls &apls
Don't worry about trying to live up to the honour, it was given to you because your skills are so good :D :D
And you have probably the best region shots ever. Then to start off your month you come out with 2 of the best mosaics I've seen in a long time &apls
I'm am looking forward to what you next in store for us
regards
Derry
Jon, hey!
Huge 'grats on the third time in OSITM. Covington, in my mind, is a lock in any month, but the incredible use of the wide curves and FAR/FARR has to be seen by the committee as a "can't wait any longer" situation. Those are beautiful rural landscapes- some of the best ever shown on this site.
David
Hello Jon,
Congratulations on making it into OSITM this month, also for it being your thrid time. Welcome to the Elite Club of the 3rd Timers! &apls
Following one of your curvy roads any day will always make my day, especially if it's in a mosaic. Great pic, but I wonder why you don't use the RHW through your country side.
Robin :thumbsup:
Congratulations on your third time in OSITM, and the rural area looks beautiful! :thumbsup:
JBSimio, you do an amazing job at using wide curves and FAR/FARR. I need to start learning a lot on how to build areas as amazing as this.
Hmm... aside from the cup posting, I haven't said much here in a while. That must change. Update 49 was well done, and the notes about Fox Point etc remind me of some of the names of places around here, and some of the developments. From the region view the area certainly seems to be growing. The mosaics here are excellent. They show off what Covington has become known for: small towns, FAR/R, and a very clean prresentation. There is only one critique I have. There are no cars anywhere that I can see on the roads (short of the street side mod) which seems a bit odd. Otherwise, very nice images. What's the farm on the top left part of the second mosaic that has the observation tower? Don't recall seeing one of those before. Looking forward to what you have in store for the month Jon.
-Matt
This is another beautiful update! I really like how you handle those small towns, this particular one looks great.
Congratulations, Jon, and welcome to the exclusive Third-Time-Around Club! You're kicking off a much-anticipated month-long SC4Devotion Birthday Extravaganza, and I can hardly wait to see what you have in store for us. In fact, every time you post an update, I look at it in awe and wonder how on earth you could possibly top it. You always do, though, and even make it look easy. Simply amazing! :thumbsup:
Later...
Joan
Fantastic update!!! :thumbsup:
Wow, Jon.
Your work is really amazing. You seem to be able to make perfect city and country landscapes, while not ever having the ability to lapse on either. (Does that make sense, probably not, right?)
It's good to see you back, my friend!
Ethan
Dreamcat: Thank you! The first mosaic actually includes the town of Salem, which has been featured in two previous updates already. Glad you like it!
Earthquake: Thank you!
Derry: Thank you so much for all your kind words. It's always nice when you stop by here and I appreciate your thoughts. I'm also quite honored to be sharing this section with you... at least for now anyway! ;)
David: Thank you so much! The work you did with FAR/FARR deserves most of the credit here, really. I shudder to remember what these pictures used to look like!
Robin: Thank you! The lack of any RHW here is due mostly to the fact that I laid so much of this out a year and a half ago. I remember toying with the idea, but there either wasn't enough flexibility at the time or I just hadn't figured out how to properly use what was available. (I honestly don't remember which one it was anymore) Either way... I still tinker with RHW in other testing regions and I wouldn't be surprised if they find their way here eventually.
Bobbi: Thank you!
Emgmod: Thanks! If you could see some of my older regions, you would notice that getting to this point was a long and slow process for me, but I'm glad that you like where I've managed to go with it.
Matt: Thank you! Fox Point and Celestial Bluff were fun updates for me to do. I don't think I borrowed any names from your part of the state yet, but I may have done without realizing it. I honestly just make this stuff up as I go! :D The lack of cars you mention has always bothered me a little bit too really. The simple answer to why is because I have the game paused when I take pictures for mosaics. If I leave it running, then the cars keep moving and I have trouble piecing the images together. There's probably a good way around all this, but I don't know what it is so I just settle for empty mosaics. (Which is also why you won't see very many urban mosaics from me!) ;)
Battlecat: Thank you!
Joan: Thank you so much Joan! Your never ending support really means a lot to me.
Tomas Neto: Thanks!
Ethan: Thank you! It actually did make sense and I appreciate the compliment. Good to be back from my little SC4 nap... ;)
Update Time!!!
Covington continues to spread out and this time we'll see what has been happening on the north side of town along Cone Boulevard.
50.01
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The big boxes continue to thrive here at the intersection of Summit Avenue and Cone Boulevard near the I-85 exit. Dave and Busters has become a very popular place to eat and play for nearby families. Parents of younger children have recently taken a stand against the old video place next door, lodging countless complaints that its proximity to such a family fun spot will have a detrimental impact on today's youth. In response, the owner of the video store has simply pointed out that the patronage from the fathers of today's youth would in fact be a more direct cause than the mere location of the store.
50.02
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Heading further west on Cone Boulevard, we can see more of what is becoming a major commercial corridor. Big Lots and the grocery store next to it are both packed with shoppers from nearby apartment complexes and subdivisions. Parents of younger children have also taken a stand against the Hampton Inn on the corner. The thing is that nobody really understands why this time. Unlike the hotels in Harmony Hills that we saw in recent updates, the Hampton really does seem out of place here. It generally welcomes guests who want to be closer to Big Lots for the early bird specials. Perhaps the parents are just angry that they had to see their kids off to school before driving to go shopping while hotel guests simply walked next door and maybe
that's what all the fuss is about. Who knows?
50.03
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You guessed it. More commercial growth along Cone Boulevard. (Honestly... what more did you expect at this point?) The big difference here is that rather than being flanked by apartment complexes, the shops here back up to the North Ridge Industrial Park. It has been proven that suburban mothers hate to look at truckyards and piles of lumber while shopping, so those nifty walls which have become so popular all over Covington help to hide the warehouses from bargain shoe hunters. It seems odd that one would need to conceal warehouses from people who are going into a place called "DSW Shoe
Warehouse" but suburbia can be a funny place at times.
50.04
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Panning back a bit further shows that the North Ridge Industrial Park is actually a fairly big place. Looking south we can see that it actually rises up the hill above Cone Boulevard and actually stretches nearly to the Redhawk Ridge neighborhood (on the off chance that anyone still remembers where that is!)
50.05
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It's not all apartments and shopping havens on the north side of Covington. Sprawling subdivisions cover the hills here. The housing is an ecclectic mix but residents are happy with their individuality. Some get a little carried away with the idea and boast about the diversity of the neighborhoods, completely ignoring the fact that different looking houses aren't necessarily indicative of the people inside said houses. But far be it from me to rain on anyone's parade or attempt to squash their enthusiastic pride with logic. I'm happy if they're happy. Let's just move on...
50.06
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A closer look does show that the north side of Covington is definitely an upper middle class area. I already pointed out the different housing styles, but look at how nice they all are! Well maintained homes, manicured lawns, pretty fall colors... definitely a good part of town. And just in case there is still any doubt, please notice the cars parked along the street here. Only upper middle class suburbanites would dare to drive a bright yellow car!
50.07
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Cone Boulevard basically ends at Holden Road near a rather crazy intersection (which I have failed to show any pictures of thus far). That same crazy intersection is also where Battleground Avenue turns into the expressway known as Josheph Bryan Parkway. In the middle of all these major roads, a large corporate office park is beginning to develop. The area is starting off somewhat small, but developers are currently filing proposals, petitions, and other multi-page documents requesting that zoning changes allow for taller office buildings in the future. We'll have to wait and see how that all works out.
50.08
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As Covington continues to grow, the lines between rural and urban are starting to blur. Back along I-85 the newer subdivisions are encroaching on the farms. Parents of younger children have yet to take issue with this, but rest assured that they will. If and when they ever finish protesting video stores and hotels, these parents will eventually need something else to worry about and images like this seem like a pretty good excuse to raise a fuss.
50.09
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Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Very nice again, fantastic update!!! :thumbsup:
Awesome Update. &apls
The first, second and third pictures are really nice and realistic.
Beside your industrail aera is really beautiful, It's my favourite picture.
Finally your suburbs is really amazing and the overview of the region is :o
The update was very nice, but what blew me away was the region shot!
Uhhh... WOW! It could almost be real.
&apls
In regard to the naming things, I haven't seen too much duplication, but it's interesting how some places are named for things that aren't quite there/aren't there anymore/are nearby (like how the formerly Anaheim Angels are now the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (long story behind that, but, boiled down it was to capitalize on the LA name and market), but also that Riverside is by a now-normally-dryish river (thanks to flood controls, etc), and streets like Oak Glen Rd. have no oaks (or are built over what used to be an oak glen).
As for the mosaics, if you have an image program that can do layers (judging from your maps I'm pretty sure you do) then just make the mosaics, line up the buildings and all, and then erase sections of the layer where there is an overlap (like 1/2 a car) until there aren't any visual glitches left. It can be a bit of work in heavy traffic, but I've used it several times and it's worked wonders.
Now then, as for this update, it sounds like there's a very vocal group of suburbanites around there (been to certain parts of Northern CA lately?). The comment on the diversity of the house gave me a chuckle, and also of the selection of bright yellow cars. Curious though, what happened with the parking lot in 50.07. It has a bit of a steep angle to it. I'd be a bit scared to sit at those tables below it. Once again though, the image that takes the cake of this update is the region shot. Things really seem to be spreading out rapidly these days. It won't be long before things fill up around there. Looking forward to the ride though.
-Matt
Another very nice update, Jon! Covington's growth patterns and the way you present them are so very natural. It is the quintessential thriving city which attracts new residents with good jobs, a wide variety of retail outlets and great-looking neighborhoods.
The ever-present trees - even in the industrial environs - are a big part of Covington's charm. 50.02 is an excellent true-to-life example of using them as an effective buffer between residential and commercial development.
The individual screen shots are all attractive - each in its own way - with 50.06 edging out the rest as a favorite in this batch. That's just because I'm so fond of the neighborhoods you create, though! :)
Later...
Joan
Hi Jon, congrats on the move to OSITM &apls
I really enjoy your road layouts and the use of FAR/FARR. Although it was 50.09 that really caught my eye. Very impressive indeed :thumbsup:
Dave
It's always hard to believe just how organic and realistic your region shot looks. Another great update, the industrial area looks pretty cool.
One quick question as well, in you industrial shot, there are a number of tanks with a green circular support structure around them in your shot. They look like small industrial fillers, but I've never seen them before. Any idea where you snagged those from?
Another great update, Jon!
Commercial growth in Covington is quite interesting, you've got a good variety of buildings grown. Ah, the Video Store Issue, we've got one of those problematic video stores right down the hill from our downtown, right across from where the local cult used to meet. (Not a great neighbourhood, if you hadn't noticed. ;D )
Ah, suburbs, considering that I live within an hour of a 5.000.000 Metro area, I see 'em a lot.
.........but, yours are much nicer than the suburbs here. Covington's suburbs are actually like the houses in the Historic Districts surrounding DownTown in my town, only, not as many bricked houses, and of course, more trees. :)
Another good update, Jon...
Ethan
Tomas Neto: Thanks!
Earthquake: Thank you! I was quite happy with how the industrial park turned out so far. I'm hoping over time that a bit more hi-tech industries will move in... but all in good time, I suppose.
Joelyboy: Thank you!
Matt: I know exactly what you mean with the naming of areas and you've described the theory I use when coming up with these names. Most of the RUSA apartments were named the same way... always conjuring up images of natural beauty that might have been there before it was all bulldozed for apartments! :D Don't let my maps fool you... I have some layer capabilities, but not many. Most of what you see is merely time consuming, tedious, and most of all primative. I did have a bit of fun writing captions for the last update, yes. It showed, huh? ;)
Joan: Thank you! I've always used a lot of trees. If anything, I have a problem leaving completely bare land anywhere. If I don't "build" something there, then it gets covered in trees... at least that's my motto!
Dave: Thank you! It's always an honor to see you here, my friend.
Battlecat: Thank you so much! The industry you are referring to is a lot called "Gascooker's Refill" and I got it from the LEX DVD. I did a quick look on the LEX itself, but didn't see it at first glance. It may be part of a pack somewhere? Hopefully someone can step in here and let you know if it is available for download or only on the DVD.
Ethan: Thanks! These suburban commercial areas always seem to have a few remnant smaller shops mixed in (like the video store) so I usually have to make up some kind of story to "explain" how something like that could possibly be allowed to survive there. It's all part of the fun in writing the stories for me though.
Update Time!!!
Well the last time I was here in OSITM, it was December of 2008... so almost exactly a year ago. Some of you may remember that I made a "year in review" movie as my final update for that month. If you do remember that little movie, you may also remember that the final minute or so was a bit of time lapse photography showing the growth of the city since I first began this diary. That segment of the video got a pretty good response so I thought I'd do a little continuation of it tonight. OK... that's not entirely true. I saw Derry's little animation over in "Tales at Tea Time" today and really just wanted to copy him. He's such a trend setter anyway... how could I go wrong? So those are your options... I'll let you decide for yourself what my real motivation was. Either way... because of the size, I had to skip some images and make a slightly more condensed version but I hope you enjoy this little look back again. (May take a moment to load... sorry)
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Thanks for watching!!!
JB
It was a hit before, and I love it again. I'm really amazed by the last bits of it and how things just explode to the south (Fox Pointe and all). Welcome to suburbia, which you still manage to make look good, and even unique. The trees play a good part in that I think. You've made me curious... now I'll have to go check out Derry's video. I'll try to put together my method for mosaics into a tutorial if you'd like sometime in a week or so here.
-Matt
Your region is fantastic!!! Very cool this gif!!! :thumbsup:
Hey Jon,
I hope to see one day how you convert that area with the Maxis highway to RHW. It'll definately make for a few great updates I'm sure.
I really like the little animation you did. That view of your region will never seize to amaze me. I'm not entirely sure what it is, but the fact that your city is growing from the center out and lined with farming, or maybe it's your patience to grow the city nice and slow. At any rate, I never get bored of seeing that region view!
Robin :thumbsup:
hey Jon, First of all, congrats for your OSITM ! Quite well deserved one, me thinks. &apls
It's funny to see how a region can grow really well, with a pleasant way, in an almost exactly year. Good work with that animation, it was a pleasure to watch it. Everything seems to get grown very well, the development at the south also as the one at the East. I really like the way you layout before developing the parts of the region, nice work, I may try my luck with that too. Also, I agree with Robin, I hope to see when you'll convert that Maxis high way (that a find a bit ugly.. ) to the RHW, I think it will be an awesome thing to see that. But, I also think it'll be a bit hard, because to make good smooth curves it needs a lot of space, and if you want to let the shapes of the highway like we see in the region shot.. But I think you'll managed to make that easily and nicely, as I can see you have done that with the FAR, FARR and others things in the region that i really enjoyed.
The last update is very nice too, the commercial strip are always very nicely done, also as your road and street layout. By talking of street, I really like the cul-de-sac streets you made in the suburbs, with all those roundabout, it looks awesome. Especially the first suburbs picture you shown, that is, in my opinion, the best of that update, that FAR/FARR road look very nice behind these houses, looks like a snake sometime ! :D Industrial area is good too.
I hope it will be a good OSITM, as your last one, I have no doubt on it ! ;)
Regards,
-Arthur. :thumbsup:
Congratulations on your OSITM award &apls.
I've got to apologize for not writing here so far, too (so many great MDs here that I've never commented on &ops)
The recent update looks really good and I love that region view. It's probably one of the best and region views I have ever seen &apls :thumbsup:.
Keep up the great work,
Fabian &apls
Well, Jon, you certainly are living up to your OSITM! ;D
Wow, I hadn't noticed how much Covington has grown in the year. I remember the way I discovered Covington. It was during that December. I was new to SC4D, and I saw the OSITM section and found it rather interesting, since there was nothing of the sort over at Simtropolis. I clicked on the section and saw Commonwealth of Marathon, along with Covington, and Rainbow Falls. I clicked on each, in turn, and became very interested with each, especially Covington, considering that I live in the south, and have been to North Carolina a few times. It was extremely captivating and I've been watching ever since.
Covington really has become quite a large city, and I can kindof see where each neighbourhood has sprung up, I can also see the growth along the river and Bryan Parkway.
Really a great update, Jon, and sorry for kindof doing a really long update, with most of it a little bit irrelevant. ;D Hehe, I do that a lot. But you have a great MD here, and I'm now itching for another update.
Ethan
It's always an unexpected pleasure to slow down for a moment and look back. There have been many changes in the past year - FAR made a monumental difference and there have been several new BATs added.
Fortunately, growth and change hasn't spoiled Covington's charm, though. The neighborhoods are still inviting and the small towns are still small enough to be attractive. If anything, the natural progression of development has reinforced the unique character of this beautiful place I love to visit!
Later...
Joan
Nice update &apls
Matt: Thank you! The explosive growth near the end there was a bit of a mistake on my part. There really should have been a couple extra frames dealing with the Hudson Landing area followed by Fox Point and then Celestial Bluffs. Unfortunately, I skipped the region shots for a couple updates... so it wound up looking as if all those areas happened at the same time. Oh well.
Tomas Neto: Thanks! Glad you liked it.
Robin: Thank you! I have to admit that I've sat and stared at the animation myself any number of times now. It's fun to remember how randomly I've grown the city over time. I had a look at the RHW threads, and seeing that there is some work going towards FARHW, I'm sure there will be some future updates for the highways someday. ;)
Arthur: Thank you! It's nice to see you again, my friend. I agree that the RHW would probably look better in most places now although I'm very concerned (as you mention) with the space I may need, especially near the center of the city. I'm sure I'll be toying around with the idea and we'll all find out eventually. I've always used the roundabout option for my subdivisions... I'm glad you like it. Thanks again for all your great comments!
Fabian: Thank you so much! Welcome to Covington.
Ethan: Thanks! It was an interesting look back for me as well. I hadn't realized how much things have spread out either until I put that animation together. The growth along the river was fun to do and I'm still sorting out how I want to do the southern areas. The areas along the Joseph Bryan Parkway are only beginning... I think that will be a very interesting section when the time comes. ;)
Joan: Thanks! Mattb325's newest homes have been a most welcome addition to my plugins and the timing was perfect for all the suburban growth I have going on at the moment. I wish I would have taken more "before" pictures of the rural FAR upgrades as it would have been fun to do a similar animation with some of those. But this being a special month... who knows what else I might have up my sleeve? ;)
Bobbi: Thank you!
Update Time!!!
More growth? Maybe another look at suburbia in Covington? Well... OK then...
51.01
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We're start today back near the intersection of Cone Boulevard and Riverside Drive. Like most of the major intersections in northern Covington, this busy corner supports a fairly major shopping area. Subdivisions extend away towards the river and push against the nearby farms here at the very edge of the city. Let's have a closer look.
51.02
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You may remember an earlier look at the "gentlemen's clubs" here on the corner. They appear to stay just as busy during the daylight hours. Oddly enough, a Hooter's restaraunt went up right across Cone Boulevard which caters mainly to those that are too shy (or intimidated or conservative) for the entire show. Car dealerships, restaraunts, and a few apartment buildings also fill in the north side of this busy intersection.
51.03
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It's just not suburbia without a McDonald's somewhere nearby. One of these days, I need to count up just how many billions of Covington's population have been served here. Chuck-E-Cheese is a popular destination for the kids and Border's is an equally popular spot for the adults. (At least the adults who aren't busy at Hooter's or those "other" places across the street.)
51.04
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Just behind these fine establishments is the local grocery store. And behind that is... a local elementary school? What kind of idiot puts a school in the middle of a major shopping district (or even a church for that matter)? Well, actually there's a funny story behind that... OK, maybe not that funny, but still a story none the less. The school (and church) were both built before this intersection became the thriving shopping area that it now is. At the time, Cone Boulevard had a small commercial strip along here, but nothing like what we see today. As the area grew and the zoning changed, the school suddenly found itself surrounded by huge stores. The city is currently reviewing options to move the school and sell the current property, which has actually become quite valuable now.
51.05
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North of all this shopping along Riverside Drive (which, incidently changes names right about here since it is no longer anywhere near the river) the subdivisions quickly take over. It's pretty plain to see that Covington is beginning to spread to its limits here. Farms and their older farmhouses compete with newer suburban development. The deer and other wildlife are also starting to feel the pinch as the larger wooded areas slowly disappear.
51.06
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Just to the west of Riverside Drive is one of the few large apartment complexes to be found in this area. Long before Covington even thought about growing so large, much of what we've seen so far today was a huge and very prosperous plantation. As time marched on, the property was sold little by little until the last thing left was the large house and the property immediately around it. This in turn became the Cotton Valley Apartment complex and the house was converted into the rental offices and a central clubhouse. There are some very interesting historical photos of the property inside if you ever have a chance to stop by.
51.07
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Still moving west, Cone Boulevard widens as it passes through one of the only non-commercial areas along its entire length. Somewhat like Benjamin Parkway, the median is well maintained and provides a rather inviting view. We could almost call it a park-like setting if it weren't for all the traffic (which, of course, you can't really see here... I might as well also take this opportunity to apologize for the city edge which I couldn't avoid in this picture.) North of the parkway near the bottom of the picture, you can also see the elementary school which may be expanded to absorb students from the one we looked at earlier.
51.08
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A closer look shows some of the similarities to Benjamin Parkway. The houses here are definitely newer and maybe not as stately as those found in the historic district, but they're still very nice places to live just the same. Also notice the strangely translucent traffic along this busy corridor. Perhaps these are the ghosts of traffic past, present, and future? (Jim Carrey promised me a nice check if I made some sort of reference to Disney's 5th or 6th remake of A Christmas Carol... I hope he's reading!)
51.09
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For no particular reason, I decided to include a closer look at some of the neighborhoods that can be found here along Cone Boulevard. Since I have completely failed to come up with anything clever or funny to say about this picture, we'll just move on...
51.10
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Much of the area north of Cone Boulevard between Riverside Drive and Interstate 85 is now known as Marshall Hills, named after local Civil War hero James E. Marshall. Much of the land here was once used for military training and also served as a northern defense for the city of Covington. Near the top of Dixie Hill sits an old dormitory building which has recently been remodeled and updated as a retierment home. Dixie Hill commands a pretty nice overview of the entire Marshall Hills area... which we will be visiting more of in the very near future.
51.11
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But until then...
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Its just wonderful to pop in and visit Covington.
As always you amaze me with you skills and suburbia looks great.
I'm just wondering how much they would get if they sold the land the school
is on, and how much tea they could buy with it ::) :D :D
Great Animation too, glad I gave you the idea to do one.
It really shows just how much development has gone on.
Especially since your last time in OSITM, and as that kicked off a great year,
what better way to finish it but by being OSITM again.
Looking forward to the rest of the month :thumbsup:
Kettle's just boiled, I'll be right back with a cuppa for you ;D
regards
Derry
Ah, another update, Jon.
You're updating every time I turn around. I wish I could come up with a snide remark, maybe having something to do with Albus Dumbledore. I don't know, I'm tired....
Ah, how suburbia grows like a pestilent weed. I like Matt (Mattb325)'s new homes very much, but have not been able to get them to grow in my cites. I noticed that they will grow in the Euro tileset while Brian (c.p.)'s will not. So, I set my game to the Euro tileset, and Mickebear's Mediterrenean homes grow. I was not dissapointed, as I had tried to grow these a long time ago, but was dissapointed as I was trying to grow a neighbourhood quite like those of North Covington.
Ugh, that big-box strip is one I would not want my children in. (Considering I don't like Fast Food, those stores aren't exactly Child-friendly, and I have a strange, yet respectable, fear of strange mouses who own ridiculous shops.)I can see why the city would want to move that school, and why a congregation might want to move their church.
Oh, we're seeing some farms again, those bring back memories of earlier Covington updates..
It's sad to see them go, especially to suburbia...
Ethan
Impressive update matt. &apls
Your suburbs are really splendid (The new beat of mattb325 are really superb to create an American or an Europpean suburbs. :thumbsup:
The commercial aera is nice and the picture 50.05 is really beautiful.
Finally, this update is fantastic and the overview of the region , as usual, is: :o
Excellent commercial area (51.02), Jon. If all or most of the businesses grew where they stand, you're either very lucky or very patient! Your tale-spinning talents are showing in 51.06. The mansion among the apartments is a clever idea - in part because such a thing could actually happen in RL. Love it!
The curvy road in 51.07 and 51.08 looks great, and the neighborhoods are always charming. The dormitory-turned-nursing-home in 51.10 is another one of your good ideas that's come to life. Refurbishing an existing building is a popular and often cost-effective alternative to constructing a new one.
Another look at the overview has left me wondering if the northeastern area is going to stop growing or jump the river and dive into the farmland. I wonder...
Later...
Joan
Lovely update and I very much enjoyed reading your comments to the different images. :)
Wowww my friend, awesome update again!!! &apls &apls &apls
Great update again! &apls
This is continuing to come along beautifully! Those apartment complexes look great and your suburbs are excellent as well. This update certainly indicates the need for fractional angle avenues and one was streets! Though I'm not sure how much of an impact that would have on your development style! Still, everything looks great as always!
Derry: Thank you, my friend! I'm normally not a big fan of suburbia, but if I'm going to make this look even remotely authentic, I guess I have to let the sprawl blanket everything in its path. I'm sure a lot of tea could be had for the price of that school, yes! :D Thank you for allowing me to "steal" your idea... much appreciated! ;)
Ethan: Thanks! I haven't had any problem getting Matt's houses to grow in abundance here. I don't actually have Mickebear's installed though which may be helping for me anyway. The commercial area is indeed no place for an elementary school and I'm hoping the city does something about it soon. Don't worry... at this point, no farms have been hurt during the suburban development! ;)
Earthquake: Thank you! I was a big fan of 50.05 myself so I'm glad you liked it too! (I'm not Matt though... just for the record) ;)
Joan: Thank you! I actually did get fairly lucky with the commercial buildings here. I had to bulldoze a few things I didn't like, but it didn't take as long as I had expected to get the look I wanted. Nothing was actually plopped either. However, the mansion among the apartments was a result of my patience ending. I had to bulldoze countless times to get all the right lots and that one just refused to cooperate. Finally, this house grew and I just decided to keep it. I don't think we'll be jumping the river anytime soon... but the distant future is still very much unknown, so we shall see! ;)
Kwakelaar: Thank you for stopping in again!
Tomas Neto: Thanks!
Bobbi: Thank you as well!
Battlecat: Thank you! Fractional angled avenues would be a very welcome addition, but I think I would keep the streets the same anyway. I purposely add those turns to give them more of a subdivision type of feel.
Update Time!!!
Today I thought we'd close out this recent suburban tour with one more look at the northeast edges of Covington. I even prepared a handy little map in case you want to follow along.
52.01
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As I mentioned in the last update, the area bordered roughly by Cone Boulevard, Interstate 85, and Cotton Valley Road is known as Marshall Hills. South of Cone Boulevard is Harmony Hills and to the east is the Riedsville River. From previous updates, you can also get a better idea of the industrial parks along I-85 and also around Harmony Center Drive just south of Cone Boulevard.
52.02
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Looking along Dixie Highway shows just how close the subdivisions are to the farmland here. Most of Dixie Highway itself remains undeveloped in the hopes of maintaining a more rural feel, but as this road gets busier the pressures to build here will only increase.
52.03
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Another angle gives a better look at the way these housing developments rise along the hills. The Dixie Hill Retirement Home can be seen off in the distance at the corner of Industrial Way and James E Marshall Road. A few smaller shops and offices also anchor this intersection. The Marshall Historical Park fills the northwest corner. But we'll get to that in a minute...
52.04
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Despite being so close to the neighboring farmland, these subdivisions have been somewhat desnsely plotted. In the never ending search for larger profits, developers blanketed the hills with as many houses as they could fit here. There are many nice homes here, just don't expect to have a whole lot of extra space in the yard.
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A closer look doesn't really show us anything different... which begs the question of why this picture was included here. Quite honestly, I don't have an answer to that question. I guess I just felt like showing different areas regardless of how similar they may or may not look! ;)
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The northern edge of Marshall Hills is Orchard Lane. Once just another farm road between Dixie Highway and Summit Avenue, all the growth has turned this into a fairly busy secondary road. There is currently talk about adding a new exit from Interstate 85 to Orchard lane, but that could be a ways in the future yet.
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How about that look at Marshall Historical Park now? Most of the park is actually undeveloped wooded areas, but there are a few buildings near the two entries into the park. Along James E Marshall Road is the main visitor's center. This large home with its two smaller outbuildings dates back to roughly the same time as the retirement home in the background. Originally housing and offices for higher ranking military officers in the Confederate Army, it now serves as a bit of a Civil War museum with displays and other park information.
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Just north of the visitor's center is a recreated guard tower which harkens back to the times when this hill served as an important part of Covington's defenses during the Civil War. (I really would have liked to fly a Confederate flag here, but the lawyers wouldn't let me) A gift shop and snack bar sits near the enterance from Industrial Way. Paths wind back through the woods where battles are re-enacted on many weekends.
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Large bonfires are held here on many weekend nights after the mock battles have finished. Park interpreters often tell a few ghost stories about war veterans who alegedly still haunt the park and marshmallows can be roasted for the kids. Despite the bloody history involved, the re-enactments and closing bonfire are generally considered to be a good bit of fun for the whole family.
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Because of the wooded setting of the park, the subdivisions which surround it are very popular. This area sits along the park's southwest corner and houses are quite nice here despite the proximity to the industrial areas along Interstate 85.
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One last look at the western edge of the park. From here it merely looks like a wooded area separating the different housing developments. The edges of the industrial park can also be seen here on the land below the hills. And with that, our look at Marshall Hills has come to an end...
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The latest region shot shows that, in fact, no farms have been lost since the last update. (In fact, I've actually added at least one!) You can also make out the Marshall Historical Park from way up here.
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Great update again! And I like the region map. ;)
Just Splendid update. &apls
The suburbs as usual wonderfull. :thumbsup:
The Marshall Historical Park is really nice, excellent work.
And the overview is just impressive.
Oh, yep, I see the park.
Great update, Jon, I never can have too much Covington. The Dixie Highway sure is nice undeveloped and such, I hope it doesn't have to get widened soon, tell everyone they have to use... uh, some other road...
Good golly, Covington's getting big, I know I say this like, every update, but it's true.
Ethan
Awesome suburbs!!! Fantastic work again!!! &apls
Jon, you never cease to amaze with your outstanding maps and charming neighborhoods. I really like the way you've laid out the two parallel roads in 52.02. Actually, you've done a great job on all the roads. They look very natural, and I know from experience that's easier said than done!
The Marshall Historical Park is a real gem. I don't recall seeing those paths edged in stone - are they on the LEX? The fire pit is a favorite BAT, and looks especially good in the night shot.
I'm anxious to see where the next stop will be, and I'm taking a private shot at guessing the locale. I'll tell you whether I was right or wrong, but I won't tell you what I guessed - I want to see how long it takes to actually get there. :)
Later...
Joan
Bobbi: Thank you!
Earthquake: Thanks! I'm glad you liked it.
Ethan: Thank you! Dixie Highway may see some development in time, but I doubt it would be widened anytime soon. It really isn't a major through route in the overall scheme of things. Cotton Valley Road or Summit Avenue (just west of I-85) would be sure to see upgrades before Dixie Highway would.
Tomas Neto: Thank you!
Joan: Thanks! The parallel roads veer their separate ways just south of the image you mentioned. Dixie Highway takes the lower route while James E Marshall Road winds through the upper hills in this area. The paths you mentioned are the rural bike paths by SFBT... I had a look on the LEX but couldn't find them there. I have them from the DVD... I'll see if Andreas can tell me where else they may be available. I'm curious to know which area you picked as I honestly have not chosen my next spot yet. Either way, you're off the hook for a couple days until the next "proper" update is ready.
All this suburban sprawl has really got me itching for some fresh air... how about a little drive to the east of the Riedsville River (somewhere between Reidsville and Boone)
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Thanks for stopping by!!!
JB
Great mosaics.
Awesome mosaic, really fantastic!!! :thumbsup:
Beautiful mosaic, I like the clouds! Nice batch of farms there. Also great job on the details in the last update, I really like the historical park, particularly the stone walls lining the road!
I've always admired how easily you use FAR / FARR. My old donkey's brain seems to be stuck in 45 degrees somehow ...
Great work as always as I might say ...
Take care
Bernhard :thumbsup:
This rural interlude is just splendid. &apls
The mosaic is really nice and realistic.
Jon, you're such a showoff, but I'm so glad for it! ;) Gorgeous mosaic, and a nice break from the norm. Lots of farms and fields worthy of further study. One thing I noticed right away - you couldn't fit anything else into the space you've shown, but it doesn't feel crowded or cluttered at all. Looks like that's another lesson I can learn from studying your masterful work.
Later...
Joan
Hey Jon, such a lot of update I missed there since my last visit, all my apologize for that, because I was a lurker, I passed here but I didn't leaved any comments.. my bad... &mmm :D
Anyway, that last mosaic is just awesome awesomeness, I've no more words to describe it, as it's such a fantastic example of the FAR use and the non-gird farming. I like, as usual, how you raised the houses at different locations on the farms. Like Joan just said, the farmlands are really study and that is a good thing, I like it a lot. Also, nice trees mix, always nice to see such different varieties of trees.
Take care,
-Arthur. :thumbsup:
Beautiful countryside. Love it. :thumbsup:
Your suburbs are fantastic and I love that last mosaic. I still can't get over your region shots, they look so real.
Keep it up. :thumbsup:
As Joan (JMouse) said above, you are quite the show off, Jon. But of course, I wouldn't be able to get by some days with out it.
That's some fancy photoshopping there, rainy day in North Carolina, I've experienced that, and I think that looks pretty similar. Maybe Bruce (Schulmanator) could tell us if it looks like this on rainy days outside of Charlotte. Have you ever lived in North Carolina, Jon?
I really like the variety of farms in that picture, very, very pretty, I've got a problem with custom farms growing, is GrandpaAl's farm blocker still available?
Sorry for all the weird questions,
Ethan
Jon, amazing work as always, but no cars. You've given me an idea though for something to do next week though. The fog effect is nice too. Not sure how that's done, but it's a good effect. Rural Covington, it's always worth a visit. Out of curiosity, what's the farm in the top right of the mosaic, the one with the littel bumps?
-Matt
Whoah how many updates have I missed!? Sorry if I havn't commented in a while but for some odd reason I thought this CJ was dead. Anyway I'm loving the suburbs but I'd also like to see some more small town action soon.
-Daniel
Bobbi: Thank you!
Tomas Neto: Thanks to you as well!
Battlecat: Thank you! I was pretty happy with how the historical park turned out as well... there were other things I had hoped to add, but there wasn't room due to the fact that it straddles two city tiles. ;)
Bernhard: Thank you so much! Now if I could just get as good with the railroads... :D
Earth quake: Thank you!
Joan: Thanks! I always thought that I left my farm areas rather sparsely populated, so when I first read your comment, I thought, "What is she talking about? I could fit all sorts of other stuff in there if I wanted to!" Then I went back and studied it more myself, and wouldn't you know it? You're absolutely right! This is a perfect example of why I'm always so grateful for your comments, Joan. You seem to notice and then point out things that I may have known only subliminally if at all.
Arthur: Thank you so much! It's always nice to see you here.
Vester: Thanks, Arne!
Hooha: Thank you!
Ethan: Thank you! The clouds are really just a filter option on Photofiltre (which is what I use most often) and the rest were just a few color adjustments. I did live in Greensboro, North Carolina for about 4 years once upon a time. I draw the inspiration for Covington from my fading memories of the area. I use the BSC No Maxis Files (available here (http://sc4devotion.com/csxlex/lex_filedesc.php?lotGET=897)) which does prevent the Maxis farms from growing.
Matt: Thank you! I saw your idea already so thank you for that as well! ;)
Daniel: Thanks! Not sure how many you've missed, but it's good to see you back. Covington doesn't die... it just takes extended naps from time to time... :D
Speaking of napping diaries, I had hoped to have an update a week ago... but work didn't really play along with my personal plans. However, it is now...
Update Time!!!
Some of you may remember the Piedmont region's other larger city of High Point. Located southwest of Covington along Cypress Creek, this city has been slowly spreading out and growing larger. I thought it was about time for another visit...
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This is High Point before today's update. You can see Interstate 85 passing by the south of the city with the US 29 freeway wrapping around the eastern side before continuing north. The flattest land in the county can be seen to the east betweent High Point and the Cone River headed towards Covington.
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The first place we should look at is the bend in state Route 6, which ultimately becomes High Point Road as we've known it in Covington. Aside from I-85 itself, this is the other major road linking the two cities. You may remember the subdivision on the left edge of this picture from the last time we visited this area. If you do remember that update at all, you probably know that much of the farm land along High Point Road is under pressure from developers. I'm sad to say that progress is marching from High Point towards Covington...
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You guessed it... another subdivision in the making! Some wooded areas along High Point Road are also being cleared to make way for some commercial development near Cone Junction Road.
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A year or so later, the entire subdivision has been developed and new businesses line High Point Road from Cone Junction Road over to North Ridge Road. Truth be told, the large vineyard just west of North Ridge Road is also under pressure and may soon become a new industrial park... but that won't happen today. Let's take a closer look at the new development for now.
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Ahh, progress... isn't it grand? We see the same general housing styles as we have seen all over the region so there isn't a whole lot to be said about it anymore. It is interesting to note just how quickly the trees grow in North Carolina though! Pretty amazing, if you ask me...
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The developers of this subdivision were at least thoughtful enough to provide a small community playground in the middle of the neighborhood. It turned out that this became a very significant selling point and the new neighborhood is made up mostly of younger families with small children. Also notice that the original farm house survives at what is now a bend before the cul de sac.
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All this residential growth in High Point has helped the city grow. While downtown will never be a crowd of tall office towers, the buildings here have certainly begun to reach higher. The central train station has also seen an increase in ridership as more people begin to take advantage of the region's commuter trains. Although the system is still new and very sparse, High Point does provide direct connections to the Covington and Ashboro lines as well as areas outside the region like Charlotte to the west and Richmond, VA to the north.
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Just south of downtown across the creek is Cypress Medical Center. Other public safety buildings are also located here and a number of apartment buildings have recently gone up to take advantage of the quick drive across the bridge to downtown. The views across the creek have also made this a very desirable location for the city of High Point.
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Views like this one, actually. The most densely packed blocks of High Point are here around the old Kingston Market near city hall. High Point's tallest building is actually not in this picture but sits almost by itself at a bend in Cypress Creek.
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After all that growth, High Point now looks like this from the air. The commercial development along High Point Road is noticable even from here and you may be able to pick out several more farms in the area that are beginning to feel squeezed out as the subdivisions surround them.
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Very interesting to follow the development of this part of your city!!! I really think fantastic how you manage such a development!!! :thumbsup:
Neat to see the area grow like that. Very nice touch indeed!
High Point has always been one of my favourite towns in the whoole of Covington, Jon.
So, it's nice to come back, how it brings back memories. Unfortunately, it seemed inevitable that High Point would fall prey to the suburban sprawl that curses so many cities in the present day.
...so, I'm happy....
Ethan
P.S. Hope that post made sense....
Sad to see agri-fields surrendered to cigar-puffing developers who wave wads of money in the faces of weary farmers. Progress does march on, though, trampling everything in its path. I saw the same thing happen in the small Texas town where I used to live.
On a brighter note, the new subdivision does look good, though. The CBD (53.07, .08 and .09) is looking good, too - better than most growing towns I've seen in RL. You've chosen very appropriate BATs and achieved an amazingly-realistic effect. I especially like the hospital in 53.08 - don't recall seeing it before. I'm still adding to my new plugin folder, though, and will continue to do so for quite a while I'm sure.
You definitely have an eye for re-creating the essence of America's most attractive rural and suburban areas. It shows in Covington, and it's visible in such exceptional collections as the SHUR Project.
Excellent update...
Joan
Congratulation on moving into the HALL OF FAME &apls &apls
You really deserve it :thumbsup:
The recent Update looks fantastic - as I've already said... your region shot looks so real and I really like High Point, especially those little settlements along the fields ;)
Keep up the fantastic work &apls,
Fabian
It's a excellent update. :thumbsup:
These suburbs are really nice and the rural aera, as usual, splendid.
Congratulations on your upcoming move to the Hall of Fame! &apls &apls &apls
You've certainly earned it with your excellent attention to detail both urban and rural. Looking forward to many more excellent updates in the future!
High Point is beautiful JB. I love the aerial view. It shows off your always excellent road networks. Nice job as always.
Geoff
Congrats with your Hall of Fame election, Jon! :thumbsup: &apls
Having not been here for quite some time, I still can see you are enjoying using the FAR and Wide Radius Road Curves very much. Your overview shots of the sprawl always are amazing to look at.
~ Dan
Congratulations Jon! :thumbsup:
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The Mayor's Diary Hall of Fame Committee and the Staff
PS. We simply think it will be the most apropriate place for Covington ;)
Congratulations Jon!!! &apls &apls
Bravo and congratulations!!!!!
It is about time this was in the hall of fame ;D
It's always a pleasure coming here and looking through the wonderful images methinks you use my houses better than me ::)
Amazing regional and rural shots as always, and the suburb development was really interesting to see. Great progression shots, and it was neat to see the surviving farm house. It took me a minute to figure the subtle change in road layout between some of the pics to place it right, but it was an interesting development to watch. Waiting to see how much more sprawl there will be. 53.07 is a great looking downtown area. Plenty of parking and open space too. Seems like a nice little small town center. Not a bad way to enter the Hall of Fame. Good way to enter the tail end of your time in OSITM. Congratulations Jon, you've earned it.
-Matt
Congratulation Jbsimio for your entry in Hall of Fame. &apls
Just go on your fantastic work.
Jon, congrats firstly on a great month in OSITM, bit more importantly, your induction into the HOF &apls
Well deserved :thumbsup:
Dave
Nice! I still say you should fix that wanky looking plaza infront of the city hall. It looks kinda wierd.
Congrats, Jon. The induction is certainly well deserved. :thumbsup:
Ethan
No, it's not the same exact post in Alex's MD. Your name is Jon!
Certainly well deserved. Your work is superb JB. Congratulations.
Geoff
Congratulations on your (soon to happen) move to the HoF, it is well deserved. Your style of playing and presenting Covington is unique,and always enjoyable to follow.
Tomas Neto: Thank you!
Battlecat: Thanks! I don't do the construction pictures very often, but I enjoy them when I remember to. :D
Ethan: Thank you! I keep ignoring High Point and we should really visit there more often. I'm glad you like the city.
Joan: Thanks! The hospital is one of SimGoober's... and can be found on the LEX in the appropriate SG collection. Sorry that I forgot to grab the link for you, but it shouldn't be too hard to find. By the way, was this your guess for the "next" area of development?
Fabian: Thank you so much! We will be seeing more development against the farms as Covington finishes filling in, so you can look forward to that if you like. ;)
Earth quake: Thanks!
Battlecat: Thank you!
Geoff: Thank you! I've always been fond of the US 29 bypass around High Point.
Dan: Thanks! FAR has definitely changed the rural areas a lot here. I'm still debating just how much of the city I want to tear up before making the switch there as well.
Adam: I'm very honored... thank you!
Tomas Neto: Thank you!
Mattb: Thanks! I owe a lot of things to your wonderful houses. I'm always so happy when you start teasing us with new additions.
Matt: Thank you! I've always liked downtown High Point as well. Sometimes I think the central parking lot may be a bit too large for the surroundings, but it will stay for now.
Earth quake: Thank you!
Dave: Thank you so much!
Daniel: Thanks! I'm not sure how you can "still" say something you've not said before, but OK. I like the plaza behind city hall and High Point doesn't have the budget to tear it up and replace it anyway. ;)
Ethan: Thank you! (I'll let the cut and paste slide this time) :D
Geoff: Thank you!
Kwakelaar: Thank you very much!
Update Time!!!
Back to Hudson Landing for a minute... (I had hoped to start this update with a map again, but it was taking way too long to get that part together. Sorry about that!)
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Last time we looked at Hudson Landing, we saw the northern end where a few of the older houses still survived. Moving west from the old town center, it quickly begins to look like suburbia all over again. Hudson Elementary was built around 1974 when the area began to grow. The old tobacco drying plant can be seen in the background patiently waiting to learn its future.
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Just a random look at one of the subdivisions nearby. There have been a lot of these lately, but there aren't very many in this update... so let's just move on.
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A bit further east, we get close to the US 220 expressway. Much of this area is filled with suburban apartments. Apparently, people who live in apartments don't mind the noise from the nearby traffic as much as home owners would. Or maybe the apartments are just insulated and sound proofed better. I'm not sure what the theory is there... but apartments near freeways just seems to be a common theme around Covington.
54.04
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Just across US 220 near the Atwater Road exit is another middle class development. These townhouses actually command a fairly high price because of their proximity and connection to the river front. Although you can't see it here, the bike path system actually connects this complex to the riverside trails. They also happen to have pretty nice interiors... and garages... and fireplaces. It's really not a bad place to live.
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Just across Atwater Road is the bike path. These houses have been under pressure for a while by people who desperately want to put some high rise condos here. Fortunately, anyone who can afford one of these homes isn't generally too concerned with money and not all that tempted to make a quick sale. The city has also started expanding the riverfront bike paths in places. At this time, the system is spotty and incomplete, but the progress is reassuring and I'm sure everything will be connected eventually.
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Before we head too much further from Hudson Landing, I thought a wider view would be nice. Looking upstream, you can see where the Riedsville River (to the left) joins Coldwater Creek to become the Cone River. The farms on the southern banks seem fairly safe for the time being and offer some very nice views for those who live across the water in Covington.
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Further west, we cross Freeman Mill Road just before it crosses the Cone River. North of the new expressway, Freeman Mill Road is still the route for US 220 into downtown Covington. The entire road used to be the main highway south to Ashboro until the expressway was built. Here we see the intersection where Holden Road ends at Freeman Mill. Not surpisingly, the corner supports quite a bit of commercial development. The Century Theater on Freeman Mill is a big draw on the weekends, but most of the area is filled with small offices and professional services.
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Just off of Freeman Mill Road is one of three apartment complexes that fill in the wedge between Us 220 and Interstate 85. This one is the largest of the three and one of the nicest, in my opinion. A small park in the center of the complex offers a bit of tranquility hidden amongst some of Covington's busiest thoroughfares. Walls also surround the complex, blocking most of the noise from nearby commercial buildings.
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Next door is the strangest of the three complexes. Why anyone would pay such high prices for a high rise apartment overlooking a freeway is beyond me. Across I-85 is the Holden Industrial Park, so there is no view there either. But somehow, the development has been a success and these apartments are almost completely full. I guess it just goes to show that you never can tell what people with money will do...
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The last complex is just off Holden Road near the exit from I-85. This one isn't quite as nice as the others anymore, mostly due to neglect. The apartments themselves are quite spacious and the buildings are in good shape. Maintainence just leaves a little bit to be desired here. Maybe some fertilizer for the grass and some sealer on the parking lots would spruce things up. I'll have to call the company and see what can be done...
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And this concludes our tour of southern Covington for tonight...
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
I think High Point's parking lot is a fine size for the area. Try parking in downtown LA sometime and you may even hope it would be bigger. Just tell me they charge less than $15-30 a day for it. The higher density side of Covington is interesting. Apartments near freeways seems perfectly natural, but it is strange to see those high wealth towers there like that. There are actually a couple that have sprung up down here too that are right by a freeway off ramp. Not sure what the appeal is for it though. You've made an excellent selection of apartments, and you use them well too. I have yet to grow the fancier ones from 54.08, but I've grown several of the ones from 54.04 and 54.10 and they seem to fit whatever area they spring up in very nicely. Curious about the trees in the shipping yard in 54.09. I've heard of weeds growing in the cracks, but those must make driving in the lot interesting. They match the color of the trucks nicely though. The region seems to be filling up nicely too. Looking forward to seeing what you have planned next.
-Matt
PHEW! I'm safe...
Anyway, we were in South Covington today. (Did you mention that, because, I only found that out at the region shot...) I don't think we've seen much of this side of town before, mainly because, this might be newer buildings? :-[ Well, anyway, the neighbourhoods in this part of town are still pretty nice, and even though we didn't see the common medium wealth suburb, we saw apartments! I don't see many other apartments other than the ones in your MD. That is to say, your apartments.
...come on Ethan, make some sense...
^^I do that thing that David (dedgren) does now, don't know how that got started... Well, anyway, I'm really liking that Rverside Bike trail. The park set that you are using for them is really a nice one (SFBT?) and matches with the Covington Terrain really well. (What Terrain Mod do you use, Meadowshire?) I like that movie theater BAT, is it on the LEX? Well, now to stop interrogating you. Those hi-rise condos by the freeway and the indusstrial park are quite a mystery. Maybe the police should do some searching of that building...
Ethan
Wow Jon,
What a super month in OSITM. And what a great set of moves for you and your MD. Out of the Classics Section and into OSITM to only find out when you leave it will be to go into the MD HoF! &apls Congrats my friend you really deserve it.
Robin :thumbsup:
Nice update once again! You've really got a great diversity of buildings in your region. Those are very nice little apartment buildings in 54.03. Where did you snag them?
Excellent update JBsimio. &apls
Your suburbs as usual splendid and these differents pictures are beautiful.
I really like the pic 54.08 because I love this apartement.
WOW, nice update. :P
Matt: Thanks! I'm sure the parking in downtown LA is just as bad or worse than here in San Francisco... the prices downtown or at the airport are insane. I had a hard time getting the higher wealth apartments for a while too, but now that I have the demand they pop up quite often. Getting that many in one place took a lot of patience though. ;) The giant weeds were a result of my replanting trees around the edges with the brush set too large. A few ended up on the lot and I didn't notice until it was too late. :D
Ethan: Thank you! We've been on the southern side of Covington a couple times now, but much of it is surrounded by industry and not so nice. The riverfront is all that has saved this part of town. The bike trails are indeed from the SBFT high wealth set. I'm using the Columbia terrain mod. The theater is by SimGoober and can be found in one of his commercial packs if I remember correctly.
Robin: Thank you so much, my friend. One last hurrah before the big move... ;)
Battlecat: Thank you! Those apartments are some of the ones I made. They are part of the RUSA Stratton Apartments as are the ones in 54.10. :thumbsup:
Earth quake: Thanks! I really like the Evergreen Hills building too... it's simple, but seems to fit very well.
Scott: Thank you!
Update Time!!!
It's been a lot of fun here once again in OSITM and I'd like to thank everyone for visiting. It seems that lately the theme in Covington is about growth and sprawl. Before I leave this section (to become famous apparently ::) :D ), I thought we'd have one last look at how things are spreading out. Enjoy...
http://www.youtube.com/v/nDNcMA0mmug&hl=en&fs=1
Thanks for watching!!!
JB
Fantastic update and congrats on the HoF status, I have lurked in your MD for a while I can safely say, you definitely earned it. Also, nice song. ;)
This is why Covington's going to the Hall of Fame. Very nice retrospective Jon. The music was an excellent selection and I could almost smell the crops and see myself driving down one of those winding roads that Covington has become known for. The piano solo was pretty good too. As for the tree replanting, I've been there before. It's annoying when it's a plopped lot, but even worse when it's that one you've waited to grow for countless game months. Nice close to the month Jon.
-Matt
Hey Jon,
That was a very nice stroll down Memory Lane. &apls Love the video and love the song, they seemed to fit together perfectly. Perfect way to end the month and enter the MD HoF!!
Robin :thumbsup:
My time flies when you are in Covington. Nice to remember everything that has been going aroung and growing here in Covington. Keep it up JB. JKB
Congratualtions JBSimio on your move to MD HoF!
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SC4D Staff! &apls
Many congratulations to you, Jon! You deserve it! :)
-Jason
Great video! looks like Covington is really Growing.
Excellent video Jon.
I enjoyed it very much!
Phil
I am a first-timer at Covington, but I am deeply impressed. I read all your updates in 3 hours or something (I lost track of time :D). Anyway, this MD deserves HoF! I can't wait for the next update!
-Jordan
You did a very nice job showcasing your apartment buildings JB. That's an awesome set. I also never get sick of looking at your zoomed out region view.
Geoff
Hello Jon,
Excellent video and a great music! :thumbsup:
Your previous update is fantastic too, I must say I love your suburban appartments, never used them but now collected them and I'm going to use them soon in my cities :)
Welcome in the MD Hall of Fame - your new home. Now you are not forced to make updates frequently and you don't need to afraid of moving your MD to the Inactive section. You can also start a new MD if you want. But Covington is a really unique place and I hope we will be able to visit you many times here to see its development!
Here is a link to the Covington Introduction (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=4856.msg292047#msg292047), it includes an interview and photos you have choosen to introduce newcomers to your MD.
I see you received congratulations from the Staff twice (exactly as Alex) :D, please take is a s a good prediction for future and a sign of the best opinion about your creations!
Adam
Congragulations, Jon!
A great video update too!
No long comment today, though.
Ethan
Hey Jon !
First of all, congratulation for your entry into the HoF of the MDs ! It's quite well deserved.
The last update, video one, is very nice, I liked it a lot. I love how the video shows well the time you spent to make the area realistic, that is a good thing.
Can't wait for more !
-Arthur. :thumbsup:
Hi, JB. You recognize me? I doubt it. I'm an avid fan, just haven't had a lot of time to post. Welcome to the HoF! It was a pleasant surprise to look for you in the Classics and then find you here. Amazing video you have! Your farmland makes me so jealous. So wonderful. Have a very happy day.
Absolutely superb video, Jon! And congratulations to you and Covington for induction into the HOF!
Later...
Joan
Nice region! With all the big box stores, is Covington ready for a few shopping malls? SimGoober's Suburban Mall, Plop-A-Shop packs, and his Super Centers1-2 along with RiverRock Mall by Jawood(STEX) would really blend in nicely. ;) By the way, where did you download the Ukrop's from?
Utvaw: Thank you and welcome to Covington!
Matt: Thanks! I have actually been wanting to use that song for a while now. I just had to gather up enough "suburban encroachment" pictures first. :D
Robin: Thank you! I really tried to match the pictures up with the song lyrics where ever I could, so I'm glad to hear that they seemed to fit together so well.
Jon: Thanks!
Robin and Staff: Thank you so much for this shiny new home!
Jason: Thank you!
Daniel: Thanks! It is still growing quite a bit, as you will see soon... ;)
Phil: Thank you! I'm glad you liked it.
Jordan: Welcome to Covington! Thank you so much... I'm honored that you spend that much time going all the way back like that.
Geoff: Thank you! I'm starting to think I may need a few more of those style apartment buildings... ::)
Adam: Thank you so much! I'm glad you like the apartments... perhaps there will be more soon (as if I need more things on my to do list!) ;)
Ethan: Thank you! Short comments are OK too... not to worry. :D
Arthur: Thank you so much, my friend!
Dreamcat: I do recognize you... we exchanged a few messages recently. ;) Welcome to Covington and thank you for your kind words!
Joan: Thank you!
Opkl: Thanks! Covington will definitely have a large shopping mall. I know exactly where it is going, I just haven't gotten that far yet. I'm hoping to add some larger big box stores soon, but the demand just isn't there yet. I'm fairly certain that Ukrop's is another one of SimGoober's stores.
Update Time!!!
56.01
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We took a very quick glance at the area around Joseph Bryan Parkway a few updates back, but I thought today we should take a closer look at the northwest side of Covington. As you can see by the map, there are plenty of unfinished places here, but things are starting to take shape anyway. One other thing that I'll mention (for the sake of honesty, if nothing else) is that I do take some minor liberties with the maps. Exit ramps and some other small things are drawn the way I would like them to look and not necessarily the way the game allows me to make them. But why split hairs, right? On with the update...
56.02
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Holden Road, as we all know by now, changes constantly as it wraps its way around the west side of the city. Entering from the bottom of the map, the industrial park gives way to commercial development like this near the corner of Market Street. Unlike most of Cone Boulevard, this area is mostly smaller shops and hasn't succumbed to the big box stores just yet. It may in time, but so far the large shopping centers in this area have stayed along Market Street instead.
56.03
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The commercial strip continues along Holden Road until just south of the Joseph Bryan Parkway. The area continues to grow thanks to the nearby industrial park. Shops and restaurants, no longer able to find frontage on Holden Road, began to climb the hill as the area grew.
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A quick stop at McDonald's gives a view down the hill back towards Holden Road. It also shows how this commercial area has grown and begun to encroach on the older subdivisions here. It seems a little strange that the city can't seem to choose a consistent form of street lighting here, given the amounts of money in this area.
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Just across Holden Road, some larger apartment buildings have started to go up as the corporate park grows. We'll get to that in just a second though...
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... but first, I promised a look at this interchange the last time we were here, so there it is. (Yes, for the moment I'm still using the old method of one way roads here. That might change soon.) This is where Battleground Avenue ends and becomes the Joseph Bryan Parkway. Originally, Cone Boulevard just ended here with a standard intersection at Battleground Avenue. When the large office park started to take shape and this area became much busier, it became obvious that a better solution was needed to avoid backups onto the Parkway. And thus... the newer interchange was built.
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So what about this office park I keep mentioning? Well, it is starting to become almost a second downtown for Covington. The hills here won't allow for anywhere near the density we would find downtown, which adds to the suburban feel of this development. This particular building overlooks the beginning of the Josheph Bryan Parkway and houses offices for the regional payment center of Bell South telephone company.
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The northenmost side of the office park is anchored by the Mount Sinai Medical Center, which is Covington's fourth major hospital. The hospital ranks near the top in North Carolina for treating heart disease and other related problems. Patients from other areas are often flown here when they require more extensive treatment. Working closely with UNCC, Mount Sinai is now becoming a recognized leader in cancer research as well.
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The hospital has helped bring prestige to this area, and several new office towers have been added to the hill overlooking the end of Holden Road. The tallest tower in the office park houses the regional headquarters for Bank of America. The tower was built with two smaller office buildings nearby, which Bank of America leases to various insurance and other financial companies.
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All this office development has spurred plenty of residential growth along the Parkway. Just across Holden Road is a familiar sight as sprawling apartment buildings give way to even larger tracts of subdivisions.
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As Covington spreads ever further, the suburbs have started to cover the hills here on the northwest side. These hills make it difficult to build anything too dense here, but houses cling to the slopes here as the sprawl reaches further out.
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A final look at the region shows the sprawl along the Josheph Bryan Parkway. The taller buildings in the office park are also very easy to spot from above, although the area will need a while before it can really compete with downtown.
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Wow, Covington's sprawl is looking great, Jon. What would be the new method of that interchange though?
Ethan
Wow Jon! It amazes me to see the progress of the suburban sprawl of Covington from the first update to now. It's nice to know that the big box stores haven't totally taken over yet; I always like to see a small town/ suburban feel. I started an MD today, Cascadia, So I hope you check it out (link in my signature). Anyways, great update, and hope to see more from Covington. :thumbsup:
-Jordan
Nice update! :thumbsup:
I love Covington JB. I'm particularly fond of the maps you place from time to time. That last one is great. Excellent work.
Geoff
WOW! That region shot is incredible......so is everthing else though. I always wanted to make a region just like that but find so hard to get all the agricultural land to develop and look realistic. GREAT JOB!!!! BTW where did you get those houses??? they make for a very realistic suburb, especially for a North Carolina based city.
You know, that screen shot reminds me of a city journal several years ago bu the name of Carthage (I believe), which was a real inspiration to me. Your MD does the same thing. Totally enjoyable!
Cool update! The layout looks very good and you've chosen some excellent custom buildings for the neighborhood!
Awesome city, It seems to be real!!! Fantastic!!! :thumbsup:
A very nice update, Jon! I admire the fact you build your cities or towns to the lay of the land, something I don't do well :P
I don't mean to pry or seem needy, but what's the status on those FAR buildings you were working on a few months back? Given your building style, they would be a valuable asset to your towns. I'd love to see them released sometime in th future!
Okay, back to lurk mode... $%#Ninj2
~ Dan
This is just wonderful!! &apls &apls
Guillaume :thumbsup:
What a fitting start for Covington in its new - and permanent - home!
The map is top notch, and one of these days, I'd love to learn the art of cartography. Your choice of BATs is flawless once again and worthy of further study. I still haven't figured out why all of them fit together so well, though. It must have something to do with the construction style, but that doesn't fully explain the theory or why it works so well.
The way you explain each area of growth is fascinating. It hints at the incredible degree of planning which goes into each development. There is nothing haphazard about Covington's evolution. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me to find out you spend more time on planning than you do building! First-class update this time, Jon!
Later...
Joan
Ethan: Thank you! The new method (if I choose to go that route) would be to replace the interchange with RHW pieces. I just haven't really played with the idea much yet.
Jordan: Thanks! I'll be checking out Cascadia here shortly... ;)
Bobbi: Thank you!
Geoff: Thanks! I like the new maps a lot myself. They're very time consuming to make, but I think the end result is worth the effort. Here's another one for you... ;)
MattyFo: Thank you! The farms took a lot of time to get filled in, but I feel it was time well spent for everything it adds to the region shots. Most of the houses you see are by Mattb325. He has so many choices that including a link would be pointless. Just look up his name on the LEX... I find the easiest way is to click on "Collection Ranking" at the left side and then just click his name near the top of the list.
Amapper: Thank you so much! I think I remember Carthage (if I'm picturing the correct one) and that is quite a compliment to be given.
Battlecat: Thanks!
Tomas Neto: Thank you as always, my friend!
Dan: Thanks! Please don't go back into lurk mode... it's always so nice to hear from you. ;) I kind of got distracted from the FAR buildings to be honest. I think the reason I haven't gone back to them yet is I feel like I need a pretty good number for variety's sake before I can really start releasing things. I should just suck it up and start making some though... they generally don't take that long. ::)
Guillaume: Thank you!
Joan: Thanks! There is a pretty large spectrum of buildings in my plugins. I think the only consistency is that I tend to stick with primarily American styles and also don't veer to far into the ultra modern look. It's true that I do plan a lot of Covington to a degree. I generally know where I want certain things to end up and then just hope the game cooperates with what I'd like it to do. It doesn't always work out that way though, and I've had several areas wind up being completely different from what I had hoped for.
Update Time!!!
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Today's update takes us back to the south east side of Covington. You may remember from of these roads from the update which centered around The Barrens neighborhood. If you don't remember, (and I frankly wouldn't blame you) then you'll find them conviently labeled on the new map anyway.
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Along the southern edge of The Barrens is another one of those older villages that has now been swallowed by the suburbs. Covington actually has several of these little districts scattered around the outskirts. You may remember Hudson Landing... there is another old "downtown" area up in Harmony Hills... and you get the idea. Knob Hill was once a small cluster of shops serving the nearby farmers around the area. Much of the village has been lost as Covington spread around it and very few of the historic structures remain. The small chapel, Weatherwax Pharmacy, the local post office, and a couple older houses are really all that remain from the original town.
57.03
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East of Knob Hill is the newer Riverside High School. The school was built about 15 years ago when Randlemann High became too crowded. The new building has plenty of space for the growing neighborhood as well as the athletic facilities which every good high school needs. Riverside's football team is always competetive, due mainly to the unusual method of practicing against deer. Some parents feel this might be going too far, but the coach has refused to back down so far.
57.04
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Along Riverside Drive, another large commercial area starts back up just south of the high school. A large industrial area around Lee Street separates this commercial strip from the Harmony Hills shopping center, but the larger shops and restaraunts pick up right where where they left off to the north. An auto mall anchors the corner here along with the Texas Roadhouse restaraunt. Electronics seem to be the other big seller here as Circuit City and CompUSA both built stores here to compete with the local big boys...
57.05
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... and that big boy is Sam the Record Man. Locally owned since the beginning, (which was back when they still sold records, as the name might suggest) Sam has become a Covington phenomenon. He opened his first store downtown and has since grown to include five other locations around the city. (There is also talk of a possible new store in High Point, but that's not part of our story today.) Despite the constant and relentless tactics by the big box chains, Sam the Record Man is still the best place in Covington to buy music and the company continues to do extremely well, proving that there are still some "mom and pop" stores that will never roll over and die for the corporate giants. How do you like that, Wal-Mart?!?
57.06
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Just across Riverside Drive is another large parking lot for the Riverwalk Trail system. Great strides (no pun intended) have been made to fill in the gaps as the biking and hiking trails continue to follow the river around the south and east sides of Covington. This parking area is one of several that offer direct access to the trail system. Although, this does beg the question... Am I the only one who finds it strange that people would need to drive somewhere first just in order to go for a bike ride or a walk?
57.07
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The Riverwalk Trail has even been extended north around the industrial area. Trees help to block the factories and lend to the parklike setting along the paths. Work on this section is still in progress and will hopefully connect with the northern sections sometime within the next year. Currently the trail stops at the railroad bridge just north of here and doesn't resume until we get back up to the Fox Point apartment buildings. The crossing at Lee Street is also a temporary one until a pedestrian tunnel can be built under the roadway.
57.08
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Just south of Deep Cut Creek Road along Riverside Drive, the commercial areas continue to thrive. Restaraunts and car dealerships continue to be found everywhere down here. The Santa Clara retirement community is a beautiful building designed to resemble something much older than it actually is. Blue Cross of the Carolinas also has a large proffesional building here for a wide range of health care needs. While not actually a hospital, the building does act as a one stop facility for dentistry, smaller family doctor's offices, and minor out patient type surgeries.
57.09
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As is often the case in Covington, the large commercial areas give way to suburban apartment complexes. Just off Knob Hill Road, this complex looks frighteningly similar to the one we saw over near I-85 a couple updates back. I wish I could give you some sort of explaination for these similarities, but I don't really have an answer to be honest. Conspiracy buffs are convinced that one person owns all these apartment buildings. He in turn hires the same architect to design every single one, and then uses the same contractor to build them all. This theory does little but breed resentment among other local contractors who seem to think that they are getting cheated out of potential work, even though nobody can seem to identify the mysterious contractor who is (allegedly) getting all these jobs. Unfortunately, there is absolutely no evidence to back any of this up so, I say again, I don't have an answer to this one... sorry.
57.10
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The western edge of Riverside borders the city's large landfill area. You may recall that walls were built along Randlemann Road in an attempt to hide the unsightly piles of garbage. Noting a distinct lack of success with that project, the city decided to try something else on this side of the dump. Hoyt Park is a fairly large buffer between the industrial and landfill areas on its western side and the residential areas in Riverside. Although the park does little to hide the ugly areas, the property values along the eastern edge of the park have increased significantly. The city would like to try the same idea now in The Flats, but there isn't as much room there and the idea is proving to be a bit more difficult.
57.11
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Fronting Hoyt Park is what may be my new favorite apartment complex. These townhouses were all designed to resemble the historic Susan B. Anthony house and represent a historic ideal that few newer constructions achieve. Several lots are still waiting to be built, but I just couldn't hold this update off any longer. And no... you don't really want to know how long it took me to grow all of these together. Let's just say there's a reason it isn't finished yet. ;)
57.12
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And there you have it...
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Very nice indeed! I like those townhouses in the last shot, they look amazing!
Nice update Jon! I'm always amazed at the quality of your maps. I'm just wondering where you got the city hall (52.08) and the large brown building in the upper left hand corner of pic 52.08. Thanks Jon, and again, great update :thumbsup:
-Jordan
Nice update!
Fantstic update again!!! :thumbsup:
From time to time I need to make a comment, just to let you know I am following your work here. It has been some time ago now, but I always enjoy lurking in this MD. Many great looking shots again, and I especially like the first one with the remains of the original village and the roads meeting at this point from all the different angels. Also the new historical development is an achievement worth mentioning, it seems a like quite a charming neighbourhood.
The map and region view is exquisite! Keep up the good work!
I remain quite fascinated by your maps, Jon. It's so interesting to see a good-sized segment and get a better understanding of how the neighborhood streets interact with each other. There aren't as many intersections with the main transport network as I'd have guessed. But the system seems to work quite well, and it looks so very realistic on paper (if that makes any sense!). &mmm
By now, Covington seems like a real place to me, although better than real in some ways. 57.02 is a nice mixture of the old and new, a scene undoubtedly repeated many times over across America. I've always liked that school in 57.03, and hope I'll have a chance to use it one of these days. I like the way you used a fence in 57.04 to separate the neighborhood from the commercial area. That's something I probably wouldn't have tried because I'd have already convinced myself it would look awful! I like the way the shopping center is laid out, too - simple but very efficient.
The Riverwalk Trail system was/is a wonderful way to use the scenic riverbank, proving once again that things don't have to be complex to be effective.
This has been an unusually pleasurable update to view, study and comment on. I'm always happy to see a new one, but I do like to take my time, come back several times and look around before posting.
Later...
Joan
That's a very nice map JB. You've captured Google's style quite well. I always enjoy looking at your pictures because with your winding roads there are very few straight lines. Keeps things looking interesting.
Geoff
Great MD! And also the last update, nice too!
976
vey nice job and the update is splendid &apls
Yes, great work on the streetmap, region and pictures!
Wonderful update... :thumbsup:
Battlecat: Thank you! It took a L-O-N-G time to get all those townhouses to grow that way and I'm glad to hear it was worth the effort.
Jordan: Thanks! The maps are time consuming, but I enjoy making them. Both buildings you mentioned are by SimGoober. The first is from his Santa Clara series and I think can be found in his civic pack on the LEX... the other is a hospital.
Bobbi: Thank you!
Tomas Neto: Thanks!
Gjermund: Thank you! It's always nice to have you visit and hear your thoughts. The old village of Knob Hill was kind of an accident, to be honest. The roads all ended up meeting there and I had needed some medical coverage as things spread out... so I plopped Weatherwax Pharmacy and thought, "Hmmm... that would make a pretty fun looking village." Since it was in the suburbs, I had to kind of invent the rest of the story. ;)
Joan: Thank you! You've noticed another one of my little tricks with your comment about the intersections. I purposely try to minimize access to the "side streets" so as to prevent busses from using them. (I also use a bus blocking lot for streets, but fewer intersections makes it much easier to place these lots without having so many as to ruin the look of the neighborhoods) The fence around the commercial area is a little touch I like to use at times, although I try not to overdo it. The riverwalk has also been a fun and easy way to spruce up the waterfront without getting too carried away.
Geoff: Thanks! Avoiding straight lines and grids has been one of the only "rules" I really stuck to for this region.
976: Thnk you! Welcome to Covington!
Warconstruct: Thanks! I'm glad you liked it :)
Bat: Thank you! So nice to see you again, my friend.
I suppose I should probably apologize for the long delay in getting back here... I know what you've all been thinking. "Oh look! Jon got himself in the Hall of Fame and then decided he could just sit back and not have to update anymore. What an egotistical jerk that guy turned out to be!" Yeah... that's pretty much how it happened... sorry.* :D
Update Time!!!
58.01
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We'll have to do without the newer fancy map tonight... mostly because most of what we're about to see is actually just north of where the new maps ends. So for this one, I'm using the old style map which still covers the entire region. We're headed back to the northwest side of Covington this time towards Sharon Valley and Chestnut Hills, so lets take a look...
58.02
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Holden Road ends just north of the corporate park here at Cone Boulevard. Like so much of Cone Boulevard, this intersection supports a number of larger stores and restaraunts. Jack in the Box is a very popular lunch spot for all the office people over at Bank of America tower. It also provides them with a pretty, red sign to look at from the windows all day.
58.03
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A little further north is the Sharon Valley industrial park. The Pink Hat factory is here along with a number of warehouses and other cleaner industries. Aparently, the horses got loose from one of the nearby farms again. I certainly hope all those people leaving work don't have any problems. You've seen what hitting a deer can do to a car... can you imagine hitting a horse?!?
58.04
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Just to demonstrate how close to the edge of town we are here. You can see the top of Mount Sinai Medical Center at the bottom of the picture as the Joseph Bryan Parkway curves off to the northwest. Subdivisions are everywhere up here, and they're creeping closer and closer to the farmland.
58.05
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A closer look shows just how close the houses are getting in some areas. The only thing that separates these new homes from the farms and their older farmhouses is a thin line of trees. Residents of this particular subdivision tend to leave their windows open a lot more than most suburbanites. The flower farms may have something to do with that... or it might just be that all the people who are against air conditioning happened to buy houses in the same place. Who knows?
58.06
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I guess it's hard to blame people for wanting to live so close to the farmland. I'd much rather have amber waves of grain in my backyard than Joseph Bryan Parkway... but that's just me. The highway does get a lot of commuters into the city, so it was a worthwhile project when built. A number of people now complain that it should be a freeway all the way into downtown, but it is very unlikely that this will ever happen.
58.07
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Heading back east along Cone Boulevard, we see... more big box stores? Well, ain't that a shocker? The houses start just behind these stores, so we probably won't see any major shopping centers here like we have over on the east side in Harmony Hills. They really seem to like Dave and Busters up here though... remember the other one just down the road near Summit Avenue? It's really not that far away, but I guess they must be doing well. Probably a lot of business from the corporate park and hospital again.
58.08
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A little further to the east, we can see the North Ridge industrial park again. North of Cone Boulevard in this area is known as Chestnut Hills. It's very similar to what we just saw in Sharon valley, but they gave it a different name. I'm not sure if it was out of snobbish individualism or simply because this area has hills instead of a large valley. Either way, you can see the hills rising up behind the endless commercial stip along Cone Boulevard... and those hills are now blanketed with upper middle class subdivisions.
58.09
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Most of the main roads in Chestnut Hills run along the valleys with little room for any development on the sides. This actually lends a much more rural feel to the area than it actually has anymore. It wasn't long ago when this was still farmland, but building has been at a feverish pace here in the last 15 years or so. Now these winding "country" roads are flanked by housing tracts hidden behind some trees or by the hills they cover.
58.10
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The area has grown so much that a new elementary school was needed here. Chestnut Hills school is somewhat crowded by the fire station and clinic that also serve the neighborhood. The teachers get annoyed with all the noise and distractions, but the city really didn't have much choice. There just aren't many large tracts of flat land up here and the area grew so quickly that things had to be built as soon as possible regardless of exactly where they ended up.
58.11
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One last look at the creeping nature of progress here in Covington...
58.12
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And finally... it almost goes without saying that there will be one of these, doesn't it?
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
* In truth, I actually had a much busier winter so far than I expected... but that story really isn't nearly as amusing as the other version!
Interesting. Looks good. :D
Nice update, Jon boy ! ( ;D ) I really like the transition picture from suburban to rural, nicely done the little forest my friend, good job with it. Also, as I already told you, I'm really kind of your cul-de-sac pictures, they're quite beautiful.
The first picture is also great, with that mid rise. I really like how it turned out with the mix between the modern shops office and those old styled walls and the old W2Ws.
Picture 58.06 is my favorite of this update, these houses are really "goodly" placed and I like the mix of them. Also, as usual nice work with the C-D-S streets. The only thing I can reproach is the lake of more cars over the highway, with some more the picture must be fantastic.
Take care,
-Arthur. :thumbsup:
The overview and road map of your city are excellent! Great work on that update with great pictures... :thumbsup:
Stunning! Possibly the best region view ever in my opinion &apls
That creeping progress is looking amazing! The suburbs look fantastic as do all the other details. Looks like those farms are going to start feeling the pressure from developers.
That is amazing! I really like the region shot!
-Jordan :thumbsup:
Jees, I spent about an hour reading this great MD. WOW, man this region is truly amazing. You start from scratch and everything. i love all of those towns you made. They are so beautiful and great looking. Your downtown is very nice too, but that convention center???? I thik you need to bring several things to your region: new sports teams, a bertter looking regional train becasue i don't like that maxis version, and a mass transit system. You stll have a lot of work to do. I should know snice I am building an entire region too. The work will never stop on it.....Congrads on all your awards and keep up this great MD!!!!
Every time I look through a new Covington update, a different descriptive word comes to mind. The current word du jour is "casual." And that's meant to be a compliment. Over the nearly two years of its existence, Covington has evolved in a completely natural way, with housing developments eventually rubbing elbows with farmland.
Yet, despite the growth, it has retained its small-town - or smaller-town - ambiance. Although my travels have been limited, I've driven through towns that inspired me to lock the car doors and look straight ahead. Then I've been through others that seemed friendlier for some reason. Stop to ask for directions and leave with a hand-drawn map and maybe even a phone number. "If you get lost, just give me a call!"
58.04 is proof that your region looks great at any zoom level, and that's a bit trickier than it sounds. I especially like the farm in the upper left - that photo could easily have been taken from a news helicopter.
As always, the neighborhoods (58.05, 58.06, 58.09) are inviting - plenty of trees and a nice mixture of architectural styles. Even the mandatory commercial strips are inviting, or at least not "forbidding!"
Do you remember back when I tried to guess where the next few updates would be? Well, I was entirely wrong. I thought you might head due west along that highway that horizontally bisects the developed area. It remains the largest green space by far, and could end up being the last to see development.
Later...
Joan
Your farms are absolutely amazing looking.
Theres a lot of praise that I could heap upon your region but I'm sure it would be nothing others haven't already said about it. So, I'll simply say, that it's really fantastic and I look forward to any further updates to it.
Thanks for sharing it with us.
I'm going to have to work really hard to try to emulate your farms, and they are worth emulating for sure, they're just well... Amazingly beautiful from the eye in the sky view as well as down closer to earth.
I have to agree with a lot of Joan's wondeful points stated above. Covington certainly has, despite the growth that comes with such a large city, retained it's small town, deep-south feel.
Of course, the wonderful neighbourhoods of the city are wondeful. Tree-lined and gorgeous. I hope that we'll get to see a whole new community similar to Celebration Hills soon, as I really enjoy that type of neighbourhood.
Hope to see some more udpates soon, Jon.
Ethan
Beautiful city shots.
Question: Do you hand sculpt (plop) all of your shown areas or do you look for areas in your game that make great screenshots to represent your city?
Wow I was wondering where this MD is but congrads anyway's.
Wow! What a realistic looking region shot! That's brilliant. Nice suburbs too :thumbsup:
Great update!
Scott: Thank you!
Arthur: Thanks! I'm also quite pleased with how the transitions from urban to rural have turned out so far. I know what you mean about the cars, but I just don't have the patience to sit and wait for them to show up. I should probably change my NAM settings for one of the higher automata files, but I keep forgetting! ::) :D
Bat: Thank you, as always, my friend!
ShultzCity: Thank you so much! (Nice name too... throw in another letter and it would be the same as mine)
Battlecat: Thanks! I plan to leave the farms alone for the most part until the last of the empty spots are filled in... but after that, who knows?
Jordan: Thank you!
Greekman: Thank you and welcome to Covington! I still have plenty to do as you said... it will probably never be done anyway, so I guess I have plenty of time. :D
Joan: Thanks once again! I think the addition of FAR has really helped make the closer views more acceptable. I look back at some of the earliest entries here and wonder how I ever thought they were fine with the old jagged roads! :D The farm you mentioned is SimGoober's infamous Fukitol farms and also pretty high on my list of favorites. As for your original guess: I wasn't that far when you mentioned it, but I am now. The last area for development will probably be the southwest corner near the rail yards. I have some very specific plans for that section, but that's all I'm going to say for now. ;)
City Builder: Thank you so much for your kind words!
Ethan: Thank you! Today's update is near Celebration Hills, but not quite as open as the first glimps of that neighborhood. There will be some more very sparse suburbs like that coming soon though. :thumbsup:
City Builder: Very little of what you see is plopped or sculpted. Probably the most plopping I did was in the corporate office park along Joseph Bryan Parkway. Most everything else is grown patiently (and with a heavy finger on the bulldozer button at times) and then I just look for areas that best represent what I was going for.
Daniel: Thanks! Here it is... ;)
MayorToaster: Thank you!
976: Thanks!
Ahhh... RLS! Probably no point in explaining the long delays yet again, so I'll just skip right to...
Update Time!!!
Today's update will take us out along Interstate 40 to the western edges of Covington... where Joan thought we were going a while ago! :D How about a map?
59.01
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There's a few small spots to fill in around the edges of the map this time, but things are coming together quite nicely. Since most maps are pretty self-explanitory, it doesn't leave a whole lot to talk about here... so let's just get on with the update!
43.09
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I'm not sure if anyone remembers this picture from a while back, but this was the beginnings of that little subdivision just of Market Street and Squirrel Valley Road.
59.02
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And this is how it looks now! The former trailer park has grown into another example of American suburbia. 7-11 has been replaced with an even uglier office building, and a few other smaller commercial buildings have sprung up along Market Street here.
59.03
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The corner of Foothill Road and Market Street has also added a couple new businesses, but McDonald's doesn't appear to be going anywhere! More housing tracts are making their presence felt and the owner of the orchard across the street is starting to wonder if now is the time to sell out and retire. That may seem a bit premature based soley on this picture, but I think you'll understand where he's coming from soon enough...
59.04
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Further south on Foothill Road, the reasons for our farmer's concerns (or money making opportunities, depending on how you choose to look at it) become a bit more apparent. A new water tower encourages the commuters on I-40 to smile at Covington's industrial expansion. Or maybe the water tower's smiling faces are meant to ease the concerns of environmentalists and rural home owners. Either way, a rather large industrial park starts near Holden Road and lines the north side of the interstate all the way out here before it finally dwindles off. Further expansion seems quite likely, but time will tell how quickly that happens.
59.05
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Heading back towards Bittner Road, most of the industrial park looks like this. Warehouses and mostly cleaner industries keep things fairly nice as factories go.
59.06
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In some places, the industrial park spreads away from the highway almost to Market Street where the big box stores and smaller office buildings take over. We've seen this scenerio often enough, so there really isn't much else to say about this picture. However, before someone chastises me for the lack of traffic on what is actually a pretty busy street, I would just like to remind everyone that daylight savings time can get a little out of control. Of course there's no traffic... it was 1:00AM when this picture was taken! Don't ask me when the sun plans to actually go down... I have no clue.
59.07
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23 hours of daylight not withstanding, all this job development has spawned several large apartment complexes nearby. This particular one sits just north of Market Street near the curve on Bittner Road. I lost count of how many buildings are in this complex, but only about half of the whole development fit in this picture. It seems that the property manager may want to have a talk with the gardeners, though... some of those trees are in awfully strange (and potentially dangerous) places.
59.08
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Along the freeway is another development of townhouses just off of Bittner Road. You may remember from a previous update that this is also near the large Celebration Hills shopping center at the Holden Road exit. I had an updated view of that shopping center here somewhere, but then decided for various reasons to skip it this time. So until I do show it, you'll just have to trust me that it has grown and filled in... although still nothing like the Harmony Hills center on the east side of town.
59.09
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As densely packed as some of these developments have become, the "freedom" of postage stamp lawns and dead end streets is never far. The classic subdivisions are all here for anyone who might like to stand on their back deck and look through the next door neighbor's dining room window. Zoning regulations have done a nice job of sheltering these subdivions from the noise of the main roads with lots of trees and other green things. This really makes it much easier to hear the same neighbors (you remember... the ones you were just looking at through the window) when they decide to argue about where the next mortgage payment is supposed to come from.
59.10
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It's important to point out, amongst all the cynical jibes at suburbia, that Covington's growth is not only happening on the outskirts. Things are booming back in the city as well. Take Northern Heights, for example. The views overlooking UNCC have continued to drive urban renewal. Taller apartment towers replace the older brick buildings of Covington's earlier days to take advantage of the hilltop views towards either campus or downtown.
59.11
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Speaking of downtown, the skyline there has added several new features lately. This new apartment building went up at Murrow Boulevard and Market Street recently. Developers are currently waiting to acquire the smaller buildings nearby for further redevelopment. Plans call for another apartment tower along Murrow with the remaining small buildings to be knocked down for improved landscaping. No time frame has been set at this point, but we'll check back eventually.
59.12
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Perhaps the biggest changes to the skyline are in the two blocks near Benjamin Parkway and Friendly Avenue. Until recently, the tallest buildings downtown tended to be built closer to the loop formed by Interstate 85 where they could benefit from all the traffic visibility. The Coca-Cola and Aramark towers both chose locations where their signs could be seen by everyone passing by. As that land is now getting pretty hard to come by, developers have started to see the advantage of building on the western edge of downtown where views will always remain open thanks to Memorial Cemetary and the historic district along Benjamin Parkway. The newly completed Jenner Tower is a mixed use office building which now lays claim to Covington's tallest building. Just to the left with it's curving front is another apartment building which is also a new addition to the downtown area.
59.13
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All these new projects are really beginning to shape the skyline in Covington...
59.14
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...not to mention the view from space.
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Do I spot some of the highly expected new university buildings at 59.10?
Nice update. And the region shots are always truly impressive! :thumbsup:
Great update, Jon !
Picture 59.10 is my favorite of the update, the towers fits just perfectly there, like the university buildings. The downtown is certainly a nice one, great mix of towers. I simply love the general view by night, all these lights really gives a good touch to the update, also nice add with the clouds.
Keep it up !
Arthur. :thumbsup:
I like all the new condos downtown!
Wow Jon! Great update! All the new development is looking great. The region view is looking better and better!
Your friend,
Jordan :thumbsup:
Quote from: JBSimio on April 04, 2010, 06:22:38 PM
I have some very specific plans for that section, but that's all I'm going to say for now. ;)
That's OK. I love pleasant surprises, but I don't like waiting too long for them! :)
You continue to amaze me with your neighborhood layouts. I started attending a professional commercial art school when I was 13, and spent the first year copying the published work of others. So I shamelessly tried to copy your work for practice, but I just can't seem to achieve the same satisfying results you get. I'll keep trying, though!
Even the names you use – Squirrel Valley, Market Street, Foothill Road, etc., add to the unique character of Covington.
Normally, industrial areas are low on my list of favorites – way down there at the bottom along with skyscraper forests – but 59.05 and 59.06 are very attractive. And your narrative with 59.09 is priceless! I even like the face of your burgeoning downtown area (59.11-59.13), and the final "view from space" is always an amazing sight to see.
Later... :)
Joan
Amazing region shot at the end which looks like so realistic :thumbsup:
The houses suburbs are well done and integrated with the highway
and i really enjoy the matt s houses :)
congratulations for this city &apls &apls &apls
Great to see another update here looking superb as usaul downtown looks out of this world!!
Will
Gorgeous work as always!
TiFlo: Thank you! Yes indeed, a few of the new dormitories can be seen here. ;)
Arthur: Thanks! I was very excited to get the apartment building (by my good friend, Tag_One) in 59.10 as it's my first growing of that particular building here. I tend to have some abandonment issues in that area now and then for some reason, but the residents always come back eventually. :D I'm glad you liked the night shot... there's a few more in this update for you too!
Daniel: Thank you!
Jordan: Thanks!
Joan: Thank you! I'll try not to make the wait too terribly long, but you never know with my schedule. ::) I wish I could offer you some tips about the neighborhood layouts, but I honestly just make each cul de sac up as I go... there really is very little rhyme or reason to how I lay them out. Perhaps that's the "trick" al by itself? I'm normally not a big fan of industrial areas either, but this one came out so well that it seemed worth including for once. Covington will probably never become a skyscraper forrest, but as you're about to see it is still growing quite a bit.
Girafe: Thanks! I shudder to think what I would ever do without Matt's wonderful houses... they've really made a huge difference when it comes to building the suburbs.
Will: Thank you!
Battlecat: Thanks to you as well!
Update Time!!!
We've seen so much suburbia during the last few updates, that it became all too easy for me to forget about the other parts of Covington. All the growth on the outskirts has definitely had an impact on downtown, so I thought we'd stay there a little bit longer and see what's been happening. I also needed a good excuse to let this city tile catch up with everything else in the region! It's hard to believe how much Covington has grown over the last two years. (Yes... I managed to miss my diary's birthday once again!)
60.01
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A map of downtown should come in very handy right about now, especially one chock full of labels and other imaginary information. One of my earliest updates for the city focused on the rather intricate system of avenues and one way streets that funnel people into the downtown area and this map does a very nice job of showing how all the major arteries we've seen come together here. Notice how Benjamin Parkway and Friendly Avenue combine to form the set of one-way streets near RJ Reynolds Park or the Freeman Mill Road (US 220) bridge over the railroad tracks, Lee Street, and Interstate 85. Notice anything else you might like too while you're at it... after all, maps are fun!
60.02
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In the last update, I mentioned that future plans for Murrow Boulevard and Market Street included a second apartment building similar to the first. The development proved to be so popular with residents, that a third building was actually added before all was said and done. While some of the landscaping has also been done here, there are still a few smaller buildings waiting to be knocked down before the project can be considered fully complete. In the meantime, the leasing agents have been busy and these three apartment buildings have added nearly 3000 new homes to Covington.
60.03
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The gateway to downtown for much of south Covington remains Freeman Mill Road as it splits around city hall. The KSIM building and Swan Majestic hotel have welcomed people for years, but the view from the bridge is constantly changing as the skyline continues to rise. I mentioned the recent additions of Jenner Tower and the Farrel condominium building, but this angle probably does a better job of showing the impact these buildings have had on the view commuters see from the overpass.
60.04
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Just east of city hall are the other two blocks which make up Covington's government center. The Guilford County Courthouse sits in the shadow of the Swan Majestic. The city did manage to squeeze in a small parking lot across the street, much to the delight of lawyers and the dismay of parking meter police. Just north of the courthouse is the city's stock exchange building where white collared math geeks can buy, sell, and somehow manage to bring about financial ruin to countries across the world. For those who contend that Covington has outgrown its rather small city hall building (which I'm the first to admit that it certainly has done), I should point out that the 12 story building next to the stock exchange is also owned by the city and contains many of the offices formerly found across the street in the old building.
60.05
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Just off Murrow Bouldevard on the east side of downtown is Market Square. A throwback to Covington's history, the market building is still in use on a daily basis. Fresh produce from local farms can still be found here on weekends as well as two other days during the week. The other three days are set up on a rotating basis when one can find flower and gardening markets, technology fairs hosted by UNCC, fresh seafood and meat markets, even the occasional livestock auction from time to time. The clock tower, a long ago gift to the city, was obviously inspired by the British but it adds to the old world feel of this area.
60.06
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In startling contrast to the historic feel of Market Square, Covington's office boom continues a mere two blocks south on Murrow Boulevard. Modern towers of glass and steel slowly replace the older brick buildings as the need for more space grows. Aramark's new regional headquarters really cemented Covington's place as an emerging center for business in the southeast. No sooner had the doors opened to that office tower than ground broke next door for the SimsCo building. The older Taft and Hurst buildings in the background, once proud anchors of the downtown core, now seem dwarfed by their modern neighbors.
60.07
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Richardson's department store has welcomed people at the corner of Friendly Avenue and Eugene Street since 1923. Preservationists scored a recent victory when this building, along with the First Nation bank building across the street, was added to the local register of historic structures. With so much growth and development downtown, the fight to save some of the older buildings has become more urgent as the historic societies race against time. The newer office building between Friendly Avenue and the freeway stands as a reminder that progress is relentless right now and many of the older buildings are at risk of being lost forever. Fortunately, Richardson's is now safe from the wrecking ball and will continue welcoming people as they enter downtown from Indian Village to the east. (I should mention that the Taft building from the previous picture is also protected by the historic registry.)
60.08
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Market Square continues to be a busy place well after dark. The clock tower shines like a beacon welcoming people from Interstate 85 at the busiest exit ramps feeding into downtown.
60.09
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Another pretty night time view looking down Friendly Avenue toward the west...
60.10
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... but the gateway still strikes me as the better view this time of night. There's something very dignified looking about city hall and the square in front that I really like.
No region shot today (it would give things away for the next update)... so I thought we'd wrap things up with a little mosaic of downtown. RJ Reynolds Park, home of the Piedmont Pirates, proves that North Carolina is probably the only place left in the country where a tobacco company could still be awarded naming rights to a major sports venue. Even so, the company was limited to only adding their name to the park... no additional advertisements will be found here. The mosaic continues past the government center before ending near St. Gabriel's Cathedral and Market Square...
60.11
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Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Nice work Jon! The nightshots are great, and the little facts you add makes the update even better!
Your friend,
Jordan :thumbsup:
Very nice last couple of updates Jon. The downtown area is really flourishing and is pulling off the realism of the growth over time look (as it should, given it's been quite a while in the making). The Hurst, Taft and Swan Majestic really show off your skills on both sides of the game: developing and playing. Curious to see what you have planned for next time that you didn't want to show the region view. Until then, take it easy.
-Matt
Your maps are fantastic. I wish I could do them like that.
This update is as all your other 59 updates great! Wonderful work on it!! :thumbsup:
Looking forward to update 61...
Awesome downtown there looks to be just right. Only qualm for me is the use of Big Ben it just doesn't look right!!
Will
Outstanding map, Jon. I'm going to try and learn how to make them before...umm...before long.
I'm looking at 60.03, and already I like the CBD. It's proof that buildings don't have to be 85 stories tall and set on a 1x1 lot to make for an attractive downtown area. :D I still remember Houston during the 1950s and '60s. Those vintage buildings were beautiful, and I still see one in game every now and then which is reminiscent of those classics. The light brown building in the upper left of 60.04, for example, along with many of your SHUR creations.
The more modern ones which follow in several photos actually look good with the older ones. Makes the whole city look very realistic – after all, this is the way such things evolve in RL. The night shots are stunning as always, and the mosaic really shows off the evolution from vintage to modern. It's one of the best choices and arrangements of BATs I've ever seen.
Later... :)
Joan
Wow, 60 updates and still going strong!
I really liked the map and the mosaic! Keep it up! :thumbsup:
Wow, excellent night shots there, Jon ! I loved them' all.
Fantastic work with the downtown, it looks like a real one from the US. I love the mix of old architecture, such as church, city hall, change building; clocktower and market and the modern architectural skyscrapers. Great job with the road layout, greatly done.
Keep it up !
Arthur. :thumbsup:
You should think of making some of the brick buildings historical.
wow great looking downtown! keep up the great work!
Great update! You've got some fantastic buildings in this update!
Great update!
I enjoyed this update from your CBD, to get a feel of the development that is going on is always interesting. Your down town core has such a contrast in different buildings. From quite small to quite large, making me think that growth came suddenly to Covington.
I have one small comment about this area; I think the stone texture covering the slopes do not fit very well here. It seems rather crude and rural for this area that is turning into such a sophisticated commercial and administrative centre.
Gjermund/Kwakelaar
I really liked this update, Jon. The CBD of Covington has really grown and it is really a beautiful city.
Ethan
Wow thats really awesome, i love how you have a map corresponding with your thing.
The region is just beautiful. I love the steady growth and the farmlands. What trees and terrain are you using? It's so green! I love it.
nice job!
Jordan: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Matt: Thanks! I really had ignored downtown for too long. There was such a boom when I first loaded it up again that I couldn't save it the first time around as I had lost too many buildings I wanted to keep. I had to start over and quickly pause things so I could protect some things the second time around. ;) The "secret" update isn't so much exciting as it was just me not wanting to show where I was working. :D
RickD: Thank you! They're not difficult to make... just very time consuming.
Bat: Thanks! So nice to see you back again.
Will: Thank you! I'm not positive about Big Ben either (although it's been there from the beginning). I definitely like having a clock tower in that space, but I may need to look for an alternate BAT to use instead.
Joan: Thanks so much! 60.03 was probably one of my favorites from this update, although 60.10 is a close one as well. I definitely wanted to keep a good mix of historic and modern buildings here and I'm glad to hear that the mix seems about right.
Haljackey: Thank you! Nice to see you stopping in again. ;)
Arthur: Thanks! I spent a lot of time getting downtown laid out, from the roads to the historic "anchors"... like the churches and market square. After that, it became a matter of letting it grow in stages, saving some older buildings, and letting others get replaced... going back to other parts of the city and coming back to do it all over again. Downtown is one of those tiles that will never be "finished" and will always evolve with the rest of the region.
Daniel: (in response to your second post) Thank you! (in response to your first post) I mentioned in the update that several of the brick buildings have been listed with the historical register... others are waiting to be added to the list as well.
GreekMan: Thanks!
Battlecat: Thank you!
976: Thanks to you too!
Gjermund: Thank you! I think you're probably right about the retaining walls. They made sense when the city was still much smaller, but they seem a bit out of place now. I've tried a couple alternatives that I already have, but I may need to do some looking on the LEX before I find a replacement I really like. You'll see the results eventually though. :)
Ethan: Thanks!
Natalie: Thank you! Welcome to Covington (and SC4 Devotion for that matter) :thumbsup:
Mgrinshpon: Thank you! I'm using Cycledogg's Columbia terrain mod and tree controllers.
Update Time!!!
Covington continues to fill out the suburban areas and we have a couple places to look at today.
61.01
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Our first map takes us back to the Chestnut Hills area on the north side of Covington. Cone Boulevard forms the southern limit of the neighborhood which stretches roughly from Coleman Valley Road over to Interstate 85. Comprised mostly of subdivisions, the area looks like many others in the suburbs, although the hills keep things a little more open.
61.02
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You may remember the Chestnut Hills elementary school from Update 58. I had mentioned at the time that it was literally squeezed in at the last moment. The area was growing so fast that there wasn't much time to find an ideal location and so the school basically wound up sitting atop a ridge in the middle of a large residential neighborhood. While the location is perfect for parents willing to let their children walk to school (perish the thought!), the traffic on what would otherwise be a sleepy side street can get a bit extreme during school hours.
61.03
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Cone Boulevard continues to be a thriving commercial strip. A number of hotels and other corporate chains line the avenue here and the largest apartment complex in Chestnut Hills can also be found nearby. This particular style of townhouse has become quite popular in Covington and it seems that they can be found just about everywhere in the city these days.
61.04
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Around the otherside of the complex, the apartments give way to more single family homes and subdivisions off of Graton Ridge Road.
61.05
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The same can be said near Pheasant Run apartments (first seen in Update 44) along Summit Avenue. A couple small steps have been taken here to make the residential areas more pedestrian friendly, but in all reality these attempts are a token approach at best. Along Summit Avenue, the big box stores slowly give way to smaller shops before the countryside takes over.
61.06
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Looking north into the distance shows once again how the ever creeping suburbs are threatening the rural areas north of the city.
61.07
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCovington_61-07.jpg&hash=595e2fb079ecead8702789443449a83e5338e77a)
All this growth means the the city finally had to do something about Orchard Lane. We first looked at this former farm road in Update 52 and mentioned that an interchange with I-85 may soon be needed. That time has come, but first the DOT had to close the overpass and find a way to fit these ramps around all the other things going on here. They had housing, the main rail road line, and a couple other roads to work around.
61.08
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCovington_61-08.jpg&hash=030b1f60880cfa80611cd70567e87aca248f9165)
The overpass is rebuilt and connections to the expressway are in place. The final step was to build the ramps. (This picture must have been taken on a Sunday or something... there isn't a single car anywhere on the roads! What the...)
61.09
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCovington_61-09.jpg&hash=cc186b8ba47409f5aa069f78f8a91da921971dca)
An overview of the finished interchange. Farm trucks in particular make good use of the new exits from Orchard Lane, and it quickly became popular with commuters from Chestnut Hills and Marshall Hills to the east.
61.10
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCovington_61-10.jpg&hash=602d709313697fa721b674582999bd13800ca2ed)
The north side of Covington isn't the only place with a booming construction trade these days. South of Crescent Park, the South River Bend neighborhood has also seen a lot of growth recently.
61.11
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCovington_61-11.jpg&hash=35125301d9fcdf47eabe61e4695b463892840eca)
We saw the large meat packing plant west of the railyards previously, but industry continues to spread all over this area. All this growth and additional jobs came at heavy cost to Holden Township, which had to invest heavily in water treatment or face the wrath of EPA officials. Fortunately, the new plants have worked very well and the river nearby remains very clean. While not the prettiest area in town, it's an essential piece of the local economy.
61.12
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCovington_61-12.jpg&hash=da3c5fd8089182606511f08d08cade86a936fdfc)
Just across I-85 south of the rail yards, a small commercial strip serves as a buffer between the busy expressway and nearby subdivisions. And of course, this being North Carolina, you have to have a Food Lion somewhere nearby for all those grocery needs.
61.13
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCovington_61-13.jpg&hash=028c43940b6d4c594051a1650282be183280686f)
Facing the other way shows that just across the road is where the housing comes back into things.
61.14
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCovington_61-14.jpg&hash=bfe5a33131ae9ac10a2a2d7ff78f4f8ab5c41cf0)
An overview shows that we're petty close to the edge of town here. Subdivisions abound and farmers are starting to fidget a little as the houses creep outwards.
61.15
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCovington_61-15.jpg&hash=ff974f93d85890243f4f571f53b6bb62ba3f4c90)
Some larger "waterfront" condos are even beginning to pop up here near West Bend Road and Tobacco Row. The River Trail actually begins here at West Bend Road just south of the taller apartments before it passes beneath Freeman Mill Road. There are still several gaps in the walking and biking trail around the Hudson Landing area, but the trail is almost complete from here all the way around to bridge at Cone Boulevard on the northeast side of the city.
61.16
(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi199.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa104%2FJBSimio93%2FCovington_61-16.jpg&hash=b92dd84b7c4978d87ad2f4a026139a62fc1b09ca)
And finally... a spiffy overview of everything we've seen in the last couple updates.
Thanks for reading!!!
JB
Wow... if this wasn't a fansite I'd be asking what city those pics are from...
I just absolutely love the last shot. :thumbsup:
The open land around Covington is disappearing bit by bit and getting filled in with the loveliest of suburbs. Great job, Jon - your suburbs, with the amount of details you put into them, are a real inspiration!
Fantastic MD, I love it when Covington has updates.
One question, where is that lovely little shopping center in 61.13 from?
That ragionview is amazing man! I cant belive it! (https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.forumsextreme.com%2Fimages%2FsFun_drool2.gif&hash=5b3a5488db708801104fd7b6a22a041e424583bf)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.forumsextreme.com%2Fimages%2FsFun_drool2.gif&hash=5b3a5488db708801104fd7b6a22a041e424583bf)(https://www.sc4devotion.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.forumsextreme.com%2Fimages%2FsFun_drool2.gif&hash=5b3a5488db708801104fd7b6a22a041e424583bf)
,marsh :thumbsup:
Great update Jon! The farmers must be getting a little scared, what with suburbia encroaching on their territory.
-Jordan :thumbsup:
Hey my friend!. I know this city well, ;) , I'm a resident of "Covington" myself, and a fellow simcity fanatic! I think your next street name should be.....oh idk......Market Street, or Wendover, that sounds cool!!! Keep up the great work on your CJ!!!! :thumbsup:
Wonderful update, Jon. The sheer beauty of Covington's suburbs is wonderful, and all the medium wealth BATs look perfect. The way you walked us through constructing the highway interchange was wonderful as well.
Can't wait to see some more work out of Covington, my friend.
Ethan :)
Some great looking shots from the outer areas of Covington, I especially like photo 61.04 where the houses are put on something looking like a small hill.
The images from the construction of the new interchange are great as well.
Gjermund/Kwakelaar
Nice construction story!
Oh.... my.... god this has to be the most absurdly beautiful thing I've ever seen built on SC4.... the level of detail and realism is unmatched by anything I've ever seen. It's just.... I have no words for it. While I've had some disagreements with woodb3kmaster in the past on other sites I couldn't agree with him more with what he's said about your city. Inspirational....
nice update
Words can barely describe how much i love that overview !
Fantastic work &apls
I always enjoy looking at your consistently-excellent screen shots, but in every update there are always one or two which stand out at first glance. 61.04 is an example which seems to "speak" a bit louder than the others. I think it has something to do with the east/west road in the bottom of the photo. Or maybe it's the flawless composition – maybe even a combination thereof! :)
61.06 is an excellent example of "creeping suburbia," and once again, the photo's composition is outstanding. The interchange featured in 61.07-61.09 is an interesting study in making things fit within the confines of existing development. Sometimes it's tempting to drag out the dynamite and do it the easy way, but it's much more realistic and certainly a greater challenge to "do it right!"
Of course, the overview (61.16 ) is magnificent, and looking better after each update.
Later... :)
Joan
Interesting that the suburbs here seem to be getting denser and denser (in terms of building proximity) than what I recall for your previous developments. It's rather close to real world developments in a way too, where buildings may be lucky to have a 5 foot strip of land between each other in some developments. It's nowhere near that bad here, but I'm curious if it's my imagination or something you've planned. I think 61.04 and 61.14 illustrate it best. Also, yay for the wrath of the EPA. The water treatment plants look good there, and provide a nice bit of grimey openness to the area. Nice work on this Jon.
Also, is that a landfill down in the bottom middle of the urban area in the region shot?
-Matt
wow! That region shot reminds me of Pittsburgh from the air! Keep up the good work!
What a gorgeous region shot! It really does leave one speechless - the details such as the farmland, the little villages scattered around, and ofcoure the city itself.
I also fell in love with how you did your industrial area, very realistic and nicely done!
I was wondering, what is the population of your city and region?
I know this is old, but I had to respond. What a fantastic region! I've spent the last two weeks slowly reading through this (on my phone) at every spare moment, I just couldn't put it down. I aspire to one day have region shots half as good as yours. I'll be trying out your farm method, too. As if your amazing BATs weren't enough of a contribution to the community...
I do have a question, if anyone is still reading this. Are the Museum of Fine Arts and Washington Heights Library seen below available anywhere? I've looked everywhere I know and can't find them.
http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=4274.msg208057;topicseen#msg208057 (http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=4274.msg208057;topicseen#msg208057)
Thanks
Wow, very impressive region shot! Your suburbs are good too :)