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Greenacre

Started by threestooges, December 24, 2008, 03:13:48 PM

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Battlecat

Great little park in the last update.  I'd love to have a transit system like that in my area! 

Jmouse

Love the diner in the park, Matt! You always do an especially good job laying out your parks. I'm interested in the GLR and how it works out for you. Wondering if the system is widely used and what kind of population density it takes to justify it. Also, is GLR just a way of getting around in town or do the tracks extend into the 'burbs, perhaps as a park-and-ride system?

Very attractive update today...
Joan

LE0

Great use of GLR, and the alley in the lower left corner behind buildings looks nice too. :)
Leoland coming Spring 2009

Pat

Matt that was a fantastic pic there!!! I am for one glad that there is now action being taken against that one apartment building...  Far as the dinner ooo nice toch!!!

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

threestooges

Replies:
-Arthur (art128): No such thing as 'late' when it comes to a reply around here, always good to see you. The parking lots actually connect to the street just off the pic. That small area is reserved parking for the lifeguards. I know what you mean about the villas v. the apartments, and that's been taken care of (see my previous post). The train station is Underworld's Cross Station which can be found on the STEX (not sure if it's on the LEX yet, but if it's not, it should be). The overpass is the GDV Pedestrian Overpass With Toll Function by goldiva. Thanks for stopping by.



-Robin (rooker1): Absolutely nothing to worry about. Always good to see you here. You can take a look at the station (see my response to Arthur above for the link) but I believe the station and tunnels are all one model. The tour is pretty much aimless. I'm just going where I think I can find a good pic or two on a given day. Some trips are for a purpose, but I'll still manage to get a pic while I'm there. Certainly not taking the bus either... at least, I'm not... I hope you haven't been. There's plenty of room on the helicopter. It makes the trips back and forth aroudn the area much easier. If you're looking for a game of chess, just let me know. I'm always ready.



-Battlecat: Thanks. That park is one of my few attempts at messing with the LE. Give the GLR a shot. Now that it's draggable, in avenues, and in roads, there is so much flexibility with it and, if you're like me and love trains, it's an excellent network to play with. My compliments to the NAM team for their work on that.



-Joan (Jmouse): Thanks Joan. I don't do much LE work, but that park is one of my attempts. Thought a diner out there would be fun, and I knew it would go next to the tracks. It seemed to work pretty well. Not sure of the transit data (as soon as I finish up this advertising project I'll get back to pestering the DOT to get their information together) but in this area, the GLR circles the island and easily gets 200 riders/day at most stations. Not sure if it's financially self sufficient yet, but it's a staple of the island, so I doubt it's going anywhere... well, aside from the stations of course. Good to see you.



-LE0: Thanks LE0. I love playing with the GLR, and JBSimio's SmallTown series is really well designed. Those alleyways can just come together when they grow (or are plopped) like that. It's a great bonus for them. Thanks for stopping by.



-Pat: Thanks Pat. Yes, when we get back to South Coast (for a full, formal, update) I'm sure we'll see something different around there. Thanks for the thoughts on the diner. Rest assured though, I'll still be looking to you and the rest of ITC for my lotting needs. Hope all is well.



Today, we're headed to a small town between Westport and South Coast (18): Western Pass. This area is one of the only roads between the cities and connects the rest of the beach cities to the valley farmland.



Not all housing communities in Greenacre are high wealth areas. This little tract, lined with ranch-style houses back from the late 1940s, developed around the lighthouse back after WWII. Its proximity to the tracks keeps land values slightly lower, but it's close to the beach, and there's a neat little pond across the way just a hop, skip, and a jump over the tracks.


Sciurus

Very nice preview or update (I don't because there's all time one pic :D) &apls
And why is there a headlight on the middle of the village, I must tell you I don't understand ()what()

Guillaume :thumbsup:
L'atelier d'architecture
* * * * * Longwy * * * * *

rooker1

Matt,
Nice pic, the light house is a nice touch, but I can't help but wonder if there is any history as to why it is there.
And I absolutely love that you were able to get the train in the pic, if that doesn't show some life and action, I don't know what does than.
I just wish the back ground didn't show in the pic, but everything can't be perfect I guess.
Great stuff here Matt, I really enjoy stopping in here everyday.
BTW, the smiley was code word for, "I'm up for a game if you are".  ::)  ;)

See ya later,
Robin 
Call me Robin, please.

Battlecat

Nice subdivision there!  I must admit the lighthouse made me double take a couple of times.  It seems to be a bit far from the shore to be effective at it's job, did Western Pass do some filling to extend the coastline making the lighthouse obsolete?  Looks very cool!

Jmouse

Nice-looking older neighborhood, Matt. That's an architectural style that will someday be gone forever as those old houses are either abandoned or refurbished one by one. Often young new owners want to modernize and end up losing the original design.

And the lighthouse is there because it was moved to preserve it for posterity when young new owners wanted to build a modern one! :P

Later...
Joan

threestooges

Replies:
-Guillaume (Sciurus): Call them whatever you want, there will be one of them a day for the rest of the month. It is essentially a preview of the island, but the pics will be used for something in the end. Scroll down a bit for information on the lighthouse. Good to see you.



-Robin (rooker1): Details about the lighthouse are further down the page. You can almost see the coffee table bouncing across the living room of that house by the tracks, can't you? As for the background... well, it seems I forgot to cut it out this time... whoops. I'll have to fix that (probably tomorrow). You should know me by now, it doesn't take much to get me into a chess game.



-Battlecat: The lighthouse, though it's not right on the coast, is still quite effective. The shore is just off the bottom of the pic. Details of how it came to be there are just down the page. Thanks for stopping by.



-Joan (Jmouse): It's sad to see it go too. There's an area around here that used to have little beach houses... people bought up the lots, ripped the houses down and built McMansions that were far too big for the lots. It lost a lot of its charm in my opinion. A few houses have still survived though. The lighthouse is actually the redevelopment of one of the houses there... apparently, it's the new style. Only kidding. It was there before the houses were. Always good to see you here.



It seems like the lighthouse caught everyone's attention, so a bit of explanation may be in order. It is a functioning lighthouse for the city of Western Pass. In the picture that was shown, the shore is just down the hill at the bottom of the pic. The lighthouse sits approximately 160m (appx 500ft, appx 10 tiles) away from the shore, and was built up the hill for better visibility. There is a sudden height increase in the terrain to the north and, rather than build a taller building, they decided to scoot it back from the shore to solve the problem.

Interestingly enough, I used to live in Reno, NV, where the only body of water is the Truckee River. There is a community there, in the middle of town, with a lighthouse. I haven't been able to find a picture of it yet, but you can catch a glimpse of it as you drive down the freeway. This pic reminds me of it every time I see it. One of the stranger things I've seen, but, functional or not, it is something that'll catch your eye

Today's pic is a special request of sorts. I was asked what area was my favorite, and why. Considering that we've already been there three times during this month (and about to add a fourth), it may be easy to guess that I like the Shelter Island area. In particular I like the area in today's pic (19).



I have always been a fan of trains (surprise), and this certainly includes streetcars. The creation of the GLR is one of my favorite (among many) additions to the game as it gives one more way to add in rail travel. As a result, any pic with a train in it will certainly capture my attention. I'm not sure why, but the way the buildings have filled in around the marina here just looks good in my opinion. The various bits and pieces really show off some of the best creations that our community has come up with. It may end up developing into a group of modern apartments, or it may stay like it is, but either way, I like this area.


Sciurus

Ok, I call that how I want, so I call that an update, but very little update so :D
In you pic, I really like the slope of your tramwzy, it's very nice, but I don't really like the two tramway stops, it's not very realistic when those are so near, I hope you'll correct that ;)

Guillaume :thumbsup:
L'atelier d'architecture
* * * * * Longwy * * * * *

Albus of Garaway

Matt! It's been too long!

I love that sloping GLR! It looks so smooth. I really like how the area with the apartments is elevated, and then it slopes down to older houses near the shore. Very realistic!

Oh, and do you by any chance have a model train layout? If so, I'd love to see pictures of it!

bat

Some wonderful new pictures there for the OSITM there! Nice work! :thumbsup:

Battlecat

That explains the lighthouse perfectly!  Thanks for clarifying that.  Love the latest picture, you're absolutely right about the GLR standing out beautifully. 

rooker1

Hey Matt,

Even though I lost again last night in our chess match, it was my favourite game so far to date, I just want to thnk you again.

This picture does look great and I can easily see why it is one of your favourite areas.  Something about islands, I like too.  But, Matt I do see a few things that could be improved, of course, as always just my opinion.  ;) First of all, just let me say that I know your style of play.  You are one of the last people that still play the game a it was designed and you let grow what will.  With that said, I wish those houses were not in the building area.  Either other buildings of equal size, parks, or even parking lots may look better.  And do you see that one patch where the side walk is different, remember the little trick I told you about adding in side walks, well it would work there as well.  Last but not the least, see the dead end road with the turning lanes, well it doesn't look right.  Maybe those could be changed to the greay streets instead.
Correct me if I am wrong but that area is a peninsula, right.  Can I get a higher view of the area when you have a chance.  I really like to see how others deal with the area.  ;)
I do like the church in the fore ground, the buildings that grew as well as the way you set up the GLR.


Oh, BTW Matt I saved today's newspaper for you.



Have a great night Matt.
Robin  :thumbsup:

Call me Robin, please.

Pat

Matt some great stuff is happening here for sure wow!!! You will be happy to hear I am wrapping up the MDK here shortly over this weekend and along with my texture pack which be used in the MDK...  Still waiting on the other stuff lol....

OK now what is the council going to do about "The Heralds" accusations about the IND and the council sneaking out the back door???

-  concerned citizen

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

Jmouse

Another fetching photo, Matt! The mid-rise buildings work well together, and the positioning looks good too - very true-to-life. Adequate parking space noted as well. :thumbsup: That little church at the bottom center is just the kind I like. There are some stunning custom cathedrals out there which fit perfectly in many scenarios, but my own preference will always lean toward the smaller churches. They look so warm and inviting.

The GLR looks fabulous - love that gentle slope. Hoping I have the correct area on the map pinpointed, it looks like it makes a nice little loop in and out of the peninsular. BTW, you've incorporated the walls into the scene perfectly - I almost missed seeing them because they fit in so well.

I can see why Shelter Island is special to you - it's lovely...
Joan

threestooges

Replies:
-Guillaume (Sciurus): That's a good point about the tram stations, but the way the area was planned out, one was meant for the residential sections and one for the harbor. The harbor/ferry station gets used mostly during rush hour when people are going to/from work. It prevents having a horde of people walk from the station down to the harbor (there isn't actually a set of stair that's close there either.The slope was a bit tricky to get just right, but I like how it turned out. Always good to see you.



-Albus of Garaway: Hello again my friend. Glad you like the GLR layout here. It has factored into the island in so many ways and I really like how it's turned out. I have model trains, but haven't had the time, or really the space to put anything together that I could call a 'layout' however, I do have some N-Scale stuff that I could try to take a picture of next time I think about it. Good to see you.



-bat: Thanks bat. I've been trying to show a variety of areas of Greenacre. Hope you're enjoying.



-Battlecat: Glad I could help. I sometimes have to remidn myself of its proximity to the shore if I scroll by it after a while. Without seeing the shore nearby it could look a bit odd. Glad you liked the GLR from the last pic too.



-Robin (rooker1): That was a fun game, and you had me going for a bit there too. A good game of chess is quite relaxing, and just plain fun. Anytime you're up for one, just let me know. When you reference the houses in the building area, do you mean the smaller ones up with the towers, or the ones along the shore? I missed the sidewalk gap, and you're right about the little turn lane there. I'll see if I can get the transportation department on it next time I'm out there.

As for the paper article, I am surprised the press got it out so soon. I was just in a meeting about this the other day. Why do they have to come to the federal government? This is a local city matter. We don't tell them their zoning procedures. However, they're reviewing their environmental standards. I still don't see it being a big issue, but then again, I'm just the intermediary between federal and local. We'll see what happens in time.



-Pat: Glad to hear the news about the MDK Pat. It'll be good to get that into candidacy. The other stuff is coming. I had a chance to fiddle with the BAT today. I started messing with the station wall color, and now I'm changing the roof tiles. It's getting there though. I can guarantee you that all due consideration will be given to the matter with Westport, however, as no decision has yet been made we have been asked not to speculate. When I get something for certain, I'll be sure to let you all know.



-Joan (Jmouse): Glad you liked the available parking. That was one thing I was glad to see when the buildings developed. IF not I would have had to plop some in, but they saved me the trouble. Jon (JBSimio) did a fine job with his school pack, and that particular religious one is very well done. It fit right in there too. About once a month there's usually a bbq after services. One guy makes this excellent tri tip. The GLR does loop around the peninsula, as well as the entire island. I wanted to allow it to keep a realistic slope so I laid out the line with rails beforehand. Jeroni's wall do just seem to blend in nicely. I had almost forgotten they were there until you mentioned them too. I also like how the game forced the retaining wall along the GLR line behind the church/school. Glad you enjoyed it, and it's always good to see you.



One of these days I'm going to try to post the update earlier in the day (preferably before it becomes tomorrow) but today we are making our way back across the island and passing through Indepedence (20).



As I've mentioned before, this area is in the middle of a transformation. You can see a bit of this area in pic back on the 14th, but here is something up close that really seems to show what's changing. The canals, unlike the ones in Westport, do not provide any present function. They were originally used to ferry goods until the railroad swept through. Now they are being redeveloped as high tech industries and commercial offices begin to make their homes nearby. You can see the developing edge as you look across the pic. Gordon Miller Elementary is a new school built here to cater to the new influx of local residents. It's a fine school with good (if slightly bizarre professors) that shares the area with some... interesting neighbors. Also, one of the area's remarkably long freight trains seems to be making its way through now. You might want to just park your car if you have to wait one of these things out, but they're great fun to watch if you like trains.


bat

Nice place there in the middle of your island!!!
The small park and the school next to it are wonderful!! Nice work on that part of your region! :thumbsup:
Looking forward to picture 21 of this month... ;)

Sciurus

Ok fo station, I understand you don't want to have traffic jams in a very nice place like this ()stsfd()
Very nice place of course, but it's a school we can see on left?

Guillaume :thumbsup:
L'atelier d'architecture
* * * * * Longwy * * * * *