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Empire Bay: Green Meadows

Started by RickD, February 03, 2012, 03:59:14 PM

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RickD

#80
Previously on Empire Bay:
The region is under administration of the Empire Mining Corporation. All desicions regarding infrastructure and city planning are made by the Empire Planning Comission. With the ongoing growth, their work is becoming more and more important.




Making a FUSS about the grid

Before we get to the grid, I will quickly show you the construction of two notable buildings. An office building for the Empire Mining Corporation and a City Hall where the Planning Comission can meet and work.

9.1

A site for the new Empire Mining Corp office building has been found on Main Street and construction started right away.

9.2

The building is named "Filmore Hall", after Jonathan Filmore, the Director of the Corporation. He is the most powerful person in the region.
There is a theater hall in the building's basement where regular performances offer a diversion from the hard life.
Mr. Filmore donated a small park area next to the building for the public to enjoy. It is named "Filmore Park". Yes, this Mr. Filmore is very proud of himself. ;)

9.3

The new town hall is right next to the company offices, also on Main Street.

9.4

The Seaside Road Ferry Terminal to the right.

9.5

The Halfton Ferry Company, founded by Richard Halfton, operates several passenger ferry lines. This is the only way to travel through the region.

9.6

Overview of Empire Bay with a population of 6912.

The Empire Planning Commission starts its work in the new building right away. Their first task is to come up with an infrastructure development and expansion plan to organize the growing town.

9.7

This is a rough sketch of the planned road grid system on Empire Island. It follows the FUSS approach (Fused Unified Super and Sub).

9.8

The general idea is to have one large grid (the Supergrid), consisting of wide boulevards carrying city-wide through traffic, and an underlying, close meshed grid of smaller but well built roads (the Subgrid) for local through traffic.

9.9

The superblocks in between the Subgrid can be individually filled with local streets to suit its specific local needs. This could be another (micro)grid (Manhattan or Portland style), fused grid, pedestrians only zone, or an entire block could even be occupied by a park or a large building (sports arena, university, hospital, factory).

A typical drive into the city would look like this:
- drive along Supergrid to get into  the city (high traffic volume on high capacity road)
- change to subgrid to get close to your destination (medium traffic volume on medium capactiy road)
- change to local street to access your destination (low traffic volume on low capacity road)

The benefits of this system are:
- thru roads form a reliable, uniform grid
- while local streets can adapt individually to local needs
- easily navigable along super and sub roads
- can be expanded quick and cheap
- good traffic distribution
- optimal road capacity utilization
- straight, uninterrupted arterials minimize turns, resulting in better traffic flow
- future mass transit can follow the arterials providing good coverage with less overlapping

All new development in Empire Bay will follow this masterplan.




Next on Empire Bay:
More mines open in the region.




Replies:

Quote from: Terring7 on March 06, 2012, 01:44:31 PM
Pity that we're in the early 20th century, because some windmills or solar panels would be better and more suitable ::)
By the way, the power lines are plopable?
Windmills an solar panels will come for sure. However it will take the Sims a while to realize the benefits of emmission free energy. ;)

Quote from: Zodicus on March 07, 2012, 02:45:24 AM
Nice to start to a dang fine looking region! I love how you have incorporated a story line to it. Nice style Rick! I will be staying tuned to this one. You've got a nice eye for asthetics! you boys simply make your MD's amazing to say the least. Keep up the good work bud  :thumbsup:
Hey, thanks. I try to, even though it has become rather quiet throughout the MD section lately. I guess everyone is waiting for SC5, or writing exams, or whatever.  ;)

Quote from: Dantes on March 09, 2012, 04:23:33 AM
Your city is growing fast.  :) I hope the landfill will be no later problem.  &mmm
I hope your region with the power plant gets another boost to grow.  :thumbsup:
Thanks, but I think the landfill will become a big problem sooner or later. It was probably not a wise decision to build it there. ;)
My name is Raphael.
Visit my MD: Empire Bay (My old MD: Santa Barbara County)

noahclem

Wow, you've been busy! Great work and planning  &apls

apeguy

Nice update, the grid layout you've chosen is very good. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

The Deltan Empire is here! Click the Banner to have a look! | Kanalka City, Capital of the Barrier Islands

PlayStation Network ID: theapeguy

WannGLondon

Gorgeous region you've got there. Love all of the trees!
Call me Warren.

Zodicus

Nice work on the FUSS style layout. Might give me ideas for my future development. I am curious though about how you plan to incorporate your highway system into the grid. I am guessing it would be Artery/supergrid/subgrid/local grid?
Constructive criticism is recommended and highly encouraged

MTT9

Wow! This is going so fast, and yet you take care of every detail. I almost forgot about Santa Barbara.

I actually didn't see the grid coming, wonder if you'll have to demolishe something for the avenues to get to the docks... Were will the highways be... Will a bridge connect the island to Jacksonvale... So many questions!!!

You mind telling me witch port/dock you used?

A huge fan  ;)

Matt
You can call me Matt

nbvc

Great updates. Nice logging scenes and new seaports. &apls

art128

Nice work planning the city there, Rick! Seems like you'll have a lot more fun to develop these zones.

Oh, btw, I'm just aware of this right now... did you named your MD after the " Empire Bay " in Mafia II ?
I'll take a quiet life... A handshake of carbon monoxide.

Props & Texture Catalog

Terring7

I'm going to build a colony on Mars with this layout :)
"The wisest men follow their own direction" Euripides
The Choice is Ours
---
Simtropolis Moderator here. Can I help? Oh, and you can call me Elias (my real name) if you wish.

FrankU

Because of the tiles we work with a grid is quite obvious. Of course we all have been experimenting with grids before, now haven't we? (Maybe it's time for a nice "show us your grids" thread?)
Please show us if this grid works and how it will look like. I am interested.

And maybe I will build a colony on Earth with this layout!

rooker1

Your grid system and the reasons for doing so all make sense.  This is very similiar to how I do mine, but I use less avenues.
Very well done.  I can't wait for the city to grow there.

Robin
Call me Robin, please.

bat

Fantastic update there! Great work on that town and nice seaside. :thumbsup:

RickD

Previously on Empire Bay:
The whole region is rich in minerals. The Empire Mining Corporation operates many mines to exploit the valuable ressources.




Kolskegg Mine

10.1

Kolskegg Mine is located in Hamilton Valley in the southeastern region. Just like at Prospect Mine, a railway connects it to a harbor.

10.2

Here is the harbor were the minerals are loaded on ships.

10.3

A train is currently being unloaded.

10.4

Harriston, a small hunters village is situated on a hill above the harbor. The rail is the only connection to the mine. Every freight train has a car for the workers at the end. But the train does not stop at Harriston. It is so slow on the slope that they can just jump on the driving train.

10.5

A train is approaching the trestle...

10.6

...which takes it over the White River Gorge.

10.7

Lots of curves are necessary to master the slope.

10.8

The train arrives at the mine.




Next on Empire Bay:
The harbor gets a huge expansion.




Replies:

Quote from: noahclem on March 10, 2012, 01:34:26 PM
Wow, you've been busy! Great work and planning  &apls
Thank you.

Quote from: apeguy on March 10, 2012, 02:40:21 PM
Nice update, the grid layout you've chosen is very good. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Glad you approve. ;)

Quote from: WannGLondon on March 10, 2012, 03:29:11 PM
Gorgeous region you've got there. Love all of the trees!
Thank you.

Quote from: Zodicus on March 13, 2012, 10:48:04 AM
Nice work on the FUSS style layout. Might give me ideas for my future development. I am curious though about how you plan to incorporate your highway system into the grid. I am guessing it would be Artery/supergrid/subgrid/local grid?
Thanks. And I have no idea, where the freeway will be. In my past regions I planned this well ahead. But this time it will be part of the fun for me to deal with integrating freeways and highways into a built-up area. This will probably mean a lot of demolishing and compromises but I am looking forward to the challenge.
I have been reading very much about the road planning in reality and find it very fascinating (reading tip: The Big Roads by Earl Swift)

Quote from: emmotic on March 13, 2012, 11:34:01 AM
Wow! This is going so fast, and yet you take care of every detail. I almost forgot about Santa Barbara.

I actually didn't see the grid coming, wonder if you'll have to demolishe something for the avenues to get to the docks... Were will the highways be... Will a bridge connect the island to Jacksonvale... So many questions!!!

You mind telling me witch port/dock you used?

A huge fan  ;)

Matt
There will be lots of bridges. This is one of the reasons I chose this region. ;)
The docks? Hmm, I think they are called "Newman Inc Wooden Waterfront" or something like this. But I am not sure.  %confuso

Quote from: nbvc on March 13, 2012, 11:50:49 AM
Great updates. Nice logging scenes and new seaports. &apls
Glad you like it.

Quote from: art128 on March 13, 2012, 11:55:44 AM
Nice work planning the city there, Rick! Seems like you'll have a lot more fun to develop these zones.

Oh, btw, I'm just aware of this right now... did you named your MD after the " Empire Bay " in Mafia II ?
Thanks. Yes, I took it from Mafia II. I'm a huge fan of this game. I think it's even better than GTA IV.

Quote from: Terring7 on March 13, 2012, 01:49:23 PM
I'm going to build a colony on Mars with this layout :)
That will be interesting. ;)

Quote from: FrankU on March 14, 2012, 04:53:28 AM
Because of the tiles we work with a grid is quite obvious. Of course we all have been experimenting with grids before, now haven't we? (Maybe it's time for a nice "show us your grids" thread?)
Please show us if this grid works and how it will look like. I am interested.

And maybe I will build a colony on Earth with this layout!
You know, if myself from 5 years back could see this update.  :D I was very anti-grid then. But something fascinates me about a well done grid. There is the overall regularity but not without some disturbances and variations. It is hard to describe. Ok, I am a geek.  ::)

Quote from: rooker1 on March 14, 2012, 06:40:37 AM
Your grid system and the reasons for doing so all make sense.  This is very similiar to how I do mine, but I use less avenues.
Very well done.  I can't wait for the city to grow there.

Robin
Thanks Robin.

Quote from: bat on March 18, 2012, 11:36:14 AM
Fantastic update there! Great work on that town and nice seaside. :thumbsup:
Thank you for visiting again, bat.
My name is Raphael.
Visit my MD: Empire Bay (My old MD: Santa Barbara County)

apeguy

Another fine update, I really like the lotting work you've done by the harbour, and I love the detail with MMP's around the mine. :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

The Deltan Empire is here! Click the Banner to have a look! | Kanalka City, Capital of the Barrier Islands

PlayStation Network ID: theapeguy

Battlecat

Gorgeous!  Your work here continues to be amazing! 

nbvc


ladybug


bat

The mine is looking great! Also nice work on the railway!! :)

ricardomiranda


kbieniu7

Nice atmosphere of the plcae almost untouched by civilization  :thumbsup:
Thank you for visiting Kolbrów, and for being for last ten years!