[Ennedi]

                                           

(Edited 25th February 2009)

Shosaloza region was made by beskhu3epnm as a recreation of the Mount Robson area. It was modified by raising the sea level, now it is a beautiful mountainous area with a big, picturesque bay and long coastline.
The region is very demanding for a player because of difficult terrain conditions. Shosaloza was choosen by the BSC team as an object of an interesting experiment - you can read more about it in the "BSC Plays the Game" section in the BSC Team Board. A few BSC members played in this region too.

I also started to build my own region on the Shosaloza map and my work is presented in this MD.
Here is an original Shosaloza region:



And here is Shosaloza after my modifications state at 25th August 2007. I added a river and made much hand terraforming, but my intention was not to change the terrain look, but rather to improve it and make more realistic. Many terrain details are lost when we make a map using satelite maps (DEM data).



As you see, I changed the terrain a bit, but I didn't try to make it less challenging - I like mountains and I didn't want to destroy them
I flattened some areas in the main valley and softened some parts of relatively flat terrain on lower elevations to make more gentle slopes. But I also add some new mountains and modified some steep parts to make more alpine look of them.
I know Alps better than other mountains, some mountains in Poland are also alpine type. These are young mountains with steep walls and sharp edges, and I tried to make something similar.
I also changed a shape of some valleys. Most SC4 mountainous maps shows older mountains and valleys (except main valleys) have "V" shape - it is an effect of a long-time erosion caused by rains, winds, temperature changes etc. Many alpine valleys were sculpted by glaciers. They have "U" shape and they usually have a few parts on various levels - from higher to lower. Each part of the valley has a kind of embankment at its end - these are stones moved by glacier (I don't know the English term, "morena" in Polish).
There are lakes in many valleys, they are remains of a glacier. Because of it there are many waterfalls and water rapids on streams, I know some of you like them
I lowered some valleys, I want to have an ingame water in main rivers.

I started my MD at 25th August 2007. Today 1,5 years passed from that time and many things in Shosaloza look different than I expected. Knowing that some people still want to visit my MD, I decided to actualize the first message to make your Shosaloza tour a bit easier 

For those who looks for particular things in my MD, or simply don't have patience to scroll down 40 pages - here is a Table of Content.

1. Update 1: The Dam
A recreation of the real dam in Poland. My first serious "engineering" task, but I still enjoy it. I also showed here how to merge canal lots with ploppable water, and how to use 3Wave Freestream Mod.
2. Update 2: Terraforming and landscapes
Some tips about waterfalls, ploppable water (old type, used before releasing Jeronij's Transparent Ploppable Water) and placing flora on high elevations.
3. Belmont - a city on the Alpine meadow
Some roads and railways on slopes, more ploppable water and a waterfall. Building land bridges on a completely flat terrain.
4. Update 4: Belmont Part 2
More city development, suburban/rural shots, making ploppable river on the sloped terrain.
5. Update 5: Belmont Part 3
The city presentation
6. Update 6: Belmont Part 4 (the new residential area)
Residentials and roads on slopes
7. Technical comments - how to build a road on slopes
Creating a road, some tips about terraforming
8. Update 7: Silvretta
An alpine village - high mountains, sloped roads and a cable car. I also showed my modification of an ingame water here.
9. Update 8: Oshima district - Part 1: Aomori - the Cape town
A small town on the cape at the foot of the big mountain; A highway along the coastline and a great bridge
10. Technical comments about perspective in SC4, tips about making pictures (foreground and background) and about placing roads on uneven terrain
11. Update 9: Oshima district - Part 2: Hakodate - a trip to the Lighthouse
A small town with a port, the scenic lighthouse, Sorchin's and JRJ rocks and other ploppable stuff used to arrange the coastline
12. Update 10: Oshima district - Part 3
Random shots from the coastline, an old fishing port and fishermen village
13. Update 11: Terrain Mods Gallery - Part 1
Presentation of various terrain mods in a diversified terrain.
14. Update 12: Terrain Mods Gallery - Part 2
More terrain mods and their combinations with rock mods.
15. Update 13: Terrain Mods Gallery - Part 3: Playing with Terrain Properties
Tips about modifying Terrain Properties exemplar to change the snow level and modify the terrain look by moving textures up and down; modifying beaches.
16. Update 14: Terrain Mods Gallery - Part 4
Presentation of desert terrain mods, Heblem's and Jeronij's terrain and rock modifications.
17. Update 15: Roadworks in the main valley
Roads, bridges and intersections along the main Shosaloza valley. An addition: How to make dunes?
18. Technical comments about slope mods
My first experiments with the new slope mod.
19. More experiments with the slope mod
20. Update 16: Slope Mods, the Universe and Everything
The presentation of my slope mod - beta version (the final version released in the LEX)
21. Update 17: Playing with Water
Various modifications of water ripples. Downloads: two versions of modified ripples, unchanged ripples exemplar for your own experiments, unchanged waves exemplar.
22. Update 18: Malecon Part 1
The beginning of city development: road network, the ferry port and the castle hill
23. Update 19: Malecon Part 2 - the Burg Eltz Castle and the Schiffenberg Monastery
More shots of the castle hill and it's surrounding
24. Update 20: Malecon Part 3 - the Downtown starts to grow
Night and day shots of the CBD and the ferry port
25. Update 21: Malecon Part 4 - An old downtown and the port
W2W buildings on slopes (the "Great Stairs" area), some shots from the freight port.
26. Update 22: Malecon Part 5 - Night Life in the Old City
Night shots of the Great Stairs area
27. Update 23: Malecon Part 6 - A tour around the Castle Hill
Votivkirche and other churches, an upper part of the Old Downtown (Paris w2w buildings)
28. Update 24: Malecon Part 7 - the Diano Marina district
Urban landscapes on hilly terrain - tips and tricks; the Diano Marina district at the waterfront
29. Update 25: Diagonal Jagged Edges Mod
A discussion, creation process and the beta version of my Diagonal Jagged Edges Mod (final version released in the LEX)
30. Update 26: Paths, flowers, fences and other Chrisadams' creations
Rural landscapes, experiments with farmfields and their borders (how to remove sawteeth?)
31. Update 27: Aprica - sunny afternoon at the village
Mediterranean village lying in the valley, with farmfields on surrounding hills.
32. Update 28: Weather, Seasons and New Lands
Experiments with terrain textures; How works the Terrain Texture Map Table? What manage the Weather exemplar and what is its influence on terrain textures? Would it be possible to make a terrain mod changing with seasons?
Downloads: A mod blocking seasonal terrain changes, a mod increasing seasonal terrain changes, an unmodified Weather exemplar to your own experiments.
33. Update 29: The Port, Night and Lights
Night seaport shots, some Photoshop experiments with lights (how to improve ingame lights?  )
34. Update 30: A Trip to Himalaya
Screenshots of new Emilin's Himalaya maps with an Italia Terrain Mod and my modification of this mod; a few pics of Shosaloza mountains, RL pictures from Himalaya
35. Update 31
A few experiments with Photoshop tools
36. Update 32
Photoshopped pictures of the Shosaloza coastline
37. Update 33: Preparation for making a seaport
Screenshots of the future port place, RL photos of the La Spezia seaport in Italy
38. Update 34: We build a Port - Part 1: Levelling the terrain
Demonstration of the new levelling tool: the temporary mod enabling leveling terrain much quicker and making building land bridges easier.
Pictures of the MAS71's River pieces connected with sea water.
39. Update 35: We build a Port - Part 2: Terraforming on Water
The second temporary mod: How to change the sea level and how can it help us with terraforming and building seaports?
The ferry port: terraforming tips and tricks, screenshots of the finished harbour
40. Update 36: We build a Port - Part 3: another trick with sea level
This time we raise the sea level - how can it help us? Also some screeshots of the recreational area at the river mouth.
41. Update 37: Holidays at the Riverside
A village and Marina at the MAS71's river; how land/canal and sea lots work together?
42. Update 38: New terrain mods are coming...
First experiments with my new rock and terrain mod.
43. Update 39: We build a Port - Part 4: Random shots from the CBD
CAL canals, modern skyscrapers and Asian style commercial streets
44. Update 40: We build a Port - Part 5: A Tour along the River
Sea ships on the canal, various CBD shots

...But if you have some patience, you will find here:

Old cities





Modern cities



Seaports





Villages



Much nature









And more...

[Travis]

Hello Ennedi! First off, welcome to the MD section. 
Looks great so far, love the excellent use of retaining walls- that dam in particular.
I also like those winding mountain roads too. Mountain-building never was my cup of tea, (New Jersey isn't exactly the Himalayas.  ), but your pics inspire me to try. 

I'll be waiting for more, my friend. 
 

[S_imon]

  Yes, I like it. Wow! Wonderful region, very, very realistic and the roads are beautiful. Congratulations

[nedalezz]

This is a very good start, and you've picked a very challenging map. I like the detail you have presented us with, and I cant wait to see what else you have in store.

[JoeST]

That looks brill, I like a good MD, and I don't really like to post as it spreads the updates out for lurkers like myself, but I just couldnt help but impart my knowledge of basic geography:

(I don't know the English term, "morena" in Polish).

Its is very similar, moraine is the English word for it.. hope it helps

Joe

[Schulmanator]

Wow! What a way to start your first MD! Fantastic work! You have a distinctive look here which is very natural and realistic. Very good! Keep this up - it is gonna be a great one! 

[TheTeaCat]

My My what a wonderful opening. 

This reward for a stunning opening

I have been waiting months to see you start a MD. I have already bookmarkd this as I know it will go far

Looking forward to more

regards
Derry

[Patriots1228]

Ennedi-This is very unique, an incredible creative playing style i have never seen before. Nice job, i really enjoyed it.

[pickled_pig]

Wow - that highway area's got quite an attention to detail.  Looks like a difficult region to build on because of all the mountains - it'll be interesting to see how you attack them.

-aaron

[bat]

Great start there, Ennedi! Looking forward to more!

[Jmouse]

Nice start on what looks like a region with very interesting possibilities.

Until next time...
Joan

[Danthe]

Fantastic start Ennedi. Your hydroelectric dam looks great and very original I wait for more...

ps. mamy już trzy akutalne polskie MD na SC4DEV. Oby tak dalej 

[Ennedi]

Welcome in Shosaloza!

I see some nice guests here, thank you for your feedback! 



Travis: Thank you very much, it's very nice you was my first guest! I'm glad you like my dam. Building mountains is very good for long winter evenings, maybe you will try? It is also good you can play in quite small region for a very long time  About landscapes, I learned from you too 

S_imon: Thank you for your visit, the region is beautiful by itself and it makes me a handicap 

nedalezz: I'm happy it wasn't a falstart, I will try to show more - thank you!

star.torturer: Thank you very much Joe for nice words and for your help! 

Schulmanator: Yes, I try to make something realistic, it's nice to see you like it. I will have some bananas on the plantation in one village, I will inform you when it will start 

TheTeaCat: Thank you very much Derry for your fisit and for cuppa! I must prepare a special place for you here (a pub? tea room? or something else? I have one proposition - see below  )

Patriots1228: The reason of this playing style was playing alone for a long time (problems with Internet connection) and I had many strange ideas during this time 

pickled_pig: Thank you, there is still a lot to do with this highway! I attacked some mountains in RL and I hope it will be easier here (or maybe I am wrong?  )

bat: Nice to see you here! Your comments are usually short, but I must say you make a great work giving motivation for such many people 

Jmouse: Hello Joan, I will try to use these possibilities, we will see...

Danthe: Thank you very much, I'm just preparing more

                                     

I planned to show an undeveloped region in a few first updates - some mountains, lakes etc. But today I decided to show the dam.
Building the dam needs a lot of terraforming and use natural and ploppable water in a very specific way. I used here some methods wchich I can easy explain on this example. These methods will be used later in natural landscapes.
I also think this dam will be more interesting for some of you, and we will make a trip around the region next time   

My idea was to make something realistic. I had a good example - in autumn 2006 I made renovation works on the small dam near my hometown, in Wisła - Czarne (it is on the main Polish river Wisła, a few kilometers from it's source). I will show the real dam first.









This is a natural dam, made of ground and rocks, using the natural terrain shape. Look at the crosscut on the picture below.



Water flows from the bottom of the lake through the underground channel, to the turbines and to the river below. This particular dam doesn't produce electricity, but it could be possible to install turbines here. I made the dam with a power plant. See more details.



Here ends an underground channel. I wasn't be able to do something like this, so I used pipelines.
The channel on pictures below is used when water level in the lake is too high. Water flows over the upper edge of the channel and down to the river. This way there is no need to direct a large amount of water through the underground channel - it could be too small during flood.







The same channel during renovation



OK, now my dam 

The general view



Power plant









Recreational areas at the lakeside







A nice place to relax - what do you think about it, Derry? 



A railway line near the lakeside







1. I use ploppable water DT Water model 3. As you see, I put here a boat from Oppie canal set. But it isn't such easy.
Ploppable water must be a bit higher than the canal tile - if not, you will see sharp edge and white points along it:



Here I show the water level (I use TerrainQuery command)



And here is the boat level - as you see it is only 0,5 m lower:



Lowering these 2 tiles (a boat occupies 2x1 area) must be very precise. If you will lower the terrain by 1 m, you will have something like this:



What have I done? I lowered these 2 tiles using Mayor Mode tool according to the method explained in my new tutorial here

2. I made the dam surface using Jeronij's walls. Look at the picture below. As you see, the upper line of them is placed as usual. But all pieces below are rotated by 90 degrees.



But Jeronij's walls have fences! If I would like to rotate them, I will see as follows:





And what is it done there are no fences on rotated tiles? I temporarily removed the file "JRJ Wire Fences Yellow" from the Plugins folder, built the lower part of the wall, and moved this file again to Plugins.

3. Look at the water flowing down to the river (on the general view). I use Wave3 freestream mod. But If the Wave3 water flows into the ingame water, the end looks ugly. So I decided to cover this area by ploppable fog (thick one).

4. The Wave3 water looks different with various visual effects settings (you can set them in the graphic section of the game menu). I use "Medium" setting. When I will change it to "High", it will look as below:



As you see, it looks bad (however it can be useful in some other situations). But the fog looks much better.
When I will change visual effects setting to "Low", the water will look a bit worse (but very similar), and fog will be almost invisible.


And a little question at the end: What do you think about the ingame water on these pictures?

[Yoman]

Pure genius.

[Travis]

Travis: Thank you very much, it's very nice you was my first guest! I'm glad you like my dam. Building mountains is very good for long winter evenings, maybe you will try? It is also good you can play in quite small region for a very long time   About landscapes, I learned from you too 

I have heard a lot of good things about mountain-building, and I do plan on giving it a try, but at the speed I build, we'll be in the next Ice Age by the time I finish my current region. 

Anyway, another great update. I especially like your use of those pipes, do I detect some lot-editing in there? Whatever you did, the end effect is wonderful. 

[nedalezz]

Wow, thats an unbelievable dam, and one great update. This is easily going to be one of the best MDs on here with this attention to detail and realism.

[TheTeaCat]

Adam

Why do i have this wonderful feeling that this MD is going to be one of my favourites?
the care and attention to detail and such background of the real dam is superb

I be very happy to relax over a cuppa or a pint(of tea) with you right there on that empty table in the corner

Wonderful update, beautifully presented pictures, clear concise information on how to do things - yes i can see great potential here. Eagerly awaiting your next update

regards
Derry

PS people are going to be  about this MD for a Looooooong Time

[Berethor]

Awesome!, This dam is really impressive.  No words for this great work!   

[mattb325]

Ahhh Shosaloza. Good memories. It's a hard region to play, but great rewards. Ennedi, I can only echo what the others have said. The transport networks and the water are absolutely top-notch.  Brilliant job! 

[cameron1991]

WOW! You have made an amazing start to your MD! I love your choice of terrain mods and that dam is simply amazing!