Blackwater (with Islas Gemas)

[iamgoingtoeatyou]

Best map I have ever seen! Wow!!!

(continues search for iamgoingtoeatyou *something*)

[Earth quake]

Splendid Map,  i don't immagine the hours of this map.
Excellent work and go on this fantastic region.

[Une_ame]

It's an island... and it's named after your real first name (at least I think you presented yourself by this name in another thread... could be a misunderstanding on my part too... in that case I owe you another one).

I got it I have an island to my name!! Ouahou, nice feeling !! Thank You Emil .

[bohort]

This islands are very beautiful   
Everything are realistic 
Good work 

[panthersimcity4]

YAY I have an island! In Otter Lake  *builds cozy cabin on private island*

[pagenotfound]

I am blown away!

[threeswept]

OMG! Totally forgot to comment weeks ago that I had found the lake named after me. Totally honoured and completely appropriate - I love the water - swimming, sailing, sea life, etc! And, how generous to incorporate everyone who commented into the map.

[dedgren]

Emil, as I noted elsewhere I was out down south when Blackwater became SC4D's first MD to pass 1,000 comments.  For that to happen is only one more confirmation that you're doing brilliant work here.  From ports to SC4's most beautiful cartography, this has always been the "must read" on my list, and that list is not a short one these days.

Ah, well- the next 1,000 beckons.  What will you have for us next, my friend?


David

[Yoman]

Hello again,

Just dropping by to report on that visit to Stockholm, and my was it a great one. Took the X2000 from Copenhagen Central station to Stockholm, well the train broke down about an hour outside, but we were collected by one of the new X40 Double Deck trains, lovely. And as you suggested, I kept my eyes open on the final run into the central station. Incredible views, especially liked the part with the old town on the right side and the beginnings of the lake on the left. And Stockholm is such a lovely city. I especially liked the cliff near the Slussen area. Took a tour through the archipelago as well, again beautiful. The visit also allowed me to understand more what you are doing with blackwater, I walked right by that area with the church that is now semi blocked off from the street and thought of your update of that Well just wanted to inform you of my enjoyment at visiting Stockholm, look forward to hearing from you again here in Blackwater, though I know your busy, just drop by when you can   

Owen

[nova vesfalo]

Wow thanks Tientsin got an Island !

and well awesome map !!!

[Ennedi]

Fantastic map, I must learn how to do such things 

I have a lake!  Thank you very much Emil, I think it lies in abeautiful area!

Adam

[emilin]

Blackwater: Closing time

"It looks like freedom, but it feels like death. It's something in between, I guess its closing time..."
/Leonard Cohen

I will now officially ask Dustin (thundercrack83) to move this diary into the inactives section. Development on Blackwater has been slower and slower, and I do need a much longer downtime to figure out what to do with the region next. I have always maintained that it should be FUN to play, and right now it isn't all that fun. So, I'm closing it up for now. Maybe I will resume the journal in a more distant future, maybe not.

I will not quit the game, and I most certainly won't quit SC4Devotion. I have a few ideas on other projects that I might or might not present on this site (mostly concerning mapmaking, terraforming and cartography), but in that case I will start new threads for them in other parts of the forum.

I would very much like it if this thread was left in the Classics section for a few days before it is moved to inactives, since I want all those who have commented on the last update to be able to read my replies.

Other than that: Goodbye for now, from the mayor of Blackwater! See you around, from the SC4D-member!

/Emil


Personal replies:

sebes: Thanks! I think I found the naming part harder than the actual mapping, really. I really like to name the places on the map in at least a plausible way, and I wanted everything to sound more or less British, and not too American. American names are much easier to make up because everything is called more or less what it is or named after someone who lived no more than 200 years ago. The British countryside, on the other hand, is filled with places called Yeovil, Woking and Winterbottom (what the heck is a "winterbottom"?) or named after some ancient count who died in back in 854. I'm glad you enjoyed the island too.

Yoman: Thank you. I am glad you liked it. I think the work you have been doing with making new port props and stuff is really amazing. It takes the realism of those areas to a whole new level. And your overall achivements in pretty much every possible area of this game, over all these years that I have seen you around here and simtropolis, is nothing less than stunning. And, I am of course also glad to hear that you enjoyed Stockholm.

Quesh: Thank you. The frustrating part is that I just recently found some new methods for making maps that are much better, both more accurate and more realistic... grrrr... but I am still pretty happy with it - mainly because it contains so much information.

krbe: Thanks! Hmmm... I guess there is SOME chance, but it will not be anytime soon, I'm afraid. I do have ideas for how I want them to look, but the work involved would be too much right now...

bat: Hehe... of course. BAT = bat. It seems that nobody knows very much more about you personally (and I have been snooping around, hehe...) than your username, your nation, and the fact that you seem to have an almost infinite amount of time to browse around the threads and keep those encouraging comments coming. I really wish I could say the same about myself, but I am lurking so much lately I fell bad about it...

Une_ame: Made you look pretty hard for that one, hey?

rooker1: Yes I do, but the way it looks now it might be a while untill that actually happens. Robin Street is (for the most) 4-6 lane avenue, and a major "through road" (is that even a word?) connecting the surrounding network of highways with the downtown areas. It runs through South Island (with some commercial areas, but mostly mid- and high wealth residential areas), through the old town (with some really old medival buildings and very nice areas) and after it passes the Central Station. During most of the ride it would looks something like this:


thundercrack83: Thank you as always, Dustin! Thunder Road is for you. I thought it was fitting, both for the road (since it is a long strech of underground road and it probably sounds a bit like thunder when everyone is trying to get through there during rush hours), and for you because of both of ours admiration for mr Springsteen. Hopefully there will be no "skeleton frames of burned out Cheverolets" blocking the road, though...

kimcar: Thanks! And I am please that you say that too. I am sorry to say that I haven't commented nearly enogh on your various projects, but I have followed them wuite closely, and I do think I can call myself a fan of your work as well.

Shadow Assassin: Hehe... it's not ALL to yourself though. Shadow Island is actually an old army depot, but these days it's mostly used for raising sheep. So I hope you like farm animals... hehe... Seriously though: I think you know that this map would never have been possible to make without your inspiration. I have spent countless hours studying your Brackenfell map and tried to figure out how you did everything. The most frustrating part was when I finally realised that there weren't any "tricks" involved - that you didn't have some magic "auto trace coastline" function built into your Photoshop, but that you had actually drawn all of the paths the slow and difficult way. And, that's the only way to do it right. I still have a lot to learn before I can even come close to your "Photoshop Fu" skills, but I think I'm soon ready for a training match at least. :-)

iamgoingtoeatyou: Thank you so much! But, personally I think that both dedgren's 3RR maps, and - above all - Shadow Assasins maps are much better than this one. It's very nice of you to say that though. And your name was a bit hard to get in there, yes, but if you look closely you will find a small town called Eatya - which was as close as I could get, hehe...

Earth quake: Thanks! It took a little time, yes. :-) I don't think I commented on your MD, but I do enjoy Lancaster a whole lot. It's very well composed. I think that the town centers are especially nice (and it is very hard to make good looking small towns). I'll try to remember to post something the next time I check up on your development, and not just lurk in the thread.

bohort: Thank you so much for a very nice comment! I am not sure if I have seen you around before, but if not: a big welcome to Blackwater to you!

panthersimcity4: Hehe... during summertime the shores of Otter Lake are crowded with families from Harling and Birthwrite, so I hope you don't mind a few swimmers taking a break on your porch.

pagenotfound: Thank you so much, Rob!

threeswept: Thanks! I'm glad that it felt appropriate with the lake. Lake Threeswept is located by the small town of Blackham, an early industrial site from the 19th Century. These days the old Iron mill has been closed down, but the old brick buildings still stand there and is used for other purposes (one of them was even turned into a museum).

dedgren: Thank you, David! You already know that 3RR is the first thread I stop by when I come to SC4Devotion. Your journal has been a major source of inspiration for everything I have tried to achive. Blackwater might not look very much like 3RR (in fact: it's quite the opposite in a lot of ways) but you have pushed the limits of this game so much. You were the one to show that it was possible to make a region 16x16 tiles big, you were the one who wouldn't settle for competely unrealistic bends and turns on rails on roads, you were the one who always took the smallest of details most seriously ("why can't EVERY tree be seasonal?", "Isn't stop signs supposed to be octagonal?", etc.) and above all: you showed the rest of us that you should never, EVER, rush things along, you should do it right! And it doesn't matter how long it takes untill it's finished, a journal/diary is a living thing and it's not the end result that people are coming there to read... it's everything that happens along the way.

nova vesfalo: Thanks a bunch! I am afraid it's a bit small for Fort Bayart though, hehe... I really like your style of development, also - it's so very organic and the way you mix modern and classic BAT:s looks so real. But, the thing I enjoy the most while reading your journal is actually the region shots - they don't look like anyone else's regions, while at the same time being perfectly realistic - you are certainly the king of coastlines!

Ennedi: It does... it's a very nice place for a family picnic, or to go jogging. And on the mapping point: I'm guessing it's not nearly as difficult as the things you are doing with your modds and stuff. Those are some truely incredible achivements you have made. And by the way: I sincerly hope that you or someone else cracks the "wave length" mystery that you uncovered in the main game file. That would be the coolest thing ever.

[Ennedi]

Hmm... One of my most favourite MDs is finished. Maybe it is sad or maybe not 

Sometimes it is very good to take a break, look at the previous work, go away from it for a while and then collect fresh energy and fresh ideas. Personally I'm very curious of your future work and this is my main feeling at the moment 

I will not quit the game, and I most certainly won't quit SC4Devotion. I have a few ideas on other projects that I might or might not present on this site (mostly concerning mapmaking, terraforming and cartography), but in that case I will start new threads for them in other parts of the forum.

So... Maybe any cooperation with NHP? My friends there have many interesting and innovative ideas - and we are not nervous, every of us has much RL activities, so everyone has enough comfort to do what he wants and when he wants 

And by the way: I sincerly hope that you or someone else cracks the "wave length" mystery that you uncovered in the main game file. That would be the coolest thing ever. 

Hehe, I will definitely return to this theme. I don't believe it can't be solved 

Good luck Emil!
Adam

[rooker1]

Emil,

I have to agree with Adam, sometimes it is best to take a break.  The game is definately suppose to be fun and when ever that changes, you must step back and have a look at all the cards your hand and make sure you play them out properly.  Your MD is one of my favourites and I hope that some day you are able to come back to it and continue on.  If not that's okay because I also look forward to what ever else you are going to be working on.  I'm sure it will be just as interesting.
Good luck and I'll see you around my friend,
Robin 

[emilin]

So... Maybe any cooperation with NHP? My friends there have many interesting and innovative ideas - and we are not nervous, every of us has much RL activities, so everyone has enough comfort to do what he wants and when he wants 

I may very well take you up on that one... I just need to try a few things out on my own first, to know what I am able to achive. But that would be a very nice opportunity to do something together with others...

[Albus of Garaway]

Hello Emil,

Although this is very disappointing, I agree with your decision completely. Sometimes it's a good idea to step away from the game a while and let fresh ideas come into your head. I am very excited to see how you'll be involved with the community next, be it NHP, BATing, or even another MD!

Another great thing about taking a leave is that you'll be able to spend some time with your child! (Sorry if I'm wrong, but I'm quite sure you said you were going to bring some new life into this world soon somewhere in the MD...I could just be having another one of my memory lapses )

Again, I really can't wait to see what project(s) you'll be involved in next!

-AoG

[dedgren]

This is one of those moments that, while you know in your head it is coming along sooner or later, your heart simply resists.

So, my friend, while you might, as Leonard Cohen would say, "ache in all the places where you used to play" [linkie], your friends here know this this is not the end, but just a different kind of beginning.

When I think about Islas Gemas (I know...), now joined in SC4 Valhalla in the pantheon with Sculpting Columbia River [linkie] and Anduin Valley Revisited [linkie], another Cohen song comes to mind- one I often hum when I work on 3RR.

I did my best, it wasn't much
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you
And even though
It all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah
[linkie]

Thank you, Emil.  Thank you.


David

[Yoman]

One of my favorite MDs is closing, a sad thing for the moment, but I'm glad I've seen what its done over the past two years. And it has been an incredible inspiration for me. Thank you for your very kind compliments about my work with the props, thats kindof on hold for a little, I've gotten back into airplanes and now trains

We all have to take a break sometime though. I've taken one this summer. Barely touched the game until 3 days ago or so. I'm glad to hear that you'll be sticking around Sc4D and working on some new things when time permits. As always I'm excited to see what you come up with

[metarvo]

If I were in your place, I would feel as though I was surrendering a part of myself.    However, all good things must end.  Although I have not read your MD yet, I promise to read it in its entirety, Emil.  You have my best wishes.  Emil, I hope that you continue to visit SC4D from time to time.

[Ennedi]

I may very well take you up on that one... I just need to try a few things out on my own first, to know what I am able to achive. But that would be a very nice opportunity to do something together with others...

So please inform me or anybody of my NHP friends when you will want to do something together. In the meantime, if you will need any information or help in your own work, don't hesitate to ask, it will be a pleasure if we will be able to help! 

Adam