Blackwater (with Islas Gemas)

[thundercrack83]

Wow, emilin. I can't even begin to describe my amazement right now. Every time there's an update here, my jaw drops further and further. Those rice fields were my favorite part of the update, that is, until I saw the map at the end. Unbelievable work, my friend. Unbelievable. And congratulations to all those who were honored in this update!

[bat]

Congrats to HabLeUrG, patfirefighter, Cali and Air6!

You have made beautiful pictures, emilin! Great areas! Also another fantastic map!

[Pat]

hehehe Emilin thank you for that i never would have thought about being a Bombero... but then
again i know I'm that good... BTW is that a real world drink... also i know for a fact I'm an acquired
taste as well takes awhile to get my humor or support but once you know i mean it its allll good
from there...  see you next update - patbombero

[urban]

wow, this is amazing

the topography is so good, how did you make these??

I love the diffrent style of your Islands

The Island of Ópalo is humid and with dense woods and the island of topaz is a desert Island, and both are so good

The Islas Gemas are one of the best regions I have ever seen, you put so much soul and passion in it, great,

I don't know how to express my euphoria

dAVid

[BossOx]

If ever there was an isolated Island in the Atlantic populated by Asian immigrants surrounding by Spanish colonisers, I'm sure it would be just like Ópalo, except less startingly pleasant to the eye.

Those rice fields are very nice (even better if they were seasonal), although as a farmer (not a rice farmer, but a farmer all the same), I would be interested in the techniques used to prevent water from leaking into the ocean that is in such close proximity. 

Those maps look so real and professional.

Thanks again for such as wonderful update.

[Air6]

WOW Incredible work. I particulary like the "Ancla del aero" this is a very nice place I can't wait to see more.

[emilin]

Personal replies

kimcar: Thanks! And have as many Bomberos as you like. In Islas Gemas drunken tourists are always welcome (they spend more money than the sober ones).

thundercrack83: Thank you so much! And I am so glad you like the maps - I find them very hard to make, but I've been watching and learning from dedgren and Shaddow Assassin a lot lately, and I do think I am improving my mapping skills.

bat: Thank you, as always, for your kind comments in this journal!

patfirefghtr: Hehe... thanks for commenting. And unfortunatly that drink only exists in Islas Gemas. The bottle, however, is a picture of a Chartreuse bottle that I modified a bit in Photoshop. It is quite a good drink mixer actually, though I wouldn't drink it straight up (the alcohol percentage is the real one on the pic: 55% ).

urban: Thanks a bunch for that comment! It's very kind of you. I'm not sure if you mean the topography of the map or of the terrain though? The terrain is basically HabLeUrG:s work (the region is available for download at STEX), though I have added my own touches here and there. The map... well, let's just say that all it takes is time, a steady hand, and a reaonably good picture editing tool (I use Photoshop, but Illustrator would probably be a better choice).

BossOx: Thanks! And I'm happy to say that those are in fact seasonal rice fields. I do believe there is a link to download them over in the Japanese section of the forums too.

Air6: Thanks! And I'm happy to here that you liked Ancla del Aero too.


Hounoring badsim, RayDen and Rooker1

Today we continue with the hounorable mentions for those noted for 10 or more comments when this journal hit 500 comments. This update is a little different than the earlier ones. We will follow the river going thourgh Santiago de Zafiro (a place documented in earlier updates if you are a new reader).

With this update we are close to the end of the honours. Just one more update (with three more people) to go. That is coming up in a few days.


Río Cedric el Malo (with Lago Silvio and Lago Rokera)

The Río Cedric el Malo was an important feature when Santiago de Zafiro was founded. The river flows down from the mountains and even though it was never used for transportation it constituted a reliable source of fresh water that was used to irrigate the farms before the city grew to cover the whole valley. Today it is led through the city in a canal system and reaches the ocean down by the docks.

The name means refers to Cedric the Bad, who was the governor of Islas Gemas in 1732-1758. He was appointed governor to shape up the administration (that was rather loose at the time) and increase central government control of the province. He went about his duties in a meticulous fashion, and while he was rather popular among the people living in the towns (where investments in culture and education were made) the farming community never liked him (he actually collected taxes which was unheard of before this point in time) and they quickly gave him the nickname "the Bad".

As the river winds through Santiago it enters two lakes. The first one is Lago Silvio, with the Nuestro Sino soccer stadium on one side and the beautiful Parque de la Cruz on the other. This is one of the most popular locations for the locals to go for a walk or have a picnic.

The name refers to a Portuguese tradesman – Silvio Raio - who established a trading company in Santiago in the 19th Century. His financial success was crucial to the development of Santiago into a real city (perhaps the only real city on the Islas Gemas).

Lago Rokera is located just by the governor's palace. Unlike most other places on the Islas Gemas, the name does not refer to either religion or local celebrities. The Rokera is actually a local myth. The story can be compaired to the Yeti or the Chupacabra. Even in this modern day and time, many locals take the Rokera very seriously, and since it is rumoured to be responsible for abducting and eating small children (preferably first borns) many parents take extra precautions to make sure their children don't stray off into the woods.


This picture is a still from the 1996 movie Rokera Terror.


The Río Cedric el Malo starts off as a small mountain stream...


...that quickly grows as it approaches...


...Lago Silvio...


...with the parks and recreations areas surrounding it.


It contiues through the canals of Santiago...


...and reaches Lago Rokera...


...in the downtown area.


It goes through the financial district...


...and reaches the ocean just by the cruise port.

[Pat]

Emilin you have out done yourself here wow i love the cruise ship port and the canal to sea transition
also the transition into canals from the river too omg....

btw i think you would have a Hall of Fame pic with the cruise ship IMHO.... - pat

[thundercrack83]

Brilliance, emilin! Sheer brilliance! I love the backstory behind the Río Cedric el Malo, and the pictures of both the river and the two lakes are outstanding! I love how you used the ploppable water and transitioned it into the canal pieces. Very creative! And of course, congratulations to Badsim, Rayden, and rooker1 for being honored in this update!

[Eddie]

...

...

...

I'm speechless.

Okay, not anymore.  I really enjoyed the transition of the waterfall leading into the canals in the town. It's very well-done. And the town itself is a marvel to behold. Excellent use of jeronij's canals, as well.

The Mediterranean buildings are a wonderful choice as well. And will you look at that, the stream becomes a river, the river a canal, and final drains into the ocean. I love the themes in this MD.

[HabLeUrG]

Emilin first of all thank you for making me a satrit in my nick name  of course every update just amazes me, eveything is so prefeclty done and detailed 

If there anything i can do for you just ask 

[kimcar]

  Muchos niceo my friend , and it`s not becayse i drunk too much Bombero  Very colored and attractive. Wow 

[BossOx]

I've just seen Yoder's Simlympic bid so unfortunately everything looks pretty plain by comparison.
The transition between canal and plop water is undetectable and the journey is gives a nice transect of Santiago and I wonder if its a quick revision before development of the city.

[Shadow Assassin]

Very nice work!

It feels like the region's really huge. In fact, I must ask: are you using multiple regions for this purpose?

Love the history behind the words.

(By the way, you've got a chance to win in the barfight tourney; it's 50 points if you knock out someone, 100 if you do it creatively, lose 20 points if you break someone's glass of beer/liquor/bombero/etc - unless it was your bottle. If you break the cantina's supply of bottles, you better prepare to pay - it's a free for all)

[bat]

Congrats to badsim, RayDen and Rooker1!

Beautiful pictures and great update, emilin!

[emilin]

I wonder if its a quick revision before development of the city.

Nope. Most of the "hounorable mentions" are revisits to places already developed. It is a chance for me to go back and fix some details and document the places better.

I realise that it can be hard to find your way around this journal with almost 30 pages. That is why I have now added an extensive Table of Contents at the first page.

There you can find all of the full updates from Santiago, Topaz, Ópalo, and more.

I have also moved the Islas Gemas dictionary to the first post, with short explanations to all the names and places on the island.

[bat]

Nice Table of Contents! Also nice dictionary! Great work!

[Yoman]

Well I'm down in South Carolina at a beach house and my internet has been out for 2 weeks leaving me unable to view your amazing updates

I must call Puerto Jumanji and the island an amazing feat of topography, its so realistic reminding me of some of those tiny islands near cobos Mexico.  The small feeling of the rundown little town where there is not much opportunity for people is incredible, truly a work of a master.

The Asian island reminds me of some of those small Japanese islands you often see. And that strait reminds me of the Strait of Juan de Fuca I so recently saw. Genius!

[thundercrack83]

Just finished perusing the table of contents and the dictionary. Again, fabulous work, my friend! Fabulous!

[Berethor]

Long time I didn't see your amazing diary, the river looks very real   

Quite impressive updates!