[CabraBuitre]

WELCOME TO

ABELFAREI

Featuring Pontiac Heights








Featuring Alabaster Shores















This is a continuation of my CJ from over at Simtrop found HERE

[narocos300]

How Pretty I especially like the mix of Goobers Canals and the Mixs of park, where did you get the cable cars from is it something CSX Concted!!!

Outstanding

[dedgren]

It will be very interesting to watch you develop that extremely geographically challenging region.  It's nice to see a different take on ploppable water (Peg's vs. brtim2's or jeronij's), too.  I'll be looking forward to seeing what you do with that in the more "natural" areas of your region.

Welcome aboard- Good Luck!


David

[emilin]

I've lurked around your CJ over at ST, and I expect nice lotediting from this. And a lot of parks. Should be really good.

[bat]

Fantastic start and wonderful region! Great pictures!

[threestooges]

A good start with masterful parks. I also like the bridges over peg's ponds (was it done by the rain tool-land bridge trick and then putting an overhang lot next to it?). It seems like, whatever the trick, it must have taken awhile. Good job.

[petercintn]

I enjoy the parks, you are very good with them.  Please, we need more!

[M4346]

I'm going to echo David's sentiments and welcome you to the MD community here at SC4D, and wish you all the best of luck with this undertaking. I know it can be daunting at times, and especially with the challenges of RL it seems so irrelevant at times too, but hang in there! I'll be looking forward to more, and have to say that it's an excellent start (with great utilisation of SG Brick Canals and the BSC parks, not to mention the CSX Cable Car) and an amazing region that will provide a very interesting development to monitor. 

I have also stuck to Peg's streams rather than ploppable water, but have recently discovered the beauty of ploppable water and fell head over heals in love!

Looking forward to more soon!

Regards,

M

[CabraBuitre]

I've got a general update on the region I can post reasonably soon... I'm currently cleaning some things up with my plug-ins and I'm actually going to be changing up a few things I think...  I've really liked Citynut's rapids, and I'm thinking of incorporating them into Pontiac Heights near the waterfalls (which are numerous...).  I think I may just post some that I already do have prepared, and then I'll be able to show a bit of a "before and after" pic.

I'm plagued by the "fault" that my creations need to be perfect... I can't tell you how many times I've had something that was perfect... but then a new lot or prop, or anything comes along and I've got to change it.  The entrance to the Alabaster Shores garden has been changed so many times... but each time it's an improvement, IMO.  I sure hope you'll agree when I finally get a chance to post it!!

I really am in awe of those creators who are able to meticulously put forth amazing update after amazing update.  Part of it may be my computer (and I actually will be getting a new one in the near future... Yeah for tax returns!) but part of it is that I'm just not very quick with the tools needed to create what I want to create (with lot editor, etc).

Well, gotta go watch Survivor with my wife (it's one of our "things...  )...

Hopefully I'll get a chance to post an update tonight!!

[CabraBuitre]

Update #1



Here are some shots of the region being formed...

The region is composed of 16 medium tiles.  Not a huge region by any respects, but quality is most important, IMO.  I've been working on this region off and on since May 2005.

It has definately had lots of changes!

I changed the water color

And I put through a bit of erosion so that I'd be able to build on the land!

And here is a regional shot from about a year ago...


I'm running the dat packer at the moment for the first time... when it's finished, I'm going to fire up SC4 and see how it works.... I might have a chance to show you the most up to date regional pic.

[emilin]

 

That is one good looking region. It's nice to be able to see how the development has been forming it. I totally agree about the size: quality is definatly more important.

[bat]

Wonderful region! Great mountains and using of trees!

[CabraBuitre]

RESPONSES


Narocos300-  Thanks, I love SG's canals too... there are rumors he's going to put together another pack soon... I can't wait!  The cable car is one of Colyn's creations, and it's found on the BSC LEX.

Dedgren- Thanks for the comment... I've actually had to make the region more flat to be able to build on it, but, especially with Pontiac Heights, I tried to build around the land, as opposed to forming the land around what I wanted to build. 

There are definately some (and will be more) natural areas... but I'm not nearly as talented in this area as you are!

emilin- Nice to see some people actually DID follow this over at Simtrop...  I've been working on this for so long, and I've taken really long breaks that it would have seemed natural for people to merely forget about Abelfarei, 'cause it sure appeared that I did!

bat- Thanks for the comment, I sure hope you like the pictures.  I'm terrible at any kind of image modification, but I spend lots of time (probably more than I need to!) with the details of the city that I hope it shows!

threestoges- Yep, the bridge over the water in the third picture was done with the rain tool and with the overhanging props, you're exactly right!  This simply looked much more natural to me than if I had Peg's bridge props... I didn't think that a bridge that was at-grade with the river either above the falls or below simply wasn't very realistic!

petercintn- I certainly do have some more for you... Alabaster Shores in almost entirely full of the parks and canals.  I have a few updates ready for Pontiac Heights, which I think you'll like too... you'll just have to wait a bit on the parks!

m4346- Thanks for the welcome!  There are definately some things that I like about Peg's ponds and streams, though I haven't taken a serious look at the plopable water as of yet.  I also use Peg and SG's canals (some of the latter are shown above) and I'm looking to incorporate Citynut's rapids in with what I've already got going with Peg's, to add to the realism.  I really like what I have had with Peg's ponds/streams but the lack of turbulence, especially around the waterfalls needs a bit of attention.  I need to work on some transitions from Peg's to Citynut's and back.

emilin (2)- Part of the reason why I chose a small region was because I knew it would take me a while with each individual city tile, but also because my computer it about 6 years old... but I'm getting a NEW computer in a little less than a week, so I'm pumped.  I'm expecting that the performance will increase by a LOT and I'll be able to do what I want much, much quicker.  As of right now, it takes forever to fire up SC4 and when I open up different menu's it takes forever.  The DAT Packer has helped some, but my plugins file isn't (and can't be) enormous... I just think it will fly (at least comparitively!) with the new computer!

bat (2)- Cyclepuppy's mods (both with trees and with the terrain) absolutely revolutionized the game... the look and feel of the game changes so much with the inclusion of these creations and truly give a realistic feel to any type of city and region.

The mountains did take forever... but I wanted to create something that I really could picture and that would be realistic.  If you like it, then I guess I succeeded!

[dedgren]

I've been working on this region off and on since May 2005.

In other words, you've made a commitment.  The best regions, IMHO, are ones the player has decided, for whatever reason, are worth seeing through over time.

Thanks for sharing Abelfarei with us, my friend.


David

[CabraBuitre]

This is an old update from April of 2006.  I'm planning on updating this city soon, I just haven't had the time yet, as it takes SO long with my current computer to do anything.  Feel free to let me know what you think about the city and if you see anything you think could be "tweaked" because there are some things that have kind of bugged me lately about it that I definately want to change.

Here's your first real look at              Pontiac Heights... UPDATE #2



Pontiac Heights is a unique and diverse residential community with great disparities in wealth.


Pontiac Heights was originally settled by Spanish subsistance fishermen. The poor fishermen fished on Pontiac Heights extensive waterways and rivers.







Pontiac Heights was later colonized by the Dutch.



The Amsterdam-style row houses still line the streets in Eastern Pontiac Heights.



The Dutch settlers harvested the great trees of the Heights for 5 years, but then Holland was overtaken by the Portuguese, who strangely had no need for the wood. It was during this period that the few remaining Dutch settlers set up the Amersterdam Marketplace, where they sold goods to the poor Spanish.



Many years later, the beautiful shores, majestic waterfalls, great forests and breathtaking views began to appeal to the rich and retired. Though they dispised the poor who lived in the hills, they generally secluded themselves near the shores.







Ironically, it wasn't until the super-rich came to Pontiac Heights that the situations improved for the poor.

As you can see in this picture, the owner of this house, millionaire Kathryn Orsmsby, did not seclude herself from the poor. She had recieved a fortune with the death of a great aunt, and she vowed to spend the money on those in need. The woes of the Pontiac Heights poor were widely known in the region, so she chose this spot to be the place for her personal quarters and boarding house. She daily serves three wonderful meals to the locals and she even allows over forty locals (whose houses were destroyed 8 years ago in the floods) to permenantly live in her home with her. It has been said that somehow, despite her generosity, her fortunes continue to grow, even though she brings in no working income of her own!



Another benevolent soul is known only as "Arky." He too chose to live right among the less fortunate.



Arky was the son of immigrant German parents in Chicago in the early 20th century. His parents both died while Arky was still very young, so he was sent to an orphanage. At the age of eighteen, he left the orphanage and began working as a teletype operator for Chicago Title and Trust. He was befriended by company president Holman D. Pettibone, and with Pettibone's sudden death, it was discovered that the Pettibone fortune was left to one lone man, Arky, the teletype operator in office 3b!

Arky had grown to love the outdoors and gardening. Holman Pettibone had been a member of the innaugural board of trusties at the Morton Arboretum, outside Chicago, and he had passed on to Arky the love for horticulture. However, trees did not interest Arky nearly as much as gardens. Soon after finishing his estate house in Pontiac Heights, he purchased a vast area of land across the waterway in what would become Alabaster Shores. He employed many, many decendants of the original fishermen from Pontiac Heights and he taught them the gardening trade. (Soon to come, pictures of the wonderful Alabaster Shores gardens!)



Arky also had a heart for orphans. He adopted seven children and regularly checked up on the children at every orphanage in the county.

There were, of course, a few in the "super-rich" category who didn't really care anything about anyone living near them. They secluded themselves up high on the heights.



Not much is known about the inhabitants of this home. It is rumored that the owner (who is rarely ever seen in public) is an Arabian horse breeder who's riches are incredibly vast. It is also rumored that he has ties in Arabian oil, though these rumors have never been confirmed.



This house has sat atop the highest point in Abelfarei Heights for as long as any of the people can remember. Spanish legend says that it has always been there, and it was once inhabited by a god. This god controlled the flow of the rivers and could create droughts and floods at his every whim.

The current resident is very shady. The man who lives there goes simply by Don Miguel. The police have questioned him many times in regards to many strange crimes around the city, but nothing ever seems to stick.




Well, there you have it!  This update is near and dear to my heart because of the storyline... Kathryn is my wife's name, and Orsmby was her grandparents' last name.  They both passed away 3 years ago at Christmas time, just 17 days apart.  Kate is an only child and it was very hard on her, as she had never had any close family pass away for her, so that portion of the update was dedicated to them and to their memory.  For those of you who have ever heard the song "The Luckiest" by Ben Folds, the final verse is, in many respects, exactly what happened in her grandparent's case.  That was actually the song she walked down the aisle to at our wedding, in large part because they couldn't be there on that day.

"Arky" was the nickname of my own grandfather.  He actually did grow up in an orphanage in Chicago, and he did work as a teletype operator for an insurance company in Chicago for many years, though he didn't inherit any fortune or anything like that...  My Grandpa was an amazing man... born in 1905, he lived through two World Wars (he fought in the second), the depression, and so many technological advances in his lifetime, and had an amazing personality.  He passed away on October 16th 2005... 6.5 hours before his 100th birthday.  His wake and funeral were truly amazing... though so many of his friends had passed away, and though we all missed him and were sad he was gone, we were essentially sad for ourselves... how could we be sad for him?  He'd definately lived a VERY full life!

Well, I hope you liked the update and some of the inspirations for my storyline... I'm not sure that you can really expect any type of a continuing storyline, but I'll at least make something up for each set of pictures! 



RESPONSES


David-  Hopefully I'll be able to cultivate even more than I've done so far, and I can make what I've already done all the better!  I'm so glad you like it!!




By the way, the next update will be a highlight of the waterways and recreational areas of Pontiac Heights!

[bat]

Fantastic development! The overview looks very beautiful!

[CabraBuitre]

RESPONSES


Thanks bat... I think you'll like the next update even more... the waterways are certainly the "highlight" of Pontiac Shores, and I'll have this update ready for later this afternoon!

[kimcar]

  Wow fantastic view . Very great terraforming . I like what i saw.  Keep it up.

[kwakelaar]

I like your stories, and how you present your city. And the city itself is like nothing I have seen so far, very unique.

[CabraBuitre]

Pontiac Heights... UPDATE #3


Here's the second update for Pontiac Heights!


Like I said after the last update, this one's all about WATER!



This pond is the origin of all waterways in Pontiac Heights. This pond is stream-fed from farther up in the mountains. From the pond (which, unlike much of the rest of the streams and waterfalls, doesn't have a name) the water diverges in two directions.



The first three falls are called "Jim's falls" after Jim Loynachan, an old fisherman who build a cabin up on the hills here and fished the pond (called Pond Donna after his wife).



His son, Jim, now owns a seaplane and flies brave customers up to the pond his father fished. The customers have to be brave, because check out the size of the pond! Jim is the only one who has ever tried to land a plane there, and he's somehow managed to keep everyone safe and alive. He claims he's the only pilot who would be able to land in such a small pond, and other pilots in the area say that's probably true... because they're not dumb enough to try!



The next falls, Edward Falls, was dubbed by the original owner of the cabin at the base of the falls. This cabin is no longer owned by anyone... it stands as a monument to poor planning. Every spring, the cabin is flooded when the river swells with the spring thaw. Mr. Edward's wife lasted all of about 3 months living in the cabin and she made her husband buy a new home. I don't blame her!



This next section is the McKillor Swamp. Surprizingly, the houses that were build here do NOT flood with the spring flaw. Environmentalists complained that so many people were living on the wetlands (even though the homes had existed for YEARS before there even were environmentalists), and they studied the area to try and find some species of plant or animal that was being threatened. What they discovered was that what appeared to be islands were actually giant floating lilly pad-like plants. They were so large that trees actually grew out of them. The environmentalists were going to protest what they assumed was an endangered species of plant (because they'd never seen it before) when suddenly, there was a rock slide in Australia that threatened the breeding grounds of some endangered koalas. That should keep those environmentalists busy for a while!



Here's an overview of the area.



These four falls are the Tetra falls. The base of the falls lies in between two places with higher ground and forms a wind tunnel, so the locals like to sail here.



For as much of a problem as the environmentalists had with the people living in McKillor Swamp, they surprizingly had no problem with people (albiet RICHER people) building houses right next to the otter breeding grounds. The locals come and see the baby otters playing in the water and in the winter, the adults climb to the top of the hills and slide down on the ice, to much fanfare from onlookers. Speaking of onlookers, it appears that the mayor is sailing over to take a peak at the otters now!



There are some perks to being mayor. Not only does he get this nifty boat...



he gets to stay in the mayoral mansion, which lies right on the water.



The mayor gets a nice boat, but this boat is owned by the Kathryn Ormsby foundation. She regularly takes her boarders out for afternoon sails and treats them to a picnic.



This is another outlet of the McKillor Swamp.



The water splits again here.



This is the second place that water drains from the pond by Don Miguel's mansion.



This stream, nicknamed Signature Stream because it manders like cursive past the (reported) Arabian's home.



This campground is one of the most scenic in all of Abelfarei. The Echo Falls are visited by many people from throughout the region each year. The geography of the land creates a unique echo sound when visitors walk across the rope bridge.



A view of the lower cascades of Echo Falls.



At the base of Echo Falls, the stream takes a quick turn at Elbo Falls and meets up again with the rest of the water initially from the pond near Don Miguel's.



The installation of these permanant bridges made life much safer for the locals. Before the city installed them, the decendents of the Spanish farmers were forced to raft across the water, and especially during the spring, this was a daunting task.



Many, many men and women lost their lives when their rafts overturned and they were cast over the falls which became known as Widowmaker Falls.



Another shot of Widowmaker Falls.



In between Widowmaker Falls and these falls here, Twin Falls, I was not allowed to take any pictures. This is some of the best trout fishing water in the world, and the locals own the rights, including the rights to any photos or newsprint of or about the area. That's all I can say, or I'll get thrown in jail!



Here's a shot of Pontiac Garden.



This statue is a perfect likeness of Captain Pontiac, the Dutch explorer who first mapped the land here.



The documentation on the name of waterfalls in Pontiac Heights is not that great. For example, these falls are also named Twin Falls.



And so are these. Go figure! This ferry station is only open during certain months of the year. The great ferry disaster of '23 killed 147 people onboard as an ice floe shot over the falls and capsized the boat. Only three people survived the tragedy.



Let's move back to Fisher's Falls, the falls near the Mayor's mansion. These falls got their name because old local regulations mandated that the local fishermen fished above the falls, where the fishing was mediocre at best. The legislation was overturned and the Spanish fishermen actually began to be able to make money from their fishing, instead of just getting by.



These bridges are some of the oldest in the region. As soon as the Dutch arrived, they realized how important it was to be able to get to the other side of the river during the springtime, so they built these bridges to be able to cross the river.



This is another example of poor planning. The government set up a free clinic, and they tried to find the cheapest land to build on... Well, they didn't have to pay a THING for the land at the base of the falls. Of course, that means that the clinic is only open about 1/3 of the year, but...



This is the final shot of the second place that the water finally makes it to the sea.


RESPONSES


Kimcar- Thanks for the comment... I hope you like what else I've got to show!

kwakelaar- Great to see you here!  I'm glad you like the stories... like I said, they (probably) won't all tie in, but each picture probably will have some sort of story!




Keep up the comments guys...  There have only been 5 comments after my first two REAL updates.  Are you guys still interested in seeing this...?