Commonwealth of Marathon

[Yoman]

Good work here, its all in the small details However do you plan on using restaurants all the way around the island? Would be quite large You also may want to put a food cart on the lots occasionally, gotta get the hot dogs from somewhere

[Lilojame]

Hi there my friend!
As first, you are welcome. I guess we are both "cheating" then, with the difference that I use BSC Funding Mod (freezes the expenses) when I feel that I need it. 
Since I realy like the way you are making your MD and am sincerly interested where you shall take us, I can honestly claim that I shall return often.
So, now to your 3rd Update:
I liked the approach in showing us your "step-by-step" LE adventure.  For those who never opend it, it might be encuraging to do so; and to those of us who did is a pleasant sight to see you "in action". I personaly liked these sweet little lots that you made. They fit the seawalls excelently and making a shoreline alive. "Dont sweet" because of that little "pesky" thing with stairs obscuring with some tables for I am sure that that kid of things happend even to the best lotters that are out there. 

To sum things up: you have done another great update! 

Looking foward to see where you shall take us next.

[Jmouse]

That isn't bad at all for a first try, Dustin. If you want some variety, I'd recommend prop families - you can use existing ones or create your own. Also I'd try making the tables a bit less dense and see how it looks. In fact, if I were doing something like this, I'd make several different lots with props placed in various positions and orientations, plop them in game and see what works best for your particular needs. Also you can create your own overlay textures more easily than you might imagine if you so desire.

Unfortunately, I'm unable to recommend specific props or families - the information is temporarily unavailable - but if the situation improves soon, I'll look through what I have. Paul's (paroch) market lots come to mind as food vendors, though.

Meanwhile, just keep after it. You've gone farther than many who have dipped a toe into the pool and recoiled because it was "too much trouble." There is no substitute for experience, and you already have some so keep building on it.

Later...
Joan

[dsrwhat316]

Hey Dustin,

I just noticed you started an MD! I'm a little late due to being absent from the site for a couple weeks. Everything looks nice; clean and organized.

Not bad for your first lot. I don't want to plug myself in your MD, but if you need some ideas, check out my tutorials I have linked in my signature. Hope to see that update soon!

~ Dan

[Pat]

Dustin I for one am not laughing at you at all but am applauding your attmepts grow your learning curve!!!  Owen does make a valid point that there is a need for a food cart here and there and I would add a restroom or two at that!!! I cant wait to see what you do next!!!

pat

[Earth quake]

Wow, another nice update Dustin.

Your lot is really simply, but more realistic and fantastic for me. 
You have a excellent choice of prop, really good.

Another, this a good tutorial my friend.

I'm impatient to see an another update. 

[tooheys]

I can see this is going to be a pleasure to watch 

A great looking MD, plenty of LE work and the odd ad thrown in 

A very nice start there Dustin 

As you can see, the tables are obstructed a bit by the big staircase, and the bushes have been covered completely.

Well that's easy fixed, it's a traffic area between the two lots of stairs so lose the tables and use only the base texture (add some peeps though).

I like that double wall effect, perhaps you could add some market stalls here and there. Well you did ask for ideas 

I'll be watching, looking fwd to the day you promote yourself to OSITM  (You are well on your way mate)

Cheers

Dave

[squidi]

hi dustin,
following your md and espacially how you show the progres was very intressting.
when i saw your idea of deviding the slope with 2 wals my first thought was -wow- there can be a very nice terrace for the relaxing sims
and i was glad that you did it that way.
because you asked for some advices to it i will give it a try.
what i can suggest is of cause always a question of taste as it doesnt touch any technicaly things.
my first idea was to make the scene a bit more complex and more flexible by
making different kinds of space between the 2 walls.
if you make the terrace with a width of 2 or 3 tiles you will be able to use bigger props like a small restaurant or a little gift shop, maybe some kind of a little green. however.. this way you should have much more flexibility in making more variations to it.
it is of cause much more complex this way but i think there is a huge potential in that place.
of cause it could also be that you prefer the straight setup what looks much more organized.
so i will continue with some secondary ideas:
first of all i think there are a bit to much newspaper stands  
and now some props you maybe will be intressted in:
i always like to use some kind of public signs like bsc mapbox or pk pub,
and put them to public spaces or in front of buildings.
in your case i think that would look nice next to the stairs.
the people sitting on the tables of cause need a place where they get somthing to eat or to drink while they are relaxing there,
there are som kinds of little foodcarts that would solve this.
next to a food cart or somting similar i always put that hotdogsunday sign (i dont know how to call that kind of sign in english) there is also one from pk that way.
so as you can see my main thoughts are if poeple come there to enjoy there will come other people to get their money
maybe you would like to place that ballon selling man there.

so its a huge amount of what can be done on that place and what i told you where just what came in my mind first and i hope there was something in it you like to see there. and if not iam sure i will get some other ideas

-paul

[rooker1]

Dustin,
Everyone has to start somewhere and you have definately started in the place.  You opened LE, have an useful idea and have tried to make it happen.  Can't ask or expect anything more than that on the first try.
Not sure if you know about this, but open your this folder, Maxis/SimCity 4 Deluxe and look for the word document called "Lot Editor Manual".  In here you'll find all the hot keys and some other useful tips.  If you alrready know about it, sorry.  I didn't for a very long time. 

Other than that, I can only suggest making several more LOTs for randomness and move the props in to the center more than you'll see them no problem. 
I also have to agree with squidi about varying the width of the terrace, this will provide the ability to add different LOTs in these spaces and will make things look alot more realistic.  And a small tip, remember that props can be over hanging, I just had an idea, but I'll leave it up to you to figure that one out, or just MSN me later today and we can talk. 
Something else that might be nice is some trees in a dirt circle.  For the dirt circle, go to props and in the search bar type in "dirt circle" or "dirt rectangle".
The only problem that I have found with LE....is that it can easily become addictive and I for one am in big trouble. 
Anytime you need help with this just give me a buzz.
Great work and it looks like I'll be moving this awesome MD to Best Sellers within the next day or so. 
Seeya around,
Robin 

[metarvo]

First, you decided to start an MD, and now you're making custom LOTs.  I must commend you on a job well done, Dustin.   The lots do look good, by the way.

[bat]

Great work on that lot there! And it is looking very nice...

[kimcar]

Great to see that you want to do some lot with LE for avoid repetition like you said, and that`s a very good things. Excuse if i`m honnest but i find that you have to much table . Like some suggest better space them and you can use some food cart or why not a restaurant . just enlarge a special zone for do it and some times just lots with a sculpture. Hope it`s help but hey great things you do some and keep it up.

[Dark_Jedi06]

Wonderful! This is absolutely beautiful.

I just have one question; on the picture with the train running along the river, how did you get such a clean edge where the railway grass meets the terrain? Is this actually a straight section in-game, then manipulated by Photoshop? Just wondering.

And as for the LE...the most important thing is organization. The main section of my Plugins folder is filled with tons of lots, models and props (270 items total), all with terribly undescriptive names, because they all automatically save there and I don't bother to put them into folders. When I want to go back and edit a somewhat older lot I've made, its like finding a needle in a haystack.

[thundercrack83]

Owen (Yoman): Hi, Owen! Thanks for your suggestions and support, my friend! I didn't plan on having the tables around the entire island—that would get very repetitive and very boring! I will certainly look for some food carts to throw in, too. Thanks again!

Lilojame: Thanks for coming back, my friend! I appreciate your comments and your support very much! See you over at Rainbow Falls!

Joan (Jmouse): I was playing with prop families when I went in for this excursion, but I felt as though I was wandering in something above my pay grade. With your tips, though, I will definitely be giving it a try next round. Thanks for coming by, Joan!

Dan (dsrwhat316): Hi, Dan! Don't worry about the plugging either—I'll be heading over to The Source to check out your ideas and see what I can learn!

Pat: Thank you, my friend! And restrooms...I should have thought of that! Of course we need those!

Earth quake: Thank you so much! Though I don't think I'd call it a "tutorial!" Maybe "learning by trial and error?" Thanks for stopping in!

Dave (tooheys): Welcome to Marathon, Dave! I had actually considered keeping the tiles by the staircases just a blank texture, and now that you've suggested it, I think I may. Not only would it look less cluttered, it's quite easy to do, too!

Paul (squidi): Thanks for coming by and for kind words, Paul! Your suggestions are fantastic, and coming from what I've seen over at Orlach, they're sure to look great, too...if I can make it happen. Thanks again!

Robin (rooker1): You know, Robin, your point about having a "useful idea" cannot be more true. The previous times that I've opened up the LE, only to walk away in frustration was partly because I had no plan of what I wanted to. This time, I've got one, and things are moving much more smoothly. And with the suggestions and ideas from you and all these fine folks here, I'm sure things will start looking up very soon!

metarvo: Why slide into the pool when you can dive in head first, right? Thanks so much for your comments and support, my friend!

bat: Thank you so much, bat!

kimcar: Hello! We'll be taking some of the tables out next time around to lessen the "cluttered" feel. And I like your idea of enlarging areas, as well. Thank you!

Dark_Jedi06: Greetings, my friend! About the train—the space on the highway side is just a row of 1x1 parks that I used to counteract the textures on the tiles with rails from "skipping," due to the catenaries. On the river side, the tracks are directly next to the river embankment. Hope that answers your question, but if not, please let me know, and I'll try to clarify. Thanks for coming by!



I was playing with some industry today. I downloaded a pile of factories by our good friend Jess (jestarr)—whose CML here at SC4D, Industry Giant, sums it up perfectly—and they are nothing short of extraordinary.

Here's a quick snippet...

And...

http://www.youtube.com/v/ch5uxvMr8hE&hl=en&fs=1
"Factory" by Bruce Springsteen. Darkness on the Edge of Town, 1978.
Video by enricsalas.

...a little treat! Well, one for me anyway...and for you, if you're a Springsteen fan, as I am! Forgive me, but this song has been in my head all day long since I was tinkering with factories. Another song was popping in and out as well, but I'll keep that one secret in case another video pops up...

More to come!

[Earth quake]

Wow, excellent teaser Dustin. 
Great Industrial district.

And the Video. 
This is my favourite video. 

So, I impatient to see the Update.

[metarvo]

You're teasing us, aren't you?  Even so, I'm glad to see it.  This is a great industrial area, Dustin.

[Simpson]

The last update is really fantastic, this is an excelent work on the LE
The teaser is superb and so réalistic ( I'm sure this picture could be in HoF  ). The vidéo is looking good too 

Also I'm looking forward to the next update my friend
David

[thundercrack83]

Earth quake: Thank you, my friend! I'm glad you enjoyed the teaser and the video!

metarvo: Hi! Yeah, I'm teasing...but just a little! Thanks for stopping by!

David (Simpson): Merci! I appreciate your support very much, my friend! Hope to see you back!

UPDATE IV
Photoshop, a Mosaïc, and Industrial Disease
15 November 2008

Well, today just so happens to be my 27^th birthday, so I'm not sure how available I will be throughout the day (my girlfriend got me a Nintendo DS!), as I'll be heading out in a few hours.

But, as a present to all of my great friends here, I thought I'd put together a quick little update containing three mosaïcs—well, just one mosaïc, really, with a few adjustments here and there—of the industrial area that I introduced in our last teaser. I thought I'd give a bit of a step-by-step on how I made the adjustments in Photoshop, in case you're curious!

A quick WARNING, though—at 800 x 5826, these are quite large.

The first step before anything, if you aren't adept at making a mosaïc, check out How to Make Mosaics by iamgoingtoeatyou / ilikehotdogsalot. It is a comprehensive tutorial for making these monsters, and it's very easy to follow and apply.

So here we go! Up first...

...a simple black and white mosaic, which can be done rather easily by going to Image on the main menu bar, then finding Adjustments, and choosing Desaturate. Or, simply hit [Shift] + [Ctrl] + U to take care of it!

Next, a little more in-depth...

First step, go to Image, then Rotate Canvas, and Flip Canvas Horizontal. That will flip the picture.

Then, go to Layer, which is next to Image in the menu bar, and choose Layer Style, followed by Blending Options... I choose to use Color Overlay and moved the Opacity slider to between 35-40%. Then, using the Eyedropper Tool (just hit the I key), I clicked on the brick color of one of the buildings to match the color for the overlay.

Third step—the clouds. For this, we'll need a new layer, so either go to Layer, then New, then Layer..., or simply hit [Shift] + [Ctrl] + N.

Once the new layer has been made, go to Filter in the menu bar, then Render, and choose Clouds. Then entire picture should now be a big mess of clouds! Don't fret, though—in the Layers Window (the one that shows your layers), just fiddle with the Opacity and Fill sliders until you get the cloud cover to your liking.

Seems complicated, but it's not. All it takes is some playing around!

Finally, just the regular in-game picture...

...only adjusted a tiny bit to make it look a bit nicer (well, nicer, in my opinion. You may disagree!)

Step one, go to Image, then Adjustments, and Brightness/Contrast. I usually go with +15 for Brightness and +15 for Contrast, but play with it and see what you like!

Step two is to sharpen! So we head to Filter, then Sharpen, and then Sharpen. I usually do this only once, but again, play around and find your preferences.

So, there you have it. A novice's approach to image enchancements in Photoshop! If our Photoshop veterans out there see an easier or better way to tackle these things, please don't hesitate to let me know, because, as I said, I'm a Photoshop novice.

Also, in putting this together, I realize that taking some [PrtScn] pictures to follow along with the steps may have been a good idea. Perhaps I'll go back and do that, then edit them in here.

Oh, and...

http://www.youtube.com/v/Kvfa8xWMyoQ&hl=en&fs=1
"Industrial Disease" by Dire Straits. Love Over Gold, 1982.
Video by LilOilDerrick.

...the other song that has been stuck in my head while playing with all the factories! Again, I apologize for these videos—they won't be a regular occurrence. Only when playing the game puts songs in my head!

Have a great weekend!

[rooker1]

Those are some super great mosaics.

I have to look at them a few more times before I can make a really good posts.  I'll be right back.

Robin 

[paroch]

Hey Dustin,

Marathon is coming along mighty fine.  I'm glad to see you've taken to MD'ing like a duck to water.

I really like that residential housing suburb pic you showed over the page - very realistic and I love a good suburb pic - that is Picture Comp material IMHO.

Good to see you in the LE as well.  I really enjoy working with the LE and my take on it is that as you get a feel for what props are in which packs, it's often best just to have a few prop packs in your plugins folder before firing up the LE.  This way it's quicker to load and also you're not totally daunted by the sheer volume of props available.  It depends on what you're lotting but SGvol1 is always good, and I also like GasCooker's props.  D66 is great for flowers and bushes, JES for industrial type stuff and I like jen_p's fences.  The more you play with it the more you'll get the feel for what prop packs you use.

Another tip is to also use LE Prop (if you need a link let me know and I'll try find it).  Not sure if you've used it before but it's great for setting plop costs and park values etc.  You can also use it to put your lots in a specified menu.  As an example, when I was building Kingly (West End's Amsterdam like city) I created about 40 ploppable lots of dutch buildings.  I placed these all in the Fire menu.  They didn't have fire properties but just made it easy to find them rather than getting RSI of the finger scrolling through the parks menu.  Not something for lots you'd plan for public release but worthwhile for your own stuff.

Another great way of cutting down on the repetitveness thing is to use prop families.  I wrote a tutorial on this, which you may find of interest.  Stick with the LE, it really can help you achieve the look you want.

And great work on those mosaics.  I have PhotoShop but probably don't use its bells and whistles any where near as much as I should.  So thanks for the tips I found them helpful.

And thanks for the plug for West End and the other OSITMs.

Good luck with the ongoing project - oh, and happy birthday!

Paul