Barsalargonia - Update 23 - August 23 2009

[Battlecat]

Beautiful update as always!  I'm very surprised and honored that you would name that technique after my diary, you've certainly put it to good use here!  Thanks very much!  Great choice on developing that second batch of farms.  Resisting the urge to just flood fill blocks of roads has made an amazing difference as far as I'm concerned,  those latest ones look fantastic with the blocks of trees! 

I'm particularly impressed with how you handled the fences along the diagonal roads, I hadn't actually thought of a couple tricks you used there. 

One of the reasons I use the plopable grasses and flowers on my fields is because I'm using the Olympic Terrain mod  On slopes near rivers and mountains there is a bit of a random jumbled logs texture that forms, which doesn't work so well for cattle farms since they're the sort of thing a farmer would remove from his land.  The grasses cover those up nicely.  However, on flat land, as you've done there, the typical Cycledogg terrain style looks great all by itself without any extra texture!

I think i'll keep my vote on C2, for now, but C4 also looks like it's got some interesting potential.  Keep up the great work! 

[kwakelaar]

Excellent work on your farming area's, and a nice little town on the seaside as a bonus.
I would like to see how you continue making your farms into the neighbouring tile, that would be C2.

[Splime]

Replies:

Tomas Neto: Thanks for your comment!

woodb3kmaster: Thanks! C4 does look like an interesting quad to work with.

blade2k5: Thanks! With a little luck, you should see another update some time this weekend.

Arthur: Thanks! The region view is something I think is important, so I'm glad you like it.

citycapitalizer: Thanks! I used the "Adara Method" on all the cattle farms this update. The other ploppable cattle farms were built by my own decisions, and I think there's one livestock farm with pale green grass tiles in an earlier update.

Battlecat: Thanks! I'm glad you're honored about the name of the technique! Your MD was the place where I saw it used, so it only made sense to name the technique after the MD. Your ploppable grass and flower explanation makes sense now, but even if it didn't have to cover anything up, it adds a nice effect.

kwakelaar: Thanks! There really seems to be a battle between C2 and C4 brewing here.

Thanks for the comments everyone! This decision for which quad to develop next seems to be quite a tough one... Anyway, I'll have the next update up this weekend, most likely.

[blade2k5]

blade2k5: Thanks! With a little luck, you should see another update some time this weekend.

I look forward to it.   I have to work all day Saturday, but other than that, I should be around

[djvandrake]

This is an absolutely beautiful Mayor's Diary.    I love the work you put into the trees, they look fantastic.  I also enjoy seeing the pre-development shots so keep those up if you like.    The rural layouts you have look very realistic. Nicely done.

If you don't mind my asking; what terrain mod is this?  It's beautiful.

Looking forward to your next uipdate. 

[Scarton]

I have a suggestion. Maybe you should create a poll for which quad you should expand into. Of course, if you have already decided, then no worry.

I still think you should expand west for the next update (B3). And it would be very interesting to see how you develop C2.

Anyways, I can't wait for the next update, as this CJ is so fabulous!

[Bobbi]

@Splime,
Wonderful!!! And I can't wait for the next update

Bobbi

[Splime]

Replies:

blade2k5: Well, the update wasn't Saturday, so you should be around to see it.

djvandrake: Thanks for the praise! I'm using the c.p.'s Meadowshire Terrain Mod (Power Search "c.p." as the author in the LEX).

citycapitalizer: I considered making a poll, but what's more important to me is the reasons rather than the number of votes.

Bobbi: Thanks! Hopefully you won't have to wait too long for update 13!

So, I'm pretty close to finishing up update 13, I just have one small area I want to develop. The update will be a fairly small one as far as the scope is concerned, I'm not building a whole town in one update again for a while.

[Splime]

Update 13: South of Tumbler Ridge


We now move to the opposite side of C3 from where we were last time. This is going south along Route 25, if you've been following any of the maps.


The area looks like a nice place for a small village, so I added one to the east, along with a few farms.


Once everything's developed, this is the result.


Here's a close-up of the farms. The farm on the right oriented itself the wrong way (probably because of the FAR nearby, but I've seen similar issues occur with no such FAR complications) so I used Darmok's Trail Set to reconnect the road with the farm buildings.


This is the village in a closer zoom. Before building this, I had started modifying some of the lots that commonly grow in Barsalargonia so that they would fit in better with everything else. In this picture the only adjustments were base texture changes, which you can see in the R$ lots near the gas station in the upper left (the non c.p. ones). After this image was taken, I modified the larger R$ house near the small church in the center to have a better texture and seasonal trees. I'll have better pictures showing these lots soon.


We then move further south to finish up this update, at the intersection of Route 25 and the new Route 36.


I made a tiny little village here, though to call it a village is a bit much. I didn't even develop all of those residential areas.


Once everything's developed, this is the result. Sadly, the farm with yellow crops that's in the upper right corner from the last area I was working on seems to have developed a "low desirability fungus" as I call it. I'll probably replace it with a cattle farm soon.


Here's what the crossroads looks like at a closer zoom. These commercial buildings don't look that great on diagonals, but there's not much choice when it comes to small commercial service buildings.

Thanks for reading!

[blade2k5]

Lovely update and didn't even notice you hadn't developed a whole town   Anyways, it looks so darn peaceful there I'm thinking of moving my Simself there    Great job Splime

[Scarton]

Yet another spectacular update! I agree with Blade2k5 about the peaceful look of the area, and would like to move my simself there as well.
Your abilities at making small communities still amaze me. 

[art128]

The new village is great my friend, good layout and nice installations. You've done en ingenious work with the wrong oriented farm.
Take care,
-Arthur.

[Bobbi]

Great update!!!
And I still feel amazing for the good details of those farms, ponds and parks.

Keep doing Splime!!!

Bobbi

[Splime]

Replies:

blade2k5: Thanks! If you see a nice house there, I'm sure I can arrange for your simself to move in...   

citycapitalizer: Thanks! The offer to move in applies to you too!

Arthur: Thanks again! My stats indicate that you have taken the lead as the top replier... besides me, of course.

Bobbi: Thanks for your comment!

Also, I have noticed that we passed 3000 views! Thanks everyone! And if you're one of the non-posting viewers, feel free to comment on Barsalargonia, positive or negative.

[Battlecat]

Beautiful farms and small towns you've got going there!  It's continuing to look amazing!

[djvandrake]

Very nice!  i really like your use of the gentle curves in the roads and streets for a realistic rural look.   

[Luke09]

Hi Splime!Some time that i dont post there huh?Well i went to my grandfathers farm(someday if i pos an MD i will show it  ),1 week to be exactely...so 1 week without surfing on web...but its ok.Nice pics and beauty farms...where can i found darmoks set?(im a fan of darmok,i really love AVR)and that yellow farm too,they are pretty nice!Good Luck with Barsalalargonia 

[io_bg]

  This is one of the best rural MDs I've ever seen! I really enjoyed all the pics from the last update, great job

[Splime]

Replies:

Battlecat: Thanks for the praise!

djvandrake: Thanks! Ever since the introduction of the gentle curves, I avoid using the regular sharp ones, even if it makes things harder.

Luke09: Thanks! You've posted here so much, I think it's fine to take a 1 week break...  Those trails can be found here.

io_bg: Thanks!

So, I'll be working on the next update shortly, should have it today or tomorrow.

[blade2k5]

blade2k5: Thanks! If you see a nice house there, I'm sure I can arrange for your simself to move in...  

Ok, will do   I'll keep my eyes peeled for a nice place   Looking forward to the next update later today or tomorrow