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True Earth

Started by korver, May 04, 2016, 08:05:18 PM

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Simmer2

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noahclem

Really amazing  :o  I would say that I have no idea how you could make something like this but you explain it :D

manga rivotra

#402
I missed some updates, maybe even more exceptional than usual.  ::)
It seems that with your talent the graphics and the technical limits of the game disappear a little more each update., which is very motivating in addition to being very impressive as this game will approach its 15th year.  :satisfied:
Thank you for presenting masterpieces after masterpieces!  :thumbsup:

kelis

Yep, I missed some updates too, I'm sorry for that my friend. As I said once, you deserve all kind of words that we can write while we watch your updates.

I'm really enjoying with your vision of the Roman Empire, great job  :thumbsup:
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                                                                                     || Benelux Team || Windows on the World || My Photos on Flickr || Kelis BNL Projects ||

korver

#404

- UPDATE 52: Roman Empire (Pt. 3/3) -




For our last chapter of the Roman Empire - we're taking a look at the fall of the Empire. While the Roman Empire was still growing, close attention had to be paid to its borders to make sure invaders wouldn't get in - a sign of things perhaps to come. Hadrian's Wall was initially opened in 128 in Britain to make sure that various tribes couldn't make their way inside.





By the 200s and 300s though, the Roman Empire was clearly in a state of great decline. In 284 the empire split into two - the Western and Eastern Roman Empires - and the Western Roman Empire was soon in trouble. Rome was left in a vulnerable position and had fallen from power - so capital was moved to Milan and later Ravenna. In 402, an up and coming Visigoth leader - Alaric I - made his was through Italy and was looking to invade as many cities as possible. It didn't end well for him though in the Battle of Verona - as general Stilicho was able to hold him off and force his retreat.





Alaric would return however, and swiftly made his way to the weakened former capital of Rome in 410. He led the Sack of Rome - and his men looted whatever they could find. After several previous sackings, Rome a former shell of itself.





One more sack in 455 by the Vandals would truly mark the beginning of the end. Rome was left with only a few hundred people - and the rest of the empire was in complete shambles. In 476, Emperor Romulus was deposed by the barbarian Odoacer - marking the end of the Western Roman Empire.





While the Western Roman Empire was clearly no more - the Eastern Roman Empire and it's capital of Constantinople would survive and even thrive for nearly 1,000 years afterwards. However, it was in the 1200s that everything started to fall apart. The crusades left the city in a vulnerable position, and the nearby Ottomans could sense it. In 1453, their fearless leader Mehmed II led an army nearly 100,000 strong to the gates of the city, to conquer the city he always dreamed about leading.





Constantinople had a famed series of defensive walls running along its perimeter - and it was widely believed that no one would ever make it past. However, a use of new technology would prove to be its downfall. The Ottomans brought up to 70 massive cannons with them, and bombarded the city for 53 straight days. The Byzantines of Constantinople tried their best to continually rebuild the walls - but they were no match for Mehmed II's siege.





May 29th, 1453 would mark the end of the Fall of Constantinople - Mehmed's men quickly invaded the city after destroying the walls - looting, pillaging, and destroying what they they could find. After 24 hours though, he ordered his men to stop with the city in complete shambles. "What a town this was! And we have allowed it to be destroyed!" proclaimed Mehmed. With Constantinople now in the Ottoman's hands - the last vestige of the Roman Empire was no more.





-korver


Note: For these Roman Empire updates (and others) - many of the special objects you see here like the buildings and people were models I downloaded from 3d warehouse. Stuff from the STEX and a few of my own creations were used also though. Here's a pic of about everything I exported - I even went so far to make soldier MMPs for these updates. I used 3dsmax to export them as BATs (models) for the game - I then turned them into various props and MMPs, they are just like anything else you would use.


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Replies

art128: Thank you very much, glad you liked it :thumbsup:

Simmer2: Thank you! ;D

noahclem: Thanks alot for the nice comment! Yeah, I usually get a lot of questions so I figured it would be best to explain a bit on how some of these scenes are possible :)

manga rivotra: Thanks for the comment and for the nice words! It's amazing how old the game is and how strong its still going, long live SC4! :)

kelis: Thanks for stopping by, I'm glad you enjoyed it! :)


Akallan

I do not know what to say, seriously ... All your updates are beautiful, but it exceeds everything (in my opinion, it is obviously a matter of taste). The present Rome is naturally beautiful city and full of history, and I am Italian so that interests me a lot, but ancient Rome is even more exciting, you do well to go through Constantinople too. The Roman Empire at its peak was impressive, and you have transcribed the story in picture in SC4.

You should think about doing more historical and theatrical updates, you do it very well. I thank you for this magnificent work, the scenes of battles are superb, I hope you will make scenes of naval battles for a future update even if it will be another era or nation (the English led huge naval battles for exemple)!

Thank you again!  &apls &apls &apls

:popcorn:
My CJ :


My european road textures project : S N T - v.2.1

Simmer2

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manga rivotra

This triple update on Rome will stay long in the memories!  :o
An absolute mastery of MMPs and loting, plenty of detail and a keen sense of aesthetics to produce a history lesson ......... what else can we ask for?  ::) Oh yes, I know, a new update, whatever the place or time, I want to be amazed once again!  ;)
Thanks you very much !  :thumbsup:

metarvo

Beautiful retelling of Roman history, Korver!  :thumbsup:  The pictures of progress from construction to destruction tell the story in thousands of words, and the story itself is well written.  Details such as the stone architecture and the crowds bring the scene to life.
Find my power line BAT thread here.
Check out the Noro Cooperative.  What are you waiting for?  It even has electricity.
Want more? Try here.  For even more electrical goodies, look here.
Here are some rural power lines.

korver

#409

- UPDATE 53: Rome (Pt. 1/2) -




After taking a look at Ancient Rome - we'll now take a look at this incredible city in the modern day. Our trip to Rome begins with a trip to one of Rome's most famous squares - the stunning Piazza Navona. This square dates back from the 1st century CE, and was originally the site of many great athletic games over the years. Today, it serves as the perfect gathering place for locals and tourists alike.





Rome has nearly 2,000 fountains - but perhaps the most impressive of them all is the incredible Trevi Fountain. This baroque masterpiece was completed in 1762 and has been one of the most popular destinations in the city ever since. It's been said that if you throw a coin into the pool with your right hand over your left shoulder - you'll ensure a trip back to Rome in the future.








Perhaps the most well preserved building of Ancient Rome, the Pantheon remains to this day as a temple to the Roman Gods. The circular oculus at the top allows light to enter, as well as the rain and any other natural elements. While there's numerous ways to get to the Pantheon, you can't go wrong with the time-tested solution: a horse drawn carriage through the streets of Rome.





Located entirely inside of Rome, The Vatican might be the world's smallest country, but it holds many treasured landmarks. St. Peter's Square is one of the world's most famous squares - it's 283 columns, standing 55 feet tall each are truly unmistakable. Papal audiences are held here regularly, drawing big crowds - but its Easter and Christmas Masses are by far the largest, drawing tourists from the world over.





On a steep hillside in the heart of Ancient Rome is where you'll find one of the world's most famous staircases - the Spanish Steps. These 135 steps connect the Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Square) at the bottom to the Trinità dei Monti church at the top - and making the climb is something that you won't want to miss. The millions of tourists over the years making the climb hasn't come without a price, however. With the staircase falling into a state of disrepair, with weeds and cracks taking over - a multi-million dollar restoration was called for and recently completed.





-korver


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Replies

Akallan: Thanks for the nice comment! I've certainly thought about doing some more ancient updates like Mesopotamia, Ancient China, Ancient Greece, perhaps even the Aztec/Mayan civilization. It would probably be a while though before I seriously attempt it again due to the massive amounts of custom content those sorts of updates require.

Simmer2: Thank you! :thumbsup:

manga rivotra: Thank you very much! There's actually going to be a quintuple series of Rome updates :P - as I'm doing modern Rome for the next two :) Glad you enjoyed it!

metarvo: Thanks for the nice words - glad you liked it! I wanted to really capture the empire from start to finish as best I could, with as many major events as possible included to really bring it to life.


art128

I actually had to search the Spanish stairs on Google Earth because i didn't know about them. Interesting structure. Very nice update! St Peters square really is an impressive architectural project.
I'll take a quiet life... A handshake of carbon monoxide.

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mattb325

Another brilliant entry - you've really captured the spirit of modern-day Rome  &apls

korver

#412

- UPDATE 54: Rome (Pt. 2/2) -




Our tour of Rome continues on with one of the world's most famous buildings - the Colosseum. Opened in A.D. 80 and seating more than 50,000 spectators, this impressive arena was home to countless gladiator fights for more than 400 years. While a good portion of the structure has been lost throughout the centuries, there's still plenty left to explore - making it one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city.





Once the heart and marketplace of the city, today the Roman Forum lies in a sprawling heap of ruins. With likes of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony once walking across these grounds - there's history everywhere you go. The entire complex was abandoned shortly after the fall of the Roman Empire and quickly fell into a state of disrepair - much of the stone here was used by the locals, leaving many of the legendary temples incomplete. Finally, near the end of the 18th century, large scale excavations started to take place, preserving this legendary landmark. The entire complex remains sunken under the street level  - the result of countless excavations over the years.





One of the most beautiful and romantic spots in all of Rome is the heart-shaped Villa Borghese park, located in the center of the city. The Giardino del Lago (Lake Garden) is a popular destination - there's no better way to spend a day than renting a boat and rowing across these peaceful waters. With cherry trees dotting much of the park - spring is a truly magical time of year here.





The next stop is the Verano Cemetery - a spot with plenty of history as many famous people have been buried here over the centuries. Since it's founding in the early 19th century, its been one of the cities most important cemeteries ever since.





Just behind St. Peter's Square in The Vatican lies the stunning dome of St. Peter's Basilica - standing 448 feet tall, it's by far the tallest historic building in the area. Regarded by many as being one of the holiest Catholic shrines on the face of the planet - it's been the traditional burial site for popes and other important religious figures since the 10th century. To this day, the structure remains a place of pilgrimage - with the pope making common appearances for liturgies.








-korver


Note: Just for clarification - the roads in these Rome updates are made up of either MMPs, Lot Editor textures (like around St. Peter's Basilica), or just a massive texture on a prop (like the Colosseum). They were not "photoshopped in" - and neither were the buildings (most were existing BATs on the STEX/LEX, and a few were custom BATs that I got from 3d warehouse, exported them, and used in the game).


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Replies

art128: Thanks for the nice words! Yeah, it's not known as well as some of the other major landmarks - but it's one of my favorites for sure :)

mattb325: Thank you very much! Glad you liked it :)

Also thanks to Seaman for the karma point :thumbsup:


Akallan

Beautiful korver, as usual! You're still going as fast as I see, I did not even have time to see your first update of Rome! I remember, at the very beginning that you started True Earth, the updates were more distant. Now, there are every week, you are extremely well honed, it shows that you perfectly master your techniques and the tools you use. You download your BAT, you modify them, you use them in the LE, you make your textures, etc ... I think that your speed comes from there. Because the work you show normally takes a lot of time, but you do it quickly and well. In any case, I am not able to do what you do in such a short time, it is very impressive.

I hope you are not out of breath and you always have ideas for your next updates, the forums need someone like you!


Quote from: korverNote: Just for clarification - the roads in these Rome updates are made up of either MMPs, Lot Editor textures (like around St. Peter's Basilica), or just a massive texture on a prop (like the Colosseum). They were not "photoshopped in" - and neither were the buildings (most were existing BATs on the STEX/LEX, and a few were custom BATs that I got from 3d warehouse, exported them, and used in the game).

I do not think it's necessary to say it, it's been a long time since we know your work and your skills. You do not need to justify your work at each of your updates ... One more thing, let's imagine (even if it's not true) that you use a lot of PS, this is your right and nothing forbids it somewhere, your images remain an art form anyway. You do not need to apologize for anything good! :squirrel:
My CJ :


My european road textures project : S N T - v.2.1

manga rivotra

#414
It is fascinating to see that Rome is a city that remains beautiful over the centuries ......, or it is your perfect reproduction that sublimates the reality!  ::)
A nice wink to see The Colosseum and the Pantheon in their current state of conservation. The pic of the Colosseum is also extremely realistic.  :o
As for the bucolic park Villa Borghese and the cemetery, they are a real source of inspiration.  &apls &apls &apls
A big thank you again!  :thumbsup:

noahclem

Absolutely stunning work  &apls Never ceases to amaze me. Is it allowed to share BATs created with other people's models from 3D warehouse? There's definitely some things I wouldn't mind trying out  ::)

korver

#416

- UPDATE 55: Berlin (Pt. 1/2) -




After taking a look at Rome in the last couple of updates, we're now taking a look at another one of Europe's great cities - the capital of Germany, Berlin. The city is filled with famous monuments - and the first couple that we'll visit are located on the banks of the Spree River. The Alte Nationalgalerie (the long museum at the top of the picture) was opened in 1876 and houses an impressive collection of artwork and is one of the city's most popular attractions. The Berliner Dom towards the bottom part of the mosaic was opened in 1905 and is one of Europe's most impressive cathedrals.





Berliner Dom at night.





The Victory Column (Siegessaule) and its roundabout can be found in the Tiergarten - opened in 1873, it was built to commemorate the Prussian victory in the Danish-Prussian War.





The Reichstag was originally opened in 1894 to house the German Empire's Imperial Diet. A massive fire in the 1930s along with damage from World War II led to the structure falling into disuse as the parliament used other buildings in the city. Eventually, it was partially refurbished in the 1960s and had an entire renovation in the 1990s, giving it a unique, modern look. The building once again is home to the German parliament.





Rotes Rathaus (Red Town Hall) is another one of the city's most famous landmarks - opened in 1869, it serves as the home of the mayor and the government of the Federal state of Berlin.





The Fernsehturm TV Tower is Berlin's most prominent landmark - rising 1,198 feet tall, its the tallest building in Germany. The views from the top are truly extraordinary.





Fernsehturm is located close to Alexanderplatz - one of the city's most famous squares and one of its most vital transport hubs for over 100 years.





-korver


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Replies

Akallan: Thank you very much for the nice words! It's difficult keeping up this pace, but I'm going to try to keep it going for a while :) And unfortunately about that last message, the main reason why I added it was because of another message I got on my CJ on ST (see the London - Landmarks entry..).. and I really need to make sure that there's no confusion on what I'm doing to make the fancy roads and buildings.

manga rivotra: Thanks once again for the kind words, much appreciated! Glad you liked it.

Noahclem: Thank you very much for the nice comment! Unfortunately I believe I'd need the authors permission first though in regards to those buildings.


noahclem

Great work  &apls  it's a really interesting change to see you work on more modern or "traditional" SimCity stuff.  There's certainly a wealth of nice Berlin buildings that you've put to good use and I really like the way you've done the river. A couple of things remind me a lot of stuff I'm working on at the moment: reusing the Arch de Triomphe roundabout without the Arch and with extra connections and using the Amsterdam Centraal train shed on a different station. The tram stuff is also really nicely done, including the diagonal avenue intersection (lot?), the catenaries, and the sidewalks. I don't know if you're familiar with my partially-finished work on the tram networks but you're welcome to use what you like from them :)

korver

#418

- UPDATE 56: Berlin (Pt. 2/2) -




Our trip to Berlin resumes with a visit to another one of its oldest and most famous landmarks - Brandenburg Gate. Opened in 1791, it was built on orders by Prussian king Frederick William II to commemorate the restoration of the country after the early Batavian Revolution. It's amazed locals and tourists alike ever since.





The Gendarmenmarkt is one of the city's most famous squares, constantly filled with action. With its historic twin cathedrals on both sides, Französischer Dom and Deutscher Dom, its a sight you won't want to miss.





Deutscher Dom at night.





A view of the streets of Berlin - with one of its most famous avenues, the Unter Den Linden cutting across towards the top.





Staatsbibliothek is a prominent universal library constructed in 1903, located on the famous Unter Den Linden. At night time, it's truly spectacular.





Unter Den Linden from above.





-korver


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Replies

noahclem: Thank you very much for the nice words! I wanted to do something a little different from my usual style for this update (and for a few more to come) - glad you liked it :thumbsup: Even though there were lots of fantastic Berlin BATs available - I still had to find some creative replacements for a few :P (like the train station) - but I think it turned out pretty nicely. I've seen some of your fantastic textures in the past - I don't know yet if I'll be doing any recreations that feature any more tram lines, but if I do - I'll be sure to take a look :)


art128

Marvelous work on Berlin. The avenue that splits in the middle in the last picture is very well made.
I'll take a quiet life... A handshake of carbon monoxide.

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