Maarten's Regions (Imaginia and Schellingen Stadt)

[Framly]

Great Update! Awesome RHW work

[Girafe]

Impressive work 

the road master 

[MandelSoft]

Replies will follow next update, I promise!

Today I'm going to tell the backstory of Schellingen. Not only it's about the origin of the country, but also other backgrounds. And that's quite interesting story, so let's get started!

The Origin
Schellingen started just to function as an neighbouring country of Imaginia, my first region. Nothing was really worked out; it only was there, it just existed. Later on, I began to fill in the area nearby the border of Imaginia, but for a while, that's all.

Then I saw at wegenforum.nl a topic with maps of fictional countries. This ecouraged me to draw a map of the whole country of Schellingen. This is my first draft of the map, hand-draw only using pencils and one A4-sheet of paper:



Currently, the map contains more data and some changed road numbers and routes, but the main shape and most notable cities are still recognisable. The latest edition of the map:

CLICK HERE!

Relations with neighbouring countries countries

What you may note, is that there are now three new neighbouring countries: Steinmarken, Burghteland and Nova Hollandia. These countries are not created by me: these are created by other people on a dutch geofiction forum Atlantis (site is in dutch). Here are more people working on fictional countries, and currently there are 13 countries:

• BRS: Bundesrepublik Schellingen. A medium-sized and quite peaceful country.
  
• FS: Fürstentum Steinmarken. A vast country with quite little population
  
• HM: Demokratiske Republik Hochmark. A country with lots of islands and cliffs.
  
• IM: Republic of Imaginia. A tiny densly-populated city state with a large commercial sector.
  
• KBL: Koninkrijk Benjiland (Kingdom of Benjiland). A medium-sized island country.
  
• KJE: Koninkrijk Jamara-eilanden (Kingdom of the Jamara Islands). A medium sized island group.
  
• LST: Republik Lichtenberg / Repubblica di Laosta. A medium sized island group with lots of islands. Divided in a German and Italian half.
  
• RBM: Reĝolando Brilamontio (Kingdom of Brilamontia). A medium sized country in the mountains.
  
• RBU: Republiek Burghteland. A large country, with lots of religous communities. Has trouble with its neighbour Nova Hollandia.
  
• RFL: Republik Frankenland. A large and thinly populated country.
  
• RNH: Republiek Nova Hollandia. A large, atheistic and densly populated country. Has trouble with its neighbour Burghteland.
  
• SUS: Respublica Sustulia. A poor country that has declared independence to Brilamontia.
  
• TY: Demokratise Republik Tysie.  A large island country.
  

An overview of all countries:

CLICK HERE!

The center island is called Alantidia, the northern landmass is called Borealia. Although it may look peaceful here, some countries have been fighting each other the past centuries. Especially at Alantidia and between Nova Hollandia and Burghteland have been several wars.

Signage

One of my specialities is creating signage. And I've created some for Schellingen too.

Basic signage:

• A: Information
  
• B: Direction
  
• C: Restriction
  
• D: Speed limits
  
• E: Warnings
  
• F: Priority
  
• G: Other signs
  

Non-freeway directional signage:



Freeway directional signage:

Regular exit:

• Announcement sign (800m)
  
• Detailed exit sign (400m)
  
• Detailed exit sign (0m)
  
• "Exit"-sign
  
• Distance panel
  

Portal signs (overhead signage)


Other signs:

• Fork sign (announcement for complex interchanges)
  
• Service sign (for destonations that are not important enough for regular signage, but still noteworthy, like railway stations, industrial area/harbour areas, landmarks and tourist attractions)
  

I hope you enjoyed this intermezzo! Next up is just a regular update of Schellingen-Stadt

Best,
Maarten

[riiga]

Just wow!   This is some great roadgeek stuff and if I wasn't engough into road signage before, I am now. However, I do find all of the signs very similar to their Netherlands counterpart... 

[scott1964]

I want to learn how to make maps. 

[MandelSoft]

Looks very good; I see some very nice streches of RHW
I like the way Maxic and cc are matched together.
One question: I see that you're using the new euro road textures and the 'old' ETRM. How is that possible?

-Matthijs

There are no old ERTM textures. what you see is that I used different line spacing between the low-density and the med-high density zones. I may look like the old ERTM, but in fact it is not 

Just wow!   This is some great roadgeek stuff and if I wasn't engough into road signage before, I am now. However, I do find all of the signs very similar to their Netherlands counterpart... 

Actually, they look more like their German counterparts    (with exception of the arrows). The directional signage however is a mix between dutch, belgian and german design plus something of my own...

I want to learn how to make maps. 

Well, I can't explain it to you, since I don't know how to explain it. It's a complicated, time-consuming proces. However, I thought that thundercrack83 has a tutorial about that in his MD Commonwealth of Marathon...

Great Update! Awesome RHW work

Impressive work 

the road master 

Awesome city my friend!!! Great work in the last updates!!!
Fantastic rural area, too!!!

Yet another really great update, I love the feeling of space you create in your suburbs!

Great update Maarten, love the RHW! 

Great update!  I personally like what you've done with the railway through town.

Wow , me liking the New NAM textures and those Interchanges are so realistic...

Thank you all for your comments!

For the first time we leave the central city and we visit one of the surrounding rural communities of Schellingen. This time it's Altenzahl. It's a small town located about four kilometers north of Schellingen-Stadt. The town surrounded by vast farmlands and though it's small, it still has it's own railway station. So let's take a visit!

As you can see, it's a small and compact village, with its own local church, shops and primary school. But this town also offers a rural market fair and a holiday hotel. So you don't have to be completely bored here.

Now we leave the town and check out the rural surroundings. A few pictures say more than thousands of words...

And now some pictures of my usual road-geek stuff:

The B107 is a three-lane rural highway (not to be confused with freeway). The first few kilometers it runs parrallel to the freeway A7, but about 1.5 km north of Altenzahl it crosses the river Schelling to the east bank, while the A7 remains on the west bank. The speed limit on these 2+1 highways is 110 km/h (or just below 70 mph). For the record: the general urban speed limit is 50 km/h (30 mph), the general rural speed limit is 90 km/h (55 mph) and the freeway speed limit varies from locally 90 km/h (90 mph) to unlimited (with an advised speed of 130 km/h (80 mph); above that speed limit you're partially/not ensured, so it's risky to drive fast).

You may think when looking at the next pictures: "Why the hell would you need a six-lane freeway in a rural area?" The answer is that you should look at the bigger picture. The A7 is a inter-city freeway and the next city is about 20 km away; the next really large city, Barte, is about 100km away in the neighbouring country. Also don't forget this is just outside of Schellingen-Stadt (population: 1.5 million).

And to conclude this update: a night shot!

Now here's a little challenge for you: how many new RHW puzzle pieces have I used in the last update?

Next up is Felixruhe. See you next time!

Best,
Maarten

[riiga]

Great update! I count 13 new puzzle pieces, or perhaps 14... I really don't know since I also use the testing version of the NAM... 

[bat]

Altenzahl is a nice looking rural community! Wonderful work on it!
Also nice work on the farms. The rhw at night is also really beautiful.
Looking forward to the next pictures...

[Girafe]

Nice update 

[mave94]

O Maarten, this is amazing.
I love those roadsigns, very well done. I wish I could do that...
The ETRM is great; nice rural area, I like it!

-Matthijs

[louistsw]

So many new things
New NAM come out faster pls

[samerton]

Amazing interchanges and great Photoshopping! 

[Reikhardt]

Another great update, great photo editing!
Thoroughly enjoyable! 

[noahclem]

Great work Maarten! Beautiful showcasing of the new RHW-6C FA & Diag capabilities--the highway looks great winding through the region. Very nice rural areas and power lines as well! 

[RickD]

Awesome! I am so excited seeing the new RHW pieces in action. Didn't count them, though. I also like the power lines.

[kelis]

Great transport system and great use of the RHW, Keep up the good work 

[Tomas Neto]

Awesome update!!! Fantastic work!!!

[Buzzit]

amazing work you got here maarten!!

where did you find all those farmgrounds??

and i see you put my pylons into good use!
the beautifull picture of 6.08 has given me even more ideas!
thx 

[wallasey]

Fantastic imagery once again, the power lines parading through the shots were a great touch.

[bladeberkman]

Hey, mrtnrln!

The effort you have put into retexturing transit networks and creating euro alternatives is incredible. I was looking at some of your MD pictures and noticed the different sidewalk textures. When the NAM euro cosmetic mod is released will Sithlrd98's asphalt textures be an option as with Andreas' euro road textures?

Also, your GLR/GLR-in-road/GLR-in-avenue puzzle pieces appear to use the chosen sidewalk texture, not the standard Maxis texture. Could this apply to RTMT stations and FLUPS?

Thanks for your hard work! Can't wait for this to be released!

-Blade