The 10 Greatest City Journals in SC4 History (according to me!)

One day on The Planning Pages, while trying to create some new content for the site, Travis volunteered to make a list of what he considered his favorite City Journals. The idea really stuck with me, and I don't know why: I was never the person to ask about CJ's, as it took me staring one myself to actually look at a few others. Still, I thought that this type of list was a good idea, so I asked Travis for permission to use his idea for this blog, and he has given his consent (note: I do not know if Travis ever created his own list)--thus the reason for the existance of this blog entry.

Below is what I consider the 10 greatest SimCity 4 City Journals/Mayor's Diaries of all time. What were the criteria? Well...it's hard to explain. It's some unknown mix of how influential the CJ is/was and how much I personally enjoyed it. I tried hard to keep from replicating a Hall of Fame list, but most of the best CJ's and MD's have already been recognized in that manner, and so a good number of them are also on here. Still, I'm fairly happy with this list, and I have no doubt that all of these CJ's and MD's are exemplary and deserving of their respective spots.

Just so you know, this list is in no way definitive, nor does it take anyone else's opinion into consideration but my own. I was serious when I made it, and I put a lot of thought behind every choice, but as implied above, there's no definite criteria, so you should take it with a grain of salt anyways. One more thing: this list is subject to change.

There are ten journals that made the official list, but there were quite a few in the running:

Honorable Mentions
- "Alicante City," by Fox
- "EYECANDY," by ilikehotdogsalot
- "Gold Depra," by chocolatemax285
- "HongKong," by Cockatoo-210893
- "Olympia," by SAC
- "Tierra de la Oscuridad," by BlondeTwiggy
- "Whitefall, Iridar," by ShadowAssassin

And now...without further adieu, I present:

MAS's Top Ten City Journals/Mayor's Diaries of All Time

(Starting with #10)

10.) [Blue Hope - The Interactive City Journal], by Need4Camero
The funny thing about "Blue Hope" is that I don't think I've ever commented in there, and if I have, it's only been once or twice. Still, I admire it from afar. As the title of the CJ implies, "Blue Hope" is completely interactive; players are able to "purchase" pieces of land with the points they have, and then must decide how to use it: zone for commerce? Let it be used for railroad? Build a power plant? It's up to each player to decide...and Need4Camero keeps up with it all tirelessly, along with "Blue Hope"'s website, all while providing pictures and videos of the region. It's this dedication to "Blue Hope"'s economy that I admire and take inspiration from, and that's why I put it on my top 10 list.

9.) [Nexis of Genesis], by mrbisonm
I'm actually not the biggest fan of sci-fi journals, but I must give mrbisonm his due credit. "Nexis of Genesis" is the longest-running city journal in existance (unofficially), and my favorite of the genre. For me personally, it typified the story-centric city journal: if you want to create a rivetting tale of a city or region, you'd look to "Nexis" for inspiration. It certainly isn't the only good sci-fi journal, nor is it the only one of note...but it's been an inspiration in the community for years now, and it's my personal favorite story-centric CJ, so it earns its spot on here.

8.) [AK's Bizarre Urban Menagerie], by Aleking
It doesn't take too long a glance in AK's city journal to understand why it's on this list. If the injuries to your jaw don't do it, perhaps you might spy one of my essay-length comments of praise to the city building skills on showcase there. AK puts a lot of focus on fusing different styles of cities (Asian, American, European, etc.), as well as conducting many experiments with transportation. He pretty much does a different city per update, and though they're all unique, you can tell almost immediately who built them. Oh yeah...and all the pictures that AK showcases are amazing. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. It's always been one of my favorite city journals, so of course it would earn a spot on this list...and to think, it's only at number 8!

7.) [Aureliano. Flareflakes Rush.], by Criquette (a.k.a. Marrast)
This one has to be seen to be believed. The things Criquette does in this almost defy description (at least...they would take too long for me to describe). "Aureliano" is a city made directly next to a cliff that sprung up do to a deposit of flareflakes (a fictional energy source). But nevermind the story--the city! The European-styled city that's built along a coastline and backed by cliffs. And the transportation networks! Mountain-weaving highways and curving train tunnels and simply awe-inspiring seaports! And oh, those pictures! I can only let them [speak for themselves]. Really, this is one of the most amazing works of SimCity I've ever seen in my life. The only thing that keeps it from being higher on this list is the fact that it's only 11 pages long, and was cut off FAR too early. Even so, those 11 pages are absolute gold!

P. S. Criquette also has a [Sim Diary] that has the same jaw-meets-floor effect as his CJ....

6.) [Sculpting Columbia River], by jeronij
No surprises here. jeronij's "Sculpting Columbia River" is arguably the most influential CJ of all time, and half of the CJ'ers who have ever CJ'ed site it as the inspiration to either get them to showcase their city, or to change the way they play the game. His use of terraces and his unique method to building roads on hills are still being employed today (and quite often, at that), and the concrete seawalls he created are a common site in cities everywhere. Personally, I looked to "SCR" when I first started out on SC4 as a way to get ideas to push my cities further (the most notable thing I got from it was sunken highways and methods to building ports). Unfortunately, it was already in its final days when I joined ST, and jeronij had already moved on to different projects, so I missed most of ferver. The shear amount of ideas that this CJ helped spawn and spread and the number of people inspired by it, however, merit its inclusion on any "Greatest CJ's List," this one obviously included.

5.) [Jargeah], by suplado!
"Jargeah" gets my vote for "Best Photoshopping in a CJ." The softening method suplado! uses, along with his trademark glare effect give each mosaic that "Jargeah" character. "Jargeah" itself is a Dubai doppleganger--that is, it emmulates Dubai's unique layout (man-made isles and all), but it is not a clone of the city. What pushes this CJ so far up this list is the fact that suplado! takes his time to make this city the best it can be. He is very skilled at building and managing the city, editing lots, and photoshopping the pictures. All of these combine to make "Jargeah" stand out among the throngs of other Middle-East-themed CJ's. The amount of support he gets is incredible, as well: after posting just one update consisting of only four pictures, suplado! had nearly 50 comments to reply to (including one by myself)! Apparently, there are quite a few people who hold "Jargeah" in the same regard as I do...and I hold this CJ in very high regard!

4.) [Anduin Valley Revisited], by Darmok
I didn't realize it when I first started my city journal, but "Anduin Valley Revisited" is perhaps the city journal that has had the largest influence on Condor Bay. The way Darmok showed each step to constructing the city, the subtle-yet-effective photo editing (complete with square border), and the overall product he was going for (nearly filling a region with a realistic urban area) are all things that I'm doing with CB right now. Even the last official update of "AVR" was simply showing the construction of a small plot of farms (of course, that was before the unvailing of the largest mosaic to ever come from SimCity 4). Of course, it doesn't hurt that Darmok is one amazing city planner, and that "Anduin Valley" turned into a breathtaking city. Nor does it hurt that I am only one of a huge group of people inspired by this CJ (including a few people who made this list). For all of that, but mostly for unknowningly being my biggest influence, "AVR" has a well-deserved high spot on my list.

Of course, this makes you wonder: what 3 CJ's could earn a higher spot than the one that has most influenced me? Well...how about we find out?

3.) [Antigone], by Badsim
I've seen some amazing things come out of SimCity 4, but NEVER had I seen anything like "Antigone" before. If you don't know what makes "Antigone" so special, then all you need to do is click on the link I've provided; it won't take you long. Badsim quite literally built his city from the ground up; he custom-made every block of "Antigone," and showed the entire community a use of the Lot Editor never before imagined. In turn, Antigone ushered in a renaissance of lotting, bringing custom-made lots to the forefront of SC4 city creation once again. Badsim's creations have inspired me personally to give the Lot Editor a shot, as it seems that it's almost necessary now to give a city that personal touch that only you can give.

"Antigone" was meticulously constructed, and the effort and time Badsim put into it shines on every single street corner. He also lets you in on some of his secrets; there are lot-making tutorials scattered throughout the MD. The only bad thing about this monumental MD is that it has officially been retired...though it went out with a bang, with somewhere close to 50 pictures being showcased to show the progress and the work that went on in its duration, and all of them are inspirational, all of them show a new idea, a new lot method. Once you witness it, you'll almost certainly be drawn into its grasp forevermore. There's absolutely no way I can deny Badsim's "Antigone" a spot on my list. I think it's actually physically impossible.

P. S. Badsim's main influence was SAC's Olympia. I had never even heard of Olympia until he paid it [tribute on SC4D], but if I had, I bet it would be on this list, as well. As it is, though, it made the Honorable Metions.

2.) [Three Rivers Region], by dedgren
"Three Rivers Region" has pretty much transcended such trivial labels as "city journal" and "mayor's diary" and has become something in a class all its own. Oh, it started out the normal way: "I've been playing SimCity since...." But somewhere along the way, the region grew out of its shell, and it became a place of influence, a place of communion and interactivity; the region grew just like the CJ, with many different people having say in the way it was shaped and developed (much like a real-life township plot), until finally it became something so much more than just a city journal. How much more? Well, the link I provided doesn't link directly to the MD itself, but to its forum board. You'll find a "3RR" atlas, a gazetteer...it even has its own exchange (two of them, actually)!

Nowadays when you walk into "3RR," you'll see it is a breeding ground of innovation. Realistic road signs, free-facing power poles, and grid-busting transit networks were all borne within its walls (and most were because dedgren himself was tired of not having them in the game). The region itself is still being meticulously planned and developed--for example, a map that detailed the power grid of one small section of "3RR" was recently unveiled. There are plenty of maps to keep cartographers happy, plenty of ideas floating around to run off and try on your own, and many off-topic discussions to keep the atmosphere lighthearted...there are even rumors of a collaboration with Darmok of "AVR" fame. If you have yet to experience "3RR", you're doing yourself a great disservice. dedgren and company are doing amazing things in there, and no matter whether you're a fan of building cities, modding the game, creating maps, or even if you simply like the state of Alaska, you can take something away from it.

So, now we've come to #1. What can top "3RR"? What do I think the #1 city journal of all time is? Well...it's not a city journal in the "classic" sense of the word. And I'm not even sure it's still online. But my choice for the top city journal in SimCity 4 history is:

1.) [Vicivitas], by paletexan (Note: I do not believe that any of paletexan's cities' websites are online anymore, and so no link is provided. Please correct me if I am wrong)
To understand this one, you have to be somewhat of an old-timer. paletexan is one of the pioneers of the city journal--he was doing it right before most people knew how to do it at all. His first city, "Carthage," was revolutionary. The website paletexan set up was laid out like a tourist/general info site for for the city. It looked professional, as well; one could easily mistake it for a real city's website if it weren't for the SimCity pictures. paletexan then made another website for a different city: "Vicivitas." "Vicivitas" was slightly larger (both in area and in population) than "Carthage," and it was laid out more realistically. paletexan showcased every neighborhood he created; they all had a backstory, and they all served a purpose. The website was also superior to that of "Carthage"'s...that's why "Vicivitas" is the one that gets the spot on the list.

Perhaps the most striking thing about these two cities, however, is just how realistic they are. "Vicivitas" in particular showcases an American-style layout model that I still follow to this day. This is quite a feat...especially considering that both of these cities were created with the basic vanilla version of SimCity 4. That's right, no Rush Hour, no NAM, no mods, no BAT's. All paletexan had to go on was his own skill and creativity, and he made it work. "Vicivitas" was a city set on a coast, and it faded from its semi-dense commercial core (centered around a pedestrian mall) to scarce suburban neighborhoods set amonst the various hills and lakes, with industrial complexes scattered here and there. It looked real...and I should know, for all the time I spent looking.

But does all of that merit it for the number one spot on this list? Looking at it now, it looks like nothing spectacular; it actually pales in comparison to some CJ's nowadays. But...that's not why it's number one. paletexan's "Vicivitas" gets the number one spot because it was my biggest inspiration for getting into SimCity 4. My old computer couldn't handle the game, and so I was stuck with SC3KU for a long while. I would look at "Vicivitas" for hours, all the while hating my computer. paletexan showed me what I was missing out on; he showed me what I had to look forward to whene'er that glorious day came that I got a computer that could handle SC4. When I finally did get my new machine, I looked to "Vicivitas" for guidance (even through its lack of Rush Hour). The simplistic beauty of the city, and paletexan's urban planning drew me in like no other city journal had. I felt I didn't need any other example to start my city (perhaps that's why it took me three years to finally dig into other people's journals...). It was what I tried to emmulate, it was what I strived for. In short, "Vicivitas" was why I played the game. And it's why I play the way I do even today. That's why I say that paletexan's "Vicivitas" is the greatest city journal of all time: because I believe it truly is a timeless classic.

So there it is! My choices for the top 10 city journals in SC4 history. I really hope you enjoyed reading all of it, and I'd love to hear your opinions about it. Also, feel free to list your own top CJ's...remember, anonymous comments are welcome! Thanks for reading!