My Absense

Wow...didn't really mean it when I said I'd be back next year, but it's actually been slightly longer, hasn't it?

Well...in the past year, I've been virtually absent from the SimCity/Cities XL scene. A few posts here and there, and lots of lurking (especially on [Marathon] and [3RR]), but other than that, I've been out of the loop. I haven't downloaded anything from any exchange in ages (I don't even think I have the updated NAM), and I definitely haven't kept up with updates on CXL. More ashamedly, though, is that I haven't been doing my part with the ST CXL Forums for which I am a moderator. Oh, I've been around, but I only take action when it so happens I spot something while lurking (which isn't often). I think I owe GlobeXCo, ABCVS and LivinInSim an apology for that, actually. I do sincerely apologize that I haven't been doing all that I can to keep everything in order.

But that's what this post is for. I'm going to make an effort to get back into the swing of things on ST (TRY being the operative word, there). I've made efforts in the past that have failed (see last post), but I think it's because I didn't have anything directly tied to the community. What I'm going to do this time is start a city journal on ST. A very simple one, mind you--pretty much just me posting pictures and explaining things about them (I had one exactly like this on the old SimCity Mild Enthusiasm forum that I actually enjoyed posting to). I haven't played SimCity or CXL all that much at all in the past year or so, and to tell the truth, that might not change...but maybe I can at least get back into the community (and finally start doing my part there). Here's hoping....

You can find my new CJ [right here--it's called Mas Chaos].

Hahahaha...Been a bit, yes?

Hola! A little while, but feels good to be back. I just happened to be in a writing mood today, so I guess I'll do a bit of a revival here.

A whole lot of changes have come about for the city building community in the year since the last post, most notably the rise and (arguable) fall of Cities XL. Planet Offer came and went, and now with the promise of CXL 2011, we might ironically see the game take on its true form, and perhaps evolve into a true next gen city builder. If you want my opinion, I think that, while it will never surpass SC4 Rush Hour (and anyone would be foolish to think that a game could, with what we've done with it), CXL may in fact become what we've all wanted: an evolution of the genre. There's definite potential there, and now that the focus has gone back to the solo game, we might actually see that potential actualized. What a glorious thing it would be to build, in (semi-)full 3-D, subway stations, and to watch elevated rails leap from the ground and dive behind skyscrapers! To see modern downtown plazas replete with life, and take a stroll down a wide boulevard with antique hanging gaslights as the sun sets behind the hills in the far distance! I've always pictured it, and CXL, I think, can make it happen...IF MC doesn't suppress the creative minds of the SC4 community. And that's a big "IF."

In the SC4 world, I think there are a few projects nearing completion that everyone's anticipating. The next version of the [RMIP-3 Large Airport] is tantalizingly close to being ready for release (methinks), as is the next version of the [NAM] (I obviously don't know for certain, but it just feel like it might be :-P). And life goes on. I'm trying to get back into the game myself; it's been well over a year since I've done anything substantial on SC4, sadly enough. I have, however, started to continue work on my long-delayed new region, Meredith Valley:


It's a 6x8 large city map that think I can do some good things on...if I can ever get it finished.

Right...that's all I've got for now. I'll leave you guys with some pictures of Condor Valley International Airport, which I just made for the sake of making an airport. The actual terminal is done, but I can't seem to get the grounds outside of it to work out for me. I had planned on actually doing a one-time revival of the Condor Bay city journal on ST, but decided against it. I'll just show a few of the pictures here:







That's all for this one. See you next year ;-)!

Half a year? Really!?

Wow...it's been a while, hasn't it?

Actually, to tell the truth, I haven't been active in the SC4 community at all lately. Don't ask why, I couldn't tell you, but I haven't. On any site (except for the occasional post on ST, and various stints in chat). It's odd, really. But, rest assured, my hiatus isn't permanent. I am planning a new CJ/MD soon, just as soon as I get the region done as I want it. I've also been trying to become more active in various fan sites, to varying degrees of success. I'm still not "back," but I'm getting there.

I think, however, it's rather safe to say that Condor Bay is pretty much done. It'd be amazing if I ever went back to it, but it probably won't happen (I can hear you guys weeping already... :-` ...). Too bad, actually, because I had the update already loaded and ready to go. Oh, well...this is what you guys missed out on:


Just a sample.

Anyways...this post was really just a way to let you guys know that I wasn't gone, that this blog wasn't dead, and that I do have stuff planned for the future. When it'll happen is a mystery, but hopefully it'll happen this year.

In the meantime, check out thundercrack83's MD [Commonwealth of Marathon] over on SC4D if you haven't already, it's magnificent! 'Bout time the Stats Man finally tried out CJ'ing for himself ;-)

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!

ST Debauchery!

A bit of background: for the past couple of days, the SC4 Community has been a slightly negative place for me personally. I won't go into details, and I won't answer questions about it--we'll just go with what we've got.

Tonight, though, my morale spiked right back up. Earlier today (or rather, yesterday), I posted the update that introduced this blog, my MySpace Radio Station profile, and my first SC4 video. Yeah. I was happy with this update: it felt like something so totally fresh and new from the other updates I had been doing. There were plenty of links to follow, which lead to more links to follow...it was a nice change of pace.

After posting that update, I somehow found myself into ST's chat room. There were an average number of people in there, but I got lucky: I happen to catch it on a night when everyone was slightly hyper and up to feeling silly; there was a lot more activity for that number of people then their usually is, and I found myself drawn into discussion quite a bit more than usual, as well. Topics ranged from 4Chan to the Olympics to Favorite [Insert Noun Here]; there were smiley wars, fake bootings and out-of-body experiences. I specifically remember a few things:

- Rushman and I trying to help someone find something for his city, and finding out he had never heard of SC4D before we told him of it.
- Glenni posting pictures of CityLife (and me wishing for Cities XL to hurry along)
- Haljackey's stunning revelation that Canada had won not a single medal in the Olympics so far
- Lots of talk on Michael Phelps (steroids, animality, and robot accusations were some of the suspected reasons for his sucess)
- Lots of discussion on cartoons and cartoon channels. Disney, Nick and CN were all thought to be going down the drain, and nostalgia set in as we all remembered our favorite cartoons growing up (Doug, Recess, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Powerpuff Girls, and CatDog, among a truckload of others). I also remember that Yoshiisland and I have a similar taste in cartoons.
- 4Chan and pedobear
- Interchange's locked, deleted and reposted "Confessions Thread"
- Ilikehotdogsalot eating ice cream and Haljackey drinking beer
- Both me and Hal spamming the heck out of the chat
- The aforementioned Favorite [Insert Noun Here]; there were quite a few of these: Ice Cream flavor, 90's song, band, video game, movie, sad movie, action movie, Will Smith movie, CG Animated movie, not-scary movie, cartoon, etc. We'd all try and quiet the chat room, call out a "Favorite" subject, and either count down or just randomly yell GO! I remember deion counted to 5 and went 1, 2, 3, 4...6...and everyone posted. I wish I would've saved that one...
- The pacing; it was a really fast paced chat; didn't have any downtime or slow time whatsoever.
- And me trying to spam 'til I dropped so I could get booted out, only to find out that codythemonkey was dropped from the chatroom himself.

This might not seem so interesting if you weren't one of those who dropped in between 8:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. Central Time, but if you were there, you're probably laughing out loud right now. The significance of this night of SC4 community fellowship is that it helped bring me out of my stupor. As I look back on it now...it was a really fun night! For a couple hours, I didn't have to be admin or moderator or anything like that--I could just kick back and have fun without judgement. I think sometimes we forget to do that, and so we sometimes forget how good it feels to do it.

*Sigh*...usually I'll try to refrain from posting something this ridiculous in this blog (I try to keep the professional feel to it). This night, however...I really wanted to write something up to help remember it. So if you are confused, please forgive me; if you were there, thank you so much!

I'm watching you...

Heh heh...isn't that title ominous? Like it's the year "1984" or something....

Anyways, I decided to outline a few of the CJ's/MD's I've been watching/lurking around lately. Mind you, these are relatively new; you guys don't really need me to tell you that I frequent journals like Three Rivers Region or Tierra de la Oscuridad all the time. No, these are some of the new CJ's that I've taken a rather strong liking to, and that I think you should check out whenever you have a bit of time for yourself.

* * * * *

[The Republic of Osprey], by xlchrisij
created on 7-25-08

The tagline for this CJ reads "The Wonderfull American Styled CJ." As I am a sucker for realistic American-styled cities, I decided to check it out. Needless to say, I wasn't disappointed. The Republic of Osprey is a city journal that is in the Adrian Union, and it really piqued my interest in that group of CJ's. As soon as I saw the very first picture, I was hooked. The city xlchrisij has created reminds me quite a bit of Aleking's work (and in case you don't know, I'm a huge fan of Aleking's work). The dense-but-not-overcrowded CBD is a definite highlight here; it's not big, but it is very beautiful, and it gradually fades out in desity. The bridge that runs right next to it is almost as iconic as Sydney's Harbor Bridge (which, coincidentally, is the style that the Polisbay Bridge is built in).

xlchrisij's photo editing (mainly in the form of SoftGlow) is also done very well; never over done, but noticeable enough to have an impact on the photo. There aren't too many words in the CJ, so you can focus most of your attention on the pictures themselves--this is a lesson I could learn myself ;-). In all honesty, it's one of the best laid-out cities I've seen in a long time, and it shouldn't be missed by anyone.

* * * * *

[Revelstoke], by rusty_777
created on 7-15-08

Revelstoke is definitely one of the hottest CJ's on SimTropolis right now. rusty_777 first reeled me in with his thorough self-introduction (we got to see the "wizard behind the curtain," so to speak), and then had me intrigued by his city's logo (in fact, it spurred me to ask ST's Logo-Creation Team to make one for Condor Bay). What really keeps me coming back for more, however, is the crisp presentation of his city: rusty_777's newspaper is as good as they come, and every picture is presented with easy-to-read labels and descriptions.

Of course, this would be all for naught if it weren't for his city-building skills, so it's a good thing that he can masterplan an urban area as well as anyone. He doesn't hesitate to create realistic suburban sprawl that streteches on for entire city tiles, and his avenues, as sparce as they are, ripple with life. His picture editing is spot-on, and every picture demands its time to be admired. Trust me, if you haven't checked out Revelstoke yet, you're really missing out on one of the best new CJ's out there.

* * * * *

[Typographia], by etherian
created 5-28-07

This MD on SC4 Devotion takes advantage of perhaps the most unique concept to building a city I think I've ever witnessed: basing them on the style of different font faces. That's right: Garamond, Lucida...font faces. Using the style and history of these font faces (along with the feelings and connotations that are subconsiously attributed to them), etherian crafts out neighborhoods and cities to match. Not only is he a master of the fonts, but he's a great city builder, as well. Even as each font is different, each city still maintains that same "x-factor" that immediately identifies it as his own.

The cities are built on multi-tier'd landscapes, the SAM is used everywhere, and both high- and low-density developments can be found. etherian's use of tilt-shift is also well-done, as each picture that employs the technique is memorable. And then there's that mosaic on page 4...well, you just have to see it for yourself. etherian has taken a truly novel approach to creating this MD, and I daresay this unique aspect is succeeding in all regards so far.

* * * * *

[Stratton Bay], by Stratton_Mayor
created 5-07-2008

Renamed from Stratton after realizing that there was already a much more well-established CJ by that name, Stratton Bay caught my eye with liberal use of soft 45 degree curves for avenues and freeways. At the beginning, that seemed to be the main thing going for it...until it had to be rebuilt due to an unfortunate glitch. After this, Stratton_Mayor had my full attention. The newly-regrown CBD was a perfect size for a city like Stratton Bay: nice and small, with three stand-out towers. The neighborhoods became more distinct, and the layout was improved. There was also a greater showcase of custom BAT's (always a plus). Everything seemed to be going right in Stratton Bay.

The only thing about it is that the author, Stratton_Mayor, hasn't posted an update since June the 15th. The reason behind the delay remains unclear as of yet, but I hope it is nothing serious. I see so much potential in this CJ, and really wish to see it flourish. While we wait for S_M's return, however, I urge you to check out Stratton Bay. You won't be disappointed ;-).

* * * * *

Well...that's all I've got. All of those CJ's/MD's come highly recommended by me, so yeah...check 'em out! I may or may not have another CJ-themed blog up soon, we'll have to see. In the meantime, it's 2:48 a.m. where I am. I think bed sounds good.

"Visions of Fordville"

I've made a video for my city journal/mayor's diary. Actually, the video was made a long time ago. but I'm finally unveiling it here. It's basically me driving around in my city (Fordville); it's called "Visions of Fordville," embedded here in high quality. If you go to YouTube to watch it, be sure to click on "View In High Quality" to get the best experience!

If you really want to visit my CJ/MD, check the banners to the left ;-). Thanks for watching!

Rumors of the genre's demise are greatly exaggerated...

I posted this blog on TPP a while ago as a sort-of...ahh, test blog, I suppose. Guess I can go ahead and post it here ;-)

Remember this?



Yeah, that's classic, right there. That's what SimCity used to be...and the great thing about it is that that's all it had to be. Zones are square and placed individually? That's amazing! Only one type of street that can only be laid in two different directions? Awesome! No freight rail? No problem! You learned to love it, you learned to deal with it, and you learned to appreciate it.

Nowadays, though, if it doesn't have 5,000 options, it's no good. No choosing the specific bus routes? Blasphemous! No HOV lanes in the highway? Preposterous! No laying down sewer lines? Nothing doing! Nowadays, if you want to get anywhere with this crowd of city builders, you have to give them the options right out of the box, or they'll move on to greener pastures...ones with St. Augustine, Lemongrass, Fescia and Bamboo all in the same field.

Heh heh...it sounds like I'm about to go on a rant that sounds like it should begin with "Why, when I was your age...." Truth is, besides actually being 'your age' (or perhaps even younger), I very much identify with the above group of fanatic custo-mongers. I mean...I don't really need to lay down my own sewer system, but I wouldn't mind having a few extra street and road options to play with. Still, the point is that we're looking for something to give us every single thing that any single city might have somewhere in its limits, because this is what we're almost able to do with the SimCity 4 we have today.

In other words, SimGoober killed the urban simulator.

That's right, I said it! We, the ST crowd, the core fans of the genre, have been spoiled rotten by all the great custom content makers: SimGoober, the NAM Team, BSC, Pegasus, NDEX and Tonkso, NHP, BLaM, PDA, Goldiva, wouanagaine, SOMY, NOB...all of the stunning custom content they create and all the game-breaking modifications they've made to SC4 have created a game that has no equal in the genre, and may never get one. You can almost literally think of a place in the world you'd like to emulate in your own way, and you'd be able to get a satisfactory representation of your ideas and dreams into the game. You can use the exact same custom content as someone else and come out with cities that, were they to exist on Earth, would be separated by thousands of miles and perhaps an ocean or two.

This is the SimCity we know now. This is the standard by which all other city building games, past, present and future, will be judged upon. And this is why the genre is in serious trouble.

The bar is set so high thanks to what we're able to create now that even [Sergei Bubka] would have trouble clearing it. Almost everything we can do now in SimCity should be possible in any new game, or at least possible for us to easily add it on. It would take more than just getting rid of the grid and giving us true wall-to-wall buildings; it will have to be almost absolutely customizable, hold attention easily yet be challenging enough to not seem patronizing, and be able to stand the test of time that SimCity 4 already has (last year, in its fifth year, it was still among the 10 best selling PC games for the year). It's almost absurd to think any game can match what we have...heck, SimCity 4 can't match what we have anymore. But that's what we, the core fan group, will demand of our future games, and that's what those games will have to provide if they want to even approach SC4's level of reverence. This is what SimCity: Societies didn't do; this is what SimCity Creator looks to be lacking; this is what everyone is hoping Cities XL will finally be able to provide. How the latter two will fair has yet to be known, but you can be sure that they, like SC:S will be judged against the SC4 that we all know and love today(NAM and all). Of course, everyone knows it's ultimately in vain; I can't even imagine what type of game it might take to usurp our game as the king of the city-building genre.

So yes...thank you, SimGoober and Ill Tonkso and Pegasus and Jeronij for creating content for this game that make it so awesome that it's virtually untouchable. Thank you Wouanagaine and Tarkus for making tools and mods that let us do things we should've never been allowed to do for another 2-3 years. And thank you, oh spoiled conscience of mine, for wanting to have the option to customize every single flyover in my highway interchange in any way I desire, no matter what the situation.

Heh heh...customizable highway interchanges. Another thing that we can do in SC4 now that we shouldn't be able to. When did it become that specific? Remember when we didn't even have highways at all? Remember when there were only about 30 different buildings all together? Remember when one of the most exciting things of the game was getting your first C-TOP and R-TOP?

I do. In fact, I still play SimCity Classic from time to time....

But I play SimCity 4 Deluxe oh so much more ;).

It smells like disaster...

Oh, boy...now I've gone and gotten myself a blog. Another one. Nice. And what is this one about? SimCity 4? Wow...yeah, not simply a little strange.

I suppose if you're reading this, you probably got here by way of TPP or some other SC fansite like that, which probably means you know me already. For the sake of the poor souls who Googled "SimCity 4," "city-building games," "internet sewage" and mistakenly clicked the link to this blog, I'll go ahead and introduce myself. I'm known in the SC4 community as Masochist (or simply Mas). My real name is George, but I don't much care for it, so I'd rather go by Isaac. I'm a college student who is majoring in Psych, and, as is slightly obvious by this very blog you're reading, I'm a huge fan of the Maxis urban simulator known as SimCity 4 (I own the Deluxe Edition).

The reason this blog exists in the first place is because the webmasters of a site called The Planning Pages (the aforementioned 'TPP') wanted the staff to write blogs and articles. I've written a blog or two, but I was hoping to get a bit of comments and feedback on it...thus the reason for this Blogger blog (I will, however, continue to write general articles for TPP).

So that's what's going on. I can't say for certain just how often I'll post in here, but I'll try and make it often enough that people don't forget about it. Of course, the previous statement assumes that someone besides myself will actually read it. But hey, I'm allowed to dream, aren't I?