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WIP: Kamloops, British Columbia
Metallifan
Posts: 188 Member
After searching on and off pretty much since the release of the CAW tool for someone - anyone - that had made a map of my home of Kamloops to no avail, I decided it was time to give CAW a shot. Going in without a heightmap, and nothing more than the aid of google maps for placement...
I now unveil the first screenshot of the miniaturized, 'Simified', City of Kamloops. More precisely, the beginnings of the North Shore area, and the untouched neighborhood of Brocklehurst (Or "Brock", as it's called here).
Neighborhoods:
-Westsyde (DONE) Lots: 22 (14R, 8C)
-Brocklehurst (DONE) Lots: 10 (5R, 5C)
-North Shore (DONE) Lots: 37 (22R, 15C)
-Downtown Centre (DONE) Lots: 63 (31R, 32C)
-Mission Flats (DONE) Lots: 4 (0R, 4C)
-Valleyview
-Aberdeen/Sahali
-Mt. Paul
-Rayleigh
-Juniper Ridge is a maybe, if I'm able to squeeze it in it'll be there.
-Likely omitting Bachelor Heights, as there just isn't enough room against the steep hillside for any lots next to Bachelor Road.
So there it is. I'm largely avoiding using any CC, against my personal wishes. I know some folks out there get real LOLmad about CC being used, though I've never had a single problem. Despite my avoidance, I will be using some very basic stuff. That CC is:
http://customsims3.com/forums/thread-53.html Jynx's Rabbithole Rugs
7 Diner Recolours
If nevessary, I'll update the list as I go, but I'm trying to stay away from too much, so that nobody runs into any issues.
That's all!
I now unveil the first screenshot of the miniaturized, 'Simified', City of Kamloops. More precisely, the beginnings of the North Shore area, and the untouched neighborhood of Brocklehurst (Or "Brock", as it's called here).
Neighborhoods:
-Westsyde (DONE) Lots: 22 (14R, 8C)
-Brocklehurst (DONE) Lots: 10 (5R, 5C)
-North Shore (DONE) Lots: 37 (22R, 15C)
-Downtown Centre (DONE) Lots: 63 (31R, 32C)
-Mission Flats (DONE) Lots: 4 (0R, 4C)
-Valleyview
-Aberdeen/Sahali
-Mt. Paul
-Rayleigh
-Juniper Ridge is a maybe, if I'm able to squeeze it in it'll be there.
-Likely omitting Bachelor Heights, as there just isn't enough room against the steep hillside for any lots next to Bachelor Road.
So there it is. I'm largely avoiding using any CC, against my personal wishes. I know some folks out there get real LOLmad about CC being used, though I've never had a single problem. Despite my avoidance, I will be using some very basic stuff. That CC is:
http://customsims3.com/forums/thread-53.html Jynx's Rabbithole Rugs
7 Diner Recolours
If nevessary, I'll update the list as I go, but I'm trying to stay away from too much, so that nobody runs into any issues.
That's all!
0
Comments
Aside from that, threw down plenty of trees around the North Shore, mostly along the North Thompson, but I scattered em as needed. Finished work on a large 4 Br - 2.5 Ba house in Brocklehurst and laid out the lots for Westsyde.
Till next time!
Good start, I've been to Kamloops several times, not in quite a few years though. I'm from Northern Alberta
It's kinda hard to tell how far apart your lots are from the photos, and I'm not sure what expansions you have, but you are likely to run into some routing issues if you have Pets installed unless there is at least 2 squares between each lot. As far as I've read, the horses are the main problem.
That being said, good luck with Kamloops, and if you haven't looked at the tutorials and resources section here on the forum, I suggest reading through some of them, and the Troubleshooting section.
2 Squares? D'oh! I've only got one square between most lots
Though I am planning to set the world type to "city", so horses won't be much of an issue. Hopefully sims won't either. I'm running all the primary expansions and probably half the stuffpacks, so it'll probably need a fair bit of test playing to work out some of the hiccups. Hopefully though, I won't run into too many.
Also, no update tonight. After I got off my shift I had to take my car into the shop to get a new ECM put on (I know, fun right?), so I didn't get as much done as I'd like. Should have an update tomorrow though.
EDIT: Just realised, there's my idea for my next project. Calahoo, AB
lol, I'm sure all 200 people in Calahoo would love it! I did Drumheller when Pets came out, and Vancouver a while back, I haven't ventured any farther East in Canada yet though. I'm trying to make it off the continent as all my worlds have been North American themed.
Good luck with Kamloops
lol, I'm sure all 200 people in Calahoo would love it! I did Drumheller when Pets came out, and Vancouver a while back, after Late Night came out. I haven't ventured any farther East in Canada yet though. I'm trying to make it off the continent as all my worlds have been North American themed.
If you're enabling it as a city, then you definitely won't have the routing issue I believe, unless anything has changed or been broken in the city resource.
Good luck with Kamloops
Tonight's update, Finished some more North Shore/Brock lots. Made sure to put down a couple duplexes and an apartment for rent as most of the homes so far, despite their implied age, are all about 8-10K over the starting funds of single-sims. Also dug out Bachelor Lake and put a couple common 1 fish spawners in it, so your sims can catch some sneaky rainbah's
If I'm lucky, I'll be able to start Westsyde by next week!
North Shore and Brocklehurst neighborhoods finished, including YKA and the fuel depot near it just for some filler on the western side of the map. Also did a bit of terrain and road work on the south shore, getting the bottom of the hill laid out a bit as looking across the river at nothing was bugging me :P
Next on the agenda, the lone lot next to the Halston Bridge that represents Westmount, and Westsyde up on the northern part of the map.
But the pictures are what matters!
Current state of the Kamloops project:
And of Westsyde:
And the BCLC building, with the abandoned "Enhanced Automotive Repairs" next door (Just needed some filler)
Till' next time!
So after working some more on Westsyde this morning (I'll attach a picture later, when I get home) I realised that the position the game started the camera in may -not- have been North, and so I should probably check the sky's orientation... After doing all this work (Inorite?)
So, after figuring out how to play the day/night animations, I discovered that the North Thompson has now become the non-existant West Thompson! :P
Not really something that I care about, but it does kinda suck. Hey EA, if you're reading this, pull yer thumbs outta you know where and give us the ability to rotate the sky orientation East/West. It's a pretty simple option that's in every other decent 3D map editor, except for yours!
Anyway, just thought I'd share my comic misfortune with everyone!
Been working afternoon shifts, so I haven't been getting home until quite late at night. The delay did let me get a little more done though. Take a look:
Westsyde's grown quite a bit over the last couple edits
And if you look to the South Shore, you can see that a little more work has been done on the Downtown area. I'll cover more on the buildings down there once I'm finished with Westsyde.
Bookmarked from Vernon, Bc
But not Kelowna. **** Them. :P
Kidding aside, glad to see another person enjoying the progress. I'll update this post with some new screenshots soon. Keep an eye open!
Edit: Aforementioned screenshot update!
The final lot in Westsyde, going out toward Black Pines:
All of Westsyde, completed:
Downtown city centre. From L-R - Some of the old brick heritage shops that are downtown, Interior Savings Centre (Bottom L), Kamloops Daily News (Top L), MJB Building, Kamloops City Hall, British Columbia Lottery Corp head office, and Enhanced Automotive Repairs:
Plus, Okanagan Lake has some pretty nice beaches.
You've got me beat though, it isn't Merritt.
Also, back on topic, have you been building all of the lots yourself? They look amazing, very realistic
The downside to this is that I did end up using a lot of the same interior walls and floors for residential lots and non-rabbithole community lots. Otherwise it would've taken much longer. I figure I may as well not spend too much time making every house look unique inside, as most players will probably want to renovate and redecorate their properties anyway.
With the rabbithole lots, they're all just blacked out inside with blinders. I wasn't sure if Hidden Room Markers were safe on community lots, so to save your (and my) PC from bursting into flames from all the detail, any and every rabbithole is just blacked out with the custom rug placed in a room enclosing one of the doorways. It's not as fun to look at, but considering how many lots the world will have (I'm into the 80's now and downtown still has about a third to be done yet - updates on that later), I figure playability > unique rabbithole interiors.
You've got quite a few houses done, you are working pretty quick!
Are you going to put a Distant Terrain in? I guess the only ones that would match would be Egypt's, and Apalloosa Plains though...dang, think that's spelled wrong...
As for Vancouver being kinda terrain-paint light, I agree, I think I only put 4 in total, lol! I worked mostly off a map and imagination too, Van is just too big to do closely in Sims 3. I had about 130 lots in it I think, now I try to stick to the 100 mark so the world runs smoother.
Just had an idea for your world, I can't remember the name of the supposed lake monster at the moment, oh yes, Ogopogo. Maybe you could flip the dinosaur from Appaloosa Plains and stick it in the lake to make it look like the monster! Or not, lol!
And now you have 2 followers, so keep up the progress. FuzzySlippers45, this would be a good world for you as you are so close to Kamloops!
Actually, why do we even have that thing? I mean really, Ogopogo is Okanagan Lake. *Scratch head*
On Van being too big, yea it is. And EA didn't really give us much in the way of decorative buildings to use in CAW. However, I find the best way to fill up an area and make it look nice and built up without being too clogged is to hop on google maps, look at some really interesting, well-known, or distinct buildings in a city and focus on those. The great thing about Van, if you ever decide to go and tweak it some more (You totally should
I would like to add distant terrain. Problem is, I haven't bought Appaloosa plains, and that's probably the closest thing to what would fit the environment. Egypt's distant terrain is all sand dunes, and the other terrains are too green and temperate to fit with the map's arid grasslands. Starlight Shores would probably fit well enough, as the environment here is pretty similar to the terrain around Los Angeles, but it lacks rivers. So distant terrain is sort of a "We'll see what works with the end result" thing.
EDIT: Latest work on the downtown core
Everything's looking so awesome! I wouldn't have the patience to make my own rabbit holes, I can barely stand building an entire house!
I know Kamloops has at least 1 university, so that could be something to think about if you happen to get University Life before you release the world.
Edit: Spelt Kamploops wrong. In every sentence.
Made. My. Day. AWESOME.
Yea, what I think I'll do, is probably work on Sahali/Aberdeen last, because this map will probably take me through to March. When UL comes out, I'll focus more on adding Thompson Rivers University and get some of the roadwork laid out up there at that point. Probably do Mt. Paul next, as there isn't much there to do, just the industrial park, Hwy 5, the T'kemlups cultural centre, and Sun Rivers.
Glad you're going to be adding TRU, that's my university of choice
I don't have a multi-lot update tonight, because I spent all that time working on Royal Inland Hospital for the medical rabbithole. Holy crap. That took way longer than I planned. Anyway! Here it is:
Also, Sneakfeline: So yea, there will be distance terrain. Stupid me forgot that AP was the Pets neighborhood (Goes to show how many Non-Bridgeport maps I play :P) so I'll be fitting that terrain to my map, as it has the 3 river points. Too bad there isn't a big lake in it to fit to the western edge of the map for Kamloops Lake. Ahh well.
Good news: More work done on the downtown core. Mostly just working on the HUEG number of heritage houses downtown now. Also added the Kamloops courthouse, which is currently hiding behind the Acacia Towers apartment building.
The bad news: Appaloosa Plains' distance terrain cuts into the map in all sorts of nasty ways, as do the other distance terrains, meaning that I'm back to square one on that, and unless anyone knows a guy that knows a guy who's cousin makes custom distance terrains, there won't be any for the map afterall.