Praesidium - A Google Sketchup City

[Dear Leader VI]

Hey guys,

I've been fumbling around with sketchup for the better part of a month now, and I think I may be ready to start my own metropolis. Problem is, I am inept at finding and editing textures, and I have no idea how to post screenshots here. Any advice on either of those problems would be greatly appreciated.

My city will be called Praesidium, Latin for "chief" or "protector." It is appropriately named since it will be a major hub for commerce, manufacturing, cultural attractions, retail, financing, and telecommunications. There will be distinctive high-rise and low-rise sections of the city, along with a large central business district. I currently am looking for where in the sketchup-city nation map I want my city to be located, preferably away from other established cities such as City City, Palm Dunes, Oceanside, Staunton, etc. Any ideas for this would be greatly appreciated.

[BoiseAirport]

Hey,

Cool name! I'm excited to see it! You can find textures by Image Googling "Building Textures" and hopefully you'll find some there. That's where I've found all of mine. As for the map, here is, what I believe, the most recent map yet:

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/2817/1222kd8fk8.jpg

Hope that helps!
Anthony

[foxmtbr]

It looks like you can go to the Northwest, Midwest, or South if you want to be far away from other cities. Or wherever you please... :D

[Dear Leader VI]

So many areas to choose from....

I think I'll go with the Northwestern US. Short of Seattle and Portland, that region is remarkably void of extremely large (millions of people) population centers. Praesidium will lie on the Idaho-Montana border, but will lie in Montana. Praesidium, Montana; not bad, not bad.

Until I make a photobucket (or whatever) account, here's a little history behind Praesidium:

Originally started as a small trading post in the mid-19th century, Praesidium grew quickly with the expansion of the US westward. The discovery of nearby silver in 1857 led a rush to strike it rich in Praesidium. By 1876, the centennial celebration of the United States, Praesidium boasted a population of approximately 80,000 temporary and permanant residents.

Railroads and the Industrial Revolution led to even more rapid growth for Praesidium. Cheap land as well as a strategic location allowed Praesidium to become an industrial power, drawing immigrants arriving in both the West and East coasts. Despite this unbelievable increase in population, Praesidium developed a reputation for being a clean and properly developed, if somewhat corrupt, city. Progressive building codes and efficient city services allowed Praesidium to escape the "tenemants and slums" era many other cities struggled with at the time.

By the turn of the twentieth century, Praesidium had grown to a metropolis of 800,000 people - making it among the top ten cities in the United States in population. Universities and intellectuals were wooed by the progressive and liberal attitude of the city, and in 1906, the University of Montana at Praesidium - UMP as it affectionately called - was founded as Praesidium's first institution of higher learning. Withen a few years (and a few more colleges), college students made up almost 20% of the total population.

Big business also flocked to Praesidium, thanks to low taxes and a high quality of life. To better accomodate and serve the large downtown corporations, the Praesidium Stock and Board Exchange (PSBE) opened in 1911.

Unfortunately, the good times were halted by the Great Depression in 1929. Construction on the sixty-five story Treasure State Building, slated to be the tallest west of the Mississippi, was temporarily halted. Fortunately, FDR's New Deal helped to ease some of the pains. Still, economic growth and expansion remained at a standstill until the massive military contracts of World War II.

By 1950, Praesidium boasted a population of just over 2 million residents, in a region of 2.8 million. Protected natural resources and park systems prevented the low-density suburban housing typical of the period from occuring in a large scale in Praesidium.

The 1960s and 70s, however, brought social unrest to Praesidium. In what has been considered by historians as the most destructive riot in United States history, racial tensions flared after the corrupt and infamous mayor Wallace Greenson (known by his nickname "Greedson") awarded city contracts through racial discrimination. In addition, members of the Greenson administration also managed to embezzle over $2.5 million (in 1972 dollars) from the city treasury. Furious, multi-racial mobs burned an empty City Hall to the ground, as well as several surrounding low-rise office buildings. An estimated $9.2 million in damage was caused to the west side of Downtown.

In addition, the loss of manufacturing jobs overseas forced many former factory workers to labor strikes, including an infamous showdown between Foreman Industrial Piping workers and the Praesidium Police riot police in 1977.

Fortunately, the 1980s and 1990s brought relative peace and prosperity to Praesidium. The 1982 Winter Olympics were held in the city's newly-constructed Olympic Village, and the 1992 Democratic convention was held at the William Jennings Bryan Convention Center. The new city hall, a stunning work by Chicago-based Skidmore, Owings, and Merril in the international style, captured the record for tallest city hall in the United States, at 739' and 46 floors.

In addition, Praesidium began to regain the population it lost in the turmoil of the 1970s, climbing to a population of 2.3 million residents (3.2 million metro) in the 1990 census.

What Praesidium lost in the manufacturing sector, it regained in the technology sector, as its universities, colleges, and famously low corporate taxes encouraged large tech companies to make downtown Praesidium their home.


----TO BE CONTINUED----

[Derek]

i was thinking northwest as well

[Derek]

Montana eh? should be interesting:)

[Patrick]

Wow, great story, can wait to see the city!

[foxmtbr]

Yep, I can't wait! :D (unlike Patrick, who apparently can wait. :haha:)

It's nice to see a very historically-accurate history with your city. I can see you've read your textbooks. :tup:

[cur_sed]

Good to see a well thought through backstory, that's sure to provide some inspiration when you get building.

[Dear Leader VI]

Thanks guys!

How do you guys host your images? Photobucket?

[BoiseAirport]

Very cool! Near my home state (Idaho)! I can't wait to see this, it sounds great!

I usually use imageshack for uploading photos. Photobucket has a bandwidth limit that's no good in my opinion.

www.imageshack.us

Anthony

[foxmtbr]

Yes, I also use imageshack. No logging in or all that crap, just easy uploading, with pretty large filesizes (Although not large enough to host my 4096 x 3200 pictures, the way I save them, lol).

[Dear Leader VI]

Double Post

[Dear Leader VI]

Excellent! I have picked out a location for Praesidium via Google Maps.

http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&q=&z=10&ll=45.61788,-114.250946&spn=0.447609,1.150818&om=1

It's the area in which the Montana border seems to 'indent' into Idaho and then out again.

On to making an Imageshack account...

[Patrick]

Yikes! I mean Can't! lol!!

[foxmtbr]

^ Haha, I was just playing with you there. :P

Yes, the location is great, it will be the cultural hub of the area!

[Dear Leader VI]

Ladies, Gents, and any lurking goldfish,

It gives me great pleasure to give you the first update on Praesidium! (Not so much as an update as a teaser photo until the first real update.)

http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/1493/praesidium1rt0.png (http://imageshack.us)


There's the Praesidium skyline looking Southwest. You'll see the 1400' GigaCore Tower (brown) on your right, and the 1300' PSBE (Praesidium Stock and Board Exchange) Tower on your left (white with blue pyramid at top). No roads or sidewalks as of yet, but those plus many more pictures coming soon! Enjoy!

EDIT: I may have sized it wrong; bear with me, I'm new to this.

[Derek]

^^keep it coming!!!

[Dear Leader VI]

PRAESIDIUM, MONTANA: A GOOGLE SKETCHUP CITY

By Dear Leader VI

Welcome, fellow skyscraper nerds! This is the first update for Praesidium, MT, a booming metropolis of over 2 million people! Let's get to it, shall we?

http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/2685/praesidiumaor8.png (http://imageshack.us)

This is the core of downtown Praesidium. Huge corporations, allured by low corporate income and city wage taxes, have built gigantic high-rises for the better part of the last 100 years. Wondering what that steel skeleton structure in the middle of the shot is?

Back in the late 1990s, Praesidium Financial was midway through the construction of their new, 65-story world headquarters building, when the Stock Exchange Crash of 2001 hit. Rioting occured outside the PSBE (Praesidium Stock and Board Exchange), and construction was immediately halted due to lack of funds. The building, with only its external structure intact, sat for three long years, during which Praesidium abandoned the project.

Local citizen and NIMBY groups crusaded to have the ugly structure torn down, but an idea of City Planner Wilson Smith turned the structure into a world-famous landmark. The site would become a city park, complete with trails and a large fountain, while the structure would be refurbished and left as is. The result, as you can see, is the unique monument to Praesidium named the Galveston Memorial, after the city's first mayor.

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/8912/praesidiumbfn2.png (http://imageshack.us)

Here we have a shot of the Oceanic Airlines Building, home to the Pacific's largest airline. The PSBE Tower is in the background of this shot, as is the Galveston River.

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/4029/praesidiumcmv8.png (http://imageshack.us)

Another shot of the Galveston Memorial.

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/8553/praesidiumdau8.png (http://imageshack.us)

Here's a look at MacArthur square, with the GigaCore Tower, and Dunder-Mifflin Building surrounding it.

http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/3047/praesidiumeok8.png (http://imageshack.us)

In this aerial view of Praesidium, you can see the Galveston Memorial in the background. The tall, blue building in the foreground is the headquarters for StauntonLife's Praesidium branch.

http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/2049/praesidiumfdi4.png (http://imageshack.us)

This shot is taken from Praesidium's Cannerytown district, which borders downtown on the south. (Yes, the small buildings are from Google's warehouse, and I still have to texture some of them). The classic, 70s, white high-rise on the right is the Hanso Corporation Building.

http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/3876/praesidiumgbr6.png (http://imageshack.us)

Here's a view of the Praesidium skyline from the north, in the Glendale district across the Galveston River. Glendale still needs to be textured, but I just wanted to get a view of how downtown looks from other neighborhoods. As you can see, there's tons of work to be done.



That's all for now, guys. Thanks for viewing! I'll be updating pretty frequently from here on out (hopefully).

All the best,

Dear Leader VI

PS - Anyone pick up on the Lost and The Office references I included in this Sketchup city?

[Dac150]

Down right amazing!!!!! Without a doubt a long thread of greatness! The city has a very unique storyline, especially that memorial. Very creative. Please keep more updates coming!

Just a suggestion....the location of your city I would change. Montana just doesn't seem like a practical location for a city like that. I suggest you move it over to Washington or even upper California. Just a thought....

[Dear Leader VI]

Dac150: Thanks! What a compliment! The location is still up in the air, Montana is a tentative location right now. We'll see. :)

[foxmtbr]

Wow!! Absolutely stunning job, it looks like you have certainly been building this for quite some time! I, too, love the memorial, what an original idea! But, yes, I also agree with Dac150 that Montana may not be the best place, but it looks like you've already taken heed of that. Keep up the excellent work, and I can't wait to see more!! :tup:

[Dear Leader VI]

Thanks foxmbtr! I am most likely going to move Praesidium out of Montana, unless there is a huge uproar on this forum.

[Patrick]

Wow! Amazing!! I see you also used my textures (Hanso Corporation) eh I guess I let it slide again. :) I LOVE the Praesidium Stock and Board Exchange. MORE!! :)

But yes, move it out of Montana, I suggest a central state, Texas? Kansas? Nebraska? I suggest Nebraska. I also suggest turning off the edges.

Also, I scrapped the World Financial Crisis idea a while ago. I replaced it with the Stock Exchange Crash of 2001, which happened directly after the 9/11 Attacks. So the late 90's where Staunton's best years.

[Dear Leader VI]

Sorry about the texture-stealing. That texture is perfect though. It examplifies high-rises of the 70s and 80s. I'm a newb, what can I say. Also, I changed the World Financial Crisis to the Stock Exchange Crash of 2001.

I'm going to experiment with turning the edges off.

Thanks for the advice, Patrick.

Now, then. I need to change Praesidium's home state to somewhere less...remote. I've narrowed it down to a few states, but I am really torn between them. They are:

1. North Carolina
2. South Carolina
3. Utah
4. Ohio
5. Connecticut
6. Delaware
7. New Mexico
8. Minnesota

Please post which state you think it belongs in! Thanks!

[foxmtbr]

I can see Minnesota or New Mexico as good sites. :)

[Patrick]

North Carolina, seems perfect, although I still think it should go in a much more central state location.

Yes North Carolina, that was my 2nd Pic for Staunton's location, between New Jersey and California.

[Derek]

i see Alabama or Arkansas as potential locations...

[cur_sed]

haha, Oceanic Airlines and Hanso Corporation - didn't catch the office references though.

As for the city itself, it's a hell of a start - roads would be a very welcome addition at this point, but your highrise architecture really is something to behold. 1400 and 1300 feet are -massive- for your 2 tallest - if those are official heights (that is, excluding antenna etc), then they'd be the 2nd and 3rd tallest buildings in the US at present (shorter than Sears at 1451, but taller than the ESB's roof at 1250).

[Dac150]

I'd put it in Delaware, a nice addition to the Northeast metro proximity. With a city of 2 million, I just don't see that out in the middle of nowhere. If not Delaware, then somewhere on the east coast. Not in a part of the country that has a higher population of livestock than people.

[BoiseAirport]

I'd put it in Delaware, a nice addition to the Northeast metro proximity. With a city of 2 million, I just don't see that out in the middle of nowhere. If not Delaware, then somewhere on the east coast. Not in a part of the country that has a higher population of livestock than people.

Meh...I don't agree. I think the NE is already too cludered. I like the idea of being away from the major cities, and honestly, why can't it be in the middle of nowhere? Plus what about Denver, St. Louis, Phoenix, Dallas, and Minneapolis? They are all relatively not near major cities, and not all cities on the west coast have more livestock than people? What's so wrong about the West, anyway? Just my thoughts.

Dear Leader IV: Great Sketchup City you've got going there. Don't change the location just because people call for it, just do what you want to do :). I love the idea of Praesidium!

Anthony

[Patrick]

But its Montana!

I still think North Carolina, but I'd really prefer a central state, far away from most major cities, lots of space, throw in a couple of tornados, ;)

[Dac150]

Meh...I don't agree. I think the NE is already too cludered. I like the idea of being away from the major cities, and honestly, why can't it be in the middle of nowhere? Plus what about Denver, St. Louis, Phoenix, Dallas, and Minneapolis? They are all relatively not near major cities, and not all cities on the west coast have more livestock than people? What's so wrong about the West, anyway? Just my thoughts.

Anthony :sly: ...........:koko:


You just think that because your from that area. Having this city in the North East makes the setting of high pwered corporations more practical. There's nothing going on out there, and by having the city on a coastline, makes it more prone to industry. A city like this is more appropriate in the North East.

I mean, are there even 10,000 people living in Monatna?? :slob:

Just not a spot for a major metropolitian city with 2 million people.

[Patrick]

Ladies please...

Dac150, its just fantasy, I do agree however, Montana is not the best place. Although this is just fantasy, it is very possible to have a city that large in Montana, why wouldnt it? There just never was one.

[BoiseAirport]

:sly: ...........:koko:


You just think that because your from that area. Having this city in the North East makes the setting of high pwered corporations more practical. There's nothing going on out there, and by having the city on a coastline, makes it more prone to industry. A city like this is more appropriate in the North East.

I mean, are there even 10,000 people living in Monatna?? :slob:

Just not a spot for a major metropolitian city with 2 million people.

Wow, that was totally unnecessary. You could've taken the time to answer any of my questions logically, but apparently you couldn't do it without judging me and the location. Hell, same could be said about you, as you are obviously biased to the East, as it shows in your Avatar. So under your understanding, they can't praise where they live? Hmmm, that's a good rule! :rolleyes:

I think it's hilarious, and extremely childish that you say there is nothing going on out here. After all, it's not as if many businesses, industries, and people aren't moving out here. Oh wait, that actually is the case. Don't believe me? Look at Phoenix, Tucson, Albuquerque, Los Angeles, San Diego, Seattle, Denver, and I'll even mention my hometown in Boise. Words aren't backing me up, statistics are. You don't have to search very hard to find that there "something" in the West, and that "something" is attracting hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of people every year.

Oh, and Montana doesn't have 10,000 people, it actually has near a million, if I remember correctly. Of course it's low because there aren't any major cities there, but there isn't any reason why there couldn't be. I mean, if there's Denver, Colorado then why can't there be Praesidium, Montana? Your logic does not make any sense, and next time, why don't you put a little effort into actually answering my questions?

PM me your reply, as to continue this discussion here would be unfair to Dear Leader IV.

Anthony

[Patrick]

^No! dont pm him, I wanna see the rest of the catfight! lol ;)

But yeah like I said before

Ladies please...

Dac150, its just fantasy, I do agree however, Montana is not the best place. Although this is just fantasy, it is very possible to have a city that large in Montana, why wouldnt it? There just never was one.

[Dear Leader VI]

Well guys, it seems I unintentionally sparked a huge debate about the future of Praesidium! I am from the East (Philly actually), and I see both sides of the argument. The East is more historically accurate for a city such as Praesidium to develop, much more so than parts of the West. However, I wanted to get away from the Eastern seaboard and the Boston - D.C. "megalopolis" of nearly a half-dozen cities. I wanted to find a remote yet central location in an underserved area of the United States. Immediately, parts of the South and Northwest come to mind. However, I wanted to stay away from the South (and the Sunbelt in particular) because Praesidium wasn't that type of city, with low-density, freeways, and sprawl stretching for miles. That doesn't mean I don't want to eventually create a city like that, but it just happened that Praesidium is a more San Francisco-Portland-New York-Chicago-type city in that it has been a large city for over a hundred years, it experiences all seasons (wait for the snow pictures!), and it has had much more time to establish its identity. I went with Montana because that area (Idaho-Montana-Western Washington-the Dakotas) does not have any gigantic metropolis, and there would be a reason for Praesidium to develop as such. In addition, Praesidium's relative proximity to the U.S. - Canada border makes it a great place for international trade.

I want to keep it in Montana, simply because it's a unique and interesting place for such a huge city to develop. Of course, the Montana Praesidium is in has far more than 1 million people in the state....

Thanks guys for your imput, but let's give Montana a chance.

PS_ Update by Wednesday! New city sections! Mass transit!

[BoiseAirport]

Well guys, it seems I unintentionally sparked a huge debate about the future of Praesidium! I am from the East (Philly actually), and I see both sides of the argument. The East is more historically accurate for a city such as Praesidium to develop, much more so than parts of the West. However, I wanted to get away from the Eastern seaboard and the Boston - D.C. "megalopolis" of nearly a half-dozen cities. I wanted to find a remote yet central location in an underserved area of the United States. Immediately, parts of the South and Northwest come to mind. However, I wanted to stay away from the South (and the Sunbelt in particular) because Praesidium wasn't that type of city, with low-density, freeways, and sprawl stretching for miles. That doesn't mean I don't want to eventually create a city like that, but it just happened that Praesidium is a more San Francisco-Portland-New York-Chicago-type city in that it has been a large city for over a hundred years, it experiences all seasons (wait for the snow pictures!), and it has had much more time to establish its identity. I went with Montana because that area (Idaho-Montana-Western Washington-the Dakotas) does not have any gigantic metropolis, and there would be a reason for Praesidium to develop as such. In addition, Praesidium's relative proximity to the U.S. - Canada border makes it a great place for international trade.

I want to keep it in Montana, simply because it's a unique and interesting place for such a huge city to develop. Of course, the Montana Praesidium is in has far more than 1 million people in the state....

Thanks guys for your imput, but let's give Montana a chance.

PS_ Update by Wednesday! New city sections! Mass transit!

Wow, sounds very cool! Praesidium has actually inspired me to create my own city yet again, which'll be posted here probably tomorrow. The whole thing regardless of location is very nice, and you better live up to your expectations, otherwise I'll be forever pissed! Hahaha, just kidding on the latter part. :haha:

Anthony

[foxmtbr]

Alrighty, I'm glad to see you stuck with your own idea, it's your city after all! :) I can't wait to see more updates (and the same with your city, BoiseAirport)!

[Dac150]

Sorry if I came off like a Bastard. Business mid-terms this week + all nighters of studying= one pissed of person.

Getting back to the city, Foxmtbr makes an obvious point: "after all it's you city." With that I agree and am looking foward to seeing some updates.

Boise......nothing personal, just with studying business and all, my corporate mindset kicks in sometimes with these cities regarding location and benefit. I forget its just for fun sometimes, especially this week.

Alright back on topic.............................................................................

[Dear Leader VI]

And now, ladies and gents, the second installment of our award-winning documentary Praesidium! Haha, this one ought to please you guys. I added a few more blocks to the city, and took many new and different camera angles. No roads or sidewalks yet, but they're coming (along with an airport!) Hope you like it!

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/5181/praesidiumhwa8.png (http://imageshack.us)

Here we have a new aerial view of the city, specifically GigaCore Tower (Praesidium's tallest at 1415') and LandGraab Penthouses, the circular building next to it. GigaCore is a technology research and development leader, as well as an international retailer of technology-based services and equipment. They operate the most well-funded Research and Development Department of any Fortune 500 company and also are the largest employer in the state of Montana.

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/7794/praesidiumifm0.png (http://imageshack.us)

Another angle of the above buildings.

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/816/praesidiumjbu7.png (http://imageshack.us)

Classic skyline shot. Note the river and the two new complexes on the other side of it.

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/8676/praesidiumkym0.png (http://imageshack.us)

Bird's eye view of downtown Praesidium. Downtown lies on a peninsula surrounded by the Galveston River. The river widens further downsteam, and narrows further upstream.

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/3589/praesidiumlll5.png (http://imageshack.us)

Here we have Praesidium City Hall ("The Diamond" as it is affectionately known as by locals). At 1004', it is the tallest City Hall in the world, edging out Tokyo and Philadelphia. In addition to being the city's municipal government seat, it also houses Praesidium Federal Courthouse and the city's police heaquarters. Built in 1987 to finally replace the smoldering ruin of Praesidium's original City Hall (1877 - 1973) which was destroyed in the chaos of the Wilson Riots.

http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/871/praesidiummor5.png (http://imageshack.us)

A tourist's view of the Galveston Memorial. Oceanic Airlines World Headquarters is on the right.

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/9827/praesidiumnos1.png (http://imageshack.us)

Portrayed on the popular TV series Lost, Widmore Industries is a real estate and industrial conglomerate based in the United Kingdom. Their U.S. Headquarters, however, are located in downtown Praesidium, across the street from the Galveston Memorial.

http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/3189/praesidiumomh3.png (http://imageshack.us)

This shot displays many of Praesidium's famous buildings, includng GigaCore Tower, LandGraab Penthouses, StauntonLife West, and the art-deco Treasure State Building (octagonically-shaped tower center-right). Started in 1929 shortly before the Great Depression, the Treasure State Building has a history unlike any other building. Work halted when the Depresion reached new depths, though work resumed four years later in 1933. The Treasure State Building, or TSB for short, has been the backdrop of four Hollywood classics, such as Citizen Mange (1947), Yawn with the Wind (1949), and The Sodfather (1972). Its unusual appearance and freemasonry architecture led to the belief that a secret Freemason temple existed somewhere in the TSB. Theorists point to the fact that floors 7 and 9 do not exist on the elevator numbering nor the contractor codes, and are rumored to be accessible only by Lodge and Grand Masters. Also, the crown of the building resembles the mason, the symbol of Freemasonry, when viewed from certain angles.

Alright guys, that does it for now. Still to come: Cannerytown, Glendale, Praesidium International Airport (PAX), and stadiums!

[foxmtbr]

Wow! So big already! Amazing job there, keep up the good work! :tup:

[Patrick]

Very Nice, Praesidium has really became one of my favorites around here. I love how you put so much effort and crativity in your city, from Descriptions to the City itself. Its very unique. Also your stories are great, please make one for the Praesidium Stock and Board Exchange :)

[Dear Leader VI]

Thank you, foxmbtr and Patrick! The history of the PSBE building will be included in the next update - as will the campus of Praesidium University (just have to tweak it a bit).

Thanks again guys!

[Dac150]

Wonderful job!

[Bergenser]

Many nice textures... wow. :D

[Dear Leader VI]

^ Thanks for the compliments! Update tomorrow - Praesidium University! PLUS - PSBE Tower background!

[Patrick]

Must see More.

[Dear Leader VI]

Well you are in luck Patrick!

This is a bit of a teaser, a full update will come later this week (Saturday/Sunday).

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/8561/praesidiumryn6.png (http://imageshack.us)

You are looking at the GigaCore Arena, home of the Praesidium Pumblers! Notice the new buildings and the (gasp!) roads in the picture! Praesidium's new tallest is the blue/black building immediately behind the stadium.

http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/5082/praesidiumsur7.png (http://imageshack.us)

The NEW Praesidium, with roads, bridges, a stadium, the CyberSoft Pacific HQ (Two unidentical twin towers towards the middle), a new Waterfront District, and roads! Woooyeah! Oh - and you can clearly see Praesidium's new tallest building - at 1796' and 130 stories: the William Jennings Bryan Tower, or WJB for short!

Happy SSP-ing!

[foxmtbr]

Holy smokes, I never thought there would be another tallest! The WJB tower is magnificent, the design is so sharp and clean-cut, and the colors go together perfectly! And that is a beautiful arena, although, I'm not sure, but it seems a bit large in proportion to the other buildings (but I may be wrong). This city is coming along wonderously!

[Patrick]

Woah, On Shap. ;)

[Derek]

daaaaaaaaaaaaammmmmmmmmmmmmnnnnnnnnnnn:)

[Dear Leader VI]

Update this weekend hopefully. Wait 'til you see the NEW Praesidium.

To be shown:

New city layou
New grid system
New landscape
New bridges
New city sections
New parks

Can't wait!

[Derek]

bout time ;)

[Dear Leader VI]

Here are five teaser shots to hold you folks over while I prepare for a HUGE update! Thanks for being patient, I have been absolutely swamped with all kinds of things!

http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/1664/praesidiuma1jf8.png (http://imageshack.us)

Here we have the NEW Praesidium skyline as viewed from the east. I completely changed the city's layout, invoking more of a grid system. Downtown Praesidium is still on a paeninsula, but it now stretches northeast across the river. Also, on the far left you'll notice a group of new buildings. Those buildings are on the edge of two new districts, Old City and Garvey Plaza. Garvey Square is a Times Square-like district of billboards and neon lights surrounding a beautiful square with the world-renowned Garvey Fountains.

http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/5918/praesidiumb1ag1.png (http://imageshack.us)

Here is a close-up on Garvey Square. Notice the billboards and the large, glass structure that visually terminates the street. That's Garvey Fountains.

Garvey Square is world-renowned as one of the television and internet capitals of the United States. Studios and networks own several of the buildings in this area. A Praesidium tradition that has dated back several decades is that of humerous, false billboards displayed at Garvey Square. Local comedy clubs purchase ad space and mock or satirize individuals, products, and companies. These not only attract thousands of tourists each month but also serve as gentle reminder that Praesidium is famous as the "Comedy Capital of Greater Earth," in the words of famed local comic group "In All Seriousness." Raw talent and aspiring comics come here to be discovered and to get a foot in the door of show business.

http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/2788/praesidiumc1qq9.png (http://imageshack.us)

Here's a shot of downtown from the south during one of Praesidium's trademark foggy, misty spring days.

http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/1333/praesidiumd1uy8.png (http://imageshack.us)

Praesidium from the Northeast. Notice that in all of these pictures, GigaCore Tower still reigns supreme in terms of height. These pictures were taken in May 1999, shortly before construction on the William Jennings Bryan Tower began.

http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/3280/praesidiume1ss3.png (http://imageshack.us)

Here is a look at Praesidium's original Downtown across the Galveston River, known today simply as the Waterfront. This section contains many art-deco jewels as well as slim and sleek new condominium towers. Part of CyberSoft West's corporate HQ is in the foreground.

Much, much more to come! Street-level shots! West Praesidium! GigaCore Arena! Garvey Square's famous billboards and Fountains! And a bird's eye view of the new Praesidium grid.

Plus some old favorites, like the Galviston Memorial and Landgraab Apartments!

[Tanster]

wow like the slanted glass
any more pics of Garvey square

[foxmtbr]

Wow, it's growing so fast! Do you think you could get some shots with the edges turned off and shadows turned on? That would look amazing! (Of course, it already does though. :tup:)

[Derek]

i like the new skyline :)

[Dear Leader VI]

@ Tanster: Absolutely they're coming. Wait 'til you see some of the billboards. :haha:

@ foxmtbr: I will try that for the next update, although the shadows will take forever to load. I'll try it anyway.

@Derek loves SD: Thanks! It's much wider and New York-ish than the last one.

I may be able to post some more pictures by tonight (with the edges turned off and shadows on)

Thanks for any feedback, and don't hesitate to provide constructive criticism!

[Patrick]

Ooh Me likey! I'd love to see more of Garvey Square. :)

[Dear Leader VI]

GUYS - HEY! It has been a few weeks since the last update, and I am terribly, terribly sorry to keep you waiting.

A new update soon, and some things you should know first:

On June 22, 1998, a small electrical fire occurred in the basement of Praesidium's world-famous Apocolypse Pizzaria and Arcade. Due to labor disagreements and disputes between the current Administration of Praesidium and fire, police, and paramedics unions, 69% of those departments were on strike at the time. This led to an incompetent and inadequete response to the fire, which quickly spread through several businesses and office buildings nearby. By the time the city had mobilized an emergency task force to deal with the dire situation, the blaze (later called the Great Fire of '98) caused an estimated $14 billion in damage and claimed most of downtown. Although a few dozen people were injured, miraculously only three lives were lost in the tragedy.

The city officials and mayor resigned three weeks later, cowering in to intense political and civic pressure from the city. A special election was held, and new leaders were elected to replace the resignees. Mayor Jon Wesley was elected by an overwhelming majority (76%) on his platform to completely rebuild downtown into a world-class city, and restore not only the financial and commerical industries that dominated downtown, but the famouse comedic and entertainment businesses as well.

Upon entering office, Wesley proposed a radical plan: rename the city from Praesidium to Vladison. Due to two other towns in the United States that shared the name, confusion often occurred in postal and communication sectors. Praesidium, MT or Praesidium, ME? Praesidium, ME or Praesidium, AZ? Political strategists have theorized that Wesley mostly wanted to change the cumbersome yet traditional name so as to minimize the conciousness of the disaster a month before. Whatever the case, voters responded. By a 53% majority, Vladison was created.

And in the past nine years, downtown has flourished. The art deco sector that survived the fire has managed to become a center for the financial industries. The ravaged sections have been filled to the brim with the glass and steel of highrises, among the tallest in the United States. And through a special damming and re-routing of the Praesidium River, a new waterfront was born.

Now then, here are two teaser pictures for you all to digest:

http://img02.picoodle.com/img/img02/8/5/4/f_VladisonAm_72dee07.png (http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?srv=img02&img=/8/5/4/f_VladisonAm_72dee07.png)

http://img03.picoodle.com/img/img03/8/5/4/f_VladisonBm_23cf606.png (http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?srv=img03&img=/8/5/4/f_VladisonBm_23cf606.png)

[foxmtbr]

Very awesome! I can't wait to see more!

[Tanster]

Like that tower in the first pic with the spire

[Derek]

Bout time!;)

Looking forward to seeing more.

[Dear Leader VI]

BTW, I forgot to turn the edges off. It looks 50x better when they're off.

[Tanster]

any pics on Garvey Square :)

[Bergenser]

Awsome, havn't visited this section for a while.
Nice work! :tup:

[Patrick]

Finally an update! Cant wait for more :)

[Dear Leader VI]

Alright Gents,

Time for another update! As the great Howard Dean once sad, "BEYAAAAH!"

Now, roughly 80% of the old downtown was destroyed in the disaster. A few notable buildings survived, but the city now looks completely different.

For one thing, the inefficient, non-grid layout of the previous downtown was scrapped in favor of a streamlined grid system.

Also, Garvey Plaza and the Galveston Memorial are closed for repairs and renovations and won't open until the next update. You won't see them in these pictures, but be patient. They'll be back, and better than ever.

The original William Jennings Bryan (WJB) Tower was found to be structurally unsafe after the fires, and was replaced with a similar, black-glass, hulking tower. The new tower is designed around a series of rotating setbacks, making the tower smaller and smaller until it hits its 2235' roof (yes, 2235'), and a 300' communications spire. The tower was designed similarly to two other famous towers: the John Hancock Tower and the Sears Tower, both in Chicago.

The Praesidium Stock and Board Exchange's headquarters were badly damaged in the fires, and as a result have temporarily moved into a series of insignificant office highrises along Galveston Avenue in Midtown. Official press reports from the institution, however, have stated that the Exchange will rebuild its signature white tower and are pursuing several locations to that. The only changes will be an increase of fire-retardant materials and a 300' increase in height.

And with that, I bring you: Vladison!!!

http://img364.imageshack.us/img364/3528/vladisona1iy6.png (http://imageshack.us)

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/4255/vladisona2wl2.png (http://imageshack.us)

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/7475/vladisona3rw7.png (http://imageshack.us)

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/2637/vladisona4fi1.png (http://imageshack.us)

http://img364.imageshack.us/img364/2627/vladisona5oi6.png (http://imageshack.us)

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/8550/vladisona6kl2.png (http://imageshack.us)

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/9619/vladisona7bm5.png (http://imageshack.us)

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/3113/vladisona8oh1.png (http://imageshack.us)

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/854/vladisona9bw8.png (http://imageshack.us)

http://img364.imageshack.us/img364/3906/vladisona10yj4.png (http://imageshack.us)

Enjoy!

[Derek]

I like:tup:

[foxmtbr]

Nice!

[Patrick]

Very Cool! Them some sexy buildings ;)

But um, I'm confused, is this a new city? Or just a new layout, like Staunton?

[Mocholate]

grr, another SU project i missed :hell:

any updates , its looking good as of the last update :cool: