Sprainbrook, Pennsylvania

Dac150 · #1 Posted **Mar 28, 2008, 8:26 PM**

As promised, a new city for April that I anticipate will last until my college workload picks up again next year. This city will basically be bare bones when it comes to facade and street level detail. The reason is because, as with the previous city, it slows up my laptop fast, and I just have zero patience for that. Fear not though, because with realism in the cityscape, and a good infastructure, you'll be pleased.

I plan to start working on the city as soon as tonight, and possibly tomorrow. The first update will just consist of a map of the landscape. I'll play the grid by year and just take it as it comes. Once I establish a good grid, the infastructure and actual buildings will begin to appear. Estimate the map portion tonight, followed with some history and location detail.

Bare with me on this one. I really want to have a city going again, but with time and all, I'll be keeping up on it the best I can.

Aleks · #2 Posted **Mar 28, 2008, 10:32 PM**

Sounds good. I always like your infrastructures. You have the best in here. I'm guessing it's gonna be a North-East styled city, the name gives it away (and the cities you've made before are North-Eastern styled too.

You better stick to this one. Or I'll give you an infraction for starting and not ending threads. JayKay.

If you want to make buildings then just make them separately and really detailed.

treras93 · #3 Posted **Mar 28, 2008, 11:10 PM**

Great! i cant wait. your cities are some of my favorites!

Dac150 · #4 Posted **Mar 28, 2008, 11:09 PM**

Yeah I know, I'm a criminal when it comes to not finishing cities.

However, I might just use that idea of copying and plugging the buildings into the city. I plan to stick this one out. I won't go crazy at working on it all at once, but take my time and work on it in sections. I think that'll help.

-This with be a Northeastern styled city, being that it is of course in the Northeast. It won't be as dense as Manhattan, but think of it more as an LA style (an array of downtowns with peaks and valleys). There will be highrise buildings followed by lowrises and then back to highrises.

-The infastructure will consist of four major highways: The Sprainbrook Parkway, The Taconic Parkway, The Armstrong Expressway, and The Housitonic River Parkway.

-There will be a total of five bridges and one tunnel.

-The city-center itself will be located on Sprainbrook Island which is surrounded by the Sprain Brook, and the Housitonic River. The two boroughs that surround the city are Tappaqua and Armstrong.

I'll try to get the map with the Sprain Brook Island grid up by tonight.

Aleks · #5 Posted **Mar 28, 2008, 11:24 PM**

Sound interesting. You line -onic don't you? And Taconic sounds like Tacoma which is a city near Seattle. I can't wait to see the bridges and the highways. The downtown will look great in the island and it would look good making tall, short, then tall buildings like you said. Maybe the tall skyscrapers at the ends of the island and the shorter buildings in the middle. Depends on what the land looks like.

Dac150 · #6 Posted **Mar 29, 2008, 12:07 AM**

Taconic is pronounced (Ta-con-ik). It's all one word.

Yes, the plan is to have the downtown near the tip of the island facing the Housitonic River (Hugh-se-tonn-ik), and lowrises tapering off into more highrises.

I'm glad you're all looking foward to seeing this city mature over time, as am I. Expect the grid of Sprain Brook Island tonight.

Dac150 · #7 Posted **Mar 29, 2008, 12:20 AM**

This is as in-depth I'll go as of now. The more I work on the city, the more detailed I'll get with saying what is what (regarding highways, bridges, tunnels, streets, etc...). This is just to give you guys an overview of the area.

Nevermind the title, spelling error.

Aleks · #8 Posted **Mar 29, 2008, 12:52 AM**

Nice, reminds me of Canary Wharf. I like that the city isn't too big. That way you can keep the file size small. And I'm guessing that's a station of some kind at the Southern part of the island?

Dac150 · #9 Posted **Mar 29, 2008, 1:03 AM**

That's actually the Sprainbrook tunnel that'll connect into Armstrong. The Sprainbrook Parkways is what feeds it, and a bridge will carry the Springbrook Parkway over to Tappaqua.

It is though a very manageable and a handsome grid. I should be able to finish it.

Peter · #10 Posted **Mar 29, 2008, 4:16 AM**

Cool Dac, I'll be looking forward to seeing more of this one. I completely agree with Aleks' comment that you have the best infrastructure, because you certainly do. I mentioned that before when I saw the incredible road work you did in Hutchinson. And, even though you don't detail the buildings, I've still always found your buildings designs to be very interesting.

I think you'll be able to fill up that grid fast because, if I recall correctly, your other cities had bigger downtown grids and you filled them up quick and you even got on with the suburbs.

Dac150 · #11 Posted **Mar 29, 2008, 6:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter

Cool Dac, I'll be looking forward to seeing more of this one. I completely agree with Aleks' comment that you have the best infrastructure, because you certainly do. I mentioned that before when I saw the incredible road work you did in Hutchinson. And, even though you don't detail the buildings, I've still always found your buildings designs to be very interesting.

I think you'll be able to fill up that grid fast because, if I recall correctly, your other cities had bigger downtown grids and you filled them up quick and you even got on with the suburbs.

-Thank you Peter I appreciate it. My plan is to continue with the infastructure, and then tackle the buildings once that is completed. Tonight I hope to have the Sprainbrook Tunnel entrance completed, as well as the Sprainbrook Parkway.

-I've made it to the burbs to some degree before, but never with much detail, but hopefully I can make that a reality for this city. I think the key will be to copy and paste.

Expect something tonight.

Aleks · #12 Posted **Mar 29, 2008, 7:32 PM**

Idk, maybe with a smaller downtown he can add more details. And he will still work on it longer since he would have to make floors, windows, etc...

Dac150 · #13 Posted **Mar 29, 2008, 7:51 PM**

^^^ Yeah, what I might do is just make detailed buildings on other files and just copy them in. That is why I want to make the infastructure first though because it'll get slow quickly.

Dac150 · #14 Posted **Mar 29, 2008, 11:27 PM**

The Sprainbrook crossing is a mix between a truss and a suspension bridge. This bridge a long with the Sprainbrook Parkway was constructed in 1955 in part of the nations highway development project. There was much opposition to the position of the parkway leading onto the bridge, being that it cuts through Riverside Park. However, the complaints weren't enough to stop the construction.

The Parkway and bridge consist of 6 lanes. The format is two lanes-divider-two lanes-divider-two lanes. This parkway and bridge in particular were built at the time to suit future predicted congestion. Now over 50 years later they have been proven right.

Scroll>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

This truss bridge is simply called 'The Sprainbrook Parkway Bridge'. It also was built with the parkway, and connects Sprain Brook Island to Tappaqua.

Enjoy guys, and tell me what you think,

Dac150 · #15 Posted **Mar 30, 2008, 2:35 AM**

Alright, the plan for tomorrow is to start the Taconic (Sprain Brook Island portion), and finish up the Sprainbrook Parkway (Armstrong portion). During the week I'll be mostly heads down with school-work, so expect the next update to be Wednesday night (following tomorrow's).

Please give me some feedback on the update above.

treras93 · #16 Posted **Mar 30, 2008, 2:37 AM**

Wow! that bridge is awesome. good idea with the arches. though i'm not sure if the mixture of suspension and arch is so good? but separately they would look great!

i like the grid too! goog job with that

Ducov · #17 Posted **Mar 30, 2008, 2:49 AM**

It's great to see that your starting a new city, I look forward to seeing it progress.

The bridges look good, but as treras says, I'm not sure about the mixture between suspension bridge, are their pillars under the arch ends? Otherwise the lateral thrust they're creating and their sheer weight wouldn't be transferred anywhere.

Dac150 · #18 Posted **Mar 30, 2008, 2:58 AM**

Thank you for the feedback guys, this is exactly what I want.

The idea of having a suspension bridge/truss, is actually based off of something I saw in Portland New Hampshire (only on a smaller scale). I like it though because it was different, and that in a way makes it seem iconic (especially in this scene).

I do like the idea though, Ducov, of adding anchor blocks in-between the truss sections on the main bridge. Now that I look at, in reality, that makes sense. I did however add anchor blocks on the two shores.

I do like how the concept of the bridge looks. Do you guys really think it looks that bad (and be honest)? Otherwise, I might consider something else at a later date.

treras93 · #19 Posted **Mar 30, 2008, 3:02 AM**

I'm sorry but together... yea sorry i think it looks bad

Dac150 · #20 Posted **Mar 30, 2008, 3:05 AM**

Well, maybe I'll ditch the suspension part down the road, but for now I'll play around with it. Perhaps it's because there is not city behind it? Maybe that'll enhance its image.