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CJ Al Jazeera

The Rainy Island

  1. Ammar Shaker
    Population:
    400000
    Map:
    TopSecret
    Game Version:
    • Cities XXL 2015
    Al Jazeera ( EN: The Island ) is an Island City located in a cold rainy Atlantic. It's Economy is based on Tourism and Agriculture - And Charity Fund of Duke Ammar Shaker -:angel:.

    Population recently exceeded the 400,000 barier.

    I tried to mix European and Middle Eastern Style. It is also my first Attemp to build curvy highway system.
    Tried also to keep many thing as simple as it can be.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
    Airport Road (Route 55)
    [​IMG]
    Route 55
    [​IMG]

    Roue 55
    [​IMG]

    Route 55 - Route 75 Interchange
    [​IMG]

    Duke Ammar's Palace
    [​IMG]

    Route 55, Route 75 and Business District
    [​IMG]
    Business District
    [​IMG]
    Up Town
    [​IMG]
    Up Town
    [​IMG]
    Industrial Area and Seaport Bridge
    [​IMG]
    Seaport
    [​IMG]
    Industrial Area, Seaport Bridge and District 205
    [​IMG]
    District 110
    [​IMG]

Recent Reviews

  1. lennon77
    lennon77
    5/5,
    Fantastic your highway
    1. Ammar Shaker
      Author's Response
      Thanks :)
  2. riscoo
    riscoo
    5/5,
    Your highways are very good, as well as all the city!
    1. Ammar Shaker
      Author's Response
      Thanks :)
  3. XOUSTE
    XOUSTE
    5/5,
    Nevertheless I like your RHM works^^
    1. Ammar Shaker
      Author's Response
      Thanks dear :)
  4. kipate
    kipate
    4/5,
    Fantastic job on the highways, it must have taken a while regarding the planning of the interchanges. But the result is fabulous :)

    What I also like a lot is your decoration of the main streets through the suburbs, nice work :)

    I don't where you want to go regarding the style of your cities in general, but if you want to recreate cities based on real-life metropolises, then you should study them.

    First of all, your city by far looks more American than anything else. I'm a European, and I don't see any clearly European element.

    Second, in my opinion, try to focus on micromanagement. You placed these (residential) suburbs all for themselves, there's no connection between them, they look like being separated from each other. And you also placed them in squares, without any curves in between. That's partly a bit inefficient to me.

    Also, I'm missing school complexes, shopping malls next to the highways, and other important buildings (gas stations, post offices, logistics centers, hospitals, public sports fields, and so on...). These are the buildings that you could place in between your residential suburbs.

    Third, you cannot simply leave out the coastline. I was like "woah, big city with huge ass beach somewhere, I want to go there on vacation and relax in the sun.", but there's simply no beach.
    Also, you again did not create some roads that align to the coastline, why is that? Yeah, curvy roads are harder to place, but nonetheless you sometimes need them.

    Fourth, I don't really think you need a metro in your city. A bus system with rapid transportation lanes would have been good. And you have the space for this BRT system.

    Fifth, regarding realism, the downtown, the port and the industrial sites deserve some overhaul. I know it's difficult, I mean, I had to learn building realistic industrial estates for myself. But it's worth doing it :)
    1. Ammar Shaker
      Author's Response
      I really like this in-depth review, let me defends my work and reply to your comments :)

      First of all, your city by far looks more American than anything else. I'm a European, and I don't see any clearly European element.

      What i've noticed so far in many of european towns and tried to apply here:
      - Forests surrounded by Farms in outter areas
      - Seperate Blocks
      - Curvy Roads
      - Generally low population
      - Generally short story buildings
      - Public walking areas
      I Avoided historic districts, i'm not very good at them. i know this is a must in most european and middle eastern towns.
      - I tried to simulate from middle east the general mixture between residential and business areas
      - Highways usually have more exists for smaller roads
      ....................................................................
      Second, in my opinion, try to focus on micromanagement. You placed these (residential) suburbs all for themselves, there's no connection between them, they look like being separated from each other. And you also placed them in squares, without any curves in between. That's partly a bit inefficient to me.
      - Thats correct, i did this on porpose. it should give towns a higher looks of luxury in my opinion :)
      ....................................................................
      Also, I'm missing school complexes, shopping malls next to the highways, and other important buildings (gas stations, post offices, logistics centers, hospitals, public sports fields, and so on...). These are the buildings that you could place in between your residential suburbs.
      -There are tonnes of them, i only selected random locations to take pictures :)
      - Plus, usually they are (Hospitals and Schools) not located in pre-defined location in euro towns, instead they're mixed within Residential blocks
      ....................................................................
      Third, you cannot simply leave out the coastline. I was like "woah, big city with huge ass beach somewhere, I want to go there on vacation and relax in the sun.", but there's simply no beach.
      Also, you again did not create some roads that align to the coastline, why is that? Yeah, curvy roads are harder to place, but nonetheless you sometimes need them.
      - There is in fact. sadly not clear in the photos. but you're right, this cold rainy island doesn't have enouh beaches :)
      ....................................................................
      Fourth, I don't really think you need a metro in your city. A bus system with rapid transportation lanes would have been good. And you have the space for this BRT system.
      - i have only two lanes, one around the Business area. and the other takes people straigh from the far airport into downtown. all other neighborhoods are covered by busses
      ....................................................................
      Fifth, regarding realism, the downtown, the port and the industrial sites deserve some overhaul. I know it's difficult, I mean, I had to learn building realistic industrial estates for myself. But it's worth doing it :)
      - You're absolutly right, i'll do that :)
  5. ObelicS
    ObelicS
    4/5,
    Highway system is fantastic ! I really like it.
    But but but, lower Central business district would make whole city a lot more realistic.
    Be careful when mixing height of the building to urban density area where it belongs.
    But great stuff with suburban areas. Keep up the good work ! :)
    1. Ammar Shaker
      Author's Response
      Thanks dear, i think you're right :)
  6. Drazicdesign
    Drazicdesign
    5/5,
    I particularly like this city which is both simple is perfectly realized,
    The road network is excellent, and especially the route is very neat,
    I particularly love the suburbs!
    All these houses next to each other stand out particularly well in the eyes, usually this kind of construction gives a rehearsal effect, but in your journal I do not feel that, on the contrary I think it reflects particularly well reality!

    Congratulations on this city newspaper
    1. Ammar Shaker
      Author's Response
      Many thanks dear :)
  7. ANDRESNATION
    ANDRESNATION
    5/5,
    Good. What is this for mod on the building, on the picture Business District, rhombus with blue such windows ?
    1. Ammar Shaker
      Author's Response
      Thats a Metro station in the back :D