WIP Beta released Garfield Heights 0.741

Okay, then I take it you are sharing the assets as well. That's mighty nice actually, though I usually wait a while (like 30~90 days) before releasing maps with content made by others (unless it's made custom, directly donated) in the map, to give the author's map 'exclusivity' with these, so people know they're your models etc.
The homes are absolutely beautiful, definitely one of the nicer ones from the Beamng.drive mod repository.
Another reason I like them is I CANNOT MODEL ANYTHING TO SAVE MY HIDE. When I was in middle school I could draw you a 100% realistic looking house no issue. Get me to do one on a computer, forget it, unless it's mspaint or paint.net or something The school you made is also extremely convincing, I can tell what it is without the sign even, or the track and big parking lot. You're definitely getting the immersion 100% here. Almost reminded me of a Detroit suburb before the crisis with abandonment (blight) they're having now (e.g. when it was in it's prime, before it was so overly abandoned and run down).

Seriously, make as many updates as you need. Folks love this map, this is 5/5 star material, and then some, especially compared to what's out there as it's done correctly. Sure - looking nice is one thing - but this has not only form but function, and the function and form are equal, some maps place form before function and it ends up not being fun. In that end, the form that's there, is very convincing, as I stated with immersion, this is important. You want the player engaged, entertained, without breaking this immersion (which only happens when you get to the end of the finished portion of the map, currently, as to be expected for WIP, again not an issue). There's only a handful of maps that can deliver the immersion here that this one does.

Also, what you've done is complete atleast one scene (read: several) where you can pan the camera around and see what the 'finished' product will look like. This is important for concept (no not just for screenshots), as it'll keep your entire map looking consistent if you stick with that. A lot of mappers forget this, start too many different parts, never finish anything, feel like they're not getting anywhere & lose motivation altogether and finish nothing. To me it looks like you created this looking off an older 1940s~1980s neighborhood of smaller homes (single family dwellings), from say google maps or the such, as it definitely looks like a job well done. Keep up the great work. Just wanted to touch base.

I will use the newer home models in a future version of the Roane County map, but it won't be out for quite some time yet.
I will provide a link-back to this map's resource on my Roane County map when I put the new version up so people can check this out, as it's surely some great stuff here. Thanks for taking the time to make this map, make it awesome, and make a cool resource for free that we all find quite a bit of fun in. Also, I am sure you'll be seeing some of your map in car-crash videos sometime soon if it's not made it out already.

 

I know this may have been requested before, but I'm doing my own take on this.

I would suggest adding an abandoned branch line railroad, or one that looks like it's rarely used (but still used nonetheless) by rail traffic, which could add a historical aspect to the map itself by giving the appearance that the tracks was there long before the town was. Having areas where the tracks are all warped to hell, or ripped up generally, and crossings paved over, could make it look as if the city is ripping up the old rail line...
On top of that, you could add rail signals that have obviously seen better days like these for example:


Even though this suggestion may get shot down or ignored, it was worth trying to suggest this. I couldn't really think of anything other than this, so feel free to consider adding other things of historical aspects to the town.

 

This has been suggested before, and the answer is the same as it was then: it's a good idea, but with the map already mostly together there's not really enough room given what the layout of the map is. Even the parts of the map that are currently empty still have a pretty concrete plan as to what's going to go in them. As for history, the implication is that the town has been there for a long while, with some parts of it dating back to the late 1870's. Rail lines would have been common by then, but that's enough time to have passed for any evidence of railways to be landscaped out of existence. There will be a semi-active railway track just north of the reservoir on the north side of the map, but that's as close as it'll likely come.

If there ever will be an out-of-use track or the landscape thereof, it'll be running parallel to the shipping canal that will eventually form the eastern border. We'll see.

 

@Occam's Razer - that's that vision you have brother, keep it up, I knew you had it in you I love your work on here, it's 5-star all the way. I literally would change nothing.

 

Occam's Razer updated Garfield Heights with a new update entry:

Content Patch

Read the rest of this update entry...

 

Is it just me or do I see a WIP tunnel?

 

who ever made this map can u put in a derby ring id like to tow my derby cars to the track n stuff

 

Since he is going for realism, he will most likely not.

 

I'm speechless. The new update is just great.

 

I have some places for a Police Station/Fire Station in my eyes.

 

If a fire station is ever going to be added along the main roadway, there should be a firehouse signal facing both directions. That way, traffic has to stop for a responding fire truck as it pulls out of the station.

Here's an example of a firehouse signal. Upon normal circumstances, the bottom signal will flash amber until the firetruck that is pulling out of the station triggers the preempt cycle, causing the signal to change to a solid yellow, then to red.

 

This map has fleshed out beautifully since I first played in it.
Just curious, are you planning on adding a wealthier neighbourhood with larger houses like these at all?

 

it wont update for me, even after deleting the old file and even clearing cache. wtf
--- Post updated ---
ok. I have no Garfield heights folder and its still in my levels menu. wat
--- Post updated ---
ok found some old Garfield thing in the in game mod menu, just deleted it, time to see what happens I guess
--- Post updated ---
final post: it works, sorry for that whole thing

 

Love It!

 

Hey i LOVE if i mean love i use this map evry day (bro ;D) and this thing is the a big thing but can you add like street and house nums it wud be a biiiig ting for the rp playas and a nice thing it prob wont hapen but i can try

 

Since Mitch recently updated us with a screenshot of the suburbs that will be coming with West Coast USA; will you be using those building assets to make a larger/wealthier area? Or are you wanting to stick to your own assets for the time being?

 

I'm not against adding a few extra public service buildings to the level. I've already got a hospital planned, and while I'm unsure about where to plop a police station, a fire station might end up in the currently-unfinished part of the map. And sure, if and when, I'll add a firehouse signal.

House numbers would be nice, but it would ramp up the object count by a lot. That's two or three numbers for every home, in the entire map. Supposing that decals count against the object limit, that is.

I was originally wanting a wealthy neighborhood near the Terrace District, on the northwest corner where the school is currently located. At this point, with only about ~25% of the land area of the map free for further content, I'll probably scrub those plans. I may or may not add a McMansion or two to some part of the Terrace, though.

Adding to what I said above, I'll probably be continuing to make my own assets. I see it this way: when WCU gets released, just about every map creator who wants to build an urban or suburban area will end up using those models. Hell, I'll probably be scouring for some of its textures myself. But I do want Garfield Heights to retain its own visual identity, so I'll likely continue using and creating custom assets. I have the skills needed, so y'know, why not?

Also, terra cotta roofs wouldn't really fit the Great Lakes Area theme.

 

Hello I am having a error during map load "Error reading PNG file:
IDAT: CRC error"

 

@Occam's Razer when I turn right from the Welk spawn this happens

 

Same thing happens to me too, think the most recent update did something.