Riverview has long since been my favorite town, however none of the new EP shops and rabbit holes are introduced. So I have decided to do a Riverview overhaul. Riverview; not so sleepy and rural anymore? Basically, it's Riverview at some point in the future where the population has grown and a small city has sprung up. This involves the same set-up in terrain as before for the most part: any terrain changes have been extremely subtle (changes in bridges, extending the island just a tad, etc). I have also included the Riverview distant terrain thanks to simsample!

This will be my first world (I have worked in CAW before but have never made it to completion or even started a thread here for it before) so I really will welcome advice, critique, etc. I am not sure about my placement of the suburb downtown area. It seems like it is too close to the city but it also seemed that it was the best place to put it. So any feedback concerning that is greatly appreciated. I also know that I have not added any vegetation yet. That is coming so please, please do not comment that I need to add trees or bushes or flowers, etc. My first step here is road and lot placement. I will edit accordingly as we move along.


As a side note: my graphics are a little low in CAW; any time I try to increase the LOD distance to max, the game crashes. So I do apologize for that.

***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

I like the idea but to be honest Riverview isn't the kind of town to spring up with skyscrapers (their placement looks weird). Most people play Riverview because it's a charming country town, maybe you should try to incorporate the new buildings into existing areas instead of destroying what people liked about it?

You should try getting RV into CAW so that you don't have to build it from scratch. I haven't tried the tutorial but maybe someone else has (they've done nearly every world...)

I like the idea. I love Bridgeport, but there's very few places to build and the lot sizes are screwy.

I think the center island is a little too small for the 'city', perhaps you could add a few high rises to the other side of the river(s) or if you're of a mind to, expand the island to accommodate more and set some lots in and around the city for people to build on, and when it comes to the lots, try to have some of the old standards as well as the oddball sized ones for Late Night and the world editor.

Robodl - I completely understand your point of view. I too love Riverview and I am just giving it a go a this. I understand that this may not be a town for everyone. Or anyone for that matter! I may finish it and hate it myself.

JadedSidhe - I thought the same thing about the center island. I don't want to increase it because I still want this to be Riverview, but maybe I can add a few larger buildings to the "wealthy" side and, as you suggested, leave some spots as well. I'll probably choose the smallest lot sizes possible for the Bridgeport buildings but I will try to do that around the edges.

There will be people who will download this, heaven_sent_8_18. When I did my revamp of Sunset Valley to include the Late Night lots a lot of people were asking for other NHs to be done too, including Riverview. It's obvious that you're making it more urban than the traditional RV and I don't think that's a problem.

I agree about the centre island because I also think it's a bit too close to the rural area where it is now. Unless it's a PITA to do how about putting the city area in with the Hollywood area (on your map perhaps at the top?), and then you could perhaps have some rich, celeb homes on the island?

This sounds like fun- it'll be interesting to see what you do with this, heaven_sent_8_18. I really love the Riverview terrain so it will be good to see what it's like with some city features.

An interesting idea. I really love playing in Riverview too, and I like your concept of how the town might grow into more of a "city". I can think of two examples from my own life where locales that were "towns" when I was a child can be considered "cities" now.

That "downtown" island has become awfully crowded. Your development may already be at the point where some of "downtown" would be logically spilling over onto the other banks of the river. You might also want to consider having the outer streets more closely follow the contour of the island instead of sticking everywhere to the strict grid. But I don't know what that would do to possible lot placements, since Sims limits us to rectangular lots.

I also think that your residential space would fully surround the downtown, whether it's just on the island or not. I can't think of any city where this is not true, unless a side is formed by a significant beach.

ETA: to correct my comments, as I was misinterpreting one of the pictures.

Just thought I would post a quick look of what I have been working on. Took a break with roads and layouts and started getting the main center of the suburn area looking nice. This is the view down what is essentially a main street: one the left there is the school, the small, local theater, and there will be a salon and on the right is the grocery, bookstore, spa, bistro, and a laundromat. At the end of the road is the library. If you look in the horizon, you can see a tad bit of the city beyond.

By the way: I do have to change the light posts that are on the lots. I thought there was a 3 light post in CAW but it's only a 2 so next time I go in game, I will handle that.

I think the idea is a really good one, though instead of making the small island the new downtown, I would leave it mostly the way it is, with maybe a few modern updates to the community lots and townhouses there to show that somethings change over time, but its history is still present. I would focus on creating a new downtown along the edge of the river where the old industrial area is. Change the riverside up a lot because in real life, when an old town becomes a city over time, it usually will occur along the edges of the old downtown, not right in it, because historic preservationists would never agree to let that happen! lol
Dont be affraid to re-sculpt the land and add streets to make a grid somewhere. In real life, streets are added and land is changed all the time in rural or under developed areas to make way for more urbabization.
It doesnt have to look exactley like the way we know RV now, only with skyscrapers. Dont be affraid to change it up some to make it look like it really has changed over time.
Places that were once old country feilds back in the 1950s and 60s are now highly developed shopping centers, super malls and subdivisions. Useless industrial waistlands where once old abandoned factories and oil wells took up space along the water are now home to million doller high rise apartments and lovely parks along the water.
Look at pictures of how Baltimore's waterfront has changed since the 80's and maybe you can get an idea for Riverview!
Good luck with this, Ill keep an eye out!

Happjme - I will probably be adding more "city" buildings along the river like you suggested. Jaded mentioned that things would be spilling over. As for making it look pretty much the same, I have no idea how to import the actual Riverview in to CAW and am not sure what tutorial Robodl was suggesting. I think I may keep this project going as is and, maybe when I have time, try to find the tutorial and do a different version. I don't know. Personally, I am quite pleased with how it is coming along but I do agree with the historical society comment. So maybe this isn't Riverview, lol, maybe it's an alternate universe that coexists on the same plane as Riverview and therefore has the same terrain!

Info on that here:
http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=416989

However, I would encourage you to continue as you are- this is looking like an interesting world.

^ I agree. Even if it ends up not resembling RV that much it's still a new world which looks to be coming along nicely.

Here is an update of some of the buildings I have added. My goal is to try to make these buildings look similar to the rabbit holes. I want the suburban downtown area to blend nicely between the rabbit holes and heaven built lots. So let me know how I am doing.




The library is done inside (I think) but I am having issues getting pictures of it. The consignment shop is just a shell. There is still work to do (I admit, I have not actually played enough to have my sims visit cs so I need to peruse and see what I can come up with for an interior). The laundromat is mostly finished; the first floor is the laundromat and the other 2 floors are faux floors. The consignment shop is supposed to vaguely resemble the grocery, the laundromat follows the style of the bistro, and the library is a miniature version of city hall.

And, last, a basic overview update of the suburb shops.

I like what you've done so far. I love the consignment shop. A multi-story laundromat seems odd, I like the quirkiness of it.

Okay, so I have added a church. I finally got some inspiration for it and went to town! I am quite pleased. It still needs some landscaping along with a cemetery. The interior is pretty much done except for the pastor's office.

Net update: The science lab. I've got some landscaping and painting to do around the dome (it is not on the lot, just world deco) so that will get done. But feedback on it all is definitely appreciated.

Sorry guys. I've been pretty busy with work since coming home so my CAW process is going to be going a bit slow. I do apologize but will try to get updates up here when I have a chance to get in the program. Feedback is still greatly appreciated!

Hurry for a weekend; and a 3 day one at that! I have been working since I got up this morning; finally placing some residential lots. I am now in the process of filling them. I have one done, it is in my middle class neighborhood. Most of the homes in this world will be contemporary, cottage, victorian, or farm houses. No modern homes at all. Sorry for all of y'all that like modern. Please note that the house shown here is not decorated at all inside; no wallpaper, no CAST, nothing at the moment. Right now, I am working on shells and will eventually get back to the interiors.



I do have some other homes placed; one is this house and one is this one. With the second, I used custom content for decor that will not be included in the world version. For those who wish to have the house as it is available for individual download will be encouraged to delete the one in game and replace it with the other rather than me putting in oodles of custom content.

First off, I am not sure if this should be titled Riverview or not since I have not fully decided if it will be a "future" Riverview or just different altogether. So, that is what is with the name change. Second, I have some more lots! These are similar to the one before: no interior, no CASTing, and now, no landscaping either. I am still playing around with the layouts so I would love some feedback on that along with anything else you might add.





The blue ranch house has a small, 6x6 basement. The stairway is right below the other so it's not easily viewable, but it is there. This is based on an actual house and therefore the first floor has got some "extra" space (the walk in closet and the supply area) because it was designed for real people. Definitely part of what I am looking for feedback on.

Cherry Blossom; the pink Victorian is done! Also, because I am quite happy with it, I have submitted it for approval for independent downloading. Here are some shots. This is the style for the town, for the most part. Some houses may be a bit more modern in decor but, overall it will be country or contemporary.

I have to say that those houses are gorgeous! Good job on the porches, especially.

Looks STUNNING, I WANT NOW!, The idea of a new refreshed riverview is actually really cool.

Okay, so here is the next update. I know that there has been some suggestions to expand the city aspect out some. So, I have. There is now an older, industrial section with some apartments, the crime center, a couple of clubs (industrial dance and vampire), and a place for a run-down, might-get-tetanus-or-worse tattoo parlor. It also is in the area of the airport. The idea for the vampire club comes directly from Miuki who, from her description in Black Sun, feels the same way I do about vampires being so self-assured and in the open. Hence the abandoned IHOP. Oh, and ignore the shuttle site in the bottom of the first picture. I am debating on using it and thought that by the military base would be a good spot but I haven't really fiddled a lot with it yet. It's just kinda slapped down so I don't forget it. Here are some new shots:

Just a teensy update: WE HAVE TREES!!! *maniacal laughter*
It took me awhile to place them and the landscaping for the world is not even close to done but, one side is getting there. I have even started adding the fencing around the farms but let me tell you, total PITA!!! I'll get it done though. Plus, if you look in almost the middle you will see that I have added 10 small starter lots along with a park. (There are 8 around the park and 2 more to the right). If you think I need more lots, let me know!


So far the lot count is:
City Island: 5 residential, 7 community, and 2 subways
Hollywood: 10 residential, 5 community, and 2 subways
Suburbia: 21 residential and 19 community
Rural: 12 residential and 6 community

That is a total of 89 lots. There are other subways but they are located specifically on lots, like the one for the hospital and stadium.

May I suggest that you add more trees to that little river/creek valley in the upper right of the photo? People tend to allow trees to grow up more in little valleys due to inaccessibility. Some brush would make it also more natural looking. There also seems to be a tree in your river, in between city island and the science area place.

The res/com ration seems about right in the areas. Do you have any residential lots out in far off areas? Like old, abandoned farm houses, for example. That'd make it seems more like an old farming community that grew up.