Fiesta! / IlliUM CiTY

"The old office, which I would sometimes affectionately refer to as “my” old office, was now rusting away in someone’s backyard at the bottom of the Bishopville trolley district. Since the new office on Egford Corner won’t be finished for another two weeks at least, I’ve been floating about the city like some kind of Plainsrunner urban nomad trying to scratch out a lead that stays put long enough for me to squeeze a few pounds out of it. Some in my profession would probably find this situation distasteful, but I must admit I’ve found the sudden resurgence of fresh air into my daily routine to be a refreshing change of pace. At this point I’m not sure I’ll handle the transition back to stable living quite so comfortably."

...



"Bradigan’s was an old family-run joint on the outside of town. Old because it was situated in prime real-estate which wouldn’t go for less than 2 million quid these days, and family-run because any private bar that wasn’t would probably try to sell you that intolerable re-constituted waste they call “new-cous”. Bradigan’s was a place where you could actually eat the steak without finding a piece of discarded sandal in it. It’s amazing the lengths people will go to please you when their name is written on a giant billboard up top. I couldn’t afford a good steak these days regardless, just a bottle of Redha and a saltwater chaser. I told the waiter to give me my usual spot, and he politely reminded me that I didn’t have one."

...



"By the time we touched down overlooking the West End project it was a little past five and the office workers were starting to spill out onto the terrace headed to the SoroSubb for a water massage or Old Tony’s or wherever else they were going at the end of the day. I was tempted to join them but I couldn’t get Jenks’ face out of my head. I guess it was my curiosity not my sense of duty which pressed me to continue on to the Tannburg, a featureless grey brick of a building in a block filled with them. These Old City structures were maintained well-enough, even if their exteriors would be generously described as functional. The directory posted in the lobby still listed Prothero Jenks, room 586C. They were apparently in no hurry to find a new tennant. The sign on the office door was only slightly more helpful: Interior Under Renovation. I jammed the door panel with a voltage slicer and it slid open to reveal a dusty cluttered office space very much not under renovation."

...



"The Illium City Historical Society was strictly volunteer-only. There was less paperwork to fill out that way; more room for intel to slip through the cracks. What was little-known about that whole operation is that the department was under the employ of the Yinjaro-Arun Corporation. That’s right, a state department owned and operated by a private entity. Of course any half-intelligent lifer wouldn’t find that information at all surprising. Our city, indeed. I had half a mind to go bust down the door of corporate headquarters myself and start pointing fingers threateningly, just to show them they weren't fooling anyone. Alas, stronger men than me have died to prove that you won't get very far in this business with a heavy hand. One thing I knew for damn sure: you don’t go sniffing around in the lion’s den asking about lions. That was as sure a way as any to get yourself kidnapped and tossed in the Brig. For the time being I was one step ahead of them."

...



"For a trans-national, Farraq-Sur had actually done a lot of good for the city. Sure their ever expanding mining operation was chipping away at the last remaining green belt on the East Bank, but the spoils of industry had only broadened the high-mindedness of its founder. A self-professed Netway Warrior, Al Farraq Abid had become an unlikely ally of juice junkies and net slicers everywhere. Why he'd risk putting a target on his very visible, and therefore vulnerable, backside was a mystery to me. I'd never met the guy personally though I was beginning to think I could no longer afford not to. The line between information and disinformation was rarely exact, least of all to those most deeply involved. But the judging of motives is what people paid me for. Whether he knew up from up, it was my job to find out."

...



"Feeling my pulse slow, my mind began to wander until it fixed upon the image of an anonymous silhouette slipping undetected through the lightly guarded perimeter of the West Shore E.X. Looks like we both got what we wanted Kaye. Once and for all. The clattering of the East Dock power loaders, once deafening even from up here on the cliff face, slowly began to dissipate, easing back into the quiet murk of a faceless mass of illuminated glass and steel. Up above the stars shown a little brighter than I've ever seen them shine before. Then all at once they abandoned their fixed seat in the heavens and bled out in long aching streaks, as if to welcome me into their arms; the lights above blending with the lights below."

Very cool, so much to look at. A style of parkmaking I can appreciate.

Wow that is some really wicked stuff there. I love it though.

FUCKING AWESOME!!!! Why is no one else commenting on this???? This has to be the best topic of this Fiesta <3

With the previous screen of this project I was like "Wtf?", but now I'm like "WTF!!" if you know what I mean. This is fantastic! The first and second to last screenshot are my favourites.

I fucking love this and am DYING to see it come together more.

I remember this one! I have one of the early save games for this and it's so impressive. It's beyond me how you can build so many things on top of one another-- I'd just get lost in all of it. I wish I had that skill, however. This is very impressive.

I don't know, for me it's actually kind of a cluster f...ruitcake. I can't make out any coherent structure at all and cobra rolls with no supports whatsoever are a bit too fantasy for my taste. Sorry =/

Good lord, that shit is awesome. Really reminicsent of Mount Doom imo, which is one of my favorite parks of all time. Keep it up Ed, cant wait to see this thing done.

please finnish this some day .

best shit ever.

yay. It's ED!

I don't know, for me it's actually kind of a cluster f...ruitcake. I can't make out any coherent structure at all and cobra rolls with no supports whatsoever are a bit too fantasy for my taste. Sorry =/

No, you're right. It is most definitely a cluster f*(ruitcake). We (Evil WME and myself) have long since passed the point of reason on this project. It's an out of control self-replicating monstrosity. Once upon a time I was worried it might be too much, but we just plowed right past that roadblock and never looked back. I understand it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea. Considering my initial inspiration included art like this:




...I'd say we still have a ways to go.

I guess this could be considered the modern day Project Anti

I still want to have your babies, Ed

... and WME for that matter.

Oh and it's probably the least finished aspect but I think the landscaping/foliage is a little raw and could use some love.

Haha ^^ I do think it's a remarkable aspiration to try to max out the game in every possible way.
What I think would be good resources for this are Japanese Cyberpunk Animes like Cowboy Bebop, Ghost in the Shell or Akira. They give a good CROWDED/cluster fruitcake feel ;P Have you already had a look at those?

FANTASY LIVES!

Even with those comics, I having a hard time putting this togather, but I really like this a lot. Great to see new work from you Ed. Its different than what we have grown used to at this site.

Pure crazy awesomeness. However I also can't figure things out, I like it though especially the last three screens.

New screens by Ed, who would've thought. Interesting stuff. Pretty messy and overloaded, then interrupted by almost "awkwardly" beautiful landscaping bits that seem like what WME would create had he kept playing.

It reminds me of evil wme's doom mountain. Mostly screen one.