Westopolis (Sonic Adventure 4)

Not to be confused with the stage from Shadow the Hedgehog.
Westopolis is a major city located in southern California in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Sonic Adventure 4 marks Westopolis' second appearance in the series after Shadow the Hedgehog, which came out in 2005. The new rendition of the city has a lot more attention to detail, and looks more like an alive city. Westopolis is based on Los Angeles, California and its greater metropolitan area. Westopolis is a play on words, literally meaning "West City," which Los Angeles is constantly referred to as.
Like its real-life counterpart, Westopolis is a huge and sprawling metropolis with various different cultures, ranging from the prestigious film-making industry of Sallywood to the suburban hood life of Glockton, just to name a few. The time and date of the city is about a year after the events of the previous game, placing SA4 around late 2014.
Westopolis serves as the County Seat of Westopolis County, the most developed and populated county in southern California.
==Geography==
Westopolis is divided into 53 districts and neighborhoods, some of which are incorporated communities and cities that merged into the city.
Downtown Westopolis (Downtown Los Angeles)
The financial center of Westopolis and its most urbanised area, with the presence of the tallest high-rises in the city, including the huge U.F. Bank Tower, the 1st and 2nd California buildings, the Cantell Bank Center, Oil Oligopoly Tower, and the JK Semminar and Glitz-Alfonso Hotel hotels, both still under construction. The district is divided into the neighborhoods of Basin Hill, Drift Row, Gaudy District and Jackshun Square.
South Westopolis (South Los Angeles)
An economically depressed, predominantly African-American area of the city, characterized by street gangs and low-income housing projects. South Westopolis is divided into the neighborhoods of Crevice, Ques, Borence, and Jimenez Village, and also contains the incorporated cities of Glockton, Mentalwood, Whitian and Jartina.
East Westopolis (East Los Angeles)
A large district with a high concentration of Hispanic residents and a strong gang presence. Although the district is primarily industrial, it has been experiencing gentrification over the last years. East Westopolis is split into the neighborhoods of the Talents District, Cavron, Lieta Hill and Banderas Heights.
Ginoa Hills (Beverly Hills)
Predominantly a shopping and residential area, Ginoa Hills is an affluent incorporated city that merged into Westopolis. The iconic Paso Drive is a major tourist attraction in the city. The district also contains the Ginoa Base in the southeast.
Sallywood (Hollywood)
A large and affluent district, famous for being the home of the entertainment industry and for its theaters and clubs. Sallywood is divided into the neighborhoods of the Redrose District, Millenia City, Little Maojian, Downtown Sallywood, West Sallywood, East Sallywood and Reflect Park.
Sallywood Slopes (Hollywood Hills)
Notable for its views of Westopolis, the iconic Sallywood Sign and its expensive homes and celebrity inhabitants.
Ariel Flats (Bel Air)
A rich, high-class neighborhood known for its large luxury mansions. The Westopolis Country Club is located here, making it an exclusive recreation area.
Richwood (Westwood)
A quiet and wealthy commercial and residential neighborhood, known for its historic theaters. Also contains the small neighborhood of the Quimby Hills to the north.
Smoke District (Wilshire)
Located in Central Westopolis, the Smoke District is a middle class district with an ethnically diverse population, home to Hangukan (Korean) and Asian inmigrants. Contains the popular tourist attraction of Hangukland.
San Perro (Santa Monica)
A laid back, trendy beachfront community widely known for its beach and the world famous San Perro Pier.
Soleanna (Venice)
A residential, commercial and recreational beachfront neighborhood known for its canals, beaches and a world-famous front walk. Soleanna is split into the neighborhoods of Soleanna Beach, Soleanna Canals and Porte de la Reina.
Santa Lucia (San Pedro)
A community with strong roots in the fishing and longshoring industry, Santa Lucia is primarily industrial and sparsely populated. The district is the home of the Inerm.
Westopolis International Airport (Los Angeles International Airport)
One of the busiest airports in the world. The WIA district is also the location of the airport's nearby warehouses, hotels and restaurants.
Westopolis Port (Port of Los Angeles)
The major seaport for the city of Westopolis and the busiest port in America. It is split into two areas: Governor Island, the location of Pier 200, the Westopolis Naval Port, shipyards and various warehouses, and Duro Beach Port, a maritime container terminal.
Pacific Placeline (Pacific Palisades)
Home to the world-famous Lifeson Center museum, Pacific Placeline is the entrance gate to western Westopolis. Like neighboring Ariel Flats, it is predominantly a high-class residential district with a low population density. Also contains the close by neighborhoods of Japanland and Alley City.
===Neighborhoods===
====Downtown Westopolis====
Neighborhood Name	Real-Life Equivalent
Gaudy District 	Fashion District
Drift Row 	Skid Row
Basin Hill 	Bunker Hill
Jackshun Square 	Pershing Square
==== Sallywood ====
Neighborhood Name 	Real-Life Equivalent
Little Maojian 	Chinatown
Olvidaré Street 	Olvera Street
Millenia City 	Century City
Redrose 	Melrose
Reflect Park 	Echo Park
Downtown Sallywood	Downtown Hollywood
West Sallywood 	West Hollywood
East Sallywood 	East Hollywood
==== South Westopolis ====
Neighborhood Name 	Real-Life Equivalent
Glockton 	Compton
Mentalwood 	Inglewood
Ques 	Watts
Crevice (District)	Crenshaw (District)
Borence 	Florence
Barltom 	Hawthorne
Santa Lucia 	San Pedro
Jimenez Village 	Baldwin Village
Whitian 	Carson
Jartina 	Gardena
==== East Westopolis ====
Neighborhood Name	Real-Life Equivalent
Banderas Heights 	Boyle Heights
Talents District 	Arts District
Lieta Hill 	Signal Hill
Cavron 	Vernon
==== Soleanna ====
Neighborhood Name	Real-Life Equivalent
Soleanna Beach 	Venice Beach
Soleanna Canals 	Venice Canals
Porte de la Reina	Marina del Rey
== Landmarks and Sightings ==
=== Skyscrapers and Corporate Buildings ===
Westopolis is not as renowned as Empire City for its cityscape, but many important companies as well as the government agencies of the FBI and CIA are headquartered here. Most of the city's high rises are located in Downtown UU, and the rest are scattered throughout the nearby Smoke District and Ginoa Hills.
* 700 Tower (801 Tower)
* 808 Smokey Boulevard Building (800 Wilshire Boulevard)
* Western Napoleonan Hotel (Westin Bonaventure Hotel)
* Top Records Building (Capitol Records Building)
* 1st California Plaza (One California Plaza)
* 2nd California Plaza (Two California Plaza)
* Fufilled Life Tower (Equitable Life Building)
* 100 Smoke District Boulevard Building (100 Wilshire Building)
* Francisco Tower (Figueroa Tower)
* UF Bank Tower (US Bank Tower)
* JK Seminar & Glitz-Alfonso hotels (JW Marriott & Ritz-Carlton hotels) (under construction)
* Jebrush Securities Building (Wedbush Securities Building)
* Kaleidoscope Tower (Constellation Place)
* Bluebanks Center (Citigroup Center)
* Cantell Bank Center (Mellon Bank Center)
* Oil Oligopoly Tower (Gas Company Tower)
* Conserve Plaza (Fox Plaza)
* Myriad Tower (Variety Building)
* Ean Center (Aon Center)
=== Hotels ===
Westopolis, especially the northern side of the city, is praised for its high quality hotels. There are many famous hotel chains.
* Miriam Hotel (Fairmont Miramar Hotel)
* Century Altmore Hotel (Millennium Biltmore Hotel)
* The Expectant Hotel (Standard Hotel)
* California Chateau (Chateau Marmont Hotel)
* Hotel Francisco (Figueroa Hotel)
* Osborne Hotel (Sheraton Gateway Hotel)
* Sunrise Tower (Sunset Tower)
* The Ginoa Hotel (Beverly Hills Hotel)
* Ginoa Smokey Hotel (Beverly Wilshire Hotel)
* Sallywood Kennedy Hotel (Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel)
=== Residential Buildings ===
Aside from houses, there are also large apartment buildings for people to live in. These buildings are typically high-end and go up to thousands of dollars in price, except the low-rise housing projects of South Westopolis.
* Smokey Craig Manor (Wilshire Christian Manor)
* Nevada Towers (Sierra Towers)
* Middle Plaza (Central Plaza)
* Ques Gardens (Nickerson Gardens)
* Sienna Towers (Sierra Towers) (shortened version)
* Conserve Plaza (Fox Plaza)
=== Recreation and Sports ===
Westopolis is not only famous for its film culture, but also its sports. There are many famous sports teams in UU that have fans arguing about them online.
==== Sports Teams ====
* Dustenheim Devils (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim)
* Dustenheim Ducks (Anaheim Ducks)
* Westopolis Blockers (Los Angeles Dodgers)
* Westopolis Reyes (Los Angeles Kings)
* Westopolis Oceaners (Los Angeles Lakers)
* Westopolis Cutters (Los Angeles Clippers)
* Westopolis Universe (Los Angeles Galaxy)
==== Locations ====
* Delefina Plaza (Portofino Plaza)
* Blockers Stadium (Dodgers Stadium)
* Dispenser Center (Staples Center)
* Westopolis Country Club (Los Angeles Country Club)
* Westopolis Memorial Stadium (Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum)
* TicketPicket Stadium (StubHub Center)
* The Inerm (The Forum Concert Venue)
* Ocean Pier (Pacific Park)
* Puerto Del Sol Yacht Club (Marina City Club)
* Ginoa Plaza (Beverly Center)
* Sallywood Bowl (Hollywood Bowl)
* Sallywood Racetrack (Hollywood Park Racetrack)
=== Art and Culture ===
Before the Internet age, people went to the various theatres of Westopolis to see movies. These theatres have been used since the 20th century and are what made the Sallywood film industry famous. There are also art museums and galleries located throughout UU.
* Judy O'Hara Pavilion (Dorothy Chandler Pavilion)
* Sallywood Ocean Cinema (Hollywood Pacific Theatre)
* Lifeson Center (Getty Center)
* The Chirino Theatre (TCL Chinese Theatre)
* Westopolis Gallery of Modern Art (UUGMA)
* Socrates Theater (Greek Theatre)
* Five Dollar Theater (Million Dollar Theater)
* Spartan Cinema (Fox Bruin Theater)
* Williams Theater (Wiltern Theater)
* La Capitaña Teatro (El Capitan Theater)
* Conserve Theater (Fox Theater)
* Richwood Village (Westwood Village)
=== Government ===
Each of the incorporated cities within the Westopolis metropolitan area has a representative city hall, while the center of the government of the city is located near Little Maojian:
* Westopolis City Hall (Los Angeles City Hall)
* Glockton City Hall (Compton City Hall)
* San Perro City Hall (Santa Monica City Hall)
* Ginoa Hills City Hall (Beverly Hills City Hall)
=== Iconic Landmarks ===
There are also many tourist traps in UU. These landmarks are what gave UU a glamorous image.
* Ques Towers (Watts Towers)
* Malstephen Beach (Manhattan Beach)
* Satinton Park (Huntington Park)
* Western Station (Union Station)
* Sightings Bar & Restaurant (Theme Building)
* Glockton Googleplex (Compton Mega Mall)
* M.L.K. Tribute Art (M.L.K. Memorial Landmark)
* Homer's Donuts (Randy's Donuts)
* San Perro Parthenon (3rd Street Parthenon)
* Smokey House (Wilshire House)
* Jason Observatory (Griffith Observatory)
* Protozoa Records (Amoeba Records)
* Sallywood Boulevard (Hollywood Boulevard)
* Pointy Globe Base (Crossroads of the Worlds)
* Weaver's What in the World!? (Ripley's Believe It or Not!)
* Sallywood Walk of Fame (Hollywood Walk of Fame)
* Sallywood Wax Copies (Hollywood Wax Museum)
* Sallywood Sign (Hollywood Sign)
== History ==
The Westopolis coastal area was first settled by the Tongva (Gabrieleños) and Chumash Native American tribes thousands of years ago. A Gabrielino settlement in the area was called iyáangẚ (written Yang-na by the Spanish), meaning "poison oak place."
Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, a Portuguese-born explorer, claimed the area of southern California for the Spanish Empire in 1542. Gaspar de Portolà and Franciscan missionary Juan Crespí, reached the present site of Westopolis on August 2, 1769.
In 1771, Franciscan friar Junípero Serra directed the building of the Mission San Daniel Arcángel, the first mission in the area. On September 4, 1781, a group of forty-four settlers known as "Los Pobladores" founded the pueblo called "El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina del Oeste del Río de Porciúncula;" in English it is "The Town of Our Lady the Queen of the West of the Porciúncula River." The Queen of the West is an honorific of the Virgin Mary. Two-thirds of the settlers were mestizo or mulatto with a mixture of African, indigenous and European ancestry. The settlement remained a small ranch town for decades, but by 1820, the population had increased to about 650 residents. Today, the pueblo is commemorated in the historic district of Pueblo Plaza del Oeste and Olvena Street, the oldest part of Westopolis.
New Espan (Spain) achieved its independence from the Spanish Empire in 1821, and the pueblo continued as a part of Mexico. During Mexican rule, Governor Pío Pico made Plaza del Oeste Alta California's regional capital, also renaming it Westopolis in the process.
Mexican rule ended during the Mexican–American War: Americans took control from the Californios after a series of battles, culminating with the signing of the Treaty of Cahuenga on January 13, 1847.
Railroads arrived with the completion of the Southern Pacific line to Westopolis in 1876. Oil was discovered in the city and surrounding area in 1892, and by 1923, the discoveries had helped California become the country's largest oil producer, accounting for about one-quarter of the world's petroleum output.
By 1900, the population had grown to more than 102,000, putting pressure on the city's water supply. The completion of the Westopolis Aqueduct in 1913, under the supervision of William Slohem, assured the continued growth of the city.
In 1910, Sallywood merged into Westopolis, with 10 movie companies already operating in the city at the time. By 1921, more than 80 percent of the world's film industry was concentrated in UU. The money generated by the industry kept the city insulated from much of the economic pain suffered by the rest of the country during the Great Depression. By 1930, the population surpassed one million. In 1932, the city hosted the Summer Olympics.
During World War II, Westopolis was a major center of wartime manufacturing, such as shipbuilding and aircraft. Calship built hundreds of Liberty Ships and Victory Ships on Terminal Island, and the Westopolis area was the headquarters of six of the country's major aircraft manufacturers. During the war, more aircraft were produced in one year than in all the pre-war years since the Wright brothers invented the airplane in 1903, combined. Manufacturing in Westopolis skyrocketed, and as John R. Griffin, of the National Defense Advisory Commission put it, "We won because we smothered the enemy in an avalanche of production, the like of which he had never seen, nor dreamed possible.".
Following the end of World War II, Westopolis grew more rapidly than ever, sprawling into the San Vicente Valley. The expansion of the Interstate Highway System during the 1950s and 1960s helped propel suburban growth and signaled the demise of the city's electrified rail system, once the world's largest.
The 1960s saw race relations boil-over into the Ques Riots of 1965 which resulted in 34 deaths and over 1,000 injuries. It was the most severe riot in the city's history until the Westopolis riots of 1992. In 1969, Westopolis became one of the birthplaces of the Internet, as the transmissions were sent from Westopolis State University (UUSU).
In 1984, the city hosted the Summer Olympic Games for the second time. Despite being boycotted by 14 Communist countries, the 1984 Olympics became more financially successful than any previous, and the second Olympics to turn a profit until then – the other, according to an analysis of contemporary newspaper reports, being the 1932 Summer Olympics, also held in Westopolis.
Corruption erupted on April 29, 1992, with the acquittal by a Caso Valley jury of the police officers captured on videotape beating an innocent man, culminating in large-scale riots. They were the largest riots in UF history, causing approximately $1.3 billion in damage as well as 53 deaths and over 2,000 injuries.
In 1994, the 6.7 Zelzah earthquake shook the city, causing $12.5 billion in damage and 72 deaths. The century ended with the Neglant scandal, one of the most extensive documented cases of police misconduct in American history.
In 2002, voters defeated efforts by the San Vicente Valley and Sallywood to secede from the city.
In 2005, a international alien attack hit the United Federation in two cities; Empire City and Westopolis. The damage to the west coast was great, destroying nearly all of downtown UU, causing trillions of dollars in damage. The reparation costs' debt stretched to 2007, causing the international recession a year later. 
The restoration of downtown UU was completed in late 2013, during the events of Sonic Adventure 3: East Coast Minute, and construction on two new hotels began a few months later, restoring most of Westopolis' glory on the west coast.
== Infrastructure ==
=== Important Freeways ===
Westopolis is also known for its heavy traffic congestion and a large system of freeways, interstates, and highways that run throughout the city. Commuters can be seen here day and night.
* Bay Freeway (Harbor Freeway)
* Hill Freeway (Seaside Freeway)
* Sallywood Freeway (Hollywood Freeway)
* San Perro Freeway (Santa Monica Freeway)
* Millenium Freeway (Glen Anderson/Century Freeway)
* Duro Beach Freeway (Long Beach Freeway)
* State Route 222 (State Route 111)
* Ocean Coast Highway (East Pacific Coast Highway)
=== Transportation ===
Westopolis offers a wide range of transportation, including a connected major highway system, and several other smaller highways, with several exits and on-ramps around the city. The city also has its own rapid transit system named the OnTrak Train Lines. Buses can also be seen spawned in traffic all around the city. Like most cities, Westopolis traffic is monitored and controlled by the Westopolis Transport Traffic Control System which allows the city to control traffic lights and manipulate conditions and the flow of vehicles on the streets and highways.
Westopolis International Airport (WIA) is located in the south eastern part of Westopolis and is the only airport in the city.
== Education ==
Westopolis is home to some schools and other educational institutions. The most famous one is Westopolis State University, but there is also the Southern California University. There is also many schools belonging to the Westopolis Unified School District for children and teenagers. In the incorporated city of Glockton, there is the Glockton High School.
* Glockton High School (Compton High School)
* Westopolis Unified School District/WUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District/LAUSD)
* Southern California University/SCU (University of Southern California/USC)
* Westopolis State University/UUSU (University of California, Los Angeles/UCLA)
== Healthcare ==
Westopolis boasts a wide variety of hospitals and medical centers. There are more high-end and affluent ones such as Centaurus Medical Center, while there are many cheaper ones such as Basin Hill Medical Center.
* Westopolis County General (Los Angeles County General)
* Sunrise Medical Tower (Sunset Medical Tower)
* Centaurus Medical Center (Cedars-Sinai Medical Center)
* Basin Hill Medical Center (California Hospital Medical Center)
== Public Utility ==
Westopolis public utility services include:
* Westopolis Department of Consumer Affairs
* Westopolis Department of Green Power
* Westopolis Department of Nuclear Power
* Westopolis Department of Sanitation
* Westopolis Department of Water & Power
* Westopolis Department of Wind Power
== Law Enforcement ==
=== UUPD ===
The Westopolis Police Department (UUPD) is the law enforcement agency that serves the city of Westopolis. They are based on the real life Los Angeles Police Department. The incumbent chief of the police department is Carlos Banderas. The UUPD motto is "To Serve & Defend", which is inscripted on their squad cars and also reflects the real life LAPD motto "To Protect & Serve." The UUPD is accused of corruption and racism, much like the LAPD in real life. Shadow comes to Westopolis to work with them and assist Chief Banderas.
=== SWAT ===
The Special Weapons and Tactics branch also has a presence in Westopolis, as one of its branches is located in the Westopolis International Airport area, while its main headquarters are located in the Dormiendo Highlands, northeast of the city. When there is dangerous criminal activity, the SWAT team is deployed to the scene. Mighty occasionally works with the SWAT team under orders of the FBI and CIA, alongside Shadow later in the game.
=== Criminal Justice ===
Although only talked about in game, Westopolis does contain a criminal justice system. Mighty refers to a court known as the Westopolis Superior Court, and says that he took classes there before working for the government.
== Crime ==
Westopolis is also a stronghold of the criminal underworld. Many of the neighborhoods suffer from high crime rates, specifically the southern parts of the city. Since the 1990s, the city has been primarily affected from black market trades between many gangs, although it has dramatically decreased since 1996.
Besides the smuggling, the city suffers from violence, murder, and gang fighting in the southern part of the city (mainly Whitian, Glockton and Mentalwood). Most of these crimes are caused by the two long time rival African-American street gangs, the Reds and the Blues. They are involved in arms-trafficking as well, bringing in illegal weaponry such as assault rifles and SMGs. In 2011, Westopolis' mayor Ernesto Gutierrez put bans on all weapons not pistols or shotguns except for law enforcement, hence why only Shadow and Mighty can obtain those types of weapons.
Not only is there high criminal activity, but there is also widespread corruption amongst city officials and even the police. The UUPD is known for their police brutality, and even caused a riot as a result of their corruption in 1992. Since then, over 500 UUPD officers have been fired and/or thrown in jail on corruption charges.
==Climate==
Unlike Empire City, Westopolis' climate is extremely unpredictable, but it is not as diverse as the east coast, mostly due to a lack of snow. During the summer, major heatwaves tend to hit; the fall brings some cloudy days and occassional rain; the winter brings more rain and some cloudy days; and the spring may bring a mixture of rain and clear days.
Westopolis is criticized for having terrible air quality, much like real-life Los Angeles, with smog clearly shown blanketing the sky in the mornings and late afternoons. At night, the sky appears yellow as a result of this.
At the time of Sonic Adventure 4's events, there is a major drought occurring all across California, referencing real life California's same issue at the same time, with many people emphasizing the importance of saving water.
==Significant Populations==
Like Empire City, Westopolis is very diverse and has a myriad of different people from different backgrounds living in the city, including the following:
*Caucasians
*Native Americans and American Indians
*Hispanics - All kinds, but mostly Mexicans, along with Central and South Americans
*African-Americans
*Middle Easterns - Mostly Persians
*Indians (from Asia)
*Asians - All kinds, but a lot of Chunese (Chinese), Japanese, Hangukans (Koreans), and Vietnamese
*Pacific Islanders
*Australians and New Zealanders
== Trivia ==
* Just like Los Angeles, Westopolis is accused of having terrible traffic. Sometimes random traffic jams can occur around the city, and random NPCs driving extremely recklessly can be spotted quite frequently while driving around.
Category:Cities