Cities : Skylines

[Stokowski]

I always used Mod Tools, but the new CSL Show More Limits is now much easier to use.

One thousand brofists upon your house, and may your daughters never be mistaken for camels.

 

[Perkel]

 

[Caim]

Double rails for trains? About time.

 

[Turjan]

Double rails for trains? About time.

Have there ever been any other than that? Anyway, there's new textures now, yay. Even for elevated rails, like in the new Alexanderplatz station.

 

[Turjan]

They actually increased the building limits! Who would have thought.

Patch notes for 1.2.2-f2

• Zone limit increased 50%
• Building limit increased 50%
• Road segment limit increased 12,5%
• Fixed some issues when loading saves with missing assets.
• Commercial specializations exposed in the Asset Editor for DLC owners
• Fixed an issue where pre-DLC vehicles would fail to load in the Asset Editor
• AfterDark badge added on top of assets thumbnails in the Template selector of the asset editor which uses AfterDark only features
• Content Manager also disable the asset using DLC feature which wont work in the base game and offer a link to the DLC store page
• Fixed Tropical and European cliff textures showing disgusting lines
• After Dark expansion: Text: UI: The mouse over text of the Specializations income is incorrect.
• After Dark expansion: LOC: RUS: Asset Editor: The "Day/Night Control" text is cut off.
• After Dark expansion: Text: Menu: Incorrect mouse over tooltip text for Prisoners and Cyclists in the City Statistics menu.
• Fixed tree lod shadow clipping with tall trees
• Fixed bikes coming out of the plane at airports
• Updated the storage method for Paradox account credentials
• Fixed the day/night control slider label position in Map and Asset editor
  

That means I can finally go back to my first city now.​

 

[Caim]

What does that even mean, building limits? How much buildings you can have? ANd how does that work with the roads and the zones?

 

[Turjan]

What does that even mean, building limits? How much buildings you can have? ANd how does that work with the roads and the zones?

The game has several coded limits after which you cannot add anything of that type to a map. Sometimes, there's another, slightly lower limit, where you cannot add anything anymore but the game can (like the building limit, where the game can still grow zoned buildings for a short while after you can't do anything anymore).

The limits that trigger the "cannot build any more objects of this type" message were until today:

Building limit > 32256, if map > 8192
District limit >= 127
Node limit or segment limit > 32256; if map 16384
Lane limit > 258048 ; if map 131072.
Prop limit >65531; if map >50000
Transport line limit >= 251
Tree limitt >=250000 ; if game 262139
Zone block limit >= 32256; if map >= 16384

There are also other limits, like vehicle limits (16k), that don't trigger the message but can also be crippling.

Many of the limits are never reached, like the lane limit, although there's a buggy mod around that adds phantom lanes and triggers that limit (those can be removed with another mod). The tree limit is easily reached, but can also be quadrupled with a mod that is unlikely to break (trees don't tie into anything game-relevant). Prop limits are user-placed props, and that isn't even implemented in the game (can be done with a mod though). For district and transport line limits you have to try, although it has happened to a few people.

A few users have hit the segment limit, but you have to use a very dense network of roads or water pipes. All roads or pipes are broken into segments. You can actually look for yourself what everything is with a mod like "Show More Limits". Just have the mod on, build something and watch the readout. Node numbers are always slightly lower than segment numbers, because water pipes have only nodes where they are branching or at the ends, unlike roads, which have nodes between all segments.

The building limit is the easiest to hit. I hit it the first time after building up roughly 13 tiles (nearly everyone uses 25). Buildings are all service buildings, unique buildings, parks and buildings that grow in zoned areas, but also things like pillars of elevated roads and train tracks or the invisible thing that spawns seagulls. I had wished for doubling the limit, but 50% should be fine. I don't think I will ever fill the 25 tiles so that they look like a square, something that happened when I was done with the vanilla 9 tiles.

Agent numbers have unfortunately not been increased, as that is what bogs the game down already now.

 

[Turjan]

Tracks and station over road are live:



Now only the wires are out of place, but I guess that's only a question of time.

 

[Fart Master]

so I'm getting a new PC, is this game worth buying for 15 euro bucks if you loved Simcity 4? Is it a worthy successor?

 

[Caim]

so I'm getting a new PC, is this game worth buying for 15 euro bucks if you loved Simcity 4? Is it a worthy successor?

Cities: Skylines is more of Sim City game that the latest Sim City game by EA is. It's very familiar if you played Sim City 4, but there are far more options available to build your city. You won't be building entire regions like in Sim City 4, but you'll have a ton of fun building a single city in this game. Do note that you have to unlock objects as you play through: for every X number of people living in your city you get access to new objects, zones and ways to manage your city. So no starting with high rise apartments and nuclear reactors.

Unfortunately there is no build-in terrain editor for when you're playing, so you gotta row with the oars that you have. And while you can manage water a bit via dams and your sewage pipes, be careful about where you place things lest your entire city drowns in shit.

But if you loved Sim City 4 and can get this game for 15 bucks, sure!

 

[Fart Master]

yeah that was the impression I got myself. Can't wait to play, been itching for an actual good builder for ages. I'd just play simcity4 but it runs like shit on anything above 1 core

 

[Turjan]

Do note that you have to unlock objects as you play through: for every X number of people living in your city you get access to new objects, zones and ways to manage your city. So no starting with high rise apartments and nuclear reactors.

The game already comes with a mod to change that when you download it.

Unfortunately there is no build-in terrain editor for when you're playing, so you gotta row with the oars that you have. And while you can manage water a bit via dams and your sewage pipes, be careful about where you place things lest your entire city drowns in shit.

There's mods for both of this, too. Playing with water is actually more fun than it looks at first glimpse.

I downloaded this map:

Spoiler

It looked like this after a while:

I have since reworked it a bit more. All in-game.

A bit of water in the background makes things look a bit more varied:

 

[Night Goat]

I've been playing this game and learning as I go. Some things I'm wondering: is there any reason to build low-density commercial and residential zones after the high-density ones become available? And is there a reason to diversify my industries, or should I just keep building oil stuff because it appears to be the most profitable?

 

[cw8]

I've been playing this game and learning as I go. Some things I'm wondering: is there any reason to build low-density commercial and residential zones after the high-density ones become available? And is there a reason to diversify my industries, or should I just keep building oil stuff because it appears to be the most profitable?

Low density commercial and residential for suburban areas feel more realistic? Low wealth low density residential for slum-like areas and high wealth low density residentials for bungalows and such. I diversify my industries, and keep them away from my residential and commercial areas. I particularly like farms but too bad there aren't big farm fields like in Simcity 4. I don't really play for profit and money. I build the city I wanna build.

 

[Turjan]

Yup, there isn't really a strict necessity for anything.
People in low-density residential areas are richer (on level per level basis) than those in high-density buildings. It's also the place where children grow up, which isn't strictly necessary, as new residents can also move into the city instead of just being raised in the city.
Low-density commercial is more acceptable in residential areas, as far as noise and resulting sickness goes.

I wouldn't stick to specialized industries (like oil) only. As soon as the oil runs out (20 to 30 minutes real-time or so), all oil has to be imported and traffic gets very heavy, with associated infrastructure needs and traffic issues. Specialized industries don't level up. In contrast, fully upgraded generic industry (level 3) doesn't produce much pollution outside of a tiny radius, employs lots of well-educated people and is the single most profitable thing in the game. It produces the goods your commercial areas need. It's nice to have at least some forest and agricultural industries in town, to keep traffic to manageable levels. Agricultural areas also don't drag down land value, and you can have them next to your fanciest neighborhoods.

 

[Night Goat]

Holy fuck, this game is addictive. I should've been in bed a long time ago.

 

[Angthoron]

What kind of arrangements do you guys have between industrial and commercial zones? Either I'm failing at planning, or one of the traffic AI mods fucked things up, but basically it's a constant congestion whatever I do at the moment, and I've never quite seen it get this bad.

 

[Alienman]

I had to give up myself. The traffic problems turned the game from enjoyable to I'm-going-to-have-an-heart-attack for me.

 

[Angthoron]

Funny enough, when I was just having things in a "Whatever, they'll sort themselves out" way, the congestions were only moderately bad. Turning off some traffic lights helped. Then I figured to try to optimize and oh boy.

 

[Alienman]

Just like a real life politician meddling

 

[Turjan]

My experiences with Traffic++ and similar programs have been mixed. Usually, you can help a situation for a short moment, but I have the feeling that the game then adjusts and makes all changes for naught. I just use different roads to deal with this nowadays.

Regarding arrangements, I cannot say that I follow a specific route. I just fiddle around with traffic until it works.

 

[Hobbit Lord of Mordor_]

So...
#1 is there any easy way to tone down the night-time?

Sure it adds to the game mechanics (so wouldn't want it disabled), but if you can't see WTF you're doing half the time it feels stupid

Saw a few mods, that adjust some colors and add a glow around your cursor, but that only goes 5% of the way

#2 are there any mods for random events, like disasters (earthquake/tornado) but maybe more than just that? Thinking major accident which blocks off a main artery, nuclear meltdown, economic recession, crime wave, anything that disturbs the equilibrium. Tsunami would be cool destroying your seafront, disabling power stations and mixing garbage and pollution into the water supply

At the moment it doesn't feel dynamic enough. It is 100% simulation (mechanically responds to inputs) and 0% game, 80/20 would be better

Mod scene seems heavily tilted toward aesthetics, and changing the scale of content, or I'm not looking in the right place (Steam workshop)

 

[Hobbit Lord of Mordor_]

Also any mods that go into more detail on the economics? Remember SC4 I think broke down your manufacturing into electronics, chemicals, etc.

Dynamics involving neighboring regions (even tho they don't exist / can't see them) would add to gameplay, like you could be a dormitory city, tourist attraction or have industrial workers commute in from off-map. Have kind of set that up within my region (created separate cities to make people commute) but it's zero-sum and pointless. Needs some external stimulus which could be completely random

Built-in tourism seems very basic, tho my city might not be developed enough

 

[Turjan]

SC4 had dirty, manufacturing and high-tech industries, in medium and high density variants. Low density was agriculture. Economic recessions etc. sound more like Tropico. Anyway, here you just have the four specialized industries that never upgrade and the three tier generic one, and that's it. Tourism is indeed still very basic, even though that was a main point of the extension.

Regarding disasters as disturbance of the normal flow, that sounds again like Tropico. There, the disasters were all pretty minor (your tsunami destroyed maybe 4 buildings), so you could have that during game flow. In SC4, I only know that people used that for some fun after saving the game for the last time that day, and usually you just reloaded a savegame from before. You can make awesome tsunamis in Cities Skylines, however, they are also awesomely destructive.

I have pretty great spots for waterfalls on my current map:

However, this game has real water physics, so I went for a less impressive solution. See that wave?

You can see the resistance of houses to the flow:

This will pretty much first destroy much of your city:

Note how the ground texture changes with the water level change.

Keep in mind that even the remaining parts of the city will abandon if they are not completely self-reliant, and as many services rely on being accessible from everywhere, the city is pretty much toast at this point, even the parts that aren't flooded.

I used this test to decide on where to put the gate of the "old town":

However, due to lack of garbage pickup and no goods for the stores anymore, this part didn't really survive either.

For some reason, the land value didn't keep up with the times. So, yeah, you certainly can disrupt your city somewhat in this game, if you want.

 

[Hobbit Lord of Mordor_]

SC4 had dirty, manufacturing and high-tech industries, in medium and high density variants. Low density was agriculture. Economic recessions etc. sound more like Tropico. Anyway, here you just have the four specialized industries that never upgrade and the three tier generic one, and that's it. Tourism is indeed still very basic, even though that was a main point of the extension.

Regarding disasters as disturbance of the normal flow, that sounds again like Tropico. There, the disasters were all pretty minor (your tsunami destroyed maybe 4 buildings), so you could have that during game flow. In SC4, I only know that people used that for some fun after saving the game for the last time that day, and usually you just reloaded a savegame from before. You can make awesome tsunamis in Cities Skylines, however, they are also awesomely destructive.

I have pretty great spots for waterfalls on my current map:

However, this game has real water physics, so I went for a less impressive solution. See that wave?

You can see the resistance of houses to the flow:

This will pretty much first destroy much of your city:

Note how the ground texture changes with the water level change.

Keep in mind that even the remaining parts of the city will abandon if they are not completely self-reliant, and as many services rely on being accessible from everywhere, the city is pretty much toast at this point, even the parts that aren't flooded.

I used this test to decide on where to put the gate of the "old town":

However, due to lack of garbage pickup and no goods for the stores anymore, this part didn't really survive either.

For some reason, the land value didn't keep up with the times. So, yeah, you certainly can disrupt your city somewhat in this game, if you want.

Sure and all very interesting but manually deciding when to have a disaster defeats the purpose. I want them to be random, so that they are challenges not the equivalent of a kid destroying his sandcastle