how to develope a metropolis?

[twistid 0]

ok, ive been playing for a few days now... games pretty darned addicting... and i read up alot on gamefaqs dot com so i learned quite a few things... 

i can get my citys running great, with much positive cash flow... and i have mayby 5-6 cities already in my region (timbukto) with most connected... 

with the main city i have a population of around 160,000 ... i have great education and health, and for the most part, the green, blue and yellow bars stay in the negatives of what needs to be built... so its self sustaining... but how do i get more population in? ive already built nearly everything there is! i have like 4-5 of the most expensive landmarks... international airport, almost all the bonuses, the bonus universities and schools and libraries... but i cant break the 160k mark ... i have everything zoned the highest it can go, high density res, high density com, and high density industry...

im trying to force out dirty and manufacturing so i can score with high tech by taxing them a great deal (almost 20%) but high tech just wont move in! i have a few high tech buildings, but its still mostly dirty and manufacturing... i want a highrise metropolis like new york ...  how do i up the population?

[RL3AO 0]

Someone with more experince will be able to help you with some suggestions, but you wont get anything to move it at 20 percent. Try 10.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Taxes will help.  Set your I-D to (9.0 + 0.2 * age of city in years) or 20% whichever is less.  Do the same thing on I-M except the factor is 0.1.

This will jack up your net income and help drive the I-D and i-M out.  The i-HT will only build in a reas that have the same conditions as CO§§§.  Especially, no pollution, parks, etc.  If you have a water pollution problem put down a water treatment plant.  For air pollution, the standard thing in the game is to plant lots of mayor-mode trees.  You can also fine an air purifying plant on the STEX.

Landmarks and airports only break the commercial demand cap.  To break the residential demand caps you need lots of general amenities:  parks, sports fields, fire stations, police stations, schools, water system.

EDIT: and hospitals.

[twistid 0]

i have many many hospitals and other anemitiies.... what are STEX? where can i find STEX?

[dadyrghluv 8]

STEX stands for simtropolis exchange, where u can download a plethora of good stuff. if u look at the top of the tabs, it says ST-EXchange. this is where u wanna go. i also suggest downl9oading the NAM(network add-on modd) for your cities, u can find it at the top in the modds and downloads section. the most recent version i believe is january of '07