My first city... how bad is it?

[P-Dolo 0]

OK well first let me say that this not RH. As referenced in this thread , this game was given to me but I'll be getting RH very soon (maybe today if I decide to get off my butt). Anyway, so far I have a population just under 50k and I'm still on only one city @ 285 years. Any input on what I've done wrong so far and what I can do to improve will be appreciated. Thanks.

Here are my screens:

Topview of my city. As you can see I built a big circle of a highway. That's because I couldn't get the freakin clover leave to work. You can also see that I have quite a few gaps. I left that open because I originally left space for a rail or more highways or something, but now I'm starting to just fill it in.



Here are my zoned areas. I think I'm a little scattered. I think my biggest goof may have been putting my power supplies on the opposite side of the map as my industrial areas.



My traffic. Every time I see a red area I just pave it. Now the paved areas are turning red. I don't know if this is bad yet.



My groovy subway system (that isn't working very well).



Is this much pollution fine or is it getting bad?



The rest of this stuff is the police/fire/health/school coverage:

As you can see, I have about 15 fire stations.

4 big hospitals and 2 small.

Mostly elementary schools, with a few high schools, city colleges, libraries, and a university.

[____----____ 37]

seems kinda random as far as the zoning is concerned maybe try grouping similar zoning types

together ie industry away from res and try integrating mass transit between the two since that

will be where the sims will want to go.

 

nice start otherwise, p.m me with questions and good luck

 

 

ALek

[Amryai200 2]

it's not as bad as you think, the main thing you should do is not use the default roads they zone for you, make your own otherwise your city is pretty good.

[Nardo69 51]

Some hints:

1. Try to replace these coal power plants with a nuclear one. (but then save often!!!!!!!!)

2. Build neighbour cities and connect them with all possibilites (highway, road, rail) to your cities. This will kick in some inhabitants too and you can divert the functions (res, com, industrial) to different towns.

3. Build landmarks. They also increase demand and give you town a special touch if you put them on the right place (whatever this means ...)

4. Get RH asap so you have T-intersections (way easier to handle than the cloverleaves) and all those wonderful stof from the stex you see in other cj

5. Keep on playing and find your own style. Get inspiration but never loose your own way of doing by simply copy and paste

6. And finally: Have fun!

Nardo

[Mickebear 2]

Welcome to Simtropolis, P-Dolo.

 

I think you have a nice city there, considering especially that you don't have RH and what comes with it. I have a suggestion for your metro / subway system: you can see in POLLUTION graphics that there is a road/avenue that is used a lot. You might want to place subway line along this road/avenue - not only will it reduce pollution, but also road congestion diminishes, and property values rise.

 

You do have a problem with pollution. If you can afford, consider another kinds of power plants to reduce pollution, also maybe check the ordinances.

 

Cheers,

 

Mickebear

[P-Dolo 0]

So what should I do when I zone an area? Doze the default roads and rezone over them?

[Casper3141 60]

No no no When you zone If you hold shift it wont add any default roads, leaving you free to add in roads and streets and design your cities the way you want

[Orwell1984 0]

I like what's going on with your city, it looks like it has a lot of potential. Here are some things I might change if I inherited it:

-Along the southern border (the bottom of the screenshots you showed us) it looks like you have a long strip of commercial zones that aren't doing a whole lot. In the northeastern corner you've got what looks like a promising downtown/business district. I would de-zone some of the commercial zones from the south to the northeast and add some residential zones in the south to make up for what you would lose expanding the business district. The way you have small sections of commercial zones amonst your residential areas is a nice touch and probably one of the reasons your traffic levels are so low.

 

-Your traffic seems fine--a little red is nothing to be too concerned about. It seems like you probably have more highway than you really need and you could demolish some of it for more zoning space. Your subway system seems more than adequate, so there's really no reason for the full highway loop.

 

-I really like how you still have some empty space near the center of your map, but you could be making this space work for you more. Try filling some of it with trees and parks. In the southeastern corner there is a little upside-down T with a hospital in the center. This would be the perfect spot for a city park; it would provide a nice buffer between your coastal industrial area and the residential zones in the middle of the map.

 

-Although I know a lot of people avoid pollution in their cities at all costs, real cities inevitably have some pollution somewhere. The area of your map with the coal plants is definately a slum, but I think it gives your city a lot of character. The only think I would watch out for is the garbage situation--it piles up fast and is hard to get rid of later.

 

Some of these things may change if and when you get RH, but overall I really like the city thusfar.

 

Good luck!

[P-Dolo 0]

Date: 6/21/2005 6:37:43 PM
Author: Casper3141
No no no When you zone If you hold shift it wont add any default roads, leaving you free to add in roads and streets and design your cities the way you want

quote>
Oh thanks, I'm such an idiot I didn't know that.

Date: 6/21/2005 7:24:58 PM
Author: Orwell1984

-Along the southern border (the bottom of the screenshots you showed us) it looks like you have a long strip of commercial zones that aren't doing a whole lot. In the northeastern corner you've got what looks like a promising downtown/business district. I would de-zone some of the commercial zones from the south to the northeast and add some residential zones in the south to make up for what you would lose expanding the business district. The way you have small sections of commercial zones amonst your residential areas is a nice touch and probably one of the reasons your traffic levels are so low.

quote>
Actually the zones that concern me the most are the industrials in the southeast. I don't know why the are always turning up vacant. They are right next to the seaport and I've made it so that transporation/long commutes are not a problem in that area (I may have overdone it).

Date: 6/21/2005 7:24:58 PM
Author: Orwell1984

-Your traffic seems fine--a little red is nothing to be too concerned about. It seems like you probably have more highway than you really need and you could demolish some of it for more zoning space. Your subway system seems more than adequate, so there's really no reason for the full highway loop.

quote>
I think you are right. I think I'm gonna just tear down the whole north/south strip on the west side and instead just run both of those westbounds right off the map. I'll zone that area.

Date: 6/21/2005 7:24:58 PM
Author: Orwell1984
Although I know a lot of people avoid pollution in their cities at all costs, real cities inevitably have some pollution somewhere. The area of your map with the coal plants is definately a slum, but I think it gives your city a lot of character. The only think I would watch out for is the garbage situation--it piles up fast and is hard to get rid of later.

quote>
As far as the trash, I have 3 recylcling centers and all of the city ordinances that cut down on trash, so I'm slowing it down as much as I can. I think on the next city over, I'm gonna donate a large area for a big landfill.

Date: 6/21/2005 7:24:58 PM
Author: Orwell1984

Some of these things may change if and when you get RH, but overall I really like the city thusfar.

quote>

Good luck!

Speaking of RH, after I install it, what will or will anything happen to what all I have done so far?

Thanks for your help.

[MayorDeRock 1]

Nothing will happen to your existing cities except the abilty to improve them. You will have many more transportation options, many more landmarks, a U-drive it mode (drive, fly, boat through your city), and of course the ability to download lots, props, etc. from here! plus many more things.. for only $10 you can't beat it man

[P-Dolo 0]

Date: 6/21/2005 6:37:43 PM
Author: Casper3141
No no no When you zone If you hold shift it wont add any default roads, leaving you free to add in roads and streets and design your cities the way you want

quote>
This must be part of RH, it won't work for me.

[mrbisonm 1,622]

Welcome to ST.

 

I recommend to get the RH, you will enjoy much more the game and this site. Many mods here will help you build a better city.

[P-Dolo 0]

OK I just went out and bought RH. Sucks though I couldn't find the exp pack by itself so I had to buy the deluxe for $25. I'm installing now, I'll see how it goes.

[mentarman 14]

I can't see your pics anymore.... Maybe it's just me? Or maybe you should try hosting somewhere else. EDIT: they're back now....
Not a bad city.

[jacqulina 162]

no pics look forward to some

[Orwell1984 0]

I can't really tell what might be causing your industrial zone in the southeast to go vacant from the screenshots. I hope your got RH installed and running well. I'm really curious to find out what, if any, changes it will cause in your city. Maybe consider starting a City Journal? (My mistake--it already is one!)

[captain_cookie 0]

yes....get rush hour!! Hmm, I never clumped my industrial zones next to residential. Unless they were high-tech, then I wouldn't be so concerned. But dirty industry needs to stay away. Good luck!! Let the camels roll!

---cc

[Nik-nik 3]

OK I just went out and bought RH.  Sucks though I couldn't find the exp pack by itself so I had to buy the deluxe for $25.&nbsp.

quote>

I know the feeling. I had to find a copy of RH on the internet (no regular store sells it in Holland; at least where I live) and it costs me about 32 Euro (= 38 US$).

 

About your city. Check out your budget. You might have overdone a bit on the energy supply (with 3 coal plants for 47 K people) and you definetelly overdone the fire protection. I would use in such a city only 2 or 3 large fire stations and place them near industry areas.

Also the agricultural area in the middle of the map is nice but maybe redundant. I would suggest to replace it for residential high rises.

Experimenmt a little bit more and learn from other peoples CJ's here on Simtropolis and most important enjoy the game.

[P-Dolo 0]

Well after installing RH and returning to my city the things I noticed right away is the traffic got worse (more red) and now I'm having trouble doing anything with my highway. I'll probably have to tear the whole thing down and replace it.

[simzebu 20]

Take it from me, dont tear it all down. at least not all at once. if you do you will end up in debt very fast. Download the NAM and use the increaced capacity mods. Make some mass transit. I use the Road top mass transit in the Modding files section on the bar over there.
^<<<

[P-Dolo 0]

Well my traffic just kept getting worse. I put in several one-way streets and avenues, while tearing a few buildings down and rezoning several places in the process. After all that, it was a temporary fix but it just went bad again. Also many of my residential buildings keep getting abandoned because of long commute, even if they live right next to the highway with a bus stops and subway stations on both sides of the building, and there are several bus/subway stops all over the industry area. I had to build 2 more power plants, so the air is getting worse. I'm starting to think I should just scrap this city and start over. My population is up to about 70,000 now, but seems its at a standstill with the mess I've made.

[Kevin 101]

Egad! Those images aren't working... may I suggest a more reliable image host like IMGcity ?

[P-Dolo 0]

Yeah, it was doing that last night too. I think they are having problems or something. I'll prob upload the pics to imageshack.

[djrules5454 5]

Very nice for not having rush hour!

[jglei701 8]

I think you've got a pretty good start!  One thing I would suggest... you have some land that is unzoned... kind of a buffer zone... if you have the budget, you should place trees and or parks in that area to increase the desireablilty there.  I also would agree with others that you should look for a less polluting form of power and if you want your mass transit to work, then be logical about it: make your residential zones in one spot and your commercial/industial in another section and make the mass transit be the go-between.

[Jerebannus XVI 7]

Seems good so far, don't range yourself down. the only thing i think is not so good is the zoning, you could start by maybe having a CBD with some landmarks, some bus stops, Metro Stations and so on, then try zoning residential areas around your CBD (central Business District, A.K.A. Downtown) and add schools and hospitals. to avoid so much pollution near your residential areas try moving your industrial areas away from the residential ones, that way your buildings won't go derelict and your pop will hopefully start growing (for further improvements i strongly recommend that you buy RushHour) if you have any questions send me a private message or an email @ painlessdamage@hotmail.co.uk  good luck.

 

[Superchan 23]

looks good, i would recommend building cleaner powerplants, and some cleaner garbage handling facilitys like recyclying center, or export trash to a neighbor, and demolish roads with in 3 tiles of the land fill and dezone unused space, also more mass transit would help, if you do that and remove polluting industries and buidlings, also build more schoold to attract more high tech industries and more hostpitals to increase health.

 

EDIT: i would recommend deluxe police stations instead of small police stations, and large fire stations instead of small fire stations.

[P-Dolo 0]

What type of plants do you guys suggest? I now have 3 coal and 2 natural gas. I can't get a nuclear plant yet.

[Superchan 23]

consider replacing your coal power plants with oil, oil is more expensive but burns a bit cleaner, and produces a bit more power, you have 3 coal and 2 natural gas

that is 6000 x 3 =18000

and 3000 x 2 = 4000

 

18000+4000 = 22000Mw power at normal funding

 

if you have a large income than you could probably replace your natural gas power plants with solar power plants

 

here is a chart of options

 

Coal = 6000mw cost $250 a month hazardous pollution

Oil = 7000mw cost $600 a month very high pollution

Natural Gas = 3000mw cost $400 a month medium pollution

Solar Power = 5000mw cost $1000 a month no pollution

Wind Power = 200mw cost $250 a month no pollution

 

BE CAREFULL WHICH OPTION YOU CHOSSE

 

EDIT: is it possible for you to post your city for dowload somewhere

 

 

[P-Dolo 0]

I'm sure I could...