How do you zone for 4x4s?

[zwr100 2]

The tallest growable res/com buildings are 4X4s correct?  That in mind I was trying to decide how to place the zones.

If I already have a big city with lots of demand I can place a 4x4 commercial zone and it will just grow.  However, if I'm just starting out and I want to place 4x4s with those big buildings in mind they don't like to develop as much as smaller zones.

Growth is weak if I place zones as follows;

r = road. 
>,<,v,^ = zoned tile, and I realize all the zoned tiles don't actually have arrows, just the ones right next to the road.

rrrrrrrrrrrrrr
r^^^^
r^^^^
r^^^^
r^^^^
r<<<<>>>>r
r<<<<>>>>r
r<<<<>>>>r
r<<<<>>>>r
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr 

(There are 12 tiles that are in the 4th spaces from the road)




If I place my zones as follows will they suffer less slow growth.  But will they still have the potential to become 4x4s?

rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
r ^ ^ ^ ^
r ^ ^ ^ ^
r ^ ^ ^ ^
r <<<<
r <<<< >> > > r
r v v v v v v v v  r
r v v v v v v v v  r
r v v v v v v v v  r
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

As you can see, there's still enough space for 3 4x4s but only 3 of the tiles are 4 spaces from the road.  Since the zoned tiles are 3x4, 2x4, 3x8, and 1x4 does that prevent them from becoming 4x4s?

[Kahara 0]

Larger building, such as the 4x4 tile ones you mentioned wont grow unless there is demand for them. So your 4x4 zones are being given to low-wealth res/comm which I believe is 1 or 2 tiles across. (I dont know if I helped??? maybe screenshots would help...)

[zwr100 2]

I have no problem getting 3x3 high wealth buildings.  I can get 4 3x3 large $$$ buildings in a 6x6 block.  If I simply place a new 4x4 zone I can get a 4x4 building, but you can only fit 1 4x4 in a 6x6 block.


So now I want to build a new city with 2 or 3 4x4s in 8x8 blocks.  Obviously I have to get population, desirability, demand for them first.  If I start out laying down 4x4s they don't like to grow into anything at all, wheras 3xs grow explosively into 1x1s, 2x2s, 3x3s, etc.

So if I find other ways to fill my 8x8 blocks so that fewer of the tiles are facing a road 4 tiles away they should grow into something faster, but will they be able to convert into 4x4s if they weren't layed as 4x4s?

In other words, if I lay a 3x4 facing a road and a 1x4 facing a different road can they become a 4x4 eventually?

If I just place a 4x4 development is stunted.


(I use NAM, but no other cheats or addons.)

[The Arrowz 3]

In order to zone more than the pre-fixed sizes, use the control and alt keys.

Click and then hold control, then you can make a 4x4. Likewise, you can change the direction it's facing by using the alt key. Unfortunately for 4x4s, they often break down into smaller sizes, just like smaller sizes can sometimes build up into larger sizes depending on how many roads you have. But if you do 4x4s on an 8x8 block, it should work fine (unless it breaks down into 2x4). Good luck!

Oh I forgot, there are buildings more than 4x4 out there! Those you can download (from the STEX or other site). For example, bixel's residential towers can go from 3x8 to 5x19! Some commercial buildings are 6x2, etc...

[zwr100 2]

Maybe I should have started with some screenshots.  I don't have any available atm, so I'll try once more.

If you place a a 4x4 zone (all facing one direction) it might develop as 2 2x4s, but can later become a 4x4.

If you place a 2x4 facing one direction and a 2x4 facing the other direction (such that they make a 4x4, but are facing in 2 different directions) can they become a 4x4?

To get 4x4s do they HAVE to be layed out as a 4x4 zone all facing the same direction intially?

This is a 4x4 zone placed that could become a 4x4 building (but might become 2 2x4s first).

vvvv

vvvv

vvvv

vvvv

(road)

 Could this become a 4x4 building eventhough the lots are facing in different directions?

(road)

^^^^

^^^^

vvvv

vvvv 

(road)

[tungston 19]

I think that setup might result in a 4x4 building, but not very likely. There aren't that many default 4x4 lots, even less in the higher stages.

[Jezus53 18]

It does have the chance of becoming a 4x4 building, but like tungston said, it's not very likely. I usually have no problem building 4x4s if I lay it with 6 lots of 2x4 lots. Usually works out fine.

[masochist 111]

I can tell you that res zones that are facing different directions CAN, in fact, fuse together. It actually happens all the time for me: I'll have a long strip of four empty tiles between two parallel streets, so I'll zone two tiles of low-density Res. to face one street, and two tiles to face the opposite street. After a while, a mansion or two might appear that takes up all four tiles between the streets, but only faces one direction. It also happens that way on street corners.

I don't think it works if a zoned lot will get cut in half because of it. And I'm not sure if the same effect happens for high-res, either (just haven't done the research). But yes, two zones facing different directions can make a single large zone facing one direction.

[Kahara 0]

when you get enough demand when you zone the zones are automatically bigger, like 3x3

[zwr100 2]

Okay, so everyone seems to think that the direction the arrow are pointing when you lay the zones doesn't prevent them from becoming bigger buildings later.

It seems pretty obvious to me that zones develop faster if I place 2 strips of 2 back to back than a single strip 4 deep.

I think those two pices of info will really help when starting out with the intention of those blocks becoming huge buildings later

Thanks! I wish I could have been more clear and concise.

[Kahara 0]

The arrows on the zones are the part of that particular zone that need to have a road connection. 4x4's will appear and replace older building when there is demand for 4x4 buildings.

[Jezus53 18]

I don't think it works if a zoned lot will get cut in half because of it. quote>

It actually will cut in half. I have that problem all of the time. I'll have my zones set up into 6 4x2 zones and I'll get a building that takes up a 4x3 cut one of my zones in half leaving me with a stupid 4x1 tile that I can never use. it usually happens when a 4x2 building pops up leaving a 4x4 space. It's really frustrating. I will say that I notice it's mostly only for Commercial. I rarely see it for Res.

[zwr100 2]

For the record I'd like to share my results:

I placed 2 4x4s in several eight by eight blocks.  Then I placed a 3x8 with 2 1x4s 'behind' it (facing side streets) in several other eight by eight blocks.  The 3x8s developed immediately, and quickly grew to taller buildings.  The 4x4s took a while but eventually made big 'maor' type houses.  The 3x8s eventaully incorporated the 1x4s behind them becoming the big tall 4x4s.  I have seen 1 4x4 out of close to a hundred grow into a tall 4x4.

So answering my own question; if you want big 4x4s, dont place them as 4x4s.  Instead place 3xs with additional zones they can incorporate later.

[Jezus53 18]

Originally posted by: zwr100 For the record I'd like to share my results:

I placed 2 4x4s in several eight by eight blocks.  Then I placed a 3x8 with 2 1x4s 'behind' it (facing side streets) in several other eight by eight blocks.  The 3x8s developed immediately, and quickly grew to taller buildings.  The 4x4s took a while but eventually made big 'maor' type houses.  The 3x8s eventaully incorporated the 1x4s behind them becoming the big tall 4x4s.  I have seen 1 4x4 out of close to a hundred grow into a tall 4x4.

So answering my own question; if you want big 4x4s, dont place them as 4x4s.  Instead place 3xs with additional zones they can incorporate later.quote>

Nice job actually experimenting with that. I usually lay our 4x4 lots and wait. never thought about leaving an extra 1x4 slot. Smart thinking there. Thanks for the update too!

[quikling 0]

IM not an avid player but i learned a lot from that discussion. I got more out of that than if you placed a screenshot to clarify your dialogue. Please dont stop discussing your latest challenges and discoveries newbies like me get lot of info this way. Thanks!!!

[Jezus53 18]

No problem quikling! I know a lot of the members here love to help out! We're always here to help out whenever you have a problem!