A Bug when Re-Zoning

[IchimaruOO 8]

Hi Guys!

Last week I decided to play on a small map, trying to max out EQ and HQ, and see how big my city can get. (This map also has some shoreline and ridges to the south)

My game info: Deluxe with EP1 patch, NAM 2010 May, Win XP sp2

(I modified the NAM with SC4 tool, so buses wouldn't clog my roads, but I don't think that caused this problem, I simply unchecked a checkbox...)

I had been playing for a while with Elementary Schools, the map filled up well with zones, I got a few really tall R1 buildings too, so far so good. (25-30 000 pop)

Then I added High School, Museum and so my sims started to want more IM and much more Commercial Office/Service. Here was when I must have done "something foolish": I RE-ZONED!

That's right, ID was driven out and IM (plus a few IHT) took its place and I had too few commercial zones. As a result, R1 demand dropped in the negative, ID & IM negative too and insane CO demand. But the map was full, so I took some R1 lots and rezoned with commercial.

Here's what happened (besides the mandatory no-job zot):

So the new commercial buildings send workers to other workplaces. Great!

Does this happen to anyone?

[jim 546 43]

It's a common thing (at least it is on my version). The game takes its time to update all of the traffic views and the routes on the route query button, what you're seeing is some routes that were there previously along with some new routes. Just run the game for a minute or two and it should correct itself.

[IchimaruOO 8]

Actually, I've just loaded the city when I took these pics. Anyway these commercial buildings are 6 months - 2 years old.

Guess I'll run some tests, soon...

::Edited::

*** Problem Solved !! ***

Ran a test with really small town, the game should've recalculated the routes in 2 game months. I didn't. (Another game bug LOL)

Advice to those who read this: DON'T REZONE residential with workplace (nor vice versa). Clear unwanted buildings with 'V' tool, then lay new zones.

PS: Jim546, thank you for your help.

[CaptCity 4,893]

Originally posted by: IchimaruOO

Ran a test with really small town, the game should've recalculated the routes in 2 game months. I didn't. (Another f&!#kin' game bug LOL)quote>

Depending on the size and complexity of the traffic layout and the traffic simulator being used, it may take quite a bit longer than a couple months. It could takes years for things to adjust to changes in traffic. Just a thought...

[IchimaruOO 8]

Thank you, but my test was about  2000 sims. And because I use the Z sim, I thought it should have recalculated.

The rest of the town did too.

(Sorry about the swearing by the way. I just had to)

But my main point was (should have been) this:

1) I pause the game.

2) I check on a house with route query. (points to a job)

3) Now, if I De-Zone it, the relevant route to the job the house used disappears as it should, as well as the jobs become free.

4) But if I Re-Zone said house with commercial zone, the route remains as if I just rezoned with a higher density of the same residential type. And jobs keep being occupied too.

5) I resume the sim.

6) Waited until a store developed and its jobs got taken. (2-3 month)

7) The leftover route still remains.

At least that's how my version of the game works. As I've said I found a workaround, but I got curious if you guys' game behaves the same way too?

Jaa ne!

[SC4BOY 21]

The issue you have seen is a result of the updating of the route simulator (which is an iterative process). It will resolve itself .. and routinely does as you make changes and developments while playing the game. If you delete the zone it is removed from the query.. if it makes you feel better to do that, go ahead. It is totally unnecessary however. If you did an A-B test doing it both ways you would find absolutely no difference in the result a sufficient time later. The simulator only runs about 3 times a year and the user interface takes precedence in all cases.. so it is possible to delay simulator runs by your actions so the "exact time" in game days or months or years for the issue to resolve is not a fixed amount.. however it will resolve on its own

[IchimaruOO 8]

I started a new town again, and created some "bad routes" like I did before and waited a while. Nothing good happend, so I said 'oh well, let's improve this town some more, I might as well have some fun with this'.

I played for a while like this then noticed that the one road connecting my residential and industrial part - that the "bad routes" also go through - became congested, so I added a parallel road for relief.

Here I discovered that those "bad routes" are indeed became recaculated, but some of them simply took the new road.

The only bad route that was gone for good was where two 1

[SC4BOY 21]

What are you calling a "bad route"? Can you be more specific?

[IchimaruOO 8]

The routes that start from those C lots I marked in my pictures. Those that won't disappear because I rezoned, consuming jobs uselessly. See the steps on what creates them in my 3rd post in this thread.

[SC4BOY 21]

Please query those C lots that are acting like R lots and what does it show? You say this occurs after several years of running the simulator? Have you applied the EA patches to your game .exe? If you right-click on the .exe program and select "properties" and select the "revision" tab, what number does the revision show?

[IchimaruOO 8]

I used the EP1 patch, the file version is 1.1.638.0.

I mean this thing occures any time I rezone, and the effects don't disappear even after several years.

I'll query later when I get some more free time.

It seems everything's in order in the query box. Shows normal commercial data.