Grid secrets: a tutorial CJ

[BlakeMW 84]

In short, yes. Civic jobs are independent of both funding and usage.

[TheCrybKeeper 289]

Keiran Halcyon: Well not exactly. I am claiming that the 6x6 tile block is necessary, for everything to interact effectively, not just buses. The buses are a part of the mechanics. This is actually, an experiment in everything as one unit, a lifeform of regional proportions.....If I can go that far with it.

 Thanks for that very important question, Keiran. I really didn't describe my intentions all to well, in the beginning.

 

Grater: My theory is, that is another game hint and a stratagy. I replaced Industrial workers, with civil sevice and docs, nurses and such. Sims love me a whole bunch for that.  It's working, I think.

 

SkiGeek: After looking at your educational experiment, I am more assured in my plans here. I also noticed you had shown, many graphs and ratings, etc. That inspired me. It was a very informative thread and well worth reading. Thankee.

 

 

Part Six: Does The Transportation Net Work

 

 

Well, I waited a bit longer this time to post. Thought maybe some other sitizens, would wander in and say howdy. Wanted to give everyone a chance to comment.

 

Now for some revealing graphs.

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Sout66m.jpg align=baseline>

 

Notice above my sims never ask for dirty industry, but they still want farms. I am getting just as much High-tech growth as Manufacturing growth, even though the graph shows little demand for HT. It could be how I set my Ind. Taxes, as stated in chapter four. I got Pop/Emo to play! It could be something else.

 

I now have 5000 industrial jobs in each quad, for a total of 20,000. How many sitizens can I squeeze out of this and still get, very rare abandonment? hmmm. below shows my population ballooning fast and with very little Industrial jobs this whole time. Just 12 years have passed.

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Mult66o.jpg align=baseline>

 

Playing the blues is okay, just never play Pop/Emo in your residential city and all is good.

 

 

My first traffic issue has arisen, time to place parking garages. will see from here.

Having another problem as well. enviromental one below. Time to place the first trees in Multifarius.

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Mult66u.jpg align=baseline>

 

I still have lots of empty space left in Multifarius and even bus stations, that have no electricity?

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Mult66t.jpg align=baseline>

 

Looks like slung spagetti, eh. That is exactly what we want from our buses. It almost appears as an X if you look close. Now, Are the cars doing a different dance?

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Mult66rrr.jpg align=baseline>

 

 For the autos, it is more like a square shaped, weave isn't it?

 

 Grater guessed my bus usage spot on correct! He knows his stuff, fellow sitizens. I would say it is about 30% usage as compared to the whole. That is not a bad thing though.

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Mult66q.jpg align=baseline>

 

Read me: Remember the graph above showing Industrial demands. right after saving that image, I went into Multifarius main and the RCI demand was negative. That is a good thing. We want our residential city to, always be in the negative for industry. If you have a residential city demanding industry, at this point in the game; it is a sign that something is not right with your Simizens.

 

   Summation:  Is this really a grid?

 

hidden within this city are many little diamonds inside of four squares, with circles making flowers and X's and L's are everywhere!

 

This is a the beauty of an efficient network; all must take many variable routes, all use negatives and positves in balance. My sims pass only one or two negative lots when they drive to work, they see rarely a school bus that slows them down. There are no abandoned building anywhere. the handful that pop in, are destroyed immediately, but never pop up twice. My Simizens love their civil service jobs, more than industrial and rich doctors are filling my city. this is all working as one unit.

 

Now, it is time to show a nice image. It looks like a boring graph, but we all know now; there is more here than meets the eye. Soon that X will fade into the graph, but the network will still know...it is there and doing it's job.

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Mult66v.jpg align=baseline>

 

Commerce has and is, still the prime job market, in Multifarius

 

 

Farming is coming soon! and it will grow,... and it will grow sweet corn... and Llamas.....Where is that Llama farm anyways?....

 

[rk219 0]

Great job with the city.  I would be most interested in seeing the zone view of your city.  Do you mostly lay your industrial on the outskirts of the city and residential in the middle of the city with commerical in between?

 

Ryan

[Kwakelaar 92]

Quite entertaining reading, you have made me curious enough to make me follow this. Your enthusiasm is contagious.

[NicolaiS 8]

It is contagious indeed ... I have hit the subscribe button and eagerly await every update.

 

I am curious about the reasons to build farms though as I usually try to avoid placing them at all.

[Nik-nik 3]

Very impressive tutorial frndofyaweh!

It gives a good insight how the simulation works. Looking forward to your next update.

[MallowTheCloud 41]

This looks extremely similar to a project I had done... from buses to the X to civil buildings etc. One of the few things I did differently was to include industry in my main city, but I like your way better.

By the way, I used a 5x4 grid... including a 4x4 plot of zone and a 1x4 section of transit/parks.

Besides annoying industry in my city, my main problem was the computer slowing down way too much when the city got too big.


Good work, and good luck!

P.S. By the way, on Sim City Classic (SNES), I used that parallel-rail method as well. My highest population on that game (on Super Nintendo) was just over 610,000 on map 061. I have never seen anybody claim to get that high before, and nobody seems to know that when you do get to 600,000 you get a special message. Of course, 500,000 is the megalopolis... but at 600,000, four colorful Dr. Wrights come out dancing and throwing confetti (in a box much like all the boxes telling you you've reached a City, Capital, etc.) and explaining that you are the greatest mayor...

[Compromise 1]

Still intresting, keep it up...

[Nardo69 51]

I still read your experiment with great interest! You are doing a good job, but now I am curious about your farming grid and the shortcuts. I try to do everything to avoid them in my rural areas and have developed a special road design for this.

Great work!

Nardo

[Meg 368]

Date: 9/13/2005 5:47:09 AM Author: frndofyaweh

 

SkiGeek: After looking at your educational experiment, I am more assured in my plans here. I also noticed you had shown, many graphs and ratings, etc. That inspired me. It was a very informative thread and well worth reading. Thankee.

 

quote>

 

Thank you    It was the first substantial thread I posted here, years ago.  I'm glad that someone still finds it worthwhile.

 

I am enjoying your well thought-out thread here.  Keep up the good work!

[_MostlyHarmless 17]

MallowTheCloud: hahah thats funny! i played SC classic on my pc, and when i got past 550,000, it said somthing similar, and added that i send my city to maxis. So i did, copied it to floppy disk and mailed it...i never got a reply

[Sproxxx 0]

I find myself very interested in finding out what happens next. This CJ is very good. Keep it up.

[TheCrybKeeper 289]

Rk219: Zone view will be below. Good suggestion; It shows the spider web or wagon wheel appearance much better.

Kwakelaar: Thanks for dropping by for a visit! I guess I am Enthusiatic, a bit.  Curious even, as I have never took this passed quarter million Sims. If my theory is sound, it should take me to one million pop., with minimal negative growth.

 

NicolaiS: Your next issue has arrived. haha. Well, actually I haven't any legitimate reasons for adding farms. Just wanted to see, if the sims will take to farming, this late in the game.

 

Nik-Nik: Thank you! I was hoping the images would help more, than me just trying to explain it.

 

MallowTheCloud: Thanks for drifting in, MTC! 610,000!! I got 550,000 something, like Northsider1983 said above and thought that was, as high as, I would get. I never went further. guess I should have, eh?

 

Compromise: thanks and I hope I can.

 

Nardo69: I have heard of this stratagy. I am curious, what do you mean, when you say short cuts? Maybe I am still missing some interesting things about SC4.

 

SkiGeek: Well thought out? Oh my Now my head will swell. Lol. Thank you very much!

 Reading older threads at ST, actually helps humble a person, I think. Just about anything and everything, is covered somewhere in the forums.

It can be a problem, when you find a gem that has gotten dusty; you just can't help brushing it off. hehee. So, I just had to make a comment.

 

Northsider1983: Thanks for hanging in the eastside(they call me an East-end Boy where I live)! I got that exact same message at 550,000 in SCC! I never sent my city in, although at the time, I had no clue if anyone else had gotten that far. Guess there were probably thousands of gamers that made it, who knows...

 

Sproxx: Thanks for visiting Multifarius! Keep coming back and you get a free travel mug, with every fill-up. hehee.

 

Part Seven: The Quarter Million Mark

 

First I have placed some graphs and stats into one chart. This will give all of us a better mental image of my over-all stratagy and theory.

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//graphels04.jpg align=baseline>

Notice my pedestrian traffic matches the commercial zoning? This is a sign that my commerce is working; Sims love to walk around and browse shop windows and do the downtown thing. My only medium density zones are by the airport and not in line with the runway. I have been building High density comm/res from the start and no other zoning, so far.

Fire coverage: just thought it looked pretty for a graph.

Medical coverage is the bruise in my city; sure it provides, many enviromentally friendly jobs, but it is expensive and in high demand.

Education is looking good so far; not as costly as medicals and with a nicer trade-off.

 

God Mode: Shift + control + Alt and hold and click, release. (More music. a waltz I think)

 

Beautiful trees, are all that line the outskirts of Multifarius. The DOT went overboard on bus stops. So many are still not even used. What a waste of Sitizens taxes!

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//M6565e.jpg align=baseline>

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//M7651x.jpg align=baseline>Finally, i am getting a demand for High-tech industry at 243,000 simizens! That should help propell me into a huge growth spurt.

 

Time to build my first Seaport. My fourth trip into the Industrial cities so far. First, lets see If I can still get, a bit more Simizens to move in, before I leave Multifarius main. Yep, I got a few thousand more.

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//M7652w.jpg align=baseline>

Raggae again, but having trouble holding the rythm.

 

Can I get some more sims, to move in? okay just a bit. now the regional view.

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Est6565w.jpg align=baseline>

 

251,000 First goal accomplished! I have now reached a quarter mil. in 17 years. With little negative traffic and extremely healthy and steady growth. Only diamond bus grid and avenues are being used.

 

Back to the 6x6 block: has anyone at ST, ever counted the exact number tiles in a large city(LxW)? I have actually done it and did a lot of math as well. I have many logical reasons for the 6x6. If my theory is sound; this should carry me to 1,000,000 simizens with little or no negative growth.

 

More coming and I can still do farms, Only I had my heart set on the, Llama wool industry...Sheep will do I guess.

 

[Kwakelaar 92]

Congrat. with your 1/4 mil simizens, lovely graphics in your data charts.

[TheCrybKeeper 289]

Thanks again for keeping me encouraged, Kwake.

 

Big giant thankyous!, to everyone who has made generous comments. I Hope I can do this right to one million?

 

Part Eight: Farming Late is Great

 

Just a short update here. Wanted to show you all, the new  and first, farming district. This is popping in fast, based on the 251,000 sims, who didn't really want it. Oh man, do I miss my plug-in folders....boohoo. These farms are......zzzzzzzz.

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Cultivus22.jpg align=baseline>

 

What muze is this above? It does sound good, whatever it is. There are so many music genres to choose from.

 

Making a bit in the black, is all we need in the Cultivation game.

 

Wind power is cheap for the farmers, who also supply their own water.

 

 

4x6 High density zoning with service strip. Again I miss the Pegusus' stuff....

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Soutrexx3.jpg align=baseline>

 

Now the regional view. Told ya it was short, but more to come. Will busing continue to be effective past 250k?.....

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//ee26880726.jpg align=baseline>

 

[Norfrit 0]

Very interesting Keep updates coming

[Compromise 1]

Excellent things about this update which should be kept up: Excellent use of pictures and some good ideas. I am also happy about the amount of updates.
 
Passable things about this update which could be improved: The farms look so boring but saying that is really mean because you had to deleate your plugins folder for this experiment.
 
Bad things about this update which should be improved: N/A
 
Overall Rating: A B C D E F

                         ^ B+ SkiGeek's and Sim Max's apprentise.

Simtropolis Production Evaluation System (SPES) by Compromise.

[_MostlyHarmless 17]

LOL, is that a casino in the top right corner of the farming city?

[texanpride786 2]

Date: 9/16/2005 4:24:28 PM Author: northsider1983 LOL, is that a casino in the top right corner of the farming city?

quote>

 

yes it is.........and nice tutorial man BUT dont you think your city kinda looks ugly.....no offence but its not eye pleasing u know what i mean.....

[SamFlash 0]

Date: 9/16/2005 4:24:28 PM Author: northsider1983 LOL, is that a casino in the top right corner of the farming city?

quote>

Hey, farmers like to have a little fun too.

[Nardo69 51]

Well, as you have only grids it is not that bad but in my rural areas I use a lot of streets for accessing the farms - and ONLY accessing them. I made the experience that no matter what kind of main street you offger the sims they will always take the first shortest route - and this can kill a rural area.
Just have a look at my tutorial on page 8 of my CJ and you'll understand what I mean.

Still a great thread. Great work!

Nardo

[simheel 1]

Exact number of tiles in a large city?

256 X 256

 

Everything is divisible by eight (just like RAM memory sticks or video cards, clever Maxis). I presume this is why you use 6X6 blocks.

 

On a large city, I have often tried to use eight 32X32 avenue blocks divided into smaller road blocks. Been fairly successful but never had a megacity. That block size is too large.

 

 

 

 

[MallowTheCloud 41]

Date: 9/14/2005 2:21:41 PM
Author: northsider1983
MallowTheCloud: hahah thats funny! i played SC classic on my pc, and when i got past 550,000, it said somthing similar, and added that i send my city to maxis. So i did, copied it to floppy disk and mailed it...i never got a reply

quote>

Date: 9/16/2005 11:28:34 AM
Author: frndofyaweh
MallowTheCloud: Thanks for drifting in, MTC! 610,000!! I got 550,000 something, like Northsider1983 said above and thought that was, as high as, I would get. I never went further. guess I should have, eh?

quote>

Hehe, it may just be because I was on the SNES version. I haven't really tried it out on the computer version.


Anyway, keep up the great work, frndofyaweh!

[timotheus4 39]

This is an intriguing topic. You also have an intriguing user name. Is it a crunched form of Friend of Yahweh?

[taskforce4 0]

frndofyaweh

Where can i find that reigon of yours?

 

BTW.. Nicely Done with the cities.

 

I are newbie

[TheCrybKeeper 289]

Norfrit: I will keep'em comin'. Great avatar by the way! I know the episode it's in, as well. hahaa.

Compromise: Aah! Welcome my friend! Thank you for the encouraging rating! I am honored.

 

NorthSider1983: well,...uh....yeah. It does look a bit silly. hehee. I am not going for looks as much as attempting a functional network to 1 million pop. Had to find a way to make profit, without mods that effect growth. Bare bones game basically.

 

TexanPride786: Yes, I agree; it is boring.(I really need a SimGoober Fix!)

 My theory is , Maxis thought we all wanted to do this grid thing and the solution to every game issue is in the numbers, which are fixed in most cases. I will eventually get to 1 million pop, with no city problems, I hope.

 

Samflashjr: Hahaa. yes they do and so do the soldiers taking leave from the army base. Also in the farming districts.

 

Nardo69: Very good tutorial and CJ, Nardo! Although here in Multifarius, I am not so worried about farming. I was just curious, if my smarter sitizens would let farms grow, this late in the game.

 

SimHeel: Aaah, so now someone has asked a leading question. I am super glad you brought this up Simheel! Each 6x6 block is recognized by Two pieces of avenue; a 2x8 and 2x6 L shape of avenue around  6x6 tile block. Thus you divide 256 equally by 6+2=8 in width and length. See the pattern emerging yet? And there is much more to it. IF one number is not correct, the whole city could be whacked. heeheee. The dividends can never leave a remainder.

 

MalloTheCloud: Glad to see you back MTC! I did it on SNES, but just never let run long enough, I guess. I got that message to send my city to Maxis, but I never did it. I aslo have PC version. actually, I have just about all things Sim/Maxis.

 

Timotheus4: Yes, you are the first to bring it up. I mispell yaweh, out of respect for hebrew faith and sacred name should not be written properly. Only a Hebrew priest using the holy text, is allowed to spell it properly. So they say anyways. I only know 2 practicing Jewish folks. And one of those thinks I should omit it completely.

Thanks for coming by for a visit Tim.

 

TaskForce4: well, the region is just flat and plain game generic. If you mean the Config bmp. I custom make mine to fit my numerical pattern, but there are several ways to arrange the cities and sizes, that will work. The main thing to keep in mind is; balances must be in all things placed and grown.

 My fastest way would be to E-mail you the Config bmp. image. Very small, about 24x24pixels. Be sure and read about making custom regions in the Omnibus Table of Contents. You may find it easier, to make your on bmp. image.

 

Part Nine: Work That BusLine

 

Yes! now is my chance to take this theory farther than I ever have before; past 263,000 Sitizens

 

Is it working as I expected? so far it is doing grand, but my enviroment is deteriorating.

 

Here are some graphs of what is happening lately.

 

The busing is still doing it's job! Even I am surprised! The sitizens are now only using 28% busing and the rest are carpooling, I suspect. Yet, My commute times are dropping still!

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//maxxew3xxx3.jpg align=baseline>

 

 

The red spot in top left corner, is the disease research center. It seems that no Sims like it very much. The red haze in the middle of the city: It's the Country Club?! The rich folks hate living near their own hangout? Strange...

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Multifayxxx7b.jpg align=baseline>

 

The Sitizens love the mayor, even though he tends to be, megalomanic at times.

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//Multifayxxx8c.jpg align=baseline>

 

Refresher:

 

We are attempting to grow a city of 1 million. a city that has no traffic problems and no problems at all, if possible. No plug-ins are allowed in this experiment, that modify the growth of the city or commute times, land value, etc.  The NAM is present, but only the turn lanes are being used. The BSC Bank is present, to speed the experiment up and unlimited funding became necessary.

 

This experiment is being done using: Avenues and Buses only at this point. The grid system is equally divided among all cities and the entire region, as are the bus stations and all services, according to set numbers. Everything effecting the main residential city must be grown in a correct balancing act, with no slip ups during.

 

Thanks Goes to SimHeel, for answering my question on large city size(dividend: 256) and also answering the divider of 8. Thanks partner!

 

6x6 tile block + 2 lane ave, next to another 6x6 block + another strip of 2 lane ave equals; 8 tiles each time and divides equally into 256 tiles 32 times, which equals one large city. Every object in SC4 has a fixed number for top performance. There is even an optimal place for the stadiums, water treatment plants and garbage dumps. More on that later

 

Now the regional view and the current population. My highest ever in SC4!!!

 

https://www.simtropolis.com/idealbb/files//xxx7055155.jpg align=baseline>

 

312,900 Simizens!

 

Notice the Industry has been more or less equally distributed around the residential city(above).

 Again, on my fifth trip into the industrial, I managed to keep the same amount of IND jobs in each city, give or take a 100 or 2. Seaports helped boost IND demand a bit.

 

Okay,... lets take this busing thing to 500,000 and see if it still does the job?.....

[Hordijk 18]

Hey amigo,

 

Why not make the goal a little more interesting and set the goal to 5mil....

[toxicpiano 125]

um well it's very grid like.

[MallowTheCloud 41]

Date: 9/19/2005 12:34:56 PM
Author: frndofyaweh
MallowTheCloud: Glad to see you back MTC! I did it on SNES, but just never let run long enough, I guess. I got that message to send my city to Maxis, but I never did it. I aslo have PC version. actually, I have just about all things Sim/Maxis.

quote>

Well... my SNES version didn't give me that message to send my city to Maxis.... I thought maybe that was only with the PC version.

Any way, great work with the Game Experiment! Keep it up!

[Kwakelaar 92]

Your cities are faring well, looking forward to the 1/2 mil mark.