Tutorial: How to Set Up a City

[The Avatar 1,089]

Recently, there have been many topics asking how to set up at city and break the grid. To answer these questions, I have created this tutorial on how to create unique cities with effective transportation, without sticking to a grid, as well as how to create varied cities that are realistic in design.

First off, remember that I am using custom content in this tutorial. I am not going to provide links to all the custom content I used, as it is not neccessary; but if anyone would like a link to something I used, please PM me and I will try to provide you with a link.

Secondly, also remember that this tutorial is not showing you the set-in-stone way to create your cities. There are countless ways to create a city, and I am merely showing you one way to do it and providing suggestions on how to make your cities more creative.

Thirdly, let's begin...

1. Downtown/CBD

A downtown/CBD is the central hub of a city, in business and generally in transportation. This is, in most cases, the densest part of a city, consisting of skyscrapers and apartments/condos, with large amounts of people in a smaller area. Downtowns/CBDs generally have a grid system for roads, avenues, etc. They also have mass transit systems that move people around. These can consist of bus, subway, elavated rail, light rail, or a combination of all. These main principles translate to SC4.

When you create your DT/CBD, consider using a grid system. The standard grid is 4x4 tiles of road or OWR with 4x4 zones of high-density commercial...

However, this can be very limiting to the variety of buildings your city has (assuming you have downloaded cutom content), as well as your mass transit system.

More practical and realistic grid sizes include 6x6, 6x8, 8x8, 10x8, and 10x10. In some cases, a grid isn't practical at all, and custom shapes and sizes must be used, but it is easier to try to stick to a grid as much as possible. You can also use avenues as main "roads."

These sizes allow for you to plop bus stops, subway stations, parking, alleys, plazas, and pedmall tiles while still being able to zone different shapes and sizes of high-density commercial for skyscrapers:

Please excuse the znnoying zots...

Now, lets's look at this in a small-scale example of the transition from the DT/CBD to suburbs:

Notice how I placed bus and subway stops every block, added parking, plazas, etc., and had a tram-in-avenue line running near the DT/CBD and the medium-density area. This makes for an effective transit system, so Sims can get around. Also notice the transition from the DT/CBD to the suburbs by zoning medium-density commercial and residential. I will refer to this picture in the following sections.

2. Transitioning to Suburbs

The transition from the DT/CBD to the suburbs is generally not abrupt, but gradual. By adding more parks, civics, and zoning medium-density, the transition can be made realistic. Also consider using diagonal and fractional angle roads, streets, etc. to transition the suburbs.

As the central hub transitions to the outlying areas of a city, the density decreases, as does the need for large mass transit, such as subway and el. rail. Mass transit like bus systems is still needed to transport Sims from their homes to their jobs, however. The diversity in wealth levels increases, as the DT/CBD generally has mostly high wealth residents and businesses. Zone medium desnity commercial and residential in generally smaller zone sizes to transition realistically.

In real life situations, many universities are built in this transition area. Students who attend the university often live in apartments also found in this area.

Notice how I cut off the tram-in-avenue line before it ran through the suburbs. Generally, when creating lower density areas, you want to keep mass transit to bus. However, this changes depending on the situation.

Try to separate your Sims my wealth. By placing civics and parks in certain areas only, you can influence where your wealthy Sims live and where your poor Sims live. Traffic noise, education, health, etc. all affect what Sims live where, so plan accordingly.

3. The Suburbs

The suburbs are where most of the population of a city live, in most cases. They surround the DT/CBD and sprawl out in all directions in a large area and consist of small sub-communities with jobs and mostly simgle-family homes. For example, I live in Gilbert, which is a sub-community of the city of Phoenix. There are many businesses here, which provide local jobs to the residents of the city.

Suburbs also have many schools, clinics, parks, and other civics for the people who live there. This makes the living conditions better. Having only one hospital in the DT/CBD so people from all over have to drive there is not a good idea. Remember to continue your transit system so Sims can commute to their jobs.

There are many ways to create suburbs, but they all consist of low-density zones. Many suburbian areas have curving roads, so use fractional angle and diagonal streets and roads. Zone small-medium sized low-desnity commercial and residential for varied suburbs and neighborhoods. To create tract housing areas, zone the same sized zone repeatedly.

I grouped the methods of creating suburbs into four main categories. The first way to create suburbs is by using a loose grid pattern. In this method, long and narrow blocks are connected to a main road. Fill in empty space with parks or trees.

Another design is similar to a tree. Connect a main street to a main road and create branches from the main street. Fill in empty space with parks or trees.

The third design involves creating randomly sprawling streets that are connected to a main road by several streets. This design is common in real life situations. Fill in empty space with parks or trees.

The fourth design involves creating loops connected to a main street, connected to a main road. Fill in...... Well, you get it by now.

I apologize for the size of my god-mode trees. The tree controller was glitching and made the trees small.

4. Industry and Agriculture

Industrial areas are found throughout a city, but they are generally far enough from the DT/CBD to not negatively affect desirability, and are usually found on the outskirts of the city. They provide jobs to all three wealth levels, depending on the type of industry.

I find that using the same sized zones used for the DT/CBD is effective for industrial areas, specifically 8x8 and 10x10. These sized zones allow for large industrial factories and warehouses to grow (can be downloaded) and also allow for the continued transit system, as well as power/water plants and grungy eyecandy.

Connect your industry to other neighboring cities, if you have them, and other parts of the cirty with rail. Try to avoid crossing rail with main roads and use underpasses or rail viaducts instead.

In some cases, you may want agriculture surrounding your city. Agriculture provides jobs for small towns and communities outside of the main city, in most cases. To create realistic farming, use many fractional angle roads, streets, and highways (assuming you have the RHW) and different sized farming zones. Avenues have no place out in the countryside.

(Sorry, no pic.)

5. Details, Details, Details

Last but not least, in order to create a realistic and varied city, the details are important. Using mods like the NAM, RHW, NWM, HSRP, RAM, and SAM, you can create realistic transportation systems with many new additions to the game.

And with plenty of custom content, you can create anything from a bustling metropolis to a small, rural farming community. The STEX and LEX are your friends; embrace them. The more custom content and less Maxis you have in a city, the better it will look.

6. Conclusion

Using these methods, tips, and suggestions, you can create realistic, varied cities with effective transportation systems, and say "goodbye" to the grid forever. Remember, these are only suggestions and tips. They are also based off of American city-styled methods, as I am an American. Not all of the said methods will apply to all cities; however, some, if not most, of the methods should apply to cities of all styles. Having this said, do what you want to do, and make your cities how you want to make them.

Most importantly, SC4 is a game, so have fun with it!

Hope this helps! (Please pardon any typos; I wrote most of this late at night and I don't feel like checking.)

~ Charles/Evan (Who is now going to sleep because he is tired. )

  Edited June 29, 2012 by CaptCity  

[dethras 1]

Another great topic to read. Thanks!

[steelersfan95 6]

wow a lot of effort went into this post +rep friend

[Silur 3,306]

Hi, MamaLuigi945 ...

I think - You can post this Tutorial on Simtropolis Omnibus part ...

My mind - this is very useful for young ...

Thank You ...

and

Good Luck ...

  Edited June 28, 2012 by Silur  

[The Avatar 1,089]

Hi, MamaLuigi945 ...

I think - You can post this Tutorial on Simtropolis Omnibus part ...

My mind - this is very useful for young ...

Thank You ...

and

Good Luck ...

I was considering posting it on the Omnibus, but I wasn't sure whether to post it here or there. If anyone wants me to move it to the Omnibus, just let me know.

[Silur 3,306]

My mind is - YOU can post this on OMNIBUS Thread and there are many young players could see it ...

I think - YOU can connect with Omnibus Admin for it ...

Just for me - I don't want remember about many threads for young - I can help some young with Omnibus Part of Simtropolis ... Yes ?

Good Luck ...

  Edited June 28, 2012 by Silur  

[Magneto 316]

Good post mamaluiggi! Nice tips, thanks for sharing 5/5

Cheers

[bwong 36]

My friend, you blow me away once again

[Ragamuffin 9]

Thanks for sharing! I found it very helpful and I'm sure many others will as well.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Much appreciated, and a lot of work well done.

[AntonyW 0]

Nice topic,and now I'm thinking of making new region with urban and suburbs.

nice one!

[pole475 22]

If you have time.... Would you post a tutorial on how to make a downtown/suburban area look nice.

Thanks in Advance,

Pole475

[TFM1874 4]

Very helpful post, big thanks from me as I have only just started playing the game again - I have no custom content and dont want any...I have (of course) got the NAM though.

 

I spent a while going through youtube tutorials which I didn't find very helpful where as your post has my head more straight about how to set up my city correctly.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

If you have time.... Would you post a tutorial on how to make a downtown/suburban area look nice.

Thanks in Advance,

Pole475

A staggering task.  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  Are you having trouble getting a pleasing layout?  Just use lots of trees and parks in the residential areas and parks and plazas in the downtown.  Zone carefully for what you want to get growing.