So how do you differentiate?

[cromabianca 158]

Ok, I'm gaming, I'm having fun and all... but now all of my cities are starting to look the same!

My goal is to develop a realistic region and I think I'm doing a pretty decent job at it, at least at a "macro" kind of level. But when I go down at a "micro" level, all I see is monotony: the same buildings, the same rewards, the same parks...

So... what should I do?!?

And also: do you accept all the rewards that are offered you? What happens if you refuse?

Thanks!

Edit: just so you get an idea on things...

[Cool_Z 1,547]

Wow that's a good looking region.

 

Well if you find buildings too repetitive you should try downloading some (lots) here to give more variety to your cities. Trouble will still be that the same buildings will grow in all the cities, unless you create a separate "plugins" folder for each one.

 

The rewards.. I think some of them create a cap if you don't accept them. I always do but I have no real idea.

[Prophet42 1,501]

As Cool_Z stated, search the STEX and download the buildings you like to add variety. 

 

As far as rewards go, I suggest that you accept them.  If you don't want to build it, then don't.  If you change your mind later, then at least you will have it available.  Also rewards in general improve mayor rating and some do relieve demand caps. 

[Turjan 1,048]

Regarding rewards, yes, I take them, as they are needed for cap relief. But I also see the problem . There are other buidlings with similar functions, like the BSC rewards chain, but of course, they have the same fate after a while, meaning that you see them everywhere. In principle, I'm thinking of replacing most rewards with some neutral lots, like small parks that just deliver the appropriate cap relief and then build what I want.

 

Breaking up monotony is a different story. Of course, there's the option to specialize areas and withhold services in others. You can also use different sets of plugins for different cities. Then make buildings you want to keep historical, so you don't need to switch out plugins every time you switch cities. Of course, that's more a problem of residential areas. As far as commercial and, to some extent, industrial areas go, you can also plop them, as long as the demand is there.

 

Finally, there's the lot editor. You can make your very own plugins once in a while. That's more theoretical on my part at the moment, but it's on my plate.

[Cool_Z 1,547]

I wish there was a plugin for that... but I think it's far far beyond what's possible with the way SC4 works.

 

I wish we could define zones not only by R C or I but (over the RCI) by tags.

 

(pure speculation here...)

 

It could work like the buildings sets but with much more flexibility.

 

Let's imagine you could be able to define a zone where only blue buildings would grow, or asian, or made by a certain person... and maybe have overlapping zones.

You could arrange you collections by tags and tag a building by the creator name, the time period, the style, the color, anything...

 

This would be a great addition for any city builder game I think.

[Ltw 401]

I wish there was a plugin for that... but I think it's far far beyond what's possible with the way SC4 works.

 

I wish we could define zones not only by R C or I but (over the RCI) by tags.

 

(pure speculation here...)

 

It could work like the buildings sets but with much more flexibility.

 

Let's imagine you could be able to define a zone where only blue buildings would grow, or asian, or made by a certain person... and maybe have overlapping zones.

You could arrange you collections by tags and tag a building by the creator name, the time period, the style, the color, anything...

 

This would be a great addition for any city builder game I think.

 

Zoning by tags would be a nice idea indeed. Too bad that isn't possible since certain functions are hard coded in the game. However, you could try to reach the same goal by turning on one single tileset when you zone a new area. Then you can wait untill this zone is fully grown, turn on another tileset and so forth. Takes a lot of time and it is kind of tricky (when your zone isn't fully grown and you turn on another tileset to build another zone your work is pretty much wasted). Repetition could also be a bigger problem in this case because there are less buildings to choose from.

 

You could avoid repetition by building parks or plop buildings (important sidenote: skyscrapers often have a large number of jobs, thus it would be important that your demand is high). You could also zone different lot sizes, normally when the density is getting higher this means that the lot-sizes are also getting bigger but you could also try different lot-sizes in order to avoid repetition.

[Lost Realist 762]

Just don't build big cities all the time! Have a look at google maps and scroll around some metropolitan areas of larger cities, see how they transition to suburbs and countryside, look at the small towns in the country and so on... get some inspiration, you'll grow into your own handwriting.

[MandelSoft 2,769]

There are a few ways to make more interesting cities at micro-level:

• Reduce repetition
  This can be done by downloading more buildings and lots, so the game has more lots to choose from if it wants to grow something. You can also have more park sets and landmarks, of which quite a few from the STEX and LEX are actually functional.
• Use fillers
  You don't have to zone everything. You can fill up the small gaps with parks, trails or even parking lots, just the pure eye candy. Paeng's Industrial Fillers (STEX) or the SFBT Park Sets (LEX) can help you with that. Here you can see the difference when you don't use fillers and when you do use fillers
• Break the Grid
  Grids are boring and very repetitive. My cities have a more organic structure at a meso and macro scale. In this mosaic you can see that I use quite some curves, diagonals, but also tree structures and a layered network layout. This makes each of my cities more distinctive and less boring. With agriculture zoning, you can break down the grid even more.
• Use the Real Highway Mod
  True, the mod is hard to learn, but there are tutorials for that. The RHW allows you to make distinct, unique and characteristic interchanges for your cities and it's properly scaled (yes, interchanges DO take up a lot of space. Just check out Google Maps for that). If you want to go for realism, abandon the standard Maxis Highway altogether and use the Real Highway Mod instead (with Project Symphony, the Maxis Highway Override, it will be even better).

I hope these tips may help you

 

Best,

Maarten

[Turjan 1,048]

Paeng's Industrial Fillers (STEX) or the SFBT Park Sets (LEX) can help you with that.

 

Looks more like T Wrecks' Industrial Fillers (or Paeng has similar ones), but thanks for giving me the idea to use them somewhere else than only in industrial areas. Hmm...

[urielgarcia 344]

There are a few ways to make more interesting cities at micro-level:

• Reduce repetition

  This can be done by downloading more buildings and lots, so the game has more lots to choose from if it wants to grow something. You can also have more park sets and landmarks, of which quite a few from the STEX and LEX are actually functional.

• Use fillers

  You don't have to zone everything. You can fill up the small gaps with parks, trails or even parking lots, just the pure eye candy. Paeng's Industrial Fillers (STEX) or the SFBT Park Sets (LEX) can help you with that. Here you can see the difference when you don't use fillers and when you do use fillers

• Break the Grid

  Grids are boring and very repetitive. My cities have a more organic structure at a meso and macro scale. In this mosaic you can see that I use quite some curves, diagonals, but also tree structures and a layered network layout. This makes each of my cities more distinctive and less boring. With agriculture zoning, you can break down the grid even more.

• Use the Real Highway Mod

  True, the mod is hard to learn, but there are tutorials for that. The RHW allows you to make distinct, unique and characteristic interchanges for your cities and it's properly scaled (yes, interchanges DO take up a lot of space. Just check out Google Maps for that). If you want to go for realism, abandon the standard Maxis Highway altogether and use the Real Highway Mod instead (with Project Symphony, the Maxis Highway Override, it will be even better).

I hope these tips may help you

 

Best,

Maarten

Really great advice Maarten - even though I did not ask the question, I will definitely use your pointers.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Work on some large tiles but don't make a monolithic city.  Scatter some towns and villages around. 
 
Here in Ontario we have the idea of a Regional municipality that takes in several rural villages, towns and farming areas.  While I live in a specific village (Hensall) the administrative centre for the Bluewater area that Hensall is a part of is a little down up the road called Zurich.  We are next to another regional municipality called Central Huron which has its centre at a medium town named Clinton which contains the Town of Bayfield where I had my last property.
 
Here is an example: (Appleby Station).
 


This presents a different challenge because of the single budget with multiple venues. This one has grown into a bit of a megalopolis, but when you start small and don't push it, it can keep you entertained for quite a while.

 

Tony, there are lots of examples all around you in bella Italia.

[cromabianca 158]

Thank you wery much guys for your kind answers.

 

I'll follow the advices (in fact, I started downloading already!!! )

 

Hey Moose, I think we're using the same water texture!

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

@cromabianca:  PEG's Brigantine.

[Richie99 159]

Personally I do not worry about repetitive housing schemes but repeating schools,hospitals and all that can be annoying.So dowmload a variety of schools,hospitals,police stations etc to spice up your region.Also deny some locations of civics so that they remain poor.It is not so nice having everyplace looking posh.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Like all school boards, I stick with the blueprints and designs I have already paid for.

[Turjan 1,048]

Like all school boards, I stick with the blueprints and designs I have already paid for.

 

Like ?

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Actually, I have five elementary schools including that one.  But I use them according to capacity requirements, and sometimes swap one of another.  I also have four high-schools, and several colleges in addition to the university.  variety is the spice of life.

 

The plural of spouse is spice?!

[Richie99 159]

Actually, I have five elementary schools including that one. But I use them according to capacity requirements, and sometimes swap one of another. I also have four high-schools, and several colleges in addition to the university. variety is the spice of life.

The plural of spouse is spice?!

That's true!