resources Index of Modding Tutorials & Information

[Cyclone Boom 17,016]

Cities: Skylines
Index of Modding Tutorials & Information

In an attempt to consolidate various tutorials & info on C:S modding, this topic will serve as an index.

Basically, please post below links to anything aspiring modders may find useful!

For example:

• Links to custom content related tutorials you've created in another topic (e.g. in this forum).
• Videos on YouTube, or similar video sites.
• Helpful links to online information / guides (e.g. Wiki articles, making best use of certain software features).

 

Note: If you wish to post a tutorial / share some personal advice, it's preferred to do so inside a new topic here in the modding forum. This way it keeps discussion contained inside individual topics, making each subject easier to follow, and allows the author to respond to comments.

I'll update links accordingly in the list below:
 

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Modding General Info   (9 resources)

(Info)  Modding API – Paradox Interactive

(Info)  Unity Scripting API – Unity Technologies

(Info)  Unity Manual – Unity Technologies

(Info)  Location of User Data stored for the game – Paradox Interactive

(Info)  Modding Properties Info Compendium – TPB / Skylines Info Squad

(Video)  How to Install Cities: Skylines Mods – CapTon

(Video)  How to Download Cities Skylines Mods on MAC – YouTube

(Video)  Developer Stream: Mod Masterclass – HenkkaArt

(Tutorial)  Unity Tutorials – Unity Technologies

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Modding   (7 resources)

(Tutorial) Modding Tutorial 0: Your first mod - boformer

(Tutorial) Modding Tutorial 1: Prop remover - boformer

(Tutorial) Modding Tutorial 2: Road Tree replacer - boformer

(Tutorial) Modding Tutorial 3: Show Limits - boformer

(Tutorial) Modding Tutorial 4: Make historical - boformer

(Tutorial)  How to create a Building Theme Mod – Donnerwurm

(Tutorial)  Manipulating networks with a Hex Editor – Sims firehouse

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3D Modelling   (14 resources)

(Info)  Polygon Count (Wiki article) – polycount

(Info)  Free 3D Software and Resources for your Modelling Needs – Mr_Maison

(Info)  An important reminder about Normal Maps – Cool_Z

(Video)  Create an Asset for Cities: Skylines from Scratch – BigMasterBig

(Video)  Making a Custom Model for Cities Skylines – YouTube

(Video)  Import Model from Blender to Cities: Skylines – YouTube

(Video)  Blender: Creating low poly Stones and Rocks – YouTube

(Video)  Importing Sketchup Models – YouTube

(Video)  Basic Building UV Mapping with 3ds Max 2008 – YouTube

(Video)  3ds Max 2010 Tutorials (22 video playlist) – YouTube

(Video)  Creation of a LOD model in 3ds Max – Shroomblaze

(Video) Introduction to Blender - YouTube

(Tutorial)  How to turn a Model into Game Ready Asset (3ds Max) – Shroomblaze

(Tutorial)  Custom LOD creation in Blender – Exurbanite

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Asset Texturing   (13 resources)

(Info)  NVIDIA Texture Tools for Adobe Photoshop – NVIDIA Corporation

(Info)  How NOT to make normal maps from photos or images – KatsBits

(Video) LOD Texture Baking (3DS Max) - Ronyx

(Video) LOD Texture Baking (Blender) - Jerenable

(Tutorial)  Bake Normal Maps for realistic, low-poly rocks, bushes and trees (and anything else) – boformer

(Tutorial)  Illumination Map Texturing Overview – GC_Vos

(Tutorial)  Detailed Nightlights – Cool_Z

(Tutorial)  Common Nightlight mistakes you should avoid – Cool_Z

(Tutorial)  Train Illumination.....a Different Animal – Mr_Maison

(Tutorial)  How to use Alphas for grilles or balconies – Cool_Z

(Tutorial)  Floors for Reflective Buildings... and others too – Cool_Z

(Tutorial)  Speculars without artefacts – Cool_Z

(Tutorial)  Map Editor: How to recreate roads from the real world – Krozjin

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Assets   (13 resources)

(Tutorial)  Asset Creation 101 – Shroomblaze & various collaborators

(Tutorial)  Creating & Applying Custom Props – TallgeeseIV

(Tutorial)  How to add Custom Menu Icons to (almost) any Asset - The easier way – TPB

(Tutorial)  How to add custom Content Manager Thumbnails to assets – TPB

(Tutorial)  How to Place Assets Anywhere – TPB

(Tutorial)  Remove Dirt from Tree and Prop Assets – TPB

(Tutorial)  How to Change an Assets Category Tab while still retaining service info of another Category – Shroomblaze

(Tutorial)  How to make a Blinking Neon Sign – boformer

(Tutorial)  How to add lights to a prop – boformer

(Tutorial)  How to create your own (complete) Building Style – boformer

(Tutorial) Tutorial for Decal Creators - boformer

(Tutorial) Making Custom Sitting Assets - hadece

(Video) Big Decals - Ronyx

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Custom Content / Workshop   (4 resources)

(Info)  Steam Workshop "Who to follow?" Suggestions – TPB / Skylines Info Squad

(Info)  Content creator rights and how to enforce them - Avanya

(Tutorial)  Sub Buildings Enabler Documentation for Asset Creators – boformer

(Tutorial)  How to update your Workshop Assets - The easy way – TPB

 

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(60 total resources)
 

Note:
See this page for a list of Workshop modding guides / info, which may not already be listed above.

 

[TPB 563]

Hi Cyclone Boom!

 

Thanks for making this topic, very useful!

 

I just published a new guide on steam on how to remove the dirt that automatically appears around trees and other flora, as well as around props. 

 

If you'd like to add it:

 

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=424114557

[Ocram's Razr 964]

This helped me with optimizing textures and making/editing UVW maps.

Basic Building UV Mapping with 3DS MAX 2008

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GYs8hZwuJo

It works for late versions as well (I use 2012 version)

--Ocram

[CapTon 592]

There's a brand new video on how to install CS mods for the Mac (not created by me). You can find it here:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0889SXn_3vs&feature=youtu.be

 

Awesome work, Cyclone! Thanks .

[TPB 563]

Hey Cyclone Boom,

 

I've made two new guides, not sure they belong here but here they are.

 

How to add custom Content Manager thumbnails to assets

 

How to Update your Workshop Assets - The Easy Way

 

Additionally my Icons guide has changed title, feel free to remove "The Hard Way" part from the title. It's now been revised and is much simpler.

 

Thank you.

[TPB 563]

Greetings, I have another tutorial to suggest, not mine this time.

 

Shroomblaze gave me the address and it's very good for beginners like me.

 

22 video playlist.

 

3Ds Max Tutorial https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA12BF2F8CC489A50

[Cool_Z 1,547]

I just made a subject about normals, could it be added to the list ?

 

Thanks  

 

 

[OwiHH 240]

http://unity3d.com/learn/tutorials

http://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/index.html

http://docs.unity3d.com/ScriptReference/index.html

 

tutorials are very nice - pro-like teachers there

Documentaions

good if you wanna find out more about #c and unity and how unity handels game engine / graphics / UI

  Edited September 9, 2015 by OwiHH  

[Cyclone Boom 17,016]

Updated to include new articles following the After Dark expansion.

If you know of any other useful info, keep those suggestions coming!

[Cool_Z 1,547]

Hi Cyclone, I just added a tutorial about detailed nightlights... https://community.simtropolis.com/forums/topic/69212-tutorial-detailed-nightlights/

Edit : and a second one about speculars : https://community.simtropolis.com/forums/topic/69225-tutorial-speculars-without-artefacts/

  Edited October 31, 2015 by Cool_Z  

[Anonymous01 2]

Is there anything on sketchup? 

 

[Ryno917 102]

Great stuff in here, thanks for compiling it all together!


One thing I'm struggling with right now... any tips on coloured windows? The building I'm working on has a pattern in its windows, where some are lighter and some darker, but with a specular it gets so bleached out that it just looks terrible in game. I've gone as low as 15% and it's still bleached out, but there's almost no reflections.

[Koesj 659]

Did you try saturating the colors some more in that area on the diffuse? 

[Ryno917 102]

It's actually black - not a colour, just really dark. But with a specular it's all washed out and light. Looks terrible.

[Koesj 659]

How about an alpha mapped polygon just in front of the window then? You can have your 'colored' elements on there with a way lower specularity while the lighter parts of the windows are visible immediately in front of it! Though I guess dark reflective parts just won't work that well 

Either way, if you've got some pics of the model, textures, and intended results, I might be able to help you a bit better.

[Ryno917 102]

Thanks! I'll make a new thread for my works where we can discuss this further - to keep from clogging up this resource thread

[Cyclone Boom 17,016]

I've added a few more tutorials posted in the past month, including Asset Creation 101.

Also for convenience, the links now open in a new tab by default.

[Ocram's Razr 964]

Here is Cities XL's limitations (and XL Nation has high quality mods):

T1 (Detached houses and small businesses)

LOD	Triangles
L1	2000
L2	1000
L3	500
L4	100

T2 (Medium Density AKA L4&L5 low density, L1 high density)

LOD	Triangles
L1	4000
L2	2000
L3	1000
L4	100

T3 (Highrises and Skyscrapers)

LOD	Triangles
L1	6000
L2	3000
L3	1500
L4	100

T4 (Exceptional Buildings)

LOD	Triangles
L1	8000
L2	4000
L3	2000
L4	200

[boformer 3,169]

You can use Mesh Info to get an idea of the target tri count (CTRL ALT SHIFT M):

Between 1000 and 3000 for LOD0, and less than 100 for LOD1.

 

[boldlybuilding 873]

EDIT: NVM, I see the key combo on the mod's page. Ctrl + Alt + Shift + M

How do you get the mesh info mod to show the info for the game buildings? It only shows custom assets for me.

[Avanya 2,605]

In case anyone is interested here's a good guide on how to create detailed low poly rocks in Blender: 

 

 

[Strechnitz 12]

Hi,

I don't  know if this is the right place to ask this but I want to try my hand at making custom buildings for the game. I have been searching but could not find the measurements of a single tile in metres. For example does a 5 x 5 metre building fit on a tile o more or less?

Thank you.

[Avanya 2,605]

A tile in C:S is 8x8 meter in the real world.

[Strechnitz 12]

Thank you very much! 

[barcasam7 185]

Don't know if this correct thread to put it? But this Cities XL website has some very good textures - http://xlnation.city/resources/categories/texture-library.97/

[Avanya 2,605]

I've made a little guide for recoloring/retexturing existing assets: Retexturing existing models - A beginner's guide

[Jerenable 266]

Me and @Ronyx69 both made little video tutorials about baking in blender and 3dsmax they might be usefull.

 

[Avanya 2,605]

I've updated the first post and moved some stuff around (basicly split up assets and modding). I've also gotten rid of some out of date stuff (Like a list of AD compatible mods) and dead links. Seems like @Shroomblaze's LOD tutorial video is gone - can anyone confirm that? Just wanna make sure it isn't just for me it's gone before I remove the link.

[boformer 3,169]

How to add light effects to a prop with Mod Tools:

 

[boformer 3,169]

Large Decal tutorial:

http://steamcommunity.com/workshop/filedetails/discussion/767233815/343787283746272981/

There is also this video by Ronyx:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OYv_x97fII

 

Changing prop shaders (decals, fence shader...):

There is also this script to switch the building shader between normal and fence (though there is no tutorial for it):

https://gist.github.com/boformer/57d98a7228f1d239e402