After Dark Premiere

[Mascalzone 186]

Hi fellows, with this entry I'm starting a special series of city journals that will exclusively preview for Simtropolis.com the After Dark expansion that is going to be released by Paradox Interactive on September 24! For this opportunity I've to give a huge thanks to our glorious webmaster Dirktator, that has chosen me to do this and I sincerely hope to be able to make a complete overview of all the new feature this highly anticipated expansion will bring to Cities: Skylines.

DISCLAIMER: the city you see in the pictures is always the protagonist of my CJ, Aurora, but since I've had to remove all the Steam Workshop custom assets and mods, in reality it is completely different. In essence, only the map and the road network is the same, so do not think that what you see now is what I'm going to show in the future entries about the city: it will be a totally different thing!

NIGHT BRIGHT LIGHTS

Let's start obviously with the main feature of After Dark: the night! Here are some shots taken using my favourite filter, and afterwards I'll let you see what the game looks like by default.

Now a pair of comparative shots: the first two images are using the default filter, the third and the fourth are using PhotoReal3, that I think do a great job also at night:

I think you can agree with me so here are just some others:

And now let's have a look to some of the new features. First of all the new buidlings that come with a leisure specialized districit:

And from the image below you can see how different its lights (it's on the left): yay! red lights district is in!

And the let's continue with bikes and their dedicated lanes:

In the image above you can also see some of the new structures that come with a resort specialized district. And I cannot forget the new bus lanes:

Then the amazing lightning of the city hall:

The last one for this entry is dedicated to something I think you know what it is!

I will not show you everything at once, so I give you an appointment tomorrow in which I will show images taken at dawn. Meanwhile, tell what you think of what you've seen so far!

Keep followin' and you'll be surprised!

[Cyclone Boom 16,851]

Great work Mascalzone, thanks for running this preview on behalf of the community!

Some neat pics so far, just wondering about the background which seems a little blurred. Is this using the tilt-shift setting?

[Mascalzone 186]

Hello folks, it's time for my second journal presenting the features of the upcoming expansion of Cities: Skylines, After Dark, which i want to dedicate to the moving sun over the city. And is also time for your feedbacks, obviously quite numerous!

FEEDBACK CORNER

gviper Now if the default could look more crisp like the filter lol...Nice shots though. I'm still not a buyer of the game...yet.

Yeah the default one looks a bit... dusty! For my thoughts about the game and the new expansion in particular do not do not miss the next and last of this series of journals, with which I can express my opinions about it.

Cyclone Boom Great work Mascalzone, thanks for running this preview on behalf of the community! Some neat pics so far, just wondering about the background which seems a little blurred. Is this using the tilt-shift setting?

Thanks a lot, it's a real pleasure. I'm not sure what you are referring to, I have not found any settings such that you have mentioned. could you be more specific. Regarding the pics... I can share my thoughts only tommorrow!

idcaf wow, it looks amazing. I can't wait to play this game when expansion pack comes.

MilitantRadical Lookin' gud.

Anderson Xeyed I love this game and... well, now I'm LOVING the game even more and I can't wait 'til tomorrow to get this Exp.

I'm happy to see all this enthusiasm!

FROM DUSK TILL DAWN

DISCLAIMER: the city you see in the pictures is always the protagonist of my CJ, Aurora, but since I've had to remove all the Steam Workshop custom assets and mods, in reality it is completely different. In essence, only the map and the road network is the same, so do not think that what you see now is what I'm going to show in the future entries about the city: it will be a totally different thing!

Nuff said, here are some images taken at sunset. The yield of the sky is truly remarkable. I'm using the Super Vibrant filter for these.

And below is how it looks with the deafult filter: the difference is pretty remarkable.

And, coming back to the PhotoReal3 filter, here is the new huge bus terminal at work:

Since it is surrounded by Mountains Aurora is not the bet subject to do shots from the sky (flat cities surely make more impact), but here is my try (Super Vibrant again):

With no highrises in the city I've to find new subjects...

The first daylight looks quite similar to the last one, but of course it comes from the opposite point of the compass:

And arriving to the proper dawn light (since you've already seen the night) here is something nobody has spoken about yet: the zoo!

Beach people wake up early:

And that a morning would be without a bit of fog?

And it's all for now, I recommend to not even miss the appointment tomorrow!

Keep followin' and you'll be surprised!

  Edited September 24, 2015 by Mascalzone  

[Mascalzone 186]

It has taken a while to came back for this last entry dedicated to the new After Dark expansion for Cities: Skylines before returning to the usual city guide because what I wanted was to have time to fully test all the new features, and to do that I waited to be able to use the city as I had left it before its release. Mission accomplished, but as always let's start from your feedbacks.

FEEDBACK CORNER

LexusInfernus The 5th picture (the overview shot of the city and the bay) reminds me a bit of some of the pictures Ive seen of Monaco at night. I think its a fitting testament to how gorgeous this game looks!

Luiz P. Romanini And, for me, it reminds me of Rio de Janeiro where I live. This update truly changed C:S for the best! Gorgeous images all around.

Personally I think Aurora most resembles Hong Kong, and yes the game looks even more beautiful thanks to AD!

Urban Constanta lovely CJ, and nice tarantino touch

TekindusT Great job

Thanks guys! Yeah I love Tarantino's movies, can't wait for the next one!

BACK TO BUSINESS

I anticipated that the last journal entry for the release of After Dark would have been dedicated to an overall judgment to the work done by Paradox. First of all let's admit that we could also expect more disasters due to expansion such as bugs, corrupted saves, incompatibilities of various kinds and such but instead, apart the inevitable confusion of the early hours, it has spun smoothly, especially thanks to the extraordinary community of modders that through Steam support and incredibly expand this gorgeous title. Modders are in fact giving great efforts in quickly updating all the mods and custom assets to exploit all the new possibilities offered by the expansion and we can now say that a couple of days have been enough to make our cities back to business at full capacity, moreover without missing juicy news!

I also must say that the extraordinary community is the main point against After Dark. I mean that, ultimately, the additions done by official developers are extremely limited compared to infinity of content on the Steam Workshop.

The most important thing is of course the implementation of the night and of night lighting, which it is free for all the owners of the game, definitely making the purchase of tje DLC entirely optional, which does nothing but confirm the great Paradox style that so much has contributed to make this softco estimated by players.

I've probably already bored you with my talk so let's do the pictures speak. In the previous images you've seen the Gateway skyline with some innovations, the Irvine and baseball stadium lit (partially) and the Victoria Harbor Bridge, while above you can see the WTC in  a clear morning with the addition of the fourth tower (the highest one wasn't there before).

You certainly have shown particular appreciation for Echelon Peak so here are a couple more pics of this complex taken at dawn (as all the images in this entry), the second with Conal Valley and Maya Bay in the background. Below instead you can see an almost still completely dark Lyon Hill while Hellfire Bay is bathed in sunshine.

Another part of the city you already know is Miramar, a district that also has been enriched with the facilities arrived with After Dark:

And for the grand finale, something that you have not seen, since it is now well under way and I feel ready to let you glimpse!

As told, by the next entry will return the city guide that will present the city district by district: for the moment is everything, let me know what you think!

Keep followin' and you'll be surprised!

[Benedict 3,119]

Beautiful night views - hopefully this will be continuing.

[FullStrenght 74]

Looking good, the colors are just gorgeous!

[Elz_41 10]

where can I download that map you're using?