Author: Ben Ross - Talking Auckland

Admin and author of Talking Auckland Blog ( http://voakl.net )

2020 = New #CitiesSkylines City!

We stripped the assets, we streamlined the mods, we did the spatial planning and away we go

2020 is well and truly here as are the streams (Sunday, Monday and Fridays) on all things Cities Skylines. I also marked 2020 by doing a bit of a clean out of the game in regards to assets and mods to allow the game to run more smoothly. This means also time for a new City using a map I have used before and quite enjoyed (owing to the hydro dam potential).

With all that allow me to introduce Grand Manukau/Layton Cities using the Los Dominos Map with Theme Mixer 2 enabled by TheOwl:

Grand Manukau/Layton Cities

As you can see I have already placed in some highways, bypasses, flood walls (the river floods often once the dam is built) and the cargo rail station. The map is actually a tropical dessert map but using the Theme Mixer 2 I have made it more green – call it the wonders of irrigation and terraforming. However, the temperatures still get above 30C in the day.

Again the twin cities, twin cores urban islands model will be used for this City but I am going to try the 15 minute City model that has come up on LinkedIn thanks to a Mayoral Candidate in Paris.

So far this is what we have before the first house was built in last night’s stream:

And as someone pointed out this junction looks like Jabba the Hutt:

As you might have seen things like bus lanes and light rail are already laid out in a basic formation using the Infrastructure-ahead model. That is I run the basic transport infrastructure ahead of urban development so it is ready to go once the development happens. Unlike Auckland which follows the infrastructure-deficit model which is build the houses first then think about the infrastructure in 30 years time. Remember that is think about it, it will take another 30 years to even start building it.

Light Rail and bus lanes ready to go for when the City Centre starts to get built!

And with that as seen in last night’s stream the first house did manage to get built for our first resident!

The two streams in setting the City up. For some reason Facebook thought the music was Copyright when Paradox has said it can be used for streaming – so go figure!

And the first house and first bus marking the birth of the City

You will need to watch the above video on Facebook owing to that stupid copyright issue that does not exist.

Next stream is on Sunday at 7:30pm at https://www.twitch.tv/palpatine001

Happy New Year/Decade, Changes to Stream Times and First Stream of the Decade!

Stream times have changed. They are on Twitch and Facebook are continuing Mondays and Fridays with Monday adjusted to 12:45pm New Zealand Time and 7:30pm on Fridays with Sunday 7:30pm also added. You can catch my streams here: https://www.twitch.tv/palpatine001

Ben's Cities

Changes to Stream times

Happy New Year and Decade everyone. How was everyone’s break and Decade 3 of the 21st Century kicks off.

Last night I held my first stream for 2020 in which I again managed to set a portion of my City on fire (meaning I need more fire choppers). Also trying to get on top of the high residential demand sounds like an average day in Auckland with no matter how much residential zoning I put down it is never enough.

Below is yesterday’s stream per Facebook:

Stream times

Stream times have changed. They are on Twitch and Facebook are continuing Mondays and Fridays with Monday adjusted to 12:45pm New Zealand Time and 7:30pm on Fridays with Sunday 7:30pm also added. You can catch my streams here: https://www.twitch.tv/palpatine001

Hope to see you there!

Ben Ross aka Palpatine001

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Happy New Year/Decade, Changes to Stream Times and First Stream of the Decade!

Changes to Stream times

Happy New Year and Decade everyone. How was everyone’s break and Decade 3 of the 21st Century kicks off.

Last night I held my first stream for 2020 in which I again managed to set a portion of my City on fire (meaning I need more fire choppers). Also trying to get on top of the high residential demand sounds like an average day in Auckland with no matter how much residential zoning I put down it is never enough.

Below is yesterday’s stream per Facebook:

Stream times

Stream times have changed. They are on Twitch and Facebook are continuing Mondays and Fridays with Monday adjusted to 12:45pm New Zealand Time and 7:30pm on Fridays with Sunday 7:30pm also added. You can catch my streams here: https://www.twitch.tv/palpatine001

Hope to see you there!

Ben Ross aka Palpatine001

WHOA – PEOPLE USING TRANSIT – WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT SO WHEN ACTUAL DECENT FREQUENCIES ARE PROVIDED! #CitiesSkylines Highlight

Day 1 and already having to adjust bus frequencies

After some glitches with Twitch I finally got streaming and recording. In the stream I noticed a sea of people heading to a bus station even though it has just opened 5 hours earlier.

A highlight from today’s stream with PEOPLE USING TRANSIT – GO FIGURE:

Provide it and people will use it!

The mass of people already transferring from Metro Rail to the buses in the newly formed Manukau City Centre demonstrates what happens when you put in the transit infrastructure before an urban development not as an afterthought as Auckland does (see: Urban Development in Southern Auckland (Paerata) Demonstration of Infrastructure Deficit Model )

Already I had to increase frequencies on one bus route and will be watching another carefully as it hits 85% occupancy utilisation. Also a summary of thoughts on urban geography and future streams (see: https://www.twitch.tv/palpatine001/ )

The full one hour video will be up Friday morning.

MARCH OF THE ZONES! We get ready to hit PLAY with Grand Manukau/Layton Cities #CitiesSkylines

We also reach Auckland Transport how to build a 24/7 transit system

Last night I ran the second test Twitch stream of Cities Skylines and Grand Manukau/Layton City. The focus was the Zones around the main City Centre as I prepare to bring the game off Pause and get the simulator going again.

We managed to crash the game in First Person Mode in the end but for the rest the mechanics of the Stream have been ironed out including background audio.

The streaming where we have MARCH OF THE ZONES:

March of the Zones

At the beginning of the video I was also setting down transit lines and setting the budgets. Or rather teaching Auckland Transport how to build and run a 24/7 transit system that runs frequencies no more than every 20 minutes but usually every 5-10 minutes. None of this half hourly or hourly stuff Auckland Transport likes to do and call a frequent bus service!

Finally before the game crash I go down to first person view and some of those towers are HUGE.

Stream Times

  • Summer Time (October-April):
    • Friday: 8pm (GMT+13)
    • Monday: 10am (GMT +13)
  • Winter Time (April to October)
    • Friday: 7pm (GMT+12)
    • Monday: 10am (GMT +12)

Thursday and Saturday streams might happen occassionally

Stream Link: https://www.twitch.tv/palpatine001/

Hope to see you around!

Transport Line Manager in use

#CitiesSkylines Test Streams. Catch me Fridays and Mondays

Testing, testing 123

I have set my Twitch Account up and the first test was complete. Still somethings to work through like the mic vs the background music but otherwise most of the Gremlins are sorted.

The test stream at 45mins long

These streams will be unscripted but I will follow a basic order in what will be done for each respective stream.

Stream times will be:

  • Friday from around 7:30pm GMT+12 (GMT +13 Between October and April)
  • Monday from around 10am GMT+12 (GMT +13 Between October and April)

Extra streams can be held if warranted.

My Twitch Channel: https://www.twitch.tv/palpatine001/

Hope to see you around for all things Cities Skylines!