Tutorial and AMA’s on Planning with #CitiesSkylines. Part 1 of 6: The Overview

A look at Planning, Cities Skylines and how via Mixed Reality I work with both (in game play)

I have started a series via Twitch which will be uploaded to my YouTube channel on Planning with Cities Skylines. It is a six-part series look at the more advanced mechanics of Transport Planning in the game as well as my playthrough style.

I will be uploading both the raw and edited versions to YouTube for you consumption, as well as sharing it here with any further commentary on this blog.

A rundown on the series:

Part 1 of 6: The Overview The first of a series of Live Tutorials and AMAs on all things Planning, and Planning with Cities Skylines. Mods are in use including Real Time, Transport Manager: Presidents Edition, and Transport Lines Manager.

Part 1: Overview
Part 2: Buses and Trams Part
3: Metro, Heavy and Mono Rail
Part 4: Freight and Roads
Part 5: Active Modes and Hubs
Part 6: New City

Part 1: The Overview

[This is the raw version; highlights will also be available]

Part Two I look at buses and trams (aka Light Rail)

Riding the Helicopter again in Neo South Auckland #CitieSkylines

Because why get stuck in traffic

As the title and heading says; why get stuck in traffic when you can take a helicopter from A to B to C and back again. Let’s go travelling like the elite do across Neo South Auckland!

GET TO DA CHOPPA!

With the new Airport DLC coming out at the end of the month I will have to see how helicopters are dealt with at the new modular airport as currently it is only the Metropolitan Airport that handles them (apart from the stand alone helicopter stops).

Touring Neo South Auckland Part 2 of 3 #citiesskylines

Why sit in a car when I can take transit to go places

Why should I sit in traffic being the traffic when I can take reliable transit from A to B to C and back again quick and cheaply? The answer is I would not. This is why in my Mixed Reality cities built in Cities Skylines there are extensive transit systems following a strict hierarchy. A strict hierarchy as each mode has its optimal efficiency point before diseconomies of scale kick on from inefficiencies.

In Part Two of Touring Neo South Auckland we jump on some more transit to tour the City

Touring Neo South Auckland Part 2

Yes the City Centre is mainly car free apart from the main arterial roads taking people and goods in and out of the City Centre area.

City Centre area is Car Free – A Brief Highlight using #CitiesSkylines

Can City Centres go Car-Free?

The TL:DR answer on can City Centres go Car-Free? See the video below

On the Tram to the City Centre because why drive and try and find a car part at $15/hour.

Building our First-Ever Cycle Super Highway in #CitiesSkylines (and taking a Tour)

Took five years but here I am!

I have played Cities Skylines for long as it has been out – 5 years. Yet while perfecting transit and freight transportation options my active modes planning was no more than painted cycle lanes, the odd separated cycle lane next to trams or disjointed cycle-ways over a motorway.

Well that changed this month with the construction of the first ever Cycle Super Highway in Valhalla City! Following one of the two smaller rivers that run through Valhalla the Cycle Super Highway connects the Airport to the City Centre. The Super Highway also has branches coming off it connecting the different suburbs and towns on the trip to the City Centre itself.

Here is me building the Valhalla City – Airport Cycle Super Highway:

There might be no commentary from me in this clip as I had the mic off and forgot it was off.

But you can see the cycle-way follow a very scenic trip to the City Centre!

Here is a tour of the Cycle Super Highway as well:

I am aware the video might be choppy as Streamlabs does not like First Person very much…..

Not to worry once Sunset Harbour DLC comes out later this week and the Mods are fixed we will be straight back into Valhalla City building even MORE cycle super highways across the City!

You can find me on Twitch at https://www.twitch.tv/palpatine001

Our Very First Tram Ride in Valhalla City #citiesskylines

City Centre established and we take our first tram ride

We finally managed to do it! In the Friday stream of Cities Skylines I managed to finish the Valhalla City Centre and establish our very first tram lines linking Brownville to the City Centre and return.

Below is the highlights from last night’s stream showing the tram rides. I am aware of both the glare in the night view and the buffering at the end as Windows was starting an update (derp).

Some pictures:

I stream again this Sunday as I do some tweaks to the City Centre especially with the parks and a Radio Mast that is out of place as well.

You can find me here including times: https://www.twitch.tv/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.

Putting Urban Geography to the test in: Building a City Centre TAKES TIME – LOTS OF TIME. #CitiesSkylines

Putting Urban Geography to the test

I have finally started building the Manukau City Centre which will become the main of the two City Centres in Grand Manukau/Layton Cities.

For more we delve into this week’s video:

We a start building a City Centre

Next week we will look at the first of the urban development occurring as I take the simulator of Pause. Also more First Person Mode!

In the mean time: City Build Safe!

#CitiesSkylines City Building. The Subway is Fixed in Grand Manukau/Layton Cities

Building of the Downtown and East End

After the issues with the Mods things got back on track. So here we are with this week’s stream a tad late – but it is here.

This week I focus on building the Downtown, the East End, and the first ever Metro line for Grand Manukau/Layton Cities. Layton City Downtown is a Tourist area while the East End is a Leisure area, which is controlled using the game’s District commands. As usual the first video is also of the Q+A from questions that come up from the previous week’s thread.

Lets dive in shall we?

Let’s Get Building in #CitiesSkylines Part 1. Q+A and Intro

Let’s Get Building in #CitiesSkylines Part 2 – Building the Downtown.

Let’s Get Building in #CitiesSkylines Part 3 – On the Metro

I must say the Metro Overhaul Mod gives beautiful renders. I used the Classic version rather than the Modern version for the Metro line. However, other Lines as they are built might be the modern version.

Next week we continue with City building as I continue to extend the East End and Watson Heights. I will also start laying the infrastructure down for the Ore Industry as well.

Building a Metropolitan Centre Part 1

Grand Manukau/Layton Cities Expands

The Layton Busway is finally online and I am in the middle of redrawing the feeder buses so they best serve that busway. Elsewhere the rural sectors of Grand Manukau/Layton Cities continues with Meadow Heights coming on stream and I must say the scenery on the lakefront looks stunning.

This week’s Stream is a four part mini-series as I bring the busway online, continue work on the Watson Heights Metropolitan Centre, and start the foundation work on the Manukau City Centre. We also get a look at Meadow Heights as the fledgling rural sector continues to develop.

Next week I will start looking at the Data sets available in Cities Skylines and how I use them to fine tune the City. Also Part Two of Building a Metropolitan Centre, and how are those feeders going.