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Introduction
This is a continuation of Part 1, and part 2.
Previously on Simcity Tutorial...
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/k5X0lYx.jpg?1)
We built up Hangar Bay as a seaport/industrial zone in part 2, as a complement to Mar Sara, a starter city we built in part 1.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/R3QwS2O.jpg?1)
After a bit more development, Hangar Bay looks like this. The links going south were removed, because they didn't really lead anywhere. We also added a strip of commercial along the avenue, and created a separate industrial zone to the east, which hopefully will spawn cleaner high-tech industries. Additionally, there are extra power plants and waste-power incinerators, which will make this zone the main power and garbage service provider for this area. The commercial strip isn't looking so hot. Probably from pollution.
Expanding From the Natural to the Third
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/oRg7sZR.jpg?1)
Now it's time for phase 3, Sleepy Suburbs, which we'll call Urona Sigma.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/stDLi7b.jpg?1)
To build Urona, we first have to establish a highway link in Mar Sara. As you can see, the highway snakes along the east side of the city, hugging the mountain ridge. It has several stops, with one T-junction that connects directly into the main east-west avenue. Establishing this highway link now will help as we develop Urona, which will send sims into the city core.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/F8PhdQi.jpg?2)
The terrain of Urona Sigma is essentially flat, so we can build it however we want. We're just starting small in the NW corner, by the highway exit.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/R0mI5Od.png?1)
Here is the initial zoning. We have two roads which parallel the highway which will carry most of our commercial zone, with low-density suburbs branching-off further away. Remember to use streets!
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/8qk1ElF.jpg?1)
With the constant demand for residential and commercial from the much bigger Mar Sara, things develop quickly in Urona.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/glvxAO0.jpg?1)
Now let's try another style of suburb. As you can see, we have a pretty solid square of commercial lining the straight roads, with an irregular network of streets with residential inside. Notice that we've got gaps and differently sized zones for a more "natural" look.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/JDD9laX.jpg?1)
Here we can see the two suburb types. I've also zoned some high-density at the corner, which may or may not have been a good idea. But for now, I think it looks okay. You can also see the commercial zone growth on either side of the highway, with an aesthetically pleasing network of overpasses and on-ramps.
In city design, it is common to have one type of development on one side of a major transport artery, and something else on the other. In this case, we have a commercial zone, flanked on each side by a different type of suburb.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/FjQvMYK.jpg?1)
Close-up on the eastern suburbs.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/BhU856O.jpg?1)
Another view, from the western suburbs.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/QIrwL56.jpg?1)
Overall shot. We've got a cloverleaf intersection for future expansion...but it may not be necessary. We'll just have to wait and see. Also notice that there is no power or landfill. That's because Hangar Bay is taking care of that for us.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/I6PoWs2.png?1)
Regional Map.
Notes and Thoughts
Part 3 is meant to show a suburb, but also just a different play-style. We're no longer concerned with packing-in the most people, or making them rich, but having something "look realistic." This is at the heart of most Simcity 4 mods. I'm keeping this as SC4+NAM for simplicity, but you can really prettify things with the abundant mods available.
Urona Sigma makes decent money. It's a bit more of a challenge because we are intentionally keeping it lower-density, but we've put in a good mix of medium- and high- density to "carry" the budget.
What's Next?
Not sure. Might go back to Mar Sara and Hangar Bay to develop some more, or push south to phase 4, High-Tech City. Or do something else. What do you guys think?
Link to Part 4
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is there a good place to get this game super cheap? preferably no yo-ho-ho but I am a student and even 20 bucks is more than I'll usually drop on a game.
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On March 15 2013 14:46 UniversalSnip wrote:
is there a good place to get this game super cheap? preferably no yo-ho-ho but I am a student and even 20 bucks is more than I'll usually drop on a game.
Err...no clue.
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On March 15 2013 14:46 UniversalSnip wrote:
is there a good place to get this game super cheap? preferably no yo-ho-ho but I am a student and even 20 bucks is more than I'll usually drop on a game.
Steam has it listed at $9.99 with the deluxe pack.Or at least had when I got it after reading p 1&2 of this tutorial 
Edit: here, the link: http://store.steampowered.com/app/24780/?snr=1_7_7_151_150_1
Thanks again for this, I think you should go back to the previous 'colonies' to at least develop the connections between cities and maybe focus a bit more on the different power options, how to keep pollution low and how to get the health care to an adequate level as those are the things I've struggled the most during my time with SC4.
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do you have any plans for the other two peninsulas?
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On March 15 2013 17:45 Cokefreak wrote:Show nested quote +On March 15 2013 14:46 UniversalSnip wrote:
is there a good place to get this game super cheap? preferably no yo-ho-ho but I am a student and even 20 bucks is more than I'll usually drop on a game. Steam has it listed at $9.99 with the deluxe pack.Or at least had when I got it after reading p 1&2 of this tutorial Edit: here, the link: http://store.steampowered.com/app/24780/?snr=1_7_7_151_150_1Thanks again for this, I think you should go back to the previous 'colonies' to at least develop the connections between cities and maybe focus a bit more on the different power options, how to keep pollution low and how to get the health care to an adequate level as those are the things I've struggled the most during my time with SC4.
What difficulty are you playing on? I'm playing on intermediate, and I usually don't have problems with pollution or health care. It may be different on different levels.
Health care boils down to having enough hospitals, and adjusting the sliders on each hospital (accessible if you click "query" on the hospital). Remember to adjust hospitals individually, not using the slider bar in the budget. Your hospitals need to provide coverage AND capacity. It's not enough to make sure every residential zone is covered by a hospital, you also have to make sure that the hospital can handle the patients. In well-developed dense-residential zones, a single hospital can be easily overwhelmed, and you'll have to add a second or third hospital in the same area.
For pollution, just remember what creates pollution. Power plants, dirty and manufacturing industry, and traffic. I try not to build dirty, and keep manufacturing well-away from anything else. For power plants, I tend to just stick a coal power plant in the corner for my first starter city, but after awhile, as I build-out, I consolidate power in just a few areas. Here, that would be Hangar Bay. Traffic, well, the game is about managing traffic, so a good layout will help there.
Early on, cheap coal power will give your city the money to build-up a critical mass of city services. Later, you can transition to cleaner forms of power, as your mid and high income sims start really paying taxes.
For the next part I guess I'll do some "cleaning-up" and more build-out of the three zones I already have, and I'll add a shot of the hospitals, just to illustrate.
On March 16 2013 00:55 Roe wrote:
do you have any plans for the other two peninsulas?
Not at the moment...I'm thinking of turning that island in the bay, off the coast of Hangar Bay, into some kind of power-station island, to push the pollution further away.
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Russian Federation3632 Posts
It's a bit more of a challenge because we are intentionally keeping it lower-density, but we've put in a good mix of medium- and high- density to "carry" the budget.
I actually found that it is easier to make money with low-density (residential, at least). Consider that a high-rise has ~200-400x more people than a low-density house, and yet doesn't generate 200x more tax, which means it is more expensive to provide certain services (education / health). This is somewhat offset by the fact that there are some services that don't care about the population in the area it covers (fire). Also, you increase the demand for high-wealth CS$$$ which generates quite good tax revenue.
you have inspired me to try the game again by the way. also using the san francisco region (Some of the terrain is very interesting, I've started from the northeast inland area and expanded outward). Would you mind if I posted some of the pictures here in your thread?
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On March 16 2013 01:53 419 wrote:Show nested quote + It's a bit more of a challenge because we are intentionally keeping it lower-density, but we've put in a good mix of medium- and high- density to "carry" the budget. I actually found that it is easier to make money with low-density (residential, at least). Consider that a high-rise has ~200-400x more people than a low-density house, and yet doesn't generate 200x more tax, which means it is more expensive to provide certain services (education / health). This is somewhat offset by the fact that there are some services that don't care about the population in the area it covers (fire). Also, you increase the demand for high-wealth CS$$$ which generates quite good tax revenue. you have inspired me to try the game again by the way. also using the san francisco region (Some of the terrain is very interesting, I've started from the northeast inland area and expanded outward). Would you mind if I posted some of the pictures here in your thread?
It all depends, of course, but in general I find that budgets will be tighter if you want a "nice" suburb.
Go ahead and post screenshots!
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I got a refund for SimCity and I'm going to be putting a fraction of that into SimCity 4. Thanks for this!
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On March 16 2013 01:23 YMCApylons wrote:Show nested quote +On March 15 2013 17:45 Cokefreak wrote:On March 15 2013 14:46 UniversalSnip wrote:
is there a good place to get this game super cheap? preferably no yo-ho-ho but I am a student and even 20 bucks is more than I'll usually drop on a game. Steam has it listed at $9.99 with the deluxe pack.Or at least had when I got it after reading p 1&2 of this tutorial Edit: here, the link: http://store.steampowered.com/app/24780/?snr=1_7_7_151_150_1Thanks again for this, I think you should go back to the previous 'colonies' to at least develop the connections between cities and maybe focus a bit more on the different power options, how to keep pollution low and how to get the health care to an adequate level as those are the things I've struggled the most during my time with SC4. What difficulty are you playing on? I'm playing on intermediate, and I usually don't have problems with pollution or health care. It may be different on different levels. Health care boils down to having enough hospitals, and adjusting the sliders on each hospital (accessible if you click "query" on the hospital). Remember to adjust hospitals individually, not using the slider bar in the budget. Your hospitals need to provide coverage AND capacity. It's not enough to make sure every residential zone is covered by a hospital, you also have to make sure that the hospital can handle the patients. In well-developed dense-residential zones, a single hospital can be easily overwhelmed, and you'll have to add a second or third hospital in the same area. For pollution, just remember what creates pollution. Power plants, dirty and manufacturing industry, and traffic. I try not to build dirty, and keep manufacturing well-away from anything else. For power plants, I tend to just stick a coal power plant in the corner for my first starter city, but after awhile, as I build-out, I consolidate power in just a few areas. Here, that would be Hangar Bay. Traffic, well, the game is about managing traffic, so a good layout will help there. Early on, cheap coal power will give your city the money to build-up a critical mass of city services. Later, you can transition to cleaner forms of power, as your mid and high income sims start really paying taxes. For the next part I guess I'll do some "cleaning-up" and more build-out of the three zones I already have, and I'll add a shot of the hospitals, just to illustrate.
I play on hard simply because I used to play SC2K a ridiculous amount up to the point where I gave myself really random challenges such as playing with only using wind power or start with 20 years without zoning any commercial...
I worked out the problems with health care myself by going through one of the tutorials that teaches the query button usage and I believe I can deal with pollution with your tips but somehow I can't seem to get the need for manufacturing industry to even begin, there is only the need for agriculture even if I mirror your start 100% as illustrated in part 1 of the tutorial Oo;;
I really don't understand this game as some things appear to be so very different/more developed/thought out from SC2K.
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EPT
