.png){kind=avatar}
Hello and welcome to Metropolis (Hochstadt am Tülle by its more formal name)!
In this Succession Game, we will try to introduce some planning and government, as well as 'personal playgrounds' into the standard game experience. Along with a few carefully-picked mods and a good map, these should go a long way towards keeping the game interesting.
Game Reports
Turn-cycle #1
1.1 stiiknafuulia
1.2 ItalianGuy
1.3 Myquandro (did too much stuff to take notes!)
1.4 General Gnu (+part2) (note that you must be registered on the forums in order to see the pics)
1.5 Spockyt (on vacation in the Cocos Islands)
1.6 algernon
Turn-cycle #2
2.1 stiiknafuulia (in exil-- err, vacationing in the Seychelles ^^)
2.2 Myquandro
2.3 ItalianGuy
2.4 General Gnu (and part two)
2.5 Spockyt (in treatment for Cocos Island claptrap (you can guess what that is)
2.6 algernon (it's a stub of a report, but hey, something > nothing)
Turn-cycle #3
3.1 stiiknafuulia
3.2 Myquandro
3.3 General Gnu (abducted by Brutopian rebels)
3.4 Spockyt (in a coma because of failed treatment)
1.1 stiiknafuulia
1.2 ItalianGuy
1.3 Myquandro (did too much stuff to take notes!)
1.4 General Gnu (+part2) (note that you must be registered on the forums in order to see the pics)
1.5 Spockyt (on vacation in the Cocos Islands)
1.6 algernon
Turn-cycle #2
2.1 stiiknafuulia (in exil-- err, vacationing in the Seychelles ^^)
2.2 Myquandro
2.3 ItalianGuy
2.4 General Gnu (and part two)
2.5 Spockyt (in treatment for Cocos Island claptrap (you can guess what that is
)2.6 algernon (it's a stub of a report, but hey, something > nothing)
Turn-cycle #3
3.1 stiiknafuulia
3.2 Myquandro
3.3 General Gnu (abducted by Brutopian rebels)
3.4 Spockyt (in a coma because of failed treatment)
The Rules of the Game [soon-to-be obsolete; please do not bother reading!]:
Council Meetings
The Metropolitan Mayor (MM for short from now on)
Personal Districts (or PDs for short), and the Common District (CD)
Order of Play, Number of Players & Current Roster
Posting the Save, Turn-times & Reporting
Map Choice
The Mod List
Rules that are to be 'set in stone' for the duration* of the game
Recommendations (not 'rules', but good etiquette to follow throughout the game)
To be studied before game start (please read!)
* While there are no 'assigned posts' for players in this game, there is a (kind of) government: after the mayoral elections (to be described later on), the players will gather to deliberate on current issues and adopt certain vague or definite plans for future reference; these plans will be up for revision or even disbandment as the game goes along. While they are in effect, they will apply as 'laws' and guide the players' actions down certain avenues; e.g. a comprehensive zoning plan for the city would have to be followed on the broad level (small corner shops etc may still exist 'in violation' of the plan).
* Time period for the council meetings will be 4 days (96 hours). Of course in practice things might move along quicker; but ideally in this game they will *never* move slower. If you want an extension for preparing your master plan, no can do, boyo; either prepate better next time, or accept that your plan will have to be presented in an imperfect form. (Ofc in any case it is still subject to mayoral revision / rejection.)
* If no plan exists for some aspect of the game, players may do as they wish in that area; however, in most cases it would be prudent to wait until the oversight is corrected and a plan is devised, because even a bad plan is nearly always better than none (at least when it comes to city-builders).
* Time period for the council meetings will be 4 days (96 hours). Of course in practice things might move along quicker; but ideally in this game they will *never* move slower. If you want an extension for preparing your master plan, no can do, boyo; either prepate better next time, or accept that your plan will have to be presented in an imperfect form. (Ofc in any case it is still subject to mayoral revision / rejection.)
* If no plan exists for some aspect of the game, players may do as they wish in that area; however, in most cases it would be prudent to wait until the oversight is corrected and a plan is devised, because even a bad plan is nearly always better than none (at least when it comes to city-builders).
The Metropolitan Mayor (MM for short from now on)
* As the only elected official, the Metropolitan Mayor will excercise considerable power in the game.
After the presenting of plans at the council meeting, the MM will be the one to decide which plans to adopt
and which to abandon. At this stage, he may also alter the plans to his liking and they will still apply as
mandatory 'laws' to be followed by all players.
* The players will elect the MM for the duration of a single turn cycle; all players will have one vote of equal value.
Elections
Elections for metropolitan mayor will take place at the very beginning of each turn cycle, right before the council meetings. The rules are as follows:
* You may vote for anyone but yourself (duh).
* You may choose to abstain, but in this case your vote counts for everyone else.
* In the event of ties we'll have a new election with the tied candidates; if there is a tie again, then the previous mayor decides who gets the post (note: he may *not* give it to himself).
* Time limits will be two days (48 h) for the initial election, one day (24 h) for the re-election (if there is a tie); if you haven't voted once the time limit is up, your vote will be counted for everyone else.
* There is an 'informal' term limit of two successive mayoral terms; it doesn't *have* to be followed, but I at least feel that two mayoral terms back-to-back is enough for anyone, so I will vote for another candidate on principle in such a case.
*It is both polite and expedient to state with your original vote whether you'd stick with it in case of a re-election; if the answer is yes, this way you will only have to vote once and your vote will remain identical in a possible re-election. So when you vote for the first time, simply state: 'I vote for [someone]. Re-election: same', or similar.
Election Intrigue
* To simulate real-world politics, you may buy mayoral votes from other players! Future favors as MM work well for this; keep in mind though that should you ignore your promises, it might come back to bite you in later elections.
* If cheating is somehow found out, all other players will gather for a tribunal and decide an appropriate punishment for the perpetrator. (In practice gathering proof will be hard, as pms could simply be fabricated.)
* The counting of the votes:
I (stiiknafuulia) will count the votes, as I have no social life and will always be present. This requires everyone to trust me, so this is a condition of entering the game. As an added insurance, I will exclude myself from all potential scheming (I will cast my own vote before reading any pms). [Note for new players: this may seem like a shaky enough system; but it was arrived at as the least of all evils after extensive discussions. If you have a better alternative, please do not hesitate to present it!]
Executive Orders
* Executive orders are commands that you may give as MM to each player at the start of their turn; whether you excercise this right is up to your discretion, but in order to put your stamp on the city during your mayoral period, in practice the use of executive orders will be common.
* Executive orders may concern anything that has been discussed in the plans that were approved at the preceding council meeting; if e.g. building more power plants was discussed, you may tell a player to build a new dam in their personal district (with the caveat that they'll be able to pick a place for it themselves), and they will have to follow the order. Otoh, if power production was *not* discussed at all at the council meeting, then any such order becomes a mere suggestion, without any binding power.
* Note that executive orders may *not* contradict the agreed-upon plans. If it e.g. was part of a plan to build new dams, you may *not* order the demolishing of existing dams, on the guise that 'dams were discussed'. While this rule might appear schizophrenic, it serves to simulate the inertia of real-world bureaucracy, as well as to reward foresight in the making and adopting of plans: you may not turn the course of the city on a dime whenever new problems present themselves, but will have to make your plans such that any contingency is prepared for in advance! (Or, if this fails, make the next plan better.)
* Both suggestions and executive orders are unlimited in number; however, give too many intrusive orders and your future mayoral votes may suffer! And in case of truly great abuses, there is also impeachment to consider.
Impeachment
* If a Metropolitan Mayor is seen by a player as abusing his powers (too many unreasonable Executive Orders, etc), then he may at any time start a vote to impeach the MM and dislodge him from his position as MM. This vote will be on-going and a 2/3 majority is needed to impeach and dislodge a mayor; once enough players have voted and (if) the mayor has been impeached, the position of MM will remain vacant until the start of the next turn cycle, when a new MM will be elected, as per the normal procedure (the impeached MM may still be re-elected, although in practice it will be unlikely).
Electoral Campaigns
* You may campaign for the position of mayor in any way you wish, so long as you adhere to the permanent rules of the game. It is possible to favor one or more player(s) over others during your reign (by e.g. granting them more train stations). Keep in mind though that future mayors may see such 'gifts' as corruption and use their executive rights to revoke them down the line!
After the presenting of plans at the council meeting, the MM will be the one to decide which plans to adopt
and which to abandon. At this stage, he may also alter the plans to his liking and they will still apply as
mandatory 'laws' to be followed by all players.
* The players will elect the MM for the duration of a single turn cycle; all players will have one vote of equal value.
Elections
Elections for metropolitan mayor will take place at the very beginning of each turn cycle, right before the council meetings. The rules are as follows:
* You may vote for anyone but yourself (duh).
* You may choose to abstain, but in this case your vote counts for everyone else.
* In the event of ties we'll have a new election with the tied candidates; if there is a tie again, then the previous mayor decides who gets the post (note: he may *not* give it to himself).
* Time limits will be two days (48 h) for the initial election, one day (24 h) for the re-election (if there is a tie); if you haven't voted once the time limit is up, your vote will be counted for everyone else.
* There is an 'informal' term limit of two successive mayoral terms; it doesn't *have* to be followed, but I at least feel that two mayoral terms back-to-back is enough for anyone, so I will vote for another candidate on principle in such a case.
*It is both polite and expedient to state with your original vote whether you'd stick with it in case of a re-election; if the answer is yes, this way you will only have to vote once and your vote will remain identical in a possible re-election. So when you vote for the first time, simply state: 'I vote for [someone]. Re-election: same', or similar.
Election Intrigue
* To simulate real-world politics, you may buy mayoral votes from other players!
Future favors as MM work well for this; keep in mind though that should you ignore your promises, it might come back to bite you in later elections.* If cheating is somehow found out, all other players will gather for a tribunal and decide an appropriate punishment for the perpetrator. (In practice gathering proof will be hard, as pms could simply be fabricated.)
* The counting of the votes:
I (stiiknafuulia) will count the votes, as I have no social life and will always be present. This requires everyone to trust me, so this is a condition of entering the game. As an added insurance, I will exclude myself from all potential scheming (I will cast my own vote before reading any pms). [Note for new players: this may seem like a shaky enough system; but it was arrived at as the least of all evils after extensive discussions. If you have a better alternative, please do not hesitate to present it!]
Executive Orders
* Executive orders are commands that you may give as MM to each player at the start of their turn; whether you excercise this right is up to your discretion, but in order to put your stamp on the city during your mayoral period, in practice the use of executive orders will be common.
* Executive orders may concern anything that has been discussed in the plans that were approved at the preceding council meeting; if e.g. building more power plants was discussed, you may tell a player to build a new dam in their personal district (with the caveat that they'll be able to pick a place for it themselves), and they will have to follow the order. Otoh, if power production was *not* discussed at all at the council meeting, then any such order becomes a mere suggestion, without any binding power.
* Note that executive orders may *not* contradict the agreed-upon plans. If it e.g. was part of a plan to build new dams, you may *not* order the demolishing of existing dams, on the guise that 'dams were discussed'. While this rule might appear schizophrenic, it serves to simulate the inertia of real-world bureaucracy, as well as to reward foresight in the making and adopting of plans: you may not turn the course of the city on a dime whenever new problems present themselves, but will have to make your plans such that any contingency is prepared for in advance! (Or, if this fails, make the next plan better.
)* Both suggestions and executive orders are unlimited in number; however, give too many intrusive orders and your future mayoral votes may suffer! And in case of truly great abuses, there is also impeachment to consider.
Impeachment
* If a Metropolitan Mayor is seen by a player as abusing his powers (too many unreasonable Executive Orders, etc), then he may at any time start a vote to impeach the MM and dislodge him from his position as MM. This vote will be on-going and a 2/3 majority is needed to impeach and dislodge a mayor; once enough players have voted and (if) the mayor has been impeached, the position of MM will remain vacant until the start of the next turn cycle, when a new MM will be elected, as per the normal procedure (the impeached MM may still be re-elected, although in practice it will be unlikely).
Electoral Campaigns
* You may campaign for the position of mayor in any way you wish, so long as you adhere to the permanent rules of the game. It is possible to favor one or more player(s) over others during your reign (by e.g. granting them more train stations). Keep in mind though that future mayors may see such 'gifts' as corruption and use their executive rights to revoke them down the line!
Personal Districts (or PDs for short), and the Common District (CD)
* In addition to planning and government, extensive district play will be the other theme of this game; each player will have a large-ish 'personal district' (possibly to be expanded as the game goes on), within which they will have dictatorial powers, meaning that unless you grant your express permission, no alterations may be made to your personal district by any other player. This is to simulate these realms as independent towns, etc, that are working together to establish a larger metropolis, with all the conflict and compromise that this will inevitably entail. (Cue ample role-playing opportunities!)
* To start with, the plans that will act as laws in other areas will only apply as suggestions within the PDs. Later on, as the PDs will grow larger and have more effect on the city's overall traffic patterns, the plans may be made more binding. If applied, this change will take place after mutual negotiation between all players, not as a mayoral decision. NOTE: Mayoral executive orders must still be obeyed at all times, even within your personal district! However, the orders may not be too specific, and you will have some leeway in how you wish to carry them out (it is possible to 'sabotage' an order by e.g. building a requested dam in a small brook, but the mayor in question will probably remember such transgressions!).
NOTE: The permanent rules of the game (specified later) will also take precedence over players' liberties within their PDs! These concern mainly the major traffic routes, water and power.
* In addition to the personal districts, there will exist a 'common' or 'central' city, where the plans will apply as laws from the beginning, to be followed at all times. You will also have to follow any executive orders that are given by the MM. Note: while this may seem restrictive, in practice the plans will be fairly broad; if you want to e.g. add a few new residental streets, or if there is no mayoral policy restricting the placement of more Elementary Schools, and you want to add one, have at it!
* To start with, the plans that will act as laws in other areas will only apply as suggestions within the PDs. Later on, as the PDs will grow larger and have more effect on the city's overall traffic patterns, the plans may be made more binding. If applied, this change will take place after mutual negotiation between all players, not as a mayoral decision. NOTE: Mayoral executive orders must still be obeyed at all times, even within your personal district! However, the orders may not be too specific, and you will have some leeway in how you wish to carry them out (it is possible to 'sabotage' an order by e.g. building a requested dam in a small brook, but the mayor in question will probably remember such transgressions!).
NOTE: The permanent rules of the game (specified later) will also take precedence over players' liberties within their PDs! These concern mainly the major traffic routes, water and power.
* In addition to the personal districts, there will exist a 'common' or 'central' city, where the plans will apply as laws from the beginning, to be followed at all times. You will also have to follow any executive orders that are given by the MM. Note: while this may seem restrictive, in practice the plans will be fairly broad; if you want to e.g. add a few new residental streets, or if there is no mayoral policy restricting the placement of more Elementary Schools, and you want to add one, have at it!
Order of Play, Number of Players & Current Roster
To make it absolutely clear, here's how the turn cycle will play out:
1) Elections for a new MM
2) Council Meeting (new plans will be presented, and old ones revised)
3) New MM decides which plans he'll adopt for his term (as well as modifies them)
4) Players take their turns in order*
*The MM may give executive orders (and suggestions) before each player's turn for them to complete during said turn
**Electoral campaigns for the next mayor will be running throughout the turn cycle
* There are 6 players now, which is all that we need for the moment, but you may pm me if you want to reserve a place (in case someone drops out).
Roster:
stiiknafuulia (MM)
ItalianGuy
Myquandro
General Gnu
Spockyt
algernon
1) Elections for a new MM
2) Council Meeting (new plans will be presented, and old ones revised)
3) New MM decides which plans he'll adopt for his term (as well as modifies them)
4) Players take their turns in order*
*The MM may give executive orders (and suggestions) before each player's turn for them to complete during said turn
**Electoral campaigns for the next mayor will be running throughout the turn cycle
* There are 6 players now, which is all that we need for the moment, but you may pm me if you want to reserve a place (in case someone drops out).
Roster:
stiiknafuulia (MM)
ItalianGuy
Myquandro
General Gnu
Spockyt
algernon
Posting the Save, Turn-times & Reporting
* Once you're done with your turn, you are to post a link to the save in the game-thread. Use either Steam or a file upload service (such as Tinyupload) to upload the save.
* In the beginning, each player will play for two years; later on we will switch to a one-year turn scheme, as the city gets larger and there are more things to do. This change will take place after negotiation between all players.
* From the moment that the previous player posts the save, you have 48 hours to make a 'got it!' post (to indicate that you're playing), and 120 hours total time to play (including the 'got it!' period, so if you pick up the save immediately after it's posted, you'll have 5 full days to play).
NOTE: while you may *not* play more than the allotted amount of real-world hours, should you reach the time-limit while your turn has yet to finish, you may send in a partially completed save. For this procedure to be possible, you must have completed a minimum of 50 % of your turn (so one year of a two-year turn; half a year of a one-year turn). If this condition is fulfilled, you may send in the save with a note that states it's partially completed; the next player will then 'continue' your turn before playing his own (to make it an even date). Under this scheme players will sometimes get to play more than their normal turn-time (in game-years); however, it evens out since everyone gets this chance, and this way few turns will be lost due to unexpected real-world delays, etc.
* It is possible to switch your turn with someone else, if they agree and you post about it in advance (to let me and the MM know about it).
* Ideally your report will be posted at the same time as the save, but it's not an absolute necessity. As to how elaborate the game reports should be, imo it is the job of some players to provide flavor to the game, while others keep it moving along at a nice pace. So it's ok if some reports are like this:
"--built a new highway to the South
--+7k residents
--need new power plant soon" ,
while others will be full-length novels about the politics of building a single new street in a historical area.
* In the beginning, each player will play for two years; later on we will switch to a one-year turn scheme, as the city gets larger and there are more things to do. This change will take place after negotiation between all players.
* From the moment that the previous player posts the save, you have 48 hours to make a 'got it!' post (to indicate that you're playing), and 120 hours total time to play (including the 'got it!' period, so if you pick up the save immediately after it's posted, you'll have 5 full days to play).
NOTE: while you may *not* play more than the allotted amount of real-world hours, should you reach the time-limit while your turn has yet to finish, you may send in a partially completed save. For this procedure to be possible, you must have completed a minimum of 50 % of your turn (so one year of a two-year turn; half a year of a one-year turn). If this condition is fulfilled, you may send in the save with a note that states it's partially completed; the next player will then 'continue' your turn before playing his own (to make it an even date). Under this scheme players will sometimes get to play more than their normal turn-time (in game-years); however, it evens out since everyone gets this chance, and this way few turns will be lost due to unexpected real-world delays, etc.
* It is possible to switch your turn with someone else, if they agree and you post about it in advance (to let me and the MM know about it).
* Ideally your report will be posted at the same time as the save, but it's not an absolute necessity. As to how elaborate the game reports should be, imo it is the job of some players to provide flavor to the game, while others keep it moving along at a nice pace. So it's ok if some reports are like this:
"--built a new highway to the South
--+7k residents
--need new power plant soon" ,
while others will be full-length novels about the politics of building a single new street in a historical area.
Map Choice
For the map, we will use Cantil Valley Europe, as modified by Myquandro to add more flat terrain and traffic connections.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=445636101
(original)
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=502995698
(modified version)
(Note: you will not have to download the map, as it will be a part of the actual save.)
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=445636101
(original)
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=502995698
(modified version)
(Note: you will not have to download the map, as it will be a part of the actual save.)
The Mod List
* Most mods in this SG will be used for realism, and/or convenience. If you feel that a crucial mod is missing from the list, you may still suggest new mods to be added;
however, these should be vital additions, not minor tweaks for rare situations.
Mods that will be used from the beginning
Mods that may be used in the future
'Cosmetic' mods (these do not affect the save and may be used at your own discretion)
however, these should be vital additions, not minor tweaks for rare situations.
Mods that will be used from the beginning
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=409184143
Traffic++
(The options that it offers are vast in the hands of a capable planner (which admittedly I'm not), so it was agreed to use this mod from the beginning.
Note: the options in the mod's 'options' panel (available in the in-game 'Mods' menu) will need to be set as follows:
- Allow trucks in pedestrian roads: NO
- Allow residents in pedestrian roads: YES
- Disable central lane on pedestrian roads: NO
- No despawn by CBeTHaX: NO
- Beta: Realistic speeds: NO
- Beta: Road customizer tool: YES
- Beta: Improved AI: YES
Be sure to set these options as described, and not alter them at any point, to assure save compatibility !!!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=447789816
Unlock All Roads
(All roads unlocked from the start. Milestones are unaffected by this mod; imo it's simply a nuisance to not have all roads available from the start.)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=426854617
German Roads
(Adds some new road-types with high speeds; very useful since it's so tedious to alter speed limits in Traffic++.)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=413687519
Some Roads
(Extremely useful, since it contains 'mock-up' roads that cost nothing and have no effect, other than to plan future road networks -- perfect for this SG!)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=411095553
Terraform Tool
(There was ample support for this, and it just makes sense for our mountainous map, so it will be used. Do note though that the mod's use will need to be extremely limited until well into the game, because of the prohibitive cost involved!)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=409644467
Infinite Oil And Ore
(Needed to make building a cargo network worthwhile with these resources. --Be mindful though that it seems the mod is rather an ad-hoc work, in that it actually makes the *buildings* generate *more* resources; this means that it's possible to build an 'oil district' even where there is very little oil, and over time the ground will become 100 % black under it! We'll have to use this carefully, and only in areas with actual oil and ore deposits.)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=433249875
[ARIS] Enhanced Hearse AI
(Fixes the default game's terrible Hearse AI.)
+
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=439582006
[ARIS] Enhanced Garbage Truck AI
(Does the same thing for the Garbage Truck AI.)
+
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=421028969
[ARIS] Skylines Overwatch
(It's a dependency that's needed for the other two mods to work.)
(The main reason to use these mods is to make garbage and hearse AIs district-based; this is needed, because otherwise the trucks and hearses will spend all their time cruising the countryside between our PDs. The added realism is not a bad thing, either.)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
* The Area Enabler mod will be needed to unlock all 25 tiles, but only the first player, i.e. yours truly needs to do this, so it's not on the list.
Traffic++
(The options that it offers are vast in the hands of a capable planner (which admittedly I'm not
), so it was agreed to use this mod from the beginning.Note: the options in the mod's 'options' panel (available in the in-game 'Mods' menu) will need to be set as follows:
- Allow trucks in pedestrian roads: NO
- Allow residents in pedestrian roads: YES
- Disable central lane on pedestrian roads: NO
- No despawn by CBeTHaX: NO
- Beta: Realistic speeds: NO
- Beta: Road customizer tool: YES
- Beta: Improved AI: YES
Be sure to set these options as described, and not alter them at any point, to assure save compatibility !!!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=447789816
Unlock All Roads
(All roads unlocked from the start. Milestones are unaffected by this mod; imo it's simply a nuisance to not have all roads available from the start.)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=426854617
German Roads
(Adds some new road-types with high speeds; very useful since it's so tedious to alter speed limits in Traffic++.)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=413687519
Some Roads
(Extremely useful, since it contains 'mock-up' roads that cost nothing and have no effect, other than to plan future road networks -- perfect for this SG!)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=411095553
Terraform Tool
(There was ample support for this, and it just makes sense for our mountainous map, so it will be used. Do note though that the mod's use will need to be extremely limited until well into the game, because of the prohibitive cost involved!)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=409644467
Infinite Oil And Ore
(Needed to make building a cargo network worthwhile with these resources. --Be mindful though that it seems the mod is rather an ad-hoc work, in that it actually makes the *buildings* generate *more* resources; this means that it's possible to build an 'oil district' even where there is very little oil, and over time the ground will become 100 % black under it! We'll have to use this carefully, and only in areas with actual oil and ore deposits.)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=433249875
[ARIS] Enhanced Hearse AI
(Fixes the default game's terrible Hearse AI.)
+
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=439582006
[ARIS] Enhanced Garbage Truck AI
(Does the same thing for the Garbage Truck AI.)
+
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=421028969
[ARIS] Skylines Overwatch
(It's a dependency that's needed for the other two mods to work.)
(The main reason to use these mods is to make garbage and hearse AIs district-based; this is needed, because otherwise the trucks and hearses will spend all their time cruising the countryside between our PDs. The added realism is not a bad thing, either.)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
* The Area Enabler mod will be needed to unlock all 25 tiles, but only the first player, i.e. yours truly needs to do this, so it's not on the list.
Mods that may be used in the future
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=408706691
Proper Hardness
(Not used for the moment, as it was deemed potentially buggy and/or problematic; we might use it in the future to provide new challenges and increase the game's difficulty.)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=424106600
IPT - Improved Public Transport 2.3.3
(Allows you to set the number of buses on a bus line, bus passenger capacity, etc. Might be considered 'cheating' by some; also, it seems that this mod may potentially conflict with Traffic++. Especially for this reason it's best to opt against using this mod for now, imo. I merely mention it because it might be useful at some point, as our city expands and the public transport system becomes more complicated.)
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Hard Mode (in-game 'mod')
(I'm not sure it's needed since we use the Proper Hardness mod, but we can activate this if we start making too much money. Note that the decision to activate Hard Mode should be a majority decision, not a mayoral one (duh).)
Proper Hardness
(Not used for the moment, as it was deemed potentially buggy and/or problematic; we might use it in the future to provide new challenges and increase the game's difficulty.)
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http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=424106600
IPT - Improved Public Transport 2.3.3
(Allows you to set the number of buses on a bus line, bus passenger capacity, etc. Might be considered 'cheating' by some; also, it seems that this mod may potentially conflict with Traffic++. Especially for this reason it's best to opt against using this mod for now, imo. I merely mention it because it might be useful at some point, as our city expands and the public transport system becomes more complicated.)
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Hard Mode (in-game 'mod')
(I'm not sure it's needed since we use the Proper Hardness mod, but we can activate this if we start making too much money. Note that the decision to activate Hard Mode should be a majority decision, not a mayoral one (duh).)
'Cosmetic' mods (these do not affect the save and may be used at your own discretion)
While not a mod per se, apparently custom *GROWABLE* buildings are replaced by the default ones if you don't have them downloaded, so, if you have a lot of custom growables, they will make for some rather different-looking screenshots in your reports! (As for an in-game explanation for such a drastic change of scenery, well, I just watched 'Dark City' on TV so anything goes for me... )
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http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=416064574
Cimtographer
(Although its use demands a little study, this mod may prove very useful for the drawing of plans, for those willing to go through the effort!)
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http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=445589127
Precision Engineering
(Allows for more accurate placing of roads. A must-have for all true traffic-aficionados!)
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http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=420500168
One-Way Street Arrows
(Allows you to actually see which way your one-way streets are going. Pretty important, as the 50k+ downloads point out.)
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http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=411164732
Extended Public Transport UI
(I'm not sure what it changes tbh, since I've never laid out any public transport lines without this mod. Judging by the comments though, you basically can't do without this if you want to tinker with bus lines etc in any major way.)
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http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=413678178
Fine Road Heights
(Allows for fine-tuning road-heights, leading to less awkward-looking on-ramps etc. Also, the 'earth walls' that you can make under the roads with this mod might come in handy for scenic effect at times.)
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http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=510802741
Toggle District Snapping
(Allows for a smoother defining of district boundaries.)
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http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=408092246
Traffic Report Tool
(Useful for determining the destination points of cars on a particular stretch of road.)
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http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=437716646
Cities Atlas
(This mod shows altitude differences clearly on the ground, which can help building in areas that have sloping terrain (especially if there's slopes in many different directions).)
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http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=486496436
DistrictRCI
(Shows RCI demand for each district; essential imo when it comes to the PDs.)
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http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=410151616
City Vitals Watch
(Adds a customizable panel that lets you see important statistics at a glance without opening the relevant screen (electricity etc). I downloaded this yesterday, and I already know I won't play the game without this from now on.)
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http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=420972688
Better Budget
(Allows you to adjust the budget of any service without going to the Budget screen. Similarly to the City Vitals Watch mod, I won't play the game without this anymore.)
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http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=408932281
'Realistic' light filter
(Nice for screenshots; I use it while playing as well, but it does make things a bit unclear at times, which I guess is why CO went with the 'garish' approach of the default graphics.)
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http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=406629464
Dynamic Resolution
(I'm not too tech-savvy; basically it either improves the graphics of the game, with a hit to your computer's performance -- or does the opposite, depending on the settings.)
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http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=420230361
Moving Sun
(Makes the sun rise and set. Good for taking screenshots!)
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http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=410805639
Sun Shafts
(Makes the sun shine even fancier. What's not to like?^^)
)xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=416064574
Cimtographer
(Although its use demands a little study, this mod may prove very useful for the drawing of plans, for those willing to go through the effort!)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=445589127
Precision Engineering
(Allows for more accurate placing of roads. A must-have for all true traffic-aficionados!)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=420500168
One-Way Street Arrows
(Allows you to actually see which way your one-way streets are going. Pretty important, as the 50k+ downloads point out.)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=411164732
Extended Public Transport UI
(I'm not sure what it changes tbh, since I've never laid out any public transport lines without this mod. Judging by the comments though, you basically can't do without this if you want to tinker with bus lines etc in any major way.)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=413678178
Fine Road Heights
(Allows for fine-tuning road-heights, leading to less awkward-looking on-ramps etc. Also, the 'earth walls' that you can make under the roads with this mod might come in handy for scenic effect at times.)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=510802741
Toggle District Snapping
(Allows for a smoother defining of district boundaries.)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=408092246
Traffic Report Tool
(Useful for determining the destination points of cars on a particular stretch of road.)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=437716646
Cities Atlas
(This mod shows altitude differences clearly on the ground, which can help building in areas that have sloping terrain (especially if there's slopes in many different directions).)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=486496436
DistrictRCI
(Shows RCI demand for each district; essential imo when it comes to the PDs.)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=410151616
City Vitals Watch
(Adds a customizable panel that lets you see important statistics at a glance without opening the relevant screen (electricity etc). I downloaded this yesterday, and I already know I won't play the game without this from now on.)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=420972688
Better Budget
(Allows you to adjust the budget of any service without going to the Budget screen. Similarly to the City Vitals Watch mod, I won't play the game without this anymore.)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=408932281
'Realistic' light filter
(Nice for screenshots; I use it while playing as well, but it does make things a bit unclear at times, which I guess is why CO went with the 'garish' approach of the default graphics.)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=406629464
Dynamic Resolution
(I'm not too tech-savvy; basically it either improves the graphics of the game, with a hit to your computer's performance -- or does the opposite, depending on the settings.)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=420230361
Moving Sun
(Makes the sun rise and set. Good for taking screenshots!)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=410805639
Sun Shafts
(Makes the sun shine even fancier. What's not to like?^^)
Rules that are to be 'set in stone' for the duration* of the game
(*Can be altered by majority vote if necessary, but are *not* subject to mayoral decisions.)
While most things are safe and exciting to leave up for councils and mayors to decide, there are a few issues that will need stricter control, to assure the proper functioning and development of the city. Here are the ones we've thought of so far:
* Use of mods such as 'add money' etc, that don't affect the save as such but are clearly cheating, is not allowed under any circumstances. Granted that there's no way to really find out if you do this, but ehh, I can't think of a more pointless thing to do, so, please don't do it.
* The water and power networks must remain connected throughout the city. This is to facilitate the easy manipulation of the water and power budgets, in order to conserve money in the beginning of the game; as well as to make it easy to keep track of how much total power and water we have available.
* The use of tunnels will be limited in this game, to 'simulate' real world cities, where tunnels can be used to solve only the most dire of traffic problems, due to their excessive cost in most situations. This is also a good practice because the interface makes it devilishly hard to tell apart metro, train, and road tunnels in the underground view; most tunnels will be metro tunnels in our city, making it easy to see the metro network at a glance at any time. To this end, only mayors may build tunnels, or make executive orders for players to build them. If a mayor builds too many tunnels for it to seem realistic, they will face the consequences in losing the next election. NOTE: Since we will be using the Terraform mod, sunken roadways + overpasses are a way of making cheaper 'semi-tunnels' that will also have very nice aesthetics! While the building of such roadways is not subject to any absolute restrictions, the use of common sense is encouraged (as well as minding their cost, as they will be more expensive than regular roads, and may in some cases be more expensive than tunnels).
* Similarly, a metro system is only used in very big cities; the building of metro lines is therefore subject to council planning *and* mayoral executive orders.
* Expansion of the personal districts: We will initially claim similarly shaped and sized districts for ourselves; we will decide the ideal initial size in our first council meeting. After this, when a majority of players agrees on it, we will each post a screenshot of our enlargened PD; other players will then either approve or disapprove of it, and we'll negotiate to solve any potential disagreements. In the case of unsolvable disagreements, the MM may decide (provided he's not one of the quarreling parties).
* If a mayor goes absent for a prolonged period of time (two weeks with no response to pms or tags), the fate of their PD will be decided by the reigning MM. If at least 2/3 of remaining players approves of his plan for the district, it will go into effect immediately. Should the missing player return within a further two weeks, with a good explanation (then-reigning MM may decide whether it's good enough), he'll be granted back his former territories (with the alterations that have been made to them intact, naturally). Should the same player be absent for two weeks again, they'll be viewed as negligent and have their territory permanently re-distributed, as per the procedure described above, but with no chance of redeeming the territory (i.e. they'll be kicked out of the game, in practice).
While most things are safe and exciting to leave up for councils and mayors to decide, there are a few issues that will need stricter control, to assure the proper functioning and development of the city. Here are the ones we've thought of so far:
* Use of mods such as 'add money' etc, that don't affect the save as such but are clearly cheating, is not allowed under any circumstances. Granted that there's no way to really find out if you do this, but ehh, I can't think of a more pointless thing to do, so, please don't do it.
* The water and power networks must remain connected throughout the city. This is to facilitate the easy manipulation of the water and power budgets, in order to conserve money in the beginning of the game; as well as to make it easy to keep track of how much total power and water we have available.
* The use of tunnels will be limited in this game, to 'simulate' real world cities, where tunnels can be used to solve only the most dire of traffic problems, due to their excessive cost in most situations. This is also a good practice because the interface makes it devilishly hard to tell apart metro, train, and road tunnels in the underground view; most tunnels will be metro tunnels in our city, making it easy to see the metro network at a glance at any time. To this end, only mayors may build tunnels, or make executive orders for players to build them. If a mayor builds too many tunnels for it to seem realistic, they will face the consequences in losing the next election. NOTE: Since we will be using the Terraform mod, sunken roadways + overpasses are a way of making cheaper 'semi-tunnels' that will also have very nice aesthetics! While the building of such roadways is not subject to any absolute restrictions, the use of common sense is encouraged (as well as minding their cost, as they will be more expensive than regular roads, and may in some cases be more expensive than tunnels).
* Similarly, a metro system is only used in very big cities; the building of metro lines is therefore subject to council planning *and* mayoral executive orders.
* Expansion of the personal districts: We will initially claim similarly shaped and sized districts for ourselves; we will decide the ideal initial size in our first council meeting. After this, when a majority of players agrees on it, we will each post a screenshot of our enlargened PD; other players will then either approve or disapprove of it, and we'll negotiate to solve any potential disagreements. In the case of unsolvable disagreements, the MM may decide (provided he's not one of the quarreling parties).
* If a mayor goes absent for a prolonged period of time (two weeks with no response to pms or tags), the fate of their PD will be decided by the reigning MM. If at least 2/3 of remaining players approves of his plan for the district, it will go into effect immediately. Should the missing player return within a further two weeks, with a good explanation (then-reigning MM may decide whether it's good enough), he'll be granted back his former territories (with the alterations that have been made to them intact, naturally). Should the same player be absent for two weeks again, they'll be viewed as negligent and have their territory permanently re-distributed, as per the procedure described above, but with no chance of redeeming the territory (i.e. they'll be kicked out of the game, in practice).
Recommendations (not 'rules', but good etiquette to follow throughout the game)
* Roads that are 'designated through-ways' (mostly highways) should be made visually distinct from other, 'regular' roads with a lot of connections. How you do this (or if you do it at all) is up to you, but a suggested easy method is making these roads elevated from the ground level, at least in areas where it appears feasible from a realism pov (i.e. non-rural areas).
* It is good practice to put your images in spoiler tags, to avoid the forum jumping up and down as they load (this makes it hard for people to type their replies on that page).
* It is good practice to put your images in spoiler tags, to avoid the forum jumping up and down as they load (this makes it hard for people to type their replies on that page).
To be studied before game start (please read!)
If you plan to alter the cargo system in any way during our game, this article and my (admittedly crude) demonstrative picture should be well studied:
http://www.skylineswiki.com/Supply_chain
http://i.imgur.com/sPFH7pW.jpg
While small areas of commerce and industry will be allowed to exist outside of this scheme, the broad lines of the city should follow it all times (so far as the landscape allows; we should pick those areas for industry and commerce that will best accommodate the scheme). It makes no sense to allow for (major) councilar or mayoral diversions from this scheme, as it is how the game is programmed to work and will produce the best results, always.
http://www.skylineswiki.com/Supply_chain
http://i.imgur.com/sPFH7pW.jpg
While small areas of commerce and industry will be allowed to exist outside of this scheme, the broad lines of the city should follow it all times (so far as the landscape allows; we should pick those areas for industry and commerce that will best accommodate the scheme). It makes no sense to allow for (major) councilar or mayoral diversions from this scheme, as it is how the game is programmed to work and will produce the best results, always.
* Any new player is expected to go through these rules carefully before playing his first turn, asking for clarification if any rule remains unclear. (Note: do not be daunted by the amount of rules! They may be *written* convolutedly, but are in practice easy and clear to understand, once you get the hang of them by actually playing a few turns.)
* Other than building a city with smooth traffic, a big population and an aesthetic (European/Swiss) look, there are no set 'goals' for the city (we might agree on some as the game goes along, though).
EDIT: We have 6 players now, which is all we need for the moment. If you'd like a reserve place, though, you can pm me and should a slot open at some point in the future, I will let you know of it!
Roster (for quick reference):
stiiknafuulia
ItalianGuy
Myquandro
General Gnu (MM)
Spockyt
algernon
Pics to help in planning:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Regulations of Mayor Fulia (in effect for turn-cycle #1)
As luck would have it, the remote country of Düster-Unbekannt, consisting of a few tiny duchies near the Austrian-Swiss border, had etched into its very constitution the inalieanable right of all citizens not to be extradited to foreign nations, regardless of circumstance. This sound and just principle allowed the former mayor of Heavenly Falls, Stig N. Fulia, to escape unscathed from the legal turmoil that followed the premature publishing of his memoirs, containing, in the words of one noted journalist, 'enough dirt to cover every crook in America, twice over'. Being perhaps the crookedest of those crooks did not seem to bother the newly elected Fulia as he accepted the golden key to the city, assuming the duties of Metropolitan Mayor in the capital of Düster-Unbekannt, Hochstadt am Tülle -- or simply Metropol, as it would become known in the surrounding German-speaking countries, as immigrants would flock to the city thanks to the mayor's genius new policies. (Among the first of which, naturally, was a full tax-exemption for all Metropolitan Mayors. )
Here are the first edicts that the mayor issued, to the benefit of all citizens, present and future alike (praise the Mayor!):
Nomenclature
* You are advised to call your PDs cantons; while not mandatory, it adds to the role-play factor, I believe.
* To avoid confusion, when it's your turn you're 'manager' of the city, while 'mayor' will be short for 'Metropolitan Mayor' (it has already been used this way on many occasions). This order is not absolute, either, but it just makes sense imo.
* The save should be named in the format, 'Hochstadt-SG x.y', where 'x' is the number of the turn-cycle, and 'y' the number of the turn. So e.g. the fifth turn of turn-cycle four would be named 'Hochstadt-SG 4.5'.
Utilities (Water & Energy)
* We will build a Coal Plant to begin with (although expensive, it's more megawatts / $ than wind), and gradually increase its output from the initial 50 %; then another one, and perhaps a third one also. After that you can build whatever power plants you want (as long as you see to it that wind power always gets the max 8 / 20 megawatts); however, do not exceed our energy needs too much.
* Water shall be pumped from the Southern part of the river, where the branches have already combined, so as not to affect the waterflow too much; all pumps shall be built in the same area (as they are an eyesore, imo).
* All **** pipes shall eventually be relocated to the small mountain lake that Myquandro will create for this very purpose; in the beginning, before we have the cash for this, we will build them downriver from the water pumps, making sure there's enough distance between them in order to not cause any unfortunate death issues (we don't want to lose any tax-payers!).
Taxes
* Global tax rates shall all be set to 11 % (people won't complain, yet we'll make more money; win-win); you can then adjust them (+/- 2 %) with the District Policies within your canton (when the policies become available and we will begin district play; this is a 'legacy' policy for the next MM, most likely).
* You may increase taxes temporarily in order to raise extra cash, but you shall inform the mayor of this and not raise them over 13 % under any circumstance.
Budget / Loans / Cash Reserve / Services (they're all sort of related)
* The initial two loans shall always be taken, and renewed whenever possible, as the return on investment far outweighs the meager interest rates. With the third loan you may use your own discretion (it may or may not be worth it).
* Try not to leave the city with less cash on hand than what you started with. (I know this isn't always possible, so I'm not making it an absolute rule.) Similarly, the income figure should not be lessened from what you began with, although minor dips are sometimes unavoidable.
* Budgets for services should never exceed 100 %; you may do this only in case of emergency (too many corpses or a huge trash problem), and in these cases must revert to 100 % once the issue has been dealt with.
* On the other end, budgets must be set as low as possible to still satisfy most citizens; and in the beginning, when there's one sick person, we won't be building a clinic just for him even though it's become available. (Use your own judgement and common sense here, regarding the ideal time to increase budgets or build more services.)
* Before building a new service building, always try first increasing the budget to 100 %, to see if that solves the problem. If not, then you may build another Fire Station, etc.
* You may build Parks much more liberally than other services. Their cost / benefit ratio is absurdly low compared to most other items, so let's make use of this before (if?) they balance the game!
* Parks should ideally be spread out (no two or more parks close together), to maximize their effect; however, I recognize the need for aesthetic experiments sometimes.
* Mind the foot-print of Highschools on a European map! It's *HUGE*! Take care to reserve a good area for these schools in advance, so as not to interfere too much with your individual road plan or the global plan by Myquandro; we don't want the city to look ugly or have traffic issues due to *schools*, of all things; it would be the height of all ironies (especially if it were a school for future architects!)!
* In this game, the Fire budget must be kept under control. It's better that a few houses get barbequed occasionally than that we'll burn our precious cash protecting them. They were probably ugly McMansions anyway! As to what is the ideal amount of protection vs. charred corpses and weeping widowers, use your own discretion. That's what you're here for; to Protect and to Serve (the city's coffers, that is!).
Global Policies
* The policies 'Big Business Benefactor' and 'Small Business Enthusiast' shall be active from the beginning, and ideally remain so throughout the game (as future mayors will immediately note in the attempt of disabling, the income boost that they provide is invaluable). We should mind the traffic problems that come with this, though, and only build large areas of High Density Commercial with great care. To this end, if you plan on making such a zone within the common area that is outside the confirmed zoning plan, you must first obtain a clearance from me. As to what constitutes 'major commerce', I will leave that to each manager's own discretion, promising to hold an eternal grudge should you go overboard here.
* 'Industrial Planning' shall not be activated during my term. I would advise against using it in the future as well, as it will double the truck traffic (per zone of industry), while not adding to income (unlike the commercial policies).
* We must legalize weed in our city and stick with it; in a world that's changing at lightning speed, it is a doomed proposition to be a social conservative. The young people will flock to our city if we adopt this policy, bringing with them their young brains (high on weed I might add) with all the bright ideas we need for the future development of the city!
* You may test the impact of other policies; if they provide a positive income stream, or some other benefit, you may leave them active as long as you inform me of this in your report.
* Within your own canton, you may of course activate any policy; however, I strongly suggest against enabling Industrial Planning, as the issues it will cause will likely not be confined within your canton.
Traffic
* As the mayor's trusted aide, Myquandro will plan all major roads using the planning tools from the Some Roads mod. Since there's no way to separate his work from that of others, should other players use these tools, they must adhere to Myquandro's plans at all times. Note: within the cantons, you must follow the plan as regards Highways; with 6-lane roads, you will need clearance from either me or Myquandro that your addition is ok. 2-lane and 4-lane roads can be used at will within cantons (and also the common area).
* The general street patterns of our zones should be aligned along the major flows of traffic; so, e.g. the ore-producing area on the Western high plateau should have its streets run in a North-South direction, etc. Refer to the road and zoning plans for the ideal direction(s). You may divert from this pattern for aesthetical or other reasons, and will not need to report it; it's more of a general guideline than an absolute rule.
* Truck traffic can be controlled with the added road options of Traffic++ (the lane tool), instead of the clumsy default-game policy mechanic. Also, speed limits may be changed with this tool; but on both occasions you must notify me when and where you wish to do this. If you need a faster speed limit on some small stretch of road, you may simply use the German Roads for this purpose, as they're included for that very purpose. But there's no easy way to view the changes to the lanes with T++, so they must be reported at all times. I will then think of whether these changes mesh with the traffic plan that we've made, and give the green or red light accordingly.
* You may add bus lines when they become available, but with thought and caution. There shouldn't be too many of them in the beginning, as they'll bankrupt the city, and lead to issues later on when the roads will have to be renovated (as they will; we've seen it). To this end, each manager can add a maximum of three bus lines (within the common area); any extra lines will require clearance from yours truly.
* No metro or passenger train lines may be added during this turn cycle, unless I make an executive order (it's good to focus on getting a workable road network at first, imo).
* Should they become topical, cargo train stations may be added, provided that you announce this in advance and adhere to the traffic and zoning plans while doing so.
Other
* Remember: you may claim the initial territory of your PD (canton), but please do not commence building during this turn-cycle. I know it can be hard to wait, but in this way, we will have more money to play around with when we do get around to proper district play.
Zoning and Traffic Plans
* I reserve the right to make *additions* to these plans (via executive orders), but no *deletions / subtractions* may be allowed (by me or any subsequent mayors).
* Otherwise the plans are absolute within the common area (small corner stores, i.e. small clumps of *low density* commercial are exempt, as discussed previously). Within the cantons, consider the pattern of zones in the common area near your canton, your aesthetic preferences, and possible other needs and make your decision accordingly (meaning, don't be a troll just for the sake of it).
* Since they're not marked in the zoning plan, offices should be built in narrow strips on the borders between commercial and residential areas; you may deviate from this pattern if the geography or some other need dictates it, but try to adhere to it on the general level.
Link to Myquandro's post with all the maps:
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum...city-by-committee.876885/page-4#post-19811726
)Here are the first edicts that the mayor issued, to the benefit of all citizens, present and future alike (praise the Mayor!):
Nomenclature
* You are advised to call your PDs cantons; while not mandatory, it adds to the role-play factor, I believe.
* To avoid confusion, when it's your turn you're 'manager' of the city, while 'mayor' will be short for 'Metropolitan Mayor' (it has already been used this way on many occasions). This order is not absolute, either, but it just makes sense imo.
* The save should be named in the format, 'Hochstadt-SG x.y', where 'x' is the number of the turn-cycle, and 'y' the number of the turn. So e.g. the fifth turn of turn-cycle four would be named 'Hochstadt-SG 4.5'.
Utilities (Water & Energy)
* We will build a Coal Plant to begin with (although expensive, it's more megawatts / $ than wind), and gradually increase its output from the initial 50 %; then another one, and perhaps a third one also. After that you can build whatever power plants you want (as long as you see to it that wind power always gets the max 8 / 20 megawatts); however, do not exceed our energy needs too much.
* Water shall be pumped from the Southern part of the river, where the branches have already combined, so as not to affect the waterflow too much; all pumps shall be built in the same area (as they are an eyesore, imo).
* All **** pipes shall eventually be relocated to the small mountain lake that Myquandro will create for this very purpose; in the beginning, before we have the cash for this, we will build them downriver from the water pumps, making sure there's enough distance between them in order to not cause any unfortunate death issues (we don't want to lose any tax-payers!
).Taxes
* Global tax rates shall all be set to 11 % (people won't complain, yet we'll make more money; win-win); you can then adjust them (+/- 2 %) with the District Policies within your canton (when the policies become available and we will begin district play; this is a 'legacy' policy for the next MM, most likely).
* You may increase taxes temporarily in order to raise extra cash, but you shall inform the mayor of this and not raise them over 13 % under any circumstance.
Budget / Loans / Cash Reserve / Services (they're all sort of related
)* The initial two loans shall always be taken, and renewed whenever possible, as the return on investment far outweighs the meager interest rates. With the third loan you may use your own discretion (it may or may not be worth it).
* Try not to leave the city with less cash on hand than what you started with. (I know this isn't always possible, so I'm not making it an absolute rule.) Similarly, the income figure should not be lessened from what you began with, although minor dips are sometimes unavoidable.
* Budgets for services should never exceed 100 %; you may do this only in case of emergency (too many corpses or a huge trash problem), and in these cases must revert to 100 % once the issue has been dealt with.
* On the other end, budgets must be set as low as possible to still satisfy most citizens; and in the beginning, when there's one sick person, we won't be building a clinic just for him even though it's become available. (Use your own judgement and common sense here, regarding the ideal time to increase budgets or build more services.)
* Before building a new service building, always try first increasing the budget to 100 %, to see if that solves the problem. If not, then you may build another Fire Station, etc.
* You may build Parks much more liberally than other services. Their cost / benefit ratio is absurdly low compared to most other items, so let's make use of this before (if?) they balance the game!
* Parks should ideally be spread out (no two or more parks close together), to maximize their effect; however, I recognize the need for aesthetic experiments sometimes.
* Mind the foot-print of Highschools on a European map!
It's *HUGE*! Take care to reserve a good area for these schools in advance, so as not to interfere too much with your individual road plan or the global plan by Myquandro; we don't want the city to look ugly or have traffic issues due to *schools*, of all things; it would be the height of all ironies (especially if it were a school for future architects!)! * In this game, the Fire budget must be kept under control. It's better that a few houses get barbequed occasionally than that we'll burn our precious cash protecting them. They were probably ugly McMansions anyway!
As to what is the ideal amount of protection vs. charred corpses and weeping widowers, use your own discretion. That's what you're here for; to Protect and to Serve (the city's coffers, that is!). Global Policies
* The policies 'Big Business Benefactor' and 'Small Business Enthusiast' shall be active from the beginning, and ideally remain so throughout the game (as future mayors will immediately note in the attempt of disabling, the income boost that they provide is invaluable). We should mind the traffic problems that come with this, though, and only build large areas of High Density Commercial with great care. To this end, if you plan on making such a zone within the common area that is outside the confirmed zoning plan, you must first obtain a clearance from me. As to what constitutes 'major commerce', I will leave that to each manager's own discretion, promising to hold an eternal grudge should you go overboard here.
* 'Industrial Planning' shall not be activated during my term. I would advise against using it in the future as well, as it will double the truck traffic (per zone of industry), while not adding to income (unlike the commercial policies).
* We must legalize weed in our city and stick with it; in a world that's changing at lightning speed, it is a doomed proposition to be a social conservative. The young people will flock to our city if we adopt this policy, bringing with them their young brains (high on weed I might add) with all the bright ideas we need for the future development of the city!
* You may test the impact of other policies; if they provide a positive income stream, or some other benefit, you may leave them active as long as you inform me of this in your report.
* Within your own canton, you may of course activate any policy; however, I strongly suggest against enabling Industrial Planning, as the issues it will cause will likely not be confined within your canton.
Traffic
* As the mayor's trusted aide, Myquandro will plan all major roads using the planning tools from the Some Roads mod. Since there's no way to separate his work from that of others, should other players use these tools, they must adhere to Myquandro's plans at all times. Note: within the cantons, you must follow the plan as regards Highways; with 6-lane roads, you will need clearance from either me or Myquandro that your addition is ok. 2-lane and 4-lane roads can be used at will within cantons (and also the common area).
* The general street patterns of our zones should be aligned along the major flows of traffic; so, e.g. the ore-producing area on the Western high plateau should have its streets run in a North-South direction, etc. Refer to the road and zoning plans for the ideal direction(s). You may divert from this pattern for aesthetical or other reasons, and will not need to report it; it's more of a general guideline than an absolute rule.
* Truck traffic can be controlled with the added road options of Traffic++ (the lane tool), instead of the clumsy default-game policy mechanic. Also, speed limits may be changed with this tool; but on both occasions you must notify me when and where you wish to do this. If you need a faster speed limit on some small stretch of road, you may simply use the German Roads for this purpose, as they're included for that very purpose. But there's no easy way to view the changes to the lanes with T++, so they must be reported at all times. I will then think of whether these changes mesh with the traffic plan that we've made, and give the green or red light accordingly.
* You may add bus lines when they become available, but with thought and caution. There shouldn't be too many of them in the beginning, as they'll bankrupt the city, and lead to issues later on when the roads will have to be renovated (as they will; we've seen it). To this end, each manager can add a maximum of three bus lines (within the common area); any extra lines will require clearance from yours truly.
* No metro or passenger train lines may be added during this turn cycle, unless I make an executive order (it's good to focus on getting a workable road network at first, imo).
* Should they become topical, cargo train stations may be added, provided that you announce this in advance and adhere to the traffic and zoning plans while doing so.
Other
* Remember: you may claim the initial territory of your PD (canton), but please do not commence building during this turn-cycle. I know it can be hard to wait, but in this way, we will have more money to play around with when we do get around to proper district play.
Zoning and Traffic Plans
* I reserve the right to make *additions* to these plans (via executive orders), but no *deletions / subtractions* may be allowed (by me or any subsequent mayors).
* Otherwise the plans are absolute within the common area (small corner stores, i.e. small clumps of *low density* commercial are exempt, as discussed previously). Within the cantons, consider the pattern of zones in the common area near your canton, your aesthetic preferences, and possible other needs and make your decision accordingly (meaning, don't be a troll just for the sake of it
).* Since they're not marked in the zoning plan, offices should be built in narrow strips on the borders between commercial and residential areas; you may deviate from this pattern if the geography or some other need dictates it, but try to adhere to it on the general level.
Link to Myquandro's post with all the maps:
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum...city-by-committee.876885/page-4#post-19811726
The Edicts of Mayor Myquandro (in effect for turn-cycle #2
Taxes & Finance
* Global tax rates shall all be set to 11 % (people won't complain, yet we'll make more money; win-win); you can then adjust them (+/- 2 %) with the District Policies within your canton (when the policies become available and we will begin district play; this is a 'legacy' policy for the next MM, most likely).
* You may increase taxes temporarily in order to raise extra cash, but you shall inform the mayor of this and not raise them over 13 % under any circumstance.
* Try not to leave the city with less cash on hand than what you started with. (I know this isn't always possible, so I'm not making it an absolute rule.) Similarly, the income figure should not be lessened from what you began with, although minor dips are sometimes unavoidable.
* Budgets for services should be kept at 100 %; you may exceed this only in case of emergency (too many corpses or a huge trash problem), and in these cases must revert to 100 % once the issue has been dealt with.
Global Policies
* The policies 'Big Business Benefactor' and 'Small Business Enthusiast' shall be active from the beginning, and ideally remain so throughout the game (as future mayors will immediately note in the attempt of disabling, the income boost that they provide is invaluable). We should mind the traffic problems that come with this, though, and only build large areas of High Density Commercial with great care. To this end, if you plan on making such a zone within the common area that is outside the confirmed zoning plan, you must first obtain a clearance from me. As to what constitutes 'major commerce', that is left to each manager's personal discretion.
* 'Industrial Planning' shall not be activated during my term. I would advise against using it in the future as well, as it will double the truck traffic (per zone of industry), while not adding to income (unlike the commercial policies).
* You may test the impact of other policies; if they provide a positive income stream, or some other benefit, you may leave them active as long as you inform me of this in your report.
* Within your own canton, you may of course activate any policy; however, I strongly suggest against enabling Industrial Planning, as the issues it will cause will likely not be confined within your canton.
Traffic
* As the Sovereign Supreme Commanding Lord-Mayor, Myquandro will plan all major roads using the planning tools from the Some Roads mod. Since there's no way to separate his work from that of others, should other players use these tools, they must adhere to Myquandro's plans at all times. Note: within the cantons, you must follow the plan as regards Highways. With 6-lane roads, you should excercise moderation (i.e. not fill your district with them), while with 4-lane and 2-lane roads you're free to build as many as you'd like.
Zoning and Traffic Plans
* I reserve the right to make *additions* to these plans (via executive orders), but no *deletions / subtractions* may be allowed (by me or any subsequent mayors).
<links to the updated Zoning/Road and Rail Plans (when you finish the Rail Plan)>
* Global tax rates shall all be set to 11 % (people won't complain, yet we'll make more money; win-win); you can then adjust them (+/- 2 %) with the District Policies within your canton (when the policies become available and we will begin district play; this is a 'legacy' policy for the next MM, most likely).
* You may increase taxes temporarily in order to raise extra cash, but you shall inform the mayor of this and not raise them over 13 % under any circumstance.
* Try not to leave the city with less cash on hand than what you started with. (I know this isn't always possible, so I'm not making it an absolute rule.) Similarly, the income figure should not be lessened from what you began with, although minor dips are sometimes unavoidable.
* Budgets for services should be kept at 100 %; you may exceed this only in case of emergency (too many corpses or a huge trash problem), and in these cases must revert to 100 % once the issue has been dealt with.
Global Policies
* The policies 'Big Business Benefactor' and 'Small Business Enthusiast' shall be active from the beginning, and ideally remain so throughout the game (as future mayors will immediately note in the attempt of disabling, the income boost that they provide is invaluable). We should mind the traffic problems that come with this, though, and only build large areas of High Density Commercial with great care. To this end, if you plan on making such a zone within the common area that is outside the confirmed zoning plan, you must first obtain a clearance from me. As to what constitutes 'major commerce', that is left to each manager's personal discretion.
* 'Industrial Planning' shall not be activated during my term. I would advise against using it in the future as well, as it will double the truck traffic (per zone of industry), while not adding to income (unlike the commercial policies).
* You may test the impact of other policies; if they provide a positive income stream, or some other benefit, you may leave them active as long as you inform me of this in your report.
* Within your own canton, you may of course activate any policy; however, I strongly suggest against enabling Industrial Planning, as the issues it will cause will likely not be confined within your canton.
Traffic
* As the Sovereign Supreme Commanding Lord-Mayor, Myquandro will plan all major roads using the planning tools from the Some Roads mod. Since there's no way to separate his work from that of others, should other players use these tools, they must adhere to Myquandro's plans at all times. Note: within the cantons, you must follow the plan as regards Highways. With 6-lane roads, you should excercise moderation (i.e. not fill your district with them), while with 4-lane and 2-lane roads you're free to build as many as you'd like.
Zoning and Traffic Plans
* I reserve the right to make *additions* to these plans (via executive orders), but no *deletions / subtractions* may be allowed (by me or any subsequent mayors).
<links to the updated Zoning/Road and Rail Plans (when you finish the Rail Plan)>
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