Succession game!

[Myquandro]

As for who's up next, if possible then I think Myquandro should possibly restrain himself (yeah, I know *I* didn't do it)...
For a day or two so we can get the backlog of reports cleared, and see if Calad will return from his holiday. If you absolutely
*must* play though, I'm pretty sure Calad won't object to it.

I would like to play, but can wait a little. I think I will play though if I haven't heard differently by tomorrow afternoon.

Btw, Traffic++ just got updated *and* made compatible with Traffic Manager. While I can live without the latter, we NEED Traffic++. Now. End of discussion.
Just open the link and see for yourself.

I haven't really used Traffic++ as I didn't see any features I needed, but Traffic Manager is the mod I really use a lot to improve traffic and actually is needed to make a good system of roads.

 

[stiiknafuulia]

I haven't really used Traffic++ as I didn't see any features I needed, but Traffic Manager is the mod I really use a lot to improve traffic and actually is needed to make a good system of roads.

The way I look at it, the road priority thing is the only part of Traffic Manager that's really important, but that would be very useful (I have the mod downloaded but haven't learned how to use that system yet). Now that the mods are compatible though, we could have them both active at once. It's mainly the dedicated bus lanes and zonable, walkable roads that intrigue me in Traffic++. If only they could add cycle lanes (and animations!)...

 

[ItalianGuy]

I experimented a lot and I can say that vanilla traffic lights are the best option if you plan the road network so that the bigger road also have the most traffic. The mods are useful, but only to fix bad road network issues.
A thing where T++ is most useful though, is highway junctions. With the road customiser tools you can simulate entry and exit lanes and traffic flows really freely. But its easy to do mistakes.

 

[stiiknafuulia]

I experimented a lot and I can say that vanilla traffic lights are the best option if you plan the road network so that the bigger road also have the most traffic. The mods are useful, but only to fix bad road network issues.
A thing where T++ is most useful though, is highway junctions. With the road customiser tools you can simulate entry and exit lanes and traffic flows really freely. But its easy to do mistakes.

With Traffic++, I could build this in our city!^^ (So... Maybe that's an argument for not using it? )

EDIT: Btw I've realized (as did several people before me on Reddit) that with the cheap price of tunnels in the game, we could make a huge network of them underneath the city and basically solve all our traffic problems. I'm not sure how I feel about this tbh. I only made one tunnel so far and it already helped greatly. What's to stop us from making 30, other than the noisy exits? Maybe there should be some restraint here, for the sake of challenge and role-play.

I do hope that someone will make an overall balance mod that will become the standard for 'realistic' play down the line. The game's still too young and fluid for that, so we'll have to resort to artifical 'house rules' instead. Or just rename the city 'Tunnelville', and go to town with those holes, so to speak.

 

[ItalianGuy]

I'm doing tunnelville as you call it and it's the first time I've had balance issues in normal mode.

 

[Myquandro]

I'm certainly going to use tunnels to improve traffic. I'm not going to use them too much though. Tunnels can be very useful, but they're more expensive and therefor unrealistic if used regularly.

Here in The Netherlands tunnels are used first of all for large roads that have to cross large rivers where bridge would cause problems for large ships or, if opened, create huge traffic jams. In that situation a tunnel might be more cost effective then a very high bridge.
The second situation is to build three dimensional in high density areas where roads, train tracks and other things have to get through the same space and demolishing buildings would be more expensive or the buildings have monumental status.
The third reason is to create a more livable space in a city. Building a new park with a road in a tunnel below instead of a road cutting it in half.

That how it works in The Netherlands where ground is 100% flat for areas the size of Manhattan, so there is no obstacle for roads other then those create by men.
Norway on the other hand is a different case. Mountains there make it difficult to build roads and therefor the Norwegians build a lot of tunnels. In the short time I spend there I saw tunnels with roundabouts, junctions, on- and off ramps, etc. and I know they even planned an entire interchange in a tunnel. So, those things are possible.

As for the discussion on Traffic Manager and Traffic++. As I said I've only used Traffic Manager and I what I use a lot in that mod is lane changer, priority signs and in really specific places the traffic light manager. The lane changer is extremely useful to create complex intersections where cims use the roads I want and to create roads without left turning traffic. If they can be used together and Traffic++ doesn't do anything just by having it (doesn't change basic algorithms or code, but just gives extra options) I would vote yes to using them both.

 

[Spockyt]

Yeah, here in Britain, it is mostly the same, here tunnels are used to either go through hills or our one or two mountains (with a few notable exceptions, like the Twynham Bypass) or under rivers in large cities (mainly London.)

 

[Calad]

If majority of players want new mods included I dont see reasons why not. Problem is how it will affect on current save and more mods, more likely game will start to bug.

Also last player, did you play with old patch or with new one?

edit:

jerkyjerry, did you include pictures on your city journal? If yes I cant see them

https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/succession-game.850479/page-8#post-19307318

editedit: looks like Im next after italianguy

 

[stiiknafuulia]

As for the discussion on Traffic Manager and Traffic++. As I said I've only used Traffic Manager and I what I use a lot in that mod is lane changer, priority signs and in really specific places the traffic light manager. The lane changer is extremely useful to create complex intersections where cims use the roads I want and to create roads without left turning traffic. If they can be used together and Traffic++ doesn't do anything just by having it (doesn't change basic algorithms or code, but just gives extra options) I would vote yes to using them both.

We could test this by having someone enable Traffic++ and Traffic Manager, build a few roads, intersections, etc, using their features; then disable them, try to load the save and see what happens. If there's only minor disturbances, and it doesn't crash the game, then players could use them at their own discretion, imo. I do wonder about laying bus lanes etc (that don't exist in the default game)... But I guess we can only find out by trying.

@Calad: Yes, it's your turn since you've returned. So it looks like this now:

Calad [skipped]
ItalianGuy
stiiknafuulia
[Calad: moved turn]
Myquandro
(TheChaoticVoid)
JerkyJerry
Spockyt

I just realized that the order of reports is no longer chronological anyway, since ItalianGuy posted his before Spockyt; so I might as well post mine here as well:

---

Sat in the office of his small cottage on Mayor Rocks (renamed by executive decision), amid the gently swaying (if slightly dying) palm-trees, Mayor Stig N. Fulia had a problem.
His predecessors, he felt, had squandered or mismanaged many of his past achievements; yet new projects awaited in somehow still-pristine territories, and to boot the people
had voted to shorten the mayoral term limits, due to some strange thing that starts with a 'c' -- how do you spell it -- ah yes, 'caarr-roop-schhoon'.
'Never heard of it. I'll just wheel and deal my way out of this "carupshon" should I ever stumble across it', the new mayor resolved, smoothing his new golf clubs -- a gift
from his good friend O. Ligarkh of Russia. 'In the meantime I will have to balance my aims... Time is of the essence; I've only got one year to burn through $ two million.
Now to order me some cool margaritas... Show me all the blue-prints, Jeeves, and let's get started!'

Thus began The 2nd reign* of Lord Mayor Stig. N. Fulia, the High and Mighty -- ever to be remembered as the Great Trafficidator (whether that is a compliment or not is in
each citizen's own discretion; so far the thought police does not exist in our town, although the talks with the NSA and Halliburton are ongoing as we speak).

(*I just think 'term' is such a papery-sounding term; I prefer 'reign' over it. Also, the 'high' in my moniker stems from my lofty ideals, not from constant pot-smoking
while poring over the blue-prints in the wee hours. Well, give it some leeway. A few streets that seem to lead nowhere actually go all the way to Mars. But mostly it's just
high ideals. Mighty, too. Some margaritas. Nothing drastic, as you will see from the end results.)

Here are the pics... Let the comedy begin:

http://imgur.com/a/rhA9X#0

 

[Spockyt]

Is there a way to put comments on Imgur? If not I'll put my... opinions on here.

 

[ItalianGuy]

We could test this by having someone enable Traffic++ and Traffic Manager, build a few roads, intersections, etc, using their features; then disable them, try to load the save and see what happens. If there's only minor disturbances, and it doesn't crash the game, then players could use them at their own discretion, imo. I do wonder about laying bus lanes etc (that don't exist in the default game)... But I guess we can only find out by trying.

If you use Traffic++, you can load the save only with Traffic++ enabled.

EDIT: When I can, I will test pedestrian paths. Will they be kept if I place them, save, disable the mod and load? If anyone can do this test before me, post the results here.
EDIT2: How many pictures are there? I'd take less playing than reading that journal

 

[stiiknafuulia]

89... It did take me a terribly long time to make it. I promise to trim down my next report(s); I will have no choice but to, since I must soon start working on some major projects. ~30 pics will become the norm for me I'd think. Even now I could've easily cut it down to 60.

As for posting comments, I think you *can* comment on imgur, although I wouldn't know how, since I've never done it. You have to be registered and logged in, I'd imagine. It's a very useful site for image hosting, and it's little hassle to create an account. But if you don't want to, you can comment here just as well.

 

[Calad]

Is that last picture from Turku Student village?

 

[stiiknafuulia]

Is that last picture from Turku Student village?

Yes; I live on the top floor of a large hi-rise that borders it. It's not a part of the village itself, though it houses many students. Though my rent went up by 100 e when I moved there, the view is well worth it imo (especially because I don't have to stare at any giant roundabouts...).

 

[Myquandro]

Yes; I live on the top floor of a large hi-rise that borders it. It's not a part of the village itself, though it houses many students. Though my rent went up by 100 e when I moved there, the view is well worth it imo (especially because I don't have to stare at any giant roundabouts...).

What is wrong with roundabouts? I can't drive more then 1km before I have to drive through/on one. Also I can't look out of any window without seeing one or more.

I can't wait till it's my turn again. I haven't looked at the pictures everyone is posting because I want to have the surprise of seeing the city completely different from how I left it. But don't worry, I read the posts already and I will look at those pictures as soon as I loaded the city to see what you guys have done.

I though start to lose my patience waiting for my turn, luckily I have my own city journal city which I played and some new games on my new PC to keep me busy. It's just that the city and its citizens need me . Who else will build that long desired tunnel, that more then welcome bypass or that perfect interchange?

 

[stiiknafuulia]

What is wrong with roundabouts? I can't drive more then 1km before I have to drive through/on one. Also I can't look out of any window without seeing one or more.

It's mainly that, viewed from the air, they're so much flat concrete. On the ground it's that the Finnish drivers are notorious for not observing the rule that cyclists have right-of-way when the cars are coming from the roundabout. I'd prefer if we had enough money irl to make every roundabout underground. Best of both worlds imo.

@Calad: Btw be sure to play only 1 year, since that was the time that ItalianGuy and me played. (It almost felt longer than my previous 2-year turn tbh; I wonder if we'll have to go to 6-month turns at some point?)

 

[ItalianGuy]

No.

 

[stiiknafuulia]

No.

You mean you played 2 years after all? Or that we won't have to shorten the turns any further? The richer we get, the more drastic the changes that we can make... If we really optimized the city, I bet we could make $ 100k / month soon enough... I do think we might be better off just restraining ourselves at that point though, so as to avoid any potential confusion. Also, of course some time is always needed for new neighborhoods to develop, so it makes sense not to make turns *too* short, regardless of the amount of money we're making.

 

[ItalianGuy]

I wonder if we'll have to go to 6-month turns at some point?

^ this
I played 1 year, but we will never play 6 months.

 

[Myquandro]

Spending too much money on building new districts is also a good way to create problems.

First of all there is the problem with death waves that is an effect of too sudden population increase.

Second is the effect on transportation and services which are build on the current city with room for a little expansion, not huge ones. Building a lot of new residential area resulting in big population increase creates an insufficient transportation and services network.

The last reason is that it is difficult to control details when you work on massive projects. If you work on small scale you take time for details but as projects get bigger, figuring out all details can take a lot of time and are therefor skipped partially or even all together. These details are important for all aspects including the prevention of traffic jams, service coverage, living conditions (that relate to happiness, tax income, etc.) and more.

My opinion is to limit the creation of big projects and therefor small playing times aren't a good idea as everyone wants to create their own parts and contribute what they can and if those turns are too close to each other the city will have one big project after the other without pauses in between.