Cities in Motion WIKI
This thread became a real wiki!: http://citiesinmotion.wikispaces.com
[video=youtube;dPrZlSEcVFg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPrZlSEcVFg&feature=youtu.be[/video]
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Here is a guide and some tips. The objective is to create, later, perhaps, a wiki for the game.
Right now can be a small guide for beginners and a place where we can share our acquainted knowledge. I will update the guide according to the replies of this post.
TIPS:
A) Plan your routes is very important, but don't think you can predict how people will use them. CiM is much more complex than Traffic Giant. Citizens don't go to work everyday and sometimes to leisure and that's it. They visit friends, they go to department stores, parks, churchs, amusement parks, etc. They get new jobs, they get fired. The city get new citizens, the city grows. So, plan your routes but in a way to serve people in a macro way, not to get some class from A to B.
B) Economy is very important.
- When economy is down unemployment rate is high, so you will also need to adjust ticket prices for less, since people without jobs won't be willing to pay much for transportation. The good part is that bank interest is lower. So, it's a good time to get a loan if you need. Also, prices for stuff is lower. Trams, buses, trains and construction costs are lower.
- When the economy is booming, people will find jobs so you can charge more for ticket prices. The bad part is that interest rate with the banks are much higher, and replace vehicles is not a good idea.
The economy needs constant watch. A crash can happen very fast, and you need to take advantage of it.
* After patch 1.0.12 economy changes are slower and smoother.
C) Cities can grow, and in their way demolish some of your structures. If you build tram tracks very near to buildings and other lands, eventually something can be built there, and they won't spare your tracks. You will get an warning when this happens. Very rare though.
D) Traffic Jams
Apply patch 1.0.12, if you still have problems with it, or want to win in harder levels, try this:
From the manual:
- Buses work better on small routes in densely populated areas and are also good for long routes to far-away housing areas. Buses can be used to feed other lines with a better capacity, or to easily and cheaply include isolated parts of the city in the public transport network.
So, that nice line in the middle of downtown at the beggining of the game, picking as much passengers as possible to make profit? Forget it. Be realistic.
- There is no traffic at all. I build my line and suddenly the city is a huge traffic jam. What is going on?
There is a graph called Private Motoring. Look at it. At the beggining of the game is very low. After a while seems that a lot of people buy cars at the same time. So, do the opposite. Wait until they buy cars, and then plan your line.
The explanation can be that people will try to use public transport, but they will realise there is none, so they will acquire a car. If, perhaps, you manage to build a very effective network in those months, maybe they won't buy so many cars.
- Ok, I waited for the private motoring boom, the street wasn't so filled with traffic, I build my line and now it's a huge gridlock, specifically in my line. What now?
For a start, maybe you caused the traffic jams, with 4, 5 buses in one line. Buses stop all the time to get passengers and hold up traffic.
Second, you line increase desirability. So more traffic on that region. Its known that land desirability increase around stations (it happened in Washington, D.C.) Why not start with a tram and avoid building tracks on the streets? Parks, parking lots, middle of avenues, they are all places where your tram can go freely.
Third: why not start on the edges of the city? Avoid downtown. Imagine a big city without public transportation at all. It's indeed full of traffic jams. Once you start your network there will be less cars, then you can adventure in the most busy areas.
FAQ
01. Staff and Wages
Drivers: they drive the company vehicle.
Low salary means they will leave the station before everybody gets in, making passengers angry and stations full.
High salary means the "turnaround" at the stops will be much faster.
Inspectors: they check the vehicles from time to time to see if anybody is riding without the proper ticket.
Low salary means they won't make a good job trying to get people that try to ride without paying. So, you will earn less money with fines.
Technicians: they make maintenance in the vehicles.
Low salary, means your vehicle will take longer to recover from a breakdown.
Officers: they are the paper guys. Do marketing, finance, take care of the paper when you buy and sell vehicles, etc. Office stuff.
Low salary means worst reputation for you.
02. How many times a passenger commute?
OlaHaldor: passangers can take as many lines they like to get from A to B, but only if they think it's faster than driving their own car.
03. The life of a vehicle. (Vehicle maintenance budget and it's implications).
Tram Espen 1, with 50% of vehicle maintenance budget, goes from 100% to 89% condition in 1 year.
Tram Espen 1, with 95% of vehicle maintenance budget, goes from 100% to 93% condition in 1 year.
Conclusion: vehicle maintenance do change the rate vehicles get bad. Also changes attractivenesses and likelihood to break down.
04. Having a bigger budget for vehicle maintenance is understandable, what about station maintenance?
From the manual:
[...] making your stops clean and safe through regular maintenance will make them more attractive to your customers.
05. If someone leave the vehicle with angry (red) face, for any reason, they will stop using the public transport?
No, they will keep using it. But too many people unsatisfied with your services will low your reputation.
06. Only people in the covered area use my services?
People that are a bit far from your station coverage area can also use your services. They will walk to and from outside the coverage area.
07. How long can someone walk to get a line? And to commute?
Outside the coverage, very little. 1 block maximum.
08. People will use the line to go very near?
I've seeing people getting a tram just to go 2 and a half blocks.
09. What's up with the Fires? Why they show as red in the news sticker like they are very important, and they are also in the Annual Review of the company?
From the forum:
Scheldje: Reason the fire part is important, is the fire department will close down the roads near it, so if you have a line close to it, expect a (huge) delay.
10. How many times a passenger pays for the entire trip?
Unknown. Need to follow several people in order to get a number that is statistically valid.
If you are willing to do this, some information may help:
There are cheaters in the game. You pay wages for Inspectors and there are Fines in your Profit column. So the game manage to make some percentage of people to not pay and eventually get caught. Those variables are changed by economic situation and wage of your inspectors.
So, when following people, you will find some that don't pay for the ticket; not because they already paid a previous ride, but because they are cheaters.
A person can also pay the first ride and don't pay the second. Maybe people pay for type of transportation for 1 trip, or he just decided to cheat in the second ride. As said, need to follow several people to get a number statistically valid.
11. If I build the ultimate public transportation system, with coverage in every centimeter of the map with low prices and outstanding reputation, everybody will be happy forever and no cars will exist in the world?
Unfortunately no. Some people work outside the town, and for them, you are nothing. Other people just prefer their cars, just like in the real world.
12. What's with the colour code on the circle-shaped coverage when you're placing stops?
From the forum:
Illanair: The coverage ring when you place a station or stop is an estimate of the range of which your station/stop will service. The colours shown on the buildings goes from red "no coverage" to bright green "full coverage" - however buildings on the edge of the ring will still get some small amount of coverage, even if they display as red.
__________________________________________________ ______________
Do you have anything to add? Reply the post.
This thread became a real wiki!: http://citiesinmotion.wikispaces.com
[video=youtube;dPrZlSEcVFg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPrZlSEcVFg&feature=youtu.be[/video]
__________________________________________________ ___________________________
Here is a guide and some tips. The objective is to create, later, perhaps, a wiki for the game.
Right now can be a small guide for beginners and a place where we can share our acquainted knowledge. I will update the guide according to the replies of this post.
TIPS:
A) Plan your routes is very important, but don't think you can predict how people will use them. CiM is much more complex than Traffic Giant. Citizens don't go to work everyday and sometimes to leisure and that's it. They visit friends, they go to department stores, parks, churchs, amusement parks, etc. They get new jobs, they get fired. The city get new citizens, the city grows. So, plan your routes but in a way to serve people in a macro way, not to get some class from A to B.
B) Economy is very important.
- When economy is down unemployment rate is high, so you will also need to adjust ticket prices for less, since people without jobs won't be willing to pay much for transportation. The good part is that bank interest is lower. So, it's a good time to get a loan if you need. Also, prices for stuff is lower. Trams, buses, trains and construction costs are lower.
- When the economy is booming, people will find jobs so you can charge more for ticket prices. The bad part is that interest rate with the banks are much higher, and replace vehicles is not a good idea.
The economy needs constant watch. A crash can happen very fast, and you need to take advantage of it.
* After patch 1.0.12 economy changes are slower and smoother.
C) Cities can grow, and in their way demolish some of your structures. If you build tram tracks very near to buildings and other lands, eventually something can be built there, and they won't spare your tracks. You will get an warning when this happens. Very rare though.
D) Traffic Jams
Apply patch 1.0.12, if you still have problems with it, or want to win in harder levels, try this:
From the manual:
- Buses work better on small routes in densely populated areas and are also good for long routes to far-away housing areas. Buses can be used to feed other lines with a better capacity, or to easily and cheaply include isolated parts of the city in the public transport network.
So, that nice line in the middle of downtown at the beggining of the game, picking as much passengers as possible to make profit? Forget it. Be realistic.
- There is no traffic at all. I build my line and suddenly the city is a huge traffic jam. What is going on?
There is a graph called Private Motoring. Look at it. At the beggining of the game is very low. After a while seems that a lot of people buy cars at the same time. So, do the opposite. Wait until they buy cars, and then plan your line.
The explanation can be that people will try to use public transport, but they will realise there is none, so they will acquire a car. If, perhaps, you manage to build a very effective network in those months, maybe they won't buy so many cars.
- Ok, I waited for the private motoring boom, the street wasn't so filled with traffic, I build my line and now it's a huge gridlock, specifically in my line. What now?
For a start, maybe you caused the traffic jams, with 4, 5 buses in one line. Buses stop all the time to get passengers and hold up traffic.
Second, you line increase desirability. So more traffic on that region. Its known that land desirability increase around stations (it happened in Washington, D.C.) Why not start with a tram and avoid building tracks on the streets? Parks, parking lots, middle of avenues, they are all places where your tram can go freely.
Third: why not start on the edges of the city? Avoid downtown. Imagine a big city without public transportation at all. It's indeed full of traffic jams. Once you start your network there will be less cars, then you can adventure in the most busy areas.
FAQ
01. Staff and Wages
Drivers: they drive the company vehicle.
Low salary means they will leave the station before everybody gets in, making passengers angry and stations full.
High salary means the "turnaround" at the stops will be much faster.
Inspectors: they check the vehicles from time to time to see if anybody is riding without the proper ticket.
Low salary means they won't make a good job trying to get people that try to ride without paying. So, you will earn less money with fines.
Technicians: they make maintenance in the vehicles.
Low salary, means your vehicle will take longer to recover from a breakdown.
Officers: they are the paper guys. Do marketing, finance, take care of the paper when you buy and sell vehicles, etc. Office stuff.
Low salary means worst reputation for you.
02. How many times a passenger commute?
OlaHaldor: passangers can take as many lines they like to get from A to B, but only if they think it's faster than driving their own car.
03. The life of a vehicle. (Vehicle maintenance budget and it's implications).
Tram Espen 1, with 50% of vehicle maintenance budget, goes from 100% to 89% condition in 1 year.
Tram Espen 1, with 95% of vehicle maintenance budget, goes from 100% to 93% condition in 1 year.
Conclusion: vehicle maintenance do change the rate vehicles get bad. Also changes attractivenesses and likelihood to break down.
04. Having a bigger budget for vehicle maintenance is understandable, what about station maintenance?
From the manual:
[...] making your stops clean and safe through regular maintenance will make them more attractive to your customers.
05. If someone leave the vehicle with angry (red) face, for any reason, they will stop using the public transport?
No, they will keep using it. But too many people unsatisfied with your services will low your reputation.
06. Only people in the covered area use my services?
People that are a bit far from your station coverage area can also use your services. They will walk to and from outside the coverage area.
07. How long can someone walk to get a line? And to commute?
Outside the coverage, very little. 1 block maximum.
08. People will use the line to go very near?
I've seeing people getting a tram just to go 2 and a half blocks.
09. What's up with the Fires? Why they show as red in the news sticker like they are very important, and they are also in the Annual Review of the company?
From the forum:
Scheldje: Reason the fire part is important, is the fire department will close down the roads near it, so if you have a line close to it, expect a (huge) delay.
10. How many times a passenger pays for the entire trip?
Unknown. Need to follow several people in order to get a number that is statistically valid.
If you are willing to do this, some information may help:
There are cheaters in the game. You pay wages for Inspectors and there are Fines in your Profit column. So the game manage to make some percentage of people to not pay and eventually get caught. Those variables are changed by economic situation and wage of your inspectors.
So, when following people, you will find some that don't pay for the ticket; not because they already paid a previous ride, but because they are cheaters.
A person can also pay the first ride and don't pay the second. Maybe people pay for type of transportation for 1 trip, or he just decided to cheat in the second ride. As said, need to follow several people to get a number statistically valid.
11. If I build the ultimate public transportation system, with coverage in every centimeter of the map with low prices and outstanding reputation, everybody will be happy forever and no cars will exist in the world?
Unfortunately no. Some people work outside the town, and for them, you are nothing. Other people just prefer their cars, just like in the real world.
12. What's with the colour code on the circle-shaped coverage when you're placing stops?
From the forum:
Illanair: The coverage ring when you place a station or stop is an estimate of the range of which your station/stop will service. The colours shown on the buildings goes from red "no coverage" to bright green "full coverage" - however buildings on the edge of the ring will still get some small amount of coverage, even if they display as red.
__________________________________________________ ______________
Do you have anything to add? Reply the post.
Last edited:
