Return to Grog Atoll: We Built this Simcity on 2013

[skeptical.platypus]

Ever wondered what Gusington, Jarhead, and Bayonet might get up to after They Take Over the World^tm? Well, finding a nice atoll and building a spaceport doesn't seem completely implausible. This is a story of how that might unfold, told through Simcity 2013.

Pinky and the Brain

part the uno

I am using the Reflection Atoll map, which I have cleverly been unable to capture in a screenshot. This map has good sites for a number of specializations, and one place map for a megaproject, which will be our spaceport.

My overall plan is to build a services city, get it up to a good mix of demand, population, services, and income, and then start spawning cities with narrower specifications. I want to build an Education city, at least one Tourism, and I'll need an unknown number of industrial specifications. Yes, that's right -- I have only the vaguest idea what I'm doing here. This story may be about what not to do in Simcity 2013 as anything.

My first city is Mother of Industry. As you can see below, it is a two-tier plain, with The Mountain That Looms on one side, and rail and highway connections on the remaining three. It even has a narrow bay for shipping access. I believe all will be critical for trade center focus Mother will likely need to achieve at some point.





The map is in many ways ideal, but has some limitations. There are ore deposits spread left to right with two major concentrations. What the screenshot below does not show is the wind direction also blows from left to right.  I am loathe to place residential or commercial zones downwind from industrial zones, so I am already limited to roughly 2/3 of the map for residential zones -- and some of those are still likely to be affected by industrial pollutants. To make matters worse, I am likely to build a port on the central lower plain, which will further reduce residential zone availability. Such are life's 1st world challenges.



As you can see, I've organized my initial zones in a squat "t" with a crossbar stretching the length of the map. At the head, I have eight blocks of industrial zone. The crossbar has residential zones surrounding a commercial core, just down the street from the industrial zone. Careful observers may notice that I have limited my connection to other cities to one 90 degree corner. This is intentional, as your highway connection can get very congested very quickly. There will be an usual assortment of public transportation options built in this area down the road.

Ideally, this layout will maximize foot traffic between commercial and residential zones, and keep the streets as clear as possible for freight and supplicant commuting to and from the industrial zone. You'll also note that I have created very large blocks for my residential and commercial zones, with a lot of unused and unusable space. This is largely to leave room for the eventual upgrade to avenues. I am used the cheapest and most inefficient roads possible, and will refrain from upgrading to medium density to artificially suppress medium wealth residents until my commercial zones are crying for them or I spawn a new city.

I've laid my solar power station against The Mountain That Looms with an eye toward climbing her shoulders with more windmills. I'm literally dumping waste across the street, and upwind.

And with that, we are ready for some supplicants!


(click on image to see video)

(click on image to see video)

(click on image to see video)

(click on image to see video)

(click on image to see video)

And before you know it, we've got a few hundred residents, an established industrial base, and a growing commercial center. As you can see, there's also a Town Hall now.







When night falls, I took advantage of the awesome eye candy that is Simcity 2013.


(click on image to see video)

(click on image to see video)

(click on image to see video)


With my initial zones filling up, I need to expand all three categories. You can see what I have in mind below. Check back to this thread to see how it plays out!



Thanks for reading!

[bob48]

I like it. I could almost be tempted to have a bash myself.

[skeptical.platypus]

I like it. I could almost be tempted to have a bash myself.

They've done a really good job of making the cities seem alive. I can waste a lot of time just cruising around at roughly street level checking things out. The interface is superb, and this Simcity has really nailed making a wide range of useful and comprehensible information available to the player. I'm having a lot more fun with Simcity 2013 than I thought I would. There's nothing like a megapolis in Simcity 4, but wait until you see Grog Atoll's circular city layout. . .

[undercovergeek]

more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[skeptical.platypus]

Absolutely! The biggest thing holding me back right now is watching the videos I record, lol.

I will try to start including some screenshots with the core ui overlaid so readers can at least see stuff like population, income, and zone demand at various places, too. Mostly I have to remember to toggle that option on and off.