Best way to put your zones?

[untmdsprt]

Has anyone found a good way to build a city? Do you put your residential zones together and the industrial zones farther away so the Sims need to drive, or do you put them side by side?

I was trying to separate them, but the Sims just drive to a nearby city to work.

[TheDiaz]

They will work in the closest job. 20 squares are enough to separate sims from industry and they will work with no problem... and try to give them a good transport sytem. This is the ain factor that will hel you develop your city. So, anywhere you expect a lot a sims to travel try to build them avenue or alternatives, like subways or trains.

A tip: Sims normally think that the work places on a neighboring city is on the closest edge ee if they are on the other side, this is a little tip so you can build etter your city. That''s what I have in consideration when buiding cities.

[untmdsprt]

I've noticed they head right out of my square and into the neighboring one if they can. I've been trying to build up to give them a good transportation system. Usually I start losing money after the waterworks is installed. :(

[Raichuu]

Hehe, I never got money problems - I get it only if I start collecting the trash everywhere. Sadly, I never got it to do an economy city. I try to build up without any air pollution - but that doesnt work :/ Too expensive and too less job places then so that I do loose money. And about your question, I usually divide it to three parts. Left - Green for population. Middle - Blue for that shops and right yellow for industry. In the later game I try to remove some green parts and add more industry/shop parts, so that I force the population to get into smaller area. And important is, if you increase your industry - put high taxes on the high pollution ones. So you won't ruin your city even more.

[untmdsprt]

I've been putting the industry tiles on the edge that is next to another city. I'm thinking of putting the churches and graveyards out in the countryside away from the cities. :)

[x_GHOST_x]

cheers for the tips.

[untmdsprt]

I put the Sims on the edge next to another city, gave them some bus stations and they're happy campers! Going to try it next with a train system for the rich sims. :)

[HottCobb]

Basically, the best way to get a city rolling in this game, in my experience, is to basically let them wallow in their own filth until they absolutely start freaking out.

Meaning, ignore trash and definitely ignore water until you are ready to upgrade.

Schooling and medical stuff is where it gets tricky, you need those first before anything can upgrade.

So, what I usually do, is I create a giant slum of low density residential homes, straight route from the slum through a nearby commercial district, then through that, depending on my region, I have an industrial park/farmlands.

After you've got yourself around 1k surplus rolling in, then you can consider getting water and firemen, transportation, ect.

Personally, I never get police until they either A - start whining, or B - I get a commercial airport. (late in the game, always wait for your advisor to suggest building one.)

Once you've got those basics covered, you should be all set to expand from there.

Anyway, best way to actually LAY the tiles that I found is to use three by three squares for low density residential and commercial. It makes neat grids and there are always enough spots for mansions to pop up.

[untmdsprt]

I waited late in the game to give them their water, and education. By the time they start whining for stuff I start giving it to them. I also max out the tax rate on the dirty industrial, and they still stick around.

[rat lungworm 2]

just make sure when youre making zones consider avenues because with grids the traffic alerts get out of hand pretty quickly

[KESTO]

try this tut https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ewJRD6OMLk

[aaraggornn]

thanks for the link to the tut

[Cressmas]

Building Your City
>Provide Services(Education, Health, Safety, Ultilities, etc.) Just don't over do it.
>Residential and Industry work best when buffered with business zones. Makes for terrific desirability too.
>Taxes. Raise moderately. Industry especially.
>Your budget will balance out after a few years.
So in essense, just remember to work within your means without making your citizens angry over lack of basic services.