Is Traffic Manager really worth it?

[STORM_15]

All in the title, I am currently using this mod to improve a bit traffic but it slows down quite a lot the whole simulation, so is it really worth using this mod?

[ThisHero]

i dont think so for the performance hit alone. once you learn how to manipulate traffic correctly the case for tmpe drops even more. the only feature from tmpe i wish for is not allowing left hand turns at select intersections.

[jshutich]

https://steamcommunity.com/app/255710/discussions/0/2448217690501162426/

[MarkJohnson]

Originally posted by Veloce StorM:

All in the title, I am currently using this mod to improve a bit traffic but it slows down quite a lot the whole simulation, so is it really worth using this mod?

As a newer playing, I'd definitely say no, it's not worth it. Problems aren't roads nor traffic in this game, it is really your zoning habits and building placement.

Each building creates traffic. So each building needs purpose, or traffic gets out of control. Like in real life, you have shopping districts, industrial, office districts, etc. It's tough enough to balance this out in the vanilla AI of the game without adding mods to alter the AI.

Once you understand this balance it make the traffic manager less useful, unless you want to build a more realistic city, or a giant city where the AI rules aren't as effective, then the traffic manager can help tremendously.

As for a performance hit only, well, the game has poor performance to begin with, so if your system doesn't have an 8-core (4-core/8-thread) CPU that the game can utilize or better, then your performance will only get worse as your city grows.

[grapplehoeker]

Originally posted by Veloce StorM:

Is Traffic Manager really worth it?

Nope.

[STORM_15]

Originally posted by MarkJohnson:

Originally posted by Veloce StorM:

All in the title, I am currently using this mod to improve a bit traffic but it slows down quite a lot the whole simulation, so is it really worth using this mod?

As a newer playing, I'd definitely say no, it's not worth it. Problems aren't roads nor traffic in this game, it is really your zoning habits and building placement.

Each building creates traffic. So each building needs purpose, or traffic gets out of control. Like in real life, you have shopping districts, industrial, office districts, etc. It's tough enough to balance this out in the vanilla AI of the game without adding mods to alter the AI.

Once you understand this balance it make the traffic manager less useful, unless you want to build a more realistic city, or a giant city where the AI rules aren't as effective, then the traffic manager can help tremendously.

As for a performance hit only, well, the game has poor performance to begin with, so if your system doesn't have an 8-core (4-core/8-thread) CPU that the game can utilize or better, then your performance will only get worse as your city grows.

This is exactly my case xD, my CPU is a 4-core CPU (i5 4670K) and I noticed using TMPE really slowed the whole thing down, but it's so useful to make some interesting junctions. I may use it if I have a much better CPU but so far I'd say it's not really worth it considering the performance loss, just wanted to have an opinion on that though from other players.

Next question would be what mods really matter in this game, mods which really change the dimension of the gameplay?

[me22ca]

TMPE is quite modular; you don't even need to use its improved AI. You can just use it to fix merging, and that impacts the simulation _way_ less.

@CoolantCorrie have you found a make lane-balanced merging work in the base game? The core idiocy of vanilla is that if you have 2 2-lane highways merging into a 4-lane highway, they won't just stay in the obvious lane, but instead love to cross in front of each other and screw everything up. That's really the only thing where I find TMPE _essential_.

[Lucifer]

Originally posted by Veloce StorM:

All in the title, I am currently using this mod to improve a bit traffic but it slows down quite a lot the whole simulation, so is it really worth using this mod?

Why dont you download it and if you like, keep it if you dont Remove it... Its kinda that simple as too many people have too many views. it can confuse...

[WBKotter]

Originally posted by Veloce StorM:

All in the title, I am currently using this mod to improve a bit traffic but it slows down quite a lot the whole simulation, so is it really worth using this mod?

You are the only one that can give you the correct answer.

[STORM_15]

Originally posted by CoolantCorrie:

Depends at what stage of your CS game "career" you use TM:PE, how much you use it, and whether you let it, accidentally or deliberately, stop you thinking and planning. If you're having a traffic nightmare, TM:PE can feel like a lifesaver. But it's too easy to depend on it more and more. Yet it should be a tweaker not the main traffic tool. It shouldn't overtake the vanilla tools of, say, road hierarchy. Many of its tools are already in the base game. If you're constantly using TM:PE or "need" it for every road, it's acting as sticking plaster i.e. not resolving the fundamental issue that's causing the congestion.

IN MORE DETAIL (IF INTERESTED) - MIGHT SAVE YOU THE PAIN I WENT THROUGH: I've played with TM:PE, without it, and with it again but without enabling its laggy AI features. Played earliest games without. When I first subbed it, version 10, it seemed a godsend. But I realised it's for occasional use, not micromanagement, a timewaster if used too much. Then Sunset Harbor DLC came, broke TM:PE version 10, so subbed the upgraded mod version 11. It caused heavy lag. I unsubbed (along with laggy 81 Tiles mod). Without TM:PE I felt in pain, like 'cold turkey', for weeks. But gradually realised I could eventually solve the traffic challenge problems set by the devs using only the vanilla tools along with using the road hierarchy properly. That meant more thinking and planning ahead - didn't feel easy. Eventually realised I didn't miss TM:PE any more, that it had even made me lazy. But re-subbed recently as I miss the ability to change lane arrows as I like to give vehicles a clear lane to turn into on large intersections. I also use it to disable pedestrian crossings when I place custom crossings (using Crossings mod by Spectra), so that cims can walk directly to a particular building or attraction, which also reduces casualties at pedestrian crossings at road junctions. If I start to get unacceptable lag due to, say, adding loads more assets (e.g. district styles require a large quantity) or want another biggie mod (like 81 Tiles) and had to choose to jettison something, TM:PE would be the first to go.

Very interesting comment tbh, I read everything. I didn't know the 81 tiles mod caused lag issues, is there any replacement for this mod?

Originally posted by Roger Waters:

Originally posted by Veloce StorM:

All in the title, I am currently using this mod to improve a bit traffic but it slows down quite a lot the whole simulation, so is it really worth using this mod?

Why dont you download it and if you like, keep it if you dont Remove it... Its kinda that simple as too many people have too many views. it can confuse...

Originally posted by kmaModifier:

Originally posted by Veloce StorM:

All in the title, I am currently using this mod to improve a bit traffic but it slows down quite a lot the whole simulation, so is it really worth using this mod?

You are the only one that can give you the correct answer.

I tried with and without but didn't really know what to think, but in my opinion it's probably more like a very fine tool which can be used in some situations but does not change the whole gameplay.

[me22ca]

Originally posted by Veloce StorM:

Very interesting comment tbh, I read everything. I didn't know the 81 tiles mod caused lag issues, is there any replacement for this mod?

It's not really a problem with the mod, it's a fact of life that running 9x more tiles than the base game lets you do, and >3x more than the middle 25 tiles that the game actually supports using, and that having control over the tiles way out on the edge was never intended by the engine.

[MarkJohnson]

Originally posted by Veloce StorM:

Originally posted by MarkJohnson:

As a newer playing, I'd definitely say no, it's not worth it. Problems aren't roads nor traffic in this game, it is really your zoning habits and building placement.

Each building creates traffic. So each building needs purpose, or traffic gets out of control. Like in real life, you have shopping districts, industrial, office districts, etc. It's tough enough to balance this out in the vanilla AI of the game without adding mods to alter the AI.

Once you understand this balance it make the traffic manager less useful, unless you want to build a more realistic city, or a giant city where the AI rules aren't as effective, then the traffic manager can help tremendously.

As for a performance hit only, well, the game has poor performance to begin with, so if your system doesn't have an 8-core (4-core/8-thread) CPU that the game can utilize or better, then your performance will only get worse as your city grows.

This is exactly my case xD, my CPU is a 4-core CPU (i5 4670K) and I noticed using TMPE really slowed the whole thing down, but it's so useful to make some interesting junctions. I may use it if I have a much better CPU but so far I'd say it's not really worth it considering the performance loss, just wanted to have an opinion on that though from other players.

Next question would be what mods really matter in this game, mods which really change the dimension of the gameplay?

Pretty much no mods will improve gameplay without sacrificing performance. But you are much better off without them, so you don't waste time learning how mods work, only to find they don't help at all or very little in the long run. I can't count the number of people with 400 hours in the game and they can't even unlock the game fully (100k population) let alone getting past 20k.

I only used info mods when I first started playing, so I could see why my city was having issues.

Show It! tells about each buildings stats to make them happy.

Watch It! is good to see how much global happiness your buildings have.

Maybe if you find a good deal, you may be able to get a i7-4790k or similar i7 to allow you to max out the game instead of maxing out your rig.

[Rentha]

Originally posted by me22ca:

Originally posted by Veloce StorM:

Very interesting comment tbh, I read everything. I didn't know the 81 tiles mod caused lag issues, is there any replacement for this mod?

It's not really a problem with the mod, it's a fact of life that running 9x more tiles than the base game lets you do, and >3x more than the middle 25 tiles that the game actually supports using, and that having control over the tiles way out on the edge was never intended by the engine.

I use 81 tiles a lot. I have never had lag issues with it

[grapplehoeker]

Originally posted by MarkJohnson:

Maybe if you find a good deal, you may be able to get a i7-4790k or similar i7 to allow you to max out the game instead of maxing out your rig.

My good old i7 2600k is still coping just fine ;)

[MarkJohnson]

Originally posted by grapplehoeker:

Originally posted by MarkJohnson:

Maybe if you find a good deal, you may be able to get a i7-4790k or similar i7 to allow you to max out the game instead of maxing out your rig.

My good old i7 2600k is still coping just fine ;)

You're still using that old thing? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. lol

But any old i7 will do it just fine.

[caseyas435943]

TM is a useful tool used right. Don't let the haters hear tell you other wise.

Yes you can play without it. But why? So you can come here and turn your nose up at people who do?

I'll pass.

Try it out. If you like it use it. It's your game not theirs. If you don't like it don't use it. It's very simple.

I like it and I use it. I run 81 tiles. 2100 assets. 60+ mods and the game run fine. But I do have a nice computer. Nothing much will make it sweat.

Traffic is the main reason people quit SC. It can be nasty. So if you are finding traffic nasty try TM. It's a nice tool use correctly.

Or come here and read about all these guys who turn up their noses at you because you use it. Silly if you ask me.

I marvel at base game builders. Some of them are simply amazing. But then there are mod users out there that will make you go wow at the stuff they can build. There a guy building a city on mars. Making he's own assets to fit it. If you can watch his videos and not go wow. You're blind.

So use what you think is fun for you. Not me them.