City Skylines 2 is a sequel to the most popular city planning simulator, which has been supported for many years. The second part presents all the key features of the original game and the DLC, the usual mechanics have been improved - they have become more convenient and simpler, and new functions and various features have been added.
In addition to the modernized graphics and improved city life simulation that the developers are so proud of, Paradox has changed the systems from the add-ons, presenting them in a new way. The guide for Cities Skylines 2 will help beginners understand the basics and begin building their ideal city, and will also allow fans of the first part to get acquainted with the main changes and new mechanics.
Cards
When starting a new game, the first thing you should do is study the maps in Cities Skylines 2. There are a variety of maps to choose from. 10 locations:
- Archipelago.
- Barrier Island.
- Great Highland.
- Windy fjords.
- Mountain village.
- Twin mountains.
- River delta.
- Lake District.
- Strait.
- Wide plains.
In addition to appearance and relief, maps differ from each other in a number of parameters. They are worth paying attention to, as some indicators can seriously affect the gameplay:
- Subject – European or North American style. Determines the general appearance of buildings, can be changed when setting up the game.
- Climate – affects what weather will most often appear on the map, as well as the temperature in winter and summer.
- Latitude.
- Building site – percentage of areas suitable for development. The lower this indicator, the fewer buildings can be erected.
- External message – determines the possibility of establishing transport links “abroad”.
- Natural resources – a list of resources available for extraction in industrial areas.
With the release of the Workshop, as well as new additions, more maps will appear.
Map options
Having finished choosing a map, you need to configure the key features of the future metropolis. In the next window you will need to name the city (you can use random), select a theme, and turn on or off the following options:
- Left side traffic.
- Natural disasters (analogous to the disasters from the first part of Natural Disasters).
- Cheats.
- Education.
It is especially worth noting that now cheats in Cities Skylines 2 are enabled at the map selection stage. In the game itself, as it was before, it will not be possible to enable endless money. In addition, the list of such modifications has become smaller: only “unlock everything” and an unlimited treasury remain.
Development and progress
In Cities Skylines 2, the mechanics are not much different from the first part, but there is one very noticeable and important feature - stages of development and leveling. If in the original game buildings were opened after reaching a certain “level” of the city, then in the sequel they must be unlocked manually. There are 5 main stages in the game:
- Large village.
- A developing town.
- Big City.
- A thriving metropolis.
- Megalopolis.
There are three “micro-stages” between levels. Total the game has 30 “levels”. For increasing the level you get a certain amount of money, several cells available for purchase, as well as development points. The latter play a decisive role.
To build certain buildings (except for basic ones), you need to open them for development points in the corresponding section. For example, without “studying” an ordinary hospital, you cannot build a health care institute. This system implies proper distribution of priorities. It is necessary to pump all stages evenly. The most important branches in the tree are:
- The roads.
- Education and research.
- Electricity.
- Public transport.
Tips on how to build a city in Cities Skylines 2 and make money
Next, we will give a number of tips on how to build correctly in Cities Skylines 2 in order to avoid many problems in the mid-game and get the most out of the game.
Roads
Roads are one of the main aspects in the planning of a settlement. The well-being of the entire city in Cities Skylines 2 directly depends on how the roads, intersections and junctions are located. Poorly constructed highways will lead to traffic jams, which, in turn, can create many problems. In particular, congestion will interfere with the work of specialized services: rescuers will not be able to get to the fire site in time, and ambulance doctors will not be able to reach their patients. To prevent this from happening, use the following tips:
- Avoid many roundabouts. They are not always good, since the AI of the cars can spin in circles, creating traffic jams.
- Don't make many intersections within a short distance. Such a decision will inevitably lead to a slowdown in traffic. If you need to create an intersection, consider removing the traffic light there.
- Do not park near intersections. Cars leaving there stop traffic.
- Don't make multiple avenues leading to one roundabout, especially a roundabout. If trucks from industrial zones, cars from a residential area and taxis from an office district all go on the same highway, a kilometer-long traffic jam will form.
- In Cities Skylines 2, interchanges are the optimal way to connect multiple areas that generate a lot of traffic.
- Build pedestrian paths to prevent people from slowing down at intersections without traffic lights.
- If possible, separate public transport from regular traffic: dedicated lanes for buses, tram tracks away from the road, elevated rails for trains. All these nuances will help relieve congestion on the highways without delaying cars.
- Connect industrial zones with external borders using transport terminals: trains or ships. This will also affect traffic, since some trucks will not travel through the city, but directly to the communication center.
You can read more about the construction of city arteries in the corresponding guide to roads in C:S 2.
Zones and districts
Zone in Cities Skylines 2 you need to build evenly, filling areas with each type. If the city is divided into several large parts, make it so that residents of one neighborhood do not have to travel through multiple interchanges to get to work in another area.
Each "area" would have shops, offices and basic infrastructure: a hospital, a police station, a crematorium and a school. Otherwise, the city may become bogged down in traffic jams due to people heading to the neighboring area to do their business. Don't forget about telecommunications coverage and postal service.
The second important aspect during construction is areas in Cities Skylines 2. When you finish planning the block, or have already moved on to the actual construction, be sure to mark out the area using the appropriate tool. This is necessary for a number of reasons:
- Resolutions – allow you to regulate certain rules in the area: close it from through traffic, prohibit trucks from passing through the block, make parking on the side of the road payable, and much more.
- Ability to set specific services cover areas. This will avoid a situation in which the block where, for example, the hospital is located, is left without the help of doctors, because all the ambulances have left for neighboring areas.
- Control and more precise statistics by region. Allows you to find out the population size, average level of well-being and education.
Infrastructure
Another significant aspect in city construction is infrastructure and city services. Without them, the settlement will very quickly cease to function normally. These include:
- Health care.
- Education and research.
- Firefighters and rescuers.
- Police and administration.
- Public transport.
- Parks and Recreation.
- Communications.
- Recycling.
When you select a building, a map with an information panel will open. There you can see in which areas the situation with this service is good, and in which – not so good. Based on this information, it is necessary to locate buildings. In large areas, especially with high building density, it is recommended to install buildings for all basic services: police, fire, ambulance. An alternative is to locate a large structure at the junction.
The needs in Cities Skylines 2 and their satisfaction shape the demand for housing. In addition, a large number of different infrastructure buildings increases the cost of rent. This can be both a plus, since more money will flow into the treasury, and a minus, because residents will not always be able to afford to live in such a place.
Two sections deserve special attention: waste recycling and public transport. Garbage is the best in Cities Skylines 2 dispose of. At the initial stages, place the landfill away from the city, for example, in an industrial zone. Next, build a recycling center or recycling plant. This will avoid pollution and provide this service to the entire city. As for public transport, we’ll talk about it a little later.
Industry and money
Industry in the game is divided into two categories:
- Material wealth – goods produced in industrial zones. They are created from mined or purchased resources and sent to stores and for export.
- intangible benefits – are created in offices and sent to trade zones or for export.
One of the best ways to make money in Cities Skylines 2 is to set up production. Place several industrial districts, which we will talk about later, build factories and many offices. Firstly, you will be able to save on imports, and secondly, you will be able to export goods.
Resources in Cities Skylines 2 are obtained using industrial specialization zones. By selecting the desired structure on the map, for example, a mine, you can see the deposits. This is where these zones need to be placed. They extract “clean” resources, from which goods are then produced. However, export in Cities Skylines 2 is available for all types of materials, so even raw resources can be sold too.
The easiest way to get a profit is raise taxes. Increase each parameter by a couple of percent and notice how the treasury begins to replenish. Also, don't make public transport free, it also makes a lot of money. Almost all infrastructure will allow you to make a profit, especially education, parking and transport can provide a lot.
How to run a city
Once the city is built, all that remains is to develop it, creating new neighborhoods from time to time. This is not a static process; while improving the settlement, you will constantly need to add buildings to areas, change some aspects and improve the lives of residents.
Set up public transport
When the city reaches an impressive size, it is necessary to take care of public transport. It is important to do this for a number of reasons:
- More people will be able to travel to distant areas to work or on their business.
- Public transport generates income that will pay for the service and allow you to turn a profit.
- A well-established public transport chain will relieve congestion on the roads and eliminate traffic jams.
When planning public transport routes, you need to follow two “strategies”:
- Establish communication within the area using trams or buses.
- Establish communication between areas using buses, trains or metro.
It is important to connect routes with each other. Locate bus or tram stops near the metro so people from different parts of the area can get to the hub. Also, do not have too many taxi stands, as this may cause traffic jams.
Listen to the population
In the lower right corner you can find an image of a blue bird - Chirpera. This is a local social network where people share their opinions about life in the city. It is worth visiting this section from time to time to understand what aspects can be improved. Pay attention to hashtags – they directly say what residents like and what they don’t. In addition, there you can see system messages, for example, about a lack of energy.
Prepare for natural disasters
In Cities Skylines 2, natural disasters occur randomly. They cannot be called independently, as was the case in the first part. However, they also cause damage and can cause many deaths. Open emergency shelters, as well as a disaster warning system - these steps will save the lives of citizens. Installing buildings is quite simple; there is no need to create evacuation routes.
Reduce costs
When you build multiple infrastructure buildings of the same type, make sure they are efficient. Otherwise, go to the budget section, go to the “Services” tab, then reduce funding for this service. This will save money and not waste resources. Do not forget that when costs are cut, the efficiency of services also decreases.
Mods and workshop
There is no workshop in Cities Skylines 2 on Steam. The point is not that it was not completed; this community section simply will not exist in the game. The developers said that it is much more convenient to create your own service for downloading user content.
At the moment, modifications are installed by directly transferring files to the game folder. Soon it will be possible to install mods on Cities Skylines 2 using the new built-in service. You can also create your own materials there.
Settings and troubleshooting
The last thing worth talking about is the settings of Cities Skylines 2. The game is extremely demanding, which is why not every computer can handle it on medium, and even more so on high graphics settings.
In a separate manual you can read everything about optimization of C:S 2, as well as about optimal video parameters for the best balance of performance and quality.
Xbox Game Pass crashes
One of the most common problems is Cities Skylines 2 crashes when playing via Xbox Game Pass. This error occurs not only with C:S 2, but also with many other projects launched through this launcher.
To get rid of it, open the task manager (Ctrl+Alt+Del), then in the “Windows Processes” section find "Conductor". Right-click on it and click "Remove task". Now you can play, but there will be no taskbar at the bottom.
To return Explorer, click in the upper left corner of the task manager, select “Run a new task”, then enter “explorer.exe” in the window that opens.
Read on:We hope this guide helped you understand how to build in Cities Skylines 2, how to earn money and manage your city. If you have any questions, ask them at commentswe will definitely answer. Read others C:S 2 guides in the relevant section of our website.
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