[sum1ren]

Makes me all the more in awe of London's bus network despite the occasional tardiness.

I've not played Cities, but interested to know the usual stumbling blocks to build such a system. Too large a city to cover, and too expensive to cover extensively?

[TheHumanist]

It's funny because I believe if a person was to study my gameplay in Cities XL and then also watch me function throughout a day, they would find very clear similarities in my frantic disorganization in general.

I believe, probably, it is mostly a 'me' problem. Maybe not, though. I just find it incredibly overwhelming when you get to the point where your citizens are demanding bus stops everywhere. There is already such a massive, established road network at that point and I have no idea where to begin. The funds are not an issue at that point (usually) because the city is large enough that money is kind of rolling in. It is more just the size of the city. It will need A LOT of bus stops, which makes sense... so I guess it is more just the overwhelming nature of the task.

Would it perhaps make more sense and be much less overwhelming if I were to be placing at least some bus stops as I progress through the earlier half of the game? Of course it would. Now, there are times where it wouldn't be as economically feasible, of course. Money flows much more freely in the later game, I have noticed. But, it would definitely ease the burden later in the game as far as having such a large city to cover. Then there is the question of 'is this bus stop too close/too far from the last one?'

I think it is really just the scale at which I have to place them and lack of preparation on my part (which is my life in general with pretty terrible ADHD).

Highly suggest giving that game a try, though. It's pretty incredible.

[IIAOPSW]

What you need to do is get over the intuition that a transit network is supposed to be random access and point to point. Its not. Some places are more important and more likely than others. Don't fall for the trap of compulsively filling in lines until there's spaghetti everywhere and everything that could meet at the ends does. Have core structures, basic sorts of routes. Be neither radial nor mesh, but rather federated with ample chances to make transfers. Think of it as a plumbing problem. Your primary people flow is between cheap rent and good jobs. Other people flows exists, but its ok to use smaller pipes on that.

[sum1ren]

> Think of it as a plumbing problem. Your primary people flow is between cheap rent and good jobs.

That's an interesting idea. Just thinking out loud, I wonder how one affects the other. I.e cheap rent -> create better transport links -> increased rent -> etc etc.

I know this is true with tube stations raising the cost of certain areas in London.

[IIAOPSW]

There probably is a first principles model for urban planning, don't be like me and get sucked into it.

[TheHumanist]

Probably as in there is and you can link me to it??

[IIAOPSW]

Probably as in I have some half assed models that never got very far from when I got sucked down this rabbit hole and never published them. Sorry.

[sum1ren]

Thanks for the insight, it's definitely pique my interest, going to check the game out.