Unveiling the Most Buildable Map in Cities: Skylines
The quest for the perfect canvas to construct your dream metropolis in Cities: Skylines is a constant endeavor for many city-building enthusiasts. While personal preferences certainly play a role, some maps objectively offer more buildable space, and easier layouts, for aspiring mayors. So, what is the most buildable map in Cities: Skylines? The answer is Garden Rivers, from the Green Cities DLC. This map stands out due to its generous 80% buildable area and its flat, open terrain, making it exceptionally conducive to both sprawling city grids and intricately designed urban landscapes.
Why Garden Rivers Reigns Supreme
The most important factor determining a map’s “buildability” is, of course, the amount of usable land. Garden Rivers leads the pack with its remarkable 80% figure. This means that a significantly larger proportion of the map’s area is flat and suitable for building, unlike maps with extensive mountains, deep valleys, or large bodies of water that restrict construction. This abundance of space provides ample room to experiment, build massive transportation networks, and grow your population without hitting geographical limitations prematurely.
Furthermore, Garden Rivers boasts a relatively flat terrain with minimal elevation changes. This is invaluable for efficient city planning and reduces the need for expensive terraforming and complex road networks that must adapt to challenging terrain. The ease of building on a flat surface is particularly beneficial for new players, allowing them to focus on other aspects of the game without wrestling with difficult terrain. Its gentle rivers and natural features also lend themselves well to creating aesthetically pleasing cities without hindering construction.
While other maps may boast specific features or challenges, Garden Rivers provides a solid foundation for any type of city, from sprawling suburban landscapes to dense urban centers. This map’s versatility combined with the abundance of flat, buildable land makes it arguably the best starting point, not just in Green Cities DLC, but across the entire game.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Buildability in Cities: Skylines
1. What is the total playable area in Cities: Skylines?
The base game offers a 5×5 grid of map tiles, but only 9 tiles are unlockable initially. Each map tile is 1.92 x 1.92 km, leading to a total possible playable area of 92.16 km². However, players can use mods to unlock 25 tiles or even the full 81 tiles available on the map. The ability to expand the map is key to achieving a large and sprawling city.
2. What is the maximum number of tiles you can unlock in Cities: Skylines?
In the base game, you’re limited to 9 unlockable tiles. However, with the help of mods, you can unlock a total of 25 tiles from the middle of the 5×5 grid, or all 81 tiles on the 9×9 map. The option to expand to 81 tiles significantly expands the play area and introduces exciting possibilities for building mega-cities.
3. Why is there a tile limit in Cities: Skylines?
The original tile limit of 9 tiles was implemented due to limitations of the game’s AI to handle a large number of simulated citizens, and the 80,000 cims that could roam your city. However, the game has since been optimized, and the availability of mods allows players to utilize more tiles.
4. How large is one map tile in Cities: Skylines?
One map tile in Cities: Skylines measures 1.92 x 1.92 kilometers, which equals 3.69 square kilometers. Understanding the size of a tile is important when planning the layout of your city and estimating how much space you have to work with.
5. What is the maximum population achievable in Cities: Skylines?
The game’s vanilla population limit is 1 million, but reaching this limit without mods is virtually impossible, especially within just 9 tiles. While a population of 1 million is possible, players often hit the game’s building and road limits long before reaching such a population without employing specific techniques, or mods to alleviate the limitations.
6. Is it possible to achieve a 1 million population within a single tile?
Yes, it is theoretically possible to reach the 1 million population limit within a single tile, but this is typically not feasible without heavily optimizing the building and road networks and by using the most dense forms of residental zoning available. Most players achieve significantly lower populations when playing in a single tile without exploiting game mechanics.
7. What is the best map for beginners in Cities: Skylines?
While Garden Rivers is excellent for buildability, some of the other ideal starter maps include Waterway Pass and Sweeping Plains. These offer a balance of resources, relatively flat terrain, and accessible utilities, making them ideal for players new to the game. These are often recommended because of their ease to start building immediately.
8. What is the flattest map in Cities: Skylines?
Eden Valley is known as one of the flattest maps in the base game. However, players can use the map editor to flatten terrain on any map to create a completely flat building area to make their city-building experience easier.
9. How does land value affect building in Cities: Skylines?
High land value encourages the construction of higher-level residential and commercial buildings. This value is increased by providing city services, parks, and amenities while pollution and crime decrease it. Therefore, focusing on land value is key to developing a vibrant city.
10. What are the most efficient power sources in Cities: Skylines?
Wind and solar power are efficient due to zero pollution production, but come at higher initial costs. Coal and oil power plants are cheaper for short term power needs but produce pollution. Choosing your power source carefully will impact your city growth and pollution levels.
11. What is the ideal grid size for building in Cities: Skylines?
While not a one size fits all, an ideal grid size for maximizing density is often cited as 112×112 meters. This square shape can easily accommodate multiple types of buildings while providing adequate connectivity. This size allows for smooth traffic flow and efficient pedestrian access.
12. What is the total map area in Cities: Skylines?
The total map area in Cities: Skylines is approximately 298.6 square kilometers. This is based on the full 9×9 map grid, but only a portion is playable in the base game unless mods are enabled to unlock more tiles.
13. Can you buy more than 9 tiles in Cities: Skylines without mods?
No. Without mods, the maximum number of unlockable tiles is 9 from the middle of the 5×5 grid area. This is a limiting factor in the scale and scope of cities built.
14. How does Cities: Skylines compare to SimCity?
Cities: Skylines is generally considered to offer a smoother and more responsive gameplay experience than SimCity. It also focuses on more realistic city-building while SimCity often incorporates a cartoonish art style. It is widely agreed that Cities: Skylines has won the battle for city simulation games.
15. Will Cities: Skylines 2 have bigger maps?
Yes, Cities: Skylines 2 introduces substantially larger maps. While each tile is smaller, you will be able to unlock a far greater number, with 441 tiles and a total playable area of 159 square kilometers which is almost five times the size of the first game. This means city builders will have more space and creativity in the sequel.
In conclusion, while many maps offer interesting challenges and scenarios, Garden Rivers stands out as the most buildable map due to its generous open area, flat terrain, and starting layout. Its combination of features makes it ideal for players of all levels, whether they’re just starting or aiming to create a sprawling metropolis. Understanding the nuances of map size, tile limits, and other game mechanics is key to making the most of Cities: Skylines.