# Cities:Skylines - Favorite DLC and Mods **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** video-games-e-games\ **Created:** [December 30, 2021, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-skylines-favorite-dlc-and-mods/956920 "2021-12-30T15:22:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2021, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-skylines-favorite-dlc-and-mods/956920/1 "2021-12-30T15:22:15Z")
I didn’t want to hijack the hardware discussion from [PC Gaming general discussion (Gaming PCs, game sales, news, etc…)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pc-gaming-general-discussion-gaming-pcs-game-sales-news-etc/952885/247) where Cities:Skylines (C:S) DLC and modding was mentioned: I was a very early purchaser of C:S and went through a few install/play briefly/uninstall cycles, but now I’m back. None of my uninstalls had anything to do with the quality of the game. Given there is a Steam sale underway, what DLCs, if any, would you recommend? I already have from prior sales: Park Life Mass Transit Pearls from the East (free) Any great DLCs that you’d recommend that don’t require late “end game” advancement or deep micromanaging? On all my games (Bethesda included) I tend to run pretty close to vanilla, but I’m not agin’ nice mods that add cool content or have quality-of-life improvements. I am currently running mod-free in C:S. Any “must-have” mods? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2021, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-skylines-favorite-dlc-and-mods/956920/2 "2021-12-30T15:48:04Z")
I haven’t got into mods with C:S yet, just Workshop content like more mass transit options, vehicles, parks, and highway interchanges – which the game doesn’t count as mods. [Node Controller](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2472062376) – which _is_ a mod – looks really useful. ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2021, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-skylines-favorite-dlc-and-mods/956920/3 "2021-12-30T15:50:42Z")
Ah, I didn’t realize there was that distinction, thanks! Yes, I’m interested in all recommended additional content: mods, tweaks, Workshop, paid or free DLC (I just downloaded the free Match Day DLC). ETA: I see there is a curated “top 10” list of Workshop content here; let me know if you recommend any of these: > **[Steam Workshop::Biffa's Top Ten Mods for Cities Skylines (November 2021)](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2669147740)** > > Steam Workshop: Cities: Skylines. Biffa's Top Ten Mods for Cities Skylines (November 2021) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2021, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-skylines-favorite-dlc-and-mods/956920/4 "2021-12-30T15:55:32Z")
The thing with C:S Workshop content is that there are tons of content reuploaded by someone other than the original author. I always try to find the earliest example of anything in hopes that the original author gets the recognition. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2021, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-skylines-favorite-dlc-and-mods/956920/5 "2021-12-30T16:14:56Z")
Steam says I’m subscribed to over 700 C:S Workshop items. I’ll link to some of the more useful ones later, broken down by category. ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2021, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-skylines-favorite-dlc-and-mods/956920/6 "2021-12-30T16:17:09Z")
To show my age: _Holy Cow!_ 700 !?!#! In looking at that top 10 list I linked to, I noticed that many/most of those are just one-off items, like a particular lighthouse. I’m not sure I’d find those unique items all that useful, at least to start with. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2021, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-skylines-favorite-dlc-and-mods/956920/7 "2021-12-30T19:32:56Z")
Most of what I’ve added to the game via the Workshop is just interchanges. The basic interchanges they give you in the base game are just not good enough for all situations and a lot of times they tend to make things worse. The official DLC is mostly aesthetic add-ons or radio stations, and the rest is stuff like “Industries” which adds an extra layer of micromanagement to the game that I’m just not looking for. Only official DLC I’ve bought are Park Life and After Dark. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2021, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-skylines-favorite-dlc-and-mods/956920/8 "2021-12-31T04:39:00Z")
> [@Raza](#): > > Ah, I didn’t realize there was that distinction, thanks! Workshop items are in two classes: mods (that affect how the game mechanics work) and custom assets (which are just buildings, roads, etc). Assets are themselves in two classes, growables and ploppables. You’ll find this thread useful I think: > **[RICO: What is it about?](https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/threads/rico-what-is-it-about.1504681/)** > > I have recently deleted ALL my subscriptions and started all over again, avoiding MODs and mainly looking for assets and DLCs. > > I have came across RICO a lot, from individual buildongs to MODs. > > So, I was wondering if I need a RICO MOD in order... > [@Raza](#): > > Given there is a Steam sale underway, what DLCs, if any, would you recommend? > I already have from prior sales: > Park Life > Mass Transit > Pearls from the East (free) > > Any great DLCs that you’d recommend that don’t require late “end game” advancement or deep micromanaging? Official DLCs have two categories also; expansions (like mods, that modify gameplay) and cosmetic DLCs (buildings, music, etc). Here is a thread on that topic you might also find useful: > **[which dlc should i buy?](https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/threads/which-dlc-should-i-buy.1494739/)** > > i think that there might be a cyber monday sale up ahead or something and i was wondering which dlc to buy. i already have parklife and industries and i was thinking to either but mass transit, after dark, or campus dlc. if u recomment one please... > [@Raza](#): > > To show my age: _Holy Cow!_ 700 !?!#! Oh boy, that’s nothing! I think the record I’ve seen while supporting this game is ~20,000. Note that, being a Unity game, ALL subscribed items use up memory all the time, even if not in use in the current city. So don’t go wild; especially assets can chew up almost any amount of memory, if badly written. 8gb of system memory can run say 500-1,000 subscribed items, depending on size and complexity. 16gb double that. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2021, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-skylines-favorite-dlc-and-mods/956920/9 "2021-12-31T05:00:41Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > Assets are themselves in two classes, growables and ploppables Until you get the Ploppable RICO mod! (I found that a bit much for me) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2021, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-skylines-favorite-dlc-and-mods/956920/10 "2021-12-31T05:25:38Z")
I’ve been busy with other things and forgot about this thread. Here we go: **Parks** Great for filling empty space next to a roadway: [12×1 Promenade](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1115166064) – trees [12×1](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=586909758) – trees & benches [9×1](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=534027692) – trees, benches & gazebo [9×1 Row of Trees](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=534027692) – also benches & lampposts [6×1](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=884107833) – trees, picnic table & gazebo [5×1](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=533572369) – trees, picnic tables, gazebos & lampposts [3×1](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=661131985) – trees, benches & a lamppost [3×1](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=533535366) – trees, benches & lampposts [2×1 Garden](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=828064772) – mini arboretum [2×1 Pavilion](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=410415162) – gazebo, benches & birdbath fountain [2×1 Park Large Fountain](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=631184437) – plus benches, shrubbery & lampposts [2×1 Dog Park & Light](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=920321814) – plus trees & benches [1×1](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=411609540) – just a large fountain with a couple of benches, some trees & a lamppost Other parks: [3×6](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1601951633) [3×3](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1601951180) [8×8 Big Contemporary Square](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=412112977) [12×8 Track & Field](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=547345271) [Basketball Court](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=423632965) [6×6 City Park](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=435324961) [6×6 Beach](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=413645793) [2×2 Community Pool](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=410745735) [4×4 Suburban Pool and Picnic](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=410475767) [Little League Baseball Field](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=411240156) [45° Park](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=478235614) [Fountain in a Roundabout](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=474638653) **Electricity** [Sea Turbine](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=421393449) – just the vanilla turbine but can be placed on water with increased cost [Anywhere Advanced Turbine](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=421529458) – just the vanilla advanced turbine but can be placed pretty much anywhere [1×1 Modular Solar Panels](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=419052551) [Solar Energy Park](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=410352594) – like a bunch of the modular panels grouped together [ATOM Solar Power Plant](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=430269111) – circular solar plant **Water** [Urban Pumping Station](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1309984719) – self-contained unit produces no noise pollution [High Tech Geothermal Plant](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=627736252) – won’t really do anything without the _Snowfall_ DLC **Trash** [Recycling Center with Solar Panels](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=410949422) – processes garbage plus generates a bit of electricity [Recycling Plant](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=413357029) – only generates noise pollution [Large Recycling Center](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=432840529) – also only generates noise pollution [Toxic Waste Treatment Plant](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=625109257) – incinerator variant which requires highly educated workers and produces less pollution than vanilla incinerator **Healthcare** [Small Town Medical Clinic](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=413507590) – smaller and cheaper version of the vanilla medical clinic [Lawtons Drugs](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=588330876) – basically a reskinned vanilla medical clinic [Doctor’s Office](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1090103730) – another reskinned vanilla medical clinic [Ramsey Medical Clinic](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=423694160) – a reskinned and improved version of the vanilla medical clinic [University Hospital](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=858102805) – reskinned vanilla hospital [Advanced Health Care Facility](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=644118482) – reskinned, improved and more expensive version of the vanilla hospital [Alppila Rehab Center](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1214914592) – inspired by an actual Finnish medical complex [Biohazard Research Center](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1233417736) – endgame medical center **Deathcare** [Crypt](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=414255329) – bury bodies with a small above ground footprint [Victorian-inspired Cemetery](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=442475059) [Victorian-inspired Crematorium](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=442443530) [Large Advanced Crematorium](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=624474022) – inspired by an actual crematorium in the UK [Deep Burial Site](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=410393547) **Fire Department** [2×2 Fire House](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=701372260) **Police Department** [SC4 Police Kiosk](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=938928430) [T2 Police Station](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=408412686) **Education** [Research Facility](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=622917890) – reskinned vanilla university [Radio Telescope](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=578880823) – university level **Transportation** Small above ground footprint subway stations: [Paris Metro](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1292402344) [Metro Station Small Entrance](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=424180091) [Old Metro Station](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=415761742) Other subway stations: [New York Subway Station](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=421630954) [Dome Subway Station](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1393556043) – keeps noise contained [Inner City Metro](https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=427881811) I’m supposed to have other fire, police, and education assets but can’t seem to find 'em. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2021, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-skylines-favorite-dlc-and-mods/956920/11 "2021-12-31T15:24:58Z")
I’m tempted to pick up some DLC during this 50% to 60% sale going on now, but I have a feeling most or all of them will go on a much deeper discount in a few weeks when the Airports DLC is released. I’m edging up toward 100 hours into the game pure vanilla and I just this morning _finally_ came up with a starter tile design I can live with for my first city. I spent all yesterday mocking it up with unlimited money running 3x speed to let it build up to check traffic. It passed my noobtastic and surely insufficient traffic test with flying colors, so now the challenge is to recreate this design in a real game. Pure vanilla, but I’m not opposed to adding mods and DLCs. Just not a pressing need quite yet. I really want freaking bike paths, though, and I think I need to buy After Dark to get them. For just bike paths along my roads, I can wait a few weeks. Unless there’s a mod? I very much want to see the people riding bicycles on my streets. What do you think? Is there going to be a better sale in a few weeks than the one going on right now through Monday? ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2021, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-skylines-favorite-dlc-and-mods/956920/12 "2021-12-31T15:32:01Z")
Oh by the way, what map should I be using for my first city? I didn’t realize it was up to me; I thought I was playing the first map the game gives you. Turns out I’m playing the map that sorts first alphabetically by name when you just install the base vanilla game. Black something. Map type boreal, and the starter tile is a peninsula. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2021, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-skylines-favorite-dlc-and-mods/956920/13 "2021-12-31T17:20:45Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > Is there going to be a better sale in a few weeks than the one going on right now through Monday? In my experience, the Cities: Skylines DLC doesn’t often get low discounts, especially on Steam where 50% is often as good as it gets except for the oldest stuff (After Dark, etc) or maybe the radio stations. If you want cheaper DLC right now, the best option is [GameBillet](https://www.gamebillet.com/search?q=skylines), [WinGameStore](https://www.wingamestore.com/search/?SearchWord=skylines) or maybe [Fanatical](https://www.fanatical.com/en/search?search=skylines) for a couple (though GameBillet is generally cheaper). All three are reputable sellers of Steam keys and running cheaper right now than the prices on Steam itself. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2022, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-skylines-favorite-dlc-and-mods/956920/14 "2022-01-01T02:32:00Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > Oh by the way, what map should I be using for my first city? [Here’s an overview of all the vanilla maps.](https://citiesskylinestips.com/all-cities-skylines-maps-part-1-vanilla/) I think my first map was Riverrun. [DLC vanilla maps: _Snowfall_ & _Disasters_.](https://citiesskylinestips.com/all-cities-skylines-maps-overview-part-2-snowfall-and-natural-disasters/) _Snowfall_ presents some new gameplay: not only are you responsible for heating your city’s buildings, you need a fleet of plows to keep the roads clear and places to dump it all. As with garbage buildings and garbage trucks, snow disposal buildings generate the plows. _Snowfall_ also has unique winter parks. [DLC vanilla maps: _Mass Transit_ & _Green Cities_.](https://citiesskylinestips.com/overview-of-all-cities-skylines-maps-part-3-mass-transit-and-green-cities/) > [@EllisDee](#): > > Black something. That’s reviewed in the first link – one of the worst maps you could choose when just starting out. If you don’t care for the maps the game gives you, there are plenty to choose from in the Workshop. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2022, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-skylines-favorite-dlc-and-mods/956920/15 "2022-01-01T03:07:37Z")
I’m basically viewing this as a traffic simulator, with everything else being window dressing in service of traffic. I never knew how much I needed a traffic simulator in my life. Unfortunately I have zero artistic ability, so my cities are going to look grim and repetitive. But that’s okay. I’m having a blast just trying to figure out how to make it all work. Currently I’m playing around with bus lines. Haven’t looked at trains yet, really. If you start a game with unlimited money and everything unlocked, there’s a bug where you won’t get any industrial demand. Buildings just don’t appear in any zoned yellow, and the yellow bar is empty showing no demand. This was annoying to me because it was the industrial traffic that killed my first attempt, and pretty quickly. By 4500 population it became clear it wouldn’t scale. But you can’t just throw up a network of roads on a new map with unlimited money on to test industrial traffic. I happily discovered that after around 5000 population, I did start getting industrial demand, and by 10k population my planned starting industrial site is full capacity. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2022, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-skylines-favorite-dlc-and-mods/956920/16 "2022-01-01T03:22:00Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > If you want cheaper DLC right now, the best option is [GameBillet](https://www.gamebillet.com/search?q=skylines), [WinGameStore](https://www.wingamestore.com/search/?SearchWord=skylines) or maybe [Fanatical](https://www.fanatical.com/en/search?search=skylines) for a couple (though GameBillet is generally cheaper). All three are reputable sellers of Steam keys and running cheaper right now than the prices on Steam itself. Those 3 are indeed okay. Here’s a list of authorised resellers for Paradox: > **[Approved re-sellers](https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/threads/approved-re-sellers.1036933/#post-23112534)** > > Hello everyone. > > I've been wondering for some time, who/what actually are the "approved re-sellers" that Paradox considers legitimate? Is there a list Paradox has made, which has all of them? If not, why? I'd think something like that would be... PLEASE do not buy from anywhere else but that list, Steam or the Paradox store. Others are grey market vendors, Paradox get none of your money if you buy from any of those. ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2022, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-skylines-favorite-dlc-and-mods/956920/17 "2022-01-01T03:34:09Z")
Wow! Thank you so much; I’ve already subscribed to some of those parks. Playing conservatively (I thought), I was running out of money at around 2,000 population. I’d try to nudge my taxes up to 16% or so, but then everyone complained. I definitely didn’t splurge - I only bought ONE of each major infrastructure item as they became unlocked (fire dept, trash, etc.). For fun, I’m going to use an unlimited money mod and see how things go. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2022, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-skylines-favorite-dlc-and-mods/956920/18 "2022-01-01T03:48:25Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > I’m basically viewing this as a traffic simulator, with everything else being window dressing in service of traffic. I never knew how much I needed a traffic simulator in my life. > > Unfortunately I have zero artistic ability, so my cities are going to look grim and repetitive. But that’s okay. I’m having a blast just trying to figure out how to make it all work. Currently I’m playing around with bus lines. Haven’t looked at trains yet, really. > > If you start a game with unlimited money and everything unlocked, there’s a bug where you won’t get any industrial demand. Buildings just don’t appear in any zoned yellow, and the yellow bar is empty showing no demand. This was annoying to me because it was the industrial traffic that killed my first attempt, and pretty quickly. By 4500 population it became clear it wouldn’t scale. > > But you can’t just throw up a network of roads on a new map with unlimited money on to test industrial traffic. I happily discovered that after around 5000 population, I did start getting industrial demand, and by 10k population my planned starting industrial site is full capacity. There us a **Super Demand** mod that jacks up the demand for all zone types. If you like micromanaging your traffic flow, there are a few popular mods you should explore: **Move It** is kind of critical so you can fine-tune placement of roads and buildings. Especially useful if you want to make your own custom interchanges. Various **…Anarchy** mods are also useful for overriding the games placement of roads. **Traffic Manager: President Edition** lets you customize your roads in excruciating detail - turning lane rules, speed limits, parking, right of ways, stoplights, traffic AI, etc. **Node Controller** helps with what I consider a significant fault of the game - the shitty exit ramps and other road transitions. It lets you smooth out ramps and lane merging so that it looks more fluid. It also lets you selectively remove or add crosswalks. **Intersection Marking Tool** useful for creating custom road and intersection markings. A typical use case for all these mods would be to create a realistic looking (and behaving) exit ramp off a 3 lane highway by turning a segment to 4 lanes, then split off an exit ramp and 3 lane highway again, use the Node Controller to smooth everything out, use TM:PE to enforce the right lane is exit only, then use the IMT to add additional lines and markings (like the exit ramp chevrons \<\<\<\<\<\< ). Pretty sure bike paths and most other “networks” (roads, tracks, paths, power lines, just lines, quays, etc) are standard without buying DLC. Oh by the way, there is an **Airports** DLC coming out in a few weeks. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2022, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-skylines-favorite-dlc-and-mods/956920/19 "2022-01-01T03:50:50Z")
> [@Raza](#): > > I’d try to nudge my taxes up to 16% or so, but then everyone complained. I stick with 12% taxes on everything based on a beginner YouTube video from City Planner Plays. (Great channel.) I also learned about road hierarchy there and from various other channels. My first (pathetic) attempt was without hierarchy, my next one will be with. It really is amazing what a difference it makes. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2022, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-skylines-favorite-dlc-and-mods/956920/20 "2022-01-01T03:52:20Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > The thing with C:S Workshop content is that there are tons of content reuploaded by someone other than the original author. I always try to find the earliest example of anything in hopes that the original author gets the recognition. My advice is go with the more recent version, even if its a different author. Usually they give credit to the original author anyway. The reason a new author branches off someone else’s mod or asset is that the original author often stops supporting it. This can create a problem as mods and assets often need to be updated once a new DLC is released. If you are subscribed to the old version, it might not work properly or even break your city. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cities-skylines-favorite-dlc-and-mods/956920.md?page=2)