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Cities: Skylines is out on Xbox One today, any impressions?

Head.spawn

Junior Member
I'll definitely be picking this up soon. Their solution for game performance sounds like a really smart compromise, cool to see developers experimenting like that.
 

Pineapple

Member
It'll be fine. The XBone is basically a really powerful PC. .

This game is incredibly CPU dependent, and the Jaguar configuration in the Xbox One/PS4 is actually a relatively weak CPU.

Given that even moderately sized cities drop the framerate into the 30s on my PC (which has a Core i5-6500), I'm really interested in seeing how the Xbox One version holds up.
 

Skyzard

Banned
It was one of the first promoted games with the steam controller.

That's good though I don't have one of those - the store page says partial controller support.

Guess I'll download it again and give it a go, I keep installing and then uninstalling when release I'm always too tired to plan out a city design.
 

Theorry

Member
On the plus side

+ very good pad controls
+ nice graphically
+ almost complete Cities Skylines experience
+ After Dark expansion included
+ 12 maps, 4 themes
+ sandbox mode
On the downside

- a few slowdowns on close-ups, especially at night
- only one simulation speed, you have to be patient early in the city building process
- only one extension
- no content editor (which allowed to create parks and edit existing buildings)
- no mod support

http://gamersyde.com/news_our_xbox_one_videos_of_cities_skylines-19021_en.html
 

Lister

Banned
Is the game missing anything compared to the PC version?

No mod support, no variable speeds (these two are killers, IMHO), no content creator. My guess is that the number of actors and the complexity fo the smulation is probably also cut down significantly.

It'll be fine. The XBone is basically a really powerful PC. I'm looking forward to this game on console more than PC.

LOL! A Mr Orange alt account?

My embargo was up at 1am.
Rated it a wait for Sale. ONLY because of the fps issues and lack of any real difficulty at all. Control is spot on, game works well. But the FPS issues bothered me a bit.

Controls are spot on: What does this mean, is it as easy and effortless ot set up say a simple grid with mouse and keybaord, or is it spot on like, well it's as good as it's going to get with a gamepad?

My niece really likes this game (she plays it when she comes over at my house) but parents won't allow a gaming PC for another year (or I would have built her one). Her brother has an xbone and she might eb allowe dot play there, but she's like me, she prefers mouse and keybaord for most games.
 

Bsigg12

Member
My embargo was up at 1am.
Rated it a wait for Sale. ONLY because of the fps issues and lack of any real difficulty at all. Control is spot on, game works well. But the FPS issues bothered me a bit.

Scorpio!!!!!!!

But really, that's a bummer to hear about the FPS.
 
Genuinely surprised there was a port for this game. I just can't imagine playing interface-heavy games with a controller. I remember playing SimCity on the PS1 and just being very frustrated at how slow it was to accomplish anything.
 

Lucifon

Junior Member
Huh I've a feeling it's just a timed exclusive on the XB1 for now.

I don't even think this is any kind of paid exclusivity going on here. Simply a smaller dev prioritising / paying for a port for a single platform. There's a good chance Microsoft simply offered to help more for example. I have no doubt it'll hit PS4 at some point too.

If it was a paid timed exclusive you'd see some kind of promotion from Microsoft's perspective but that hasn't been the case. Nor does it really make sense for such a niche game.
 

Theorry

Member
I don't even think this is any kind of paid exclusivity going on here. Simply a smaller dev prioritising / paying for a port for a single platform. There's a good chance Microsoft simply offered to help more for example. I have no doubt it'll hit PS4 at some point too.

If it was a paid timed exclusive you'd see some kind of promotion from Microsoft's perspective but that hasn't been the case. Nor does it really make sense for such a niche game.

Its console launch exclusive. Its also a ID@Xbox game.
 
Did they add controller support to the PC game by any chance?

Would be fun to stream and play in bed.

This apears to be a redesigned game specifically for consoles, with specific features and functionality for pads, outsorced to another company. Theres no question of controller support because its another game on PC.
 

Castef

Banned
No mod support, no variable speeds (these two are killers, IMHO), no content creator. My guess is that the number of actors and the complexity fo the smulation is probably also cut down significantly.

Mmmh... nope.
I've played the PC version before the XB1 and every element is there, in terms of stats.

Makes no sense for them do dismount the simulation engine.
 

Orca

Member
This game is incredibly CPU dependent, and the Jaguar configuration in the Xbox One/PS4 is actually a relatively weak CPU.

Given that even moderately sized cities drop the framerate into the 30s on my PC (which has a Core i5-6500), I'm really interested in seeing how the Xbox One version holds up.

It's ok, I heard they're using this new thing called frustrum culling /s

Saw it was unlocked this morning, but didn't get a chance to try it before heading to work. No lunch today, so I have to wait for this evening before firing it up.
 
So the gameplay was heavily tweaked for this version? LIke... how heavily are we talking? The console Sim City games were pretty different and good in their own right, way back.

I played the crap out of Sim City on the SNES. I'm getting the feeling this is going to scratch that itch. I'm looking forward to it.
 
This game is incredibly CPU dependent, and the Jaguar configuration in the Xbox One/PS4 is actually a relatively weak CPU.

Given that even moderately sized cities drop the framerate into the 30s on my PC (which has a Core i5-6500), I'm really interested in seeing how the Xbox One version holds up.

This is interesting. I really am looking forward to this game, and given that some reviews are saying this game is similar to classics such as SimCity SNES, I'll be more than happy playing this on XBone. Plus my kids can play it then too as they don't share my Steam games. Although I do like the cheap price on PC. Had loads of fun back in the day with SimCity SNES.

My previous comment was a bit cheeky I know, it just annoys me that some people think they can't play games with less than perfect frame rate. When Rocket League did the Rumble update it didn't work for about a week on XBone (super bad frame rate etc) and forums and social media were all like "the Xbox is too weak to play it!" Then Psyonix patched it and surprise surprise it works amazingly.

Anyway, this game is hot on my wishlist and I'm happy the devs are supporting Xbone.
 

Onikaan

Member
Game seems to run well. I've never played Cities before so I'm trying to work It out.

Does anyone know why my Commercial district constantly demands workers? I've got more residential than commercial, and the commercial bar is full! I honestly think its bugged. The shops just shut down after a while. Tried everything.

Hulp.
 

Xcell Miguel

Gold Member
Game seems to run well. I've never played Cities before so I'm trying to work It out.

Does anyone know why my Commercial district constantly demands workers? I've got more residential than commercial, and the commercial bar is full! I honestly think its bugged. The shops just shut down after a while. Tried everything.

Hulp.

I think they need a bit more educated workers than industries, you need a school.
 

Gowans

Member
Had a quick go, I really like it.

It's a shame you can speed up time for the early game, I feel like I'm to future thinking at the start and over committing early, spending to much and my population is slow to seep in.
 

M.W.

Member
How is the difficulty? I need a new game to play on X1, always thought this looked quite fun on the PC. Thing is, I generally suck at these type of games...lol
 

Hux1ey

Banned
Games like this typically don't translate well to a gamepad, interesting to see how it goes and if they patch it in the PC version for sofa use.
 

Lucifon

Junior Member
Wait have they removed traffic / people? My city is empty at the moment.

Edit - oh no just takes time what without the ability to speed up.
 

RoKKeR

Member
Definitely interested in this, though I think I'll wait for a sale. Some bummer omissions, especially with variable simulation speeds.
 

Lucifon

Junior Member
Definitely interested in this, though I think I'll wait for a sale. Some bummer omissions, especially with variable simulation speeds.

The speed thing really is the big one. Game seems to run fine so far but I'm sat messing with my phone whilst waiting for anything to happen.
 

Lucifon

Junior Member
They need to patch in speed increments, it feels really bad early on without it. I'm just sat here with negative money, but too low of a population to get a loan. So there's nothing I can do but sit and wait for my population to rise. And I haven't unlocked anything other than zoning so I can't make the city anymore appealing. And there's no tutorials to indicate if there's anything I'm missing.
 

karnage10

Banned
How is the difficulty? I need a new game to play on X1, always thought this looked quite fun on the PC. Thing is, I generally suck at these type of games...lol

I don't know how the Xbone version is in terms of difficulty. On the PC the game is "easy", as in, it is easy to have a city that profits. What is "hard" to do on the game is having a big city that has excellent profit and designed well enough that traffic jams don't stop essential vehicles like ambulances, fire engines, hoarses, buses,etc.

The main challenge of city skylines is building the roads, the traffic isn't very "smart" and the rules they obey aren't very clear at the start of the game. The balance between residence, commercial and industry (while important) is relatively easy to grasp, how to connect said districts without traffic jams is the real hard part.

If you stick with small cities you can easily manage such a city witht any major problems, if you want a gigantic metropolis be prepared to re build roads, train tracks and bus stops a LOT to find a way to reduce your traffic to acceptable levels.

All that said i don't know hot it works in xbone, hopefully it is similar to PC ; my experience on my first city was: it was easy to keep profiting for around 10-20h (depending how fast you expand), after that I need to revamp most old city because my old districts weren't efficient enough; i started by adding highways and public transport (buses) then moving for metro and train stations. After 30h i had a huge city that was profitable but several zones were in an eternal traffic jam which made further expanding annoyingly difficult so i started a new city.
hope this helps
 

Gowans

Member
Really enjoying myself here.

100% underestimated the effects of dropping the budgets on the town services tho.

Had a funny hour talking in a party with a mate who decided to buy it then watching his stream 100% lag free with him streaming on beam and chattering away about his build and offering rubbish tips.
 

Onikaan

Member
I think they need a bit more educated workers than industries, you need a school.

Thanks for the advice. I'm fairly sure my residential districts covered for education. Elementary, high and unis all in place.

I must be missing something.

I literally have no Commercial because they become abandoned almost instantly.
 

Gowans

Member
Made it to 4,200 people and busy town status now to bed.

I'm going to run into pop water in my drinking water tomorrow 🤢
 

Galactic Fork

A little fluff between the ears never did any harm...
How is the variety of stores and restaurants? Will it be the same restaurant logos everywhere, sometimes side by side like SimCity 4? Are there mods to add to these?
 
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