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Planning an efficient City

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DeletedUser

Guest
Something I have noticed in visiting various players for boosting is that quite a few have far more roads, or paths, than necessary, and therefore have less space than they could have for buildings. So I would like to share a few thoughts on how to maximise the use of the limited space available.

I currently have 50 path squares servicing 46 non cultural buildings of various shapes and sizes, not counting the hall. I also have 16 culture buildings for a total built up area of 277 squares, and there is a 3x6 vacant block with frontage. My name here is my game name, so have a look if you are interested.

First up, paths are easy to get rid of (sell them) and everything is easy to move using the tab next to the sell tab ($) at the screen bottom. Don't be afraid to do a major rearrange if your city does not follow these guidelines. You can place buildings away from paths (or delete the paths they are on) while you do this, they just stop producing while disconnected. You may need to do some rearranging after adding an expansion or when your buildings get bigger. You can minimise this by forward planning.

PUT ALL YOUR BIG CULTURE BUILDINGS AT THE EDGE OF YOUR CITY. preferably all together in a row. Put your builders hut with them. The hut and culture buildings do not need paths, so don't put paths anywhere near them. The smaller culture buildings can be used to fill the odd awkward space that nothing else will fit in. You don't usually need to take a path right to the edge of the city. Finish it one square short and put a 1x1 culture building at the end. This looks good too :) Or, when you get to placing two 3x3 buildings at the end of a path, finish 2 squares short and put something in that space.

Keep all your same sized and shaped buildings together. The Trader is a pain for a while because it is an odd shape. Use your creativity to find a good place for it.

If a building is not square, put the narrow edge on a path. This means some buildings go better on paths in one direction, and other buildings do better on the "cross" paths

Keep paths as straight as possible for as long as possible. Have as few corners and junctions as possible.

As far as possible put buildings on each side of paths, and do not put paths on two sides of buildings (except at corners, where you can't avoid this).

Do NOT put paths around the edge of your city, this is wasted space.

Use simple trails as soon as you get them. 10 culture per path square for free (almost)
 

Deleted User - 50840

Guest
Thank you @VeryWicked. This is a very good guide for beginners (and some players more advanced) with sound and sensible tips.

I would like to add some tips if I may?
  • Keep some space open for moving buildings when you need to rearrange your city. The bigger your buildings get the more space will be needed for you to be able to move buildings.
  • Do not be afraid to sell buildings. Outdated culture buildings is less efficient per square than more advanced ones. Or selling a building to make space for something else or to have space to rearrange. Culture buildings is an easy first choice to sell.
  • PLAN AHEAD. Not only what you will build or upgrade next but after that and after that. A day or two in advance if you can. Also look at your research to see what buildings is to come or a new size increase to existing buildings. Plan where you will put them. Using a piece of grid paper and pencil is VERY handy with this. You can plan on paper and erase easily. A spreadsheet can also be used as a grid backdrop. Implement in game only after you have plan you like.
  • Try and keep your culture bonus as high as possible for as long as possible (around 10% - 25% of available space devoted to culture buildings depending on your level and preferance). The excess coins and supplies comes in very handy to purchase KP's and extra goods.
  • Do not race for a high score early on in your game. (this is controversial) :) I believe that planning your city to be balanced is better in the long run than trying to achieve a higher score quickly by the over building of high scoring buildings. With a balanced city your score will rise gradually and continiously. By "balanced" I mean in your goods production (roughly equal for all tiers) and with sufficent workshops to have enough supplies for troop training, goods production, research and building/upgrading plus some surplus.
 

DeletedUser

Guest
Thank you @VeryWicked.
I would like to add some tips if I may?

Thank you Duke, also sound and sensible tips. I have one more, having played for a bit longer now:

When you get an expansion, this is the best (and sometimes only) opportunity to move things around, so before you fill up your new space with the things you have been waiting for, check your city, and mover whatever needs moving while you still have the space to put things temporarily out of the way while you do this.
 

DeletedUser

Guest
Thank you also Duke. Also sound and sensible tips.

I have another, having played the game for a bit longer now:

When you get a new expansion, use it as temporary storage to enable you to reorganise your city ( if you want/need to) BEFORE filling it up with all the things yo have been waiting to build. That 5x5 empty space should be enough to allow you to reorganise your entire layout if you want. If you put even ONE new building in it first, you may have lost this opportunity ('til the next expansion)
 
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