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Even more new things that come with winter: snow plows and heating.

When it’s snowing, snow will cover roads and affect the maximum speed vehicles can travel on them. Roads fully covered with snow make traveling slower. To keep roads clear of snow, your city needs snow plows that drive around to collect the snow and store it at snow dumps. At snow dumps, the snow melts away with time. When there’s no snow to be plowed, snow plows stay in the snow dumps to receive maintenance, but head out as soon as snow begins to fall. Roads cannot be completely blocked, even when they are covered with snow, vehicles make their way slowly but with determination to their destinations. The amount of snow plows clearing the snow is controlled with the road budget.

New policies allow you to demand elderly people to wear anti-slipping studs on their shoes to increase their health, or make sure cars can resist low snow levels' ill effects by using studded tires.

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Temperature is also a factor. The lower the temperature, the more electricity or heating is needed by your city. By default, housing uses electricity for heat. This is completely fine, but when temperatures drop, the electricity usage can soar. For a more budget-friendly option, you can supply the city with special heating service. Heat can be produced either with a Geothermal Heating Plant, or with a Boiler Station. Boiler station produces more electricity but need oil and create pollution. Geothermal Heating Plants are not as effective, but are a safe, green option.

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To distribute heat to housing, you need pipes. The pipes run alongside with water pipes. Existing pipes can be upgraded, or new water + heating pipes constructed. Upgrading can be done by clicking and dragging, so there’s no need to click every single piece of pipe separately. When a house is connected to heating pipes, it tries to use heating instead of electricity when temperature drops. Be sure to produce enough heat for the connected housing, or they will revert back to using electricity. To allow housing to use electricity again, no extra effort is needed. If they do not receive heating, they can automatically use electricity. The only downside is that you don’t get the most out of the pipes you built, and electricity for heat is a bit more expensive than using heating. You can also set policies to dictate what sort of heating can be used at certain areas.

For non-winter maps, heating is also present. Rain lowers temperatures, so housing will need heating on all maps. It’s up to you to decide what kind of options to present to your citizens. Just keep them warm!
 
I've never seen a snowplow that collects Snow instead of just putting it to the side of the street. As far as I know they need a depot with Salt, that's actually melting snow and ice after thrown on the street.

Even on the snow dump the snow wouldn't melt until the temperature is +1°C or more.

The whole thing sounds like it's just the garbage service with an other name lacking the snow incinerator ;-)

Yeah, the snow dump is another thing not thought to an end. If snow melts, then not only on the snow dump ;)
 
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I've never seen a snowplow that collects Snow instead of just putting it to the side of the street. As far as I know they need a depot with Salt, that's actually melting snow and ice after thrown on the street.

Even on the snow dump the snow wouldn't melt until the temperature is +1°C or more.

The whole thing sounds like it's just the garbage service with an other name lacking the snow incinerator ;-)

Speaking from experience, you would be wrong.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2...ston-harbor/KIW2nhQlS0yPfMuViLVI4K/story.html

As Boston grapples with recording-breaking snowfalls, the city may dump snow into Boston Harbor as a last resort, Mayor Martin J. Walsh said Monday.
Walsh said he has been in contact with Matthew A. Beaton, the state environmental secretary, to discuss disposing of snow in the ocean because more than 6 feet has fallen in Boston in the last 30 days. The practice was common until about 1990, when a massive cleanup of Boston Harbor gained momentum.
Boston still has some room in the city’s “snow farms,” vacant lots where bulldozers take snow. But plows could push some snow into the harbor, which has not occurred since 2009, city officials said.
“We haven’t done it yet. We’re going to look at it,” Walsh said at a City Hall press conference. “It’s not something right now we have to do.”
In an interview, Walsh said that public safety can trump environmental concerns.

And yes, the snow melts in the snow farms all winter, even when it's below freezing. As long as the sunlight hits, there's enough warmth to start melting the snow.
 
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Just quick comments to couple of the questions:

You can choose to show the temperature in either Celsius or Fahrenheit. Even if the math behind it was very confusing and makes little sense to us :D

The temperature and likelihood of rain depends on the map, but we can get to that in next week's dev diary.
pandering! :(
 
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That´s true, but thats not the point. Its even in the linked article: The amount of snow falling is bigger than the amount of snow melting.

Last year was a record breaking year for New England, it was practically snowing every third day. The fact is, every city around these parts does the same thing, pick the snow up, dump it in an unused parking lot and let it melt on its own. Sure it piles up over the course of winter, but only in record breaking years does it pile up enough that even those lots get full. And yes, it does melt all through the winter, partly due to mixing with a little sand and salt from the roads, plus the thermal energy that comes from the sunlight hitting dirty snow. Only at night does it stop melting, soon as the sun hits it in the morning you can see the water start puddling at the bottom of the piles.
 
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Should be able to just dump the snow into your rivers as an option if snow dump placed next to water.
and then i wonder how would it work regarding water simulation x)
 
I do believe that there was a mention of Standalone tram tracks??

1) Can we see pictures?
2) Is it a 2 way road with tracks?
3) Is there a one way option?
4) Is it possible for trams to share the same tracks going both ways, and using stations as a way to get around each other?
5) Do trams take precedence over traffic, or do they follow normal traffic rules (I.E Red lights, right of ways, etc)?

As well, will we be getting a more in depth view of the trams and how they work? As in, a dev diary all for their own?
 
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Just quick comments to couple of the questions:

You can choose to show the temperature in either Celsius or Fahrenheit. Even if the math behind it was very confusing and makes little sense to us :D

The temperature and likelihood of rain depends on the map, but we can get to that in next week's dev diary.

thank you CO!!! lookin forward to the 18th now!


Should be able to just dump the snow into your rivers as an option if snow dump placed next to water.

they used to do that in real life...until they realized that the plows weren't just picking up snow...but also garbage and other nasty things...and then dumping ALL of that into the river.
 
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Wow you guys thought about every single detail of it. Looking forward to it.

When there is rain on other maps, will the citizens use umbrella?
 
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Hi. I've been reading opinions and observations and all for quite a long time now, but this is the 1st time I felt a need to say something.

I am very disappointed at the decision regarding the latest DLC (Snowfall). Having snow only on new-specific maps is just a very poor call. But the worse thing by far, the one thing I just can't seem to grasp, is the decision to have constant winter/snow weather condition on them. I could barely believe it when I read that. And honestly, I just can't buy the excuse/explanation for that. You say that having 4 seasons would be too much work for little satisfaction back - ok. HOWEVER, why does it have to be either all 4 seasons or 1 season only? The way I see it, 2 seasons would be perfectly satisfying (summer, fall, spring, mild winter = there's actually no really significant impact on cities. Only significant impact would be harsh winter, i.e., snow.). So just as you thought day/night cycle was worth the trouble implementing, wouldn't summer/winter be just as worth then? I think that there were more important and cool things to be done to the game, but seasons is ok - or would be ok if done differently.

I believe this decision does really impact the game negatively as many have said already. You're kind creating a parallel game instead of further improving the core game, when, imo, everyone would benefit way more having "one game only" with all enhancements. Cause from now on we'll have to choose between playing "Cities: Skylines" or "Cities: Skylines - Snowfall" as separate entities. And I think that's not a good thing at all. I want ONE game only, where I can have access to all implementations. I don't want to have to choose, cause by doing so we lose something that is only possible in the "other game". And that's bad.

I can say right now that I'm honestly 99.9% inclined to not buying the DLC and let go of Cities: Slylines altogether. At least till something changes in the direction you're heading right now. It really is a big turn off for me this path you're taking.

And please don't get me wrong. I'm not saying you or you're game are not good. I simply LOVED the game when it was launched. I've been playing the SimCity series ever since the very first one, decades ago. I love these types of games (ever so rare nowadays unfotunately). When SimCity lost its ways, I was pretty pessimistic regarding city simulation games. But you guys CHANGED that. You gave me, and so many others, "a new hope" lol. Were there problems in the base game? Yes, here and there. However, it came with lots and lots of potential. A very very nice and fun game. Perhaps just a lil too easy when it comes to handling $$$, and lacking a bit of depth, but again, it had, and still has, lots of potential to revive the golden years in city sim.

It's just the path you seem to have chosen to go is bringing back that pessimism once again. And that's a shame. I really wanted this game to work out. Really wanted you to succed, but I really think this "casual gamer oriented view", that has been contaminating gaming ind. in the last yrs (and other entertainment areas, like films, etc.), is really auto-destructive, offers short life for games in general (sure there are exceptions). Of course one can't just focus on hardcore gamers, cause usually they don't bring enough $$$ numbers to fulfill companies financial goals, but a balance should be achieved as I see it -- not just to aim at hardcore gamers (it's business afterall, and money turns the wheels), but not to aim at casual gamers only either.

Finally, before anyone takes a shot at me... I'm just exposing my opinion, my view, my feelings toward the subject. I'm not saying everyone should agree with me, and I'm not saying I'm right about everything. It's just the way I see things based on my experiences and experiences of other people.

Thank you all for your patience reading all this!!!

B Rgds!!!!
 
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Hi. I've been reading opinions and observations and all for quite a long time now, but this is the 1st time I felt a need to say something.

I am very disappointed at the decision regarding the latest DLC (Snowfall). Having snow only on new-specific maps is just a very poor call. But the worse thing by far, the one thing I just can't seem to grasp, is the decision to have constant winter/snow weather condition on them. I could barely believe it when I read that. And honestly, I just can't buy the excuse/explanation for that. You say that having 4 seasons would be too much work for little satisfaction back - ok. HOWEVER, why does it have to be either all 4 seasons or 1 season only? The way I see it, 2 seasons would be perfectly satisfying (summer, fall, spring, mild winter = there's actually no really significant impact on cities. Only significant impact would be harsh winter, i.e., snow.). So just as you thought day/night cycle was worth the trouble implementing, wouldn't summer/winter be just as worth then? I think that there were more important and cool things to be done to the game, but seasons is ok - or would be ok if done differently.

I believe this decision does really impact the game negatively as many have said already. You're kind creating a parallel game instead of further improving the core game, when, imo, everyone would benefit way more having "one game only" with all enhancements. Cause from now on we'll have to choose between playing "Cities: Skylines" or "Cities: Skylines - Snowfall" as separate entities. And I think that's not a good thing at all. I want ONE game only, where I can have access to all implementations. I don't want to have to choose, cause by doing so we lose something that is only possible in the "other game". And that's bad.

I can say right now that I'm honestly 99.9% inclined to not buying the DLC and let go of Cities: Slylines altogether. At least till something changes in the direction you're heading right now. It really is a big turn off for me this path you're taking.

And please don't get me wrong. I'm not saying you or you're game are not good. I simply LOVED the game when it was launched. I've been playing the SimCity series ever since the very first one, decades ago. I love these types of games (ever so rare nowadays unfotunately). When SimCity lost its ways, I was pretty pessimistic regarding city simulation games. But you guys CHANGED that. You gave me, and so many others, "a new hope" lol. Were there problems in the base game? Yes, here and there. However, it came with lots and lots of potential. A very very nice and fun game. Perhaps just a lil too easy when it comes to handling $$$, and lacking a bit of depth, but again, it had, and still has, lots of potential to revive the golden years in city sim.

It's just the path you seem to have chosen to go is bringing back that pessimism once again. And that's a shame. I really wanted this game to work out. Really wanted you to succed, but I really think this "casual gamer oriented view", that has been contaminating gaming ind. in the last yrs (and other entertainment areas, like films, etc.), is really auto-destructive, offers short life for games in general (sure there are exceptions). Of course one can't just focus on hardcore gamers, cause usually they don't bring enough $$$ numbers to fulfill companies financial goals, but a balance should be achieved as I see it -- not just to aim at hardcore gamers (it's business afterall, and money turns the wheels), but not to aim at casual gamers only either.

Finally, before anyone takes a shot at me... I'm just exposing my opinion, my view, my feelings toward the subject. I'm not saying everyone should agree with me, and I'm not saying I'm right about everything. It's just the way I see things based on my experiences and experiences of other people.

Thank you all for your patience reading all this!!!

B Rgds!!!!

I sign that 1:1! True words!
 
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they used to do that in real life...until they realized that the plows weren't just picking up snow...but also garbage and other nasty things...and then dumping ALL of that into the river.

They still do on occassion when there is no where else, why you think the Hudson river has the rep it does :)

and then i wonder how would it work regarding water simulation x)
Well you could just have it disappear... or you could get creative and spawn an small iceburg or something for each couple loads. /just a thought.
 
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I like most of what I hear. I'm looking forward to new types of energy plants. The snow plows are good enough for me. I like the road maintenance mechanic and trams. I even like that they have added a little depth to the water piping system. I assume there is a cost difference between pipe types. And we can now choose if we want districts heated or to take up more power in the cold. So this makes the player choose based on cost and need, even if it isn't hard to create a positive budget right now. If they make the piping system more interactive with water and in general, it could go a great deal to improving player interaction with the physics of the game. I know we are not quite there yet, but it's the first step in adding something many of you have been complaining about: more in depth simulation. This whole heating system adds more depth. I do find the shoe option somewhat silly, but it is so minor that I can ignore that and enjoy the rest for what it is.

The thing I am consistently disappointed about is the weather related news. It seems like the heating or power requirement doesn't take warmth into consideration, where many areas use more power during the warm months for air conditioning. So you have added this wonderful temperature system that only takes half of the temperature interaction into account. Where I live, winter is the most power hungry month due to heating. But summer is easily second because of air conditioning. In hotter areas the summer months would be more power hungry. I also disagree with rain always lowering temperature. In many tropical areas, monsoon season is the hottest time of the year. While this could require more power for air conditioning, that could be because it is hot and not because it is colder. And the lack of a seasons option still bothers me.

With the release date so close, I realize there probably isn't much time for things to change. I like most of what I see. I just wish I didn't have to rely on mods to get seasons right and potentially get the proper interaction for things such as heat and air conditioning. The scariest thing to me about using mods for this is the transition between seasons, which could cause many issues as it is not a natural part of the game or supported in the mod community. I will still get the DLC because I personally like most of the features. I don't see how to get mods and assets to switch between winter and non-winter states when that isn't even supported. I just wish the option for real seasons would be added at some point, even if it is too late for the release of this DLC.


Last year was a record breaking year for New England, it was practically snowing every third day. The fact is, every city around these parts does the same thing, pick the snow up, dump it in an unused parking lot and let it melt on its own. Sure it piles up over the course of winter, but only in record breaking years does it pile up enough that even those lots get full. And yes, it does melt all through the winter, partly due to mixing with a little sand and salt from the roads, plus the thermal energy that comes from the sunlight hitting dirty snow. Only at night does it stop melting, soon as the sun hits it in the morning you can see the water start puddling at the bottom of the piles.

Being from the general area, I can 100% confirm this and everything else you said.
 
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Another question that just sprung to mind regarding the district heating system: I hope it has a realistic water consumption metric to add another factor into the mix? (i.e. the player has to decide whether it is cheaper to heat with electricity over pumping extra water, heating it and then sending it round a second set of pipes)