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CO Word of the Week #15

Let’s discuss the status of the modding support today. The Editor has been in the works and we have shared versions of it with a closed group of a few selected modders for feedback. We are very fortunate to have this dedicated group of people eager to try experimental solutions and voice their opinions on them. Their feedback helps us understand how tools are used and how we can improve them. We have been surprised by the modders so many times in Cities in Motion and Cities: Skylines that we have stopped trying to guess what you might want to do or achieve. It’s much more helpful for us to just ask directly how to support those efforts instead.

Collaboration with the closed group has been going on behind the scenes for months now. Together, we have put a lot of effort towards the beta version of the modding tools, and we really can’t wait to share them with you! We believe modding is a pivotal part of the experience with a Cities: Skylines game and we want to encourage everyone to be as creative as possible.

As we’re preparing for the public release with support for Code Modding and the Map Editor, Paradox is running a broader Early Access for modders and creators chosen from the sign-up earlier this year. This gives creators the early opportunity to give the team direct feedback on using Paradox Mods, the new Modding Toolchain, and the Map Editor. We’re looking forward to seeing their feedback, and having the first Code Mods, Maps, and Savegames uploaded to the platform and ready for you on its release! This is all to support the quest of making sure we have a robust start when the tools are released, and this is a good opportunity to test Paradox Mods as well. We’ll be sharing more information on each part: Paradox Mods, Code Modding, and Map Editing later on so you’ll know what to expect.

I would like to emphasize again that there is still a lot of work still to be done: Asset editing is not in a shape or form to be used as-is. We’ll still need more time to make importing the assets work. The Region Packs teased at the end of last year are bundles of assets of varying sizes and content made by some of your favorite creators from the community. These assets rely on us finalizing the asset editor to a point where we are happy that the import pipeline and saving will be in a future-proof state. This is an ongoing effort, alongside improving the Code Modding and Map Editing based on the feedback we’ll receive from the Early Access and eventually from all of you. We have dedicated devs working on the modding support, eager to tackle bugs and implement improvements, so we’ll keep patching the tools throughout the public Beta phase until we have Modding 1.0 available. Naturally, the work will continue even past that as we receive more feedback and suggestions from you.

The creators and modders of Cities: Skylines brought so much cool and innovative content to the game, and we can’t wait to see what you come up with for Cities: Skylines II. There are already some exciting mods and beautiful maps out there (yes, we see you!) and it will be very exciting to see what you create with the added support!

Sincerely,
Mariina
 
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So basically, once again: we are working on it, stay tuned! This is exacly the same information we have known for weeks or even months: a select group of testers has access to modding tools and are generating feedback.

Wow, after a week delay, I would have expected something concrete. Yet, more of the same, and no real update whatsoever. Very disappointing.
 
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Let’s discuss the status of the modding support today. The Editor has been in the works and we have shared versions of it with a closed group of a few selected modders for feedback. We are very fortunate to have this dedicated group of people eager to try experimental solutions and voice their opinions on them. Their feedback helps us understand how tools are used and how we can improve them. We have been surprised by the modders so many times in Cities in Motion and Cities: Skylines that we have stopped trying to guess what you might want to do or achieve. It’s much more helpful for us to just ask directly how to support those efforts instead.

Collaboration with the closed group has been going on behind the scenes for months now. Together, we have put a lot of effort towards the beta version of the modding tools, and we really can’t wait to share them with you! We believe modding is a pivotal part of the experience with a Cities: Skylines game and we want to encourage everyone to be as creative as possible.

As we’re preparing for the public release with support for Code Modding and the Map Editor, Paradox is running a broader Early Access for modders and creators chosen from the sign-up earlier this year. This gives creators the early opportunity to give the team direct feedback on using Paradox Mods, the new Modding Toolchain, and the Map Editor. We’re looking forward to seeing their feedback, and having the first Code Mods, Maps, and Savegames uploaded to the platform and ready for you on its release! This is all to support the quest of making sure we have a robust start when the tools are released, and this is a good opportunity to test Paradox Mods as well. We’ll be sharing more information on each part: Paradox Mods, Code Modding, and Map Editing later on so you’ll know what to expect.

I would like to emphasize again that there is still a lot of work still to be done: Asset editing is not in a shape or form to be used as-is. We’ll still need more time to make importing the assets work. The Region Packs teased at the end of last year are bundles of assets of varying sizes and content made by some of your favorite creators from the community. These assets rely on us finalizing the asset editor to a point where we are happy that the import pipeline and saving will be in a future-proof state. This is an ongoing effort, alongside improving the Code Modding and Map Editing based on the feedback we’ll receive from the Early Access and eventually from all of you. We have dedicated devs working on the modding support, eager to tackle bugs and implement improvements, so we’ll keep patching the tools throughout the public Beta phase until we have Modding 1.0 available. Naturally, the work will continue even past that as we receive more feedback and suggestions from you.

The creators and modders of Cities: Skylines brought so much cool and innovative content to the game, and we can’t wait to see what you come up with for Cities: Skylines II. There are already some exciting mods and beautiful maps out there (yes, we see you!) and it will be very exciting to see what you create with the added support!

Sincerely,
Mariina
I appreciate your great effort, but what about the Beach Assets Pack and the Expansion pass?
 
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Thank you for the update! I would be interested to know, how many modders have been participating in the closed group and how many are now in the early access. Any names you can share?
 
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so just to clarify, CO is focusing on work on the map and asset editor, while PDX is working on the modding public beta on pdx mods platform scheduled for the end of the month?
 
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is your vanilla game crashing constantly or have you used un-supported mods or the dev tools to place some extra stuff in your city?

its stock unmodded. i start new game i build stuff in paused state and when i click play game CTDs after 3-10s. I reinstalled the game vertified files a few times and started 3 new citys and its the same.

oddly my first city i ever build works and does not suffer CTDs its just new citys i start that are crashing
 
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Again no timelines, only vague statements which doesn't tell us anything.

I am getting the impression that the previously announced release of the BETA modding functionality will again not happen in time.
 
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I believe there was a song that defines my feelings towards this update.

You say it best, when you say nothing at all.

Why launch the game a year early when so much of it is not done?

We're in a damn early access period here. The users are beta testers and most won't come back and play the game.

We expect so much better here guys.
 
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Sometimes unexpected things pop up and cause last-minute changes to plans. I know it might not make for as interesting a narrative, but that's what happened this time around. When last week's WoW went out, we had planned to share the update from the art team this week, but we've had to push it until next week. I apologize for the last-minute change in the schedule and that we didn't communicate the changes clearly.

The WoW as you've come to know is taking a little break, but Mariina will be back. In the meantime, we have a little something else planned, but more on that next week. ;)

I thought something else would come, because of the hints from last week said to be excited about this week. But thats not new information in the WoW, or am I missing something?
 
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It would have saved the devs so much time and headache if they just stuck with Steam workshop. All of this nonsense to just have console players be able to download the same assets. It's never crossed their minds that this just isn't worth it? I'm surprised the publisher hasn't realized this yet.
 
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Once again, nothing has been said.

Here's something CO can do after they finish writing their little blurbs:
Ask yourselves this question...
Why wasn't this done before full product release?
Answer that question and you will appease 75% of the forum's population. It will also prep you for any future release disasters.
 
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its stock unmodded. i start new game i build stuff in paused state and when i click play game CTDs after 3-10s. I reinstalled the game vertified files a few times and started 3 new citys and its the same.

oddly my first city i ever build works and does not suffer CTDs its just new citys i start that are crashing
just asking becasue many recent crashes came from people adding invisible paths to growables or placing extra vehicles for decoration. those crashes on vanilla games when unpausing seems to come from the fact that too much was altered while the simulation is paused and once its unpaused, it overloads certain systems.

So try not to build big grids and zone a hundred buildings on it while paused. AFAIK, this has been an issue since last patch and unfortunately, it happens to some players who just pause the game to fix an interchange, which isnt too big of a change in my opinion that it should crash the game.
 
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It was poorly conveyed, but last week was probably holidays in CO, this delay of information wasn't because of some big reveal like people (rightly) anticipated.

I can understand that Mariina is probably giving any info she can, but there are constraints from Paradox and/or the team to give any dates because making promises now only for them to be broken again would be even worse than not giving any dates. Disappointing, but fair.

Could we at least get a guesstimate on the timeline of these things? If I read correctly, there will be a public modding beta. Scheduled for the end of the month or so? Next month?
 
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