Takaoka's beach district grows along a new elevated train line: tiles bought along the coast, a parallel one-way road with automated parking, shops under the tracks, an arts district with an EU signature building that recalls San Francisco's piers, oversized towers swapped for Southwest US high-density housing to keep the skyline low — and 93,000 residents.
What happens in this episode
This stretch of the coast in Takaoka looked unfinished, and episode 18 extends the beach district into it. Looking at the wind first, I admitted a mistake: I hadn’t checked it properly before placing an industrial district early on. The wind blows mostly east to west with a twist south, so new homes here should be fine, but that old industry still bothers me. The untouched part of the island is reserved for a future airport.
How it was built
An elevated line first
A few tiles are bought along the coast. Their upkeep isn’t too high. The rail line comes first, because it’s essential for further growth. It continues on an elevated track with a gentle curve. A parallel one-way road with automated parking gives the area access, and the grid is straightened to 90 degrees to match the station. The arterial’s curve is smoothed, and a highway ramp may need a roundabout later.
Shops under the tracks
Commercial buildings go under the train tracks, since nobody wants to live right there, mixed with medium-density buildings. If houses appear almost instantly in this episode, that’s the Super Fast Building mod. It doesn’t make people move in faster, and I leave fast levelling off so the city still grows over time. It just shows quickly which building lands where.
A large parking lot, a city shopping mall and a pharmacy from the Chinese pack go in, plus a small Chinese restaurant row, though I thinned it out so it didn’t look too repetitive. People started moving in and parking straight away. A post office follows, and a traffic jam after an accident clears up.
Road Builder alleys and an arts district
A custom alley from Road Builder adds parking spaces around the aquarium. Milestone 15 brings 15 development points. The new district is filling with an arts flavour: an EU high-density signature building (the Forum of the Arts) that reminds me of the old pier buildings in San Francisco.
Keeping the skyline lower
Some North American high-density towers and the big Chinese-pack towers were too tall for this part of town. Replaced with Southwest US high-density housing, the area looks far more coherent and less overwhelming. Schools were at the brink again, especially elementary schools, so another went in.
Trees, cafés and 93,000 residents
Large trees stay back from the train line, because branches over the tracks are unrealistic, and mixed trees fill the gaps without extending building surfaces too far. Cafés and a more recreational feel are planned for the beachfront. The surface tool smooths the rough coastline. Almost 10,000 new residents moved in during this one episode, bringing Takaoka to 93,000. High-density demand finally dropped, finances are strong and people are happy. Noise is another story.
Video chapters
- 00:02A mistake with the industry's wind
- 06:33An elevated line and a parallel road
- 12:18Shops under the tracks, the fast-building mod
- 16:41A mall, a pharmacy and a Chinese restaurant row
- 25:18Traffic and post services
- 30:45Road Builder alleys and Milestone 15
- 40:50Lowering the skyline
- 55:33Trees by the tracks and 93,000 residents
Clicking a chapter starts the video above at that point.
FAQ
What does the Super Fast Building mod do?
It makes buildings construct almost instantly so you can see straight away whether the right building has spawned in a spot. It doesn't speed up how fast people move in, and I leave fast levelling off so the city still grows naturally.
How do you keep a skyline from getting too tall?
Swap oversized high-density buildings for a smaller style — here Southwest US high-density housing instead of North American and Chinese towers — so the area looks coherent and less overwhelming.
Should trees go right next to train tracks?
Keep large trees back from the tracks — branches over the line are unrealistic. Smaller trees and bushes work closer in.