City Skylines 2 Myths Busting Lecture Notes

Introduction

• Lecture focuses on myths in City Skylines 2 and attempts to bust them.
• Game setup: new game with unlimited money and all features unlocked.

Myth 1: Helicopter Trapped by Walls

• Attempt to trap a helicopter inside a massive wall.
• Fire and Rescue Helicopter Department costs $1.2 million.
• A dirt road tunnel is created to surround the helicopter.
• A massive wall is constructed, but helicopters can escape via vertical takeoff.
• Myth busted: Helicopters can fly through walls.

Myth 2: Solar Panels Work in Shade

• Experiment with solar panels placed in the shade versus sunlight.
• Shade solar panel: 69 megawatts; sunlight solar panel: initially less but later more.
• Myth confirmed: Solar panels can produce energy in the shade (though less efficient).

Myth 3: Ships Cannot Get Grounded

• Ships are bought and tested near a tile.
• Ships cannot be grounded or prevented from passing through.
• Myth confirmed: Ships are unsinkable in the game.

Myth 4: Water Cannot Flow Through Tunnels

• Past experiments showed that tunnels were waterproof in City Skylines 1.
• New test performed to see if water can flow through tunnels.
• Myth confirmed: Water cannot flow through tunnels.

Myth 5: Can Make All Water Disappear

• Attempt to use landscaping tools to remove all water in the game.
• Water sources (like rivers and lakes) cannot be fully eliminated.
• Myth busted: You cannot make all water disappear; some water sources remain.

Myth 6: Groundwater Can Be Dug Up to Create Surface Water

• Testing if digging up groundwater creates surface water.
• Groundwater remains even after digging.
• Myth busted: Groundwater cannot be dug up to make surface water.

Myth 7: Covering Water with Land Creates Groundwater Deposits

• Filling in surface water to see if groundwater deposits form.
• Groundwater deposits do not appear after covering surface water.
• Myth busted: Covering water does not create groundwater deposits.

Myth 8: Cars Ignore Turn Restrictions

• Testing if cars follow road restrictions in a cul-de-sac area.
• Observations show that cars ignore no left/right turn signs.
• Myth confirmed: Cars do not follow road turn restrictions.

Myth 9: Trees in Forestry Can Be Replaced

• Attempt to see if trees can be replanted in a depleted forestry area.
• Trees can be replanted by adjusting the area boundaries.
• Myth confirmed: You can keep adding trees in forestry areas, but the area must be moved first.

Myth 10: Cars Use Pedestrian Only Roads

• Testing if cars will take a pedestrian-only road to avoid traffic.
• Observations confirm that cars will drive on pedestrian roads when needed.
• Myth confirmed: Cars will use pedestrian-only roads.

Myth 11: Water Does Not Evaporate

• Created a pond and monitored water levels over time without precipitation.
• Water levels did decrease, indicating evaporation occurs.
• Myth busted: Water does evaporate.

Myth 12: Helicopters Cannot Fly Around Tall Buildings

• Created a scenario with tall buildings to see if helicopters can navigate around them.
• Helicopters were observed to fly straight through buildings.
• Myth confirmed: Helicopters do not navigate around tall buildings; they fly through them.

Myth 13: Helicopters Fly at a Constant Height

• Landscaped terrain to create slopes and monitored helicopter paths.
• Helicopters maintain altitude but can crash if terrain is not navigated properly.
• Myth busted: Helicopters do not fly at a constant height; they adjust to terrain.

Myth 14: Terraform Map Tiles You Don't Own

• Attempted to terraform outside owned map tiles.
• Myth confirmed: You cannot terraform map tiles you don't own.

Myth 15: Sewage Flows Faster than Water

• Created two bodies of water (sewage and clean) side by side.
• Observations indicate that sewage flows faster than water.
• Myth confirmed: Sewage flows faster than water.

Myth 16: Underground Pipes Are Invisible

• Tested underground visibility using landscaping tools.
• Pipes remained invisible even when terrain was altered.
• Myth confirmed: Underground pipes are invisible.

Myth 17: Wind Turbines on Higher Ground Produce More Power

• Tested wind turbines at different elevations to see power output.
• Wind speed is affected by terrain but not solely by height.
• Myth busted: Wind turbines do not necessarily produce more power on higher ground.

Myth 18: Nuclear Power Plant Meltdowns Without Water

• Observed a nuclear power plant without water connections.
• The plant continued to operate without malfunction or meltdown.
• Myth busted: Nuclear power plants do not melt down without water.

Myth 19: Citizens Change Outfits Upon Entering or Exiting Buildings

• Observed citizens to see if they change outfits when entering/leaving buildings.
• Not all citizens changed outfits; only some did.
• Myth plausible but not confirmed; changes do not happen every time.

Myth 20: Sewage Can Be Discharged Off the Edge of the Map

• Attempted to discharge sewage off the edge of the map.
• Sewage does not flow off the map due to invisible barriers.
• Myth confirmed: Sewage cannot be discharged off the edge of the map.

Myth 21: Water Cannot Flood Over a Dam

• Constructed a dam and observed water flow.
• Water did flow over the dam, indicating it can overflow.
• Myth confirmed: Water can flood over a dam.

Myth 22: Snow Can Extinguish Fire

• Created a snow event to see if it extinguished fire.
• Fires were extinguished by snow accumulation.
• Myth confirmed: Snow can extinguish fire.

Myth 23: Functioning All-Roundabout City Is Possible

• Demonstrated a city entirely made of roundabouts functioning successfully.
• Myth busted: A functioning all-roundabout city is indeed possible.

Conclusion

• Various myths tested in City Skylines 2, with a mix of confirmations and busts.
• A light-hearted yet informative examination of game mechanics.