Bug: Land Costs and AI's selection of land

[mwyeoh]

I am unsure as to the inconsistancy of the price of land.
Although I can see that the customer traffic index sometimes plays a part in the price of land. As can be seen in the following pictures, sometimes land is cheaper in the suburbs than in an outer unused area of the city

Also, I am unsure of the AI's choice of site for farms and factories.

The screenshots below are taken at the beginning of the game. There is plenty of choice, but the AI has chosen to build R&D centers, farms and factories in expensive locations rather than in a cheaper further away location (There are no farms this time, buts it's quite common).

[David]

Actually, there is an advantage of building R&D and other firms on expensive land, as the land will appreciate in value and the gain will be reflected in the AI company's balance sheet.

[mwyeoh]

Hi David

I can see your point there, however I disagree with it.
At the least, I believe the land costs should ALWAYS be more expensive in suburbs compared to the middle of no where.

I would prefer it if the AI were to use the land around the city rather than everything being inside the city. Its not very aesthetically pleasing, otherwise later in the game you end up with cities like my following screenshots where whole cities are just farms and factories (There are no homes left!)
Im sure there are not very many cities in the world which allow large factories and farms in their central CBD.

Farms atleast should need somewhere outside the city or suffer some sort of pollution penalty (I wouldn't want a farm in the middle of a city surrounded by factories)
Factories likewise should emit some sort of pollution penalty or a financial penalty

A possible suggestion in this regards would be some sort of 'council' rates expense which would apply to farms and factories but not retail/commercial/housing?

[David]

At the least, I believe the land costs should ALWAYS be more expensive in suburbs compared to the middle of no where.

Will look into the problem. Could you please provide us with the saved game from which your screenshots on this first post of this topic were captured? e.g. land cost = $14.x million and $16 million respectively.

[David]

I would prefer it if the AI were to use the land around the city rather than everything being inside the city. Its not very aesthetically pleasing, otherwise later in the game you end up with cities like my following screenshots where whole cities are just farms and factories (There are no homes left!)
Im sure there are not very many cities in the world which allow large factories and farms in their central CBD.

It could be due to the AI's consideration of the freight costs and it always try to minimize the distances between farms, factories and retail stores, to minimize freight costs.

[mwyeoh]

Will look into the problem. Could you please provide us with the saved game from which your screenshots on this first post of this topic were captured? e.g. land cost = $14.x million and $16 million respectively.

Hi David

I do not have this save anymore unfortunately, but it easily replicable in any game. I have noticed cheaper land in the suburbs in all games so far (Its not the whole suburb, but certain parts of it)
I can make another one up if you like, let me know

[David]

We tested a few games but didn't encounter the issue where land plots at the outskirts of the city are more expensive than land plots in suburban areas.

Could you please send me a saved game with the stated problem?

[mwyeoh]

We tested a few games but didn't encounter the issue where land plots at the outskirts of the city are more expensive than land plots in suburban areas.

Could you please send me a saved game with the stated problem?

Hi David

That's strange. This bug is reproducable in every game that I play (Difficulty and other settings do not matter)

Heres a save file and screenshots. All pictures are taken from the city of Recife, but it is happening in Tel Aviv too
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/23145017/MATH_006.zip

This is the very beginning of a game. Note that the base price in 'open land' is 9 mil

[David]

Thanks for your saved game. We have just fixed the bug and it will be available in the next patch.

[Inarius]

And what about the fact that factories are built in the center of the city ?


For me, it's quite unrealistic, however it's not such a big problem. It's only a GAME.

I think, though, that having factory around should lower the price of the land.