The Calm of Creation: Why City-Building Games Are Perfect for Gamer Dads

 

As a gamer dad, life can get a little chaotic, right? Between work (or trying to find my next role), family, and the general madness of daily life (soccer practices and games, lifts to here and there, the dog, etc.), finding the time to sit down and really immerse yourself in a game can feel like a luxury. 

That's where city-building games come in, and let me tell you, they've been a game-changer (pun totally intended).

The Magic of the Pause Button

First off, let’s talk about one of the biggest perks of city-building games: the ability to pause or stop the game whenever you need to. Whether you're deep into a session of Cities: Skylines meticulously planning the perfect road network or trying to ensure your colonists survive another day in Surviving Mars, you can hit pause and step away without missing a beat. No need to worry about respawning in an FPS firefight or letting your team down in the middle of a MOBA match (I could write a whole posts on all the insults I've taken from World of Tanks players). 

These game wait for you, not the other way around.

Transportation I Feature Highlights #3 I Cities: Skylines II

Ah, transport. If you played Cities: Skylines, you might remember it as the dance of urban planning - sometimes a graceful waltz, and other times a dance akin to stepping on LEGOs in the dark. Who among us hasn't unleashed a chaotic snarl of buses, trains, and trams, creating a masterpiece that resembled spaghetti more than a transportation system? Ah, the memories, and the digital traffic jams.

But my fellow city-builders, Cities: Skylines II is here, and Colossal Order's new video, "Public & Cargo Transportation I Feature Highlights," has given us a sneak peek at what to expect. Buckle up, because we're about to take a wild ride!

Traffic AI I Feature Highlights #2 I Cities: Skylines II

Cities: Skylines II - Developer Insights

 Instead of listing the developer highlights individually, I thought I'd group them here and add each new at the end of the post as Colossal releases them.

Behind The Road Tools | Developer Insights #1 | June 22d, 2023

Managing Traffic | Developer Insights #2 | June 29th, 2023

Roads Tools I Feature Highlights #1 I Cities: Skylines II

Some interesting default features in the new Cities Skylines 2:

• All roads (except highways) will carry water, electricity and sewage lines
• Simplified roads upgrades
• Quick and easy city blocks creation
• Pre-made intersections
• Quickly add roundabouts 
• Sound barries, parking lots, and more!