Cities Skylines 2’s new traffic system is absolute genius

pcgamesn.com:

Cities Skylines 2 is looking better and better every time I see it. The city-building game sequel from Paradox and Colossal Order is already revamping roads, roundabouts, housing, and more, but now we have more details on the CS2 traffic system, and it’s somehow both incredibly simple but at the same time hugely in-depth and involved. Cities Skylines 2’s motorists have a four-part AI system that affects not just their travel, but also how you need to think about and design your metropolis. Honestly, the anticipation for the Cities Skylines 2 release date just gets bigger.

So, we’ve already seen Cities Skylines 2 roundabouts and got a look at how housing will be transformed, too, potentially eliminating the problems with abandoned buildings. Parking lots and simplified highway ramps are also coming, as well as the ability to instantly create perfectly symmetrical city blocks and lay roads that automatically include water and sewer lines.

But the Cities Skylines 2 traffic system is perhaps the best thing Paradox and Colossal Order have revealed so far. It works like this. Every motorist in CS2 navigates through your city based on four different ‘pathfinding costs’ – essentially, their AI considers four overarching factors, then chooses or adjusts their route accordingly.

First up is time: Cities Skylines 2 motorists will always take the shortest route possible, if that route is available. However, there is also a second factor: comfort. If your roads are poor quality, or there are lots of intersections, obstructions, or traffic, that can convince your citizens to head in a different direction.

Availability of parking is also a consideration here – a comfortable journey means easy, plentiful parking, so if you don’t allow