Setting out | Politics Urban Empire Guide
Last update: 10 February 2017
The following chapter includes many useful suggestions on how to begin the gameplay, regardless of the mode and family you picked.
Tutorial
You should play your first scenario or campaign with an active tutorial. This way, you will pay attention to many elements of the interface that you would probably overlook. Furthermore, you will learn about game mechanics, order or specific procedures and time when certain functions are unlocked.
One should keep in mind that once you start a scenario, you cannot switch off the tutorial. Thus, it's best to go with it till the end of the selected mode, or resign and start one more time from the beginning. In case you missed this point, use the presented window to enable or disable the tutorial.
The tutorial will affect the gameplay to a great extent, as it will disable the interface if it wants you to perform specific activities.
Districts
At the beginning of your scenario, you need to build the first district of a new city. Districts can have up to 25 hectares but they can be smaller if the budget does not allow you to develop the entire area.
Once you build a neighborhood, it will take several or several dozen months to populate it. It's also a significant test for the budget, as the city will pay extra for the area development, until the area is populated. This refers to all the neighborhoods, not just your first one. Thus, you should wait with an expensive investment until the neighborhood increases its power.
Keep in mind that the majority of problems related to the budget can be solved via taxes. However, the key to success is not by raising them but rather creating new districts. The more citizens pay their taxes, the more profit you will receive. Your first 4 - 5 neighborhoods should be created within the first 15 years of the campaign. At the beginning of the game, a city will have a high potential, so the City Council should not be against large population. Just keep in mind not to wield influence on parties at the beginning, as this will affect voting on building/modifying the districts.
If the interface points out that there is demand (any level) to expand, you ought to build a new district. Even if the demand is low, as long as you keep the average level of happiness, new citizens and investors will eventually come.
Remember not to build districts in rows. If you do that, the chance that the institution will affect a larger area will decrease. Each of the available institutions has its own range which is represented by a circle with the given institution in the center. Make sure that districts adjoin one another.
Modifying your districts
Keep an economic approach. If you want to active a new institution, because your citizens demand it (and there are excess resources), do not hesitate to do that.
Significant expenses will include e.g. situations where you want to install heating and electricity in a neighborhood. Such changes need to be planned carefully, as they do not affect citizen happiness that much (especially at the beginning of the game) and they are very expensive. As you research new technologies, you will gain access to new means of improving your city. The key to success is to choose and plan them wisely.
You can perform such changes individually for all your districts. If you invest in lightning, sanitary fittings, or new roads, make sure to do it when your city is not involved in building a new institution or a district. Calculate these costs to remain a balance between taxes and expenses.
Zones
As you progress, you will be able to develop your districts. Do not limit yourself to the residential area, as this won't help to endorse businesses. Furthermore, new worksites won't be created, employers will not hire your citizens, and they won't be able to pay taxes. If you are not confident enough, leave the zones in their default setting.
Taxes
One of the most important economic factors in the game. At first, they will be set to 10% in both sections (industry and citizens). Changes are essential if you want to keep your city developing. On the other hand, increasing taxes will result in a negative decision of the City Council.
As you provide more and more services, you should increase taxes by 1%. At first it's better to put as little pressure on the investors as possible, as this will result in more income than a natural person could offer. However, as more people will come to your city, the income from raising the bid will become similar.
A safe scenario would include raising the bid by one point each time the city is on the verge of incurring a loss due to the services it offers. Increase taxes in a voting for each group and it will be easier to affect the City Council. If your approach your citizens' needs correctly, taxes will be the main topic of discussion.
On the other hand, you cannot just increase taxes over and over. Even a slight change can affect many companies and cause a lot of trouble. Try to run at least two districts for every 1% change. This way the quantity of payments will compensate for the actual value.
Finances
An important element is to finance institutions and the Mayor. If your budget is characterized by a surplus income, you may increase expenditure of some institutions, which will eventually let them work more efficiently. You can always go back to the basic expenditure that offers the basic variety of services.
Mayor's income
One of the key reasons why you should try to cooperate with politicians, is Mayor's salary. Right from the very beginning of the game you should try to increase the value. It's important as your private treasury will affect how independent you can become and allow you to e.g. build a hospital without even asking the City Council for permission.
You may also use your own income to improve institutions, which will decrease expenses related to building new building of the same type. You can increase your salary for as long as the city budget can afford it.
Demands
As your population grows, you will have to deal with more demands. This will include citizens in all your districts. Keep in mind that citizens can tolerate negative conditions for a long time but it won't convince outsiders to move into your city.
Try to fulfill their demands at least at some point. This way the average happiness will reach a positive level and your city will be able to develop in a dynamic matter.
It's important to satisfy the needs by using services based on the newly researched technologies. You may also regulate them via edicts. However, they often have negative effects, and thus you may want to reconsider using them in the first place. If you want to develop certain services, you should also keep in mind to improve the range of impact.
Events
During your gameplay you fill face many events related to the storyline. Make sure to read their descriptions carefully, and react according to your beliefs (just be aware of extreme decisions). Whenever it is possible, try to avoid decisions that would trigger political consequences.
Some of them can affect the Mayor. However, this will not affect the gameplay to a large extent.
Inventions
You can research new technologies nearly from the very beginning. Certain discoveries are connected to one another and you don't have to focus on all of them to progress to a new Era. Just make sure to decide on a clear path as soon as possible.
We recommend conducting all the research from Era I, as this will allow you to satisfy the needs of your citizens via new institutions. What you want to do next it totally up to you. All discoveries are important but it is crucial to adjust them to problems of your society.
The work speed depends on the scientific potential of your city and can be improved by building different types of schools.
Approaching your inventions
Before you conduct a research, an important window concerning the technology will appear. Use it to determine the discovery. E.g. you can decide whether or not the melted iron will be available to all the industries. Agreeing to this will make the technology more common and thus improve the productivity and reduce its overall cost. However, if you decide that a quality inspection will have to take place, some industries will bankrupt, while other industries will benefit and the percentage of rich citizens will increase.
Each decision will lead to consequences, so choose wisely. The more society centered the invention is, the lower the cost to implement it will be.