Laying Down the Foundations
Paradox Interactive and Colossal Order recently took to the forums to unveil their post-launch game plan for Cities: Skylines II. Gamers have been feeling the buzz about performance issues, but the devs are on it. They’ve charted out a course for patches to tackle stutters, GPU performance, and CPU optimizations.
Under the Hood: Performance Stats
The devs had lofty benchmarks for the sequel but admitted they haven’t quite hit the mark yet. Good news, though! The problems aren’t hardwired into the game’s DNA. It’s mostly about visual effects like Depth of Field, Global Illumination, and Volumetrics. Dial those back, and you get playable performance without losing the game’s core simulation. Their quick fix recommendations:
- Switch to 1080p resolution
- Nix Depth of Field and Volumetrics
- Dial back Global Illumination
Want more tips? Check their full guide.
The Road Ahead: Upcoming Patches
The game isn’t going to stay stuck in traffic. Upcoming patches are geared towards a smoother ride for all types of hardware configurations. The devs are zoning in on:
- Eliminating those irksome stutters
- Tweaking GPU performance
- Uncovering and implementing CPU optimizations
They’re not just cutting corners to get those FPS numbers up; they’re taking a smarter approach to quality.
Pixel Perfect: Graphics Upgrades
Cities: Skylines II currently supports AMD FSR1 for upscaling. While it’s a start, the devs aim to bring in FSR2 and DLSS2, which offer better anti-aliasing options. However, those techs need Temporal Anti-aliasing support, which the game doesn’t yet offer. But work is underway to get this compatibility up and running.
Frame Rate Philosophy: 30FPS and Beyond
The game aims for a steady 30FPS as a baseline, mostly because this isn’t a twitchy shooter where every frame counts. The goal is to avoid stutters and maintain a responsive UI. However, hitting 60FPS isn’t off the table; it’ll add some extra visual flair to the cityscapes.
Stick to the Schedule: No Delays
Despite some hiccups, the devs have decided not to hit the brakes on the game’s release. Their top priority is to make sure players have a blast building cities. So, they’re sticking to the announced release date, committed to patching up issues in real-time.
Overall, Paradox Interactive and Colossal Order are committed to setting Cities: Skylines II on the path to becoming a well-oiled city-building machine. So, mayors-to-be, keep those blueprints handy and your city council on speed dial.
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5
